Oman Sultan Qaboos has died: state media

Sultan Qaboos, who ruled Oman for almost half a century, has died at the age of 79, the Omani news agency said Saturday. "With sadness ... the Omani Sultanate court mourns ... our Sultan Qaboos bin Said ... who God chose to be by his side on Friday evening," the agency said.

Qaboos, the longest-ruling Arab monarch, had been ill for some time and had been believed to be suffering from colon cancer.