Elon Musk

Meta abandons racial diversity programmes as Zuckerberg woos Trump

11 Jan 2025 - 11:58AM

Artificial intelligence

Musk asks state AGs to auction off OpenAI stake in non-profit restructuring

10 Jan 2025 - 10:24AM

Germany

Musk promotes German far-right leader in wide-ranging online chat

X spaces event was Elon Musk’s latest foray into European politics, where he has become a loud advocate for far-right parties.

10 Jan 2025 - 9:51AM

Germany’s far-right candidate Alice Weidel. Photo: AFP

Musk eyes US$1 trillion US spending cut, walking back earlier goal

Trump ally Musk admits his pledge to cut US$2 trillion in spending probably isn’t realistic.

10 Jan 2025 - 8:51AM

EU stays mum as Trump eyes Greenland and Musk courts far-right

Told to cease ‘lecturing and moralising’, Brussels officials ready for ‘strong transatlantic agenda’ as they ‘defend’ trade interests.

9 Jan 2025 - 3:16PMvideocam

Man who exploded Cybertruck outside Trump hotel used ChatGPT to plan attack

Police called soldier Matthew Livelsberger’s use of generative AI a ‘game-changer’ and a ‘concerning moment’ for law enforcement.

8 Jan 2025 - 8:37AM

Investigators inspect a damaged Tesla Cybertruck on January 2 after it exploded in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via Reuters

While you were sleeping

Musk wants to buy Liverpool, unstoppable Isak downs Arsenal, Loeb’s rally over

Elon Musk’s father tells British radio station his son expressed interest in Premier League leaders, but ‘that doesn’t mean’ he’ll buy club.

8 Jan 2025 - 7:30AM

European leaders take aim at Elon Musk amid escalating UK row

The world’s richest man Elon Musk has taken an intense interest in British sex crimes and politics – and some are not pleased.

7 Jan 2025 - 1:28PM

US-China relations

Why tycoons like Elon Musk are key to ‘trust, understanding’ between US, China

Roberta Lipson, who has invested in China for more than 40 years, says pragmatic economic policies and constructive dialogue from both sides can ensure a more positive business environment.

7 Jan 2025 - 8:54AMvideocam

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk rouses the crowd at an America PAC event in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Oaks, Pennsylvania, in October. Photo: AFP

Starmer slams those ‘spreading lies and misinformation’ after Musk criticism

Starmer defended his record as a prosecutor against Musk’s attacks over historical child rape crimes in the UK, criticising those spreading lies and far-right agitators.

6 Jan 2025 - 9:21PM

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his record against Elon Musk’s attacks over historical child rape crimes. Photo: Pool/AFP

SpaceX

Italy plans US$1.5 billion SpaceX telecoms security services deal

The negotiations moved forward after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited president-elect Donald Trump in Florida on Saturday.

6 Jan 2025 - 9:32AM

US-China relations

Open Questions | Obama-era diplomat Daniel Russel on Trump 2.0’s potential effects on China

In a less forgiving global environment for Beijing, how will Donald Trump’s second term play out for Taiwan?

6 Jan 2025 - 12:03PMvideocam

Opinion | Why the H-1B visa has divided Trump supporters

Tensions within the president-elect’s coalition over high-skilled immigration are symptomatic of larger problems in the US economy.

6 Jan 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

Musk turns on Farage, calls for him to quit as Reform UK leader

World’s richest man Musk says Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’ in his latest intervention in UK politics.

6 Jan 2025 - 1:55PM

Elon Musk and Nigel Farage at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in December. Photo: X @Nigel_Farage

Tesla’s Cybertruck data sparks privacy concerns after Las Vegas explosion

Privacy experts say the deep dive by Elon Musk’s company raises a difficult question as vehicles become more like computers on wheels.

4 Jan 2025 - 10:48PM

‘Starmer must go’: Elon Musk turns his gaze on Europe’s far-right politics

From Britain to Germany, the Tesla chief’s influence grows in Europe’s politics as he backs the hard-right and challenges democratic institutions.

4 Jan 2025 - 11:35AMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Elon Musk’s college bestie Navaid Farooq, who knew him before the billions

They were in the same first-year dormitory at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada; like his now-billionaire pal, Farooq enjoyed strategy games and ‘had made no close friends in high school’.

3 Jan 2025 - 6:00PM

Meet Elon Musk’s college bestie Navaid Farooq, who quit Musk’s first company, Zip2, after just six weeks. Photos: @ExesxXs/X; Reuters

Terrorism

Soldier shot self in head before Cybertruck exploded outside Trump’s Vegas hotel

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a member of the elite Green Berets, took his own life in a rented vehicle filled with fuel containers and fireworks.

3 Jan 2025 - 3:10PM

Millionaires and billionaires

Man who died in Tesla explosion outside Trump hotel was active-duty US Army soldier

FBI investigating whether incident is an act of terrorism, which occurred hours after man drove truck into a crowd in New Orleans.

2 Jan 2025 - 11:55PM

Elon Musk baffles internet with ‘Kekius Maximus’ profile name on X

Billionaire’s new X handle merges alt-right symbols and Gladiator references, sparking crypto surge and online speculation.

1 Jan 2025 - 10:30AM

Trump sides with Elon Musk in right-wing row over worker visas

‘I’ve always liked the [H1-B] visas,’ Trump said of the special visa programme that helps highly skilled workers enter the country.

29 Dec 2024 - 7:32AMvideocam

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and US president-elect Donald Trump. Photo: AP

Germany

Elon Musk backs right-wing AfD party in German newspaper opinion piece

Soon after article was published online, editor of the opinion section said she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary.

29 Dec 2024 - 7:34AM

Artificial intelligence

Explainer | Why ChatGPT creator OpenAI plans transition to public benefit corporation

The new structure aims to potentially make OpenAI a more investor-friendly company, while maintaining a mission of funding a related charity.

28 Dec 2024 - 12:10PM

Musk vs Maga: billionaire clashes with Trump’s allies over immigration

The billionaire says foreign talent ‘essential for America to keep winning’ but Trump’s backers want Musk to stay out of immigration debate.

28 Dec 2024 - 10:37AMvideocam

Donald Trump with billionaire Elon Musk (left) in Pennsylvania. Photo: AP

Macroscope | Trump vs the Fed: why 2025 could be the year things get ugly

The Fed is making it clear that Trump’s policies come at a price, one that he might be unwilling to pay if inflation rises more sharply.

27 Dec 2024 - 5:52AMvideocam

Trump says talk that he has ceded presidency to Musk is a ‘hoax’

President-elect Donald Trump addresses billionaire ally’s power after his influence was on display in congressional budget wrangling.

23 Dec 2024 - 9:35AMvideocam