Search results

Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Al-Thani has lost a case in the Court of Appeal in London, where he was seeking redress over a sculpture of Alexander the Great, bought by Qatar Investment and Project Development Holding Company (Qipco) for $3m in January 2014. Hamad is chief executive of Qipco.

Riyadh governor Prince Faisal Bin Bandar led the funeral prayers for Princess Noura Bint Faisal Bin Abdelaziz on 14 March, at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. Her death had been announced the day before.

Crown Prince and culture, sports and youth minister Theyazin Bin Haitham Al-Said married his first cousin Sayyida Meyyan Bint Shihab Al-Said in a service at the Mazay Hall in Al-Alam Palace in Muscat on 11 November.

The Amiri Diwan has finally begun appointing its officials, following significant delays after the ascension of Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah last September. The structure remains much the same as before, with Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah as minister for Amiri Diwan affairs and Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah as deputy minister. Most importantly, former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Sabah – a central figure in political discord – remains the top advisor for the ruling family, signalling continuity at the top of the political system and potentially further battles.

Vaccination programmes have begun across the Gulf. Rulers and politicians have been publicly rolling up their sleeves to get a shot, with local newspapers praising their leaders for inspiring confidence among the local population that the vaccines are safe to receive.

King Salman Bin Abdelaziz on 31 August issued a royal order retiring Joint Forces commander Lieutenant General Prince Fahd Bin Turki Bin Abdelaziz. His son Al-Jouf deputy governor Prince Abdelaziz was also removed from his post.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani criticised delays in sending aid to Syria, following the devastating earthquake which hit the country and neighbouring Turkey.

Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has been pushing his economic reform agenda in the days since being named prime minister. On 29 September, he unveiled a new strategy for Savvy Games Group, a subsidiary of the state-owned Public Investment Fund (PIF), with the aim of turning the kingdom into a hub for gaming and esports by 2030.

Much coverage of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has implied the young prince, still only 31, emerged from nowhere when his father became king in January 2015. But MBS had been on the scanners on more assiduous Saudi-watchers for some time. Below is a Royals watch note from issue 898 of GSN, published on 8 April 2011, which recorded the young prince’s “more visible presence”.Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdelaziz opened a ceremony for the National Association of Retired Persons in Riyadh on 21 March [2011].

Manama and Doha took a significant step towards reconciliation at the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development, with a face-to-face meeting between Bahraini King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in Washington on 30 January for a two-day official visit – the first by a Gulf leader since President Joe Biden took office one year ago.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani named foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Al-Thani as prime minister in March, following the resignation of Sheikh Khalid Bin Khalifa Bin Abdelaziz Al-Thani, who had been premier since January 2020. Tamim’s youngest full-brother Khalifa Bin Hamad Al-Thani  was named interior minister, a position Khalid Bin Khalifa had also held.

Sheikh Abdelaziz Bin Thani Bin Khalid Al-Thani has been named chief executive of Qatar Media Corporation, (QMC) stepping up from his previous position as general manager of the Qatar TV channel.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani reshuffled the country’s security establishment in a series of decrees and orders, naming his brother and interior minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani as commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya).

Sheikh Abdulla Bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa is to take over as chief executive of Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat from 1 May, replacing Khalid Al-Rumaihi who has been in the post since September 2019.