Apple's Big Satellite Tech Push For iPhone Has Slowed Down: Here's Why
Apple launched the satellite-based SOS message feature with Globalstar as the operator on the iPhone 14 model in the US. The company has since then offered the premium feature for free with the latest iPhone 16 models in the region.
But it seems Apple's ambitions to take the satellite feature to other products and regions have reportedly taken a huge hit. And reports claim all this is because Apple said no to Elon Musk's company for a similar deal back in 2022 and from there, these plans had to take a backseat for varying reasons.
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Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Elon Musk heavily used drugs during Trump campaign: ‘Box with pills, ketamine that affected bladder, more'
Elon Musk's drug use has been known for a while, but it ramped up significantly during Donald Trump's campaign trail last year, people familiar with his activities told the New York Times. Elon Musk drug consumption went so beyond occasional use that it even affected his bladder, he reportedly told some people. During the Donald Trump campaign trail, Elon Musk carried a medication box that contained 20 pills. He used ketamine that affected his bladder. Elon Musk also took Ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, the New York Times reported. The report adds to Musk's troubles as the world's richest person formally steps away from his role advising Donald Trump to return to a business empire under stress. Tesla's sales have slumped in part because of a backlash to Musk's political activities and bombastic personality, while SpaceX this week suffered another setback in a key rocket program. Tesla shares fell 0.8% before regular trading Friday in New York. The stock is down 11% this year, largely recovering from a deep slide in the first quarter.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
What is DOGE? Exploring its journey and the impact of Elon Musk's exit
'It is probably the Manhattan Project of our time,' U.S President Donald Trump said as he announced the creation of DOGE- The Department of Government Efficiency- under Elon Musk's leadership. As Elon Musk steps away from DOGE, announcing his departure via X, we examine the DOGE journey so far. To “implement the President's DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.â€� And at its helm, in effect - Elon Musk, the world's richest man. The DOGE service has a USDS Administrator reporting to the White House Chief of Staff- subsequent reports have identified the acting administrator to be Amy Gleason.(Not who was designated a special government employee.) Additionally, the order established the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, 'to advance the President’s 18 month DOGE agenda,' with a termination date of July 4, 2026. It was this unknown entity which was converted into the United States DOGE Service with the signing of the executive order on January 20, 2025. Its mission statement: to use design and technology to deliver better services to the American people. It collaborated with public servants across agencies to improve critical services, for example, offering better user design for the Social Security Administration website. The United States Digital Service, a small technological unit within the Executive Office of the President, was created in 2014 to help streamline government services. These teams were to include, at the very least, one DOGE Team Lead, one engineer, one human resources specialist, and one attorney. each agency head was directed to establish a DOGE team with four employees, selected in consultation with the USDS administrator. Click on each of the photos of the employees shown below to know more about them DOGE has not been very forthcoming about its employees, and works without Congressional oversight. However, recent media investigations have revealed several of the key figures in the shadowy DOGE ecosystem, which is structured quite unlike other federal agencies, whether now or in the past. On March 11, Musk said he planned to double the size of his staff in DOGE, from the current 100-odd to 200. Which was then further reduced to $1 trillion (around 14.8% of the government's expenditure) Before Trump's inauguration, Musk promised the American public cuts of $2 trillion, which accounts for roughly 29.6% of the US Government's expenditure in fiscal year 2024 (cuts shown in the graphic are for reference.) In 2024, discretionary spending formed $1.8T, which is around 26.4% of the total. It is discretionary funding unrelated to military, immigration enforcement (and other heads specified via an executive order) which DOGE has chiefly targeted. Most of these DOGE cuts have come from non-military discretionary spendings. Broadly, the U.S federal budget is divided into 3 sections: mandatory (outlays for benefit programmes mandated by law-- like social security), discretionary (those Congress can earmark for a purpose through the budget or legislation), and interest. It has slashed DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity and Accessibility) programmes across departments, nixed most of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), cancelled grants pertaining to climate change and health and targeted the Department of Education- just some of many of its slash-and-burn actions. The Department of