From the Editors: UAE's Sultan AlNeyadi befitting candidate for ISS Mission 2023

SULTAN ALNEYADI A BEFITTING CANDIDATE FOR ISS MISSION 2023: The selection of Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Mission to ISS in the spring of 2023 is well-deserved and befitting. AlNeyadi, who was the back-up for Hazzaa AlMansoori in the UAE’s first scientific mission to ISS in 2019, has undergone more than 90 courses, training for over 1,400 hours. What’s interesting is that he also holds a PHD in Information Technology and practises Jujitsu, which apparently has helped him immensely in terms of mental agility and fitness. Little wonder then that he was chosen from a pool of over 4,000 aspirants for the prestigious mission. Wishing AlNeyadi, who has already done the UAE proud, further success in his pursuits. (By Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor)

WILL UAE INVESTORS HOLD THEIR NERVES IN FED WEEK? 1% or 0.75%? This is the week when the US Federal Reserve will show its hand on what sort of interest rate hike it wants to come up with in the all-out combat on inflation. For investors, it means a jittery few days, and an indication of how those in Asia are thinking is visible from the sea of red on stock market indices Monday. UAE investors seem to be holding the line, for now, as investors skew their sentiments towards caution and defense. On ADX, there is a movement towards the security that oil-linked stocks offer. Risk-off could just be what investors need in the final stretch towards that Fed hike by Wednesday. (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

RONALDO TO CLARIFY MANCHESTER UNITED FUTURE THIS WEEK: Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo will hold talks with the club this week to clarify his future following strong rumours suggesting he will leave Old Trafford this summer. The 37-year-old Portuguese ace missed The Red Devil’s pre-season trip to Thailand and Australia citing a family issue. He has been training alone all summer and has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to meet new United boss Erik ten Hag in the coming days. Ronaldo - who scored 24 goals in 38 appearances last season - is keen to play for a club competing in the Champions League which is something United cannot give him next season. (By Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor)

UK TO HOST NEXT YEAR’S EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The UK will now be the host country for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest in a move that was predicted almost immediately after Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the grand finale in a May following a landslide victory. And while many are disappointed over the outcome, the decision is not one to mourn but to celebrate, much like the competition itself that celebrates world music on a single stage. The onus is now on the BBC to produce what it called the world’s “largest and most complex music competition”, and will now start choosing a host city in the UK in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union. (By Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor)