The island-nation of Mauritius has started buying fuel from Saudi Arabia&#39;s state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco after a court ordered a ban on Indian fuel supplies because of a dispute between the country and a shipping firm.

For years, Indian oil refiner Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) has been the sole supplier to Mauritius of fuels such as gasoline and diesel. However, an Indian court has ordered a ship loaded with fuel from MRPL for the island to stay in port until the Mauritian government settles an outstanding $120 million payment to shipper Betamax over a contract dispute.&nbsp;

Mauritian Trade Minister Ashit Gungah told reporters on Thursday in the country&#39;s capital of Port St. Louis that Aramco will supply fuel.&nbsp;&quot;I can reassure the population and economic operators that we have sufficient stock of fuel&quot;, he said. &quot;A first tanker is expected in the country during the weekend and two more tankers will arrive next week. A fourth tanker is due by mid-December&quot;.&nbsp;He further said the supplies would be sufficient to meet demand until January 2018.

&quot;Other friendly countries have also accepted to help Mauritius&quot;, Gungah said.&nbsp;The fuel issues stem from a dispute between the State Trading Corporation of Mauritius (STCM), which buys fuel from MRPL, and Mauritian-based shipper Betamax.

STCM in 2009 signed a 15-year contract with Betamax to transport fuels from MRPL in the southern the Indian state of Karnataka to Port Louis. The contract was worth 8 billion Mauritius rupees ($238 million), according to local media reports.&nbsp;But in 2015 it terminated the contract with Betamax.

The company won a case in June against STCM for premature termination at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre that awarded Betamax more than $120 million.&nbsp;Betamax pressed the case at the Karnataka High Court after STCM did not make payment.

A Karnataka court order reviewed by Reuters directed port authorities at Mangalore &quot;to refrain from providing any clearance&quot; to the tanker Pacific Diamond from leaving India with 40,000 tonnes of unspecified petroleum product for delivery to STCM.&nbsp;The ship is to be held until the next hearing on the matter on Monday, the order said.&nbsp;

Betamax can enforce the arbitration award against STCM&#39;s assets in any country where the award is enforceable.&nbsp;MRPL exports about 1.2 million tonnes of refined fuels to Mauritius a year.&nbsp;MRPL will look at exporting the surplus fuel if the ban continues on supplies to Port Louis, a company official said on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;

An MRPL spokesman declined to comment on the matter while Saudi Aramco did not immediately reply to an e-mail.&nbsp;

After Indian court ordered an oil tanker loaded with fuel for Mauritius to stay in port until all outstanding has been settled, Mauritius buys fuel from Saudi Arabia

The island-nation of Mauritius has started buying fuel from Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco after a court ordered a ban on Indian fuel supplies because of a dispute between the country and a shipping firm. For years, Indian oil refiner Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) has been the sole supplier to Mauritius of fuels such as gasoline and diesel. However, an Indian court has ordered a ship loaded with fuel from MRPL for the island to stay in port until the Mauritian government settles an outstanding $120 million payment to shipper Betamax over a contract dispute. Mauritian Trade Minister Ashit Gungah told reporters on Thursday in the country's capital of Port St. Louis that Aramco will supply fuel. "I can reassure the population and economic operators that we have sufficient stock of fuel", he said. "A first tanker is expected in the country during the weekend and two more tankers will arrive next week. A fourth tanker is due by mid-December". He further said the supplies would be sufficient to meet demand until January 2018. "Other friendly countries have also accepted to help Mauritius", Gungah said. The fuel issues stem from a dispute between the State Trading Corporation of Mauritius (STCM), which buys fuel from MRPL, and Mauritian-based shipper Betamax. STCM in 2009 signed a 15-year contract with Betamax to transport fuels from MRPL in the southern the Indian state of Karnataka to Port Louis. The contract was worth 8 billion Mauritius rupees ($238 million), according to local media reports. But in 2015 it terminated the contract with Betamax. The company won a case in June against STCM for premature termination at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre that awarded Betamax more than $120 million. Betamax pressed the case at the Karnataka High Court after STCM did not make payment. A Karnataka court order reviewed by Reuters directed port authorities at Mangalore "to refrain from providing any clearance" to the tanker Pacific Diamond from leaving India with 40,000 tonnes of unspecified petroleum product for delivery to STCM. The ship is to be held until the next hearing on the matter on Monday, the order said. Betamax can enforce the arbitration award against STCM's assets in any country where the award is enforceable. MRPL exports about 1.2 million tonnes of refined fuels to Mauritius a year. MRPL will look at exporting the surplus fuel if the ban continues on supplies to Port Louis, a company official said on condition of anonymity. An MRPL spokesman declined to comment on the matter while Saudi Aramco did not immediately reply to an e-mail.

Mauritius turns to Saudi fuel cargoes after court bans Indian supplies

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East.

Opening the meeting, Macron said it was &quot;essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference&quot; in the affairs of other countries.

Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump&#39;s announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

&quot;It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security,&quot; Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting.

Macron added: &quot;None of the region&#39;s problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will.&quot;&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power.

The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon&#39;s powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq.

In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri&#39;s government - of destabilising his country and the region.&nbsp;

A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead &quot;found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon.&quot;

Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage.

Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero&#39;s welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation.

The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there.

&quot;Lebanon&#39;s stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region,&quot; Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected.

Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, &quot;appeared like a small miracle&quot; in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts.

&quot;The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy,&quot; he said.

Riyadh&#39;s power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown.

Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts.

&quot;Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see,&quot; he vowed Friday, insisting there was &quot;no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia&quot;.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle &quot;applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon).&quot;

The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East. Opening the meeting, Macron said it was "essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference" in the affairs of other countries. Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East. Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. "It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security," Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting. Macron added: "None of the region's problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will." Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power. The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq. In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri's government - of destabilising his country and the region. A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead "found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon." Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage. Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero's welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation. The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there. "Lebanon's stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region," Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected. Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, "appeared like a small miracle" in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts. "The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy," he said. Riyadh's power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown. Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts. "Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see," he vowed Friday, insisting there was "no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia". French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle "applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon)." The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

President Macron warns against Middle East meddling at Lebanon conference

With princes not spared charges of corruption and women granted permission to start driving, Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Vision 2030 is certainly displaying its credibility. The Saudi government has stated that women will be permitted to drive cars from June next year. At present, regulations regarding this are being worked upon.

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<h5>The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails.</h5>
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Interestingly, &#39;news&#39; of Saudi women being permitted to drive has been accorded substantial media coverage, more than most news items regarding the kingdom usually are. This isn&rsquo;t surprising. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails.

Yes, there is no denying that the trend in most parts of the world is to think of Saudi Arabia primarily as an oil country and a conservative Islamic country where Muslims periodically gather for pilgrimage. There is also the perception that women here are discriminated against. Besides, the spread of conflict in several Arab nations has enhanced the negative perception of linking Muslims with terrorism.

These factors apparently prompted Saudi King and Crown Prince to move ahead with some dynamic measures needed to change the opinion of others towards Saudi Arabia. If they had not come out with Vision 2030, in all probability the Kingdom would not have attracted much attention.

Careful analysis of this programme suggests that it was probably viewed as pertinent to prevent Saudi citizens from losing hope in coming years, to instil confidence in them about their promising future and also to derail prospects of regional chaos spilling into the Kingdom. After all, landmark, set for 2030, that is 17 years from now, carries promises for children as well as the youth of today. They include women, as laid out specifically in the Vision.

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<h5>The Vision 2030 also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent.</h5>
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A close analysis of Saudi women&rsquo;s status suggests that issue of their being permitted to drive is not the first or only step taken by the Saudi government for their progress. It may be recalled, in 1957, with the support of the then King&rsquo;s wife, private schools for girls were established in Jeddah. Though there were protests in certain areas, this movement continued and from the late 1970s, university education for women was paid greater attention.

The same drive is expected to be continued with greater dynamism through Vision 2030. Drawing attention to high literacy rate of Saudi women and their being engaged in development of country&rsquo;s society and economy, the Vision diligently states, &ldquo;With over 50 percent of our university graduates being female, we will continue to develop their talents, invest in their productive capabilities and enable them to strengthen their future and contribute to the development of our society and economy.&rdquo; The Vision also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent.

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<h5>Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. Less than a decade ago, the first women to hold a cabinet post was Norah Al Faiz. She was appointed as deputy minister of education in charge of women&rsquo;s affairs in February 2009. The period was also marked by visits between Saudi Arabia and several countries, with delegations including women. When Saudi King visited India as the Republic Day Chief Guest (2006), the media delegation included women.

Vision 2030&rsquo;s agenda resting on three pillars, with first being religious and other two being economically as well as regionally oriented, was certainly not conceived and/or planned overnight. The steps being taken over past few decades, for instance, regarding the progress of women, are a testimony to this fact. Earlier this year, Vision 2030 led to Sarah Al Suhaini&rsquo;s appointment as chair of Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s stock exchange. A woman has been appointed to this position for the first time in this country.

Besides, Rania Mahmoud Nashar was appointed as chief executive of Samba Financial Group, one of the country&rsquo;s largest national banks and Latifa Al-Sabhan as a chief financial officer of Arab National Bank. Globally, only around four per cent, women chair boards and around 12 percent hold board seats.

The emphasis laid in Vision 2030 to create job opportunities for Saudi youth and ensure their qualifications to build a vibrant and ambitious nation is directed towards gaining their confidence. And this apparently is viewed as vital to maintain political stability in the country. Crisis elsewhere in the Arab world has been primarily linked with unemployment faced by youth there.

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<h5>The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose confidence of its youth.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose confidence of its youth.">&nbsp;</a></div>
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The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose the confidence of its youth. More than 50 percent of the Saudi population is below the age of 25 years. The Vision states, &ldquo;We will guarantee their skills are developed and properly deployed.&rdquo; A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a &ldquo;global investment powerhouse&rdquo; and a &ldquo;regional leader,&rdquo; also guarantees citizens of employment opportunities in their own country.

The iron hand with which several Saudi princes and ministers have recently been arrested and/or dismissed on charges of corruption cannot be de-linked from Vision 2030. This sudden move may be viewed as yet another step to boost people&rsquo;s confidence in the &ldquo;ambitious&rdquo; Vision and that the country is &ldquo;effectively governed.&rdquo; The Vision states, &ldquo;We shall have zero tolerance for all levels of corruption, whether administrative or financial.&rdquo;

Overall, a greater thrust of Vision is on Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s economic drive, globally, regionally and nationally. There is an also economic angle behind Saudi women being permitted to drive. Drivers employed in Saudi Arabia form around 60 per cent of foreign domestic workers. The remittances from drivers that leaves Saudi Arabia annually is higher than four billion dollars.

When women actually start driving, it is expected to spell advantages for Saudi Arabia socially and economically. Also, it wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising to see global media paying attention to the country through a new lens, for a change, which is not totally tainted with a negative approach. Vision 2030 is thus directed not just towards the agenda outlined in it but also compel people across the world to change their stereotyped perceptions about Saudi Arabia!

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a ?global investment powerhouse? and a ?regional leader,? guarantees employment opportunities and basic rights

With princes not spared charges of corruption and women granted permission to start driving, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is certainly displaying its credibility. The Saudi government has stated that women will be permitted to drive cars from June next year. At present, regulations regarding this are being worked upon. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails. × Interestingly, 'news' of Saudi women being permitted to drive has been accorded substantial media coverage, more than most news items regarding the kingdom usually are. This isn’t surprising. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails. Yes, there is no denying that the trend in most parts of the world is to think of Saudi Arabia primarily as an oil country and a conservative Islamic country where Muslims periodically gather for pilgrimage. There is also the perception that women here are discriminated against. Besides, the spread of conflict in several Arab nations has enhanced the negative perception of linking Muslims with terrorism. These factors apparently prompted Saudi King and Crown Prince to move ahead with some dynamic measures needed to change the opinion of others towards Saudi Arabia. If they had not come out with Vision 2030, in all probability the Kingdom would not have attracted much attention. Careful analysis of this programme suggests that it was probably viewed as pertinent to prevent Saudi citizens from losing hope in coming years, to instil confidence in them about their promising future and also to derail prospects of regional chaos spilling into the Kingdom. After all, landmark, set for 2030, that is 17 years from now, carries promises for children as well as the youth of today. They include women, as laid out specifically in the Vision. The Vision 2030 also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent. × A close analysis of Saudi women’s status suggests that issue of their being permitted to drive is not the first or only step taken by the Saudi government for their progress. It may be recalled, in 1957, with the support of the then King’s wife, private schools for girls were established in Jeddah. Though there were protests in certain areas, this movement continued and from the late 1970s, university education for women was paid greater attention. The same drive is expected to be continued with greater dynamism through Vision 2030. Drawing attention to high literacy rate of Saudi women and their being engaged in development of country’s society and economy, the Vision diligently states, “With over 50 percent of our university graduates being female, we will continue to develop their talents, invest in their productive capabilities and enable them to strengthen their future and contribute to the development of our society and economy.” The Vision also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent. Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. × Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. Less than a decade ago, the first women to hold a cabinet post was Norah Al Faiz. She was appointed as deputy minister of education in charge of women’s affairs in February 2009. The period was also marked by visits between Saudi Arabia and several countries, with delegations including women. When Saudi King visited India as the Republic Day Chief Guest (2006), the media delegation included women. Vision 2030’s agenda resting on three pillars, with first being religious and other two being economically as well as regionally oriented, was certainly not conceived and/or planned overnight. The steps being taken over past few decades, for instance, regarding the progress of women, are a testimony to this fact. Earlier this year, Vision 2030 led to Sarah Al Suhaini’s appointment as chair of Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange. A woman has been appointed to this position for the first time in this country. Besides, Rania Mahmoud Nashar was appointed as chief executive of Samba Financial Group, one of the country’s largest national banks and Latifa Al-Sabhan as a chief financial officer of Arab National Bank. Globally, only around four per cent, women chair boards and around 12 percent hold board seats. The emphasis laid in Vision 2030 to create job opportunities for Saudi youth and ensure their qualifications to build a vibrant and ambitious nation is directed towards gaining their confidence. And this apparently is viewed as vital to maintain political stability in the country. Crisis elsewhere in the Arab world has been primarily linked with unemployment faced by youth there. The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose confidence of its youth. × The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose the confidence of its youth. More than 50 percent of the Saudi population is below the age of 25 years. The Vision states, “We will guarantee their skills are developed and properly deployed.” A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a “global investment powerhouse” and a “regional leader,” also guarantees citizens of employment opportunities in their own country. The iron hand with which several Saudi princes and ministers have recently been arrested and/or dismissed on charges of corruption cannot be de-linked from Vision 2030. This sudden move may be viewed as yet another step to boost people’s confidence in the “ambitious” Vision and that the country is “effectively governed.” The Vision states, “We shall have zero tolerance for all levels of corruption, whether administrative or financial.” Overall, a greater thrust of Vision is on Saudi Arabia’s economic drive, globally, regionally and nationally. There is an also economic angle behind Saudi women being permitted to drive. Drivers employed in Saudi Arabia form around 60 per cent of foreign domestic workers. The remittances from drivers that leaves Saudi Arabia annually is higher than four billion dollars. When women actually start driving, it is expected to spell advantages for Saudi Arabia socially and economically. Also, it wouldn’t be surprising to see global media paying attention to the country through a new lens, for a change, which is not totally tainted with a negative approach. Vision 2030 is thus directed not just towards the agenda outlined in it but also compel people across the world to change their stereotyped perceptions about Saudi Arabia! (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Vision 2030 embodies Saudi quest for modernity

A Saudi-led coalition intensified air strikes on Yemen early&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;as the armed Houthi movement tightened its grip on the capital after it killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who switched sides in the civil war.

