'Hope': Little Amal, a 3.5 metre-tall Syrian refugee puppet, reaches UK

In the Arab world's first interplanetary mission, a spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates was set to swing into orbit around Mars on Tuesday, the first of three robotic explorers arriving at the red planet over the next week and a half.&nbsp;

The orbiter, which is called Amal, Arabic for Hope, traveled 300 million miles in nearly seven months to get to Mars with the goal of mapping its atmosphere throughout each season.&nbsp;

A combination of orbiter and lander from China is close behind, scheduled to reach the planet on Wednesday. It will circle Mars until the rover separates and attempts to land on the surface in May to look for signs of ancient life.&nbsp;

A rover from the US Named Perseverance is set to join the crowd next week, aiming for a landing on February 18. It will be the first leg in a decade-long US-European project to bring Mars rocks back to Earth to be examined for evidence the planet once harbored microscopic life.&nbsp;

About 60 per cent of all Mars missions have ended in failure, crashing, burning up or otherwise falling short in a testament to the complexity of interplanetary travel and the difficulty of making a descent through Mars' thin atmosphere.&nbsp;

If it pulls this off, China will become only the second country to land successfully on Mars. The US has done it eight times, the first almost 45 years ago. A NASA rover and lander are still working on the surface.&nbsp;

For the UAE, it was the country's first venture beyond Earth's orbit, making the flight a matter of intense national pride.&nbsp;

For days, landmarks across the UAE, including Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower on Earth, glowed red to mark Amal's anticipated arrival. This year is the 50th anniversary of the country's founding, casting even more attention on Amal.&nbsp;

The celestial weather station aimed for an exceptionally high Martian orbit of 13,670 miles by 27,340 miles (22,000 kilometers by 44,000 kilometers). It was set to join six spacecraft already operating around Mars: three US, two European and one Indian.&nbsp;

Amal was expected to perform an intricate, high-stakes series of turns and engine firings to maneuver into orbit and achieve what has eluded so many before.&nbsp;

In the Arab world's first interplanetary mission, a spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates was set to swing into orbit around Mars on Tuesday, the first of three robotic explorers arriving at the red planet over the next week and a half.

In the Arab world's first interplanetary mission, a spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates was set to swing into orbit around Mars on Tuesday, the first of three robotic explorers arriving at the red planet over the next week and a half. The orbiter, which is called Amal, Arabic for Hope, traveled 300 million miles in nearly seven months to get to Mars with the goal of mapping its atmosphere throughout each season. A combination of orbiter and lander from China is close behind, scheduled to reach the planet on Wednesday. It will circle Mars until the rover separates and attempts to land on the surface in May to look for signs of ancient life. A rover from the US Named Perseverance is set to join the crowd next week, aiming for a landing on February 18. It will be the first leg in a decade-long US-European project to bring Mars rocks back to Earth to be examined for evidence the planet once harbored microscopic life. About 60 per cent of all Mars missions have ended in failure, crashing, burning up or otherwise falling short in a testament to the complexity of interplanetary travel and the difficulty of making a descent through Mars' thin atmosphere. If it pulls this off, China will become only the second country to land successfully on Mars. The US has done it eight times, the first almost 45 years ago. A NASA rover and lander are still working on the surface. For the UAE, it was the country's first venture beyond Earth's orbit, making the flight a matter of intense national pride. For days, landmarks across the UAE, including Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower on Earth, glowed red to mark Amal's anticipated arrival. This year is the 50th anniversary of the country's founding, casting even more attention on Amal. The celestial weather station aimed for an exceptionally high Martian orbit of 13,670 miles by 27,340 miles (22,000 kilometers by 44,000 kilometers). It was set to join six spacecraft already operating around Mars: three US, two European and one Indian. Amal was expected to perform an intricate, high-stakes series of turns and engine firings to maneuver into orbit and achieve what has eluded so many before.

On historic flight, Arab spacecraft to enter Mars orbit

Clashes broke out between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-deploys-security-forces-in-beirut-before-parliamentary-session-263099">anti-government demonstrators</a> and supporters of the Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, early on Monday, as tensions escalated when demonstrators blocked a main bridge.

Lebanon has faced five weeks of anti-government protests, fuelled by anger at corruption among the sectarian politicians who have governed Lebanon for decades. Demonstrators want to see the entire ruling class gone from power.

Hezbollah and Amal were both represented in the coalition government led by Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hariri-ready-to-be-lebanese-prime-minister-again-but-with-conditions-report-258873">Saad al-Hariri</a>, who quit on October&nbsp;29 after the protests began. The heavily armed Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, had opposed Hariri's resignation.

Army soldiers and riot police formed a barrier separating the protesters from the supporters of the Shi'ite groups on a main road known as the Ring Bridge as rocks were thrown by both sides, television footage broadcast by Lebanese media showed.

Also watch:&nbsp;Lebanon Protest -&nbsp;Hezbollah accuses the US of Interference in Lebanon

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Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, three local television stations reported.

Supporters of Hezbollah and Amal waved the groups' flags. Earlier, they had chanted: "Shia, Shia" and slogans in support of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. On the other side, demonstrators chanted: "Revolution, revolution".

Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed reported that fighting apparently broke out when Hezbollah and Amal supporters blamed other demonstrators for making offensive comments about Nasrallah. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

The ground was strewn with rocks. A motorcycle was set on fire.

The Lebanese civil defense said on its Twitter account that it was administering first aid to five people suffering from "various injuries."

It was the worst tension in Beirut since a mob loyal to Hezbollah and Amal attacked and destroyed the main protest camp in central Beirut last month. The protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful.

&nbsp;

Clashes broke out between anti-government demonstrators and supporters of the Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, early on Monday, as tensions escalated when demonstrators blocked a main bridge.

Clashes broke out between anti-government demonstrators and supporters of the Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, early on Monday, as tensions escalated when demonstrators blocked a main bridge. Lebanon has faced five weeks of anti-government protests, fuelled by anger at corruption among the sectarian politicians who have governed Lebanon for decades. Demonstrators want to see the entire ruling class gone from power. Hezbollah and Amal were both represented in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, who quit on October 29 after the protests began. The heavily armed Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, had opposed Hariri's resignation. Army soldiers and riot police formed a barrier separating the protesters from the supporters of the Shi'ite groups on a main road known as the Ring Bridge as rocks were thrown by both sides, television footage broadcast by Lebanese media showed. Also watch: Lebanon Protest - Hezbollah accuses the US of Interference in Lebanon × Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, three local television stations reported. Supporters of Hezbollah and Amal waved the groups' flags. Earlier, they had chanted: "Shia, Shia" and slogans in support of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. On the other side, demonstrators chanted: "Revolution, revolution". Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed reported that fighting apparently broke out when Hezbollah and Amal supporters blamed other demonstrators for making offensive comments about Nasrallah. Reuters could not independently verify the report. The ground was strewn with rocks. A motorcycle was set on fire. The Lebanese civil defense said on its Twitter account that it was administering first aid to five people suffering from "various injuries." It was the worst tension in Beirut since a mob loyal to Hezbollah and Amal attacked and destroyed the main protest camp in central Beirut last month. The protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful.

Lebanese protesters clash with supporters of Hezbollah, Amal in Beirut

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