Global Onlooker (2024)

31/03/2023

Italy bans ChatGPT over privacy concerns
Italy’s privacy watchdog has banned temporarily the popular artificial intelligence service ChatGPT, accusing the platform of not respecting user data and not verifying users' ages. It launched an investigation into the chatbot’s Microsoft-backed owner OpenAI.
According to the Italian Data Protection Authority, the system does not have a proper legal basis to be collecting personal information about the people using it. That data is collected to help train the algorithm that powers ChatGPT’s answers.
The privacy watchdog said it would block access to the chatbot in Italy, while it examines the US company’s collection of personal information.
The decision with immediate effect will result in “the temporary limitation of the processing of Italian user data vis-a-vis OpenAI,” it said.
The Italian government has reportedly said that “there appears to be no legal basis underpinning the massive collection and processing of personal data to ‘train’ the algorithms on which the platform relies.”

https://www.globalonlooker.com/italy-bans-chatgpt-over-privacy-concerns/

30/03/2023

Antarctic ice melt threatens to collapse deep ocean currents
A new study says that melting ice around Antarctica is not just raising sea levels, but also slowing down the circulation of deep ocean water with vast implications for the global climate and for marine life. It will cause a rapid slowdown of a major global deep ocean current by 2050 that could alter the world’s climate for centuries and accelerate sea level rise.
The study conducted by Australian scientists says that the deep-water flows which drive ocean currents could decline by 40% by 2050.
The currents carry vital heat, oxygen, carbon, and nutrients around the globe.
Led by scientists from the University of New South Wales, the peer-reviewed study has modeled the impact of melting Antarctic ice on deep ocean currents that work to flush nutrients from the sea floor to fish near the surface.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature, suggests if greenhouse gas emissions continue at today’s levels, the current in the deepest parts of the ocean could slow down by 40% in only three decades.
It warns that such a situation could generate a cascade of impacts that could push up sea levels, alter weather patterns and starve marine life of a vital source of nutrients.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/antarctic-ice-melt-threatens-to-collapse-deep-ocean-currents/

29/03/2023

Generative AI could hit 300 million jobs globally
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) could hit 300 million jobs, according to new research from Goldman Sachs.
The American investment company’s chief economist, Jan Hatzius, has reportedly said that generative AI, despite its uncertain potential, has shown amazing progress in creating content similar to human-generated output and improving human-machine communication. He highlights the potential for significant impacts on the labor force.
Its new research says generative artificial intelligence systems could lead to significant disruption in the labor market and affect around 300 million full-time jobs internationally.
At the same, the research says, automation has also tended to create new jobs, and that new occupations that have been brought about from innovative technology have accounted for the most growth in employment.
Generative artificial intelligence has the potential to affect the labor force in several ways.
On the one hand, AI can be used to automate tasks that were previously performed by human workers, which can lead to job displacement and a decrease in demand for certain types of labor. For example, AI-powered machines can be used to replace human workers in manufacturing, assembly line, or even customer service jobs.
On the other hand, AI can also create new job opportunities in fields such as data analysis, machine learning, and software engineering. These jobs require new skill sets that are often related to the development, deployment, and maintenance of AI systems.
Overall, the impact of AI on the labor force will depend on the specific applications and implementations of the technology. However, it is clear that AI has the potential to both displace workers and create new job opportunities and that this impact will likely be significant in the coming years.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/generative-ai-could-hit-300-million-jobs-globally/

28/03/2023

Five planets line up with Moon in night sky
People witnessed a planetary parade on March 28 as Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Mars, and the Moon aligned in an arc, with some visible to the naked eye. The rare spectacular phenomenon was visible in the sky when Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars lined up with the Moon in the skies in one of the most awaited celestial dances as seen from Earth. The Moon joined these planets in the skies as it continued to move away from Venus after the dazzling display that was seen across the world just a few days ago.
According to reports, it was seen through the naked eye and a good view of the horizon and clear skies offered the best chance of spotting the alignment. Venus was the brightest planet so it was easily visible. Jupiter also shined on the day. It was difficult to see Uranus and Mercury through the naked eye. Mars was high in the sky so it was also difficult to see it through the naked eye.
Different numbers and groups of planets line up in the sky from time to time. A planetary parade is a rare alignment of several planets in our solar system that can be observed from Earth.
During a planetary parade, the planets appear to be lined up in a row in the sky, although they are actually millions of miles apart. This phenomenon can occur when the planets are on the same side of the sun and their orbits bring them close together in the sky.
Planetary parades are relatively rare and can only be observed from Earth at specific times, depending on the positions of the planets in their orbits.
Some recent examples of planetary parades include the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in July 2020 and the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in December 2020, which was also referred to as the “Great Conjunction”.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/five-planets-line-up-with-moon-in-night-sky/

