SpaceX on Monday (Mar 31) launched the first human space flight directly over Earth's polar regions. It is a privately funded orbital mission involving four astronauts, including mission commander Chun Wang, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, vehicle pilot Rabea Rogge and mission specialist and medical officer Eric Philips.&nbsp;
SpaceX shared video which showed the powerful Falcon 9 rocket roaring upward and beginning its journey toward Earth's North and South Poles.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-nasa-boeing-to-be-blamed-for-sunita-williams-butch-willmores-extended-space-stay-astronauts-respond-8911400">Are NASA, Boeing to be blamed for Sunita Williams &amp; Butch Willmore&rsquo;s extended space stay? Astronauts respond</a>
SpaceX, the American space technology company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, said that the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extra-vehicular activity from Dragon.&nbsp;
The space company informed that this will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 and two Starlink missions.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/spider-eggs-on-mars-nasa-scientists-spot-strange-mysterious-object-on-red-planet-see-close-up-image-8905669">Spider eggs on Mars? NASA scientists spot strange, mysterious object on Red Planet - see close-up image</a>&nbsp;
Watch the video here:&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8xvu336-7qct27ut-6s634kd7">
Liftoff of Fram2 and the <a href="https://twitter.com/framonauts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@framonauts</a>! <a href="https://t.co/XBL5juCnHQ">pic.twitter.com/XBL5juCnHQ</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1906886541164855662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>What are mission objectives?&nbsp;</h2>
Dragon and the crew will fly over Earth's polar regions for the first time and investigate the planet from a polar orbit during their multi-day trip.&nbsp;
Additionally, they will carry out 22 research projects aimed at improving humanity's capacity for extended space travel and to get a better understanding of health in space.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-finds-largest-carbon-molecules-on-mars-hinting-at-ancient-life-8888503">NASA finds largest organic molecules on Mars, hinting at ancient life</a>
The crew of Fram2 intends to grow mushrooms in microgravity, conduct workout research to preserve muscle and skeletal mass and take the first x-ray in space during its time in orbit.&nbsp;
The crew also intends to successfully return to Earth and then leave the Dragon spacecraft without further medical or operational support, which will aid researchers in assessing astronauts' capacity to carry out functional activities without assistance following both brief and extended space missions.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-how-india-and-japan-will-execute-chandrayaan-5lupex-moon-mission-8897124">Explained: How India and Japan will execute Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX Moon mission</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

Science and Tech | World | Dragon and the crew will fly over Earth's polar regions for the first time and investigate the planet from a polar orbit

SpaceX on Monday (Mar 31) launched the first human space flight directly over Earth's polar regions. It is a privately funded orbital mission involving four astronauts, including mission commander Chun Wang, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, vehicle pilot Rabea Rogge and mission specialist and medical officer Eric Philips. SpaceX shared video which showed the powerful Falcon 9 rocket roaring upward and beginning its journey toward Earth's North and South Poles. Also read: Are NASA, Boeing to be blamed for Sunita Williams & Butch Willmore’s extended space stay? Astronauts respond SpaceX, the American space technology company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, said that the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extra-vehicular activity from Dragon. The space company informed that this will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 and two Starlink missions. Also read: Spider eggs on Mars? NASA scientists spot strange, mysterious object on Red Planet - see close-up image Watch the video here: Liftoff of Fram2 and the @framonauts! pic.twitter.com/XBL5juCnHQ — SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025 What are mission objectives? Dragon and the crew will fly over Earth's polar regions for the first time and investigate the planet from a polar orbit during their multi-day trip. Additionally, they will carry out 22 research projects aimed at improving humanity's capacity for extended space travel and to get a better understanding of health in space. Also read: NASA finds largest organic molecules on Mars, hinting at ancient life The crew of Fram2 intends to grow mushrooms in microgravity, conduct workout research to preserve muscle and skeletal mass and take the first x-ray in space during its time in orbit. The crew also intends to successfully return to Earth and then leave the Dragon spacecraft without further medical or operational support, which will aid researchers in assessing astronauts' capacity to carry out functional activities without assistance following both brief and extended space missions. Also read: Explained: How India and Japan will execute Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX Moon mission (With inputs from agencies)

Liftoff of Fram2: SpaceX launches private astronauts on mission to orbit Earth from pole to pole - WATCH

Elon Musk has announced that his brain chip company, Neuralink, will have its first implant of a new brain chip to cure blindness, by the end of 2025.

Musk's Neuralink to cure blindness with new brain chip in 2025

Elon Musk has hit out at the French court decision that bans far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running for office in 2027, calling it &ldquo;abuse&rdquo; and warning it would &ldquo;backfire.&rdquo;
&ldquo;This will backfire, like the legal attacks against President Trump,&rdquo; Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after the ruling was made public.
Musk, a billionaire and close adviser to US President Donald Trump, has previously shown support for far-right parties, including one in Germany.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-marine-le-pen-frances-far-right-leader-to-serve-four-years-in-prison-banned-from-running-for-office-8911013">Who is Marine Le Pen? France&rsquo;s far-right leader to serve 4 years in prison, banned from running for presidency</a>
<h2>Le Pen banned over misuse of EU funds</h2>
On Monday, a French court convicted Marine Le Pen and several figures from her National Rally (RN) party of misusing European Parliament funds. The court found that Le Pen and others paid party assistants with EU funds meant for parliamentary work.
As a result, Le Pen and other party members were handed immediate bans from holding public office, even if they appealed.
Her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, confirmed that she would challenge the ruling.
<h2>Musk and others rally behind Le Pen</h2>
Musk also criticised what he called the radical left, accusing them of misusing the legal system to jail political opponents.
Trump himself has faced several legal battles. He became the first convicted felon to serve as US President after being found guilty of falsifying business records in May 2024. He has also been investigated for refusing to concede the 2020 election and for storing classified documents at his private homes.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-democracy-executed-far-right-leader-marine-le-pen-gets-5-year-political-ban-4-year-prison-term-8910249">'French democracy executed': Far-right leader Marine Le Pen gets 5-year political ban, 4-year prison term</a>
Le Pen&rsquo;s supporters have also spoken out. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted &ldquo;Je suis Marine!&rdquo; on X, a nod to the slogan &ldquo;Je suis Charlie&rdquo; after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision showed that &ldquo;more and more European capitals are going down the path of violating democratic norms.&rdquo;
Jordan Bardella, leader of the RN party, said the ruling was an &ldquo;execution&rdquo; of French democracy.
Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders described the ruling as an &ldquo;incredibly tough verdict,&rdquo; expressing his shock.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: “This will backfire, like the legal attacks against President Trump,” Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after the ruling was made public.

Elon Musk has hit out at the French court decision that bans far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running for office in 2027, calling it “abuse” and warning it would “backfire.” “This will backfire, like the legal attacks against President Trump,” Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after the ruling was made public. Musk, a billionaire and close adviser to US President Donald Trump, has previously shown support for far-right parties, including one in Germany. Also read: Who is Marine Le Pen? France’s far-right leader to serve 4 years in prison, banned from running for presidency Le Pen banned over misuse of EU funds On Monday, a French court convicted Marine Le Pen and several figures from her National Rally (RN) party of misusing European Parliament funds. The court found that Le Pen and others paid party assistants with EU funds meant for parliamentary work. As a result, Le Pen and other party members were handed immediate bans from holding public office, even if they appealed. Her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, confirmed that she would challenge the ruling. Musk and others rally behind Le Pen Musk also criticised what he called the radical left, accusing them of misusing the legal system to jail political opponents. Trump himself has faced several legal battles. He became the first convicted felon to serve as US President after being found guilty of falsifying business records in May 2024. He has also been investigated for refusing to concede the 2020 election and for storing classified documents at his private homes. Also read: 'French democracy executed': Far-right leader Marine Le Pen gets 5-year political ban, 4-year prison term Le Pen’s supporters have also spoken out. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted “Je suis Marine!” on X, a nod to the slogan “Je suis Charlie” after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision showed that “more and more European capitals are going down the path of violating democratic norms.” Jordan Bardella, leader of the RN party, said the ruling was an “execution” of French democracy. Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders described the ruling as an “incredibly tough verdict,” expressing his shock. (With inputs from agencies)

‘This will backfire’: Elon Musk slams Marine Le Pen election ban as ‘abuse of power’, compares it to Trump trials

Neuralink is set to implant its groundbreaking ‘Blindsight’ chip in a human body by the end of 2025. The brain implant aims to restore vision in blind individuals, marking a major leap in neuroscience and AI-driven medical tech.

Will Neuralink's implant end blindness?

Elon Musk holds a rally in Wisconsin in support of Brad Schimel, a state Supreme Court candidate he is supporting ahead of a Tuesday election.

Wisconsin Judicial Elections: Elon Musk rallies for candidate Brad Schimel

Billionaire Elon Musk announced that his brain chip company, Neuralink, will have its first implant of Blindsight by the end of 2025. The artificial visual prosthesis aims to restore eyesight for blind people.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re hoping, later this year, to have a first device implant for humans, enabling someone who is completely blind to see,&rdquo; Musk said in response to a question by an audience member at his Town Hall held in Wisconsin, US, on Sunday (Mar 30) night.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/musks-neuralink-announces-blindsight-to-provide-vision-to-blind-gets-fdas-approval-759801">Musk&rsquo;s Neuralink announces Blindsight to provide vision to blind, gets FDA's approval</a>
Musk added that in the beginning, the resolution of the vision would be low.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll start off with very low-resolution but then over time, the implant would eventually enable vision that is superhuman&hellip;&rdquo; the Tesla CEO said.
Musk said that the chip has shown promising results in monkeys for a few years now.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/musk-daughter-calls-tesla-chief-insecure-buffoon-says-mars-colonisation-plans-a-marketing-scheme-tesla-chief-8906520">Musk's daughter calls Tesla chief &lsquo;insecure buffoon&rsquo;, says Mars colonisation plans a &lsquo;marketing scheme&rsquo;</a>
According to a post shared by Musk on his social media platform X, Blindsight is designed to &ldquo;enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see.&rdquo;
&ldquo;[I]t will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time,&rdquo; he had said.
<h2>Blindsight: A &lsquo;breakthrough&rsquo;</h2>
The device consists of a microelectrode array, which is embedded in the visual cortex in the brain, which is responsible for processing visual information. Reportedly, it is capable of stimulating neurons or nerve cells located in the visual cortex after relaying patterns from a camera.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/spacexs-fram2-mission-set-for-first-human-flight-over-earths-polar-regions-8906256">SpaceX's Fram2 mission set for first human flight over Earth's polar regions</a>
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Blindsight a &lsquo;breakthrough&rsquo; status last year in September. This tag is given to medical devices that offer diagnosis or treatment of life-threatening conditions.
However, experts have highlighted that this status does not mean that Neuralink has developed a cure for blindness, but is aimed at boosting the speed of development and review of devices that are under development.
In the past, Musk has been criticised for his claims about the device being misleading.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/intern-salary-at-spacex-is-huge-way-more-than-nasa-8875387">Intern salaries at SpaceX can rival what an average American earns. 'Just $2,000 less than...'</a>
&ldquo;At best, we&rsquo;re talking about something that&rsquo;s augmentative to a cane and a guide dog; not something that replaces a cane and a guide dog,&rdquo; Philip Troyk, a biomedical engineer at the Illinois Institute of Technology, said as quoted by IEEE Spectrum.
(With inputs from agencies)

Science & Tech | The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Blindsight a ‘breakthrough’ status last year in September. This tag is given to medical devices that offer diagnosis or treatment of life-threatening conditions.

Billionaire Elon Musk announced that his brain chip company, Neuralink, will have its first implant of Blindsight by the end of 2025. The artificial visual prosthesis aims to restore eyesight for blind people. “We’re hoping, later this year, to have a first device implant for humans, enabling someone who is completely blind to see,” Musk said in response to a question by an audience member at his Town Hall held in Wisconsin, US, on Sunday (Mar 30) night. Also read | Musk’s Neuralink announces Blindsight to provide vision to blind, gets FDA's approval Musk added that in the beginning, the resolution of the vision would be low. “It’ll start off with very low-resolution but then over time, the implant would eventually enable vision that is superhuman…” the Tesla CEO said. Musk said that the chip has shown promising results in monkeys for a few years now. Also read | Musk's daughter calls Tesla chief ‘insecure buffoon’, says Mars colonisation plans a ‘marketing scheme’ According to a post shared by Musk on his social media platform X, Blindsight is designed to “enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see.” “[I]t will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time,” he had said. Blindsight: A ‘breakthrough’ The device consists of a microelectrode array, which is embedded in the visual cortex in the brain, which is responsible for processing visual information. Reportedly, it is capable of stimulating neurons or nerve cells located in the visual cortex after relaying patterns from a camera. Also read | SpaceX's Fram2 mission set for first human flight over Earth's polar regions The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Blindsight a ‘breakthrough’ status last year in September. This tag is given to medical devices that offer diagnosis or treatment of life-threatening conditions. However, experts have highlighted that this status does not mean that Neuralink has developed a cure for blindness, but is aimed at boosting the speed of development and review of devices that are under development. In the past, Musk has been criticised for his claims about the device being misleading. Also read | Intern salaries at SpaceX can rival what an average American earns. 'Just $2,000 less than...' “At best, we’re talking about something that’s augmentative to a cane and a guide dog; not something that replaces a cane and a guide dog,” Philip Troyk, a biomedical engineer at the Illinois Institute of Technology, said as quoted by IEEE Spectrum. (With inputs from agencies)

Musk announces first implant of Neuralink’s Blindsight vision chip in human by end of 2025

Elon Musk made his second acquisition of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock purchase that valued X at $33 billion, excluding debt. Musk used his artificial intelligence business xAI to acquire his social networking platform on the 28th of March. Now, the real question is why did Musk do this?

