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In the bitter struggle for Saudi rule, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has struck first

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Mohammed bin Salman

By Madawi al-Rasheed-- All is not well in the House of Saud. On 7 March, Mohammed bin Salman, the young crown prince and future king of Saudi Arabia, boldly dispatched his masked security personnel to bring two of Saudi’s most senior princes, Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz and Muhammad bin Nayef, to the palace after a hunting trip in the desert. It’s still unclear whether they have been detained for short-term interrogations or to be imprisoned. What’s certain is that Prince Mohammed’s decision was a preemptive strike to intimidate those who have dared question his leadership style from inside the royal household. Although Mohammed is the crown prince, he plays the role of king. He remains in control of all economic, political, social and foreign relations, and eclipses his father, King Salman, as unofficial ruler of Saudi Arabia. The arrests were ordered after the royal court was passed details of an alleged plot to undermine Prince Mohammed’s ascendance to the throne. Among the two princes he arrested, Ahmed is the most eligible to become king – he is the only remaining brother of the incumbent King Salman and would have been first in line had his brother not promoted his own heir, much to Ahmed’s chagrin.

Lebanon Banks, Prosecutor Agree Rules for Easing Deposit Restrictions

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by aawsat.com -- Lebanon's public prosecutor has agreed with commercial banks a set of rules aimed at protecting the rights of depositors, state news agency NNA reported on Tuesday, potentially easing restrictions on deposits amid a dollar shortage. Lebanese banks, fearing capital flight and grappling with an acute hard currency crunch, have imposed tight controls on withdrawals and transfers abroad, drawing outrage from depositors unable to access their savings. The agreement, which appears to be an attempt in part to standardize rules across the sector, states banks must transfer foreign currency abroad for payment of school fees, medical costs, taxes and "all that is necessary," as well as for imports of medical supplies, foodstuffs not produced in Lebanon, and goods deemed critical by the central bank, NNA reported. These include lenders allowing depositors to withdraw up to 25 million Lebanese pounds a month (around $16,500 under the official exchange rate). Other measures include allowing transfers abroad in hard currency for education fees, medical bills, tax purposes, “and everything else necessary,” NNA said. Banks would not be allowed to withhold any part of money freshly transferred into a Lebanese account.

Lebanon's Government Is Accused Of Swarming WhatsApp To Catch Protesters

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npr.org -- DEBORAH AMOS -- In Lebanon, cyberspace is the new battle ground between protesters and the security services that have increased measures to curb dissent, intimidating and arresting government critics for online speech. Since October, Lebanese citizens have gathered to protest around the country, uniting across party and sectarian lines against an entrenched political oligarchy that protesters say has made fortunes mostly from government funds at the expense of the country. The massive outpouring was sparked by a proposed tax on calls made through Internet services such as WhatsApp. The government abandoned the tax after protesters paralyzed the country, forcing banks and schools to close. Now, the authorities use WhatsApp to identify protest leaders and arrest them, activists and lawyers say. In the first months of civil disobedience, Lebanon's mainstream media outlets — largely owned by the state, political parties or politicians — downplayed the unrest, ignored it or suggested the protests were exploited by regional and international enemies. Activists turned to social media platforms to get out their message. They organized and shared updates on WhatsApp, streamed protests live on Twitter and highlighted police abuse on Instagram. New podcasts documenting corruption also launched with the protest movement.

New cat-and-mouse game

Many Lebanese use WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned cellphone app that allows users to send each other encrypted text and voice messages as well as make calls for free, in a country where ordinary phone calls are expensive. Many demonstrators have used WhatsApp chat groups to criticize the government, call protesters to the streets and share videos of arrests and injuries from rubber bullets. The social media and WhatsApp activities also leave activists vulnerable to surveillance by the Internal Security Forces' Cybercrimes Bureau. Mohamad Najem, executive director of the Social Media Exchange, a Beirut-based digital rights group, says there is a "different kind of cat-and-mouse" game. "Social media is being used as a tool to identify protesters and to know who they are and their networks and all that," he says. Lebanon's print media, its newspapers and magazines, are protected by laws that are the envy of the Arab world, but comments posted to social media have little protection, says Najem. "The law is bad, it's a lot of gray area. It really depends on the mood of the general prosecutor, what he's doing, what kind of whiskey he is drinking at night, who is talking to him," he says. "All these issues are really how the decisions processes are made in this country."

