Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin launches six customers on tourist flight to space
The NS-32 crew represented a diverse mix of backgrounds and achievements, showing the growing accessibility of commercial space travel.Among the passengers were Aymette Medina Jorge, a celebrated STEM educator from Texas; Dr. Gretchen Green, a radiologist and explorer; Jaime Alemn, a Panamanian attorney and diplomat; entrepreneur Paul Jeris; New Zealand aerospace executive Mark Rocket; and Canadian adventurer Jesse Williams.Each brought their own unique story and passion for space, with Jorge's seat sponsored by Farmacias Similares to promote Hispanic representation in STEM fields.The suborbital flight lasted approximately 11 minutes, propelling the crew above the Krmn line—the internationally recognised boundary of space at 100 kilometers altitude.
NS-32 crew returns from space. (Photo: Blue origin)
advertisementDuring their brief time in microgravity, the crew experienced several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth before the capsule safely parachuted back to the West Texas desert.Blue Origin streamed the launch live, offering viewers a front-row seat to the excitement and emotion of spaceflight. The mission patch for NS-32 incorporated symbols representing each crew member's background, from STEM advocacy to global exploration.With the successful completion of NS-32, Blue Origin continues to solidify its role in the burgeoning space tourism industry. The company has now flown dozens of private citizens and celebrities, furthering its vision of making space accessible to all.As the New Shepard rocket returned safely to Earth, the latest crew joined a growing community of civilian astronauts, proving that the dream of spaceflight is more achievable than ever before.Must Watch
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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Air Canada reaches deal with flight attendant union to end strike; to resume ops soon
Air Canada said it will gradually restart operations after reaching an agreement early on Tuesday with the union for 10,000 flight attendants to end a strike that disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of travelers. The Canada Industrial Relations Board had declared the strike illegal Monday and ordered the flight attendants back on the job.(AFP) The agreement came after Canada's biggest airline and the union resumed talks late Monday for the first time since the strike began over the weekend, affecting about 130,000 travelers a day at the peak of the summer travel season. Air Canada said flights will start resuming at 4 p.m. ET. Flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday after turning down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. The union said the agreement will guarantee members pay for work performed while planes are on the ground, resolving one of the major issues that drove the strike. 'Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power," the union said in a statement. 'When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.' Chief executive Michael Rousseau said restarting a major carrier is a complex undertaking and said regular service may require seven to 10 days. Some flights will be canceled until the schedule is stabilized. 'Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience and understanding over the coming days,' Rousseau said in a statement. The two sides reached the deal with the help of a mediator early Tuesday morning. The airline said mediation discussions 'were begun on the basis that the union commit to have the airline's 10,000 flight attendants immediately return to work.' Air Canada declined to comment further on the agreement until the ratification process is complete. It noted a strike or lockout is not possible during this time. The carrier said it plans to complete about half Tuesday's scheduled flights, with a focus on international outbounds. The ramp-up will begin on Wednesday morning for mainline North American routes. Earlier, Air Canada said rolling cancellations would extend through Tuesday afternoon after the union defied a second return-to-work order. The Canada Industrial Relations Board had declared the strike illegal Monday and ordered the flight attendants back on the job. But the union said it would defy the directive. Union leaders also ignored a weekend order to submit to binding arbitration and end the strike by Sunday afternoon. The board is an independent administrative tribunal that interprets and applies Canada's labor laws. The government ordered the board to intervene. Labor leaders objected to the Canadian government's repeated use of a law that cuts off workers' right to strike and forces them into arbitration, a step the government took in recent years with workers at ports, railways and elsewhere. 'Your right to vote on your wages was preserved,' the union said in a post on its website. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day. The airline estimated Monday that 500,000 customers would be affected by flight cancellations. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Monday afternoon, Air Canada had called off at least 1,219 domestic flights and 1,339 international flights since last Thursday, when the carrier began gradually suspending its operations ahead of the strike and lockout that began early Saturday. Toronto's Pearson International Airport, Canada's largest, said it will deploy additional staff to assist passengers and support startup operations. 'I am relieved that Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have reached a tentative agreement early this morning,' Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement. 'It is my hope that this will ensure flight attendants are compensated fairly at all times, while ending disruption for hundreds of thousands of Canadian families, workers, and visitors to Canada.' Passengers whose flights are impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Las Vegas tourism is down. Some blame Trumps tariffs and immigration crackdown