Saudi Arabia and its allies struck a day after Saleh&#39;s son vowed to lead a campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthis.

The intervention by Ahmed Ali, a former leader of the elite Republican Guard once seen as a likely successor to his father, gives the anti-Houthi movement a potential figurehead after a week of fighting that saw the Houthis rout Saleh&#39;s supporters in the capital.

Yemen&#39;s war, pitting the Iran-allied Houthis who control Sanaa against a Saudi-led military alliance backing a government based in the south, has brought what the United Nations calls the world&#39;s worst humanitarian crisis.

Saleh had helped the Houthis win control of much of the country&#39;s north, including Sanaa, and his decision to switch allegiances and abandon the Houthis in the past week was the most dramatic change on the battlefield in years.

But the Houthis swiftly crushed the pro-Saleh uprising in the capital and killed him.

Coalition fighter jets carried out dozens of air strikes, both sides said, bombing Houthi positions inside Sanaa and in other northern provinces.

Yemen&#39;s pro-Houthi Al Masirah television station said the coalition bombed Saleh&#39;s residence and other houses of his family members.

Residents told Reuter&#39;s loud explosions were heard in downtown Sanaa.

Masirah said air strikes also hit northern provinces including Taiz, Haja, Midi, and Saada. There was no immediate word on casualties.

In a sign of support and defiance, tens of thousands of Houthi supporters staged a rally in Sanaa&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;to celebrate the death of Saleh. They chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia and its allies.

The proxy war between regional arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has already killed more than 10,000 people, with more than two million displaced. Nearly a million have been hit by a cholera outbreak and famine threatens much of the country.

The United Nations says millions of people may die in one of the worst famines of modern times, caused by warring parties blocking food supplies.

The UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, called on all parties to show restraint in a briefing to the Security Council.

&quot;Increased hostilities will further threaten civilian lives and exacerbate their suffering,&quot; he said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;that the killing of Saleh would, in the short term, likely worsen an already dire humanitarian situation in the country.

Mattis, speaking with reporters on a military aircraft en route to Washington after a brief trip to parts of the Middle East and South Asia, said it was too early to say what impact the killing would have on the war.

He said it could either push the conflict towards U.N. peace negotiations or make it an &quot;even more vicious war.&quot;

The commander of Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Yemen&rsquo;s enemies had been behind Saleh&#39;s armed uprising and praised what he called the Houthis&#39; swift quashing of the &quot;coup against the holy warriors&quot;, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The death of Saleh, who once compared ruling Yemen to dancing on the heads of snakes, deepens the complexity of the multi-sided war.

Much is likely to depend on the future allegiances of his loyalists, who had previously helped the armed Houthi group, which hails from the Zaidi branch of Shi&#39;ite Islam that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in northern Yemen until 1962.

In a statement sent to Reuters by an aide, his son said his father was killed at &quot;the hands of the enemies of God and the country&quot;.

Ahmed Ali said he would &quot;confront the enemies of the homeland and humanity, who are trying to obliterate its identity and its gains and to humiliate Yemen and Yemenis&quot;.

The Arabian peninsula&#39;s poorest country, Yemen is one of the most violent fronts in the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have also backed opposing sides in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere across the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia and its allies struck a day after Saleh's son vowed to lead a campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthis

A Saudi-led coalition intensified air strikes on Yemen early on Wednesday as the armed Houthi movement tightened its grip on the capital after it killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who switched sides in the civil war. Saudi Arabia and its allies struck a day after Saleh's son vowed to lead a campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthis. The intervention by Ahmed Ali, a former leader of the elite Republican Guard once seen as a likely successor to his father, gives the anti-Houthi movement a potential figurehead after a week of fighting that saw the Houthis rout Saleh's supporters in the capital. Yemen's war, pitting the Iran-allied Houthis who control Sanaa against a Saudi-led military alliance backing a government based in the south, has brought what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Saleh had helped the Houthis win control of much of the country's north, including Sanaa, and his decision to switch allegiances and abandon the Houthis in the past week was the most dramatic change on the battlefield in years. But the Houthis swiftly crushed the pro-Saleh uprising in the capital and killed him. Coalition fighter jets carried out dozens of air strikes, both sides said, bombing Houthi positions inside Sanaa and in other northern provinces. Yemen's pro-Houthi Al Masirah television station said the coalition bombed Saleh's residence and other houses of his family members. Residents told Reuter's loud explosions were heard in downtown Sanaa. Masirah said air strikes also hit northern provinces including Taiz, Haja, Midi, and Saada. There was no immediate word on casualties. In a sign of support and defiance, tens of thousands of Houthi supporters staged a rally in Sanaa on Tuesday to celebrate the death of Saleh. They chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia and its allies. The proxy war between regional arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has already killed more than 10,000 people, with more than two million displaced. Nearly a million have been hit by a cholera outbreak and famine threatens much of the country. The United Nations says millions of people may die in one of the worst famines of modern times, caused by warring parties blocking food supplies. The UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, called on all parties to show restraint in a briefing to the Security Council. "Increased hostilities will further threaten civilian lives and exacerbate their suffering," he said. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the killing of Saleh would, in the short term, likely worsen an already dire humanitarian situation in the country. Mattis, speaking with reporters on a military aircraft en route to Washington after a brief trip to parts of the Middle East and South Asia, said it was too early to say what impact the killing would have on the war. He said it could either push the conflict towards U.N. peace negotiations or make it an "even more vicious war." The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Yemen’s enemies had been behind Saleh's armed uprising and praised what he called the Houthis' swift quashing of the "coup against the holy warriors", the semi-official Fars news agency reported. The death of Saleh, who once compared ruling Yemen to dancing on the heads of snakes, deepens the complexity of the multi-sided war. Much is likely to depend on the future allegiances of his loyalists, who had previously helped the armed Houthi group, which hails from the Zaidi branch of Shi'ite Islam that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in northern Yemen until 1962. In a statement sent to Reuters by an aide, his son said his father was killed at "the hands of the enemies of God and the country". Ahmed Ali said he would "confront the enemies of the homeland and humanity, who are trying to obliterate its identity and its gains and to humiliate Yemen and Yemenis". The Arabian peninsula's poorest country, Yemen is one of the most violent fronts in the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have also backed opposing sides in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere across the Middle East.

Saudi-led coalition intensifies Yemen air strikes after Saleh's death

Yemen&#39;s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uae-denies-yemens-houthis-fired-missile-at-abu-dhabi-nuclear-reactor-25768"> PM Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said the</a> government will &quot;grant amnesty&quot;&nbsp;to all those all nationals who cut ties with rebels even as the president ordered forces to retake the capital city Sanaa.&nbsp;

&quot;The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-rebel-infighting-rocks-yemen-capital-for-second-night-3-dead-25617"> president will soon announce a general</a> amnesty for all those who collaborated with the Huthis in recent months and who have retracted that allegiance,&quot; Prime Minister Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said even as air raids&nbsp;hit Sanaa.

Saudi-led coalition warplanes continued to hit Houthi militia positions for the second day on Monday even as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the warring factions to stop all ground and air assaults.

Sanaa International Airport and the interior ministry is being held by Iran-backed Huthi rebels, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, the rebels blew up house the house of ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa.

Residents near the airport said multiple air raids had shaken their homes late Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday, AFP report said.

Yemen is currently split between the forces Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the south which is backed by Saudi Arabia and recognised by the international community and the northern Huthi rebels backed by Iran&nbsp;and forces loyal to Saleh.&nbsp;

At least 8,750 people have been killed since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war to support the Hadi government with Yemen on the brink of starvation.

The UN recently said Yemen is facing &quot;world&#39;s worst humanitarian crisis&quot;.

Sanaa International Airport and the interior ministry is being held by Iran-backed Huthi rebels

Yemen's PM Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said the government will "grant amnesty" to all those all nationals who cut ties with rebels even as the president ordered forces to retake the capital city Sanaa. "The president will soon announce a general amnesty for all those who collaborated with the Huthis in recent months and who have retracted that allegiance," Prime Minister Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said even as air raids hit Sanaa. Saudi-led coalition warplanes continued to hit Houthi militia positions for the second day on Monday even as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the warring factions to stop all ground and air assaults. Sanaa International Airport and the interior ministry is being held by Iran-backed Huthi rebels, AFP reported. Meanwhile, the rebels blew up house the house of ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa. Residents near the airport said multiple air raids had shaken their homes late Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday, AFP report said. Yemen is currently split between the forces Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the south which is backed by Saudi Arabia and recognised by the international community and the northern Huthi rebels backed by Iran and forces loyal to Saleh. At least 8,750 people have been killed since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war to support the Hadi government with Yemen on the brink of starvation. The UN recently said Yemen is facing "world's worst humanitarian crisis".

Yemen president orders forces to retake Sanaa as Saudi planes continue air strikes

The United Arab Emirates on Sunday denied a report that Yemen&#39;s Houthi group had fired a missile towards a nuclear plant in the UAE, state news agency WAM reported on its Twitter account.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-houthi-group-says-fires-missile-toward-abu-dhabi-nuclear-reactor-25754" target="_blank">Have fired missile toward Abu Dhabi nuclear reactor: Yemen&#39;s Houthi rebels</a>

It quoted the UAE&#39;s emergency and crisis management department as saying the UAE possessed a missile defence system that could deal with any such threats and adding the al-Barakah nuclear plant was secure against all eventualities.

The UAE said it possessed a missile defence system that could deal with any such threats

The United Arab Emirates on Sunday denied a report that Yemen's Houthi group had fired a missile towards a nuclear plant in the UAE, state news agency WAM reported on its Twitter account. Have fired missile toward Abu Dhabi nuclear reactor: Yemen's Houthi rebels It quoted the UAE's emergency and crisis management department as saying the UAE possessed a missile defence system that could deal with any such threats and adding the al-Barakah nuclear plant was secure against all eventualities.

UAE denies Yemen's Houthis fired missile at Abu Dhabi nuclear reactor

Saudi Arabia&#39;s crowned prince Mohammad bin Salman is leading with 19% votes for the TIME magazines &quot;Person of the year&quot;&nbsp;title.&nbsp;

He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton, and the social media campaign #MeToo.&nbsp;

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TIME magazines Person of the year poll. (Others)
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The poll began last week, which included 33 contenders in the running.&nbsp;

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-arresting-top-leaders-saudi-arabia-threatens-iran-seals-border-with-yemen-23619" target="_blank"> After arresting top leaders, Saudi Arabia threatens Iran &amp; seals border with Yemen</a>

Although the title is &quot;Person of the Year&quot;, the criteria are actually quite broad. A person, a group, an idea or even an object can be selected as the winner by TIME&#39;s editors.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Crown Prince&nbsp;Salman has become popular around the world for his rapid dominance to the top of Saudi Arabia&#39;s power format, for his aspiring reform plan and a shocking corruption purge of top officials and fellow princes.

Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-pursue-terrorists-until-they-are-wiped-out-declares-saudi-arabias-crown-prince-salman-25283">Will pursue terrorists until they are wiped out, declares Saudi Arabia&#39;s crown prince Salman</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-returning-to-what-we-were-a-country-of-moderate-islam-saudi-crown-prince-22844">We are returning to what we were -- a country of moderate Islam: Saudi crown prince</a>

Voting in the poll ends on December 4th and the results will be revealed on December 6th.&nbsp;

He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton and the social media campaign #MeToo

Saudi Arabia's crowned prince Mohammad bin Salman is leading with 19% votes for the TIME magazines "Person of the year" title. He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton, and the social media campaign #MeToo. TIME magazines Person of the year poll. (Others) × The poll began last week, which included 33 contenders in the running. Also read: After arresting top leaders, Saudi Arabia threatens Iran & seals border with Yemen Although the title is "Person of the Year", the criteria are actually quite broad. A person, a group, an idea or even an object can be selected as the winner by TIME's editors. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman has become popular around the world for his rapid dominance to the top of Saudi Arabia's power format, for his aspiring reform plan and a shocking corruption purge of top officials and fellow princes. Also Read: Will pursue terrorists until they are wiped out, declares Saudi Arabia's crown prince Salman Also read: We are returning to what we were -- a country of moderate Islam: Saudi crown prince Voting in the poll ends on December 4th and the results will be revealed on December 6th.

Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman leads in Time 'Person of the Year' poll

With its indoor swimming pool, sun-splashed patios and liveried staff, the Saudi complex has the trappings of a five-star resort, but it is actually a rehab centre -- for violent jihadists.

Riyadh&#39;s Mohammed bin Nayef Counselling and Care Centre, a cushy halfway house between prison and freedom, spotlights a controversial Saudi strategy for tackling homegrown extremists.

While the global fight against terrorism is often associated with drone strikes and torture, the philosophy that underpins the centre&#39;s approach is that extremism requires not coercion but an ideological cure.

Overseen by clerics and psychologists, it works to prevent convicts who have served their sentences from returning to jihad, through what it calls religious counselling and ideological detoxification.

&quot;Our focus is on correcting their thoughts, their misconceptions, their deviation from Islam,&quot; Yahya Abu Maghayed, a director at the centre, said while giving AFP a golf cart tour of the sprawling, palm tree-lined complex.

The convicts are housed in a series of low-slung buildings, outfitted with large-screen televisions and king-size beds, all framed by manicured lawns.

Many linked to groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban walk around freely in flowing white robes, and have access to a spacious gym, a banquet hall and furnished apartments reserved for visits from spouses.

&quot;We make the &#39;beneficiaries&#39; feel they are normal people and still have a chance -- a chance to return to society,&quot; Abu Maghayed said, insisting the centre refrained from calling them prisoners or inmates.

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&#39;Our focus is on correcting their thoughts, their misconceptions, their deviation from Islam,&#39; Yahya Abu Maghayed, a director at the centre, said. (AFP)
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&#39;We make the &#39;beneficiaries&#39; feel they are normal people and still have a chance -- a chance to return to society,&#39; Abu Maghayed added. (AFP)
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&#39;Talking cure&#39; for terrorists 
Saudi Arabia, long accused of exporting its ultraconservative Wahhabist Sunni doctrine around the world, is itself a victim of domestic terror attacks.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to roll back the influence of the ultra-conservative religious establishment, this week jump-started a 41-nation military coalition to combat Islamist extremism, vowing to wipe terrorism from the face of the Earth.

But the rehab facility, founded in 2004, is one of the centrepieces of Saudi Arabia&#39;s strategy to expunge violent extremism at home.

It claims to have treated more than 3,300 men convicted of terrorism-related crimes, including repatriated Guantanamo Bay detainees.

The centre boasts of a &quot;success rate of 86 percent&quot;, Abu Maghayed said, measured by those men who did not return to jihad for at least a decade after graduating from the centre.

Of the remainder, he said, most only showed signs of &quot;deviant behaviour&quot; and only a minuscule number relapsed into violent jihad.

