Written by Tyler Durden

(ZHE) — In a shocking development, Saudi press Al Mayadeen reported late on Saturday that prominent billionaire, member of the royal Saudi family, and one of the biggest shareholders of Citi, News Corp. and Twitter – not to mention frequent CNBC guest – Al-Waleed bin Talal, along with ten senior princes, and some 38 ministers, has been arrested for corruption and money laundering charges on orders from the new anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while Royal princes’ private planes have been grounded.

Among those fired and/or arrested are the head of National Royal Guards, Miteb Bin Abdullah, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel Fakeih, and Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Saudi Naval Forces.

View image on Twitter

As the local press further adds, the supreme committee chaired by Crown Prince and billionaire stops “on charges of money laundering.”

Al-Waleed bin Talal is perhaps best known not only for his periodic CNBC appearances, but for his recurring on and off spats with president Trump:

According to al Arabiya, among those sacked and/or arrested are Moteib Bin Abdullah, Minister of the National Guard, and Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf has been appointed as his replacement. A second Royal Order was issued to relieve Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel al-Faqieh, from his duties, and the appointment of Mohammed Al Tuwaijri as Minister of Economy and Planning.

According to a Royal Decree issued by King Salman on Saturday the anti-corruption committee is chaired by the Crown Prince with the membership of: Chairman of the Monitoring and Investigation Commission, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Chief of the General Audit Bureau, Attorney General and Head of State Security.

As Saudi analysts were quick to point out, the purge by the Saudi King means that King Abdullah’s last remnants (Riyad firmer gov. & head of Nat. Guard); media moguls; SAGIA & financial policy officials have been purged.

As Bloomberg notes, changing the head of the National Guard, an institution that’s been controlled by the clan of the late King Abdullah, “is not like changing the minister of oil,” said Kamran Bokhari, a senior analyst with Geopolitical Futures and a senior fellow with the Center for Global Policy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this leads to greater fissures within the royal family.”

Arabiya adds that King Salman also issued sacking and replacement orders for Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Naval Forces, is to be terminated and be retired; his replacement is Vice Admiral Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghifaili, to be promoted to the rank of admiral and be appointed as Commander of the Naval Forces.

Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli. The king also replaced Minister of Economy and Planning Adel Fakeih with Mohammad Al Tuwaijri, his deputy.

Al Tuwaijri, formerly vice minister for economy and planning, had already played a key role in shaping Saudi economic and fiscal policy over the past year. Before joining the government in May 2016 he was Middle East chief executive for HSBC. He’s served as a frequent spokesman for the government’s economic reform plan on TV and with Western journalists.

King Salman also issued an decree forming an anti-corruption committee headed by the crown prince. Its powers include the ability to trace funds and assets, and prevent their transfer or liquidation on behalf of individuals or entities, along with the right to take any precautionary actions until cases are referred to relevant investigatory or judiciary authorities, according to a government statement.

The committee’s formation was deemed necessary “due to the propensity of some people for abuse, putting their personal interest above public interest, and stealing public funds,” the Royal Order said.

Ç

Some more cynical observers noted how MBS is quickly learning from XIi Jinping “how to get rid of enemies under justification of “corruption commission” & place “friendlies” in high places.”

Others arrested include Walid bin Talal; Khaled Tuweijri; AlWalid Ibrahim; Turki Bin Naser; and others.

Joyce Karam

✔@Joyce_Karam

Putting the arrests in context, the heads of the main three Saudi owned TV networks were arrested, Alwalid Bin Talal (Rotana), Walid Al Brahim (MBC), Saleh Kamel (ART).

As Bloomberg adds, Saudi King Salman appointed a former HSBC banker to head the country’s economy ministry and removed one of the royal family’s most prominent princes from as head of the National Guard. Separately, a number of Saudi princes and former ministers were arrested by authorities hours after the announcement of a new anti-corruption committee, with sweeping powers and headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news service reported.

Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was replaced as minister of the National Guard by Prince Khaled Ayyaf, according to a royal decree carried by state-run media late Saturday. Before his ouster, Prince Miteb was one of the few remaining senior princes to have survived a series of cabinet reshuffles that promoted allies of the crown prince, who is the king’s son and heir to the throne.

King Salman has sidelined other senior members of the royal family to prevent any opposition to the crown prince. Prince Mohammed, 32, replaced his elder cousin, Muhammed bin Nayef, as crown prince in June, a maneuver that removed any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81.

While details remain scarce about this “Saturday of the long Saudi knives” – which some have suggested may be a countercoup attempt – DPA confirms the Al Arabiya report that three senior state officials were sacked.

Salman relieved Prince Moteib bin Abdullah of his post as minister of the National Guard, replacing him with Khaled bin Ayaf, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported. Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli.

No official explanation was given for the sackings.

In recent months, the Saudi monarch has carried out a string of reshuffles appointing young people in senior state posts. In June, Salman ousted his nephew as the crown prince and appointed his son Mohammed to become the first in line to succeed him. The monarch on Saturday ordered the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by the crown prince amid a rumoured crackdown on suspected tainted officials and royals. Mohammed, 31, is seen as the driving force behind opening up the ultra-conservative country to the outside world and weaning its economy off oil.

Furthermore, there is speculation that all private flights and VIP departures out of Saudi Arabia have been suspended temporarily, similar to what happened following the last “gentle coup” in June when Prince Mohammed (MBS), 32, replaced his elder cousin, Muhammed bin Nayef, as crown prince in June, a maneuver that removed any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81.

According to the AngryArab blog, the removal of Prince Miteb bin Abdullah as head of the National Guard, means that “this is the first time that the National Guard is not in the hand of Abdullah or his son.”

That put all apparatus of the military-intelligence network in the hands of Muhammad bin Salman. News that Al-Walid bin Talal has been arrested and accused of money laundering. This could be a service to Trump, who hates Al-Walid: the two fought it out on twitter during the campaign although Al-Walid tried to reconcile with Trump after his election but to no avail.

Bin Talal’s arrest and the government reshuffle caps off a bizarre day for Saudi newsflow, which started with the resignation of Palestinian prime minister Saad al-Hariri, who announced he was quitting due to fears of an assassination plot, allegedly organized by Iran, followed shortly after by the Saudi defense forces intercepting a ballistic missile as it was about to strike the capital Riyadh.

To summarize today’s even more bizarre Saudi news day:

• Trump urges Aramco IPO
• Lebanon PM resigns
• Saudis intercept missile
• Major cabinet reshuffle; 3 Saudi princes – who run the anti-graft committee – arrested for money-laundering
• A total of 11 princes, >30 ministers arrested on corruption

This is a developing story.

By Tyler Durden / Republished with permission / Zero Hedge / Report a typo

This article was chosen for republication based on the interest of our readers. Anti-Media republishes stories from a number of other independent news sources. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect Anti-Media editorial policy.

New 'Black Death' FOUND: Deadly virus WORSE than plague and with no CURE breaks out - WHO

A DEADLY outbreak of a rare and highly fatal virus has broken out in eastern Uganda and five cases have already been identified, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed.

By WILL KIRBY

The disease, known as Marburg virus disease (MVD), is similar to Ebola and can be lethal in up to 90 per cent of cases.

Emergency screening has begun at the Kenya-Uganda border in Turkana after three members of the same family died of the disease in Uganda.

The outbreak is thought to have started in September when a man in his 30s, who worked as a game hunter and lived near a cave with a heavy presence of bats, was admitted to a local health centre with a high fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.

He did not respond to antimalarial treatment and his condition rapidly deteriorated.

GETTY

New Black Death FOUND: Deadly virus WORSE than plague and with no CURE breaks out - WHO

Marburg virus disease is a rare disease with a high mortality rate for which there is no specific treatment

WHO website

He was quickly taken to another hospital in the neighbouring district, but died shortly after arriving.

His sister, in her 50s, died shortly afterwards and a third victim passed away in the treatment unit of a local health centre.

