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Politico
5 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Missing in Action: The National Space Council
WELCOME TO POLITICO PRO SPACE. We've made it through another surprisingly busy summer week. But, hey, one lucky buyer snagged the biggest Mars meteorite to ever land on Earth. In more serious news, the Senate and House united in opposing major NASA cuts. Now it's up to the White House to decide whether it will listen. And rumors are flying around the space industry about whether anyone actually wants to lead the National Space Council. Do you want to helm it? Email me at sskove@ with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @samuelskove. And remember, we're offering this newsletter for free over the next few weeks. After that, only POLITICO Pro subscribers will receive it. Read all about it here. The Spotlight No one wants to run the National Space Council, if you follow the rumors rocketing through space circles that at least three people have declined the job. The reality is … more earthly. I broke the news in early May that the White House would restaff the council, which coordinates space policy across the federal government. The group is viewed as influential, in part because by statute the vice president chairs it. Two months after the decision, the administration still hasn't made any staffing announcements. The White House did not respond to my request for comment on what progress it has made in standing up the council, which consists of an executive secretary and several officials. Rumor mill: Industry circles have filled the void with all manner of speculation. Four industry officials, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations, said they had heard that former Space Force Gen. Jay Raymond, ex-National Space Council executive secretary Scott Pace, and former Office of Space Commerce head Kevin O'Connell all declined the position. So I asked them. The gossip appears to have been just that. Raymond said he had not been offered the job and had no plans to return to government service. O'Connell said he had not been approached. Pace said he had no plans to go back. Status check: It's quite possible the White House simply hasn't started the process of choosing an executive secretary. The National Space Council, and space in general, is usually pretty low on the agenda of new administrations. Chirag Parikh, the executive secretary for the Biden administration's National Space Council, didn't assume the role until eight months after former President Joe Biden took office. The attention of the executive branch is also focused on other pressing issues, from Ukraine to the recent passage of President Donald Trump's reconciliation bill. There's also the matter of choosing a full-time NASA administrator. Give us a sign: The swirl of rumors may have more to do with the space industry's eagerness to believe the White House cares about space. Many in the space sector are supportive of reviving the National Space Council. O'Connell, the former Office of Space Commerce head, said he hoped it would get going soon so officials could tackle issues such as the Golden Dome missile defense shield and advancing the space economy. The House appropriations subcommittee that covers civil space voted this week for almost $2 million in funds for a council. But even if the search for staff is in full swing, it's a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. Any candidate must have experience with space issues, be ready to defend the administration's controversial space policy, be willing to forgo a lucrative private sector job, and have no ties to Trump's adversaries. That list includes Democrats, Elon Musk, and former Vice President Mike Pence, who headed the Space Council under the first Trump administration. For now, space enthusiasts may just have to cross their fingers and wait. Galactic Government ALL TOGETHER NOW: Both the House and Senate issued a clear 'no thanks' to steep White House cuts to NASA, presaging a political battle if the White House tries to bully its version through. The administration has proposed a nearly 25 percent cut to the agency. But the Senate appropriations subcommittee voted along partisan lines on Thursday to fund NASA at $24.9 billion, or the same as in 2025. The split was due in part to a disagreement over a bill provision unrelated to NASA. Chair Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) told me last week that the bill would be a 'normal' appropriation. Ranking member Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said it would fund NASA science programs at $7.3 billion, the same as in 2025 and a rejection of the White House's proposed $3.4 billion cut. The House subcommittee that oversees NASA also voted this week for a budget on par with previous years at $24.8 billion. The House budget differs from 2025 in that it would boost space exploration by $2 billion and cut science funding by $1 billion. Democrats voiced opposition to the cuts to science programs. What next: What happens now is anyone's guess. The White House could seek to push the cuts through anyway. But that would pick a political fight with the administration's Republican allies, most notably NASA supporter Ted Cruz(R-Texas) — a potentially bruising battle for a few billion dollars. Military EYE IN THE SKY: Commercial satellite companies, take heart. The House Armed Services Committee this week voted to increase funding for a Space Force program that uses the businesses' spy photos. The Space Force effort, dubbed the Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking Program, supplies commercial imagery to deployed forces and was used to help soldiers evacuate from Niger in 2024. The House National Defense Authorization Act would raise its funding by $10 million, and turn the pilot program into a more permanent $50 million one. Why it matters: Commercial satellite imagery companies, in a rare public outcry, protested proposed White House cuts to National Reconnaissance Office contracts for the companies' imagery. This is particularly key to Ukraine, which relies on U.S. commercial satellite pictures for its battle plans. But even if the companies lose clients as part of the White House cuts, they could gain some funding through the Space Force program. The Reading Room Musk's SpaceX Plans Share Sale That Would Value Company at About $400 Billion: Bloomberg. Lawmakers Want DoD Briefings on Nuke Propulsion, VLEO, Commercial PNT: Payload Space Force sets guidelines prioritizing military missions as launch demand surges: SpaceNews The ISS is nearing retirement, so why is NASA still gung-ho about Starliner? Ars Technica Event Horizon MONDAY: NASA will hold a news conference on the joint U.S.