Saudi Arabia’s King ‘Abd Allah died early on 23 January in a Riyadh hospital, where he was being treated for pneumonia. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Prince Salman, who now sits on the throne of the world’s largest oil exporting nation.
King Salman, who is 79 years old, immediately named Prince Muqrin to replace him as Crown Prince. While the appointment of Prince Muqrin is yet to be approved by the Allegiance Council, established to ensure the smooth transition of power in the kingdom, it is unlikely to reject the man chosen by the late king to succeed in the final year of his reign. (CONTINUED - 335 WORDS)
