Reuters issues apology over retracted story of Dubai explosions

After Dubai Media Office confirmed that a Reuters report about explosions in Downtown area is false, the news agency issued a statement admitting it "regrets" publishing the story as it "did not meet its standards".

"Reuters could not immediately determine where the sounds were coming from or their significance - and did not offer that context," it further explained.

The news agency said it had withdrawn the original story the same night, and issued another report focusing on Dubai Media Office's statement dismissing it as false.

"That story was given equal prominence and contained an explanation of why Reuters had withdrawn the original story," the statement added.

On Thursday, Dubai Media Office confirmed the Reuters report was false, and stressed the importance of relying only on official sources for information and avoiding the spread of rumours.

It also warned that media outlets publishing false news or unverified information will face action under local and federal laws and regulations.