Saudi Arabia King Abdullah passes away

King Abdullah of Saudia Arabia has died, aged around 90. His 79-year-old half-brother Salman, who was crown prince, will succeed to the throne, the royal court in the kingdom said in a statement carried by state television.

"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement.

Prayers in memory of Abdullah were scheduled for Friday afternoon at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh. Citizens are due to pay allegiance to the new king and heir apparent after evening prayers Friday.

Ahead of the funeral services condolences and remembrances poured in from all corners of the globe.

"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.

The U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said he will lead a delegation "in the coming days" to pay respect.

U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement: "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.