Business
SpaceX’s Mega Rocket Makes Its Fourth Test Flight From Texas
SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket blasted off from Texas on Thursday, marking the fourth test flight for the spaceship that NASA and Elon Musk are banking on to transport humans to the moon and Mars.
The world’s tallest and most powerful rocket, nearly 400 feet (121 meters) tall, remained empty as it soared above the Gulf of Mexico on a one-hour voyage east. The spacecraft on top was aiming for a half-lap around the planet, with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX’s Mega Rocket Makes Its Fourth Test Flight From Texas
SpaceX hoped to avoid explosions this time by regulating the descents. The first-stage booster split from the spacecraft minutes after liftoff on Thursday morning and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico exactly as anticipated after igniting its engines.
“And we have splashdown!” Kate Tice, SpaceX launch commentator, announced Mission Control at the company’s headquarters in California.
It was a vital step in the company’s strategy to return Starship’s Super Heavy rocket to its launch site for reuse.
SpaceX came close to escaping an explosion in March but lost communication with the spaceship as it careened out of orbit and blew up short of its target. The booster also exploded in flight a quarter mile above the Gulf of Mexico.
SpaceX’s Mega Rocket Makes Its Fourth Test Flight From Texas
Last year’s two test flights ended in explosions after they took off from the southern edge of Texas near the Mexican border. The first cratered the Boca Chica Beach pad, hurling debris thousands of feet (meters) away.
SpaceX modified the software to increase the odds and changed the rocket-flyback configuration. On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration approved this fourth demonstration, stating that all safety conditions were met.
The Starship is designed to be completely reusable. That’s why SpaceX wants to regulate the booster’s arrival into the Gulf of Mexico and the spacecraft’s drop into the Indian Ocean – both are meant as practice for future landings. Nothing is being retrieved from Thursday’s flight.
NASA has ordered a pair of Starships for two astronaut lunar landing missions scheduled later this decade. Each moon crew will use NASA’s rocket and capsule to leave Earth, but they will link up with a starship in lunar orbit for the journey to the surface.
SpaceX’s Mega Rocket Makes Its Fourth Test Flight From Texas
SpaceX is already offering tourist excursions around the moon. The first private lunar customer, a Japanese tycoon, canceled the trip with his party last week, citing the frequently delayed itinerary.
Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, has higher ambitions. He envisions fleets of Spaceships launching people and the equipment required to construct a metropolis on Mars.
SOURCE – (AP)
Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics.
Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.
Business
Intuit Debuts Online Tax Platform Tools
Intuit has launched additional tax platform options for small company and individual taxpayers, as part of its attempts to assist taxpayers outside of tax season, according to a news release.
Intuit, executive vice president and general manager of the company’s consumer group, Mark Notarainni, said “we’re laser focused on eliminating the work and worry of tax filing, delivering the best ‘done-for-you’ tax prep experience on the market that puts maximum refunds guaranteed into customers’ pockets faster.”
“Receiving a tax refund is a pivotal moment in the financial lives of millions of Americans each year.”
“We go even farther with our connected consumer platform, giving customers of TurboTax and Credit Karma year-round insights and tailored recommendations to help them manage their finances outside of tax season.”
One of the new features is that filers can use Intuit’s 12,000-member artificial intelligence (AI)-powered network of professionals, which includes tax attorneys, CPAs, and EAs, to get their taxes prepared in as little as two hours.
Intuit Assist
In the meanwhile, most tax forms can be automatically filled out by the company’s AI platform, reducing the need for human data entry.
“Customers receive comprehensive and individualised explanations throughout the filing process, ensuring they understand the ‘why’ behind the numbers and boosting their confidence that their taxes are done correctly, building on the previously announced Intuit Assist,” the business stated. “As customers finish their returns, automated workflows provide real-time accuracy checks, anticipating the filer’s needs.”
The new products are the most recent in a line of AI-powered services that Intuit has launched this year as part of its ongoing adoption of AI.
As we show off the strength of Intuit’s AI-driven expert platform approach, we’ve enjoyed a great start to the year. During an earnings call last month, Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi stated, “We continue to fuel the success of consumers and businesses by delivering ‘done-for-you’ experiences, enabled by AI with access to AI-powered human experts.”
“We remain confident in our approach due to our innovation and the evidence we are seeing.”
A day prior, the company had integrated a generative AI-powered assistant into QuickBooks to aid small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by producing estimates, bills, invoices, and reminders for payments, as well as offering tailored suggestions.
96% of SMBs who have experimented with AI believe it to be a useful tool, according to research by PYMNTS Intelligence.
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Geoff Thomas is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills and deep understanding of SEO, he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Thomas’ articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.
Business
Why Has Bitcoin’s Ascent to $100,000 in 2024 Been So Remarkable?
(VOR News) – Bitcoin has finally surpassed the $100,000 threshold, following a year in which the principal cryptocurrency was accepted by prominent Wall Street organisations and became a heated topic in the presidential race in the United States.
This accomplishment is the result of the cryptocurrency’s acceptance by significant Wall Street institutions.
Over the course of several years, individuals who are enthusiastic about bitcoin have expressed optimism regarding the cryptocurrency by predicting that its value will rise to $100,000.
Conversely, a significant number of individuals on Wall Street elected to disregard them. The digital currency’s value surpassed the six-figure threshold on Wednesday evening, and it is presently experiencing a gain of over 140% in 2024.
Wall Street’s institutions love it.
