⁍ Arab leaders headed to Kuwait on Thursday to offer condolences for the death of its ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad.

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⁍ Jordan’s king, the presidents of Egypt and former occupier Iraq, and Oman’s sultan were among those paying respects.

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⁍ Emir has up to a year to name an heir but analysts expect a decision in the coming weeks.

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– The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, has died at the age of 91, leaving the country without a ruler for the first time in its history. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the emir’s younger brother, is expected to be named as the emir’s successor in the coming weeks, Reuters reports. Sheikh Nawaf, who is in his mid-80s, is seen as a relatively low-profile figure in Kuwait, where he is expected to uphold US-allied foreign policy but may struggle to navigate between a new generation of Sunni Muslim Gulf leaders who have taken a more hawkish approach, especially against Shi’ite rival Iran, with which Kuwait maintained ties. Sheikh Sabah was the only Gulf ruler to attend Wednesday’s funeral rites for the emir, who was admired around the world for his humanitarian efforts and pursuit of moderation and balance in a region mired in conflict. Qatar’s emir was the only Gulf ruler to attend Wednesday’s funeral rites. Under the constitution, the emir has up to a year to name an heir, but analysts expect a decision in the coming weeks as dozens of senior al-Sabah dynasty members jostle for position. Among the mooted candidates are the late emir’s eldest son Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad, 72; his nephew Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad, 79; and his brother Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber. Kuwaiti sources and a diplomat told Reuters this week that Meshal, deputy chief of the National Guard, appears most likely to get the role that traditionally manages the government’s often difficult relationship with the parliament.