JEDDAH: King Salman announced two key changes in the Saudi Cabinet and ordered the formation of a super committee to combat corruption. The committee is to be headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In its first decision, the committee ordered the arrests of a number of princes and big businessmen for their involvement in corruption in different cases.
The two key changes in the Cabinet were that of National Guard Minister Miteb bin Abdullah, who was replaced by Prince Khaled bin Ayyaf, and Economy Minister Adel Fakieh, who was replaced by Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri.
Commander of the Navy, Abdullah Al-Sultan, was relieved of his position and has been replaced by Adm. Fahad Al-Ghofaili.
Besides the crown prince, the committee comprises heads of the Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha), Public Security, General Prosecutor and the Investigation Authority.
The job of the new anti-corruption committee will be to “identify offenses, crimes, persons and entities involved in cases of public corruption,” the royal decree said.
The committee is empowered to investigate, issue arrest warrants and travel bans, order financial disclosure and the freezing of accounts and portfolios, track funds and assets and prevent their remittance or transfer by persons and entities.
“The committee has the right to take any precautionary measures it sees fit, until they are referred to the investigating authorities or judicial bodies,” said the decree.
“It may take whatever measures deemed necessary to deal with those involved in public corruption cases and take what it considers to be the right of persons, entities, funds, fixed and movable assets, at home and abroad, return funds to the state treasury and register property and assets in the name of state property.”
Cabinet reshuffle, crackdown on corruption in Saudi Arabia
Cabinet reshuffle, crackdown on corruption in Saudi Arabia
US firm plans world’s first commercial space station
- Project developed by VAST Space company for 2027
- Plan for short missions and research in microgravity
RIYADH: A US firm plans to launch the world’s first commercial space station for astronauts in 2027, the company’s CEO said at a Riyadh conference.
VAST Space’s CEO Max Haot outlined the company’s plans for the Haven-1 station at the Space Debris Conference 2026, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Haot explained that Haven-1 represents the first phase of a long-term vision to develop commercial space stations, which will support a sustainable human presence in low Earth orbit.
This is in line with the global transition toward commercial operating models as the International Space Station approaches the end of its operational life, expected at the end of 2030.
The ISS, a partnership between NASA and the Russian, European, Japanese and Canadian space agencies, was first launched into orbit in 1998.
Haven-1 is designed to host a crew of four astronauts on short-duration missions, while supporting scientific research, technology demonstrations and commercial applications in a microgravity environment.
Haot added that the station’s design places strong emphasis on safety and sustainability, including the integration of debris protection systems, as well as dedicated processes for safe deorbiting.
The company aims to achieve operational revenues through four crewed missions, supported by scientific and commercial payloads and strategic partnerships, from 2027 to 2030.
Haot expressed confidence in his company’s progress and testing during 2025.
