Two billionaires are now officially in a race to make history. Jeff Bezos is taking an 82-year-old astronaut on his first trip to space.

The Billionaire space race: 82-year-old woman pilot to travel to space

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

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?

American entrepreneur and Amazon’s CEO, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a>, is not loved by everyone and proof of that is the recent petition signed by more than 75,000 people requesting him to leave the Earth forever.

Bezos started a space exploration firm called Blue Origin. As per his announced schedule, Bezos, along with his brother Mark Bezos, will be flying into space on July 20 in a Blue Origin spacecraft.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/trip-to-space-with-jeff-bezos-sells-at-auction-for-28-million-391137" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/trip-to-space-with-jeff-bezos-sells-at-auction-for-28-million-391137&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxsam_qavxAhWK63MBHX__DeMQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3bFFKsM_prxP1xI6EEjR5Z" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/trip-to-space-with-jeff-bezos-sells-at-auction-for-28-million-391137" target="_blank">Trip to space with&nbsp;Jeff Bezos&nbsp;sells at auction for $28 million</a>

As soon as the announcement was made, a couple of change.org petitions popped up titled "Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth" and "Petition To Not Allow Jeff Bezos Re-Entry To Earth".

These petitions attracted thousands of signatories within a span of a few hours and in a couple of days, more than 75,000 people had already signed the petition hoping Jeff Bezos never returns to the Earth after his space exploration trip.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-jeff-bezos-is-going-to-space-393208">WATCH |</a>

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People, in their comments, said returning back to the Earth is a privilege and not a right. Thus, the billionaire should not be allowed back to the Earth.

The Bezos brothers will be leaving the Earth aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket which would also carry an unnamed passenger who paid $28 million for a seat in this space trip. The three passengers will be strapped in a dome-shaped capsule and make an 11-minute flight to the edge of space.

In this trip, the capsule will separate from the booster upon reaching the imaginary boundary above the Earth’s surface, and then it will re-enter the atmosphere and float back to the Earth with the help of parachutes.

American entrepreneur and Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, is not loved by everyone and proof of that is the recent petition signed by more than 75,000 people requesting him to leave the Earth forever.

American entrepreneur and Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, is not loved by everyone and proof of that is the recent petition signed by more than 75,000 people requesting him to leave the Earth forever. Bezos started a space exploration firm called Blue Origin. As per his announced schedule, Bezos, along with his brother Mark Bezos, will be flying into space on July 20 in a Blue Origin spacecraft. Also read | Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells at auction for $28 million As soon as the announcement was made, a couple of change.org petitions popped up titled "Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth" and "Petition To Not Allow Jeff Bezos Re-Entry To Earth". These petitions attracted thousands of signatories within a span of a few hours and in a couple of days, more than 75,000 people had already signed the petition hoping Jeff Bezos never returns to the Earth after his space exploration trip. WATCH | People, in their comments, said returning back to the Earth is a privilege and not a right. Thus, the billionaire should not be allowed back to the Earth. The Bezos brothers will be leaving the Earth aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket which would also carry an unnamed passenger who paid $28 million for a seat in this space trip. The three passengers will be strapped in a dome-shaped capsule and make an 11-minute flight to the edge of space. In this trip, the capsule will separate from the booster upon reaching the imaginary boundary above the Earth’s surface, and then it will re-enter the atmosphere and float back to the Earth with the help of parachutes.

More than 75,000 people sign petition to not let Jeff Bezos return to Earth after upcoming Blue Origin space trip

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back.

The brothers will be joined by the winner of Saturday's charity auction. His identity remains unknown as of now.&nbsp;

Bidding for the seat next to Bezos had reached $4.8 million by Thursday. However, it drastically shot up in the final live auction.

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The auction for the very first seat on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewShepard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewShepard</a> has concluded with a winning bid of $28 million. The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, <a href="https://twitter.com/clubforfuture?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ClubforFuture</a>. Full replay of the auction webcast: <a href="https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR">https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR</a> <a href="https://t.co/IlGbgOFmhx">pic.twitter.com/IlGbgOFmhx</a>
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The New Shepard trip will last 10 minutes and will begin from a desert in western Texas. After lift-off, the capsule will separate from its booster and then spends four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles. During this time those the people onboard will experience weightlessness and will be able to observe the curvature of Earth.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-unveils-pictures-by-martian-rover-on-red-planet-391000">Also Read |&nbsp;China unveils pictures by Martian rover on Red Planet</a>

The booster will then land autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site. Meanwhile, the capsule will float back to the surface with three large parachutes that will help to slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands.

"We're ready to fly some astronauts," said Blue Origin's director of astronaut and orbital sales, Ariane Cornell, on Saturday, June 12.

The automated capsules with no pilot have six seats with horizontal backrests. They have been placed next to large portholes, in a futuristic cabin with also includes swish lighting. Multiple cameras have been installed to help in immortalizing the few minutes the space tourists experience weightlessness.

The reusable suborbital rocket system has been named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space 60 years ago.

Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos announced that he will be boarding the New Shepard. In an Instagram post, Bezos said that it was his dream to travel to space ever since he was five years old.&nbsp;

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back.

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back. The brothers will be joined by the winner of Saturday's charity auction. His identity remains unknown as of now. Bidding for the seat next to Bezos had reached $4.8 million by Thursday. However, it drastically shot up in the final live auction. The auction for the very first seat on #NewShepard has concluded with a winning bid of $28 million. The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, @ClubforFuture. Full replay of the auction webcast: https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR pic.twitter.com/IlGbgOFmhx — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) June 12, 2021 × The New Shepard trip will last 10 minutes and will begin from a desert in western Texas. After lift-off, the capsule will separate from its booster and then spends four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles. During this time those the people onboard will experience weightlessness and will be able to observe the curvature of Earth. Also Read | China unveils pictures by Martian rover on Red Planet The booster will then land autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site. Meanwhile, the capsule will float back to the surface with three large parachutes that will help to slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands. "We're ready to fly some astronauts," said Blue Origin's director of astronaut and orbital sales, Ariane Cornell, on Saturday, June 12. The automated capsules with no pilot have six seats with horizontal backrests. They have been placed next to large portholes, in a futuristic cabin with also includes swish lighting. Multiple cameras have been installed to help in immortalizing the few minutes the space tourists experience weightlessness. The reusable suborbital rocket system has been named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space 60 years ago. Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos announced that he will be boarding the New Shepard. In an Instagram post, Bezos said that it was his dream to travel to space ever since he was five years old.

Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells at auction for $28 million

Blue Origin, billionaire Jeff Bezos' rocket company, disclosed $2 million as the current highest bid for a seat on its New Shepherd spacecraft after the startup closed the first phase of its auction.

The second phase of the auction is underway and will last until June 10. The process will conclude in a final phase on June 12 with a live online auction.&nbsp;

The rocket company is targeting July 20 for its first suborbital sightseeing trip on its spacecraft, a landmark moment in a competition to usher in a new era of private commercial space travel.

The New Shepard rocket-and-capsule combo is designed to autonomously fly six passengers more than 62 miles (100 km) above Earth into suborbital space.

Blue Origin has been&nbsp;planning to charge passengers at least $200,000 for the ride, based on an appraisal of rival plans from billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc and other considerations, though its thinking may have changed.

Blue Origin has fallen far behind Elon Musk's SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) on orbital transportation, losing out on billions of dollars' worth of US&nbsp;national security launch contracts that begin in 2022.

These rocket startups mainly aim to send satellites for clients into orbit at an affordable price and reuse parts of rockets to keep costs in check.

Blue Origin, billionaire Jeff Bezos' rocket company, disclosed $2 million as the current highest bid for a seat on its New Shepherd spacecraft after the startup closed the first phase of its auction.

Blue Origin, billionaire Jeff Bezos' rocket company, disclosed $2 million as the current highest bid for a seat on its New Shepherd spacecraft after the startup closed the first phase of its auction. The second phase of the auction is underway and will last until June 10. The process will conclude in a final phase on June 12 with a live online auction. The rocket company is targeting July 20 for its first suborbital sightseeing trip on its spacecraft, a landmark moment in a competition to usher in a new era of private commercial space travel. The New Shepard rocket-and-capsule combo is designed to autonomously fly six passengers more than 62 miles (100 km) above Earth into suborbital space. Blue Origin has been planning to charge passengers at least $200,000 for the ride, based on an appraisal of rival plans from billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc and other considerations, though its thinking may have changed. Blue Origin has fallen far behind Elon Musk's SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) on orbital transportation, losing out on billions of dollars' worth of US national security launch contracts that begin in 2022. These rocket startups mainly aim to send satellites for clients into orbit at an affordable price and reuse parts of rockets to keep costs in check.

Blue Origin reveals highest bid for a seat on its first human spaceflight

Amazon on Wednesday won its fight against an EU order to pay about 250 million euros ($303 million) in back taxes to Luxembourg as Europe's second highest court dealt a blow to the bloc's efforts to make multinational corporations pay more tax.

The Luxembourg-based General Court said Amazon had not enjoyed a selective advantage in its tax deal with the Grand Duchy.

"The Commission did not prove to the requisite legal standard that there was an undue reduction of the tax burden of a European subsidiary of the Amazon group," the judge said.

Amazon in a statement welcomed the ruling, saying it was in line with its "long-standing position that we followed all applicable laws and that Amazon received no special treatment".

The Amazon decision is a blow for European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who has aggressively used the bloc's state aid rules to tackle sweetheart tax deals between multinationals and EU countries.

Vestager has a mixed record so far in her fight against taxation deals the Commission regards as unfair.

In a separate case on Wednesday, French utility Engie lost its appeal against an EU order to pay back taxes of 120 million euros ($145.7 million) to Luxembourg.

But the win against Engie pales beside last year's setback when the General Court threw out Vestager's order to iPhone maker Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($15 billion) in Irish back taxes. The Commission appealed against that decision in September.

Vestager has, however, successfully made Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium change their tax ruling practices, and spurred the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to aim for a global deal on how multinational companies are taxed.

The OECD said last week that the chances of a global deal had never been higher.

The European Commission in its 2017 ruling, knocked down on Wednesday, said Luxembourg spared Amazon from paying taxes on almost three-quarters of its profits from EU operations by allowing it to channel profits to a holding company tax-free.

Since the 2017 ruling, Amazon's fortunes have soared. The US&nbsp;online retailer reported $8.1 billion in first quarter profits, a record, as consumers turned to it for their shopping needs during the pandemic and businesses paid it more to warehouse and advertise their products.

In its 2018 decision on Engie, the EU said the arrangement with Luxembourg authorities artificially reduced the company's tax burden, which meant it paid an effective corporate tax rate of 0.3 per cent&nbsp;on certain profits in Luxembourg for about a decade.

The court sided with the Commission, saying the French utility had benefited from a tax advantage.

The cases are T-816/17 Luxembourg v Commission &amp; T-318/18 Amazon EU v Commission.

Amazon on Wednesday won its fight against an EU order to pay about 250 million euros ($303 million) in back taxes to Luxembourg as Europe's second highest court dealt a blow to the bloc's efforts to make multinational corporations pay more tax.

