A prince fails to charm

摘要

DRIVE AROUND Riyadh and Saudi Arabia's economy looks vibrant. Malls in the capital are crowded with shoppers and staff. Young people are eager to spend money on entertainment now that the once-feared religious police are off the streets. The city feels like a building site, with workers breaking ground on new hotels and shopping centres. The Saudi stock-market is up by more than 9% this year. gdp is projected to grow by 1.9% and the non-oil sector by 2.3% next year.