Musk's Reaction To Woman Losing "Dream Job" In DOGE Cuts Sparks Discussion

A US woman who once praised the convenience of remote work has lost her job in the federal restructuring spearheaded by Elon Musk. After assuming office earlier this year, US President Donald Trump has focused on reducing government spending and downsizing the federal workforce. Spearheading this initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has enforced cost-cutting measures across various federal agencies. Amid this, a woman who goes by the name 'That Blonde Girl' on social media shared that she was terminated from her "dream job" due to the federal restructuring orders. 

In a post shared on February 15, Saturday, she wrote: "I was terminated from my dream job with the Children's Bureau yesterday due to federal restructuring orders/DOGE. I am unemployed for the first time since I was 15 years old."

This post and her termination came months after she bragged about the convenience of a work-from-home job. "Didn't have any meetings today so I've been wearing my jammies all day but now I have a meeting in 30 minutes sooo putting on a hoodie. Eventually that WFH life gonna getcha," she posted in October 2024. 

These two different posts have gone viral on social media and even caught the attention of Elon Musk. The billionaire, who has been vocal about bringing employees back to the office, reacted to the combined tweets with one emoji which reflects his stand regarding the work-from-home situation for employees. 

Take a look below: 

🤨 https://t.co/OGJrNK1KuW

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 19, 2025

Mr Musk's reaction to the tweet quickly caught the attention of social media users. In the comments section, some questioned why the woman was being criticised, suggesting that remote working doesn't necessarily mean she was unproductive. Others argued that optics might seem unprofessional but did not indicate a lack of effort. 

Also Read | Recruiter Destroys Keyboard In Rage After Candidate Rejects Job Offer, Internet Reacts

"I don't get it. Why is this bad?  Because she was wearing comfortable clothes while working from home with no meetings?" questioned one user. "I'm confused.. What is the problem here..Whether she wears pajamas or a suit - it shouldn't matter to anyone?" commented another. 

"So, you are assuming, (or insinuating), that people are not capable of working in pyjamas?  She is referring to a meeting/online video call, not her full scope of work of which you have absolutely ZERO idea!" expressed a third user. 

"I honestly don't get this one and I'm a Trump supporter.  If the role can be done from home and the required tasks are being completed on time and accurately, what's the big deal?  If people aren't needed just because their job is obselete or duplicate, that's a different story," wrote another. 

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Kash Patel, A Trump Loyalist, Confirmed As FBI Director

The Republican-controlled US Senate on Thursday confirmed Kash Patel, a staunch loyalist of President Donald Trump, to be director of the FBI, the country's top law enforcement agency.

Patel, 44, whose nomination sparked fierce but ultimately futile opposition from Democrats, was approved by a 51-49 vote.

The vote was split along party lines with the exception of two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted not to confirm Patel to head the 38,000-strong Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Patel drew fire from Democrats for his promotion of conspiracy theories, his defense of pro-Trump rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and his vow to root out members of a supposed "deep state" plotting to oppose the Republican president.

The Senate has approved all of Trump's cabinet picks so far, underscoring his iron grip on the Republican Party.

Among them is Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed as the nation's spy chief despite past support for adversarial nations including Russia and Syria, and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be health secretary.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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A Car Accident That Wasn't And 3 Bodies: 'Suicide' Mystery Shocks Kolkata

The deaths of two women and a girl at a house in Kolkata which has shocked the city, may not be suicide, postmortem reports have indicated, said sources in Kolkata police. The women -- married to two brothers -- and the daughter of one of them, were found dead yesterday. Their husbands and son of one brother, were involved in a car accident. They have apparently told the police that they were trying to commit suicide.

The women were found with their wrists slit. But the postmortem report indicated other injuries as well. Both had slashes on the throat and died after massive bleeding. The girl, who was 14 years old, had bruises on chest, legs, lips and head. She had also been poisoned, sources said, quoting the report.

The police said the brothers, Pranoy and Prasun Dey, lived at the house in Tangra with their wives Sudeshna and Romi Dey. Pranoy and Sudeshna had a son, Pratik. Prasun and Priyambada's daughter was Priyambada.

The deaths of the woman became known after the two men and the boy were found involved in the crash near Abhishikta crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass --- the arterial road that encircles part of the city - around 4 am.

All three had sustained injuries but survived. They are still in the hospital. 

One of the men told the police that they were attempting suicide and had deliberately crashed the car into a metro pillar. The women, he had added, had already died by suicide. 

The police later recovered the bodies from the house in Tangra and investigated the spot, collecting forensic and other evidence. All three bodies were found in different rooms, the police said. 

The post-mortem examination was conducted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in the presence of a videographer and police personnel.

