On 18 August His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa received US Ambassador Stephen Craig Bondy at Al‑Qudaibiya Palace; he affirmed the strong strategic partnership between Bahrain and the United States, reviewed outcomes of the Crown Prince's visit to the US and stressed the importance of the announced cooperation agreements.

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund decided to exclude six Israeli companies and divest some investments in Israel due to the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. The fund's ethics watchdog will assess Israeli companies every three months. The fund held stakes in 61 Israeli companies as of 30 June and has recently liquidated stakes in 11 companies.

607 cases were filed against violating municipal bakeries in Cairo; authorities seized 9,285 kg of rice of unknown origin, 2,237 kg of meat, 336 kg of poultry, 140 kg of feseekh and renjah, 800 kg of sugar, and 408 bottles of oil.

The Nikkei closed at a record high on Monday, up 0.77% to 43,714.31 points, while the Topix climbed 0.43% to 3,120.96 points. A roughly 0.2% weaker yen versus the dollar supported automakers' shares as bank stocks fell and Japanese government bond yields rose, with the 20-year yield reaching 2.575%.

The Nikkei closed up 0.77% at 43,714.31 and TOPIX rose 0.43% to 3,120.96, both hitting session records for the second straight day. Weak yen lifted automaker shares while bank stocks lagged; JGB yields climbed ahead of a 20-year auction.

Schneider Electric launched initiatives to support electric mobility in Saudi Arabia including new chargers EVlink Pro DC 60 kW for fast charging and Schneider Charge Pro for medium charging, obtaining SASO approval, and qualifying more than 30 local partners via the EcoXpert program.

In Tunisia, despite progress in women's rights, there is growing rejection of the "Strong Independent Woman" concept due to women bearing heavy responsibilities at home and work with declining male contribution, raising debates about patriarchal mentality and conservative thought.

Adir renews its brand to strengthen its position as the optimal insurance partner in Lebanon, focusing on customer service, innovation, and responsible growth.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority launched the Automated Rail Infrastructure Inspection System (ARIIS) to employ AI in improving operational maintenance efficiency and enhancing safety while reducing reliance on traditional inspections.

Empower signed a contract to design a new cooling plant at Dubai Science Park with a capacity of about 47,000 refrigeration tons to serve around 80 multi-use buildings.