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Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has taken control of the Diriyah mixed-use development on the outskirts of Riyadh, adding to the sovereign fund’s list of 'giga-projects'.

A project to build a port in Al-Mahra governorate to export limestone was approved by the Yemeni government in early January, but has sparked criticism from locals.

For all United Nations special envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg’s efforts at shuttle diplomacy, the continued failure to relaunch the UN-backed ceasefire – which ended in October – has raised the prospect of renewed threats to shipping in the waters around Yemen. This has particular resonance for the UAE, which has often resorted to using commercial vessels as part of its security response.

Imagery recently released by the United States space agency Nasa has highlighted the dramatic change in Bahrain over the past three and half decades, as a result of huge land reclamation schemes.

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.

DP World is a principal tool in the UAE’s economic relationship with Russia. The Dubai-based ports and logistics giant has established itself as a leading actor in eastern Europe; it has a sizeable presence in the Black Sea and nearby areas, handling trade into and out of Russia and neighbouring countries.

Qatar is gearing up for the start of the Fifa World Cup on 20 November, following a last-minute change in the tournament schedule. A massive public arts campaign is being rolled out – led by Qatar Museums chief Sheikha Al-Mayassa Al-Thani – to go alongside state-of-the-art stadium architecture. The authorities will be hoping sport and culture remain the focus, rather than criticism about workers’ rights or any untoward behaviour by fans, but as a Perspective article from GSN issue 1154 highlights, Qatar has successfully dealt with numerous other challenges in the run-up to being awarded the tournament in 2010.

Energy and shipping are at the heart of the warm relations between Russia and the UAE, providing Moscow with an outlet to the world that avoids western sanctions. It is a relationship that might rankle with Washington, but appears to be in line with local public opinion, with polling suggesting that more Emiratis value good relations with Russia and China than with the United States.

The Saudi government is setting up a SR300bn ($80bn) fund to support the development of the futuristic city of Neom in the kingdom’s remote north-west corner.

A contract for the management of air traffic control at Afghanistan’s main airports is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks, with companies from the UAE, Qatar and Turkey in the running, after Abu Dhabi firms won a big ground services and security contract for Herat, Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif. It is hoped improved services will encourage more airlines to return to Taliban-run Afghanistan.

Saudi officials issued a statement on 16 May insisting that the futuristic city of Neom, under construction in the north-west of the kingdom, would be governed by the same rules that apply to the rest of the country in terms of security, defence and border protection.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) almost tripled the size of its initial public offering (IPO) on 30 March from 6.5% to 17% of its equity.

Tehran is making a concerted effort to improve relations with Baku, following tensions between the two sides in 2021. Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have tended to be pragmatic rather than warm; Tehran has historically had better relations with Baku’s rival Armenia.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has started testing its aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project – the largest facility of its kind in the world – following the completion of first stage construction work.

Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (TBZ) has continued his deal-making spree, with a company linked to the UAE national security adviser taking a 7.4% stake in Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports), which listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange on 8 February.