Government Efficiency says it is achieving its goals through eight measures: fraud detection/deletion, contract/lease cancellations, contract/lease renegotiations, asset sales, grant cancellations, workforce reductions, programmatic changes and regulatory savings. The following graphic shows the major cuts (in contracts and grants) which took place across different departments and agencies, as per DOGE's website as of April 20, 2025. Layoffs The strength of the federal government, excluding military personnel, is around 2.4 million. Recent reports indicate that at least 12% of this has been cut. At least 140,000 more reductions are planned. For example, DOGE plans to cut down at least 90% of staff at the Social Security Administration. There are also reports that a Workforce Reshaping tool- a revamped version of a formerly developed Automated Reduction in Force (AutoRIF) tool- may be used to automate the process of cuts. Explore the layoffs by date below: Layoffs also took place at the following agencies on these dates, but the specifics remain unascertained. As of May 1, 2025, at least 1,400 had been laid off from the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) according to a report by Politico E&E In the near future, further layoffs are expected in multiple agencies. An April 22 report said that 15% of the staff at unspecified agencies in the Department of State are at risk of losing their jobs. The 20 agencies or departments where highest number of employees were laid off are as follows: Several of those laid off were probationary employees, terminated before their probations were up (some were reinstated by court orders). In February, Office of Personnel Management targeted all 220,000 probationary employees who were part of the federal government. In addition to this, federal employees across agencies received “fork-in-the-roadâ€� emails offering them the option to resign and receive full pay for a specified period. For example, everyone at the CIA was offered the chance to resign. More than 75,000 people have reportedly taken these buyouts. At least one-quarter of the 100,000 initially fired workers have been rehired at full pay, most of them after judges ruled that their firings were illegal. Some were rehired after it was found that DOGE had “accidentallyâ€� fired workers responsible for nuclear weapons safety and aviation safety, and researchers involved in the response to bird flu and Ebola. DOGE’s actions were met with resistanceâ€' even internally. On February 27, 21 DOGE employees reportedly resigned in protest, writing in an anonymous letter that they would not use their skills as technologists 'to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services.' Their concerns about data stemmed from DOGE employees seeking- and obtaining- access to tranches of sensitive data, some of which was usually given to officials with high security clearance, often on a need-to-know basis. Legal challenges Around 200 lawsuits and appeals have been filed against actions taken by the Trump administration, and around 30 implicate DOGE. Some of these deal with the status of DOGE, questioning Mr Musk’s position in the government and the constitutional basis for the creation of the department. One of these - J. Does v. Musk â€' has been filed by state attorneys general and retired government officials, and alleges that Mr. Musk’s role required confirmation by the Senate, given the authority he was wielding. A multi-State suit â€' New Mexico v. Musk â€' raises similar contentions. The lack of transparency has given rise to lawsuits alleging violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Department of Interior, Public Citizen v. Trump). A protestor waves an inverted American flag, known as a symbol of distress, at City Hall during a Hands Off! protest in Los Angeles, California on April 5, suits have questioned the dismantling of agencies or their boards by DOGE. Brehm v. Marocco deals with the shuttering of the African Development Foundation, while at least two suits relate to the actions taken by DOGE at the United States Institute of Peace (Pippenger v. DOGE, United States Institute of Peace v. Kenneth Jackson). The decision in the second lawsuit, ruling that DOGE’s actions at USIP were unlawful , has been appealed. Layoffs and cuts have also been challenged in court. A Maryland judge ruled on March 13 that the government should rehire probationary employees who were fired without cause (in State of Maryland v. United States Department of Agriculture ), but this has been appealed by the government. Some complaints are making their way through administrative bodies which serve appellatory functions. Several citizen organisations and non-profits all came together in Japanese American Citizens League v. Musk , alleging that DOGE and Musk's actions were ultra vires the constitution and causing harm to the public. Actions cited by them included the firing of federal employees in departments such as the Department of Education and National Park Service, and the cutting of funding for scientific research. The biggest tranche of suits involving DOGE perhaps is those alleging violation of privacy laws by permitting access to sensitive government information such as social security numbers and tax information. This includes those brought by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Alliance for Retired Americans and the American