Somethin is poppin off in Saudi Arabia

hoamskilet

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Have you guys been following any of this. Seems like something pretty significant is going down:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-...onaire-prince-bin-talal-others-anti-money-lau

In a shocking development, late on Saturday the Saudi press reported that prominent billionaire, member of the royal Saudi family, and one of the biggest shareholders of Citi, News Corp. and Twitter - not to mention frequent CNBC guest - Al-Waleed bin Talal, along with ten senior princes, and some 38 ministers, has been arrested for corruption and money laundering charges on orders from the new anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while Royal princes’ private planes have been grounded.

Among those fired and/or arrested are the head of National Royal Guards, Miteb Bin Abdullah, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel Fakeih, and Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Saudi Naval Forces.

View image on Twitter
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https://twitter.com/HSajwanization/status/926910047065657345
B9ry8DpW_normal.jpgحسن سجواني 1f1e6-1f1ea.png

✔@HSajwanization


#BREAKING Several Princes & Saudi businessmen are arrested for #MoneyLaundering and #corruption charges in #KSA
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https://sabq.org/Spn3jq

2:32 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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As the local press further adds, the supreme committee chaired by Crown Prince and billionaire stops "on charges of money laundering."

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al-Waleed bin Talal is perhaps best known not only for his periodic CNBC appearances, but for his recurring on and off spats with president Trump:

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According to al Arabiya, among those sacked and/or arrested are Moteib Bin Abdullah, Minister of the National Guard, and Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf has been appointed as his replacement. A second Royal Order was issued to relieve Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel al-Faqieh, from his duties, and the appointment of Mohammed Al Tuwaijri as Minister of Economy and Planning.

According to a Royal Decree issued by King Salman on Saturday the anti-corruption committee is chaired by the Crown Prince with the membership of: Chairman of the Monitoring and Investigation Commission, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Chief of the General Audit Bureau, Attorney General and Head of State Security.

As Saudi analysts were quick to point out, the purge by the Saudi King means that King Abdallah’s last remnants (Riyad firmer gov. & head of Nat. Guard); media moguls; SAGIA & financial policy officials have been purged.

As Bloomberg notes, changing the head of the National Guard, an institution that’s been controlled by the clan of the late King Abdullah, “is not like changing the minister of oil,” said Kamran Bokhari, a senior analyst with Geopolitical Futures and a senior fellow with the Center for Global Policy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this leads to greater fissures within the royal family.”

Arabiya adds that King Salman also issued sacking and replacement orders for Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Naval Forces, is to be terminated and be retired; his replacement is Vice Admiral Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghifaili, to be promoted to the rank of admiral and be appointed as Commander of the Naval Forces.

Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli. The king also replaced Minister of Economy and Planning Adel Fakeih withMohammad Al Tuwaijri, his deputy.



Al Tuwaijri, formerly vice minister for economy and planning, had already played a key role in shaping Saudi economic and fiscal policy over the past year. Before joining the government in May 2016 he was Middle East chief executive for HSBC. He’s served as a frequent spokesman for the government’s economic reform plan on TV and with Western journalists.

King Salman also issued an decree forming an anti-corruption committee headed by the crown prince. Its powers include the ability to trace funds and assets, and prevent their transfer or liquidation on behalf of individuals or entities, along with the right to take any precautionary actions until cases are referred to relevant investigatory or judiciary authorities, according to a government statement.



The committee’s formation was deemed necessary “due to the propensity of some people for abuse, putting their personal interest above public interest, and stealing public funds,” the Royal Order said.


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m73h_PLb_normal.jpgCIC Saudi Arabia

✔@CICSaudi


Crown Prince: Every person, who has engaged in #corruption, regardless of their status, will be held accountable, provided there's evidence.

4:12 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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Some more cynical observers noted how MBS is quickly learning from XIi Jinping "how to get rid of enemies under justification of "corruption commission" & place "friendlies" in high places."

4 Nov
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Amal FETHI
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@TunisianHope
I am dying to read @iyad_elbaghdadi 's analysis about the last arrests in #SaudiArabia

https://twitter.com/iyad_elbaghdadi/status/926942624837263361
bjOF70A6_normal.jpgİyad el-Baghdadi

✔@iyad_elbaghdadi


Purge under the guise of combating corruption. Just like the earlier wave of arrests was a purge under the guise of combating extremism.

4:41 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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Others arrested include Walid bin Talal; Khaled Tuweijri; AlWalid Ibrahim; Turki Bin Naser; and others.

https://twitter.com/Joyce_Karam/status/926914862722179073
fgLtlmEF_normal.jpgJoyce Karam

✔@Joyce_Karam


V. BIG Names of Arrests in #Saudi
•Meteib Bin Abdullah
•Walid bin Talal
•Khaled Tuweijri
•AlWalid Ibrahim
•Turki Bin Naser
•Adel Fakih https://twitter.com/ksa24/status/926912032464625664 …

2:51 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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Putting the arrests in context, the heads of the main three Saudi owned TV networks were arrested, Alwalid Bin Talal (Rotana), Walid Al Brahim (MBC), Saleh Kamel (ART)

https://twitter.com/alihashem_tv/status/926923690972975104
YERVPejl_normal.jpgAli Hashem علي هاشم

✔@alihashem_tv


The heads of the main three Saudi owned TV networks were arrested, Alwalid Bin Talal (Rotana), Walid Al Brahim (MBC), Saleh Kamel (ART)

3:26 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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As Bloomberg adds, Saudi King Salman appointed a former HSBC banker to head the country’s economy ministry and removed one of the royal family’s most prominent princes from as head of the National Guard. Separately, a number of Saudi princes and former ministers were arrested by authorities hours after the announcement of a new anti-corruption committee, with sweeping powers and headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news service reported.



Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was replaced as minister of the National Guard by Prince Khaled Ayyaf, according to a royal decree carried by state-run media late Saturday. Before his ouster, Prince Miteb was one of the few remaining senior princes to have survived a series of cabinet reshuffles that promoted allies of the crown prince, who is the king’s son and heir to the throne.



King Salman has sidelined other senior members of the royal family to prevent any opposition to the crown prince. Prince Mohammed, 32, replaced his elder cousin, Muhammed bin Nayef, as crown prince in June, a maneuver that removed any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81.

While details remain scarce about this "Saturday of the long Saudi knives" - which some have suggested may be a countercoup attempt - DPA confirms the Al Arabiya report that three senior state officials were sacked.



Salman relieved Prince Moteib bin Abdullah of his post as minister of the National Guard, replacing him with Khaled bin Ayaf, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported. Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli.

No official explanation was given for the sackings.



In recent months, the Saudi monarch has carried out a string of reshuffles appointing young people in senior state posts. In June, Salman ousted his nephew as the crown prince and appointed his son Mohammed to become the first in line to succeed him. The monarch on Saturday ordered the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by the crown prince amid a rumoured crackdown on suspected tainted officials and royals. Mohammed, 31, is seen as the driving force behind opening up the ultra-conservative country to the outside world and weaning its economy off oil.

Furthermore, there is speculation that all private flights and VIP departures out of Saudi Arabia have been suspended temporarily, similar to what happened following the last "gentle coup" in June when Prince Mohammed (MBS), 32, replaced his elder cousin, Muhammed bin Nayef, as crown prince in June, a maneuver that removed any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81.

4 Nov
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✔@HSajwanization

Replying to @HSajwanization
HISTORIC night | Up untill 12am KSA time:

A total of 18 Princes have been arrested in #KSA in corruption and bribery charges pic.twitter.com/H470SNCJFF

https://twitter.com/HSajwanization/status/926935735374155776
B9ry8DpW_normal.jpgحسن سجواني 1f1e6-1f1ea.png

✔@HSajwanization


#BREAKING : unconfirmed news:
all private flights and VIP departures in #KSA are suspended temporarily https://twitter.com/aviationwg/status/926917893710901248 …

4:14 PM - Nov 4, 2017
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According to the AngryArab blog, the removal of Prince Miteb bin Abdullah as head of the National Guard, means that "this is the first time that the National Guard is not in the hand of Abdullah or his son."



That put all apparatus of the military-intelligence network in the hands of Muhammad bin Salman. News that Al-Walid bin Talal has been arrested and accused of money laundering. This could be a service to Trump, who hates Al-Walid: the two fought it out on twitter during the campaign although Al-Walid tried to reconcile with Trump after his election but to no avail.

