Economic Courts: Kuwait is moving to set up specialized economic courts to clear commercial case backlogs and speed up dispute resolution, aiming to protect investors and boost capital inflows. Delivery Rules: New regulations from Sept 1 cap delivery fees at KD 1 for online orders via third-party platforms, with commission limits and bans on extra surcharges—sparking mixed reactions from delivery businesses. Freelance Licensing: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is studying changes to freelance and micro-business licensing to make it easier to start firms while improving transparency on real beneficiaries. Public Funds Probe: Kuwait’s Social Affairs minister referred suspected KD 1.21m violations at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs to prosecution after findings of payments for incomplete maintenance works. SME Banking Push: NBK is expanding integrated banking and financing solutions for SMEs, bundling payments, financing and daily banking support. Kuwait-Japan Diplomacy: Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah visited Japan, underscoring ties and cooperation amid regional tensions. India Defence Talks: Kuwait and India held their first Joint Defence Committee meeting in New Delhi, agreeing to deepen training, exercises, medicine and defence research. Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Pact: Pakistan and Kuwait signed Protocol Agreement-2026, formalizing training, border management, logistics and defence-industrial cooperation. Oil & Shipping Watch: Kuwait’s oil price rose to $87.44/bbl; meanwhile, Hormuz tanker traffic is up week-on-week but still well below pre-war levels. UN Calls for Talks: UN chief Guterres urged the US and Iran to resume negotiations, warning of worsening humanitarian and economic fallout.