TIG Post

Tag: Elon Musk

  • You can’t operate in Ghana without an office – Communications Minister to Starlink

    You can’t operate in Ghana without an office – Communications Minister to Starlink

    Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has emphasized that Starlink cannot operate in Ghana without a physical presence or an office in the country. 

    Speaking on TV3’s New Day show today, he said, “I have asked the regulator to inform the company that they need to open an office in Accra.”

    He added, “They need to have an office. You can’t operate in our country and not have presence here. I felt that the decision to give the licence without making sure that their resident in the country was poorly thought through.”

    “Today, if there is a problem involving a client of Starlink and the regulator needs to speak to Starlink, we need to send an email to someone sitting in the US and it will take them two to three weeks to come down. What kind of regulation is that?” the sector minister quizzed.

    This requirement aligns with Ghana’s regulations for providing electronic communication services, which mandates a license and authorization from the National Communications Authority (NCA). 

    Elon Musk’s Starlink officially commenced providing internet service to Ghana close to the end of August last year.

    The regulatory body, NCA, confirmed that all required administrative and licensing formalities had been completed, clearing the path for Starlink to begin delivering its high-speed internet services across the country.

    In a statement released on Thursday, August 22, 2024, the NCA disclosed that Starlink’s operations in Ghana would be managed by Space X Starlink GH LTD, a local branch of Musk’s SpaceX.

    “Starlink will officially commence operations in Ghana by the end of this month. This follows the conclusion of all administrative and licensing procedures with the National Communications Authority (NCA). Starlink will be operated by Space X Starlink GH LTD,” the statement confirmed.

    This marked a significant turnaround from the NCA’s stance in December 2023 when it declared Starlink’s operations illegal due to the absence of a license and proper equipment approval.

    At that time, the public was warned against purchasing Starlink’s equipment, and distributors were ordered to halt all activities.

    However, by March 2024, the tides began to shift as discussions around Starlink’s licensing resumed, fueled in part by widespread internet disruptions across West and Central Africa.

    During a Parliamentary session, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful,hinted at the possibility of Starlink gaining authorization.

    “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana,” she stated.

    Starlink, an ambitious project by SpaceX, aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet across the globe, with a particular focus on rural and remote areas that have long struggled with poor connectivity.

  • X moves to crack down on impersonation profiles

    X moves to crack down on impersonation profiles

    X is introducing tougher rules for parody accounts starting April 10.

    Under the new guidelines, any account pretending to be someone else must clearly include the word “fake” or “parody” at the beginning of its account name. In addition, these accounts must not use the same profile pictures as the real people or accounts they are imitating.

    This move comes after several users raised concerns about being misled by parody accounts, especially ones pretending to be X owner Elon Musk.

    “These changes are designed to help users better understand the unaffiliated nature of PCF accounts and reduce the risk of confusion or impersonation,” the company said in a post on Saturday.

    It encouraged affected accounts to update their profiles by the enforcement date.
    The changes will also apply for fan and commentary accounts, it said.

    “Hopefully this includes all the thousands of fake variations of Elon Musk accounts,” wrote one user in response to X’s post about its policy update.


    “About time, I get a fake Elon account contacting me almost once a week,” wrote another.
    There are many parody accounts of Elon Musk on X, each using different ways to show they’re fake. Some of these accounts post funny memes, jokes, or even promote things like cryptocurrency and fake car giveaways.

    In one example, a parody account with over a million followers asked users to “like and comment” for a chance to win a Tesla. That post ended up getting 428,000 likes and over 200,000 replies.

    Back in January, X introduced labels for parody accounts. This built on earlier rules that required users who impersonate others for entertainment to make it clear they are doing so. The platform’s blue tick system was also meant to help users tell real accounts from fake ones. However, some say these steps haven’t worked well enough.

    In July 2024, the European Union criticized the blue tick feature, saying it could mislead users. They said some verified accounts might confuse people. Musk responded by calling the EU’s claims “misinformation.”

    After he bought X in November 2022, Musk warned that accounts pretending to be someone else without clearly saying so would be banned.

    While many parody accounts do label themselves—often putting “parody” in brackets at the end of their usernames—this isn’t always effective. When account names are too long, only part of the name shows up in posts or replies. If the profile photo also matches the real person, users can easily be fooled.

  • Elon Musk sells X for $33 billion

    Elon Musk sells X for $33 billion

    On Friday evening, Elon Musk shared that he has sold his social media company, X, to his AI firm, xAI. The sale is valued at $45 billion, which is a bit more than what he originally spent on X in 2022. However, the deal also includes $12 billion in debt.

    Musk announced on X that the transaction now places the company’s worth at $33 billion.

    “xAI and X’s futures are intertwined,” Musk said in a post on X. “Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent. This combination will unlock immense potential by blending xAI’s advanced AI capability and expertise with X’s massive reach.”

    Elon Musk has not announced any immediate changes to X, though xAI’s Grok chatbot is already integrated into the platform. He stated that merging the two companies would create “smarter, more meaningful experiences” and revealed that their combined value is now $80 billion.

    Since buying X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, Musk has introduced major changes, including laying off 80% of the workforce, altering the verification system, and reinstating accounts that were previously banned. These decisions led to an advertiser exodus and a significant drop in the company’s value.

    Although X is now worth less than what Musk originally paid, it has regained some of its lost value. Investment firm Fidelity estimated in October that X had lost nearly 80% of its original worth, but by December, it had recovered to about 30% of its purchase price.

    Musk’s sale of X to xAI comes at a time when he is facing scrutiny for his role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, raising concerns about whether he is fully focused on his companies, particularly Tesla.

    Additionally, Musk has been positioning himself as a key player in artificial intelligence, an area of interest for both the tech industry and the Trump administration. Earlier this year, he led a group of investors in an attempt to buy OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, for nearly $100 billion, intensifying his long-running rivalry with OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman.

    While it is unclear how merging X with xAI will advance Musk’s AI ambitions, the integration could help xAI introduce its latest AI models and features to a wider audience more quickly.

    A significant reversal of X’s fortunes
    Big advertisers, who had largely abandoned X after hate speech surged on the platform and ads were seen running alongside pro-Nazi content, have begun to return. (X made several pro-Nazi accounts ineligible for ads following advertiser departures.) Amazon and Apple are both reportedly reinvesting in X campaigns again, a remarkable endorsement from two brands with mass appeal.

    The brand’s stabilization helped a group of bondholders, who had been deep underwater in their investments, sell billions of dollars in their X debt holdings at 97 cents on the dollar earlier this month — albeit with exceedingly high interest rates — according to several recent reports.

    Bloomberg in February reported that X was in talks to raise money that would value the company at $44 billion. It’s not clear what came of those talks and why xAI is valuing X at less than it could reportedly fetch from investors. X needs to pay down its massive debt load, which Musk on Friday said totals $12 billion.

    A big part of why X’s valuation has rebounded in recent months is xAI, which X reportedly held a stake in. Last month, xAI was seeking a $75 billion valuation in a funding round, according to Bloomberg.

    But the biggest factor in X’s stunning bounce-back is almost certainly Musk himself: Musk’s elevation to a special government employee under President Donald Trump has empowered the world’s richest person with large sway over the operations of the federal government, which he has rapidly sought to reshape.

    Investors putting their money into X may be relying more on Elon Musk’s leadership than the company’s actual business performance. Over the past year, Musk has reshaped X into a platform that strongly supports former President Donald Trump, frequently using it to promote his campaign.

    With an audience of 200 million followers, Musk has shared controversial views on immigration policies under the Biden administration and often speaks out against progressive movements, using the term “woke mind virus,” which some conservatives use to criticize liberal ideologies.

    Now that Trump is back in office and Musk holds a position in the government, X has once again become a major platform for tracking and engaging with the administration. Musk has also used X to communicate updates on policy changes within his Department of Government Efficiency.

  • Ramaphosa defends land reform amid Trump and Musk criticism

    Ramaphosa defends land reform amid Trump and Musk criticism

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken with billionaire Elon Musk regarding “misinformation and distortions about South Africa,” the presidency announced on Tuesday.

    During the discussion, Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to constitutional principles, including the rule of law, justice, fairness, and equality.

    The call took place on Monday, a day after former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut aid to South Africa over claims of mistreatment of White farmers.

    In a post on Truth Social, Trump demanded a full investigation into allegations that South Africa was seizing land and discriminating against certain groups. He described the situation as involving “massive” human rights violations but did not provide evidence.

    Ramaphosa denied claims that the government was confiscating land, emphasizing South Africa’s willingness to engage with the Trump administration on its land reform policies.

    Trump’s remarks echo similar concerns he raised in 2018 about South Africa’s land redistribution efforts. Under apartheid, racist laws forced Black and non-White South Africans off their land, reserving it for White ownership. Since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994, the government has pursued land reform to address historical injustices.

    Despite these efforts, economic inequality remains stark, with Black South Africans, who make up around 80% of the population, owning only a small share of the land.

    Last month, Ramaphosa signed a new law outlining conditions for land expropriation, including cases where compensation might not be required.

    Musk, a South African-born billionaire and the head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, has previously criticized Ramaphosa’s policies. On Monday, he accused the president of enforcing “openly racist ownership laws” in a post on X, the platform he owns.

    Ramaphosa defended South Africa’s legal framework, stating that, like many other nations, the country balances land expropriation for public use with property rights protection.

    In response to Trump’s threat to cut aid, Ramaphosa pointed out that aside from a major HIV/AIDS relief initiative, U.S. financial support to South Africa is minimal.

  • Elon Musk now called ‘Kekius Maximus’; changes his name on X

    Elon Musk now called ‘Kekius Maximus’; changes his name on X

    World’s richest person, Elon Musk, has caused a stir by changing his name on the social media platform X to “Kekius Maximus” and updating his profile picture to an image of Pepe the Frog, a meme often associated with far-right groups.

    He did not provide an explanation for the change, which has sparked widespread curiosity.

    This move has had an immediate effect on the cryptocurrency world, with the value of a memecoin— a digital currency inspired by memes—that shares the same name as Musk’s new identity, seeing a sharp increase in value.

    Musk has previously influenced cryptocurrency prices through his posts, though it’s unclear if he was involved with this particular memecoin.

    “Kekius” appears to be a Latinisation of “kek”, a word roughly equivalent to “laugh out loud” popularised by gamers but now often associated with the alt right.

    “Kek” is also the name of the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, who is sometimes depicted with the head of a frog.

    Many people associate “Maximus” with the name of Russell Crowe’s famous character in the movie Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius.

    Musk’s new profile picture shows Pepe the Frog dressed in Roman military attire, holding what seems to be a gaming console, adding an interesting and playful twist to the meme’s typical representation.

  • Elon Musk suggests cybertruck blowing up near Trump hotel an act of terrorism

    Elon Musk suggests cybertruck blowing up near Trump hotel an act of terrorism

    A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire and exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, resulting in the death of the driver and injuring seven others with minor wounds.

    The explosion occurred near the hotel’s glass doors, causing panic as the electric vehicle suddenly burst into flames.

    The driver, who was the only person in the truck at the time, tragically lost their life in the blast.

    Video footage captured the shocking moment when the stainless steel Tesla Cybertruck, parked at the valet area, suddenly erupted in flames.

    The fire was followed by several smaller explosions, resembling fireworks. The blast severely damaged the truck and triggered alarms across the area.

    Musk suggests terror link

    Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, quickly responded to the explosion, speculating that it may have been a targeted attack. He drew a connection to a similar incident in New Orleans where a Ford F-150 had been rigged with explosives.

    Musk noted that both vehicles were rented through the Turo car-sharing service, suggesting there might be a link between these two events.

    Elon Musk clarified in his social media posts that the Tesla Cybertruck was not the cause of the explosion near the Trump International Hotel.

    He stated that the vehicle’s telemetry showed everything was functioning normally at the time of the incident, eliminating any mechanical failure as a reason.

    Instead, Musk suggested that the explosion might have been caused by fireworks or a bomb placed in the truck’s bed.

