For two weeks, Donald Trump has welcomed Elon Musk into his world. On Tuesday, it was Musk’s turn to play host to the president-elect. Trump flew to South Texas to watch as Musk’s SpaceX launched a Starship rocket near the Mexican border. Trump listened intently as the world’s richest man explained how the test would work and demonstrated with a model. And then Trump squinted into the bright sky to watch liftoff. It didn’t go perfectly -– the reusable booster did not return to the launch pad as it had done on a previous test last month. Instead, the booster was directed to a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. But Trump’s presence at the launch was a remarkable display of intimacy between the two men, one with implications for American politics, the government, foreign policy and even the possibility of humans reaching Mars. Biden slams Elon Musk over allegations of illegal work in US Musk spent around $200 million to help Trump beat Democrat Kamala Harris in the presidential race, and he's been given unparalleled access. He's counseled Trump on nominees for the new administration, joined the president-elect's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and been tapped to co-chair an advisory panel on cutting the size of the federal bureaucracy. In addition to political influence, Musk could benefit personally as well. SpaceX, his rocket company, has billions of dollars in government contracts and the goal of eventually starting a colony on Mars. He's also CEO of Tesla, which manufactures electric vehicles, and has battled with regulators over safety concerns involving autonomous driving. “Trump has the biggest possible regard for people who break the rules and get away with it," said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. "Musk has demonstrated extraordinary accomplishment in doing that.” To top if off, Musk owns the social media company X, formally known as Twitter, which he has harnessed as an influential perch to promote Trump and his agenda. “Stop the Swamp!” he wrote Tuesday as he shared a warning that entrenched Washington interests are trying to undermine Trump before his inauguration. Before the election, Musk rejected the idea that he was expecting any favors in return for supporting Trump in the presidential race. “There is no quid pro quo,” he posted on X in September. “With a Trump administration, we can execute major government reform, remove bureaucratic paperwork that is smothering the country and unlock a new age of prosperity.” However, Trump has hardly gone anywhere without Musk in the two weeks since beating Harris. Musk joined Trump at a meeting with House Republicans in Washington and sat next to him at an Ultimate Fighting Championship match in New York. The trip to Texas for the rocket launch was just Trump's third time outside Florida since the election. As Trump's protective motorcade left the launch site Tuesday evening to return to the airport, one of Musk's angular, shiny Tesla Cybertrucks was tucked in the middle of the formation of black SUVs. Italy's president sharply rebukes Elon Musk over comments on X about migration court rulings Much of Trump's activity is happening with little public access for the press. Unlike his predecessors, he has opted against regularly making his travel plans or events open to journalists. The relationship between Trump and Musk was not always so close. Two years ago, Trump was mocking Musk in stump speeches and Musk was saying it was time for Trump to “hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” “Trump would be 82 at end of term, which is too old to be chief executive of anything, let alone the United States of America,” Musk wrote on social media. But Musk swiftly endorsed Trump after the former president survived an assassination attempt in July. He quickly became a central figure in Trump’s orbit, appearing at times more like his running mate than Ohio Sen. JD Vance. Trump started boasting about Musk's accomplishments at campaign rallies, such as when Starship's reusable rocket booster returned to the launch tower on a previous occasion and was caught by mechanical arms. “Those arms grab it like you grab your baby, just like you grab your little baby. And it hugged it and just put it down, and there it was,” Trump said. Musk was with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort on election night and has spent much of the two weeks since there. Trump’s granddaughter Kai Trump posted a photo of her with Musk at one of Trump’s golf resorts, writing that Musk was "achieving uncle status.” Last week, Musk appeared in a golden ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, seated in the center of the room as a guest of honor at an event. Trump, in his remarks at the black tie event, said Musk’s IQ is “about as high as they can get” and praised him as “a really good guy.” “He launched a rocket three weeks ago and then he went to Pennsylvania to campaign because he considered this more important than launching rockets that cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. He joked about Musk’s constant presence at Mar-a-Lago, saying: “He likes this place. I can’t get him out of here." He added, “And you know what, I like having him here.” Musk said of the election results, “The public has given us a mandate that could not be more clear."

