A ground test of SpaceX’s Starship rocket ended in a massive explosion on Thursday morning at the company’s Starbase centre in Boca Chica, Texas.
A dramatic video posted on social media shows Starship Ship 36 erupting into a massive fireball at about 8am UAE time while undergoing a static fire test, where the rocket is partially fuelled and engines are ignited before an actual flight can take place.
An anomaly caused the explosion during the test to prepare Starship for its 10th flight, SpaceX said on X. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the company added.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials," it added. "There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while 'safing' operations continue.”
The cause of the anomaly is unclear, but the incident is expected to delay the launch attempt.
Starship is a two-stage rocket system that consists of the Super Heavy Booster and the Starship spacecraft.
The explosion comes after a series of setbacks for SpaceX in terms of Starship’s development timeline, with the past three attempts to recover the upper-stage Starship vehicle ending in failure.
Despite back-to-back failures this year, the company has made significant progress in developing the rocket since its first test flight in 2023. These have included recovering the booster using the mechanical arms and bringing back the spacecraft after some flights.
Mission to Mars
SpaceX founder Elon Musk is developing Starship to eventually send humans to Mars.
The company also has a $2.89 billion contract with Nasa to develop a Starship system to land astronauts on the Moon. It has been carrying out test flights to prepare the rocket for commercial operations.
SpaceX recently secured permission to increase its launches from five to 25 a year from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
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Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
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Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
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Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
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