An American terrorism expert who has closely studied the Saudi programme said the recidivism rate was higher, pointing out media reports of graduates from the centre who have showed up on battlefronts.

&quot;Saudis are to be applauded for trying something different -- they were one of the first to try a &#39;talking cure&#39; for terrorists,&quot; John Horgan, another expert at Georgia State University, told AFP.

&quot;(But) without greater transparency about its participants... it&#39;s impossible to know what value added, if any, this programme brings in reducing the threat of re-engagement in terrorism.&quot;

&#39;Ideas can fight ideas&#39; 
AFP was given a chance to interview &quot;beneficiaries&quot; if they agreed, but when two bearded, gym-buffed men were approached in their living quarters, they declined to talk.

Critics say there is a moral hazard of treating jihadists, many with blood on their hands, with lavish facilities and financial incentives.

But Saudi officials say the threat of sanction is always hanging over them.&nbsp;

Those who refuse to reform after a minimum stay of three months at the centre are returned to &quot;the judicial process&quot;, Abu Maghayed said.

But more than coercion, the centre pushes for increasing familial bonds, encouraging marriage and children, a psychological tether meant to make it harder to return to violent ways.

&quot;You cannot counter terrorism by force,&quot; said Ali al-Afnan, an educational psychology specialist at the centre.

&quot;Only ideas can fight ideas.&quot;

The centre uses art therapy as one of its tools. Comparisons between portraits in the early days of incarceration and those at later stages are used as a metric to study inmates&#39; frame of mind.

Abu Maghayed showed AFP one early painting, which he said depicted a gloomy &quot;Guantanamo mentality&quot; -- with splashes of orange, the colour of jumpsuits at the infamous prison.

Another canvas painted weeks later showed bold brushstrokes and sparks of colour, depicting hope.

As Afnan spoke to AFP, he fielded an abrupt telephone call from a former &quot;beneficiary&quot; who once travelled to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taliban.

Now married and with children, he was seeking advice from Afnan over returning to university for a graduate programme.

&quot;This man is our role model,&quot; Afnan said after hanging up. &quot;A shining example of how people deserve a second chance.&quot;

Riyadh's Mohammed bin Nayef Counselling and Care Centre has an indoor swimming pool, sun-splashed patios, and liveried staff

With its indoor swimming pool, sun-splashed patios and liveried staff, the Saudi complex has the trappings of a five-star resort, but it is actually a rehab centre -- for violent jihadists. Riyadh's Mohammed bin Nayef Counselling and Care Centre, a cushy halfway house between prison and freedom, spotlights a controversial Saudi strategy for tackling homegrown extremists. While the global fight against terrorism is often associated with drone strikes and torture, the philosophy that underpins the centre's approach is that extremism requires not coercion but an ideological cure. Overseen by clerics and psychologists, it works to prevent convicts who have served their sentences from returning to jihad, through what it calls religious counselling and ideological detoxification. "Our focus is on correcting their thoughts, their misconceptions, their deviation from Islam," Yahya Abu Maghayed, a director at the centre, said while giving AFP a golf cart tour of the sprawling, palm tree-lined complex. The convicts are housed in a series of low-slung buildings, outfitted with large-screen televisions and king-size beds, all framed by manicured lawns. Many linked to groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban walk around freely in flowing white robes, and have access to a spacious gym, a banquet hall and furnished apartments reserved for visits from spouses. "We make the 'beneficiaries' feel they are normal people and still have a chance -- a chance to return to society," Abu Maghayed said, insisting the centre refrained from calling them prisoners or inmates. 'Our focus is on correcting their thoughts, their misconceptions, their deviation from Islam,' Yahya Abu Maghayed, a director at the centre, said. (AFP) × 'We make the 'beneficiaries' feel they are normal people and still have a chance -- a chance to return to society,' Abu Maghayed added. (AFP) × 'Talking cure' for terrorists Saudi Arabia, long accused of exporting its ultraconservative Wahhabist Sunni doctrine around the world, is itself a victim of domestic terror attacks. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to roll back the influence of the ultra-conservative religious establishment, this week jump-started a 41-nation military coalition to combat Islamist extremism, vowing to wipe terrorism from the face of the Earth. But the rehab facility, founded in 2004, is one of the centrepieces of Saudi Arabia's strategy to expunge violent extremism at home. It claims to have treated more than 3,300 men convicted of terrorism-related crimes, including repatriated Guantanamo Bay detainees. The centre boasts of a "success rate of 86 percent", Abu Maghayed said, measured by those men who did not return to jihad for at least a decade after graduating from the centre. Of the remainder, he said, most only showed signs of "deviant behaviour" and only a minuscule number relapsed into violent jihad. An American terrorism expert who has closely studied the Saudi programme said the recidivism rate was higher, pointing out media reports of graduates from the centre who have showed up on battlefronts. "Saudis are to be applauded for trying something different -- they were one of the first to try a 'talking cure' for terrorists," John Horgan, another expert at Georgia State University, told AFP. "(But) without greater transparency about its participants... it's impossible to know what value added, if any, this programme brings in reducing the threat of re-engagement in terrorism." 'Ideas can fight ideas' AFP was given a chance to interview "beneficiaries" if they agreed, but when two bearded, gym-buffed men were approached in their living quarters, they declined to talk. Critics say there is a moral hazard of treating jihadists, many with blood on their hands, with lavish facilities and financial incentives. But Saudi officials say the threat of sanction is always hanging over them. Those who refuse to reform after a minimum stay of three months at the centre are returned to "the judicial process", Abu Maghayed said. But more than coercion, the centre pushes for increasing familial bonds, encouraging marriage and children, a psychological tether meant to make it harder to return to violent ways. "You cannot counter terrorism by force," said Ali al-Afnan, an educational psychology specialist at the centre. "Only ideas can fight ideas." The centre uses art therapy as one of its tools. Comparisons between portraits in the early days of incarceration and those at later stages are used as a metric to study inmates' frame of mind. Abu Maghayed showed AFP one early painting, which he said depicted a gloomy "Guantanamo mentality" -- with splashes of orange, the colour of jumpsuits at the infamous prison. Another canvas painted weeks later showed bold brushstrokes and sparks of colour, depicting hope. As Afnan spoke to AFP, he fielded an abrupt telephone call from a former "beneficiary" who once travelled to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taliban. Now married and with children, he was seeking advice from Afnan over returning to university for a graduate programme. "This man is our role model," Afnan said after hanging up. "A shining example of how people deserve a second chance."

With pictures: Saudi Arabia's 5-star rehab centre for violent jihadists

Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an &quot;acceptable settlement agreement&quot; with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday.

Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching &quot;an acceptable settlement agreement&quot;. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but the official said it is believed to be the equivalent of more than $1 billion.

&quot;It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases,&quot; the official said.

According to a Saudi official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms including a $10 billion deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals.

The allegations against the others included kickbacks, inflating government contracts, extortion and bribery.

The claims could not be independently verified.

Saudi authorities had been working on striking agreements with some of those in detention, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom.

News of the purge emerged on Nov 4 soon after King Salman decreed the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his 32-year-old favourite son, also known as MbS, who has amassed power since his meteoric rise three years ago.

The new body was given broad powers to investigate cases, issue arrest warrants and travel restrictions, and seize assets.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was quoted as saying that the vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in the crackdown were agreeing to settlements under which they would hand assets over to the government.

Apart from Miteb, the Saudi official said that at least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalized settlement agreements.

He said the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities.

Detailed charges not revealed

The authorities have not revealed detailed charges against any of the detainees. It was also unclear if Miteb was able to move freely or whether he would be put under house arrest.

Officials from Miteb&#39;s office could not immediately be reached for a comment about his release. An acquaintance of the family has said earlier on his twitter account that Miteb was receiving brothers and sons at his palace in Riyadh.

The arrest of royals and top business elite capped a frenetic almost three years of growing power by MbS. It was seen as another pre-emptive step by the crown prince to remove powerful figures as he exerts control over the world&rsquo;s leading oil exporter.

The roundup recalled the meticulously planned palace coup in June through which MbS ousted his elder cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, as heir to the throne, interior minister and veteran head of the kingdom&#39;s formidable security apparatus.

In September, he rounded up and jailed religious and intellectual opponents.

This month&rsquo;s purge was another carefully planned swoop on 11 princes, four serving ministers, dozens of former ministers and officials, and tycoons including the kingdom&rsquo;s best-known businessman, Prince Alwaleeed bin Talal, who owns high-profile stakes in global companies like Citigroup and Twitter.

They were held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

Yet many observers believe the primary target of the purge was Prince Miteb, overlord of Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s 100,000-strong National Guard, as he represented the last great power centre left standing after the toppling of former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

By launching a war on corruption MbS combined a popular cause with the elimination of perhaps the last obstacles between him and the throne.

As the Sandhurst-trained preferred son of the late King Abdullah, Miteb was once thought to be a leading contender to the throne.

Before he was sacked by a royal decree on Nov. 4, he headed the Saudi National Guard, a pivotal power base rooted in the kingdom&rsquo;s tribes that was run by his father for five decades.

He was also the last remaining member of Abdullah&#39;s Shammar branch of the family to retain a key position at the top of the Saudi power structure, after brothers Mishaal and Turki were relieved of their posts as governors in 2015.

Miteb bin Abdullah was once seen as a leading contender to the throne

Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an "acceptable settlement agreement" with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching "an acceptable settlement agreement". The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but the official said it is believed to be the equivalent of more than $1 billion. "It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases," the official said. According to a Saudi official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms including a $10 billion deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals. The allegations against the others included kickbacks, inflating government contracts, extortion and bribery. The claims could not be independently verified. Saudi authorities had been working on striking agreements with some of those in detention, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom. News of the purge emerged on Nov 4 soon after King Salman decreed the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his 32-year-old favourite son, also known as MbS, who has amassed power since his meteoric rise three years ago. The new body was given broad powers to investigate cases, issue arrest warrants and travel restrictions, and seize assets. In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was quoted as saying that the vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in the crackdown were agreeing to settlements under which they would hand assets over to the government. Apart from Miteb, the Saudi official said that at least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalized settlement agreements. He said the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities. Detailed charges not revealed The authorities have not revealed detailed charges against any of the detainees. It was also unclear if Miteb was able to move freely or whether he would be put under house arrest. Officials from Miteb's office could not immediately be reached for a comment about his release. An acquaintance of the family has said earlier on his twitter account that Miteb was receiving brothers and sons at his palace in Riyadh. The arrest of royals and top business elite capped a frenetic almost three years of growing power by MbS. It was seen as another pre-emptive step by the crown prince to remove powerful figures as he exerts control over the world’s leading oil exporter. The roundup recalled the meticulously planned palace coup in June through which MbS ousted his elder cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, as heir to the throne, interior minister and veteran head of the kingdom's formidable security apparatus. In September, he rounded up and jailed religious and intellectual opponents. This month’s purge was another carefully planned swoop on 11 princes, four serving ministers, dozens of former ministers and officials, and tycoons including the kingdom’s best-known businessman, Prince Alwaleeed bin Talal, who owns high-profile stakes in global companies like Citigroup and Twitter. They were held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Yet many observers believe the primary target of the purge was Prince Miteb, overlord of Saudi Arabia’s 100,000-strong National Guard, as he represented the last great power centre left standing after the toppling of former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. By launching a war on corruption MbS combined a popular cause with the elimination of perhaps the last obstacles between him and the throne. As the Sandhurst-trained preferred son of the late King Abdullah, Miteb was once thought to be a leading contender to the throne. Before he was sacked by a royal decree on Nov. 4, he headed the Saudi National Guard, a pivotal power base rooted in the kingdom’s tribes that was run by his father for five decades. He was also the last remaining member of Abdullah's Shammar branch of the family to retain a key position at the top of the Saudi power structure, after brothers Mishaal and Turki were relieved of their posts as governors in 2015.

Senior Saudi prince freed in $1 billion settlement agreement: Official

Bulgaria said Wednesday that an aircraft taking its prime minister and former king to Saudi Arabia was denied permission by Iran to enter its airspace, forcing them to fly via Iraq.

&quot;The refusal is inexplicable,&quot; Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva was quoted by Bulgarian media as saying from Riyadh a day after the incident.

She said Iran&#39;s ambassador in Sofia has been summoned for an explanation. Iran had initially given the flight permission before it took off, she said.

The plane was carrying former king Simeon Saxe Coburg, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Zaharieva and four other ministers.

It was the first visit by a Bulgarian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since the former communist country, now a member of the European Union, and the kingdom established relations 20 years ago.

Borisov was due to be received on Wednesday by King Salman and by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under whom relations with Iran have deteriorated dramatically.

An aircraft taking its prime minister and former king to Saudi Arabia was denied permission by Iran to enter its airspace, forcing them to fly via Iraq

Bulgaria said Wednesday that an aircraft taking its prime minister and former king to Saudi Arabia was denied permission by Iran to enter its airspace, forcing them to fly via Iraq. "The refusal is inexplicable," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva was quoted by Bulgarian media as saying from Riyadh a day after the incident. She said Iran's ambassador in Sofia has been summoned for an explanation. Iran had initially given the flight permission before it took off, she said. The plane was carrying former king Simeon Saxe Coburg, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Zaharieva and four other ministers. It was the first visit by a Bulgarian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since the former communist country, now a member of the European Union, and the kingdom established relations 20 years ago. Borisov was due to be received on Wednesday by King Salman and by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under whom relations with Iran have deteriorated dramatically.

Iran denies Bulgaria PM entry into airspace

Saudi Arabia&#39;s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country will &quot;wipe out terrorists from the face of the earth&quot; at the first meeting of the Islamic counter-terrorism alliance in Riyadh.

In past years, terrorism has been functioning in all of our countries... with no coordination, this ends today, with this alliance,&quot; Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

The Islamic counter-terrorism alliance called the &nbsp;Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition(IMCTC) formed in 2015 by Prince Salman sees itself as a &quot;pan-Islamic unified front&quot; with as many as 41 member countries in its fold.

The alliance, however, excluded Saudi Arabia&#39;s &quot;enemies&quot; - &nbsp;Iran, Syria and Iraq.

Qatar stayed away from the coalition as Saudi Arabia cut ties with the country two months ago.

At the post-meet press conference Lt. General&nbsp;Abdulelah Al Saleh said the coalition will establish its headquarters in Riyadh where defense ministers of member countries will meet every year.

Saleh stressed that the common goal of the countries is to &quot;combat terrorism and not at creating a Sunni bloc&quot;. 
&nbsp;

Lt. Gen. Abdulelah Al Saleh said the coalition will establish its headquarters in Riyadh where defense ministers of member countries will meet every year.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country will "wipe out terrorists from the face of the earth" at the first meeting of the Islamic counter-terrorism alliance in Riyadh. In past years, terrorism has been functioning in all of our countries... with no coordination, this ends today, with this alliance," Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. The Islamic counter-terrorism alliance called the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition(IMCTC) formed in 2015 by Prince Salman sees itself as a "pan-Islamic unified front" with as many as 41 member countries in its fold. The alliance, however, excluded Saudi Arabia's "enemies" - Iran, Syria and Iraq. Qatar stayed away from the coalition as Saudi Arabia cut ties with the country two months ago. At the post-meet press conference Lt. General Abdulelah Al Saleh said the coalition will establish its headquarters in Riyadh where defense ministers of member countries will meet every year. Saleh stressed that the common goal of the countries is to "combat terrorism and not at creating a Sunni bloc".