Amazon on Wednesday won its fight against an EU order to pay about 250 million euros ($303 million) in back taxes to Luxembourg as Europe's second highest court dealt a blow to the bloc's efforts to make multinational corporations pay more tax. The Luxembourg-based General Court said Amazon had not enjoyed a selective advantage in its tax deal with the Grand Duchy. "The Commission did not prove to the requisite legal standard that there was an undue reduction of the tax burden of a European subsidiary of the Amazon group," the judge said. Amazon in a statement welcomed the ruling, saying it was in line with its "long-standing position that we followed all applicable laws and that Amazon received no special treatment". The Amazon decision is a blow for European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who has aggressively used the bloc's state aid rules to tackle sweetheart tax deals between multinationals and EU countries. Vestager has a mixed record so far in her fight against taxation deals the Commission regards as unfair. In a separate case on Wednesday, French utility Engie lost its appeal against an EU order to pay back taxes of 120 million euros ($145.7 million) to Luxembourg. But the win against Engie pales beside last year's setback when the General Court threw out Vestager's order to iPhone maker Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($15 billion) in Irish back taxes. The Commission appealed against that decision in September. Vestager has, however, successfully made Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium change their tax ruling practices, and spurred the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to aim for a global deal on how multinational companies are taxed. The OECD said last week that the chances of a global deal had never been higher. The European Commission in its 2017 ruling, knocked down on Wednesday, said Luxembourg spared Amazon from paying taxes on almost three-quarters of its profits from EU operations by allowing it to channel profits to a holding company tax-free. Since the 2017 ruling, Amazon's fortunes have soared. The US online retailer reported $8.1 billion in first quarter profits, a record, as consumers turned to it for their shopping needs during the pandemic and businesses paid it more to warehouse and advertise their products. In its 2018 decision on Engie, the EU said the arrangement with Luxembourg authorities artificially reduced the company's tax burden, which meant it paid an effective corporate tax rate of 0.3 per cent on certain profits in Luxembourg for about a decade. The court sided with the Commission, saying the French utility had benefited from a tax advantage. The cases are T-816/17 Luxembourg v Commission & T-318/18 Amazon EU v Commission.

Amazon wins court fight against $303 million EU tax order

It's a clash of the tech titans. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were competing for the same contract. NASA gave it to SpaceX. Now Bezos is challenging NASA's decision. WION's Palki tells you how two billionaires are battling to dictate humanity's future in space.

Gravitas: Two billionaires battle to dictate the future of Space

NASA announced this month that Musk's SpaceX was the sole winner in the competition, beating Blue Origin and a third company, Dynetics of Huntsville, Alabama, a defense contractor.

Jeff Bezos' Blue origin challenges NASA over SpaceX

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival&nbsp;SpaceX by NASA.

On Monday, Blue Origin said it had filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, accusing the space agency of making tweaks for contract bidders at the last minute.

"NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System programme and moved the goalposts at the last minute",&nbsp;Reuters cited Blue&nbsp;Origin&nbsp;as saying in a statement.

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"Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the moon. Because of that, we've filed a protest with the GAO”, it added.

While Elon Musk’s SpaceX made the bid alone, Bezos’ Blue Origin made the bid in partnership with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/astronauts-arrive-at-space-station-aboard-spacex-endeavour-379931" hreflang="en">Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour</a>

The world’s first and third richest people respectively, Bezos and Musk have been competing to be at the helm of man’s return to moon for the first time since 1972.

The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. NASA says that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface.

"We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually on April 17.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/mars-sucks-people-troll-elon-musks-idea-of-space-colonisation-379864" hreflang="en">'Mars sucks!' People troll Elon Musk's idea of space colonisation</a>

Apollo landings from 1969-1972 mark the only human visits to the moon’s surface. Now, NASA is relying on private companies to send astronauts to the moon to complete its space ambition projects.

But before humans make the journey, SpaceX will be required to conduct a test flight of the lander to the moon.

(With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival SpaceX by NASA.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival SpaceX by NASA. On Monday, Blue Origin said it had filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, accusing the space agency of making tweaks for contract bidders at the last minute. "NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System programme and moved the goalposts at the last minute", Reuters cited Blue Origin as saying in a statement. "Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the moon. Because of that, we've filed a protest with the GAO”, it added. While Elon Musk’s SpaceX made the bid alone, Bezos’ Blue Origin made the bid in partnership with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper. Also read: Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour The world’s first and third richest people respectively, Bezos and Musk have been competing to be at the helm of man’s return to moon for the first time since 1972. The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. NASA says that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface. "We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually on April 17. Also read: 'Mars sucks!' People troll Elon Musk's idea of space colonisation Apollo landings from 1969-1972 mark the only human visits to the moon’s surface. Now, NASA is relying on private companies to send astronauts to the moon to complete its space ambition projects. But before humans make the journey, SpaceX will be required to conduct a test flight of the lander to the moon. (With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin protests NASA's moon lander contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX

After topping the list of Forbes' annual world's billionaires for the fourth consecutive year, Amazon’s founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a> has lent support to the proposal of raising taxes on US companies.

“We support the Biden Administration’s focus on making bold investments in American infrastructure. Both Democrats and Republicans have supported infrastructure in the past, and it’s the right time to work together to make this happen,” a statement by Bezos read.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/forbes-annual-worlds-billionaires-bezos-musk-top-record-setting-list-375711">Forbes' annual world's billionaires: Bezos, Musk top record-setting list</a>

“We recognize this investment will require concessions from all sides—both on the specifics of what’s included as well as how it gets paid for (we’re supportive of a rise in the corporate tax rate),” he added.

The statement has come after US President Joe Biden proposed a plan to change the corporate rate from 21 per cent to 28 per cent, in a bid to upgrade America’s infrastructure.

Biden had singled out Amazon as an example of US companies that pay too little, during his speech unveiling the proposal.

This has also come after Senator Elizabeth Warren took to Twitter to accuse the retail giant of exploiting corporate loopholes and not paying enough.

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Giant corporations like Amazon report huge profits to their shareholders – but they exploit loopholes and tax havens to pay close to nothing in taxes. That’s just not right – and it’s why I’ll be introducing a bill to make the most profitable companies pay a fair share. <a href="https://t.co/vPrmGbjUKW">pic.twitter.com/vPrmGbjUKW</a>
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/1375189145476288513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Amazon had hit back by accusing the senator of having double standards and tweeted, "You make the tax laws&nbsp;@SenWarren; we just follow them. If you don’t like the laws you’ve created, by all means, change them. Here are the facts: Amazon has paid billions of dollars in corporate taxes over the past few years alone."

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3/3 So what have we done about that? $350B in investments since 2010 &amp; 400K new US jobs last year alone. And while you’re working on changing the tax code, can we please raise the federal minimum wage to $15?
— Amazon News (@amazonnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/amazonnews/status/1375248030933209093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

After topping the list of Forbes' annual world's billionaires for the fourth consecutive year, Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has lent support to the proposal of raising taxes on US companies.

After topping the list of Forbes' annual world's billionaires for the fourth consecutive year, Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has lent support to the proposal of raising taxes on US companies. “We support the Biden Administration’s focus on making bold investments in American infrastructure. Both Democrats and Republicans have supported infrastructure in the past, and it’s the right time to work together to make this happen,” a statement by Bezos read. Also read | Forbes' annual world's billionaires: Bezos, Musk top record-setting list “We recognize this investment will require concessions from all sides—both on the specifics of what’s included as well as how it gets paid for (we’re supportive of a rise in the corporate tax rate),” he added. The statement has come after US President Joe Biden proposed a plan to change the corporate rate from 21 per cent to 28 per cent, in a bid to upgrade America’s infrastructure. Biden had singled out Amazon as an example of US companies that pay too little, during his speech unveiling the proposal. This has also come after Senator Elizabeth Warren took to Twitter to accuse the retail giant of exploiting corporate loopholes and not paying enough. Giant corporations like Amazon report huge profits to their shareholders – but they exploit loopholes and tax havens to pay close to nothing in taxes. That’s just not right – and it’s why I’ll be introducing a bill to make the most profitable companies pay a fair share. pic.twitter.com/vPrmGbjUKW — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 25, 2021 × Amazon had hit back by accusing the senator of having double standards and tweeted, "You make the tax laws @SenWarren; we just follow them. If you don’t like the laws you’ve created, by all means, change them. Here are the facts: Amazon has paid billions of dollars in corporate taxes over the past few years alone." 3/3 So what have we done about that? $350B in investments since 2010 & 400K new US jobs last year alone. And while you’re working on changing the tax code, can we please raise the federal minimum wage to $15? — Amazon News (@amazonnews) March 26, 2021 ×

Amazon's Jeff Bezos supports Biden's tax increase on US corporates

Forbes' annual world's billionaires list includes a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires, with Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos topping it for the fourth consecutive year, the media company said on Tuesday.

The ranks of the ultra-wealthy are expanding after a year in which the coronavirus pandemic upended world economies and threatened the livelihoods of people across the globe.

This year's billionaires are worth a combined $13.1 trillion, up from $8 trillion last year, Forbes said.

"The very, very rich got very, very richer," said Forbes' Chief Content Officer Randall Lane in an interview.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;jumped into the second spot on the list, up from 31st last year.

Bernard Arnault, chief executive of luxury goods firm LVMH, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg round out the top five of the world's richest billionaires.

Investor and business tycoon Warren Buffett fell out of the top five for the first time in over two decades, as tech executives dominate the Forbes rankings.

This year's list has 493 newcomers, including Whitney Wolfe Herd, chief executive of dating app Bumble, which went public this year.

Forbes' annual world's billionaires list includes a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires, with Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos topping it for the fourth consecutive year, the media company said on Tuesday.

Forbes' annual world's billionaires list includes a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires, with Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos topping it for the fourth consecutive year, the media company said on Tuesday. The ranks of the ultra-wealthy are expanding after a year in which the coronavirus pandemic upended world economies and threatened the livelihoods of people across the globe. This year's billionaires are worth a combined $13.1 trillion, up from $8 trillion last year, Forbes said. "The very, very rich got very, very richer," said Forbes' Chief Content Officer Randall Lane in an interview. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk jumped into the second spot on the list, up from 31st last year. Bernard Arnault, chief executive of luxury goods firm LVMH, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg round out the top five of the world's richest billionaires. Investor and business tycoon Warren Buffett fell out of the top five for the first time in over two decades, as tech executives dominate the Forbes rankings. This year's list has 493 newcomers, including Whitney Wolfe Herd, chief executive of dating app Bumble, which went public this year.

Forbes' annual world's billionaires: Bezos, Musk top record-setting list

It’s hard to decide who is having a better troll moment on Twitter this week: Jeff Bezos or Lil Nas X.

Both the internet zillionaire and the puckish rapper spent the last week trying to bend public sentiment to their will, using sharp digital techniques that left fans cheering, detractors screaming and the rest of us wondering what the heck just happened.

Two words: Clapback branding.

Since founding Amazon in the mid-90s, Mr. Bezos has gone from being an aw-shucks, squishy, pleated-khaki-wearing geek to a kind of Lex Luthor-style tech god — all muscles, tightly fitted suits and sheen.

He has led a surgical and controlled effort to press the company’s interests through its huge growth and disquieting disruptions. And in the face of attacks — even unhinged ones, like those from former President Donald Trump — Mr. Bezos and his deputies have mostly said little as Amazon relentlessly marched to domination in its arenas. (One exception was Mr. Bezos’s angry public response to the release of sexts he had sent to his current partner.)

The backdrop for the recent series of pugnacious tweets was a closely watched labor showdown at an Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Ala. Workers there have voted on whether to unionize — results are expected in the coming days.

For organized labor, the voting is a test of its appeal in the ever-growing digital economy. And for Amazon, the result will be a measure of its aggressive expansion strategy. The company also has its eyes on Washington, where there is increasing appetite for regulation of Big Tech.

