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Ex-Saudi finance chief named foreign minister in broad shake-up

Saudi King Salman on Thursday named former Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf as Foreign Minister, becoming the kingdom’s top diplomat as the international outcry over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi roils ties with the West.

Al-Assaf, a regular at the World Economic Forum in Davos, replaced Adel al-Jubeir, who was named as state minister for foreign affairs, according to royal decrees read on state television.

The reshuffling comes after government critic Khashoggi was murdered in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, triggering expressions of outrage from European nations. Leading U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham, have blamed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder, a charge repeatedly denied by the government.

U.S. President Donald Trump has evinced his continued support for Prince Mohammed, even after the Central Intelligence Agency reportedly concluded that he ordered the killing.

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