How will XAI deal change X's social networking product?

Musk Wisconsin town hall cheque distribution:&nbsp;Openly giving away cash for votes may not be something one would expect to see in the US, but X chief Elon Musk just did that in Wisconsin. The world's richest person on Sunday night (Mar 30) gave away cheques worth 2 million dollars in Wisconsin ahead of the state's closely-watched Supreme Court election.
Musk was heckled at the town hall event, but he was unfazed, blaming it on alleged sleeper agents of another billionaire, George Soros.
<h2>Why is Wisconsin's Supreme Court election important?</h2>
The Supreme Court election for Wisconsin is set for Tuesday. The tight race became the talk of the town after Musk and US President Donald Trump openly favoured a Republican contender. The campaign became the most expensive in the US judicial election history.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slimy-billionaire-elon-musk-blasted-for-buying-votes-in-wisconsin-court-election-as-trump-backs-brad-schimel-8880989">'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for &lsquo;buying votes&rsquo; in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel</a>
The Supreme Court race is important as the attempt is to give its control to Republican-leaning judges.
Musk had announced the giveaway earlier this week ahead of the court election.&nbsp;The giveaway is controversial, as the state bans gifts for votes.
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It was challenged in the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Wisconsin Attorney General and Democrat Josh Kaul, but the court refused to intervene.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/x-sold-its-new-boss-iselon-musk-billionaire-sells-social-media-platform-to-his-own-company-xai-8903161">X sold! It's new boss is....Elon Musk; Billionaire sells social media platform to his&nbsp;own&nbsp;company&nbsp;xAI</a>
The cheques were given after a draw among those who signed a petition to stop activist judges from being elected.
"We just want judges to be judges", said Musk before handing out two $1 million cheques.&nbsp;
Musk's lawyers claimed in court that the blocking of the donation amounted to curbing Musk's right to political speech and freedom of expression rights guaranteed under the US Consitution's First Amendment.&nbsp;They argued that the payment was for a 'grassroots movement' against activist judges and not to favour any specific candidate.
<h2>So who are the Wisconsin Supreme Court election candidates?</h2>
Musk is backing Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, a conservative, who is fighting Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. Schimel is backed by Musk and Trump. Crawford has the support of the state Supreme Court's liberal judges.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/musk-daughter-calls-tesla-chief-insecure-buffoon-says-mars-colonisation-plans-a-marketing-scheme-tesla-chief-8906520">Musk's daughter calls Tesla chief &lsquo;insecure buffoon&rsquo;, says Mars colonisation plans a &lsquo;marketing scheme&rsquo;</a>
Musk, through his lawyers, had accused the Democratic-leaning judges backing Crawford of bias. Musk has already contributed $14 million to Judge Schimel's campaign.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/done-with-cost-cutting-elon-musk-to-exit-doge-in-may-8905029">&lsquo;Done with cost cutting&rsquo;: Elon Musk to exit DOGE in May?</a>
Overall, an estimated $81mn is being spent by both sides in the election campaign, which makes it the most expensive in US judicial election history.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

Trending | World : Musk wades into another election: The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is important as Republicans want to give its control to conservative judges.

Musk Wisconsin town hall cheque distribution: Openly giving away cash for votes may not be something one would expect to see in the US, but X chief Elon Musk just did that in Wisconsin. The world's richest person on Sunday night (Mar 30) gave away cheques worth 2 million dollars in Wisconsin ahead of the state's closely-watched Supreme Court election. Musk was heckled at the town hall event, but he was unfazed, blaming it on alleged sleeper agents of another billionaire, George Soros. Why is Wisconsin's Supreme Court election important? The Supreme Court election for Wisconsin is set for Tuesday. The tight race became the talk of the town after Musk and US President Donald Trump openly favoured a Republican contender. The campaign became the most expensive in the US judicial election history. 'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel The Supreme Court race is important as the attempt is to give its control to Republican-leaning judges. Musk had announced the giveaway earlier this week ahead of the court election. The giveaway is controversial, as the state bans gifts for votes. It was challenged in the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Wisconsin Attorney General and Democrat Josh Kaul, but the court refused to intervene. X sold! It's new boss is....Elon Musk; Billionaire sells social media platform to his own company xAI The cheques were given after a draw among those who signed a petition to stop activist judges from being elected. "We just want judges to be judges", said Musk before handing out two $1 million cheques. Musk's lawyers claimed in court that the blocking of the donation amounted to curbing Musk's right to political speech and freedom of expression rights guaranteed under the US Consitution's First Amendment. They argued that the payment was for a 'grassroots movement' against activist judges and not to favour any specific candidate. So who are the Wisconsin Supreme Court election candidates? Musk is backing Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, a conservative, who is fighting Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. Schimel is backed by Musk and Trump. Crawford has the support of the state Supreme Court's liberal judges. Musk's daughter calls Tesla chief ‘insecure buffoon’, says Mars colonisation plans a ‘marketing scheme’ Musk, through his lawyers, had accused the Democratic-leaning judges backing Crawford of bias. Musk has already contributed $14 million to Judge Schimel's campaign. ‘Done with cost cutting’: Elon Musk to exit DOGE in May? Overall, an estimated $81mn is being spent by both sides in the election campaign, which makes it the most expensive in US judicial election history. (With inputs from agencies)

Cash for vote, American style: Musk gives away million-dollar cheques ahead of Wisconsin Supreme Court election

Tesla owner Elon Musk, the billionaire ally of US President Donald Trump, has indicated plans to step down from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) role by May-end, after achieving the target of cutting US government spending by $1 trillion. In an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News, Musk said that &ldquo;he&rsquo;s done with the cost-cutting initiative&rdquo;, further adding that his team is reducing waste and fraud at a rate of &lsquo;$4 billion a day&rsquo;.
DOGE would bring total federal spending down to $6 trillion, which Musk insists will not affect critical services of the US government. &ldquo;I think we will accomplish most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within [130 days],&rdquo; said Musk, adding, &ldquo;Unless this exercise is successful, the ship of America will sink.&rdquo;
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tried-dental-flossing-ever-new-trend-brain-flossing-helps-reduce-stress-anxiety-8904606">Tried to floss your teeth ever? New trend &lsquo;brain flossing&rsquo; helps reduce stress, anxiety</a> Musk was appointed by Trump as a special advisor to lead DOGE&rsquo;s aggressive push to cut government&rsquo;s wasteful expenditure. Musk claims DOGE&rsquo;s work, including workforce reductions, asset sales, and contract cancellations, saved $115 billion as of March 24. &ldquo;The government is not efficient, and there is a lot of waste and fraud, so we feel confident that a 15% reduction can be done without affecting any of the critical government services,&rdquo; Musk said.&nbsp; DOGE&rsquo;s core team, including seven members&mdash;Aram Moghaddassi, Steve Davis, Brad Smith, Anthony Armstrong, Joe Gebbia, Tom Krause, and Tyler Hassen&mdash;has slashed costs across multiple federal agencies, shutting down the 10,000-employee USAID and cutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau&rsquo;s workforce from 1,700 to near-zero.&nbsp; &ldquo;The critical programmes that people depend upon will work, and it&rsquo;s going to be a fantastic future. And are we going to get a lot of complaints along the way? Absolutely.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Musk shared his plan as Tesla faces mounting challenges and its shares fell by more than 5% last Monday as nationwide protests against it intensified.&nbsp;
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seouls-declassified-files-reveal-how-world-powers-doubted-north-koreas-kim-jong-il-us-diplomat-called-him-goofy-8901645">Seoul&rsquo;s declassified files reveal how world powers doubted North Korea&rsquo;s Kim Jong-il, US diplomat called him &lsquo;goofy&rsquo;</a>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m stretched pretty thin. I have like 17 jobs,&rdquo; Musk had admitted while speaking to Tesla employees, adding that the backlash against Tesla &ldquo;feels like Armageddon&rdquo; when watching media coverage.&nbsp; &ldquo;There are rocky moments, a little bit of stormy weather... But the future is incredibly bright and exciting, and we&rsquo;re going to do things that no one has even dreamed of,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; Musk&rsquo;s aggressive cost-cutting measures have triggered a series of lawsuits accusing DOGE of overreach and privacy violations. Critics argue the department is dismantling essential government functions without legal authority. Musk and his team have dismissed these concerns. They argue that outdated record-keeping and payment systems are hindering efficiency and promise to implement more modern, tech-driven solutions. 
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/prodigal-teen12-builds-nuclear-fusion-reactor-at-home-in-memphis-fbi-comes-knocking-8886846" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Prodigal teen,12, builds nuclear fusion reactor at home in Memphis, FBI comes knocking</a> As the May deadline approaches, Musk remains defiant: &ldquo;We are succeeding. Our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week. And so far, we are succeeding...Unless this exercise is successful, the ship of America will sink,&rdquo; he added. That could mean that Musk&rsquo;s work of spearheading the DOGE operation could finish as soon as the end of May.

World: Musk shared his plan as Tesla faces mounting challenges and its shares fell by more than 5% last Monday as nationwide protests against it intensified.

Tesla owner Elon Musk, the billionaire ally of US President Donald Trump, has indicated plans to step down from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) role by May-end, after achieving the target of cutting US government spending by $1 trillion. In an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News, Musk said that “he’s done with the cost-cutting initiative”, further adding that his team is reducing waste and fraud at a rate of ‘$4 billion a day’. DOGE would bring total federal spending down to $6 trillion, which Musk insists will not affect critical services of the US government. “I think we will accomplish most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within [130 days],” said Musk, adding, “Unless this exercise is successful, the ship of America will sink.” Also Read | Tried to floss your teeth ever? New trend ‘brain flossing’ helps reduce stress, anxiety Musk was appointed by Trump as a special advisor to lead DOGE’s aggressive push to cut government’s wasteful expenditure. Musk claims DOGE’s work, including workforce reductions, asset sales, and contract cancellations, saved $115 billion as of March 24. “The government is not efficient, and there is a lot of waste and fraud, so we feel confident that a 15% reduction can be done without affecting any of the critical government services,” Musk said. DOGE’s core team, including seven members—Aram Moghaddassi, Steve Davis, Brad Smith, Anthony Armstrong, Joe Gebbia, Tom Krause, and Tyler Hassen—has slashed costs across multiple federal agencies, shutting down the 10,000-employee USAID and cutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s workforce from 1,700 to near-zero. “The critical programmes that people depend upon will work, and it’s going to be a fantastic future. And are we going to get a lot of complaints along the way? Absolutely.” Musk shared his plan as Tesla faces mounting challenges and its shares fell by more than 5% last Monday as nationwide protests against it intensified. Also Read | Seoul’s declassified files reveal how world powers doubted North Korea’s Kim Jong-il, US diplomat called him ‘goofy’ “I’m stretched pretty thin. I have like 17 jobs,” Musk had admitted while speaking to Tesla employees, adding that the backlash against Tesla “feels like Armageddon” when watching media coverage. “There are rocky moments, a little bit of stormy weather... But the future is incredibly bright and exciting, and we’re going to do things that no one has even dreamed of,” he added. Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting measures have triggered a series of lawsuits accusing DOGE of overreach and privacy violations. Critics argue the department is dismantling essential government functions without legal authority. Musk and his team have dismissed these concerns. They argue that outdated record-keeping and payment systems are hindering efficiency and promise to implement more modern, tech-driven solutions. Also Read | Prodigal teen,12, builds nuclear fusion reactor at home in Memphis, FBI comes knocking As the May deadline approaches, Musk remains defiant: “We are succeeding. Our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week.” “Our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week. And so far, we are succeeding...Unless this exercise is successful, the ship of America will sink,” he added. That could mean that Musk’s work of spearheading the DOGE operation could finish as soon as the end of May.

‘Done with cost cutting’: Elon Musk to exit DOGE in May?

While many automakers are feeling the pinch from President Trump's recent auto tariffs, Tesla seems to have avoided the worst of it. Analysts believe that Tesla’s 100 percent US-based production gives it a significant edge. But the main question is: Tesla may have dodged the tariff bullet, but is the road ahead clear?

Tesla defies market trends amid tariff woes

Anonymous, a "hacktivist" group, has issued a dire warning about Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk, who it says are colluding to destroy Western democracies. The group says that the US president and his aide Musk are planning something elaborate, and the world does not have a clue about what it is, LADbible reported.
Anonymous is a group that works to reveal corruption, misconduct in the government and cyber crimes. However, it is an unverified group and doesn't seem to operate from a single source, reports suggest.
In a video posted in February, the group warned the world about the relationship Trump and Putin share, who have been having "cozy phone calls, shared campaign mottos and productive chats about Ukraine and global power play."
<h2>Putin and Trump a "love fest", a "collusion"</h2>
The say that their relationship is like a "love fest" and "a god damn red flag", and everything they are doing stands for "collusion".
Also Read: <a title="Post View" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/best-place-to-hide-a-body-elon-musk-donald-trump-mock-the-atlantic-over-embarrassing-war-plans-leak-8889207" target="_blank" rel="dofollow noopener">&lsquo;Best place to hide a body&rsquo;: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak</a>
Anonymous then dropped a bombshell, saying that Trump and Putin are working together to implement "project Russia". This is a series of four books written by Yuriy Shalyganov between 2005 and 2010 and stresses that democracies don't work and all democratic countries are Russia's enemies.
<h2>"Project Russia" being implemented, says Anonymous</h2>
The group cited the ways in which Trump and Putin are working together to make the book a reality. "This isn't paranoia, 'project Russia', a documented plan to destabilise Western democracies," they said.
Anonymous added, it "details this exact f**king playbook, exploit economic chaos, co-opt influential figures and erode public trust until democracy is a smouldering ruin."
<h2>Anonymous targets Musk</h2>
The video goes on to question "Musk's unchecked authority", despite no one voting for him "on a ballot". They called him the "embodiment of everything conspiracy theorists warned us about."
The group says Musk is on a "self-styled crusade" which is "nothing more than a b*****t narrative crafted to justify his own power grab."
"Add Musk, now pulling the strings in the US government's so called 'department of government efficiency', slashing public programmes while sucking up power, and we've got the perfect storm for democratic destruction."
The video ends with Anonymous calling on people to join them in the fight against "the corrupt and the rich oligarchs".&nbsp;
"So, are you ready to lose your freedom?
"Is worshiping the rich worth the cost of losing your democracy?"

