Canada Alcohol DTC Deal: Nine provinces signed a Direct-to-Consumer alcohol sales agreement, letting shoppers buy wine, beer and spirits from producers in participating provinces—grocers say it won’t meaningfully dent in-store sales. Power Prices Under Scrutiny: Davao City urged its utility to lock in long-term power supply deals to cut reliance on costly spot-market purchases, after residents complained about high bills despite adequate Mindanao reserves. Markets: Nigeria’s stock market reversed gains, shedding N599bn as losers outnumbered gainers. U.S. Exports: The U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council credits market diversification for record corn and ethanol export momentum. Corporate Turnaround: McDonald’s named Skye Anderson to revive its sluggish U.S. business after weak Q2 sales and execution missteps. Retail & Consumer Trends: Apple invited U.S. retail employees to support its September iPhone event; in Australia, resale profitability shows early signs of cooling. Energy Demand Signal: China hit new electricity load records as AI, EVs and heat drive consumption. Compliance & Prediction Markets: Kalshi partnered with Comply to monitor employee participation in prediction markets, aiming to address insider-trading concerns. Labor Watch: U.S. job openings slipped in June, but the labor market stayed resilient amid geopolitical shocks. Small Business Solar Push (Australia): A national solar scheme expansion would subsidize up to 1MW systems, targeting “missing middle” housing and business savings.