Tag Archives: attempt

Tesla’s Chair Claims Board Did Not Attempt to Replace Elon Musk

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The chairman of Tesla’s board has refuted claims regarding his search for a successor to CEO Elon Musk, who has been preoccupied with President Trump while the company’s sales and profits have notably declined.

Robin Denholm, who has chaired the board for over six years, stated on X that the Wall Street Journal report was “completely unfounded.”

“Elon Musk is Tesla’s CEO, and the board is highly confident in our ability to pursue our exciting growth initiatives,” Denholm announced on a Tesla account linked to Musk’s social media platform, X.

The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday that approximately a month ago, the Tesla board reached out to an executive search firm for assistance in finding a potential alternative to Musk, citing “individuals with relevant expertise.”

Following a 71% drop in quarterly profit reported last week, Musk has committed to dedicating more time to Tesla and less to Washington. He mentioned he spends one or two days weekly on administrative tasks.

Musk’s absence from Tesla, as he focuses on efforts to reduce government spending under Trump, has stirred frustration among investors. His association with right-wing movements in Europe has sparked protests at Tesla dealerships and contributed to decreasing sales, as electric vehicle buyers generally lean more liberal or centrist.

Recent reports indicated that Tesla’s revenue fell 9% in the first quarter of this year, amounting to $19.3 billion.

Automakers are losing market share in the US, China, and Europe, as competitors like BYD, General Motors, Volkswagen, and others roll out numerous electric models. Analysts have criticized Tesla for not broadening its offerings beyond the two main vehicles.

The Model Y SUVs and Model 3 sedans account for a substantial portion of Tesla’s sales. Musk indicated that Tesla’s latest vehicle, the CyberTruck, is not yet available for sale.

Source: www.nytimes.com

SpaceX’s spacecraft rocket lost in test flight due to explosion in previous attempt

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Following a failed test flight in January, SpaceX set out for another launch attempt on Thursday hoping for a better outcome.

Unfortunately, the mission was cut short once again after losing contact with the upper-stage vehicle.

The Starship system, towering at 400 feet, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, for its eighth test flight at 6:30pm.

However, within eight minutes, similar to the January incident, some engines seemed to shut off. Live video footage showed the craft spinning before all communication was lost.

In the live webcast, SpaceX Communications manager Dan Huot announced, “I think it’s clear that we won’t continue with today’s mission.”

Shortly after the mishap, Florida airports issued ground stops due to the “space launch incident” in Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Miami International Airport.

Videos circulating online show explosions and potential debris in parts of Florida. One video posted by an X user shows what appears to be an overhead fireball in Boynton Beach, Florida.

SpaceX stated on X that the Starship suffered a collapse, described as a “rapid, unplanned demolition.”

The company is now analyzing data from the flight tests to determine the root cause of the incident.

Huot mentioned in the webcast that SpaceX will be monitoring potential debris and working closely with air traffic restrictions.

While accidents are not uncommon in the development of new rockets and spacecraft, this marks the second consecutive setback for SpaceX.

During the seventh test mission in January, a similar loss of communication occurred, eventually leading to an explosion over the Caribbean.

SpaceX Debris
Courtesy Todd Martin

Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. Despite clearing the spacecraft for Thursday’s test flight, investigations are ongoing.

The FAA, among other agencies, has faced budget and staffing cuts under the Trump administration, raising concerns about oversight in areas like commercial spaceflight.

SpaceX’s internal investigation revealed that a leaky propellant likely caused the explosion during the previous test flight.

SpaceX made upgrades to prevent similar incidents and enhance safety measures before the Thursday launch.

Despite the short-lived test flight, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone with the Super Heavy Booster returning successfully to the launch site and landing on the Tower’s robotic arm.

This marks the third successful “Catch” operation by SpaceX, a crucial step towards the goal of creating a fully reusable Starship system.

Starship, the most powerful rocket in development, consists of a first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship called Super Heavy.

SpaceX officials emphasize that many more test missions will likely be conducted before the Starship can transport humans.

The next-generation Megarocket, Starship, is expected to play a pivotal role in NASA’s moon missions and potentially future missions to Mars.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Judges reject initial attempt to halt commercial shift without masks, but schedule autumn trials for AI.

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A United States judge denied a request for a preliminary injunction on Tuesday to halt the transition to an open commercial model, but agreed to hear the case this autumn.

Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a US District Judge in Oakland, California, stated that the tech billionaire did not meet the “high burden necessary for a temporary injunction” to stop the conversion to openness.

Nevertheless, Rogers expressed the importance of quickly resolving the lawsuit, considering “the potential for crisis and harm if conversion takes place unlawfully.”

Elon Musk and Openai, co-founded as a nonprofit in 2015 but left before it gained momentum, have been embroiled in a year-long legal dispute. CEOs of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) have accused Openai of deviating from its original goal of developing artificial intelligence for the betterment of humanity, rather than corporate profits.

