Space will always be mysterious. Avicenna, a key Muslim philosopher, physician and astronomer, summed it up well when he wrote in the 11th century that: "My profession is to be forever journeying, to travel about the Universe so that I may know all its conditions."
That mystery might remain almost 1,000 years later, but we live in an era when space can be explored like never before. This chapter in its exploration began in the 20th century, defined by heroic, against-the-odds missions, propelled by competitive great powers.
In the 21st century, the pursuit is a great deal more open, with opportunities for medium-sized countries to contribute to space exploration. Private companies are now an integral part of missions, even those led by traditional space superpowers such as the US, and middle-power countries now have the skills and resources to contribute, too. Today, 70 nations have space programmes.
The UAE is a prime example. It did not exist as a country when the USSR sent the first animal into space in 1957, the dog Laika. Nor did it when the US sent Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon in 1969. Now, the Emirates has missions to Mars and the Moon, and has sent an astronaut to the International Space Station.
But it has not been a simple journey. The country has invested massively in the innovation and human capital needed to pursue such complex projects, most of which take place on Earth.
The latest efforts happened at the Abu Dhabi Space Debate, held on Monday and Tuesday and attended by delegates from more than 50 space agencies and authorities, in addition to academics, business leaders and popular space watchers from across the globe.
It discussed the modern state of exploration and its challenges, the latter being a key priority because this new phase will not be without environmental, geopolitical and legal hurdles. Commercial laws will need to be drawn up for civilian projects, and international arms treaties for governments.
Speakers such as Omran Sharaf, the project director of the Emirates Mars Mission and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Advanced Science and Technology, and George Friedman, a leading geopolitics of space author, highlighted the importance of commerce – not just geopolitics – in the future of astronomy, and how this modern episode need not be one defined by rivalry; with the right stewardship, it could be an opportunity for much-needed international co-operation. Expert middle powers such as the UAE are well-placed to keep this mission on course.
Bringing together specialisms from all over the world – now with much coming from the Middle East – space research by its very nature lends itself towards collaboration, whether in terms of gathering and interpreting vast amounts of data; using findings to combat climate change on Earth (the hostile environment on Mars can teach humanity how to deal with deteriorating weather); pioneering new medical technologies; or inspiring the next generation of young astronomers.
These conversations on Earth will have consequences, ranging from how space is kept as an environment for all to sustainably benefit from, to protecting this precious, largely unspoilt environment from the devastating impact of conflict.
Space programmes might be most recognised internationally for what they send beyond Earth's orbit. But the sign of a truly sophisticated one is what is explored on the ground, whether scientific, legal or even moral.
Serdar Huseyin Yildrim, President of the Turkish Space Agency, summed up well the simplicity of the responsibility experts have: "Space exploration is not an option but a must." If more progress in the years ahead is inevitable, it is crucial it is achieved safely and collaboratively. That is how to honour the legacy of geniuses such as Avicenna, and all who have pondered the mystery of the stars.
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
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Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
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Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
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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
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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RESULT
Everton 2 Huddersfield Town 0
Everton: Sigurdsson (47'), Calvert-Lewin (73')
Man of the Match: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
