<p><span class="region">Berlin, Germany </span>
<p>Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy on Friday (Dec 20) with his comment on Germany's politics.</p></p>
<p>Germany is set to go to the polls on February 23 after Olaf Scholz’s centre-left coalition collapsed in November, which followed a no-trust vote this month which he lost.</p>
<p>Musk said in a post on his social media platform X, “Only the AfD [Alternative für Deutschland, the right wing party] can save Germany".</p>
<p>Via the post, Musk appeared to endorse the far-right and anti-immigrant party AfD, and is being accused of interfering in Germany's upcoming elections. </p>
<p>Musk also reposted a video by a German rightwing influencer, Naomi Seibt. She criticised the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats' leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany's next chancellor. </p>
<p>The German health minister, Karl Lauterbach called Musk's act of commenting on Germany's political debate “undignified and highly problematic”. </p>
<p><strong>Watch | Russia Unleashes Missile Barrage On Kyiv Amid Escalating Tensions</strong></p>
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/files/2024/12/21/2112_wion_KYIV_11AM-1734764410-00000003.jpg&videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/2112_wion_KYIV_11AM.mp4/index.m3u8&duration=214&tags=russia,Ukraine,russia ukraine war,Putin,war,Oreshnik" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
<p>Scholz also responded to Musk's post in a press conference without naming him.</p>
<p>“We have freedom of speech here. That also applies to multimillionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you’re able to say things that aren’t right and do not contain good political advice," Scholz said. </p>
<p>Later on the same day, two people were reported killed in a suspected terror attack in the German city of Magdeburg.</p>
<p>Musk again posted on X citing the incident and wrote, "Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool". </p>
<p>Lauterbach further accused Musk of election interference and asked authorities to keep an eye on what was happening on X. </p>
<p>“It is very disturbing, how the platform X, which I use very intensively myself, is increasingly being used to spread the political positions and goals of Mr Musk," he said. </p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-drops-bounty-on-syrias-new-leader-after-talks-in-syrian-capital-785759">US drops bounty on Syria’s new leader after talks in Syrian capital</a></strong></p>
<p>Christian Lindner, former finance minister of Germany who was sacked by Scholz, also responded to Musk.</p>
<p>She wrote on X, “Elon, I’ve initiated a policy debate inspired by ideas from you and Milei. While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD stands against freedom and business – and it’s a far-right extremist party. Don’t rush to conclusions from afar. Let’s meet, and I’ll show you what the FDP stands for. CL". </p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Musk reposted a video by a German rightwing influencer, Naomi Seibt. She criticised the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats' leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany's next chancellor. 



Berlin, Germany Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy on Friday (Dec 20) with his comment on Germany's politics. Germany is set to go to the polls on February 23 after Olaf Scholz’s centre-left coalition collapsed in November, which followed a no-trust vote this month which he lost. Musk said in a post on his social media platform X, “Only the AfD [Alternative für Deutschland, the right wing party] can save Germany". Via the post, Musk appeared to endorse the far-right and anti-immigrant party AfD, and is being accused of interfering in Germany's upcoming elections. Musk also reposted a video by a German rightwing influencer, Naomi Seibt. She criticised the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats' leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany's next chancellor. The German health minister, Karl Lauterbach called Musk's act of commenting on Germany's political debate “undignified and highly problematic”. Watch | Russia Unleashes Missile Barrage On Kyiv Amid Escalating Tensions Scholz also responded to Musk's post in a press conference without naming him. “We have freedom of speech here. That also applies to multimillionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you’re able to say things that aren’t right and do not contain good political advice," Scholz said. Later on the same day, two people were reported killed in a suspected terror attack in the German city of Magdeburg. Musk again posted on X citing the incident and wrote, "Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool". Lauterbach further accused Musk of election interference and asked authorities to keep an eye on what was happening on X. “It is very disturbing, how the platform X, which I use very intensively myself, is increasingly being used to spread the political positions and goals of Mr Musk," he said. Also read | US drops bounty on Syria’s new leader after talks in Syrian capital Christian Lindner, former finance minister of Germany who was sacked by Scholz, also responded to Musk. She wrote on X, “Elon, I’ve initiated a policy debate inspired by ideas from you and Milei. While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD stands against freedom and business – and it’s a far-right extremist party. Don’t rush to conclusions from afar. Let’s meet, and I’ll show you what the FDP stands for. CL". (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's 'problematic' post on German politics sparks accusations of interference

In a bold move, Democrats have labeled Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, "President Musk" after he was seen joining former President Donald Trump and Amazon's Jeff Bezos at Mar-a-Lago. The gathering has sparked heated debates about Musk's political influence and ties with influential figures.

USA: Democrats Call Richest Man "President Musk", Joins Trump and Bezos At Marg-A-Lago |

Elon Musk has endorsed a far-right political party in Germany, further cementing his involvement in global politics. The endorsement marks a controversial move as Musk, known for his influence in tech and business, wades deeper into international political affairs, raising questions about his political impact and motivations.

Elon Musk Endorses Far-Right German Party, Deepens Involvement in Global Politics

Elon Musk has endorsed a far-right political party in Germany, further cementing his involvement in global politics. The endorsement marks a controversial move as Musk, known for his influence in tech and business, wades deeper into international political affairs, raising questions about his political impact and motivations.



<p>Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy on Friday (Dec 20) with his comment on Germany's politics.</p>

<p>Germany is set to go to the polls on February 23 after Olaf Scholz’s centre-left coalition collapsed in November, which followed a no-trust vote this month which he lost.</p>

<p>Musk said in a post on his social media platform X, “Only the AfD [Alternative für Deutschland, the right wing party] can save Germany".</p>

<p>Via the post, Musk appeared to endorse the far-right and anti-immigrant party AfD, and is being accused of interfering in Germany's upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk also reposted a video by a German rightwing influencer, Naomi Seibt. She criticised the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats' leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany's next chancellor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The German health minister, Karl Lauterbach called Musk's act of commenting on Germany's political debate “undignified and highly problematic”.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Russia Unleashes Missile Barrage On Kyiv Amid Escalating Tensions</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-russia-unleashes-missile-barrage-on-kyiv-amid-escalating-tensions-785765/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Scholz also responded to Musk's post in a press conference without naming him.</p>

<p>“We have freedom of speech here. That also applies to multimillionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you’re able to say things that aren’t right and do not contain good political advice," Scholz said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later on the same day, two people were reported killed in a suspected terror attack in the German city of Magdeburg.</p>

<p>Musk again posted on X citing the incident and wrote, "Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lauterbach further accused Musk of election interference and asked authorities to keep an eye on what was happening on X.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is very disturbing, how the platform X, which I use very intensively myself, is increasingly being used to spread the political positions and goals of Mr Musk," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-drops-bounty-on-syrias-new-leader-after-talks-in-syrian-capital-785759">US drops bounty on Syria’s new leader after talks in Syrian capital</a></strong></p>

<p>Christian Lindner, former finance minister of Germany who was sacked by Scholz, also responded to Musk.</p>

<p>She wrote on X, “Elon, I’ve initiated a policy debate inspired by ideas from you and Milei. While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD stands against freedom and business – and it’s a far-right extremist party. Don’t rush to conclusions from afar. Let’s meet, and I’ll show you what the FDP stands for. CL".&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy on Friday (Dec 20) with his comment on Germany's politics. Germany is set to go to the polls on February 23 after Olaf Scholz’s centre-left coalition collapsed in November, which followed a no-trust vote this month which he lost.

Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy on Friday (Dec 20) with his comment on Germany's politics. Germany is set to go to the polls on February 23 after Olaf Scholz’s centre-left coalition collapsed in November, which followed a no-trust vote this month which he lost. Musk said in a post on his social media platform X, “Only the AfD [Alternative für Deutschland, the right wing party] can save Germany". Via the post, Musk appeared to endorse the far-right and anti-immigrant party AfD, and is being accused of interfering in Germany's upcoming elections. Musk also reposted a video by a German rightwing influencer, Naomi Seibt. She criticised the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats' leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany's next chancellor. The German health minister, Karl Lauterbach called Musk's act of commenting on Germany's political debate “undignified and highly problematic”. Watch | Russia Unleashes Missile Barrage On Kyiv Amid Escalating Tensions Scholz also responded to Musk's post in a press conference without naming him. “We have freedom of speech here. That also applies to multimillionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you’re able to say things that aren’t right and do not contain good political advice," Scholz said. Later on the same day, two people were reported killed in a suspected terror attack in the German city of Magdeburg. Musk again posted on X citing the incident and wrote, "Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool". Lauterbach further accused Musk of election interference and asked authorities to keep an eye on what was happening on X. “It is very disturbing, how the platform X, which I use very intensively myself, is increasingly being used to spread the political positions and goals of Mr Musk," he said. Also read | US drops bounty on Syria’s new leader after talks in Syrian capital Christian Lindner, former finance minister of Germany who was sacked by Scholz, also responded to Musk. She wrote on X, “Elon, I’ve initiated a policy debate inspired by ideas from you and Milei. While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD stands against freedom and business – and it’s a far-right extremist party. Don’t rush to conclusions from afar. Let’s meet, and I’ll show you what the FDP stands for. CL". (With inputs from agencies)

The disproportionate influence of an unelected tech billionaire in steering the federal government toward a potential shutdown has raised concerns among Democrats, scholars, and watchdog organizations, highlighting issues of accountability and the implications of concentrated power. Watch to know more!

Who's The US President: Donald Trump Or Elon Musk? | GRAVITAS | WION

<p><span class="region">Washington, United States</span>
<p><meta content="uuidK8U0axt3m8n9" name="uuid"/></p></p>
<p>Donald Trump has made his intentions clear regarding a possible government shutdown, saying that he wants it to happen under President Joe Biden’s administration.</p>
<p>“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (December 20).</p>
<h2><strong>House Republicans to make another attempt to pass bill to prevent government shutdown</strong></h2>
<p>Meanwhile, House Republicans are preparing to make another attempt to pass a bill to prevent a government shutdown past midnight, according to Politico. Republican congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, told the publication that the party plans to push the bill through the rules committee, which would require only a simple majority in the House for approval.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-us-lawmakers-scramble-to-avert-govt-shutdown-heres-whats-at-stake-785644" target="_blank">US lawmakers scramble to avert govt shutdown. Here's what's at stake</a></strong></p>
<h2><strong>Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party targeted by Democrats</strong></h2>
<p>At the same time, questions are being raised about Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party. Musk’s criticism of a bipartisan spending bill led by House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to have had severe repercussions.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, Musk criticised the proposal calling it “the steal of your tax dollars.” Shortly after, Trump and Senator JD Vance echoed Musk’s criticisms, urging Republicans to reject the bill. They argued that the national debt is unsustainable and accused the proposal of being a concession to Democrats.</p>
<p><strong>Watch | USA News: House Rejects Trump-backed Plan On U.S. Government Shutdown</strong></p>
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/files/2024/12/20/2012_TRUMP_FULL_8PM_wion-1734711614-00000003.jpg&videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/2012_TRUMP_FULL_8PM_wion_.mp4/index.m3u8&duration=554&tags=trump,Harris,US election,joe biden,WION" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
<p>The Trump-backed "streamlined" spending plan, introduced as an alternative, was rejected by the House on Thursday evening.</p>
<p>Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, addressed these claims, telling Business Insider, “As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR (continuing resolution), Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop.”</p>
<p>Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X, “Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it.”</p>
<p>Former Obama adviser David Axelrod added, “So will President-elect Musk join the budget negotiations now?”</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (December 20).



