Saudi state television interrupted regular broadcasting with recitations of the Koran and one Western diplomat said he had information that King Fahd had died in hospital on Monday. Photo by www.alwatan.com.sa
King Fahd, Saudi Arabia's ruler since 1982, has died. Saudi state television announced that Crown Prince Abdullah had been named as King Fahd's successor. King Fahd had been frail since suffering a stroke a decade ago and had delegated the running of the kingdom's affairs to Crown Prince Abdullah. Defence Minister Prince Sultan is next in line to the throne after Abdullah, and was named crown prince, state television announced. Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest oil exporter and is a close ally of the United States.