Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Dies Aged 90

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died and his brother
Salman has become the kingdom's new ruler.
The death was announced in a statement broadcast on Saudi state
TV, which reported the monarch passed away at 1am local time on
Friday.
The 79-year-old successor King Salman has named his half-brother
Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.
"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the
family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1am this
morning," the statement said.
Abdullah, 90, took power in 2005 after the death of his half-brother
King Fahd.
He had run the country as de facto leader for the previous decade
after his predecessor suffered a debilitating stroke.
Abdullah played a leading role in seeking reform in the conservative
Islamic kingdom, including increased women's rights and economic
deregulation.
Sky's Middle East correspondent Sheine Tadros said Abdullah's death
comes after weeks of rumours about his health.
"He's been ill for several weeks. He was admitted to hospital in
December with a liver infection and there have been rumours over the
past few weeks that he had died," she said.
In recent years Saudi Arabia has developed strong ties to the US,
becoming Washington's chief ally in the Middle East.
US President Barack Obama expressed his condolences in the wake of
the death and hailed Abdullah's "steadfast and passionate belief" in
US-Saudi relations.
"As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his
convictions," Mr Obama said in a statement.
"One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in
the importance of the US-Saudi relationship as a force for stability
and security in the Middle East and beyond.
"The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two
countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy."