President Michel Sleiman and Lebanese spiritual leaders sent a message of peace after several days of violence in the country. Leaders of Lebanon’s religious groups met at the Presidential Palace to try to boost national reconciliation after dozens died in sectarian fighting. Fierce clashes in Beirut and other parts of the country in May that killed 65 people raised fears of all-out conflict in Lebanon. Sleiman, who organised the meeting, told delegates that “differences between...

A German institute of Turkish studies sacked its Turkish-born director after he said Turks in Germany and other European countries suffered discrimination similar to that suffered by the Jews in the Holocaust. The Essen-based Centre for Turkish Studies, which is funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said that it had decided to dismiss Faruk Sen for the comment and for previous remarks that presented a distorted picture of relations between Turks and Germans in Germany. Sen had cont...

UK police chief, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair talked about his own seniority and record in a rare statement to defend claims of racism in Britain’s largest police force. His defence line was that every member of London’s Metropolitan police force “works to my direction and must meet my reasonable requirements. Any other position is impossible. If that does not occur, I will deal with the matter robustly and quickly.” His statement was issued as he ...

The Saudi government’s public health care sector provides 80 per cent of medical services in the Kingdom, said Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie while delivering a speech on the third day of the Knowledge Economy Forum in Madinah. He said that one of the major challenges facing the Saudi health sector was the free health care offered to the 3 million Haj and 10 million Umrah pilgrims who visit the Kingdom annually. For instance, many pilgrims suffer from heart problems, which require...

Some Shoura members of Saudi Arabia have called for cancelling jail sentences imposed on people who were unable to pay their debts because of financial difficulties. They argued that imprisoning someone because of debt was against Shari’ah law and international charters. However, the Shoura members unanimously agreed on punishing those who delay in paying their debts and stash their money in offshore accounts or indulge in other deceptive practices. They believed that the release of d...

The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) are set to invest $160 to $200 billion on 14 to 20 energy projects to meet their growing energy demands. In a statement, Dr Abdullah Al-Amiri, chairman of the Emirates Energy Award, said that the GCC countries have overcome the fears associated with energy funds or oil prices. The theory that either of these two situations would have a negative effect on the GCC countries has proved to be incorrect, as several current findings seem to in...

Mango, often referred to as the ‘queen of fruits’, is being cultivated successfully in the desert, thanks to the efforts of an industrial city in Qatar and India’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Around 3,000 trees in a mango orchard developed in the Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC), 80 km northeast of the Qatari capital of Doha, have started bearing mature-green, ready-to-pluck fruits. The trees were planted across a four-acre plot four years ago and now the trees are aro...

A young Saudi’s scientific innovations in serving people with special needs have earned him an honorary doctorate degree from University of Dublin, California in the United States. The university recognised the contribution of the young Saudi, Mishaal Hisham Harsani, in creating several modern facilities for the disabled to help them adapt the global technological advancement. Harsani told Okaz that his 17-year association with Prince Abdul Majeed Bin Abdul Aziz Centre for the Care of...

The municipal council in a northern Malaysian city Kota Baru has asked women working in restaurants and other businesses to refrain from wearing heavy makeup, including bright lipstick, and high-heeled shoes that make tapping sounds. If they insist on wearing such shoes, the heels should be padded with rubber, reports said on June 23, adding that the circular aimed to protect the women’s dignity and morals.

Kota Baru is the capital of Kelantan state, which is ruled by Pan...