The West has extended an open hand to Saudi Arabia's new ruler - Source: Shutterstock
The West endorses Saudi crown prince
MbS’s first visits to the UK and US as crown prince show acceptance there that he’ll be the next Saudi king. But not all Saudis are happy
Since becoming ruler of Saudi Arabia three years ago, King Salman has approved a wide range of changes to the way the country is governed. The most surprising and radical move was the promotion out of obscurity of his young son, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS). In a matter of months, he became defence minister and took over the reins of the energy, economic and security establishments. The final move in his consolidation of power was the removal of crown prince Mohammed bin Naif. MbS was the new heir to throne. Western allies of Saudi Arabia watched with some concern as the king made these jaw-dropping changes. They weren't always reassured by what they saw. The headlong rush into the war in Yemen
Also in this section
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat
