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In an open letter to NASA, Jeff Bezos has offered to waive billions of dollars in payments from the space agency in order to ensure his company Blue Origin gets to take part in its upcoming moon missions.

With a potential funding shortfall threatening to derail NASA’s planned moon missions – in particular its Human Landing System (HLS) – the billionaire founder of Amazon and the world’s wealthiest person has offered to bridge the financial gap “by waiving all payments in the current and next two government fiscal years up to $2bn to get the program back on track”.

His letter follows protests which Blue Origin filed with NASA after the agency awarded a contract worth nearly $3bn to SpaceX back in April to provide a lunar lander that will carry astronauts to the surface of the moon.

NASA's new Artemis mission will return the space agency to the moon. Pic: NASA
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NASA’s new Artemis mission will return the space agency to the moon. Pic: NASA

It comes less than a week after Jeff Bezos himself ventured into space as part of Blue Origin’s first human mission, a feat which he controversially thanked Amazon employees and customers for paying for.

In his letter, Mr Bezos warned that the agency’s contract with SpaceX “broke the mould of NASA’s successful commercial space programs by putting an end to meaningful competition for years to come”.

He said the decision “eliminated the benefits of utilising” Blue Origin, which has designed its system so that it is “capable of flying on multiple launch vehicles, including Falcon Heavy, SLS, Vulcan, and New Glenn”, while SpaceX’s system would require “10+ Super Heavy/Starship launches just to get a single lander to the surface”.

“Instead of this single source approach, NASA should embrace its original strategy of competition,” the letter said, noting NASA has begun to solicit new lunar lander proposals.

More on Blue Origin

Blue Origin added to NASA that it will continue to develop and launch, at its own cost, a pathfinder mission to low-Earth orbit and an uncrewed moon landing mission as part of its work on the HLS.

The Lunar Gateway: An orbital outpost around the Moon that provides vital support for a sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface. It is a critical component of the Artemis program. Pic: NASA
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The Lunar Gateway: An orbital outpost around the moon. Pic: NASA

NASA has not yet responded to the letter.

However, an audit report by NASA’s office of inspector general has warned that the Artemis programme – which aims to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024 – is “unlikely” to be achieved within this timeframe.

Artemis is named after the mythological sister of Apollo, the first moon mission’s namesake.

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Gwyneth Paltrow wins high-profile civil court case against man who claimed she crashed into him while skiing

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Gwyneth Paltrow wins high-profile civil court case against man who claimed she crashed into him while skiing

Gwyneth Paltrow has won a high-profile civil court case against a man who claimed she crashed into him while skiing.

She was awarded $1 in damages after the jury found retired optometrist Terry Sanderson was “100%” at fault for the skiing accident.

The jurors deliberated for two hours on Thursday after hearing eight days of evidence.

Paltrow, dressed in a navy blazer jacket and striped shirt, did not react when the verdict was announced.

In a statement released after the verdict, she said she was “pleased” with the outcome.

“I felt that acquiescing to a false claim comprised my integrity,” she said.

“I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”

Mr Sanderson, 76, sued the Hollywood actress for $300,000 (£242,000), saying the 2016 collision on the slopes of Utah left him with several broken ribs and severe brain injuries.

Paltrow, who is also a lifestyle influencer, denied the claims, alleging Mr Sanderson crashed into her at the Deer Valley resort, and caused her to lose “half a day of skiing”.

Terry Sanderson testifies in Park City, Utah
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Terry Sanderson testifies in Park City, Utah

She counter-sued him for the awarded amount of $1 and her legal fees.

During the court case in Park City, jurors heard evidence from a variety of medical experts, ski instructors, and members of both Mr Sanderson and Paltrow’s family, including the actress’ children Apple and Moses Martin.

Mr Sanderson said he had become a “self-imposed recluse” after the incident and had been advised never to ski again in case of further injury.

But Paltrow’s lawyers showed photos of him enjoying multiple holidays after the accident.

Paltrow's legal team played an animation of how they say the crash happened. Paltrow is seen on top of Terry Sanderson
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Paltrow’s legal team played an animation of how they say the crash happened. Paltrow is seen on top of Mr Sanderson

Oscar-winning actress Paltrow, 50, said she felt “very sorry” for Mr Sanderson but reiterated that she was not “at fault” for the crash.

Mr Sanderson said he had been told by medical experts that travelling would be “healing” for him and that he had struggled during his trips.

