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Popular Resistance forces in the southern province of Aden may be forging a united front against northern Zaydi-Shia Houthi militias, but they are far from united. Groups of Sunni Islamist militants, secessionists and tribal elements, engaged in some of the most intense fighting against the Houthis, may face a prolonged conflict among themselves if the northern rebels eventually leave the troubled province. Sources in Aden told GSN that resistance to the Houthi-led assault has brought together Islamist militants allied to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Salafist elements exiled from Dammaj in Sadah, members of tribes from Abyan and Shabwah, and youth from various Hirak (southern secessionist) factions.

Even if its published national accounts are the sole criteria for assessing the emirate’s wealth – and they may not include some of the ruling Al-Thani’s huge investments abroad (see page 16) – Qatar’s economy is very healthy. The oil price crash has forced budget cuts, but Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani’s government has reacted prudently, as reflected in Standard & Poor’s end-March affirmation of Qatar’s AA long-term and A-1 short-term foreign and local currency credit ratings (with ‘stable’ outlook).

In a sign of changing times, the UK Conservative Party’s Middle East Council (CMEC) hosted a forum on 28 October in London to highlight the achievements of Middle Eastern women, and discuss what remains to be done to improve their rights.

Prime minister and interior minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani held talks with French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Doha on 22 June on how the two countries could enhance co-operation. On the same day, minister of state for defence affairs Dr Khalid Bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah met US Special Operations Forces commander Darsie Jones for discussions also revolving around how to improve bilateral military co-operation.

Italian defence firm Leonardo handed over the second of six upgraded naval vessels to the Royal Bahrain Naval Force, during a ceremony at Mina Salman at Royal Bahrain Navy Head Quarter. The upgrade of the Al-Muharraq includes a new weapon control system, training services and logistics. The Italian company’s Selex ES division signed a deal in 2015 to upgrade six vessels at a cost of €50m ($56m). The first, Al-Manama, was delivered last December last year, two months ahead of schedule.

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

Interior minister Lieutenant General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa officially launched landing ship Safra 1 at the Coast Guard headquarter in Bander Al Dar on 12 February, using the occasion to praise the Coast Guard’s recent efforts to prevent a number of “fugitives” fleeing to Iran. The new vessel, built by the local Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company, is equipped to carry out search, rescue and firefighting operations.

The local Azizi Developments plans to launch a Dh25bn ($6.8bn) residential, commercial and retail project on a 33m ft2 site in central Dubai, including 105 mid- and high-rise buildings offering 30,000 apartments. Group chairman Mirwais Azizi said the project would have a “distinctly British feel” and would be twice the size of his Azizi Riviera development in Meydan One. Construction is scheduled to start in November, to be completed before Expo 2020.

Economic Development Board (EDB) board member Khalid Humaidan has been promoted to become its new chief executive. Humaidan is a former head of global markets Middle East and Africa at BNP Paribas and also sits on the board of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company. This comes after former EDB chief Khalid Al-Rumaihi was appointed sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat’s chief executive.

Thirty-year-old Prince Saud Bin Abdelrahman Bin Saud Bin Abdelaziz married a daughter of Prince Bandar Bin Abdelaziz on 14 November. Bandar has ten daughters.

Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (MBR) has had his usual round of meetings in the first half of November

The UAE’s Mubadala Petroleum said in early July that it had signed a co-operation agreement with the Somali Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources “aimed at sharing knowledge, increasing the strength of the Somalia ministry and its staff, and, over time, developing upstream opportunities in Somalia”. The agreement follows high-level engagement between the two countries in the first half of 2014.

uler Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi delivered a speech to a drive-in graduation ceremony for the RAK Academy’s class of 2020. The unusual arrangement was in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sheikh Saud congratulated students for “achieving their goals in the face of adversity”, as they sat in their vehicles.

Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the Emiri Diwan office on 23 October to discuss preparations for hosting the 2022 World Cup. Head of football’s world governing body Infantino was in town to tour the stadiums under construction and to see the progress on the Doha Metro which will ferry fans around during the tournament.

A Saudi-UAE Economic Forum met in Riyadh on 31 January, highlighting once again the trend towards greater bilateral co-operation between the two countries. This has also been seen in the development of the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council. The wide-ranging discussions included talk of investment opportunities in trade, industry, technology, media, financial services, food and energy. UAE economy minister Sultan Al-Mansouri told the gathering that the two countries “have managed over the past few years to make great strides toward effecting economic integration”.