Iraq Anti-Fraud Recovery: Iraq’s judiciary recovered 20bn Iraqi dinars (about $15.3m) from corruption cases via the Rusafa Investigative Court, with proceedings still under way against accused parties. Iraq Telecom Capacity Planning: Iraq’s telecom regulator says mobile operators are using AI to forecast a 135% telecom traffic jump in Karbala ahead of Arbaeen, using data from thousands of towers to expand capacity before services are hit. Syria Payments + Tourism Super App: UAE-backed 121 Living launched “My Syria,” bundling tourism, hospitality, transport and digital payments, including cross-border payments via major card networks and Apple/Google Pay. Israel Startup Funding: Israeli startups raised $1.4bn in July 2026, with $9bn raised in the first seven months of the year so far. UK Price-Gouging Watch: UK Chancellor John Healey pledged closer scrutiny of fuel and supermarket pricing as Iran-war energy costs feed inflation fears. US Travel Advisory: The US State Department urged Americans across the Middle East to consider leaving or prepare to depart on short notice amid escalation risk. Iraq Oil Export Expansion: Iraq plans to double crude exports through Türkiye’s Ceyhan port to 1.5m bpd by expanding capacity from 750k bpd. Cyprus Military Readiness: Türkiye said it is updating military readiness amid renewed focus on Cyprus and wider Eastern Mediterranean security shifts. Israel-Palestine West Bank Flashpoints: Reports say Israeli forces cut electricity to Madama and carried out raids/arrests across the West Bank, underscoring rising tensions. FinTech/AI in Hospitality: The Future Hospitality Summit highlights AI, automation and data analytics as core themes for hospitality investment and operations across the region. Crypto + Iran Risk: Iran-linked crypto activity and market volatility remain in focus as lawmakers push retaliation and exchange outflows surge.