The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface. Nasa
The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface. Nasa
The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface. Nasa
The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface. Nasa

Science

Nasa to reveal 'exciting news' about the Moon

US space agency to make major announcement on Monday

The National

October 22, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Nasa said it would announce an exciting new discovery about the Moon on Monday.

The results come from its Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or Sofia.

Sofia, a modified Boeing 747 with a telescope, is the world's largest airborne observatory.

It proved important for Nasa to map the Milky Way, but now the agency is turning its focus closer to home.

More details will be revealed next week but it comes as Nasa ramps up efforts to go back to the Moon before more complex attempts to land humans on Mars.

Under its Artemis programme, the agency will send the first woman and next man to the lunar surface in 2024 to prepare for human exploration of Mars as early as the 2030s, it said.

The UAE Space Agency signed an agreement to be part of Nasa's Artemis Accords – an international treaty outlining responsible space exploration. The UAE is also planning to send a small rover to the Moon by 2024.

The Nasa press conference, meanwhile, takes place at midday eastern time in the US (8pm in the UAE). Audio of the conference will be streamed live on Nasa's website.

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UAE to send rover to the moon

  • An artist's impression of the UAE's lunar rover called Rashid.
    An artist's impression of the UAE's lunar rover called Rashid.
  • Dr Hamad Al Marzooqi, project manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Dr Hamad Al Marzooqi, project manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An artist's impression of iSpace's Hakuto-Reboot lunar lander. It will carry UAE's Rashid rover to the surface of the Moon in 2022.
    An artist's impression of iSpace's Hakuto-Reboot lunar lander. It will carry UAE's Rashid rover to the surface of the Moon in 2022.
  • The UAE aims to land the Rashid rover on the near side of the Moon due to its smoother surface.
    The UAE aims to land the Rashid rover on the near side of the Moon due to its smoother surface.
  • The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface.
    The far side of the Moon remains largely unexplored, but Nasa is turning its focus back to the lunar surface.
  • The HAKUTO-R lander, which will deliver the UAE's Rashid rover to the lunar surface in 2022, is now in final stages of assembly.
    The HAKUTO-R lander, which will deliver the UAE's Rashid rover to the lunar surface in 2022, is now in final stages of assembly.
  • The ispace team completed the assembly of the lander's structure thermal model in April. Courtesy: ispace
    The ispace team completed the assembly of the lander's structure thermal model in April. Courtesy: ispace
  • The final assembly of the lander is being carried out in co-operation with the Ariane Group GmbH at the Ariane Group facility in Lampoldshausen, Germany. Courtesy: ispace
    The final assembly of the lander is being carried out in co-operation with the Ariane Group GmbH at the Ariane Group facility in Lampoldshausen, Germany. Courtesy: ispace
  • Using a lander and rocket that is already available helps Emirati engineers and scientists get quicker and easier access to space. Courtesy: ispace
    Using a lander and rocket that is already available helps Emirati engineers and scientists get quicker and easier access to space. Courtesy: ispace
  • The initial concept design of the Rashid rover. Courtesy: MBRSC
    The initial concept design of the Rashid rover. Courtesy: MBRSC
  • Rashid rover's thermal imager will analyse the Moon's properties through thermal energy. Courtesy: MBRSC
    Rashid rover's thermal imager will analyse the Moon's properties through thermal energy. Courtesy: MBRSC
  • The Langmuir probes on the rover will analyse the lunar surface charge and electric fields. Courtesy: MBRSC
    The Langmuir probes on the rover will analyse the lunar surface charge and electric fields. Courtesy: MBRSC
  • One of the rover's two high-resolution optical imagers that will take photos of the Moon. Courtesy: MBRSC
    One of the rover's two high-resolution optical imagers that will take photos of the Moon. Courtesy: MBRSC
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

MATCH INFO

Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match is on BeIN Sports

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

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

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