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Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump, Musk offer show of unity as Tesla chief departs government
US President Donald Trump (right) bidding farewell to billionaire Elon Musk on May 30, as he departs the Trump administration to focus on his business empire. PHOTO: EPA-EFE WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on May 30 that billionaire Elon Musk will remain a close adviser, even after the Tesla chief executive officer departs the administration following a chaotic four-month tenure that saw him disrupt dozens of agencies in his effort to slash government spending. During a joint press conference in the Oval Office, Mr Trump lauded Mr Musk and defended his cost-cutting campaign as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge. The group has eliminated thousands of jobs and cancelled billions of dollars in spending - including the majority of US foreign aid - but has thus far fallen far short of Mr Musk's lofty initial promises. 'Elon is really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth,' Mr Trump said from behind the Resolute desk, as Mr Musk stood to his right, wearing a black Doge hat and a T-shirt that read 'The Dogefather' in the style of the movie The Godfather. The press conference appeared aimed at showing unity after Mr Musk prompted frustration among White House officials this week by criticising Mr Trump's sweeping tax and spending Bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and chief of staff Susie Wiles, saw Mr Musk's remarks on the tax Bill as an open break from the administration, with Mr Miller particularly irked by the comments, a source familiar with the matter said. Mr Trump gave Mr Musk a large golden key inside a wooden box bearing his signature, a gift he said he reserved only for "very special people." Mr Musk, in turn, admired the gold finishings that Mr Trump has installed around the Oval Office. The White House and senior aides had insisted earlier in Mr Trump's term that Mr Musk, the world's richest man, was a key figure who wasn't going anywhere. But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around May 30, as a natural endpoint. Mr Musk, meanwhile, has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that Doge was occupying too much of his time. He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political donations, after he spent nearly US$300 million (S$390 million) backing Mr Trump's presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024. But he told reporters on May 30 that he would continue to be part of Mr Trump's circle of advisers. "I expect to remain a friend and an adviser, and certainly, if there's anything the president wants me to do, I'm at the president's service," he said. US President Donald Trump holding his gift for billionaire Elon Musk during their farewell meeting at the White House on May 30. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Cuts fall short Mr Musk initially claimed Doge would slash at least US$2 trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, Doge now estimates it has saved US$175 billion. But the details it has posted on its website, where it gives the only public accounting of those changes, add up to less than half of that figure. US Treasury summaries reviewed by Reuters show that the agencies targeted by Doge have cut about US$19 billion in combined spending compared to the same period in 2024, far below Mr Musk's original target and amounting to just about 0.5 per cent of total federal expenditures. Mr Trump and Doge have managed to cut nearly 12 per cent, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found. Mr Musk's prominent status as the face of Doge's cost-cutting efforts has prompted widespread protests at Tesla outlets in the US and Europe, driving down both its sales and its stock price. Mr Musk said on May 30 that downsizing the government had proven more difficult than he expected, blaming what he called the "banal evil of bureaucracy." But he also expressed confidence that Doge would eventually achieve much deeper savings. "This is not the end of Doge but really the beginning," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
24 hours in pictures, 30 May 2025
24 hours in pictures, 30 May 2025 Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world. Attendees at the Africa Day celebrations at Beyers Naudé Square on May 30, 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The event showcased African music, dance, poetry, storytelling, visual arts, and traditional cuisine — all in celebration of the continent's rich cultural mosaic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle) Sacrificial camels are put on sale at the camel market ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in the Birqash district, Giza, Egypt, 30 May 2025. Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest Muslim holidays, marking the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Picture: EPA-EFE/MOHAMED HOSSAM British comedian and actor Russell Brand (R) arrives at Southwark Crown Court to enter his plea on charges of rape and sexual assault in London, Britain, 30 May 2025. Picture: EPA-EFE/TOLGA AKMEN A worker cleans the lines of a cooling tower at an ice factory on a hot summer day in Karachi on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP) A state police Tesla Cybertruck, a vehicle equipped with specialized technology for public safety which is being used as a patrol car within a new security strategy, is presented in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico, on May 29, 2025. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) Indigenous people from the Guna Comarca of Madugandi take part in a protest on the Bayano Lake bridge in Akua Yala, Panama, 29 May 2025. Indigenous groups cut the Interamerican highway in Panama, in protest against the reform of the Social Security fund and the possible reactivation of a copper mine in the country. Picture: EPA-EFE/Bienvenido Velasco Indian commuters wade through rain on a street in Kolkata, West Bengal, Eastern India, 29 May 2025. The Indian Meteorological Department predicts heavy rain in Kolkata between 27 and 29 May 2025. Picture: EPA-EFE/PIYAL ADHIKARY Firefighters from the Donetsk region work through the rubble after an air strike with a Geranium-2 UAV in Bilozerske, Ukraine on May 30, 2025. Earlier it was reported that, on the night of 30 May, Russian troops attacked a five-storey building in Bilozerske with a UAV 'Geranium-2'. A 40-year-old woman and her 16-year-old son were injured. (Photo by Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images) Members of the Bolivian Police clash with supporters of former President Evo Morales in La Paz, Bolivia, 29 May 2025. Supporters of former Bolivian President Evo Morales clashed with police on the fourth consecutive day of protests in La Paz to register his presidential candidacy for the elections. They called on other sectors to hold a national roadblock 'for the sake of the country's economy.' Picture: EPA-EFE/LUIS GANDARILLAS Revelers paddle as they participate in a dragon boat race prior to the celebration of Dragon Boat Festival 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan, 30 May 2025. This year the Dragon Boat Festival, also named Duanwu Festival, will be celebrated on 31 May and falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar in honor of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet and statesman. Picture: EPA-EFE/RITCHIE B. TONGO Internally displaced Palestinians gather outside a charity kitchen to receive limited rations amid a shortage of food, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 30 May 2025. The United Nations has warned that 'the entire population of Gaza is facing the risk of famine' since Israel closed border crossings on 02 March 2025, preventing the entry of essential supplies. The Gaza Government Media Office reported on 24 May that at least 58 people died due to malnutrition, and nearly 250 others due to a lack of food and medicine. Picture: EPA-EFE/HAITHAM IMAD Rows of solar panels are seen during installation at a photovoltaic project in Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province on May 30, 2025. (Photo by AFP) A livestock vendor checks the teeth of a sacrificial animal at a local cattle market ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Hyderabad, Pakistan, 29 May 2025. Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest Muslim holidays, marking the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Picture: EPA-EFE/NADEEM KHAWAR MORE: 24 hours in pictures, 29 May 2025
UPI
14 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Ukraine demands Russian cease-fire details before Monday peace talks
Ukraine said Friday it will not send a delegation for peace talks to Istanbul Monday until Russia provides details of its ceasefire proposal. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of stalling in peace negotiations. Zelensky (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for an official photo prior to their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, May 15. Photo courtesy of Turkish Presidential Office/EPA-EFE May 30 (UPI) -- Ukraine said it will not send a delegation for peace talks to Istanbul Monday until Russia provides details of its cease-fire proposal. Ukraine accused Russia, which has said it will send a delegation to Istanbul for the talks, of stalling in peace negotiations. "Russia is dragging out the war and doing everything to simply deceive countries that are still trying to influence Moscow with words, not pressure. Words with Moscow do not work. Even the so-called "memorandum" that they promised and supposedly prepared for more than a week has not yet been seen by anyone," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video posted to the presidential website. During a joint press conference with Turkey's foreign minister, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia must accept an unconditional cease-fire. Ukraine has sent cease-fire proposal details to Russia. "We are interested in seeing these meetings continue because we want the war to end this year," Sybiha said. The Monday Istanbul meeting will not include Zelensky or Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Russian cease-fire proposal memo will be delivered at the Monday Istanbul meeting. He said it will focus on overcoming what he termed the "root causes" of the war. Lavrov proposed a second round of Istanbul talks for June 2. Ukraine has not yet committed to that proposed meeting. "They are doing everything to make the meetings empty. And this is another reason to have sufficient sanctions - sufficient pressure on Russia," Zelensky said of Russia. The United States, France, Germany and Britain are all sending security advisors to the Monday Istanbul talks as Ukraine awaits details from Russia about its cease-fire proposal. Ukraine's position is that it must see details of the Russian cease-fire proposal before the next peace talks session happens.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
After 2 months, 40 witnesses, Diego Maradona trial scrapped
