In a widely anticipated move, Saudi Arabia's Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz has been chosen as the country's new Crown Prince. He has been appointed Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior of the Kingdom, a royal decree has announced. The country's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in a royal order issued on Thursday evening, notified the chief and members of the Allegiance-Pledge Commission of his choice. The announcement was subsequently made on state-owned television channel
Crown Prince Sultan, who was around 86, had been in the United States for medical treatment since June. His death has thrown his brother Prince Nayef into line to succeed King Abdullah as leader of the key oil producer country.
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, custodian of Islam's two holiest mosques has issued a royal decree saying only approved scholars can issue fatwas or Islamic religious edicts.
Saudi king to be Republic Day chief guest
Thousands gathered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to pay their respects to King Abdullah, who died early on Friday.
Departing from the usual protocol, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife will receive Japanese Emperor Akihito and his spouse Empress Michiko who will arrive in New Delhi on Saturday on a six-day visit, their first to any South Asian country after being enthroned in 1990.
As the WEF summit draws to a close on Saturday, a few big names from India including Mukesh Ambani and Anand Mahindra were missing in action while Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Jordan's King Abdullah II were among global leaders who cancelled their trips at the last moment.
US President Barack Obama "regrets" that he will not be able to visit Agra during his three-day stay to India starting on Sunday, the White House said on Saturday.
Nearly 65,000 Indians in Saudi Arabia have already collected their travel documents and are legally secure in the oil-rich country ahead of the July 3 deadline to regularise their residency under an amnesty programme.
A Saudi princess, Sahar, has claimed that her father King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has confined her and her three sisters in separate dark and suffocating quarters at his palace where they are isolated, alone and cut-off from the outside world.
US President Barack Obama on Saturday embarked on his highly anticipated three-day landmark trip to India during which the two countries will strive to make progress on climate change, defence and economic cooperation.
Saudi Arabia's Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died on Friday and his half-brother Salman took over reigns of the world's top oil exporting nation in a smooth transition of power, calling for "unity and solidarity" among Muslims.
United States President Barack Obama on Sunday arrived in India for a highly anticipated three-day landmark trip during which the two countries will strive to make progress on climate change, defence and economic cooperation.
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