Dubai on Wednesday beat off opposition from Brazil, Russia and Turkey to win the right to host the 2020 World Expo.

The Gulf city beat Russia's Ekaterinberg in the final round of voting to clinch a prestigious event that is credited with delivering a huge boost to tourism and business in the host city.

Heavy rains and flooding forced the annual airshow in Dubai to close early on its last day Thursday while schools in the desert Gulf state were ordered shut.

"The Dubai Airshow is closed for now, we advise people to refrain from traveling to the site," organizers said in an emailed statement.

An international media watchdog on Tuesday condemned the jailing of a Tweeter in the United Arab Emirates who used the micro-blogging website to post about the trial of 94 Islamists.

Waleed al-Shehhi was arrested on May 11 after he published on his Twitter account information about the trial of the 94 Emiratis, 69 of whom were jailed for up to 15 years in July on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

The United Arab Emirates' state security court on Tuesday began the trial of 30 Emiratis and Egyptians charged with setting up an illegal branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The conservative monarchies of the Gulf have long viewed the Brotherhood -- a grass-roots movement founded in Egypt more than 80 years ago -- as a threat because of its political activism and advocacy for Islamic governance.

Stability in the Gulf monarchies is essential for Egypt's security, Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi said Sunday, a day after the United Arab Emirates pledged Cairo an extra $3.9 billion (2.8 billion euros) in aid.

The UAE and other Gulf monarchies backed the July 3 overthrow of Egypt's Islamist president Mohammed Morsi and have vowed to help the interim government address the economic devastation wrought by two years of political turmoil.

The United Arab Emirates agreed Saturday to give Egypt's military-installed government another $3.9 billion in aid after transferring $1 billion in July, the official WAM news agency said.

The UAE and other Gulf monarchies were staunch supporters of the July 3 overthrow of Egypt's first Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, and have vowed to help the interim government address the economic devastation wrought by two years of political turmoil.

Pop star Rihanna was asked to leave Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque complex for posing for "inappropriate" pictures outside one of the world's largest Muslim places of worship.

Authorities said they had taken action before the Barbadian diva entered the mosque itself, which is not off-limits to non-Muslims and has become a major tourist attraction in the United Arab Emirates capital.

The Pentagon said Thursday it plans to sell Washington's Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates $10.8 billion worth of missiles and munitions, including "bunker-buster" bombs.

The move follows a series of U.S. weapons deals in recent years that have bolstered the air power and missile arsenals of Gulf states, which view Iran as a menacing rival with nuclear ambitions.

United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suheil al-Mazrouei said Monday the country was on track to achieve its goal of a one-third increase in oil production by 2017.

"We are confident and the projects are on time," Mazrouei told Agence France Presse at the ongoing World Energy Congress in Daegu, South Korea.

From camel carpaccio to camel bourguignon and gold-leaf burger, the meat offered traditionally at big festivities of bedouins has become a fancy ingredient in the Gulf's prestigious restaurants.

Under the golden dome of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace, which bills itself as a seven-star hotel, French chef Sandro Gamba proudly presents his latest: a camel burger bedded in gold-leaf bread, served with onion jam and smoked halloumi cheese.