Agency: Las Vegas, Aug 19 (AP) Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, with resorts and convention centres reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration's tariffs and immigration policies for the decline. The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11 per cent drop compared to the same month in 2024. There were 13 per cent fewer international travelers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15 per cent, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada's largest international market — has dried up from a torrent 'to a drip." Same with Mexico. 'We have a number of very high rollers that come in from Mexico that aren't so keen on coming in right now. And that seems to be the prevailing attitude internationally," Berkley told reporters this month. A Trump slump Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the 'Trump slump." He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration's immigration crackdown. 'If you tell the rest of the world they're not welcome, then they won't come," Pappageorge said. The Vegas dip mirrors a national trend. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics, which in December 2024 anticipated the US would have nearly 9 per cent more international arrivals this year, revised its annual outlook to predict a 9.4 per cent drop. Some of the steepest declines could be from Canada, the company said. Canada was the largest source of visitors to the US in 2024, with more than 20.2 million, according to U.S. government data. Canadian airline data shows fewer passengers from north of the border are arriving at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Air Canada saw its passenger numbers fall by 33 per cent in June compared to a year earlier, while WestJet had a 31 per cent drop. The low-cost carrier Flair reported a whopping 62 per cent decline. Travel agents in Canada said there's been a significant downturn in clients wanting to visit the US overall, and Las Vegas in particular. Wendy Hart, who books trips from Windsor, Ontario, said the reason was 'politics, for sure." She speculated it was a point of 'national pride" that people were staying away from the US after President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state. 'The tariffs are a big thing too. They seem to be contributing to the rising cost of everything," Hart said. The sky's not falling At the downtown Circa Resort and Casino, international visits have dipped, especially from Canada and Japan, according to owner and CEO Derek Stevens. But the downturn comes after a post-pandemic spike, Stevens said. And while hotel room bookings are slack, gaming numbers, especially for sports betting, are still strong, he said. 'It's not as if the sky is falling," he said. Wealthier visitors are still coming, and Circa has introduced inexpensive package deals to lure those with less money to spend. 'There have been many stories written about how the end is near' in Vegas," he said. 'But Vegas continues to reinvent itself as a destination worth visiting." On AAA's annual top 10 list of top Labor Day destinations, Las Vegas slipped this year to the last spot, from No. 6 in 2024. Seattle and Orlando, Florida — home to Disney World — hold steady in the top two spots, with New York City moving up to third for 2025. Reports of declining tourism were news to Alison Ferry, who arrived from Donegal, Ireland, to find big crowds at casinos and the Vegas Strip. 'It's very busy. It has been busy everywhere that we've gone. And really, really hot," Ferry said. She added that she doesn't pay much attention to US politics. Recession-proof businesses Just off the strip, there's been no slowdown at the Pinball Museum, which showcases games dating back to the 1930s. Manager Jim Arnold said the two-decade-old attraction is recession-proof because it's one of the few places that offers free parking and admission. 'We've decided that our plan is just to ignore inflation and pretend it doesn't exist," Arnold said. 'So you still take a quarter out of your pocket and put it in a game, and you don't pay a resort fee or a cancelation fee or any of that jazz." But Arnold said he's not surprised overall tourism might be slowing, citing skyrocketing pricing at high-end restaurants and resorts that 'squeezes out the low-end tourist." The mayor said the rising cost of food, hotel rooms and attractions also keeps visitors away. top videos View all 'People are feeling that they're getting nickelled and dimed, and they're not getting value for their dollar," Berkley said. She called on business owners to 'see if we can't make it more affordable" for tourists. 'And that's all we want. We want them to come and have good time, spend their money, go home," the mayor said. 'Then come back in six months." (AP) RD RD (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 19, 2025, 23:30 IST News agency-feeds Las Vegas tourism is down. Some blame Trumps tariffs and immigration crackdown Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Mint
6 hours ago
- Mint
Canadian dollar falls as inflation data fuels rate cut bets
Canadian dollar falls 0.4% against the greenback Touches its weakest since August 1 at 1.3860 Annual rate of inflation eases to 1.7% 10-year yield declines 4.4 basis points to 3.446% TORONTO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar hit its lowest in almost three weeks against its U.S. counterpart on Tuesday as oil prices fell and cooler domestic inflation data raised expectations the Bank of Canada would cut interest rates in the coming months. The loonie was trading 0.4% lower at 1.3855 per U.S. dollar, or 72.18 U.S. cents, after touching its weakest intraday level since August 1 at 1.3860. Canada's annual inflation rate eased to 1.7% in July from 1.9% in the prior month, helped by lower gasoline prices, while 3-month annualized measures of underlying inflation that the BoC closely tracks decelerated to 2.4% from 3.4%, according to Reuters calculations. "I think the more impactful bit of the report is that deceleration in three-month rates of core CPI," said Robert Both, senior Canada macro strategist at TD Securities. "So even with CPI-trim and median still running near 3% year-over-year, the bank has put a little more weight on those three-month core rates." Investors see a 39% chance of a rate cut from the Canadian central bank at the next policy decision on September 17, up from 31% before the data, and have leaned heavily toward an easing of policy by October. The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, was down 1.1% at $62.71 a barrel as traders assessed the possibility that talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. to end the war in Ukraine could lead to the lifting of sanctions on Russian crude, raising supply. One possible bright spot for the loonie was the ending of a strike by flight attendants at Air Canada, the nation's largest carrier, which could have weighed on the domestic economy. Canadian bond yields moved lower across the curve, with the 10-year down 4.4 basis points at 3.446%. (Reporting by Fergal Smith Editing by Christina Fincher)
