US and French astronauts complete ISS spacewalk to install solar panels


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A pair of astronauts from France and the US completed a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday to install new solar panels to boost power supplies at the International Space Station, Nasa said.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said it was a "huge team effort" after completing the operation with his American colleague Shane Kimbrough.

Mr Pesquet is part of the European Space Agency, while Mr Kimbrough is with Nasa.

The two men, who arrived on the space station in late April, activated the internal batteries in their space suits at 11.42am GMT and opened the hatch to the ISS airlock.

They continued the work of positioning, attaching and deploying six new-generation solar panels, referred to as iROSA, which stands for roll-out solar array.

The panels, 19 metres long when fully extended, were delivered to the station this month by an unmanned SpaceX craft.

The astronauts are scheduled to complete the installation of a second solar-panel array on Friday.

The new panels, which will power daily operations and research and science projects, are expected to last for 15 years.

A first spacewalk on Wednesday was beset with several problems, notably issues with Mr Kimbrough's spacesuit.

He temporarily lost data on his display unit, and then suffered a brief sharp increase in the suit's pressure reading.

Sunday's outing was the fourth time the two astronauts had ventured into space together.

They carried out two spacewalks on a mission in 2017. They were tethered to the space station as it orbited the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres.

There have now been 240 ISS spacewalks as astronauts carried out the work of assembling, maintaining and upgrading the station.

  • French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, left, of the European Space Agency is attached to a foot restraint while installing new solar panels on the International Space Station, with US astronaut Shane Kimbrough. AFP
    French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, left, of the European Space Agency is attached to a foot restraint while installing new solar panels on the International Space Station, with US astronaut Shane Kimbrough. AFP
  • The astronauts installed the panels in a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday, 20 June. AP Photo
    The astronauts installed the panels in a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday, 20 June. AP Photo
  • The pair attached, positioned and deployed six new-generation panels, known as Roll-Out Solar Array, or iROSA. AP Photo
    The pair attached, positioned and deployed six new-generation panels, known as Roll-Out Solar Array, or iROSA. AP Photo
  • Once installed, the panels unrolled over a 10-minute period. Watching them unfurl, Thomas Pesquet described the process as 'beautiful'. AP Photo
    Once installed, the panels unrolled over a 10-minute period. Watching them unfurl, Thomas Pesquet described the process as 'beautiful'. AP Photo
  • A sideview of the newly installed solar panels seen from US astronaut Shane Kimbrough's helmet camera. Five more rollout panels have still to be installed. AFP
    A sideview of the newly installed solar panels seen from US astronaut Shane Kimbrough's helmet camera. Five more rollout panels have still to be installed. AFP
  • US astronaut Shane Kimbrough seen from ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera, fixing bolts on the new solar panels. AFP
    US astronaut Shane Kimbrough seen from ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera, fixing bolts on the new solar panels. AFP
  • A view of Shane Kimbrough, left, and Thomas Pesquet, at work shows the scale of the iROSA solar panels. AFP
    A view of Shane Kimbrough, left, and Thomas Pesquet, at work shows the scale of the iROSA solar panels. AFP
  • Thomas Pesquet uses a space drill while installing the new solar panels. Parts of the ageing International Space Station date from 1998, and the panels with boost energy supplies. AFP
    Thomas Pesquet uses a space drill while installing the new solar panels. Parts of the ageing International Space Station date from 1998, and the panels with boost energy supplies. AFP
  • Shane Kimbrough seen from Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera during unfolding and alignment of the solar panel. The 19-metre panels should have a 15-year lifespan. AFP
    Shane Kimbrough seen from Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera during unfolding and alignment of the solar panel. The 19-metre panels should have a 15-year lifespan. AFP
  • The Earth provides a dramatic backdrop to the newly installed solar panels on the International Space Station. AFP
    The Earth provides a dramatic backdrop to the newly installed solar panels on the International Space Station. AFP
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

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Started: July 2016

Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori

Based: Bangalore, India

Sector: Health & wellness

Size: 500 employees

Investment: $250 million

Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
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  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.

The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.