Washington, United States Donald Trump has made his intentions clear regarding a possible government shutdown, saying that he wants it to happen under President Joe Biden’s administration. “If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (December 20). House Republicans to make another attempt to pass bill to prevent government shutdown Meanwhile, House Republicans are preparing to make another attempt to pass a bill to prevent a government shutdown past midnight, according to Politico. Republican congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, told the publication that the party plans to push the bill through the rules committee, which would require only a simple majority in the House for approval. Also read: US lawmakers scramble to avert govt shutdown. Here's what's at stake Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party targeted by Democrats At the same time, questions are being raised about Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party. Musk’s criticism of a bipartisan spending bill led by House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to have had severe repercussions. On Wednesday, Musk criticised the proposal calling it “the steal of your tax dollars.” Shortly after, Trump and Senator JD Vance echoed Musk’s criticisms, urging Republicans to reject the bill. They argued that the national debt is unsustainable and accused the proposal of being a concession to Democrats. Watch | USA News: House Rejects Trump-backed Plan On U.S. Government Shutdown The Trump-backed "streamlined" spending plan, introduced as an alternative, was rejected by the House on Thursday evening. Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, addressed these claims, telling Business Insider, “As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR (continuing resolution), Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop.” Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X, “Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it.” Former Obama adviser David Axelrod added, “So will President-elect Musk join the budget negotiations now?” (With inputs from agencies)

'This is his problem,' Trump says let the US govt shutdown happen under Biden admin

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidK8U0axt3m8n9" /></p>

<p>Donald Trump has made his intentions clear regarding a possible government shutdown, saying that he wants it to happen under President Joe Biden’s administration.</p>

<p>“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (December 20).</p>

<h2><strong>House Republicans to make another attempt to pass bill to prevent government shutdown</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, House Republicans are preparing to make another attempt to pass a bill to prevent a government shutdown past midnight, according to Politico. Republican congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, told the publication that the party plans to push the bill through the rules committee, which would require only a simple majority in the House for approval.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-us-lawmakers-scramble-to-avert-govt-shutdown-heres-whats-at-stake-785644" target="_blank">US lawmakers scramble to avert govt shutdown. Here's what's&nbsp;at&nbsp;stake</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party targeted by Democrats</strong></h2>

<p>At the same time, questions are being raised about Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party. Musk’s criticism of a bipartisan spending bill led by House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to have had severe repercussions.</p>

<p>On Wednesday, Musk criticised the proposal calling it “the steal of your tax dollars.” Shortly after, Trump and Senator JD Vance echoed Musk’s criticisms, urging Republicans to reject the bill. They argued that the national debt is unsustainable and accused the proposal of being a concession to Democrats.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | USA News: House Rejects Trump-backed Plan On U.S. Government Shutdown</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/usa-news-house-rejects-trump-backed-plan-on-us-government-shutdown-race-to-power-wion-785654/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The Trump-backed "streamlined" spending plan, introduced as an alternative, was rejected by the House on Thursday evening.</p>

<p>Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, addressed these claims, telling Business Insider, “As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR (continuing resolution), Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop.”</p>

<p>Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X, “Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it.”</p>

<p>Former Obama adviser David Axelrod added, “So will President-elect Musk join the budget negotiations now?”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Donald Trump has made his intentions clear regarding a possible government shutdown, saying that he wants it to happen under President Joe Biden’s administration.

Donald Trump has made his intentions clear regarding a possible government shutdown, saying that he wants it to happen under President Joe Biden’s administration. “If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (December 20). House Republicans to make another attempt to pass bill to prevent government shutdown Meanwhile, House Republicans are preparing to make another attempt to pass a bill to prevent a government shutdown past midnight, according to Politico. Republican congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, told the publication that the party plans to push the bill through the rules committee, which would require only a simple majority in the House for approval. Also read: US lawmakers scramble to avert govt shutdown. Here's what's at stake Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party targeted by Democrats At the same time, questions are being raised about Elon Musk’s influence within the Republican Party. Musk’s criticism of a bipartisan spending bill led by House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to have had severe repercussions. On Wednesday, Musk criticised the proposal calling it “the steal of your tax dollars.” Shortly after, Trump and Senator JD Vance echoed Musk’s criticisms, urging Republicans to reject the bill. They argued that the national debt is unsustainable and accused the proposal of being a concession to Democrats. Watch | USA News: House Rejects Trump-backed Plan On U.S. Government Shutdown The Trump-backed "streamlined" spending plan, introduced as an alternative, was rejected by the House on Thursday evening. Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, addressed these claims, telling Business Insider, “As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR (continuing resolution), Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop.” Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X, “Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it.” Former Obama adviser David Axelrod added, “So will President-elect Musk join the budget negotiations now?” (With inputs from agencies)

<p><span class="region">Washington</span>
<p><meta content="uuidF7Tzx15Yg0c6" name="uuid"/>United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday (Dec 19) that Congress should get rid of the debt ceiling. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said that getting rid of the debt ceiling would be the smartest thing that Congress would do.</p></p>
<p>“The Democrats have said they want to get rid of it. If they want to get rid of it, I would lead the charge,” Trump added. </p>
<p>In the US, the debt ceiling is the legislative limit on the amount of national debt that can be incurred by the Treasury, thus limiting how much money the government may pay by borrowing more money, on the debt it already borrowed.</p>
<h2><strong>'Debt ceiling is a meaningless concept'</strong></h2>
<p>Trump told NBC that the debt ceiling was a meaningless concept and that no one would know for sure what would happen if it were to someday be breached. </p>
<p>“It doesn’t mean anything, except psychologically,” the president-elect added.</p>
<h2><strong>What did Trump say about the possibility of a shutdown?</strong></h2>
<p>Amid the possibility of a shutdown, which would occur at 12.01 am on Saturday if a funding deal wasn't reached, Trump told NBC, "If there’s going to be a shutdown, we’re going to start it with a Democratic president."</p>
<p>Congress had last raised the debt ceiling in June 2023, suspending it through January 1, 2025. Trump also said that he discussed his views on the short-term funding deal with Elon Musk.</p>
<p>“I told him (Musk) that if he agrees with me, that he could put out a statement,” he added. </p>
<p>During his first term as president, Trump signed legislation three times to lift the ceilings. He had also floated the idea of eliminating the debt ceiling when he was in the White House.</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Trump told NBC News that the debt ceiling was a meaningless concept and that no one would know for sure what would happen if it were to someday be breached. 



Washington United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday (Dec 19) that Congress should get rid of the debt ceiling. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said that getting rid of the debt ceiling would be the smartest thing that Congress would do. “The Democrats have said they want to get rid of it. If they want to get rid of it, I would lead the charge,” Trump added. In the US, the debt ceiling is the legislative limit on the amount of national debt that can be incurred by the Treasury, thus limiting how much money the government may pay by borrowing more money, on the debt it already borrowed. 'Debt ceiling is a meaningless concept' Trump told NBC that the debt ceiling was a meaningless concept and that no one would know for sure what would happen if it were to someday be breached. “It doesn’t mean anything, except psychologically,” the president-elect added. What did Trump say about the possibility of a shutdown? Amid the possibility of a shutdown, which would occur at 12.01 am on Saturday if a funding deal wasn't reached, Trump told NBC, "If there’s going to be a shutdown, we’re going to start it with a Democratic president." Congress had last raised the debt ceiling in June 2023, suspending it through January 1, 2025. Trump also said that he discussed his views on the short-term funding deal with Elon Musk. “I told him (Musk) that if he agrees with me, that he could put out a statement,” he added. During his first term as president, Trump signed legislation three times to lift the ceilings. He had also floated the idea of eliminating the debt ceiling when he was in the White House. (With inputs from agencies)

US President-elect Donald Trump says Congress should get rid of debt ceiling

<p><span class="region">New Delhi, India  </span>
<p>Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday (Dec 18) took a defensive stance on her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk and informed Italian lawmakers it will not influence her in areas in which the latter has economic interests.</p></p>
<p>“I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space,’’ said Meloni, while replying to questions in a customary parliamentary discussion held before the European Union summit scheduled for this week in Brussels. </p>
<p>Meloni took a jibe at her predecessors and said that previous Italian leaders “who thought they had a good relationship, even a friendship, with a foreign leader, they had to slavishly follow what the others did.”</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-surpasses-the-net-worth-of-bezos-and-zuckerberg-combined-785218">Elon Musk surpasses the net worth of Bezos and Zuckerberg combined</a></p>
<p>She said that she shared good relationships “with many people” but “I don’t take orders from anyone and you should be happy about this."</p>
<h2><strong>Meloni and Musk's friendship</strong></h2>
<p>Meloni was frequently seen with Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk after coming to power in 2022. </p>
<p>This year, Meloni’s government approved a framework which paved the way for foreign space companies to operate in the country. It is expected that this will generate $7.7 billion in investments by 2026.</p>
<p><strong>Watch: Elon Musk's Philanthropic Donations Fail to Meet Minimum Threshold</strong></p>
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/files/2024/12/19/1912_wion_musk_930am-1734585011-00000003.jpg&videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1912_wion_musk_930am.mp4/index.m3u8&duration=184&tags=Elon Musk,donations,elon musk's charitable foundation" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
<p>Amid this, the friendship between Meloni and Musk also garnered a lot of attention. Musk refuted reports of having any kind of romantic relationship with Meloni after a photo of them looking at each other went viral last September. </p>
<p>The two also attended a black-tie event in New York where Meloni was presented an award by Musk.</p>
<p>A year ago, Musk was also seen at an event organised for the ruling party's youth members in Italy. </p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A picture of Musk and Meloni from an event in September went viral and left social media users speculating if the two were "dating"

 



New Delhi, India Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday (Dec 18) took a defensive stance on her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk and informed Italian lawmakers it will not influence her in areas in which the latter has economic interests. “I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space,’’ said Meloni, while replying to questions in a customary parliamentary discussion held before the European Union summit scheduled for this week in Brussels. Meloni took a jibe at her predecessors and said that previous Italian leaders “who thought they had a good relationship, even a friendship, with a foreign leader, they had to slavishly follow what the others did.” Also Read: Elon Musk surpasses the net worth of Bezos and Zuckerberg combined She said that she shared good relationships “with many people” but “I don’t take orders from anyone and you should be happy about this." Meloni and Musk's friendship Meloni was frequently seen with Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk after coming to power in 2022. This year, Meloni’s government approved a framework which paved the way for foreign space companies to operate in the country. It is expected that this will generate $7.7 billion in investments by 2026. Watch: Elon Musk's Philanthropic Donations Fail to Meet Minimum Threshold Amid this, the friendship between Meloni and Musk also garnered a lot of attention. Musk refuted reports of having any kind of romantic relationship with Meloni after a photo of them looking at each other went viral last September. The two also attended a black-tie event in New York where Meloni was presented an award by Musk. A year ago, Musk was also seen at an event organised for the ruling party's youth members in Italy. (With inputs from agencies)

Italy's Giorgia Meloni speaks on her friendship with Musk, says 'Don't take orders from anyone'