Will pursue terrorists until they are wiped out, declares Saudi Arabia's crown prince Salman

Iran on Sunday accused the United States of responsibility for &quot;atrocities&quot; in Yemen through its support for Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition fighting Tehran-backed Huthi rebels.&nbsp;

Iran&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said a White House statement on Friday in support of Riyadh &quot;clearly and without question proves America&#39;s participation and responsibility in the atrocities committed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen&quot;.

In its statement, Washington had said it was &quot;committed to supporting Saudi Arabia... against the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps&#39;&nbsp;aggression and blatant violations of international law.&quot;

Regional arch-rivals Shiite-ruled Iran and Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia back opposing sides in conflicts from Yemen to Syria.&nbsp;

They cut diplomatic relations in January 2016 after Iranian protestors stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in reaction to Riyadh&#39;s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

In early November, Riyadh accused Tehran of &quot;direct aggression&quot; after Saudi forces intercepted a missile fired by Huthi forces towards Riyadh&#39;s international airport.&nbsp;

But Ghassemi denied that Iran has &quot;any military connection with Yemen&quot;, although Tehran says it supports the Huthis politically and regularly denounces Saudi Arabia for allegedly bombing civilians.

Accusing Washington of making &quot;totally unfounded&quot; allegations, Ghassemi said its statement on Friday showed it &quot;openly supports... appalling atrocities&quot; by Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

The Saudi-led Arab military coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Huthis forced him into exile.

Last month, the United Nations put the coalition on its blacklist for killing and maiming 683 children during the conflict last year and carrying out 38 verified attacks on schools and hospitals.

A report published in mid-November by the Congressional Research Service showed that Riyadh had signed arms deals worth more than $65 billion (55 billion euros) with the United States between 2009 and 2016.

&quot;Since 2015, the US-trained Saudi military has used US-origin weaponry, US logistical assistance, and shared intelligence in support of military operations in Yemen,&quot; it said.

Both parties in the Yemen conflict stand accused of neglecting civilian safety.&nbsp;

The United Nations has blacklisted the Saudi-led coalition over the &quot;killing and maiming&quot; of children.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said in support of Riyadh 'clearly and without question proves America's participation and responsibility in the atrocities committed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen'.

Iran on Sunday accused the United States of responsibility for "atrocities" in Yemen through its support for Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition fighting Tehran-backed Huthi rebels. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said a White House statement on Friday in support of Riyadh "clearly and without question proves America's participation and responsibility in the atrocities committed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen". In its statement, Washington had said it was "committed to supporting Saudi Arabia... against the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' aggression and blatant violations of international law." Regional arch-rivals Shiite-ruled Iran and Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia back opposing sides in conflicts from Yemen to Syria. They cut diplomatic relations in January 2016 after Iranian protestors stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in reaction to Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. In early November, Riyadh accused Tehran of "direct aggression" after Saudi forces intercepted a missile fired by Huthi forces towards Riyadh's international airport. But Ghassemi denied that Iran has "any military connection with Yemen", although Tehran says it supports the Huthis politically and regularly denounces Saudi Arabia for allegedly bombing civilians. Accusing Washington of making "totally unfounded" allegations, Ghassemi said its statement on Friday showed it "openly supports... appalling atrocities" by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. The Saudi-led Arab military coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Huthis forced him into exile. Last month, the United Nations put the coalition on its blacklist for killing and maiming 683 children during the conflict last year and carrying out 38 verified attacks on schools and hospitals. A report published in mid-November by the Congressional Research Service showed that Riyadh had signed arms deals worth more than $65 billion (55 billion euros) with the United States between 2009 and 2016. "Since 2015, the US-trained Saudi military has used US-origin weaponry, US logistical assistance, and shared intelligence in support of military operations in Yemen," it said. Both parties in the Yemen conflict stand accused of neglecting civilian safety. The United Nations has blacklisted the Saudi-led coalition over the "killing and maiming" of children.

Iran accuses US over Saudi 'atrocities' in Yemen

A UN plane carrying desperately needed vaccines landed in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday after a three-week Saudi-led aid blockade that had sparked warnings thousands could die.

Three other aircraft - two carrying UN aid workers and one carrying International Committee of the Red Cross staff - also landed at the airport, which was repaired earlier this week after a Saudi-led air strike knocked out its controls, an AFP correspondent reported.

The UN humanitarian affairs office had said Friday that it had been given clearance by the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the rebels since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa.

But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to the rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodeida remained blocked.

The UN children`s fund UNICEF said Saturday`s flight was carrying more than 15 tonnes, or 1.9 million doses, of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and other preventable diseases.

The World Health Organization confirmed earlier this week that diphtheria was spreading as children went unvaccinated and doctors in Hodeida reported three deaths.

More than 2,000 people have died of cholera in Yemen this year, adding to the 8,600 who have died in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and the rebels since 2015.&nbsp;

The aid blockade, put in place after the rebels fired a missile which was intercepted over Riyadh airport, has tightened the stranglehold on Hodeida, the conduit for UN supervised deliveries of food and medicine to rebel-held territory.&nbsp;

The UN humanitarian office said that a ship loaded with wheat and another with equipment to treat Yemen`s cholera epidemic are ready to head to Hodeida as soon as the Saudi-led coalition gives the go-ahead.

The coalition had said it would lift its blockade of the port from Thursday but it remains in place.

The United Nations has warned that unless the blockade is lifted, Yemen will face &quot;the largest famine the world has seen for decades&quot;.

Seven million Yemenis are completely dependent on relief supplies for their survival, according to the UN.&nbsp;

The UN humanitarian affairs office had said Friday that it had been given clearance by the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the rebels since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa

A UN plane carrying desperately needed vaccines landed in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday after a three-week Saudi-led aid blockade that had sparked warnings thousands could die. Three other aircraft - two carrying UN aid workers and one carrying International Committee of the Red Cross staff - also landed at the airport, which was repaired earlier this week after a Saudi-led air strike knocked out its controls, an AFP correspondent reported. The UN humanitarian affairs office had said Friday that it had been given clearance by the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the rebels since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa. But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to the rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodeida remained blocked. The UN children`s fund UNICEF said Saturday`s flight was carrying more than 15 tonnes, or 1.9 million doses, of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and other preventable diseases. The World Health Organization confirmed earlier this week that diphtheria was spreading as children went unvaccinated and doctors in Hodeida reported three deaths. More than 2,000 people have died of cholera in Yemen this year, adding to the 8,600 who have died in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and the rebels since 2015. The aid blockade, put in place after the rebels fired a missile which was intercepted over Riyadh airport, has tightened the stranglehold on Hodeida, the conduit for UN supervised deliveries of food and medicine to rebel-held territory. The UN humanitarian office said that a ship loaded with wheat and another with equipment to treat Yemen`s cholera epidemic are ready to head to Hodeida as soon as the Saudi-led coalition gives the go-ahead. The coalition had said it would lift its blockade of the port from Thursday but it remains in place. The United Nations has warned that unless the blockade is lifted, Yemen will face "the largest famine the world has seen for decades". Seven million Yemenis are completely dependent on relief supplies for their survival, according to the UN.

First aid flight lands in rebel-held Yemen capital after weeks

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia.

Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut.

Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied.

The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise.

A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world.

The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah.

Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it.

Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his &quot;political position&quot; in Beirut.

Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday.

Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus.

The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state.

Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.&nbsp;

Hariri, who flew into Beirut late on Tuesday, stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia. Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut. Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied. The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise. A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world. The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah. Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it. Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his "political position" in Beirut. Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday. Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus. The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state. Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.

Hariri, back in Beirut, attends national day parade

A U.S.-funded famine survey said on Tuesday that thousands of Yemenis could die daily if a Saudi-led military coalition does not lift its blockade on the country&rsquo;s key ports.

The warning came a day after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said 2.5 million people in Yemen&rsquo;s crowded cities had no access to clean water, raising the risk that a cholera epidemic will spread.

Using the internationally recognized IPC 5-point scale for classifying food security, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said that even before the current blockade, 15 million people were in &ldquo;crisis&rdquo; (IPC Phase 3) or worse.

&ldquo;Therefore, a prolonged closure of key ports risks an unprecedented deterioration in food security to Famine (IPC Phase 5) across large areas of the country,&rdquo; it said.

It said famine is likely in many areas within three or four months if ports remain closed, with some less accessible areas at even greater risk. In such a scenario, shortages of food and fuel would drive up prices, and a lack of medical supplies would exacerbate life-threatening diseases.

&ldquo;Thousands of deaths would occur each day due to the lack of food and disease outbreaks,&rdquo; said FEWS NET, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Famine remained likely even if the southern port of Aden is open, its report said, adding that all Yemeni ports should be reopened to essential imports.

The United Nations has said the Saudi-led coalition must allow aid in through Hodeidah port, controlled by the Houthis, the Saudis&rsquo; enemies in the war in Yemen. 
U.N. humanitarian agencies have issued dire warnings about the impact of the blockade, although U.N. officials have declined to directly criticise Saudi Arabia.

Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council and a former U.N. aid chief, was blunt in his criticism, however.

&ldquo;US, UK &amp; other allies of Saudi has only weeks to avoid being complicit in a famine of Biblical proportions. Lift the blockade now,&rdquo; he wrote in a tweet.

Last year Saudi Arabia was accused by then U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of exerting &ldquo;unacceptable&rdquo; undue pressure to keep itself off a blacklist of countries that kill children in conflict, after sources told Reuters that Riyadh had threatened to cut some U.N. funding. Saudi Arabia denied this.

The blockade had been effected by a Saudi-led military coalition

A U.S.-funded famine survey said on Tuesday that thousands of Yemenis could die daily if a Saudi-led military coalition does not lift its blockade on the country’s key ports. The warning came a day after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said 2.5 million people in Yemen’s crowded cities had no access to clean water, raising the risk that a cholera epidemic will spread. Using the internationally recognized IPC 5-point scale for classifying food security, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said that even before the current blockade, 15 million people were in “crisis” (IPC Phase 3) or worse. “Therefore, a prolonged closure of key ports risks an unprecedented deterioration in food security to Famine (IPC Phase 5) across large areas of the country,” it said. It said famine is likely in many areas within three or four months if ports remain closed, with some less accessible areas at even greater risk. In such a scenario, shortages of food and fuel would drive up prices, and a lack of medical supplies would exacerbate life-threatening diseases. “Thousands of deaths would occur each day due to the lack of food and disease outbreaks,” said FEWS NET, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Famine remained likely even if the southern port of Aden is open, its report said, adding that all Yemeni ports should be reopened to essential imports. The United Nations has said the Saudi-led coalition must allow aid in through Hodeidah port, controlled by the Houthis, the Saudis’ enemies in the war in Yemen. U.N. humanitarian agencies have issued dire warnings about the impact of the blockade, although U.N. officials have declined to directly criticise Saudi Arabia. Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council and a former U.N. aid chief, was blunt in his criticism, however. “US, UK & other allies of Saudi has only weeks to avoid being complicit in a famine of Biblical proportions. Lift the blockade now,” he wrote in a tweet. Last year Saudi Arabia was accused by then U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of exerting “unacceptable” undue pressure to keep itself off a blacklist of countries that kill children in conflict, after sources told Reuters that Riyadh had threatened to cut some U.N. funding. Saudi Arabia denied this.

US famine survey warns of thousands dying daily in Yemen if ports remain closed

The government has accepted a high-level committee&#39;s recommendation of increasing by over three percent the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The high-level committee formed by the government to frame draft &#39;Haj Policy 2018-2022&#39; had made the recommendation last month.

The committee had recommended that the quota of private tour operators be increased from the present 26.47 percent to 30 percent.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has confirmed that the panel&#39;s suggestion has been accepted.

India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh.

Out of this, according to the allocation for 2017, 1.25 lakh pilgrims could travel to Saudi Arabia through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI).

The private tour operators (PTOs) could transport 45,000 devotees.

The revision of the quota allocation now will mean that 51,000 devotees can travel through the PTOs.

Remaining 1.19 lakh devotees can undertake the journey through the HCoI.

&quot;We have accepted the recommendation. It is a logical recommendation which has been accepted after studying each aspect of the issue including that of interests of the pilgrims,&quot; Naqvi said.

He also said that the categories of PTOs have been increased to three from two.

The private players are categorized based on the number of years they have facilitated pilgrims (more the number of years of operation, higher the category they are put in).

Those, who have successfully completed at least seven years of operations, are put in category 1.

According to a source in the ministry, the allocation revision &quot;should not make much of a difference&quot; for devotees given the Haj subsidy is being gradually reduced in view of a 2012 Supreme Court order.

As per the apex court&#39;s order, the subsidy is to be abolished gradually till 2022.

&quot;Earlier people would seek to go through the HCoI because they would get subsidy. Now the subsidy is being gradually lowered since 2012,&quot; a source said.

&quot;So, it should not make much of a difference to the devotees whether they undertake the journey either through the HCoI or PTOs in future,&quot; the source added.

The source also said that the ministry plans to ensure stricter regulations to see pilgrims are not troubled by PTOs.

The government has accepted a high-level committee's recommendation of increasing by over three percent the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

The government has accepted a high-level committee's recommendation of increasing by over three percent the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The high-level committee formed by the government to frame draft 'Haj Policy 2018-2022' had made the recommendation last month. The committee had recommended that the quota of private tour operators be increased from the present 26.47 percent to 30 percent. Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has confirmed that the panel's suggestion has been accepted. India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh. Out of this, according to the allocation for 2017, 1.25 lakh pilgrims could travel to Saudi Arabia through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI). The private tour operators (PTOs) could transport 45,000 devotees. The revision of the quota allocation now will mean that 51,000 devotees can travel through the PTOs. Remaining 1.19 lakh devotees can undertake the journey through the HCoI. "We have accepted the recommendation. It is a logical recommendation which has been accepted after studying each aspect of the issue including that of interests of the pilgrims," Naqvi said. He also said that the categories of PTOs have been increased to three from two. The private players are categorized based on the number of years they have facilitated pilgrims (more the number of years of operation, higher the category they are put in). Those, who have successfully completed at least seven years of operations, are put in category 1. According to a source in the ministry, the allocation revision "should not make much of a difference" for devotees given the Haj subsidy is being gradually reduced in view of a 2012 Supreme Court order. As per the apex court's order, the subsidy is to be abolished gradually till 2022. "Earlier people would seek to go through the HCoI because they would get subsidy. Now the subsidy is being gradually lowered since 2012," a source said. "So, it should not make much of a difference to the devotees whether they undertake the journey either through the HCoI or PTOs in future," the source added. The source also said that the ministry plans to ensure stricter regulations to see pilgrims are not troubled by PTOs.

Government accepts panel's recommendation to hike quota of private Haj tour operators

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday&#39;s Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil.

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would &quot;make known my position&quot; once back in Beirut.

&quot;As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon,&quot; he told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps.

The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri&#39;s surprise announcement to step down on November 4.

His failure to return to Lebanon since sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied.

&quot;To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie,&quot; he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight.

Hariri&#39;s wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there &quot;for their school exams&quot;, a source close to the premier said.