Anonymous is a group that works to reveal corruption, misconduct in the government and cyber crimes. Their video questions "Musk's unchecked authority". World Trending

Anonymous, a "hacktivist" group, has issued a dire warning about Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk, who it says are colluding to destroy Western democracies. The group says that the US president and his aide Musk are planning something elaborate, and the world does not have a clue about what it is, LADbible reported. Anonymous is a group that works to reveal corruption, misconduct in the government and cyber crimes. However, it is an unverified group and doesn't seem to operate from a single source, reports suggest. In a video posted in February, the group warned the world about the relationship Trump and Putin share, who have been having "cozy phone calls, shared campaign mottos and productive chats about Ukraine and global power play." Putin and Trump a "love fest", a "collusion" The say that their relationship is like a "love fest" and "a god damn red flag", and everything they are doing stands for "collusion". Also Read: ‘Best place to hide a body’: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak Anonymous then dropped a bombshell, saying that Trump and Putin are working together to implement "project Russia". This is a series of four books written by Yuriy Shalyganov between 2005 and 2010 and stresses that democracies don't work and all democratic countries are Russia's enemies. "Project Russia" being implemented, says Anonymous The group cited the ways in which Trump and Putin are working together to make the book a reality. "This isn't paranoia, 'project Russia', a documented plan to destabilise Western democracies," they said. Anonymous added, it "details this exact f**king playbook, exploit economic chaos, co-opt influential figures and erode public trust until democracy is a smouldering ruin." Anonymous targets Musk The video goes on to question "Musk's unchecked authority", despite no one voting for him "on a ballot". They called him the "embodiment of everything conspiracy theorists warned us about." The group says Musk is on a "self-styled crusade" which is "nothing more than a b*****t narrative crafted to justify his own power grab." "Add Musk, now pulling the strings in the US government's so called 'department of government efficiency', slashing public programmes while sucking up power, and we've got the perfect storm for democratic destruction." The video ends with Anonymous calling on people to join them in the fight against "the corrupt and the rich oligarchs". "So, are you ready to lose your freedom? "Is worshiping the rich worth the cost of losing your democracy?"

'This isn't paranoia': Anonymous claims Trump and Putin are in a 'love fest'

Elon Musk has said the federal government spent almost $1 billion on a short survey asking whether or not people liked the US National Parks. This is among a number of things his Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE is cracking down on.
&ldquo;We routinely encounter a waste of a billion dollars or more. Casually. This 10 question-survey could&rsquo;ve been done with Survey Monkey for $10,000. The government was being charged almost a billion dollars for that,&rdquo; Musk said during a Fox News interaction along with some DOGE staff on Thursday (Mar 27).
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/1803_WION_JOB_1230PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1803_WION_JOB_1230PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=91&amp;tags=doge, climate, wion" title="Job cuts by DOGE makes climate watch difficult " id="PL_iframe_block-m8sdmbvo-4a50omax-xq9qpdqy"></iframe>
&nbsp;
Below are the ways in which DOGE says it's saving money by cutting government waste:
<h2>Crackdown on small business loans 'to babies and people not alive'</h2>
This month, the Small Business Administration (SBA) mandated that business loan applicants must provide date and proof of birth, after it emerged that some of the loans allegedly went to people aged above 120. In DOGE's view, these are cases of identity theft or social security fraud.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/baseball-in-space-elon-musk-shares-video-of-japanese-astronaut-plays-solo-game-in-zero-gravity-watch-8893170">'Pitch, hit, and catch': Musk shares video of astronaut playing UNBELIEVABLE baseball in zero gravity | WATCH</a>
In the new online loan application form on the SBA website, there is now an entry for date of birth that the applicants have to fill.
Any direct application with ages below 18 years or above 120 years will not be approved.
&ldquo;Basic sanity checks like these are initial steps towards minimizing fraud in government payment programs,&rdquo; DOGE said in a post on its X handle, which Musk reshared.
He said it will ensure the SBA does not provide loans to children or to people considered too old to be alive.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/get-back-the-money-asap-trump-asks-doge-to-take-back-8000000-given-to-radical-left-politico-magazine-8897647">'Get back the money ASAP': Trump asks DOGE to take back $8,000,000 given to 'Radical Left' Politico magazine</a>
&ldquo;No more loans to babies or people too old to be alive (ie stolen Social Security numbers),&rdquo; he wrote, implying that some people were using stolen Social Security numbers for these loans.
This comes after DOGE found, from data examination of 2020-21, that SBA had granted 3,095 loans worth $333 million to those aged above 115, including one 157-year-old who got a $36,000 loan.
<h2>Savings by cutting grants</h2>
DOGE also said in a post on Thursday (Mar 27) that $577 million grants have been cancelled by various government agencies, giving savings of $237 mn. It called these "America Last' grants.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
&nbsp;The cancelled grants include:&nbsp; &gt; $10mn for "gender equity in the Mexican workplace" &gt; $12.2mn for "worker empowerment in South America" &gt; &nbsp;$6.25mn for "improving respect for Worker's rights in agricultural supply chains" in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador &gt; $5mn for "elevating women's participation in the workplace" in West Africa &gt; $4.3mn for "assisting foreign migrant workers" in Malaysia &gt; $3mn to "enhance social security access and worker protections for internal migrant workers" in Bangladesh &gt; $3mn for "safe and inclusive work environments" in Lesotho
<h2>Credit card deactivations</h2>
DOGE is also targeting credit cards given to federal workers and contractors.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-us-state-secretary-marco-rubio-usaid-programs-elon-musk-doge-8840639">&lsquo;Thank you to DOGE&rsquo;: Trump&rsquo;s State Secy Rubio slashes 83% of USAID programmes, Musk says &lsquo;tough but necessary&rsquo;</a>
A 'pilot programme' with 16 government agencies carried out an audit of unused or unwanted credit cards. After five weeks of this audit, nearly 298,000 credit cards were de-activated.
DOGE said that there were 4.6mn active cards or accounts at the start of this audit, so there is more work left.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World Business & Economy Trending | Elon Musk has said the federal government spent almost $1 billion on a short survey asking whether or not people liked the US National Parks.

Elon Musk has said the federal government spent almost $1 billion on a short survey asking whether or not people liked the US National Parks. This is among a number of things his Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE is cracking down on. “We routinely encounter a waste of a billion dollars or more. Casually. This 10 question-survey could’ve been done with Survey Monkey for $10,000. The government was being charged almost a billion dollars for that,” Musk said during a Fox News interaction along with some DOGE staff on Thursday (Mar 27). Below are the ways in which DOGE says it's saving money by cutting government waste: Crackdown on small business loans 'to babies and people not alive' This month, the Small Business Administration (SBA) mandated that business loan applicants must provide date and proof of birth, after it emerged that some of the loans allegedly went to people aged above 120. In DOGE's view, these are cases of identity theft or social security fraud. 'Pitch, hit, and catch': Musk shares video of astronaut playing UNBELIEVABLE baseball in zero gravity | WATCH In the new online loan application form on the SBA website, there is now an entry for date of birth that the applicants have to fill. Any direct application with ages below 18 years or above 120 years will not be approved. “Basic sanity checks like these are initial steps towards minimizing fraud in government payment programs,” DOGE said in a post on its X handle, which Musk reshared. He said it will ensure the SBA does not provide loans to children or to people considered too old to be alive. 'Get back the money ASAP': Trump asks DOGE to take back $8,000,000 given to 'Radical Left' Politico magazine “No more loans to babies or people too old to be alive (ie stolen Social Security numbers),” he wrote, implying that some people were using stolen Social Security numbers for these loans. This comes after DOGE found, from data examination of 2020-21, that SBA had granted 3,095 loans worth $333 million to those aged above 115, including one 157-year-old who got a $36,000 loan. Savings by cutting grants DOGE also said in a post on Thursday (Mar 27) that $577 million grants have been cancelled by various government agencies, giving savings of $237 mn. It called these "America Last' grants. China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend The cancelled grants include: > $10mn for "gender equity in the Mexican workplace" > $12.2mn for "worker empowerment in South America" > $6.25mn for "improving respect for Worker's rights in agricultural supply chains" in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador > $5mn for "elevating women's participation in the workplace" in West Africa > $4.3mn for "assisting foreign migrant workers" in Malaysia > $3mn to "enhance social security access and worker protections for internal migrant workers" in Bangladesh > $3mn for "safe and inclusive work environments" in Lesotho Credit card deactivations DOGE is also targeting credit cards given to federal workers and contractors. ‘Thank you to DOGE’: Trump’s State Secy Rubio slashes 83% of USAID programmes, Musk says ‘tough but necessary’ A 'pilot programme' with 16 government agencies carried out an audit of unused or unwanted credit cards. After five weeks of this audit, nearly 298,000 credit cards were de-activated. DOGE said that there were 4.6mn active cards or accounts at the start of this audit, so there is more work left. (With inputs from agencies)

$1bn for parks survey; loans to babies and the dead; 298,000 unused credit cards: Musk's DOGE fights US govt waste

The most popular politician in the United States is not President Donald Trump, according to data analysed by an American journalist. The most favoured US politician is Senator Bernie Sanders.
G. Elliott Morris, who shared the analysis on his website, determined the favourability by collecting questions from YouGov/Economist polls in the last three months, which asked voters how they viewed prominent political figures or possible candidates for the 2028 presidential elections.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trumps-top-advisers-private-data-found-online-amid-yemen-war-plan-leak-scandal-yemen-war-plans-group-chat-mike-waltz-tulsi-gabbard-pete-hegseth-jd-vance-8894961">Trump's top advisers' private data found online amid Yemen war plans group chat scandal</a>
Morris, a data-driven journalist known for his work on election polling and predictions, explained, &ldquo;Then I picked out notable figures, and graphed their net favorability rating (the share of adults saying they viewed the person/party favorably minus share saying they viewed the person/party unfavorably) in the most recent result.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-prime-minister-mark-carney-dubs-us-auto-tariffs-direct-attack-8894738">Canada PM Mark Carney calls Trump's new 25% tariffs on car imports to US 'direct attack'</a>
<h2>The most popular politician in US</h2>
The analysis pointed out that Senator Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in the US and not Trump. Sanders has a favourability of 46 per cent in adults, while 39 per cent view him unfavourably. He is also popular among young people (by nearly 20 points), lower-income voters, moderates, independents, Hispanics, Black voters, and men. With white voters, he is only two points underwater.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-macron-and-zelensky-lead-wave-of-new-mobile-phone-diplomacy-8893739">Trump, Macron and Zelensky lead wave of new 'mobile phone diplomacy'</a>
According to Morris, &ldquo;One theory for Sanders&rsquo; relative crossover appeal is his emphasis on criticism of the system &mdash; something young men in particular shared with him in 2016, and which left them open to the appeal of Trumpism in 2024 (especially post-inflation in 2022-2023). Sanders&rsquo;s campaigning against the neoliberal consensus is persuasive with the many voters (and again, especially young people) that believe has left them behind.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Trump was the voice for this cohort in 2024, as Sanders was in the 2016 primary (and to a certain extent in the 2016 general). Maybe Democrats can learn something from that,&rdquo; he added.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-continues-to-have-confidence-in-his-national-security-team-white-house-8894436">Trump continues to have 'confidence in his national security team': White House</a>
The analysis also revealed that Elon Musk is the most unpopular GOP-aligned major official. It further said that Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pete Buttigieg are more popular than Trump and his vice president, JD Vance.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | The analysis pointed out that Senator Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in the US and not Trump. Sanders has a favourability of 46 per cent in adults, while 39 per cent view him unfavourably.

