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Abdullah, the emir’s son by his third wife Sheikha Nura Bint Khalid Bin Hamad, recently celebrated his marriage

Qatar’s wealth and energy for diplomacy have made it a key player in regional politics. It was deeply involved in the push to oust Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi, and has taken a strong line on Syria. Qatar’s hyperactive diplomatic endeavours have at times irked neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, which is protective of its role as regional powerhouse.

Saudi Arabia has taken a strong line on Syria, publicly expressing support for arming opponents of President Bashar Al-Assad. While there is no indication Riyadh is arming the Free Syrian Army (FSA), sources in the private security industry say charter flights carrying Saudi-funded communications equipment have already headed to Turkey, where the FSA is said to be training.

Plenty of financial issues remain to be resolved, and analysts observe that Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) is still less prominent on the world stage than he was before becoming UAE premier in 2006. But something of the old strut is returning to Dubai.

Analysts expect the cabinet and opposition-dominated parliament to remain at loggerheads, and say that, in the short term, the stalemate is likely to continue. When parliament opened on 15 February, proceedings were chaotic and, less than a week later, there was a request filed to grill the prime minister.

Iran plans to increase its crude oil storage capacity in order to circumvent sanctions, according to the English language Tehran Times.

In royal decrees issued on 29 February, Sultan Qaboos reshuffled the cabinet for the third time in just over a year, removing the unpopular information minister Hamad Bin Mohammed Al-Rashdi and justice minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Hinai.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will pay an official visit to China from 27-29 March

It should come as no surprise that Sudan’s internationally wanted President Omar Al Bashir visited Qatar and Saudi Arabia in early March, where he was welcomed with an open disregard for the arrest warrant issued for him by the International Criminal Court (which the United Nations has urged even non-signatory countries to co-operate with).

Oil major ExxonMobil has broken its silence over its controversial production-sharing contracts with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), although it did not comment on the resultant tension with Baghdad.

long- standing political tensions between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad have escalated in recent months, putting the Kurds at the centre of Iraqi politics: issues at stake include the presence on Kurdish soil of fugitive vice president Tariq Al-Hashemi, wanted by Baghdad, and a dispute over oil contracts which shows no signs of resolution.

As diplomatic options narrow and the killing continues, Saudi Arabia has been increasingly assertive about the need to arm the Syrian opposition. But analysts say fears over the potential ramifications mean Riyadh is not yet set on a course of action

The situation in Iraq has deteriorated considerably following the 18 December withdrawal of the last US combat forces. Major attacks have killed hundreds of people and raised fears of a return to the sectarian strife that ripped through the country in 2006 and 2007.

The daughter of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has married

Parliamentary elections on 2 March will be the first national poll since a 2009 presidential election, in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed 62% of the vote, sparking accusations of rigging and months of protests. With reformists largely sidelined, the March poll is widely viewed as a contest between Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad