UAE

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s octogenarian monarch underwent a colonoscopy on Sunday, state-run media reported, just weeks after he had the battery of his pacemaker changed.

The report in the official Saudi Press Agency first said only that King Salman, 86, was admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi port city of Jiddah for medical tests, without elaborating.

05 May 2022; MEMO: Abu Dhabi hosted its first official Israeli memorial event on Tuesday to commemorate the dead soldiers from the Israeli army.

The proceedings took place in Hebrew at the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi, and were led by the Israeli Ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Amir Hayek.

01 May 2022; MEMO: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as part of his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Anadolu reports.

Sharif arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday on his maiden visit to the UAE, the second leg of his Gulf tour, which took him to Saudi Arabia.

01 May 2022; MEMO: The UAE will send an astronaut on a long-term mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, becoming the first Arab state to do so.

After purchasing a seat on a SpaceX rocket from private firm Axiom Space, the UAE will take part in the six-month mission. The Emirati astronaut will be part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission, scheduled for launch in the first half of 2023 at the Kennedy Space Centre in the US State of Florida.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates has purchased a seat on a SpaceX rocket for an Emirati astronaut to journey to the International Space Station for a six-month stay, officials said Friday, the oil-rich federation’s first long-term mission as it advances its ambitions in space.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The world’s economy is forecast to grow around 3.6% this year, but Arab oil exporters are seeing a windfall from high energy prices that will buoy their economies and replenish their financial reserves this year and next, according to a report released Wednesday by the International Monetary Fund.

21 April 2022; MEMO: Jordanian media outlets reported today that "three Arab ministers are unable to attend today's Arab Ministerial Committee emergency meeting charged with international action to confront illegal Israeli policies in occupied Jerusalem."

Jordan's Madar Al-Sa'a website reported that "the Algerian Foreign Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, said he was unable to attend the meeting for medical reasons, instead sending his country's Arab League representative to attend the meeting in his place."

19 April 2022; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates has summoned the Israeli ambassador to protest against occupation forces storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and injuring over 150 Palestinians, the Gulf State's Foreign Ministry said today, Reuters reports.

Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation, stressed the need "to immediately stop these events [and] provide full protection for worshippers," the ministry said in a statement.

20 April 2022; MEMO: A Chinese technology company has secured three oil and gas subsea cable supply projects with the United Arab Emirates, local UAE media reports.

According to the report, ZTT Submarine Cable & System has signed an agreement with UAE's National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) on three oil and gas subsea cable supply projects set to be delivered to the end-user, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

19 April 2022; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has criticised "some countries in the region" who have normalised relations with Israel, saying this encouraged the occupation state to exacerbate its attacks against Palestinians.

Speaking to reporters during his weekly press conference yesterday, Khatibzadeh also criticised the international community's silence regarding Israeli crimes, noting that his country "has taken measures in this regard at the level of international organisations".