The most popular politician in the United States is not President Donald Trump, according to data analysed by an American journalist. The most favoured US politician is Senator Bernie Sanders. G. Elliott Morris, who shared the analysis on his website, determined the favourability by collecting questions from YouGov/Economist polls in the last three months, which asked voters how they viewed prominent political figures or possible candidates for the 2028 presidential elections. Also read | Trump's top advisers' private data found online amid Yemen war plans group chat scandal Morris, a data-driven journalist known for his work on election polling and predictions, explained, “Then I picked out notable figures, and graphed their net favorability rating (the share of adults saying they viewed the person/party favorably minus share saying they viewed the person/party unfavorably) in the most recent result.” Also read | Canada PM Mark Carney calls Trump's new 25% tariffs on car imports to US 'direct attack' The most popular politician in US The analysis pointed out that Senator Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in the US and not Trump. Sanders has a favourability of 46 per cent in adults, while 39 per cent view him unfavourably. He is also popular among young people (by nearly 20 points), lower-income voters, moderates, independents, Hispanics, Black voters, and men. With white voters, he is only two points underwater. Also read | Trump, Macron and Zelensky lead wave of new 'mobile phone diplomacy' According to Morris, “One theory for Sanders’ relative crossover appeal is his emphasis on criticism of the system — something young men in particular shared with him in 2016, and which left them open to the appeal of Trumpism in 2024 (especially post-inflation in 2022-2023). Sanders’s campaigning against the neoliberal consensus is persuasive with the many voters (and again, especially young people) that believe has left them behind.” “Trump was the voice for this cohort in 2024, as Sanders was in the 2016 primary (and to a certain extent in the 2016 general). Maybe Democrats can learn something from that,” he added. Also read | Trump continues to have 'confidence in his national security team': White House The analysis also revealed that Elon Musk is the most unpopular GOP-aligned major official. It further said that Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pete Buttigieg are more popular than Trump and his vice president, JD Vance. (With inputs from agencies)

New poll names US politician with the highest popularity—and it's not Donald Trump

Have you ever seen someone playing baseball in space? A Japanese astronaut shared a video playing baseball while floating in the space station.&nbsp;
American billionaire Elon Musk shared a rare instance of space entertainment, posting a video of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata playing baseball while floating in the International Space Station (ISS). &nbsp;
Netizens were delighted to see the video as he was seen playing baseball solo in the space.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/californians-spot-strange-light-in-the-sky-it-was-not-a-meteorite-8891037">Strange 'fireball' seen in California. It came from space but was not a meteorite</a>
Wakata celebrated the MLB season opener in Japan, showcasing his unique ability to pitch, hit, and catch the ball in microgravity.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68, I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity, you don&rsquo;t need a whole team; you can play all of the positions!&rdquo; he said in a post on X.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It's baseball season - the <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a> season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions! <a href="https://t.co/m1d19mbzfE">pic.twitter.com/m1d19mbzfE</a>
&mdash; Koichi Wakata 若田光一 (@Astro_Wakata) <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Wakata/status/1901995442113499480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens.&nbsp;
The video, which was captured within the ISS's JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module, has captured the attention of social media users ever since.
Moreover, Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station (ISS) and a global icon in space exploration, also reshared the video on X, saying, "That's friend &nbsp;Koichi Wakata inside the JAXA module of the International Space Station - Japan plays great baseball!"
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/india-largest-floating-solar-farms-can-be-seen-from-space-8884267">India's largest floating solar farms: This marvel can be seen from space</a>
<h2>Netizens react</h2>
Some Internet users called the video "cool", while some appreciated the skills of the astronaut, as he plays baseball in the absence of gravity.&nbsp;
The video has garnered more than 94.8 million views. A social media user said, "Zero gravity baseball? I&rsquo;d still somehow strike out.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/intern-salary-at-spacex-is-huge-way-more-than-nasa-8875387">Intern salaries at SpaceX can rival what an average American earns. 'Just $2,000 less than...'</a>
"Seems fun! Is there such a game that could be called spaceball? If humanity were to migrate to space at one point what kinda sports would ppl bring/create w (do we have a good amount of data to just begin to imagine idk) just a random thought," wrote one user.&nbsp;
"Very impressive sir! &nbsp;Great reflexes!" commented another. "Baseball game just got funnier. Keep up Astro Koichi," wrote another user.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-us-president-donald-trump-pay-out-of-his-pocket-to-nasa-astronauts-sunita-williams-and-butch-wilmore-for-staying-overtime-in-space-heres-what-he-said-8879824">Will Trump pay out of his pocket to Sunita Williams for staying overtime in space? Here's what he said</a>
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: Elon Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens.

Have you ever seen someone playing baseball in space? A Japanese astronaut shared a video playing baseball while floating in the space station. American billionaire Elon Musk shared a rare instance of space entertainment, posting a video of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata playing baseball while floating in the International Space Station (ISS). Netizens were delighted to see the video as he was seen playing baseball solo in the space. Also read: Strange 'fireball' seen in California. It came from space but was not a meteorite Wakata celebrated the MLB season opener in Japan, showcasing his unique ability to pitch, hit, and catch the ball in microgravity. “It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68, I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity, you don’t need a whole team; you can play all of the positions!” he said in a post on X. It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions! pic.twitter.com/m1d19mbzfE — Koichi Wakata 若田光一 (@Astro_Wakata) March 18, 2025 Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens. The video, which was captured within the ISS's JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module, has captured the attention of social media users ever since. Moreover, Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station (ISS) and a global icon in space exploration, also reshared the video on X, saying, "That's friend Koichi Wakata inside the JAXA module of the International Space Station - Japan plays great baseball!" Also read: India's largest floating solar farms: This marvel can be seen from space Netizens react Some Internet users called the video "cool", while some appreciated the skills of the astronaut, as he plays baseball in the absence of gravity. The video has garnered more than 94.8 million views. A social media user said, "Zero gravity baseball? I’d still somehow strike out.” Also read: Intern salaries at SpaceX can rival what an average American earns. 'Just $2,000 less than...' "Seems fun! Is there such a game that could be called spaceball? If humanity were to migrate to space at one point what kinda sports would ppl bring/create w (do we have a good amount of data to just begin to imagine idk) just a random thought," wrote one user. "Very impressive sir! Great reflexes!" commented another. "Baseball game just got funnier. Keep up Astro Koichi," wrote another user. Also read: Will Trump pay out of his pocket to Sunita Williams for staying overtime in space? Here's what he said (With inputs from agencies)

'Pitch, hit, and catch': Musk shares video of astronaut playing UNBELIEVABLE baseball in zero gravity | WATCH

Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has been facing backlash after she mocked Texas Governor Greg Abbott as he uses a "wheelchair", and called him "Governor Hot Wheels".&nbsp;
During a Human Rights Campaign event in Los Angeles, Texas Congresswoman Crockett referred to Abbott as "Governor Hot Wheels" and a "hot ass mess".&nbsp;
Crockett is also anti-Elon Musk. Earlier, she said that she wants Elon Musk to be taken down as a birthday gift for herself.&nbsp;
Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fda-scientists-told-not-to-use-words-women-disabled-elderly-white-house-calls-it-an-error-8740866">FDA scientists told not to use words &lsquo;women&rsquo;, &lsquo;disabled&rsquo;, &lsquo;elderly&rsquo;; White House calls it &lsquo;error&rsquo;</a>
&ldquo;Y&rsquo;all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there &ndash; come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a** mess, honey," Crockett said.&nbsp;
At the age of 26, Greg Abbott was paralysed after a tree fell on him while he was out running.
He is also a key ally of President Donald Trump and has long clashed with Democrats over gun control, immigration and voting rights, among other issues.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/war-on-abortions-trump-to-cut-millions-in-funding-for-family-planning-group-planned-parenthood-say-reports-8892603">War on abortions? Trump to cut millions in funding for family planning group Planned Parenthood, say reports</a>
<h2>Here's what she ACTUALLY meant</h2>
Later, Crockett in a post on X, clarified that she wasn't thinking about the governor&rsquo;s condition.&nbsp;
"I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable," she said.&nbsp;
Referring to why he called him a "Hot A** Mess", she said that she was referring to his "terrible policies".&nbsp;
"At no point did I mention or allude to his condition. So, I&rsquo;m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump&mdash;a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities&mdash;are now outraged," she added.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kemps-ridley-sea-turtle-hit-by-trumps-foreign-aid-freeze-8892466">Trump's freeze on foreign aid finds an unexpected victim - A Gulf of Mexico sea turtle</a>
<h2>Who is Jasmine Crockett?</h2>
Jasmine Crockett is currently serving as the US Representative for Texas&rsquo; 30th congressional district since January 2023.&nbsp;
She is a member of the Democratic Party and represents a district that includes parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties.
Born on March 29, 1981, Crockett is also an American lawyer.&nbsp;
Before serving in Congress, she served in the Texas House of Representatives for the 100th district from 2021 to 2023.&nbsp;
In Congress, Crockett has been a vocal advocate for civil rights, criminal justice reform, and progressive causes.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/best-place-to-hide-a-body-elon-musk-donald-trump-mock-the-atlantic-over-embarrassing-war-plans-leak-8889207">&lsquo;Best place to hide a body&rsquo;: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: During a Human Rights Campaign event in Los Angeles, Texas Congresswoman Crockett referred to Abbott as "Governor Hot Wheels" and a "hot ass mess".

Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has been facing backlash after she mocked Texas Governor Greg Abbott as he uses a "wheelchair", and called him "Governor Hot Wheels". During a Human Rights Campaign event in Los Angeles, Texas Congresswoman Crockett referred to Abbott as "Governor Hot Wheels" and a "hot ass mess". Crockett is also anti-Elon Musk. Earlier, she said that she wants Elon Musk to be taken down as a birthday gift for herself. Also read:FDA scientists told not to use words ‘women’, ‘disabled’, ‘elderly’; White House calls it ‘error’ “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there – come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a** mess, honey," Crockett said. At the age of 26, Greg Abbott was paralysed after a tree fell on him while he was out running. He is also a key ally of President Donald Trump and has long clashed with Democrats over gun control, immigration and voting rights, among other issues. Also read: War on abortions? Trump to cut millions in funding for family planning group Planned Parenthood, say reports Here's what she ACTUALLY meant Later, Crockett in a post on X, clarified that she wasn't thinking about the governor’s condition. "I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable," she said. Referring to why he called him a "Hot A** Mess", she said that she was referring to his "terrible policies". "At no point did I mention or allude to his condition. So, I’m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities—are now outraged," she added. Also read: Trump's freeze on foreign aid finds an unexpected victim - A Gulf of Mexico sea turtle Who is Jasmine Crockett? Jasmine Crockett is currently serving as the US Representative for Texas’ 30th congressional district since January 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party and represents a district that includes parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties. Born on March 29, 1981, Crockett is also an American lawyer. Before serving in Congress, she served in the Texas House of Representatives for the 100th district from 2021 to 2023. In Congress, Crockett has been a vocal advocate for civil rights, criminal justice reform, and progressive causes. Also read: ‘Best place to hide a body’: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak (With inputs from agencies)

'Hot a** mess': Anti-Elon Musk Jasmine Crockett mocks disabled Texas governor Abbott, calls him 'Hot Wheels'

Vivian Wilson, the 20-year-old daughter of Elon Musk and Justine Wilson, recently shared her experience of coming out as transgender, revealing how differently her parents reacted to the news. Watch to know more!

Elon Musk's transgender daughter Vivian Wilson calls him a ‘pathetic man-child’

President Donald Trump was quick to share a post from Elon Musk mocking The Atlantic after the magazine revealed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a top-secret group chat involving US national security officials. The chat included discussions about planned military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, &ldquo;Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-fing-idiot-trump-to-fire-nsa-mike-waltz-over-adding-journalist-in-top-secret-war-chat-says-report-8888913">'A f***ing idiot': Trump to fire NSA Mike Waltz for adding journalist in top secret war chat, says report</a>
SpaceX's boss also reposted a satirical article from The Babylon Bee, titled, &ldquo;4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans To &lsquo;The Atlantic&rsquo; Where No One Will Ever See Them.&rdquo;
<h2>'I&rsquo;m not a big fan of The Atlantic'</h2>
Trump shared Musk&rsquo;s post on his Truth Social account, also including a link to the satirical piece.
Although Trump himself claimed not to know about the situation, he didn&rsquo;t hold back when asked about it during a White House briefing.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know anything about it,&rdquo; he told reporters. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not a big fan of The Atlantic,&rdquo; he added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nazis-got-better-treatment-than-venezuelans-under-alien-enemies-act-us-court-8887341">'Nazis got better treatment than Venezuelans' under Alien Enemies Act by Trump administration, says US court</a>
&ldquo;To me, it&rsquo;s a magazine that&rsquo;s going out of business. I think it&rsquo;s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it,&rdquo; he added. When a reporter explained the nature of the messages, Trump asked, &ldquo;Having to do with what? What were they talking about?&rdquo;
According to The Atlantic, the National Security Council confirmed the chat&rsquo;s authenticity. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said.
&ldquo;This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/didnt-think-it-could-be-real-us-journalist-ends-up-in-classified-war-plan-group-chat-with-hegseth-vance-8886952">&lsquo;Didn&rsquo;t think it could be real&rsquo;: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance</a>
&ldquo;The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security,&rdquo; Hughes added.
Despite the embarrassing leak, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump remained confident in his national security team.
&ldquo;As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,&rdquo; she said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-is-jeffrey-goldberg-the-journalist-accidentally-sent-classified-yemen-war-plan-8887509">Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, “Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.”