In short, both organized labor and Amazon view the Alabama battle as a fight for hearts and minds, not only there, but across the whole country.

The fight over worker rights at Amazon has been brewing for a while. The company is on its way to becoming one of the nation’s largest employers, having &lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/technology/pushed-by-pandemic-amazon-goes-on-a-hiring-spree-without-equal.html" rel="nofollow"&gt;added hundreds of thousands&lt;/a&gt; of workers over the last year of pandemic — reaching close to 1.3 million for its full- and part-time staff members — as demand for its products and services swelled.

That has made it an enticing target for unionization, especially as complaints about working conditions at the company have increased in recent years. Many workers are unhappy with how much they are monitored, the unsustainable pace and the physical toll of the work.

Amazon had moved to diminish criticism over its treatment of workers nearly three years ago by increasing its minimum wage to $15 an hour and expanding health benefits. That wasn’t enough.

A range of powerful politicians from both sides of the aisle have weighed in over the years, usually to criticize the company. Most of the time, Amazon has remained tight-lipped publicly. That changed last week when the company decided to respond in a combative way to criticism delivered by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

The powerful head of the consumer business, Dave Clark, addressed Mr. Sanders’s trip to meet Amazon workers in the state with max snark: “I welcome @SenSanders to Birmingham and appreciate his push for a progressive workplace. I often say we are the Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace for our constituents: a $15 minimum wage, health care from day one, career progression, and a safe and inclusive work environment.”

It was obnoxious enough, but calm compared to the Trumpian style over at Amazon News’s handle, which went after Ms. Warren, a perpetual thorn in tech’s side:

“This is extraordinary and revealing. One of the most powerful politicians in the United States just said she’s going to break up an American company so that they can’t criticize her anymore.”

It went on and on, dripping with the kind of bad-ittude you rarely see from a major corporation.

Here’s what was more extraordinary — and revealing — to me: One of the most powerful companies in the world could not take criticism from politicians without acting like one of the biggest babies in the world.

At first, it seemed like a bonkers strategy, and I immediately got numerous texts from high level and tough public relations folks in tech, all of whom were also dumbfounded. One savvy P.R. pro at a big tech company wrote to me: “Those Amazon tweets are malpractice. They are letting internal frustrations drive external messaging. Total lack of discipline.”

Indeed, it all felt oddly emotional and risky, which is why it was clear that the decision to launch such attacks could have been made only by someone who never suffers when mistakes are made: Mr. Bezos.

Why would he take such an approach?

I don’t think his intention was to influence the union vote in Alabama. Instead, the goal was to goad progressives into proposing legislation around things like data privacy and a $15 federal minimum wage that Mr. Bezos knows cannot pass without being watered down and, thus, made less dangerous to giants like Amazon.

After gaining immense power in the pandemic and becoming one of the best-liked brands around, the company is now saying to Washington legislators, who have dragged their feet and held endless and largely useless hearings about how to deal with tech: I dare you to regulate us.

For Amazon, weak regulation would certainly be much better than having to talk about the very real human toll that free shipping might have on its workers. It’s an attitude that we will see adopted by a lot more tech leaders who are going to try to use the momentum for regulation in their favor, rather than let it run over them.

In a recent congressional hearing, for example, Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, sheepishly proposed changes to Section 230 of the 1996 Federal Communications Act, which gives platforms broad immunity for content posted on their sites. Many observers felt, though, that Mr. Zuckerberg’s proposals were a smoke screen that would ultimately benefit Big Tech companies like Facebook.

It’s high-risk, but possibly high reward, which has been Mr. Bezos brand for his entire career, even before he was armed with all this power and money.

Most of the rest of tech has opted to put on sackcloth and ashes and make a million meaningless apologies to the public and Congress for a wide variety of mishaps over the years. But Mr. Bezos is being deliberately provocative in an attempt to gain leverage by pointing the blame back at legislators. He’s accusing them of all talk and no action.

It’s reminded me a lot of Lil Nas X, whom The New York Times dubbed “Clapback Champ” this week for his rollout of a new music video and single, “Montero (Call Me by My Name).”

The erotic video is primed to attract all manner of pearl-clutching, with its pole-dancing in Hell, and its accompanying release of limited-edition sneakers called Satan Shoes, which include a drop of blood in them.

“The song, the video, the shoes — they are bait,” The Times said about Lil Nas X. “He is a grade-A internet manipulator and, provided all the tools and resources typically reserved for long-established pop superstars, he is perfectly suited to dominate the moment.”

That’s exactly the right way to describe Lil Nas X — and Mr. Bezos.

(Kara Swisher is the host of “Sway,” a New York Times Opinion podcast, and a contributing writer for The Times. She has reported on technology and technology companies since the early days of the internet.)

It’s hard to decide who is having a better troll moment on Twitter this week: Jeff Bezos or Lil Nas X. Both the internet zillionaire and the puckish rapper spent the last week trying to bend public sentiment to their will, using sharp digital techniques that left fans cheering, detractors screaming and the rest of us wondering what the heck just happened.

It’s hard to decide who is having a better troll moment on Twitter this week: Jeff Bezos or Lil Nas X. Both the internet zillionaire and the puckish rapper spent the last week trying to bend public sentiment to their will, using sharp digital techniques that left fans cheering, detractors screaming and the rest of us wondering what the heck just happened. Two words: Clapback branding. Since founding Amazon in the mid-90s, Mr. Bezos has gone from being an aw-shucks, squishy, pleated-khaki-wearing geek to a kind of Lex Luthor-style tech god — all muscles, tightly fitted suits and sheen. He has led a surgical and controlled effort to press the company’s interests through its huge growth and disquieting disruptions. And in the face of attacks — even unhinged ones, like those from former President Donald Trump — Mr. Bezos and his deputies have mostly said little as Amazon relentlessly marched to domination in its arenas. (One exception was Mr. Bezos’s angry public response to the release of sexts he had sent to his current partner.) The backdrop for the recent series of pugnacious tweets was a closely watched labor showdown at an Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Ala. Workers there have voted on whether to unionize — results are expected in the coming days. For organized labor, the voting is a test of its appeal in the ever-growing digital economy. And for Amazon, the result will be a measure of its aggressive expansion strategy. The company also has its eyes on Washington, where there is increasing appetite for regulation of Big Tech. In short, both organized labor and Amazon view the Alabama battle as a fight for hearts and minds, not only there, but across the whole country. The fight over worker rights at Amazon has been brewing for a while. The company is on its way to becoming one of the nation’s largest employers, having <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/technology/pushed-by-pandemic-amazon-goes-on-a-hiring-spree-without-equal.html" rel="nofollow">added hundreds of thousands</a> of workers over the last year of pandemic — reaching close to 1.3 million for its full- and part-time staff members — as demand for its products and services swelled. That has made it an enticing target for unionization, especially as complaints about working conditions at the company have increased in recent years. Many workers are unhappy with how much they are monitored, the unsustainable pace and the physical toll of the work. Amazon had moved to diminish criticism over its treatment of workers nearly three years ago by increasing its minimum wage to $15 an hour and expanding health benefits. That wasn’t enough. A range of powerful politicians from both sides of the aisle have weighed in over the years, usually to criticize the company. Most of the time, Amazon has remained tight-lipped publicly. That changed last week when the company decided to respond in a combative way to criticism delivered by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The powerful head of the consumer business, Dave Clark, addressed Mr. Sanders’s trip to meet Amazon workers in the state with max snark: “I welcome @SenSanders to Birmingham and appreciate his push for a progressive workplace. I often say we are the Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace for our constituents: a $15 minimum wage, health care from day one, career progression, and a safe and inclusive work environment.” It was obnoxious enough, but calm compared to the Trumpian style over at Amazon News’s handle, which went after Ms. Warren, a perpetual thorn in tech’s side: “This is extraordinary and revealing. One of the most powerful politicians in the United States just said she’s going to break up an American company so that they can’t criticize her anymore.” It went on and on, dripping with the kind of bad-ittude you rarely see from a major corporation. Here’s what was more extraordinary — and revealing — to me: One of the most powerful companies in the world could not take criticism from politicians without acting like one of the biggest babies in the world. At first, it seemed like a bonkers strategy, and I immediately got numerous texts from high level and tough public relations folks in tech, all of whom were also dumbfounded. One savvy P.R. pro at a big tech company wrote to me: “Those Amazon tweets are malpractice. They are letting internal frustrations drive external messaging. Total lack of discipline.” Indeed, it all felt oddly emotional and risky, which is why it was clear that the decision to launch such attacks could have been made only by someone who never suffers when mistakes are made: Mr. Bezos. Why would he take such an approach? I don’t think his intention was to influence the union vote in Alabama. Instead, the goal was to goad progressives into proposing legislation around things like data privacy and a $15 federal minimum wage that Mr. Bezos knows cannot pass without being watered down and, thus, made less dangerous to giants like Amazon. After gaining immense power in the pandemic and becoming one of the best-liked brands around, the company is now saying to Washington legislators, who have dragged their feet and held endless and largely useless hearings about how to deal with tech: I dare you to regulate us. For Amazon, weak regulation would certainly be much better than having to talk about the very real human toll that free shipping might have on its workers. It’s an attitude that we will see adopted by a lot more tech leaders who are going to try to use the momentum for regulation in their favor, rather than let it run over them. In a recent congressional hearing, for example, Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, sheepishly proposed changes to Section 230 of the 1996 Federal Communications Act, which gives platforms broad immunity for content posted on their sites. Many observers felt, though, that Mr. Zuckerberg’s proposals were a smoke screen that would ultimately benefit Big Tech companies like Facebook. It’s high-risk, but possibly high reward, which has been Mr. Bezos brand for his entire career, even before he was armed with all this power and money. Most of the rest of tech has opted to put on sackcloth and ashes and make a million meaningless apologies to the public and Congress for a wide variety of mishaps over the years. But Mr. Bezos is being deliberately provocative in an attempt to gain leverage by pointing the blame back at legislators. He’s accusing them of all talk and no action. It’s reminded me a lot of Lil Nas X, whom The New York Times dubbed “Clapback Champ” this week for his rollout of a new music video and single, “Montero (Call Me by My Name).” The erotic video is primed to attract all manner of pearl-clutching, with its pole-dancing in Hell, and its accompanying release of limited-edition sneakers called Satan Shoes, which include a drop of blood in them. “The song, the video, the shoes — they are bait,” The Times said about Lil Nas X. “He is a grade-A internet manipulator and, provided all the tools and resources typically reserved for long-established pop superstars, he is perfectly suited to dominate the moment.” That’s exactly the right way to describe Lil Nas X — and Mr. Bezos. (Kara Swisher is the host of “Sway,” a New York Times Opinion podcast, and a contributing writer for The Times. She has reported on technology and technology companies since the early days of the internet.)

Jeff Bezos is taunting politicians. Will they take the bait?

A Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia's Far East on Thursday carrying 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites, the Roscosmos space agency said.

The launch, carried out by Arianespace from the Vostochny cosmodrome, brought the number of in-orbit satellites to 146, part of a fleet designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity, the satellite operator said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/russian-soyuz-spacecraft-launches-38-satellites-for-18-countries-372299" hreflang="en">Russian Soyuz spacecraft launches 38 satellites for 18 countries</a>

OneWeb, a London-headquartered company, is working to complete the construction of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites providing enhanced broadband and other services to countries around the world.

The company is competing in the race to provide fast internet for the world's remote areas via satellites along with tech billionaire Elon Musk and fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos of Amazon.

