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Saudi Arabia signed a deal to buy the Akinci combat drone from Turkey’s Baykar Technology, during a visit to the kingdom by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Bayraktar called it the largest defence and aviation export contract in Turkish history.

There has been widespread anger in the Gulf and the wider region after copies of the Koran were publicly burned in Sweden and Denmark. Scandinavian authorities have so far said they cannot prevent such episodes as they would be counter to freedom of speech (although they could constitute a hate crime).

The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) is to resume negotiations with Japan on a free trade agreement (FTA) after a break of 14 years, following talks between GCC secretary-general Mohammed Al-Budaiwi and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia announced a $500m package of assistance to support Tunisia’s beleaguered economy, comprising a $400m soft loan and a grant of $100m. Tunisia is also likely to benefit from a $100m pledge from the UAE to help countries struggling to cope with irregular migration flows.

A US Senate committee has shed light on the key personalities involved in the controversial agreement between Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour to create a new global golf entity; many of the names will be familiar to Saudi-watchers.

Saudi-UAE rivalry may soon take on a new sporting dimension, with speculation the two leading men’s professional cycling teams could be backed by the Gulf countries from next season.

Iran has been flexing its muscles in oil and gas disputes with its Arab neighbours, in what could be an attempt to ensure the recent trend towards rapprochement with regional and international powers happens on its terms. But factional disputes within the Iranian elite may also be playing a role, as rivals in Tehran try to ensure their vested interests aren’t damaged.

The UAE’s hosting of the COP28 climate summit in November comes just as Gulf companies and investors are playing an ever-bigger role in electricity supply industries across Africa. Among the most prominent players, Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power has been an early mover and Abu Dhabi-backed Infinity Power is now developing gigawatts of new capacity.

Saudi Arabia is dedicating more attention to southern Yemen, even as it continues efforts to secure a peace agreement with the Houthis in the north. A key aim for Riyadh is ensuring Yemen remains unified. However, this strategy means Saudi allies continue to clash with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is pushing for independence.

Saudi Arabia's former deputy defence minister Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdelaziz is facing another legal challenge in London's Commercial Court after Dublin-based Yuntian 10 Leasing Company, owned by China Minsheng Bank, filed a case against him relating to a Boeing 787 leased by Bermuda’s Dream Aircraft, on which the prince provided personal guarantees.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) held a reception at Mina Palace in late June for princes and senior scholars, officials and military figures participating in this year’s Hajj, with his youngest brother Prince Rakan Bin Salman among those attending.

Saudi Arabia's Royal Court in early July announced the death of Prince Talal Bin Mansour Bin Abdelaziz. Talal was educated in Jeddah and spent some time in the US. Talal was the only son of King Abdelaziz (Ibn Saud)'s son Prince Mansour, who died in 1951 in Paris.

Gulf Co-operation Council foreign ministers were in Moscow on 10 July for the sixth round of the Russia-GCC strategic dialogue – the first time the meeting had been held in Russia since 2016. Moscow appeared keen to ensure the Ukraine war did not dominate the talks.

The launch of the Saudi-backed Hadhramaut National Council on 19 June has underlined fears that Yemen could break up into three distinct areas, with the Houthis controlling Sanaa and other parts of the north, while the rest of the country is divided between the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council and other groups supported by Saudi Arabia.

French-headquartered aerospace company Airbus is to set up a facility with Saudi Arabia's Scopa Industries Corporation to build military and civilian helicopters in the kingdom, following an agreement signed on the sidelines of the Saudi-French Investment Forum in Paris.