Dubai bans popular Arabian Business website over 'fake news' allegation

Arabian Business has withdrawn the report, entitled "51 Dubai projects under liquidation process", and posted an apology.

It stated "the information published related to projects dating from 2010 and as such are now outdated".

Dubai's media regulation office released a statement confirming that the Arabian Business website had been blocked and distribution of its print edition halted for one month, beginning Wednesday night.

"The magazine committed violation of the rules and regulations of Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA) by publishing false news that was based on inaccurate information," the statement said.

The DCAA is a government agency that oversees media in Dubai. The office is "mandated to promote Dubai as one of the world's most attractive cities for creative businesses", according to its website.

Representatives of Arabian Business were not reachable for comment Thursday. Arabian Business is published by Dubai-based ITP Media Group, a Middle East publisher which also produces Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Esquire in the region.

On Friday, the government's Dubai Media Office denied there was any truth to the report, which it noted had been "copied by Qatari media".

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt banned Qatari news giant Al Jazeera, alleging that the channel and website promotes hate speech and extremism.

The UAE is part of a Saudi-led bloc that suspended enforced a blockade on Qatar last month over allegations Doha had ties to Iran and supported Islamist extremism. 

Saudi Arabia and its allies unveiled a "terrorist" blacklist on Tuesday of 18 organisations and individuals suspected of links with "Islamist extremism" that they said had ties with Qatar.

Doha has categorically denied the allegations.