President Joe Biden took aim at billionaire Elon Musk during a campaign event, following reports that the Tesla CEO may have illegally worked in the United States during the 1990s while on a student visa. The allegation, revealed in a Washington Post report, claims that Musk, who immigrated from South Africa, did not adhere to visa regulations when he arrived in the country. “That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here. No, I’m serious. He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa. He wasn’t in school. He was violating the law. And he’s talking about all these illegals coming our way?” Biden said at a union hall event in Pittsburgh, drawing a stark contrast between Musk’s past and the entrepreneur’s current stance on immigration. The Washington Post report alleges that Musk arrived in Palo Alto, California, in 1995 with plans to attend Stanford University. However, instead of enrolling in courses, Musk focused on his startup, Zip2, reportedly violating the terms of his visa. Here's a look at Musk's contact with Putin and why it matters The newspaper, citing court documents and former associates, highlighted a 2005 email from Musk to his Tesla co-founders in which he allegedly acknowledged his lack of legal authorisation to remain in the US while starting his business. In response, Musk defended himself, stating on X, formerly Twitter, that he was “in fact allowed to work in the US” and referred to Biden as a “puppet” spreading falsehoods. The report suggests that Musk’s early investors were concerned about his visa status, fearing that he could face deportation. Musk allegedly applied to Stanford to secure a legal foothold in the US, but he instead prioritised building Zip2, which was eventually sold to Compaq in 1999. Musk, now the world’s richest person, has become a vocal supporter of the GOP, with over $70 million in donations to the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and other GOP candidates. Elon Musk promises daily $1 million award He has frequently echoed Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric and is even touted for a potential role in a future Trump administration. Both Tesla and X have yet to respond to the recent allegations.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of major government contractor SpaceX and a key ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the last two years, The Wall Street Journal reported. A person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, confirmed to The Associated Press that Musk and Putin have had contact through calls. The person didn't provide additional details about the frequency of the calls, when they occurred or their content. Musk, the world's richest man who also owns Tesla and the social platform X, has emerged as a leading voice on the American right. He's poured millions of dollars into Trump's presidential bid and turned the platform once known as Twitter into a site popular with Trump supporters, as well as conspiracy theorists, extremists and Russian propagandists. Musk's contacts with Putin raise national security questions, given his companies' work for the government, and highlight concerns about Russian influence in American politics. Here's what to know: What they talked about Musk and Putin have spoken repeatedly about personal matters, business and geopolitics, The Journal reported Thursday, citing multiple current and former officials in the U.S., Europe and Russia. During one talk, Putin asked Musk not to activate his Starlink satellite system over Taiwan as a favor for Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose ties to Putin have grown closer, the Journal reported. Putin and Xi have met more than 40 times since 2013. Elon Musk promises daily $1 million award Russia has denied the conversations took place. In 2022, Musk said he'd only spoken to Putin once, in a call 18 months earlier focused on space. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Friday that it was “not aware of the specifics” of any requests made by Putin on China’s behalf. There was no immediate response to messages left with X and Tesla seeking Musk's comment. What the talks mean for national security Musk’s relationship with Putin raises national security questions given the billions of dollars in government contracts awarded to SpaceX, a critical partner to NASA and government satellite programs. Trump also has vowed to give Musk a role in his administration if he wins next month. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said it’s unusual for business leaders to be in contact with Putin without informing U.S. authorities. While CEOs may often interact with foreign leaders, Putin stands apart, given his invasion of Ukraine, McFaul said. “He’s a war criminal who is slaughtering civilians. That makes this wrong in my view,” McFaul said of Musk’s talks with Putin. “You have to decide what team you are on. Are you on the American team or are you on the Russian team?” The request from Putin on Starlink as a favor to China is likely to get attention, given U.S. support for Taiwan and concerns about the growing partnership between the Kremlin and Beijing. Musk, whose Tesla operates Gigafactory Shanghai, has developed a close relationship with China’s leaders. His remarks about China have been friendly, and he has suggested Taiwan cede some control to Beijing by becoming a special administrative region. Moscow has growing ties to other American adversaries. The U.S. has accused Russia of sending ballistic missiles to Iran and said North Korea sent troops to Russia, possibly for combat in Ukraine. On Ukraine, Musk's views have shifted since he initially supported Kyiv following Russia's 2022 invasion and provided it with his Starlink system for communications. Musk then refused to allow Ukraine in 2023 to use Starlink for a surprise attack on Russian soldiers in Crimea. Elon Musk's xAI seeks AI tutors with good offer He also floated a peace proposal that would have required Ukraine to drop plans for NATO membership and given Russia permanent control of Crimea, which it seized in 2014. The plan infuriated Ukrainian leaders. The timing of the calls reported by The Journal and Musk’s changing views on Ukraine was a “disturbing coincidence,” said Bradley Bowman, a former West Point assistant professor who is now senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank. “The policy of the U.S. government is to try to isolate Vladimir Putin, and Elon Musk is directly undercutting that,” Bowman said. “What is Putin doing with Musk? Putin is trying to reduce his international isolation and impact American foreign policy.” One person familiar with the talks between Musk and Putin told The Journal that there is no evidence Musk's contact with Putin represents a security problem for the U.S. Asked about Musk’s contacts with Putin, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday that he had no information to share. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence officials declined to comment. The State Department didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Musk's close ties to Trump Musk recently appeared at a Trump rally, sporting a Make America Great Again hat and delivered a ominous warning that if Trump lost the race “this will be the last election.” Last year, Musk mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request for aid and said in February that Ukraine couldn’t win the war. Trump, who has praised Putin’s leadership and criticized the NATO alliance and U.S. aid for Ukraine, has raised questions about what he would be willing to concede if he's elected in a negotiation over Ukraine's future. Family outraged as AI Chatbot mimics murdered daughter U.S. intelligence officials and private sector analysts have concluded that Russia is working to covertly support Trump with disinformation and propaganda targeting his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Since Musk took over X, it has become a leading online source of Russian propaganda and disinformation aimed at Americans. Trump has faced scrutiny over his own recent contacts with Putin, outlined in a new book by Watergate journalist Bob Woodward. Woodward quoted an unnamed Trump aide who said the former president and Putin may have had as many as seven conversations since Trump lost reelection in 2020. Before one of the calls, the aide said they were asked to leave Trump’s office to give the two privacy. The Trump campaign and the Kremlin have denied those calls occurred. In response to questions about Musk and Putin, Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Musk “a once-in-a-generation industry leader” whose ideas could benefit “our broken federal bureaucracy.” “As for Putin, there’s only one candidate in the race that he did not invade another country under, and it’s President Trump,” Leavitt said in a statement. “President Trump has long said that he will re-establish his peace through strength foreign policy to deter Russia’s aggression and end the war in Ukraine.” Russia confirms one conversation Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday rejected The Journal’s report as “absolutely false information.” Peskov said Putin and Musk once held a “medium-length phone conversation” prior to 2022 that was “more of an introductory nature” and focused on “visionary technologies." “After that, Musk had no contacts with Putin,” Peskov said, dismissing The Journal’s article as political. “The election has entered its home stretch, and of course the opponents stop at nothing,” Peskov said. “Remember that a week ago they were saying that Putin allegedly talks to Trump all day long. Now he allegedly talks to Musk all the time. It’s all untrue.” Ukraine’s military intelligence told the AP that they would “refrain from commenting” about communication between Putin and Musk.