OneWeb said this was the second in a five-launch programme that will enable its connectivity to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by the middle of 2021.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russias-soyuz-spacecraft-takes-quickest-crew-trip-to-international-space-station-334731">Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station</a>

"These services will cover the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas and Canada, and will be switched on before the end of the year," it said.

"OneWeb then intends to make global services available in 2022," it added.

OneWeb resumed flights in December after emerging from bankruptcy protection with $1 billion in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India's Bharti Enterprises, its new owners.

Founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Greg Wyler, OneWeb planned to launch some 650 satellites into low earth orbit to provide universal internet but struggled to raise funds.

Images released by Roscosmos showed the Soyuz rocket taking off against clear blue skies Thursday morning at 0247 GMT.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Сегодняшний пуск стал пятым в рамках пусковой кампании <a href="https://twitter.com/OneWeb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OneWeb</a> 🚀 
 
Средства выведения Роскосмоса — ракета-носитель «Союз-2.1б» и разгонный блок «Фрегат» — отработали в штатном режиме! 
 
Давайте еще раз вспомним сегодняшнее утро на космодроме <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%92%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Восточный</a> <a href="https://t.co/UGgQU92F1m">pic.twitter.com/UGgQU92F1m</a>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1374990285680353285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Roscosmos said in a statement that the launch and separation "took place normally".

"We can confirm our sixth separation is complete. Over half our satellites have now been released!" OneWeb wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

OneWeb's first six satellites were launched by a Russian-made Soyuz rocket from the space centre in Kourou in French Guiana in February 2019.

The company launched 68 more from the Baikanour launch site in Kazakhstan last year and another 36 from the Vostochny cosmodrome in December.&nbsp;

The Vostochny launch site is one of Russia's most important space projects, designed to reduce reliance on the Baikonur space centre Moscow currently rents from Kazakhstan.

Its construction has for years been tainted by multiple controversies including corruption, and the project has been consistently behind schedule.&nbsp;

A Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia's Far East on Thursday carrying 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites, the Roscosmos space agency said.

A Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia's Far East on Thursday carrying 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites, the Roscosmos space agency said. The launch, carried out by Arianespace from the Vostochny cosmodrome, brought the number of in-orbit satellites to 146, part of a fleet designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity, the satellite operator said. Also read| Russian Soyuz spacecraft launches 38 satellites for 18 countries OneWeb, a London-headquartered company, is working to complete the construction of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites providing enhanced broadband and other services to countries around the world. The company is competing in the race to provide fast internet for the world's remote areas via satellites along with tech billionaire Elon Musk and fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos of Amazon. OneWeb said this was the second in a five-launch programme that will enable its connectivity to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by the middle of 2021. Also see| Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station "These services will cover the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas and Canada, and will be switched on before the end of the year," it said. "OneWeb then intends to make global services available in 2022," it added. OneWeb resumed flights in December after emerging from bankruptcy protection with $1 billion in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India's Bharti Enterprises, its new owners. Founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Greg Wyler, OneWeb planned to launch some 650 satellites into low earth orbit to provide universal internet but struggled to raise funds. Images released by Roscosmos showed the Soyuz rocket taking off against clear blue skies Thursday morning at 0247 GMT. Сегодняшний пуск стал пятым в рамках пусковой кампании @OneWeb 🚀 Средства выведения Роскосмоса — ракета-носитель «Союз-2.1б» и разгонный блок «Фрегат» — отработали в штатном режиме! Давайте еще раз вспомним сегодняшнее утро на космодроме #Восточный pic.twitter.com/UGgQU92F1m — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) March 25, 2021 × Roscosmos said in a statement that the launch and separation "took place normally". "We can confirm our sixth separation is complete. Over half our satellites have now been released!" OneWeb wrote on Twitter. OneWeb's first six satellites were launched by a Russian-made Soyuz rocket from the space centre in Kourou in French Guiana in February 2019. The company launched 68 more from the Baikanour launch site in Kazakhstan last year and another 36 from the Vostochny cosmodrome in December. The Vostochny launch site is one of Russia's most important space projects, designed to reduce reliance on the Baikonur space centre Moscow currently rents from Kazakhstan. Its construction has for years been tainted by multiple controversies including corruption, and the project has been consistently behind schedule.

Russia's Soyuz spacecraft blasts off to extend internet orbit

In making the case against a union at its warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, Amazon has touted its compensation package. The company notes that base pay at the facility, around $15.50 an hour for most rank-and-file workers, is more than twice the local minimum wage and that it offers comprehensive health insurance and retirement benefits.

But to many of Amazon’s Bessemer employees, who are voting this month on whether to unionize, the claims to generosity can ring hollow alongside the demands of the job and local wage rates. The most recent figure for the median wage in greater Birmingham, a metropolitan area of roughly 1 million people that includes Bessemer, was nearly $3 above Amazon’s pay there, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“If you go into certain rural areas in the South, where wages are suppressed and there’s no industry, that may seem attractive,” said Joshua Brewer of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, who is the campaign’s lead organizer. “For our folks here in Bessemer and Birmingham, it’s barely enough to keep the lights on. To tote it in front of them like it’s something to be prized is mildly offensive.”

It is common for employers facing a union vote to emphasize the generosity of their wages and to suggest that workers could be worse off if they unionize. But the message takes on added resonance in the South, where incomes are lower and jobs with good pay can be harder to find. As a result, organizers say, employers and their surrogates in the region often use such tactics more aggressively.

A commercial during a 2017 union campaign at a Boeing plant in South Carolina showed a casino boss urging workers to roll dice at a craps table to make the point that joining a union could put their livelihood at risk. Union campaigns at a Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, and a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, featured similar appeals.

The catch is that wages at these plants tended to be substantially higher than the typical wage in their areas, reinforcing workers’ sense that they had something valuable to lose.

Veteran production workers made $23.50 an hour at the Volkswagen plant in 2019, the year of the most recent campaign there. The comparable figure was $23 at Boeing’s South Carolina facility when workers voted on a union and $26 at Nissan’s Mississippi plant during the vote there, also in 2017. The union lost in all three cases.

“The global manufacturing companies took more steps to pre-empt unionization by offering better pay,” Richard Bensinger, a former organizing director for the United Automobile Workers and the AFL-CIO, said in an email.

Bensinger, who was involved in the Nissan and Volkswagen campaigns and is helping workers organize at other Amazon facilities, held up Mercedes-Benz as a telling example. The UAW tried to organize the company’s plant in Vance, Alabama, about 25 miles from Bessemer, for several years during the last decade. But it could never quite get a majority of workers to sign cards, Bensinger said, partly because wages at the plant were so high — $28 an hour for veteran workers, and even more today.

“They paid UAW scale to try to keep the UAW out,” Bensinger said. (Mercedes, like other automakers, also used temporary workers whom it paid far less.)

By contrast, unions have been successful when companies have held down wages. During the first half the 2010s, workers unionized at several auto parts suppliers in Alabama and elsewhere in the South, often citing low pay and benefits as the impetus.

In 2015, employees at Commercial Vehicle Group in Piedmont, Alabama, which made seats for trucks, voted to join the UAW by a roughly 2-to-1 ratio. Workers at the plant complained of wages that started as low as $9.70 an hour for temporary workers and topped out at $15.80 for full-time employees. The company laid off many of the workers when it later consolidated its operations.

“Workers always say this: It’s about respect, recognition,” said Gary Casteel, the UAW’s former second-ranking official, who helped oversee much of its organizing in the South. “That’s not the case. It is about the money. Everybody wants to get paid more.”

Darryl Richardson, an Amazon employee in Alabama, knows firsthand the catalyzing effect of low wages. In 2012, he was part of a group of workers that voted overwhelmingly to unionize at Faurecia Interior Systems in Cottondale, Alabama, which made seats for the nearby Mercedes plant.

Richardson said that he had made around $12.50 an hour when he started at the plant but that, thanks to the union, his hourly pay had nearly doubled by the time he left in 2019, after the plant lost its contract with Mercedes. He said several of his co-workers at Faurecia were now working at Amazon and had seen the power of a union to raise wages.

“From Faurecia to Amazon, it’s a big pay difference,” said Richardson, who now makes $15.55.

Heather Knox, an Amazon spokeswoman, said workers in Bessemer were eligible for raises every six months and that they had received a $2-an-hour bonus during much of last spring. Full-time rank-and-file employees received $300 bonuses during the holiday season and $500 last June. The company also provides significant tuition reimbursement for employees who take classes in certain fields.

Some workers at the Bessemer facility, which opened just as COVID-19 was bearing down last March, regard the pay as more than adequate, especially younger employees.

“I feel like it is fair,” said Roderick Crocton, 24, who previously made $11.25 as an overnight stocker at a local retailer. “In my old job, I lived in my apartment, never got to go anywhere, paid my bills. Today I’m able to go out and experience being in the city.”

But other workers emphasize that pay at Amazon isn’t particularly high for the Birmingham area, even if the pandemic has reduced their job options. An Amazon employee named Clint, a union backer who declined to give his last name for fear of retaliation, said he had stood to make about $40,000 a year installing satellite dishes before the pandemic left him unemployed. He said he made his finances work partly by living with his mother.

The retail workers’ union said it represented employees at nearby warehouses where pay is $18 to $21 an hour, including an ice cream facility and a grocery warehouse not far from Amazon.

At a plant owned by NFI Group, a Canadian bus manufacturer, about an hour east of Birmingham, hourly pay for rank-and-file workers ranges from $14.79 to $23.31, according to the company.

A survey of about 100 workers at the NFI plant by Emily Erickson, a professor at Alabama A&amp;amp;M University, found that white workers earned about $3 an hour more than Black workers on average. One former employee who currently works for a labor group in the area, Charles Crooms, said this made it more difficult to persuade white workers to join a union organizing effort. (The company said all employees with the same job grade and tenure were paid the same.)

Workers and organizers said the dissatisfaction over wages at the Amazon warehouse was heightened by the vast wealth of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder.

“He’s one of the richest men in the world, yet you treat employees like scavengers,” said Jennifer Bates, an Amazon employee who earned more in her previous job at a pipe factory but joined Amazon hoping it would provide an opportunity to grow.

Bates was mystified that the company was urging Congress to match its pay efforts by raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. “It looks to me like Amazon is admitting it’s only paying a minimum wage, and this is not a minimum-wage job,” she said. Amazon has said its starting wage is higher than $15 an hour in most of the country.

Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the retail workers’ union, noted that Bezos could have given each of Amazon’s more than 1 million global employees last year a bonus larger than the annual pay of a warehouse worker just from the wealth he accumulated during the pandemic.

All of which raises a question: Why didn’t Amazon, which regards unions as a threat, follow the example of Nissan and Mercedes and pay its Alabama employees more as a way to pre-empt a union?

The company did not respond to a request to address that question.

Appelbaum, the union president, said the company had underestimated its workers.

“I think they took it for granted that we’d be out there for a few days leafleting, then go away,” he said. “They didn’t believe there was any possibility that we’d be able to get enough cards from employees to get to an election.”

In making the case against a union at its warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, Amazon has touted its compensation package. The company notes that base pay at the facility, around $15.

