01 | Iraq Regulator Action Suspends Korek Network Coverage in 14 Governorates

As of 2026-11-04, this is no longer a localized network fault. Iraq’s federal Communications and Media Commission shut down Korek Telecom’s main exchanges, suspending the operator’s network coverage across 14 governorates. For businesses that depend on local mobile connectivity, a regulatory dispute has become a direct business continuity risk.

The regulator said Korek had repeatedly failed to meet its contractual obligations and that it would pursue legal, regulatory and technical measures in coordination with the relevant authorities. Korek described the decision as “arbitrary,” said it would challenge it legally and reserved the right to seek compensation for its losses. The dispute continues, but the widespread service interruption has already occurred.

Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-03

02 | Egypt Requires Non-Bank Financial Institutions to Update Customer Identification Forms

Egypt’s new Financial Regulatory Authority circular calls for more than a replacement set of customer forms. Regulated institutions must also amend their policy and procedure manuals and internal control systems. The work should be treated as an update to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls, rather than a document redesign.

Circular No. 8 of 2026 requires institutions to follow the revised customer due diligence procedures when updating identification and identity verification forms for customers and beneficial owners. The forms must also be accessible to customer groups requiring special care, particularly persons with disabilities, illiterate individuals and the elderly.

Once approved, the revised forms must be submitted with each institution’s periodic report on its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing activities for 2026. The deadline is 2027-01-31. The requirement covers capital markets, insurance and non-bank financing activities supervised by the Financial Regulatory Authority.

Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-11-03

05 | Bahrain Awards Golden Licences to Four Projects Worth USD 3.89 Billion

The significance of Bahrain’s latest Golden Licences lies in the projects now attached to them across aviation logistics, real estate and technology. During Gateway Gulf 2026, Bahrain announced that four large-scale projects awarded Golden Licences represented a combined investment of USD 3.89 billion.

The projects include DHL’s first and only regional maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Bahrain International Airport; three aviation ventures led by AirAsia parent Capital A; a waterfront development in Amwaj by Meliá and Infracorp; and Digital City Bahrain, an information and communications technology, innovation and education hub.

The awards show the Golden Licence mechanism being applied to large, cross-sector investments. The available information does not announce new eligibility criteria or specific incentives, so it should not be read as a general change to investment entry requirements.

Source: Japan Wire by Kyodo News, 2026-11-02

06 | Qatar Post Adds a New Channel for Business Licensing Applications

The available information does not indicate any change to licensing fees or market access conditions. The agreement changes the service channel: Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has authorized Qatar Post to provide business licensing services through the ministry’s Single Window Platform.

Investors, entrepreneurs and private-sector businesses will be able to apply through Qatar Post for business licensing and establishment services. Applications remain subject to existing laws and procedures. The parties intend to use Qatar Post’s network and operational capabilities to simplify procedures, shorten the company establishment process and improve the digital application experience.

For businesses preparing to establish an entity in Qatar, the arrangement may reduce the need to move between separate service channels. It should not be interpreted as a relaxation of licensing requirements, fees or investment access rules.

Source: The Peninsula, 2026-11-03

Other updates

  • 07 | Qatar updates its domain registration policies: The new policies took effect on 2026-10-22, extending the maximum registration period for .qa domains from 5 years to 10 years and revising rules for registration, renewal, transfer, recovery and eligibility. (Source: Qatar Tribune, 2026-11-04)
  • 08 | Saudi Arabia tightens IPO rules and requires underwriters to purchase all offered shares: The Capital Market Authority approved provisions that tighten book-building requirements, strengthen underwriter responsibilities and require issuers to disclose forward-looking financial projections. (Source: Asharq Al-Awsat, 2026-11-02)
  • 09 | Saudi employment-support salary threshold to reach SAR 6,000 by 2028: The minimum monthly salary eligible for employment support will rise to SAR 5,000 on 2027-04-25 and SAR 6,000 on 2028-04-25; this threshold is not a national minimum wage. (Source: CairoScene)
  • 11 | Dubai expands digital tenancy registration: Tenants and landlords can use the DubaiNow app to create, register, renew and cancel tenancy contracts, and pay the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority security deposit to activate electricity and water services. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-11-02)
  • 14 | Bahrain Bourse and partners establish a BD 40 million market-making fund: Bahrain Bourse, Mumtalakat, Osool Asset Management, BBK and NBB launched the fund, managed by Al Ramz Capital, to improve stock-market liquidity and trading efficiency. (Source: GDN Online)
  • 15 | Banque du Caire shares begin trading in what the central bank calls Egypt’s largest IPO: The bank’s shares started trading in the banking sector of the Egyptian Exchange’s main market on 2026-11-02. (Source: Central Bank of Egypt)
  • 19 | Iraq and Chevron make progress on the West Qurna 2 contract: The parties have reached agreement on the contract, with signing expected before the end of 2026, while discussions continue on the Nasiriyah oil field and four exploration blocks; the contract has not yet been signed. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-04)
  • 20 | Seven OPEC+ members agree to maintain September production levels in December: Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman decided to maintain their required September 2026 production levels for December 2026. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-03)
  • 21 | Iraq targets WTO accession compliance by 2028: Iraq is advancing its goods and services market-access submissions and aligning domestic trade legislation, but the 2028 objective remains an accession target and does not mean membership has been approved. (Source: Iraqi News, 2026-11-03)
  • 23 | Saudi Cabinet approves the National Space Policy: The Cabinet approved the policy on 2026-11-03, but the available public information does not specify investment amounts, a licensing regime or foreign-investment access rules. (Source: Argaam, 2026-11-03)
  • 27 | Türkiye’s central bank reserves fall below USD 160 billion in October: Preliminary data indicated an estimated USD 4.1 billion decline in the week ending 2026-10-30, from USD 162.2 billion a week earlier. (Source: Türkiye Today, 2026-11-02)
  • 28 | Türkiye’s fund liquidation repayments reach TRY 97.3 billion across more than 240,000 investors: By 2026-10-30, the process had paid TRY 97.3 billion to 247,839 investors across 100 funds, with 178,537 investors recovering their principal in full. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 29 | Türkiye plans TRY 53 billion for industrial zone and estate projects: The government plans to allocate the amount in 2027; it is a budget proposal rather than evidence that funds have already been disbursed. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 30 | Thirty-seven people return more than TRY 18 billion in Türkiye fund investigation: The repayment forms part of an investigation into alleged illicit gains from investment funds and uses a different accounting scope from the overall fund liquidation repayment figures. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)

Last updated: November 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.