After the meeting, Macron&#39;s office said the president will &quot;continue to take all necessary initiatives for Lebanon&#39;s stability.&quot;

&quot;We are helping to ease tensions in the region,&quot; the Elysee Palace added.

Hariri&#39;s mysterious decision to step down -- which president Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon&#39;s fragile democracy.

Hariri&#39;s camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a &quot;fruitful and constructive&quot; meeting with the powerful Saudi crown prince.

Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement.&nbsp;

A dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh&#39;s backing, he resigned saying he feared for his life.

He accused Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir meanwhile insisted from Madrid on Friday that &quot;unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran&quot;.

Battle for influence&nbsp;

Hariri&#39;s resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen.

Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany&#39;s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders.

Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against &quot;adventurism&quot;.

&quot;Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests,&quot; he had said earlier in the week.

 
Germany&#39;s foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri&#39;s &quot;imminent return to Lebanon&quot;.

&#39;Start of a solution&#39;&nbsp;

France&#39;s intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri&#39;s Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran.

Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, plans to bring together international support for Lebanon, depending on how the situation develops.&nbsp;

The French president has also telephoned his counterparts in the US and Egypt, Donald Trump and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss &quot;the situation in the Middle East&quot;.

He and Trump &quot;agreed on the need to work with allies to counter Hizballah&#39;s and Iran&#39;s destabilizing activities in the region&quot;, according to a White House statement Saturday.

However, Macron told reporters Friday that France wanted &quot;dialogue&quot; with Iran and aimed to &quot;build peace&hellip; not to choose one side over another&quot;.

Ahead of Hariri&#39;s departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the &quot;start of a solution&quot;.

&quot;If Mr Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely,&quot; Aoun said.

&quot;But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government.&quot;&nbsp;

The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri's surprise announcement to step down on November 4.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil. Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would "make known my position" once back in Beirut. "As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon," he told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps. The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri's surprise announcement to step down on November 4. His failure to return to Lebanon since sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied. "To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie," he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight. Hariri's wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there "for their school exams", a source close to the premier said. After the meeting, Macron's office said the president will "continue to take all necessary initiatives for Lebanon's stability." "We are helping to ease tensions in the region," the Elysee Palace added. Hariri's mysterious decision to step down -- which president Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon's fragile democracy. Hariri's camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a "fruitful and constructive" meeting with the powerful Saudi crown prince. Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement. A dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh's backing, he resigned saying he feared for his life. He accused Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir meanwhile insisted from Madrid on Friday that "unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran". Battle for influence Hariri's resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen. Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders. Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against "adventurism". "Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests," he had said earlier in the week. Germany's foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri's "imminent return to Lebanon". 'Start of a solution' France's intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri's Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran. Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, plans to bring together international support for Lebanon, depending on how the situation develops. The French president has also telephoned his counterparts in the US and Egypt, Donald Trump and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss "the situation in the Middle East". He and Trump "agreed on the need to work with allies to counter Hizballah's and Iran's destabilizing activities in the region", according to a White House statement Saturday. However, Macron told reporters Friday that France wanted "dialogue" with Iran and aimed to "build peace… not to choose one side over another". Ahead of Hariri's departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the "start of a solution". "If Mr Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely," Aoun said. "But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government."

Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri announces return to Beirut as crisis simmers

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh &quot;when he pleases,&quot; the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was &quot;detaining&quot; him.

Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom &quot;of his own free will&quot; and free to leave &quot;when he pleases&quot;, Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh.

&quot;These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,&quot; Jubeir said.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days.

But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be &quot;the start of a solution&quot;.

Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month.

The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron.

Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: &quot;I would rather not answer that right now.&quot;&nbsp;

Le Drian&#39;s visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri&#39;s resignation.

'These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,' Adel-al Jubeir said

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh "when he pleases," the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was "detaining" him. Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom "of his own free will" and free to leave "when he pleases", Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh. "These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue," Jubeir said. Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days. But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be "the start of a solution". Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month. The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron. Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: "I would rather not answer that right now." Le Drian's visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri's resignation.

Hariri free to leave Riyadh 'when he pleases': Saudi FM

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia had detained Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the first time he had said so publicly, and called it an act of aggression against Lebanon.

&quot;Nothing justifies Hariri&#39;s lack of return for 12 days. We, therefore, consider him detained. This is a violation of the Vienna agreements and human rights law,&quot; Aoun said at a meeting with Lebanese journalists and media executives.

&quot;We cannot wait longer and lose time. Affairs of state cannot be stopped,&quot; Aoun added on Twitter.

Hariri resigned as prime minister on Nov. 4 in a video broadcast from Saudi Arabia and has yet to return to Lebanon. Aoun has said he will not accept the resignation until Hariri returns to Lebanon and submits it in person.

On Wednesday Hariri repeated he would return home.

&quot;I want to repeat and affirm that I am perfectly fine and I will return, God willing, to dear Lebanon as I promised you, you&#39;ll see,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

Aoun had said on Sunday that Hariri&#39;s freedom was being restricted in Riyadh, casting doubt over anything that Hariri says. Aoun&#39;s comments on Wednesday went further, saying for the first time that Hariri was being held.

Saudi Arabia denies holding Hariri against his will or putting pressure on him to resign. In his first public comments since his resignation, an interview given on Sunday to a television station he owns, Hariri said he was free to travel and planned to return to Lebanon within days.

'Nothing justifies Hariri's lack of return for 12 days. We, therefore, consider him detained. This is a violation of the Vienna agreements and human rights law,' Lebanon President Michael Aoun said

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia had detained Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the first time he had said so publicly, and called it an act of aggression against Lebanon. "Nothing justifies Hariri's lack of return for 12 days. We, therefore, consider him detained. This is a violation of the Vienna agreements and human rights law," Aoun said at a meeting with Lebanese journalists and media executives. "We cannot wait longer and lose time. Affairs of state cannot be stopped," Aoun added on Twitter. Hariri resigned as prime minister on Nov. 4 in a video broadcast from Saudi Arabia and has yet to return to Lebanon. Aoun has said he will not accept the resignation until Hariri returns to Lebanon and submits it in person. On Wednesday Hariri repeated he would return home. "I want to repeat and affirm that I am perfectly fine and I will return, God willing, to dear Lebanon as I promised you, you'll see," he wrote on Twitter. Aoun had said on Sunday that Hariri's freedom was being restricted in Riyadh, casting doubt over anything that Hariri says. Aoun's comments on Wednesday went further, saying for the first time that Hariri was being held. Saudi Arabia denies holding Hariri against his will or putting pressure on him to resign. In his first public comments since his resignation, an interview given on Sunday to a television station he owns, Hariri said he was free to travel and planned to return to Lebanon within days.

Lebanon President says Saudi Arabia holding Hariri, calls it aggression: Reports

Lebanon leader <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-orders-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-over-hariri-crisis-23858">Saad al-Hariri said on Sunday he would leave Saudi Arabia</a> for Beirut &quot;tonight or tomorrow&quot;&nbsp;as the standoff between the two countries continued on Sunday.

In an interview with a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-lebanese-president-salutes-pm-hariris-decision-to-step-down-23519">television station, Hariri, who had resigned as prime minister </a>of Lebanon during a visit in Saudi Arabia, said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place.

&quot;I will go back to Lebanon, I can go back tonight or tomorrow, but if you don&#39;t want me to take security measures to protect myself I will come back. I will come back maybe within two or three days,&quot; Hariri said.

Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister last week with Lebanon declaring that Hariri was being held in the Saudi Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia had vehemently denied Saudi-born Hariri was under house arrest.

Hariri said he had stepped down to down for the sake of the Lebanese national interest, asserting that Lebanon should stick to the policy of &quot;disassociation&quot; from regional conflict.

&quot;If I want to pull back from the resignation, Lebanon&#39;s policy of disassociation from regional conflicts must be respected. Those are things we cannot handle,&quot; Hariri declared.

&quot;There is a regional conflict between Arabic countries, we are too small to intervene in, as well as with Iran. Why do we put ourselves in the middle, we are in the eye of the storm, we have Islamic State militants, we have Nusra, we have al-Qaeda and the Syrian regime. And we want to intervene in other places, why is that?,&quot; he asked.

Last week Saudi Arabia had ordered its citizen to leave Lebanon even as Hezbollah&#39;s parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to &quot;stop interfering&quot; in Lebanese affairs.

&quot;We need to know that there is 300,000 to 400,000 Lebanese living in the Gulf Area, you have Lebanese living in Europe, and everywhere, what will happen to those if we put ourselves in these regional conflicts?&quot;

The Saudi foreign ministry had said last week Saudis should not travel to Lebanon because of &quot;the situation&quot; in the country, without elaborating.

In an interview with a television station, Hariri said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place.

Lebanon leader Saad al-Hariri said on Sunday he would leave Saudi Arabia for Beirut "tonight or tomorrow" as the standoff between the two countries continued on Sunday. In an interview with a television station, Hariri, who had resigned as prime minister of Lebanon during a visit in Saudi Arabia, said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place. "I will go back to Lebanon, I can go back tonight or tomorrow, but if you don't want me to take security measures to protect myself I will come back. I will come back maybe within two or three days," Hariri said. Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister last week with Lebanon declaring that Hariri was being held in the Saudi Kingdom. Saudi Arabia had vehemently denied Saudi-born Hariri was under house arrest. Hariri said he had stepped down to down for the sake of the Lebanese national interest, asserting that Lebanon should stick to the policy of "disassociation" from regional conflict. "If I want to pull back from the resignation, Lebanon's policy of disassociation from regional conflicts must be respected. Those are things we cannot handle," Hariri declared. "There is a regional conflict between Arabic countries, we are too small to intervene in, as well as with Iran. Why do we put ourselves in the middle, we are in the eye of the storm, we have Islamic State militants, we have Nusra, we have al-Qaeda and the Syrian regime. And we want to intervene in other places, why is that?," he asked. Last week Saudi Arabia had ordered its citizen to leave Lebanon even as Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to "stop interfering" in Lebanese affairs. "We need to know that there is 300,000 to 400,000 Lebanese living in the Gulf Area, you have Lebanese living in Europe, and everywhere, what will happen to those if we put ourselves in these regional conflicts?" The Saudi foreign ministry had said last week Saudis should not travel to Lebanon because of "the situation" in the country, without elaborating.

I will go back to Lebanon: Hariri

From a Yemeni missile attack to the resignation of Lebanon&#39;s prime minister, the &quot;Cold War&quot; between the Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has been heating up.

Experts believe the risk of a direct military clash is low, but why have tensions escalated now and how will the crisis evolve?

What are the origins of the rivalry?&nbsp;

Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and Iran, the predominant Shiite power, have a long-standing rivalry based as much on geostrategic interests as religious differences.

Facing off across the Gulf, the two energy-rich powers have for decades stood on opposing sides of conflicts in the Middle East.

The Iranian revolution of 1979 and the advent of the Islamic Republic -- with its fiercely anti-American slant -- were perceived as a double threat to the conservative Sunni monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula, allied with the United States.

Saudi Arabia was a key financial backer of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his 1980-1988 war with Iran.

With Iraq weakened following the 1991 Gulf War, Saudi Arabia and Iran became &quot;the two main regional powers&quot;, said Clement Therme, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

How have tensions escalated recently?&nbsp;

The latest round of tensions began when Riyadh and Tehran broke off diplomatic relations in January 2016, after Iranians stormed Saudi Arabia&#39;s embassy and consulate in response to the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

That followed the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, which Riyadh feared was a step towards ending Iran&#39;s international isolation.

Rhetoric between the two grew increasingly belligerent, including over Saudi Arabia&#39;s Gulf neighbour Qatar. Riyadh and several of its Sunni allies broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar in June 2017, accusing Doha of support for extremism and links with Iran, claims that it denies.

On the first weekend of November, the animosity reached new heights. First, the Saudi-supported prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, in a broadcast from Riyadh announced his resignation, blaming Iran&#39;s &quot;grip&quot; on his country via Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Several hours later, Saudi Arabia said its air defences near Riyadh intercepted and destroyed a missile fired from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed Shiite rebels.

That set off a fierce war of words between Riyadh and Tehran, with Saudi Arabia&#39;s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accusing Iran of &quot;direct military aggression&quot;. Tehran denied any involvement in the missile attack, with President Hassan Rouhani warned that Iranian &quot;might&quot; would fend off any challenge.

Why now?&nbsp;

&quot;The main cause of the current tensions is related to the proxy confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia,&quot; Therme said, pointing to wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Recent months have seen changes in these confrontations that appear to have brought the tensions to a head.

In Iraq and Syria, the increasingly successful campaign against the Islamic State group has changed the situation on the ground. Offensives in both countries have forced the jihadists from nearly all the territory they seized in mid-2014.

As the threat from a common enemy &quot;has imploded, tensions between these historic adversaries have escalated&quot;, said Max Abrahms, professor of political science at Northeastern University in Boston.

As Iraq looks to a post-IS era, Riyadh has been taking steps to build stronger ties with the country&#39;s Shiite-dominated government. A flurry of visits between the two countries this year saw talk of a warming of ties, including a trip by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to Riyadh in late October.

In Syria, meanwhile, the Iran-backed government of President Bashar al-Assad has over the past year managed to reassert control over large parts of the country by defeating, among others, rebel groups backed by Riyadh.

&quot;The Saudi-Iranian rivalry has become the organising principle for Mideast alliances, reminiscent of how the Cold War divided countries along with US and Soviet lines,&quot; Abrahms said.

Analysts said the election as US president a year ago of Donald Trump has also contributed to the rise in tensions. Trump&#39;s open hostility towards Tehran has &quot;released anti-Iranian energies in the Arabian Peninsula&quot; and emboldened Riyadh, Therme said.

How important is the Sunni-Shiite divide?&nbsp;

The Sunni-Shiite divide between Saudi Arabia and Tehran is a crucial factor in conflicts between the two countries.

Religious tensions have heightened since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that brought the majority Shiites to power in Baghdad instead of Saddam&#39;s Sunni-dominated regime.

The 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, which saw Iran support the demands of sizeable Shiite minorities in Gulf monarchies, was another turning point, Therme said.

&quot;Arab states appeared vulnerable and Iran was then defined as the main threat to regional stability,&quot; he said.

Iran has even called into doubt the suitability of the Saudi royal family to serve as custodians of Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities in Islam -- especially after a stampede at the annual hajj pilgrimage in 2015 left hundreds of Iranians dead.

How will the crisis evolve?&nbsp;

While the increase in tensions has raised serious concerns, few expect an outright military confrontation.

&quot;A broader regional conflict remains unlikely,&quot; said Graham Griffiths, a senior analyst at consulting firm Control Risks, saying Riyadh would instead look to use the latest missile incident to push for further sanctions against Tehran.

Therme agreed that both sides would steer clear of open conflict.

&quot;Iran has experience of the war with Iraq... and Saudi Arabia is bogged down in Yemen, after failing to define the future of the Syrian revolution... and counter Iran&#39;s influence in Iraq,&quot; he said.

&quot;Saudi Arabia&#39;s rhetoric does not necessarily reflect the interest in war,&quot; consulting firm Eurasia Group said, pointing to a potential domestic reason for Riyadh&#39;s combative tone.

