Thousands to say farewell to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah

Thousands are expected to gather at the Grand Mosque in Riyadh on Friday to say farewell to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, a cautious reformer who succeeded in securing broader freedoms in the conservative kingdom but fell short in gaining greater independence for women.

"To God we belong and indeed to him we shall return," said the homepage of the English-language Saudi newspaper Arab News on Friday.

Bahrain, Jordan and the Palestinian territories declared days of mourning. The U.N. Secretary General praised Abdullah for his Arab Peace Initiative to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. And U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said he would lead a delegation "in the coming days" to pay respects. 

"King Abdullah's life spanned from before the birth of modern Saudi Arabia through its emergence as a critical force within the global economy and a leader among Arab and Islamic nations," U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement.  Read More

Saudi Arabia's 'reformer' King Abdullah dies