Elon Musk is now openly admitting what industry observers have suspected for some time: other car manufacturers aren’t lining up to adopt Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system, even though he previously hinted that Tesla was pursuing serious licensing talks. This comes as federal regulators continue digging into troubling behavior linked to Tesla’s autonomous features — including reports that the software has blown through red lights and even failed to notice trains.
According to Electrek, Musk’s acknowledgment is a major reversal from his earlier boasts that major companies were exploring deals to use Tesla’s FSD software. For years, Musk has insisted that Tesla was ahead of the entire auto industry, and that rivals would inevitably rely on the company’s technology to catch up in the self-driving race.
But in a recent post on X, Musk said the conversations with legacy automakers have essentially fallen apart, and he blamed their demands for making collaboration impossible. “I’ve tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy … When legacy auto does occasionally reach out, they tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla, so pointless.”
Musk’s comments pulled back the curtain on a clash of philosophies that has defined the autonomous-driving world. Tesla’s method has always centered on rapid rollout, pushing “beta” software to customers and learning from real-world use. Traditional automakers, in contrast, insist on a much slower and heavily documented validation process — the classic “V-model” approach — and they assume liability for the systems they approve.
The tension between these two worlds surfaced earlier this year when Ford’s Jim Farley brushed off the notion of using Tesla’s software and bluntly said that “Waymo is better.” His remark now appears to be a direct reference to the same stalled “major automaker” conversations Musk alluded to.
Concerns about Tesla’s technology have only grown as federal investigations pile up. Breitbart News previously reported troubling failures involving Tesla vehicles in FSD mode. One of the most alarming cases involved Alo Frigoli of North Texas, who said his Tesla almost plowed into a train when the software failed to register the danger at a railroad crossing. “It felt like it was going to run through the arms,” Frigoli said. “So obviously I just slammed on the brakes.” Footage from the vehicle supports his account, and further testing at the site produced the same dangerous behavior.
Other drivers report similar experiences. At least six Tesla owners using FSD have documented issues at rail crossings, and four have shared video evidence. Online groups dedicated to Tesla vehicles contain many additional accounts going back as far as mid-2023.
In October, Breitbart News detailed a separate federal inquiry into Tesla’s FSD, this one focusing on instances of reckless behavior the system allegedly performed on public roads. According to the NHTSA filing, crashes have occurred after Teslas ran red lights or drove the wrong way in traffic. Regulators highlighted six reports involving vehicles with FSD enabled that “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash” with other cars. Several happened at the same Maryland intersection, prompting Tesla to implement targeted fixes there.
As Musk now concedes that no major automaker is willing to stake its future on Tesla’s controversial self-driving software, the gap between his promises and the market’s response has never been clearer.
{Matzav.com}
The tragic death of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom was confirmed on Thanksgiving evening, as President Trump shared the heartbreaking news during a holiday call with several military units.
“She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” Trump said, his voice heavy with emotion. “Incredible person, outstanding in every single way, in every department. Just horrible.”
Beckstrom had been clinging to life after suffering devastating gunshot wounds to the chest and head while on duty in Washington, DC. Despite being rushed into immediate surgery, her condition never improved.
Her father, Gary Beckstrom, realized the outcome was inevitable when he spoke with The New York Times that morning.
“I’m holding her hand right now,” he said quietly. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.”
Authorities had already warned that the consequences for the alleged gunman, 29-year-old Afghan refugee Rahmanullah Lakanwal, would escalate if either victim died. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro had indicated that first-degree murder charges would be added upon the death of a National Guard member.
Lakanwal was subdued after a chaotic struggle in which one Guardsman used a pocket knife against him while another fired at the attacker. He had already been charged with multiple counts of assault with intent to kill and criminal possession of a weapon — charges that carry up to 15 years in prison. Now, with Beckstrom’s death, prosecutors are preparing an even more severe case.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has made her intentions unmistakable.
“Devastated. Please pray for Sarah. Pray for her family,” she wrote on X. “America will never forget her courage. There WILL BE JUSTICE for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew. Thank you to President Trump — the death penalty is back.”