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla, has pledged to give away $1 million daily until the US Presidential election in November to individuals who sign his online petition backing the First and Second Amendments of the US Constitution. The announcement was made at a campaign town hall in Pennsylvania, where Musk presented the first $1 million cheque to an unsuspecting attendee, John Dreher. Dreher, who had signed the petition without prior knowledge of the prize, was taken by surprise as Musk handed him the award. "By the way, John had no idea. So anyway, you're welcome," Musk said with a smile. Musk’s petition, hosted on the America PAC website, calls on voters to pledge their support for free speech and gun rights—two controversial issues that have sparked widespread debate in the United States. The initiative aims to gather one million signatures from voters in swing states, seen as crucial in determining the outcome of the upcoming election. Elon Musk's xAI seeks AI tutors with good offer "The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments," the petition reads. Musk’s political organisation, America PAC, is closely aligned with Donald Trump’s campaign, with the tech mogul having contributed at least $75 million to the group. America PAC has been actively mobilising and registering voters in key battleground states as part of Trump’s re-election bid. Musk’s involvement is expected to further energise voters, particularly those who prioritise constitutional rights like free speech and the right to bear arms. The billionaire’s stance on gun rights has stirred debate in an already divisive political climate. While some Americans see the right to bear arms as fundamental to personal freedom, others argue that increased access to firearms poses a significant risk to public safety. The debate was reignited recently when Vice President Kamala Harris, a known advocate for stricter gun laws, admitted to owning a firearm herself, highlighting the complexity of the issue. As Musk continues to award $1 million each day leading up to the election, the campaign is expected to keep the spotlight on two of the most contentious amendments in the US Constitution. Whether his initiative will significantly impact voter turnout remains to be seen, but it has certainly captured the nation’s attention.

Elon Musk held his first solo event in support of Donald Trump for president on Thursday, encouraging voters in the Philadelphia suburbs to register to cast their ballots and vote early, though some attendees shouted back, “Why?” The America PAC event at Ridley High School's auditorium in Folsom featured the world's richest man speaking onstage in front of a large U.S. flag for roughly 15 minutes before taking questions from the crowd, many of whom wore “Make America Great Again” hats. The event was billed as a call to action to vote early in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania, where Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris are fiercely contesting the election. Some in the crowd questioned Musk's entreaties to vote early, reflecting the possibility that Republicans are still persuading their supporters to embrace early voting after Trump spent years demonizing the method. The crowd rose to its feet and took cellphone videos as Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and Space X and owner of the social media platform X, walked onstage. They remained standing during his remarks and cheered loudly after he said the U.S. Constitution needs to be upheld. “This is literally the fundamental values that made America what it is today. And anyone who is against those things is fundamentally anti-American and to hell with them,” said Musk, who was born in South Africa. The crowd erupted. He exhorted the crowd to make sure they and their friends and family were registered to vote and to “pester” those who weren't. Toward the end of the question period, which included more than a dozen from those in the audience, he was asked to explain whether people should vote early in Pennsylvania. Musk was momentarily distracted by a fan waving a hat, which he appeared to sign, and then by a child whom he brought onstage for a photo. Redirected to the question, he said people should vote immediately. Read: Elon Musk commits $70 million to boost Donald Trump Some in the crowd cupped their hands and shouted, “Why?” He did not answer. A spokesperson said after the event that he didn't have additional comment. Trump for years has sowed doubt about mail and early voting by claiming it was rife with fraud, though voter fraud is rare in the United States. This year, Republicans are making a renewed push to encourage their supporters to vote early and lock in their ballots, though they acknowledge skepticism from those conditioned by Trump’s false claims. John and Linda Bird, a couple who attended the event, said they had concerns about the integrity of the voting system and worried about voting early. John Bird said he planned to vote on Election Day. Linda pointed to a sign given out at the event that said Trump called for early voting and worried about the possibility of not getting to the polls on Nov. 5. Still, she said she'd cast her ballot on Election Day, too. “Anything can happen, you know, you wake up that morning, some catastrophe happens or whatever,” she said. “But, you know, we’re planning on voting on Nov. 5.” One of the questioners asked about fraud in elections — something Trump has falsely insisted cost him the 2020 race. An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by