TOUGH TIME FOR TYRANTS:

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose Shakespearean rise to power coincided with the start of Donald Trump's presidency, has largely escaped US censure thanks to his personal ties with the administration.

But Trump's defeat leaves the de facto ruler vulnerable to renewed scrutiny from the kingdom's closest Western ally, which could leave him isolated amid economic challenges that imperil his reform agenda, a griding war in neighbouring Yemen and pockets of opposition to his rule.

While Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner -- who struck up a close rapport with the crown prince -- shielded the heir to the Saudi throne, Biden has vowed to reassess the relationship.

He has slammed what he calls Trump's "dangerous blank check" to the kingdom, pledged justice for journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder by Saudi agents and vowed to suspend US arms sales over the catastrophic war in Yemen.

Biden has threatened to make Saudi Arabia "the pariah that they are".

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