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3A former associate and financial advisor of imprisoned Prince Salman Bin Abdelaziz Bin Salman has hired Washington DC-based Sonoran Policy Group to lobby for his release with the governments of the US, UK, France and other European Union countries, in a $2m contract. Prince Salman was detained in January 2018, according to several reports – although they differ on the reason why. The kingdom’s attorney general said at the time 11 princes had been arrested for staging a palace sit-in over a royal order halting payments to Al-Saud members for their utility bills.

According to the ScienceDaily.com website, Prince Abdelrahman, son of Prince Bandar Bin Abdulaziz (GSN 820/7), is carrying out research at Queen’s University.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum’s daughters, Sheikha Latifa; Yorkshire press; purchase of champion Arab gelding

Tehran has reacted angrily to a speech by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, in which the prominent Saudi commentator, former intelligence chief and ambassador backed calls for regime change at a ‘Free Iran’ rally held in Paris on 9 July. The event was organised by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a coalition of opposition groups including the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organisation (MKO), which Iran regards as a terrorist group.

Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdelaziz was relieved of his post as head of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare on 26 June, apparently at his request, and replaced by Prince Abdullah Bin Musaid Bin Abdelaziz, the prominent businessman. Nawaf Bin Faisal had been in the role since January 2011, and had previously been vice-president, under his predecessor and uncle Sultan Bin Fahd. Nawaf is also the president of the Saudi Olympic Committee and until March 2012 headed the Saudi Arabia Football Federation.

As so often belying his 88 years, Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah left for the United States on 1 September, on a trip which will include a meeting with President Donald Trump on 7 September. The emir’s delegation includes foreign minister Sheikh Sabah A-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, interior minister Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, finance minister Anas Khaled Al-Saleh, and National Guard deputy chairman Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal attracted a lot of attention with the announcement he would donate all of his $32bn wealth to philanthropy over the coming years. The prince – who said he had donated an average of $100m a year for the last 35 years – told a 1 July news conference that his main aim was to institutionalise his charitable giving. He told reporters gathered at his company headquarters in Riyadh that the announcement was not motivated by any ill health. “I can assure you I’m very healthy, enough to bike every day for three hours.

Prince Abdullah Bin Musaid has been appointed a director of Alara Resources, an Australian Securities Exchange-listed minerals exploration and development company with copper-gold projects in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Alara Resources said on 29 October: “Prince Abdullah is keen to be part of and assist in the advancement of the Khnaiguiyah Project...[he] feels the development of this project is of strategic importance to the country.” Born in 1965, Prince Abdullah is a businessman – founder, chairman and majority shareholder in the Saudi stock exchange-listed Saudi Paper Manufacturing Company – and is known for his passion for sports, particularly American football.

Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was forced to postpone a 12 September meeting with US President Donald Trump after being admitted to hospital on 8 September for unspecified health checks. He was discharged on the evening of 12 Septembe. Emiri Diwan minister Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah (apparently back in post after a short absence) said the check-up had shown “reassuring results”. National Assembly speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim on 17 September said Sheikh Sabah would return home “soon”.

Prince Mansour Bin Mohammed Bin Nawaf Al-Saud, the 26-year-old son of the Saudi ambassador to London, has died after a sudden heart attack. Deputy Defence and Aviation Minister Prince Abdelrahman Bin Abdelaziz has been on a week-long tour of the Kingdom’s military Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal is reportedly being sued by a member of staff. PetroSaudi International, which belongs to Prince Turki Bin Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz Al Saud, and Malaysian state-owned Malaysia Development Berhad have said they will establish a $2.5bn partnership to invest in oil, gas and real estate projects. British newspapers have reported that Janan Harb, a divorced widow of King Fahd, is to bring another court case against the Al-Saud family

Following the Eid holiday Crown Prince Sultan travelled to Tabuk, where he announced a donation of SR10m – to be given on an annual basis – to the Prince Fahd Bin Sultan University

Eastern Province governor Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd laid foundation stones in Abqaiq in early April. He was joined by his deputy, Prince Jiluwi Bin Abdelaziz Bin Musaid. In Riyadh, governor Prince Sattam Bin Abdelaziz opened the environmental rehabilitation project ofWadi Nammar andWadi Laban. Asir region governor Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Bin Abdelaziz attended a graduation ceremony on 10 April at King Khalid University, where female students recently protested against conditions. Prince Faisal met student representatives and formed a youth council to address their concerns.

Interior minister Prince Abdelaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif Al-Saud travelled to the UAE and Oman in mid-January for talks with a number of senior royals and other officials, in what appeared to be an effort by Riyadh to counter Qatar’s burgeoning links with Oman and possibly also to undermine Iranian interest in using Oman’s Duqm port. First stop was Abu Dhabi where he met UAE deputy prime minister and presidential affairs minister Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on 11 January.

King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa flew to Saudi Arabia on 4 May to inspect Bahrain’s forces taking part in the Yemen campaign. At Taif airport, he was received by Mecca governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal (when Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed did the same on 26 April, see below, he was greeted by the far more senior Prince Mohammed Bin Salman). At King Fahd Air Base, King Hamad watched planes taking off for their missions, as well as a parade by the coalition jet fighters. He was briefed, and visited the Al-Faisal Aviation Sciences Museum.

Former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah is rumored to have formed an alliance with influential National Assembly (parliament) speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem in an attempt to return to power. If successful, it would mark a surprising comeback for Nasser Mohammed, who stepped down from the premiership in December 2011. He was said last year to be ‘finished’ as a potential successor to Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, even though he still retained some political influence.