Consumer Tech & Privacy: Canada’s Innovation ministry will brief media on the new Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act, signaling tighter rules for how consumer data gets handled. Snack Innovation: Protein is breaking out of the usual lane, with “shape-shifter” snacks like protein crisps, cereal-milk desserts, and nostalgia-driven bites blending indulgence with wellness. Payments Expansion: Zelle is launching in India and rolling out ZelleUSD, a dollar-backed stablecoin aimed at faster cross-border remittances. Energy Savings: Octopus Energy will credit customers £512 ahead of a new price-cap period, touting smart-tariff savings and urging payment checks. Home & Retail Upgrades: Bahrain’s Seef Mall redevelopment moves into main construction, adding new dining and expanding the shopping-entertainment mix. AI for Kids: Omli raises $1.5M seed funding to improve children-focused speech recognition and expand its AI learning companion. Climate-Friendly Food Systems: A $5M grant backs a regional school food hub in New York to boost local sourcing via processing, training, and last-mile delivery. Semiconductor Push: Israel launches up to NIS 150M for integrated photonics R&D infrastructure, aiming to speed from design to volume manufacturing. Health Tech Trial: TriCelX gets FDA authorization to start a Phase 1/2 cell therapy trial for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).