Analysts: Economic Troubles, Coronavirus Fears Make Lebanese Nervous

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Passengers line up as workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak, in…

By Dale Gavlak -- AMMAN - Lebanon's government has officially defaulted on its payment of a $1.2 billion Eurobond debt due Monday. This marks the first default in Lebanon's financial history, as it copes with dwindling foreign currency reserves and inflation running into double digits. In the past, the country once known as the Switzerland of the Middle East managed to repay debt, despite civil war and political unrest. But now it faces the challenge of securing loans amid global economic issues and the coronavirus outbreak. The situation has left many Lebanese concerned, said Habib Malik of the Lebanese American University. The national news agency says 41 coronavirus cases have been reported in Lebanon, one of several Middle Eastern countries grappling with the infection and its economic implications. "People are very, very nervous," Malik said. "If a global economic recession is going to kick in because of this epidemic, then this will simply mean that there will be less money for countries like Lebanon, ailing for other reasons. "Right now, the Diab government is being very honest and realistic with the people and the debtors that Lebanon would like to negotiate a restructuring of the debts. In the next couple of weeks, we will see the representatives of the debtors and the Lebanese government come together to try work out a deal. It’s going to be slow and rough going," Malik added.

Crisis-hit Lebanon to default on $1.2 billion loan payment

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by Associated Press --- Beirut: Lebanon's prime minister has said the government will suspend payment of $1.2 billion in loans, marking the crisis-hit country's first-ever default on its sovereign debt amid ongoing popular unrest. Hassan Diab made the announcement in a televised address to the Lebanese people, saying the country will seek to restructure its massive debt. The $1.2 billion Eurobond matures on Monday. The default marks a new chapter in the crisis and could have severe repercussions on the tiny country, risking legal action by lenders that could further aggravate and push Lebanon's economy toward financial collapse. The currency has already lost up to 60 per cent of its value on the dollar on the black market and banks have imposed crippling capital controls on cash withdrawals and transfers.

Diab said Lebanon's debt reached $90 billion or 170 per cent of GDP, making it one of the highest in the world. He added that the total debt and interest Lebanon had to pay back in 2020 is at $4.6 billion "Lebanon's debt is greater than the country can handle," he said. By saying that Lebanon will suspend paying back the debt rather than directly saying it will not pay it, Diab's government appeared to be keeping the door open for negotiations with creditors. Late last month, the government appointed Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as a legal adviser on the country's Eurobond debt and financial advisory and asset management firm Lazard as a financial adviser. Diab said Lebanon's foreign currency reserves "have reached a critical stage" leading the government to suspend its debt payment so that it can continue to provide basic commodities to the Lebanese people. "The decision to suspend payment is the only way to stop the attrition and protect our national interests, while at the same time launching a comprehensive reform program," Diab said.

Lebanese supermodel and TV presenter tests positive for coronavirus

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REG 200307 LOUJAIN ADADA 1-1583576990350

Bassam Za za, Special to Gulf News -- Beirut: Loujain Adada, a well-known Lebanese supermodel and TV presenter, has tested positive for coronavirus following a trip to Britain. The news was reported in various Arabic news outlets. In even more grim news, her two daughters also tested positive. With this, the number of coronavirus cases in Lebanon has gone up to 22. Lebanese Public Health Ministry officials said the woman had just returned from the UK, without naming Adada. On Wednesday, Lebanese health officials had said there were 15 cases, including a 14-year-old girl, all of whom were being quarantined at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital (RHUH). One of the cases discovered on Wednesday was of a man who visited Egypt. “The woman [Adada] suffered high fever and other respiratory symptoms that were bit similar to the coronavirus signs … she was suspected to be suffering from coronavirus disease so we transferred her to the government-appointed hospital [RHUH] as all suspected cases are being referred to it,” an administrator at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre (AUBMC) told Gulf News.

“She was transferred to RHUH for diagnosis and further isolation and treatment measures,” read AUBMC’s media statement on Thursday. Adada married Saudi billionaire businessman Walid Juffali at a Venice ceremony in 2012. Dr Hamad Hassan, Lebanese Minister of Public Health, said hospitals were prepared to tackle coronavirus in the country. All the patients so far were those coming from affected countries or were infected through “close contact” with a family member or neighbour, he said. All patients with Covid-19 are being treated at RHUH, according to Dr Hassan, and more than 140 beds have been designated to isolate and monitor suspected cases.

Saudi Arabia detains three senior members of royal family

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Mohammed bin Nayef (R) and Mohammed bin Salman (L) in 2015

by bbc.com --Three senior members of Saudi Arabia's royal family, including the king's brother, have been arrested for unexplained reasons, US media report. Two of the men were among the kingdom's most influential figures. The detentions have been linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In 2017 dozens of Saudi royal figures, ministers and businessmen were confined to the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh after the crown prince ordered their arrests. Mohammed bin Salman is considered the de facto ruler of the kingdom, after he was named crown prince by his father in 2016. The detentions took place early on Friday morning, report the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The three men arrested are the king's younger brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, former crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and a royal cousin, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef. Mohammed bin Nayef was interior minister until he was removed from his role and placed under house arrest by Mohammed Bin Salman in 2017.