UPDATE 5-Bush says committed to Middle East peace efforts

Reuters: [2008-05-17 19:23:00]

(Updates throughout with Bush, Abbas, Gheit comments)

By Matt Spetalnick and Tabassum Zakaria

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, May 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush, responding to Arab dismay about his praise for Israel, said on Saturday he was confident a deal on Palestinian statehood could be reached before he leaves office.

Despite scepticism over his chances of securing a peace agreement by the end of his term in January, Bush expressed optimism that a deal could be done.

Speaking after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Bush said he told Abbas that he was "absolutely committed" to working with Palestinians and Israelis to get a Palestinian state defined.

"I do so for a couple of reasons. One, it breaks my heart to see the vast potential of the Palestinian people really wasted," he said.

"It'd be an opportunity to end the suffering that takes place in the Palestinian territories," Bush said. "And the second reason I'm for it is because it's the only way for lasting peace."

Palestinians say the Israeli occupation in the West Bank has created great hardship for them.

Abbas did not mention Bush's speech to Israel's parliament on Thursday in which he heaped praise on Israel but made only one reference to Palestinians' aspirations for a state of their own.

"We know very well that you personally as well as your administration are committed to reach peace before the end of 2008," Abbas said. "We are delighted to continue our engagement with you."

Bush, who will address Palestinian issues in a speech Sunday to the World Economic Forum, said the creation of a Palestinian state would be "an opportunity to end the suffering in the Palestinian territories."

ANNIVERSARY VISIT

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had raised the issue of Bush's speech to the Knesset in a meeting earlier on Saturday.

"We detect on the American side some optimism and we told them that we have the same information but it is results that will reveal whether this progress which the parties speak of is real," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters.

"Time will tell how able the U.S. administration is to achieve its objectives but we must keep trying. We cannot leave the Palestinians in this tragic situation which we see in Gaza, or the West Bank," he said.

On the way from the airport on the last leg of his Middle East tour, Bush's motorcade passed a "peacemakers" mural on the side of the road, a reminder of past efforts on diplomacy in the region by his predecessors.

Bush's visit to Israel to celebrate its 60th anniversary raised fresh doubts in the Arab world over his ability to act as an even-handed broker between Israel and the Palestinians.

He hailed Israel as a "homeland for the chosen people" and pledged that Israelis could forever count on American support against enemies like Hamas and Iran.

Abbas, who wants Bush to put more pressure on Israel, has little leverage and is weak at home, governing only in the West Bank while the Islamists of Hamas control Gaza.

Israeli Prme Minister Ehud Olmert is also on the ropes, facing a corruption scandal that could force his resignation and possibly derail the peace process altogether.

Bush's Middle East tour, his second this year, follows a U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November where Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged to try to reach a peace agreement by the end of Bush's term.

Since then, talks have bogged down over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and violence in and around the Gaza Strip, where Hamas cross-border rocket fire has triggered a tough Israeli military response.

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Wright; Editing by Keith Weir) ((Reuters Messaging: matt.spetalnick.reuters.com@reuters.net; +1 202 898 8300, fax +1 202 898 8383))

Keywords: BUSH MIDEAST/

UPDATE 2-Tennis-Jankovic faces qualifier after Sharapova hurt

Reuters: [2008-05-17 18:15:00]

(Recasts after Cornet win)

ROME, May 17 (Reuters) - Title holder Jelena Jankovic will meet French qualifier Alize Cornet in the final of the Italian Open after the withdrawal of Russian second seed Maria Sharapova with a calf strain.

The 18-year-old Cornet staged a splendid comeback to upset Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze 3-6 6-4 6-3 and earn herself a meeting with Serb fourth seed Jankovic.

The first set of the semi-final was tight until the seventh game, when Cornet was punished with a break of serve after blasting some easy forehands into net.

The 18-year-old lost the five games that followed and looked out of the match at 3-0 down in the second set.

But Chakvetadze repeated the tendency she showed earlier in the tournament to relax in the middle of her matches and Cornet took advantage to roar back and level things.

The Frenchwoman, who knocked out last year's finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova on Thursday, carried the momentum in the deciding set to reach her first big final.

Sharapova, who will become world number one next week after Belgian Justine Henin retired from tennis on Wednesday, said she should be fully fit for the French Open which starts on May 25.