    The incident has sparked debates about safety and the broader implications for high-profile locations like the Trump Hotel.

    Tesla fans have rallied behind Musk’s assertion that the Cybertruck was not the cause of the explosion, but the event has raised questions about the risks associated with using shared vehicles for malicious purposes.

    As the investigation continues, the bizarre and unsettling nature of this explosion has left many wondering about the motives behind it and whether it signals a troubling new trend.

    For now, authorities are keeping tight-lipped, promising updates as they unfold.

  • US Court rules Elon Musk may temporarily continue his cash giveaways

    US Court rules Elon Musk may temporarily continue his cash giveaways

    A Pennsylvania state judge has ruled that Elon Musk can temporarily continue distributing cash to registered voters, though questions remain about the legality of his actions.

    Musk, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has been offering cash rewards through his political group, America PAC, targeting registered voters in key swing states who sign a petition—a move U.S. officials argue could violate election laws. Musk has dismissed these concerns.

    Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner filed a lawsuit against Musk earlier this week, calling for an immediate halt to the $1 million giveaways, arguing it must be stopped before the presidential election.

    During a hearing on Thursday, Judge Angelo Foglietta determined that the case would be paused as a federal court considers whether to take jurisdiction.

    Should the federal court decide not to proceed with the matter, the case will revert to state court for further handling.
    In a post on X, the platform Musk owns, he said the ruling was “American Justice FTW (for the win)”.
    It is unlikely the case will be resolved before Tuesday’s election.

    “We will proceed to federal court, and we will address the issues there and seek to have the matter remanded back to the state court,” John Summers, a lawyer working with Mr Krasner, told reporters after the hearing.
    “After all, this is a case that involves state law issues,” he added.

    Musk was absent from the Philadelphia court during the hearing.

    Earlier this month, the billionaire declared that he would be awarding a US$1 million prize daily to individuals in key battleground states—Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina—until November 5.

    These states are critical in a tightly contested race between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.

    On Thursday, another winner was revealed: Dacey from Fremont, North Carolina, who received a US$1 million check from Musk’s America PAC.

    To qualify for the giveaway, registered voters must provide personal information such as their addresses and phone numbers. Additionally, they are required to sign a pledge affirming their support for the US Constitution.

    The lawsuit filed against Musk claimed he was “running an illegal lottery.”.

    “America PAC and Musk are lulling Philadelphia citizens… to give up their personal identifying information and make a political pledge in exchange for the chance to win US$1 million,” Mr Krasner said in the lawsuit. “That is a lottery. And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery.”

    The lawsuit also accuses the Tesla co-founder of violating consumer protection laws by using “deceptive, vague, or misleading statements” that could create confusion.

    But Musk’s lawyers have argued otherwise.

    “The complaint, in truth, has little to do with state-law claims of nuisance and consumer protection,” Musk’s lawyers wrote in federal filings, according to a CNN report.

    “Rather, although disguised as state law claims, the complaint’s focus is to prevent defendants’ purported ‘interference’ with the forthcoming federal presidential election by any means.”

    Just a day before Judge Foglietta’s ruling, the district attorney’s team asked for enhanced security for the hearing after Musk retweeted a post insulting Krasner that led to threats against him.

    “It immediately triggered an avalanche of posts from Musk’s followers. Many made antisemitic attacks on Krasner,” Krasner’s team wrote in a legal filing.

    Before the case was filed, Musk’s PAC was also warned by the US justice department that its lottery-style giveaway might violate federal election law.

    The BBC has previously reached out to America PAC for comment.

    Under US law, it is illegal to pay people to register to vote. But legal experts have told the BBC that whether the giveaway violates federal law is a grey area.

    Musk could face a US$10,000 fine and up to five years in prison if a court finds he broke the law.

    Musk himself, who has been aggressively campaigning for Trump, has insisted voters who want to be eligible for the prizes do not need to register as Republicans or go ahead with casting a vote.

  • Court summons Elon Musk over $1m giveaway in US election

    Court summons Elon Musk over $1m giveaway in US election

    A judge has mandated that all involved parties, including Elon Musk, appear at a court hearing in Philadelphia on Thursday regarding a lawsuit aimed at halting a political action committee (PAC) controlled by Musk from distributing $1 million to registered voters in key battleground states ahead of the U.S. election on November 5.

    The lawsuit was filed by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Monday.

    It characterises the cash giveaway by Musk’s America PAC, which supports former President Donald Trump, as an “illegal lottery” designed to lure Pennsylvania residents into providing personal information.

    “It is further ordered that all parties must be present at the time of the hearing,” a judge wrote on Wednesday in an order with the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. The hearing in the case was moved up to Thursday morning from Friday.

    Donald Trump is in a closely contested race for the White House against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, according to recent polls.

    A representative from America PAC did not respond promptly to a request for comment, nor have Musk’s representatives addressed enquiries on the matter.

    Musk has made headlines by pledging to award $1 million daily to individuals who sign his online petition advocating for free speech and gun rights.

    However, legal experts consulted by Reuters last week expressed differing opinions on whether this initiative could violate federal laws prohibiting payments for voter registration.

    According to CNN, the Justice Department has issued a warning letter to America PAC, indicating that Musk’s financial incentives for registered voters who endorse his petition could be in violation of federal regulations.

    The Trump campaign heavily relies on external organisations for voter outreach, making the superPAC established by Musk—who is the wealthiest individual in the world—an influential player in what is anticipated to be an extremely close election.

  • GHC770 to GHC17,700: Check out Starlink’s service plans for Ghana

    GHC770 to GHC17,700: Check out Starlink’s service plans for Ghana

    Starlink, the satellite internet service by SpaceX, has unveiled a range of service plans in Ghana, catering to various internet needs from household use to high-demand business operations.

    The monthly service plans range from GHC770 to GHC17,700, offering different levels of service based on speed, data priority, and mobility.

    Here’s a breakdown of the available service plans:

    Standard Plan – GHC770/Month

    The Standard plan, priced at GHC770 per month, is designed for household users who require unlimited high-speed, low-latency internet. This plan is ideal for families looking for a reliable internet connection for everyday activities such as streaming, browsing, and online communication.

    Priority Plan – GHC1,078/Month

    For businesses and high-demand users, the Priority plan offers enhanced features at GHC1,078 per month. This plan includes unlimited standard data, a public IP address, network priority, and priority support. It also offers an additional 40GB of Priority Data, ensuring that businesses with critical operations maintain a steady and reliable connection.

    Mobile Plan – GHC1,540/Month

    The Mobile plan, priced at GHC1,540 per month, is tailored for RVs, nomads, and campers. It provides unlimited mobile data inland, with features like portability and the ability to pause service when not in use. This plan is perfect for users who need consistent internet access while on the move.

    Mobile Priority Plan – GHC4,428 to GHC17,710/Month

    For users with even higher demands, such as maritime operations, emergency response teams, and mobile businesses, the Mobile Priority plan offers top-tier service. The pricing starts at GHC4,428 per month for 50GB of data and goes up to GHC17,710 per month for 1TB of data. This plan includes unlimited inland data, in-motion and ocean use capabilities, network priority, and priority support, making it the most comprehensive plan offered by Starlink.

    Ghana is poised to launch Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service by the close of August 2024, according to an announcement by the National Communications Authority (NCA).

    The regulatory body has confirmed that all required administrative and licensing formalities have been completed, clearing the path for Starlink to begin delivering its high-speed internet services across the country.

    In a statement released on Thursday, August 22, 2024, the NCA disclosed that Starlink’s operations in Ghana would be managed by Space X Starlink GH LTD, a local branch of Musk’s SpaceX.

    “Starlink will officially commence operations in Ghana by the end of this month. This follows the conclusion of all administrative and licensing procedures with the National Communications Authority (NCA). Starlink will be operated by Space X Starlink GH LTD,” the statement confirmed.

    This marks a significant turnaround from the NCA’s stance in December 2023 when it declared Starlink’s operations illegal due to the absence of a license and proper equipment approval.

    At that time, the public was warned against purchasing Starlink’s equipment, and distributors were ordered to halt all activities.

    However, by March 2024, the tides began to shift as discussions around Starlink’s licensing resumed, fueled in part by widespread internet disruptions across West and Central Africa.

    During a Parliamentary session, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful,hinted at the possibility of Starlink gaining authorization.

    “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana,” she stated.

    Starlink, an ambitious project by SpaceX, aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet across the globe, with a particular focus on rural and remote areas that have long struggled with poor connectivity.

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink to commence operations in Ghana by end of August – NCA

    Elon Musk’s Starlink to commence operations in Ghana by end of August – NCA

    Ghana is poised to launch Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service by the close of August 2024, according to an announcement by the National Communications Authority (NCA).

    The regulatory body has confirmed that all required administrative and licensing formalities have been completed, clearing the path for Starlink to begin delivering its high-speed internet services across the country.

    In a statement released on Thursday, August 22, 2024, the NCA disclosed that Starlink’s operations in Ghana would be managed by Space X Starlink GH LTD, a local branch of Musk’s SpaceX.

    “Starlink will officially commence operations in Ghana by the end of this month. This follows the conclusion of all administrative and licensing procedures with the National Communications Authority (NCA). Starlink will be operated by Space X Starlink GH LTD,” the statement confirmed.

    This marks a significant turnaround from the NCA’s stance in December 2023 when it declared Starlink’s operations illegal due to the absence of a license and proper equipment approval.

    At that time, the public was warned against purchasing Starlink’s equipment, and distributors were ordered to halt all activities.

    However, by March 2024, the tides began to shift as discussions around Starlink’s licensing resumed, fueled in part by widespread internet disruptions across West and Central Africa.

    During a Parliamentary session, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful,hinted at the possibility of Starlink gaining authorization.

    “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana,” she stated.

    Starlink, an ambitious project by SpaceX, aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet across the globe, with a particular focus on rural and remote areas that have long struggled with poor connectivity.

  • Algeria’s Imane Khelif drags Elon Musk, others to court over cyber harassment

    Algeria’s Imane Khelif drags Elon Musk, others to court over cyber harassment

    Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has initiated legal action against Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), and author J.K. Rowling, accusing them of “acts of aggravated cyber harassment.”

    Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, filed the complaint with French authorities, requesting an investigation into all responsible parties.

    The lawsuit aims to address online hate speech and safeguard Khelif’s reputation, particularly in response to false transgender allegations made on social media that were intended to tarnish her public image.

    “What we’re asking is that the prosecution investigates not only these people but whoever it feels necessary. If the case goes to court, they will stand trial, could target personalities overseas.

    “The prosecutor’s office combating online hate speech has the possibility to make requests for mutual legal assistance with other countries,” Boudi told Variety, as shared by American influencer Collin Rugg on X on August 14, 2024.

    Khelif, addressing the media about the transgender accusations, stated, “I have made statements to the media saying that I fully qualify to take part in this competition.

    I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman and lived as such and I compete as a woman. There are enemies of success, that is what I call them. It just gives my gold medal an extra special taste because of their attacks.”

    Khelif won gold in the women’s boxing division at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

    She went viral after her dominant performance despite failing a gender test the previous year.

  • Musk sued by ex-CNN star Lemon over canceled show on X

    Musk sued by ex-CNN star Lemon over canceled show on X

    Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has filed a lawsuit against billionaire Elon Musk and his social media company X, previously known as Twitter.

    Lemon’s legal action claims that Musk and X unjustly ended their agreement and failed to compensate him, despite leveraging his name to attract advertisers to the platform.

    The lawsuit, submitted to the California Superior Court in San Francisco, accuses Musk and X of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unauthorized use of Lemon’s name and likeness. According to Lemon’s legal team, Shegerian & Associates, the agreement included a $1.5 million payment and a share of advertising revenue from content featuring Lemon. “

    The lawsuit asserts that X made misleading promises to secure Lemon’s participation, only to cancel the project after he had invested significantly in its production.

    The planned show, “The Don Lemon Show,” was supposed to debut on X but fell apart in March following the recording of its inaugural episode, which included an interview with Musk. Musk later criticized the show’s concept on X, suggesting that it was merely a replication of CNN’s format and thus doomed to fail.

