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Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani spent mid-February in South America. He and foreign minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani visited three countries, meeting Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Ecuadorian leader Rafael Correa, and signing agreements.

Reaction to the 14 February appointment of Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Bin Abdelaziz to the Riyadh governorship, following the death of Prince Sattam Bin Abdelaziz, has mostly been ‘Who?’ But GSN sources have largely made positive noises about a manoeuvre which included choosing Prince Turki Bin Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz, like Khalid a member of the so-called third generation, as deputy.

British newspapers have been reporting on the failed attempt of Allegiance Commission chairman Mishaal Bin Abdelaziz and his son Abdelaziz to keep a London court case secret. The Guardian and the Financial Times (FT) had raised concerns about Prince Abdelaziz’s privacy bid and, on 13 February, Mr Justice Morgan ruled that allegations about Abdelaziz Bin Mishaal during litigation in the wake of a business dispute should be aired in open court hearings.

Prince Saud Bin Nayef on 10 February assumed the governorship of Eastern Province, where he had been deputy governor from 1993 to 2003 under his cousin Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd. In March 2003, he was promoted to ministerial rank and, in October that year, appointed ambassador to Spain.

Prince Turki Bin Salman has been appointed chairman of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), replacing his brother Faisal Bin Salman, who was appointed Medina governor in January. SRMG owns Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and Arab News.

The estate of the bankrupt Icelandic bank Kaupthing has settled a dispute with the emir’s brother, former deputy prime minister Mohammed. The dispute stemmed from a deal the sheikh made to buy shares in the bank just before its 2008 collapse through his Q Iceland Holding. The bank had issued legal proceedings against the sheikh in Iceland.

A Saudi prince jailed in the UK for murder is to return home to Saudi Arabia just two years into his sentence. Prince Saud Bin Abdelaziz Bin Nasir was convicted at the Old Bailey in October 2010 for the murder of his servant in a London hotel, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the judge declared he had used his victim as a “human punch bag”.

Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Bin Sultan has made what is thought to be his second marriage, to a daughter of Prince Khalid Bin Musaid Bin Abdelrahman.

Proving money is no object for even the more junior sons of Emir Sheikh Hamad, Sheikh Joaan has reportedly put in an order for one of the world’s most expensive cars, the $3.5m Middle East-designed Lykan Hypersport.

Assistant petroleum minister Prince Abdelaziz Bin Salman has attended meetings with visiting Libyan oil minister Dr Abdul-Bari Al-Aroussi. The meetings were led by Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi and the group toured some energy sites.

Crown Prince Salman has had a busy schedule, holding talks with Spanish defence minister Pedro de Morenés y Alvarez de Eulate (deputy defence minister Prince Khalid Bin Sultan also attended the meeting), commander of Turkish land forces General Hayri Kivrikoglu and South Korean defence minister Kim Kwan-jin.

A remote farm in the Scottish borders is set to become a falcon breeding and training centre for the Qatari ruling family. According to BBC Scotland, planners have given the go-ahead for the development by Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Bin Jassim Al-Thani at Weensmuir Farm

Prince Talal Bin Abdelaziz, once known as the ‘red prince’, in an interview with AFP called for democratic reforms in the Kingdom, including holding parliamentary elections. “Until elections are held, God willing, the Majlis Al-Shura should be given the power to legislate, approve the budget and hold officials accountable,” the 82-year-old prince said.

Two princesses, King Faisal’s daughter Sara and King Khalid’s daughter Mudhi, are among the 30 women (27 of whom have PhDs) appointed to the Majlis Al-Shura. Sara Al-Faisal has a background in social work. With her sister, she helped found the Riyadh-based Al-Nahda Women’s Association in the early 1960s; in December it celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef has made his first major foreign trip as interior minister, visiting North America. On 14 January, he met US President Barack Obama. “They affirmed the strong partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and discussed security and regional issues of mutual interest,” a White House statement said.