US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ease regulations for space companies launching rockets and carrying out missions.
The directive, called Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry, asks federal agencies including the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to speed up the review process for space flight licences and remove outdated regulations.
It also asks the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to “eliminate or expedite” environmental reviews for launch and re-entry licences and permits. Such regulations have proven to be a challenge for billionaire Elon Musk and his SpaceX company.
The Trump administration said the goal of the executive order, signed on Wednesday, was to make the US a more competitive player in the global space industry.
“By slashing red tape tying up spaceport construction, streamlining launch licences so they can occur at scale and creating high-level space positions in government, we can unleash the next wave of innovation,” said Mr Duffy, who also serves as acting Nasa administrator. “At Nasa, this means continuing to work with commercial space companies and improving our spaceports’ ability to launch."
Fast track to launch
The Trump administration has historically advocated reducing regulatory barriers and expediting approval processes, especially for industries it considers critical to the country, including as aerospace and defence.
Last year, Mr Musk threatened to sue the FAA after it proposed issuing $633,009 worth of penalties to SpaceX for failing to follow licence requirements during two of its launches in 2023.
Despite the row between Mr Trump and Mr Musk, SpaceX could benefit most from the executive order, with plans to test its deep-space rocket Starship more frequently.
Earlier this year, SpaceX was awarded permission by the FAA to increase launches of the powerful rocket to 25 each year. The directive would also benefit start-ups developing launch technology.
Environmental concerns
The order also led to opposition from environmental groups, who warned it could weaken protection for wildlife near launch sites.
Jared Margolis, of the Centre for Biological Diversity, said the directive “paves the way for the massive destruction of protected plants and animals". It called the move reckless and said it "puts people and wildlife at risk from private companies launching giant rockets that often explode and wreak devastation on surrounding areas".
Race with China
Mr Trump's efforts to boost the private space industry would also help the country in the race to the return to the Moon, amid competition form countries including China.
Nasa relies on space companies to achieve the goals of its Artemis Moon programme and broader ambitions in the sector.
The agency's plan to send astronauts to the lunar language for the first time since the Apollo era will only be possible when SpaceX completes its Starship human landing system. The mission is scheduled to take place on 2027.
China also has plans for a human landing mission on the Moon before 2030. Last week, its space agency completed a critical landing and take-off test of its crewed lunar lander.
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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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
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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