President Donald Trump was quick to share a post from Elon Musk mocking The Atlantic after the magazine revealed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a top-secret group chat involving US national security officials. The chat included discussions about planned military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, “Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.” Also read: 'A f***ing idiot': Trump to fire NSA Mike Waltz for adding journalist in top secret war chat, says report SpaceX's boss also reposted a satirical article from The Babylon Bee, titled, “4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans To ‘The Atlantic’ Where No One Will Ever See Them.” 'I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic' Trump shared Musk’s post on his Truth Social account, also including a link to the satirical piece. Although Trump himself claimed not to know about the situation, he didn’t hold back when asked about it during a White House briefing. “I don’t know anything about it,” he told reporters. “I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic,” he added. Also read: 'Nazis got better treatment than Venezuelans' under Alien Enemies Act by Trump administration, says US court “To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. I think it’s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it,” he added. When a reporter explained the nature of the messages, Trump asked, “Having to do with what? What were they talking about?” According to The Atlantic, the National Security Council confirmed the chat’s authenticity. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said. “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.” Also read: ‘Didn’t think it could be real’: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security,” Hughes added. Despite the embarrassing leak, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump remained confident in his national security team. “As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,” she said. Also read: Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan (With inputs from agencies)

‘Best place to hide a body’: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak

NASA has introduced a new tool "weekly accomplishments app", for agency workers to track their productivity. This also complies with Elon Musk's government-efficiency demands.&nbsp;
The application will act as a secured, centralised hub for submitting weekly accomplishments to direct supervisors and simplifying existing reporting processes while helping civil servants track all they are doing over the course of the year.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Today, we will debut a new tool for the &ldquo;Five Things&rdquo; request,&rdquo; Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro told employees in an email Friday seen by Bloomberg News.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-finds-largest-carbon-molecules-on-mars-hinting-at-ancient-life-8888503">NASA finds largest organic molecules on Mars, hinting at ancient life</a>
&ldquo;This secure, internal tool makes it easier for you to track and share the incredible work you do each week.&rdquo;
"The app also provides a PowerBI dashboard view of your past accomplishments, so over time, your participation will enable data-driven insights that may help you streamline performance reviews or organizational reporting," Jeff Seaton, NASA Chief Information Officer said in a memo.
They also shared a few "important notes", saying that this tool is internal to NASA and restricted to civil servant use only.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-drops-plans-to-land-first-woman-person-of-colour-on-moon-after-trumps-dei-order-8878411">NASA drops plans to land first woman, person of colour on Moon After Trump&rsquo;s DEI order</a>
"The information collected will not be sent outside of NASA. The app serves as a communication tool between employees and their supervisors," it added.&nbsp;
The app provides a simple form for submitting five brief accomplishments every week, and the form will close every Monday at 11:59 pm local time and re-open the next day.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morning-news-brief-trump-denies-sharing-china-war-plans-with-musk-nasa-drops-plans-to-land-first-woman-on-moon-and-more-8878451">Morning news brief: Trump denies sharing China war plans with Musk; NASA drops plans to land first woman on Moon, and more</a>
Similarly, Musk's team last month sent emails to more than two million federal employees requiring them to submit their weekly achievements over email, or face losing their jobs.&nbsp;
However, the move was criticised by many across the government. The White House further clarified that workers wouldn&rsquo;t be fired if they didn&rsquo;t respond and directed them to follow the instructions of their agency heads.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/watch-dolphins-make-butch-wilmore-and-suni-williams-welcome-on-earth-magical-8867676">WATCH: Dolphins 'welcome' Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on Earth in magical moment from NASA splashdown</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The application will act as a centralised hub for submitting weekly accomplishments to direct supervisors and simplifying existing reporting processes.

NASA has introduced a new tool "weekly accomplishments app", for agency workers to track their productivity. This also complies with Elon Musk's government-efficiency demands. The application will act as a secured, centralised hub for submitting weekly accomplishments to direct supervisors and simplifying existing reporting processes while helping civil servants track all they are doing over the course of the year. “Today, we will debut a new tool for the “Five Things” request,” Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro told employees in an email Friday seen by Bloomberg News. Also read: NASA finds largest organic molecules on Mars, hinting at ancient life “This secure, internal tool makes it easier for you to track and share the incredible work you do each week.” "The app also provides a PowerBI dashboard view of your past accomplishments, so over time, your participation will enable data-driven insights that may help you streamline performance reviews or organizational reporting," Jeff Seaton, NASA Chief Information Officer said in a memo. They also shared a few "important notes", saying that this tool is internal to NASA and restricted to civil servant use only. Also read: NASA drops plans to land first woman, person of colour on Moon After Trump’s DEI order "The information collected will not be sent outside of NASA. The app serves as a communication tool between employees and their supervisors," it added. The app provides a simple form for submitting five brief accomplishments every week, and the form will close every Monday at 11:59 pm local time and re-open the next day. Also read: Morning news brief: Trump denies sharing China war plans with Musk; NASA drops plans to land first woman on Moon, and more Similarly, Musk's team last month sent emails to more than two million federal employees requiring them to submit their weekly achievements over email, or face losing their jobs. However, the move was criticised by many across the government. The White House further clarified that workers wouldn’t be fired if they didn’t respond and directed them to follow the instructions of their agency heads. Also read: WATCH: Dolphins 'welcome' Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on Earth in magical moment from NASA splashdown (With inputs from agencies)

'Track their incredible work': NASA launches 'weekly accomplishments app' for rocket scientists

There has been intense debate in India on Grok 3, the sharp-tongued AI chatbot of Elon Musk's social media platform X, which has been churning out answers to controversial and often politically sensitive questions. Depending on their political leanings, both the right-wing and left-wing observers and politicians have been interpreting Grok 3's responses to suit their narratives.&nbsp;
Indian government sources told media that they have noted the abusive language used by Grok in some of the answers, which social media users shared widely in the last few days. Meanwhile, in a parallel yet separate development, X has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government over its content blocking and takedowns on the social media platform.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-backs-musks-claim-of-white-genocide-in-south-africa-grok-fact-check-calls-them-out-8883153">Trump backs Musk's claim of &lsquo;white genocide&rsquo; in South Africa, Grok fact-check calls them out</a>
So are Elon Musk's X and the Indian government on a collision course? Can India potentially ban Grok, which is currently integrated into the user interface of X?
Let us look at the key issues here.
<h2>First up, why is X suing the Indian government?</h2>
Please note that the current controversy over Grok is not directly mentioned in the court case involving X and the Indian government. The key contention in the lawsuit filed in March by X is what it claimed to be the unlawful expansion of the Indian government's censorship powers. The social media platform is alleging that the legal provisions used by the government to block its content are bypassing safeguards established under Indian law. More specifically, the lawsuit filed in the Karnataka High Court on March 5 alleged that the Indian Ministry of Information Technology is expanding its censorship authority in asking for takedowns for certain X posts. The X lawsuit questioned the use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act for content takedown orders, saying it bypasses the safeguards of Section 69A of the same act, which mandates judicial scrutiny and oversight for such actions.&nbsp;
The case is ongoing and a hearing is scheduled on March 27.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bold-blunt-and-banned-groks-indian-journey-hangs-in-balance-8877176">Bold, Blunt, and Banned? Grok&rsquo;s Indian Journey Hangs in Balance</a>
The issue is in the larger context of how the Indian government monitors online content. X contends that the new methods used by the government infringes upon constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution.
<h2>So what is Grok 3?</h2>
Grok is a chatbot and AI assistant developed by xAI, the artificial intelligence venture of Elon Musk's X.&nbsp;While it was already available on X, the bot exploded in popularity when Grok came out with its third version, Grok 3.&nbsp;
Its answers were unfiltered, and some were controversial.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/having-fun-asking-questions-to-grok-you-may-face-criminal-charges-now-8874974">Having fun asking questions to Grok? You may face criminal charges now</a>
The bot responded with Hindi slang and abusive language while answering some questions related to Indian politicians and even Elon Musk himself. But in many cases, the bad language was in response to questions that themselves contained abuses. In short, it was a case of tit for tat.
Some of the Grok responses contained Hindi slang words commonly used as misogynistic insults, which raised eyebrows both regarding obscenity laws and cultural context of India.
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/2003_ARJUN_HINDI_12PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/2003_ARJUN_HINDI_12PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=104&amp;tags=Elon Musk, AI, Grok, World News, WION" title="Musk's AI bot Grok under scrutiny: IT Mnistry looking into what led to the use of abusive language" id="PL_iframe_block-m8mwzsmu-x3n1turl-f77amdro"></iframe>
Some of these interactions were posted on X (these become public only when the users share it on X, otherwise it's essentially a private interaction) and went viral.
Questions included those about Indian politicians, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
<h2>What is the Indian government's stance on Grok? Will Grok be banned in India?</h2>
The information technology ministry is looking into Grok's use of abusive language, and hasn't made any comment on the political nature of its answers, or their accuracy. The Indian government is reportedly discussing with the relevant people of X on the issue.
At the time of writing this, a ban on Grok seems highly unlikely.
The IT ministry said it is engaging with X, and contrary to initial reports, made it clear that there was no formal notice or ban issued against X.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-talks-with-x-grok-will-india-take-action-after-musks-x-sues-modi-govt-over-alleged-censorship-8874168">'In talks with X, Grok': Will India take action after Musk's X sues Modi govt over alleged censorship?</a>
But the political ramifications of some of the answers could make the government think more deeply about a ban or restrictions on Grok in future.&nbsp;
There is also a view that some of the Grok answers could endanger India's national security, or law and order.
Some media reports said that those posing such inflammatory questions to Grok could face charges, along with X, but no such case has come up so far.
<h2>Is Grok banned or facing pressure in other countries?</h2>
At the time of writing this, Grok is facing scrutiny only in India, partly as a consequence of its sudden popularity. It has not been censored or criticised in other countries.
Under its new laws on artificial intelligence, the European Union has banned 'unacceptably risky' AI systems, though Grok itself is not named. &nbsp; &nbsp; The current tussles involving X and the Indian government is of importance to Musk, as he is planning to launch his other businesses in India: the Starlink satellite internet service and Tesla electric vehicles. Issues related to Grok and X could potentially affect these ventures.
&nbsp;

India world trending : Are Elon Musk's X and the Indian government on a collision course? Can India potentially ban Grok, which is currently integrated into the user interface of X?

There has been intense debate in India on Grok 3, the sharp-tongued AI chatbot of Elon Musk's social media platform X, which has been churning out answers to controversial and often politically sensitive questions. Depending on their political leanings, both the right-wing and left-wing observers and politicians have been interpreting Grok 3's responses to suit their narratives. Indian government sources told media that they have noted the abusive language used by Grok in some of the answers, which social media users shared widely in the last few days. Meanwhile, in a parallel yet separate development, X has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government over its content blocking and takedowns on the social media platform. Trump backs Musk's claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, Grok fact-check calls them out So are Elon Musk's X and the Indian government on a collision course? Can India potentially ban Grok, which is currently integrated into the user interface of X? Let us look at the key issues here. First up, why is X suing the Indian government? Please note that the current controversy over Grok is not directly mentioned in the court case involving X and the Indian government. The key contention in the lawsuit filed in March by X is what it claimed to be the unlawful expansion of the Indian government's censorship powers. The social media platform is alleging that the legal provisions used by the government to block its content are bypassing safeguards established under Indian law. More specifically, the lawsuit filed in the Karnataka High Court on March 5 alleged that the Indian Ministry of Information Technology is expanding its censorship authority in asking for takedowns for certain X posts. The X lawsuit questioned the use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act for content takedown orders, saying it bypasses the safeguards of Section 69A of the same act, which mandates judicial scrutiny and oversight for such actions. The case is ongoing and a hearing is scheduled on March 27. Bold, Blunt, and Banned? Grok’s Indian Journey Hangs in Balance The issue is in the larger context of how the Indian government monitors online content. X contends that the new methods used by the government infringes upon constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. So what is Grok 3? Grok is a chatbot and AI assistant developed by xAI, the artificial intelligence venture of Elon Musk's X. While it was already available on X, the bot exploded in popularity when Grok came out with its third version, Grok 3. Its answers were unfiltered, and some were controversial. Having fun asking questions to Grok? You may face criminal charges now The bot responded with Hindi slang and abusive language while answering some questions related to Indian politicians and even Elon Musk himself. But in many cases, the bad language was in response to questions that themselves contained abuses. In short, it was a case of tit for tat. Some of the Grok responses contained Hindi slang words commonly used as misogynistic insults, which raised eyebrows both regarding obscenity laws and cultural context of India. Some of these interactions were posted on X (these become public only when the users share it on X, otherwise it's essentially a private interaction) and went viral. Questions included those about Indian politicians, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. What is the Indian government's stance on Grok? Will Grok be banned in India? The information technology ministry is looking into Grok's use of abusive language, and hasn't made any comment on the political nature of its answers, or their accuracy. The Indian government is reportedly discussing with the relevant people of X on the issue. At the time of writing this, a ban on Grok seems highly unlikely. The IT ministry said it is engaging with X, and contrary to initial reports, made it clear that there was no formal notice or ban issued against X. 'In talks with X, Grok': Will India take action after Musk's X sues Modi govt over alleged censorship? But the political ramifications of some of the answers could make the government think more deeply about a ban or restrictions on Grok in future. There is also a view that some of the Grok answers could endanger India's national security, or law and order. Some media reports said that those posing such inflammatory questions to Grok could face charges, along with X, but no such case has come up so far. Is Grok banned or facing pressure in other countries? At the time of writing this, Grok is facing scrutiny only in India, partly as a consequence of its sudden popularity. It has not been censored or criticised in other countries. Under its new laws on artificial intelligence, the European Union has banned 'unacceptably risky' AI systems, though Grok itself is not named. The current tussles involving X and the Indian government is of importance to Musk, as he is planning to launch his other businesses in India: the Starlink satellite internet service and Tesla electric vehicles. Issues related to Grok and X could potentially affect these ventures.

