China will not allow external interference in Dalai Lama's reincarnation process, Beijing's envoy to Delhi says
🔹Chinese government opposes any attempts by overseas organizations or individuals to interfere in or dictate the reincarnation process. Xizang is an… pic.twitter.com/3hlzSOucMO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Who is Vaibhav Taneja, the Indian-origin Tesla executive named treasurer of Elon Musk's new party?
Vaibhav Taneja, who currently serves as Tesla's chief financial officer, is crucial to Elon Musk's latest political venture, the newly launched America Party (AMEP). The Indian-origin executive, who has long been seen as one of Musk's closest confidants, has been named treasurer and custodian of records for the new party read more Vaibhav Taneja, the Indian-origin executive and Tesla's Chief Financial Officer, has been listed as both the Treasurer and Custodian of Records for the Musk's new America Party. Image courtesy: LinkedIn/@VaibhavTaneja Indian-origin executive Vaibhav Taneja, who currently serves as Tesla's Chief Financial Officer, has found himself at the heart of Elon Musk's latest political venture, the newly launched America Party (AMEP). According to official documents filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Taneja has been listed as both the Treasurer and Custodian of Records for the party. Taneja took over as Tesla's CFO in August 2023 and has since been a key figure in Musk's leadership team. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The development comes amid rising buzz about Musk's growing ambitions in politics. On Saturday, the billionaire took to his platform X (formerly Twitter) to announce the launch of a new political party, saying it was meant to 'give Americans their freedom back' and push back against what he called a 'one-party system' in the country. So, who exactly is Vaibhav Taneja, and what does his role mean for the future of Musk's new party? Here's a closer look. Who is Vaibhav Taneja? Vaibhav Taneja was born and raised in India. He completed his commerce degree from Delhi University, went on to become a Chartered Accountant in 2000, and later earned his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential in 2006. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he worked for 17 years across offices in India and the US, advising Fortune 500 clients on financial controls and IPO preparation. In 2016, Taneja joined SolarCity, the solar energy company founded by Elon Musk's cousins. After Tesla acquired SolarCity later that year, he transitioned to Tesla. By 2017, he was appointed Corporate Controller at Tesla. His rise was quick, he became Chief Accounting Officer in 2019 and took over as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in August 2023 after the departure of Zach Kirkhorn. Now 47, Taneja oversees Tesla's global financial operations and has been a key player in the company's India strategy. In January 2021, he was appointed as the director of Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt Ltd, the company's Indian subsidiary. Earlier this year, Taneja's lucrative paycheck made headlines. According to The Washington Post, he earned a staggering $139 million in 2024, including stock options and equity awards, placing him ahead of tech heavyweights like Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Google's Sundar Pichai in total earnings. What will be Taneja's role in Musk's America Party? With more than two decades of experience in finance, accounting, and global leadership, Vaibhav Taneja has long been seen as one of Elon Musk's most trusted lieutenants. Now, his influence appears to be expanding into the political space as well. According to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), now widely shared on social media, the America Party lists its headquarters at 1 Rocket Road, Hawthorne. The filing names Musk as the party's sole candidate, while Taneja is listed as both the Treasurer and Custodian of Records, with a Texas-based address linked to him. BREAKING🚨: An FEC Form 1 has been filed under Elon Musk's name to establish the America Party, with Vaibhav Taneja listed as the Custodian of Records and Treasurer. — Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) July 6, 2025 In his role as treasurer, Taneja will be in charge of managing the party's finances, including accepting political contributions, ensuring compliance with campaign finance laws, handling regulatory filings, and maintaining accurate financial records. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He will be responsible for keeping detailed documentation of every financial transaction the party makes, from contributions and loans to expenditures and debts. Musk had hinted at this political move back on July 1, shortly after Trump's ' Big, Beautiful Bill', a controversial tax and spending bill, was passed in the Senate. Posting on X, he wrote: 'If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day. Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.' If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day. Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2025 Though once aligned with Donald Trump, even heading Trump's short-lived Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and donating significantly to his 2024 campaign, Musk has since distanced himself, publicly criticising the spending bill. The fallout has reportedly led to rising tensions between the two, with Trump warning that the government might 'reconsider' its contracts with Musk's companies. Meanwhile, Trump was quick to mock the new party during a press interaction on Sunday. 'I think it's ridiculous to start a third party,' he told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey. 'Starting a third party just adds to confusion. He can have fun with it, but I think it's ridiculous.' Taneja's appointment is perhaps the clearest sign yet that Musk plans to run this new political outfit much like his companies, keeping control within a small, loyal group of trusted executives. With input from agencies
The Hindu
18 minutes ago
- The Hindu
French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet
China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defence attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France's defence industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. France is fighting what it calls a disinformation campaign against the Rafale Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India has not officially mentioned on aircraft losses in Operation Sindoor. French Air Force chief Gen Jerome Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. 'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. Intelligence assessment says Chinese officials lobbied potential clients to ditch French planes But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defence attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defence officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defence attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defence in Beijing said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' In recent years, China has stepped up disinformation campaigns on global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defence Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by 'a vast campaign of disinformation" that 'sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.' France considers the jet a strategic French offering "The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the Defence Ministry wrote on its website. 'The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defence and security think tank in London. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' he said. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region."