Bondi also revealed that Beckstrom had volunteered to work on Thanksgiving specifically so that others could be home with their families — a gesture that now underscores the depth of her selflessness.
“She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving — working today — she volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families,” Bondi said.
Beckstrom and her fellow Guardsman, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, had been sworn in just a day before the attack. Wolfe remains hospitalized after undergoing emergency surgery and is, according to Trump, “fighting for his life.”
“Hopefully, we’ll get better news with respect to him,” Trump added. “And the monster that did this is also in serious condition, but we won’t even talk about him.”
Investigators say Lakanwal allegedly lay in wait only blocks from the White House before ambushing the two service members with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver. He was shot by responding Guard personnel.
Officials are treating the incident as a likely targeted act of terrorism. According to Pirro, Lakanwal drove cross-country from his home in Bellingham, Washington — where he lived with his wife and five children — before carrying out the attack.
Prior to coming to the United States, Lakanwal served in the Afghan Army in Kandahar, where he worked alongside US Special Forces.
{Matzav.com}
David Letterman used his return to the spotlight this week to unleash a fresh barrage of attacks on President Donald Trump, painting Trump as a “dictator” and branding his administration as “idiocy.”
The retired late-night host, who stepped away from television in 2015, joined The Barbara Gaines Show just days after Trump publicly ripped Seth Meyers, accusing the NBC host of having an “incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Trump had posted on Truth Social, “NBC’s Seth Meyers is suffering from an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). He was viewed last night in an uncontrollable rage, likely due to the fact that his ‘show’ is a Ratings DISASTER. Aside from everything else, Meyers has no talent, and NBC should fire him, IMMEDIATELY!”
Letterman, appearing on the podcast hosted by his longtime producer, immediately rushed to Meyers’ defense. Early in the conversation he praised the Late Night host, saying, “I’ve never been more proud of Seth Meyers. That’s our old show, as a matter of fact. Yeah, we used to do that show, and he does a magical job.”
At one point, Letterman even floated a bizarre suggestion that Meyers could be in physical danger, invoking the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. “But just remember Seth, things happen. You know what I’m saying,” he said.
As the episode wrapped, Letterman resumed his tirade, renewing his claims about the president. He declared that the Trump administration is “a wonder of idiocy,” referred to Trump as “our dictator,” and suggested that Trump intends to cling to power, saying, Trump is “not going anywhere.”
“It’s like 18 times the worst behavior one has witnessed ever anywhere,” Letterman said, escalating his rhetoric even further. “Think of the worst thing that you’ve ever seen humans accomplish. This is so much worse.”
{Matzav.com}
Apple is on track to overtake Samsung in worldwide smartphone shipments next year, positioning the company at the top of the global rankings for the first time in well over ten years, according to a newly released assessment.
Counterpoint Research’s latest outlook anticipates a 3.3% rise in smartphone shipments across the industry in 2025, with Apple responsible for a significant portion of that upward trend.
Demand for the next-generation iPhone 17 lineup is expected to drive a double-digit increase in Apple’s shipments, with projections showing a 10% year-over-year surge across major markets.
If those expectations hold, Counterpoint says Apple’s global share will reach 19.4% in 2025—high enough to reclaim the title of the world’s top smartphone maker for the first time since 2011.
Samsung, by contrast, is expected to see its shipments grow by 4.6% next year. Even with that increase, its share is projected to settle at 18.7%, marking the end of a long run in the No. 1 slot.
Senior analyst Yang Wang noted that more than just strong interest in the upcoming iPhone lineup is at play. “Beyond the highly positive market reception for the iPhone 17 series, the key driver behind the upgraded shipment outlook lies in the replacement cycle reaching its inflection point,” he explained.
Wang added that many customers who purchased devices during the pandemic buying boom are now ready to shift to newer models. “Consumers who purchased smartphones during the COVID-19 boom are now entering their upgrade phase. Furthermore, 358 million second-hand iPhones were sold between 2023 and Q2 2025. These users are also likely to upgrade to a new iPhone in the coming years.”
