The UAE’s search for the country's next astronaut has been whittled down to the final four candidates.
More than 4,000 hopefuls were reduced to 14 in December and the final quartet are undergoing psychological evaluation at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
In the final selection phase, candidates face rigorous tests to ensure they can hold their own in space.
The psychological evaluations are being carried out in collaboration with Emirates airline and began after the candidates completed their final interviews.
Two will be chosen from the final four, with only one expected to go to space. The other will become the reserve.
“In the last phase, the committee measured the candidates’ teamwork capabilities, and other skills such as constructive problem-solving, decision making, execution, management and flexibility, to choose the best candidates for the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme,” said Humaid Al Sharhan, from the astronauts office at MBRSC.
Psychological assessment tests resilience, leadership, teamwork and support skills, problem-solving and decision-making, as well as procedures and work management.
There were 4,305 Emirati applicants to join the country’s space fleet, with 1,400 women among them – about 250 more than during its previous astronaut recruitment drive.
In the previous stage, five of the 14 candidates shortlisted were women, raising hopes of another landmark moment for the UAE.
Two UAE citizens will be selected to follow in the footsteps of the first Emirati man in space, Maj Hazza Al Mansouri, and reserve astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi.
Emirati women lead the way in various fields, including the mission to Mars, and the country was top of a global ranking this year for women in parliament.
At Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai 42 per cent of the staff are female.
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Company%C2%A0profile
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Company%20profile%20
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Company%20Profile
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BRIEF SCORES
England 228-7, 50 overs
N Sciver 51; J Goswami 3-23
India 219, 48.4 overs
P Raut 86, H Kaur 51; A Shrubsole 6-46
England won by nine runs
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets