'Torture Sheik' Detained

(NEWSER) - Video of a member of the UAE’s royal family brutally torturing an Afghan salesman threatens to sink a nuclear trade deal between the UAE and the US, the Times of London reports. Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a brother of the UAE president, is shown beating the trader and running him over with a truck. Those close to the Obama administration say the video is directly responsible for stalling the deal. More»

10-year-old kids still used in dangerous sport

(NEWSER) - Children as young as 10 are still being used as jockeys in dangerous camel races in the United Arab Emirates, despite a law banning the practice. Observers from the group Anti-Slavery International photographed children racing at a recent event in Abu Dhabi attended by police officers and government officials, the Independent reports. More»

New blow to UAE's relationship with US

(NEWSER) - The United Arab Emirates prince whose torture video has shaken relations with the US has been accused of 25 other attacks on people that have been videotaped, the Guardian reports. The American who smuggled out the first tape has more than two hours of video footage showing attacks involving Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, his lawyer wrote in a letter to the justice minister. More»

Smuggled tape shows sheikh beating, whipping man before running him over

(NEWSER) - A tape smuggled out of the United Arab Emirates and obtained by ABC News shows a member of the country's royal family viciously torturing a man. Uniformed police assist as the sheikh—the brother of the country's crown prince—tortures the man with whips and cattle prods, pours salt in his wounds, and then runs him over with an SUV. More»

Emirates expected to sign nuclear co-operation deal with US today

(NEWSER) - Abu Dhabi is planning a shift away from fossil fuels despite being one of the world's major oil producers, BusinessWeek reports. The UAE territory, faced with surging demand for electricity and dwindling natural gas reserves, aims to build nuclear plants to supply a quarter of its power. A cooperation deal with the US could be signed as soon as today, despite some American lawmakers' objections. More»