(New York Times) Uncertainty about the longevity of Saudi Arabia’s king intensified on Friday with the announcement that he was battling pneumonia and needed temporary help from a breathing tube.
While a statement from the Saudi royal court said the king, Abdullah, was in stable condition at a hospital, there was no immediate word on his prognosis or a discharge date.
The king, who turned 90 in August, has a history of medical problems, and his health is often scrutinized for any hint of a leadership change in Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy and regional American ally that is perhaps the world’s most important oil producer.
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