Lisbon funicular crash exposes safety flaws in city's old charm
The deaths of at least 16 people in the derailment of a historic Lisbon cable car have cast a spotlight on the city’s “old charm” image, reveali...
Tesla chair Robyn Denholm called “absolutely false” a Wall Street Journal report that the board is hunting for a successor to CEO Elon Musk, insisting directors remain confident in his leadership.
Tesla Inc. moved quickly on Thursday to quash a Wall Street Journal report claiming the electric-vehicle maker has been discreetly scouting for a chief-executive successor to Elon Musk.
Board chair Robyn Denholm labeled the story “absolutely false” in a post on X, insisting the directors remain “highly confident in Elon’s ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead.” Musk echoed the sentiment on the same platform, calling the article “a deliberately false piece.”
The Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Tesla directors had contacted several executive-search firms about a month ago to explore potential CEO candidates. According to the paper, the board’s outreach stemmed from investor worries over sliding vehicle sales and Musk’s time-consuming political duties in Washington.
Musk recently told shareholders he would “significantly scale back” his role at the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and devote more attention to Tesla. While some investors say Musk’s government stint complements Tesla’s tech-heavy ambitions, others fear the dual obligations come at a delicate time for the carmaker.
Tesla is shifting from its long-promised low-cost EV project to a future focused on driverless “robotaxis” and humanoid robotics. Federal regulators last week loosened autonomous-vehicle testing rules, lifting Tesla’s stock and fueling optimism that political tailwinds could accelerate Musk’s AI-centric vision.
Yet vehicle deliveries have declined for two straight quarters, and the company’s aging lineup faces fierce competition from lower-priced models in China and Europe. Analysts say a credible road map—and consistent executive focus—will be vital as Tesla transitions from automaker to robotics powerhouse.
Activist investors have frequently criticized Tesla’s eight-member board for its perceived closeness to Musk. In addition to Denholm, the board includes co-founder JB Straubel, Musk’s brother Kimbal, and James Murdoch, son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Denholm—appointed chair after Musk’s 2018 settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission—has faced repeated questions about her stock-based compensation and her sale of roughly $33.7 million in Tesla shares earlier this year.
The board, according to the Journal, is searching for an additional independent director and has quietly met large shareholders to assure them Tesla’s governance is sound. A spokesperson declined to comment on those discussions, but stressed that “succession planning is routine at any large public company and is not tied to any current intent to replace Elon Musk.”
For now, Musk remains firmly at Tesla’s helm and has publicly recommitted to the company’s next phase of growth. Whether the board’s latest denial lays investor fears to rest—or stokes fresh demands for transparency—will become clearer at Tesla’s annual meeting, scheduled for June.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Türkiye has reiterated its readiness to play a leading role in efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The deaths of at least 16 people in the derailment of a historic Lisbon cable car have cast a spotlight on the city’s “old charm” image, revealing cracks in its ageing infrastructure amid a booming tourist industry.
Google services including YouTube, Gmail and Maps were restored on Thursday following a widespread outage that left millions of users across dozens of countries unable to access key platforms.
The United States announced new security commitments for Ecuador on Thursday during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit, as Washington seeks to strengthen efforts against illegal immigration and drug cartels.
Muslims across Yemen marked the birthday of Prophet Mohammad on Thursday, September 4, in a widespread display of devotion and celebration.
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