Hurricane relief & connectivity: Verizon is waiving Kaua’i call/text/data charges through Sept. 14 and pre-staging backup power, satellite messaging, and equipment to keep customers and public safety connected as Major Hurricane Lowell nears. Storm restoration updates: Pepco says power is back for about 90% of roughly 76,000 customers hit by Thursday’s storms in Md. and D.C., with 7,600 still out Saturday morning, mainly Prince George’s County and D.C.; Duke Energy reported thousands without power in South Carolina’s Upstate and Anderson County. Consumer finance rules: The UAE’s FRA issued its first unified, comprehensive guide for consumer finance companies, aiming to simplify compliance as the sector grows and diversifies. Halal labeling & imports: Bahrain is rolling out a National Halal Mark framework, while Indonesia issued new rules for halal assurance of foreign products ahead of compulsory certification starting Oct. 2026. Food & product safety: India’s Primark recalled a home accessory over “chemical” risk; Hyderabad food-safety teams seized Rs 7.19 lakh in dairy/paneer issues; and KFC India apologized after a customer claimed an insect in fried chicken. Retail pressure on suppliers: A report says big retailers are tightening supplier terms via chargebacks and deductions, squeezing small manufacturers’ margins. Data privacy: Trezor disclosed an additional ShipMonk breach exposing 67,000 U.S. customers’ personal and order details. Consumer tech growth: Google says Gemini hit 1 billion monthly users, underscoring how fast AI products are scaling. Customer service tools: Niagara-on-the-Lake launched a My.NOTL portal for residents to submit and track service requests online. Energy saving prompts: Carroll Electric asked customers to cut usage during 3–7 p.m. peak hours next week.