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With Islamic State (IS or Daesh) continuing to lose ground in Mosul, the time will soon come when Iraqis can look beyond the destruction wrought by that invidious group and dare to focus instead on the future. They can do so buoyed by some promising signs that things could at last start to move in the right direction. A recent survey of 1,338 Iraqis found they were more optimistic about the country’s direction, not least because of improvements in security and reductions in sectarianism.

Health minister Dr Ahmed Al-Saidi in late June said Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said was in good health, pointing to the sultan presiding over cabinet meetings as a sign of his well-being. Al-Saidi was among medical staff who accompanied Qaboos to Germany for his recent treatment; he returned on 12 April. In early July, Qaboos issued two royal decrees, a security agreement with Qatar and an accord with Brazil.

Federal Vice President, prime minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum announced on Twitter on 20 May that the UAE cabinet had voted to lift foreign ownership restrictions on businesses. It is also to introduce a ten-year visa for some groups, including investors, scientists, doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs. The decisions are due to be enforced by Q3 2018. The changes are expected to stimulate investment. Dubai-based Emirates NBD says that some of the Dh164bn ($44.7bn) that expats remit home is now likely to be invested locally.

Islamic bank Masraf Al Rayan (MAR) was incorporated as a Qatari shareholding company on 4 January 2006, and licensed by Qatar Central Bank (QCB). It grew rapidly after its launch that October to become the largest Islamic lender and fourth largest bank by market value. It continued to grow in 2011, when it picked up business as a result of the central bank’s decree closing the Islamic windows of commercial banks. Headquartered in Doha, it launched with a paid-up capital of QR7.5bn ($2.1bn).

Abu Dhabi Police is looking to collaborate with the UK’s West Yorkshire Police on forensics. In a statement on 5 March, the UAE’s interior ministry said Colonel Abdul Rahman Al-Hammadi, head of the Forensic Evidence Department at Abu Dhabi Police, had met West Yorkshire Police chief constable Mark Gilmore in Abu Dhabi, giving him a tour of the department. Gilmore is in charge of the Forensic Labs Co-ordination Committee in the UK.

Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani was in Saudi Arabia in late June. He met various members of the leadership including King Salman, at a meeting attended by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, at Al Safa palace in Mecca. Mecca governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal also attended. Before leaving for the kingdom Sheikh Abdullah hosted the Kuwaiti interior minister and deputy premier Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khalid Al-Hamed Al-Sabah in Doha.

The National Assembly voted on 13 May to defer plans to introduce a value-added tax until 2021, three years after the implementation date originally agreed by all six Gulf Co-operation Council members. To date only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have brought in the 5% levy on goods and services. However, the National Assembly is still expected to push ahead with the introduction of excise duty to be paid by Kuwaitis on tobacco products and sugary drinks later this year.

Kingdom Holding Company posted a $8.26bn net loss in Q4 08, compared with a gain of $68.2m in Q4 07.

Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (MBR) has become a grandfather again, after his daughter Sheikha Manal gave birth to a boy, Rashid Bin Mansour. Sheikha Manal is one of MBR’s elder daughters; she has been married for 12 years to federal presidential affairs minister Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Manal has a visible role as head of the UAE Gender Balance Council; she is also involved in charitable affairs and the art scene. MBR is often photographed playing with his grandchildren.

Federal Vice President and prime minister, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (MBR) began the year with a brace of statements seemingly designed to restate his economic and political philosophy. On 5 January, he set out eight defining principals for governing Dubai, followed the next day by a 50-year charter. Both statements concentrated on one of his favourite themes: that government leaders should focus on delivering tangible improvements to the quality of life of the people they govern.

United States Senator Chris Murphy, a frequent critic of arms sales to the Gulf, visited the family of imprisoned human rights activist Nabeel Rajab in Manama on 23 November.

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said returned from Germany on 12 April following “successful” medical checkups, a Royal Court statement said. The “routine” checks “have been crowned with the desired good results”, it added. There has been intense speculation over the 75-year-old Omani leader’s health since he spent eight months in Germany for medical treatment prior to returning in March 2015. GSN sources have said recent speculation was overblown as the Sultan seemed in reasonable health – and is planning to visit London soon for a 90th birthday lunch with Queen Elizabeth II.

Qatar and France have signed a declaration of intent to establish a strategic dialogue, following talks between deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and France’s Europe and foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Doha on 11 February. The agreement covers a broad range of areas including defence and security, health, education, culture, sports, economy, investment, and combating terrorism. Le Drian said there would be further discussions on regional issues including Libya, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

The new Kuwait Embassy building was inaugurated on 20 October at 5 Charles de Gaulle Street, in an elite district of Astana, with a reception hosted by ambassador (since January 2015) Tarek Abdullah Al-Faraj.

The decision by Bahrain and the UAE to withdraw from the World Handball Championship 2015, due to begin in Qatar on 15 January, appears to be the latest fit of pique in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) spat that has been festering since Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia withdrew their ambassadors from Doha in March. No reason was given for the decision, but it seems likely to be political, given the continued animosity being directed towards Doha, particularly from the UAE.