The European-based sailing series offers the sultanate a much larger opportunity. Competing in France, UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, BOMU and Oman Sail are confident this activity will not only boost the sultanate's economy but also have a long-term positive effect on Oman's business, tourism and national brand.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman yesterday stressed the importance of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's visit to Lebanon, which he said would benefit Arab unity as a whole.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Saudi Arabia Tuesday, trying to strengthen support ahead of a U.S. effort to start indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.Saudi Arabia has played an "outstanding" role in supporting the Palestinian resolve to create "an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."

The Arab News, since its inception, has carefully maintained a style of reporting on Saudi-UK relations that might best be described as one of friendly formality. It is almost never critical.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, two major regional powers bordering Iraq, have been a focal point for talks between competing Iraqi factions since the March 7 elections. Damascus, a crucial player in regional politics, is keen not to be overshadowed by Tehran and Riyadh.

Twitter has had a phenomenological influence on the international news media in the post-Iranian elections period in June 2009 onwards. Through the continuous 24 hour- cycle of tweets, the micro-blogging site was challenging the censorship applied by the Iranian government on all news media covering the confrontations following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . After years of state monopoly and censorship twitter and other social media sites and applications are making governments more concerned over news.