The most recent chapter in the history of cryptocurrency is a suitable moment to contextualise it, given that the first exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on bitcoin were introduced on January 11, 2024.
The funds have received inflows aggregating tens of billions of dollars since their inception. The iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has been the source of the majority of these inflows, with assets presently valued at $50 billion.
The establishment of these funds and the rapid expansion of their activities are the most evident indication that bitcoin is accepted by the conventional financial system, despite the presence of a few notable outliers among investment companies.
This remains the case, despite the fact that there are still a few notable exceptions among investment enterprises. Bitcoin has been considered a speculative asset by individual speculators for a number of years. Nevertheless, Bitcoin has now achieved a new level of profitability as a consequence of institutional purchases.
Institutions have acquired 683,000 cryptocurrencies since the commencement of 2018. These acquisitions have been primarily accomplished by employing US spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and substantial purchases made by the software development company MicroStrategy, which functions as a Bitcoin proxy.
A substantial 245,000 of these inflows occurred in the weeks following the United States’ election. According to Geoff Kendrick, the global director of digital assets research at Standard Chartered Bank, this is one of the factors that has enabled Bitcoin to surpass the USD 100,000 threshold. Kendrick is employed by Standard Chartered Bank.
Kendrick composed this statement, which was incorporated into a memo that was sent to consumers on Thursday.
Reports suggest that Trump has undergone a transformation.
Kendrick’s memo seeks to reassure customers that the bank is taking steps to ensure their safety and stability. Kendrick also encourages customers to contact the bank if they have any questions or concerns.
Furthermore, an increasing number of political organisations in the United States are beginning to recognise the potential that Bitcoin has. It would seem that President-elect Donald Trump has altered his perspective on bitcoin and the business that is associated with it, as the cryptocurrency lobby spent a significant amount of money during the 2024 election cycle.
During his campaign for office, Trump attended the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville. The appointment of Paul Atkins as chief of the Securities and Exchange Commission is widely considered to be a substantial departure from Gary Gensler’s current role.
Bitcoin is generally viewed favorably by Atkins.
The current administration has exhibited substantial aversion to alternative cryptocurrencies. We, along with the rest of the industry, have been influenced by it to a certain extent.
As Vlad Tenev, the CEO of Robinhood, stated during an appearance on “Squawk Box” on Thursday, it is imperative that the industry has individuals who understand, appreciate, and adopt it. This assertion was issued by Tenev. Robinhood’s broking platform provides access to cryptocurrency trading.
Since November 4, the day preceding the presidential election, the price of Bitcoin has surged by 49%. This is a substantial increase. This increase occurred on November 4th.
Additionally, it is conceivable that Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, may have provided Bitcoin with a slight lift in order to help it surpass the $100,000 threshold. This is a potential action that could have been taken to assist Bitcoin in achieving the milestone.
The currency that competes with bitcoin, according to Powell’s statements as of Wednesday, is gold, not the currency of the United States.
Although it is conceivable that the association between bitcoin and one of the oldest investment vehicles in the world could be interpreted as a sign of legitimacy, it is crucial to recognise that this is not a definitive endorsement of cryptocurrencies
SOURCE: CNBC
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Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
Business
Agribusiness Giant Cargill to Layoff 5% of its Workforce
Following a rare income decline, agribusiness giant Cargill, which employs 160,000 people worldwide, has announced the layoff of approximately 8,000 employees.
An internal message to employees obtained by Reuters stated that most layoffs would occur this year.
“They will focus on streamlining our organisational structure by removing layers, expanding the scope and responsibilities of our managers, and reducing duplication of work,” Brian Sikes, our CEO, told employees in a memo.
Bloomberg reported Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the changes would not affect Cargill’s management team but would include several “next-level senior leaders.”
The Minneapolis-based enterprise is the largest privately held business in the United States.
In August, Cargill reported revenue of $160 billion, a decrease from $177 billion in 2023 and $165 billion in 2022. Profits also plummeted to $2.48 billion in the fiscal year that ended in May from a record $6.7 billion the previous year.
As a result, the company announced that it would reduce the number of business units from five to three, integrating the Food and Bio divisions with the Protein and Salt teams to become Food. Cargill has not explained what the restructuring means for its Wichita business and personnel.
The 160-year-old corporation and beef, poultry, salt, and eggs processors are major commodity dealers.
Cargill Protein North America is based in Wichita, where the division has existed for over 40 years. As of 2021, Cargill claimed to have roughly 1,000 employees in Wichita.
Many have linked the revenue decline to lower pricing for key crops such as corn and soybeans, which had risen dramatically during the pandemic. The United States Department of Agriculture recorded the smallest cow herd in nearly seven decades.
According to the trade newspaper Agriculture Dive, the company laid off almost 200 employees in June as part of its sale of a California meat-processing plant.
Cargill mentioned the consolidation in a statement about the layoffs.
“Earlier this year, we set a long-term strategy that continues that legacy, while carrying forward the values and core strengths that have defined our success from the beginning,” the statement read.
“As we look to the future, we have laid out a clear plan to evolve and strengthen our portfolio to take advantage of compelling trends, maximize our competitiveness, and continue to deliver for our customers.
As the world around us changes, we are committed to transforming even faster to deliver for our customers and fulfill our purpose of nourishing the world.
“To strengthen Cargill’s impact, we must realign our talent and resources to align with our strategy.”
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Geoff Thomas is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills and deep understanding of SEO, he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Thomas’ articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.
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