"The most important thing is recovery and to be ready for the French (Open), which is obviously a goal for every player," Australian Open champion Sharapova told a news conference.

"I'm going to Paris in a couple of hours. I'm going to get some treatment over there and try to be ready as soon as possible. I hope in two days I'll be able to be on court and be normal."

Jankovic, who beat American seventh seed Venus Williams in the quarter-finals on Friday, said she was disappointed not to have played the match.

"I wanted to play. I was ready for another challenge, another tough match. Unfortunately she has an injury. It happens because we have really tough, intense matches. Our bodies cannot take it sometimes. I'm happy to be in the final and have a big opportunity to win to defend my title."

The women's tournament has been troubled by injuries, like the men's Rome Masters was last week.

Cornet got a walkover into the last four on Friday when Serena Williams pulled out of their quarter-final with a back injury.

Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova progressed to the quarter-finals on Thursday when Belarussian Victoria Azarenka retired with a knee injury from their third round match when the former was 6-2 1-0 ahead.

Both of the semi-finals and one of the quarters at last week's Rome Masters ended early because of injury.

(Reporting by Paul Virgo, editing by Clare Lovell)

(Clare.lovell@reuters.com, London Sports Desk +442075427933; RM: clare.lovell.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com)).

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Keywords: TENNIS WOMEN/ROME

WRAPUP 5-Lebanese leaders tackle core issues at Qatar talks

Reuters: [2008-05-17 17:25:00]

* Committee makes progress on election law

* Sheikh Hamad holds consultations on government set-up

(Adds details)

By Nadim Ladki

DOHA, May 17 (Reuters) - Rival leaders tackled divisive issues at the heart of Lebanon's political crisis on Saturday at Qatari-mediated talks aimed at pulling their country back from the brink of civil war.

Government and opposition leaders left a conference room separately in the morning, after 90 minutes of tense talks ending a standoff that has paralysed the government for 18 months and left Lebanon with no president since November.

Delegates said a six-member committee established at that session and asked to lay a framework for a new election law had already made progress.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani is holding consultations to bring rival leaders closer to a deal on the framework for a new government.

"The impression, thank God, from the session, shows the desire among all the factions to reach an understanding ... that will bring us to the beginning of a solution to this crisis," Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told Voice of Lebanon radio.

"We have to have faith and trust that we will do the impossible until we find solutions to this difficult stage that Lebanon has faced the past two weeks."

On Thursday, Arab mediators reached a deal to end Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the 1975-1990 civil war and create a framework for the talks hosted by Qatar.

The clashes killed 81 people and worsened sectarian tensions between Shi'ites loyal to Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Druze and Sunni followers of the U.S.-supported ruling coalition.

Washington blames Syria and Iran for Hezbollah's brief seizure of parts of Beirut last week which forced the government to rescind two decisions that had triggered the escalation.

The opposition has demanded more say in a cabinet controlled by factions opposed to Syrian influence in Lebanon.

The ruling coalition's refusal to yield to the opposition's demand for veto power in cabinet triggered the resignation of all Shi'ite ministers in November 2006, crippling a political system build around the delicate sectarian balance.

HEZBOLLAH WEAPONS

Power-sharing in a new government and the basis of an election law are the core issues on the agenda. The ruling coalition also raised the matter of Hezbollah's weapons after the anti-Israel group turned its guns against political rivals.

Delegates said politicians from the Western-backed camp and Hezbollah had got into a heated debate over the prickliest issue and the one that led to the recent clashes -- Hezbollah's arms.

Sheikh Hamad intervened to end that debate, which he said should be postponed until after a deal is clinched to end the political stalemate and allow for the election of a president.

Hezbollah says its arms are meant to protect Lebanon against its Israeli foe. Opponents, trounced in the fighting, argue they undermine the sovereignty of the state.

"There is a real will on all sides; everyone lost with what happened. The winner (Hezbollah) is the bigger loser, because it opened up the important issue of the use of weapons," said Michel Pharaon, a minister in the U.S.-backed government.

"It is imperative that there be discussions on the sovereignty of the state ..."

There has been no deadline set for the talks but some politicians said a deal could be reached within a few days.

"The issue is not simple," government minister Ahmad Fatfat said. "Everyone will work day and night to reach a solution."

