SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

MAJOR STEP – FROM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES:   Saudi Arabia's King Salman is reportedly set to announce he will step down as monarch and name his son as successor.  If confirmed, it would cement the power of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, who has ordered the arrests of more than three dozen princes and ministers in a corruption crackdown.  A source told the Daily Mail that King Salman would remain "custodian of the holy shrines" in Mecca and Medina and that the incoming ruler will focus on the kingdom's policy towards Iran.  "Unless something dramatic happens, King Salman will announce the appointment of MBS as King of Saudi Arabia next week, " the high level source told the paper.  "MBS is convinced that he has to hit Iran and Hezbollah. Contrary to the advice of the royal family elders, that's MBS's next target. Hence why the ruler of Kuwait privately calls him "The raging Bull".  "MBS's plan is to start the fire in Lebanon, but he's hoping to count on Israeli military backing. He has already promised Israel billions of dollars in direct financial aid if they agree," the source said.  Ties are expected to get closer between the Saudis and the Jewish state with Israeli lieutenant-general Gadi Eisenkot telling the publication Elaph on Thursday (16 November) that it was prepared to share intelligence to tackle Iran. The countries do not have diplomatic relations.  Obviously, if all goes as predicted, a major change in the Mideast, with Saudi Arabia moving out of isolation and toward the West. 

NPR LOSES ITS HALO – FROM NPR ITSELF:  As NPR's Board of Directors meet in Washington, D.C., this week, the network finds itself confronted by a series of dispiriting developments: a CEO on medical leave; a chief news executive forced out over sexual harassment allegations; the sudden resignation of a board chairman; fresh complaints over inappropriate behavior by colleagues; and a network roiled by tensions over the treatment of its female workers.  On Wednesday, NPR Board Chairman Roger LaMay announced that he was stepping down at the end of his second one-year term. LaMay, who remains on the board, said he needed to devote more time to running the popular Philadelphia public radio music station WXPN, where he is general manager.  However, according to a knowledgeable source, LaMay is the subject of a complaint filed with NPR alleging past inappropriate behavior. Few additional details are currently known.  Sexual harassment is the story of the month.  So many women have come forward.  I have no doubt that most are telling the truth, and that they were horribly treated.  At the same time, each case, each charge, must be examined separately and impartially.  I worry about innocent men, or women, being entrapped in hysteria.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A PARADISE – FROM BLOOMBERG:   The number of Swedes who were victims of crimes such as fraud and sexual offenses jumped to the highest level on record last year.  A survey by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention showed that 15.6 percent of people suffered one or more offences against the person (defined in the survey as assault, threats, sexual offences, robbery, fraud or harassment) last year. That’s up from 13.3 percent in 2015 and the highest number recorded since the annual Swedish Crime Survey started in 2006.  The number of offences against individuals “was at a relatively stable level 2005 to 2014, at 11.3 percent to 13.1 percent, but the last two years show an increase,” the council said in the report published this week. The crimes “that have had the clearest development in the past few years are harassment, fraud and sexual offences,” the agency said.  Of the six types of offences against the person, five of six rose to their highest level on record last year. The number of assault cases reached its second-highest level.  Ah, the fruits of socialism.  Equality of misery.

November 16, 2017