Trevor Milton, the founder, and former chief executive of&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;Corp&nbsp;was freed on $100 million bail&nbsp;after pleading not guilty to charges alleging that he defrauded&nbsp;investors by lying to them about the electric- and hydrogen-powered truck maker.

In an indictment, prosecutors in New York charged the 39-year-old billionaire with two counts of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud over his statements from November 2019 to September 2020 about&nbsp;Nikola's products and technology.

Authorities said Milton relied on a public relations blitz of social media posts as well as TV and podcast interviews to drive up&nbsp;Nikola's stock price, become one of the world's 100 richest people and "elevate" his stature as an entrepreneur.

"Milton lied about nearly every aspect of the business," US&nbsp;Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan said at a news conference. "Today's criminal charges against Milton are where the rubber meets the road."

The US&nbsp;Securities and Exchange Commission filed related civil charges against Milton.

Milton was taken into custody on Thursday, and was expected to appear in Manhattan federal court later in the day.

Nikola&nbsp;said in a statement it has cooperated with the government and is focused on delivering Tre battery-electric trucks this year. The company was not charged.

In afternoon trading,&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;shares were down $1.17, or 8.2 per cent, to $13.02, after falling as low as $12.60.

The charges mark a steep downfall for Milton, who founded Phoenix-based&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;in 2014 and was its CEO until June 2020, when it went public after merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

He stepped down last September as&nbsp;Nikola's executive chairman, two weeks after short-seller Hindenburg Research labeled the company a "fraud" and said it made many misleading statements about its technology.

Prosecutors said Milton's improper statements included that&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;had built an electric- and hydrogen-powered "Badger" pickup from the "ground up," developed batteries in-house that Milton knew it was purchasing elsewhere, and had early success in creating a "Nikola&nbsp;One" semi-truck he knew did not work.

Strauss said the closest the&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;One ever came to driving was when company engineers rolled a prototype down a hill so it could be filmed for a commercial.

Prosecutors said that upon deciding to take&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;public, Milton became preoccupied with keeping its stock price high.

The indictment said that on March 2, 2020, the day before&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;revealed it would go public, Milton emailed a board member that "we need to make sure we are getting retail investors on our side. That is what prevents the stock short selling. This is super important to me."

According to the SEC, Milton targeted ordinary retail investors he called "Robinhood investors," portraying himself as a "different" type of CEO who would be "transparent" about his company, portraying it as a trailblazer.

"Corporate officers cannot say whatever they want on social media without regard for the federal securities laws," SEC enforcement chief Gurbir Grewal said at the news conference.

Prosecutors said Milton's&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;stake was worth at least $8.5 billion soon after the announcements regarding the Badger.

Milton is still worth $1.2 billion, Forbes magazine said on Thursday.

Tesla Inc is among&nbsp;Nikola's rivals in the electric truck sector. Both companies' names derive from&nbsp;Nikola&nbsp;Tesla, an inventor whose work included electric power, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now among the world's richest people.

In 2018, Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million in civil fines to settle SEC charges over a Musk tweet.

(With inputs from agencies)

Trevor Milton, the founder, and former chief executive of Nikola Corp was freed on $100 million bail after pleading not guilty to charges alleging that he defrauded investors by lying to them about the electric- and hydrogen-powered truck maker.

Trevor Milton, the founder, and former chief executive of Nikola Corp was freed on $100 million bail after pleading not guilty to charges alleging that he defrauded investors by lying to them about the electric- and hydrogen-powered truck maker. In an indictment, prosecutors in New York charged the 39-year-old billionaire with two counts of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud over his statements from November 2019 to September 2020 about Nikola's products and technology. Authorities said Milton relied on a public relations blitz of social media posts as well as TV and podcast interviews to drive up Nikola's stock price, become one of the world's 100 richest people and "elevate" his stature as an entrepreneur. "Milton lied about nearly every aspect of the business," US Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan said at a news conference. "Today's criminal charges against Milton are where the rubber meets the road." The US Securities and Exchange Commission filed related civil charges against Milton. Milton was taken into custody on Thursday, and was expected to appear in Manhattan federal court later in the day. Nikola said in a statement it has cooperated with the government and is focused on delivering Tre battery-electric trucks this year. The company was not charged. In afternoon trading, Nikola shares were down $1.17, or 8.2 per cent, to $13.02, after falling as low as $12.60. The charges mark a steep downfall for Milton, who founded Phoenix-based Nikola in 2014 and was its CEO until June 2020, when it went public after merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. He stepped down last September as Nikola's executive chairman, two weeks after short-seller Hindenburg Research labeled the company a "fraud" and said it made many misleading statements about its technology. Prosecutors said Milton's improper statements included that Nikola had built an electric- and hydrogen-powered "Badger" pickup from the "ground up," developed batteries in-house that Milton knew it was purchasing elsewhere, and had early success in creating a "Nikola One" semi-truck he knew did not work. Strauss said the closest the Nikola One ever came to driving was when company engineers rolled a prototype down a hill so it could be filmed for a commercial. Prosecutors said that upon deciding to take Nikola public, Milton became preoccupied with keeping its stock price high. The indictment said that on March 2, 2020, the day before Nikola revealed it would go public, Milton emailed a board member that "we need to make sure we are getting retail investors on our side. That is what prevents the stock short selling. This is super important to me." According to the SEC, Milton targeted ordinary retail investors he called "Robinhood investors," portraying himself as a "different" type of CEO who would be "transparent" about his company, portraying it as a trailblazer. "Corporate officers cannot say whatever they want on social media without regard for the federal securities laws," SEC enforcement chief Gurbir Grewal said at the news conference. Prosecutors said Milton's Nikola stake was worth at least $8.5 billion soon after the announcements regarding the Badger. Milton is still worth $1.2 billion, Forbes magazine said on Thursday. Tesla Inc is among Nikola's rivals in the electric truck sector. Both companies' names derive from Nikola Tesla, an inventor whose work included electric power, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now among the world's richest people. In 2018, Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million in civil fines to settle SEC charges over a Musk tweet. (With inputs from agencies)

Nikola founder Trevor Milton freed on $100 million bail after fraud arrest

Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier.

According to NASA, the mishap began about three hours after the Nauka module, named after the Russian word for 'science', had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;were performing post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures.

Nauka's jet thrusters inadvertently fired, causing the station to pitch out of position 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US&nbsp;space agency officials said.

The crew - two Russian cosmonauts, three NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut and a European space agency astronaut from France - were never in any immediate danger, according to NASA and Russia.

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky told his followers on Twitter not to worry.

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Dear friends, I’m reading your numerous comments. Don’t worry! Our work at the International <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> to integrate the newly arrived <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nauka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nauka</a> module continues! 
 
Tonight we are going to open the hatches. Will keep you posted! <a href="https://t.co/N7ub8U3YhQ">pic.twitter.com/N7ub8U3YhQ</a>
— Oleg Novitskiy (@novitskiy_iss) <a href="https://twitter.com/novitskiy_iss/status/1421010859376119809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On Friday, Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said work to integrate Nauka with the ISS was underway and Russian cosmonauts would later open the module's hatch to try to access it.

It said checks on Nauka's engines were being completed remotely by Russian specialists to ensure everyone's safety, that the ISS was on its normal flight trajectory, and that the docking had been successful in so far as the seal between the new module and the rest of the ISS was hermetic.

It did not say what had prompted Nauka's engines to unexpectedly roar into life.

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, retweeted Novitsky. He had hailed Nauka's docking with the ISS as "a very difficult and important victory for us" and warmly accepted congratulations on Twitter from space entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Rogozin also spoke of plans to launch another Russian module to the ISS in November.

Roscosmos has suffered a series of mishaps and corruption scandals, including during the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country's far east where contractors were accused of embezzling state funds.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier.

Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier. According to NASA, the mishap began about three hours after the Nauka module, named after the Russian word for 'science', had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in Moscow were performing post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures. Nauka's jet thrusters inadvertently fired, causing the station to pitch out of position 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US space agency officials said. The crew - two Russian cosmonauts, three NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut and a European space agency astronaut from France - were never in any immediate danger, according to NASA and Russia. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky told his followers on Twitter not to worry. Dear friends, I’m reading your numerous comments. Don’t worry! Our work at the International @Space_Station to integrate the newly arrived #Nauka module continues! Tonight we are going to open the hatches. Will keep you posted! pic.twitter.com/N7ub8U3YhQ — Oleg Novitskiy (@novitskiy_iss) July 30, 2021 × On Friday, Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said work to integrate Nauka with the ISS was underway and Russian cosmonauts would later open the module's hatch to try to access it. It said checks on Nauka's engines were being completed remotely by Russian specialists to ensure everyone's safety, that the ISS was on its normal flight trajectory, and that the docking had been successful in so far as the seal between the new module and the rest of the ISS was hermetic. It did not say what had prompted Nauka's engines to unexpectedly roar into life. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, retweeted Novitsky. He had hailed Nauka's docking with the ISS as "a very difficult and important victory for us" and warmly accepted congratulations on Twitter from space entrepreneur Elon Musk. Rogozin also spoke of plans to launch another Russian module to the ISS in November. Roscosmos has suffered a series of mishaps and corruption scandals, including during the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country's far east where contractors were accused of embezzling state funds. (With inputs from agencies)

'All is well', says Moscow after space station thrown off course by Nauka module

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon&nbsp;Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink,&nbsp;has raised $205 million in funding&nbsp;from Alphabet Inc's Google Ventures.

Neuralink aims to implant wireless brain-computer chips to help cure neurological conditions including Alzheimer's, dementia, and spinal cord injuries and fuse humankind with artificial intelligence.

The company released a video in April showing a male macaque playing a videogame "Mind Pong" after getting chips embedded on each side of its brain.

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First <a href="https://twitter.com/neuralink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Neuralink</a> product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1380315654524301315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Valor Equity Partners, Craft Ventures and Founders Fund also participated in the series C funding round.&nbsp;

Co-founded by&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;in 2016, San Francisco-based Neuralink will use the funds to take its first product, N1 Link, to the market, and for research and development.

Musk&nbsp;has a history of bringing together diverse experts to develop technology previously limited to academic labs through companies such as Tesla Inc, SpaceX and Boring Co.

SpaceX, a private space company, said in an amended regulatory filing in April, it had raised about $1.16 billion in equity financing.

(With inputs from agencies)

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink, has raised $205 million in funding from Alphabet Inc's Google Ventures. Neuralink aims to implant wireless brain-computer chips to help cure neurological conditions including Alzheimer's, dementia, and spinal cord injuries and fuse humankind with artificial intelligence.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink, has raised $205 million in funding from Alphabet Inc's Google Ventures. Neuralink aims to implant wireless brain-computer chips to help cure neurological conditions including Alzheimer's, dementia, and spinal cord injuries and fuse humankind with artificial intelligence. The company released a video in April showing a male macaque playing a videogame "Mind Pong" after getting chips embedded on each side of its brain. First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2021 × Valor Equity Partners, Craft Ventures and Founders Fund also participated in the series C funding round. Co-founded by Musk in 2016, San Francisco-based Neuralink will use the funds to take its first product, N1 Link, to the market, and for research and development. Musk has a history of bringing together diverse experts to develop technology previously limited to academic labs through companies such as Tesla Inc, SpaceX and Boring Co. SpaceX, a private space company, said in an amended regulatory filing in April, it had raised about $1.16 billion in equity financing. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink raises over $200 million

Tesla announced $1.14 billion in net profits in the second quarter, well-exceeding analyst estimates and marking the first time the company's quarterly profit (on a GAAP basis) surpassed the three-comma barrier.

In after-hours trading, the findings pushed shares up more than 2.2 per cent.

Despite supply chain issues and losses, Tesla was able to outperform forecasts and post its eighth consecutive quarter of profitability. 
 
Watch | World Business Watch: Tesla plans to open its charging network to other EVs

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According to the corporation, operating income was $1.3 billion, up from $327 million the previous year due to volume growth and expense reduction.&nbsp;

An increase in operating expenses, supply chain issues, lower regulatory credit revenue, and the $23 million impairment were largely offset by the positive outcomes.&nbsp;

The financial milestone announced Monday extended Tesla's two-year run of success, putting to rest concerns about the company's long-term viability that arose during the company's early years of losses and production issues.

Tesla has firmly established itself as a leader in the transition away from fossil fuels, which is likely to boost its profits even further than in the most recent quarter.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla announced $1.14 billion in net profits in the second quarter, well-exceeding analyst estimates and marking the first time the company's quarterly profit (on a GAAP basis) surpassed the three-comma barrier.

Tesla announced $1.14 billion in net profits in the second quarter, well-exceeding analyst estimates and marking the first time the company's quarterly profit (on a GAAP basis) surpassed the three-comma barrier. In after-hours trading, the findings pushed shares up more than 2.2 per cent. Despite supply chain issues and losses, Tesla was able to outperform forecasts and post its eighth consecutive quarter of profitability. Watch | World Business Watch: Tesla plans to open its charging network to other EVs According to the corporation, operating income was $1.3 billion, up from $327 million the previous year due to volume growth and expense reduction. An increase in operating expenses, supply chain issues, lower regulatory credit revenue, and the $23 million impairment were largely offset by the positive outcomes. The financial milestone announced Monday extended Tesla's two-year run of success, putting to rest concerns about the company's long-term viability that arose during the company's early years of losses and production issues. Tesla has firmly established itself as a leader in the transition away from fossil fuels, which is likely to boost its profits even further than in the most recent quarter. (With inputs from agencies)

Tesla surpasses $1 billion quarterly profit for the first time despite chip shortage

Elon Musk said that electric-car maker Tesla will most likely restart accepting Bitcoin as payment once it conducts due diligence on the amount of renewable energy used to mine the currency.

World Business Watch: Elon Musk says Tesla 'most likely' to restart accepting Bitcoin

CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla Inc plans to open its network of superchargers to other electric vehicles later this year. The electric-car maker's fast charging network, with over 25,000 superchargers globally, has given it a competitive edge.

World Business Watch: Tesla plans to open its charging network to other EVs

In a&nbsp;recent&nbsp;tweet, Tech mogul Elon Musk supported&nbsp;colonisation&nbsp;of Mars, saying population collapse is a big problem on Earth and as the&nbsp;population of Mars is zero, it needs people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Elon Musk tweeted, “I’m trying to set a good example!&nbsp;Population collapse is a much bigger problem than people realize and that’s just for Earth.&nbsp;Mars has a great need for people, seeing as population is currently zero.&nbsp;Humans are the custodians of other life on Earth. Let us bring life to Mars!”&nbsp;

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I’m trying to set a good example! Population collapse is a much bigger problem than people realize and that’s just for Earth. 
 
Mars has a great need for people, seeing as population is currently zero. 
 
Humans are the custodians of other life on Earth. Let us bring life to Mars!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1415348519381217281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Musk has been advocating Mars’&nbsp;colonisation&nbsp;for a long time, even with a set deadline and plan of action.&nbsp;The Tesla CEO’s tweet&nbsp;was in response to a post shared by a Twitter handle titled ‘Tesla Owners of the East Bay’.&nbsp;

Bringing the problem of&nbsp;‘population collapse’&nbsp;on the fore,&nbsp;the fan club&nbsp;handle had&nbsp;tweeted how it is upon earth&nbsp;to solve it&nbsp;with&nbsp;reducing the birth rate&nbsp;in the world.&nbsp;

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Population collapse could be upon us, but we appreciate that you good sir are still making tangible efforts to stave it off. <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> 👶🏻💚🌎 <a href="https://t.co/qlwz1JBUhj">pic.twitter.com/qlwz1JBUhj</a>
— Tesla Owners of the East Bay (@TeslaOwnersEBay) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeslaOwnersEBay/status/1415169164650565632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On the microblogging site,&nbsp;the club wrote,&nbsp;“Population collapse could be upon us, but we appreciate that you good sir are still making tangible efforts to stave it off."&nbsp;Musk,&nbsp;who is&nbsp;father of seven&nbsp;children, said that he is trying to set a good example.&nbsp;

In a recent tweet, Tech mogul Elon Musk supported colonisation of Mars, saying population collapse is a big problem on Earth and as the population of Mars is zero, it needs people.

In a recent tweet, Tech mogul Elon Musk supported colonisation of Mars, saying population collapse is a big problem on Earth and as the population of Mars is zero, it needs people. Elon Musk tweeted, “I’m trying to set a good example! Population collapse is a much bigger problem than people realize and that’s just for Earth. Mars has a great need for people, seeing as population is currently zero. Humans are the custodians of other life on Earth. Let us bring life to Mars!” I’m trying to set a good example! Population collapse is a much bigger problem than people realize and that’s just for Earth. Mars has a great need for people, seeing as population is currently zero. Humans are the custodians of other life on Earth. Let us bring life to Mars! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2021 × Musk has been advocating Mars’ colonisation for a long time, even with a set deadline and plan of action. The Tesla CEO’s tweet was in response to a post shared by a Twitter handle titled ‘Tesla Owners of the East Bay’. Bringing the problem of ‘population collapse’ on the fore, the fan club handle had tweeted how it is upon earth to solve it with reducing the birth rate in the world. Population collapse could be upon us, but we appreciate that you good sir are still making tangible efforts to stave it off. @elonmusk 👶🏻💚🌎 pic.twitter.com/qlwz1JBUhj — Tesla Owners of the East Bay (@TeslaOwnersEBay) July 14, 2021 × On the microblogging site, the club wrote, “Population collapse could be upon us, but we appreciate that you good sir are still making tangible efforts to stave it off." Musk, who is father of seven children, said that he is trying to set a good example.

Warning of 'population collapse' on Earth, Elon Musk calls for colonisation of Mars  

Global warming is already an issue that has started showing effects like devastating cyclones, floods to name just two. In spite of global efforts, the amount of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is not at the desired level.

Add to that the emerging trend of commercial space travel. Last week, Richard Branson travelled to the edge of space. Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos is making similar plans and SpaceX's Elon Musk may draw up something similar too.

All of these men are eager to make commercial space travel a reality. And there are many takers. People are ready to spend millions for a ticket to literally out of this world experience.

But the seemingly big leap for rich mankind may have harmful effects for our planet. A single rocket launch deposits tonnes of Carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere.&nbsp;The Guardian quoted an associate professor of physical geography at University College, London on this. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. So in turn, rocket launches may be contributing to global warming.&nbsp;

The Carbon dioxide deposited in the upper atmosphere stays there for a long time, about two to three years. This may amplify the effect it causes on global warming. At that height, even water vapour can have devastating effect.

Fortunately, number of rocket launches into the space is much much lower than commercial air traffic. This means that fuel used in aeroplanes may currently be more than that used in rocket launches.

But what if space travel becomes as cheap as air travel? We would really need to find solution to this problem.

Global warming is already an issue that has started showing effects like devastating cyclones, floods to name just two. In spite of global efforts, the amount of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is not at the desired level.

Global warming is already an issue that has started showing effects like devastating cyclones, floods to name just two. In spite of global efforts, the amount of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is not at the desired level. Add to that the emerging trend of commercial space travel. Last week, Richard Branson travelled to the edge of space. Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos is making similar plans and SpaceX's Elon Musk may draw up something similar too. All of these men are eager to make commercial space travel a reality. And there are many takers. People are ready to spend millions for a ticket to literally out of this world experience. But the seemingly big leap for rich mankind may have harmful effects for our planet. A single rocket launch deposits tonnes of Carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere. The Guardian quoted an associate professor of physical geography at University College, London on this. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. So in turn, rocket launches may be contributing to global warming. The Carbon dioxide deposited in the upper atmosphere stays there for a long time, about two to three years. This may amplify the effect it causes on global warming. At that height, even water vapour can have devastating effect. Fortunately, number of rocket launches into the space is much much lower than commercial air traffic. This means that fuel used in aeroplanes may currently be more than that used in rocket launches. But what if space travel becomes as cheap as air travel? We would really need to find solution to this problem.

Billionaire space race can add to global warming

Social audio app&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;launched a direct messaging feature&nbsp;called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats.

The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app.

Its competitors, notably Twitter Spaces and Facebook Live Audio Rooms, both allow people to text chat while also running or participating in an audio conversation, so Backchannel brings Clubhouse more up to par and ensures users keep their conversations, and more of their social life, on the app.

The invite-only app, which saw explosive early growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now competing against a raft of tech companies from Facebook and Twitter to Spotify pushing out similar audio chat services.

Clubhouse&nbsp;said it had added more than 8 million new users since launching on Android in late May. It said the ability to direct message was one of its most requested features.

Launched last year, the San Francisco-based platform is looking to establish itself as the standard-bearer for digital audio and has already inspired copycat products from Facebook and Twitter.

Taking advantage of the pandemic and celebrity appearances such as Tesla boss Elon Musk,&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;has popularized long conversations, whether they be chats between friends or celebrity interviews.

(With inputs from agencies)

Social audio app Clubhouse launched a direct messaging feature called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats. The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app.

Social audio app Clubhouse launched a direct messaging feature called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats. The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app. Its competitors, notably Twitter Spaces and Facebook Live Audio Rooms, both allow people to text chat while also running or participating in an audio conversation, so Backchannel brings Clubhouse more up to par and ensures users keep their conversations, and more of their social life, on the app. The invite-only app, which saw explosive early growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now competing against a raft of tech companies from Facebook and Twitter to Spotify pushing out similar audio chat services. Clubhouse said it had added more than 8 million new users since launching on Android in late May. It said the ability to direct message was one of its most requested features. Launched last year, the San Francisco-based platform is looking to establish itself as the standard-bearer for digital audio and has already inspired copycat products from Facebook and Twitter. Taking advantage of the pandemic and celebrity appearances such as Tesla boss Elon Musk, Clubhouse has popularized long conversations, whether they be chats between friends or celebrity interviews. (With inputs from agencies)

Invite-only app Clubhouse launches direct messages feature 'Backchannel'

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's&nbsp;company SpaceX has received a warning from the US&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that its environmental review of a new tower at its Boca Chica launch site in Texas is incomplete.

The largest transportation agency of the US government could&nbsp;order SpaceX to take down the tower.

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An FAA spokesman said on Wednesday that the agency's environmental review underway of SpaceX’s proposed rocket assembly "integration tower" is "underway," and added that "the company is building the tower at its own risk."

A letter from the FAA to SpaceX sent on May 6&nbsp;said recent construction activity on one of the two proposed towers "may complicate the ongoing environmental review process for the Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program." The FAA letter said the tower could be as high as 480 feet.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a>

Based on the environmental review, the FAA could order SpaceX to take down the tower.&nbsp;"It is possible that changes would have to be made at the launch site, including to the integration towers to mitigate significant impacts," the May 6 letter said, adding the FAA learned of the tower's construction "based on publicly available video footage."

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment but Musk has repeatedly criticized the FAA and the US&nbsp;regulatory system.

SpaceX told the FAA in May that it did not believe the review was necessary because it only intends to use the "integration tower for production, research, and development purposes and not for FAA-licensed or -permitted launches," the FAA said.

But the agency said description in documents "indicates otherwise."

The FAA cited a SpaceX document that the towers would be used to integrate the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. "Super Heavy would be mated to the launch mount, followed by Starship mated to Super Heavy," the FAA letter said quoting SpaceX's May 5 submission.

The FAA and Musk have clashed on several occasions.

On June 29, Musk lamented the delay of the launch of the Transporter-2 mission in Florida. He tweeted "an aircraft entered the ‘keep out zone’, which is unreasonably gigantic. There is simply no way that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization without major regulatory reform."

Earlier this year, the FAA said SpaceX's December launch of Starship SN8 violated its license requirements.

Effective March 12, the FAA began requiring an agency safety inspector at all SpaceX launches to "ensure compliance with federal regulations to protect public safety."

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson spoke with Musk on March 12 for 30 minutes to stress "the FAA’s role in protecting public safety by ensuring regulatory compliance. He made it clear that the FAA expected SpaceX to develop and foster a robust safety culture that stresses adherence to FAA rules," the agency said in April.

