{"id":14408,"date":"2017-11-10T16:12:06","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T11:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/jwt2015\/?p=14408"},"modified":"2017-11-10T16:12:06","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T11:12:06","slug":"saudi-arabia-under-king-salman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/studykit\/currentaffairs\/daily-articles\/saudi-arabia-under-king-salman\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia under King Salman"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Saudi<\/a><\/p>\n

RIYADH: King Salman has overseen some important changes in Saudi Arabia since he inherited the throne from his elderly half-brother King Abdullah nearly three years ago.<\/p>\n

Following the arrest of dozens of figures including princes, ministers and a top business tycoon, here is a look back at some developments during his reign.<\/p>\n

Changes at the top<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

On Jan 23, 2015 Salman takes the throne at the age of 79 after the death of Abdullah, aged about 90.<\/p>\n

He makes key changes in the order of succession, choosing his nephew Mohammed bin Nayef as deputy crown prince and promoting his son Prince Mohammed bin Salman to defence minister.<\/p>\n

In June of this year, he raises his son, then aged 31, to the position of crown prince, completing a gradual removal of powers from Mohammed bin Nayef.<\/p>\n

War in Yemen<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In March 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition launches an air campaign to prop up Yemen\u2019s President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi against Shia Houthi rebels and their allies.<\/p>\n

Coalition members deploy troops in Yemen.<\/p>\n

Rights groups have harshly criticised the coalition for civilian casualties in its air strikes.<\/p>\n

Rupture with Tehran<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In January 2016, Saudi Arabia executes 47 people convicted of \u201cterrorism\u201d, mostly Sunnis linked to Al Qaeda, but also including prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.<\/p>\n

The execution stirs a diplomatic crisis with regional rival Iran.<\/p>\n

Riyadh breaks off diplomatic relations with Tehran after its embassy and a consulate are attacked in the wake of Nimr\u2019s execution.<\/p>\n

Economic reform<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In April 2016, the Saudi government approves a major reform plan dubbed \u201cVision 2030\u201d, aimed at diversifying the oil-dependent economy.<\/p>\n

The plan involves privatising part of oil giant Aramco and creating a $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund.<\/p>\n

Since a mid-2014 plunge in crude oil prices, Riyadh has had to slash subsidies and delay major projects.<\/p>\n

In December 2016, the Saudi-led OPEC and other non-member producers led by Russia agree to slash crude output to boost prices.<\/p>\n

Deals with Washington<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

US President Donald Trump visits Saudi Arabia in May 2017 on his first foreign trip since taking office.<\/p>\n

Washington and Riyadh announce contracts worth more than $380 billion, including a $110bn arms deal aimed at countering perceived threats from Iran and radical Islamists.<\/p>\n

Qatar crisis<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf allies and Egypt sever diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting \u201cterrorists\u201d and being too close to Iran.<\/p>\n

They also take economic measures against Doha, including closing air and maritime links and sealing the country\u2019s only land border.<\/p>\n

Qatar rejects the accusations.<\/p>\n

More rights for women<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In December 2015, Saudi Arabia opens up elections to women as both candidates and voters for the first time.<\/p>\n

In September this year, a royal decree announces the end of a long-standing ban on women driving as of June 2018.<\/p>\n

The decree comes days after women are allowed into a sports stadium for the first time in the country\u2019s history. Authorities later say they will allow women into several stadiums, long off limits under strict gender segregation rules.<\/p>\n

However Saudi women must still obtain permission from a male family member to study and travel.<\/p>\n

Crackdown<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In September, authorities arrest at least 20 people, including prominent clerics Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni, in an apparent crackdown on dissent.<\/p>\n

Prominent Saudi journalist and writer Jamal Khashoggi says he has been banned from writing in Saudi-owned newspaper Al-Hayat, apparently for defending the Muslim Brotherhood in tweets.<\/p>\n

Investment, moderation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In late October at an investment conference dubbed \u201cDavos in the Desert\u201d, Riyadh unveils plans for hi-tech \u201cgiga projects\u201d and seeks to promote the kingdom as a welcoming business destination.<\/p>\n

Authorities say they will start issuing tourist visas \u201csoon\u201d.<\/p>\n

And in keeping with his public image as a bold reformist, Prince Mohammed pledges \u201ca country of moderate Islam\u201d, breaking with the kingdom\u2019s reputation for exporting a puritanical creed espoused by jihadists worldwide.<\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.dawn.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RIYADH: King Salman has overseen some important changes in Saudi Arabia since he inherited the throne from his elderly half-brother King Abdullah nearly three years ago. Following the arrest of dozens of figures including princes, ministers and a top business tycoon, here is a look back at some developments during his reign. Changes at the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5285],"tags":[257,8438,1226,610,8497,112],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14408"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14408\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}