Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of a lunch hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, their first meeting since the blockade of Qatar by other Arab states in 2017.

Prime Minister Mulki resigns. King Abdullah asks an economist, Omar al-Razzazz, to form a new government. Several dozen protestors are arrested carrying weapons, but it is uncertain whether protests will continue.

US and UK forbid some electronic devices on planfes departing from 10 Middle Eastern airports, fearing reports of Islamic State developing new form of bomb. The airports are in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

President Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan dies. The Federal Council, made up of the leaders of the seven Persian Gulf city states that form the Emirates - Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujariah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al Qaiwain - unanimously elected Sheik Zayed's son, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, who succeeded him as ruler of Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Khalifa, 56, has led Abu Dhabi's Supreme Petroleum Council, which drafts oil policy, and is considered a pro-Western modernizer.

Swaleh Naqvi, ex-chief of BCCI investment bank to be extradited to US for trial, reinvigorating investigation. In exchange, Abu Dhabi's ruler, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan will not face charges and a lawsuit against him will be dropped.