Saudi King Names Defense Minister Salman as Crown Prince
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Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah named his defense minister and half brother as crown prince, making the traditionalist former governor of Riyadh next in line to lead the world’s largest oil supplier.
The appointment of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, born in 1935, was announced by Saudi state television. His predecessor Nayef bin Abdulaziz died on June 16 in Geneva after about eight months as heir to the throne. A day later, he was buried in an unmarked grave in Mecca in accordance with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.