Watch: Bitcoin investor's private SpaceX flight splashes down on Earth
The four space tourists travelled in a Dragon capsule in the first human spaceflight to circle the globe above the poles and the first Pacific splashdown for a space crew in 50 years.
Chun Wang, who chartered the flight, declined to say how much he paid for the three-and-a-half-day trip.
He invited Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge and Australian polar guide Eric Philips, to join him on the voyage.
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Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
Tui cheers profit jump despite pressure from heat waves and Middle East conflict
Bosses at the firm stressed that the group has been boosted by its recent growth strategy. The German-based tour operator saw profits surpass expectations after positive trading from its cruises and experiences operations. The update came a day after the company upgraded its financial forecasts for the current year. Tui Group chief executive Sebastian Ebel said: 'The third quarter and the first nine months of the financial year 2025 were strong. Our strategy is paying off. 'We are benefiting from our integrated and diversified business model and managed to reduce the group's seasonality further. 'All this in a continuing challenging environment for our markets and airlines segment with economic difficulties in Europe, Europe-wide heat waves in the summer and the conflict in the Middle East.' The company said summer bookings in its markets and airlines business are down 2% year-on-year. Tui said this has been driven by a continued trend towards late bookings, citing 'the impact of the June and July heat waves in our source markets, as well as the Middle East conflict'. But it highlighted a 'positive start' to bookings for the winter season. It came as Tui cheered record underlying earnings for the quarter to June 30, rising to 321 million euros (£278 million) from 232 million euros (£201 million) a year earlier. This was supported by a 56.2% jump in earnings from its cruises business, which was buoyed by the launch of two new cruise ships and strong trading conditions. Meanwhile, earnings in its Tui Musement activities and experiences business were up 6.8% for the quarter. The company said total underlying earnings are now on track to grow by between 9% and 11% this year. It previously forecast growth of between 7% and 10%. Tui told shareholders that total group revenues increased by 7.1% to 6.2 billion euros (£5.4 billion) for the quarter, amid growth in both volumes and prices.
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tiny underrated town 'just like Amsterdam' has pretty canals and no crowds
A picturesque underrated city rivals Amsterdam with its gorgeous canals and waterfront cafés but has the added bonus that you won't have to face the tourist crowds Brits may flock to Amsterdam for its picturesque canals, waterfront bars and bicycle tours, but there's one tiny underrated town that's giving the holiday hotspot a run for its money. I headed to Papenburg, Germany, to watch Disney Cruise Line float out its newest ship, but I wasn't expecting to find a direct Amsterdam dupe. Pretty canals? Check. Plenty of restaurants and bars? Check. Tourist attractions? Check. Sure, Papenburg doesn't quite have the buzz and nightlife to rival the Netherlands' capital, but it definitely had the advantage of offering up the gorgeous scenery without the crowds of tourists. (Although it's worth mentioning that Amsterdam is taking some major steps to combat overtourism). The German city has a population of just under 40,000 so there's quite a laidback vibe. The main stretch of canals in the centre is where you'll find the bulk of the attractions, all of which pay tribute to its 230 years of maritime history. Cars aren't allowed alongside the canal so it's purely cyclists and pedestrians, which only contributes to the quieter, calmer atmosphere to the region. If you walk up what I'd describe as the 'touristy' bit of the canal, you can do the whole stretch in about an hour. A nice touch is that there's a little walking trail with signs along the way to point out any historic buildings or quirky spots that are well worth a photo opp. For example, there are plenty of historic bridges, while the canal banks are lined with colourful flowers and lush green trees that make for a backdrop which wouldn't be out of place on a postcard. One highlight is also the number of historic ships that are still moored in the canals, with boards explaining their significance and the role they played. One of these is the impressive Friederike replica which looks like it belongs on the set of any pirate film, with its impressive masts and stern. There are plenty more nods to the maritime ties of this city, including statues and large anchors to be found along the walk. Meanwhile when it comes to restaurants and shops, I was pretty impressed with the wide array on offer considering it's such a small patch of the city. There are heaps of boutiques selling plenty of nautical-themed souvenirs, including one shop in a restored windmill where you can get plenty of merch. The quirky Alte Drostei - the oldest standing historic building in the city of Papenburg - is also worth a stop as it's filled with historic artefacts, and hosts plenty of events such as readings, exhibitions, and guided tours. Meanwhile if all of the exploring leaves you with an appetite, there are plenty of restaurants and cafés serving up local fare from currywurst to salads. Just make sure to leave space for the all-important Spaghettieis - ice cream that is made to look like spaghetti. Think vanilla ice cream for the 'pasta', strawberry sauce for the 'tomatoes' and white chocolate shavings for the 'parmesan'. One of the members of our group was German and assured us that this isn't a tourist dish but rather one that everyone in Germany has from childhood. It's not difficult to understand why - it was ridiculously tasty! For cruise fans, one of the big draws of Papenburg is that it's a short drive from the Meyer Weft shipyard. You can book tours of the shipyard and get a sneak peek at what goes into actually building these huge cruise ships. This means that there are buses of tourists that stop off at Papenburg as part of wider coach holidays, but even when there were a few coaches in the city it still didn't feel too crowded. Where Papenburg doesn't rival Amsterdam is the nightlife. There are a handful of pubs - Jameson's Pub was popular with locals and tourists alike - but the vibe here is more relaxed. Book the holiday Get there: The nearest airport is Hanover which is about a 2.5-3 hour drive away. British Airways offers direct flights with a flight time of approximately an hour.
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Reuters
Tour operator TUI beats quarterly forecasts, boosts outlook
FRANKFURT/LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Europe's largest tour operator TUI ( opens new tab beat quarterly earnings and revenue forecasts on Wednesday as summer travel proved more resilient and investments and bookings ahead of the winter season allowed it to raise its full-year outlook. TUI raised its full-year profit guidance on Tuesday, after strong hotel and cruise demand boosted the business in the first nine months of its year ending September 30, sending shares up. Detailing its third-quarter results on Wednesday, TUI reported underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of 321 million euros ($375 million) in the quarter ended June 30, up 38% year-on-year and ahead of the 269 million euros expected by analysts polled by LSEG. Revenue across all segments rose 7% to 6.2 billion euros, slightly ahead of analysts' forecasts. The group's shares were up more than 2% in early trading. European airlines broadly performed well during the second quarter as a drop in travel demand proved less pronounced than feared and appeared to have had a limited impact on results. The core summer season travel used to drive a big part of airlines' revenue, but some of that demand is shifting as travellers look to escape heat and crowds and look for deals in spring and autumn. TUI Chief Executive Sebastian Ebel said bookings, particularly among British customers, remained robust. "The third quarter and the first nine months of the financial year 2025 were strong. Our strategy is paying off," Ebel said in a statement on Wednesday, highlighting its strategy to diversify its offering across Central Europe and Asia and to invest more in hotels and cruises. TUI is also confident about upcoming winter bookings as it sees a marked increase in interest in "shoulder season" travel, meaning holidays booked in late October, November and spilling into the Christmas season in December. To capitalise on the rise in demand for travel outside of the summer season, the company was investing in upgrades, such as heated pools in year-round destinations including Antalya, the Greek Islands and Algarve in Portugal, Ebel told journalists on Wednesday. The company acknowledged that the environment for its airlines business remained difficult, noting weaknesses, particularly among German consumers and in bookings for U.S. destinations. In the previous quarter, TUI had flagged a slight drop in summer bookings, amid concerns that inflation and economic worries could weaken travel demand. While there was a 2% decline in summer bookings tied to the Middle East conflict, ticket prices were up 3%, helping to balance out higher costs, according to a media presentation. European travellers, making up the core base of TUI's customers, tend to be more price-sensitive than North American travellers. German bookings fell 5% due to hot weather, Ebel told reporters, but said he expected more customers in the autumn. "There are people who really think, 'I'll stay in my garden, during the summer, and I'll go on vacation in October, November,'" Ebel said. ($1 = 0.8559 euros)