    Lemon had been a CNN fixture for 17 years until his dismissal in April 2023 after controversial remarks about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Following his departure, Musk approached Lemon on X in an effort to revitalize the platform’s advertising appeal, which had suffered due to various controversies since Musk’s acquisition in 2022.

    In related news, X has been grappling with advertiser pullbacks, including a recent withdrawal by Paris Hilton’s entertainment firm, 11:11 Media, which had previously partnered with X but later pulled its campaign amid ongoing concerns about the platform’s content moderation practices.

  • Tesla to produce, use humanoid robots next year – Elon Musk

    Tesla to produce, use humanoid robots next year – Elon Musk

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will begin producing and utilizing humanoid robots starting next year.

    In a social media post, Musk stated that these robots, known as Optimus, will initially be used by Tesla, with plans to start selling them in 2026.

    Musk had previously mentioned that Optimus would be operational in Tesla factories by the end of this year. Other companies, such as Honda and Boston Dynamics, are also developing their own humanoid robots.

    “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026,” Mr Musk said on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

    It came just a day before Tesla was due to release its latest financial results.
    The company’s shares ended Monday’s trading session in New York up by more than 5%.


    The company has said it aims to build an “autonomous humanoid robot” to perform “unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks.”

    Mr Musk has previously said Tesla aimed for the robots to be mass produced and cost less than $20,000 (£17,900) each.
    He is known for setting ambitious timelines for his companies, which he has not always met.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j4dDsslYmoU


    In 2019, he said he felt “very confident” Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year.

    Earlier this year, Mr Musk said the long-awaited robotaxi would be unveiled on 8 August.
    Last week, he appeared to confirm a report that the event would be delayed.


    Mr Musk did not give a new date but said he had requested a change to the front of the vehicle.

    “The extra time allows us to show off a few other things,” he wrote.
    This announcement followed a Bloomberg News report indicating that the event had been postponed to October.

    Musk’s companies have increasingly turned their attention to technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and robotics amidst a period of slowing demand for electric vehicles.

  • Trump, Obama hit the runway in Elon Musk’s AI fashion show

    Trump, Obama hit the runway in Elon Musk’s AI fashion show

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday took to social media to share an innovative AI-generated video featuring a virtual fashion show with some of the world’s most influential leaders.

    The video showcased prominent political figures, including US President Joe Biden, former US President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and US Vice President Kamala Harris, all dressed in unique, futuristic attire as they confidently walked down a digital runway.

    The virtual fashion show highlighted each leader in distinctly avant-garde styles, merging technology with high fashion in a way that captivated viewers.

    Former US President Barack Obama was featured in a variety of outfits, including a Goku costume, a basketball uniform, and several warrior-inspired ensembles.

    The AI video also showcased Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Louis Vuitton outfit, while President Joe Biden was depicted in a wheelchair wearing sunglasses. Elon Musk made an appearance in a futuristic, superhero-like Tesla and X costume. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walked the runway in a baggy, long hoodie paired with a chunky gold necklace.

    Elon Musk’s post accompanying the video read, “High time for an AI fashion show,” signaling his enthusiasm for the fusion of artificial intelligence and fashion.

    The video quickly gained traction on social media, with many viewers expressing amazement at the blend of technology and creativity.

  • ‘Brave’ Bridget Otoo goes after Elon Musk over ‘Trump assassination attempt report’

    ‘Brave’ Bridget Otoo goes after Elon Musk over ‘Trump assassination attempt report’

    Ghanaian media personality, journalist, and advocate known for her outspokenness on social and political issues, Bridget Otoo, has labelled the owner of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, as “disingenuous.”

    This comes after the Tesla boss tweeted on Sunday, July 14, following an attempted assassination of former USA president Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

    Before it was confirmed that, the noise that caused the whisking away of Trump during the campaign rally, many media outlets such as BBC, abc news reported that the former president had to be taken away following loud noises that scared him and the crowd.

    With an image of various media outlets’ headlines, Trump’s supporter, Elon Musk dragged traditional media as a “propaganda machine,” taunting X as the seemingly right platform to get authentic news reports.

    “The legacy media is a pure propaganda machine. 𝕏 is the voice of the people” the tweet read.

    Bridget in reaction slammed the X owner for his insincerity and pretense schooling him over how news is reported that is citing how headlines are changed as more updates evolve with time.

    “You are disingenuous. These were the headlines when the initial report came and no one knew it was gunshot. They changed the headlines as more updates came in but you conveniently promoted the first reports.

    That’s how media works: headlines change as story develop and more update come in. “Loud noise progressed to gunshots and to assassination attempts” she tweeted.

    She went on to urge Elon to ” Do better with your own platform, other than “promoting” the wrong narratives about media. “It won’t serve your base” she added.

  • Tesla investors approve unprecedented $56 billion pay package for Elon Musk

    Tesla investors approve unprecedented $56 billion pay package for Elon Musk

    Tesla shareholders have approved a record-breaking pay package for CEO Elon Musk and the relocation of the company’s legal headquarters to Texas.

    Earlier this year, a judge in Delaware had blocked the deal due to concerns about its fairness to shareholders.

    The vote marks a significant win for the billionaire, who had vigorously advocated for the compensation package, potentially valued at up to $56 billion (£43.9 billion), contingent on Tesla’s share price.

    “Hot damn, I love you guys,” he told a crowd of enthusiastic shareholders who had gathered in Texas for the firm’s annual meeting.

    The deal exceeds 300 times what the highest-paid CEO in the US earned last year and is over 3,000 times the average CEO’s compensation.

    However, the vote is non-binding, and legal experts have noted that it remains uncertain whether the court that initially blocked the deal will accept the re-vote and permit the company to reinstate the pay package.

    “The vote changes nothing,” said Mathieu Shapiro, a managing partner at law firm Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel.

    “It only offers Tesla opportunities to try to use the vote to obtain a better decision going forward.

    “It will be interesting to see if another court is willing to credit a vote taken after the trial court’s decision.”

    The eye-popping sum had sparked criticism and raised concerns that the board of Tesla was too submissive and close to Mr Musk.

    In the January court ruling, Delaware judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled the sum was “unfair” and the process for determining the package by a board dominated by Mr. Musk was “deeply flawed.”

    Chancellor McCormick had pointed out that Antonio Gracias, who had been a board director at Tesla, had “the sort of personal relationship that had him vacationing with Musk’s family on a regular basis.”

    She also highlighted Todd Maron, Tesla’s former general counsel, “who was Musk’s former divorce attorney and whose admiration for Musk moved him to tears during his deposition.”.

    Elon Musk announced plans to move Tesla’s legal headquarters to Texas after a Delaware court, where Tesla is currently incorporated, voided his pay package following a lawsuit from a small investor. This conflict has raised concerns about Musk’s leadership, especially as Tesla’s share price has declined from its peak and its dominance in the electric vehicle market faces challenges.

    Despite these issues, Musk rallied his fan base, particularly appealing to individual investors who represent a significant portion of Tesla’s shareholders.

    The pay proposal received 72% of the votes cast, closely mirroring the 73% approval it initially received in 2018.

    “It’s a pretty ringing endorsement,” said car industry analyst Karl Brauer.

    Mr. Musk got more than enough shareholder support “to justify the package,” he added.

    Mr. Musk had previewed the results in a post on his social media company, X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Following Mr. Musk’s announcement, shares in the company saw a nearly 3% increase in closing.

    The compensation plan grants Mr. Musk approximately 300 million shares, which equates to a 10% ownership stake in Tesla. This reward is contingent upon Tesla achieving specific objectives outlined in 2018, which are tied to sales, profitability, and the company’s stock price.

    Tesla had acknowledged that Mr. Musk’s targets were ambitious. However, the lawsuit that led to the Delaware court’s decision to block the pay package alleged that these targets mirrored internal growth forecasts shared with banks.

    “My understanding is that there’s been about 1,100% appreciation in Tesla stock. And that’s pretty, pretty impressive. Most chief executives have never done anything like that,” said Mr Brauer.

    On whether Mr Musk deserved such a large pay, Georg Ell, former director of Western Europe at Tesla, told the BBC’s Today programme: “If I were an investor who put a substantial amount of money into this in 2018 and had held it throughout the period, I’d be very happy because I would have seen anywhere between… 13 and 16 times my money back.

    “That’s a very, very good return,” he said.

    Mr Ell disclosed that he has a small shareholding in Tesla, worth around £6,000.

    Tesla’s board said Mr Musk deserved the package because the carmaker had achieved its targets under his leadership and that it was necessary to ensure he remains dedicated to the company.

    Mr Ell said that the result of the vote gives Mr Musk “very strong validation.”

    “At Tesla, of course, he doesn’t do it all alone but he definitely sets the agenda, he sets the pace and he is a relentless person to work for; there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

    Tesla executives took to social media to voice their endorsement of the package, emphasising Mr. Musk’s pivotal role in the company’s achievements.

    Simultaneously, Mr. Musk pledged to provide a personal tour of Tesla’s Texas factory to certain shareholders who participated in the voting process.

    During Thursday’s meeting, shareholders also sanctioned the re-election of two board members: James Murdoch, the son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and Kimbal Musk, Mr. Musk’s own brother.

  • Elon Musk surprisingly withdraws lawsuit against OpenAI

    Elon Musk surprisingly withdraws lawsuit against OpenAI

    Elon Musk has made a surprising request to a California court, asking to withdraw a legal case against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman.

    The lawsuit accused them of straying from the original mission of developing AI for the betterment of humanity.

    In the filing submitted by Musk’s legal team, there was no explanation provided for the sudden decision to drop the months-old case.

    This request came just a day before the court was scheduled to address OpenAI’s motion to dismiss the case.

    BBC News reached out to Musk’s lawyer and OpenAI for comment regarding the withdrawal of the case.

    The latest filing asked for the dismissal “without prejudice,” leaving open the possibility for Musk to revive the case in the future.

    The lawsuit, filed by Musk at the end of February, alleged that OpenAI had shifted its focus from altruistic goals to profit-making ventures.

    OpenAI countered Musk’s claims, pointing out that he had previously supported the idea of a for-profit structure and had even proposed a merger with his company, Tesla.

    Tensions escalated further after Apple announced a partnership with OpenAI to enhance its Siri voice assistant and operating systems with OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.

    Musk expressed his disapproval of the collaboration through several posts on his social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter).

    One of the posts ended with the words: “Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river.”

    Despite the controversy surrounding the partnership, investors appeared to react positively to the news, leading to Apple’s stock market value reaching a record high of over $3 trillion.

    Elon Musk ventured into the AI domain by founding his own company, xAI, in July 2023, with the stated goal of “understanding reality.”

    In November of the same year, xAI introduced Grok, a chatbot infused with “a touch of humor,” aiming to compete with established platforms like ChatGPT.

  • Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, 8 others acknowledged as world richest as of May 1

    Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, 8 others acknowledged as world richest as of May 1

    CEO of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company, has maintained his position as the world’s richest person as of May 1, 2024, solidifying his status atop Forbes’ real-time billionaires list since February 2024, followed closely by Elon Musk, the owner and founder of Tesla.

    In April 2024, Jeff Bezos, the Founder of Amazon, briefly claimed the second spot from Musk, but Musk swiftly regained his position after a 15 percent surge in Tesla’s stock on April 29, 2024, boosting his net worth by $14.5 billion, according to Forbes.

    Musk’s recent visit to China to explore developments in electric vehicles has narrowed the gap between him and Bernard Arnault, whose fortune stands at $209.4 billion, approximately $10 billion more than Musk’s.

    Although Arnault’s LVMH company experienced a stock decline in the past month, resulting in a $17 billion decrease in his fortune, Jeff Bezos fell to third place with a net worth of $193.3 billion, while Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta recorded a net worth of $151.2 billion for the period.

    Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who held the title of the world’s richest person for nearly three decades, now holds the ninth spot with a worth of $128 billion, down from seventh place a month prior.

    As of May 1, 2024, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France holds the title of the world’s wealthiest woman, with an estimated worth of $95.4 billion, ranking as the 15th richest person globally.