<p><span class="region">New Delhi, India</span>
<p>Netizens are seemingly not happy with Nick Jonas and Elon Musk's friendship! And, guess who are they complaining to? Jonas' wife and actress Priyanka Chopra.  </p></p>
<p>Jonas irked his fans on the X when he responded to a post of the controversial figure and the owner of the social media handle. This all started after the ''Sucker'' singer reacted to Musk's post that had a GIF of the Jonas Brothers. </p>
<p>On Wednesday (Dec 18), Musk responded to an article that was about how his Tesla is up 100% since Donald Trump's win in the presidential election 2024.</p>
<p>Reacting to the article, Musk wrote in the caption, reading, “tables had turned” along with a GIF showing Nick and Kevin Jonas turning the table and Joe Jonas entering the room.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-has-jennifer-lopez-and-ben-affleck-put-their-divorce-on-hold-785178">Have Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck put their divorce on hold?</a></p>
<p>Soon the GIF caught the singer's eye, he went on to share a photo of the billionaire and wrote, “Take us to the Year 3000''</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Take us to the Year 3000. <a href="https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS">https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS</a> <a href="https://t.co/CSG7ItCmES">pic.twitter.com/CSG7ItCmES</a></p>
<p>— Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickjonas/status/1869113311637491854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Nick’s post seemingly hinted at their good bond and how he's promoting him and his business. Several netizens went on to slam the singer, and some even went on to question whether the Jonas Brothers are Republicans. </p>
<p>Following the singer's reaction, several X users started mentioning Elon's controversies and statements.</p>
<p>One user wrote, ''Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day.”</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">i know it’s hard for you guys to comprehend but rich people don’t care about us; even nick jonas <a href="https://t.co/ugiYUDgJGL">pic.twitter.com/ugiYUDgJGL</a></p>
<p>— eri˚❀*·ꕤ. (@eternalcumslime) <a href="https://twitter.com/eternalcumslime/status/1869187822571397604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Another user wrote,''I hope one day your daughter meets a man who treats her like Elon and the rest of his friends treat women. ? Let’s see how supportive you are then.''</p>
<p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/king-charles-liked-oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-receives-knighthood-wife-emma-is-a-dame-785161">King Charles 'liked' Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan receives Knighthood, wife Emma is a Dame</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He’s gonna take us 3000 years into the past, just take a look at the people he supports, be better nick don’t give attention to a-holes who take advantage of people .</p>
<p>— ⚡️MR•BOMBASTIC⚡️ (@mrbombastic2401) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrbombastic2401/status/1869250139275321485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="es">No no no no no no <a href="https://t.co/18TXrFafR1">pic.twitter.com/18TXrFafR1</a></p>
<p>— Pop Junkie (@popjunki3) <a href="https://twitter.com/popjunki3/status/1869129832627679271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>One Instagram user went on to comment on Priyanka's recent post featuring Nick, saying that she has married a man with a mentality. An IG user wrote, ''I thought you were an advocate for women! I can’t believe the man you married has that mentality.'' <img alt="Elon musk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5cb4df4a-bedb-4908-9dc8-d8f559dcfcc5" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/post_attachments/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy 30th birthday (2).png"/></p>
<p>Nick has not yet reacted to the online criticism. </p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day</p>
<p>— Megan ? (@meganmesmile) <a href="https://twitter.com/meganmesmile/status/1869188923467219085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Elon, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, has been one of the high-profile polarising figures, who has been dominating the headlines with his actions and views. </p>


Nick’s post seemingly hinted at their good bond and how he's promoting him and his business, several netizens went on to slam the singer. Some even went on to question whether the Jonas Brothers are Republicans. 



New Delhi, India Netizens are seemingly not happy with Nick Jonas and Elon Musk's friendship! And, guess who are they complaining to? Jonas' wife and actress Priyanka Chopra. Jonas irked his fans on the X when he responded to a post of the controversial figure and the owner of the social media handle. This all started after the ''Sucker'' singer reacted to Musk's post that had a GIF of the Jonas Brothers. On Wednesday (Dec 18), Musk responded to an article that was about how his Tesla is up 100% since Donald Trump's win in the presidential election 2024. Reacting to the article, Musk wrote in the caption, reading, “tables had turned” along with a GIF showing Nick and Kevin Jonas turning the table and Joe Jonas entering the room. Also read: Have Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck put their divorce on hold? Soon the GIF caught the singer's eye, he went on to share a photo of the billionaire and wrote, “Take us to the Year 3000'' Take us to the Year 3000. https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS pic.twitter.com/CSG7ItCmES — Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) December 17, 2024 × Nick’s post seemingly hinted at their good bond and how he's promoting him and his business. Several netizens went on to slam the singer, and some even went on to question whether the Jonas Brothers are Republicans. Following the singer's reaction, several X users started mentioning Elon's controversies and statements. One user wrote, ''Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day.” i know it’s hard for you guys to comprehend but rich people don’t care about us; even nick jonas pic.twitter.com/ugiYUDgJGL — eri˚❀*·ꕤ. (@eternalcumslime) December 18, 2024 × Another user wrote,''I hope one day your daughter meets a man who treats her like Elon and the rest of his friends treat women. ? Let’s see how supportive you are then.'' Also read: King Charles 'liked' Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan receives Knighthood, wife Emma is a Dame He’s gonna take us 3000 years into the past, just take a look at the people he supports, be better nick don’t give attention to a-holes who take advantage of people . — ⚡️MR•BOMBASTIC⚡️ (@mrbombastic2401) December 18, 2024 × No no no no no no pic.twitter.com/18TXrFafR1 — Pop Junkie (@popjunki3) December 17, 2024 × One Instagram user went on to comment on Priyanka's recent post featuring Nick, saying that she has married a man with a mentality. An IG user wrote, ''I thought you were an advocate for women! I can’t believe the man you married has that mentality.'' Nick has not yet reacted to the online criticism. Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day — Megan ? (@meganmesmile) December 18, 2024 × Elon, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, has been one of the high-profile polarising figures, who has been dominating the headlines with his actions and views.

'Can’t believe the man you married has...': Nick Jonas' fun X banter with Elon Musk irks Priyanka's fans

Last year, Elon Musk's philanthropic foundation amassed 9.5 billion dollars in assets and distributed 237 million dollars in contributions. However, the vast majority of these funds were directed toward other organisations under Musk's control. This is based on Bloomberg's analysis of the latest recent tax filing of the Musk Foundation. Take a look at this next report as we decode Musk's donations over the last few years.

Elon Musk's Philanthropic Donations Fail to Meet Minimum Threshold

<p>Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni&nbsp;on Wednesday (Dec 18) took a defensive stance on her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk and informed Italian lawmakers it will not influence her in areas in which the latter has economic interests.</p>

<p>“I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space,’’ said Meloni, while replying to questions in a customary parliamentary discussion held before the European Union summit scheduled for this week in Brussels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meloni took a jibe at her predecessors and said that previous Italian leaders “who thought they had a good relationship, even a friendship, with a foreign leader, they had to slavishly follow what the others did.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-surpasses-the-net-worth-of-bezos-and-zuckerberg-combined-785218">Elon Musk surpasses the net worth of Bezos and Zuckerberg combined</a></p>

<p>She said that she shared good relationships “with many people” but “I don’t take orders from anyone and you should be happy about this."</p>

<h2><strong>Meloni and Musk's friendship</strong></h2>

<p>Meloni was frequently seen with Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk after coming to power in 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year, Meloni’s government approved a framework which paved the way for foreign space companies to operate in the country. It is expected that this will generate $7.7 billion in investments by 2026.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk's Philanthropic Donations Fail to Meet Minimum Threshold</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musks-philanthropic-donations-fail-to-meet-minimum-threshold-785169/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Amid this, the friendship between Meloni and Musk also garnered a lot of attention. Musk refuted reports of having any kind of romantic relationship with Meloni after a photo of them looking at each other went viral last September.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The two also attended a black-tie event in New York where Meloni was presented an award by Musk.</p>

<p>A year ago, Musk was also seen at an event organised for the ruling party's youth members in Italy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday (Dec 18) took a defensive stance on her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk and informed Italian lawmakers it will not influence her in areas in which the latter has economic interests.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday (Dec 18) took a defensive stance on her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk and informed Italian lawmakers it will not influence her in areas in which the latter has economic interests. “I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space,’’ said Meloni, while replying to questions in a customary parliamentary discussion held before the European Union summit scheduled for this week in Brussels. Meloni took a jibe at her predecessors and said that previous Italian leaders “who thought they had a good relationship, even a friendship, with a foreign leader, they had to slavishly follow what the others did.” Also Read: Elon Musk surpasses the net worth of Bezos and Zuckerberg combined She said that she shared good relationships “with many people” but “I don’t take orders from anyone and you should be happy about this." Meloni and Musk's friendship Meloni was frequently seen with Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk after coming to power in 2022. This year, Meloni’s government approved a framework which paved the way for foreign space companies to operate in the country. It is expected that this will generate $7.7 billion in investments by 2026. Watch: Elon Musk's Philanthropic Donations Fail to Meet Minimum Threshold Amid this, the friendship between Meloni and Musk also garnered a lot of attention. Musk refuted reports of having any kind of romantic relationship with Meloni after a photo of them looking at each other went viral last September. The two also attended a black-tie event in New York where Meloni was presented an award by Musk. A year ago, Musk was also seen at an event organised for the ruling party's youth members in Italy. (With inputs from agencies)

<p>Netizens are seemingly not happy with Nick Jonas and Elon Musk's friendship! And, guess who are they complaining to? Jonas' wife and actress Priyanka Chopra. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Jonas irked his fans on the X when he responded to a post of the controversial figure and the owner of the social media handle. This all started after the ''Sucker'' singer reacted to Musk's post that had a GIF of the Jonas Brothers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Wednesday (Dec 18), Musk responded to an article that was about how his Tesla is up 100% since Donald Trump's win in the presidential election 2024.</p>

<p>Reacting to the article, Musk wrote in the caption, reading, “tables had turned” along with a GIF showing Nick and Kevin Jonas turning the table and Joe Jonas entering the room.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-has-jennifer-lopez-and-ben-affleck-put-their-divorce-on-hold-785178">Have Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck put their divorce on hold?</a></p>

<p>Soon the GIF caught the singer's eye, he went on to share a photo of the billionaire and wrote, “Take us to the Year 3000''</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Take us to the Year 3000. <a href="https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS">https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS</a> <a href="https://t.co/CSG7ItCmES">pic.twitter.com/CSG7ItCmES</a></p>
— Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickjonas/status/1869113311637491854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Nick’s post seemingly hinted at their good bond and how he's promoting him and his business.&nbsp;Several netizens went on to slam the singer, and some even went on to question whether the Jonas Brothers are Republicans.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the singer's reaction, several X users started mentioning Elon's controversies and statements.</p>

<p>One user wrote, ''Nick stop this&nbsp;we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">i know it’s hard for you guys to comprehend but rich people don’t care about us; even nick jonas <a href="https://t.co/ugiYUDgJGL">pic.twitter.com/ugiYUDgJGL</a></p>
— eri˚❀*·ꕤ. (@eternalcumslime) <a href="https://twitter.com/eternalcumslime/status/1869187822571397604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another user wrote,''I hope one day your daughter meets a man who treats her like Elon and the rest of his friends treat women. 🙃 Let’s see how supportive you are then.''</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/king-charles-liked-oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-receives-knighthood-wife-emma-is-a-dame-785161">King Charles 'liked' Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan receives Knighthood, wife Emma is a Dame</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He’s gonna take us 3000 years into the past, just take a look at the people he supports, be better nick don’t give attention to a-holes who take advantage of people .</p>
— ⚡️MR•BOMBASTIC⚡️ (@mrbombastic2401) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrbombastic2401/status/1869250139275321485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="es">No no no no no no <a href="https://t.co/18TXrFafR1">pic.twitter.com/18TXrFafR1</a></p>
— Pop Junkie (@popjunki3) <a href="https://twitter.com/popjunki3/status/1869129832627679271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>One Instagram user went on to comment on Priyanka's recent post featuring Nick, saying that she has married a man with a mentality. An IG user wrote, ''I thought you were an advocate for women! I can’t believe the man you married has that mentality.''&nbsp;<img alt="Elon musk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5cb4df4a-bedb-4908-9dc8-d8f559dcfcc5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy%2030th%20birthday%20%282%29.png" /><br />
Nick has not yet reacted to the online criticism.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day</p>
— Megan 🦋 (@meganmesmile) <a href="https://twitter.com/meganmesmile/status/1869188923467219085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Elon, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, has been one of the high-profile polarising figures, who has been dominating the headlines with his&nbsp;actions and views.&nbsp;</p>


Netizens are seemingly not happy with Nick Jonas and Elon Musk's friendship! And, guess who are they complaining to? Jonas' wife and actress Priyanka Chopra. Jonas irked his fans on the X when he responded to a post of the controversial figure and the owner of the social media handle.

