Nov 20, 2018

Members of Saudi royal family reportedly sour on MBS

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Photo: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images

Dozens of members of the Saudi royal family are discussing making Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the only surviving brother of King Salman, the heir apparent to the throne after Salman's death, as the embattled Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) continues to deal with the fallout from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reports Reuters.

The big picture: MBS already acts as the kingdom's de-facto leader and has a close relationship with the Trump administration, particularly with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. But reports that he ordered the murder of Khashoggi have rankled the international community. Prince Ahmed, who has been critical of MBS' rise to power, would reportedly have the support of "family members, the security apparatus and some Western powers," according to Reuters.

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Axios
Updated 14 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

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  4. World: U.S., Canada and U.K. accuse Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research.
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How cities can come back stronger from the coronavirus pandemic

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Cities ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic have a chance to come back stronger — and more equitable — than they were before, if they're willing to get creative in the way they think about budgeting, public services and infrastructure.

Why it matters: Making smart decisions now can help build more equitable, livable cities that will also be better equipped to weather public health crises. But if local leaders simply default to old habits, they'll entrench inequities that the pandemic has exploited and made worse.

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U.S., Canada and U.K. accuse Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Alexei Druzhinin\TASS via Getty Images

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The big picture: This isn't the first time a foreign adversary has been accused of attempting to steal COVID-19-related research. U.S. officials in May announced an uptick in Chinese-government affiliated hackers targeting medical research and other facilities in the U.S. for data on a potential cure or effective treatments to combat the virus.

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