"Your Posts Could Get Someone Killed": TED Chief Chris Anderson To Elon Musk

Chris Anderson, the head of TED, wrote an open letter to billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday over the tech mogul's recent posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). According to Anderson, the owner of X is forgetting the "core tenets of journalism".

"...Without them, I think your efforts to make X the respected home of citizen journalism will fail. When you tell hundreds of millions of people that someone should be hanged or jailed for outrageous crimes against humanity, just possibly you should first sound out what those who know those people really well would say about them. Some of your recent posts could literally get someone killed. Do you really want to risk that?" Anderson questioned, referring to Musk's recent posts.

Musk has been frequently bashing international governments whose politics he dislikes and praising far-right figures. He has been using X to post several criticisms and accusations aimed at political figures - especially in UK, Germany, and Canada.

"You say you want to maximize un-regretted user seconds on X.  By far the simplest way you could do this, Elon, is simply to thoughtfully edit what you yourself post," Anderson said.

According to Anderson, the owner of X is failing to follow the "fairness doctrine" - which says that before publishing critical claims about an individual, or an institution, one must reach out to them for their side of the story. While the TED chief believes that Musk is eyeing issues that are important and worthy of efforts, he said that the way it is being presented is "playground bullying". 

"It's crass and it's cruel, and it's therefore not nearly as effective as it could be. You're hearing the cheers of your most loyal followers, but missing the fact you're making yourself a laughing stock among many who you really want on your side. Long-term that's going to damage X, your other businesses, and indeed your long-term dreams for humanity.  No one wants to follow a playground bully to Mars," Anderson said.

With a certain amount of trepidation, I'm posting this open letter to @elonmusk, someone I have admired, but who, right now, is causing me concern. I know I'm not alone in thinking these thoughts. Please like or repost if you're willing... And Elon, if you're listening, please… pic.twitter.com/WGU9okIXJ3

— Chris Anderson (@TEDchris) January 7, 2025

Anderson mentioned that while Musk is someone he admires, at present, he is causing concern.

"I miss the old Elon. You can be funny, interesting, insightful and inspiring. You've fought incredibly hard for what you've built. And you may feel you're entitled to do whatever the hell you want with it. But I also know that you understand the danger of holding too tightly to the ring of power, how it can distort someone's judgement and turn them ugly," he wrote.

"I'm hoping you can loosen that ring just a little. For the love of humanity that you profess, I really urge you to embrace the fairness doctrine and showcase a better face of X," Anderson added.

Musk has not yet responded to the letter.

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North Korea Says New Hypersonic Missile System Can Deter "Pacific Rivals"

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un said that a new hypersonic missile system used in a test launch on Monday would help deter the country's rivals in the Pacific, the KCNA state news agency reported.

"The hypersonic missile system will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region that can affect the security of our state," Kim, who oversaw the launch, said in comments carried by KCNA.

The test-fire came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited strategic ally South Korea, a fierce rival of the North, with whom it technically remains at war.

In a statement, Kim said the missile flew for 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) -- beyond the 1,100-kilometre (680-mile) figure given by South Korea's military -- and travelled at 12 times the speed of sound before landing in water.

"This is clearly a plan and effort for self-defence, not an offensive plan and action," Kim said.

However, he added that the performance of the missile system "can not be ignored worldwide," saying it can "deal a serious military strike to a rival while effectively breaking any dense defensive barrier."

"The development of the defence capabilities of the DPRK aiming to be a military power will be further accelerated," Kim said, using the acronym for the North's official name.

Blinken and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul condemned the launch at a joint news conference, where the outgoing US top diplomat said it showed the importance of deepening a three-way alliance with Japan.

Monday's test-fire was North Korea's first since US President-elect Donald Trump won his country's November election.

Its previous launch was in November, when it test-fired what it said was its most advanced and powerful solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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US Records 1st Human Bird Flu Death: Health Authorities

The first human death linked to bird flu has been reported in the United States, health authorities in the state of Louisiana said Monday, adding that the patient was elderly and suffered from other pathologies.

The patient, aged over 65, had been hospitalized for a respiratory ailment, and was the first serious case of human infection of the H5N1 virus to be detected in the United States. Despite this death, the public health risk posed by bird flu remains "low," the statement said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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As Trudeau Resigns, Trump Says Canada Should Merge With US

Donald Trump on Monday marked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation announcement by doubling down on his unlikely proposal that the country should merge with the United States.

"If Canada merged with the US, there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them," incoming president Trump posted on social media.

"Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!" he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Five Indian-Origin Men Charged With Murder Of An Indian In New Jersey

Five Indian-origin men have been arrested and charged with the murder of an Indian, whose bullet-ridden body had been found in a forest in New Jersey, according to officials.

