The launch of the UAE’s Hope probe made international headlines as it achieved its first objective – to bring an inspiring and positive story from the Arab world.
News organisations in almost every country and every language covered the story, which shared the main headlines on the BBC flagship morning radio show Today.
The UAE “was attempting something only the US, Russia, Europe and India have succeeded in doing”, the BBC said.
“But it speaks to the Emiratis’ ambition that they should dare to take on this challenge.”
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, told the broadcaster from Japan of her excitement and relief to see the rocket climb into the sky.
"Today I am really glad that the children in the Emirates will wake up on the morning of the 20th of July having an anchor project of their own, having a new reality, having new possibilities, allowing them to further contribute and to create a larger impact on the world," she said.
In the US, The New York Times announced "Mars Mission From United Arab Emirates Embarks on 7-Month Journey," pointing out it was "the first of three missions headed to the red planet this summer".
The state broadcaster France 24 noted “Les Émirats arabes unis ont lancé avec succès leur première sonde vers Mars” [United Arab Emirates successfully launched its first probe to Mars], and “Almost an hour after take-off, applause resounded in the Japanese control room when the probe separated”.
"At the space centre in Dubai, people watching were transfixed by the lift-off, then cheered and clapped," The Daily Star reported from Beirut.
The launch also received coverage in The Times of Israel, which described the mission as "a source of inspiration for Arab youth, in a region too often wracked by sectarian conflicts and economic crises".
With the headline “UAE has successfully launched the Arab world’s first Mars mission”, the news network CNN called Hope “the UAE’s latest and most ambitious step in its burgeoning space sector.”
For Russia Today, “the launch marks the first interplanetary exploration mission by an Arab country”.
In China, which will shortly launch its own Mars Mission, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that "in Dubai, the launch was met with rapturous excitement".
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