(With inputs from agency)

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's company SpaceX has received a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that its environmental review of a new tower at its Boca Chica launch site in Texas is incomplete.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's company SpaceX has received a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that its environmental review of a new tower at its Boca Chica launch site in Texas is incomplete. The largest transportation agency of the US government could order SpaceX to take down the tower. An FAA spokesman said on Wednesday that the agency's environmental review underway of SpaceX’s proposed rocket assembly "integration tower" is "underway," and added that "the company is building the tower at its own risk." A letter from the FAA to SpaceX sent on May 6 said recent construction activity on one of the two proposed towers "may complicate the ongoing environmental review process for the Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program." The FAA letter said the tower could be as high as 480 feet. Also see| Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Based on the environmental review, the FAA could order SpaceX to take down the tower. "It is possible that changes would have to be made at the launch site, including to the integration towers to mitigate significant impacts," the May 6 letter said, adding the FAA learned of the tower's construction "based on publicly available video footage." SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment but Musk has repeatedly criticized the FAA and the US regulatory system. SpaceX told the FAA in May that it did not believe the review was necessary because it only intends to use the "integration tower for production, research, and development purposes and not for FAA-licensed or -permitted launches," the FAA said. But the agency said description in documents "indicates otherwise." The FAA cited a SpaceX document that the towers would be used to integrate the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. "Super Heavy would be mated to the launch mount, followed by Starship mated to Super Heavy," the FAA letter said quoting SpaceX's May 5 submission. The FAA and Musk have clashed on several occasions. On June 29, Musk lamented the delay of the launch of the Transporter-2 mission in Florida. He tweeted "an aircraft entered the ‘keep out zone’, which is unreasonably gigantic. There is simply no way that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization without major regulatory reform." Earlier this year, the FAA said SpaceX's December launch of Starship SN8 violated its license requirements. Effective March 12, the FAA began requiring an agency safety inspector at all SpaceX launches to "ensure compliance with federal regulations to protect public safety." FAA Administrator Steve Dickson spoke with Musk on March 12 for 30 minutes to stress "the FAA’s role in protecting public safety by ensuring regulatory compliance. He made it clear that the FAA expected SpaceX to develop and foster a robust safety culture that stresses adherence to FAA rules," the agency said in April. (With inputs from agency)

FAA warns SpaceX that massive Starship launch tower in Texas is unapproved

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful completion of the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme, India's first manned space mission.&nbsp;

ISRO successfully tested the core L110 liquid stage of the human-rated GSLV MkIII spacecraft on Wednesday, as part of the Gaganyaan programme's engine qualification requirements, the space agency said in a statement. 
&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISRO</a> on July 14, 2021 has successfully conducted the hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human rated GSLV MkIII vehicle, as part of engine qualification requirements for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> Programme 
 
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At the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, the engine was fired for 240 seconds.

The engine's performance met the test objectives, and the parameters were near to the projections during the test, according to an official statement made by ISRO.

As part of the Gaganyaan programme, four Indian astronaut candidates have previously completed general space flight training in Russia.&nbsp;

Union Minister of State (Independent charge) of Space, Jitendra Singh said in February this year that the first unmanned mission is planned in December 2021 and the second unmanned one in 2022-23 followed by the human spaceflight demonstration.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful completion of the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme, India's first manned space mission.

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful completion of the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme, India's first manned space mission. ISRO successfully tested the core L110 liquid stage of the human-rated GSLV MkIII spacecraft on Wednesday, as part of the Gaganyaan programme's engine qualification requirements, the space agency said in a statement. #ISRO on July 14, 2021 has successfully conducted the hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human rated GSLV MkIII vehicle, as part of engine qualification requirements for the #Gaganyaan Programme Read More: https://t.co/cqYatVNwsf pic.twitter.com/4MFvHIBgVW — ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2021 × At the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, the engine was fired for 240 seconds. The engine's performance met the test objectives, and the parameters were near to the projections during the test, according to an official statement made by ISRO. As part of the Gaganyaan programme, four Indian astronaut candidates have previously completed general space flight training in Russia. Union Minister of State (Independent charge) of Space, Jitendra Singh said in February this year that the first unmanned mission is planned in December 2021 and the second unmanned one in 2022-23 followed by the human spaceflight demonstration. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk lauds ISRO on 3rd test of Vikas engine for Gaganyaan mission

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors.

Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success.

And now, during questioning at a trial over SolarCity's acquisition, the Tesla CEO&nbsp;revealed that he turned down multiple high-paying Wall Street jobs to focus on technology.

Musk, who studied at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Silicon Valley, did not reveal the names of the companies that approached him.

Tesla is accused of purchasing SolarCity for $2.6 billion in 2016 as a "bailout" for the company.

Paypal, formerly X.com, was the source of Musk's fortune.

Paypal was founded in 1999 and was later purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion, with $165 million in stock being paid to Musk.

Musk established Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in 2002.

Musk believed that humanity's survival based on its potential to evolve into a multi-planetary species, but that present rocket launch technologies were prohibitively expensive.

With the launch of the Falcon 1 in 2006, the Falcon 9 in 2010, and the Falcon Heavy in 2018, he was able to do this.

(With inputs from agencies)

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors. Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success.

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors. Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success. And now, during questioning at a trial over SolarCity's acquisition, the Tesla CEO revealed that he turned down multiple high-paying Wall Street jobs to focus on technology. Musk, who studied at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Silicon Valley, did not reveal the names of the companies that approached him. Tesla is accused of purchasing SolarCity for $2.6 billion in 2016 as a "bailout" for the company. Paypal, formerly X.com, was the source of Musk's fortune. Paypal was founded in 1999 and was later purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion, with $165 million in stock being paid to Musk. Musk established Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in 2002. Musk believed that humanity's survival based on its potential to evolve into a multi-planetary species, but that present rocket launch technologies were prohibitively expensive. With the launch of the Falcon 1 in 2006, the Falcon 9 in 2010, and the Falcon Heavy in 2018, he was able to do this. (With inputs from agencies)

I turned down high-paid jobs on Wall Street to focus on technology: Elon Musk

Elon Musk insisted in court that the company is controlled by Tesla Inc's board, not himself. He also added that Tesla would "die" if he wasn't the chief executive, as he ended his first day of testimony in defense of Tesla's 2016 acquisition of SolarCity.

Elon Musk defends for SolarCity acquisition, says Tesla would 'die' if he wasn't CEO

As the clock ticks and hour of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceflight launch draws nearer, the excitement is palpable around 70-year-old billionaire's travel to the edge of space. Branson has been one of the early pioneers who dreamt of commercial space travel when he founded his company Virgin Galactic in 2004.

Though at the time&nbsp;it was thought that commercial space travel would be normal with three to four years, it's&nbsp;better late than never as world looks on with bated breath 17 years after.

Although the exact time of the launch hasn't been made public, the reports suggest that the launch will take place at 1430 GMT. The launch is scheduled to take place from a spaceport in New Mexico.

Richard Branson will be aboard the space vehicle. Branson's official role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to enhance the journey for future clients.&nbsp;

<h2>How will the launch take place</h2>

A massive carrier plane will take off from a horizontal runway, flown by two pilots, gaining altitude for about an hour.

Below this plane hangs the spaceship VSS Unity -- a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered spaceplane -- with two more pilots and four passengers: Branson and three Virgin employees.

After climbing to 50,000 feet (15 kilometers), VSS Unity, which is about the size of a private jet, will be dropped and then ignite its rocket-powered engine to ascend at Mach 3 beyond the 50 miles (80 kilometers) of altitude considered the edge of space by US agencies.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aim-for-stars-richard-bransons-journey-from-record-store-to-space-trip-397420">‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip</a>

Once the rocket engine is cut off, passengers can unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, while admiring the curvature of Earth from the ship's 17 windows.

After peaking at around 55 miles of altitude, the ship will re-enter the thick part of the atmosphere and glide back to the runway.

<h2>How to watch the Virgin Galactic spaceflight launch LIVE</h2>

The launch will livestreamed by the company. The live stream can be watched on the company's website (virginatlantic.com). The launch will also be live streamed on the company's Facebook, Twiter handles and Youtube channels.

(with inputs from agencies)

As the clock ticks and hour of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceflight launch draws nearer, the excitement is palpable around 70-year-old billionaire's travel to the edge of space.

As the clock ticks and hour of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceflight launch draws nearer, the excitement is palpable around 70-year-old billionaire's travel to the edge of space. Branson has been one of the early pioneers who dreamt of commercial space travel when he founded his company Virgin Galactic in 2004. Though at the time it was thought that commercial space travel would be normal with three to four years, it's better late than never as world looks on with bated breath 17 years after. Although the exact time of the launch hasn't been made public, the reports suggest that the launch will take place at 1430 GMT. The launch is scheduled to take place from a spaceport in New Mexico. Richard Branson will be aboard the space vehicle. Branson's official role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to enhance the journey for future clients. How will the launch take place A massive carrier plane will take off from a horizontal runway, flown by two pilots, gaining altitude for about an hour. Below this plane hangs the spaceship VSS Unity -- a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered spaceplane -- with two more pilots and four passengers: Branson and three Virgin employees. After climbing to 50,000 feet (15 kilometers), VSS Unity, which is about the size of a private jet, will be dropped and then ignite its rocket-powered engine to ascend at Mach 3 beyond the 50 miles (80 kilometers) of altitude considered the edge of space by US agencies. Also Read | ‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip Once the rocket engine is cut off, passengers can unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, while admiring the curvature of Earth from the ship's 17 windows. After peaking at around 55 miles of altitude, the ship will re-enter the thick part of the atmosphere and glide back to the runway. How to watch the Virgin Galactic spaceflight launch LIVE The launch will livestreamed by the company. The live stream can be watched on the company's website (virginatlantic.com). The launch will also be live streamed on the company's Facebook, Twiter handles and Youtube channels. (with inputs from agencies)

Richard Branson Virgin Galactic spaceflight: Where to watch the launch LIVE

British billionaire&nbsp;Richard Branson's wife&nbsp;Joan Templeman has said that she will not be going to his funeral if he dies on his spaceflight&nbsp;on July 11.

Branson&nbsp;laughed as he quoted his wife telling him: "'If you're foolish enough to do these wonderful things, you can do it, but I won't be going to your funeral.'"

It comes as&nbsp;Virgin Galactic finalises plans for founder Richard Branson to join five others on a test flight to the edge of space.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a>

Even though&nbsp;Branson's wife may be nervous about the launch but he himself is not the least bit afraid.

Before this weekend's mission on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Unity, the avowed Star Trek fan attributed his drive and taste for adventure to his mother Eve, who died from Covid in January. &nbsp;

"I've always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars," said the London-born 70-year-old.

"I've been looking forward to this for 17 years," Branson said in an interview&nbsp;from Spaceport America near the remote town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-jeff-bezos-is-going-to-space-393208/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said pre-flight preparations only add to the excitement ahead of Sunday's scheduled launch, which will be taking place one week before his 71st birthday.

"Every bit about it is a pinch-me moment," he said.

The launch of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc's VSS Unity rocket plane over the desert will mark the space tourism company's fourth crewed test mission beyond Earth's atmosphere. But it will be the first to carry a full complement of space travelers, consisting of Branson, two pilots and three mission specialists.

Unity will be launched at an altitude of about 50,000 feet from a Virgin Galactic carrier plane, then soar on its own rocket power to the boundary of space, where the crew will experience about 4 minutes of weightlessness before beginning a descent back to Earth.

The trip is not without the inherent hazards of spaceflight. An earlier prototype of the rocket plane crashed during a 2014 test flight over California's Mojave Desert, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other.

By joining the flight on July 11, Branson has positioned himself to beat rival entrepreneur Jeff Bezos into space by nine days.

Bezos, founder of the retail giant Amazon.com Inc, will be on board the suborbital flight of the New Shepard spacecraft of his own private rocket company, Blue Origin, on July 20.

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, along with Elon Musk's SpaceX, are competing head-to-head in the emerging space tourism business.

Branson denied he and Bezos were in a contest to see who would go up first, however.

"I just wish him and people going up with him all the very best. I look forward to talking to him about his ride when he comes back," Branson said of Bezos. "I spoke to him two or three weeks ago, and we both wished each other well."

Success for both ventures is considered key to fostering a burgeoning industry that aims to eventually make space tourism mainstream, at least for high-paying customers.

Virgin has said two additional test flights of its vehicle are planned before the company begins commercial service in 2022, and Branson said he anticipates offering paid flights on a "regular basis" next year.

He also said he was confident there was plenty of room in the market for his venture and Bezos' company to compete.

"Neither of us are going to be able to build enough spaceships to satisfy the demand," Branson said.

(With inputs from agencies)

British billionaire Richard Branson's wife Joan Templeman has said that she will not be going to his funeral if he dies on his spaceflight on July 11. Branson laughed as he quoted his wife telling him: "'If you're foolish enough to do these wonderful things, you can do it, but I won't be going to your funeral.