In making the case against a union at its warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, Amazon has touted its compensation package. The company notes that base pay at the facility, around $15.50 an hour for most rank-and-file workers, is more than twice the local minimum wage and that it offers comprehensive health insurance and retirement benefits. But to many of Amazon’s Bessemer employees, who are voting this month on whether to unionize, the claims to generosity can ring hollow alongside the demands of the job and local wage rates. The most recent figure for the median wage in greater Birmingham, a metropolitan area of roughly 1 million people that includes Bessemer, was nearly $3 above Amazon’s pay there, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “If you go into certain rural areas in the South, where wages are suppressed and there’s no industry, that may seem attractive,” said Joshua Brewer of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, who is the campaign’s lead organizer. “For our folks here in Bessemer and Birmingham, it’s barely enough to keep the lights on. To tote it in front of them like it’s something to be prized is mildly offensive.” It is common for employers facing a union vote to emphasize the generosity of their wages and to suggest that workers could be worse off if they unionize. But the message takes on added resonance in the South, where incomes are lower and jobs with good pay can be harder to find. As a result, organizers say, employers and their surrogates in the region often use such tactics more aggressively. A commercial during a 2017 union campaign at a Boeing plant in South Carolina showed a casino boss urging workers to roll dice at a craps table to make the point that joining a union could put their livelihood at risk. Union campaigns at a Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, and a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, featured similar appeals. The catch is that wages at these plants tended to be substantially higher than the typical wage in their areas, reinforcing workers’ sense that they had something valuable to lose. Veteran production workers made $23.50 an hour at the Volkswagen plant in 2019, the year of the most recent campaign there. The comparable figure was $23 at Boeing’s South Carolina facility when workers voted on a union and $26 at Nissan’s Mississippi plant during the vote there, also in 2017. The union lost in all three cases. “The global manufacturing companies took more steps to pre-empt unionization by offering better pay,” Richard Bensinger, a former organizing director for the United Automobile Workers and the AFL-CIO, said in an email. Bensinger, who was involved in the Nissan and Volkswagen campaigns and is helping workers organize at other Amazon facilities, held up Mercedes-Benz as a telling example. The UAW tried to organize the company’s plant in Vance, Alabama, about 25 miles from Bessemer, for several years during the last decade. But it could never quite get a majority of workers to sign cards, Bensinger said, partly because wages at the plant were so high — $28 an hour for veteran workers, and even more today. “They paid UAW scale to try to keep the UAW out,” Bensinger said. (Mercedes, like other automakers, also used temporary workers whom it paid far less.) By contrast, unions have been successful when companies have held down wages. During the first half the 2010s, workers unionized at several auto parts suppliers in Alabama and elsewhere in the South, often citing low pay and benefits as the impetus. In 2015, employees at Commercial Vehicle Group in Piedmont, Alabama, which made seats for trucks, voted to join the UAW by a roughly 2-to-1 ratio. Workers at the plant complained of wages that started as low as $9.70 an hour for temporary workers and topped out at $15.80 for full-time employees. The company laid off many of the workers when it later consolidated its operations. “Workers always say this: It’s about respect, recognition,” said Gary Casteel, the UAW’s former second-ranking official, who helped oversee much of its organizing in the South. “That’s not the case. It is about the money. Everybody wants to get paid more.” Darryl Richardson, an Amazon employee in Alabama, knows firsthand the catalyzing effect of low wages. In 2012, he was part of a group of workers that voted overwhelmingly to unionize at Faurecia Interior Systems in Cottondale, Alabama, which made seats for the nearby Mercedes plant. Richardson said that he had made around $12.50 an hour when he started at the plant but that, thanks to the union, his hourly pay had nearly doubled by the time he left in 2019, after the plant lost its contract with Mercedes. He said several of his co-workers at Faurecia were now working at Amazon and had seen the power of a union to raise wages. “From Faurecia to Amazon, it’s a big pay difference,” said Richardson, who now makes $15.55. Heather Knox, an Amazon spokeswoman, said workers in Bessemer were eligible for raises every six months and that they had received a $2-an-hour bonus during much of last spring. Full-time rank-and-file employees received $300 bonuses during the holiday season and $500 last June. The company also provides significant tuition reimbursement for employees who take classes in certain fields. Some workers at the Bessemer facility, which opened just as COVID-19 was bearing down last March, regard the pay as more than adequate, especially younger employees. “I feel like it is fair,” said Roderick Crocton, 24, who previously made $11.25 as an overnight stocker at a local retailer. “In my old job, I lived in my apartment, never got to go anywhere, paid my bills. Today I’m able to go out and experience being in the city.” But other workers emphasize that pay at Amazon isn’t particularly high for the Birmingham area, even if the pandemic has reduced their job options. An Amazon employee named Clint, a union backer who declined to give his last name for fear of retaliation, said he had stood to make about $40,000 a year installing satellite dishes before the pandemic left him unemployed. He said he made his finances work partly by living with his mother. The retail workers’ union said it represented employees at nearby warehouses where pay is $18 to $21 an hour, including an ice cream facility and a grocery warehouse not far from Amazon. At a plant owned by NFI Group, a Canadian bus manufacturer, about an hour east of Birmingham, hourly pay for rank-and-file workers ranges from $14.79 to $23.31, according to the company. A survey of about 100 workers at the NFI plant by Emily Erickson, a professor at Alabama A&amp;M University, found that white workers earned about $3 an hour more than Black workers on average. One former employee who currently works for a labor group in the area, Charles Crooms, said this made it more difficult to persuade white workers to join a union organizing effort. (The company said all employees with the same job grade and tenure were paid the same.) Workers and organizers said the dissatisfaction over wages at the Amazon warehouse was heightened by the vast wealth of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder. “He’s one of the richest men in the world, yet you treat employees like scavengers,” said Jennifer Bates, an Amazon employee who earned more in her previous job at a pipe factory but joined Amazon hoping it would provide an opportunity to grow. Bates was mystified that the company was urging Congress to match its pay efforts by raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. “It looks to me like Amazon is admitting it’s only paying a minimum wage, and this is not a minimum-wage job,” she said. Amazon has said its starting wage is higher than $15 an hour in most of the country. Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the retail workers’ union, noted that Bezos could have given each of Amazon’s more than 1 million global employees last year a bonus larger than the annual pay of a warehouse worker just from the wealth he accumulated during the pandemic. All of which raises a question: Why didn’t Amazon, which regards unions as a threat, follow the example of Nissan and Mercedes and pay its Alabama employees more as a way to pre-empt a union? The company did not respond to a request to address that question. Appelbaum, the union president, said the company had underestimated its workers. “I think they took it for granted that we’d be out there for a few days leafleting, then go away,” he said. “They didn’t believe there was any possibility that we’d be able to get enough cards from employees to get to an election.”

Amazon says it pays Alabama workers well; other local employers pay more

The new CEO of Earth Fund Andrew Steer said he plans to spend $10 billion invested by Amazon chief Bezos Earth Fund by 2030.

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The Earth Fund will invest in scientists, NGOs, activists, and the private sector to help drive new technologies, investments, policy change and behavior. We will emphasize social justice, as climate change disproportionately hurts poor and marginalized communities [4/5]
— Dr. Andrew Steer (@AndrewSteerWRI) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSteerWRI/status/1369317423225135105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"The Earth Fund will invest in scientists, NGOs, activists and the private sector to help drive new technologies, investments, policy change and behaviour," Steer said tweeted, adding, "We will emphasize social justice, as climate change disproportionately hurts poor and marginalised communities."

The fund is intended to address climate, nature and environmental justice. Bezos, 57, had announced earlier that he would be stepping down as Amazon CEO later in the year and concentrate on his passions which include space firm&nbsp;Blue Origin and the Earth Fund.

Bezos in his Instagram post said: “Lauren and I are thrilled to have Andrew aboard and very energized about what lies ahead for the Fund and our partners."

If allocated creatively, wisely and boldly the Earth Fund has the potential for transformative influence in this decisive decade. This is our goal!, Steer said.

The new CEO of Earth Fund Andrew Steer said he plans to spend $10 billion invested by Amazon chief Bezos Earth Fund by 2030. The Earth Fund will invest in scientists, NGOs, activists, and the private sector to help drive new technologies, investments, policy change and behavior.

The new CEO of Earth Fund Andrew Steer said he plans to spend $10 billion invested by Amazon chief Bezos Earth Fund by 2030. The Earth Fund will invest in scientists, NGOs, activists, and the private sector to help drive new technologies, investments, policy change and behavior. We will emphasize social justice, as climate change disproportionately hurts poor and marginalized communities [4/5] — Dr. Andrew Steer (@AndrewSteerWRI) March 9, 2021 × "The Earth Fund will invest in scientists, NGOs, activists and the private sector to help drive new technologies, investments, policy change and behaviour," Steer said tweeted, adding, "We will emphasize social justice, as climate change disproportionately hurts poor and marginalised communities." The fund is intended to address climate, nature and environmental justice. Bezos, 57, had announced earlier that he would be stepping down as Amazon CEO later in the year and concentrate on his passions which include space firm Blue Origin and the Earth Fund. Bezos in his Instagram post said: “Lauren and I are thrilled to have Andrew aboard and very energized about what lies ahead for the Fund and our partners." If allocated creatively, wisely and boldly the Earth Fund has the potential for transformative influence in this decisive decade. This is our goal!, Steer said.

Jeff Bezos Earth Fund to spend $10 billion by 2030 on climate change

MacKenzie&nbsp;Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and the former wife of Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos, has remarried.

The marriage to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher, was mentioned in a post on the website for the philanthropic organization The Giving Pledge, in which Jewett said he would be signing on to&nbsp;Scott's commitment to give away most of her wealth.

Scott is the world's 22nd-richest person worth some $53 billion, according to Forbes. Her 2019 divorce from Bezos after 25 years of marriage left her with a 4% stake in Amazon.

The 50-year-old&nbsp;unlocked a staggering sum of nearly $6 billion in charitable gifts last year, and unlike many other large donors did not attach any restrictions or even naming rights requirements.

That followed donations of $1.7 billion last year to causes including racial equality, LGBTQ rights, public health and climate change.

She enlisted a team of advisors to help identify organizations to aid those suffering from the economic toll of the pandemic, focusing on those working to combat hunger, poverty and racial inequity.

While her ex-husband Bezos has donated $10 billion to fight climate change,&nbsp;the largest charitable gift of 2020 and additional amounts to other causes, his giving has been slower and proportionately smaller, given that his fortune is worth more than three times hers.

The former couple could offer a major boost to philanthropy in the US, which represented some $450 billion in donations from Americans in 2019.

The approach has shaken up the philanthropic world, not only with the size of her gifts, but without the limits and accounting requirements of many large foundations or donors.

"I join with the kindest and most thoughtful person I know in making this pledge, grateful for the exceptional privilege it will be to partner in giving away assets with the potential to do so much good when shared," Jewett said in the post.

The Giving Pledge campaign was set up in 2010 by US&nbsp;business tycoon Warren Buffett together with by Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda to encourage the world's super-rich to give away most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and the former wife of Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos, has remarried. The marriage to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher, was mentioned in a post on the website for the philanthropic organization The Giving Pledge, in which Jewett said he would be signing on to Scott's commitment to give away most of her wealth.

MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and the former wife of Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos, has remarried. The marriage to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher, was mentioned in a post on the website for the philanthropic organization The Giving Pledge, in which Jewett said he would be signing on to Scott's commitment to give away most of her wealth. Scott is the world's 22nd-richest person worth some $53 billion, according to Forbes. Her 2019 divorce from Bezos after 25 years of marriage left her with a 4% stake in Amazon. The 50-year-old unlocked a staggering sum of nearly $6 billion in charitable gifts last year, and unlike many other large donors did not attach any restrictions or even naming rights requirements. That followed donations of $1.7 billion last year to causes including racial equality, LGBTQ rights, public health and climate change. She enlisted a team of advisors to help identify organizations to aid those suffering from the economic toll of the pandemic, focusing on those working to combat hunger, poverty and racial inequity. While her ex-husband Bezos has donated $10 billion to fight climate change, the largest charitable gift of 2020 and additional amounts to other causes, his giving has been slower and proportionately smaller, given that his fortune is worth more than three times hers. The former couple could offer a major boost to philanthropy in the US, which represented some $450 billion in donations from Americans in 2019. The approach has shaken up the philanthropic world, not only with the size of her gifts, but without the limits and accounting requirements of many large foundations or donors. "I join with the kindest and most thoughtful person I know in making this pledge, grateful for the exceptional privilege it will be to partner in giving away assets with the potential to do so much good when shared," Jewett said in the post. The Giving Pledge campaign was set up in 2010 by US business tycoon Warren Buffett together with by Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda to encourage the world's super-rich to give away most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ties knot with science teacher

Alibaba founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-led-to-china-blocking-jack-mas-record-ipo-364631">Jack Ma</a> has been toppled from the title of China's richest man amid scrutiny by Chinese regulators.

Watch:

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According to Shanghai-based Hurun Global Rich List, the Ant Group founder has tumbled to fourth place behind Nongfu Spring's Zhong Shanshan, Tencent Holding's Pony Ma and Pinduoduo's Collin Huang.

Shanshan entered the list for the first time with an $85 billion fortune. Zhong had reportedly made his money on the $1.1 billion initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong last year.

The Hurun report said Ma's ranking fell after "China's regulators reined in Ant Group and Alibaba on anti-trust issues". &nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-jack-ma-is-no-longer-chinas-richest-man-367525/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-state-media-omits-jack-mas-name-from-list-of-entrepreneurial-leaders-360782">Jack Ma</a> was ranked the richest Chinese on the list last year with his family’s wealth of $45 billion with Pony Ma ranked second with a personal wealth of $44 billion.

More than 200 billionaires were created in China last year, according to the Hurun Global Rich List with the Communist country adding 490 new billionaires in the past five years compared with the 160 added in the US.

The report said Tesla's Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and China's e-commerce giant Colin Huang added over $50 billion in a single year.

The report claimed six of the world's top-10 cities with the highest concentration of billionaires are now in China with Beijing being the top city for the sixth consecutive year.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been toppled from the title of China's richest man amid scrutiny by Chinese regulators. Watch: According to Shanghai-based Hurun Global Rich List, the Ant Group founder has tumbled to fourth place behind Nongfu Spring's Zhong Shanshan, Tencent Holding's Pony Ma and Pinduoduo's Collin Huang.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been toppled from the title of China's richest man amid scrutiny by Chinese regulators. Watch: According to Shanghai-based Hurun Global Rich List, the Ant Group founder has tumbled to fourth place behind Nongfu Spring's Zhong Shanshan, Tencent Holding's Pony Ma and Pinduoduo's Collin Huang. Shanshan entered the list for the first time with an $85 billion fortune. Zhong had reportedly made his money on the $1.1 billion initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong last year. The Hurun report said Ma's ranking fell after "China's regulators reined in Ant Group and Alibaba on anti-trust issues". Jack Ma was ranked the richest Chinese on the list last year with his family’s wealth of $45 billion with Pony Ma ranked second with a personal wealth of $44 billion. More than 200 billionaires were created in China last year, according to the Hurun Global Rich List with the Communist country adding 490 new billionaires in the past five years compared with the 160 added in the US. The report said Tesla's Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and China's e-commerce giant Colin Huang added over $50 billion in a single year. The report claimed six of the world's top-10 cities with the highest concentration of billionaires are now in China with Beijing being the top city for the sixth consecutive year.

Alibaba's Jack Ma no longer richest in China after tiff with regulators over anti-trust issues

Billionaire&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;Bezos-backed space venture Blue Origin said that it has delayed the launch of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to the fourth quarter of next year.

The postponement comes after Space Force did not select New Glenn for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement, the company said in a blog.

Freed from his daily obligations at Amazon.com Inc, Jeff Bezos is expected to turn up the heat on his space venture, Blue Origin, as it faces a pivotal year and fierce competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Blue Origin has lost out to the rival after SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) were awarded billions of dollars' worth of US&nbsp;national security launch contracts which begin in 2022. ULA is a joint venture of Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp.&nbsp;

Now, Blue Origin is battling to win a competition with SpaceX and Dynetics to develop a new lunar lander for NASA’s potentially multibillion-dollar push to return humans to the moon in a few years. Dynetics is owned by Leidos Holdings Inc.

Winning the lunar lander contract - and executing its development - are seen by Bezos and other executives as vital to Blue Origin establishing itself as a desired partner for NASA, and also putting Blue on the road to turning a profit.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;SpaceX on Sunday (Eastern time) delayed the launch of Falcon 9 carrier rocket.

The launch has been delayed by a day. Falcon 9 will take 60 Starlink satellites into orbit around the Earth after its lift-off that will now be attempted on March 1. As per Indian time, the launch will take place on Tuesday, March 2. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral (Kennedy) Air Force Station in Florida.

"Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST," tweeted SpaceX as it delayed the launch.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos-backed space venture Blue Origin said that it has delayed the launch of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to the fourth quarter of next year.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos-backed space venture Blue Origin said that it has delayed the launch of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to the fourth quarter of next year. The postponement comes after Space Force did not select New Glenn for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement, the company said in a blog. Freed from his daily obligations at Amazon.com Inc, Jeff Bezos is expected to turn up the heat on his space venture, Blue Origin, as it faces a pivotal year and fierce competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Blue Origin has lost out to the rival after SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) were awarded billions of dollars' worth of US national security launch contracts which begin in 2022. ULA is a joint venture of Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp. Now, Blue Origin is battling to win a competition with SpaceX and Dynetics to develop a new lunar lander for NASA’s potentially multibillion-dollar push to return humans to the moon in a few years. Dynetics is owned by Leidos Holdings Inc. Winning the lunar lander contract - and executing its development - are seen by Bezos and other executives as vital to Blue Origin establishing itself as a desired partner for NASA, and also putting Blue on the road to turning a profit. Meanwhile, SpaceX on Sunday (Eastern time) delayed the launch of Falcon 9 carrier rocket. The launch has been delayed by a day. Falcon 9 will take 60 Starlink satellites into orbit around the Earth after its lift-off that will now be attempted on March 1. As per Indian time, the launch will take place on Tuesday, March 2. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral (Kennedy) Air Force Station in Florida. "Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST," tweeted SpaceX as it delayed the launch.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin delays New Glenn debut to late 2022

Why do the world’s two richest men want to get off the planet so badly?

Elon Musk of Tesla and Jeff Bezos of Amazon have more than $350 billion in combined wealth and preside over two of the most valuable companies ever created. But when they’re not innovating on Earth, they have been focusing their considerable brain power on bringing a multiplanetary human habitat to reality.

For Mr. Musk, it’s through his other company, SpaceX, which has become an ever bigger player in the private space-technology arena. On top of satellite launches and other rocket innovations, the company announced it will send its first “all civilian” crew into orbit at the end of the year, in a mission called Inspiration4. SpaceX has already carried NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and is planning to transport more, as well as private astronauts, for a high price.

Most ambitiously, Mr. Musk has said that SpaceX will land humans on Mars by 2026. To do that, the private company will use a chunk of the close to $3 billion — including $850 million announced this week in a regulatory filing — that it has raised over the last year to finance this herculean effort.

While Mr. Musk might not be the first human to go to the red planet, he once told me that he wanted to die there, joking, “Just not on landing.”

Mr. Bezos, who is stepping down as chief executive of Amazon this year, is expected to accelerate his space-travel efforts through his company Blue Origin, whose tag line reads, in part, “Earth, in all its beauty, is just our starting place.”

Like SpaceX, Blue Origin is working on payload launches and reusable orbital launch vehicles, as well as on moon landing technology, to achieve what Mr. Bezos once called “low-cost access to space.” Blue Origin executives said recently that the company is close to blasting off into space with humans.

Mr. Bezos’ most extravagant notion, unveiled in 2019, is a vision of space colonies — spinning cylinders floating out there with all kinds of environments.

“These are very large structures, miles on end, and they hold a million people or more each,” he said, noting they are intended to relieve the stress on Earth and help make it more livable.

It’s probably good for space innovation that two billionaires are slugging it out and attracting all kinds of start-ups, investments and interest to the area. But all of their frantic aggression has been overshadowed of late by two spectacular efforts by NASA.

The two NASA missions delivered this week the kind of awe-inspiring moments that make one look up from the wretched news spewing out of our smartphones toward the stunning celestial beauty of the endless universe.

The first was the batch of images from amazing high-definition cameras on the Perseverance rover, a car-size autonomous vehicle that touched down in the Jezero Crater on Mars last week. The photographs are so sharp that you can zoom in close enough to look at the holes in the rocks on the surface and even get a pretty good sense of the dirt itself. The larger panorama is just as arresting, a desert scene that is breathtakingly alien while also feeling quite familiar.

I found myself staring at the scenes for an hour, marveling that I can see the details of an elegant wind-carved boulder from a distance of 133.6 million miles. The $2.7 billion Mars mission includes a search for signs of ancient Martian life, sample-collecting and the flight of a helicopter called Ingenuity.

But the imagery from Mars was quickly topped by an even older NASA mission to Jupiter by the Juno space probe, which entered the planet’s orbit in 2016. It did some very close fly-bys recently that are yielding perhaps the most stunning photos that we’ve ever seen of the planet.

Color-enhanced by citizen scientists from publicly available NASA data and images, the images show delicately swirling jet streams that look like a painting of quicksilver created by some space-faring artistic genius. I wish I could be riding on Juno myself to see up close the vast cyclones gather and the angry clouds seethe.

It was just a year ago that Juno sent back another image of Jupiter, looking like the best marble ever made, which NASA titled “Massive Beauty.”

Perhaps the fact that life on Earth feels so precarious at this moment explains, at least in part, why Mr. Bezos and Mr. Musk want to find ways to get off it.

But it’s important to keep in mind that these two men are just two voices among billions of earthlings. It is incumbent on the rest of us to take more control of how we are going to move into the brave new worlds beyond our own gem of a planet.

We have handed over so much of our fate to so few people over the last decades, especially when it comes to critical technology. As we take tentative steps toward leaving Earth, it feels like we are continuing to place too much of our trust in the hands of tech titans.

Think about it: We the people invented the internet, and the tech moguls pretty much own it. And we the people invented space travel, and it now looks as if the moguls could own that, too.

Let’s hope not. NASA, and other government space agencies around the world, need our continued support to increase space exploration.

I get that we have enormous needs on this planet, and money put toward space travel could instead be spent on improving lives here on Earth. But the risk to our planet from climate change means we have to think much bigger.

Keep in mind a hidden message that NASA engineers put onto the descent parachute of the Perseverance rover. The colors on the chute were a binary code that translates into “Dare mighty things.”

Coming from across the vast and empty universe, it was a message not meant just for Mr. Bezos and Mr. Musk. It was actually meant for all of us.

(Kara Swisher is the host of “Sway,” a New York Times Opinion podcast, and a contributing writer for The Times. She has reported on technology and technology companies since the early days of the internet.)

