Saudi crown prince’s American tour to show Riyadh open for business

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has scheduled a week-long tour of the US next month, with stops in Washington, Boston, San Francisco, New York and Houston. He aims to promote business investment in the kingdom, following his anti-corruption purge last November. The 32-year-old prince also serves as defense minister and is close to Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. The prince — often referred to by his initials “MBS” — is spearheading the push to diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-reliant economy under his Saudi Vision 2030 brand. He also plans visits to Britain and France later this month.  The Saudi attorney general disclosed this week that more than $107 bn had been raised from the scores of princes and corporate leaders since MBS ordered them detained last November on charges of corruption.