A United Arab Emirates spacecraft rocketed into blue skies from a Japanese launch center Monday at the start of a seven-month journey to Mars on the Arab world's first interplanetary mission.

The liftoff of the Mars orbiter named Amal, or Hope, starts a rush to fly to Earth's neighbor that is scheduled to be followed in the next few days by China and the United States.

A Japanese rocket carrying the first Arab mission to Mars will blast into space on Monday, after being delayed by bad weather, the launch company said Friday.

Britain's cyber-security agency on Thursday accused a hacking group it said "almost certainly" operates as part of Russian intelligence services of trying to steal research into potential coronavirus vaccines.

The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it would delay the launch of its "Hope" Mars probe for a second time, again due to bad weather.

The United Arab Emirates announced Tuesday the postponement of the launch of its "Hope" Mars probe due to weather conditions at Japan's Tanegashima Space Center. 

Daniel Gold, who led the team that invented Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, has a history of safeguarding the country against what he identifies as existential threats. 

Mars may now be considered a barren, icy desert but did Earth's nearest neighbour once harbour life? 

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates has built a nuclear power programme and sent a man to space, and now plans to join another elite club by sending a probe to Mars.

The six-decade space race to explore Mars has led to some 40 missions, at least half of which have been successful, and still the Red Planet inspires new adventures.

Scientists in Italy are investigating the mysterious appearance of pink glacial ice in the Alps, caused by algae that accelerate the effects of climate change.