    Her fortune stems from her ownership stake in the cosmetics giant L’Oreal, inherited from her late mother, whose father, Eugène Schueller, founded L’Oreal.

    See the full list below as compiled by Forbes

    1. Bernard Arnault
    Net worth: $209.4 billion
    Source: LVMH/ luxury goods Age: 75
    Residence: Paris
    Citizenship: France

    2. Elon Musk
    Net worth: $199.6 billion
    Source: Tesla, SpaceX, X (Twitter) Age: 52
    Residence: Austin, Texas
    Citizenship: U.S.

    3. Jeff Bezos
    Net worth: $193.3 billion
    Source: Amazon Age: 60
    Residence: Miami, Florida
    Citizenship: U.S.

    4. Mark Zuckerberg
    Net worth: $151.2 billion
    Source: Meta (Facebook)
    Age: 39 Residence: Palo Alto, California
    Citizenship: U.S.

    5. Larry Ellison
    Net worth: $142.8 billion
    Source: Oracle
    Age: 79 Residence: Woodside, California
    Citizenship: U.S.

    6. Larry Page
    Net worth: $135.4 billion
    Source: Google Age: 51
    Residence: Palo Alto, California
    Citizenship: U.S.

    7. Warren Buffett
    Net worth: $131 billion
    Source: Berkshire Hathaway
    Age: 93 Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
    Citizenship: U.S.

    8. Sergey Brin
    Net worth: $129.9 billion
    Source: Google
    Age: 50
    Residence: Los Altos, California
    Citizenship: U.S.

    9. Bill Gates
    Net worth: $127 billion
    Source: Microsoft, investments
    Age: 68 Residence: Medina, Washington
    Citizenship: U.S.

    10. Steve Ballmer
    Net worth: $117.1 billion
    Source: Microsoft, Clippers, investments
    Age: 68
    Residence: Hunts Point, Washington
    Citizenship: U.S.

  • Elon Musk visits Beijing to discuss enabling autonomous driving mode on Tesla cars – Reports

    Elon Musk visits Beijing to discuss enabling autonomous driving mode on Tesla cars – Reports

    Media reports have it that Elon Musk, is in Beijing to discuss implementing autonomous driving mode on Tesla cars in China.

    Mr. Musk aims to introduce Full Self Driving (FSD) capabilities in China and transfer locally collected data abroad to enhance its algorithms.

    While FSD is operational in countries like the US, it is not yet available in China.

    This development follows a US report linking Tesla’s autonomous driving features to at least 13 accidents, including one fatality.

    China stands as Tesla’s second-largest market. Competitors such as Xpeng, headquartered in Guangzhou, are striving to rival Tesla by incorporating similar self-driving features in their vehicles.

    To address concerns, Tesla has previously made efforts to reassure Chinese authorities, including establishing a data center in Shanghai to process consumer data in compliance with local regulations.

    The visit coincides with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) investigation into whether a recall effectively addressed safety issues related to Tesla’s driver assistance system.

    The NHTSA noted that despite requirements for drivers to remain attentive and ready to take control when autonomous driving is activated, drivers involved in the crashes “failed to sufficiently engage.” The regulator’s analysis occurred before Tesla’s announced recall intended to address the issue.

    Tesla’s software is designed to ensure driver attention and limit the feature’s use to suitable conditions, such as highway driving.

    Mr. Musk has pledged that Teslas will serve as autonomous “robotaxis” for years. In 2015, he projected Teslas would achieve “full autonomy” by 2018, and in 2019, he anticipated robotaxis would be operational the following year.

    This month, the Tesla CEO announced plans to unveil the company’s robotaxi in August.

    Critics allege that Mr. Musk consistently exaggerates the potential of full autonomous driving to boost the company’s stock price, which has declined due to challenges such as global declines in demand for electric vehicles and competition from lower-cost Chinese manufacturers. Mr. Musk refutes these claims.

    The carmaker’s profits plummeted in the first three months of the year to $1.13 billion (£910 million), down from $2.51 billion in 2023. Its stock has plummeted by 43% this year.

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink set to cut off Ghana in global regulatory crackdown!

    Elon Musk’s Starlink set to cut off Ghana in global regulatory crackdown!

    Ghanaians who have signed up for Elon Musk’s Starlink, despite its unlicensed status in the country, are about to lose access to the satellite internet service from April 30.

    This move affects not only Ghana but also other countries like Niger, Chad, Egypt, Angola, South Africa and Burkina Faso, where Starlink’s internet connection is currently unavailable according to the Starlink Availability Map as of 16th April 2024.

    Starlink announced the impending disconnection in a communiqué, stating, “As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn on Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account. This restriction does not apply in areas designated as ‘Available’ on the Starlink Availability Map.”

    Ghana reportedly had Starlink service availability in Q4 2023. However, the current status on the availability map now reads, “Service date is unknown at this time.”

    It is important to note that the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana declared Starlink’s operations illegal on December 7th, 2023, citing the lack of a license and approval for its equipment.

    The public was cautioned against purchasing Starlink’s equipment or services, and distributors were ordered to cease operations immediately.

    However, in March 2024, there seemed to be a possibility of Starlink getting licensed in Ghana amidst widespread internet disruptions in West and Central Africa.

    Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, mentioned in Parliament that “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana.”

    Despite this, nearly a month has passed with little information on the progress of Starlink’s licensing in Ghana. Currently, Starlink cannot confirm when its services will be available in the country, though they are “working as quickly as possible to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals from local governments globally.”

    Starlink, a SpaceX initiative, aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide, focusing on rural and remote areas previously without reliable connectivity.

    The company is still seeking regulatory approvals to expand its services and encourages supporters to advocate for approval in their respective countries.

    Below is the statement communicated by Starlink

    STARLINK

    The goal of Starlink is to provide reliable high-speed, low-latency internet to people all around the world, especially for those in rural and remote areas where internet connectivity has not been available, unreliable or too expensive.

    To do so, we’re working as quickly as possible to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals from local governments globally to be allowed to offer Starlink services in as many places as possible.

    As outlined in our Terms of Service, the availability of our Mobile Service Plans is contingent upon various factors, including regulatory approvals. If you are operating your Starlink Kit in an area other than areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account.

    This restriction does not apply in areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map
    Additionally, the “Mobile – Regional” plans are intended for temporary travel and transit, not for permanent use in a location. If you have been using a “Mobile- Regional” plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQs to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, your service will be restricted.

    As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account. This restriction does not apply in areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map.

    Additionally, the “Mobile – Regional” plans are intended for temporary travel and transit, not for permanent use in a location. If you have been using a “Mobile- Regional” plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQs to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, your service will be restricted.

    As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn on Starlink services in more countries, be sure to check out the Starlink Availability Mag to see where you can stay connected! Should you wish to advocate for Starlink to be approved in a given country, appropriate points of contact may be the local information, communications and technology regulator and/or ministry of communications. Depending on your intended use case, ministries of education, health or economy may also be relevant contacts.

    You can read our Terms of Service for more details on our Mobile service plans. Please contact Support if you have additional questions.

    The Starlink team

  • FLASHBACK: Elon Musk’s Starlink operations illegal in Ghana – NCA warns

    FLASHBACK: Elon Musk’s Starlink operations illegal in Ghana – NCA warns

    The National Communications Authority (NCA) has officially declared the operations of Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, as illegal in Ghana.

    In a press release issued on December 7, 2023, the NCA stated that Starlink has not been licensed to operate in the country, and none of its equipment has been approved.

    According to the NCA, any entity selling Starlink equipment or providing Starlink services is in direct violation of the Electronic Communications Act 2008. The public has been warned against purchasing any equipment or services from Starlink, and individuals or companies involved in the sale or operation of Starlink services are directed to cease and desist immediately.

    The NCA emphasizes its commitment to ensuring fair competition in the market and protecting licensees and consumers. Starlink, on its website, had indicated plans to provide services in Ghana by the third quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approval.

    However, some middlemen in Ghana are already offering Starlink services, quoting installation prices ranging between GHS1,100 and GHS18,000 monthly. The implications of the NCA’s announcement for existing Starlink users in Ghana remain unclear, as no specific enforcement actions have been announced yet. Possible outcomes could include sanctions for vendors or negotiations between the NCA and Starlink for obtaining a license to operate in Ghana.

    Starlink, a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites launched by SpaceX, aims to provide high-speed internet access globally, even in hard-to-reach areas. The NCA’s move raises questions about the future of Starlink services in Ghana and the regulatory approval process.

  • Elon Musk sued for alleged $128m unpaid severance to former Twitter executives

    Elon Musk sued for alleged $128m unpaid severance to former Twitter executives

    Elon Musk is currently facing legal action from four former Twitter executives, including ex-chief Parag Agrawal, who claim that he owes them over $128 million in unpaid severance.

    The executives allege that Musk dismissed them without cause after acquiring Twitter, now X, and fabricated reasons to avoid fulfilling the severance agreement.

    The lawsuit asserts that this action is part of a broader pattern of Musk refusing to pay former employees what they are owed. The four executives, including Agrawal, former CFO Ned Segal, former CLO Vijaya Gadde, and former GC Sean Edgett, insist that, according to the severance plan, they are entitled to one year’s salary and stock awards.

    This would amount to over $57 million for Agrawal, more than $44 million for Segal, over $20 million for Gadde, and more than $6 million for Edgett.

    Despite Musk’s purchase of Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, the lawsuit claims he has been trying to evade the millions owed to the executives by rejecting the severance plans outlining compensation for job termination without cause.

    The lawsuit accuses Musk of transforming the company into an entity that disregards the law and fails to fulfill financial obligations.

    While Musk has not commented on the lawsuit, the executives portray him as someone who avoids paying debts and mistreats employees.

    “Musk doesn’t pay his bills, believes the rules don’t apply to him, and uses his wealth and power to run roughshod over anyone who disagrees with him,” according to the filing in federal court in California.

    The legal dispute over the money has been ongoing, and the executives claim that the administrative process has been exhausted.

    Last year, a former HR officer at Twitter filed a class-action lawsuit, alleging that the company owed approximately $500 million in severance pay to former staff.

    The four executives’ legal action aims to portray Musk as someone unwilling to pay debts and mistreating employees, claiming that his refusal to pay is part of a broader pattern within Twitter.

    “Musk’s refusal to pay … is part of a larger pattern of refusing to pay Twitter’s former employees the benefits and other compensation they are due,” Mr Agrawal and his former colleagues alleged in the lawsuit.

  • Elon Musk’s social media platform X nears money transmitter license in New York

    Elon Musk’s social media platform X nears money transmitter license in New York

    During the Morgan Stanley technology, media, and telecom conference, Elon Musk revealed that his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), is on track to obtain a money transmitter license in New York.

    Additionally, Musk confirmed plans to secure a California license within the next month, as part of X’s expansion strategy.

    Experts note that for X to operate nationwide, it must obtain a money transmitter license in each of the United States’ 50 states.

    Musk also discussed potential changes to X’s platform, including the removal of likes and reposts visibility on posts, aiming to shift the focus away from engagement metrics.

    Moreover, Musk announced a new feature where users’ pinned posts would be recommended to all their followers every 48 hours, with restrictions to prevent gaming of the system.

    As part of Musk’s broader vision for X as an “everything app,” he shared a post from X Hiring highlighting the platform’s role in job postings across various industries, positioning it as a jobs app with over a million job listings.

  • Elon Musk sued by former Twitter executives for approximately $128 million in severance pay – Report

    Elon Musk sued by former Twitter executives for approximately $128 million in severance pay – Report

    Former Twitter executives are initiating a lawsuit against Elon Musk and X Corp., claiming they should receive over $128 million in severance pay that they haven’t been paid.

    Twitter’s old boss, money manager, legal advisor, and legal consultant say in a legal case that they were let go without explanation on the day in 2022 when Musk bought Twitter and changed its name to X.

    The executives say Musk made fake reasons to not pay the employees when they left their jobs.

