Elon Musk said on Tuesday that he is committed to being the chief executive of Tesla Motors for another five years, unless he "dies", while threatening jail time to those who have turned against the company over his role in the US government.
"I can't be CEO if I'm dead," the world's wealthiest person said in an online interview to delegates at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha.
He said his $100 billion pay package, and whatever compensation he may get in the future, is justified and does not affect his intention to remain at the helm of the company.
Mr Musk touted Tesla's sales and financial performance – despite it tanking in recent months – and the "millions" of humanoid robots the company is building.
"I think, obviously, there should be compensation for if ... something incredible was done," he said. "I'm confident that whatever some activist posing as a judge in Delaware happens to do will not affect the future compensation," he added, referring to Chancery Court Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, who struck down Mr Musk's pay package in December when it was worth $56 billion.
"I can't be sitting there and wanting to get tossed out for political reasons by activists," he added, while declining to discuss the matter further.
Mr Musk has also threatened people who have damaged Tesla stores and sent him death threats, saying that authorities will come after them and they "deserve" to go to jail.
"They're on the wrong side of history and that's an evil thing to do ... I've not harmed anyone, so something needs to be done about them, and a number of them are going to prison and they deserve it," he said. "The people that funded them and organised them will also go to prison."
Mr Musk said he was pushing through with his lawsuit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and of which he was an early backer. Mr Musk and OpenAI boss Sam Altman have exchanged barbs and insults, after the former accused the company of diverging from its non-profit goal. Mr Altman responded by saying Mr Musk was insecure and regretted leaving the company.
“I came up with the name OpenAI as open-source … intended to be a non-profit company, and now, they're trying to change that for their own financial benefit into a for-profit company that is closed-source,” said Mr Musk, who provided about $50 million in initial funding.
“So this would be like, let's say you funded a non-profit to help preserve the Amazon rainforest, but instead of doing that, they became a lumber company, took down the forest and sold the wood.”
Things turned testy when Mr Musk was asked if there was any conflict of interest with Starlink’s potential entry into South Africa, where he was born, especially after a Bloomberg report on Tuesday said Johannesburg might bend the rules for his company, especially as President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Washington to meet US President Donald Trump.
He griped against the country’s Black Economic Empowerment laws, which require that black company ownership ranges between 25 per cent and 100 per cent.
“Why are there racist laws in South Africa? That’s the first question,” he said, challenging the host, Bloomberg Weekend editor-at-large Mishal Husain, to answer the question on conflict of interest.
“I'm in this absurd situation where I was born in South Africa but can't get a licence to operate Starlink because I'm not black,” he added. Mr Musk also did not rule out a potential initial public offering for Starlink.
As for his role in the US government – he is a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency – he defended his actions to slash federal spending that have cost people jobs and prompted widespread anger, saying he and his team are not "dictators" and merely serve as advisers to the government, which ultimately has the final decision.
He also pushed back at reports that the vast downsizing at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) would result in the deaths of more people, with vital supplies cut off.
Mr Musk also took aim at Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who two weeks ago accused Mr Musk of “killing” children with cuts made to USAID.
“Who does Bill Gates think he is to make comments about the welfare of children, given that he was close friends with Jeffrey Epstein?” Mr Musk said, referring to the disgraced US financier who died in prison while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Ben Chilwell, Fabian Delph.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi.
More on animal trafficking
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