-Indian Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite. TUESDAY The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics's ASCEND 2025 conference starts in Las Vegas. The Space Foundation holds the 'Innovate Space: Global Economic Summit.' The Mitchell Institute hosts a webinar with Space Force Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton. Making Moves Andrew Lock has joined the public policy team at Project Kuiper, Amazon's constellation of low-earth orbit satellites. He most recently was principal at Monument Advocacy, and was a staffer in both the House and Senate. Photo of the Week
Kuwait Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
After outcry, ‘world's fiercest' collision sport seeks new markets
DUBAI: Under bright lights and cameras in Dubai, two large men charge at each other down a narrow, plastic pitch, colliding head-on with a bone-jarring thud that sends one of them sprawling. It's the start of a night of thumps, grunts and head injuries at Runit, the rugby-inspired competition that has quickly drawn a social media following and alarm from health experts. The injury-count is high: three of the 12 players are withdrawn with suspected concussion, including a sickening hit that leaves ex-National Rugby League pro Kevin Proctor writhing on the ground. The final ends when Sam 'The Ice Man' Suamili is too dazed to continue, leaving Auckland's Vulangi Olosoni, 26, to celebrate the Aus$200,000 ($130,000) first prize with his overjoyed wife and sister. Organisers have big plans for the Runit Championship League, the brainchild of seven young men from Melbourne who have evolved it from a backyard game to a marketable commodity in a matter of months. Saturday's competition, attended by just a few hundred fans, was backed by several sponsors with a live-stream featuring ex-NRL pro George Burgess, a figurehead for the sport. Its rapid rise has been controversial, however. The event was held in the United Arab Emirates after calls to ban it following trials in New Zealand, where a teenager died playing a copycat version last month. Kevin Proctor receives medical attention after a tackle during the RUNIT Championship League. 'Honourable' According to Lou Sticca, a football agent and consultant promoter who brought the tournament to Dubai, the next stop is the United States. 'It's a contact sport. Americans love contact sport. This is tailor-made,' he told AFP. 'It's two gladiators. It's actually quite honourable. You've got two guys similar size, similar weight. There's a lot of technique,' he added. Runit, which bills itself as the 'world's fiercest new collision sport', is contested on a track 20 metres (65 feet) long and four metres wide. The athletes, typically with a rugby background and the build of a heavyweight boxer, have four runs at each other taking turns to hold a rugby ball. The winner is the man judged to 'dominate' the contest. Two doctors and three other medics were pitchside in Dubai, with two ambulances waiting outside, according to Sticca. The players, mostly New Zealanders, had medical checks including head scans before flying out and will be assessed again on their return, he said. 'We're engaging proper legal experts on concussion and as we grow the sport, we'll get experts in concussion at other sports,' Sticca said. 'We'll do whatever we can to play our part in ensuring the health and safety of our combatants.' 'Unacceptable threat' However, not everyone is convinced. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Runit a 'dumb thing to do', while the New Zealand Medical Journal said it was 'engineered for injury'. 'It is a ritualized, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,' an editorial said this week. 'As trauma clinicians, we warn unequivocally: Run It Straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury,' the journal added. Concerns over concussion have prompted new measures in several sports including the rugby codes as scores of retired players report serious health problems. Tania Mayne, a Dubai-based neurophysiotherapist who specializes in concussion, said the science was clear on impacts to the head. 'World Rugby has been so outspoken about how a contact should take place in a match,' she told AFP, referring to rugby union's governing body. 'This goes against everything out there.' Mayne added: 'I would just encourage people not to get involved and read what's out there. There's so much information about concussion in sport.' Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease caused by repeated blows to the head, is known to trigger violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head knocks have also been linked to disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, Sticca said Runit was being unfairly singled out. 'Any contact sport has got the same issues. It's just that we're only hearing about this because it suits the agenda,' he said. 'We don't care about the critics, we care about the combatants. We care about making Runit a bigger, better sport. Simple as that.' — AFP
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