Counterpoint’s report suggests that the momentum behind Apple’s customer base will likely allow the company to maintain its regained lead throughout the remainder of the decade.
The analysis also highlights Samsung’s evolving strategy. In developing regions, the company is leaning heavily on its A series, which provides stronger specs at competitive prices. In more established markets, Samsung is focusing on strengthening its premium offerings to prevent additional market-share erosion.
As for Chinese smartphone makers, analysts expect them to push further into international markets to maintain growth. By expanding into more expensive tiers and adding higher-end capabilities, these companies hope to increase their profit margins.
Counterpoint concludes that such diversification should bolster the financial performance of Chinese brands, while their current global shipment rankings are projected to remain largely unchanged through 2029.
{Matzav.com}
The father of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last fallen Israeli hostage still held inside Gaza, voiced his dread on Thursday that his son may never be brought home. “We pray of course that he will not be another Ron Arad or [Hadar] Goldin,” Itzik Gvili told Kan news. “That we don’t drag it out for many more years.”
Gvili’s reference to Goldin and Arad underscores the haunting parallels he fears. Goldin, who fell in 2014 and whose remains were hidden in Gaza for more than ten years, was recently brought back to Israel. Arad, an IAF navigator captured in Lebanon in 1988 after ejecting from his plane, vanished without a trace and has never been recovered.
Master Sgt. Ran Gvili was killed while heroically confronting Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023. His body was taken into Gaza by the attackers. Only two murdered hostages remain unreturned: Gvili and Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak, who was slain in Kibbutz Be’eri the same day.
Despite the anguish, the family pushes forward. “We’re moving forward because we have to,” Gvili’s father said. “Hamas says they’re looking for his body, but we don’t see any progress.”
He voiced frustration at the terror group’s claims. “They probably know where he is. They are playing games and deceiving us,” he remarked, though he provided no further detail.
Of the Israeli authorities, he added, “I know that they don’t know much” about where his son’s remains are located.
On Thursday, Al Jazeera reported renewed searches for a hostage’s body in Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood. The report was later confirmed to Kan by an Israeli military source.
Itzik Gvili worries that as nearly all other hostages have now been returned, public and governmental focus may drift. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has already announced that it will significantly scale down operations. “As far as I am concerned, until Ran comes back, he is alive,” he said. “I have nothing else to hope for. Perhaps there will be a miracle, and he will still be alive.”
Israel declared Ran Gvili dead in January 2024, based on intelligence assessments and collected evidence.
Having largely avoided the spotlight until now, his father said he intends to speak out more forcefully to ensure that his son’s case doesn’t fade from view. Calling Ran a “hero” for continuing to fight even after being wounded, he added, “Just like Ran didn’t forget the nation on that day, I don’t want the nation to forget him.”
Ran’s mother, Talik Gvili, told Ynet that this period was “an unsettling time” for the family. At the same time, she acknowledged being “happy that hostages returned and families are getting closure and can begin breathing again as much as possible.”
Talik said the family receives daily briefings from officials and knows that searches are taking place in the exact area where Ran’s body was taken. “We hope that they will find him,” she said, adding that she still prays for “a miracle” and imagines her son returning alive. “From the first day, I have been imagining him returning on his own two feet. It is hard, not easy to imagine something like that.”
She appealed for media attention to continue: she hopes journalists will “remain with us until everyone comes back.”
The ordeal continues even as other cases reach closure. On Tuesday, Hamas returned the body of Dror Or, whose identity was verified by forensic experts the following day.
Ran and the other hostages were among 251 people kidnapped when Hamas stormed Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering 1,200 people and igniting the war in Gaza.
Following a ceasefire agreement reached last month, Hamas and allied terror groups freed all surviving captives and subsequently released most of the bodies of the murdered—except for Gvili and Rinthalak.
Under the ceasefire deal, all deceased hostages must be returned. The terror groups now claim they cannot find the final two bodies despite repeated searches.
{Matzav.com}