Syria, which backs the opposition and is an ally of Iran, said it supported the Qatari-led Arab League initiative. The anti-Damascus factions have long accused the opposition of seeking to restore Syrian domination over Lebanon, which ended in 2005 when Syria withdrew its troops in the face of international pressure and Lebanese protests.

Saudi Arabia, a strong backer of the ruling coalition, also stated its support for the deal.

A deal would lead to the election of army commander General Michel Suleiman as president. Both sides have accepted his nomination for a post reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. (Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy in Beirut, Writing by Nadim Ladki and Lin Noueihed) ((for a factbox outlining the disputes, click on [nL16555975]))

Keywords: LEBANON/

Reuters sports schedule at 1500 GMT on Saturday May 17

Reuters: [2008-05-17 16:52:00]

May 17 (Reuters) - Reuters sports schedule at 1500 GMT on Saturday (all times GMT):

SOCCER

Ligue 1, final round of matches (all 1845)

Auxerre v Olympique Lyon

AS Nancy v Stade Rennes

FC Lorient v Lille

Metz v Le Mans

Sochaux v Paris St Germain

Nice v Caen

Olympique Marseille v Racing Strasbourg

Racing Lens v Girondins Bordeaux

St Etienne v Monaco

Toulouse v Valenciennes

PARIS - Lyon will clinch a record seventh consecutive title with at least a draw at Auxerre. Bordeaux still have a slim chance to topple the leaders if they win at Lens, who are struggling for survival along with Toulouse and PSG.

(SOCCER-FRANCE), PIX, expect 500 words by 2100. Julien Pretot reports.

Primera Liga

Real Murcia v Barcelona (2000)

MADRID - Frank Rijkaard will be in the Barca dug out for the last time before leaving the club when they visit relegated Real Murcia in their final match of the season. The Catalans have won just one of their last seven league games.

(SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PIX, TV) Expect 300 words. Mark Elkington reports

English FA Cup

Portsmouth v Cardiff City, Wembley (1400)

LONDON - Championship (second division) side Cardiff face Portsmouth in the 127th FA Cup final with both teams looking for a second FA Cup success, Portsmouth having lifted the trophy in 1939 and Cardiff becoming the only non-English winners in 1927.

(SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP) Expect 600 words plus quotes and sidebars. Mike Collett and Mitch Phillips report from Wembley.

Serie A

Sampdoria v Juventus (1300)

MILAN - Sampdoria host Juve in their final game of the season with the pair already assured of European football next term. Juventus strikers Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet are in the running to finish as the league's top scorer.

Chievo may also win promotion to Serie A.

(SOCCER-ITALY/) pix. Expect 250 words by 1700. Mark Meadows reports

Bundesliga final round of matches (all 1330)

Nuremberg v Schalke 04

Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen

Bayern Munich v Hertha Berlin

Borussia Dortmund v VfL Wolfsburg

Eintracht Frankfurt v MSV Duisburg

Hamburg SV v Karlsruhe SC

Hanover 96 v Energie Cottbus

VfB Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld

VfL Bochum v Hansa Rostock

BERLIN - Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn end their Bayern careers in the champions' final match of the season against Hertha. Arminia Bielefeld and Nuremberg battle to avoid the final relegation place.

(SOCCER-GERMANY/) pix. Expect 300 words. Kevin Fylan reports.

Greek Cup final

Aris Salonika v Olympiakos Piraeus (1800)

ATHENS - Olympiakos bid to complete a league and cup double.

(SOCCER-EUROPE/GREECE-CUP) pix. Barney Spender reports.

- - - -

CRICKET

England v New Zealand, first test, Lord's

LONDON - England at tea on 89 for no wicket after Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss resumed their partnership at a rain-interrupted Lord's test in reply to New Zealand's 277 all out.

(CRICKET-ZEALAND/) pix. We will file interval leads, the scoreboard and a wrapup, 500 words. John Mehaffey reports.

- - - -

GOLF

European Tour: Irish Open, Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Limerick (to 18)

ADARE, Ireland - Surprise package Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France took a one stroke lead over Germany's Marcel Siem into the third round. Australian Richard Green and Spain's Pablo Larrazabal were a further shot back tied for third.

(GOLF-EUROPEAN/) pix. Expect 400 words. Bernie McGuire reports.

