Gaza Ceasefire Push: Jared Kushner met Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt for talks aimed at reviving a stalled roadmap, with Hamas calling on mediators and the US-backed Board of Peace to compel Israel to approve the next phase. Regional Security Pact: Trump hailed the Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as a “big, bold” step toward collective defense, with closer coordination and defense-industry cooperation. Hormuz Tensions: As a US-Iran MoU nears expiry, Iran says it has not decided to resume talks and insists Strait of Hormuz can’t be controlled by the US, while Oman talks on shipping routes continue. MENA Tech & Jobs: A World Bank-focused piece argues MENA’s next growth chapter must unlock scalable private-sector business models to create high-quality jobs for a rapidly growing youth population. Smartphone Demand: Omdia reports Middle East smartphone shipments (ex-Turkey) fell 19% YoY in Q2 2026 amid higher prices and supply constraints, pushing makers toward mid-range and premium features. AI for Arabic Dialects: MBZUAI unveiled a benchmark to test AI understanding of Arab culture and 13 dialects, highlighting a gap between comprehension and real dialect speech. Labour & Safety Tech: talabat Bahrain won a private-sector excellence award for its Rider App, using telematics to improve rider safety and worker protections. Archaeology Digitalization: Turkic world researchers backed a unified digital heritage database, including plans for an electronic atlas of archaeological sites.