    The lawsuit claims that Musk has a history of not giving severance and not paying bills. Many former Twitter employees have sued him for not giving them severance after he fired them.

    The lawsuit filed in federal court in California says that under Musk’s control, Twitter has been avoiding paying its employees, landlords, vendors, and others. “Musk doesn’t pay his bills, thinks he doesn’t have to follow the rules, and uses his money and influence to ignore anyone who doesn’t agree with him. ”

    Musk’s representatives and representatives from San Francisco-based X did not reply right away to messages asking for a comment on Monday.

    The old bosses say they should get paid for one year and also get the stock they were promised when Twitter was bought. Musk purchased the company for $44 billion, which is $54. 20 for each share, and he took over in October 2022.

    They said they were all fired for no reason. Under the severance plans, “cause” was narrowly defined as doing something really bad, like being found guilty of a serious crime, being extremely careless, or intentionally doing something wrong.

    The lawsuit says that Musk fired the employees because he thought they were very careless and did things on purpose to cause harm. He was also unhappy because Twitter had to pay money to lawyers to help with a deal. The bosses say they had to pay the fees to do their job and take care of the company’s money.

    The lawsuit says if Musk thought the lawyers’ fees or any other payments were wrong, he should have tried to end the deal instead of holding back the executives’ severance payments.

    X is facing a very large number of lawsuits because they have not paid their bills, according to the lawsuit. “Because Musk has been careless about paying his bills, he’s not worried about the lawsuits and is saying ‘let them sue. ‘”

  • Internet blackout hits Sudan; 9 million displaced owing to conflict

    Internet blackout hits Sudan; 9 million displaced owing to conflict

    As Sudan’s civil conflict persists into its tenth month, the humanitarian situation has worsened, with nearly nine million internally displaced individuals, as reported by the UN.

    A recent internet blackout has compounded the crisis, hindering access to vital services such as financial transactions and communication platforms.

    In response to the connectivity crisis, Sudanese citizens displaced by the conflict have turned to alternative means of accessing the internet.

    Elon Musk’s satellite-based internet service, Starlink, has emerged as a crucial resource, enabling access to essential online services amid the turmoil.

    Suliman Baldo, head of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker, highlighted the innovative use of Starlink by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who reportedly lease out internet access to civilians in need.

    With reliance on banking applications for cash transfers crucial for survival in displacement, access to internet services remains a lifeline for many Sudanese amidst the ongoing conflict.

  • Court cancels Elon Musk’s $56 billion Tesla compensation contract

    Court cancels Elon Musk’s $56 billion Tesla compensation contract

    A judge in Delaware cancelled a $55. 8 billion pay deal given to Elon Musk by Tesla in 2018.

    A person who owns part of the company said they paid too much and is taking it to court.

    Judge Kathaleen McCormick said the payment was a very large amount that was not fair to the owners of the company. She also said the way the payment was approved had many problems.

    She decided that the contract must be cancelled.

    The agreement on how much money to pay was made in 2018 and was the largest ever in US corporate history. This helped Mr. Musk become the richest person in the world. In November 2023, Bloomberg and Forbes said his money is between $198 billion and $220 billion.

    Tesla’s deal connected Mr. Musk’s pay to how well Tesla’s stock does and how much money the company makes. He doesn’t get paid.

    But the owner of some of the Tesla company, Richard Tornetta, sued to take back the award because he thinks the boss got too much money.

    After many years of fighting in court, a trial started in November 2022. Tesla directors were trying to explain that the big payment to Mr. Musk was meant to make sure he keeps focusing on the company. Musk is known as one of the most active and successful entrepreneurs in the world.

    However, in her 201-page decision published on Tuesday, Judge McCormick stated that the Tesla directors had been influenced by the excitement about Mr. Musk’s celebrity status.

    Furthermore, Musk had a close connection with the Tesla officials who were responsible for discussing the pay award. She mentioned his long relationship with the person in charge of deciding how much people get paid.

    Mr Musk has been doing business with Antonio Gracia for over 20 years, said the judge.

    After the decision was made, Greg Varallo, a lawyer for the Tesla shareholder Mr. Tornetta, said it was a “good day for the good guys,” in an email reported by Reuters.

    Mr Musk posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) saying “Don’t register your company in Delaware”.

    “I suggest setting up a business in Nevada or Texas if you want the shareholders to make decisions,” he said. He asked his followers if Tesla should move its legal headquarters to Texas, where its main office is located.

    The judge’s decision can be challenged in the Delaware Supreme Court.

    Tesla’s stock went down by about 2. 5% in after-hours trading in New York. They are worth 20% less this year than they were before.

    Mr Musk is the boss and a big owner of Tesla. He also has other companies like X, SpaceX, and Neuralink.

    Mr Musk sold a lot of his Tesla shares to buy X. Now he owns about 13% of the company. He wants to own even more.

    When Tesla offered Mr. Musk a pay package in 2018, a lot of people noticed and talked about it. Many shareholders’ advisors suggested not to vote for the plan because they believe it is too generous.

    The package was much larger than the salaries of the top 200 CEOs in America combined in 2021, according to research firm Equilar.

    Brian Quinn, a teacher at Boston College Law School, told the BBC that it was difficult to say that a deal like this is right, because Mr. Musk has a lot of power over the board.

    “He takes care of Tesla as if it’s his own, but he’s not the main owner even though he calls himself the ‘Techno-king of Tesla’,” Professor Quinn explained.

    Mr Musk is worried about Tesla’s investments in artificial intelligence technology.

    “I don’t feel good about making Tesla a leader in AI and robotics unless I have 25% of the voting power,” he said on social media.

    He said the way Tesla’s shareholders are now can make it easy for someone not trustworthy to take over the company, and he wants more say in where it’s heading.

    Mr Musk said he would rather make products somewhere else if that’s not true.

  • Angel FM’s Kwadwo Dickson links Elon Musk’s brain chip to Anti-Christ

    Angel FM’s Kwadwo Dickson links Elon Musk’s brain chip to Anti-Christ

    Angel FM broadcaster, Kwadwo Dickson, has made a speculative association between Elon Musk’s Neuralink project, which involves developing brain-machine interface technology, and the apocalyptic Anti-Christ.

    The Anti-Christ refers to a prophesied figure who is expected to appear at the end of the world as a great adversary or opponent of Christ, representing evil and opposing the divine order. The concept of the Anti-Christ is primarily found in the New Testament of the Bible, particularly in the books of 1 John and 2 John.

    According to Kwadwo Dickson, Elon Musk’s success in implanting a chip in a human brain for the first time shows the end time and confirms that the prophesy about the Anti-Christ is real.

    In a video, he said, “When I was young, I was told about the anti-Christ and the use of chips in the brain to control mankind. There is a part of the prophesy that says if you resist taking the chip, you’d be punished.

    Now, it is 30th January and Elon Musk and his company Neuralink have announced that they have fixed a chip in one’s mind. So if you are paralyzed, this chip can help you think and move. That is the realization of the prophesy. I am so shocked.”

    Elon Musk’s controversial startup, Neuralink, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully implanting a chip in a human brain for the first time. Musk shared this development in a post on his X platform late Monday, revealing that the operation took place on Sunday, and the patient was recovering well.

    This announcement holds potential importance for Neuralink’s efforts to transition its transformative technology from the laboratory to real-world applications. However, Musk’s post lacked specific details about the scientific significance of the implantation. It remains unclear how groundbreaking this development is in terms of scientific advancements in neural interface technology.

    It’s noteworthy that Neuralink had obtained approval to conduct studies assessing the safety and functionality of its chip implant and surgical tools, indicating a step forward in the regulatory and experimental aspects of the project.

    Neuralink’s first product would be called Telepathy, he said in another post, adding that its initial users will be people who have lost the use of their limbs.

  • Louis Vuitton CEO ‘beats’ Elon Musk to become World’s richest person 

    Louis Vuitton CEO ‘beats’ Elon Musk to become World’s richest person 

    Billionaire chairman and CEO of LVMH (Louis Vuitton), Bernard Arnault, has claimed the title of the world’s richest person, surpassing Elon Musk, according to Forbes.

    The Arnault family’s net worth reached $207.8 billion, marking a significant increase of $23.6 billion, while Musk’s net worth declined to $204.5 billion, experiencing a decrease of over $18 billion.

    Born in 1949 in Roubaix, France, Arnault, an engineering graduate from the École Polytechnique in Paris, embarked on a business career. In 1984, he acquired the struggling luxury goods brand Christian Dior and, under his leadership, transformed it into a global powerhouse. Arnault expanded the business by incorporating additional luxury brands such as Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, and Moët & Chandon. The merger of Christian Dior and Moët Hennessy in 1987 resulted in the creation of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods corporation.

    As of the Forbes Real-Time Billionaire List, Arnault and his family were valued at $207.6 billion on Sunday, with Musk trailing at $204.7 billion. The top five on the list also included Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Ellison.

    However, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index presents a different perspective, asserting that Musk remains the world’s richest person, with a fortune of $199 billion. Musk, known for owning companies like SpaceX, Tesla, and X (previously Twitter), maintains a lead over Jeff Bezos ($184 billion) and Arnault ($183 billion).

    The dynamics of the ranking highlight the fluctuating fortunes of the world’s wealthiest individuals, influenced by stock market movements, business developments, and other factors. The ongoing competition for the title of the richest person adds a layer of intrigue to the financial landscape, capturing the attention of global observers.

  • CEO of Luis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault, dethrones Elon Musk as world’s richest

    CEO of Luis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault, dethrones Elon Musk as world’s richest

    The billionaire chairman and CEO of the global luxury goods company overseeing brands such as Louis Vuitton and Sephora, Bernard Arnault, has become the world’s wealthiest individual, surpassing Elon Musk.

    Arnault and his family’s net worth experienced a remarkable increase to $207.8 billion on Friday, marking a $23.6 billion surge, outpacing Musk’s $204.5 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list.

    The shift in rankings occurred as Musk faced challenges with Tesla in the stock market, witnessing a 13% drop on Thursday, leading to a decrease of over $18 billion in his net worth.

    Simultaneously, LVMH shares surged on Friday, rising over 13% by 11 a.m., propelled by reports of robust sales performance.

    LVMH’s market cap reached $388.8 billion on Friday, trailing Tesla’s $586.14 billion market cap.

    Notably, in 2021, LVMH made a significant acquisition by purchasing Tiffany & Co. for nearly $16 billion, marking it as the largest luxury brand acquisition to date.

    Arnault’s holding company Agache supports Aglaé Ventures, a venture capital firm known for investments in companies like Netflix and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

    Bernard Arnault, aged 74, had previously surpassed Musk in wealth in December.

  • Elon Musk’s company successfully implants brain chip in human

    Elon Musk’s company successfully implants brain chip in human


    The technology billionaire, Elon Musk, has announced a successful implantation of Neuralink’s wireless brain chip in a human, marking a significant milestone.

    The initial findings show promising neuron spikes, and the patient is reportedly recovering well. Neuralink’s objective is to establish a connection between human brains and computers, aiming to address complex neurological conditions.

    The company received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May to conduct human trials, overcoming earlier challenges in obtaining regulatory clearance.

    In a six-year study, a robotic system is employed to delicately insert 64 flexible threads, thinner than a human hair, into a region of the brain associated with “movement intention.”

    These threads enable the experimental implant, powered by a wirelessly chargeable battery, to record and transmit brain signals to an app for decoding the user’s intended movements.

    Elon Musk, sharing the news on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), revealed that Neuralink’s initial product, named Telepathy, aims to allow control of devices such as phones and computers through mere thought.

    He emphasized its potential benefit for individuals who have lost limb functionality, envisioning enhanced communication for people like the late Stephen Hawking.

    While Musk’s involvement raises Neuralink’s prominence, the field has other long-standing players.

    Companies like Blackrock Neurotech, operating since 2004, and Precision Neuroscience, co-founded by a Neuralink co-founder, are also working on brain-computer interfaces.

    The latter’s implant, resembling a thin piece of tape, offers a simpler procedure for implantation via a “cranial micro-slit.”