Mint
32 minutes ago
- Mint
UAE Golden Visa: Netizens weigh pros, say ‘taxpayers celebrating like they won lottery'
Indians can now get the United Arab Emirates government's Golden Visa for life time. It's based on nomination, not on investments, and costs ₹ 23 lakh. Sources told news agency PTI that under the 'new nomination-based visa policy,' Indians can now enjoy the UAE's Golden Visa for life by paying a one-time fee of AED 1,00,000 (INR around 23.30 lakh). They claimed that over 5,000 Indians will apply for this nomination-based visa in three months. Until now, one of the ways to get Dubai's Golden Visa from India was to invest in property whose value should be at least AED Two Million ( ₹ 4.66 crore), or invest a large amount in business in the country. The UAE's latest visa policy has created a buzz on the internet. One X user Suraj Balakrishnan posted said, 'The ₹ 23 lakh UAE Golden Visa seems like a migration ticket, but in reality, it's more of a status flex for Indian elites.' He claimed that 'for many HNIs [High Net Worth Individual], the Golden Visa isn't about leaving India; it's about a backup option, global mobility, and just something to flaunt at a party.' However, another social media user believed, 'When a nation values your potential more than your passport, migration becomes clarity not escape.' Meanwhile, one X user posted, 'If the UAE Golden Visa for ₹ 23 lakhs news is true, it is game over for urban India.' Another mentioned that the quality of life and other basic amenities 'are far superior in UAE.' One person believed the new visa policy may prove 'Incredible For Indian Professionals and HNIs'. He listed the benefits Indians could get in the UAE: '0 Income Tax; Strict Law and Order; Ease of Doing Business; World Class Infrastructure.' One user questioned India's 'oppressive tax regime' and said that the UAE Golden Visa Policy 'will be a booster shot for Indian investors sick of India's tax terrorism & bureaucratic harassment.' Another commented, 'UAE is giving Golden Visa for 23 lakhs and taxpayers are celebrating it as if they won a lottery.' He said, 'It's such a hopeless situation for taxpayers in this country that even after paying so much tax, they don't get anything in return. They're just looking for the first oppertunity to exit from country.' The user added that other countries are making friendly policies to 'grab Indian talents and HNI while our Govt is busy taxing GST on health insurance even after taking Health and education cess.' After getting the Golden Visa, one gets the freedom to bring his or her family members to Dubai. 'You can also keep servants and drivers based on this visa. You can do any business or professional work here,' Rayad Kamal Ayub, Managing Director of Rayad Group, said. He said the property-based Golden Visa ends in case of property sale or division, but the nomination-based visa will remain forever. The Golden Visa nomination process is an agreement between the UAE and its (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) CEPA signatory/partner countries. This is a pilot project which has started with India and Bangladesh and will soon include China and other CEPA countries. RayadGroup and VFS have been chosen to vet the applicants and then forward them to the UAE authorities.