25/03/2023

OneWeb to complete space internet project
OneWeb is set to launch the final satellites in its space internet network.
The London-based company, nearing completion of its internet-from-space network, has largely given up on trying to retrieve satellites worth $50 million in a dispute related to the Ukraine conflict, the satellite operator's chief executive said this week.
“We are one launch away from achieving global coverage. This last launch with ISRO/NSIL will mark over 600 satellites in space, which is the number needed to go commercially live,” a OneWeb representative reportedly said.
The LVM-III will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Sunday morning at 9 am to deploy the 36 satellites into orbit. The deployment will complete the first constellation of 648 satellites around the planet by OneWeb. The satellites are divided into 12 planes and operate at an altitude of 1200 kilometers above the planet.
If all the 36 satellites work according to the plan they will soon be capable of delivering broadband internet to every corner of the Earth.
OneWeb has moved quickly to recover its position after the financial collapse at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.
The London-based company is not selling broadband connections direct to the individual user. The clients of the company are telecom companies that provide this internet service. They might also be employing the connectivity to supplement, or expand, the infrastructure in their mobile phone networks.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/oneweb-to-complete-space-internet-project/

24/03/2023

US state limits social media access of under-18s
The governor of the US state of Utah has signed a sweeping social media bill that will require young people to obtain the consent of a guardian before joining social media platforms, marking the most aggressive step yet by state or federal lawmakers to protect kids online.
By signing this bill, Utah has become the first state in the nation to begin restricting how children and teens can use social media apps, like TikTok and Instagram. Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a pair of bills on Thursday that will regulate when and how children in the state can use social media and aim to stop those companies from designing addicting features.
The bill restricts children aged under 18 to lose access to social media apps if they don’t have parental consent and face other restrictions under a first-in-the-nation law designed to shield children and teens from addictive platforms.
Under the bill, titled Utah Social Media Regulation Act, social media platforms will have to conduct age verification for all Utah residents, ban all ads for minors and impose a curfew, making their sites off limits between the hours of 10.30 pm to 6:30 am for children below the age of 18. The bill will also require social platforms to give parents access to their children’s accounts.
The state lawmakers passed the measure despite opposition from tech industry groups and civil liberties experts. The new law will likely lead to a protracted legal fight with the tech industry over privacy and First Amendment issues.
The tech industry representatives condemned the bill as unconstitutional, saying it infringes on people’s right to exercise the First Amendment online.
The rules under the bill include:
• Age verification for all users before they can open or maintain an account.
• Permission from parents before a minor can open a social media account.
• Restricts minors’ use of social media from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am unless a parent changes those settings. The platforms must also ensure that children are unable to bypass those restrictions.
• Give parents the ability to access a minor’s account, including all posts and private messages.
• Limits what personal information a social media platform can collect from minors.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/us-state-limits-social-media-access-of-under-18s/