Federation of Teachers. On March 20, a temporary restraining order blocked DOGE from accessing social security records. Conflicts of interest A major concern about DOGE raised by detractors was the fact that Mr. Musk may have several conflicts of interests in his role, as a technocrat with multiple government contracts. Over the years, Musk’s business has benefitted from at least $38 billion in funding from the US government, in the form of government contracts, loans, subsidies and tax creditsâ€' particularly those aimed at boosting the electric vehicle industry. Some of these contracts are ongoing. For example, SpaceX has multiple contracts with several US departments, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and NASA. It has been developing spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office, which comes under the ambit of the Pentagon. It continues to participate in bids for government contracts: a Washington Post article reported that internet satellite service Starlink, which comes under SpaceX, and Verizon were in competition for a $2.4 billion FAA contract. Demonstrators protest against Elon Musk and Department of Government Efficiency cuts outside a Tesla dealership, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo) DOGE cuts may also, directly or indirectly, aid Mr. Musk’s businesses. For example, the EPA, which saw major reductions and cuts, has in the past cited Tesla for hazardous waste mismanagement and pollution. A division in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which saw cuts was tasked with the oversight of autonomous vehiclesâ€' a major component of Tesla’s business. The now-dismantled USAID had been investigating government ties with Starlink. Some employees at the Food and Drug Administration who had been reviewing Mr. Musk’s neurotech company Neuralink had been firedâ€' and later rehired DOGE’s access to sensitive data, including those pertaining to labour, was another issue. Elon Musk is, or was, a special government employee. Such employees are subject to relaxed financial reporting and conflict of interest laws such as the Ethics in Government Act and criminal conflict of interest provisions. Additionally, the White House informed the press that Mr. Musk would police his own conflicts of interest. There is a dearth of oversight particularly after the widespread layoffs. In early February, Mr. Trump fired the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, the department that would oversee potential conflicts of interest. And in January, he had fired 17 Inspectors-General, who perform a watchdog function for various departments. Protests Several anti-government protests have taken place across the United States since the start of Donald Trump’s second term. This includes Hands Off rallies protesting administration policies and planned events under the 50501 movement â€' a decentralized campaign that began on Reddit and got its name from a February 5 push for '50 protests in 50 states in 1 day.' Protesters attend a Hands Off rally to demonstrate against U.S. President Donald Trump near the Washington Monument on the National Mall on April 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo bySome protests and criticisms have expressly targeted Elon Musk and his involvement with DOGE. In a poll released in May, 58% of those surveyed said they disapproved of how Mr. Musk was handling DOGE’s work, and 60% disapproved of Mr. Musk himself. He demonstrated a net favourability rating of -14.4 in another poll released on May the dismantling of USAID, Mr Musk was criticised by fellow billionaire Bill Gates. 'The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,' Mr. Gates said in an interview with The New York Times. Along with Democrats, Republicans too have expressed reservations over the speed and scale of DOGE’s work. 'These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages ... It's a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well,' Senator John Curtis (R-Utah), is reported to have said. Tesla itself has borne the brunt of anti-Musk sentiments. Several Tesla locations have seen anti-Musk demonstrations, with slogans like “Musk Must Goâ€� and “Block Fascism Now.â€� Tesla cybertrucks and charging stations have also been destroyed, in cities like Seattle and Boston. A website called DOGEQUEST was created to pinpoint owners of Tesla and their addresses, specifically to target them. The public ire has also translated to a poor performance for Tesla on the stock market. Reports indicate that, at one point, share prices dropped by 71% post the Presidential election. On May 28, Tesla's stock prices were $356.9, which was just over 16% less than its price when assumed office. Tesla investors such as Ross Gerber, a wealth manager and longtime Tesla supporter, criticised Musk’s government role, and in April, Mr. Musk assured his investors that he would significantly scale back his government responsibilities to focus on his corporate ones. This is even as some media outlets reported that it would be difficult to see DOGE cuts pass muster in Congress. The White House is sending some proposed rescissions, a mechanism used to cancel previously authorised spending, to Capitol Hill to solidify some of DOGE’s cuts, The end of the road for Musk? On March 27, Elon Musk said he was disappointed by the 'big, beautiful bill' mooted by President Donald Trump and passed by House Republicans last week. The Bill is yet to pass in the Senate. 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,' Mr. Musk said in an interview with CBS News. In a post on X on May 29, he announced his departure:
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk exits White House, 'poaches' top Trump aide Stephen Miller's wife Katie for private sector role
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has made his exit from the federal government, and it appears he is taking one of President Donald Trump's top aides with him. The wife of Stephen Miller , one of Trump's top aides, has reportedly left the White House to work for Elon Musk. Katie Miller is following Elon Musk from the White House back to the private sector as the tech billionaire has officially left his post in Washington, D.C. Kate Miller was working as an adviser for Musk's Department of Government Efficiency but now that the mogul's time in Washington, D.C., is up, she is working for him 'full time,' CNN reported. Sources told the network that Kate Miller has been taking the lead on communications, including arranging Musk's interviews in connection with SpaceX's Starship launch. She shared content on her X account from Musk's interviews at SpaceX's Starbase in Texas and a quote from him about how 'DOGE is a way of life, like Buddhism.' Her new duties could include booking his media appearances for Tesla and SpaceX, one source confirmed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mensualités: Bonne nouvelle pour les propriétaires étouffés par les crédits Bons plans propriétaires En savoir plus Undo ALSO READ: DOGE's latest action amid crackdown on federal spending days after Elon Musk quits Trump team Musk quits White House Elon Musk officially announced his departure from the White House Wednesday after his 130-day term as a special government employee came to an end this week. Kate Miller was also considered a special government employee, which enables private sector individuals to work for the government for a limited number of days per year. Live Events According to a report by WIRED, she was appointed to lead communications for DOGE under Musk prior to his transition to the White House. An official told the outlet that her connection to Elon Musk was 'central to DOGE's interactions with the rest of the White House.' They added, 'She's the key intermediary—delivering DOGE's daily messaging across the administration and handling the delivery of any sensitive or unwelcome news to Musk.' WIRED also reported that Stephen Miller and his wife, Kate Miller, were 'pivotal figures in Musk's orbit' during his time at the White House. Stephen and Kate first met in 2017 while working on some of the Trump administration's most controversial immigration policies. Kate had recently been appointed deputy press secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, while Stephen was architecting the administration's family separation policy—a move that drew widespread international criticism. Their roles eventually brought them to the U.S.–Mexico border. ALSO READ: 'Life-threatening' bacteria found in invasive tick for first time in US. Know about human monocytic ehrlichiosis In 2019, Kate became press secretary to then–Vice President Mike Pence. The couple married the following year at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., and they now have three children. Musk's exit from the White House—with Kate Miller accompanying him—came just one day after he publicly expressed disappointment in what President Biden has referred to as his 'big beautiful bill.' The bill includes tax cuts and stricter immigration enforcement measures. Musk criticized it in an interview with CBS, calling it a 'massive spending bill' that worsens the federal deficit and 'undermines DOGE's mission.' Stephen Miller responded indirectly on X, without naming Musk, disputing the claim that the bill increases the deficit. He clarified that DOGE cuts apply to discretionary spending, such as the federal bureaucracy, and noted that under Senate budget rules, discretionary spending cannot be cut through reconciliation. 'So DOGE cuts would have to be done through a rescissions package or an appropriations bill,' he wrote. ALSO READ: 'Abused, dragged and choked': Sean Diddy forced his ex into freak-offs, threatened to leak tapes and ruin her career After Elon Musk announced his departure on X Wednesday evening, Stephen Miller responded with a post praising DOGE, calling it 'one of the most valuable services ever provided to government.' Musk voiced frustration over his political efforts, telling The Washington Post that he had underestimated the challenges within the federal bureaucracy. 'It's a much tougher fight than I expected,' he said. 'I knew there were issues, but trying to fix things in D.C. is definitely an uphill battle.' ALSO READ: TACO Trump: Jimmy Kimmel brutally trolls President on his show, asks 'How does it feel?' Earlier this month, Musk signaled a shift in strategy: 'I'm going to significantly reduce my political spending. I think I've done enough.' His original ambition to slash $1 trillion in government spending fell far short. Following four turbulent months—which included posing with a chainsaw, donning a cheesehead to support a losing conservative candidate in Wisconsin, and staging a Tesla car show outside the White House—Musk is now refocusing on his business ventures.