Bin Talal's arrest and the government reshuffle caps off a bizarre day for Saudi newsflow, which started with the resignation of Palestinian prime minister Saad al-Hariri, who announced he was quitting due to fears of an assassination plot, allegedly organized by Iran, followed shortly after by the Saudi defense forces intercepting a ballistic missile as it was about to strike the capital Riyadh.

To summarise today's even more bizarre Saudi news day:

  • Trump urges Aramco IPO
  • Lebanon PM resigns
  • Saudis intercept missile
  • Major cabinet reshuffle; 3 Saudi princes - who run the anti-graft committee - arrested for money-laundering
  • A total of 11 princes, >30 ministers arrested on corruption
This is a developing story.
 

hoamskilet

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http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/04/middleeast/lebanese-prime-minister-saad-hariri-resigns/index.html

(CNN)Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri unexpectedly resigned Saturday during a trip to Saudi Arabia, saying his life was in danger, and creating a leadership vacuum in an already politically fractured country.

In a televised address from Riyadh, Hariri said he feared an assassination plot and accused Iran of meddling in the region, causing "devastation and chaos."
"Iran controls the region and the decision-making in both Syria and Iraq," he said. "I want to tell Iran and its followers that it will lose in its interventions in the internal affairs of Arab countries."
Iran dismissed the reports, accusing the United States and Saudi Arabia of orchestrating the resignation.
"Hariri's resignation was coordinated with US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Mohammad bin Salman," Iranian Foreign Ministry official Hossein Sheikholeslam told the semiofficial Fars News Agency.
"The resignation was aimed at creating tension in Lebanon and the region. This resignation was also meant to compensate the US for its failures after the defeat of the Daesh (ISIS)."
In his speech, Hariri, a Sunni politician, also pointed to Hezbollah, the powerful Iranian-backed Shiite militant group in Lebanon.
"Over the past decades, Hezbollah has unfortunately managed to impose a fait accompli in Lebanon by the force of its weapons, which it alleges is a resistance weapon," Hariri said.
"Lebanon and the great Lebanese people became in the eye of the storm and subjected to international condemnations and economic sanctions because of Iran and its arm Hezbollah."
Hezbollah Secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah hit back Sunday in a televised speech, pointing to Saudi Arabia.
"The resignation was a Saudi decision," Nasrallah said in his speech, carried by Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar TV. "Prime Minister Saad Hariri was told and forced to do so."
The Hezbollah head also accused Saudi Arabia of writing Hariri's statement.
"We will not comment or discuss the political content of the (Hariri) statement, although the content was cruel and contains big and dangerous accusations, myself and Hezbollah will not discuss the content because we believe it was written by Saudi," Nasrallah said.
While the United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist group, its political wing is the most powerful bloc in Lebanon's deeply divided coalition government, and several of its politicians are ministers.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Christian who's affiliated with Hezbollah, confirmed he had received a phone call from Hariri about stepping down.
Aoun's office said he would wait for the Prime Minister to return to Beirut to discuss the circumstances of his resignation.
Climate of fear
In his speech in the Saudi capital, Hariri said the atmosphere in Lebanon was similar to the one that existed 12 years ago right before the assassination of his father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
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Portrait of slain ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is displayed near his gravesite.
"We live in an atmosphere similar to the atmosphere that prevailed before the assassination of martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and I sensed what is being woven in secret to target my life," he said.
Hariri's father was assassinated in February 2005 when a bomb struck his motorcade near the Beirut seafront.
A special UN-backed court is trying alleged associates of Hezbollah in absentia in his killing. Hezbollah denies involvement.
The assassination was a pivotal event in Lebanon, further fueling the sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The Mediterranean country has a large Christian population as well.
The death also led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops, deployed in Lebanon between 1976 and 2005. They first came as peacekeepers to help stop Lebanon's civil war but remained long after the fighting stopped in 1990. Syria has dominated Lebanon's political scene for much of its post-independence history.
Analyst: Saudi Arabia is 'primary driver'
The longstanding animosity between two regional powerhouses -- Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran -- was a major factor in Saturday's developments, said Randa Slim, director of a conflict resolution program at the Middle East Institute in Washington.
"I think the primary driver for this resignation is Saudi Arabia," Slim told CNN. "It indicates the Saudi decision to confront Iran and the Iranian influence in Lebanon by going after Hezbollah."
The fact that Hariri's announcement was made in Riyadh was an important clue, she said. She also noted Hariri holds dual citizenship in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
"By going after Hezbollah, by denying Hezbollah a credible Sunni partner in governance, it thus weakens Hezbollah on the home front," Slim said.
Meanwhile the fallout has begun. Bahrain's government on Sunday called on its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately in the wake of Hariri's resignation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also renews its call to all citizens not to travel to the Republic of Lebanon, for their safety, and to avoid any risks they may be exposed (to) as a result of these developments," said a statement released by Bahrain's Foreign Ministry.
Hariri's second stint as Prime Minister
Lebanese President Aoun asked Hariri to become Prime Minister last year. He headed a national unity Cabinet that included Hezbollah.
It marked Hariri's second stint as Prime Minister. Hariri first took office in June 2009. Less than two years later, 11 Hezbollah members of his Cabinet resigned, causing a coalition government to collapse.
Under the Lebanese Constitution, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of the Parliament a Shiite Muslim.

