Palestinian leader's comments on Holocaust draw accusations of antisemitism from US and Europe
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is facing American and European condemnations for his recent comments about the Holocaust
2023-09-08 02:45
Georgia prosecutor in Trump case accuses Republican lawmaker of interference - newspaper
By Katharine Jackson WASHINGTON The Georgia prosecutor in U.S. President Donald Trump's case has accused a Republican congressman
2023-09-08 02:20
Elon Musk thwarted Ukrainian drone attack on Russian ships, book claims
Elon Musk ordered SpaceX engineers to cut off Ukrainian access to Starlink satellites near the Crimean coast to prevent a surprise drone attack on Russian warships, a new biography claims. The drones packed with explosives “lost connectivity and washed ashore harmlessly” during the thwarted attack some time last year, Walter Isaacson writes in his upcoming book Elon Musk, according to an excerpt obtained by CNN. Mr Musk told the author that he feared a strike on occupied Crimea would amount to a “mini-Pearl Harbour” and lead to a Russian nuclear retaliation, Mr Isaacson writes. The decision led Ukrainian officials to beg the world’s richest person to reinstate the satellites. The account highlights how Mr Musk unwittingly found himself thrust into the frontlines of the the 18-month-old conflict. “How am I in this war?” Mr Musk reportedly asked the writer, who has previously published biographies of Steve Jobs and Henry Kissinger. “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.” The world’s richest man found himself thrust into the world of high-stakes diplomacy, and reportedly spoke to US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, joint chiefs chairman Mark Milley and the Russian ambassador to the US. Ukraine’s former deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov also contacted Mr Musk to beg him to switch the satellites back on, according to the book. The SpaceX CEO replied that the drone attack was “going too far and inviting strategic defeat,” and declined to restore access. SpaceX has donated more than 20,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine after Russia destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure in the beginning of the war in February 2022. Last October, Mr Musk wrote to the Pentagon to say that it could no longer afford to continue funding the service, which he estimated had cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars, CNN revealed at the time. After the story broke, Mr Musk wrote on Twitter, now known as X: “The hell with it … we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.” According to Mr Isaacson, US Defense officials had been about to hand over a $145m check before his reversal. “Elon succumbed to the bulls*** on Twitter and to the haters at the Pentagon who leaked the story,” SpaceX’s president Gwynne Shotwell reportedly told Mr Isaacson. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Independent. In a promotional blurb, publishers Simon & Schuster say that Mr Isaacson shadowed Mr Musk for two years to gain an insight into every aspect of the billionaire’s world. The author “attended his meetings, walked his factories with him, and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers, and adversaries”. “The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the question: are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress?” * Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson is set to be realeased by Simon & Schuster on 12 September Read More First photo emerges of Elon Musk and his baby twins with Neuralink director How Ukraine’s month-long drone assault has brought the war home for Russians Elon Musk vows to sue ADL for calling him antisemitic after he promoted antisemitic campaign on X The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
2023-09-08 02:18
10 Damn Fine Facts About David Lynch
The iconoclastic director behind ‘Mulholland Drive,’ ‘Twin Peaks,’ and more cult classics once drew a comic strip about a furious dog and dislikes large furniture.
2023-09-08 02:15
US Senate confirms Kugler to fill Fed governor position
(Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed World Bank economist Adriana Kugler to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where
2023-09-08 01:59
Canada launches public inquiry into foreign interference
Opposition parties have been pressuring the government for an inquiry into claims of meddling by China.
2023-09-08 01:49
Mexico on track for first woman president as second female frontrunner joins race
Mexico seems set to elect its first female president in next year's election after the country's leading parties both unveiled women candidates.
2023-09-08 01:29
George Santos: Internal campaign research raised red flags before his election
The internal "vulnerability report" raised concerns about the New York Republican's claims on his CV.
2023-09-08 01:26
A Wisconsin Supreme Court justice under impeachment threat isn't the only member to get party money
Wisconsin Republicans are threatening to impeach a state Supreme Court justice over donations she received from the Democratic Party
2023-09-08 00:59
Legal sports betting opens to fanfare in Kentucky; governor makes the first wager
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has placed a $20 bet to signal that legal sports wagering is off and running in the Bluegrass State
2023-09-08 00:57
Has Australia cleaned up its act on climate?
Elected last year, PM Anthony Albanese vowed to haul his laggard nation from the "naughty corner".
2023-09-08 00:45
House Democrats seek clearer Hunter Biden strategy as GOP impeachment threats loom
While House Democrats are confident they can defend President Joe Biden against a potential impeachment inquiry, many wish for a clearer strategy against GOP allegations on a known sensitive topic in the West Wing: Hunter Biden.
2023-09-08 00:24