Trump found fewer than 475, a number that would have made no difference in the outcome. Musk said sarcastically that it must be a coincidence that Dominion voting machines, which had been at the center of conspiracy theories in the 2020 election, were used in Philadelphia and Maricopa County, Arizona, located in two battleground states won by Democrat Joe Biden. In 2023, Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787 million to avoid a trial in a defamation lawsuit the voting machine company brought against the network for lies told about their company switching ballots. In an emailed statement Thursday, Dominion said its machines are not used in Philadelphia, as Musk said. The statement also said its systems are based on “verified paper ballots.” "These are not matters of opinion. They are verifiable facts.” Dominion said. Musk has become a major booster of Trump this campaign season. On Thursday evening, he cast the election in dire terms. Read more: Trump's economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say “I haven’t been politically active before. I’m politically active now because I think the future of America and the future of civilization is at stake,” he said. People were lined up to attend before 3 p.m. as school was letting out. A few people began to leave early when it became clear that not everyone who had lined up to ask a question would have a chance to ask one. The event was livestreamed on X, formerly Twitter, and was at times glitchy and difficult to follow, even as it drew hundreds of thousands of viewers. Musk is undertaking much of the get-out-the-vote effort for Trump through his America PAC, a super PAC that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money. He has committed more than $70 million to the super PAC to help Trump and other Republicans win in November. Trump and the Republican National Committee he controls opted for an unorthodox strategy of sharing canvassing duties in key regions with groups like Musk’s. They’ve also focused their efforts not on independent or moderate voters, but on those who already support Trump but usually don’t vote. Republican activists in swing states said in September that they had seen little activity from the PAC’s get-out-the-vote efforts.

Elon Musk, a tech mogul who is the world's richest person, plunged more than $70 million into helping Donald Trump and other Republicans win in November's election, making him one of the biggest donors to GOP causes this campaign season, according to campaign finance disclosures released this week. Musk made the donated over the summer to America PAC, a super political action committee he launched in May to aid Trump in his bid to return to the White House. It quickly became a central player in Trump's election effort. “The America PAC is just aiming for common sense, centrist values,” the Space X and Tesla founder said Tuesday on his social media platform X, shortly after the sum of money he contributed was made public in a campaign finance filing. Super PACs like Musk's America PAC can raise and spend unlimited sums of money but are typically are forbidden from coordinating their efforts with the candidates they support. A recent opinion by the Federal Election Commission, which regulates federal political campaigns, allowed for candidates and these big-spending groups to work together on so-called ground game efforts, which are the armies of people deployed to knock on doors to help turn out the vote. Supreme Court won't hear appeal from Elon Musk’s X platform over warrant in Trump case While candidates and political parties have traditionally organized and paid for such efforts, Trump's campaign has struggled to raise money this year and has turned to a handful of outside groups to undertake the work, with Musk's America PAC being top among them. But in doing so, the campaign has outsourced a core function to a coterie of untested groups that operate independently. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ’ decision to have an outside group canvass for him was is said to be one of the reasons his presidential bid failed. So far, America PAC has spent over $38 million on voter “canvassing” efforts, according to campaign finance disclosures. Much of America PACs money has been paid to a handful of consulting firms, including a number that are linked to Phil Cox, a former presidential campaign aide to DeSantis and a onetime executive director of the Republican Governors Association. Businesses under the umbrella of Cox’s various companies have collected at least $21 million since August, records show. Trump's outsourcing much of his get-out-the-vote effort is not the only unorthodox strategy his campaign has adopted this year. His campaign and allies have also jettisoned the traditional approach toward getting out the vote, which typically focused on winning over independent or moderate voters to your side. Instead, they are trying to drive turnout among Trump supporters who seldom cast a ballot, a novel if risky approach. Elon Musk unveils Tesla's 'Cybercab,' plans to bring autonomous driving tech to other models in 2025 Though Musk is America PAC's top donor, he is not its only one. The super PAC also collected about $8.75 million from a handful of wealthy donors, including the Winklevoss twins, Tyler and Cameron, the disputed creators of Facebook. The super PAC has spent nearly $80 million this year. Though most of the spending has gone toward the presidential race, at least $5 million has been spent to help Republican House candidates.