170725152818-trump-and-hariri-medium-plus-169.jpg





Trump, Lebanese PM speak at White House 20:17
Earlier this year, Hariri met President Donald Trump at the White House. They spoke about economic issues and the pressure on Lebanon after an influx of 1.5 million displaced Syrians in the country.
Trump also warned about the danger of Hezbollah.
"Threats to the Lebanese people come from inside as well. Hezbollah is a menace to the Lebanese state, the Lebanese people and the entire region," he said. "The group continues to increase its military arsenal, which threatens to start yet another conflict with Israel, constantly fighting them back."
 

tones_RS3

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I haven't heard any of this till reading it here now.
 

Tx5811

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I’ve got two words for ya buddy “Saudi Aramco “ fixing to be a lot of money involved in that.
 

hoamskilet

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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...rests-including-prince-alwaleed-idUSKBN1D506P

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s future king has tightened his grip on power through an anti-corruption purge by arresting royals, ministers and investors including billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal who is one of the kingdom’s most prominent businessmen.





Prince Alwaleed, a nephew of the king and owner of investment firm Kingdom Holding 4280.SE, invests in firms such as Citigroup (C.N) and Twitter (TWTR.N). He was among 11 princes, four ministers and tens of former ministers detained, three senior officials told Reuters on Sunday.

The purge against the kingdom’s political and business elite also targeted the head of the National Guard Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who was detained and replaced as minister of the powerful National Guard by Prince Khaled bin Ayyaf.

The allegations against Prince Alwaleed include money laundering, bribery and extorting officials, one official told Reuters, while Prince Miteb is accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own companies including a $10 billion deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals.


News of the purge came soon after King Salman decreed late on Saturday the creation of an anti-corruption committee chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his 32-year-old favorite son who has amassed power since rising from obscurity three years ago.

The new body was given broad powers to investigate cases, issue arrest warrants and travel restrictions, and seize assets.

“The homeland will not exist unless corruption is uprooted and the corrupt are held accountable,” the royal decree said.

Analysts said the arrests were another pre-emptive measure by the crown prince to remove powerful figures as he exerts control over the world’s leading oil exporter.

The roundup recalls the palace coup in June through which he ousted his elder cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, as heir to the throne and interior minister.

MbS, as he is known, was expected to follow at least by removing Prince Miteb from leadership of the National Guard, a pivotal power base rooted in the kingdom’s tribes.

Over the past year, MbS has become the ultimate decision-maker for the kingdom’s military, foreign, economic and social policies, causing resentment among parts of the Al Saud dynasty frustrated by his meteoric rise.

Saudi Arabia’s stock index .TASI was dragged down briefly but recovered to close higher as some investors bet the crackdown could bolster reforms in the long run.

The royal decree said the arrests were in response to “exploitation by some of the weak souls who have put their own interests above the public interest, in order to, illicitly, accrue money.”


REFORM AGENDA
The line between public funds and royal money is not always clear in Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy ruled by an Islamic system in which most law is not systematically codified and no elected parliament exists.