The police said the family, which used to operate a tannery business, was in financial difficulties. There was a possibility that this was a case of murder-suicide, sources said. 
 

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Ganga Water At Kumbh's Sangam Unsafe On Another Parameter Too: Data

The Ganga water at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, where lakhs of people are taking a holy dip every day during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, is currently unsafe for bathing as it exceeds the prescribed limit for biological oxygen demand (BOD), a key parameter to determine water quality, according to government data.

BOD refers to the amount of oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to break down organic material in a water body. A higher BOD level indicates more organic content in the water.

River water is considered fit for bathing if the BOD level is less than 3 milligrams per litre.

The Central Pollution Control Board recently told the National Green Tribunal that several locations in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj do not conform to the primary water quality standards for bathing with respect to faecal coliform levels.

However, it said that the river water quality met the bathing criteria in terms of BOD after January 13 "due to freshwater intrusion at upstream locations." Government data shows that the river water at Sangam is currently exceeding the safe limit for BOD as well.

The BOD level at Sangam was 5.09 milligrams per litre at 5 am on February 16. It was recorded at 4.6 milligrams per litre at 5 pm on February 18 and 5.29 milligrams per litre at 8 am on February 19 (Wednesday).

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the BOD level at Sangam was 3.94 milligrams per litre on January 13 when the Maha Kumbh started.

It improved to 2.28 milligrams per litre on Makar Sankranti (January 14) and further dropped to 1 milligram per litre on January 15.

However, it rose to 4.08 milligrams per litre on January 24 and was recorded at 3.26 milligrams per litre on Mauni Amavasya (January 29). According to Uttar Pradesh government officials, 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs of water is being released into the Ganga to ensure it meets bathing standards.

The Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will conclude on February 26, Maha Shivaratri day. Over 54 crore people have taken a dip in the sacred waters of Triveni Sangam so far.

Mahakumbh Nagar is the world's largest temporary city, accommodating 50 lakh to 1 crore devotees at any given time.

These pilgrims generate at least 16 million litres of faecal waste and 240 million litres of greywater daily from activities like cooking, washing, and bathing.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told reporters on Sunday that the rise in footfall is due to the government's success in improving river water quality and sanitation since the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.

"Before 2019, there would be no toilets at Kumbh. Officials would earmark an area with a red flag, provide tents, and open defecation used to take place.

"For the first time in 2019, we built 1.14 lakh individual toilets with Sintex (plastic) tanks underneath to collect wastewater and excreta. Desludging would be done every two-three days and the faecal sludge would be taken to open oxidation ponds far away. This time, we have constructed 1.5 lakh individual toilets and two faecal sludge treatment plants," he said.

A 200 km-long temporary drainage network has been set up to connect treatment facilities, Singh added.

"Sanitation is a big hallmark (of Kumbh arrangements), and those who have been to Kumbh previously can distinctly see the difference," he said.

Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP), said the state government has been highly irresponsible in claiming that no harm has come to people who have bathed in the river, despite the water being unfit for bathing.

"It is the government's moral duty to provide clean water for bathing. When the water is not safe, there is always a high risk of infection," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Woman Loses Rs 4.3 Crore, Becomes Homeless, Trying To Find Love Online

A woman based in Perth has been forced to live homeless after losing over Rs 4.3 crore ($780,000) in life savings to scammers while searching for love online. According to a report in news.com.au, Annette Ford, 57, is now couch-surfing in Western Australia and hoping to secure housing at an affordable retirement village as the scammers remain free.

Ms Ford joined the dating pool after her 33-year-long marriage ended in 2018 and her ex-husband moved on quickly. Looking to seek a love life of her own, she joined a dating site called "Plenty of Fish" where she started talking to a man named 'William'.

Over the course of several months, the stranger managed to win Ms Ford's trust before asking her for money. 'Wlliam' said he needed Rs 2,75,000 ($5000) as his wallet had been stolen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"He said he had been mugged outside the site he was working on (in Kuala Lumpur) and they took his wallet and his cards," said Ms Ford.

"The next thing I know he's in hospital and I'm being landed with a $5000 hospital payable to an Australian doctor. I (paid) that. Then there was a hotel bill, and he said he couldn't pay the workers on the site because he didn't have access to his cards."

The requests for money continued and by the time Ms Ford suspected she had been scammed, she was out of Rs 1.6 crore ($300,000), having drained her self-managed super fund. Despite reporting the case to the Australian Federal Police, Ms Ford did not hear anything back.

Also Read | British Woman Duped Of Rs 98 Lakh In Catfish Scam By Friend Of Two Decades

The second scam

Four years later, Ms Ford came across another scammer -- this time on Facebook who went by the name, 'Nelson'. The stranger told her that he lived in Amsterdam and had a friend in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who needed $2500 to help with an ongoing investigation.