After outcry, rugby-inspired collision sport seeks new markets
Jordan Simi (left) competes against Kevin Proctor during the RUNIT Championship League in Dubai on June 28. PHOTO: AFP DUBAI – Under bright lights and cameras in Dubai, two large men charge at each other down a narrow, plastic pitch, colliding head-on with a bone-jarring thud that sends one of them sprawling. It's the start of a night of thumps, grunts and head injuries at Runit, the rugby-inspired competition that has quickly drawn a social media following and alarm from health experts. The injury-count is high: three of the 12 players are withdrawn with suspected concussion, including a sickening hit that leaves ex-National Rugby League pro Kevin Proctor writhing on the ground. The final ends when Sam 'The Ice Man' Suamili is too dazed to continue, leaving Auckland's Vulangi Olosoni, 26, to celebrate the Aus$200,000 first prize with his overjoyed wife and sister. Organisers have big plans for the Runit Championship League, the brainchild of seven young men from Melbourne who have evolved it from a backyard game to a marketable commodity in a matter of months. The June 28 competition, attended by just a few hundred fans, was backed by several sponsors with a live-stream featuring ex-NRL pro George Burgess, a figurehead for the sport. Its rapid rise has been controversial, however. The event was held in the United Arab Emirates after calls to ban it following trials in New Zealand, where a teenager died playing a copycat version last month. According to Lou Sticca, a football agent and consultant promoter who brought the tournament to Dubai, the next stop is the United States. 'It's a contact sport. Americans love contact sport. This is tailor-made,' he told AFP. 'It's two gladiators. It's actually quite honourable. You've got two guys similar size, similar weight. There's a lot of technique,' he added. Runit, which bills itself as the 'world's fiercest new collision sport', is contested on a track 20 metres long and four metres wide. The athletes, typically with a rugby background and the build of a heavyweight boxer, have four runs at each other taking turns to hold a rugby ball. The winner is the man judged to 'dominate' the contest. Two doctors and three other medics were pitchside in Dubai, with two ambulances waiting outside, according to Sticca. The players, mostly New Zealanders, had medical checks including head scans before flying out and will be assessed again on their return, he said. 'We're engaging proper legal experts on concussion and as we grow the sport, we'll get experts in concussion at other sports,' Sticca said. 'We'll do whatever we can to play our part in ensuring the health and safety of our combatants.' However, not everyone is convinced. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Runit a 'dumb thing to do', while the New Zealand Medical Journal said it was 'engineered for injury'. 'It is a ritualised, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,' an editorial said this week. 'As trauma clinicians, we warn unequivocally: Run It Straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury,' the journal added. Concerns over concussion have prompted new measures in several sports including the rugby codes as scores of retired players report serious health problems. Tania Mayne, a Dubai-based neurophysiotherapist who specialises in concussion, said the science was clear on impacts to the head. 'World Rugby has been so outspoken about how a contact should take place in a match,' she told AFP, referring to rugby union's governing body. 'This goes against everything out there.' Mayne added: 'I would just encourage people not to get involved and read what's out there. There's so much information about concussion in sport.' Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease caused by repeated blows to the head, is known to trigger violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head knocks have also been linked to disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, Sticca said Runit was being unfairly singled out. 'Any contact sport has got the same issues. It's just that we're only hearing about this because it suits the agenda,' he said. 'We don't care about the critics, we care about the combatants. We care about making Runit a bigger, better sport. Simple as that.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Print
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
All-party delegation meets Kuwait's Deputy PM, highlights India's firm resolve against terrorism
'India & Kuwait stand united in our shared commitment against terrorism. Along with our all-party delegation colleagues, called on His Excellency Sherida Abdullah Saad Al Maousherji, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, to brief him on India's recent actions to combat cross-border terrorism & reaffirm our joint zero-tolerance approach,' Panda said in a post on X. The delegation is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community on Pakistan's designs and India's response to terror. Kuwait City, May 26 (PTI) An all-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda on Monday called on Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sherida A S Al-Maousharji and apprised him of India's recent actions to combat cross-border terrorism. The all-party delegation arrived here from Bahrain on Monday to highlight India's zero-tolerance stance against terrorism. 'United against terrorism! All-Party delegation led by @PandaJay called on HE Sherida A S Al-Maousharji, Dy PM & MoS for Cabinet Affairs,Kuwait & apprised him of India's recent actions to combat cross-border terrorism. Both sides reaffirmed their #ZeroTolerance approach to terrorism,' the Embassy of India here said in a post on X. The delegation members also offered floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Embassy. 