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Russian Strikes Hit Ukrainian Energy Sector, X Offices Raided in France, and Musk Consolidates Businesses
Russian missile and drone strikes targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving thousands without heating in freezing temperatures, while in separate developments, Elon Musk's X faced legal scrutiny in France and the UK, and his SpaceX company moved to acquire xAI.
Ukraine experienced what private energy company DTEK called "the most powerful blow" to its energy sector this year, as reported by BBC World. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia used a record number of ballistic missiles in the attacks, which hit power plants and infrastructure in Kyiv and other locations. The strikes occurred as temperatures plummeted to -20C (-4F), leaving over 1,000 tower blocks in the capital without heating. A power plant in Kharkiv was damaged beyond repair, according to BBC World.
Meanwhile, in France, the Paris prosecutor's cyber-crime unit raided the offices of Elon Musk's X as part of an investigation into suspected offenses, including unlawful data extraction and complicity in the possession of child pornography, BBC Technology reported. The prosecutor's office summoned both Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino to appear at hearings in April.
In the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) launched a probe into Musk's AI tool, Grok, over its "potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content," according to BBC Technology. X had not responded to either investigation at the time of reporting.
In other news concerning Musk's business ventures, SpaceX confirmed its acquisition of xAI, a smaller firm known for its Grok chatbot, posting a memo from Musk about the merger on its website, as reported by BBC Technology. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, a source familiar with the matter said it valued xAI at $125 billion and SpaceX at $1 trillion, potentially making it the most valuable private company ever. Musk stated in his memo that the combination would form an "innovation engine" putting AI, rockets, space-based internet, and media under one roof.
In other global news, at least 15 people died in northeastern Brazil when a bus carrying pilgrims overturned on a curved stretch of highway in Alagoas state, according to BBC World. Local officials reported that three children, seven women, and five men were among the dead. Approximately 60 people were on board the bus, and surviving passengers were airlifted to hospitals for treatment. An investigation into the crash is underway.
Separately, China banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles (EVs) due to safety concerns, making it the first country to prohibit the designs popularized by Tesla, BBC Technology reported. The new regulations, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, require cars to have a mechanical release both inside and outside the doors. This decision follows scrutiny of EV safety after deadly incidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs where power failures were suspected of preventing doors from opening.
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