Diego Maradona's daughters Gianina Maradona (left) and Dalma Maradona attend the trial for their father's death, in Buenos Aires. PHOTO: EPA-EFE SAN ISIDRO – After weeks of hearings and testimony from over 40 witnesses, an Argentinian court on May 29 nullified the trial of late football legend Diego Maradona's medical team due to a scandal over a TV miniseries. A new trial will have to start from scratch, with three new judges, in a case already long delayed into Maradona's death in 2020, allegedly due to medical negligence. Judge Julieta Makintach was forced to step down from the case this week after it emerged she had been involved in a documentary miniseries about the case, potentially breaking a string of ethics rules. Her colleague, Judge Maximiliano Savarino, annulled the trial, saying Makintach's behaviour had 'caused prejudice' to proceedings that have already heard hours of painful, sometimes tearful, testimony from witnesses including Maradona's children. 'I am not calm. I am angry. I hate them!' the footballer's daughter Jana Maradona said outside the court. Maradona's ex-partner Veronica Ojeda described the events as 'outrageous'. But she added: 'If I have to do it (testify) a thousand times more, I will.' Maradona died in November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery. He was found to have died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema – a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs – two weeks after going under the knife. His seven-person medical team is on trial over the conditions of his home convalescence, described by prosecutors as grossly negligent. In a trial that kicked off on March 11, prosecutors alleged the former footballer was abandoned to his fate for a 'prolonged, agonising period' before his death. Daughter Gianinna Maradona told the court her father was kept in a 'dark, ugly and lonely' place, and that his carers were more interested in money than his welfare. Then the proceedings hit a hiccup, with Makintach coming under scrutiny over alleged unauthorised filming. She denied any wrongdoing, but after police raids and a week-long suspension of proceedings, evidence came to light that brought the 47-year-old judge's conduct into question. A trailer for a TV show dubbed 'Divine Justice' was played in court on May 27, showing Makintach stalking the halls of justice in high heels as grim details of the footballing hero's demise were relayed. The footage, which sparked an uproar, appeared to contain unauthorised recordings made inside the court, and showed Makintach being interviewed on camera. She has been suspended from her duties and is being investigated by a judicial disciplinary body, accused of violating impartiality requirements, influence peddling and possibly even bribery. The prosecution, the complainants and most of the defence lawyers had asked for a new panel of judges to be appointed and the trial restarted. 'There was no other option than nullifying the trial,' said Vadim Mischanchuk, the lawyer for Maradona's psychiatrist, one of the accused. No date has been set for the new trial, but the prosecution has said it hopes for a restart this year. Any possible appeals against the May 29 ruling could delay the resumption of proceedings, for which judges will be chosen by an internal court lottery. Maradona's caregivers risk prison terms of between eight and 25 years if convicted of 'homicide with possible intent' – pursuing a course of action despite knowing it could lead to his death. 'Maradona still not at peace,' said an Argentinian press headline this week. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Trump blasts ‘backroom hustlers' in legal battle over tariffs, says US will lose ‘trillions'
President Trump on Thursday rebuked the trio of judges who overturned his sweeping tariff agenda the day before – calling out 'backroom hustlers' and slamming the Court of International Trade's ruling as 'horrific' and a threat to 'Presidential Power.' 'Where do these initial three Judges come from? How is it possible for them to have potentially done such damage to the United States of America? Is it purely a hatred of 'TRUMP?' What other reason could it be?' the president questioned in a 510-word long Truth Social post. 3 President Donald Trump unloaded on the legal hurdles surrounding his tariffs in a lengthy post on Truth Social on Thursday. SAMUEL CORUM/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Advertisement 3 'Where do these initial three Judges come from? How is it possible for them to have potentially done such damage to the United States of America? Is it purely a hatred of 'TRUMP?' What other reason could it be?' the president wondered in the 510-word post. AP 'In this case, it is only because of my successful use of Tariffs that many Trillions of Dollars have already begun pouring into the U.S.A. from other Countries, money that, without these Tariffs, we would not be able to get,' Trump added. 'It is the difference between having a rich, prosperous, and successful United States of America, and quite the opposite.' 'The ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade is so wrong, and so political! Hopefully, the Supreme Court will reverse this horrible, Country threatening decision, QUICKLY and DECISIVELY.' Advertisement The Court of International Trade had ruled Wednesday that Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by imposing a 10% flat duty rate on dozens of countries around the world, as well as 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 20% tariffs on China in response to illegal fentanyl trafficking. A federal appeals court stayed the trade court's order on Thursday as the White House appeals the initial ruling. 3 The Court of International Trade had ruled Wednesday that Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by imposing a 10% flat duty rate on dozens of countries around the world. Stephen Yang 'Backroom 'hustlers' must not be allowed to destroy our Nation!' Trump argued. Advertisement 'The horrific decision stated that I would have to get the approval of Congress for these Tariffs,' he fumed. 'In other words, hundreds of politicians would sit around D.C. for weeks, and even months, trying to come to a conclusion as to what to charge other Countries that are treating us unfairly.' 'If allowed to stand, this would completely destroy Presidential Power — The Presidency would never be the same!' This is a developing story. Please check back for more information.
