Saudi Arabia copes with 2nd heir's death

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- For the second time in less than a year, Saudi Arabia was thrown into the process of naming a new heir to the country's king, after the death yesterday of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz.

That forces a potentially pivotal decision: Whether to bring a younger generation closer to ruling one of the West's most critical Middle East allies. King Abdullah, 88, has now outlived two designated successors despite ailments of his own.

The current succession order is expected to stand and Nayef's brother, Defense Minister Prince Salman, another elderly and ailing half-brother of Abdullah, will become the No. 2 to the throne of OPEC's top producer.

But Prince Nayef's death opens the possibility that a member of the so-called "third generation" of the royal clan -- younger and mostly Western educated -- will now move into one of the traditional ruler-in-waiting roles as the country looks ahead to challenges such as the nuclear path of rival Iran and Arab Spring-inspired calls for reforms around the Gulf.

Nayef died in Geneva, al-Arabiya reported. The royal family, which closely guards information about the health of its members, confirmed the death but gave no details. It said a funeral would be held today after prayers in Mecca. -- AP