ATLANTA - American Jonathan Byrd has a three-shot lead over compatriots Kenny Perry and Ryan Palmer heading into the third round at the TPC Sugarloaf. Byrd, looking for his fourth career win on the PGA Tour, is 12 under-par after shooting six-under in both rounds so far.

(GOLF/PGA) expect end of play report by 0100, 450 words.

- - - -

TENNIS

Hamburg Masters, semi-finals

HAMBURG, Germany - French Open champion Rafael Nadal, seeded second, faces number three seed and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic. World number one and top seed Roger Federer beat unseeded Italian Andreas Seppi in the other semi-final.

(TENNIS-MEN/MASTERS). 500 words. pix. Iain Rogers reports.

- -

WTA: Italian Open (to 18)

ROME - Unseeded Alize Cornet of France, who dumped Serena Williams out of the tournament in the last eight, faces Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze for a place in Sunday's final. Serb Jelena Jankovic had a walkover after Maria Sharapova pulled out injured.

(TENNIS-WOMEN/ROME), pix, 500 words. Paul Virgo reports.

- - - -

CYCLING

Giro d'Italia (to June 1)

TIVOLI, Italy - Italy's Giovanni Visconti starts the 208km eighth stage from Rivisondoli to Tivoli, which is expected to finish in a sprint, with a nine-second lead over Germany's Matthias Russ.

(CYCLING-GIRO/) pix. Expect 300 words by 1800. Stephen Farrand reports.

- - - -

RALLYING

Rally of Sardinia, Italy (to 18)

CAGLIARI, Italy - World champion Sebastien Loeb starts the second leg in the lead after a consistent run on Friday when he hinted he could go even faster.

(RALLYING/ITALY) pix, expect 300 words by 1800. Mark Meadows reports

- - - -

ICE HOCKEY

QUEBEC CITY - Nordic rivals Sweden and Finland will play for the bronze medal at the world championship. We will also setup Sunday's gold medal final between unbeaten Canada and Russia.

(ICE HOCKEY-WORLDS/BRONZE), pix, by Steve Keating, expect 2200, 300 words.

- - - -

BOXING

DURANGO, Mexico - WBC champion Cristian Mijares fights WBA title-holder Alexander Munoz in the first super flyweight unification title bout in more than 10 years.

(BOXING/MIJARES), expect by 0400, 250 words.

- - - -

NHL

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings can book their place in the Stanley Cup finals if they wrap up their series against the Dallas Stars. The Red Wings lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

(NHL/) pix, expect by 0300, 400 words.

- - - -

BASEBALL

NEW YORK - The New York Mets and New York Yankees meet after their Subway Series opener on Friday was rained off. The two clash at Yankee Stadium with the Mets sending $137.5 million acquisition Johan Santana to the mound against Yankee fill-in starter Darrell Rasner.

(BASEBALL/), pix, expect around 0330, 400 words.

(Duty editor Clare Lovell London Sports Desk +44 207 542 7933, from 1630 Trevor Huggins)

Keywords: SPORTSCHEDULE/SATURDAY

UPDATE 1-Motorcycling-Pedrosa snatches French Grand Prix pole

Reuters: [2008-05-17 16:36:00]

(Adds 250cc pole)

LE MANS, France, May 17 (Reuters) - MotoGP championship leader Dani Pedrosa of Spain put his Honda on pole for Sunday's French Grand Prix with his last lap in Saturday's qualifying session.

On the least technical circuit of the season, Pedrosa clocked a best time of one minute 32.647 to beat Yamaha's American Colin Edwards by 0.127 seconds and take his 10th pole in the top category.

Australian world champion Casey Stoner was third on his Ducati with Italian Valentino Rossi fourth on his Yamaha.

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, also on a Yamaha, took fifth place despite having fractured both of his ankles in a crash during free practice for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai two weeks ago.

In the 250cc category, Alex Debon of Spain won pole on an Aprilia after beating compatriot Alvaro Bautista, also riding an Aprilia, by 0.018 seconds.

In the 125cc category, Spaniard Sergio Gadea riding an Aprilia took pole position ahead of Britain's Bradley Smith, also on an Aprilia.

(Writing by Julien Pretot in Paris, editing by Alan Baldwin) ((julien.pretot@thomsonreuters.com; RM: julien.pretot.reuters.com@reuters.net; +33 1 4949 5370; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com))

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Keywords: MOTORCYCLING PRIX/POLE