Global Geo-political Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Zimbabwe coup: The ruling Zanu-PF party has voted remove the Zimbabwean party’s leadership position on Sunday. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president fired by Mugabe two weeks ago, was chosen to replace him. The same motion also expelled Mugabe’s wife, Grace Mugabe, from her chair of the party’s women’s league. Mugabe was put under house arrest by the country’s military on Wednesday. However, in his first televised speech since the slow coup, he avoided announcing the step-down.
   
• Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad bin-Salman, who replaced his elder cousin Mohammad bin-Nayef to become next in line to the throne after his father King Salman by a royal decree has further tightened his grip on power as the newly formed anti-corruption committee arrested scores of princes, several senior officials, and incumbent ministers. The committee reportedly seized assets worth as much as $300 billion. More than 200 people have reportedly been arrested. The latest report suggests that arrested Royals and businessmen are being offered freedom in exchange for cash and assets.
   
• Middle East and Iran: Saudi Arabia and other Arab foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Cairo on Sunday to discuss on how to confront Iran and its Lebanese Shi'ite ally Hezbollah, who the Arab allies say are interfering in their internal affairs. 
   
• Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation in a televised speech from Saudi Arabia has said that he would return to Lebanon on Wednesday after visiting Egypt on Tuesday. Lebanese Hezbollah has accused Saudi Arabia of putting Hariri on house arrest and pressuring him to resign.
   
• EU and Turkey: According to a statement from the European Parliament, the EU would cut millions of euro funding to Turkey citing deterioration of democracy in the country. The move comes after Ankara banned a German gay film festival just hours before it was set to begin in Ankara.