British billionaire Richard Branson's wife Joan Templeman has said that she will not be going to his funeral if he dies on his spaceflight on July 11. Branson laughed as he quoted his wife telling him: "'If you're foolish enough to do these wonderful things, you can do it, but I won't be going to your funeral.'" It comes as Virgin Galactic finalises plans for founder Richard Branson to join five others on a test flight to the edge of space. Also see| Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Even though Branson's wife may be nervous about the launch but he himself is not the least bit afraid. Before this weekend's mission on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Unity, the avowed Star Trek fan attributed his drive and taste for adventure to his mother Eve, who died from Covid in January. "I've always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars," said the London-born 70-year-old. "I've been looking forward to this for 17 years," Branson said in an interview from Spaceport America near the remote town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. He said pre-flight preparations only add to the excitement ahead of Sunday's scheduled launch, which will be taking place one week before his 71st birthday. "Every bit about it is a pinch-me moment," he said. The launch of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc's VSS Unity rocket plane over the desert will mark the space tourism company's fourth crewed test mission beyond Earth's atmosphere. But it will be the first to carry a full complement of space travelers, consisting of Branson, two pilots and three mission specialists. Unity will be launched at an altitude of about 50,000 feet from a Virgin Galactic carrier plane, then soar on its own rocket power to the boundary of space, where the crew will experience about 4 minutes of weightlessness before beginning a descent back to Earth. The trip is not without the inherent hazards of spaceflight. An earlier prototype of the rocket plane crashed during a 2014 test flight over California's Mojave Desert, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other. By joining the flight on July 11, Branson has positioned himself to beat rival entrepreneur Jeff Bezos into space by nine days. Bezos, founder of the retail giant Amazon.com Inc, will be on board the suborbital flight of the New Shepard spacecraft of his own private rocket company, Blue Origin, on July 20. Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, along with Elon Musk's SpaceX, are competing head-to-head in the emerging space tourism business. Branson denied he and Bezos were in a contest to see who would go up first, however. "I just wish him and people going up with him all the very best. I look forward to talking to him about his ride when he comes back," Branson said of Bezos. "I spoke to him two or three weeks ago, and we both wished each other well." Success for both ventures is considered key to fostering a burgeoning industry that aims to eventually make space tourism mainstream, at least for high-paying customers. Virgin has said two additional test flights of its vehicle are planned before the company begins commercial service in 2022, and Branson said he anticipates offering paid flights on a "regular basis" next year. He also said he was confident there was plenty of room in the market for his venture and Bezos' company to compete. "Neither of us are going to be able to build enough spaceships to satisfy the demand," Branson said. (With inputs from agencies)

'I won't be going to his funeral': Richard Branson's wife expresses nervousness about his spaceflight

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been accused by shareholders of his company of misusing his power to rescue his own investment in&nbsp;SolarCity.

They are questioning&nbsp;whether Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;controls Tesla Inc or does Tesla control Elon&nbsp;Musk?&nbsp;More than $2 billion hinges on that question as a trial kicks off on Monday.

SolarCity, a&nbsp;solar panel-making company, was on the verge of&nbsp;bankruptcy before Musk rescued it.

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Musk&nbsp;has defended himself by saying&nbsp;that the SolarCity deal has been a huge success for Tesla shareholders, demonstrating the deal was not only fair, but a boon.

The union pension funds and asset managers leading the case want&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;to repay to Tesla the cost of the $2.6 billion deal and to disgorge the profits on his SolarCity stock. If they win, it would be one of the largest judgments against an individual.

The two-week trial in the Court of Chancery in Wilmington, Delaware, will boil down to whether&nbsp;Musk, who owned about 22 per cent&nbsp;of Tesla at the time of the deal, is that rare controlling stockholder who does not hold a majority stake.

"I think it's going to be very hard for the court to ignore the reality that Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;is Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;and his relationship with Tesla," said Ann Lipton, a professor at Tulane University Law School.

She said the case might present an unusual situation given&nbsp;Musk's celebrity status, his personal ties to Tesla board members and those board members' financial ties to SolarCity.

"Put it all together, and it might be enough to count as a controlling shareholder," she said.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a>

Few executives dominate their company's image as much&nbsp;Musk, known for taunting regulators, battling naysayers and personally engaging with his 57 million Twitter followers.

"We are highly dependent on the services of Elon&nbsp;Musk, Technoking of Tesla, and our Chief Executive Officer," said Tesla's 2020 annual report.

Plaintiffs allege that&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;drove the negotiations and even pushed Tesla's board to raise, not lower, the price for SolarCity.

A higher price benefited&nbsp;Musk, who was the largest shareholder of SolarCity, with a stake of about 22 per cent, as well as four members of Tesla's board, who directly or indirectly owned SolarCity stock, according to court records.

Board members settled allegations against them last year for $60 million and did not admit to any fault.

Plaintiffs also allege the deal benefited two of&nbsp;Musk's cousins who founded SolarCity, saving a company that was rapidly running low on cash.

Musk&nbsp;has said he was "fully recused" from board negotiations and that shareholders voted to approve the deal because it was central to his "Master Plan, Part Deux" that aims to integrate sustainable solar energy with electric self-driving cars.

He has said that what plaintiffs see as evidence of control is little more than strong management.

"Taken to its natural conclusion, virtually all 'hands-on' and 'inspirational' CEOs with minority stock ownership would be deemed controllers,"&nbsp;Musk's lawyers wrote in a court filing.

If Vice-Chancellor Joseph Slights determines&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;was a controlling shareholder, it will fall to&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;to prove the SolarCity deal met the high bar of the "entire fairness" standard, which examines process and price, said legal experts.

"If the vice-chancellor thinks this deal was awful and was not effectively negotiated on behalf of the company, he’ll strike it down," said Larry Hamermesh, a professor at Delaware Law School.

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been accused by shareholders of his company of misusing his power to rescue his own investment in SolarCity. They are questioning whether Elon Musk controls Tesla Inc or does Tesla control Elon Musk?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been accused by shareholders of his company of misusing his power to rescue his own investment in SolarCity. They are questioning whether Elon Musk controls Tesla Inc or does Tesla control Elon Musk? More than $2 billion hinges on that question as a trial kicks off on Monday. SolarCity, a solar panel-making company, was on the verge of bankruptcy before Musk rescued it. Musk has defended himself by saying that the SolarCity deal has been a huge success for Tesla shareholders, demonstrating the deal was not only fair, but a boon. The union pension funds and asset managers leading the case want Musk to repay to Tesla the cost of the $2.6 billion deal and to disgorge the profits on his SolarCity stock. If they win, it would be one of the largest judgments against an individual. The two-week trial in the Court of Chancery in Wilmington, Delaware, will boil down to whether Musk, who owned about 22 per cent of Tesla at the time of the deal, is that rare controlling stockholder who does not hold a majority stake. "I think it's going to be very hard for the court to ignore the reality that Elon Musk is Elon Musk and his relationship with Tesla," said Ann Lipton, a professor at Tulane University Law School. She said the case might present an unusual situation given Musk's celebrity status, his personal ties to Tesla board members and those board members' financial ties to SolarCity. "Put it all together, and it might be enough to count as a controlling shareholder," she said. Also see| Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Few executives dominate their company's image as much Musk, known for taunting regulators, battling naysayers and personally engaging with his 57 million Twitter followers. "We are highly dependent on the services of Elon Musk, Technoking of Tesla, and our Chief Executive Officer," said Tesla's 2020 annual report. Plaintiffs allege that Musk drove the negotiations and even pushed Tesla's board to raise, not lower, the price for SolarCity. A higher price benefited Musk, who was the largest shareholder of SolarCity, with a stake of about 22 per cent, as well as four members of Tesla's board, who directly or indirectly owned SolarCity stock, according to court records. Board members settled allegations against them last year for $60 million and did not admit to any fault. Plaintiffs also allege the deal benefited two of Musk's cousins who founded SolarCity, saving a company that was rapidly running low on cash. Musk has said he was "fully recused" from board negotiations and that shareholders voted to approve the deal because it was central to his "Master Plan, Part Deux" that aims to integrate sustainable solar energy with electric self-driving cars. He has said that what plaintiffs see as evidence of control is little more than strong management. "Taken to its natural conclusion, virtually all 'hands-on' and 'inspirational' CEOs with minority stock ownership would be deemed controllers," Musk's lawyers wrote in a court filing. If Vice-Chancellor Joseph Slights determines Musk was a controlling shareholder, it will fall to Musk to prove the SolarCity deal met the high bar of the "entire fairness" standard, which examines process and price, said legal experts. "If the vice-chancellor thinks this deal was awful and was not effectively negotiated on behalf of the company, he’ll strike it down," said Larry Hamermesh, a professor at Delaware Law School. (With inputs from agencies)

'Abuse of power': Tesla shareholders accuse CEO Elon Musk of rescuing his investment in SolarCity

From Jeff Bezos to Mark Zuckerberg: List of richest people in the world

Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?

US transportation safety regulators have launched a probe into a fire incident that took place in a brand-new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/elon-musk">Tesla</a> car.<o:p></o:p>

On Tuesday, Tesla’s Model S Plaid burst into flames which trapped the driver inside for long as it took the firefighters nearly two hours to extinguish the fire.

<o:p>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tesla-recalls-vehicles-in-china-for-online-software-update-394117">Tesla 'recalls' vehicles in China for online software update</a></o:p>

After the incident, the owner of the Tesla car has urged the authorities to take the model off the roads immediately. "This is a harrowing and frightening situation and an obvious major problem," his attorney, Mark Geragos, told news agency AFP. "Our preliminary investigation is ongoing, but we call on Tesla to sideline these cars until a full investigation can occur."

<o:p></o:p>

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As per the initial accusations, the electric car "spontaneously combusted", leaving the driver trapped inside, which could have also led to his death, the attorney claimed.

<o:p></o:p>

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tesla-to-hold-artificial-intelligence-day-in-about-a-month-for-hiring-musk-393042">Tesla to hold Artificial Intelligence Day in 'about a month' for hiring: Musk</a>

Firefighters claim the officers had to take special precautions with respect to the car’s large battery that was on fire. The team took more than two hours to extinguish the fire.<o:p></o:p>

"If data or investigations show a defect or an inherent risk to safety exists, NHTSA will take action as appropriate to protect the public," spokesperson for&nbsp;National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.<o:p></o:p>

Recently, there have been a few accidents of Tesla cars across the US due to errors in the car's Autopilot system.<o:p></o:p>

US transportation safety regulators have launched a probe into a fire incident that took place in a brand-new Tesla car. On Tuesday, Tesla’s Model S Plaid burst into flames which trapped the driver inside for long as it took the firefighters nearly two hours to extinguish the fire.

US transportation safety regulators have launched a probe into a fire incident that took place in a brand-new Tesla car. On Tuesday, Tesla’s Model S Plaid burst into flames which trapped the driver inside for long as it took the firefighters nearly two hours to extinguish the fire. Also read | Tesla 'recalls' vehicles in China for online software update After the incident, the owner of the Tesla car has urged the authorities to take the model off the roads immediately. "This is a harrowing and frightening situation and an obvious major problem," his attorney, Mark Geragos, told news agency AFP. "Our preliminary investigation is ongoing, but we call on Tesla to sideline these cars until a full investigation can occur." Our client is very fortunate to have survived this harrowing experience. https://t.co/8iDTpyJ4Ej — Jason Setchen (@AthleteDefender) July 1, 2021 × As per the initial accusations, the electric car "spontaneously combusted", leaving the driver trapped inside, which could have also led to his death, the attorney claimed. Also read | Tesla to hold Artificial Intelligence Day in 'about a month' for hiring: Musk Firefighters claim the officers had to take special precautions with respect to the car’s large battery that was on fire. The team took more than two hours to extinguish the fire. "If data or investigations show a defect or an inherent risk to safety exists, NHTSA will take action as appropriate to protect the public," spokesperson for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Recently, there have been a few accidents of Tesla cars across the US due to errors in the car's Autopilot system.

Tesla car owner urges vehicle recall after 'spontaneous' fire

British mogul Richard&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;one-upped rival Jeff Bezos on Thursday, announcing&nbsp;that he too will blast beyond Earth's atmosphere&nbsp;nine days ahead of the aspiring billionaire astronaut.

A successful flight by&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;aboard Virgin's VSS Unity spaceplane would mark a key milestone in a race to usher in a new era of private commercial space travel.

It would also mean that&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;would travel beyond Earth's atmosphere ahead of Bezos, the founder of rival space tourism venture Blue Origin.

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Bezos, who founded retail giant Amazon.com Inc, is slated to fly to space on July 20 along with his brother, Mark, trailblazing female pilot Wally Funk and a so-far unidentified person who plunked down $28 million to join the suborbital joyride.

With both tycoons having created space tourism companies and positioned themselves as leaders in the suborbital-flights-for-the-wealthy sector, the move signaled clear if not fierce competition.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/billionaire-richard-bransons-virgin-galactic-gets-approval-to-fly-people-to-space-393952">Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic gets approval to fly people to space</a>

The race, which also includes SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, is underpinned by optimism that space travel will become mainstream as nascent technology is proven and costs fall, fueling what UBS estimates could be a $3 billion annual tourism market by 2030. Musk has not set a date for his space flight.