Prince Mohammed is looking to &quot;leverage the nationalist rhetoric to solidify his position&quot; as he pursues an anti-corruption purge some see as an attempt to cement his hold on power, the group said.

&quot;At the same time, escalatory statements against Iran help shift the media attention away from the domestic power struggle,&quot; it said.

Experts believe the risk of a direct military clash is low, but why have tensions escalated now and how will the crisis evolve?

From a Yemeni missile attack to the resignation of Lebanon's prime minister, the "Cold War" between the Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has been heating up. Experts believe the risk of a direct military clash is low, but why have tensions escalated now and how will the crisis evolve? What are the origins of the rivalry? Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and Iran, the predominant Shiite power, have a long-standing rivalry based as much on geostrategic interests as religious differences. Facing off across the Gulf, the two energy-rich powers have for decades stood on opposing sides of conflicts in the Middle East. The Iranian revolution of 1979 and the advent of the Islamic Republic -- with its fiercely anti-American slant -- were perceived as a double threat to the conservative Sunni monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula, allied with the United States. Saudi Arabia was a key financial backer of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his 1980-1988 war with Iran. With Iraq weakened following the 1991 Gulf War, Saudi Arabia and Iran became "the two main regional powers", said Clement Therme, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). How have tensions escalated recently? The latest round of tensions began when Riyadh and Tehran broke off diplomatic relations in January 2016, after Iranians stormed Saudi Arabia's embassy and consulate in response to the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. That followed the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, which Riyadh feared was a step towards ending Iran's international isolation. Rhetoric between the two grew increasingly belligerent, including over Saudi Arabia's Gulf neighbour Qatar. Riyadh and several of its Sunni allies broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar in June 2017, accusing Doha of support for extremism and links with Iran, claims that it denies. On the first weekend of November, the animosity reached new heights. First, the Saudi-supported prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, in a broadcast from Riyadh announced his resignation, blaming Iran's "grip" on his country via Shiite movement Hezbollah. Several hours later, Saudi Arabia said its air defences near Riyadh intercepted and destroyed a missile fired from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed Shiite rebels. That set off a fierce war of words between Riyadh and Tehran, with Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accusing Iran of "direct military aggression". Tehran denied any involvement in the missile attack, with President Hassan Rouhani warned that Iranian "might" would fend off any challenge. Why now? "The main cause of the current tensions is related to the proxy confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia," Therme said, pointing to wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Recent months have seen changes in these confrontations that appear to have brought the tensions to a head. In Iraq and Syria, the increasingly successful campaign against the Islamic State group has changed the situation on the ground. Offensives in both countries have forced the jihadists from nearly all the territory they seized in mid-2014. As the threat from a common enemy "has imploded, tensions between these historic adversaries have escalated", said Max Abrahms, professor of political science at Northeastern University in Boston. As Iraq looks to a post-IS era, Riyadh has been taking steps to build stronger ties with the country's Shiite-dominated government. A flurry of visits between the two countries this year saw talk of a warming of ties, including a trip by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to Riyadh in late October. In Syria, meanwhile, the Iran-backed government of President Bashar al-Assad has over the past year managed to reassert control over large parts of the country by defeating, among others, rebel groups backed by Riyadh. "The Saudi-Iranian rivalry has become the organising principle for Mideast alliances, reminiscent of how the Cold War divided countries along with US and Soviet lines," Abrahms said. Analysts said the election as US president a year ago of Donald Trump has also contributed to the rise in tensions. Trump's open hostility towards Tehran has "released anti-Iranian energies in the Arabian Peninsula" and emboldened Riyadh, Therme said. How important is the Sunni-Shiite divide? The Sunni-Shiite divide between Saudi Arabia and Tehran is a crucial factor in conflicts between the two countries. Religious tensions have heightened since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that brought the majority Shiites to power in Baghdad instead of Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime. The 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, which saw Iran support the demands of sizeable Shiite minorities in Gulf monarchies, was another turning point, Therme said. "Arab states appeared vulnerable and Iran was then defined as the main threat to regional stability," he said. Iran has even called into doubt the suitability of the Saudi royal family to serve as custodians of Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities in Islam -- especially after a stampede at the annual hajj pilgrimage in 2015 left hundreds of Iranians dead. How will the crisis evolve? While the increase in tensions has raised serious concerns, few expect an outright military confrontation. "A broader regional conflict remains unlikely," said Graham Griffiths, a senior analyst at consulting firm Control Risks, saying Riyadh would instead look to use the latest missile incident to push for further sanctions against Tehran. Therme agreed that both sides would steer clear of open conflict. "Iran has experience of the war with Iraq... and Saudi Arabia is bogged down in Yemen, after failing to define the future of the Syrian revolution... and counter Iran's influence in Iraq," he said. "Saudi Arabia's rhetoric does not necessarily reflect the interest in war," consulting firm Eurasia Group said, pointing to a potential domestic reason for Riyadh's combative tone. Prince Mohammed is looking to "leverage the nationalist rhetoric to solidify his position" as he pursues an anti-corruption purge some see as an attempt to cement his hold on power, the group said. "At the same time, escalatory statements against Iran help shift the media attention away from the domestic power struggle," it said.

As Iran-Saudi 'Cold War' heats up, what next?

A 25- year-old girl filed a petition in Kerala High Court stating that she is a victim of forceful conversion, fraudulent marriage, and sexual slavery.

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Petition filed in Kerala High court by a 25-year old girl stating that she is a victim of forceful conversion, fraudulent marriage, attempt to sexual slavery.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/929240170032852992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Petition also states that she was taken to Saudi Arabia &amp; there were attempts to take her to Syria to the IS territory. She has approached the court to nullify her marriage, and conduct NIA investigation into these &#39;anti-national activities&#39;. Case to be considered on November 13
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/929241126338379777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The petition alleges that she was taken to Saudi Arabia and was forced to be a sex slave there. She has told that she will be taken to IS territory in Syria. She somehow managed to contact her parents and they send her ticket to come back to Gujarat on October 3.

She has approached the court to nullify the marriage and to conduct an NIA investigation into these anti-national activities. Her advocate also alleged that Riyaz is a member of &nbsp;The Popular Front of India (PFI) an Islamic fundamentalist organisation.

The Kerala High Court will consider the petition on November 13.&nbsp;

The woman is a Keralite but was born and brought up in Gujarat. She was studying in Bengaluru where she met Muhammed Riyaz, the two got into a relation and he recorded a private video of her.

According to the petition, Riyaz blackmailed her with the video, asking her to convert and marry him.

The woman was sent to religious classes and was also forced to see Zakir Naik&#39;s speeches, claimed by her counsel V Sethunath

This incident has come at a time when NIA has claimed that they have come across at least 90 cases of forced conversions in Kerala.

A 25- years old girl has filed a petition in Kerala High Court stating that she is a victim of forceful conversion, fraudulent marriage, and the attempt of sexual slavery

A 25- year-old girl filed a petition in Kerala High Court stating that she is a victim of forceful conversion, fraudulent marriage, and sexual slavery. Petition filed in Kerala High court by a 25-year old girl stating that she is a victim of forceful conversion, fraudulent marriage, attempt to sexual slavery. — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2017 × Petition also states that she was taken to Saudi Arabia & there were attempts to take her to Syria to the IS territory. She has approached the court to nullify her marriage, and conduct NIA investigation into these 'anti-national activities'. Case to be considered on November 13 — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2017 × The petition alleges that she was taken to Saudi Arabia and was forced to be a sex slave there. She has told that she will be taken to IS territory in Syria. She somehow managed to contact her parents and they send her ticket to come back to Gujarat on October 3. She has approached the court to nullify the marriage and to conduct an NIA investigation into these anti-national activities. Her advocate also alleged that Riyaz is a member of The Popular Front of India (PFI) an Islamic fundamentalist organisation. The Kerala High Court will consider the petition on November 13. The woman is a Keralite but was born and brought up in Gujarat. She was studying in Bengaluru where she met Muhammed Riyaz, the two got into a relation and he recorded a private video of her. According to the petition, Riyaz blackmailed her with the video, asking her to convert and marry him. The woman was sent to religious classes and was also forced to see Zakir Naik's speeches, claimed by her counsel V Sethunath This incident has come at a time when NIA has claimed that they have come across at least 90 cases of forced conversions in Kerala.

'Forcefully Converted, Sexually Exploited': 25-Year-Old Approaches Kerala High Court

From the moment Saad al-Hariri&#39;s plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise.

There was no line-up of Saudi princes or ministry officials, as would typically greet a prime minister on an official visit to King Salman, senior sources close to Hariri and top Lebanese political and security officials said. His phone was confiscated, and the next day he was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-pm-resigns-says-fears-for-his-life-23514">forced to resign</a> as prime minister in a statement broadcast by a Saudi-owned TV channel.

The move thrust Lebanon back to the forefront of a struggle that is reshaping the Middle East, between the conservative Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi&#39;ite revolutionary Iran.

Their rivalry has fuelled conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where they back opposing sides, and now risks destabilising Lebanon, where Saudi has long tried to weaken the Iran-backed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hezbollah-accuses-saudi-of-detaining-hariri-23953">Hezbollah group</a>, Lebanon&#39;s main political power and part of the ruling coalition.

Sources close to Hariri say Saudi Arabia has concluded that the prime minister - a long-time Saudi ally and son of late prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005 - had to go because he was unwilling to confront Hezbollah.

Multiple Lebanese sources say Riyadh hopes to replace Saad Hariri with his older brother Bahaa as Lebanon&#39;s top Sunni politician. Bahaa is believed to be in Saudi Arabia and members of the Hariri family have been asked to travel there to pledge allegiance to him, but have refused, the sources say.

&quot;When Hariri&#39;s plane landed in Riyadh, he got the message immediately that something was wrong,&quot; a Hariri source told Reuters. &quot;There was no one was waiting for him.&quot;

Saudi Arabia has dismissed suggestions it forced Hariri to resign and says he is a free man. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the circumstances of his arrival, whether his phone had been taken, or whether the Kingdom was planning to replace him with his brother.

Hariri has given no public remarks since he resigned and no indication of when he might return to Lebanon.

&quot;NO RESPECT&quot;

Hariri was summoned to the Kingdom to meet Saudi King Salman in a phone call on Thursday night, November 2.

Before departing, he told his officials they would resume their discussions on Monday. He told his media team he would see them at the weekend in the Red Sea resort of Sharm&nbsp;al-Sheikh, where he was due to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi&nbsp;on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum.

Hariri went to his Riyadh home. His family made their fortune in Saudi Arabia and have long had properties there. The source close to Hariri said the Lebanese leader received a call from a Saudi protocol official on Saturday morning, who asked him to attend a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He waited for about four hours before being presented with his resignation&nbsp;speech to read on television, the source said.

&quot;From the moment he arrived they (Saudis) showed no respect for the man,&quot; another senior Lebanese political source said.

Hariri frequently visits Saudi Arabia. On a trip a few days earlier, Prince Mohammed bin Salman had arranged for him to see senior intelligence officials and Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi point man on Lebanon.

Hariri came back from that trip to Beirut &quot;pleased and relaxed&quot;, sources in his entourage said. He posted a selfie with Sabhan, both of them smiling. He told aides he had heard &quot;encouraging statements&quot; from the crown prince, including a promise to revive a Saudi aid package for the Lebanese army.

The Hariri sources say Hariri believed he had convinced Saudi officials of the need to maintain an entente with Hezbollah for the sake of Lebanon&#39;s stability.

Hezbollah has a heavily armed fighting force, in addition to seats in parliament and government. Saudi-backed efforts to weaken the group in Lebanon a decade ago led to Sunni-Shi&#39;ite clashes and a Hezbollah takeover of Beirut.&nbsp;

&quot;What happened&nbsp;in those&nbsp;meetings, I believe,&nbsp;is that (Hariri) revealed his position on how to deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon: that confrontation would destabilize the country. I think they didn&#39;t like what they heard,&quot; said one of the sources, who was briefed on the meetings.

The source said Hariri told Sabhan not to &quot;hold us responsible for something that is beyond my control or that of Lebanon.&quot; But Hariri underestimated the Saudi position on Hezbollah, the source said.

&quot;For the Saudis it is an existential battle. It&#39;s black and white. We in Lebanon are used to grey,&quot; the source said.

Sabhan could not immediately be reached for comment.

RESIGNATION

Hariri&rsquo;s resignation speech shocked his team.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, told ambassadors to Lebanon that Saudi Arabia had kidnapped Hariri, a senior Lebanese official said. On Friday, France said it wanted Hariri to have &quot;all his freedom of movement&quot;.

In his speech, Hariri said he feared assassination and accused Iran and Hezbollah of sowing strife in the region. He said the Arab world would &quot;cut off the hands that wickedly extend to it,&quot; language which one source close to him said was not typical of the Lebanese leader.

Hariri&#39;s resignation came as more than 200 people, including 11 Saudi princes, current and former ministers and tycoons, were arrested in an anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia.

Initially there was speculation Hariri was a target of that campaign because of his family&#39;s business interests. But sources close to the Lebanese leader said his forced resignation was motivated by Saudi efforts to counter Iran.

Hariri was taken to meet the Saudi king after his resignation. Footage was aired on Saudi TV. He was then flown to Abu Dhabi to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the Saudi crown prince&#39;s main regional ally. He returned to Riyadh and has since received Western ambassadors.

Sources close to Hariri said the Saudis, while keeping Hariri under house arrest, were trying to orchestrate a change of leadership in Hariri&#39;s Future Movement by installing his elder brother Bahaa, who was overlooked for the top job when their father was killed. The two have been at odds for years.

In a statement, the Future Movement said it stood fully behind Hariri as its leader. Hariri aide and Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk dismissed the idea Bahaa was being positioned to replace his brother:

&quot;We are not herds of sheep or a plot of land whose ownership can be moved from one person to another. In Lebanon things happen though elections not pledges of allegiances.&quot;

Family members, aides and politicians who have contacted&nbsp;Hariri in Riyadh say he is apprehensive and reluctant to say anything beyond &quot;I am fine&quot;. Asked if he is coming&nbsp;back, they say his normal answer is: &quot;Inshallah&quot; (God willing).

From the moment Saad al-Hariri's plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise.

