Oil & Energy: Saudi Aramco cut August Arab Light crude prices for Asia by $11 a barrel, its steepest cut in decades, as demand softens and competition rises. AI Infrastructure: Innovation City and Siada launched the Middle East’s first sovereign AI data center in Ras Al Khaimah, positioning UAE-based compute and data residency as a business advantage. Payments & Crypto: Stripe is pushing back against Circle and Tether with Open USD, a bank-backed stablecoin plan aimed at reshaping dollar-linked payments. Corporate Moves: AscentHR completed the acquisition of OS HRS to expand regional payroll and compliance capabilities across APAC and the Middle East. Regulation for Firms: South Africa’s AARTO Phase 2 is rolling out to more municipalities, linking company-vehicle fines to BRNs and urging businesses to tighten internal fine tracking. M&A/Markets: Torrent Pharmaceuticals won NCLT approval to merge with J. B. Chemicals, while Fincantieri announced four underwater acquisitions to build an integrated underwater operator. Business Climate: UK business investment intentions fell to the lowest since the pandemic, with firms warning they’re “taxed out of existence.”