India vs Grok 3: Will Modi govt ban the sharp-tongued AI bot of Elon Musk's X? Your questions, answered

Elon Musk engaged in a rare meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for eighty minutes during a high-level discussion which led to widespread questions about defense secrets and possible ethical issues at the Pentagon. &nbsp;
Musk denied through multiple statements that any information regarding top-secret U.S. China war strategies was presented to him by Pentagon officials despite his extensive defense contracts. Suppressing New York Times reports about secret meeting topics became a joint initiative between former President Trump and Elon Musk and other Defense Department figures. &nbsp;
The Pentagon's employees who share fake information to NYT should face court prosecution in the near future. Musk declared on X moments before the conference that the Pentagon leakers would be traced down. &nbsp;
Since the New York Times maintained its journalistic stance through defending its reporting activities it indicated that federal leak investigations endanger press rights as well as prevention of crucial information release. Hegseth&rsquo;s chief of staff released a memorandum during the late evening to conduct a probe about unauthorised leaks and to consider administering polygraph tests for identifying perpetrators. &nbsp;
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-order-to-eliminate-us-education-department-8874844">Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department</a>
During the press briefing Trump denied giving away military plans to Musk yet he confirmed his apprehension about Musk's relationship with Chinese businesses. &nbsp;
I do not want to present the material to other individuals. Trump declared that a crucial business partner of his does not need to see the military plans but added "But certainly, you wouldn't show it to a businessman who is helping us so much," Trump said. Elon Musk conducts business operations in China so he might potentially fall victim to such information exposure. &nbsp;
During the White House appearance Hegseth supported Trump by telling reporters that Musk received nonclassified information about space exploration. Hegseth emphasized the meeting was casual and concentrated on technological progress and operational effectiveness. War plans did not exist in any form whether Chinese or American at that time. He emphasized that no covert military strategies existed during the discussion. &nbsp;
The meeting scheduled between Musk and Joint Chiefs personnel inside the secure "The Tank" space at the Pentagon ended up being canceled because of public monitoring. &nbsp;
Two Democratic senators, Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, have since demanded details on Musk&rsquo;s involvement, questioning the rationale for sharing any national security information with him. &nbsp;
The visit comes as Musk plays a key role in advising the Trump administration on government spending cuts. His company SpaceX stands to benefit significantly from proposed defense projects, including the Golden Dome missile defense shield, which could generate billions in government contracts.

Autonews | During the White House appearance Hegseth supported Trump by telling reporters that Musk received nonclassified information about space exploration.

Elon Musk engaged in a rare meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for eighty minutes during a high-level discussion which led to widespread questions about defense secrets and possible ethical issues at the Pentagon. Musk denied through multiple statements that any information regarding top-secret U.S. China war strategies was presented to him by Pentagon officials despite his extensive defense contracts. Suppressing New York Times reports about secret meeting topics became a joint initiative between former President Trump and Elon Musk and other Defense Department figures. The Pentagon's employees who share fake information to NYT should face court prosecution in the near future. Musk declared on X moments before the conference that the Pentagon leakers would be traced down. Since the New York Times maintained its journalistic stance through defending its reporting activities it indicated that federal leak investigations endanger press rights as well as prevention of crucial information release. Hegseth’s chief of staff released a memorandum during the late evening to conduct a probe about unauthorised leaks and to consider administering polygraph tests for identifying perpetrators. Also Read | Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department During the press briefing Trump denied giving away military plans to Musk yet he confirmed his apprehension about Musk's relationship with Chinese businesses. I do not want to present the material to other individuals. Trump declared that a crucial business partner of his does not need to see the military plans but added "But certainly, you wouldn't show it to a businessman who is helping us so much," Trump said. Elon Musk conducts business operations in China so he might potentially fall victim to such information exposure. During the White House appearance Hegseth supported Trump by telling reporters that Musk received nonclassified information about space exploration. Hegseth emphasized the meeting was casual and concentrated on technological progress and operational effectiveness. War plans did not exist in any form whether Chinese or American at that time. He emphasized that no covert military strategies existed during the discussion. The meeting scheduled between Musk and Joint Chiefs personnel inside the secure "The Tank" space at the Pentagon ended up being canceled because of public monitoring. Two Democratic senators, Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, have since demanded details on Musk’s involvement, questioning the rationale for sharing any national security information with him. The visit comes as Musk plays a key role in advising the Trump administration on government spending cuts. His company SpaceX stands to benefit significantly from proposed defense projects, including the Golden Dome missile defense shield, which could generate billions in government contracts.

Elon Musk holds Pentagon talks, calls for prosecution of leakers

In the backdrop of diplomatic tensions between the US and South Africa, Elon Musk has once again accused the South African government of racial discrimination. Watch to know more!

Trump supports Musk’s 'white genocide' claim against South Africa

The Pentagon says it will investigate unauthorized leaks of national security information that could include lie detector tests of its staff. The reports of the leak come after the Department of Government Efficiency visited the Pentagon on Friday to talk about inefficiencies, efficiencies, and innovations. The Department of Defense said its intelligence and law enforcement arms are carrying out the inquiry to find out who leaked information to the press. Media reports have stated that Musk was briefed on the Trump administration's plans for how the US would handle a potential war with China, a claim that both Trump and Musk denied. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also denied claims of Musk being briefed about US-China plans. Watch in for more details!

US: Pentagon launches investigation into leaks after Musk's visit

In the backdrop of diplomatic tensions between the US and South Africa, Elon Musk has once again accused the South African government of racial discrimination.

Musk accuses South African political party of promoting white genocide after Malema's song

Elon Musk&rsquo;s companies are set to benefit massively from a wave of new federal contracts and support across several key US government departments, as the Trump administration continues to align policies with Musk&rsquo;s interests, as per The New York Times report.
<h2>A new era of influence</h2>
Appointed by President Trump to lead a cost-cutting effort, Musk is running a group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has overseen the dismissal of nearly 100,000 federal workers and the shutdown of various agencies. While the exact scope of his power is unclear, his growing influence is undeniable.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-backs-musks-claim-of-white-genocide-in-south-africa-grok-fact-check-calls-them-out-8883153">Trump backs Musk's claim of &lsquo;white genocide&rsquo; in South Africa, Grok fact-check calls them out</a>
<h2>SpaceX embedded across government</h2>
Across the government, Musk&rsquo;s aerospace company SpaceX is becoming deeply embedded.
<ul>
<li>The Pentagon is exploring the use of SpaceX rockets to rapidly transport military equipment around the globe.</li>
<li>NASA is being pushed, partly due to Musk&rsquo;s lobbying, to shift focus towards Mars exploration&mdash;a move that could see SpaceX winning major contracts to send the first humans to the red planet.</li>
<li>The FAA and White House have begun installing Starlink satellite internet terminals, expanding Musk&rsquo;s presence inside federal systems.</li>
</ul>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/political-nonsense-elon-musks-father-defends-son-says-he-was-friends-with-black-servants-during-apartheid-8881788">'Political nonsense': Elon Musk's father defends son, says he was 'friends' with Black servants during apartheid</a>
According to The New York Times, this expansion comes not only from Trump&rsquo;s directives but also from the placement of Musk&rsquo;s allies and former employees in influential government positions.
The New York Times report said, &ldquo;Even if Trump had never given Musk and his employees a government role&mdash;or if former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had been elected to a second term&mdash;SpaceX would have continued to secure new government work. What has changed is the overall value of the work expected to be delivered to SpaceX.&rdquo;
<h2>Federal contracts</h2>
SpaceX was already a top federal contractor, with $3.8 billion in contracts secured in fiscal year 2024 across 344 deals. But that figure is expected to grow significantly under current policies prioritising private space companies for key services such as:
<ul>
<li>Satellite manufacturing</li>
<li>Communications infrastructure</li>
<li>Government transport missions</li>
</ul>
One major step includes the FAA&rsquo;s recent approval to double SpaceX&rsquo;s Falcon 9 rocket launches at Cape Canaveral, from 48 to 120 per year.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slimy-billionaire-elon-musk-blasted-for-buying-votes-in-wisconsin-court-election-as-trump-backs-brad-schimel-8880989">'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for &lsquo;buying votes&rsquo; in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel</a>
During the Biden administration, SpaceX&rsquo;s Starlink satellite internet service was mostly excluded from federal rural broadband funding. That changed with the appointment of Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary. At his confirmation hearing, Lutnick vowed to change how $42 billion in broadband funds are distributed.
&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s use satellites, let&rsquo;s use wireless, and let&rsquo;s use fibre,&rdquo; Lutnick said. &ldquo;And let&rsquo;s do it the cheapest, most efficiently we can.&rdquo; This shift allows Starlink to fully compete for rural broadband deals nationwide.
<h2>Ethical concerns </h2>
Musk&rsquo;s reach inside the government has raised ethical red flags. SpaceX employees embedded in federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have been granted ethics waivers allowing them to participate in decisions that may directly benefit SpaceX.
One employee, Theodore Malaska, posted on X that FAA systems are now integrating Starlink satellites to relay weather data to pilots, technology that could bring further revenue to Musk&rsquo;s company. Though the FAA claims only eight Starlink terminals are currently in use, others have appeared in White House offices and at the General Services Administration.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-makes-rare-admission-on-musks-conflicts-of-interest-says-certainly-you-wouldnt-show-the-businessman-china-war-plans-8878296">Trump makes rare admission on Musk&rsquo;s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn&rsquo;t show' businessman China war plans</a>
Federal law prohibits employees from making decisions that benefit their financial interests or give the appearance of a conflict. While Musk has claimed he is not personally involved in securing contracts, the whole situation raises unprecedented questions about influence and access.
After a fatal collision between a military helicopter and a civilian plane in January, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy brought in SpaceX teams to help modernise air traffic systems. Musk soon criticised Verizon for delays in implementing the FAA&rsquo;s updated network, calling it a &ldquo;serious risk to air travellers&rdquo;. With Starlink now being considered as an alternative, SpaceX could secure a foothold in another critical infrastructure system.
Musk&rsquo;s influence comes after he donated nearly $300 million to Donald Trump&rsquo;s 2024 campaign and later joined the administration as a cost-cutting&nbsp;adviso.
Blair Levin, a former FCC official, told NYT, &ldquo;The odds of Elon getting whatever Elon wants are much higher today. He is in the White House and Mar-a-Lago. No one ever anticipated that an industry competitor would have access to those kinds of levers of power.&rdquo;
NASA, which has already paid SpaceX over $13 billion in contracts over the past decade, may hand over even more in future deals. These have included cargo and astronaut missions and launching the agency&rsquo;s largest space probes.
Now, Trump has nominated Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who paid SpaceX to fly to orbit twice, as the new head of NASA. Isaacman&rsquo;s firm, Shift4 Payments, previously held a stake in SpaceX, earning $25 million before selling it off. In his ethics filings, Isaacman promised to sever all remaining financial ties to the company.
He will join Michael Altenhofen, another former SpaceX staffer who became a senior NASA adviser in February.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: While Musk has claimed he is not personally involved in securing contracts, the whole situation raises unprecedented questions about influence and access.

Elon Musk’s companies are set to benefit massively from a wave of new federal contracts and support across several key US government departments, as the Trump administration continues to align policies with Musk’s interests, as per The New York Times report. A new era of influence Appointed by President Trump to lead a cost-cutting effort, Musk is running a group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has overseen the dismissal of nearly 100,000 federal workers and the shutdown of various agencies. While the exact scope of his power is unclear, his growing influence is undeniable. Also read: Trump backs Musk's claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, Grok fact-check calls them out SpaceX embedded across government Across the government, Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX is becoming deeply embedded. The Pentagon is exploring the use of SpaceX rockets to rapidly transport military equipment around the globe. NASA is being pushed, partly due to Musk’s lobbying, to shift focus towards Mars exploration—a move that could see SpaceX winning major contracts to send the first humans to the red planet. The FAA and White House have begun installing Starlink satellite internet terminals, expanding Musk’s presence inside federal systems. Also read: 'Political nonsense': Elon Musk's father defends son, says he was 'friends' with Black servants during apartheid According to The New York Times, this expansion comes not only from Trump’s directives but also from the placement of Musk’s allies and former employees in influential government positions. The New York Times report said, “Even if Trump had never given Musk and his employees a government role—or if former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had been elected to a second term—SpaceX would have continued to secure new government work. What has changed is the overall value of the work expected to be delivered to SpaceX.” Federal contracts SpaceX was already a top federal contractor, with $3.8 billion in contracts secured in fiscal year 2024 across 344 deals. But that figure is expected to grow significantly under current policies prioritising private space companies for key services such as: Satellite manufacturing Communications infrastructure Government transport missions One major step includes the FAA’s recent approval to double SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches at Cape Canaveral, from 48 to 120 per year. Also read: 'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel During the Biden administration, SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service was mostly excluded from federal rural broadband funding. That changed with the appointment of Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary. At his confirmation hearing, Lutnick vowed to change how $42 billion in broadband funds are distributed. “Let’s use satellites, let’s use wireless, and let’s use fibre,” Lutnick said. “And let’s do it the cheapest, most efficiently we can.” This shift allows Starlink to fully compete for rural broadband deals nationwide. Ethical concerns Musk’s reach inside the government has raised ethical red flags. SpaceX employees embedded in federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have been granted ethics waivers allowing them to participate in decisions that may directly benefit SpaceX. One employee, Theodore Malaska, posted on X that FAA systems are now integrating Starlink satellites to relay weather data to pilots, technology that could bring further revenue to Musk’s company. Though the FAA claims only eight Starlink terminals are currently in use, others have appeared in White House offices and at the General Services Administration. Also read: Trump makes rare admission on Musk’s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn’t show' businessman China war plans Federal law prohibits employees from making decisions that benefit their financial interests or give the appearance of a conflict. While Musk has claimed he is not personally involved in securing contracts, the whole situation raises unprecedented questions about influence and access. After a fatal collision between a military helicopter and a civilian plane in January, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy brought in SpaceX teams to help modernise air traffic systems. Musk soon criticised Verizon for delays in implementing the FAA’s updated network, calling it a “serious risk to air travellers”. With Starlink now being considered as an alternative, SpaceX could secure a foothold in another critical infrastructure system. Musk’s influence comes after he donated nearly $300 million to Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign and later joined the administration as a cost-cutting adviso. Blair Levin, a former FCC official, told NYT, “The odds of Elon getting whatever Elon wants are much higher today. He is in the White House and Mar-a-Lago. No one ever anticipated that an industry competitor would have access to those kinds of levers of power.” NASA, which has already paid SpaceX over $13 billion in contracts over the past decade, may hand over even more in future deals. These have included cargo and astronaut missions and launching the agency’s largest space probes. Now, Trump has nominated Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who paid SpaceX to fly to orbit twice, as the new head of NASA. Isaacman’s firm, Shift4 Payments, previously held a stake in SpaceX, earning $25 million before selling it off. In his ethics filings, Isaacman promised to sever all remaining financial ties to the company. He will join Michael Altenhofen, another former SpaceX staffer who became a senior NASA adviser in February. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Elon getting whatever Elon wants’: How Musk’s $300 million bet on Trump could make him billions

