Tag Archives: horse-racing
Syrian opposition to attend peace conference
Syrian opposition to attend peace conference (AP) / 19 January 2014 The Syrian National Coalition’s media office said that of 73 voters, 58 voted in favour of attending the conference. The main, western-backed Syrian opposition group voted on Saturday in favour of attending next week’s peace conference aimed at ending the country’s bloody civil war. The Syrian National Coalition’s media office said that of 73 voters, 58 voted in favour of attending the conference. It added that 14 voted against, two abstained and one placed a blank ballot. The coalition was under huge pressure from its Western and Arab sponsors to attend the peace talks, scheduled to open on Wednesday in the Swiss city of Montreux. The Syrian government has already said it will attend the UN-sponsored talks. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between the representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition since the country’s crisis began in March 2011, killing more than 100,000 people and displacing millions. The US and Russia have been trying to hold the peace conference since last year and it has been repeatedly delayed. Both sides finally agreed to sit together on the negotiations table after dropping some of their conditions. The aim of the conference, dubbed Geneva 2, is to agree on a roadmap for Syria based on one adopted by the US, Russia and other major powers in June 2012. That plan includes the creation of a transitional government and eventual elections. One of the main demands of the opposition was that President Bashar Al Assad agrees to step down before going to the conference. With his government troops keeping their momentum on the ground, Assad’s government has said he will not surrender power and may run again in elections due in mid-2014. Many coalition members were hesitant to attend a conference that has little chance of success and will burn the last shred of credibility the group has with powerful rebels on the ground, who reject the talks. Many members boycotted the Istanbul meetings that began on Friday, forcing the coalition’s legal committee to approve the decision in a simple majority vote. The coalition’s media office said the group’s leader, Ahmad Al Jarba, will give a speech “to the Syrian people” later Saturday. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
UAE hails 98.1 % yes vote in Egypt referendum
UAE hails 98.1 % yes vote in Egypt referendum (AP, Wam) / 19 January 2014 Egypt’s High Election Commission says 38.6 per cent of the country’s more than 53 million eligible voters took part in the two-day poll. Egypt’s election committee said 98.1 per cent of voters have approved a new, military-backed constitution in the first vote since a coup toppled the country’s president. Egypt’s High Election Commission said on Saturday that 38.6 per cent of the country’s more than 53 million eligible voters took part in the two-day poll. That’s 20.5 million voters casting ballots. UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated the Egyptian people on the success of the referendum on the constitution. “The move is major milestone towards the roadmap for the future which will usher sisterly Egypt into the aspired stability and development,” Shaikh Abdullah said, expressing his pleasure at the huge turnout of voters and their landslide approval for the new constitution, reflecting in a clear way the will of the Egyptian people and their support for the framework which will govern the state and society. Shaikh Abdullah also expressed his confidence that this step would contribute to enhancing stability and confidence in the future of Egypt, promoting its regional and international standing and delivering stability, development and prosperity to the Egyptian people. This was the first vote since the military removed Egypt’s first freely elected president, Mohammed Mursi, following massive protests in July. Officials view the vote as key in legitimising the country’s military-backed interim government and its plan for parliamentary and presidential elections. — AP, Wam For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
RAK Airways suspends services
RAK Airways suspends services Abdul Basit / 1 January 2014 Airline is looking at new options to start operations again with big plans. RAK Airways has suspended operations for its restructuring process, and will be in the air again in a better way, according to the airline’s director of communications. “The airline suspended operations for re-growth and restructuring. We need to move forward and will use this time to re-evaluate and also see what are the best options for RAK Airways’ future,” Elizabeth Percy told Khaleej Times over the phone. “There are options for new investors and we are just looking at new options to start operations again with big plans,” she emphasised. The airline is likely to make another announcement next month regarding the future road-map, aviation sources said. Earlier in the day, the airline announced the suspension of all operations, until further notice, from January 1 (Wednesday). None of the passengers will be affected with the decision, as the airline did not book any flight for 2014, Percy said. On Tuesday the airline operated its last two flights — Doha and Peshawar — before suspending operations. “The decision for suspending operations was taken following increased pressures on the carrier’s performance due to continuous market conditions, increased operating costs and the impact of the regional political instability on the overall aviation industry,” the airline said in a statement. RAK Airways, which re-launched in 2010 with a new livery and under new management, was operating flights from RAK International Airport to Doha, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Jeddah, Riyadh, Calicut and Kathmandu. ‘‘The board of directors took the decision today to suspend the operations until further notice. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the airline and its shareholders. We will take this time to re-evaluate the best options available for RAK Airways’ future as well as those that fit the industry requirements of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah,” the statement said. Percy, who is also director of corporate communications for the RAK Department of Civil Aviation and RAK Airport, said that the airport operations will continue as usual for cargo, charter and other services. Responding to a question, she said that the affected employees of the airline would be compensated under the UAE Labour Law. In October, 2013 RAK Airways celebrated its third anniversary. — abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