The WHO website reads: “Marburg virus disease is a rare disease with a high mortality rate for which there is no specific treatment.

“The virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected persons or wild animals (e.g. monkeys and fruit bats).”

DAILY EXPRESS

Black Death: The plague is an incredibly infectious bacterial disease

Several hundred people are believed to have been exposed to the virus, which is among the most virulent pathogens known to infect humans.

Early symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and myalgia.

The news comes as Madagascar faces a deadly outbreak of plague, which has already claimed the lives of 127 people.

Plague outbreak, latest photos from Madagascar

Wed, November 1, 2017

There is currently an outbreak of both pneumonic and bubonic plague in Madagascar

PLAY SLIDESHOW

AFP/GETTY IMAGES

1 of 18

Workers cleaning and disinfecting the tents where patients sleep at the health center Plague Triage and Treatment Center, in Toamasina

Cases of the plague have soared in recent days and extra funding has been released by the World Bank to provide additional resources in the face of the “worst outbreak for 50 years”.

The outbreak has been compared with the Black Death, when plague swept across Europe and Asia in the 13th century, killing more than 50 million people in what is now considered one of the worst pandemics in human history.

Two thirds of the recorded cases in Madagascar are caused by the pneumonic plague, which can be spread through coughs and sneezes and without treatment, can kill within 24 hours.

The outbreak has prompted warnings that it could spread to nine nearby countries, including UK holiday hotspots Mauritius and the Seychelles.


(express.co.uk)

North Korea could blow up NUCLEAR BOMB during Trump visit, triggering World War 3

NORTH Korea could blow up a nuclear device or fire a ballistic missile during Donald Trump's Asia visit, experts have warned.

By SAM SHOLLI

GETTY

White House officials are concerned North Korea may try to disrupt President Trump’s trip to Asia

White House officials and Asian leaders are concerned that North Korea may attempt to disrupt President Donald Trump’s trip to Asia by conducting a missile test — or even a far more shocking atmospheric nuclear test.

The feared nuclear explosion could be visible to the US President as he tours Japan and South Korea in a defiant show of strength that could trigger World War 3.

Previously North Korea conducted all testing underground, leading to a tunnel collapse that caused the death of roughly 200 nuclear workers.

South Korean intelligence has detected activity at a North Korean missile facility that would be consistent with a coming test launch, South Korea’s Yonhap News agency reported earlier this week.

One Asian diplomat claimed it was impossible to predict what Kim might do, but said a missile test would offer an opportunity for the US and its allies to “show solidarity” against Kim’s despotic regime.

Trump administration aides have reportedly planned for such North Korean provocation, according to one source familiar with the discussions.

Experts on North Korea have also predicted a missile launch by Kim Jong-un’s regime in the next two weeks during President Trump’s Asia trip.

Adam Mount, a senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, said: “I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see North Korea do a missile test during the trip.”

The reports have come after a new survey has revealed most Americans think President Trump is “really willing to use military force” against North Korea.

The data from the Pew Research Center revealed 84 per cent of Americans polled say they think Trump is “really willing” to use military force against the hermit kingdom.

88 percent of Republican respondents said they believed Trump would be willing to strike Kim Jong-Un, while 83 percent of Democrats said the same.

The survey was conducted from October 25 to October 30, just days before the US President departed for his trip to Asia.

GETTY

During his 13-day tour of Asia, Trump will focus on North Korea and trade

Donald Trump's Asia tour in pictures: President and First Lady depart US

Sat, November 4, 2017

On Nov. 3, Donald Trump embarks on a 12-day trip to five different Asian nations which are Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines

PLAY SLIDESHOW

AFP/GETTY IMAGES

1 of 14

Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii at the start of his Asia tour

During his 13-day tour of Asia, Trump will focus on North Korea and trade.

He will visit Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines amid increased tensions across the Pacific over North Korea's dangerous missile tests.

However he is not expected to visit the Demilitarised Zone – which borders south and North Korea – during the trip.

Earlier this week, the US President’s national security adviser said the Trump administration is considering resisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.


(express.co.uk)