"Virgin Galactic stands at the vanguard of a new commercial space industry, which is set to open space to humankind and change the world for good,"&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;said in a statement accompanying Virgin's announcement.

Branson's July 11 mission will be the twenty-second flight test for VSS Unity, and the company's fourth crewed spaceflight, Virgin said.

But it will be the first to carry a full crew of two pilots and four "mission specialists," including&nbsp;Branson.

Two additional test flights are planned before Virgin expects to begin commercial service in 2022, Virgin said.

Apples and oranges

The spacecraft developed by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are very different, even if the passengers will ultimately have more or less the same experience: a few minutes of weightlessness.

In the case of Virgin Galactic, the spacecraft is not a classic rocket, but rather a carrier airplane that reaches a high altitude and releases a smaller spacecraft, the VSS Unity, that fires its engines and reaches suborbital space, then glides back to earth.

Blue Origin, meanwhile, is more of a classic rocket experience, with a vertical launch after which a capsule will separate from its booster, then spend four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles (100 kilometers), during which time those onboard experience weightlessness and can observe the curvature of Earth.

The booster lands autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site, and the capsule floats back to the surface with three large parachutes that slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands.

(With inputs from agencies)

British mogul Richard Branson one-upped rival Jeff Bezos on Thursday, announcing that he too will blast beyond Earth's atmosphere nine days ahead of the aspiring billionaire astronaut.

British mogul Richard Branson one-upped rival Jeff Bezos on Thursday, announcing that he too will blast beyond Earth's atmosphere nine days ahead of the aspiring billionaire astronaut. A successful flight by Branson aboard Virgin's VSS Unity spaceplane would mark a key milestone in a race to usher in a new era of private commercial space travel. It would also mean that Branson would travel beyond Earth's atmosphere ahead of Bezos, the founder of rival space tourism venture Blue Origin. Bezos, who founded retail giant Amazon.com Inc, is slated to fly to space on July 20 along with his brother, Mark, trailblazing female pilot Wally Funk and a so-far unidentified person who plunked down $28 million to join the suborbital joyride. With both tycoons having created space tourism companies and positioned themselves as leaders in the suborbital-flights-for-the-wealthy sector, the move signaled clear if not fierce competition. Also read| Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic gets approval to fly people to space The race, which also includes SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, is underpinned by optimism that space travel will become mainstream as nascent technology is proven and costs fall, fueling what UBS estimates could be a $3 billion annual tourism market by 2030. Musk has not set a date for his space flight. "Virgin Galactic stands at the vanguard of a new commercial space industry, which is set to open space to humankind and change the world for good," Branson said in a statement accompanying Virgin's announcement. Branson's July 11 mission will be the twenty-second flight test for VSS Unity, and the company's fourth crewed spaceflight, Virgin said. But it will be the first to carry a full crew of two pilots and four "mission specialists," including Branson. Two additional test flights are planned before Virgin expects to begin commercial service in 2022, Virgin said. Apples and oranges The spacecraft developed by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are very different, even if the passengers will ultimately have more or less the same experience: a few minutes of weightlessness. In the case of Virgin Galactic, the spacecraft is not a classic rocket, but rather a carrier airplane that reaches a high altitude and releases a smaller spacecraft, the VSS Unity, that fires its engines and reaches suborbital space, then glides back to earth. Blue Origin, meanwhile, is more of a classic rocket experience, with a vertical launch after which a capsule will separate from its booster, then spend four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles (100 kilometers), during which time those onboard experience weightlessness and can observe the curvature of Earth. The booster lands autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site, and the capsule floats back to the surface with three large parachutes that slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands. (With inputs from agencies)

Space race for billionaires: Richard Branson to make space trip before rival Jeff Bezos

Space tourism company&nbsp;Virgin GalacticOrbit's LauncherOne rocket took seven satellites to orbit after being dropped mid-air from the underside of a modified Boeing 747 nicknamed Cosmic Girl.

The move presents an ideal opportunity for the company to flaunt its ambitions not only to send wealthy tourists on pleasure rides costing $200,000 or more, but also to advance science.

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Earlier,&nbsp;the US Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;approved the first commercial license to take consumers to space for&nbsp;Virgin Galactic.

Virgin Galactic, founded by British billionaire Richard&nbsp;Branson, hopes to begin regular commercial suborbital flights in early 2022, with eventual plans for 400 trips a year.

The flights are far from the classic rocket experience, with a carrier plane taking off from a runway then dropping the spacecraft once in the air, which then ignites its engines.

The company is facing fierce competition in the field of private space exploration from&nbsp;Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Branson, Bezos, and Musk have been investing billions of dollars on their rocket startups.

Virgin Galactic last month completed its first manned space flight from its new homeport in New Mexico in May, as its SpaceShipTwo craft with a capacity of six passengers glided to a landing on a runway safely with its two pilots.

Space tourism company Virgin GalacticOrbit's LauncherOne rocket took seven satellites to orbit after being dropped mid-air from the underside of a modified Boeing 747 nicknamed Cosmic Girl.

Space tourism company Virgin GalacticOrbit's LauncherOne rocket took seven satellites to orbit after being dropped mid-air from the underside of a modified Boeing 747 nicknamed Cosmic Girl. The move presents an ideal opportunity for the company to flaunt its ambitions not only to send wealthy tourists on pleasure rides costing $200,000 or more, but also to advance science. Earlier, the US Federal Aviation Administration approved the first commercial license to take consumers to space for Virgin Galactic. Virgin Galactic, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, hopes to begin regular commercial suborbital flights in early 2022, with eventual plans for 400 trips a year. The flights are far from the classic rocket experience, with a carrier plane taking off from a runway then dropping the spacecraft once in the air, which then ignites its engines. The company is facing fierce competition in the field of private space exploration from Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk's SpaceX. Branson, Bezos, and Musk have been investing billions of dollars on their rocket startups. Virgin Galactic last month completed its first manned space flight from its new homeport in New Mexico in May, as its SpaceShipTwo craft with a capacity of six passengers glided to a landing on a runway safely with its two pilots.

Race to space: Virgin Orbit launches seven satellites in LauncherOne mission

The European Space Agency&nbsp;head Josef Aschbacher has said he&nbsp;hopes to hire and launch the world's first differently abled astronaut and several hundred would-be para-astronauts have already applied for the role.

The 22-member space programme has just closed its latest decennial recruitment call for astronauts and received 22,000 applicants, Aschbacher said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/billionaire-richard-bransons-virgin-galactic-gets-approval-to-fly-people-to-space-393952" hreflang="en">Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic gets approval to fly people to space</a>

"We would like to launch an astronaut with a disability, which would be the first time ever," the Austrian added. "But I'm also happy for ESA because it shows that space is for everyone, and that's something I'd like to convey."

In releasing the results of a new recruitment drive aimed at more astronaut diversity, the agency acknowledged that it still has work to do on gender balance. Just 24 per cent&nbsp;of the applicants were women, up from 15 per cent&nbsp;at the last hiring drive in 2008.

The European agency has sent only two women into space to date, Claudie Haigneré and Samantha Cristoforetti,&nbsp;but wants that number to grow.

Globally, 65 of the more than 560 people who have explored space were women, most of them Americans.

The ESA, whose Ariane rocket once dominated the market for commercial satellite launches, faces ever stiffer competition from tech-funded upstarts like Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX.

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Amazon founder Bezos hopes next month to become the first man to go into space on his own rocket, highlighting the growing role tech billionaires are playing in a field that was once dominated by public agencies.

"Space is developing extremely fast and if we don't catch up with this train we are left behind," he added, outlining plans to refashion the agency as a more entrepreneurial player ready to work with venture capitalists to help grow European start-ups that could one day rival the Silicon Valley players.

The challenges are immense: the ESA's 7 billion euro budget is a third of NASA's, while its seven or eight launches a year are dwarfed by the 40 carried out by the United States.

Aschbacher, who grew up staring at the stars above his parents' mountain farm in Austria, himself once applied to become an ESA astronaut when he was a student. But what was once a geeky, niche enthusiasm has now become mainstream, he said.

This year's job ad attracted almost three times the 8,000 applications received a decade ago, and a quarter of them were women, up from just 15% before. The ESA has promised to develop technologies to ensure those with disabilities, like shortened legs, play a full part.

And those astronauts will go beyond the International Space Station: some will deploy to the United States's planned Gateway station on the moon, while the ESA's member states are considering an invitation from Chinese and Russian space agencies to participate in their similar moonbase project.

ESA this week signed an agreement with the European Union that will see the 27-nation bloc deepen ties with and increase its funding for the space agency.

As part of the deal, the EU will invest almost 9 billion euros ($10.8 billion) between now and 2027 for ESA programs aimed at boosting economic growth, digitalisation, and environmental protection.

While many ESA members are also part of the EU, some such as Britain are not.

Among the future programs planned are one that will test the use of a satellite-based quantum encryption system for secure communications, and another to monitor space for potential hazardous debris.

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Space Agency head Josef Aschbacher has said he hopes to hire and launch the world's first differently abled astronaut and several hundred would-be para-astronauts have already applied for the role.

The European Space Agency head Josef Aschbacher has said he hopes to hire and launch the world's first differently abled astronaut and several hundred would-be para-astronauts have already applied for the role. The 22-member space programme has just closed its latest decennial recruitment call for astronauts and received 22,000 applicants, Aschbacher said. Also read| Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic gets approval to fly people to space "We would like to launch an astronaut with a disability, which would be the first time ever," the Austrian added. "But I'm also happy for ESA because it shows that space is for everyone, and that's something I'd like to convey." In releasing the results of a new recruitment drive aimed at more astronaut diversity, the agency acknowledged that it still has work to do on gender balance. Just 24 per cent of the applicants were women, up from 15 per cent at the last hiring drive in 2008. The European agency has sent only two women into space to date, Claudie Haigneré and Samantha Cristoforetti, but wants that number to grow. Globally, 65 of the more than 560 people who have explored space were women, most of them Americans. The ESA, whose Ariane rocket once dominated the market for commercial satellite launches, faces ever stiffer competition from tech-funded upstarts like Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX. Amazon founder Bezos hopes next month to become the first man to go into space on his own rocket, highlighting the growing role tech billionaires are playing in a field that was once dominated by public agencies. "Space is developing extremely fast and if we don't catch up with this train we are left behind," he added, outlining plans to refashion the agency as a more entrepreneurial player ready to work with venture capitalists to help grow European start-ups that could one day rival the Silicon Valley players. The challenges are immense: the ESA's 7 billion euro budget is a third of NASA's, while its seven or eight launches a year are dwarfed by the 40 carried out by the United States. Aschbacher, who grew up staring at the stars above his parents' mountain farm in Austria, himself once applied to become an ESA astronaut when he was a student. But what was once a geeky, niche enthusiasm has now become mainstream, he said. This year's job ad attracted almost three times the 8,000 applications received a decade ago, and a quarter of them were women, up from just 15% before. The ESA has promised to develop technologies to ensure those with disabilities, like shortened legs, play a full part. And those astronauts will go beyond the International Space Station: some will deploy to the United States's planned Gateway station on the moon, while the ESA's member states are considering an invitation from Chinese and Russian space agencies to participate in their similar moonbase project. ESA this week signed an agreement with the European Union that will see the 27-nation bloc deepen ties with and increase its funding for the space agency. As part of the deal, the EU will invest almost 9 billion euros ($10.8 billion) between now and 2027 for ESA programs aimed at boosting economic growth, digitalisation, and environmental protection. While many ESA members are also part of the EU, some such as Britain are not. Among the future programs planned are one that will test the use of a satellite-based quantum encryption system for secure communications, and another to monitor space for potential hazardous debris. (With inputs from agencies)

European Space Agency to hire first differently abled astronaut, more women in step towards inclusivity

Panasonic Corp sold its stake in electric car maker&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;Inc for about 400 billion yen ($3.61 billion) in the year ended March, a spokesperson for the Japanese company said on Friday.

The sale comes as the bicycles-to-hair dryers conglomerate is seeking to reduce its dependence on&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;and raise cash for investments.

Panasonic's battery business is dominated by Elon Musk's&nbsp;Tesla, but the two firms have had a tense relationship at times with executives trading barbs publicly.

