Energy & Cost of Living: Ofgem is set to reveal the next UK energy price cap for Oct–Dec, with analysts warning bills could rise about 4% as Middle East conflict keeps wholesale prices elevated; separately, South Africa reported food inflation easing to a 16-year low, helping overall consumer inflation cool to 4.3% in July. Cyber & Infrastructure: Iran-linked hackers reportedly shut down a UK power plant for four days, with officials saying the wider grid stayed resilient—another reminder that consumer energy supply can be hit by geopolitics. Middle East Consumer Pressure: Iran warns neighbors against joining the US “economic war,” threatening “seismic” retaliation and pushing fears of tighter Gulf oil flows; in parallel, households across the region keep feeling the pinch as fuel and shipping risks feed into prices. Retail & Services in the Region: TravelDistro launched Türkiye’s API-first B2B travel marketplace, aiming to simplify ticketing, hotels, transfers and eSIM via one contract. Back-to-School Education: 51Talk rolled out Saudi-focused English courseware at the 2026 exhibition, localizing content for young learners. Food Trade: Egypt’s NFSA said it shipped 208,000 tons of food products to 184 countries in one week, led by vegetables and sweet potatoes. Smartphones: Counterpoint forecasts smartphone shipments in 2026 will fall over 14% as chip and memory costs push up prices.