24/03/2023

TikTok CEO testifies before US Congress
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was forced to defend his company’s relationship with Beijing, and the protections for its young users, at a testy congressional hearing on Thursday that came amid a bipartisan push to ban the app entirely in the US over national security risks stemming from it.
It was the first ever appearance of the TikTok chief before US lawmakers. The hearing took place in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
TikTok has 150 million monthly users in the US.
The US lawmakers have long held concerns over Beijing’s control over TikTok, which its CEO repeatedly tried to assuage throughout the hearing.
Chew attempted to dispel concerns over company’s ties to the Chinese government and its alleged inability to stem the alleged harmful content. “Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” he reportedly said in Thursday’s testimony.
He said the sale or divestment of TikTok would need to be done in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations because it involves “technology export issues and administrative licensing procedures”.
He sought to portray the app as “a place where people can be creative and curious”. He also maintained that the app is taking actions that will surpass industry standards in terms of data protection and transparency.
The alleged influence of the Chinese government over the app was the center of discussion during the hearing as the US legislators repeatedly asked the TikTok CEO about it. Beijing’s alleged influence over TikTok is an issue that both Republican committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and ranking Democrat Frank Pallone cited as a source of national security risks.
Pallone called the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok, a “Beijing communist-based parent company”.
The CEO repeatedly said that ByteDance “is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government” and that he has seen “no evidence” that the Chinese government has accessed or requested access to US user data.
At one point in the hearing, Mr Chew was asked by
Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, a Democrat, questioned Chew whether or not his own children used TikTok.
The CEO said they didn't because they live in Singapore. In that country the version of the app for children younger than 13 is not available.
He did explain that the children's version of the app is available in the US, and he would let his children use it if they were in the US.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/tiktok-ceo-testifies-before-us-congress/

23/03/2023

OpenAI disables ChatGPT to fix bug exposing user chat titles
OpenAI temporarily disabled ChatGPT after a bug exposed the titles of some users' past conversations with it to other people using the AI chatbot.
The major bug has raised concerns over users’ privacy as some users were able to see other people’s conversation histories. Although the issue was first reported on Reddit by a user who suspected that their account was hacked, it turned out that the bug was responsible for displaying Chinese text in the sidebar.
According to a report, the bug appears to have given other users of OpenAI's ChatGPT access to the titles of some users' previous chats with the AI chatbot.
An OpenAI spokesperson has reportedly said that the titles were visible in the user-history sidebar that typically appears on the left side of the ChatGPT webpage. The chatbot was temporarily disabled after the company heard these reports, the spokesperson said. The substance of the other users' conversations was not visible.
As the news spread, other users on Twitter also claimed to have seen someone else’s chat histories on their accounts.
Concerned users slammed ChatGPT for the exposure of conversation histories, calling it a severe violation of user privacy. However, it is important to note that the bug only leaked conversation titles and not the full histories.
Each conversation with the chatbot is stored in the user's chat history bar where it can be revisited later.
After the incident, ChatGPT temporarily disabled its chat service to investigate and fix the bug. The chat sidebar now states that the history feature is temporarily unavailable and will be restored as soon as possible.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/openai-disables-chatgpt-to-fix-bug-exposing-user-chat-titles/

22/03/2023

Warning as seven die after having weight loss surgery in Turkey
Seven British nationals, who traveled to Turkey for weight loss surgery, died after operations there, according to media reports.
They say, other people, who also visited the country for the same purpose, have returned home with serious health issues after having had gastric sleeve operations, during which more than 70% of the stomach is removed.
Weight loss treatments are available on the publicly-funded National Health Service (NHS), but a combination of lengthy waiting lists and costly private healthcare has pushed some people to seek procedures abroad.
The operations carried out in the United Kingdom provide treatment for morbid obesity. As it takes years to get one through the NHS, some people are looking abroad for such surgeries.
Turkey has become a famous place for weight loss surgery among people in Europe and the country has long been known to offer affordable cosmetic surgery options. The average cost of an all-inclusive package is reported around $3,700, including five-star hotels, transport, and food.
Different methods are used for weight loss surgery, including a gastric band, gastric bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy. The result is achieved either through the placement of a band, the joining of the top part of the stomach to the small intestine or the removal of part of the stomach.
According to Foreign Office, 22 British nationals have died in Turkey since January 2019 following medical tourism visits, including weight loss surgery.
The Foreign Office’s advice says it is “unwise to rely upon private companies that have a financial interest in arranging your medical treatment abroad”.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/warning-as-seven-die-after-having-weight-loss-surgery-in-turkey/