    Several existing devices have demonstrated success in recent scientific studies, monitoring brain activity during speech attempts and decoding signals to aid communication.

    The competition in the emerging field of brain-machine interfaces is intensifying, with different approaches and technologies vying for success.

  • Luxury mogul Bernard Arnault surpasses Elon Musk as world’s wealthiest person

    Luxury mogul Bernard Arnault surpasses Elon Musk as world’s wealthiest person

    The billionaire chairman and Chief and Executive Officer (CEO) of the esteemed worldwide luxury goods firm LVMH, Bernard Arnault, has overtaken Tesla’s Elon Musk to become the richest person in the world in a stunning financial twist.

    Arnault and his family experienced a surge in their net worth, reaching an impressive $207.8 billion after a substantial $23.6 billion increase on Friday, as reported by the Forbes real-time billionaires list.

    This noteworthy development propelled Arnault ahead of Musk, whose net worth stood at $204.5 billion.

    The shift in rankings coincided with a challenging day for Musk and Tesla in the stock market, as Tesla faced a 13% decline on Thursday, causing Musk to lose over $18 billion in net worth.

    Contrastingly, LVMH shares were on the rise on Friday, boasting a remarkable 13% increase as of 11 a.m., fueled by news of robust sales.

    This positive momentum contributed to LVMH’s market cap reaching $388.8 billion, although still trailing behind Tesla’s $586.14 billion market cap.

    Notably, LVMH’s financial prowess was fortified in 2021 when it acquired Tiffany & Co. for nearly $16 billion, marking the largest luxury brand acquisition in history.

    Arnault’s holding company, Agache, also supports Aglaé Ventures, a venture capital firm known for investments in prominent businesses such as Netflix and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, according to Forbes.

    At the age of 74, Arnault initially overtook Musk in wealth in December, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing narrative of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink operations illegal in Ghana – NCA warns

    Elon Musk’s Starlink operations illegal in Ghana – NCA warns

    The National Communications Authority (NCA) has officially declared the operations of Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, as illegal in Ghana.

    In a press release issued on December 7, 2023, the NCA stated that Starlink has not been licensed to operate in the country, and none of its equipment has been approved.

    According to the NCA, any entity selling Starlink equipment or providing Starlink services is in direct violation of the Electronic Communications Act 2008. The public has been warned against purchasing any equipment or services from Starlink, and individuals or companies involved in the sale or operation of Starlink services are directed to cease and desist immediately.

    The NCA emphasizes its commitment to ensuring fair competition in the market and protecting licensees and consumers. Starlink, on its website, had indicated plans to provide services in Ghana by the third quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approval.

    However, some middlemen in Ghana are already offering Starlink services, quoting installation prices ranging between GHS1,100 and GHS18,000 monthly. The implications of the NCA’s announcement for existing Starlink users in Ghana remain unclear, as no specific enforcement actions have been announced yet. Possible outcomes could include sanctions for vendors or negotiations between the NCA and Starlink for obtaining a license to operate in Ghana.

    Starlink, a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites launched by SpaceX, aims to provide high-speed internet access globally, even in hard-to-reach areas. The NCA’s move raises questions about the future of Starlink services in Ghana and the regulatory approval process.

  • Elon Musk attacks X advertisers with explicit profanity

    Elon Musk attacks X advertisers with explicit profanity

    Elon Musk has used bad words and criticized the advertisers who have left X, saying they will make the social media platform fail.

    At a meeting in New York, he said that the companies not advertising on the website, previously called Twitter, were trying to force him into doing something by withholding their ads.

    The billionaire used a rude word to tell someone to go away in an interview.

    Some companies have stopped advertising on X because they are worried about antisemitism. This includes a post from Mr.

    The boss of Tesla and SpaceX said sorry on Wednesday for a post he made. He called it the “dumbest” thing he’s ever shared online.

    However, his answer to a question about companies like Disney, Apple, and Comcast boycotting advertisements caused a lot of attention at the meeting of influential people from business, politics, and culture.

    “Mr Musk said he doesn’t want them to advertise,” at the New York Times‘ DealBook Summit.

    “If someone tries to make me do something I don’t want to do by threatening me with ads or money, they can go away. ”


    Please Oh You Is it understandable. Hey Bob, if you’re listening, that’s how I feel.

    He was talking about Disney’s boss, Bob Iger, who just spoke at the meeting.

    Mrs Yaccarino, the CEO of X, was in the room with Mr. Musk, trying to get advertisers to come back to the platform.

    Mr Musk also said that advertisers have the power to end X.

    “This advertising boycott is going to destroy the company,” he said.

    “He said everyone will know that the advertisers caused the company to fail, and we will write down all the details. ”

    Ms Yaccarino reposted an interview she found very honest and also added her own thoughts about advertising. She believes that X is in a great position where freedom of speech and business come together, and that the community is strong and welcoming.

    Mr Musk went to Israel after he seemed to support an antisemitic conspiracy theory last month.

    I apologize for that tweet. “On Wednesday, he said it could be the worst and stupidest post I’ve ever made,”

    The boycott is not only about that post.

    Many advertisers chose to spend their money somewhere else.

    In April, Mr. Musk told the media that almost all of the advertisers have either returned or will return.

    Three months later, he said in a post on X that the money made from ads had gone down by half.

    Before, a report by a liberal group called Media Matters claimed to have evidence that some ads were placed next to Nazi content.

    X is saying that the group’s report did not accurately show how X’s users feel. They think the report is trying to stop people from speaking freely and to trick companies who advertise on X. X is taking Media Matters to court.

    It’s not clear if Mr. Musk’s comments will convince advertisers to come back. The company depends a lot on their money.

    We don’t know how much money X makes from ads right now because it’s a private company and doesn’t share its financial reports anymore.

    However, before Mr. Musk became the leader of the company, most of Twitter’s money came from advertising.

  • Big companies stop running advertisements on Elon Musk’s twitter platform

    Big companies stop running advertisements on Elon Musk’s twitter platform

    Many popular brands stopped advertising on X on Friday. This is bad for Elon Musk‘s social media company because he publicly supported an antisemitic conspiracy theory that White supremacists like.

    Some of the biggest media companies like Disney, Paramount, NBC Universal, Comcast, Lions gate, and Warner Bros are angry and stopping their ads. Discovery is the company that owns CNN.

    X is said to have lost Apple. This was reported by several news outlets, including Axios, which was the first to report that Apple had withdrawn.

    Apple did not answer when asked for comments several times.

    The fast and wide withdrawals from X, the platform that used to be called Twitter, are happening because more and more people are upset with Musk for speaking out in support of extreme beliefs.

    And it makes people unsure about the future of a company that Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino promised would start making money again as soon as next year.

    The companies have stopped their advertising, just like IBM did on Thursday.

    IBM’s ads were shown next to content that supports Nazis. IBM said clearly that the situation is completely unacceptable.

    IBM is very serious about not allowing hate speech and discrimination. We have stopped all advertising on X while we look into this bad situation. This is not okay.

    On Friday, X CEO Linda Yaccarino wrote on social media that X has been very clear about their work to stop antisemitism and discrimination. “It’s not okay anywhere in the world. ”

    “On Friday evening, Musk said that anyone who supports killing an entire group of people will be banned from this platform. It’s just common sense. ”

    This week, Media Matters found that ads from big companies like IBM, Apple, Comcast, NBC, and Oracle appeared next to similar content.

    Oracle’s representatives have not answered requests for a comment.

    A person speaking for X said that the accounts supporting Nazis mentioned in the Media Matters report on Thursday will no longer be able to make money from ads on their pages.

    In August, two other companies, NCTA and Gilead Sciences, stopped advertising on X because their ads were shown with pro-Nazi content.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Elon Musk proposes $1b Offer to Mark Zuckerberg if he changes Facebook to ‘Faceboob’

    Elon Musk proposes $1b Offer to Mark Zuckerberg if he changes Facebook to ‘Faceboob’

    Renowned for his takeover of Twitter, Elon Musk, which is now known as X, has been making headlines due to his witty and sarcastic social media posts.

    Recently, he took another swipe at Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, suggesting that he should alter Facebook’s name. Musk claimed to have numerous ideas for the new website.

    The business magnate and investor, Elon Musk, who owns companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has once again turned his attention to Facebook.

    He publicly declared that he would offer one billion dollars to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, in exchange for changing the platform’s name.

    Musk’s statement was in response to a post by the BabylonBee, a parody news site, which quoted him as offering $1 billion to Zuckerberg to rebrand the social media platform.

    Musk further emphasized his point by endorsing the name suggested in the parody news article, stating, “It would be a much better name!”

    What is the problem here?

    It is important to note that Musk frequently makes statements and posts things on social media that are rarely controversial over time. Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have been trolls and having discussions for a long time. Currently, Musk is advising Zuckerberg to rename Facebook in exchange for a large payment to Meta’s head from Tesla’s owner.

    The BabylonBee reports that Elon Musk suggested that Mark rename Facebook to “Faceboob.”

    Musk to pay 1 billion USD to Facebook’s founder

    Elon Musk has proposed an intriguing offer to Mark Zuckerberg, suggesting that if the Facebook name is changed to ‘Faceboob,’ he will provide one billion US dollars in return. Musk encouraged Meta’s founder to contemplate the idea, emphasizing the potential for making numerous people happy with the name change.

    Musk also mentioned that he has a wealth of concepts for the revamped website, hinting at the rebranded Facebook.

    It’s worth noting that prior to his recommendation for Facebook, Elon Musk had similarly advised Wikipedia to alter its name to ‘Dickipedia,’ offering one billion dollars for the change.

  • Lies, even Elon Musk won’t make such an offer – Ghanaians react to Ken Agyapong’s “$800m step-down offer” claim

    Lies, even Elon Musk won’t make such an offer – Ghanaians react to Ken Agyapong’s “$800m step-down offer” claim

    X (formerly known as Twitter) is buzzing and this is thanks to Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong.

    Kennedy Agyapong, a flagbearer aspirant for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has asserted that he was offered $800 million to withdraw from the party’s presidential race and support his rival, Vice President Dr. Bawumia.

    In an interview with Time FM, he said “Does he know the number of people who have approached me but for the love of Ghana and the delegates I have said I will never do it?

    “The money they offered is $800 million, if he doesn’t know. He should ask Mr Oppong Bio, if that is what they are saying but I said no I will not step down, Ghana first.

    “In 2016, you people were not able to buy pickups. How come today you are able to offer me $800 million? So I said I won’t step down…” he stated.

    His comments have been scrutinized by some X users who believe it is absurd such an offer will be made. According to them, the amount being mentioned is gargantuan. They even believe, Elon Musk said to be the wealthiest man in the world would not make such a proposal.

    One X user, @JefferyAnkamah wrote: “I am not a political activist but, I can’t just believe this political gimmick! Even, Elon Musk won’t reimburse a person with this enormous container money! We’re talking about 800 million! Money that’s closer to 1 billion can never be a caricature!”

    Here are some other reactions:

  • Grimes files lawsuit against Elon Musk over parental rights

    Singer Grimes has filed a legal request about her rights as a parent to the three children she has with Elon Musk.

    The court records say that Grimes, whose real name is Clair Boucher, asked the court to say that they are the parent of a child on September 29th.

    Grimes, who is 35 years old, had accused Mr. Musk of not letting her see one of their sons. However, she deleted the post later on.

    MrMusk, who is 52 years old, has at least 11 kids with three different women.

    The information about the petition that was submitted to the Superior Court of San Francisco is not accessible to the public.

    Neither Grimes nor Mr Musk could be contacted to provide a comment about the legal filing.

    Grimes and Musk are parents to three kids. Their first child, X Æ A-1 (also known as X), was born in May 2020. They also have a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl (known as Y), who was born in December 2021.

    Last year in June, Elon Musk and his partner had their third child, a boy named Techno Mechanicus also known as Tau. This information was recently shared in a biography about Elon Musk written by the journalist Walter Isaacson.

    In a post that was later taken down, Grimes, who had an on-and-off relationship with Mr. Musk from 2018 to 2021, wrote that he should allow her to see their son or please reply to her lawyer.