Why do the world’s two richest men want to get off the planet so badly? Elon Musk of Tesla and Jeff Bezos of Amazon have more than $350 billion in combined wealth and preside over two of the most valuable companies ever created.

Why do the world’s two richest men want to get off the planet so badly? Elon Musk of Tesla and Jeff Bezos of Amazon have more than $350 billion in combined wealth and preside over two of the most valuable companies ever created. But when they’re not innovating on Earth, they have been focusing their considerable brain power on bringing a multiplanetary human habitat to reality. For Mr. Musk, it’s through his other company, SpaceX, which has become an ever bigger player in the private space-technology arena. On top of satellite launches and other rocket innovations, the company announced it will send its first “all civilian” crew into orbit at the end of the year, in a mission called Inspiration4. SpaceX has already carried NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and is planning to transport more, as well as private astronauts, for a high price. Most ambitiously, Mr. Musk has said that SpaceX will land humans on Mars by 2026. To do that, the private company will use a chunk of the close to $3 billion — including $850 million announced this week in a regulatory filing — that it has raised over the last year to finance this herculean effort. While Mr. Musk might not be the first human to go to the red planet, he once told me that he wanted to die there, joking, “Just not on landing.” Mr. Bezos, who is stepping down as chief executive of Amazon this year, is expected to accelerate his space-travel efforts through his company Blue Origin, whose tag line reads, in part, “Earth, in all its beauty, is just our starting place.” Like SpaceX, Blue Origin is working on payload launches and reusable orbital launch vehicles, as well as on moon landing technology, to achieve what Mr. Bezos once called “low-cost access to space.” Blue Origin executives said recently that the company is close to blasting off into space with humans. Mr. Bezos’ most extravagant notion, unveiled in 2019, is a vision of space colonies — spinning cylinders floating out there with all kinds of environments. “These are very large structures, miles on end, and they hold a million people or more each,” he said, noting they are intended to relieve the stress on Earth and help make it more livable. It’s probably good for space innovation that two billionaires are slugging it out and attracting all kinds of start-ups, investments and interest to the area. But all of their frantic aggression has been overshadowed of late by two spectacular efforts by NASA. The two NASA missions delivered this week the kind of awe-inspiring moments that make one look up from the wretched news spewing out of our smartphones toward the stunning celestial beauty of the endless universe. The first was the batch of images from amazing high-definition cameras on the Perseverance rover, a car-size autonomous vehicle that touched down in the Jezero Crater on Mars last week. The photographs are so sharp that you can zoom in close enough to look at the holes in the rocks on the surface and even get a pretty good sense of the dirt itself. The larger panorama is just as arresting, a desert scene that is breathtakingly alien while also feeling quite familiar. I found myself staring at the scenes for an hour, marveling that I can see the details of an elegant wind-carved boulder from a distance of 133.6 million miles. The $2.7 billion Mars mission includes a search for signs of ancient Martian life, sample-collecting and the flight of a helicopter called Ingenuity. But the imagery from Mars was quickly topped by an even older NASA mission to Jupiter by the Juno space probe, which entered the planet’s orbit in 2016. It did some very close fly-bys recently that are yielding perhaps the most stunning photos that we’ve ever seen of the planet. Color-enhanced by citizen scientists from publicly available NASA data and images, the images show delicately swirling jet streams that look like a painting of quicksilver created by some space-faring artistic genius. I wish I could be riding on Juno myself to see up close the vast cyclones gather and the angry clouds seethe. It was just a year ago that Juno sent back another image of Jupiter, looking like the best marble ever made, which NASA titled “Massive Beauty.” Perhaps the fact that life on Earth feels so precarious at this moment explains, at least in part, why Mr. Bezos and Mr. Musk want to find ways to get off it. But it’s important to keep in mind that these two men are just two voices among billions of earthlings. It is incumbent on the rest of us to take more control of how we are going to move into the brave new worlds beyond our own gem of a planet. We have handed over so much of our fate to so few people over the last decades, especially when it comes to critical technology. As we take tentative steps toward leaving Earth, it feels like we are continuing to place too much of our trust in the hands of tech titans. Think about it: We the people invented the internet, and the tech moguls pretty much own it. And we the people invented space travel, and it now looks as if the moguls could own that, too. Let’s hope not. NASA, and other government space agencies around the world, need our continued support to increase space exploration. I get that we have enormous needs on this planet, and money put toward space travel could instead be spent on improving lives here on Earth. But the risk to our planet from climate change means we have to think much bigger. Keep in mind a hidden message that NASA engineers put onto the descent parachute of the Perseverance rover. The colors on the chute were a binary code that translates into “Dare mighty things.” Coming from across the vast and empty universe, it was a message not meant just for Mr. Bezos and Mr. Musk. It was actually meant for all of us. (Kara Swisher is the host of “Sway,” a New York Times Opinion podcast, and a contributing writer for The Times. She has reported on technology and technology companies since the early days of the internet.)

Why are Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos so interested in space?

Retail giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-sues-amazon-saying-it-inadequately-protected-workers-from-covid-19-364266">Amazon </a>is in hot waters in India after a report revealed that for years it manipulated the system to dodge Indian regulations.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/e-commerce-giant-amazon-dodged-indian-regulations-364415/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Documents reviewed by Reuters showed that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-to-pay-us62-million-to-settle-charges-for-not-passing-on-tips-361073">Amazon</a> gave preferential treatment to a small group of sellers on its Indian platform giving them discounted fees for years and used them to circumvent increasingly tough foreign investment rules that affect e-commerce companies.

It also reportedly adjusted its corporate structure every time the government tried to impose laws aimed at protecting small traders. Documents witnessed by Reuters showed that 33 Amazon sellers accounted for about a third of the value of all goods on the website and accounted for around 35 per cent of the platform sales revenue in early 2019.

Amazon also had significant control over the inventory of some of the biggest sellers contradicting its claim that all sellers operate independently on its platform.

The documents accessed by Reuters studied information dated between 2012 and 2019 and revealed the cat and mouse game Amazon has played with the Indian government.

Amazon has however denied any wrongdoing saying that it "does not give preferential treatment to any seller on its marketplace" and "has always complied with the law," the company added that the report was incomplete, and/or factually incorrect information, likely supplied &nbsp;with the intention of discrediting Amazon."&nbsp;

The company added that it "treats all sellers in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner, with each seller responsible for independently determining prices and managing their inventory."

Indian sellers have long alleged that the company engages in predatory pricing that crushes small retailers. According to Forrester research, in 2019, Amazon had sales close to $10 billion in India.

Retail giant Amazon is in hot waters in India after a report revealed that for years it manipulated the system to dodge Indian regulations. Watch: Documents reviewed by Reuters showed that Amazon gave preferential treatment to a small group of sellers on its Indian platform giving them discounted fees for years and used them to circumvent increasingly tough foreign investment rules that affect e-commerce companies.

Retail giant Amazon is in hot waters in India after a report revealed that for years it manipulated the system to dodge Indian regulations. Watch: Documents reviewed by Reuters showed that Amazon gave preferential treatment to a small group of sellers on its Indian platform giving them discounted fees for years and used them to circumvent increasingly tough foreign investment rules that affect e-commerce companies. It also reportedly adjusted its corporate structure every time the government tried to impose laws aimed at protecting small traders. Documents witnessed by Reuters showed that 33 Amazon sellers accounted for about a third of the value of all goods on the website and accounted for around 35 per cent of the platform sales revenue in early 2019. Amazon also had significant control over the inventory of some of the biggest sellers contradicting its claim that all sellers operate independently on its platform. The documents accessed by Reuters studied information dated between 2012 and 2019 and revealed the cat and mouse game Amazon has played with the Indian government. Amazon has however denied any wrongdoing saying that it "does not give preferential treatment to any seller on its marketplace" and "has always complied with the law," the company added that the report was incomplete, and/or factually incorrect information, likely supplied with the intention of discrediting Amazon." The company added that it "treats all sellers in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner, with each seller responsible for independently determining prices and managing their inventory." Indian sellers have long alleged that the company engages in predatory pricing that crushes small retailers. According to Forrester research, in 2019, Amazon had sales close to $10 billion in India.

Amazon India dodged Indian regulators: Report

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the title of world's richest person by overtaking Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

Prices of Amazon shares surged over two per cent on Tuesday due to which Bezos&nbsp;surpassed Musk's fortune&nbsp;by $4 billion.

The Forbes Billionaires List, however, said Musk still trails Amazon's Bezos by $7.8 billion.&nbsp;

Forbes has a more conservative estimate based on the Tesla stake that he has pledged as collateral for personal loans. To take that into account, it applies a 25 per cent&nbsp;discount to his shareholding, according to its report in November.

Musk overtook Bezos as the world’s richest man six weeks ago. His personal wealth was boosted by last year’s more than eight-fold surge in the shares of Tesla, which became the world’s most valuable carmaker.

Amazon founder&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;Bezos, the world's richest man, plans to build rockets and save the planet.

Bezos, 57, is the latest in a line of corporate titans who have stepped away from their day jobs to devote themselves to other activities.

Bezos, whose net worth is $197 billion according to Forbes magazine, announced on Tuesday he was resigning as chief executive officer of the online retail giant he launched 27 years ago.

He said he would remain executive chairman of Amazon but would devote more time to "passions" such as his private space firm Blue Origin and the&nbsp;Bezos&nbsp;Earth Fund, to which he made a&nbsp;$10 billion donation last year.

In stepping away from the executive suite,&nbsp;Bezos&nbsp;is following in the footsteps of other tycoons who temporarily -- and in some cases permanently -- walked away from running the businesses that made them rich.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the title of world's richest person by overtaking Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Prices of Amazon shares surged over two per cent on Tuesday due to which Bezos surpassed Musk's fortune by $4 billion.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the title of world's richest person by overtaking Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Prices of Amazon shares surged over two per cent on Tuesday due to which Bezos surpassed Musk's fortune by $4 billion. The Forbes Billionaires List, however, said Musk still trails Amazon's Bezos by $7.8 billion. Forbes has a more conservative estimate based on the Tesla stake that he has pledged as collateral for personal loans. To take that into account, it applies a 25 per cent discount to his shareholding, according to its report in November. Musk overtook Bezos as the world’s richest man six weeks ago. His personal wealth was boosted by last year’s more than eight-fold surge in the shares of Tesla, which became the world’s most valuable carmaker. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, plans to build rockets and save the planet. Bezos, 57, is the latest in a line of corporate titans who have stepped away from their day jobs to devote themselves to other activities. Bezos, whose net worth is $197 billion according to Forbes magazine, announced on Tuesday he was resigning as chief executive officer of the online retail giant he launched 27 years ago. He said he would remain executive chairman of Amazon but would devote more time to "passions" such as his private space firm Blue Origin and the Bezos Earth Fund, to which he made a $10 billion donation last year. In stepping away from the executive suite, Bezos is following in the footsteps of other tycoons who temporarily -- and in some cases permanently -- walked away from running the businesses that made them rich.

Jeff Bezos reclaims world's richest person title by overtaking Elon Musk

Jeff Bezos is stepping down as the CEO of Amazon to focus on 'climate change' ventures. But is saving the planet the only reason behind his decision? WION's Palki Sharma says there's more than meets the eye.

Gravitas: Why is Jeff Bezos stepping down?

Jeff Bezos' surprise move to step down as chief executive of Amazon.com Inc quashed Wall Street optimism about bumper quarterly results, but analysts were upbeat on the promotion of its cloud computing head to the top job.