20/03/2023

Heatwave behind mass fish deaths in Australia
Millions of dead fish have washed up in a river near a small Australian town. Footages show a slick of hundreds of thousands of silvery bodies blanketing the surface of the Darling River near the town of Menindee in a remote part of New South Wales, around 1,000km west of Sydney.
The deaths are believed to have been caused by an unseasonal heatwave, phenomenon state officials say is related to the “heatwave conditions” that are sweeping the country.
According to these officials, the die-off was down to low oxygen levels and state fisheries officers have been sent to assess the situation, with the rotting carcasses causing a putrid stench for residents.
“These fish deaths are related to low oxygen levels in the water (hypoxia) as flood waters recede,” the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in New South Wales said in a statement.
“This event is ongoing as a heatwave… continues to put further stress on a system that has experienced extreme conditions from wide-scale flooding,” the DPI said.
“The current hot weather in the region is also exacerbating hypoxia, as warmer water holds less oxygen than cold water and fish have higher oxygen needs at warmer temperatures,” it added.
Its water division posted on Twitter: “Dissolved oxygen levels remain a concern for fish health. “There is a large number of fish deaths (predominantly bony herring) in the Darling River between Lake Wetherell and Menindee township.”

http://www.globalonlooker.com/heatwave-behind-mass-fish-deaths-in-australia/

18/03/2023

Three penguins given world-first cataract surgery in Singapore
Three elderly Humboldt penguins from Singapore's Jurong Bird Park have been fitted with custom-made eye lenses during surgery to remove cataracts in what is believed to be a world-first method to improve their sight.
The elderly penguins developed cataracts and started having difficulty seeing things in front of them.
According to a statement from the Mandai Wildlife Group, vets said the birds were among six elderly penguins to undergo cataract surgery two months ago and have since made a full recovery. The ages of three penguins who are operated upon are 20 and older. The other three are from 7 to 13 years old.
The three elderly penguins had cataract surgery in December, during which vets removed the cloudy lenses caused by cataracts, Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Group reportedly said.
“We noticed the cloudiness in their lens and moving about like they were having difficulty seeing things in front of them," said Ellen Rasidi, a vet with the Mandai Wildlife Group.
The surgeries were a little more complicated for the elderly penguins because penguins have three eyelids. This third eyelid protects penguins' eyes underwater. They were fitted with lenses from Germany that took two months to make, based on precise measurements.
"The success of these surgeries marks a milestone in veterinary medicine. While intraocular lens implants are common for humans and some domestic mammals, it is likely the first time they have been successfully used on penguins," Gladys Boo, the veterinary ophthalmologist who led the surgeries, reportedly said.
"As a larger species, the king penguins have eyes large and stable enough to hold the custom lenses in place, so we decided to pursue this world-first procedure to further improve their vision above removing the cataract," she added.
The Mandai Wildlife Group manages some 21,000 animals, comprising almost 1,000 species, across four wildlife parks in Singapore.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/three-penguins-given-world-first-cataract-surgery-in-singapore/

17/03/2023

Alison Hammond new co-host of ‘The Great British Bake Off’
This Mourning favorite Alison Hammond has signed up to replace Matt Lucas as co-host of The Great British Bake Off.
The presenter, 48, will join comedian Noel Fielding when the Channel 4 show starts filming this summer.
Alison, 48, took to Twitter to confirm the news, saying: “It’s Official!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off! let’s have it – The cake that is so excited ."
Matt Lucas co-hosted The Great British Bake Off alongside Noel Fielding since 2020, but he decided his time on the program had come to an end.
As he started working for the show at beginning of Covid-19 lockdown, Matt described his time on the Channel 4 show alongside Prue Leith, Noel Fielding, and Paul Hollywood as “a pandemic job”.
Alison Hammond, who first appeared on British television screens as a contestant on Big Brother in 2002, has gone on to become a much-loved presenter, hosting ITV’s This Morning, where she has become known for viral celebrity interviews. During this time she interviewed many celebrities. This included an encounter with Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling in 2017, in which she admitted to having never watched Blade Runner.
Going up against James Blunt, Alex Jones, and Joe Sugg, she declared: “I do think that good food and good baking comes from the heart - and I’ve got a lot of heart.”

https://www.globalonlooker.com/alison-hammond-new-co-host-of-the-great-british-bake-off/

