Saudi king axes nephew as heir

SAUDI Arabia’s King Salman has ousted his nephew as heir and given his 31-yearold son Mohammed bin Salman the title of crown prince in a surprise leadership revolution.

Despite his youth, his son has accumulated vast powers in the wealthy kingdom since his father became king in January 2015.

In his role as defence minister he has led a highly criticised war in Yemen that has killed thousands of civilians and he has been integral in isolating Qatar for its alleged support of terrorists.

In a series of royal decrees yesterday, King Salman stripped his nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, of his title as crown prince and of his powerful position as security minister.