Netizens are seemingly not happy with Nick Jonas and Elon Musk's friendship! And, guess who are they complaining to? Jonas' wife and actress Priyanka Chopra. Jonas irked his fans on the X when he responded to a post of the controversial figure and the owner of the social media handle. This all started after the ''Sucker'' singer reacted to Musk's post that had a GIF of the Jonas Brothers. On Wednesday (Dec 18), Musk responded to an article that was about how his Tesla is up 100% since Donald Trump's win in the presidential election 2024. Reacting to the article, Musk wrote in the caption, reading, “tables had turned” along with a GIF showing Nick and Kevin Jonas turning the table and Joe Jonas entering the room. Also read: Have Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck put their divorce on hold? Soon the GIF caught the singer's eye, he went on to share a photo of the billionaire and wrote, “Take us to the Year 3000'' Take us to the Year 3000. https://t.co/vk0sdBhrXS pic.twitter.com/CSG7ItCmES — Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) December 17, 2024 × Nick’s post seemingly hinted at their good bond and how he's promoting him and his business. Several netizens went on to slam the singer, and some even went on to question whether the Jonas Brothers are Republicans. Following the singer's reaction, several X users started mentioning Elon's controversies and statements. One user wrote, ''Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day.” i know it’s hard for you guys to comprehend but rich people don’t care about us; even nick jonas pic.twitter.com/ugiYUDgJGL — eri˚❀*·ꕤ. (@eternalcumslime) December 18, 2024 × Another user wrote,''I hope one day your daughter meets a man who treats her like Elon and the rest of his friends treat women. 🙃 Let’s see how supportive you are then.'' Also read: King Charles 'liked' Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan receives Knighthood, wife Emma is a Dame He’s gonna take us 3000 years into the past, just take a look at the people he supports, be better nick don’t give attention to a-holes who take advantage of people . — ⚡️MR•BOMBASTIC⚡️ (@mrbombastic2401) December 18, 2024 × No no no no no no pic.twitter.com/18TXrFafR1 — Pop Junkie (@popjunki3) December 17, 2024 × One Instagram user went on to comment on Priyanka's recent post featuring Nick, saying that she has married a man with a mentality. An IG user wrote, ''I thought you were an advocate for women! I can’t believe the man you married has that mentality.'' Nick has not yet reacted to the online criticism. Nick stop this we all prayed for you in social studies class when you announced your diabetes in the middle of the day — Megan 🦋 (@meganmesmile) December 18, 2024 × Elon, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, has been one of the high-profile polarising figures, who has been dominating the headlines with his actions and views.

<p>Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has reached a net worth of $486 billion at the age of 53, surpassing Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg combined, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.</p>

<p>Musk recently invested $277 million in the campaign of Republican Donald Trump which quickly turned to $224 billion in just 43 days since the US elections&nbsp;in November.</p>

<p>Musk’s net worth is almost double that of Jeff Bezos, the second-richest person and founder of Amazon, who is currently worth $250 billion. While Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the third richest with $219 billion.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-becomes-worlds-first-person-to-reach-net-worth-of-400bn-783382">Elon Musk becomes world's first person to reach net worth of $400bn</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, has a 13 per cent stake in Tesla, the electric car company, which soared from $242 on November 5 to $479.86 on Tuesday (Dec 17). On the same day, Musk’s worth increased by $12 billion, making his current fortunes more than the gross domestic product of Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines.</p>

<p>It is expected that Musk’s close relations with President-elect Trump will benefit Tesla shareholders gain increased profits from federal policies that favour electric cars and automated driving.</p>

<p>Apart from Tesla, Musk has a 42 per cent stake in SpaceX, a private space exploration company, which is valued at $350 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The company’s valuation has doubled within a year, making it the world’s most valuable startup.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigel-farage-courts-musk-as-reform-uk-party-eyes-central-role-in-countrys-politics-784907">Nigel Farage courts Musk as Reform UK party eyes central role in country’s politics</a></strong></p>

<p>SpaceX has an extensive network of Starlink satellites and undertakes space missions to deliver supplies to NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station via its Dragon 2 spacecraft along with providing private spaceflights.</p>

<p>Musk also founded xAI in 2023, an artificial intelligence firm, which further increased his fortunes. The company, which is a competitor of OpenAI, is valued at $50 billion, $25 billion of which is estimated to be Musk’s stake.</p>

<p>Musk also owns the social media platform X, a tunnel construction firm Boring Company, and the brain implant startup Neuralink. He is also a longtime investor in cryptocurrencies.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City</strong></p>

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<p>Recently he was appointed to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency by Trump, which promised to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has reached a net worth of $486 billion at the age of 53, surpassing Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg combined, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has reached a net worth of $486 billion at the age of 53, surpassing Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg combined, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Musk recently invested $277 million in the campaign of Republican Donald Trump which quickly turned to $224 billion in just 43 days since the US elections in November. Musk’s net worth is almost double that of Jeff Bezos, the second-richest person and founder of Amazon, who is currently worth $250 billion. While Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the third richest with $219 billion. Also read | Elon Musk becomes world's first person to reach net worth of $400bn Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, has a 13 per cent stake in Tesla, the electric car company, which soared from $242 on November 5 to $479.86 on Tuesday (Dec 17). On the same day, Musk’s worth increased by $12 billion, making his current fortunes more than the gross domestic product of Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines. It is expected that Musk’s close relations with President-elect Trump will benefit Tesla shareholders gain increased profits from federal policies that favour electric cars and automated driving. Apart from Tesla, Musk has a 42 per cent stake in SpaceX, a private space exploration company, which is valued at $350 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The company’s valuation has doubled within a year, making it the world’s most valuable startup. Also read | Nigel Farage courts Musk as Reform UK party eyes central role in country’s politics SpaceX has an extensive network of Starlink satellites and undertakes space missions to deliver supplies to NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station via its Dragon 2 spacecraft along with providing private spaceflights. Musk also founded xAI in 2023, an artificial intelligence firm, which further increased his fortunes. The company, which is a competitor of OpenAI, is valued at $50 billion, $25 billion of which is estimated to be Musk’s stake. Musk also owns the social media platform X, a tunnel construction firm Boring Company, and the brain implant startup Neuralink. He is also a longtime investor in cryptocurrencies. Watch | Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City × Recently he was appointed to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency by Trump, which promised to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk surpasses the net worth of Bezos and Zuckerberg combined

<p><span class="region">CALIFORNIA</span>
<p>The Trump transition team proposed eliminating a critical automotive safety reporting requirement that could significantly undermine government investigations into vehicle safety, particularly for automated driving systems.</p></p>
<p>The proposed policy change targets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standing general order, which mandates that automakers report crashes involving advanced driver-assistance or autonomous driving technologies within 30 seconds of impact. According to a document that has recently come to light, the transition team characterised the requirement as "excessive" data collection.</p>
<p>The recommendation comes amid intense scrutiny of Tesla's automated driving technologies and raises significant questions about transparency in automotive safety reporting. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has been the primary reporter of crashes under this regulation, accounting for more than 1,500 reported incidents.</p>
<p>NHTSA data reveals a stark safety landscape. Out of 45 fatal crashes reported through October 15th, Tesla was involved in 40. Notable investigations include a 2023 fatal accident in Virginia where a driver using Tesla's "Autopilot" feature collided with a tractor-trailer, and a California incident where an Autopiloted Tesla struck a fire truck, resulting in the driver's death and injuries to four firefighters.</p>
<p>NHTSA officials emphasise the critical importance of this data. Since establishing the rule in 2021, the agency has received and analysed over 2,700 crash reports. These reports have directly influenced ten investigations across six companies and precipitated nine safety recalls involving four different manufacturers.</p>
<p>The proposed elimination of crash reporting requirements appears to align with broader recommendations to "liberalise" autonomous vehicle regulation. Musk himself has advocated for a federal approval process for autonomous vehicles, criticising the current state-level regulatory approach as "incredibly painful".</p>
<p>Experts like Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor specialising in autonomous driving, provide nuanced context. Smith suggests Tesla's high reporting numbers might result from their robust data collection methods and the larger number of vehicles equipped with driver-assistance technologies.</p>
<p>However, Tesla executives reportedly view the reporting requirement as unfair, believing it portrays their vehicles in a misleading safety context. The company has been simultaneously under intense scrutiny, including a Department of Justice criminal probe examining potential misrepresentations of their vehicles' self-driving capabilities.</p>
<p>The Trump transition team's Jason Miller cautioned that these recommendations originated from "outsiders" without direct policy-making authority. Nevertheless, the proposed changes could significantly impact automotive safety transparency if implemented.</p>
<p>The automotive industry remains divided. While the Alliance for Automotive Innovation has criticised the requirement as burdensome, safety advocates argue that such reporting is crucial for identifying potential systemic safety issues in emerging automotive technologies.</p>
<p>As autonomous and semi-autonomous driving technologies continue to evolve, the debate surrounding this reporting requirement underscores the delicate balance between technological innovation and public safety accountability.</p>


The Trump-era transition team recommended scrapping a crucial vehicle crash reporting rule, potentially impacting automotive safety oversight.

