Trump-BBC Financial Fight: A federal judge paused an order forcing Donald Trump’s trust to hand over broad financial records to the BBC in the $10bn defamation case, after Trump sought to narrow claims to reputational harm—keeping sensitive business data out of reach for now. Disaster Tax Relief Blocked: Sen. Ron Wyden’s wildfire tax-relief bill hit a procedural roadblock in the Senate, leaving affected homeowners facing renewed uncertainty over settlement taxes. Municipal Cash Support: Digos City in the Philippines distributed checks worth P500,000–P800,000 to barangays that completed liquidation requirements, while two lagged behind. Local Finance Transparency: Illinois advanced a law (effective Jan. 1, 2027) to make local audit and financial reports easier to find via the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. Banking Regulation Pushback: Texas AG Ken Paxton’s wealth spotlight met a separate U.S. banking fight as a coalition urged regulators to deny OppFi’s bid to merge into a national bank charter. Energy & Health Funding: Nigeria approved a financing framework to electrify health facilities nationwide, aiming for reliable power by 2027. UAE Excise Update: The UAE set a minimum excise price of AED1 per millilitre for e-cigarette liquids, effective Sept. 1, 2026. AI Spending Meets Debt: Alphabet’s AI capex is increasingly debt-funded, with investors treating the leverage as part of the growth plan. Wealth Snapshot: Forbes’ Philippines’ 50 richest list showed combined wealth down 8% to $79bn, led by ICTSI’s Enrique Razon.