Reuters has expressed regret over publishing a July 16 report from Dubai headlined “Hearings of explosions in downtown Dubai, according to witnesses,” saying the item did not meet its editorial standards.
The agency said it was unable at the time to immediately verify the source or significance of the sounds, and that the original report did not make that context clear.
Reuters added that, in line with its commitment to providing unbiased and reliable news under the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, it had withdrawn the story and later that same night published a statement from the Dubai Government Media Office denying the contents of the original report.
Dubai media office denial
The official account of the Dubai Government Media Office had earlier denied, on Thursday, the accuracy of a Reuters report about explosions heard in central Dubai.
In a post on X, the office said: “The Dubai Government Media Office denies the accuracy of the report issued by Reuters regarding the sound of explosions in the center of Dubai, and confirms that the information contained in it is incorrect.”
The office added: “The office urges media outlets and the public to obtain news and information from their official and reliable sources, to exercise accuracy before publishing or circulating any information, and to avoid spreading rumours, news and misleading press reports.”