UAE

DUBAI (Reuters) - An explosion has set a fuel tank on fire in Iran’s western province of Kermanshah on Tuesday, Iran’s Mizan news agency reported, in the latest in a series of fires and explosions, some of which have hit sensitive sites.

“An explosion in a fuel tank occurred in Dolat Abad industrial area parking area,” Mizan said, but there were no reports of casualties.

25 July 2020; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is gradually obtaining support in its endeavours to normalise relations with Israel, with economic and security interests alleged to be behind the rapprochement.

Dubai, Jul 20 (PTI) Emiratis brimmed with joy and pride as the UAE made history on Monday by successfully launching its spacecraft "Al Amal" towards Mars from a Japanese launch centre, marking the Arab world's first interplanetary mission, according to media reports.

Al Amal, or Hope Probe, weighing 1.3 tonnes was launched from the H-2A rocket from Japan's remote Tanegashima spaceport at 1.58 am local time.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has been admitted to a hospital in the capital, Riyadh, for medical tests due to inflammation of the gallbladder, the kingdom’s Royal Court said Monday in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The statement said the 84-year-old monarch is being tested at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital. The brief statement did not provide further details.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A United Nations agency acknowledged Sunday that a U.S.-sought oil tanker “hijacked” off the coast of the United Arab Emirates after allegedly smuggling Iranian crude oil is back in Iranian waters.

The International Labor Organization said that the MT Gulf Sky was hijacked July 5, citing its captain. That mirrors earlier reporting by The Associated Press.

“The vessel was taken to Iran,” the ILO said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An oil tanker sought by the U.S. over allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran was hijacked on July 5 off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, a seafarers welfare organization said Wednesday.

Satellite photos showed the vessel in Iranian waters on Tuesday and two of its sailors remained in the Iranian capital.

It wasn’t immediately clear what happened aboard the Dominica-flagged MT Gulf Sky, though its reported hijacking comes after months of tensions between Iran and the U.S.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Air strikes on Yemen’s northern province of al-Jawf killed at least seven civilians on Wednesday, residents and an official from the Houthi movement said - the third such incident since June as violence resurges in the war-ravaged country.

The Houthi health ministry spokesman said air raids by a Saudi-led coalition hit residential houses in the al-Hazm district, killing nine people including two children and two women. Two residents told Reuters seven people had been killed.

15 July 2020; MEMO: The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, on Monday, called for resuming oil production in Libya as soon as possible, stressing that his country supports a ceasefire there.

This came a day after the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) accused Abu Dhabi of playing a role in the suspension of oil production in the country.

15 July 2020; MEMO: The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs warned on Tuesday of possible war in the Libyan city of Sirte, RT has reported.

“War drums are being beaten in Sirte ushering in a dangerous development with dangerous humanitarian and political consequences,” said Anwar Gargash.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain’s highest court upheld death sentences against two activists for bombing a convoy and killing a police officer, after convictions that human rights groups say were based on confessions extracted through torture.

Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa lost their final appeal on Monday against death sentences that were initially handed down by a criminal court in December 2014.