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Donald Trump indicted: Who is Stormy Daniels and what is former president accused of doing?

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Donald Trump indicted: Who is Stormy Daniels and what is former president accused of doing?

Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in New York, making him the first ex-president to face criminal charges.

The case against him centres on a $130,000 (£105,000) payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Live updates – Prosecutors launch first ever criminal case against former president

What is Trump accused of doing?

Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006, which the former US president denies.

In 2016 when he was running for president, she offered to sell her story to the press.

Mr Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen was notified of her plans, resulting in a $130,000 (£105,000) payment being made to keep Ms Daniels quiet.

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Once he was elected, Mr Trump reimbursed Mr Cohen by paying him more than double the original amount. He continued to deny the affair, however.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

New York investigators have been looking into the former president’s finances for years – originally led by former District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.

But when he was replaced with Alvin Bragg in 2022, Mr Bragg decided to drop the grand jury investigation into claims the Trump empire fraudulently inflated its real estate value.

Instead he decided to focus on the hush money case last summer, impanelling a grand jury (one assembled in secret to determine whether there’s enough evidence to prosecute) in January.

Soon after Mr Cohen, who was jailed on several counts in 2018, was summoned by prosecutors.

According to court documents, Mr Trump falsely listed his former lawyer’s reimbursement as “legal services”.

What charges could Trump face?

It is not yet known what Mr Trump will be charged with.

But among the options for prosecutors is an accounting fraud charge over the payment made to Mr Cohen.

They could also decide to indict him on campaign fraud charges – as silencing Ms Daniels’s claims could have helped propel him to power.

Mr Trump has described the investigation as a politically motivated “witch hunt”.

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Donald Trump faces criminal charges over alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels

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Donald Trump faces criminal charges over alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels

Donald Trump has been indicted on criminal charges arising from an alleged hush money payment to an adult film actress.

A grand jury in New York voted to indict Trump over possible offences related to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

It was allegedly made in exchange for Daniels’ silence about an alleged sexual encounter she said she had with Trump a decade earlier.

He is the first former US president to face criminal charges in court, even as he makes a bid to retake the White House in 2024.

Stormy Daniels in Manhattan in 2018. Pic: AP
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Stormy Daniels in Manhattan in 2018. Pic: AP

Trump, a Republican, said he was “completely innocent” and called the indictment “political persecution”, with his lawyers saying they will “vigorously fight” it.

Live updates: Prosecutors launch criminal case against Trump

The Manhattan district attorney’s investigation centred on accusations of money paid to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom Trump allegedly feared would go public with claims they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.

Trump, 76, has denied having affairs with either woman.

His former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said he co-ordinated with Trump on the payments to Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, and also to McDougal.

Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2018 related to the payments and served more than a year in prison.

Federal prosecutors said Cohen acted at Trump’s direction.

Donald TrumpFormer U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen leaves a federal court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
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Trump’s ex-personal lawyer Michael Cohen served more than a year in prison

Trump said: “The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable – indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant election interference.”

“Never before in our nation’s history has this been done.”

He added: “I believe this witch-hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden.”

Donald Trump pictured on his plane. Image: AP
Image:
Donald Trump pictured on his plane. Image: AP

Read more:
Trump says investigations ‘straight out of Stalinist Russia horror show’
Who is Stormy Daniels?
How many investigations is former US president facing?

Trump was expected to surrender to authorities next week.

He has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation by district attorney Alvin Bragg.

His office has spent nearly five years investigating Trump and the grand jury has been hearing its evidence since January.

Trump son hits out at indictment

On Twitter, one of Trump’s sons, Eric, wrote: “This is third world prosecutorial misconduct. It is the opportunistic targeting of a political opponent in a campaign year.”

Amid speculation in recent weeks that the former American leader was due to be indicted, Trump urged his supporters to protest against the authorities if he was detained.

Donald Trump dances during a campaign rally in Waco, Texas. Pic: AP
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Trump dances during a campaign rally in Waco, Texas, on 25 March. Pic: AP

He published a long statement describing the investigation as a “political witch-hunt trying to take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party”.

“I did absolutely nothing wrong,” he said, before criticising a “corrupt, depraved and weaponised justice system”.

Other ongoing cases Trump faces include a Georgia election interference probe and two federal investigations into his role in the 6 January 2001 insurrection at the US Capitol.

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