'Paying tribute to Gandhiji's enduring message of peace, non-violence and tolerance! The All-Party delegation led by @PandaJay offered floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Embassy,' the mission said in another post. The delegation members also visited the Grand Mosque of Kuwait, the largest mosque in the Gulf country built over four decades ago. 'Visited Kuwait's iconic Grand Mosque, a symbol of the country's rich cultural and spiritual heritage,' Panda said in another post on X. 'Along with our all-party delegation colleagues, appreciated learning about the mosque's history, including its beautiful Indian teakwood doors that reflect centuries of cross-cultural ties,' he added. 'Saluting Indian spirit of bravery and sacrifice! The All-Party delegation led by @PandaJay paid floral tributes at the Shilaphalakam at the Embassy honouring the brave souls who laid down their lives in service of the nation,' the embassy said in another post on X. The delegation arrived in Kuwait carrying India's resolute message of zero tolerance. Indian Ambassador Adarsh Swaika received the delegation at the airport. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi, former minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, ex-National chairperson of the National Commission for Women and Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma, and former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla are some other members of the delegation. During their stay in Kuwait, the delegation will interact with senior dignitaries from the Kuwaiti government, prominent members of civil society, influencers, think tanks, media and a cross-section of the Indian diaspora. The delegation earlier visited Bahrain and briefed Bahrain's Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa about the challenge of cross-border terrorism facing India and New Delhi's firm resolve to combat it. It also met Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, the chairman of Shura Bahrain, the upper house of the legislative body of Bahrain and underscored India's resolve to fight against terrorism and strengthen bilateral ties. As part of India's diplomatic outreach, seven multi-party delegations are travelling to global capitals to reach out to the international community on Pakistan's designs and India's response to terror, especially in view of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam attack. India carried out precision strikes as part of Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions. The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. PTI NSA ZH ZH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Economic Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Indian MP delegation calls on Bahrain Dy PM, conveys India's stand against terrorism
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads An all-party Indian parliamentary delegation on Sunday called on Bahrain's Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and discussed India's stance against terrorism . The delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda, is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community on Pakistan's designs and India's response to terror, especially after the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26."India & Bahrain share a deep, historic friendship built on trust, shared values & mutual respect. ... Together in the fight against terrorism, we discussed matters of mutual interest & India's firm commitment to combat terror in all its forms," Panda said in a post on meeting took place at the Gudaibiya Palace here in the capital city, multi-party MPs also met Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, the chairman of Shura Bahrain, the upper house of the legislative body of Bahrain, and "underscored India's resolve to fight against terrorism and strengthen bilateral ties," said a post on X by the Indian Embassy in delegation also visited Bab Al Bahrain, a historic landmark in Manama, which Panda described as a "symbol of Bahrain's rich cultural heritage and enduring ties with India."The delegation reached here on Saturday for a two-day visit. During the visit, they also met prominent Indians and civil society members."We are here at a difficult time... The difficulty has to do with the latest terror attack in Pahalgam and the hostilities with Pakistan thereafter."We come here in friendship to seek support. 26 men were killed at short range in front of their wives after verifying their religion. India has faced many such terrifying terrorist attacks... Our problem is that our terror attacks are all coordinated by one of our neighbours," he said during the meeting on also added, "Bahrain and India have a deep and long-standing relationship... I would like to thank the government of Bahrain for the consistent stand that it has taken. We truly appreciate Bahrain's strong comments during recent developments."AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, also a member of the delegation, while answering a question during the meeting, said, "Our government has sent us here, and various other delegations comprising all party members across various parts of the world, so that the world knows of the threat that India has been facing."The Panda-led delegation will head to Kuwait on May 26 as part of the diplomatic outreach to apprise prominent personalities and the Indian community there about India's stance against terrorism. Besides Panda and Owaisi, former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, ex-National chairperson of the National Commission for Women and Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma are also among the delegation between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives. India carried out precision strikes as part of Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May was followed by Pakistan's attempt to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