Andy Jassy has long been considered a strong contender for the top job since Amazon.com Inc created two CEO roles in 2016 reporting to Bezos, the other held by recently retired consumer CEO Jeff Wilke.

However, few were expecting Bezos to step down when the company on Tuesday reported sales above $100 billion for the first time in a hugely successful year delivering goods in the coronavirus pandemic.

"We expect Amazon's equity to trade higher ... but expect a more tempered response given the change in CEO," Citigroup analysts wrote in a research note.

Shares of the company, which gained about 76% in 2020, were up marginally on Wednesday morning at $3,444. They rose 8% since mid-January in the run-up to the results.

"The upside to the stock price is limited given the performance into the numbers and given what's coming in the next 3-6 months - the vaccine rollouts," said Keith Temperton, an equity sales trader at Forte Securities.

"Amazon model might be seen as starting to get a little bit expensive, given that people might start thinking about actually leaving their houses."

At least 17 brokerages raised their price target on Amazon and 46 brokerages have a "buy" or higher rating on the stock, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon.

Jassy, 53, joined Amazon in 1997 after Harvard Business School, founding Amazon Web Services, known as AWS, and growing it to a cloud platform used by millions of customers.

Analysts noted that Bezos, now among the world's richest men after starting Amazon as an internet bookseller in a garage 27 years ago, had already stepped back from much of the company's day-to-day operations.

J.P.Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth dismissed some concerns around Jassy's lack of experience in retail, saying that Jassy would continue Bezos' same core values and beliefs given similar operating cultures between the consumer and AWS businesses.

"As part of Amazon's S-team for years, Jassy has still been close to the Consumer business in which he originally started at Amazon," Anmuth said.

Jeff Bezos' surprise move to step down as chief executive of Amazon.com Inc quashed Wall Street optimism about bumper quarterly results, but analysts were upbeat on the promotion of its cloud computing head to the top job.

Jeff Bezos' surprise move to step down as chief executive of Amazon.com Inc quashed Wall Street optimism about bumper quarterly results, but analysts were upbeat on the promotion of its cloud computing head to the top job. Andy Jassy has long been considered a strong contender for the top job since Amazon.com Inc created two CEO roles in 2016 reporting to Bezos, the other held by recently retired consumer CEO Jeff Wilke. However, few were expecting Bezos to step down when the company on Tuesday reported sales above $100 billion for the first time in a hugely successful year delivering goods in the coronavirus pandemic. "We expect Amazon's equity to trade higher ... but expect a more tempered response given the change in CEO," Citigroup analysts wrote in a research note. Shares of the company, which gained about 76% in 2020, were up marginally on Wednesday morning at $3,444. They rose 8% since mid-January in the run-up to the results. "The upside to the stock price is limited given the performance into the numbers and given what's coming in the next 3-6 months - the vaccine rollouts," said Keith Temperton, an equity sales trader at Forte Securities. "Amazon model might be seen as starting to get a little bit expensive, given that people might start thinking about actually leaving their houses." At least 17 brokerages raised their price target on Amazon and 46 brokerages have a "buy" or higher rating on the stock, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon. Jassy, 53, joined Amazon in 1997 after Harvard Business School, founding Amazon Web Services, known as AWS, and growing it to a cloud platform used by millions of customers. Analysts noted that Bezos, now among the world's richest men after starting Amazon as an internet bookseller in a garage 27 years ago, had already stepped back from much of the company's day-to-day operations. J.P.Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth dismissed some concerns around Jassy's lack of experience in retail, saying that Jassy would continue Bezos' same core values and beliefs given similar operating cultures between the consumer and AWS businesses. "As part of Amazon's S-team for years, Jassy has still been close to the Consumer business in which he originally started at Amazon," Anmuth said.

Jeff Bezos' shock exit cools Amazon results boost

Amazon CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-to-step-down-360973">Jeff Bezos</a> announced that Andy Jassy would be taking over as CEO of the company after he steps down later this year.

Jassy, 52, heads the company's valuable on-demand cloud computing division Amazon Web Services(AWS).

The Harvard educated employee has been with the company ever since the inception of Amazon Web Services in 2006. He had joined as a marketing manager in 1997, just three years after the retail giant was founded by Bezos.&nbsp;

Jassy got his MBA from Harvard Business School. "He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence," Bezos said about Jassy as the Amazon chief decided to step down.

Jassy's promotion puts the Web Services division in focus which has been a profitable centre for the company for several years and is used by millions.

The current Amazon Web services chief live in Seattle where the retail giant has its headquarters.

As Bezos marked his exit as CEO with a booming net profit of $125.56 billion in the fourth quarter ending December 31 from $87.44 billion, AWS recorded $12.7 billion in sales in the fourth quarter.

In December last year, BlackBerry and Amazon had announced an alliance to create a cloud computing platform that cars could link to for services.

“AWS and &nbsp;BlackBerry &nbsp;are making it possible for any automaker to continuously reinvent the customer experience and transform vehicles from fixed pieces of technology into systems that can grow and adapt with a user’s needs and preferences," said AWS chief executive Andy Jassy had said as he sought to create new businesses for the retail megacorp.

Interestingly, Amazon Inc. shares went up&nbsp;one per cent on the Nasdaq after the announcement of Bezos departure as Jassy looks to take control.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that Andy Jassy would be taking over as CEO of the company after he steps down later this year. Jassy, 52, heads the company's valuable on-demand cloud computing division Amazon Web Services(AWS).

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that Andy Jassy would be taking over as CEO of the company after he steps down later this year. Jassy, 52, heads the company's valuable on-demand cloud computing division Amazon Web Services(AWS). The Harvard educated employee has been with the company ever since the inception of Amazon Web Services in 2006. He had joined as a marketing manager in 1997, just three years after the retail giant was founded by Bezos. Jassy got his MBA from Harvard Business School. "He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence," Bezos said about Jassy as the Amazon chief decided to step down. Jassy's promotion puts the Web Services division in focus which has been a profitable centre for the company for several years and is used by millions. The current Amazon Web services chief live in Seattle where the retail giant has its headquarters. As Bezos marked his exit as CEO with a booming net profit of $125.56 billion in the fourth quarter ending December 31 from $87.44 billion, AWS recorded $12.7 billion in sales in the fourth quarter. In December last year, BlackBerry and Amazon had announced an alliance to create a cloud computing platform that cars could link to for services. “AWS and BlackBerry are making it possible for any automaker to continuously reinvent the customer experience and transform vehicles from fixed pieces of technology into systems that can grow and adapt with a user’s needs and preferences," said AWS chief executive Andy Jassy had said as he sought to create new businesses for the retail megacorp. Interestingly, Amazon Inc. shares went up one per cent on the Nasdaq after the announcement of Bezos departure as Jassy looks to take control.

Meet Andy Jassy, next Amazon CEO after Jeff Bezos

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos,57, announced that he would be stepping down from his role as chief executive officer(CEO) of the company later this year.

Watch:

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Bezos said he will be handing over&nbsp;the role of the CEO&nbsp;to Andy Jassy, head of Amazon Web Services.

In a letter to Amazon employees, Bezos said he would "stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives", adding, "I've never had more energy, and this isn't about retiring."

"I'm super passionate about the impact I think these organizations can have."

Bezos had started the world's most valuable online retail company in 1994 and is currently the world's richest man, his other businesses include the private space firm Blue Origin and the Washington Post.

Bezos said Jassy "will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence." "Right now I see Amazon at its most inventive ever, making it an optimal time for this transition," the Amazon founder said.

The Seatle-based company's market value is currently pegged at a whopping $1.69 trillion with Bezos personal fortune worth an estimated $196 billion.

Amazon has been growing exponentially in the past year&nbsp;with the company beating&nbsp;estimates for holiday-quarter sales with net sales rising to $125.56 billion in the fourth quarter ending December 31 from $87.44 billion.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos,57, announced that he would be stepping down from his role as chief executive officer(CEO) of the company later this year. Watch: Bezos said he will be handing over the role of the CEO to Andy Jassy, head of Amazon Web Services.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos,57, announced that he would be stepping down from his role as chief executive officer(CEO) of the company later this year. Watch: Bezos said he will be handing over the role of the CEO to Andy Jassy, head of Amazon Web Services. In a letter to Amazon employees, Bezos said he would "stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives", adding, "I've never had more energy, and this isn't about retiring." "I'm super passionate about the impact I think these organizations can have." Bezos had started the world's most valuable online retail company in 1994 and is currently the world's richest man, his other businesses include the private space firm Blue Origin and the Washington Post. Bezos said Jassy "will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence." "Right now I see Amazon at its most inventive ever, making it an optimal time for this transition," the Amazon founder said. The Seatle-based company's market value is currently pegged at a whopping $1.69 trillion with Bezos personal fortune worth an estimated $196 billion. Amazon has been growing exponentially in the past year with the company beating estimates for holiday-quarter sales with net sales rising to $125.56 billion in the fourth quarter ending December 31 from $87.44 billion.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down

Cloud, music, AI: How Jeff Bezos turned Amazon into the 'everything store'

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive. Bezos will take up the role of executive chair in the third quarter and hand over the CEO role to Jassy, who currently heads Amazon Web Services.&nbsp;

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and others have congratulated Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his successor Andy Jassy on their new roles on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-to-step-down-360973">Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down</a>

In a communique to Amazon employees, Bezos said, he would 'stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives' but would pivot towards philanthropic initiatives, including the Day One Fund and Bezos Earth Fund, and other ventures in space exploration and journalism.&nbsp;

Pichai sent his best wishes for the two passion projects of the outgoing Amazon CEO, namely the Day One Fund and the Bezos Earth Fund.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meet-andy-jassy-next-amazon-ceo-after-jeff-bezos-361003" hreflang="en">Meet Andy Jassy, next Amazon CEO after Jeff Bezos</a>

Noting Jassy's accomplishments, Nadella said, "a well-deserved recognition of what you have accomplished." Benioff also took to Twitter to say, Amazon 'could not be in better hands’.&nbsp;

Bezos, 57, founded Amazon in his garage in 1994. He went on to grow it into a colossus, which dominates online retail, with operations in streaming music and television, robotics, artificial intelligence, groceries, cloud computing, and more.&nbsp;

In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager and in 2003, he founded AWS, the cloud services division of the tech giant, which has been one of the most profitable, yet least-known units of the company.&nbsp;

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive.

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive. Bezos will take up the role of executive chair in the third quarter and hand over the CEO role to Jassy, who currently heads Amazon Web Services. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and others have congratulated Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his successor Andy Jassy on their new roles on Wednesday. Also read: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down In a communique to Amazon employees, Bezos said, he would 'stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives' but would pivot towards philanthropic initiatives, including the Day One Fund and Bezos Earth Fund, and other ventures in space exploration and journalism. Pichai sent his best wishes for the two passion projects of the outgoing Amazon CEO, namely the Day One Fund and the Bezos Earth Fund. Also read: Meet Andy Jassy, next Amazon CEO after Jeff Bezos Noting Jassy's accomplishments, Nadella said, "a well-deserved recognition of what you have accomplished." Benioff also took to Twitter to say, Amazon 'could not be in better hands’. Bezos, 57, founded Amazon in his garage in 1994. He went on to grow it into a colossus, which dominates online retail, with operations in streaming music and television, robotics, artificial intelligence, groceries, cloud computing, and more. In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager and in 2003, he founded AWS, the cloud services division of the tech giant, which has been one of the most profitable, yet least-known units of the company.

Pichai, Nadella join bigwigs in congratulating Bezos, Jassy

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