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While Kuwait and Baghdad have been edging towards compromise in the war of words over Iraq’s Mubarak Al-Kabir port mega-project, tensions are being stoked by threats from an Iraqi militant group with strong Iranian connections. Washington shares Kuwait’s concerns about Kataib Hizbollah’s potential to further inflame tensions in the region

The storm over comments made by the chair of the body set up to investigate human rights abuses since February, has cast doubts over its credibility. Some observers believe this could work against the interests of the king, who may have a vested interest in the panel digging deep and its findings being deemed credible

Bahraini prime minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa in late August called for new measures to combat economic crime in an effort to fight corruption. Local media reported him as saying that establishing an anti-corruption agency was vital to ensure a just economic system.

The wide-ranging roles played by Gulf states in supporting the uprising against Muammar Qadhafi reveals a new regional diplomatic axis at work. The influence of Qatar and other NTC allies will continue to be felt as Libya remakes itself following Tripoli’s fall to the rebels, with Islamist politicians expected to play a prominent part

Prince Salman Bin Abdelaziz returned home from his annual holiday in Marbella in early August. Prince Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Faisal died on 20 August

The Kurdistan region of Iraq has great successes within its grasp, but remains threatened by its still unstable relationship with the rest of the country and neighbours in the region. The Iraqi parliament will soon start discussion on a series of oil sector laws which will potentially enshrine the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s right to issue contracts and hold licensing rounds.

Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa has been seen in several western capitals (including London in May and Washington in June) over the past few months, but has also been travelling at home.

In its first official comments on the Bubiyan island port dispute, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded that its neighbour halt construction of its new megaport until the impact on Iraqi waterways can be ascertained. Iraq is sending a commission “formed from experts and specialists in all fields and from different ministries” to Kuwait to assess the project, foreign minister Hoshiar Zebari told Al-Sumaria TV.

A draft Saudi anti-terrorism law, which could see peaceful protests classed as terrorism, has drawn widespread criticism from international rights groups.

Foreign ministry post for Abdullah’s son; PRINCESS BASMA: Criticises Bahrain intervention; AL-SAUD: Summer in Taif; KHALID BIN YAZID: Funeral; PRINCESS SULTANA: Death of well-known philanthropist

Bahrain’s National Dialogue concluded on 30 July with three concrete recommendations and a lot more woolly statements presented to King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa (GSN 905/4). If robustly implemented, these measures could eventually lead to more representative, tolerant government and greater transparency, in a system where a wider range of Bahraini voices are heard and officials are brought to account for abuses (with ministers potentially facing Kuwait-style ‘grillings’ in parliament).

The UK High Court has rejected as false and libellous allegations that Ethiopian-born billionaire Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi wanted his daughter Sarah stoned to death in Saudi Arabia (GSN 893/14). Al-Amoudi, who is believed to be worth $12.3bn and is 63rd on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people, was also accused of supporting terrorism and having links to the 2004 killing of four US defence contractors in Iraq.

With an eye on unrest elsewhere in the region, Abu Dhabi is pushing ahead with its Northern Emirates development programmes in an attempt to head off youth protests in the UAE’s poorer regions

The role of the anti-Qadhafi camp’s most prominent Arab supporters is likely to come under new scrutiny, as sources suggest that Abu Dhabi could play a big role in helping the Benghazi rebels to resume oil production

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad finds himself besieged by a resurgent clerical elite and a parliament (Majlis) firmly behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Opponents are fighting back against Ahmadinejad’s consolidation of power since his disputed re-election in 2009, and his position in what hardline conservatives call a liberal ‘deviant current’ in Iranian politics.