 



CALIFORNIA The Trump transition team proposed eliminating a critical automotive safety reporting requirement that could significantly undermine government investigations into vehicle safety, particularly for automated driving systems. The proposed policy change targets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standing general order, which mandates that automakers report crashes involving advanced driver-assistance or autonomous driving technologies within 30 seconds of impact. According to a document that has recently come to light, the transition team characterised the requirement as "excessive" data collection. The recommendation comes amid intense scrutiny of Tesla's automated driving technologies and raises significant questions about transparency in automotive safety reporting. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has been the primary reporter of crashes under this regulation, accounting for more than 1,500 reported incidents. NHTSA data reveals a stark safety landscape. Out of 45 fatal crashes reported through October 15th, Tesla was involved in 40. Notable investigations include a 2023 fatal accident in Virginia where a driver using Tesla's "Autopilot" feature collided with a tractor-trailer, and a California incident where an Autopiloted Tesla struck a fire truck, resulting in the driver's death and injuries to four firefighters. NHTSA officials emphasise the critical importance of this data. Since establishing the rule in 2021, the agency has received and analysed over 2,700 crash reports. These reports have directly influenced ten investigations across six companies and precipitated nine safety recalls involving four different manufacturers. The proposed elimination of crash reporting requirements appears to align with broader recommendations to "liberalise" autonomous vehicle regulation. Musk himself has advocated for a federal approval process for autonomous vehicles, criticising the current state-level regulatory approach as "incredibly painful". Experts like Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor specialising in autonomous driving, provide nuanced context. Smith suggests Tesla's high reporting numbers might result from their robust data collection methods and the larger number of vehicles equipped with driver-assistance technologies. However, Tesla executives reportedly view the reporting requirement as unfair, believing it portrays their vehicles in a misleading safety context. The company has been simultaneously under intense scrutiny, including a Department of Justice criminal probe examining potential misrepresentations of their vehicles' self-driving capabilities. The Trump transition team's Jason Miller cautioned that these recommendations originated from "outsiders" without direct policy-making authority. Nevertheless, the proposed changes could significantly impact automotive safety transparency if implemented. The automotive industry remains divided. While the Alliance for Automotive Innovation has criticised the requirement as burdensome, safety advocates argue that such reporting is crucial for identifying potential systemic safety issues in emerging automotive technologies. As autonomous and semi-autonomous driving technologies continue to evolve, the debate surrounding this reporting requirement underscores the delicate balance between technological innovation and public safety accountability.

Trump transition team seeks to eliminate vehicle crash reporting requirement

<p><span class="region">Manipur, India</span>
<p>US billionaire and SpaceX boss Elon Musk has reacted to media reports in India which said the Indian Army and other security forces had seized Starlink satellite internet service equipment from militant groups in the country’s north-eastern region.</p></p>
<p>It was reported that police and security personnel had carried out a joint operation against militants in the hill and valley regions of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi districts.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Acting on specific intelligence, troops of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssamRifles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssamRifles</a> formations under <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpearCorps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpearCorps</a> carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manipur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manipur</a>, in close coordination with… <a href="https://t.co/kxy7ec5YAE">pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE</a></p>
<p>— SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spearcorps/status/1868653384221225085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>During the operation, the security forces recovered 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, country-made mortars, and other war-related items.</p>
<p>But what made this operation a national headline was the recovery of Starlink devices from the group.</p>
<p>It raised concerns about whether militants were using such equipment and posing a grave threat to India’s national security.</p>
<p>Responding to these reports and concerns, Musk, who owns the company that offers Starlink services, said “This is false.”</p>
<p>He cited the unavailability of satellite beams over India.</p>
<p>“This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” the SpaceX boss wrote on X.</p>
<p>He was responding to a post by an X user who had asked Musk to step in to thwart the alleged abuse of Starlink services by terrorists.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.</p>
<p>— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869033627335672237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read: <a data-ved="2ahUKEwiX2tqAyLCKAxWEr1YBHdxBH58QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiX2tqAyLCKAxWEr1YBHdxBH58QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink</a></strong></p>
<p>It must be noted that Starlink services are currently unavailable in India due to a lack of government approval.</p>
<p>Earlier, social media users slammed SpaceX and Musk over alleged misuse of Starlink by rouge elements.</p>
<p>“Starlink is also at fault. Their service is location-based, and they must ensure that locations where they do not have a license remain inaccessible,” one user wrote on X.</p>
<p>“People who trust US, don't know what to term them. How to strengthen relation with a nation who has repeatedly backstabbed us,” wrote a second.</p>
<p><strong>Watch: Elon Musk's Starlink A Threat To India's National Security: Reports</strong></p>
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<p>A third user questioned Musk’s clarification and wrote, “This statement is incomplete "Beams are turned off over India" without clarifying whether beams are switched on over Myanmar and in Border areas upto how much distance on either side of the border connectivity might work.”</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Responding to these reports and concerns, Musk, who owns the company that offers Starlink services, said “This is false.” He cited the unavailability of satellite beams over India



Manipur, India US billionaire and SpaceX boss Elon Musk has reacted to media reports in India which said the Indian Army and other security forces had seized Starlink satellite internet service equipment from militant groups in the country’s north-eastern region. It was reported that police and security personnel had carried out a joint operation against militants in the hill and valley regions of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi districts. Acting on specific intelligence, troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles formations under #SpearCorps carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in #Manipur, in close coordination with… pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE — SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) December 16, 2024 × During the operation, the security forces recovered 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, country-made mortars, and other war-related items. But what made this operation a national headline was the recovery of Starlink devices from the group. It raised concerns about whether militants were using such equipment and posing a grave threat to India’s national security. Responding to these reports and concerns, Musk, who owns the company that offers Starlink services, said “This is false.” He cited the unavailability of satellite beams over India. “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” the SpaceX boss wrote on X. He was responding to a post by an X user who had asked Musk to step in to thwart the alleged abuse of Starlink services by terrorists. This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024 × Also read: EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink It must be noted that Starlink services are currently unavailable in India due to a lack of government approval. Earlier, social media users slammed SpaceX and Musk over alleged misuse of Starlink by rouge elements. “Starlink is also at fault. Their service is location-based, and they must ensure that locations where they do not have a license remain inaccessible,” one user wrote on X. “People who trust US, don't know what to term them. How to strengthen relation with a nation who has repeatedly backstabbed us,” wrote a second. Watch: Elon Musk's Starlink A Threat To India's National Security: Reports × A third user questioned Musk’s clarification and wrote, “This statement is incomplete "Beams are turned off over India" without clarifying whether beams are switched on over Myanmar and in Border areas upto how much distance on either side of the border connectivity might work.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘This is false,’ Elon Musk slams reports of Starlink internet service abuse by militants in India

<p><span class="region">Florida, US</span>
<p>After playing a central role in Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk has his eyes set on the next big target: Taking centre stage in UK politics. The Trump ally reportedly held meeting with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage Monday (Dec 16) at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The meeting lasted for over one hour, in the presence of Reform UK’s new treasurer Nick Candy.</p></p>
<p><strong>Watch: Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City</strong></p>
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<p>“We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas,” read a joint statement issued by Farage and Candy. “We only have one more chance left to save the west and we can do great things together,” it added.</p>
<h2><strong>Did Farage and Musk discuss donations?</strong></h2>
<p>Earlier this year, it was reported in media that Musk was preparing to donate over $100 million to Farage’s party. However, those reports were later rubbished by the Tesla boss himself.</p>
<p>Now, the meeting between Farage, Candy, and Musk comes as the Reform UK treasurer vows to double down on fundraising operations. Farage is hoping to capitalise on increasing support in the UK and turbo-charge his political startup into a major player in UK political arena. Local elections in the UK are due in May and Farage is hoping to win significant seats and at least one mayoralty.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a data-ved="2ahUKEwiLpOD06bCKAxWThq8BHXCbPAgQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLpOD06bCKAxWThq8BHXCbPAgQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE">EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink</a></strong></p>
<p>Musk showed interest in Reform UK party earlier this month. When Farage posted on X that his party was seeking to build a “winning team to change British politics forever”, Musk responded, “When is the first electoral opportunity?”</p>
<p>It was not clear whether Musk and Farage discussed donations in Monday meeting.</p>
<p>It comes as former UK minister Peter Mandelson earlier urged the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use Musk to build closer ties with the incoming Trump administration.</p>
<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Earlier this year, it was reported in media that Musk was preparing to donate over $100 million to Farage’s party. However, those reports were later rubbished by the Tesla boss himself.



Florida, US After playing a central role in Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk has his eyes set on the next big target: Taking centre stage in UK politics. The Trump ally reportedly held meeting with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage Monday (Dec 16) at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The meeting lasted for over one hour, in the presence of Reform UK’s new treasurer Nick Candy. Watch: Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City × “We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas,” read a joint statement issued by Farage and Candy. “We only have one more chance left to save the west and we can do great things together,” it added. Did Farage and Musk discuss donations? Earlier this year, it was reported in media that Musk was preparing to donate over $100 million to Farage’s party. However, those reports were later rubbished by the Tesla boss himself. Now, the meeting between Farage, Candy, and Musk comes as the Reform UK treasurer vows to double down on fundraising operations. Farage is hoping to capitalise on increasing support in the UK and turbo-charge his political startup into a major player in UK political arena. Local elections in the UK are due in May and Farage is hoping to win significant seats and at least one mayoralty. Also read: EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink Musk showed interest in Reform UK party earlier this month. When Farage posted on X that his party was seeking to build a “winning team to change British politics forever”, Musk responded, “When is the first electoral opportunity?” It was not clear whether Musk and Farage discussed donations in Monday meeting. It comes as former UK minister Peter Mandelson earlier urged the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use Musk to build closer ties with the incoming Trump administration. (With inputs from agencies)

Nigel Farage courts Musk as Reform UK party eyes central role in country’s politics

<p>The Trump transition team proposed eliminating a critical automotive safety reporting requirement that could significantly undermine government investigations into vehicle safety, particularly for automated driving systems.</p>

<p>The proposed policy change targets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standing general order, which mandates that automakers report crashes involving advanced driver-assistance or autonomous driving technologies within 30 seconds of impact. According to a document that has recently come to light, the transition team characterised the requirement as "excessive" data collection.</p>

<p>The recommendation comes amid intense scrutiny of Tesla's automated driving technologies and raises significant questions about transparency in automotive safety reporting. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has been the primary reporter of crashes under this regulation, accounting for more than 1,500 reported incidents.</p>

<p>NHTSA data reveals a stark safety landscape. Out of 45 fatal crashes reported through October 15th, Tesla was involved in 40. Notable investigations include a 2023 fatal accident in Virginia where a driver using Tesla's "Autopilot" feature collided with a tractor-trailer, and a California incident where an Autopiloted Tesla struck a fire truck, resulting in the driver's death and injuries to four firefighters.</p>

<p>NHTSA officials emphasise the critical importance of this data. Since establishing the rule in 2021, the agency has received and analysed over 2,700 crash reports. These reports have directly influenced ten investigations across six companies and precipitated nine safety recalls involving four different manufacturers.</p>

<p>The proposed elimination of crash reporting requirements appears to align with broader recommendations to "liberalise" autonomous vehicle regulation. Musk himself has advocated for a federal approval process for autonomous vehicles, criticising the current state-level regulatory approach as "incredibly painful".</p>

<p>Experts like Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor specialising in autonomous driving, provide nuanced context. Smith suggests Tesla's high reporting numbers might result from their robust data collection methods and the larger number of vehicles equipped with driver-assistance technologies.</p>

<p>However, Tesla executives reportedly view the reporting requirement as unfair, believing it portrays their vehicles in a misleading safety context. The company has been simultaneously under intense scrutiny, including a Department of Justice criminal probe examining potential misrepresentations of their vehicles' self-driving capabilities.</p>

<p>The Trump transition team's Jason Miller cautioned that these recommendations originated from "outsiders" without direct policy-making authority. Nevertheless, the proposed changes could significantly impact automotive safety transparency if implemented.</p>

<p>The automotive industry remains divided. While the Alliance for Automotive Innovation has criticised the requirement as burdensome, safety advocates argue that such reporting is crucial for identifying potential systemic safety issues in emerging automotive technologies.</p>

<p>As autonomous and semi-autonomous driving technologies continue to evolve, the debate surrounding this reporting requirement underscores the delicate balance between technological innovation and public safety accountability.</p>


The Trump transition team proposed eliminating a critical automotive safety reporting requirement that could significantly undermine government investigations into vehicle safety, particularly for automated driving systems.