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Mar 23) reshared an X post by his close aide Elon Musk, suggesting he backs the claim made by the billionaire claiming a political party in South Africa is &ldquo;actively promoting white genocide&rdquo;.
Interestingly, the Tesla CEO&rsquo;s claims were fact-checked by his own Grok AI, which said that some of his claims were not completely true and one was false, according to a Grok conversation link posted by a user.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slimy-billionaire-elon-musk-blasted-for-buying-votes-in-wisconsin-court-election-as-trump-backs-brad-schimel-8880989">'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for &lsquo;buying votes&rsquo; in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel</a>
Musk's remarks came after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema led supporters were seen singing &ldquo;kill the Boer, kill the Farmer&rdquo; at a rally commemorating the Sharpeville Massacre on Friday (Mar 21).
Replying to a video from the rally posted on X, Musk wrote, &ldquo;Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that is actively promoting white genocide. The video below was just yesterday. A whole arena chanting about killing white people.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/political-nonsense-elon-musks-father-defends-son-says-he-was-friends-with-black-servants-during-apartheid-8881788">'Political nonsense': Elon Musk's father defends son, says he was 'friends' with Black servants during apartheid</a>
&ldquo;A month ago, the South African government passed a law legalizing taking property from white people at will with no payment,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Where is the outrage? Why is there no coverage by the legacy media? Starlink can&rsquo;t get a license to operate in South Africa simply because I&rsquo;m not black. How is that right?&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lryp8j-wtayegrx-kcjsy7za">
Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that is actively promoting white genocide. The video below was just yesterday. A whole arena chanting about killing white people. A month ago, the South African government passed a law legalizing&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/GHYp6DvGkr">https://t.co/GHYp6DvGkr</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1903556327290626165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-needs-to-step-back-tesla-backer-says-ceo-must-reduce-tump-work-amid-protests-dropping-shares-8874285">&lsquo;Musk needs to step back&rsquo;: Tesla backer says CEO must reduce Trump work amid protests, dropping shares</a>
<h2>Grok fact-checks Musk</h2>
According to Grok's conversation shared by the user, while the &ldquo;EFF&rsquo;s use of &ldquo;Kill the Boer&rdquo; is real and controversial, there is no evidence of a systematic campaign of violence that would constitute genocide. The claim exaggerates the situation.&rdquo;
Musk&rsquo;s Grok also said that his claim about the law legalising taking property from white people was partially true but misleading as it did not specifically target white people, nor it is &ldquo;at will&rdquo; as Musk suggested.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-thrashes-report-claiming-pentagon-would-brief-musk-on-potential-war-with-china-calls-it-fake-news-8875389">Trump trashes report claiming Pentagon would brief Musk on potential war with China, calls it &lsquo;Fake News&rsquo;</a>
The SpaceX CEO&rsquo;s claims that Starlink can&rsquo;t get a license because he is not black was false, according to Grok as the restriction stem from regulatory and strategic issues, not Musk&rsquo;s race.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lrz7w6-1lrdel68-5hs12f3a">
It&rsquo;s South Africa, this is North America. These issues stem from apartheid and historical injustice. While there are shreds of truth you purposely leave out the context and exaggerate to fit your white supremest narrative. Grok breaks it down for anyone who wants context:&hellip;
&mdash; CoachBarry18 🇨🇦 (@CoachBarry18) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBarry18/status/1903582537424724325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Grok further added that there is some outrage and coverage of the matter but Musk&rsquo;s perception may reflect his expectations or ideological stance, calling his claim subjective.
(With inputs from agencies)

Trending | World | Interestingly, the Tesla CEO’s claims were fact-checked by his own Grok AI, which said that some of his claims were not completely true and one was false, according to a Grok conversation link posted by a user.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Mar 23) reshared an X post by his close aide Elon Musk, suggesting he backs the claim made by the billionaire claiming a political party in South Africa is “actively promoting white genocide”. Interestingly, the Tesla CEO’s claims were fact-checked by his own Grok AI, which said that some of his claims were not completely true and one was false, according to a Grok conversation link posted by a user. Also read | 'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel Musk's remarks came after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema led supporters were seen singing “kill the Boer, kill the Farmer” at a rally commemorating the Sharpeville Massacre on Friday (Mar 21). Replying to a video from the rally posted on X, Musk wrote, “Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that is actively promoting white genocide. The video below was just yesterday. A whole arena chanting about killing white people.” Also read | 'Political nonsense': Elon Musk's father defends son, says he was 'friends' with Black servants during apartheid “A month ago, the South African government passed a law legalizing taking property from white people at will with no payment,” he continued. “Where is the outrage? Why is there no coverage by the legacy media? Starlink can’t get a license to operate in South Africa simply because I’m not black. How is that right?” Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that is actively promoting white genocide. The video below was just yesterday. A whole arena chanting about killing white people. A month ago, the South African government passed a law legalizing… https://t.co/GHYp6DvGkr — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 22, 2025 Also read | ‘Musk needs to step back’: Tesla backer says CEO must reduce Trump work amid protests, dropping shares Grok fact-checks Musk According to Grok's conversation shared by the user, while the “EFF’s use of “Kill the Boer” is real and controversial, there is no evidence of a systematic campaign of violence that would constitute genocide. The claim exaggerates the situation.” Musk’s Grok also said that his claim about the law legalising taking property from white people was partially true but misleading as it did not specifically target white people, nor it is “at will” as Musk suggested. Also read | Trump trashes report claiming Pentagon would brief Musk on potential war with China, calls it ‘Fake News’ The SpaceX CEO’s claims that Starlink can’t get a license because he is not black was false, according to Grok as the restriction stem from regulatory and strategic issues, not Musk’s race. It’s South Africa, this is North America. These issues stem from apartheid and historical injustice. While there are shreds of truth you purposely leave out the context and exaggerate to fit your white supremest narrative. Grok breaks it down for anyone who wants context:… — CoachBarry18 🇨🇦 (@CoachBarry18) March 22, 2025 Grok further added that there is some outrage and coverage of the matter but Musk’s perception may reflect his expectations or ideological stance, calling his claim subjective. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump backs Musk's claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, Grok fact-check calls them out

Elon Musk says political party in South Africa promoting white genocide

Elon Musk's father Errol Musk came in defence of his son after the Tesla CEO was accused of racism. Errol is a South African with British ancestry. Errol said his children were uninterested in "political nonsense" and that they had good relationship with their Black domestic helpers during the apartheid era in South Africa.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slimy-billionaire-elon-musk-blasted-for-buying-votes-in-wisconsin-court-election-as-trump-backs-brad-schimel-8880989">'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for &lsquo;buying votes&rsquo; in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel</a>
"We had several black servants who were their friends," the 79-year-old told the Washington Post responding to Musk's opposition to workplace diversity and equity programs (DEI).&nbsp;
Errol further talked about the South Africa during his children's upbringing as a "well-run, law-abiding country with virtually no crime at all."&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xiaomi-ceo-tosses-watermelons-to-show-off-bulletproof-strength-8876596">Watch: Xiaomi CEO tosses watermelons to show off 'bulletproof' strength. Guess what happened</a>
Talking about importing emeralds from an unregistered Zambian mine during the apartheid era, Errol said the entire operation "helped me and my two boys sustain ourselves during the collapse of Apartheid".&nbsp;
Although in 2021, Elon Musk distanced himself from the claim of his family's involvement with the mine as he said in a post on the social media platform X that he came to Canada in 1989 with only $2,500 Canadian dollars, took on $100,000 in student debt, and independently built his first business using his personal computer.
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/autonews/tesla-trade-ins-surge-amidst-backlash-against-elon-musk-8876435">Tesla trade-ins surge amidst backlash against Elon Musk</a>
<h2>'Bubble of entitlement'</h2>
Critics argue that Elon Musk's privileged background protected him from the realities of apartheid. Rudolph Pienaar, a former schoolmate, described Elon's childhood as a "bubble of entitlement," telling The Washington Post, "I am not sure if Elon can conceive of systematic discrimination and struggle because that's not his experience. His life now in some ways is how it was under apartheid&mdash;rich and entitled with the entire society built to sustain him and his ilk."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-x-sues-indian-govt-over-alleged-censorship-says-centre-illegally-blocking-online-content-8873329">Elon Musk's X sues Modi govt over alleged censorship, says India 'illegally blocking online content'</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | Elon Musk's father Errol Musk came in defence of his son after the Tesla CEO was accused of racism. Errol himself is a South African with British ancestry.

Elon Musk's father Errol Musk came in defence of his son after the Tesla CEO was accused of racism. Errol is a South African with British ancestry. Errol said his children were uninterested in "political nonsense" and that they had good relationship with their Black domestic helpers during the apartheid era in South Africa. Also read: 'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel "We had several black servants who were their friends," the 79-year-old told the Washington Post responding to Musk's opposition to workplace diversity and equity programs (DEI). Errol further talked about the South Africa during his children's upbringing as a "well-run, law-abiding country with virtually no crime at all." Also read: Watch: Xiaomi CEO tosses watermelons to show off 'bulletproof' strength. Guess what happened Talking about importing emeralds from an unregistered Zambian mine during the apartheid era, Errol said the entire operation "helped me and my two boys sustain ourselves during the collapse of Apartheid". Although in 2021, Elon Musk distanced himself from the claim of his family's involvement with the mine as he said in a post on the social media platform X that he came to Canada in 1989 with only $2,500 Canadian dollars, took on $100,000 in student debt, and independently built his first business using his personal computer. Also read: Tesla trade-ins surge amidst backlash against Elon Musk 'Bubble of entitlement' Critics argue that Elon Musk's privileged background protected him from the realities of apartheid. Rudolph Pienaar, a former schoolmate, described Elon's childhood as a "bubble of entitlement," telling The Washington Post, "I am not sure if Elon can conceive of systematic discrimination and struggle because that's not his experience. His life now in some ways is how it was under apartheid—rich and entitled with the entire society built to sustain him and his ilk." Also read: Elon Musk's X sues Modi govt over alleged censorship, says India 'illegally blocking online content' (With inputs from agencies)

'Political nonsense': Elon Musk's father defends son, says he was 'friends' with Black servants during apartheid

Elon Musk is once again drawing criticism for offering money to voters, this time in a close contest over control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its &ldquo;Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.&rdquo; 
The petition states, &ldquo;Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas.&rdquo; It continues, &ldquo;By signing below, I&rsquo;m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role&mdash;interpreting, not legislating.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-makes-rare-admission-on-musks-conflicts-of-interest-says-certainly-you-wouldnt-show-the-businessman-china-war-plans-8878296">Trump makes rare admission on Musk&rsquo;s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn&rsquo;t show' businessman China war plans</a>
Critics have slammed the tactic as an attempt to buy votes. The move appears designed to identify conservative-leaning voters and encourage them to turn out at the polls.
<h2>Trump backs Brad Schimel</h2>
US President Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind Brad Schimel. &ldquo;There is a very important Election for State Supreme Court on April 1st, and Early Voting is now underway,&rdquo; wrote US President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
&ldquo;Brad Schimel is running against Radical Left Liberal Susan Crawford, who has repeatedly given child molesters, rapists, women beaters, and domestic abusers &lsquo;light&rsquo; sentences. She is the handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country &mdash; And if she wins, the Movement to restore our Nation will bypass Wisconsin. All Voters who believe in Common Sense should GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY for Brad Schimel,&rdquo; Trump added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/these-are-terrorists-trump-defends-musk-says-tesla-attacks-worse-than-jan-6-capitol-riot-8878054">'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>
This is not the first time Musk and America PAC have offered cash in the political sphere. Before the last presidential election, the group promised $47 to anyone who persuaded a registered voter to sign a petition in favour of free speech and gun rights. 
<h2>Why is the Wisconsin Supreme Court race crucial?</h2>
The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race is being closely watched, as it will decide the court's ideological balance. Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general backed by Republicans, is up against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge supported by Democrats. Crawford has previously represented Planned Parenthood and other progressive clients in private practice.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
In February, Tesla filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin challenging a state law that prevents the company from opening its own dealerships. America PAC, along with another Musk-funded group, Building America&rsquo;s Future, has spent over $13 million on the election so far, according to the Associated Press.
&ldquo;Elon Musk has now resorted to trying to buy votes because he wants Schimel to rule in favour of his company&rsquo;s lawsuit,&rdquo; Crawford posted on X on Friday. &ldquo;Wisconsinites don&rsquo;t want a slimy billionaire like Musk or a corrupt politician like Schimel controlling the Supreme Court,&rdquo; she added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its “Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.”