Openai and its CEO, Sam Altman, have denied these allegations. The lawsuit revolves around the shift to a for-profit model for chat developers, with Altman citing the need for more capital and competitiveness in the costly AI industry.

Openai welcomed the judge’s ruling, stating that Musk’s lawsuit, who launched rival startup Xai in 2023, was always about competition. Microsoft, the primary supporter of Openai, did not provide a comment.

Musk’s lawyer, Marc Toberoff, commended the judge for promising a swift trial on the core claims of the case. Toberoff emphasized the importance of ensuring Altman utilizes Musk’s charitable contributions for the benefit of the masses, not personal gain.

The ruling comes after Altman rejected a $97.4 million acquisition offer from a consortium led by Musk, claiming Openai is not for sale and accusing Musk of attempting to hinder its competitors.

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Softbank Group is reportedly discussing leading a funding round of up to $400 million for Openai, valuing the company at $300 million. This surpasses the $75 billion valuation discussed by Xai in a recent fundraising round.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nature foiled an attempt to make the world’s biggest snowflake

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In London, where I live, you forget about white Christmas. The best I can hope for is a storm of pathetic flakes. So this year I’m on a mission to make my own snow. It’s not just snow. To maximize the effect of the festival, we want to create the world’s largest snowflake.

It’s going to be a challenge. Guinness World Records Diameter 38cm, thickness 20cm. This incredible phenomenon was recorded in Montana in January 1887, when rancher Matt Coleman reported seeing snowflakes “larger than milk bread” during a violent storm. To be sure, some experts are skeptical. “If this was falling from the sky, they would probably need to wear crash helmets,” said Douglas Mair, a glaciologist at the University of Liverpool in the UK. Nevertheless, Guinness World Records claims that modern sources corroborate the record.

But wait a minute! There is a postscript. The largest snowflake was 10 millimeters. “A snowflake is a single ice crystal,” says Ken Libbrecht, who took the record-breaking photo in Ontario, Canada, in December 2003. The textbook image of a Christmas snowflake is actually a complete snowflake, but a snowflake is made up of several crystals joined together. So you might be able to break the record by creating the world’s largest snowflake instead. How difficult would it be? “You could grow ice crystals from water vapor,” says Libbrecht, whose lab at the California Institute of Technology makes “designer” snowflakes. “But if you want to look like a snowflake, and you want to actually make a symmetrical snowflake, that’s a tall order.” Obviously, I need help.

Source: www.newscientist.com

OpenAI claims Iranian group utilized ChatGPT in attempt to sway US elections

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OpenAI announced on Friday that it had taken down the accounts of an Iranian group using its chatbot, ChatGPT, to create content with the aim of influencing the U.S. presidential election and other important issues.

Dubbed “Storm-2035,” the attack involved the use of ChatGPT to generate content related to various topics, including discussions on the U.S. presidential election, the Gaza conflict, and Israel’s involvement in the Olympics. This content was then shared on social media platforms and websites.

A Microsoft-backed AI company investigation revealed that ChatGPT was being utilized to produce lengthy articles and short comments for social media.


OpenAI noted that this strategy did not result in significant engagement from the audience, as most of the social media posts had minimal likes, shares, or comments. There was also no evidence of the web articles being shared on social media platforms.

These accounts have been banned from using OpenAI’s services, and the company stated that it will continue to monitor them for any policy violations.

In an early August report by Microsoft threat intelligence, it was revealed that an Iranian network called Storm 2035, operating through four websites posing as news outlets, was actively interacting with U.S. voters across the political spectrum.

The network’s activities focused on generating divisive messages on topics like U.S. presidential candidates, LGBTQ rights, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As the November 5th presidential election approaches, the battle between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican opponent Donald Trump intensifies.

OpenAI previously disrupted five covert influence operations in May that attempted to use their models for deceptive online activities.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watch SpaceX’s Fourth Starship Launch Attempt Livestream and Get the Latest Updates

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SpaceX is preparing Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, for its next test launch. Here’s everything you need to know.

What time is the launch scheduled?

The launch is expected to take place today, pending regulatory approval, and each flight must be approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX tweeted: The live stream begins at 12:30 p.m. UK time.

Judge Eddie Trevino of Cameron County, Texas, where SpaceX’s Starbase launch site is located, has closed nearby roads for flight testing. The closures are limited to a 14-hour period between midnight and 5pm local time.

Where is Starship going?

The fourth test flight will focus on returning Starship from orbit and conducting a mock landing of both the Starship and the Super Heavy first stage booster. Both vehicles will make a “soft splashdown” in the ocean, using their engines to slow their descent and line up for a gentle touch down on the water. The first stage booster will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, while Starship aims to splash down in the Indian Ocean.

What has happened in Starship launches so far?

