EXCLUSIVE Elon Musk's poison-spewing prized possession faces shutdown that could reshape America
Elon Musk quickly began pulling the plug on federal projects amid an escalating feud with Donald Trump, but the high-stakes clash now further threatens the most prized asset in his empire.
With Tesla shares in freefall and SpaceX contracts on the line, the ambitious megaproject Musk most needs to compete in the AI race could become collateral in the explosive back-and-forth.
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Reuters
36 minutes ago
- Reuters
Explainer: Does U.S. law allow Trump to send troops to quell protests?
June 8 - President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops to California after two days of protests by hundreds of demonstrators against immigration raids, saying that the protests interfered with federal law enforcement and framing them as a possible 'form of rebellion, opens new tab' against the authority of the U.S. government. California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday said he had formally requested that the Trump Administration rescind "its unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County" and return them to his command. Trump cited Title 10 of the U.S. Code, a federal law that outlines the role of the U.S. Armed Forces, in his June 7 order to call members of the California National Guard into federal service. A provision of Title 10 - Section 12406, opens new tab - allows the president to deploy National Guard units into federal service if the U.S. is invaded, there is a 'rebellion or danger of rebellion' or the president is 'unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' WHAT ARE NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ALLOWED TO DO UNDER THE LAW CITED IN TRUMP'S ORDER? An 1878 law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement. Section 12406 does not override that prohibition, but it allows the troops to protect federal agents who are carrying out law enforcement activity and to protect federal property. For example, National Guard troops cannot arrest protesters, but they could protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who are carrying out arrests. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to assembly, freedom of speech and the press. Experts have said that Trump's decision to have U.S. troops respond to protests is an ominous sign for how far the president is willing to go to repress political speech and activity that he disagrees with or that criticizes his administration's policies. Four legal experts from both left- and right-leaning advocacy organizations have cast doubt on Trump's use of Title 10 in response to immigration protests calling it inflammatory and reckless, especially without the support of California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who has said Trump's actions would only escalate tensions. The protests in California do not rise to the level of 'rebellion' and do not prevent the federal government from executing the laws of the United States, experts said. Title 10 also says "orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States," but legal experts said that language might not be an obstacle. Legislative history suggests that those words were likely meant to reflect the norms of how National Guard troops are typically deployed, rather than giving a governor the option to not comply with a president's decision to deploy troops. California could file a lawsuit, arguing that deployment of National Guard troops was not justified by Title 10 because there was no 'rebellion' or threat to law enforcement. A lawsuit might take months to resolve, and the outcome would be uncertain. Because the protests may be over before a lawsuit is resolved, the decision to sue might be more of a political question than a legal one, experts said. Trump could take a more far-reaching step by invoking the Insurrection Act of 1792, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement, for which there is little recent precedent. Casting protests as an 'insurrection' that requires the deployment of troops against U.S. citizens would be riskier legal territory, one legal expert said, in part because mostly peaceful protests and minor incidents aren't the sort of thing that the Insurrection Act were designed to address. The Insurrection Act has been used by past presidents to deploy troops within the U.S. in response to crises like the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. The law was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, when the governor of California requested military aid to suppress unrest in Los Angeles following the Rodney King trial. But, the last time a president deployed the National Guard in a state without a request from that state's governor was 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson sent troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Montgomery, Alabama.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
‘Significant challenges' in use of AI within UK screen sector
Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Scottish researchers were among those to create the report Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the UK screen sector raises 'significant legal, ethical, and practical challenges' such as the use of copyrighted material being used without the permission of the rights holders, a report has warned. Other issues highlighted by the British Film Institute (BFI) report include the safeguarding of human creative control, the fear of jobs being lost as positions are replaced through the use of AI, and investment in training in new skills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad High energy consumption and carbon emissions, and the risks to creative content around biased data, are also described as being of concern. The report, which has been carried out in partnership with CoSTAR universities Goldsmiths, Loughborough and Edinburgh, analyses how the screen sector is using and experimenting with rapidly evolving generative AI technologies. It warned that the 'primary issue' was the use of copyrighted material – such as hundreds of thousands of film and TV scripts – in the training of generative AI models, without payment or the permission of rights-holders. 'This practice threatens the fundamental economics of the screen sector if it devalues intellectual property creation and squeezes out original creators,' the report said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it added that the UK's strong foundation in creative technology – as it is home to more than 13,000 creative technology companies – means that the UK screen sector is well positioned to adapt to the technological shift. Getty Images The report – titled AI in the Screen Sector: Perspectives and Paths Forward – said generative AI promises to democratise and revolutionise the industry, with the BBC, for example, piloting AI initiatives. Meanwhile, projects such as the Charismatic consortium, which is backed by Channel 4 and Aardman Animations, aim to make AI tools accessible to creators regardless of their budget or experience. It said this could empower a new wave of British creators to produce high-quality content with modest resources, though concerns about copyright and ethical use remain significant barriers to full adoption. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The report sets out nine key recommendations it suggests should be addressed within the next three years to enable the UK screen sector to thrive in using AI. These include establishing the UK as a world-leading market of IP licensing for AI training, and embedding sustainability standards to reduce AI's carbon footprint. It also calls for structures and interventions to pool knowledge, develop workforce skills and target investments in the UK's creative technology sector, while it urges support for independent creators through accessible tools, funding and ethical AI products. The BFI's director of research and innovation, Rishi Coupland, said: 'AI has long been an established part of the screen sector's creative toolkit, most recently seen in the post-production of the Oscar-winning The Brutalist, and its rapid advancement is attracting multimillion investments in technology innovator applications. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'However, our report comes at a critical time and shows how generative AI presents an inflection point for the sector and, as a sector, we need to act quickly on a number of key strategic fronts. 'Whilst it offers significant opportunities for the screen sector such as speeding up production workflows, democratising content creation and empowering new voices, it could also erode traditional business models, displace skilled workers, and undermine public trust in screen content. 'The report's recommendations provide a roadmap to how we can ensure that the UK's world-leading film, TV, video games and VFX industries continue to thrive by making best use of AI technologies to bring their creativity, innovations and storytelling to screens around the globe.' Professor Jonny Freeman, director of CoSTAR Foresight Lab, said: 'This latest CoSTAR Foresight Lab report, prepared by the BFI, navigates the complex landscape of AI in the screen sector by carefully weighing both its transformative opportunities and the significant challenges it presents. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The report acknowledges that while AI offers powerful tools to enhance creativity, efficiency, and competitiveness across every stage of the production workflow – from script development and pre-production planning, through on-set production, to post-production and distribution – it also raises urgent questions around skills, workforce adaptation, ethics, and sector sustainability.' CoSTAR is a £75.6 million national network of laboratories that are developing new technology to maintain the UK's world-leading position in gaming, TV, film, performance, and digital entertainment.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
AP PHOTOS: Portugal beats Spain to win the Nations League
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
