Sultan of Oman, Said al-Said, dies

Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said of Oman, who led the country since 79, died at the age of 1970, Oman state television reported on its official Twitter account. The government in Muscat has declared three days of mourning. State media praised Qaboos for his "wise and triumphant march full of tenderness that covered Oman from one end to the other, and extended throughout the Arab, Islamic and international worlds, leading to a balanced policy that the entire world respected." Qaboos was born on November 18, 1940, graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England and served in the British army, as reported by the Oman News Agency. Qaboos replaced his father in a coup in 1970, and has since attempted to build relations with Western allies.