Phase II of Crown Prince's 'Anti-Corruption' Op

[Kate Turlington + 44]

Love the way the local media is presenting what they call 'phase 2' of the Saudi smash and grab of the money and assets of the Kingdom's business elite. 

Now they're saying that phase 1 is over and phase 2 is where the real investigations begin of those being held at the Ritz. They are creating two new circuits (Riyadh and Jeddah) for the 'proceedings'. 

They make this all sound like it's completely above-board. 

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/289230/World/Region/-Saudi-anticorruption-initiative-enters-second-pha.aspx

[Addy + 14]

Well, if not above-board, certainly in style

 

[Rodent + 1,424]

Sounds like the $100 billion settlement with Bin Talal is highway robbery--literally (without the highway). What are the specific charges here? Do we even know? 

[Seleskya + 50]

They also just announced that they're taking majority control of MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Center). This is the biggest TV network in the region and its assets were seizing in the purge. MBC founder (Waleed al-Ibrahim) will keep 40%. So we can expect great coverage of the purge.