The Trump transition team proposed eliminating a critical automotive safety reporting requirement that could significantly undermine government investigations into vehicle safety, particularly for automated driving systems. The proposed policy change targets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standing general order, which mandates that automakers report crashes involving advanced driver-assistance or autonomous driving technologies within 30 seconds of impact. According to a document that has recently come to light, the transition team characterised the requirement as "excessive" data collection. The recommendation comes amid intense scrutiny of Tesla's automated driving technologies and raises significant questions about transparency in automotive safety reporting. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has been the primary reporter of crashes under this regulation, accounting for more than 1,500 reported incidents. NHTSA data reveals a stark safety landscape. Out of 45 fatal crashes reported through October 15th, Tesla was involved in 40. Notable investigations include a 2023 fatal accident in Virginia where a driver using Tesla's "Autopilot" feature collided with a tractor-trailer, and a California incident where an Autopiloted Tesla struck a fire truck, resulting in the driver's death and injuries to four firefighters. NHTSA officials emphasise the critical importance of this data. Since establishing the rule in 2021, the agency has received and analysed over 2,700 crash reports. These reports have directly influenced ten investigations across six companies and precipitated nine safety recalls involving four different manufacturers. The proposed elimination of crash reporting requirements appears to align with broader recommendations to "liberalise" autonomous vehicle regulation. Musk himself has advocated for a federal approval process for autonomous vehicles, criticising the current state-level regulatory approach as "incredibly painful". Experts like Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor specialising in autonomous driving, provide nuanced context. Smith suggests Tesla's high reporting numbers might result from their robust data collection methods and the larger number of vehicles equipped with driver-assistance technologies. However, Tesla executives reportedly view the reporting requirement as unfair, believing it portrays their vehicles in a misleading safety context. The company has been simultaneously under intense scrutiny, including a Department of Justice criminal probe examining potential misrepresentations of their vehicles' self-driving capabilities. The Trump transition team's Jason Miller cautioned that these recommendations originated from "outsiders" without direct policy-making authority. Nevertheless, the proposed changes could significantly impact automotive safety transparency if implemented. The automotive industry remains divided. While the Alliance for Automotive Innovation has criticised the requirement as burdensome, safety advocates argue that such reporting is crucial for identifying potential systemic safety issues in emerging automotive technologies. As autonomous and semi-autonomous driving technologies continue to evolve, the debate surrounding this reporting requirement underscores the delicate balance between technological innovation and public safety accountability.

<p>US billionaire and SpaceX boss Elon Musk has reacted to media reports in India which said the Indian Army and other security forces had seized Starlink satellite internet service equipment from militant groups in the country’s north-eastern region.</p>

<p>It was reported that police and security personnel had carried out a joint operation against militants in the hill and valley regions of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi districts.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Acting on specific intelligence, troops of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssamRifles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssamRifles</a> formations under <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpearCorps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpearCorps</a> carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manipur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manipur</a>, in close coordination with… <a href="https://t.co/kxy7ec5YAE">pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE</a></p>
— SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spearcorps/status/1868653384221225085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>During the operation, the security forces recovered 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, country-made mortars, and other war-related items.</p>

<p>But what made this operation a national headline was the recovery of Starlink devices from the group.</p>

<p>It raised concerns about whether militants were using such equipment and posing a grave threat to India’s national security.</p>

<p>Responding to these reports and concerns, Musk, who owns the company that offers Starlink services, said “This is false.”</p>

<p>He cited the unavailability of satellite beams over India.</p>

<p>“This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” the SpaceX boss wrote on X.</p>

<p>He was responding to a post by an X user who had asked Musk to step in to thwart the alleged abuse of Starlink services by terrorists.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869033627335672237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiX2tqAyLCKAxWEr1YBHdxBH58QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiX2tqAyLCKAxWEr1YBHdxBH58QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink</a></strong></p>

<p>It must be noted that Starlink services are currently unavailable in India due to a lack of government approval.</p>

<p>Earlier, social media users slammed SpaceX and Musk over alleged misuse of Starlink by rouge elements.</p>

<p>“Starlink is also at fault. Their service is location-based, and they must ensure that locations where they do not have a license remain inaccessible,” one user wrote on X.</p>

<p>“People who trust US, don't know what to term them. How to strengthen relation with a nation who has repeatedly backstabbed us,” wrote a second.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk's Starlink A Threat To India's National Security: Reports</strong></p>

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<p>A third user questioned Musk’s clarification and wrote, “This statement is incomplete "Beams are turned off over India" without clarifying whether beams are switched on over Myanmar and in Border areas upto how much distance on either side of the border connectivity might work.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US billionaire and SpaceX boss Elon Musk has reacted to media reports in India which said the Indian Army and other security forces had seized Starlink satellite internet service equipment from militant groups in the country’s north-eastern region.

US billionaire and SpaceX boss Elon Musk has reacted to media reports in India which said the Indian Army and other security forces had seized Starlink satellite internet service equipment from militant groups in the country’s north-eastern region. It was reported that police and security personnel had carried out a joint operation against militants in the hill and valley regions of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi districts. Acting on specific intelligence, troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles formations under #SpearCorps carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in #Manipur, in close coordination with… pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE — SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) December 16, 2024 × During the operation, the security forces recovered 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, country-made mortars, and other war-related items. But what made this operation a national headline was the recovery of Starlink devices from the group. It raised concerns about whether militants were using such equipment and posing a grave threat to India’s national security. Responding to these reports and concerns, Musk, who owns the company that offers Starlink services, said “This is false.” He cited the unavailability of satellite beams over India. “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” the SpaceX boss wrote on X. He was responding to a post by an X user who had asked Musk to step in to thwart the alleged abuse of Starlink services by terrorists. This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024 × Also read: EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink It must be noted that Starlink services are currently unavailable in India due to a lack of government approval. Earlier, social media users slammed SpaceX and Musk over alleged misuse of Starlink by rouge elements. “Starlink is also at fault. Their service is location-based, and they must ensure that locations where they do not have a license remain inaccessible,” one user wrote on X. “People who trust US, don't know what to term them. How to strengthen relation with a nation who has repeatedly backstabbed us,” wrote a second. Watch: Elon Musk's Starlink A Threat To India's National Security: Reports × A third user questioned Musk’s clarification and wrote, “This statement is incomplete "Beams are turned off over India" without clarifying whether beams are switched on over Myanmar and in Border areas upto how much distance on either side of the border connectivity might work.” (With inputs from agencies)

<p>After playing a central role in Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk has his eyes set on the next big target: Taking centre stage in UK politics. The Trump ally reportedly held meeting with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage Monday (Dec 16) at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The meeting lasted for over one hour, in the presence of Reform UK’s new treasurer Nick Candy.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City</strong></p>

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<p>“We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas,” read a joint statement issued by Farage and Candy. “We only have one more chance left to save the west and we can do great things together,” it added.</p>

<h2><strong>Did Farage and Musk discuss donations?</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this year, it was reported in media that Musk was preparing to donate over $100 million to Farage’s party. However, those reports were later rubbished by the Tesla boss himself.</p>

<p>Now, the meeting between Farage, Candy, and Musk comes as the Reform UK treasurer vows to double down on fundraising operations. Farage is hoping to capitalise on increasing support in the UK and turbo-charge his political startup into a major player in UK political arena. Local elections in the UK are due in May and Farage is hoping to win significant seats and at least one mayoralty.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiLpOD06bCKAxWThq8BHXCbPAgQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-launches-iris2-space-programme-to-challenge-elon-musks-starlink-784488&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLpOD06bCKAxWThq8BHXCbPAgQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE">EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk showed interest in Reform UK party earlier this month. When Farage posted on X that his party was seeking to build a “winning team to change British politics forever”, Musk responded,&nbsp;“When is the first electoral opportunity?”</p>

<p>It was not clear whether Musk and Farage discussed donations in Monday meeting.</p>

<p>It comes as former UK minister Peter Mandelson earlier urged the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use Musk to build closer ties with the incoming Trump administration.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


After playing a central role in Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk has his eyes set on the next big target: Taking centre stage in UK politics.

After playing a central role in Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk has his eyes set on the next big target: Taking centre stage in UK politics. The Trump ally reportedly held meeting with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage Monday (Dec 16) at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The meeting lasted for over one hour, in the presence of Reform UK’s new treasurer Nick Candy. Watch: Elon Musk Unveils Ambitious Vision For Austin Texas, Wants To Turn HQ Into A Texas City × “We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas,” read a joint statement issued by Farage and Candy. “We only have one more chance left to save the west and we can do great things together,” it added. Did Farage and Musk discuss donations? Earlier this year, it was reported in media that Musk was preparing to donate over $100 million to Farage’s party. However, those reports were later rubbished by the Tesla boss himself. Now, the meeting between Farage, Candy, and Musk comes as the Reform UK treasurer vows to double down on fundraising operations. Farage is hoping to capitalise on increasing support in the UK and turbo-charge his political startup into a major player in UK political arena. Local elections in the UK are due in May and Farage is hoping to win significant seats and at least one mayoralty. Also read: EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink Musk showed interest in Reform UK party earlier this month. When Farage posted on X that his party was seeking to build a “winning team to change British politics forever”, Musk responded, “When is the first electoral opportunity?” It was not clear whether Musk and Farage discussed donations in Monday meeting. It comes as former UK minister Peter Mandelson earlier urged the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use Musk to build closer ties with the incoming Trump administration. (With inputs from agencies)

<p><span class="region">Brussels, Belgium </span>
</p>
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<p dir="ltr">The European Union has launched a €10 billionn (£8.3 billion) space programme called Iris2, aiming to build a network of 290 satellites to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. This ambitious project is designed to strengthen Europe’s control over its communications and offer secure connections for governments and military operations amidst rising cybersecurity threats.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“This is a big step towards Europe’s sovereignty and secure connectivity,” the EU said in a statement about the launch.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>A ‘Mega Constellation’ for secure connections</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Using advanced technology, Iris2 will provide a system equivalent to 1,000 satellites, operating in both medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit. This will ensure widespread coverage for defence, internet services, TV, weather updates, and border surveillance across Europe.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Leading European companies like Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio will be key contributors to the project.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Geopolitical challenge</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">The Iris2 project aims to meet Europe’s long-term satellite needs, which have become more urgent due to events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cyberattacks in Europe.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>UK chooses to stay out</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">The UK, once part of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme, has opted not to join Iris2. EU officials confirmed that Britain has made no move to participate in the project, despite shared concerns about defence and cybersecurity.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“So far, we have not seen any interest from our UK partners,” an EU official said, responding to questions about potential UK involvement, even with Labour leader Keir Starmer’s promise to improve EU-UK relations.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Since Brexit, the UK has been working on its satellite efforts. In August, the UK launched its Tyche Earth-imaging military satellite, and another satellite, Juno, is planned for 2027 to enhance surveillance and intelligence capabilities.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/chinas-geespace-deploys-10-low-orbit-satellites-targeting-starlinks-market-756788">China's Geespace deploys 10 low-orbit satellites, targeting Starlink’s market</a></strong></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Europe’s third major space project</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Iris2 is the EU’s third major satellite programme, following Galileo and Copernicus. It reflects Europe’s growing focus on protecting its communication systems and reducing reliance on other global players.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first government and commercial communications through Iris2 are expected to start by 2030. With this initiative, the EU is taking a firm step towards greater independence and improved cybersecurity in an increasingly competitive global tech arena.</p>
<p dir="ltr">(<em>With inputs taken from agencies</em>) </p>


The Iris2 project aims to meet Europe’s long-term satellite needs, which have become more urgent due to events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cyberattacks in Europe.



