DRAMATIC

Saudi King Names Son Crown Prince, Upending Royal Succession

In major shakeup.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has named his 31-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman, as crown prince and ousted the kingdom’s counterterrorism czar, upending the line of royal succession. The changes were announced by the state-run Saudi Press Agency early Wednesday, with a slew of royal decrees unveiling a major reshuffling. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who had been first in line to take the throne, was stripped of his title and ousted from his post as interior minister. The new crown prince, who is already in charge of overseeing a large portfolio as defense minister and heads an economic council, was not very well known before his father became king in January 2015. His quick rise to power since then has reportedly left some in the royal family blindsided.