Kuwaiti military men allowed to grow beards

Manama: Kuwait's parliament on Wednesday voted to allow military men to grow beards.

The approval was supported by 30 lawmakers and opposed by eight, including three of the four women who were elected to parliament in a historic breakthrough last year.

The fourth woman, MP Salwa Al Jassar, abstained, alongside Parliament Speaker Jassem Al Khorafi, from voting during the morning session.

The parliament in June approved the first draft of the law on allowing members of the military to grow their beards.

The parliamentary endorsement was promptly hailed by Kuwaiti bloggers as a positive step forward that would allow military staff keen on growing beards to feel more comfortable with their choices.