Saudi loses swagger on world stage after Khashoggi crisis

Saudi Arabia's crown prince retains an iron grip on power at home, but the growing outcry over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder has diminished his stature -- and leverage -- on the global stage, analysts say. Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 33-year-old heir to the most powerful throne in the Middle East, won international plaudits for his drive to remake the conservative petrostate while he amassed power to a degree unseen by previous rulers. "There's an atmosphere right now where Saudi Arabia, the Saudi government and the prince personally are seen as somewhat radioactive," said Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2OlgeRj