Slower growth forecast disappoints travel investors Airbnb shares fall 6% in premarket trading on Thursday after the company issued a weaker-than-expected outlook for the second half of 2025. The disappointing forecast came despite recent signs of recovery in the travel industry and has raised fresh doubts about the strength of consumer demand. Airbnb warned of slower growth in bookings, especially when compared to the same period last year, which saw a surge in travel to Asia and Latin America. The company also expects its night bookings growth to moderate in the fourth quarter. Additionally, its implied take rate—revenue as a share…
Author: Kanika Sharma
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Growing Interest from Governments and Corporates French satellite operator Eutelsat reported stronger-than-expected annual earnings on Tuesday, driven by rising demand for its satellite internet services. Much of this growth came from government and corporate clients looking for alternatives to US-based providers like Elon Musk’s Starlink. As European governments seek to reduce their reliance on American services, Eutelsat has emerged as a home-grown contender. This shift has placed the Paris-based group under the spotlight in recent months. For the financial year ending 30 June, Eutelsat posted revenues of €1.23 billion from video, connectivity, and government services. This marked a 0.8% increase…
Firefly Aerospace Lifts IPO Price Range, Eyes $6 Billion Valuation Firefly Aerospace, a space start-up backed by Northrop Grumman, has raised the price range for its US initial public offering (IPO). The Texas-based firm is now aiming for a valuation of up to $6.04 billion. This move highlights growing investor interest in the commercial space sector. Revised IPO Pricing Reflects Strong Demand Firefly plans to raise $696.6 million through the sale of 16.2 million shares. The company has set the price range between $41 and $43 per share, up from its earlier range of $35 to $39. This increase suggests…
Dhruva Space: A New Chapter for Indo-Australian Space Collaboration Full-stack space engineering firm Dhruva Space is preparing for its first commercial mission, LEAP-1, scheduled for launch in the third quarter of 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This mission represents a major step in Dhruva Space’s evolution—from demonstrating its satellite technology to deploying customer-driven payloads. LEAP-1 will carry two innovative payloads on Dhruva Space’s indigenously developed P-30 satellite platform. The first, Akula Tech’s Nexus-01, features an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) module. The second, Esper Satellites’ OTR-2, includes a hyperspectral imager. This launch marks a significant Indo-Australian partnership, with additional…
SpaceX Launches Successful Mission Despite Weather Concerns An international team of four astronauts, Crew-11, safely reached the International Space Station (ISS) early on Saturday, August 2. They launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, beginning a routine NASA mission that may last longer than usual. The crew lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:43 a.m. ET on Friday, August 1. Despite gloomy weather, the Falcon 9 rocket carried them smoothly into orbit. The successful launch came after an earlier attempt on Thursday had to be cancelled due to poor weather conditions. Meet the Crew of Mission Crew-11…
NASA and Russia Leaders Meet to Discuss Space Cooperation NASA’s temporary chief met face-to-face with the head of Russia’s space agency in Florida on Thursday, marking a rare moment of cooperation amid global tensions. The meeting took place at the Kennedy Space Center, where representatives from NASA and Russia, Sean Duffy and Roscosmos director Dmitry Bakanov talked about continued collaboration on the International Space Station (ISS) and potential joint efforts on the Moon. This was the first direct meeting between the two agencies’ leaders since 2018. It also came shortly after Duffy was appointed acting NASA administrator earlier this month,…
Elon Musk’s xAI to Sign EU AI Code Chapter on Safety and Security Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, announced on Thursday that it will sign the safety and security chapter of the European Union’s Code of Practice. This voluntary code is designed to help AI firms align with the EU’s upcoming artificial intelligence regulations. The EU code, created by 13 independent experts, includes three chapters: transparency, copyright, and safety and security. xAI’s decision to sign only the safety and security section reflects its selective support for the EU’s AI framework. Safety Commitment Amid Broader Criticism xAI stated on social…
China Questions Nvidia’s H20 AI Chip Over Security Concerns China has raised security concerns about Nvidia H20 artificial intelligence chip, just weeks after the US reversed a ban on its sale to the Chinese market. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s internet watchdog, said it was worried the chip could pose backdoor risks and compromise user privacy. These concerns add fresh uncertainty to Nvidia’s operations in China, where the company has already faced challenges due to ongoing tensions between the US and Chinese governments. CAC Summons Nvidia Over Chip Security On Thursday, CAC summoned Nvidia for a meeting…
NASA Interim Head Seeks Cooperation with Russia on Space Despite Broader Tensions NASA interim leader, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, announced plans to engage in direct talks with Russian space agency Roscosmos this week. His aim is to find common ground on shared space interests, despite deep disagreements between the US and Russia over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The meeting will be the first in-person dialogue between the heads of NASA and Roscosmos since 2018. Duffy will speak with Dmitry Bakanov, the current head of Roscosmos, in an effort to maintain cooperation on space initiatives, especially the International Space…
Supreme Court Rejects Uber’s Tax Appeal on Private Hire Contracts The UK Supreme Court has ruled that private-hire taxi operators like Uber outside London do not enter into contracts with passengers. This decision spares them from paying a 20% value added tax (VAT) on their profit margins. Uber Legal Challenge Ends in Defeat Uber brought the case following a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that classified its drivers as workers. That judgment affected Uber’s tax responsibilities and other obligations. In response, Uber aimed to clarify that private-hire operators, like itself, form contracts with passengers. London’s High Court agreed with Uber in…