UPDATE (7:32pm, Thursday): Mitra Novin, Manager, California Government Relations for Boeing confirmed that "Saudi Arabia does not currently have C-17's but has shown an interest in obtaining them."

We reported earlier that Mayor Foster is currently visiting Saudi Arabia for the purposes of establishing business relationships with regards to purchases of the Long Beach-made Boeing C-17. The C-17 program has been on thin ice recently, but President Obama recently signed a defense bill that includes funding for an unspecified number of the planes. More than 5,000 jobs in Long Beach depend on the survival of the C-17 program.

BREAKING (5:30pm, Thursday): Mayor Bob Foster is currently visiting Saudi Arabia on a trip with the US Conference of Mayors, according to his office. The delegation includes about ten mayors from across America. The expense of the trip is split between Saudi Arabia and the US Conference of Mayors.

Arizona-based KTAR.com reports that Scott Smith, the Mayor of Mesa, is attending the trip in the interest of increasing business relationships, particularly in regards to helicopters that are manufactured in Mesa.

Mayor Foster will miss next week’s City Council meeting on Tuesday, said aide Stacey Toda. Vice Mayor Val Lerch will preside over the meeting.

Mayor Foster was not present last night at the press conference to announce two arrests in connection with last week’s shooting at Wilson High, but did release the following statement on Friday:

“I want to thank the Long Beach Police Department for their work in quickly finding the people responsible for the murder of Melody Ross,” said Foster. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ross family, and I hope the news brings them some comfort during this most difficult time.”

We will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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