RantCrush Top 5: June 21, 2017

The Saudi King decided to remove his nephew, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, from his spot as next in line for the throne. Instead, the king replaced him with his own son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is 31. He also appointed his son deputy prime minister and he will keep his role as defense minister. King Salman stripped bin Nayef of his long-standing authority to oversee criminal investigations as well as his post as interior minister.

This reshuffling comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Experts believe this will affect the country’s foreign policy, as the new crown prince has expressed a more hard-line view on Iran and could be a valuable ally for the U.S. He also has spoken in support of human rights and freedom of expression. Many have disapproved of the new prince’s quick rise to power, dubbing him inexperienced and power hungry. But his supporters see him as a fresh start and think he can do a lot of good things for the country’s youth.

Breaking: It looks official. #Saudi state news wire reports King Salman dismissed Crown Prince MbN in favor of MbS: https://t.co/R27KgNYtNO pic.twitter.com/E2uK2ukUTa

— David A. Weinberg (@DavidAWeinberg) June 21, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.