    According to reports, Mr. Musk made the post in reply to a picture shared by Mr. The picture was of twins that Mr. Musk has as a result of his relationship with tech executive Shivon Zilis.

    “I have never been allowed to see a picture of these kids before now, and it has caused a lot of pain for my family,” Grimes wrote in a post on September 7. This message was later shared on the website Jezebel.

    Grimes said sorry on X (Twitter) on 10 September and wants to keep her children away from public attention.

    Overall,Musk has had at least 11 kids in total. This includes six kids with his ex-wife, Canadian writer Justine Mack.

    He was married to Talulah Riley, who is an actress in Westworld, twice. The couple got married in 2010 but broke up in 2012. However, they got back together a year later, but unfortunately, they broke up again in 2016.

    The tech mogul who causes a lot of disagreement is also being sued in two other recent cases.

    On October 2nd, a man from California took legal action against Mr. Musk for causing him trouble based on a false post. This post, which Mr. Musk spread further, wrongly placed him at a far-right protest in Oregon that happened in June. In a post mentioned in the lawsuit, Mr. Musk called the confrontation a “possibly fake situation”.

    X Social Media, a company, filed a lawsuit in Florida on the same day. They claim that Mr. Musk has used a name for Twitter that infringes on their trademark.

  • Taiwan is not part of China and not for sale – Foreign Minister tells Elon Musk

    Taiwan is not part of China and not for sale – Foreign Minister tells Elon Musk

    Elon Musk’s statement that Taiwan is part of China has been met with Taiwan firmly asserting that it is “not for sale.”

    “Listen up, Taiwan is not part of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] & certainly not for sale!,” foreign minister Joseph Wu said on Mr Musk’s X.

    During a business summit this week, Elon Musk made a controversial comparison, likening Taiwan to Hawaii and describing it as an “integral part” of China.

    This statement further strained relations between Beijing and Taipei, as China claims sovereignty over self-governed Taiwan. Tensions in the region have escalated in the past year, with China frequently conducting military drills around the island.

    In response to these drills, Taiwan reported detecting over 40 Chinese military aircraft and around 10 ships in its waters.

    Elon Musk’s comments are not the first to provoke Taiwan’s government. In October, he suggested a potential solution to the Beijing-Taipei tensions by proposing that China be granted some level of control over Taiwan.

    This proposal was met with criticism from Taiwanese officials, who reiterated their commitment to freedom and sovereignty.

    It’s worth noting that Elon Musk has business interests in China, which adds a layer of complexity to his statements on Taiwan.

    Mr Wu also posted on X: “Hope Elon Musk can also ask the CCP [Chinese Community Party] to open X to its people.” Mr Musk’s micro-blogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is banned in China.

    Mr Wu had previously said that China’s military drills were intended to influence Taiwan’s elections in January.

    “The PRC [People’s Republic of China] has made it clear it wants to shape Taiwan’s coming national election. Well, it’s up to our citizens to decide, not the bully next door,” he wrote on X.

    Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla, operates a substantial manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China.

    During his most recent visit to China in May, Musk held meetings with senior Chinese officials, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that Tesla was interested in expanding its operations within the country.

    Musk’s visit garnered significant attention due to the strained relations between the United States and China in recent years. Although the two nations have resumed high-level discussions, they continue to have disagreements on various matters, with Taiwan being a prominent point of contention.

    Taiwan has become a major source of tension between the two nations, as the United States has long been a key ally of Taipei.

  • Putin commends Elon Musk after Ukraine Starlink dispute

    Putin commends Elon Musk after Ukraine Starlink dispute

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded tech mogul Elon Musk as an exceptional entrepreneur, with his SpaceX firm playing a pivotal role in space transportation.

    Putin’s public admiration for Musk came shortly after the entrepreneur, originally from South Africa and now based in the United States, disclosed that he had declined a Ukrainian request to activate his Starlink satellite communication network in the Russian-annexed Crimean city of Sevastopol. This request was made to support an attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet, but Musk refused, expressing concerns about being involved in a significant act of war.

    While speaking at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East, Putin did not directly address the Starlink controversy. However, when asked about SpaceX’s accomplishments in launching rockets into space, he showered Musk with praise.

    “As far as private business and Elon Musk is concerned… he is undoubtedly an outstanding person. This must be recognised, and I think it is recognised all over the world,” Putin said.

    “He [Musk] is an active and talented businessman and he is succeeding a lot, including with the support of the American state,” he added.

  • Blocking feature to be removed from X (formerly Twitter) – Elon Musk announces

    Blocking feature to be removed from X (formerly Twitter) – Elon Musk announces

    Elon Musk has introduced a significant alteration to the X platform, previously recognized as Twitter, revealing that users will no longer have the option to employ the “block” feature on other accounts.

    Musk clarified that this functionality appears illogical and will be eliminated, except when it pertains to direct messages.

    The block attribute on X permits users to restrict specific accounts from initiating contact, viewing their tweets, or following them.

    Musk has suggested that users adopt the “mute” feature as an alternative, which conceals an account’s posts from their timeline without necessitating unfollowing or blocking.

    On the contrary, blocking prevents an account from accessing a user’s public posts. Musk, who holds the position of CEO at Tesla and SpaceX, gained ownership of X in 2022 through a $44 billion acquisition deal.

    He has been implementing several modifications to the platform, including the dismissal of top executives and staff downsizing.

    Linda Yaccarino, formerly an executive at NBCUniversal, assumed the role of X’s CEO earlier this year, with Musk overseeing the product and technology divisions.

  • Elon Musk announces fight with Zuckerberg to go live on X

    Elon Musk announces fight with Zuckerberg to go live on X

    In a social media post, Elon Musk has made claimes that the cage match he had in mind with Meta (META.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg would be broadcast live on social media network X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Since June, the owners of social media have been encouraging a mixed martial arts cage fight in Las Vegas.

    “Zuck v Musk fight will be live-streamed on X. All proceeds will go to charity for veterans,” Musk said in a post on X early on Sunday morning, without giving any further details.

    Earlier on Sunday, Musk had said on X that he was “lifting weights throughout the day, preparing for the fight”, adding that he did not have time to work out so brings the weights to work.

    When a user on X asked Musk the point of the fight, Musk responded by saying “It’s a civilized form of war. Men love war”.

    Meta did not respond to a Reuters request for comment regarding Musk’s post.

    The controversy began when Musk stated in a post on June 20 that he was willing to engage in a cage match with Zuckerberg, who is skilled in jiujitsu.

    The following day, Zuckerberg, 39, who has shared pictures of his victorious matches on his company’s Instagram platform, asked Musk, 51, to specify the location for the proposed showdown. In response, Musk suggested “Vegas Octagon,” referring to a venue known for hosting mixed martial arts (MMA) championship bouts.

    Subsequently, Musk expressed his intention to start training if the cage fight were to materialize.

  • “X” will pay for legal fees if customers are subjected to unfair treatment by managers – Elon Musk

    “X” will pay for legal fees if customers are subjected to unfair treatment by managers – Elon Musk

    Elon Musk announced that X, formerly known as Twitter, will cover the legal expenses of individuals who face unfair treatment from their employers due to their activity on the social media platform.

    In a message to users on Sunday, Musk assured that the financial assistance provided by X would have no limits. He encouraged users to inform the platform if they have experienced any form of discrimination or retaliation for their posts or likes.

    The social media platform recently underwent a name change, transitioning from Twitter to X.

    Elon Musk has been vocal about being a “free speech absolutist” and has criticized the platform’s content moderation policies prior to his involvement with it.

    When he announced that he was taking over Twitter in April last year, Mr Musk said “free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated”.

    Elon Musk sues anti-hate campaigners

    The company that runs Twitter recently disclosed that it was suing an anti-hate group whose research criticized the website.

    According to studies by the Center for Countering Digital hatred (CCDH), hatred and misinformation were “spreading like wildfire on the platform under Musk’s ownership.”

    X Corp charged CCDH with “unlawful acts” in order to “improperly gain access” to its data.

  • Twitter’s new trademark owned by Meta, Microsoft, hundreds more

    Twitter’s new trademark owned by Meta, Microsoft, hundreds more

    Billionaire Elon Musk’s recent decision to rebrand Twitter as X may encounter legal complexities, as other companies, such as Meta (META.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O), already hold intellectual property rights to the same letter.

    The letter “X” is extensively utilized and referenced in various trademarks, making it susceptible to potential legal disputes. Consequently, the company formerly known as Twitter could encounter challenges in safeguarding its X brand in the future.

    “There’s a 100% chance that Twitter is going to get sued over this by somebody,” said trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who said he counted nearly 900 active U.S. trademark registrations that already cover the letter X in a wide range of industries.

    On Monday, Elon Musk rebranded the social media network Twitter as “X” and revealed a new logo featuring a stylized black-and-white version of the letter.

    Trademarks protect brand names, logos, and slogans that identify the sources of goods, and owners of such trademarks can claim infringement if other branding causes consumer confusion. Remedies for infringement can include monetary damages or blocking the use of the contested branding.

    Since 2003, Microsoft has owned an X trademark related to communications about its Xbox video-game system. Meta Platforms, which has its Threads platform as a Twitter rival, also owns a federal trademark registered in 2019 that covers a blue-and-white letter “X” for fields like software and social media.

    While Meta and Microsoft might not sue immediately, they could take legal action if they perceive Twitter’s X branding to encroach on the brand equity they have built around the letter, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben.

    Both Meta and Microsoft, along with Twitter, have not responded to requests for comment.

    Meta itself faced intellectual property challenges when it changed its name from Facebook, including trademark lawsuits filed by investment firm Metacapital and virtual-reality company MetaX. Meta also settled another trademark dispute over its new infinity-symbol logo.

    If Musk’s rebranding efforts succeed, other companies could potentially lay claim to the letter “X” for their own branding purposes.

    “Given the difficulty in protecting a single letter, especially one as popular commercially as ‘X’, Twitter’s protection is likely to be confined to very similar graphics to their X logo,” said Douglas Masters, a trademark attorney at law firm Loeb & Loeb.

    “The logo does not have much distinctive about it, so the protection will be very narrow.”

    Insider reported earlier that Meta had an X trademark, and lawyer Ed Timberlake tweeted that Microsoft had one as well.

  • Is Elon Musk replacing the Twitter bird logo with an X?

    Is Elon Musk replacing the Twitter bird logo with an X?


    The iconic tweeting blue bird, one of the most easily recognizable logos on the web, has now been replaced. The question remains whether the new black and white Art Deco-style X will be a brilliant and strategic move or a potential branding disaster.

    Upon learning that billionaire Elon Musk had decided to replace Twitter’s logo with the Art Deco-inspired X, marketing professor Jean-Pierre Dube initially found it hard to believe, perceiving it as a jest or prank.

    “Why take a recognised brand, with a lot of brand capital around it and then completely throw it away and start from scratch?” said Prof Dube, who teaches at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “In the short-term, it seems weird.”

    But in the long term, could it work?

    Mr Musk’s takeover of Twitter last year has been punishing for the social media platform.

    Advertising revenue has dropped by half, Mr Musk said this month, as big brands pulled back, wary of changes he has made, including how the firm handles verified accounts and moderates content. Abrupt layoffs and unpaid bills have also led to bad press and lawsuits.

    Estimates by Fidelity, which has a stake in the company, suggest it is now worth just a third of the $44bn ($34.3bn) that Mr Musk paid for Twitter in October.

    Elon Musk said Twitter would be known as X

    Consultancy Brand Finance recently estimated that the firm’s brand was worth $3.9bn, down 32% since last year – a fall it attributed to Mr Musk’s “aggressive business approaches”.

    Research suggests that rebrands can pay off – particularly if a firm is in trouble or wants to change direction, said Yanhui Zhao, a professor of marketing at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

    His review of 215 rebranding announcements by publicly listed companies found that more than half of those businesses saw positive returns after they rebranded.