Brussels, Belgium The European Union has launched a €10 billionn (£8.3 billion) space programme called Iris2, aiming to build a network of 290 satellites to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. This ambitious project is designed to strengthen Europe’s control over its communications and offer secure connections for governments and military operations amidst rising cybersecurity threats. “This is a big step towards Europe’s sovereignty and secure connectivity,” the EU said in a statement about the launch. A ‘Mega Constellation’ for secure connections Using advanced technology, Iris2 will provide a system equivalent to 1,000 satellites, operating in both medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit. This will ensure widespread coverage for defence, internet services, TV, weather updates, and border surveillance across Europe. Leading European companies like Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio will be key contributors to the project. Geopolitical challenge The Iris2 project aims to meet Europe’s long-term satellite needs, which have become more urgent due to events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cyberattacks in Europe. UK chooses to stay out The UK, once part of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme, has opted not to join Iris2. EU officials confirmed that Britain has made no move to participate in the project, despite shared concerns about defence and cybersecurity. “So far, we have not seen any interest from our UK partners,” an EU official said, responding to questions about potential UK involvement, even with Labour leader Keir Starmer’s promise to improve EU-UK relations. Since Brexit, the UK has been working on its satellite efforts. In August, the UK launched its Tyche Earth-imaging military satellite, and another satellite, Juno, is planned for 2027 to enhance surveillance and intelligence capabilities. Also Read: China's Geespace deploys 10 low-orbit satellites, targeting Starlink’s market Europe’s third major space project Iris2 is the EU’s third major satellite programme, following Galileo and Copernicus. It reflects Europe’s growing focus on protecting its communication systems and reducing reliance on other global players. The first government and commercial communications through Iris2 are expected to start by 2030. With this initiative, the EU is taking a firm step towards greater independence and improved cybersecurity in an increasingly competitive global tech arena. (With inputs taken from agencies)

EU launches Iris2 space programme to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p dir="ltr">The European Union has launched a €10 billionn (£8.3 billion) space programme called Iris2, aiming to build a network of 290 satellites to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. This ambitious project is designed to strengthen Europe’s control over its communications and offer secure connections for governments and military operations amidst rising cybersecurity threats.</p>

<p dir="ltr">“This is a big step towards Europe’s sovereignty and secure connectivity,” the EU said in a statement about the launch.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>A ‘Mega Constellation’ for secure connections</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">Using advanced technology, Iris2 will provide a system equivalent to 1,000 satellites, operating in both medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit. This will ensure widespread coverage for defence, internet services, TV, weather updates, and border surveillance across Europe.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Leading European companies like Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio will be key contributors to the project.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Geopolitical challenge</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">The Iris2 project aims to meet Europe’s long-term satellite needs, which have become more urgent due to events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cyberattacks in Europe.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>UK chooses to stay out</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">The UK, once part of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme, has opted not to join Iris2. EU officials confirmed that Britain has made no move to participate in the project, despite shared concerns about defence and cybersecurity.</p>

<p dir="ltr">“So far, we have not seen any interest from our UK partners,” an EU official said, responding to questions about potential UK involvement, even with Labour leader Keir Starmer’s promise to improve EU-UK relations.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Since Brexit, the UK has been working on its satellite efforts. In August, the UK launched its Tyche Earth-imaging military satellite, and another satellite, Juno, is planned for 2027 to enhance surveillance and intelligence capabilities.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/chinas-geespace-deploys-10-low-orbit-satellites-targeting-starlinks-market-756788">China's Geespace deploys 10 low-orbit satellites, targeting Starlink’s market</a></strong></p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Europe’s third major space project</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">Iris2 is the EU’s third major satellite programme, following Galileo and Copernicus. It reflects Europe’s growing focus on protecting its communication systems and reducing reliance on other global players.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The first government and commercial communications through Iris2 are expected to start by 2030. With this initiative, the EU is taking a firm step towards greater independence and improved cybersecurity in an increasingly competitive global tech arena.</p>

<p dir="ltr">(<em>With inputs taken from agencies</em>)&nbsp;</p>


The European Union has launched a €10 billionn (£8.3 billion) space programme called Iris2, aiming to build a network of 290 satellites to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The European Union has launched a €10 billionn (£8.3 billion) space programme called Iris2, aiming to build a network of 290 satellites to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. This ambitious project is designed to strengthen Europe’s control over its communications and offer secure connections for governments and military operations amidst rising cybersecurity threats. “This is a big step towards Europe’s sovereignty and secure connectivity,” the EU said in a statement about the launch. A ‘Mega Constellation’ for secure connections Using advanced technology, Iris2 will provide a system equivalent to 1,000 satellites, operating in both medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit. This will ensure widespread coverage for defence, internet services, TV, weather updates, and border surveillance across Europe. Leading European companies like Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio will be key contributors to the project. Geopolitical challenge The Iris2 project aims to meet Europe’s long-term satellite needs, which have become more urgent due to events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cyberattacks in Europe. UK chooses to stay out The UK, once part of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme, has opted not to join Iris2. EU officials confirmed that Britain has made no move to participate in the project, despite shared concerns about defence and cybersecurity. “So far, we have not seen any interest from our UK partners,” an EU official said, responding to questions about potential UK involvement, even with Labour leader Keir Starmer’s promise to improve EU-UK relations. Since Brexit, the UK has been working on its satellite efforts. In August, the UK launched its Tyche Earth-imaging military satellite, and another satellite, Juno, is planned for 2027 to enhance surveillance and intelligence capabilities. Also Read: China's Geespace deploys 10 low-orbit satellites, targeting Starlink’s market Europe’s third major space project Iris2 is the EU’s third major satellite programme, following Galileo and Copernicus. It reflects Europe’s growing focus on protecting its communication systems and reducing reliance on other global players. The first government and commercial communications through Iris2 are expected to start by 2030. With this initiative, the EU is taking a firm step towards greater independence and improved cybersecurity in an increasingly competitive global tech arena. (With inputs taken from agencies)

<p><span class="region">San Francisco, United States</span>
<p>Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a post by an Indian-origin CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on his green card application, creating a stir on social media.</p></p>
<p>“I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” the San Francisco-based CEO posted on X, to which Musk gave a one-word reply, “Yes.” Srinivas responded to the SpaceX CEO with a red heart and folded hands emojis.</p>
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<p>— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811971631829364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>A green card, which is officially called a Permanent Resident Card, grants a person the right to live and work in the United States permanently.</p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-20-trump-taps-loyalist-devin-nunes-for-key-intelligence-role-richard-grenell-named-special-envoy-784057">Trump 2.0: Trump taps loyalist Devin Nunes for key intelligence role; Richard Grenell named special envoy</a></strong></p>
<p>Srinivas, the CEO of AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had been waiting for three years to secure permanent US citizenship. He is one of the co-founders of Perplexity, along with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. They started the company in 2022</p>
<p>An IIT Madras graduate, Srinivas completed his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and started his career as a research intern at OpenAI. He then worked at renowned organisations including Google and DeepMind, and returned to OpenAI again, before co-founding the AI company.</p>
<p>This recent post is not the only one where the two interacted. Earlier, Musk responded to a comment by Srinivas about the US immigration system, where he expressed his frustration with waiting for his green card.</p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apples-news-service-faces-backlash-ai-generated-content-falsely-claims-luigi-mangione-shoots-himself-784131">Apple's news service faces backlash after AI-generated content falsely claims 'Luigi Mangione shoots himself'</a></strong></p>
<p>“I have been waiting for my green card for like the last 3 years. Still haven’t gotten it. People mostly have no idea when they talk about immigration,” Srinivas wrote on X.</p>
<p>To his comment, Musk noted how difficult it is for talented people to enter the US legally while criminals enter the US illegally with ease. He wrote, “We have an upside down system that makes it hard for highly talented people to come to America legally, but trivial for criminals to come here illegally. Why is easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate?”</p>
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<p>— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811971631829364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>“@realDonaldTrump &amp; DOGE will fix this,” Musk added, referencing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the department.</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Aravind Srinivas, the CEO of AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had been waiting for three years to secure permanent US citizenship. He is one of the co-founders of Perplexity, along with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats and Johnny Ho. They started the company in 2022.



San Francisco, United States Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a post by an Indian-origin CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on his green card application, creating a stir on social media. “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” the San Francisco-based CEO posted on X, to which Musk gave a one-word reply, “Yes.” Srinivas responded to the SpaceX CEO with a red heart and folded hands emojis. Yes — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × A green card, which is officially called a Permanent Resident Card, grants a person the right to live and work in the United States permanently. Also read | Trump 2.0: Trump taps loyalist Devin Nunes for key intelligence role; Richard Grenell named special envoy Srinivas, the CEO of AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had been waiting for three years to secure permanent US citizenship. He is one of the co-founders of Perplexity, along with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. They started the company in 2022 An IIT Madras graduate, Srinivas completed his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and started his career as a research intern at OpenAI. He then worked at renowned organisations including Google and DeepMind, and returned to OpenAI again, before co-founding the AI company. This recent post is not the only one where the two interacted. Earlier, Musk responded to a comment by Srinivas about the US immigration system, where he expressed his frustration with waiting for his green card. Also read | Apple's news service faces backlash after AI-generated content falsely claims 'Luigi Mangione shoots himself' “I have been waiting for my green card for like the last 3 years. Still haven’t gotten it. People mostly have no idea when they talk about immigration,” Srinivas wrote on X. To his comment, Musk noted how difficult it is for talented people to enter the US legally while criminals enter the US illegally with ease. He wrote, “We have an upside down system that makes it hard for highly talented people to come to America legally, but trivial for criminals to come here illegally. Why is easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate?” Yes — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × “@realDonaldTrump & DOGE will fix this,” Musk added, referencing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the department. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian-origin CEO asks if he should get US green card, Musk replies

<p><span class="region">New Delhi, India</span>
<p>In a landmark achievement for Indian chess, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju (better known as D Gukesh) won the 2024 World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China. His win made him the second Indian ever to claim the championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand. </p></p>
<h2><strong>Historic win for India and Chess</strong></h2>
<p>At just 18 years old, Gukesh has become the youngest player in history to win the World Chess Championship, a title that has long been dominated by players much older than him.</p>
<p>Gukesh’s remarkable victory has captured the attention of the global community, with several prominent tech leaders and public figures expressing their admiration and congratulations. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-d-gukesh-beats-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-becomes-youngest-champion-783519"><strong>Also Read | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion</strong></a></p>
<p>Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to praise the young champion. "Congrats to Gukesh D, incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!!" he wrote. </p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congrats to Gukesh D , incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!! ??? <a href="https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN">https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN</a></p>
<p>— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1867234331137294841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, replies with a simple "Congratulations."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations!</p>
<p>— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811407988769247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>PM Modi hails Gukesh’s triumph</strong></h2>
<p>After his victory, Gukesh also received a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to social media to congratulate Gukesh. "Historic and exemplary!" Modi wrote on X.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Historic and exemplary!</p>
<p>Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination.</p>
<p>His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… <a href="https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr">https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xa1kPaiHdg">pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg</a></p>
<p>— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1867204810308506097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies) </em></p>


Gukesh’s remarkable victory has captured the attention of the global community, with several prominent tech leaders and public figures expressing their admiration and congratulations. 



