Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince appointment by King as PM, provides him with diplomatic immunity, before visit to US, in relation to his involvement, planning and excecution of journalist Jamal Khashoggi murder

Many experts in international law agreed with the administration — but only because of the king's late September title boost for the crown prince, ahead of a scheduled U.S. decision.

“It would have been just as remarkable for the United States to deny MBS’s head-of-state immunity after his appointment as Prime Minister as it would have been for the United States to recognize MBS’s head-of-state immunity before his appointment,” William S. Dodge, a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Law, wrote, using the prince's initials.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Canadian - Saudi Relations: Saudi crown prince sent hit squad to Canada to kill former spy, lawsuit claims

The crown prince of Saudi Arabia sent a hit squad to Canada in an effort to hunt down and kill a former top intelligence official who knows too much, a civil lawsuit filed Thursday in the United States asserts.

The 106-page unproven complaint, which reads like a spy thriller, accuses Mohammed bin Salman of orchestrating attempts to silence Saad Aljabri, a permanent resident of Canada.

Read more at:
Saudi crown prince sent hit squad to Canada to kill former spy, lawsuit claims | CBC News

Saudi Arabia: CIA believes Saudi Prince ordered Khashoggi killing

CIA thinks Saudi Prince ordered Khashoggi killing: 

Note EU-Digest: This certainly complicates the Trump administration’s efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally. Hopefully no more business as usual between, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Israel, and the EU

Read more:
https://p.dw.com/p/38QIa

US-Saudi Relations: U.S. sanctions 17 for role in hideous murder of Saudi journalist Khashoggi - a US smokescreen to protect business interests with Saudis?

Khashoggi murder:  Business as usual between US and Saudi Arabia

The U.S. Treasury will announce today 11/15/2018 sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a source familiar with the administration's plans.

Those to be sanctioned include Saud al-Qahtani, a former top aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the Saudi Consul General Mohammed Alotaibi, the source said.

The sanctions will be implemented under the Global Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions over human rights abuses, the source said.

Among others facing sanctions are Maher Mutreb, an aide to Qahtani who has appeared in photographs with Prince Mohammed on official visits this year to the United States and Europe.

Note EU-Digest: The US sanctions announced by the Trump Administration are an indication the US Administration "has accepted the confusing explanations and statements" about the hideous murder of Saudi journalist Khashoggi by the Saudi Government in the Saudi Istanbul consulate", and as such concludes, "case closed and business as usual",  between the US and Saudi Arabia . 

U.S. sanctions 17 for role in killing of Saudi journalist Khashoggi