From the moment Saad al-Hariri's plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise. There was no line-up of Saudi princes or ministry officials, as would typically greet a prime minister on an official visit to King Salman, senior sources close to Hariri and top Lebanese political and security officials said. His phone was confiscated, and the next day he was forced to resign as prime minister in a statement broadcast by a Saudi-owned TV channel. The move thrust Lebanon back to the forefront of a struggle that is reshaping the Middle East, between the conservative Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite revolutionary Iran. Their rivalry has fuelled conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where they back opposing sides, and now risks destabilising Lebanon, where Saudi has long tried to weaken the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Lebanon's main political power and part of the ruling coalition. Sources close to Hariri say Saudi Arabia has concluded that the prime minister - a long-time Saudi ally and son of late prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005 - had to go because he was unwilling to confront Hezbollah. Multiple Lebanese sources say Riyadh hopes to replace Saad Hariri with his older brother Bahaa as Lebanon's top Sunni politician. Bahaa is believed to be in Saudi Arabia and members of the Hariri family have been asked to travel there to pledge allegiance to him, but have refused, the sources say. "When Hariri's plane landed in Riyadh, he got the message immediately that something was wrong," a Hariri source told Reuters. "There was no one was waiting for him." Saudi Arabia has dismissed suggestions it forced Hariri to resign and says he is a free man. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the circumstances of his arrival, whether his phone had been taken, or whether the Kingdom was planning to replace him with his brother. Hariri has given no public remarks since he resigned and no indication of when he might return to Lebanon. "NO RESPECT" Hariri was summoned to the Kingdom to meet Saudi King Salman in a phone call on Thursday night, November 2. Before departing, he told his officials they would resume their discussions on Monday. He told his media team he would see them at the weekend in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, where he was due to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum. Hariri went to his Riyadh home. His family made their fortune in Saudi Arabia and have long had properties there. The source close to Hariri said the Lebanese leader received a call from a Saudi protocol official on Saturday morning, who asked him to attend a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He waited for about four hours before being presented with his resignation speech to read on television, the source said. "From the moment he arrived they (Saudis) showed no respect for the man," another senior Lebanese political source said. Hariri frequently visits Saudi Arabia. On a trip a few days earlier, Prince Mohammed bin Salman had arranged for him to see senior intelligence officials and Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi point man on Lebanon. Hariri came back from that trip to Beirut "pleased and relaxed", sources in his entourage said. He posted a selfie with Sabhan, both of them smiling. He told aides he had heard "encouraging statements" from the crown prince, including a promise to revive a Saudi aid package for the Lebanese army. The Hariri sources say Hariri believed he had convinced Saudi officials of the need to maintain an entente with Hezbollah for the sake of Lebanon's stability. Hezbollah has a heavily armed fighting force, in addition to seats in parliament and government. Saudi-backed efforts to weaken the group in Lebanon a decade ago led to Sunni-Shi'ite clashes and a Hezbollah takeover of Beirut. "What happened in those meetings, I believe, is that (Hariri) revealed his position on how to deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon: that confrontation would destabilize the country. I think they didn't like what they heard," said one of the sources, who was briefed on the meetings. The source said Hariri told Sabhan not to "hold us responsible for something that is beyond my control or that of Lebanon." But Hariri underestimated the Saudi position on Hezbollah, the source said. "For the Saudis it is an existential battle. It's black and white. We in Lebanon are used to grey," the source said. Sabhan could not immediately be reached for comment. RESIGNATION Hariri’s resignation speech shocked his team. Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, told ambassadors to Lebanon that Saudi Arabia had kidnapped Hariri, a senior Lebanese official said. On Friday, France said it wanted Hariri to have "all his freedom of movement". In his speech, Hariri said he feared assassination and accused Iran and Hezbollah of sowing strife in the region. He said the Arab world would "cut off the hands that wickedly extend to it," language which one source close to him said was not typical of the Lebanese leader. Hariri's resignation came as more than 200 people, including 11 Saudi princes, current and former ministers and tycoons, were arrested in an anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia. Initially there was speculation Hariri was a target of that campaign because of his family's business interests. But sources close to the Lebanese leader said his forced resignation was motivated by Saudi efforts to counter Iran. Hariri was taken to meet the Saudi king after his resignation. Footage was aired on Saudi TV. He was then flown to Abu Dhabi to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the Saudi crown prince's main regional ally. He returned to Riyadh and has since received Western ambassadors. Sources close to Hariri said the Saudis, while keeping Hariri under house arrest, were trying to orchestrate a change of leadership in Hariri's Future Movement by installing his elder brother Bahaa, who was overlooked for the top job when their father was killed. The two have been at odds for years. In a statement, the Future Movement said it stood fully behind Hariri as its leader. Hariri aide and Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk dismissed the idea Bahaa was being positioned to replace his brother: "We are not herds of sheep or a plot of land whose ownership can be moved from one person to another. In Lebanon things happen though elections not pledges of allegiances." Family members, aides and politicians who have contacted Hariri in Riyadh say he is apprehensive and reluctant to say anything beyond "I am fine". Asked if he is coming back, they say his normal answer is: "Inshallah" (God willing).

How Saudi Arabia turned on Lebanon's Hariri

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hezbollah-accuses-saudi-of-detaining-hariri-23953" target="_blank">Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah</a>

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes.&nbsp;Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-goalkeeper-accuses-former-fifa-president-of-sexual-harassment-23954" target="_blank">He grabbed my ass: US goalkeeper accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault</a>

Hope Solo, the 36-year-old US goalkeeper has accused former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/actress-portia-de-rossi-accuses-steven-seagal-of-sexual-harassment-23862" target="_blank">sexual harassment</a>. In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo said that Sepp had grabbed her ass.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank">Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank">lacklustre</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank"> Italy</a>

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/comedian-louis-ck-admits-sexual-misconduct-entertainment-outlets-cut-ties-23950" target="_blank">&#39;These stories are true,&#39; says comedian Louis CK</a>

US&nbsp;comedian Louis C.K. on Friday admitted to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/actress-portia-de-rossi-accuses-steven-seagal-of-sexual-harassment-23862" target="_blank">sexual misconduct allegations made against him&nbsp;</a>by several women, and television and film companies moved quickly to sever ties. &quot;These stories are true,&quot; C.K. said in a statement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/heres-what-got-cheaper-after-revised-gst-rates-23947" target="_blank">Revised GST rates: Complete list</a>

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&nbsp;

In the biggest GST rearrangement till date, tax rates on over 200 items were cut down&nbsp;to provide relief to consumers and businesses&nbsp;on Friday.&nbsp;Giving a major reprieve to the common man, the GST Council came up with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/23931">a number of new measures.&nbsp;</a>Maximum pruning was done in the 28% slab which will now be applied to only 50 items from 228 earlier. Many of the items and services which were previously under the 28% bracket will now attract a tax of 18% only.&nbsp; 
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Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. He grabbed my ass: US goalkeeper accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault Hope Solo, the 36-year-old US goalkeeper has accused former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of sexual harassment. In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo said that Sepp had grabbed her ass. Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat lacklustre Italy A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night. 'These stories are true,' says comedian Louis CK US comedian Louis C.K. on Friday admitted to sexual misconduct allegations made against him by several women, and television and film companies moved quickly to sever ties. "These stories are true," C.K. said in a statement. Revised GST rates: Complete list In the biggest GST rearrangement till date, tax rates on over 200 items were cut down to provide relief to consumers and businesses on Friday. Giving a major reprieve to the common man, the GST Council came up with a number of new measures. Maximum pruning was done in the 28% slab which will now be applied to only 50 items from 228 earlier. Many of the items and services which were previously under the 28% bracket will now attract a tax of 18% only.

WION Morning news brief, November 11, 2017: 5 stories

The Saudi-led coalition carried out two air strikes on the defence ministry in Yemen&#39;s rebel-held capital Sanaa late today, witnesses and rebel media said, without reporting casualties.

Warplanes continued to circle in the skies above Sanaa after the strikes, the witnesses added.

The Huthi rebel media outlet Al-Masirah also reported the two air strikes. There was no word of any casualties.

The coalition has targeted the defence ministry in the past, leaving it heavily damaged, but the fresh strikes come amid a ratcheting up of tensions between Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran, which backs the Huthi rebels.

The coalition shut down Yemen&#39;s borders earlier this week after Saudi forces on Saturday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Huthis near the Riyadh airport.

The rebels have threatened additional attacks on Saudi Arabia and its coalition partner the United Arab Emirates in response to the blockade.

The United Nations said today that the coalition is still blocking desperately needed UN aid deliveries to Yemen despite the re-opening of the Yemeni port of Aden and also a land border crossing.

This week, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council that, unless the blockade was lifted, Yemen would face &quot;the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims&quot;.

The world body has listed Yemen as the world&#39;s number one humanitarian crisis, with 17 million people in need of food, seven million of whom are at risk of famine.

More than 2,000 Yemenis have died in a cholera outbreak now affecting nearly one million people.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in neighbouring Yemen in March 2015 with the stated aim of rolling back Huthi rebel gains and restoring the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to power.

The Huthis continue to control the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen&#39;s north.

The conflict has left more than 8,650 people dead, including many civilians. (AFP)

Warplanes continued to circle in the skies above Sanaa after the strikes, the witnesses added

The Saudi-led coalition carried out two air strikes on the defence ministry in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa late today, witnesses and rebel media said, without reporting casualties. Warplanes continued to circle in the skies above Sanaa after the strikes, the witnesses added. The Huthi rebel media outlet Al-Masirah also reported the two air strikes. There was no word of any casualties. The coalition has targeted the defence ministry in the past, leaving it heavily damaged, but the fresh strikes come amid a ratcheting up of tensions between Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran, which backs the Huthi rebels. The coalition shut down Yemen's borders earlier this week after Saudi forces on Saturday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Huthis near the Riyadh airport. The rebels have threatened additional attacks on Saudi Arabia and its coalition partner the United Arab Emirates in response to the blockade. The United Nations said today that the coalition is still blocking desperately needed UN aid deliveries to Yemen despite the re-opening of the Yemeni port of Aden and also a land border crossing. This week, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council that, unless the blockade was lifted, Yemen would face "the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims". The world body has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with 17 million people in need of food, seven million of whom are at risk of famine. More than 2,000 Yemenis have died in a cholera outbreak now affecting nearly one million people. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in neighbouring Yemen in March 2015 with the stated aim of rolling back Huthi rebel gains and restoring the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to power. The Huthis continue to control the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen's north. The conflict has left more than 8,650 people dead, including many civilians. (AFP)

Saudi-led strikes hit defence ministry in Yemen capital: Witnesses

Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition left at least three civilians wounded in Yemen&#39;s rebel-held capital Sanaa late Friday, witnesses said.&nbsp;

The strikes hit a residential area near the ministry of defence building, which had been targeted just before.

&quot;I was sitting at home and heard the first strike hit the ministry of defence. Everyone was afraid. Minutes later, another strike hit my neighbour&#39;s house,&quot; resident Mohammed Aatif said.

&quot;My entire house shook,&quot; said Aatif, who fled with his family from the neighbourhood.&nbsp;

He said the strike destroyed his neighbour&#39;s house, leaving an enormous crater, and damaged others.&nbsp;

Witnesses said the number of casualties may rise as wounded are pulled from the rubble.

The coalition has targeted the nearby defence ministry in the past, leaving it heavily damaged, but the fresh strikes come amid a ratcheting up of tensions between Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran, which backs the Huthi rebels.

Saudi Arabia and its allies shut down Yemen&#39;s borders earlier this week after intercepting a ballistic missile fired by the Huthis near Riyadh airport on Saturday.

The rebels have threatened additional attacks on Saudi Arabia and its coalition partner the United Arab Emirates in response to the blockade.

The United Nations said on Friday that the coalition is still blocking desperately needed UN aid deliveries to Yemen despite the re-opening of the Yemeni port of Aden and also a land border crossing.&nbsp;

This week, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council that, unless the blockade was lifted, Yemen would face &quot;the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims&quot;.

The world body has listed Yemen as the world&#39;s number one humanitarian crisis, with 17 million people in need of food, seven million of whom are at risk of famine.&nbsp;

More than 2,000 Yemenis have died in a cholera outbreak now affecting nearly one million people.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in neighbouring Yemen in March 2015 with the stated aim of rolling back Huthi rebel gains and restoring the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to power.

The Huthis continue to control the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen&#39;s north.&nbsp;

The conflict has left more than 8,650 people dead, including many civilians.

The strikes hit a residential area near the ministry of defence building

Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition left at least three civilians wounded in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa late Friday, witnesses said. The strikes hit a residential area near the ministry of defence building, which had been targeted just before. "I was sitting at home and heard the first strike hit the ministry of defence. Everyone was afraid. Minutes later, another strike hit my neighbour's house," resident Mohammed Aatif said. "My entire house shook," said Aatif, who fled with his family from the neighbourhood. He said the strike destroyed his neighbour's house, leaving an enormous crater, and damaged others. Witnesses said the number of casualties may rise as wounded are pulled from the rubble. The coalition has targeted the nearby defence ministry in the past, leaving it heavily damaged, but the fresh strikes come amid a ratcheting up of tensions between Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran, which backs the Huthi rebels. Saudi Arabia and its allies shut down Yemen's borders earlier this week after intercepting a ballistic missile fired by the Huthis near Riyadh airport on Saturday. The rebels have threatened additional attacks on Saudi Arabia and its coalition partner the United Arab Emirates in response to the blockade. The United Nations said on Friday that the coalition is still blocking desperately needed UN aid deliveries to Yemen despite the re-opening of the Yemeni port of Aden and also a land border crossing. This week, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council that, unless the blockade was lifted, Yemen would face "the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims". The world body has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with 17 million people in need of food, seven million of whom are at risk of famine. More than 2,000 Yemenis have died in a cholera outbreak now affecting nearly one million people. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in neighbouring Yemen in March 2015 with the stated aim of rolling back Huthi rebel gains and restoring the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to power. The Huthis continue to control the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen's north. The conflict has left more than 8,650 people dead, including many civilians.

Saudi-led strikes on Yemen capital, three civilians wounded

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday warned other countries against using Lebanon for &quot;proxy conflicts&quot; following a crisis triggered by its prime minister&#39;s resignation.

Tillerson also called the premier, Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation last Saturday from Saudi Arabia, as a &quot;strong partner&quot; of the United States.

&quot;The United States cautions against any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country,&quot; Tillerson said in a statement.

Hariri&#39;s resignation came as a shock. He accused Hezbollah, the powerful Shiite movement that is part of his government but also close to Iran, of controlling Lebanon.

Many observers saw his stepping down as being directed by Saudi Arabia, Iran&#39;s big rival in the region.

Earlier on Friday, while traveling in Asia, Tillerson had told reporters he had received assurances from the Saudis that Hariri himself had decided to resign.

Tillerson also said he had no indication that Hariri was being held against his will in the oil-rich kingdom.

Lebanon&#39;s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement&#39;s arch foe Israel to launch strikes on Lebanon.

Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Saudi Arabia.

In a message that seemed aimed mainly at Iran and Hezbollah, Tillerson&#39;s statement said: &quot;There is no legitimate place or role in Lebanon for any foreign forces, militias or armed elements other than the legitimate security forces of the Lebanese state &ndash;- which must be recognized as the sole authority for security in Lebanon.&quot;

Hariri&#39;s situation was not completely clear. But calls mounted, including from his Lebanese political rivals, for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the prime minister&#39;s freedom of movement.

Hariri&#39;s resignation coincided with a sweeping purge among the Saudi kingdom&#39;s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations.

