Across:
8 Afro-American dismisses moaner (‘Afro-American’ dismisses ‘moaner’ = Africa = AFRICA) in Chad’s home (AFRICA),
9 Translate (= anagram indicator) email (email = AMI-LE) about law enforcement agency (Criminal Assets Bureau = -CAB-) (AMICABLE) – not the hostile type (AMICABLE),
10 A course (course/route = LANE) in Callanetics? (in ‘Callanetics’ = LANE),
11 Local informer (GRASS) on border (border/edge = SKIRT) (GRASS SKIRT) produced the gear for the summer months on the beach? (GRASS SKIRT),
12 Turns up (= reversal indicator), no (no = -ON) teacher (sir = -RIS-) will take first puff (first ‘puff’ = P-) (PRISON) of American joint (PRISON),
14 Fight (B-OX) over state (= homophone indicator) rule (rule = “reign” = “rain” = -RAIN-) by blockhead (‘block’ head = -B-) (BRAINBOX) or clever clogs (BRAINBOX),
15 The consequences of what happened (CAME HOME TO ROOST) occurred to the prodigal birds when they got broody (proverb: “curses are like chickens, they always come home to roost” / CAME HOME TO ROOST),
18 Star (star/appear = FEATURE-) director (-D) (FEATURED) included in the cast (FEATURED),
20 Finishes with alternative comic (finishes with ‘alternative comic’ = EC-) and works in The Garden (-HOES) (ECHOES) with mimics (ECHOES),
22 Get wind of the fact (DISCOVERED) detective’s (DI’s = DIS-) given protection (-COVERED) (DISCOVERED),
24 Rows (OARS) with co-authors losing touch (‘co-authors’ losing ‘touch’ = oars = OARS),
25 Cook (= anagram indicator) farm hens (farm hens = FRESHMAN) for a student of the first course presumably (first-year university student = FRESHMAN),
26 Observed (OBEYED) Old Bob (OB-) getting around Iris (-EYE-) with diamonds (-D) (OBEYED).
Down:
1 Involvement (AFFAIR) in a (A-) party (Fianna Fáil = -FF-) atmosphere (-AIR) (AFFAIR),
2 Refer to (CITE) review (= reversal indicator) in The Ticket (in ‘the ticket’ = etic = CITE),
3 Keep (HANG ONTO) under hat (HA- -T-) poor result (no good/no grade = -NG) and broadcast (-ON-) nothing (-O) (HANG ONTO),
4 Two states (California and Virginia = CA+VA = CAVA) producing sparkling wine (CAVA),
5 Turns over (= reversal indicator) a (-A) manuscript (MS = -SM-) with intent (aim = MIA-) (MIASMA) leading to a bad atmosphere, in a literary sense (MIASMA),
6 Computer (MACINTOSH) produced by graduate (MA-) teachers (INTO) mostly (O) (‘INTO’ without ‘O” = -INT-) under the cosh (C-OSH) (MACINTOSH),
7 In a way (= anagram indicator), our Sligo (our Sligo = GLORIOUS) gets fabulous weather (GLORIOUS),
13 A pinch of salt (SCEPTICISM) – is that what Thomas is famous for? (‘Doubting Thomas’ / SCEPTICISM),
14 Mix up (BLEND) blood group (B-) – is that what The Bank is supposed to do? (-LEND) (BLEND),
16 Earliest (earliest = ATELIERS) models (= anagram indicator) produced by the workshops (the workshops = ATELIERS),
17 One of the Bakers opens it (OVEN DOOR) for group of witches (coven) heading off (c) (‘coven’ without ‘c’ = OVEN) with inverted (= reversal indicator) crucifix (rood = DOOR) (OVEN DOOR),
19 Recall (= reversal indicator) characters in pickup? Maverick (characters in ‘pickup maverick’ = pmaver = REVAMP) is to get a facelift! (REVAMP),
21 Made (EARNED) to back out of break dance (‘back’ out of ‘break dance’ = redane = EARNED),
23 Backed (= reversal indicator) trademark narrative (‘trademark narrative’ = knar = RANK) position of major employer (position of major employer/army = RANK),
24 Introduces 17 down (‘oven door’ = OVEN) to range (OVEN).