Dubai, June 21 (Reuters): Saudi Arabia's King Salman made his son his successor on Wednesday, removing his nephew as crown prince and giving the 31-year old almost unprecedented powers as the world's leading oil exporter implements reforms. A royal decree appointed Mohammed bin Salman crown prince and deputy prime minister. It said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a counter-terrorism chief admired in Washington for putting down an al Qaeda campaign of bombings in 2003-06, was relieved of all positions. Throughout the early morning it aired footage of Mohammed bin Nayef pledging allegiance to the younger Mohammed bin Salman who knelt and kissed his older cousin's hand. “I am content,” Prince Mohammed bin Nayef said.

Source: The Telegraph June 21, 2017 11:15 UTC