WikiLeaks cables have detailed the huge monthly stipends that every Saudi royal receives as well as various money-making schemes some have used to finance lavish lifestyles.

Analysts said the purge aimed to go beyond corruption and aimed to remove potential opposition to Prince Mohammed’s ambitious reform agenda, which is widely popular with Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning youth population but faces resistance from some of the old guard more comfortable with the kingdom’s traditions of incremental change and rule by consensus.

In September, the king announced that a ban on women driving would be lifted, while Prince Mohammed is trying to break decades of conservative tradition by promoting public entertainment and visits by foreign tourists.

The crown prince has also slashed state spending in some areas and plans a big sale of state assets, including floating part of state oil giant Saudi Aramco [IPO-ARMO.SE] on international markets.


FILE PHOTO - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Prince Mohammed has also led Saudi Arabia into a two-year-old war in Yemen, where the government says it is fighting Iran-aligned militants, and a row with neighboring Qatar, which it accuses of backing terrorists, a charge Doha denies. Detractors of the crown prince say both moves are dangerous adventurism.

The most recent crackdown breaks with the tradition of consensus within the ruling family, wrote James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

“Prince Mohammed, rather than forging alliances, is extending his iron grip to the ruling family, the military, and the National Guard to counter what appears to be more widespread opposition within the family as well as the military to his reforms and the Yemen war,” he said.

Scholar Joseph Kechichian said the interests of the Al Saud, however, would remain protected.

“Both King Salman and heir apparent Mohammed bin Salman are fully committed to them. What they wish to instill, and seem determined to execute, is to modernize the ruling establishment, not just for the 2030 horizon but beyond it too,” he said.

Many ordinary Saudis praised the crackdown as long-awaited.

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Slideshow (6 Images)
A Saudi official said former Riyadh Governor Prince Turki bin Abdullah was detained on accusations of corruption in the Riyadh Metro project and taking advantage of his influence to award contracts to his own companies.

Former Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf, a board member of national oil giant Saudi Aramco, was also detained, accused of embezzlement related to the expansion of Mecca’s Grand Mosque and taking advantage of his position and inside information to purchase lands, the official added.

Other detainees include ousted Economy Minister Adel Fakieh, who once played a major role in drafting MbS’ reforms, and Khalid al-Tuwaijiri, who headed the Royal Court under the late King Abdullah.

People on Twitter applauded the arrests of certain ministers, with some comparing them to “the night of the long knives”, a violent purge of political leaders in Nazi Germany in 1934.

Bakr bin Laden, chairman of the big Saudi Binladin construction group, and Alwaleed al-Ibrahim, owner of the MBC television network, were also detained.

At least some of the detainees were held at the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel in the diplomatic quarter of Riyadh, said sources in contact with the government and guests whose plans had been disrupted.

RELATED COVERAGE
The hotel’s exterior gate was shuttered on Sunday morning and guards turned away a Reuters reporter, saying it had been closed for security reasons, although private cars and ambulances were seen entering through a rear entrance.

The hotel and an adjacent facility were the site of an international conference promoting Saudi Arabia as an investment destination just 10 days ago attended by at least one of those now being held for questioning.

The detentions follow a crackdown in September on political opponents of Saudi Arabia’s rulers that saw some 30 clerics, intellectuals and activists detained.

Prince Alwaleed, a flamboyant character, has sometimes used his prominence as an investor to aim barbs at the kingdom’s rulers.

In December 2015, he called then-U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump a “disgrace to all America” and demanded on Twitter that he withdraw from the election.

Trump responded by tweeting: “Dopey Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to control our U.S. politicians with daddy’s money. Can’t do it when I get elected.”

His father, Prince Talal, is considered one of the most vocal supporters of reform in the ruling Al Saud family, having pressed for a constitutional monarchy decades ago.

Additional reporting by Reem Shamseddine in Khobar and Rania El Gamal and Tom Arnold and Sylvia Westall in Dubai; Editing by Edmund Blair and Peter Cooney
 

Zemedici

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Been waiting for Bin-Talal to **** up, he who lives in glass houses.....

He had a loud mouth against Trump, that’s for sure. He shoulda kept his nose in his own business ventures....
 

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