Saudi Arabia: Saud Al-Faisal has back surgery

Foreign minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has had back surgery in the US, a Royal Court statement said on 24 January. “Prince Saud… successfully underwent surgery on the vertebrae in the United States of America,” the court said. “[He] is having routine physiotherapy following the surgery.” Prince Saud, who is about 74, has had problems with his back for some time as well as other health problems; in August 2012, he had surgery to remove an intestinal obstruction, after which he spent time recuperating in the US.