17/03/2023

چائے پینے کا رواج
سید فرزین علی

دنیا میں کسی مشروب کو سجدہ کرنے کی اجازت ہوتی۔ تو وہ چائے ہوتی۔
دنیا میں کافی طریقے کے نشے کیے جاتے ہیں۔ مگر جو نشہ چائے کا ہے ،وہ کسی اور کا نہیں۔ دنیا میں بہت سے ممالک ہیں جہاں چائے پینے رواج ہے مگر ایشیا کا مقابلہ کسی سے نہیں اور ایشیا میں بھی خصوصی طور پر پاک اور ہند۔
نا جانے چائے کا تخلیق کرنے والا کون ہے مگر جو بھی ہے اس کے لیے دل سے دعائیں نکلتی ہیں۔
مجھے کچھ لوگوں کو دیکھ کر یہ بھی لگتا ہے کہ ان کے بدن میں خون کی روانی کے بجائے چائے دوڑ رہی ہے۔
ویسے تو چائے کی کافی اقسام پائی جاتی ہیں۔ جیسے دودھ پتی، کشمیری، بلیک ٹی اور بہت سی لیکن جو مزہ کڑک چائے میں ہے وہ کسی اور میں نہیں۔
دنیا میں اگر کسی شخص کا تعلق باورچی خانے سے بلکل نہیں ہو لیکن پھر بھی اسے چائے بنانے کا ڈھنگ ضرور آتا ہو گا۔ اور مجھے لگتا ہے کافی آسان طریقہ ہے چائے بنانے کا۔
سب سے پہلے آپ پانی لو اور اس کو ابالنے کے لیے رکھو پھر جب اس میں ابال آ جائے تو پھر پتی ڈالو اور اگر چاہو تو اس وقت ہی چینی ملا دو پھر اس کو تھوڑی دیر چھوڑ دو اور کچھ دیر بعد اس میں دودھ ملا کے۔ پھر بس پینے کا بندو بست کرو۔ کبھی کبھار میں یہ سوچتا ہوں کہ جنت میں چائے کا بندوست ہوگا یا نہیں کیونکہ وہاں دودھ کی نہریں بھی ہونگی اور پانی کی نہر بھی ہوگی بس پتی کا انتظام کرنا پڑے گا۔ اس خیال کے بعد یہ بھی خیال آتا ہے پہلے جنت میں جانے کا تو بندوست کروں۔ اگر میں چائے کے عنوان پر لکھنے بیٹھوں تو کتابوں کے صفحے کم پڑ جائیں۔ مگر مسئلہ یہ ہے اتنی دیر میں میری چائے ٹھنڈی ہو جائے گی۔ اس لیے اتنا ہی کافی ہے

https://www.globalonlooker.com/%da%86%d8%a7%d8%a6%db%92-%d9%be%db%8c%d9%86%db%92-%da%a9%d8%a7-%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%ac/

17/03/2023

Singer Aima Baig clarifies ‘her first crush’ controversy
Pakistani singer Aima Baig has criticized a local media outlet for what she called editing a statement from a four-year-old interview and twisting it to imply she had a crush on her brother. She issued several clarifications and explained what she said, demanding a public apology for such “heinous and vile accusations”.
Since the media outlet published a report claiming that Aima had said in the interview that she has her first crush on her brother, netizens have been calling out the singer.
Amid controversy surrounding her first crush making rounds on social media, Aima has taken to Instagram to clarify her position.
Addressing the storm surrounding her old interview, the singer said she usually doesn’t come forward to clarify her statements but this one caught her attention when her publicist sent this post.
“I am utterly disgusted by this yellow journalism. What creepy shameless, ideology they are sharing across,” she wrote, adding that she doesn’t know if they are spreading some shameless agenda but at least “don’t make me a part of this”.
“I literally wanna throw up…Like seriously… kuch bhi for views. I mean seriously WORK HARD OR LEAVE ME ALONE. Shame on you guys,” she added.
“I literally want to throw up. Will you post anything for likes? Work hard or leave me alone. Shame on you, big time,” she concluded.
In the interview with Samina Pirzada, on the basis of which the media outlet has made the story, Aima was asked about her first crush and she said that her first crush was her elder brother’s friend.
She then mentioned that her brother is seven years older than her.
However, the video clip that went viral didn’t include the part where she was saying that her crush was her brother’s friend and not her brother.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/singer-aima-baig-clarifies-her-first-crush-controversy/