At the We, Robot event, Tesla CEO Elon Musk once again shook the world of transportation with the reveal of the groundbreaking ‘Cybercab’, a fully autonomous vehicle designed to operate without the traditional controls we’ve come to expect, such as a steering wheel or pedals. This bold innovation represents Tesla’s most ambitious step yet towards a driverless future, where human intervention in personal vehicles may soon become a thing of the past. Musk’s vision for the Cybercab is crystal clear: a future where people no longer need to drive their cars, but instead simply sit back and enjoy the ride, whether they are working, relaxing, or even sleeping during their journeys. Elon Musk unveils Tesla's 'Cybercab,' plans to bring autonomous driving tech to other models in 2025 The Cybercab is a central piece in Tesla's broader strategy to create a world dominated by autonomous vehicles, reshaping the way society thinks about mobility and personal transportation. A New Era of Autonomous Vehicles What makes the Cybercab truly remarkable is its absence of any traditional controls. Previous iterations of Tesla’s autonomous technology still required drivers to remain alert and ready to take over in emergencies. However, the Cybercab takes it a step further by eliminating even the possibility of human intervention. Musk’s ambition is to provide a fully hands-off experience, making passengers mere occupants of the vehicle rather than drivers. "The Cybercab will be cheaper than mass transit," said Musk during the presentation, further emphasising the economic and technological shift Tesla aims to deliver with this new mode of transportation. Autonomous Driving Rollout Tesla’s journey toward fully autonomous vehicles has been long anticipated, and the Cybercab seems to be the culmination of years of innovation and development. While the Cybercab is expected to begin production in 2026, Musk announced that by next year, Tesla’s Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and the Cybertruck will be equipped with unsupervised, full self-driving capabilities, rolling out initially in Texas and California. This vision represents a paradigm shift, moving beyond the current expectations of what self-driving cars can do. Rather than focusing on assisting drivers, Tesla aims to remove the need for them altogether. The Road Ahead As Tesla continues to push the boundaries of technology, the Cybercab’s introduction is poised to redefine personal transportation. With the potential to significantly reduce traffic accidents caused by human error, and making the idea of car ownership and use more accessible, it has the potential to disrupt industries far beyond the automotive sector. However, the road to fully autonomous vehicles is not without challenges, particularly in regulatory approval and infrastructure readiness. Questions remain about how governments and cities will adapt to this new technology, as well as how quickly consumers will embrace it. Yet, if Elon Musk’s predictions hold true, the future of transportation may be just around the corner—completely driverless, incredibly efficient, and radically different from the cars we know today. Source: Agencies

The world might see its first trillionaire sooner than you think. And that puts a spotlight on today's richest 1%. In an annual assessment of global inequalities published earlier this week, Oxfam International said the first trillionaire could emerge within the next decade — as the anti-poverty organization pointed to the growing wealth gap that skyrocketed globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the findings, Oxfam highlighted how the personal fortunes of the world's five richest people — Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Bernard Arnault and his family of luxury company LVMH, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Oracle founder Larry Ellison and investment guru Warren Buffett — have more than doubled since 2020. To measure this jump, Oxfam pulled net worths from Forbes' real-time billionaires list as of March 2020 and the end of November 2023. Such lists fluctuate over time and even within hours — so while Buffett, for example, was the 5th richest person in November, he stood in 7th place per Forbes' Wednesday rankings. Vivek Ramaswamy endorses Trump, suspends 2024 Republican presidential bid Oxfam timed its report to the gathering of political and business elites in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum meets annually. Numerous billionaires and multimillionaires also penned a letter calling on global leaders to fairly tax the super rich like themselves. Musk, Arnault, Bezos, Ellison and Buffett were not among the signatories — although Buffett has famously criticized the wealthy's lower tax rates and previously advocated for policy change in the same vein. Here's a look at the wealth of these five billionaires spotlighted this week, and where their fortunes stand today. Elon