Aware of the danger, she refused initially but the stranger told her to deposit money he sent to her into a Bitcoin ATM. Ms Ford said there was money going in and out of her account that she wasn't aware of and before she could realise it, her account was out of Rs 1.5 crore ($280,000).

Having lost everything, Ms Ford is now begging Australians to not fall prey to such scams. "They say all the right things, they sweep you off your feet but they're going to take your money and they're going to leave you broke," Ms Ford warned.

Last month, a British woman was swindled of Rs 98.5 lakh (£92,300) after a friend of two decades, ran a catfish scam against her.

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Jerry Seinfeld's "I Don't Care About Palestine" Comment Sparks Outrage

Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld has received divisive responses after he said he does not care about Palestine when an activist ambushed him in public. In the video posted on social media, an influencer, known as Subway DJ, approached Mr Seinfeld outside the Radio City Music Hall where Saturday Night Live was hosting a 50th-anniversary celebration and asked for a photograph.

Mr Seinfeld readily agreed and even posed for the photograph before Subway DJ brought up the Gaza conflict. Instead of taking a photo, the influencer recorded a video and put up two fingers in a peace sign while saying: "Free Palestine."

Mr Seinfeld appeared uncomfortable in the footage but remained quiet. However, when asked to repeat the phrase, he shook his head and said: "I don't care about Palestine," before walking away from the activist.

"That's sad," Subway DJ said, frowning.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Subway DJ (@subwaydj)

Social media divided

As the video went viral, a section of social media users lambasted Mr Seinfeld for being insensitive while others called out the influencer.

"We don't care about Seinfeld or anyone who supports genocide," said one user, while another added: "The guy gives u a selfie and u pull some dumb move like that. Come on man."

A third commented: "As someone who loved Seinfeld, this is super disappointing."

Also Read | Elon Musk Ignores Ashley St Clair While Reacting To His Other Baby Mama's Post

Jerry Seinfeld supports Israel

Mr Seinfeld is Jewish and has been a staunch ally of Israel in its war against Hamas. He even visited Israel in December 2023 and met with the families of the hostages.

"We believe in justice, freedom, and equality. We survive and flourish no matter what. I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people," he said at the time.

Last year in May, dozens of students walked out of Duke University's commencement ceremony to protest against Mr Seinfeld who was invited as the guest speaker. The video showed students in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, filing out as chants of 'Free Palestine' reverberated.

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50 Film Stars, Industrialists, Diplomats Invited For BJP's Delhi Oath Event

The new Chief Minister of Delhi will take oath at the iconic Ramlila Maidan on Thursday in a grand ceremony that will be attended by BJP leaders and ministers and all the allies. Sources said plans are in progress to make the party's return to power in the national capital after 26 years a truly memorable event. 

The ceremony will begin at 4.30 pm.

A colourful musical programme will be held on the stage of Ramlila Maidan before the swearing-in ceremony, in which Kailash Kher will also perform.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of 20 states will attend the mega event. Diplomats of major countries have also been invited. BJP leaders and workers from other states who campaigned in the Delhi elections are also expected to be present on the occasion.

More than 50 film stars and industrialists, will be present. Besides, Farmers of Delhi, beneficiaries of central government schemes including laadli sisters, and common people from Delhi will also be invited to the ceremony.

The spiritual leaders of the country will be represented by Baba Ramdev, Swami Chidananda, Baba Bageshwar Dhirendra Shastri and other religious figures. 

There, however, is no word on who is going to get the top job. Initially it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France and the US that had delayed a decision. But now, even two days after his return, there has been no announcement, ratcheting up the suspense. 

While Parvesh Verma -- the son of former Chief Minister Saheb Singh Verma -- is seen as the front-runner in the race, sources said the list of probables has no less than 15 names that also include candidates for cabinet and the Assembly Speaker.

Nine names will be chosen, sources said, and Delhi will have eight ministers including the Chief Minister.

The 48 BJP MLAs are expected to meet on Wednesday to select their leader, who will succeed Aam Aadmi Party's Atishi. 

In the election held earlier this month, the BJP had scripted a massive comeback, winning 48 of the assembly's 70 seats and confining AAP to 22 -- down from 62.

The end to the 10-year rule of AAP came on the heels of massive corruption allegations against its leaders, including then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. A number of its leaders, including Mr Kejriwal and his then deputy Manish Sisodia -- spent months in jail. 

Not just the alleged liquor policy scam, the "Sheesh Mahal" allegations against Mr Kejriwal - the Rs 33.6 crore revamp that that turned the official residence of the Chief Minister into an opulent bungalow suitable for the uber-rich - appeared to have taken the sheen off AAP that thrived on its governance records for the better part of the last decade.

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