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Saudi Arabia fires army chief, several ministers

Published

9 years ago

February 27, 2018

Saudi Arabia fires army chief, several ministers

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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tightens grip on power

In a sudden move amidst ongoing war on Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has fired his top military commanders and reshuffled his cabinet in a shake-up of key security and government ministries on Monday.

Aljazeera carried the story on Tuesday morning while Saudi Arabia’s news outlet alarabiya.net broke the story through twitter posts early Tuesday morning. However, it did not carry any detail or the reason behind the move.

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According to royal decrees, those dismissed include the Saudi army’s chief of staff, and the heads of the ground and air defence forces. First Lieutenant General Fayyad bin Hamed al-Ruwayli was appointed the new chief of staff.

In the meantime, King Salman also decreed a series of civilian appointments elevating younger officials to key positions as deputy ministers, deputy provincial governors and royal court advisors.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tamadur bint Youssef al-Ramah was appointed as deputy labour minister in a rare senior post for a woman in the kingdom.

Prince Turki bin Talal, the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province. Prince Al-Waleed was among princes, ministers and tycoons detained in a luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in an unprecedented crackdown on what the government calls elite corruption.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The sudden move of firing top military commanders and reshuffle in the Kingdom’s cabinet comes at a time when Saudi Arabia faces growing criticism of the war in Yemen. The bloody campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels is close to completing three years.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 9,200 people have been killed in Saudi led campaign while another 2,200 Yemenis have died of cholera.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced the “Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff” adding that “Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement.”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Associated France Press (AFP) reports that Al-Bunyan was retired after he inaugurated an arms exhibition this week in Riyadh by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state owned defence company.

Theodore Karasik, a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics told AFP that “A military transformation is underway in Saudi Arabia. The changes come on the heels of the SAMI exhibition, which is a critical part of the Prince Mohammed’s reform plan to create an indigenous defence program.”

The Crown Prince Mohammed, the son of King Salman and heir to the throne, is also country’s defence minister and has been consolidating his grip on power in recent months.

Crown Prince is also pushing major economic and social reforms including attracting foreign investors and allowing women to drive and work and opening film screening at cinema halls. These moves are considered to be drastic in a conventional Salafi-Wahabi driven state.

A Saudi-led coalition launched a military offensive in March 2015 after Houthi rebels took over the capital, Sanaa, and large swathes of the impoverish country a year earlier.

Saudi Arabia’s King had appointed his son Mohammed, 31, as Crown Prince replacing his nephew Mohammed bin Nayef, as first in line to the throne in June last year. The royal decree also meant that Mohammed bin Salman will also become deputy prime minister while continuing as defence minister.

Most of the media houses in gulf monarchies never discuss on the royal decrees keeping the news stories shortest possible. On Tuesday morning Saudi Press Agency (SPA) home page carried 14 news items about nine appointments and five about “relieving” of certain officials with approximate 30 words each.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:King Salman Saudi Arabia WHO

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S Jaishankar defends Russian oil imports, says it won’t end Ukraine war

S Jaishankar defended India’s Russian oil purchases, saying the Ukraine war can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations

Published

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September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, saying that stopping the trade would not bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to the media during his official visit to Kyiv, Jaishankar said the conflict, now in its fifth year, can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations. He was responding to questions about Western pressure on India to reduce its purchases of Russian energy.

“This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not be solved because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals or fertiliser,” Jaishankar said. He added that dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation were the way to resolve the conflict.

Jaishankar stresses India’s energy security

Jaishankar also highlighted the challenge of ensuring energy security for India’s 1.4 billion people amid difficult global energy conditions.

He said India respects Ukraine’s perspective on the issue but expects other countries to respect New Delhi’s position as well.

India imports around 88 per cent of its crude oil requirement from overseas. According to the report, about one-third of those imports currently come from Russia.

Western pressure over Russian oil

Jaishankar’s comments came amid continued pressure from Western countries over India’s purchases of Russian crude.

The United States and the United Kingdom have backed the argument that restricting Russia’s energy revenues could reduce the funds available to support its military operations in Ukraine.

