Saudi Arabia Investment forum Begins Over Khashoggi killing

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia kicked off on Tuesday a three-day investment conference that has been overshadowed by the withdrawal of dozens of top business and world leaders over the kingdom’s role in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey earlier this month. The exodus of executives, including the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Uber and Siemens (SIEGY), has taken the shine off the Future Investment Initiative event hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been trying to modernize the country’s oil-dependent economy.

The prince is now grappling with the international outcry over what happened to Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a critic of his policies. The explanation has drawn skepticism, including from US President Donald Trump who said on Monday he was “not satisfied” with what he’d heard, CNN reported. (IANS)