King, Abbas hold key talks

 

 

 

RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh on Tuesday. The talks dealt with US proposals to start indirect Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and on bilateral issues of common interest.

The talks, in which Abbas received “input from King Abdullah” on the renewed peace efforts ahead of his meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday and visiting US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell on Friday.

But the efforts to revive the Middle East peace process took another blow on Tuesday after Jewish occupiers torched a mosque in the West Bank town of Lubban Ash-Sharqiya.

Palestinian officials said Israel had warned them on Monday about the possibility of an attack by Jewish occupiers angered by the army’s demolition of six partially built structures in Shavei Shomron settlement near Nablus.

A statement issued by Abbas’ office condemns the burning of the mosque and said the attack threatened efforts to revive the peace process.

Asked about other subjects discussed by King Abdullah and President Abbas, a source said the US commitment given to Abbas that a sovereign Palestinian state would be created within two years was also touched on during their discussions. The Israeli rejection of Mitchell’s proposal to withdraw troops from Palestinian-ruled sections of the West Bank was also discussed. Israel had told the US that it could not guarantee such a move before beginning direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Riyadh rains kill two; 155 people rescued

RIYADH: Two people died and one person was injured following torrential rains and hailstorms that brought Riyadh to its knees on Monday.

Democracy icons' son poised to lead Philippines

MANILA: Returning to the Manila highway where 1986 “people power” protests led by his mother ousted a dictator and swept her to power, Benigno Aquino III asked a huge yellow-clad crowd to seize the moment and help him win next week's presidential election.

 

Qatar Airways orders more Boeing 787s, delivery next year

File photo shows the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner being unveiled to the public for the first time in Everett, Washington, in 2007. The Dreamliner boasts of a series of fuel-efficient design features that have sparked huge demand. (AN file photo)

By JASON BENHAM | REUTERS

Published: May 4, 2010 19:56 Updated: May 4, 2010 20:14

DUBAI: Qatar Airways increased its order for Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner to six from two and expects to take delivery by September next year, the carrier’s chief executive said on Tuesday.

“At the moment, we will be receiving six 787s next year; initially it was two,” Akbar Al-Baker told reporters at a travel and tourism conference. “The delivery is still scheduled for September next year.”

Baker also said Qatar’s national carrier hoped to conclude talks with Canada’s Bombardier over the purchase of 20 to 30 C-series aircraft by July.

“We have not concluded our talks,” he said.

“It is only Bombardier we are talking to ... we hope we can conclude it by the airshow in Farnborough,” he added.