(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The normally gridlocked streets of the Saudi capital were quiet yesterday after the Custodian of the Two holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud declared a day of mourning for his predecessor King Abdullah.
King Salman declared a nationwide holiday yesterday "to provide comfort and facilitation to all citizens in offering condolences" and allegiance to the new monarch, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
Clearing uncertainty over the transition to the next generation, King Salman named his nephew, Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, as second in-line to the throne behind Prince Muqrin. King Salman also appointed as defence minister one of his own sons, Prince Mohammed.
Away from the palace and nearby roadblocks, life continued with almost no indication that a new era had begun.
From across the Arab and Muslim worlds, from Europe, Asia, and America, presidents, prime ministers and sheikhs have flown in to pay their respects. The arrivals included Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani, Belgium's King Philippe, Libya's internationally-recognised Prime Minister Abdullah Al Thinni, and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela.
Other guests included French President Francois Hollande, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II. Prince Charles and Prime Minister David Cameron came from Britain.
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