UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi was overjoyed after receiving a surprise call from his father on Thursday.
Dr Al Neyadi has been serving the Arab world’s longest mission in space since March and is due to return in a few weeks.
His father, Saif Al Neyadi, spoke to him briefly during a live call the astronaut held from the International Space Station, with space enthusiasts gathered at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The call was part of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre's 'A Call from Space' initiative, which has been attended by nearly 10,000 people so far.
“Hello, Sultan. I’m very happy with this call,” Saif Al Neyadi said.
“I’m attending the first call because of some circumstances but your family are all proud of you and I wish you the best of luck.
“We pray that you come home safely with your head held high and your flag held even higher.”
Dr Al Neyadi was excited to hear his father's voice.
He had attended Dr Al Neyadi's launch in Florida and had written a heartfelt poem for him before he blasted off into space.
However, communication between the two has been limited since Dr Al Neyadi's arrived in space owing to his jam-packed schedule.
“This is a beautiful surprise. I hope you and everyone at home are doing well,” Dr Al Neyadi said.
Although contact with his parents has been limited, the father of six has been holding calls with his wife and children.
He said during his birthday in May that he missed his mother's cooking.
Creating opportunities for others
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, also attended the live call.
He told Dr Al Neyadi that his mission will help create opportunities for the youth.
“We are very proud of you that you are the man with the longest mission in Arab history,” he said.
“Your name has become very well known. There's no doubt that your experience will create new opportunities for youth and create interest in science, technologies and the world of exploration.”
Pupils asked the astronaut some questions, including one on whether there could be an Arab space station one day.
Dr Al Neyadi replied that the UAE could get involved in the Lunar Gateway – a small station that Nasa and its international partners are planning to build in the Moon's orbit.
“The UAE might play a role in the Gateway. Anything is possible,” he said.
The National previously reported that the UAE was exploring ways becoming involved, particularly in contributing an airlock on the station.
If the Emirates does secure a deal, it could help the country's space programme take giant leaps, including easier access for Emirati astronauts on future flights to the Moon.
One pupil asked Dr Al Neyadi how he would get his immunity levels back to normal once he returns from space.
“On the ISS, we are exposed to doses of X-rays,” he said.
“We are exposed to radiation 10 times more. We have a device that measures the radiation so we don’t exceed a certain limit.”
Another pupil asked him if his perspective of outer space had changed since arriving at the station.
Dr Al Neyadi said that he has started to appreciate Earth and its nature more.
“Oxygen on Earth is free. Sunlight and everything are taken for granted, but on the ISS we have to continuously recycle these resources, so the new definition I have after coming here is that we have to preserve the environment,” he said.
One audience member asked him if he could take a person with him to space, who it would be, but Dr Al Neyadi was tight-lipped to not upset anyone.
“I wish everyone would try this. I can't pick a name now, so no one gets angry with me,” he said.
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