Panasonic bought 1.4 million&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;shares at $21.15 each in 2010 for about $30 million. That stake was worth $730 million at the end of March 2020. The shares have gained almost seven fold since then and closed up 3.5 per cent&nbsp;at $679.82 apiece on Thursday.

"The impact of crypto assets may have pushed&nbsp;Tesla's share price above its intrinsic value, making it a good time to sell," said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute.

Musk said in February his firm bought bitcoin and would take payment in the cryptocurrency, a decision he later reversed, and his comments on Twitter drive swings in the price of such assets.

While Panasonic gave financial backing to&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;when it was smaller, the automaker's expansion means there's no need for capital ties, Yasuda added. Panasonic's shares closed up 4.9&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;&nbsp;on Friday.

The stake sale will not affect the partnership with&nbsp;Tesla, the Panasonic spokesperson said, and was made as part of a review of shareholdings in line with corporate governance guidelines.

The sale comes as the automaker is diversifying its own battery supply chain.

Tesla&nbsp;has struck deals with South Korea's LG Energy Solution, a unit of LG Chem, and China's CATL, with Reuters reporting the latter is planning a plant in Shanghai near the automaker's production base.

Panasonic said earlier this year it would buy the shares&nbsp;of US&nbsp;supply-chain software company Blue Yonder that it does not already own, in a $7.1 billion deal. Its biggest such deal in a decade, the price raised the eyebrows of analysts who pointed to the firm's spotty M&amp;A track record.

Panasonic Corp sold its stake in electric car maker Tesla Inc for about 400 billion yen ($3.61 billion) in the year ended March, a spokesperson for the Japanese company said on Friday.

Panasonic Corp sold its stake in electric car maker Tesla Inc for about 400 billion yen ($3.61 billion) in the year ended March, a spokesperson for the Japanese company said on Friday. The sale comes as the bicycles-to-hair dryers conglomerate is seeking to reduce its dependence on Tesla and raise cash for investments. Panasonic's battery business is dominated by Elon Musk's Tesla, but the two firms have had a tense relationship at times with executives trading barbs publicly. Panasonic bought 1.4 million Tesla shares at $21.15 each in 2010 for about $30 million. That stake was worth $730 million at the end of March 2020. The shares have gained almost seven fold since then and closed up 3.5 per cent at $679.82 apiece on Thursday. "The impact of crypto assets may have pushed Tesla's share price above its intrinsic value, making it a good time to sell," said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute. Musk said in February his firm bought bitcoin and would take payment in the cryptocurrency, a decision he later reversed, and his comments on Twitter drive swings in the price of such assets. While Panasonic gave financial backing to Tesla when it was smaller, the automaker's expansion means there's no need for capital ties, Yasuda added. Panasonic's shares closed up 4.9 per cent on Friday. The stake sale will not affect the partnership with Tesla, the Panasonic spokesperson said, and was made as part of a review of shareholdings in line with corporate governance guidelines. The sale comes as the automaker is diversifying its own battery supply chain. Tesla has struck deals with South Korea's LG Energy Solution, a unit of LG Chem, and China's CATL, with Reuters reporting the latter is planning a plant in Shanghai near the automaker's production base. Panasonic said earlier this year it would buy the shares of US supply-chain software company Blue Yonder that it does not already own, in a $7.1 billion deal. Its biggest such deal in a decade, the price raised the eyebrows of analysts who pointed to the firm's spotty M&A track record.

Panasonic sells Tesla stake for $3.6 billion

After getting approval from the US aviation safety regulator on Friday, billionaire Richard Branson's spaceship company Virgin Galactic can now fly people to space.

The approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) comes at a critical time for Branson as his space venture faces off against Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk's SpaceX.

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Branson, Bezos and Musk have been investing billions of dollars on their rocket startups.

Branson, who is reportedly flying to space himself in a bid to beat rival billionaire Bezos to the final frontier, received the green light just a month after a successful test flight.

Virgin Galactic last month completed its first manned space flight from its new home port in New Mexico in May, as its SpaceShipTwo craft with a capacity of six passengers glided to a landing on a runway safely with its two pilots.

"Today's approval by the FAA ... gives us confidence as we proceed toward our first fully crewed test flight this summer," Virgin Galactic Chief Executive Officer Michael Colglazier said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

After getting approval from the US aviation safety regulator on Friday, billionaire Richard Branson's spaceship company Virgin Galactic can now fly people to space.

After getting approval from the US aviation safety regulator on Friday, billionaire Richard Branson's spaceship company Virgin Galactic can now fly people to space. The approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) comes at a critical time for Branson as his space venture faces off against Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk's SpaceX. Branson, Bezos and Musk have been investing billions of dollars on their rocket startups. Branson, who is reportedly flying to space himself in a bid to beat rival billionaire Bezos to the final frontier, received the green light just a month after a successful test flight. Virgin Galactic last month completed its first manned space flight from its new home port in New Mexico in May, as its SpaceShipTwo craft with a capacity of six passengers glided to a landing on a runway safely with its two pilots. "Today's approval by the FAA ... gives us confidence as we proceed toward our first fully crewed test flight this summer," Virgin Galactic Chief Executive Officer Michael Colglazier said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic gets approval to fly people to space

Insurers are not ready to price the risk of losing&nbsp;Jeff Bezos or his fellow space travelers as launching one of the richest individuals on earth into orbit has proved a leap too far for them.

Amazon CEO Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast, has been vying with Elon Musk and Richard Branson to become the first billionaire to fly beyond the earth's atmosphere.

And while insurers are well known for offering cover for even the most outlandish of risks, at a price, potential accidents in space are not yet among them.

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According to&nbsp;Insurance Information Institute (III) spokesperson Michael Barry,&nbsp;"Space tourism involves significant risk, but is not an issue life insurers specifically ask about as yet because it is so rare for anyone to travel into space.''

There is a nearly $500 million market to insure satellites, rockets and unmanned space flight, but no legal requirement for an operator such as Blue Origin, which Bezos founded, to insure passengers for injury or death or for space tourists to have life cover, brokers and insurers said.

"We're not aware of a case where anybody is insured against passenger liability," said Neil Stevens, senior vice president, aviation and space at Marsh, the world's biggest insurance broker.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-are-fighting-against-each-other-over-space-real-estate-359556">Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate</a>

Assuming they lift-off as planned next month, Bezos and the other wannabe astronauts on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft will not only spend several minutes 62 miles (100 km) above the earth in a truck-sized capsule, they also have to get back.

The only group that has regularly flown humans sub-orbitally since the 1960s is Branson's Virgin Galactic. All have been tests, with one failure in 2014 resulting in a death. Blue Origin has flown 15 unmanned sub-orbital flights with no failures, Seradata SpaceTrak data showed on June 10.

NASA and the US, in general, do not buy liability cover, with government launches basically insured by taxpayers, Richard Parker of Assure Space, a unit of insurer AmTrust Financial that provides space insurance, said.

NASA astronauts are eligible for government life insurance programs, a NASA spokesperson said in an emailed response.

Charles Wetton, underwriting manager for space policies at insurer Global Aerospace, said astronauts on government-funded missions are carefully selected for their knowledge, skills and fitness and train for several years before blast off.

"They and their families understand the risks of the work they do, Wetton said.

But commercial space cadets may only get a few days of training for a sub-orbital flight or a few months for a ride to the International Space Station (ISS), Wetton said, adding: "These represent two very different risk profiles that insurers will take into account".

Blue Origin on its website says the spaceflight passenger will receive training the day before the launch, including mission and vehicle overviews, safety briefings, mission simulation and instruction on in-flight activities.

Virgin Galactic said participants will get three days of training and preparation before the launch.

Insurers expect iron clad waivers and contracts from commercial space travel firms, stating they will bear no burden if a passenger dies during a flight.

NASA has called for responses from the industry for its plans for a liability framework for privately-funded astronaut missions to the ISS. NASA's plans include requiring private astronauts to buy life insurance.

It is still early days, but cover for space tourists may be the next step, said Tim Rush, senior vice president, US&nbsp;space, at insurance broker Gallagher, adding that the life insurance market currently provides individual cover of $2-5 million for private astronauts.

The only mandatory insurance in place for commercial space operators is third-party liability, mainly to cover property damage on earth or to a flying aircraft, said Akiko Hama, client executive, space and aerospace underwriting at Global Aerospace.

Blue Origin plans for its six-seater spacecraft to take off on July 20 and fly for four minutes beyond the boundary between the earth's atmosphere and outer space, where passengers will experience total weightlessness.

A key question for how the sector develops is whether risks related to tourism fall under space or aviation insurance lines.

The UN&nbsp;Outer Space Treaty and the Liability Convention of 1972 governs all activities in space and very few countries have a legal framework for commercial human spaceflight, they said.

The first-ever aviation insurance policy was written by Lloyd's of London in 1911. A few years later the market insured Charles Lindbergh and his single-engine plane for $18,000 on its non-stop flight from the United States to Europe.

Space trips are different, said Marsh's Stevens, because the passengers are returning to the same place as they left, making it technically a domestic trip to which international aviation insurance cannot be applied, meaning there will also be no limitation to liability.

"The aviation, aircraft insurance market, and the like, are less keen to take on risks that involve spacecraft," he said, adding that whether space tourism trips fall under aviation or space insurance is a "million dollar question".

While air travel is governed by rules that establish airline liability in the case of death of passengers, Stevens said he was unaware of plans for similar rules for space tourism.

However, Wetton said Global Aerospace had started to receive enquiries from companies for sub-orbital missions.

"In 10 years' time, maybe the two lines, aviation and spaceflight will look very similar," said Assure Space's Parker.

"Some legislative somewhere will say, look, we're now having average Joes flying on these launch vehicles and need to protect them," Parker added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Insurers are not ready to price the risk of losing Jeff Bezos or his fellow space travelers as launching one of the richest individuals on earth into orbit has proved a leap too far for them.

Insurers are not ready to price the risk of losing Jeff Bezos or his fellow space travelers as launching one of the richest individuals on earth into orbit has proved a leap too far for them. Amazon CEO Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast, has been vying with Elon Musk and Richard Branson to become the first billionaire to fly beyond the earth's atmosphere. And while insurers are well known for offering cover for even the most outlandish of risks, at a price, potential accidents in space are not yet among them. According to Insurance Information Institute (III) spokesperson Michael Barry, "Space tourism involves significant risk, but is not an issue life insurers specifically ask about as yet because it is so rare for anyone to travel into space.'' There is a nearly $500 million market to insure satellites, rockets and unmanned space flight, but no legal requirement for an operator such as Blue Origin, which Bezos founded, to insure passengers for injury or death or for space tourists to have life cover, brokers and insurers said. "We're not aware of a case where anybody is insured against passenger liability," said Neil Stevens, senior vice president, aviation and space at Marsh, the world's biggest insurance broker. Also read| Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate Assuming they lift-off as planned next month, Bezos and the other wannabe astronauts on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft will not only spend several minutes 62 miles (100 km) above the earth in a truck-sized capsule, they also have to get back. The only group that has regularly flown humans sub-orbitally since the 1960s is Branson's Virgin Galactic. All have been tests, with one failure in 2014 resulting in a death. Blue Origin has flown 15 unmanned sub-orbital flights with no failures, Seradata SpaceTrak data showed on June 10. NASA and the US, in general, do not buy liability cover, with government launches basically insured by taxpayers, Richard Parker of Assure Space, a unit of insurer AmTrust Financial that provides space insurance, said. NASA astronauts are eligible for government life insurance programs, a NASA spokesperson said in an emailed response. Charles Wetton, underwriting manager for space policies at insurer Global Aerospace, said astronauts on government-funded missions are carefully selected for their knowledge, skills and fitness and train for several years before blast off. "They and their families understand the risks of the work they do, Wetton said. But commercial space cadets may only get a few days of training for a sub-orbital flight or a few months for a ride to the International Space Station (ISS), Wetton said, adding: "These represent two very different risk profiles that insurers will take into account". Blue Origin on its website says the spaceflight passenger will receive training the day before the launch, including mission and vehicle overviews, safety briefings, mission simulation and instruction on in-flight activities. Virgin Galactic said participants will get three days of training and preparation before the launch. Insurers expect iron clad waivers and contracts from commercial space travel firms, stating they will bear no burden if a passenger dies during a flight. NASA has called for responses from the industry for its plans for a liability framework for privately-funded astronaut missions to the ISS. NASA's plans include requiring private astronauts to buy life insurance. It is still early days, but cover for space tourists may be the next step, said Tim Rush, senior vice president, US space, at insurance broker Gallagher, adding that the life insurance market currently provides individual cover of $2-5 million for private astronauts. The only mandatory insurance in place for commercial space operators is third-party liability, mainly to cover property damage on earth or to a flying aircraft, said Akiko Hama, client executive, space and aerospace underwriting at Global Aerospace. Blue Origin plans for its six-seater spacecraft to take off on July 20 and fly for four minutes beyond the boundary between the earth's atmosphere and outer space, where passengers will experience total weightlessness. A key question for how the sector develops is whether risks related to tourism fall under space or aviation insurance lines. The UN Outer Space Treaty and the Liability Convention of 1972 governs all activities in space and very few countries have a legal framework for commercial human spaceflight, they said. The first-ever aviation insurance policy was written by Lloyd's of London in 1911. A few years later the market insured Charles Lindbergh and his single-engine plane for $18,000 on its non-stop flight from the United States to Europe. Space trips are different, said Marsh's Stevens, because the passengers are returning to the same place as they left, making it technically a domestic trip to which international aviation insurance cannot be applied, meaning there will also be no limitation to liability. "The aviation, aircraft insurance market, and the like, are less keen to take on risks that involve spacecraft," he said, adding that whether space tourism trips fall under aviation or space insurance is a "million dollar question". While air travel is governed by rules that establish airline liability in the case of death of passengers, Stevens said he was unaware of plans for similar rules for space tourism. However, Wetton said Global Aerospace had started to receive enquiries from companies for sub-orbital missions. "In 10 years' time, maybe the two lines, aviation and spaceflight will look very similar," said Assure Space's Parker. "Some legislative somewhere will say, look, we're now having average Joes flying on these launch vehicles and need to protect them," Parker added. (With inputs from agencies)

Why are insurance companies not ready to price risk of losing Jeff Bezos in space?