Elon Musk is once again drawing criticism for offering money to voters, this time in a close contest over control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its “Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.” The petition states, “Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas.” It continues, “By signing below, I’m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role—interpreting, not legislating.” Also read: Trump makes rare admission on Musk’s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn’t show' businessman China war plans Critics have slammed the tactic as an attempt to buy votes. The move appears designed to identify conservative-leaning voters and encourage them to turn out at the polls. Trump backs Brad Schimel US President Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind Brad Schimel. “There is a very important Election for State Supreme Court on April 1st, and Early Voting is now underway,” wrote US President Donald Trump on Truth Social. “Brad Schimel is running against Radical Left Liberal Susan Crawford, who has repeatedly given child molesters, rapists, women beaters, and domestic abusers ‘light’ sentences. She is the handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country — And if she wins, the Movement to restore our Nation will bypass Wisconsin. All Voters who believe in Common Sense should GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY for Brad Schimel,” Trump added. Also read: 'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot This is not the first time Musk and America PAC have offered cash in the political sphere. Before the last presidential election, the group promised $47 to anyone who persuaded a registered voter to sign a petition in favour of free speech and gun rights. Why is the Wisconsin Supreme Court race crucial? The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race is being closely watched, as it will decide the court's ideological balance. Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general backed by Republicans, is up against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge supported by Democrats. Crawford has previously represented Planned Parenthood and other progressive clients in private practice. Also read: China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend In February, Tesla filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin challenging a state law that prevents the company from opening its own dealerships. America PAC, along with another Musk-funded group, Building America’s Future, has spent over $13 million on the election so far, according to the Associated Press. “Elon Musk has now resorted to trying to buy votes because he wants Schimel to rule in favour of his company’s lawsuit,” Crawford posted on X on Friday. “Wisconsinites don’t want a slimy billionaire like Musk or a corrupt politician like Schimel controlling the Supreme Court,” she added. Also read: ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail (With inputs from agencies)

'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel

Twitter's iconic bird logo has been sold at an RR auction almost two years after the logo was removed from the company's former San Francisco headquarters when Elon Musk took over the social media company.&nbsp;
Elon Musk rebranded it and changed the name to X in September 2023.
The famous logo was put up for sale for nearly $35,000 at the RR action. The auction deals in "rare and collectible items".&nbsp;
According to RR Auction, the blue bird hung on the southeast side of Twitter&rsquo;s HQ from 2012 to 2023.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-x-to-pay-donald-trump-10-million-to-settle-twitter-ban-lawsuit-report-8715849">Elon Musk&rsquo;s X to pay Donald Trump $10 million to settle Twitter ban lawsuit: Report</a>
However, the RR auction has not yet revealed the buyer's identity.
The sign was first put up for sale when Musk ran a "Twitter rebranding auction" in August 2023. Then, buyers had a chance to obtain all kinds of memorabilia, including smaller bird logos and hashtag signs, in addition to other office furniture.&nbsp;
The company also offered two blue bird signs that had been hanging outside corporate headquarters. which has since been moved to Texas.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-offers-to-buy-openai-for-nearly-100bn-sam-altman-says-would-rather-buy-twitter-for-8709155">Elon Musk offers to buy OpenAI for nearly $100bn, Sam Altman says would rather buy 'Twitter' for...</a>
According to a video, the auctioned sign is quite large and will require a truck to haul it.&nbsp;
<h2>How much does it weigh?&nbsp;</h2>
The iconic logo weighs 560-pound (254 kilogram), and is 12 feet by 9 feet (3.7 meters by 2.7 meters), sold for $34,375, according to RR Auction.&nbsp;
In 2022, American billionaire Elon Musk paid $44 billion to acquire X, formerly Twitter. He also announced in 2023 that the firm would soon "bid adieu to the Twitter brand and gradually, all the birds."
Musk also referred to as an "everything app" which was reflected in the switch from Twitter to X.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-sued-by-us-regulator-sec-over-2022-twitter-share-purchase-violations-8622387">Elon Musk hit with SEC lawsuit for delayed Twitter stock disclosure in 2022</a>
Earlier Musk put the company's logos, mementos and other ordinary items including office furniture and kitchenware for the auction.&nbsp;
Musk has 'probably' liked the letter X, as he also founded a new artificial intelligence startup called xAI with the ambitious goal of "understanding the true nature of the universe".
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/elon-musk-calls-x-as-twitter-in-a-post-forgets-he-rebranded-social-media-platform-755127">Elon Musk calls 'X' as 'Twitter' in a post, forgets he rebranded social media platform</a>&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: The sign was first put up for sale when Musk ran a "Twitter rebranding auction" in August 2023. Then, buyers had a chance to obtain all kinds of memorabilia.

Twitter's iconic bird logo has been sold at an RR auction almost two years after the logo was removed from the company's former San Francisco headquarters when Elon Musk took over the social media company. Elon Musk rebranded it and changed the name to X in September 2023. The famous logo was put up for sale for nearly $35,000 at the RR action. The auction deals in "rare and collectible items". According to RR Auction, the blue bird hung on the southeast side of Twitter’s HQ from 2012 to 2023. Also read: Elon Musk’s X to pay Donald Trump $10 million to settle Twitter ban lawsuit: Report However, the RR auction has not yet revealed the buyer's identity. The sign was first put up for sale when Musk ran a "Twitter rebranding auction" in August 2023. Then, buyers had a chance to obtain all kinds of memorabilia, including smaller bird logos and hashtag signs, in addition to other office furniture. The company also offered two blue bird signs that had been hanging outside corporate headquarters. which has since been moved to Texas. Also read: Elon Musk offers to buy OpenAI for nearly $100bn, Sam Altman says would rather buy 'Twitter' for... According to a video, the auctioned sign is quite large and will require a truck to haul it. How much does it weigh? The iconic logo weighs 560-pound (254 kilogram), and is 12 feet by 9 feet (3.7 meters by 2.7 meters), sold for $34,375, according to RR Auction. In 2022, American billionaire Elon Musk paid $44 billion to acquire X, formerly Twitter. He also announced in 2023 that the firm would soon "bid adieu to the Twitter brand and gradually, all the birds." Musk also referred to as an "everything app" which was reflected in the switch from Twitter to X. Also read: Elon Musk hit with SEC lawsuit for delayed Twitter stock disclosure in 2022 Earlier Musk put the company's logos, mementos and other ordinary items including office furniture and kitchenware for the auction. Musk has 'probably' liked the letter X, as he also founded a new artificial intelligence startup called xAI with the ambitious goal of "understanding the true nature of the universe". Also read: Elon Musk calls 'X' as 'Twitter' in a post, forgets he rebranded social media platform (With inputs from agencies)

Twitter's iconic 254 kg blue bird logo sold at THIS price at auction | Who's the buyer?

US President Donald Trump acknowledged his ally Elon Musk's potential conflicts of interest for the first time on Friday (Mar 21) and said that the DOGE chief should not be allowed to see top-secret plans for any war with China.
The rare admission comes after weeks of Trump dismissing the wealthy businessman's conflict of interests in leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/these-are-terrorists-trump-defends-musk-says-tesla-attacks-worse-than-jan-6-capitol-riot-8878054">'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>
<h2>What did Trump say about Musk?</h2>
When asked to comment on media reports that Musk, the world's richest man, would receive a classified Pentagon briefing on US war strategy, Trump said, "I don't want to show it to anybody."
"You're talking about a potential war with China," he noted, adding, "Certainly you wouldn&rsquo;t show it to a businessman who is helping us so much".
"Elon has businesses in China and he would be susceptible perhaps to that," admitted Trump.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
Tesla, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has major business interests in China. However, he also has huge defence contracts in the US. This has raised concerns about his influence and the potential conflict of interest.
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
However, the US President then jumped to Musk's defence. Describing Musk as a "patriot" Trump then hailed the DOGE chief's efforts to slash back the US federal government, including the US Defense Department. Trump made this statement while unveiling a contract for Boeing to build the next-generation F-47 fighter jet.
This comes after Musk, on Friday visited the Pentagon, and reports, first published in the New York Times, speculated about the visit. Reports suggested that Musk was to receive a briefing in a secure room dubbed "The Tank" on maritime tactics and targeting plans.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

Trending | World | Discover US President Donald Trump's rare admission about Elon Musk's potential conflicts of interest regarding US-China war plans.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged his ally Elon Musk's potential conflicts of interest for the first time on Friday (Mar 21) and said that the DOGE chief should not be allowed to see top-secret plans for any war with China. The rare admission comes after weeks of Trump dismissing the wealthy businessman's conflict of interests in leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Also read | 'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot What did Trump say about Musk? When asked to comment on media reports that Musk, the world's richest man, would receive a classified Pentagon briefing on US war strategy, Trump said, "I don't want to show it to anybody." "You're talking about a potential war with China," he noted, adding, "Certainly you wouldn’t show it to a businessman who is helping us so much". "Elon has businesses in China and he would be susceptible perhaps to that," admitted Trump. Also read | China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend Tesla, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has major business interests in China. However, he also has huge defence contracts in the US. This has raised concerns about his influence and the potential conflict of interest. Also read | ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail However, the US President then jumped to Musk's defence. Describing Musk as a "patriot" Trump then hailed the DOGE chief's efforts to slash back the US federal government, including the US Defense Department. Trump made this statement while unveiling a contract for Boeing to build the next-generation F-47 fighter jet. This comes after Musk, on Friday visited the Pentagon, and reports, first published in the New York Times, speculated about the visit. Reports suggested that Musk was to receive a briefing in a secure room dubbed "The Tank" on maritime tactics and targeting plans. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump makes rare admission on Musk’s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn’t show' businessman China war plans

US President Donald Trump has compared the recent wave of vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms across the country to the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, claiming the damage inflicted on Elon Musk&rsquo;s company is far worse.
<h2>'I view these people as terrorists'</h2>
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, &ldquo;I view these people as terrorists, just like others. When I looked at those showrooms burning and those cars &mdash; not one or two, like seven, eight, 10 burning, exploding all over the place. These are terrorists. You didn&rsquo;t have that on Jan. 6, I can tell you.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot, which saw Trump supporters breach Congress in protest of the 2020 election result.
He also referred to the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter killed by Capitol Police during the 6 January events.
&ldquo;You didn&rsquo;t have anything like that on Jan 6, which is sort of amazing because on Jan. 6, the Democrats were talking. Nobody was killed other than a very beautiful young woman, Ashli, Ashli Babbitt. Nobody was killed,&rdquo; he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-taps-boeing-for-f-47-fighter-jet-trump-says-enemies-wont-know-what-hit-them-8877846">Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies &lsquo;won&rsquo;t know what hit them&rsquo;</a>
The president went on to claim that the attacks on Tesla were part of &ldquo;an organised event,&rdquo; suggesting that the coordinated appearance of protest signs indicated larger forces at play.
&ldquo;The people that finance it are, in my opinion, in just as big of trouble as the people who are setting the match, starting the fires,&rdquo; Trump said.
Earlier in the day, Trump issued a strong warning to those involved in vandalising Tesla facilities, hinting at severe punishments.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
&ldquo;I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,&rdquo; he posted on Truth Social. 
He added, &ldquo;Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!&rdquo;
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday called the acts &ldquo;domestic terrorism&rdquo; and confirmed on Thursday that three suspects had been arrested and were facing &ldquo;serious charges.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-no-longer-safe-for-tourists-uk-germany-issue-travel-warnings-after-woman-detained-like-hannibal-trump-immigration-crackdown-8876514">US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained &lsquo;like Hannibal&rsquo;</a>
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick even encouraged Americans to consider investing in Tesla stock, despite its recent situation. The company&rsquo;s share price has dropped by nearly 39 per cent since the start of the year and more than 50 per cent since late December.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot.

US President Donald Trump has compared the recent wave of vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms across the country to the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, claiming the damage inflicted on Elon Musk’s company is far worse. 'I view these people as terrorists' Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, “I view these people as terrorists, just like others. When I looked at those showrooms burning and those cars — not one or two, like seven, eight, 10 burning, exploding all over the place. These are terrorists. You didn’t have that on Jan. 6, I can tell you.” Also read: China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot, which saw Trump supporters breach Congress in protest of the 2020 election result. He also referred to the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter killed by Capitol Police during the 6 January events. “You didn’t have anything like that on Jan 6, which is sort of amazing because on Jan. 6, the Democrats were talking. Nobody was killed other than a very beautiful young woman, Ashli, Ashli Babbitt. Nobody was killed,” he said. Also read: Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies ‘won’t know what hit them’ The president went on to claim that the attacks on Tesla were part of “an organised event,” suggesting that the coordinated appearance of protest signs indicated larger forces at play. “The people that finance it are, in my opinion, in just as big of trouble as the people who are setting the match, starting the fires,” Trump said. Earlier in the day, Trump issued a strong warning to those involved in vandalising Tesla facilities, hinting at severe punishments. Also read: ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail “I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” he posted on Truth Social. He added, “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!” Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday called the acts “domestic terrorism” and confirmed on Thursday that three suspects had been arrested and were facing “serious charges.” Also read: US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained ‘like Hannibal’ Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick even encouraged Americans to consider investing in Tesla stock, despite its recent situation. The company’s share price has dropped by nearly 39 per cent since the start of the year and more than 50 per cent since late December. (With inputs from agencies)

'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot

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