Tobacco Crackdown: Kuwait’s Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi issued Ministerial Resolution No. 237/2026 tightening tobacco and nicotine rules, banning sales, display, advertising and online/delivery marketing, and restricting products in schools, youth facilities and many public venues. Hormuz & Regional Security: Iran and Qatar remain locked in a dispute over alleged captured pilots, with Iran urging Qatar to allow an expert team and also claiming Kuwait is withholding information about four Iranians held in Kuwait. US-Iran Fallout for Kuwait: A Washington Post report says Gulf states including Kuwait are increasingly frustrated with Trump’s Iran approach, raising doubts about the cost of hosting US bases and pushing talk of new security arrangements. Family Safety & Interior: First Deputy PM and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef visited stabbed children, vowed zero tolerance for crimes threatening families, and said legal action is underway. Kuwait Economy & Investment: Kuwait’s Shaheen Project deal—KD/US$16bn via a sale-and-leaseback for crude pipelines—was highlighted as a major foreign investment push to fund KPC plans. Public Works: Qurtuba infrastructure contract progress hit 82%, with sewage/stormwater near completion and telecom and lighting networks largely advanced. Youth & Culture Links: Kuwait’s youth minister met Bahrain counterparts, while Kuwait’s ambassadors marked India’s 80th independence anniversary and reaffirmed Kuwait-India ties.