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit. 
 
"Looking at holding Tesla AI Day in about a month or so. Will go over progress with Tesla AI software &amp; hardware, both training &amp; inference. Purpose is recruiting," Musk tweeted on Monday. 
 
His latest plan to promote Tesla's technology comes amid the hiccups faced in the company's path to achieve full self-driving technology. 
 
Musk had during an earnings call in January said he was 'highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year'. 
 
But in May, Tesla informed the California Department of Motor Vehicles that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by 2021 end. 
 
The automaker is under review by the California regulator, which is probing if the company violated regulations by falsely promoting its advanced driver-assistance systems as being 'full self-driving'. 
 
Tesla's driver assistant features, which it describes as 'autopilot' or 'full self-driving", are designed to make hands-on driving easier. Those features do not make the vehicle autonomous. 
 
In Tesla's 'Battery Day' event in September last year, Musk said a $25,000 car that drives itself will be possible in three years. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit.

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit. "Looking at holding Tesla AI Day in about a month or so. Will go over progress with Tesla AI software & hardware, both training & inference. Purpose is recruiting," Musk tweeted on Monday. His latest plan to promote Tesla's technology comes amid the hiccups faced in the company's path to achieve full self-driving technology. Musk had during an earnings call in January said he was 'highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year'. But in May, Tesla informed the California Department of Motor Vehicles that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by 2021 end. The automaker is under review by the California regulator, which is probing if the company violated regulations by falsely promoting its advanced driver-assistance systems as being 'full self-driving'. Tesla's driver assistant features, which it describes as 'autopilot' or 'full self-driving", are designed to make hands-on driving easier. Those features do not make the vehicle autonomous. In Tesla's 'Battery Day' event in September last year, Musk said a $25,000 car that drives itself will be possible in three years. (With inputs from agencies)

Tesla to hold Artificial Intelligence Day in 'about a month' for hiring: Musk

Everyone has heard the latest buzz around cryptocurrency and bitcoin. People have seen prices skyrocket and plunge down to a painful low with the help of Elon Musk’s one tweet or China’s ban on bitcoin mining.

<h4>What is crypto mining?</h4>

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that is secured using cryptography and is based on a decentralised network that needs to be mined. This is known as crypto mining.

It is the process of validating transactions of cryptocurrencies digitally, and the records of these are saved in form of blockchains, in which each and every transaction has a separate link to a subsequent transaction, which creates a chain of records.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/is-teslas-elon-musk-a-master-manipulator-of-markets-389229" hreflang="en">Is Tesla’s Elon Musk a master manipulator of markets?</a>

Mining a bitcoin is a difficult and complex process in which experts solve complicated cryptographic equations with the help of high-tech computer systems to gain cryptocurrencies.

<h4>How is crypto mining related to coal mining?</h4>

Recently, Elon Musk’s Tesla had started accepting bitcoins as a valid method of payment for products but Musk soon took a U-turn and stopped the new payment method as he feared crypto mining was negatively affecting the environment.

This raises the question that how does crypto mining, which is a code-based process, affect&nbsp;the environment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-tweet-dents-bitcoin-but-weekly-gain-in-prospect-389363" hreflang="en">Musk tweet dents bitcoin, but weekly gain in prospect</a>

The software that mines bitcoin takes nearly 10 minutes for the network participants to unriddle the complex program and process a block. This process consumes a large chunk of electricity to generate every single bitcoin and the major part of the energy is consumed during the mining process.

Crypto mining often relies on electricity which is generated from fossil fuels. As a result of that, as the prices of bitcoin rise, there is a stark increase in energy consumption too. The increasing price of bitcoin motivates miners to mine more bitcoins, which attracts more people to join the new network, and the energy consumption keeps on alarmingly increasing.

A study by the University of Cambridge suggested that crypto mining consumes more than 120 Terawatt Hours (Twh) per year, and this could be one of the top contenders in the list of top 10 energy consumers around the globe if it was a country.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bitcoin-tumbles-below-40000-after-chinas-new-crypto-ban-386052" hreflang="en">Bitcoin tumbles below $40,000 after China's new crypto ban</a>

The situation has reached the level where companies are scouting for areas with cheaper electricity to make the crypto mining process tad cheaper and easier.

A few studies have also claimed that crypto mining could also produce enough carbon dioxide to push global warming to more than 2 °C.

While the disadvantages of crypto mining are as clear as the day, several groups are trying to come up with ideas to make cryptocurrencies more sustainable. A supporter of cryptocurrency and owner of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk has also vowed to shift back to cryptocurrencies once they find a bitcoin that uses less than one per cent of the current energy.

Everyone has heard the latest buzz around cryptocurrency and bitcoin. People have seen prices skyrocket and plunge down to a painful low with the help of Elon Musk’s one tweet or China’s ban on bitcoin mining.

Everyone has heard the latest buzz around cryptocurrency and bitcoin. People have seen prices skyrocket and plunge down to a painful low with the help of Elon Musk’s one tweet or China’s ban on bitcoin mining. What is crypto mining? Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that is secured using cryptography and is based on a decentralised network that needs to be mined. This is known as crypto mining. It is the process of validating transactions of cryptocurrencies digitally, and the records of these are saved in form of blockchains, in which each and every transaction has a separate link to a subsequent transaction, which creates a chain of records. Also read | Is Tesla’s Elon Musk a master manipulator of markets? Mining a bitcoin is a difficult and complex process in which experts solve complicated cryptographic equations with the help of high-tech computer systems to gain cryptocurrencies. How is crypto mining related to coal mining? Recently, Elon Musk’s Tesla had started accepting bitcoins as a valid method of payment for products but Musk soon took a U-turn and stopped the new payment method as he feared crypto mining was negatively affecting the environment. This raises the question that how does crypto mining, which is a code-based process, affect the environment. Also read | Musk tweet dents bitcoin, but weekly gain in prospect The software that mines bitcoin takes nearly 10 minutes for the network participants to unriddle the complex program and process a block. This process consumes a large chunk of electricity to generate every single bitcoin and the major part of the energy is consumed during the mining process. Crypto mining often relies on electricity which is generated from fossil fuels. As a result of that, as the prices of bitcoin rise, there is a stark increase in energy consumption too. The increasing price of bitcoin motivates miners to mine more bitcoins, which attracts more people to join the new network, and the energy consumption keeps on alarmingly increasing. A study by the University of Cambridge suggested that crypto mining consumes more than 120 Terawatt Hours (Twh) per year, and this could be one of the top contenders in the list of top 10 energy consumers around the globe if it was a country. Also read | Bitcoin tumbles below $40,000 after China's new crypto ban The situation has reached the level where companies are scouting for areas with cheaper electricity to make the crypto mining process tad cheaper and easier. A few studies have also claimed that crypto mining could also produce enough carbon dioxide to push global warming to more than 2 °C. While the disadvantages of crypto mining are as clear as the day, several groups are trying to come up with ideas to make cryptocurrencies more sustainable. A supporter of cryptocurrency and owner of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk has also vowed to shift back to cryptocurrencies once they find a bitcoin that uses less than one per cent of the current energy.

Crypto mining: How does digital currency manufacturing affect environment?

Hacker group Anonymous has released a video targetting Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In the video released on Youtube on June 4, Anonymous,&nbsp; responsible for some of the major cyber-attacks has criticised Musk's hold on the cryptocurrency market.

Calling Musk a "Narcissistic rich dude" with "Superiority and savior complex', Anonymous alleged that mainstay of Tesla's income doesn't come from selling cars but comes from government subsidies. And money from these subsidies has been used by Musk to buy Bitcoins, alleges Anonymous.

Elon Musk has lately been very vocal about Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies. His tweets on Bitcoin have caused value of the cryptocurrency to drastically increase and decrease.

Disapproving of these practices, Anonymous has held Musk responsible for playing with common man's money that is invested in hope of getting good returns from cryptocurrencies.

"The games you have played with crypto market have destroyed lives," says Anonynous. The hacker group ends their video with an ominous 'expect us'.

Anonymous has been a formidable hacker group, past cyberattacks of which have shut down governments and corporations alike.

Hacker group Anonymous has released a video targetting Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In the video released on Youtube on June 4, Anonymous, responsible for some of the major cyber-attacks has criticised Musk's hold on the cryptocurrency market.

Hacker group Anonymous has released a video targetting Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In the video released on Youtube on June 4, Anonymous, responsible for some of the major cyber-attacks has criticised Musk's hold on the cryptocurrency market. Calling Musk a "Narcissistic rich dude" with "Superiority and savior complex', Anonymous alleged that mainstay of Tesla's income doesn't come from selling cars but comes from government subsidies. And money from these subsidies has been used by Musk to buy Bitcoins, alleges Anonymous. Elon Musk has lately been very vocal about Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies. His tweets on Bitcoin have caused value of the cryptocurrency to drastically increase and decrease. Disapproving of these practices, Anonymous has held Musk responsible for playing with common man's money that is invested in hope of getting good returns from cryptocurrencies. "The games you have played with crypto market have destroyed lives," says Anonynous. The hacker group ends their video with an ominous 'expect us'. Anonymous has been a formidable hacker group, past cyberattacks of which have shut down governments and corporations alike.

'Expect us': Hacktivist group Anonymous targets Elon Musk over his crypto market hold

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said on Monday that he will be going on a&nbsp;space voyage next month in his Blue Origin flight.

In an Instagram post Bezos said: "Ever since I was five years old, I've dreamed of travelling to space. On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure&nbsp;with my best friend."

Watch:

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Bezos will be taking the space flight in the New Shepard&nbsp;which is&nbsp;a six-seater capsule. The company had announced last month that it would be sending its first passenger in space during the flight.

Bezos will be stepping down from Amazon next month, the company he built from scratch into a retail giant.

The company has reportedly put the third spot on auction with worldwide bidding underway. According to Blue Origin, the current highest bid stood at $2.8 million in the second round of auction. The space company has reportedly received over 5,000 bids from over 140 countries.

The spacecraft has conducted unmanned flight fifteen times. Reports say Bezos and his brother Mark along with the two passengers will taking the space flight.

The passengers will spend time on the edge between Earth's atmosphere and space in a journey likely to last 10 minutes.

The spacecraft has been named after Alan Shepard who was&nbsp;the first American to enter space 60 years ago.

