Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar
Source: The New York Times (Read full story)
When a handful of Taliban emissaries flew into Qatar on an American plane in 2010, the Obama administration hoped they would help negotiate a peace deal that could stabilize Afghanistan and allow the United States a graceful exit. Three years after that secret arrival, the Taliban officials remain idle and their political office here remains unused.“They are just living here enjoying the air-conditioning, driving luxury cars, eating and making babies,” one Afghan diplomat in Qatar said. “It’s all they can do; they have no work to do.”
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Justice Ministry denies ‘eye-for-an-eye’ paralysis sentence
Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)
The Ministry of Justice has strongly denied reports that a court verdict was issued to deliberately paralyze a Saudi convicted of an attack that left his best friend paralyzed, Al-Sharq newspaper reported Tuesday. Ali Al-Khawahir stabbed his friend in the back 10 years ago when he was 14. The victim was paralyzed from the waist down. Foreign media picked up on Al-Hayat daily’s original report, which claimed Al-Khawahir would also have to be paralyzed as part of an “eye-for-an-eye” sentence handed down by a court.
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Dubai airport to overtake Heathrow as world’s busiest by 2015, says BA chief
Source: The National (Read full story)
Dubai International Airport will have overtaken London Heathrow as the world’s busiest international airport by 2015, according to the man who runs British Airways and Iberia. And that will just be the beginning of Heathrow’s slide down the global league table, according to Willie Walsh, chief executive of the International Airlines Group, holding company for the two giant European carriers. “Instead of being the busiest airport hub, 10 years from now Heathrow will be outside the top five; 20 years from now it won’t be in the top 30,” Mr Walsh told the World Travel & Tourism Council summit in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
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Opposition groups resume protests, call for freedom – Interior Minister under fire over ‘deal’ with Israeli firm
Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)
The Opposition Coalition, an umbrella of several opposition groups and activists, is due to resume protests today with a public rally to press for the freedom of activist tweeters serving jail terms for tweets deemed offensive to the Amir. Titled “the elected government in combating suppressing freedoms”, the rally will be held just outside the Palace of Justice in Kuwait City. It will be the first rally following a lull for several weeks.
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Qatar Proposes $1 Billion Jerusalem Heritage Fund
Source: The New York Times (Read full story)
Qatar’s emir proposed on Tuesday that the Arab League create a $1 billion fund to protect the Arabic and Islamic heritage of Jerusalem, the disputed holy city that remains one of the most intractable issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, said he would contribute $250 million to the fund. He also proposed a special meeting “at the nearest time possible” to promote Palestinian reconciliation between the Fatah and Hamas political factions and the formation of a new Palestinian transitional government.
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Oman Air backs MOD70 campaign
Source: Times of Oman (Read full story)
Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate and long-time partner of Oman Sail’s projects, will sponsor Musandam–Oman Air, Oman’s flagship Multi One Design 70 (MOD70) campaign for the upcoming action-packed 2013 season. Oman’s Ministry of Tourism also returns as a partner in the international campaign and will have a shore-based presence at several venues to promote the country as a high-end tourist and foreign-investment destination. The national airline is no newcomer to the sport, having previously sponsored Oman Sail’s highly successful Extreme 40 campaign.
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