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Gaza's Rafah Border Crossing Reopens as Singapore Plans Space Agency, EU Launches Secure Satellite Program, and ACA Fix Stalls in Senate
Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened for limited traffic on Monday, a key step as the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire moved forward, according to Egyptian and Israeli security officials. The reopening coincided with Singapore's announcement of a new national space agency and the European Union's launch of a secure satellite communications program, while efforts to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies stalled in the U.S. Senate.
The Rafah crossing, a vital passage for humanitarian aid and movement of people, saw 50 Palestinians crossing in each direction on the first day, according to an Egyptian official. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid lined up to enter the Egyptian side of the crossing, where they were inspected by Israeli authorities before entering the Gaza Strip, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, Singapore announced it would launch its first national space agency in April, named the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS). Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, said the agency would provide decisive leadership for the country to tap into the expanding space economy. NSAS will be led by Ngiam Le Na, a veteran public servant who previously served as deputy CEO of Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency. According to Tan, NSAS will focus on five key areas: research and development, growing the space industry, global partnerships, and expanding national capabilities. The agency aims to capitalize on the "democratized access to outer space," according to Fortune.
In Europe, the European Union launched its new government satellite communications program, GOVSATCOM, on January 27. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said the program pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites. "Last week we started GOVSATCOM operations," Kubilius said at the European Space Conference. "That means that all member states can now have access to sovereign satellite communications – military and government, secure and resilient, built in Europe, operated in Europe, and under European control." The GOVSATCOM hub is designed to provide secure communications capabilities to the EU and its member states and could expand by 2027, according to Kubilius.
Back in the United States, efforts to extend enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) appeared to be faltering in Congress. According to NPR, Republicans were reigniting old arguments about healthcare, making a bipartisan deal to extend the subsidies uncertain. The stalling efforts come as the future of healthcare access remains a contentious issue in the U.S.
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