Bezos who has spent several billion dollars in bringing up his childhood project and will become the first billionaire to take a ride in his own spacecraft ahead of British billionaire Richard Branson who is building the Virgin Galactic for passengers and SpaceX founder Elon Musk who aims to send people much further into space.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said on Monday that he will be going on a space voyage next month in his Blue Origin flight. In an Instagram post Bezos said: "Ever since I was five years old, I've dreamed of travelling to space.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said on Monday that he will be going on a space voyage next month in his Blue Origin flight. In an Instagram post Bezos said: "Ever since I was five years old, I've dreamed of travelling to space. On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure with my best friend." Watch: Bezos will be taking the space flight in the New Shepard which is a six-seater capsule. The company had announced last month that it would be sending its first passenger in space during the flight. Bezos will be stepping down from Amazon next month, the company he built from scratch into a retail giant. The company has reportedly put the third spot on auction with worldwide bidding underway. According to Blue Origin, the current highest bid stood at $2.8 million in the second round of auction. The space company has reportedly received over 5,000 bids from over 140 countries. The spacecraft has conducted unmanned flight fifteen times. Reports say Bezos and his brother Mark along with the two passengers will taking the space flight. The passengers will spend time on the edge between Earth's atmosphere and space in a journey likely to last 10 minutes. The spacecraft has been named after Alan Shepard who was the first American to enter space 60 years ago. Bezos who has spent several billion dollars in bringing up his childhood project and will become the first billionaire to take a ride in his own spacecraft ahead of British billionaire Richard Branson who is building the Virgin Galactic for passengers and SpaceX founder Elon Musk who aims to send people much further into space.

Amazon chief Jeff Bezos & his brother to fly to space on Blue Origin flight

Bitcoin&nbsp;slipped more than 3 per cent on Friday after Tesla boss Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;fired off a&nbsp;tweet&nbsp;hinting at a breakup with the cryptocurrency, though it remains on course for its best&nbsp;weekly&nbsp;gain&nbsp;in about a month as it tries to recover from May's crash.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bitcoin-other-cryptocurrencies-tumble-over-biden-tax-plan-fears-379752">Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies tumble over Biden tax plan fears</a>

Bitcoin&nbsp;was last down about 3.6 per cent at $37,809.&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;tweeted "#Bitcoin" and a heartbreak emoji above a meme appearing to show a couple discussing their breakup.&nbsp;Bitcoin&nbsp;is up 6.3 per cent this week.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> 💔 <a href="https://t.co/lNnEfMdtJf">pic.twitter.com/lNnEfMdtJf</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1400620080090730501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Musk&nbsp;has been a major promoter of cryptocurrencies but has turned critical of&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;since suspending Tesla plans to take it in payment for cars owing to concerns about its energy use.

Bitcoin slipped more than 3 per cent on Friday after Tesla boss Elon Musk fired off a tweet hinting at a breakup with the cryptocurrency, though it remains on course for its best weekly gain in about a month as it tries to recover from May's crash.

Bitcoin slipped more than 3 per cent on Friday after Tesla boss Elon Musk fired off a tweet hinting at a breakup with the cryptocurrency, though it remains on course for its best weekly gain in about a month as it tries to recover from May's crash. Also Read | Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies tumble over Biden tax plan fears Bitcoin was last down about 3.6 per cent at $37,809. Musk tweeted "#Bitcoin" and a heartbreak emoji above a meme appearing to show a couple discussing their breakup. Bitcoin is up 6.3 per cent this week. #Bitcoin 💔 pic.twitter.com/lNnEfMdtJf — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2021 × Musk has been a major promoter of cryptocurrencies but has turned critical of bitcoin since suspending Tesla plans to take it in payment for cars owing to concerns about its energy use.

Musk tweet dents bitcoin, but weekly gain in prospect

In older days, people heard tales about how a man's words could not only reach millions but might also be enough to make people lose or win money. The old tale has come true, at least in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/elon-musk">Elon Musk’s case</a>.

<h4>Once bitten, not shy</h4>

In August 2018, Elon Musk had used his Twitter account to claim that he had "funding secured" to take his company Tesla private at a price of $420 per share. While the information was manipulated and not completely true, the effect of his statement was very true.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/would-dinosaurs-be-alive-if-they-had-spaceships-tech-mogul-elon-musk-believes-so-388379" hreflang="en">Would dinosaurs be alive if they had spaceships? Tech mogul Elon Musk believes so</a>

Musk was challenged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and&nbsp;was charged with securities fraud the next month. While the two sides reached to a quick settlement, Musk had to step down from his position of Chairman of Tesla.

He was also asked to get all his public communications (mainly, Twitter) checked and approved by his team of lawyers. In addition to this, the tech billonaire was fined $40 million.

<h4>‘High’ly vulnerable</h4>

However, that has not stopped Musk from tweeting ‘dangerous’ things. In the early months of 2019, Musk tweeted an estimate of how many cars Tesla would be able to produce in that financial year. Since the number was higher than the goal stated in company’s official guidance, the tweet was not appreciated by the SEC, especially after the board realised the tweet in question was not approved by his lawyers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bitcoin-tumble-slows-with-help-from-elon-musk-386180" hreflang="en">Bitcoin tumble slows with help from Elon Musk</a>

Later, famous for his odd-timed tweets, Musk on the evening of July 29 replied to Ryan McCaffrey about solar roofs. In response to Musk’s "Tesla megapack", Ryan had tweeted, "How’s solar roof tile progress going? You were working on a new version (V3?) of that, right?"

Musk, within minutes, replied, "Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year".

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Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1156005185656782848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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After this tweet, the SEC warned Tesla that Musk’s tweets about solar power and Tesla car production were another breach of the settlement, to which Tesla lawyers argued that it was nothing but "wholly aspirational".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-tesla-halts-bitcoin-purchases-amid-concerns-of-increasing-carbon-emissions-384647" hreflang="en">Elon Musk's Tesla halts bitcoin purchases amid concerns of increasing carbon emissions</a>

While the two sides agreed on stricter vetting for Musk’s tweets, the space junkie did not steer clear of trouble. While the world fought with the pandemic, in May 2020, the entrepreneur tweeted, "Tesla's stock price is too high imo."

His tweet resulted in a drop of 10 per cent in the share prices that night and the SEC warned Musk and Tesla that the tweet reflected the company's financial condition. Not a big fan of the agency, Musk dismissed the claims by saying the tweet was simply a "personal opinion", and not a factual claim.

Master of coin

There was less harm when Elon Musk was limited to his own company's shares. However, recently, the SpaceX founder has started tweeting about cryptocurrencies, especially since Tesla invested in the same.

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If you’d like to help develop Doge, please submit ideas on GitHub &amp; <a href="https://t.co/liAPQMFaQB">https://t.co/liAPQMFaQB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dogecoin_devs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dogecoin_devs</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1396916392629137409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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His tweets on crypto and digital currencies, and, recently, dogecoin, have sent their prices up and down within seconds. The interesting part of him dwelling in cryptocurrencies is that these commodities are not controlled by the SEC, thus giving Musk the freedom to tweet without getting into much trouble.

Recently, when China signalled a new crackdown on&nbsp;cryptocurrency, the prices were set for a devastating fall. However, one tweet from Musk cushioned the loss. The virtual currency had fallen to nearly&nbsp;$30,000 but quickly climbed back to&nbsp;$39,500 after Musk's tweet:

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Tesla has 💎 🙌
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1395027147161489412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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'Baby Shark crushes all!'

It is not just solar panels or cryptocurrencies, Musk has also diverted his attention towards children’s entertainment media. He recently replied to South Park’s tweet of meme stars by saying, "Baby Shark crushes all! More views than humans."

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Baby Shark crushes all! More views than humans. <a href="https://t.co/48Ol3ZzhjP">https://t.co/48Ol3ZzhjP</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1399874980062633985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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His one tweet about the 'Baby Shark' dance video resulted in an increase in the shares of Samsung Publishing in the Asian trading by nearly six per cent.

Tech-y advice

Elon Musk has also indulged in advising the masses on which messaging app is a better choice, purely out of personal opinion. In the early months of 2021, Musk asked people to switch to a messaging app called Signal over WhatsApp and Facebook due to a change in&nbsp;the latter's policy which has raised privacy concerns.

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Use Signal
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1347165127036977153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Shortly after the announcement, the demand for the app shot up and more than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google within two days.

Conquering new markets

After successfully launching his automobile and space companies, Elon Musk is hoping to soon launch a drive-in food chain across the US, in the locations of Supercharger. Local reports stated that an application has been submitted to the&nbsp;United States Patent and Trademark Office, which will cover the areas of "Restaurant services, pop-up restaurant services, self-service restaurant services, take-out restaurant services".

However, the reports have not yet been verified by the company or the serial tweeter, Elon Musk, yet.

In older days, people heard tales about how a man's words could not only reach millions but might also be enough to make people lose or win money. The old tale has come true, at least in Elon Musk’s case.

In older days, people heard tales about how a man's words could not only reach millions but might also be enough to make people lose or win money. The old tale has come true, at least in Elon Musk’s case. Once bitten, not shy In August 2018, Elon Musk had used his Twitter account to claim that he had "funding secured" to take his company Tesla private at a price of $420 per share. While the information was manipulated and not completely true, the effect of his statement was very true. Also read | Would dinosaurs be alive if they had spaceships? Tech mogul Elon Musk believes so Musk was challenged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and was charged with securities fraud the next month. While the two sides reached to a quick settlement, Musk had to step down from his position of Chairman of Tesla. He was also asked to get all his public communications (mainly, Twitter) checked and approved by his team of lawyers. In addition to this, the tech billonaire was fined $40 million. ‘High’ly vulnerable However, that has not stopped Musk from tweeting ‘dangerous’ things. In the early months of 2019, Musk tweeted an estimate of how many cars Tesla would be able to produce in that financial year. Since the number was higher than the goal stated in company’s official guidance, the tweet was not appreciated by the SEC, especially after the board realised the tweet in question was not approved by his lawyers. Also read | Bitcoin tumble slows with help from Elon Musk Later, famous for his odd-timed tweets, Musk on the evening of July 29 replied to Ryan McCaffrey about solar roofs. In response to Musk’s "Tesla megapack", Ryan had tweeted, "How’s solar roof tile progress going? You were working on a new version (V3?) of that, right?" Musk, within minutes, replied, "Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year". Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2019 × After this tweet, the SEC warned Tesla that Musk’s tweets about solar power and Tesla car production were another breach of the settlement, to which Tesla lawyers argued that it was nothing but "wholly aspirational". Also read | Elon Musk's Tesla halts bitcoin purchases amid concerns of increasing carbon emissions While the two sides agreed on stricter vetting for Musk’s tweets, the space junkie did not steer clear of trouble. While the world fought with the pandemic, in May 2020, the entrepreneur tweeted, "Tesla's stock price is too high imo." His tweet resulted in a drop of 10 per cent in the share prices that night and the SEC warned Musk and Tesla that the tweet reflected the company's financial condition. Not a big fan of the agency, Musk dismissed the claims by saying the tweet was simply a "personal opinion", and not a factual claim. Master of coin There was less harm when Elon Musk was limited to his own company's shares. However, recently, the SpaceX founder has started tweeting about cryptocurrencies, especially since Tesla invested in the same. If you’d like to help develop Doge, please submit ideas on GitHub & https://t.co/liAPQMFaQB @dogecoin_devs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 24, 2021 × His tweets on crypto and digital currencies, and, recently, dogecoin, have sent their prices up and down within seconds. The interesting part of him dwelling in cryptocurrencies is that these commodities are not controlled by the SEC, thus giving Musk the freedom to tweet without getting into much trouble. Recently, when China signalled a new crackdown on cryptocurrency, the prices were set for a devastating fall. However, one tweet from Musk cushioned the loss. The virtual currency had fallen to nearly $30,000 but quickly climbed back to $39,500 after Musk's tweet: Tesla has 💎 🙌 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 19, 2021 × 'Baby Shark crushes all!' It is not just solar panels or cryptocurrencies, Musk has also diverted his attention towards children’s entertainment media. He recently replied to South Park’s tweet of meme stars by saying, "Baby Shark crushes all! More views than humans." Baby Shark crushes all! More views than humans. https://t.co/48Ol3ZzhjP — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 1, 2021 × His one tweet about the 'Baby Shark' dance video resulted in an increase in the shares of Samsung Publishing in the Asian trading by nearly six per cent. Tech-y advice Elon Musk has also indulged in advising the masses on which messaging app is a better choice, purely out of personal opinion. In the early months of 2021, Musk asked people to switch to a messaging app called Signal over WhatsApp and Facebook due to a change in the latter's policy which has raised privacy concerns. Use Signal — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021 × Shortly after the announcement, the demand for the app shot up and more than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google within two days. Conquering new markets After successfully launching his automobile and space companies, Elon Musk is hoping to soon launch a drive-in food chain across the US, in the locations of Supercharger. Local reports stated that an application has been submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which will cover the areas of "Restaurant services, pop-up restaurant services, self-service restaurant services, take-out restaurant services". However, the reports have not yet been verified by the company or the serial tweeter, Elon Musk, yet.

Is Tesla’s Elon Musk a master manipulator of markets?

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