Last month, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries, including India and China, that continue importing Russian oil and gas.

India remains a major buyer of Russian crude

Russia has remained India’s largest source of crude oil despite pressure from Washington. However, Indian imports of Russian crude declined in August after reaching record levels in June and July.

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian crude accounted for only around 0.2 per cent of India’s crude imports. After Western countries moved away from Russian oil following the invasion, India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude.

India imported around 2.1 million barrels of Russian crude per day in August, according to data cited in the report. That represented more than 40 per cent of India’s crude imports, down from around 2.6 million barrels per day in June and July.

Russian exporters increasingly rely on Asian buyers

Russia has also become more dependent on Asian markets after European sanctions disrupted its traditional energy trade.

Countries such as India and China have emerged as important buyers of Russian crude. Continued demand from Indian refiners has helped Russian exporters maintain significant volumes despite restrictions affecting Western shipping, insurance and financial services.

Jaishankar, meanwhile, maintained that the Ukraine conflict requires a diplomatic solution rather than an attempt to resolve it through decisions by individual countries over oil purchases.

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Nepal seeks climate compensation from India, China and US for deadly floods

Nepal has sought climate compensation from India, China and the US after a devastating flash flood killed more than 1,100 people and left nearly 4,500 missing.

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Nepal has sought climate-related compensation from India, China and the United States following the devastating flash floods that struck the country last week.

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More than 1,100 bodies have been recovered, while nearly 4,500 people remain missing, according to the report.

Nepal seeks accountability from major emitters

Khanal said Nepal’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is “virtually negligible”, yet the country is facing severe consequences associated with global warming, including glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters.

He said Nepal considers the response to such climate-related losses a matter of “legal and moral liability” rather than charity.

According to Khanal, Nepal intends to raise the issue at international forums and seek compensation for climate-related losses suffered by vulnerable countries.

He also highlighted the importance of Himalayan glaciers for South Asia’s water security, saying their disappearance could have consequences for billions of people dependent on rivers including the Ganges and Trishuli.

Nepal’s finance ministry has also sent a formal climate compensation claim letter to its international partners, Khanal said.

India has backed climate equity

India has consistently highlighted the principle of climate equity and pointed to its relatively low per capita greenhouse gas emissions.

New Delhi has argued that climate responsibilities should consider countries’ historical emissions, development requirements and respective capacities. India has also supported efforts to address loss and damage suffered by vulnerable developing countries.

India maintains that developed nations should provide financial resources to countries dealing with the effects of climate change.

Nepal approaches loss and damage fund

Nepal has formally approached the board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage for urgent financial assistance following the August 26 flash flood.

The fund was established at COP27 in 2022 and operationalised at COP28.

A letter jointly signed by Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Forests and Agriculture Minister Geeta Chaudhary sought an urgent response to the disaster, citing extensive loss of life, displacement and destruction of homes and critical infrastructure.

The letter said the full extent of the economic and non-economic losses was yet to be determined, but preliminary information indicated that the impact had exceeded Nepal’s immediate response capacity.

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Bank of America VP Erin Piacenti killed in New York stabbing

Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed in an apparently random attack in New York’s Times Square.

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Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti was fatally stabbed in New York City’s Times Square in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.

Piacenti, 32, was among two people stabbed in the incident near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on August 31. She was taken to a hospital but later died from her injuries. The other victim, a 68-year-old man, survived and was reported to be in stable condition.

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What happened in Times Square?

The stabbing took place at around 4:24 pm local time, according to the New York Police Department.

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Police attempted to stop Cisneros, including using Tasers, but she continued advancing towards officers with the knives. Officers then opened fire, and Cisneros was later pronounced dead.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attack appeared to be random and unprovoked. Police also said Cisneros had a documented history of mental health issues. The motive remains under investigation.

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Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Piacenti’s death and said she would be greatly missed.

The bank’s security teams are also supporting the police investigation and addressing security concerns involving its offices and employees.

Piacenti’s death has left her family, colleagues and friends mourning the loss of a young professional who had recently returned to work after becoming a mother.