Musk: $226.6 billion Elon Musk is currently considered the world's richest person, with a net worth of $226.6 billion per Forbes' real-time rankings as of Wednesday. That's down from $245.5 billion as of November 2023. In addition to being at the helm of Tesla, Musk is CEO of rocket ship company SpaceX. In 2022, he also purchased Twitter, which is now called X, for $44 billion. While he no longer serves as CEO of the social media platform, his still holds broad influence — and has faced ample pushback from issues ranging from content moderation and hate speech to alienating advertisers. A weekend of ferocious winter weather could see low-temperature records set in the US heartland Bernard Arnault and family: $175.1 billion Bernard Arnault and his family currently hold a personal fortune of $175.1 billion per Forbes. That's down from about $191.3 in November 2023. The French businessman has served as CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest luxury group, since becoming the majority shareholder in 1989. He is also president of the board for Groupe Arnault S.E., which is his family's holding company and primarily an investment firm. Jeff Bezos: $173.6 billion Jeff Bezos' net worth stood at $173.6 billion Wednesday per Forbes. That's up from $167.4 billion in November 2023. Back in 1994, Bezos founded Amazon out of a Seattle garage — and his wealth skyrocketed as the company grew into the e-commerce giant it is today. He stepped down as CEO in early 2021, but still has broad influence over Amazon as executive chair and the company's biggest shareholder. Larry Ellison: $134.9 billion Larry Ellison currently has a personal fortune of $134.9 billion, according to Forbes, down from $145.5 in November 2023. Ellison co-founded Oracle Corporation, a software and database management giant, in 1977 and served as CEO until 2014. He is now chief technology officer and chairman of the board. Ellison, who also had a stint on Tesla's board of directors from 2018 to 2022, has ranked high in billionaire lists for several years now. Biden condemns white supremacy in a campaign speech at a church where Black people were killed Warren Buffett: $119.5 billion At the time Oxfam pulled Forbes figures for its inequality report, Warren Buffett was the world's fifth richest person with a net worth of $119.2 billion. While his personal fortune has stayed relatively stable since ($119.5 billion as of Wednesday), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates have surpassed him in Forbes' rankings with current net worths of $129.5 billion and $120.1 billion, respectively. Over the years, Buffett has gained a reputation for his investment success and aggressive business tactics. He runs Berkshire Hathaway, a holding conglomerate that owns dozens of companies across sectors like insurance, manufacturing, utilities, transportation and retail.

In today’s interconnected world, access to reliable and high-speed internet has become an essential aspect of modern life. The internet serves as the backbone of communication, information sharing, education, business, and countless other activities that shape our daily routines. However, despite the significant advancements in internet technology over the past few decades, a considerable part of the global population remains underserved or even entirely disconnected from the digital world. This digital divide is particularly evident in rural and remote areas, where traditional internet infrastructure is often impractical or prohibitively expensive to deploy. To address this pressing issue and fulfill the growing necessity for internet services worldwide, innovative solutions have emerged. One of the most ambitious and groundbreaking ventures is Starlink, a satellite internet constellation project spearheaded by SpaceX, the private space exploration company founded by Elon Musk. What is StarLink? Starlink is a project created by SpaceX, a private company led by Elon Musk. They're putting a bunch of satellites up in space to make the internet work better for everyone. These satellites form a "constellation" and help bring the internet to even the remotest places on earth. Officially launched in 2019, the primary goal of Starlink is to provide global internet coverage by deploying a large number of small satellites into low earth orbit (LEO). Read more: How AI Can Improve Education Everything we know about Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellites and Future Internet Plans As of May 2023, Starlink’s operational network encompasses more than 4,000 mass-produced, compact satellites positioned in LEO. These satellites maintain communication with specific ground transceivers. The ambitious project aims to deploy a total of nearly 12,000 satellites, with potential future expansion of up to 42,000 satellites. Notably, SpaceX celebrated reaching a significant milestone by acquiring over 1 million subscribers in December 2022, and within just a few months, that number surged to 1.5 million subscribers as of May 2023. The Starlink Constellation: Size and Ambition The Starlink constellation consists of thousands of satellites orbiting at altitudes between 340 km (210 miles) and 1,200 km (750 miles) above earth’s surface. These satellites work in a cycle to create a network that beams high-speed internet signals down to earth, making it accessible to users with compatible receiving terminals, commonly referred to as user terminals or satellite dishes. Starlink’s internet is different from regular internet because it doesn’t use towers and cables on the ground. Instead, it has satellites that fly much closer to the earth. This closeness makes the internet faster because data doesn’t have to travel as far. It’s like having a shorter distance for messages to go back and forth between you and the satellite. This is really helpful in places that are far away from cities or places where getting good internet is hard. So, Starlink can provide better internet performance, especially in those remote and underserved areas. Read more: Top 10 Humanoid AI Robots in 2023 So Far Beta Testing and Expansion Starlink has conducted multiple phases of beta testing, known as the “Better Than Nothing Beta” program, where users in select regions were invited to test the service and provide feedback. During the beta phase, the system underwent improvements and optimizations based on user experiences. As the beta testing progresses, SpaceX has gradually expanded the coverage area, reaching more users in different parts of the world. The company has been seeking regulatory approvals from various countries to operate its satellite internet service globally. User Terminals (Satellite Dishes) To access the Starlink internet service, users receive a phased-array satellite dish, commonly known as a user terminal or satellite dish. These user terminals are designed to automatically track and connect to passing satellites overhead, making it easy for users to set up and use the service.

The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands is trying to subpoena billionaire Elon Musk for documents in its lawsuit seeking to hold JPMorgan Chase liable for sex trafficking acts committed by businessman Jeffrey Epstein. Musk has never been publicly accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 as he awaited sex trafficking charges in a federal jail in Manhattan. But over the years, there had been unconfirmed speculation — encouraged by Epstein himself — that Epstein had advised Musk on certain business matters. Also Read: Musk, new Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino spar over content moderation during on-stage interview Spokespeople for Musk have denied those reports, but the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands said in a court filing that it believes Epstein may have referred or tried to refer Musk to JPMorgan as a potential client. The Virgin Islands, where Epstein had an estate, sued JPMorgan last year, saying its investigation has revealed that the financial services giant enabled Epstein’s recruiters to pay victims and was “indispensable to the operation and concealment of the Epstein trafficking enterprise.” Lawyers for JPMorgan did not immediately return messages seeking comment Monday. In the past, they have said victims are entitled to justice but litigation attempting to blame the financial institution for Epstein’s actions were legally meritless, directed at the wrong party and should be dismissed. Also Read: Elon Musk’s Tesla tweet trial delves into investor damages Authorities alleged that Epstein recruited and sexually abused dozens of underage girls at his mansions in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, in the early 2000s. He had pleaded not guilty. Lawyers for the Virgin Islands told a federal judge Monday that they haven't been able to locate Musk to serve him with the subpoena. They asked the court to serve Tesla, his electric vehicle company, instead. They said they hired an investigative firm to search public records databases for possible addresses for Musk and reached out to one of his lawyers by email, but received no response. A message sent to a lawyer for Musk seeking comment Monday was not immediately returned. The subpoena — one of several sent to prominent business figures — sought documents from Jan. 1, 2002, to the present reflecting communications between Musk and JPMorgan or Musk and Epstein regarding Epstein or Epstein’s role in Musk’s accounts, transactions or financial management. It also sought all documents reflecting or regarding Epstein’s involvement in human trafficking and his procurement of girls or women for commercial sex. And it sought information about fees Musk might have paid to Epstein or JPMorgan and any documents concerning communications between Musk, Epstein and JPMorgan regarding accounts, transactions or the relationship at JPMorgan.