Amman - King Hussein of Jordan has definitively sacked his brother as heir to the Hashemite kingdom's throne in a move seen as aimed at retaining the crown for his sons.
The ailing monarch (63) told Prince Hassan yesterday through aides that he will appoint him as his deputy - a new post which appears to entail limited authority.
It was not immediately clear whether the king was ready to announce a new successor to the throne which he inherited from his father Talal in 1953 at the age of 17.