Hariri, who was born in Saudi Arabia, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation. 
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Tillerson also called the premier, Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation last Saturday from Saudi Arabia, as a "strong partner" of the United States.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday warned other countries against using Lebanon for "proxy conflicts" following a crisis triggered by its prime minister's resignation. Tillerson also called the premier, Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation last Saturday from Saudi Arabia, as a "strong partner" of the United States. "The United States cautions against any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country," Tillerson said in a statement. Hariri's resignation came as a shock. He accused Hezbollah, the powerful Shiite movement that is part of his government but also close to Iran, of controlling Lebanon. Many observers saw his stepping down as being directed by Saudi Arabia, Iran's big rival in the region. Earlier on Friday, while traveling in Asia, Tillerson had told reporters he had received assurances from the Saudis that Hariri himself had decided to resign. Tillerson also said he had no indication that Hariri was being held against his will in the oil-rich kingdom. Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement's arch foe Israel to launch strikes on Lebanon. Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Saudi Arabia. In a message that seemed aimed mainly at Iran and Hezbollah, Tillerson's statement said: "There is no legitimate place or role in Lebanon for any foreign forces, militias or armed elements other than the legitimate security forces of the Lebanese state –- which must be recognized as the sole authority for security in Lebanon." Hariri's situation was not completely clear. But calls mounted, including from his Lebanese political rivals, for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the prime minister's freedom of movement. Hariri's resignation coincided with a sweeping purge among the Saudi kingdom's elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations. Hariri, who was born in Saudi Arabia, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation.

Lebanon should not be used as venue for proxy conflicts: Tillerson

In a yet another historic, &ldquo;game changer&rdquo; move, Saudi Arabia has allowed its women citizens to enter the sports stadium. Women&rsquo;s entry was banned in all stadiums but with this move, from the early next year i.e. 2018 women will attend sporting events in the city of Riyadh, Jeddah and the eastern city of Dammam. However, women must be accompanied by a male guardian according to the Wilaya or guardianship system. Under this system, every woman is subject to a legal male guardian, father, husband or son, whose permission is required for her to marry, get divorced, travel abroad, open a bank account, get employment, or undergo medical surgery.

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However, the pace at which the positive, gender friendly moves are happening is questionable. The State, in fact, is making alliances with women only for the purpose of fulfilling its interests - both internal and external. Alliance with women would help Saudi in externally change its position in the global scenario from a regressive to a forward-looking state. Women and their portrayal as veiled, unveiled, modern, westernise is often used to depict a distinct political identity and give a message globally.

Image change is the need of the hour for Saudi rulers, especially the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman as it will help to show his skills of being a capable ruler to world leaders. Its a crucial moment as Saudi needs global investments under its plan &nbsp;National Transformation Plan 2020 and &ldquo;Saudi Vision 2030&rdquo;- a plan for social and economic reform as the kingdom prepares for a post-oil era.

A few weeks back, Saudi lifted the ban on women driving. Women will be able to drive from June 2018. However, internally, Saudi needs women in the workforce. Women earn more than half of college and graduate degrees but only comprise 20 per cent of the workforce. This move will encourage women to participate in the development of economy and families will not have to employ drivers which will save a lot of money as drivers will not be able to send money to their home countries which will strengthen the balance of payment.

These gender friendly moves have nothing to do with women empowerment but are one of the means to strengthen and consolidate power in Saudi as cracking in the system has started.

With the decrease in the oil prices, subsidies are being cut and sales tax is introduced. People have lived with cheap petrol, without taxes, and free water and electricity throughout in Saudi are now finding it difficult. Moreover, 70 per cent of the Saudi population is young and under thirty years.

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<h5>The real change will happen when Saudi will have citizens participation, where they will play an important role in running the state, when human rights abuses will stop and freedom of speech will be encouraged, women lives will not be governed by guardianship system.</h5>
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Most of this young population are foreign educated thanks to various scholarship programmes run by the Saudi Government. They demand a more open society where both the sexes can mix freely. Means of entertainment are being encouraged as Saudi population spends huge amounts on holidays abroad. With the opening of the society, this money can be saved which will help the Saudi economy.

Changes are taking place, the religious police the Mutawa, who mission is to &quot;prevent vice and promote virtue&quot; is less active on the street. However, the real change will happen when Saudi will have citizens participation, where they will play an important role in running the state, when human rights abuses will stop and freedom of speech will be encouraged, women lives will not be governed by guardianship system. 
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Citizen partnership and gender equality will help Saudi Arabia to develop as a modern country

In a yet another historic, “game changer” move, Saudi Arabia has allowed its women citizens to enter the sports stadium. Women’s entry was banned in all stadiums but with this move, from the early next year i.e. 2018 women will attend sporting events in the city of Riyadh, Jeddah and the eastern city of Dammam. However, women must be accompanied by a male guardian according to the Wilaya or guardianship system. Under this system, every woman is subject to a legal male guardian, father, husband or son, whose permission is required for her to marry, get divorced, travel abroad, open a bank account, get employment, or undergo medical surgery. Image change is the need of the hour for Saudi rulers especially the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman as it will help to show his skills of being a capable ruler to world leaders. × However, the pace at which the positive, gender friendly moves are happening is questionable. The State, in fact, is making alliances with women only for the purpose of fulfilling its interests - both internal and external. Alliance with women would help Saudi in externally change its position in the global scenario from a regressive to a forward-looking state. Women and their portrayal as veiled, unveiled, modern, westernise is often used to depict a distinct political identity and give a message globally. Image change is the need of the hour for Saudi rulers, especially the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman as it will help to show his skills of being a capable ruler to world leaders. Its a crucial moment as Saudi needs global investments under its plan National Transformation Plan 2020 and “Saudi Vision 2030”- a plan for social and economic reform as the kingdom prepares for a post-oil era. A few weeks back, Saudi lifted the ban on women driving. Women will be able to drive from June 2018. However, internally, Saudi needs women in the workforce. Women earn more than half of college and graduate degrees but only comprise 20 per cent of the workforce. This move will encourage women to participate in the development of economy and families will not have to employ drivers which will save a lot of money as drivers will not be able to send money to their home countries which will strengthen the balance of payment. These gender friendly moves have nothing to do with women empowerment but are one of the means to strengthen and consolidate power in Saudi as cracking in the system has started. With the decrease in the oil prices, subsidies are being cut and sales tax is introduced. People have lived with cheap petrol, without taxes, and free water and electricity throughout in Saudi are now finding it difficult. Moreover, 70 per cent of the Saudi population is young and under thirty years. The real change will happen when Saudi will have citizens participation, where they will play an important role in running the state, when human rights abuses will stop and freedom of speech will be encouraged, women lives will not be governed by guardianship system. × Most of this young population are foreign educated thanks to various scholarship programmes run by the Saudi Government. They demand a more open society where both the sexes can mix freely. Means of entertainment are being encouraged as Saudi population spends huge amounts on holidays abroad. With the opening of the society, this money can be saved which will help the Saudi economy. Changes are taking place, the religious police the Mutawa, who mission is to "prevent vice and promote virtue" is less active on the street. However, the real change will happen when Saudi will have citizens participation, where they will play an important role in running the state, when human rights abuses will stop and freedom of speech will be encouraged, women lives will not be governed by guardianship system.

Saudi crown prince is not for women empowerment but image change

The Saudi government said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-supplying-missiles-to-yemen-rebels-is-direct-military-aggression-saudi-crown-prince-salman-23661">today graft and embezzlement worth $100 billion had</a> been uncovered with around 201 people arrested in anti-graft case.

&quot;A total of 208 individuals <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-arresting-top-leaders-saudi-arabia-threatens-iran-seals-border-with-yemen-23619">have been called in for questioning so far</a>. Of those 208 individuals, seven have been released without charge,&quot; the information ministry said in a statement.

Saudi officials have detained several members of the royal family and kept them in the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel. They face money laundering, bribery and extortion charges.

Billionaire tycoon Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was arrested last Saturday after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman decided to&nbsp;crackdown on corruption moving swiftly to arrest several members of his own family,&nbsp;replacing the chief of armed services and several top officials in the government.&nbsp;

&quot;The potential scale of corrupt practices which have been uncovered is very large,&quot; the ministry said.

&quot;Based on our investigations over the past three years, we estimate that at least $100 billion has been misused through systematic corruption and embezzlement over several decades,&quot; the statement added.

Many Saudis welcomed the moved on corruption even though several experts said it was a ploy by Prince Salman to cement his power by taking out the opposition forces, especially those in his family.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump who was on a visit to Asia at the time, backed the Saudi move, tweeting those who were arrested were &quot;milking&nbsp;their country for years&quot;.

Saudi officials have detained several members of the royal family and kept them in the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The Saudi government said today graft and embezzlement worth $100 billion had been uncovered with around 201 people arrested in anti-graft case. "A total of 208 individuals have been called in for questioning so far. Of those 208 individuals, seven have been released without charge," the information ministry said in a statement. Saudi officials have detained several members of the royal family and kept them in the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel. They face money laundering, bribery and extortion charges. Billionaire tycoon Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was arrested last Saturday after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman decided to crackdown on corruption moving swiftly to arrest several members of his own family, replacing the chief of armed services and several top officials in the government. "The potential scale of corrupt practices which have been uncovered is very large," the ministry said. "Based on our investigations over the past three years, we estimate that at least $100 billion has been misused through systematic corruption and embezzlement over several decades," the statement added. Many Saudis welcomed the moved on corruption even though several experts said it was a ploy by Prince Salman to cement his power by taking out the opposition forces, especially those in his family. US President Donald Trump who was on a visit to Asia at the time, backed the Saudi move, tweeting those who were arrested were "milking their country for years".

Watch: $100 billion embezzled, 201 people arrested in anti-graft case: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-supplying-missiles-to-yemen-rebels-is-direct-military-aggression-saudi-crown-prince-salman-23661"> asked its citizens to leave Lebanon</a> as the Hezbollah&#39;s parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to &quot;stop interfering&quot;&nbsp;in Lebanese affairs.

Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister on Saturday while still in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon believes Hariri is being held in the Saudi Kingdom.

&nbsp;A senior Lebanese politician told Reuters: &quot;When he went (to Saudi Arabia) he was asked to stay there and ordered to resign. They ordered him to read his resignation statement and he has been held under house arrest since.&quot;

Saudi Arabia has denied he&nbsp;is under house arrest. The Saudi government said Hezbollah which is part Hariri&#39;s coalition had &quot;hijacked&quot; Lebanon&#39;s political system.

During his&nbsp;resignation speech from Saudi Arabia, Hariri had slammed Iran and Hezbollah adding that he feared being assassinated.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia said its citizens should leave Lebanon &quot;as soon as possible&quot;.

A foreign ministry source told AFP, quoting state news agency SPA, also called on Saudis not to travel to Lebanon because of &quot;the situation&quot; in the country, without elaborating.

Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister on Saturday while still in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has asked its citizens to leave Lebanon as the Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to "stop interfering" in Lebanese affairs. Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister on Saturday while still in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon believes Hariri is being held in the Saudi Kingdom. A senior Lebanese politician told Reuters: "When he went (to Saudi Arabia) he was asked to stay there and ordered to resign. They ordered him to read his resignation statement and he has been held under house arrest since." Saudi Arabia has denied he is under house arrest. The Saudi government said Hezbollah which is part Hariri's coalition had "hijacked" Lebanon's political system. During his resignation speech from Saudi Arabia, Hariri had slammed Iran and Hezbollah adding that he feared being assassinated. Saudi Arabia said its citizens should leave Lebanon "as soon as possible". A foreign ministry source told AFP, quoting state news agency SPA, also called on Saudis not to travel to Lebanon because of "the situation" in the country, without elaborating.

Saudi Arabia orders citizens to leave Lebanon over Hariri crisis

Saudi Crown Prince <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-says-it-intercepts-missile-close-to-capital-23521">Mohammed bin Salman today accused Iran of &quot;military aggression&quot; </a>against Saudi Arabia as relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia took a turn for the worse.

&quot;The involvement of Iran in supplying <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-arresting-top-leaders-saudi-arabia-threatens-iran-seals-border-with-yemen-23619">missiles to the Huthis is a direct military aggression</a> by the Iranian regime,&quot; the Saudi Press Agency quoted the crown prince as saying.

In an interview with CNN television on Monday, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir had accused the Lebanese Hezbollah group of firing the missile at Riyadh from Huthis-held territory.

Adel al-Jubeir told CNN that &quot;the missile was launched on Saudi territory, it was an Iranian missile launched by Hezbollah from territory occupied by the Houthis in Yemen.&quot;

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing the Huthis in Yemen who have allegedly been firing missiles at Riyadh.&nbsp;

On Saturday, Saudi air defence forces had intercepted a ballistic missile it said was fired towards Riyadh by the Huthis rebels which controls large parts of neighbouring Yemen.

In a statement, Saudi Arabia said its borders were being closed &quot;to fill the gaps in the inspection procedures which enable the continued smuggling of missiles and military equipment to the Huthi militias loyal to Iran in Yemen&quot;.

Despite the temporary closure of the air, sea and land ports, Saudi would protect &quot;the entry and exit of relief and humanitarian personnel&quot;.

&quot;The coalition... affirms the kingdom&#39;s right to respond to Iran at the appropriate time and in the appropriate form,&quot; it added.

Saudi Arabia had sealed its border with Yemen over the issue on Monday and had threatened Iran not to support the rebels. Iran had dismissed the allegation accusing Saudi Arabia of &quot;war crimes&quot;.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated amid reports of the Crown Prince arresting eleven princes, four current ministers and dozens of ex-ministers including&nbsp;billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talalof,&nbsp;were arrested in an unprecedented anti-corruption drive.

Meanwhile, US President backed Crown Prince&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-says-it-intercepts-missile-close-to-capital-23521">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;declaring on Twitter that he had great confidence in King Salman, asserting those being harshly&nbsp;treated were &quot;milking&nbsp;the country for years.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/927672843504177152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....Some of those they are harshly treating have been &ldquo;milking&rdquo; their country for years!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/927673257230327808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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&nbsp;

Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir had accused the Lebanese Hezbollah group of firing missile at Riyadh from Huthis-held territory.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today accused Iran of "military aggression" against Saudi Arabia as relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia took a turn for the worse. "The involvement of Iran in supplying missiles to the Huthis is a direct military aggression by the Iranian regime," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the crown prince as saying. In an interview with CNN television on Monday, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir had accused the Lebanese Hezbollah group of firing the missile at Riyadh from Huthis-held territory. Adel al-Jubeir told CNN that "the missile was launched on Saudi territory, it was an Iranian missile launched by Hezbollah from territory occupied by the Houthis in Yemen." Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing the Huthis in Yemen who have allegedly been firing missiles at Riyadh. On Saturday, Saudi air defence forces had intercepted a ballistic missile it said was fired towards Riyadh by the Huthis rebels which controls large parts of neighbouring Yemen. In a statement, Saudi Arabia said its borders were being closed "to fill the gaps in the inspection procedures which enable the continued smuggling of missiles and military equipment to the Huthi militias loyal to Iran in Yemen". Despite the temporary closure of the air, sea and land ports, Saudi would protect "the entry and exit of relief and humanitarian personnel". "The coalition... affirms the kingdom's right to respond to Iran at the appropriate time and in the appropriate form," it added. Saudi Arabia had sealed its border with Yemen over the issue on Monday and had threatened Iran not to support the rebels. Iran had dismissed the allegation accusing Saudi Arabia of "war crimes". Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated amid reports of the Crown Prince arresting eleven princes, four current ministers and dozens of ex-ministers including billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talalof, were arrested in an unprecedented anti-corruption drive. Meanwhile, US President backed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declaring on Twitter that he had great confidence in King Salman, asserting those being harshly treated were "milking the country for years." I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2017 × ....Some of those they are harshly treating have been “milking” their country for years! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2017 ×

Iran supplying missiles to Yemen rebels is direct military aggression: Saudi Crown Prince Salman

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