All three Starship launches have ended in explosions, as part of SpaceX’s strategy to learn from failures. The second launch reached space but was destroyed before completing an orbit. The third test flight reached space and achieved important milestones, despite failing to make a soft landing.

What would happen if this launch were to fail?

The chances of Starship completing its mission perfectly are slim, so failure is expected. However, this failure will provide valuable data and experience to improve future launches. SpaceX has shown the ability to iterate quickly and make progress with each launch.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Watch the livestream of SpaceX’s fourth Starship launch attempt and get the latest updates

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SpaceX is preparing for the next test launch of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built. Here’s everything you need to know.

What time is the launch scheduled?

The launch is expected to take place today, pending regulatory approval, and each flight must be approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX tweeted: The live stream begins at 12:30 p.m. UK time.

Judge Eddie Trevino of Cameron County, Texas, where SpaceX’s Starbase launch site is located, Nearby roads are closed In official documents, Treviño clarified that the closures were for “flight testing” and were limited to a 14-hour period between midnight and 5pm local time.

Where is Starship going?

The fourth test flight will focus on returning Starship from orbit and conducting a mock landing of both the Starship and the Super Heavy first stage booster. Both vehicles will make a “soft splashdown” in the ocean, using their engines to slow their descent and line up for a gentle touch down on the water. The first stage booster is scheduled to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, not far from the launch site, about seven minutes after liftoff, while Starship aims to splash down in the Indian Ocean about an hour later.

What has happened in Starship launches so far?

All three Starship launches have ended in explosions, which was expected as part of SpaceX’s “fail fast, learn fast” strategy.

During the first launch on April 20 last year, three of the first stage’s three engines (out of a total of 33) failed to ignite. Several more subsequently failed during the flight. The rocket then spun out of control and its self-destruct safety mechanism was activated. The entire flight lasted about three minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 39 kilometers.

Starship’s second launch was on November 18. This time, all 33 engines were working, and the rocket flew far enough for the first and second stages to separate. But as the first stage rotated to begin its deceleration and landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage continued on smoothly to an altitude of about 90 miles, passing the Kármán line, which marks the beginning of space. But it was destroyed by a safety device after it stopped transmitting data before completing an orbit or returning to Earth.

SpaceX’s third Starship test flight, on March 14, was at least partially successful, as it reached space, performed a fuel transfer test, and flew farther and faster than ever before. However, it lost attitude control during the flight and failed to make the planned soft landing. Nevertheless, it achieved several important milestones, including Starship’s first atmospheric reentry from space, the first opening and closing of Starship’s payload door in space, and a successful demonstration of fuel transfer, which is key for future NASA Artemis missions to the Moon.

What would happen if this launch were to fail?

The chances of Starship completing its mission perfectly are slim, so it’s likely to fail in some way. But failure will provide data and experience that can be used to improve the design and process for the fifth launch. SpaceX has shown it can iterate quickly and make great strides with each launch.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Russian LockBit ransomware hacker launches comeback attempt | Cybercrime

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The LockBit ransomware gang is re-emerging, following a recent international crackdown that severely disrupted its operations.

Based in Russia, the group has created new dark web sites to showcase a few alleged victims and release stolen data. The gang is now under investigation by the National Crime Agency in Britain, as well as the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. This comes after a joint operation led by Europol to target the group last week.

In a statement issued in English and Russian, LockBitSupp, the group’s administrator, claimed that law enforcement agencies hacked their previous dark web site by exploiting vulnerabilities in PHP, a commonly used programming language for websites. They assured that other servers with backup blogs not using PHP would continue leaking data from targeted companies.

The statement also mentioned personal negligence and irresponsibility, along with expressing support for Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election. The group even offered a job to the individual who hacked their main site. Law enforcement confirmed that LockBitSupp does not reside in the U.S. and is cooperating with authorities.

Despite the disruption, the NCA stated that LockBit remains compromised, but they are vigilant as the group may attempt to reorganize. Additionally, the U.S. has indicted two Russians for deploying LockBit ransomware globally. Ukrainian police also arrested suspects related to attacks carried out using LockBit’s malicious software.

The renewed Rockbit website has issued threats against U.S. government sites and listed more alleged hacking victims. Security experts indicate that the group is attempting to resume operations but will face challenges due to the damage caused by international law enforcement actions.

LockBit operates on a ransomware-as-a-service model, leasing software to criminal organizations in exchange for a cut of the ransom payments. Despite the setback, the group needs to rebuild its reputation within the criminal community to attract affiliates following the recent law enforcement activities.

Ransomware attacks involve hackers infiltrating a target’s system, disabling it with malware, and encrypting files for ransom. Recent trends include extracting sensitive data like personal and customer information and demanding payment in cryptocurrency, mainly Bitcoin, to decrypt files or delete stolen data copies. Last year saw a record $1.1 billion paid in ransomware payments.

Source: www.theguardian.com