The last of the five, Sandeep Kumar, was arrested on Friday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and New Jersey Police Colonel Patrick Callahan said on Saturday.

Kuldeep Kumar's body was found with gunshot wounds in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area, a nature preserve in New Jersey, on December 14.

Although Kumar's family in New York had reported him missing on October 26, according to the prosecutor's office, it was almost two months before someone discovered his body and informed the prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit.

The alleged murder happened around October 22, leaving the body in a stage of “advanced decomposition” and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped identify Kumar, the prosecutor‘s office said.

Investigations by several law enforcement agencies zeroed in on the five accused.

Four of them from Greenwood in Indiana State, Sourav Kumar, 23, Guarav Singh, 27, Nirmal Singh, 30, and Gurdeep Singh, 22, and Sandeep Kumar, 34, from Ozone Park in New York were identified as the alleged perpetrators, according to the prosecutor's office.

While the prosecutor said the victim was Indian, he did not give the citizenship of those arrested, or the motivation for the alleged murder.

The accused men from Indiana were arrested there by the FBI, the prosecutor's detective, and Indiana police “without incident” on December 20, Billhimer's office said.

They are held in an Indiana jail awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Under US laws, when a person wanted in a crime is arrested in another state, prosecutors have to go through an extradition process in a court during which the arrested person can contest extradition.

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Global Power City Index: Dubai Ranks First In Middle East, Eighth Globally

Dubai has been ranked eighth worldwide and first in the Middle East in the Global Power City Index 2024 (GPCI) for the second year in a row.

In an annual study released by Japan's Mori Memorial Foundation, the index highlights Dubai's role as a leader in innovation, economic dynamism, and global connectivity.

This achievement makes Dubai the only city in the Middle East to feature in the top 10, reaffirming its position as a major global hub for business, talent, and investment.

“Dubai continues to redefine what is possible, combining innovation, sustainability, and a focus on nurturing talent,” said Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

The Crown Prince highlighted the key drivers behind Dubai's success, including its world-class infrastructure, which continues to attract global investment and top talent.

He highlighted the city's flexible and progressive legislative framework, designed to foster innovation and adapt to evolving global trends.

He also underscored the importance of Dubai's strong public-private sector partnerships, which have created a dynamic ecosystem for collaboration and growth.

“Dubai's high ranking on global indices shows that we are not just keeping pace with the world, we are setting new benchmarks for excellence,” he added.

The Global Power City Index (GPCI) evaluates and ranks major cities according to their “magnetism”, or their comprehensive power to attract people, capital, and enterprises from across he world.

It does so by measuring six functions — Economy, Research and Development, Cultural Interaction, Livability, Environment, and Accessibility — providing a multidimensional ranking.

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Brazil Influencer Gabriel Freitas Famed For 174-kg Weight Loss Dies At 37

Gabriel Freitas, a Brazilian reality TV star and fitness influencer who gained international attention for his remarkable 174-kg weight loss, has died at the age of 37. After initially shedding the weight, Mr Freitas regained it following the tragic loss of his father and brother. The influencer suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep on December 30, as confirmed by his close friend Ricardo Gouvea, Express US reported. 

Announcing the sad news, Ricardo said: "Gabriel died practically sleeping, he didn't suffer. He died trying. He fought to the end, he was very strong and I have a lot of respect for him. He was a very good person with a very good heart."

Mr Freitas inspired thousands with his remarkable transformation, sharing his weight loss struggles and successes on social media. His journey highlighted his personal discipline and determination and brought attention to the challenges of obesity and the importance of mental and physical health. His death has left his fans and followers in shock, as he was celebrated for his resilience and motivational content. 

With over 700,000 followers on Instagram, Freitas' inspiring weight loss journey was well-documented on social media and YouTube. His story was first featured on the Brazilian TV show "Programa do Gugu" in 2017, where he shared his struggles and triumphs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gabriel Freitas (MUP) (@mupgabriel)

"My name is Gabriel Freitas, I'm 29 years old, I'm 1.94 metres tall, I weigh 320kg when I started my weight loss process and 10kg when I started recording for YouTube. I decided to share my struggle to lose weight with all of you in order to help you with motivation and to show that it is possible to lose weight without surgery or medication. Here you'll see all the changes from a guy who weighed 320kg to the body he always dreamed of. Welcome to my life," he shared in one of his videos.

Through sheer determination and a drastic lifestyle transformation, he achieved an incredible weight loss of 203kg in just a year and a half, slimming down to 114 kg.

Howeve, his remarkable weight loss journey was later derailed by a period of intense grief following the loss of his father and brother. He regained a significant amount of weight, eventually reaching 380 kg. 

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