The UAE cabinet approved a draft law Sunday making it compulsory for Emirati men to serve in the military for up to two years, state news agency WAM reported.

The "national and reserve service", optional for girls, will become mandatory for men aged between 18 and 30 years, WAM said, adding that the bill must still be approved by the consultative Federal National Council.

Israeli Energy Minister Silvan Shalom attended a meeting Saturday of the International Renewable Energy Agency in the United Arab Emirates, which has no diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

It is the first time Israel has sent a minister to a meeting of IRENA since its foundation in 2009.

Iran summoned a UAE diplomat in Tehran over the "suspicious" death in custody of an Iranian in the Gulf state, media reported Friday.

"The foreign ministry is seriously following up on the case of Iranian citizen Ali Hosseini, who lost his life while he was detained by UAE security forces," Fars news agency quoted ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham as saying.

Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum has urged that sanctions on Iran be lifted, complaining that his emirate has suffered from the punitive measures imposed on its Gulf neighbor.

"Give Iran a space," Sheikh Mohammed said in an interview with the BBC, excerpts of which were provided by the channel on Monday.

The ruler of Dubai has said he hopes Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will not run for Egypt's presidency, days after the general indicated his willingness to stand in the election.

"I hope he stays in the army. And someone else [stands] for the presidency," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum said in an interview with the BBC, excerpts of which were provided Monday by the channel.

An American man returned to Minnesota on Thursday after spending nine months in prison in the United Arab Emirates for his role in making and posting online a satirical video about youth culture in Dubai.

Shezanne Cassim, 29, told reporters that he did nothing wrong and that there was nothing illegal about the video.

The United Arab Emirates on Friday reiterated its call on its citizens not to travel to Lebanon over the deteriorating security situation in the country.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry also asked UAE nationals currently in Lebanon to leave the country immediately and coordinate with the country's embassy to facilitate their travel.

A UAE court jailed on Monday an American and four other men for one year after they made a YouTube video that mocked Dubai teenagers, The National daily reported.

Shezanne Cassim, a 29-year-old from Minnesota, has been held since April after being charged with endangering the security of the United Arab Emirates under a cybercrimes law.

Dubai police have made a record drug seizure of some 4.6 million Captagon pills, an amphetamine-like stimulant, worth more than $31 million (23 million euros), the local press reported Monday.

Dubai's police chief, Major General Khamis Mattar al-Mazeina, said the "outstanding operation" codenamed "Nine ball" had dealt a major blow to drug trafficking in the United Arab Emirates, the Khaleej Times newspaper reported.

An Emirati campaign to raise funds for Syrian refugees faced with harsh winter conditions in camps in neighboring states has raised almost $28 million, the Red Crescent announced Saturday.

Red Crescent chief Mohammed Atiq, quoted by state news agency WAM, said a Friday-Saturday telethon organized by local television collected 102 million dirhams ($27.8 million).