17/03/2023

Microsoft adds OpenAI technology to Word and Excel
Microsoft has announced the integration of ChatGPT generative AI technology into its various Microsoft 365 products. It is calling the system Copilot, saying it will be embedded into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Developers and businesses will now have the facility of integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT model into their own cloud apps, enabling conversational AI in many more apps and services.
Microsoft’s move follows OpenAI’s announcement of the GPT-4 language model, an upgrade on the current ChatGPT iteration. Microsoft has already integrated the newer program into its highly publicized Bing Chatbot.
According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, it would “fundamentally change the way we work”. It seems he wants to see the software maker as a leader in AI, and counter any response from rival Google, as he has marked the introduction of the “next major step,” in the company’s integration of the tech.
“Today marks the next major step in the evolution of how we interact with computing, which will fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth,” he reportedly said. “With our new Copilot for work, we’re giving people more agency and making technology more accessible through the most universal interface- natural language.”
The functions of Copilot include:
• Summarizing the key discussion points of a conversation held on meeting software, Teams, and providing recaps for someone who joins late or misses the whole event
• Creating PowerPoint presentations, including images, from prompts
• Drafting emails
• Analyzing long email threads and documents
• Creating summaries and graphs of data on Excel spreadsheets
The launching of Copilot is another move of Microsoft to counter rival Google.
According to reports, Microsoft was initially planning to announce its new Bing AI in late February, but pushed the date forward to this week just as Google was preparing its own announcements. Google then announced its ChatGPT rival Bard a day ahead of Microsoft’s event.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/microsoft-adds-openai-technology-to-word-and-excel/

16/03/2023

World’s first octopus farm criticized over ‘cruel’ plan
The world’s first octopus farm being built in Spain’s Canary Islands has been criticized as “cruel” over its plans to freeze the animals to death. The plan to make the farm has raised deep concerns among scientists over the welfare of the famously intelligent creatures.
According to reports, the farm would raise about a million octopuses annually for food, despite concerns over animal welfare, according to plans revealed by some groups, such as Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) and Eurogroup for Animals.
Concern was expressed over the plan and the Europen Union was told not to use public funds to support octopus farming developments, or any other new industrial animal-based farming in the light of significant and growing scientific evidence that it is killing our planet.
Octopuses are eaten worldwide, including in the Mediterranean, Asia, and Latin America.
The plan to build an octopus farm was submitted to the General Directorate of Fishing of the Government of the Canary Islands by the company Nueva Pescanova. It was uncovered by Eurogroup for Animals which severely criticized it.
The groups criticizing the plan have expressed a number of concerns, including the use of a cruel slaughter method, the confinement of octopuses in small barren tanks, and practices that contribute to the overexploitation of wild fish populations.
They called for the octopus farm to be scrapped after plans obtained for the development revealed the animal cruelty and environmental consequences it would cause.

https://www.globalonlooker.com/worlds-first-octopus-farm-criticized-over-cruel-plan/

16/03/2023

Virgin Orbit stops operations and furloughs most staff
Richard Branson’s rocket company seeks additional funding
Virgin Orbit will pause all operations, saying nearly all of its staff to cease operations until at least next week as the rocket company works to secure additional funding.
“Virgin Orbit is initiating a company-wide operational pause, effective March 16, 2023, and anticipates providing an update on go-forward operations in the coming weeks,” the company, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, said in a statement.
The satellite launch company, based in California, will put all work on hold for at least a week with just a skeleton team remaining at work.
The company, based in California, informed its employees at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday that the remainder of the workforce will be put on unpaid furlough, although employees can cash in annual leave.
It told staff that the furlough would buy Virgin Orbit time to finalize a new investment plan.
Virgin Orbit made the announcement after the first satellite mission from UK soil failed to reach orbit earlier this year.
The company's shares plunged almost 19% to 82 cents (72p) in extended trading after the announcement. Virgin Orbit had been valued at $3.2bn in a “blank cheque deal” to take the satellite launch company public on the US stock market in 2021.
Virgin Orbit said in a statement: “On the ops side, our investigation is nearly complete and our next production rocket with the needed modification incorporated is in final stages of integration and test.”

https://www.globalonlooker.com/virgin-orbit-stops-operations-and-furloughs-most-staff/

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