Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil on Friday set the average subscription fee to private power generation in all Lebanese areas at LBP 350/kWh for the 5 amperes category.

Bassil noted that this measure enables citizens and municipalities to hold accountable the providers of private power generation in the country. However, he added that it also respects the rights of the providers.

The United Arab Emirates said on Friday that a planned ban on BlackBerry services that had been due to come into effect next week will not go ahead.

"BlackBerry services will carry on as usual and will not be suspended on October 11," said a statement from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) carried by the state WAM news agency.

BP's damaged public image was left in tatters Friday after furious U.S. lawmakers pilloried the energy giant's boss, accusing him of stonewalling on the causes of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

In hostile questioning on Thursday, lawmakers tried and failed to win answers about the spill from BP's chief executive Tony Hayward.