New Delhi, India In a landmark achievement for Indian chess, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju (better known as D Gukesh) won the 2024 World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China. His win made him the second Indian ever to claim the championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand. Historic win for India and Chess At just 18 years old, Gukesh has become the youngest player in history to win the World Chess Championship, a title that has long been dominated by players much older than him. Gukesh’s remarkable victory has captured the attention of the global community, with several prominent tech leaders and public figures expressing their admiration and congratulations. Also Read | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to praise the young champion. "Congrats to Gukesh D, incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!!" he wrote. Congrats to Gukesh D , incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!! ??? https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) December 12, 2024 × Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, replies with a simple "Congratulations." Congratulations! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × PM Modi hails Gukesh’s triumph After his victory, Gukesh also received a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to social media to congratulate Gukesh. "Historic and exemplary!" Modi wrote on X. Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2024 × (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai congratulate India's D Gukesh after historic win

<p>Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a post by an Indian-origin CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on his green card application, creating a stir on social media.</p>

<p>“I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” the San Francisco-based CEO posted on X, to which Musk gave a one-word reply, “Yes.” Srinivas responded to the SpaceX CEO with a red heart and folded hands emojis.</p>

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811971631829364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>A green card, which is officially called a Permanent Resident Card, grants a person the right to live and work in the United States permanently.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-20-trump-taps-loyalist-devin-nunes-for-key-intelligence-role-richard-grenell-named-special-envoy-784057">Trump 2.0: Trump taps loyalist Devin Nunes for key intelligence role; Richard Grenell named special envoy</a></strong></p>

<p>Srinivas, the CEO of AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had been waiting for three years to secure permanent US citizenship. He is one of the co-founders of Perplexity, along with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho.&nbsp;They&nbsp;started the company in 2022</p>

<p>An IIT Madras graduate, Srinivas completed his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and started his career as a research intern at OpenAI. He then worked at renowned organisations including Google and DeepMind, and returned to OpenAI again, before co-founding the AI company.</p>

<p>This recent post is not the only one where the two interacted. Earlier, Musk responded to a comment by Srinivas about the US immigration system, where he expressed his frustration with waiting for his green card.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apples-news-service-faces-backlash-ai-generated-content-falsely-claims-luigi-mangione-shoots-himself-784131">Apple's news service faces backlash after AI-generated content falsely claims 'Luigi Mangione shoots himself'</a></strong></p>

<p>“I have been waiting for my green card for like the last 3 years. Still haven’t gotten it. People mostly have no idea when they talk about immigration,” Srinivas wrote on X.</p>

<p>To his comment, Musk noted how difficult it is for talented people to enter the US legally while criminals enter the US illegally with ease. He wrote, “We have an upside down system that makes it hard for highly talented people to come to America legally, but trivial for criminals to come here illegally. Why is easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate?”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">Yes</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811971631829364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>“@realDonaldTrump &amp; DOGE will fix this,” Musk added, referencing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk and&nbsp;Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the department.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a post by an Indian-origin CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on his green card application, creating a stir on social media. “I think I should get a green card.

Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a post by an Indian-origin CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on his green card application, creating a stir on social media. “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” the San Francisco-based CEO posted on X, to which Musk gave a one-word reply, “Yes.” Srinivas responded to the SpaceX CEO with a red heart and folded hands emojis. Yes — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × A green card, which is officially called a Permanent Resident Card, grants a person the right to live and work in the United States permanently. Also read | Trump 2.0: Trump taps loyalist Devin Nunes for key intelligence role; Richard Grenell named special envoy Srinivas, the CEO of AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had been waiting for three years to secure permanent US citizenship. He is one of the co-founders of Perplexity, along with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. They started the company in 2022 An IIT Madras graduate, Srinivas completed his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and started his career as a research intern at OpenAI. He then worked at renowned organisations including Google and DeepMind, and returned to OpenAI again, before co-founding the AI company. This recent post is not the only one where the two interacted. Earlier, Musk responded to a comment by Srinivas about the US immigration system, where he expressed his frustration with waiting for his green card. Also read | Apple's news service faces backlash after AI-generated content falsely claims 'Luigi Mangione shoots himself' “I have been waiting for my green card for like the last 3 years. Still haven’t gotten it. People mostly have no idea when they talk about immigration,” Srinivas wrote on X. To his comment, Musk noted how difficult it is for talented people to enter the US legally while criminals enter the US illegally with ease. He wrote, “We have an upside down system that makes it hard for highly talented people to come to America legally, but trivial for criminals to come here illegally. Why is easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate?” Yes — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × “@realDonaldTrump & DOGE will fix this,” Musk added, referencing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the department. (With inputs from agencies)

<p>In a landmark achievement for Indian chess, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju (better known as D Gukesh) won the 2024 World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China. His win made him the second Indian ever to claim the championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Historic win for India and Chess</strong></h2>

<p>At just 18 years old, Gukesh has become&nbsp;the youngest player in history to win the World Chess Championship, a title that has long been dominated by players much older than him.</p>

<p>Gukesh’s remarkable victory has captured the attention of the global community, with several prominent tech leaders and public figures expressing their admiration and congratulations.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-d-gukesh-beats-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-becomes-youngest-champion-783519"><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion</strong></a></p>

<p>Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to praise the young champion. "Congrats to Gukesh D, incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!!" he wrote.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congrats to Gukesh D , incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!! 🇮🇳🎈 <a href="https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN">https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN</a></p>
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1867234331137294841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, replies with a simple "Congratulations."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations!</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1867811407988769247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>PM Modi hails Gukesh’s triumph</strong></h2>

<p>After his&nbsp;victory, Gukesh also received a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to social media to congratulate Gukesh. "Historic and exemplary!" Modi wrote on X.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Historic and exemplary!<br />
<br />
Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination.<br />
<br />
His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… <a href="https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr">https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xa1kPaiHdg">pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1867204810308506097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


In a landmark achievement for Indian chess, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju (better known as D Gukesh) won the 2024 World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China.

In a landmark achievement for Indian chess, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju (better known as D Gukesh) won the 2024 World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China. His win made him the second Indian ever to claim the championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand. Historic win for India and Chess At just 18 years old, Gukesh has become the youngest player in history to win the World Chess Championship, a title that has long been dominated by players much older than him. Gukesh’s remarkable victory has captured the attention of the global community, with several prominent tech leaders and public figures expressing their admiration and congratulations. Also Read | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to praise the young champion. "Congrats to Gukesh D, incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!!" he wrote. Congrats to Gukesh D , incredible to become youngest world champion at 18!! 🇮🇳🎈 https://t.co/ON20QjcKmN — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) December 12, 2024 × Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, replies with a simple "Congratulations." Congratulations! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024 × PM Modi hails Gukesh’s triumph After his victory, Gukesh also received a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to social media to congratulate Gukesh. "Historic and exemplary!" Modi wrote on X. Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2024 × (With inputs from agencies)

<p>Jeff Bezos is expected to meet with the president-elect next week. For Bezos, the new administration will be necessary. This is for the&nbsp;space race against fellow billionaire Elon Musk.</p>

<p>Bezos was the object of Trump's criticisms though his first term had everything worked out as planned, Amazon's project Kuiper would have begun providing beta services to clients by now.<br />
<br />
Kuiper aims to compete with Musk's dominating Starlink satellite internet service. On the contrary, Kuiper is now behind schedule.<br />
<br />
Amazon is confronted with the possibility of a new White House administration beset by individuals with ties to Musk's SpaceX.</p>

<p>The first operational satellite launches from Kuiper have already been delayed twice in 2024.<br />
<br />
Rocket producer United Launch Alliance's latest delay was due to the necessity of prioritising two missions for the US Space Force. The schedule is uncertain.<br />
<br />
ULA — a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin — will not be able to complete those space force launches this year. This is because ULA is investigating a mishap on a flight in October.</p>

<p>In response to Trump's attacks on the Bezos-owned Washington Post during his first term in office, Amazon filed a lawsuit claiming that Trump had told the Pentagon to "screw Amazon" by excluding it from a bidding process.<br />
<br />
Bezos lately has adopted a more accommodating stance. The Amazon founder made an unusual appearance on X after Trump's election to offer his&nbsp;congratulations&nbsp;to the newly elected president.<br />
<br />
A representative for Amazon announced Thursday that the firm will be paying 1 million dollars to Trump's inaugural fund.<br />
<br />
This is in addition to efforts of meta platforms and other digital companies that are hoping to foster favourable relationships with the new government by contributing to the festivities.</p>

<p><i>(With inputs from the agencies)</i></p>


Jeff Bezos is expected to meet with the president-elect next week. For Bezos, the new administration will be necessary. This is for the space race against fellow billionaire Elon Musk.

Jeff Bezos is expected to meet with the president-elect next week. For Bezos, the new administration will be necessary. This is for the space race against fellow billionaire Elon Musk. Bezos was the object of Trump's criticisms though his first term had everything worked out as planned, Amazon's project Kuiper would have begun providing beta services to clients by now. Kuiper aims to compete with Musk's dominating Starlink satellite internet service. On the contrary, Kuiper is now behind schedule. Amazon is confronted with the possibility of a new White House administration beset by individuals with ties to Musk's SpaceX. The first operational satellite launches from Kuiper have already been delayed twice in 2024. Rocket producer United Launch Alliance's latest delay was due to the necessity of prioritising two missions for the US Space Force. The schedule is uncertain. ULA — a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin — will not be able to complete those space force launches this year. This is because ULA is investigating a mishap on a flight in October. In response to Trump's attacks on the Bezos-owned Washington Post during his first term in office, Amazon filed a lawsuit claiming that Trump had told the Pentagon to "screw Amazon" by excluding it from a bidding process. Bezos lately has adopted a more accommodating stance. The Amazon founder made an unusual appearance on X after Trump's election to offer his congratulations to the newly elected president. A representative for Amazon announced Thursday that the firm will be paying 1 million dollars to Trump's inaugural fund. This is in addition to efforts of meta platforms and other digital companies that are hoping to foster favourable relationships with the new government by contributing to the festivities. (With inputs from the agencies)

Bezos prepares for new administration amid Kuiper delays

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