The Minister of Public Health and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani announced five more cases of swine flu in Qatar, taking the number of confirmed cases in the country to 10. QNA

The Qatar Investment Authority could acquire more shares in ailing German sports carmaker Porsche than previously thought, German magazine Focus said.

Consumer confidence in summer promotions launched by shopping outlets in the country is running at an alarmingly low level, reveals an online survey conducted by Al Sharq

Qatar is the most peaceful country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The country topped in the region and ranked 16th globally, according to Global Peace Index 2009 (GPI) released by the US-based Institute for Economics and Peace.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has hailed ties between France and Qatar as “long-standing and ideal” and based on partnership in several spheres.

The Qatari bourse is being turned into a world-class international exchange in partnership with New York Stock Exchange’s Euronext (NYX).

Renowned Japanese physicist Prof Dr Takaya Kawabe visited Al Israa Independent Primary Girls School on Thursday to introduce “Kids’ ISO 14000 Programme” — the most effective environmental education programme today.

Plans are afoot to develop the northern areas of the country in a big way. The move will additionally check the influx of people from these areas into Doha, which is bursting at its seams.

Qatar is sprucing up efforts to control pollution and monitor the operation of all the retail fuel outlets, Saad Ali al-Kubaisi, the chairman of the petrol station executive committee, said yesterday.