    That means Mr Musk’s moves could be timely, he said, noting the multi-billionaire’s ambition to transform Twitter into an “everything app” similar to China’s WeChat, a social messaging service on which users can send money, hail taxis, book hotels and play games, among other functions.

    “This is a much needed rebranding because of the strategic re-direction of Twitter,” he told the BBC, by email.

    But success becomes less likely when a company is in turmoil, warned Shuba Srinivasan, marketing professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. She said it was an especially risky move, given all the social media competitors, such as Mark Zuckerberg’s Threads, rushing to fill Twitter’s role.

    “The rebranding is likely to confirm the fear of many Twitter users that the acquisition by Musk signalled the end of the Twitter they knew,” she said.

    Nor is it clear that a rebranding addresses Twitter’s problems – many of which stem in part from Mr Musk, Prof Dube said.

    “I didn’t think there was a brand problem and brand identity problem as much as a leadership problem,” he said.

    In a May interview with satire site, The Babylon Bee, Mr Musk previewed the change, saying he thought he needed to “broaden the branding for Twitter” to help him succeed at pushing the company beyond the short text posts that made it famous.

    But some analysts said that the potential of this vision being successful faces long odds.

    In June, advisory firm Forrester Research published a report called “The super app window has closed,” which argued that tech giants such as Google and Apple currently offer super app-like functions to billions of users in the US and Europe, while tough regulatory hurdles and fierce competition limits opportunities for others.

    It noted that WeChat, the example that has been cited by Mr Musk, became dominant in China early, before other payment services emerged – and in part as a result of technical issues, such as limited phone memory, which discouraged downloading multiple apps.

    “While Musk’s vision is to turn X into an ‘everything app,’ this takes time, money, and people – three things that the company no longer has,” Mike Proulx, a research director at Forrester, wrote after Mr Musk’s announcement, adding that he thought the firm would shut or be be bought out in the next 12 months.

    Even if Twitter’s core users in media, politics and finance stay loyal, as they have in the past, making X successful would require participation from a far broader user base – no small challenge, said Harvard Business School professor Andy Wu.

    But he added that, Twitter faced difficulties before Mr Musk’s takeover and would benefit from some risk-taking.

    “We can debate whether those changes are in the right direction, but Twitter does need changes,” he said.

  • Elon Musk reveals Twitter’s new “X” logo

    Elon Musk reveals Twitter’s new “X” logo

    Twitter’s CEO unveiled the company’s new logo, a white X on a black background, following the desire expressed by its owner, Elon Musk, to replace the iconic bird logo.

    Linda Yaccarino took to Twitter on Monday morning, announcing the arrival of the new logo with enthusiasm, saying, “X is here! Let’s do this.”

    Elon Musk quickly followed suit by updating his profile picture to the new logo and incorporating “X.com” into his Twitter bio.

    As per reports, Musk is keen on developing a “super app” named “X,” hence the introduction of the new logo to align with this vision.

    On Sunday, the billionaire said he was looking to change Twitter’s logo, tweeting: “And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.”

    He then said that an interim logo would go live later the same day.

    Elon Musk, who has renamed the business to X Corp, expressed that the rebranding should have been done much earlier. He shared an image of a flickering “X” on Twitter, and in a subsequent Twitter Spaces audio chat, confirmed that the Twitter logo will indeed change.

    Linda Yaccarino, Twitter’s CEO, expressed excitement about the rebrand, seeing it as a new opportunity for X to further transform the global town square, building upon the massive impression Twitter had made in changing the way we communicate.

    The bird in Twitter’s logo, known as Larry, was originally a tribute to basketball star Larry Bird, according to Twitter’s co-founder Biz Stone.

    In certain regions like Asia, super-apps like India’s PayTM and Indonesia’s GoJek have become integral to people’s everyday lives, allowing users to pay for services through a single finance system. WeChat, with its broad range of services, has become one of the region’s biggest apps with a vast number of users.

    Twitter has long protected its recognizable blue bird logo, but during a temporary change in April, it was replaced with Dogecoin’s Shiba Inu dog, which contributed to a surge in the meme coin’s market value. This move led to accusations of insider trading against Elon Musk by a group of Dogecoin investors.

    Recently, Twitter faced criticism for imposing limits on how many tweets per day various account holders can read, leading to the growth of rival service Threads, owned by Meta, which saw over 100 million sign-ups in just five days after its launch.

    On top of these challenges, Twitter is now facing a lawsuit claiming that the company owes at least $500 million in severance pay to former employees, stemming from layoffs that occurred after Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company, which resulted in more than half of its workforce being let go.

  • Twitter to change logo, Elon Musk says

    Twitter to change logo, Elon Musk says

    On Sunday, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter, announced his intention to change the social media platform’s logo.

    In a tweet, he stated, “And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” He also mentioned that if a suitable “X” logo is posted on the platform, it will go live worldwide the following day.

    Musk shared an image of a flickering “X” as a potential new logo. During a Twitter Spaces audio chat, when asked if the Twitter logo would indeed change, he responded with a definitive “Yes,” expressing his belief that this change should have been implemented much earlier.

    Under Musk’s leadership since he acquired Twitter in October, the company has already undergone a name change to X Corp.

    The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Twitter’s website says its logo, depicting a blue bird, is “our most recognizable asset”. “That’s why we’re so protective of it,” it added.

    In April, Twitter temporarily replaced its iconic bird logo with Dogecoin’s Shiba Inu dog, which contributed to a significant surge in the market value of the meme coin.

    However, Twitter faced extensive backlash from users and marketing experts when Elon Musk announced a new policy to limit the number of tweets per day that various accounts can read.

    As a consequence of these limits, Meta-owned rival service Threads experienced rapid growth, attracting over 100 million sign-ups within just five days of its launch.

    Twitter’s most recent complication was a lawsuit filed on Tuesday claiming the firm owes at least $500 million in severance pay to former employees. Since Musk acquired it, the company has laid off more than half its workforce to cut costs.

  • Starlink launched in Kenya by Elon Musk

    Starlink launched in Kenya by Elon Musk

    A satellite internet company invented by Elon Musk, Starlink, has been officially launched in the Kenyan market, intensifying competition with local players such as Safaricom, Jamii Telecommunications Limited, and Zuku.

    The multinational firm, which is a subsidiary of Musk’s space technology company SpaceX, has appointed local internet provider Karibu Connect as its first authorized reseller in Kenya. Starlink promises to deliver impressive download speeds of up to 250 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 35 Mbps.

    According to a notification displayed on Starlink’s website, Kenyan home users can purchase a terminal to enable connections at a cost of Ksh89,000 ($628), along with a shipping fee of Ksh3,100 ($21.88). The monthly subscription charge for residential use will be Ksh6,500 ($45.89).

    For businesses, the hardware purchase comes at a cost of Ksh349,106 ($2,465) plus a shipping charge of Ksh7,500. The monthly subscription payment for business use has been set at Ksh13,572 ($95.81). With Starlink’s entry into the Kenyan market, users can look forward to improved internet connectivity and options.

    “Starlink is currently available in your area using inter-satellite links. You can expect Starlink’s typical high-speed internet with brief periods of intermittent service and high latency,” states the firm in a web notification.

    “Users will be able to engage in common internet activity like email, online shopping or streaming a movie, but they won’t be able to engage in activities like online gaming or video calls. Service will improve dramatically over the next year.”

    A recent spot check by Business Daily reveals that Starlink’s pricing for internet services falls in the middle range compared to other providers in the market.

    For home use, Safaricom, the market leader, offers a bronze fibre package with a speed of 8 Mbps for Ksh2,999 ($21.17) per month, while the silver bundle with speeds of 20 Mbps is priced at Ksh4,100 ($28.94).

    Safaricom’s office-use packages include the gold package with a speed of 40 Mbps, priced at Ksh6,299 ($44.47), and the diamond package with a speed of 100 Mbps, priced at Ksh12,499 ($88.24).

    On the other hand, JTL offers packages with different speeds: 40 Mbps at Ksh5,250 ($37) per month, 65 Mbps at Ksh10,500 ($74.13), 90 Mbps at Ksh15,750 ($111.19), and 140 Mbps at Ksh21,000 ($148.25).

    Starlink’s technology, however, supports services that traditional terrestrial communications solutions cannot provide, enabling unmodified smartphones to connect to satellites in areas with coverage gaps.

    The Starlink services cater to both fixed and mobile applications, including vehicle-mounted solutions for on-the-go use and connectivity on boats and ships operating both inland and offshore.

    Safaricom has also planned to offer satellite internet services in partnership with Starlink’s Texas-based competitor, AST SpaceMobile. This move could potentially revolutionize traditional telecoms services, especially in areas where infrastructure has left many regions without internet coverage, particularly in rural parts of the country.

  • Zuckerberg vs Musk: The ultimate tech ‘fight’ is brewing as Facebook and Twitter CEOs train with MMA stars

    Zuckerberg vs Musk: The ultimate tech ‘fight’ is brewing as Facebook and Twitter CEOs train with MMA stars

    It’s the battle of the billionaires that no one saw coming. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Elon Musk are reportedly gearing up for a potential fight that could settle their long-standing rivalry once and for all.

    Zuckerberg has made a surprising move in his preparations by hiring professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters to train him for the possible showdown.

    UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Alex Volkanovski were spotted arriving at Zuckerberg‘s residence in Northern California right after the UFC 290 showcase in Las Vegas.

    Social media users were stunned by the photos that emerged online, showing Zuckerberg’s transformation from a nerdy tech mogul to a ripped and athletic fighter.

    The photos captured the trio posing together while showing evidence of the intense training regimen.

    Photo credit: Israel Adesanya [@stylebender]
    Photo credit: Israel Adesanya [@stylebender]
    Photo credit: Israel Adesanya [@stylebender]

    Meanwhile, Elon Musk was seen training alongside accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt holder Lex Fridman, who claimed that Musk was eagerly anticipating the possibility of a clash with his rival, Mark Zuckerberg.

    Photo credit: Lex Fridman [@lexfridman]
    Photo credit: Lex Fridman [@lexfridman]

    As their rivalry continues to captivate the public’s imagination, their sudden interest in combat sports has added fuel to the fire. With each CEO proclaiming their elite team of fighters and honing their physical abilities, it remains to be seen whether this extraordinary showdown will come to fruition.

    What do you think? Who would win in a fight between Zuckerberg and Musk?

  • Nigeria’s MMA fighter, Israel Adesanya, trains Zuckerberg for cage match with Musk

    Nigeria’s MMA fighter, Israel Adesanya, trains Zuckerberg for cage match with Musk

    Well-known mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Israel Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, recently posted images on Twitter showing him working out American tech millionaire Mark Zuckerberg.

    This development took place amid rumors of a probable duel between Elon Musk, the rival businessman who currently runs Twitter and is originally from South Africa, and Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, the organization that owns Facebook and Instagram.

    “We both have South Africans to deal with,” Adesanya quipped on Thursday, along with four photos of the duo training together.

    The 33-year-old fighter, who was born in New Zealand but relocated there as a child, will compete in an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight match against South African Dricus du Plessis in September.

    Adesanya reportedly arrived at Mr. Zuckerberg’s house in northern California on Saturday to start their training sessions, according to news reports.

    Last month, Mr. Musk, 52, and Mr. Zuckerberg, 39, agreed to compete in a cage match on social media.

    Although a specific date has not yet been set for the fight, the two have already started another argument over Meta’s recent launch of a Twitter substitute.

    The Threads app has been downloaded by more than 70 million people so far.

  • Elon Musk unveils team for AI company set to overtake OpenAI

    Elon Musk unveils team for AI company set to overtake OpenAI

    Elon Musk finally unveiled the team of engineers from the major American technology companies who will be working on his long-promised artificial intelligence startup xAI on Wednesday. He aims to use this team to compete with ChatGPT.

    Musk, the owner of Twitter and CEO of Tesla (TSLA.O), will serve as the company’s chief executive. Musk has previously stated that the development of AI should be put on hold and that the industry requires oversight.

    “Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality,” Musk said in a tweet on Wednesday.

    The website said xAI will hold a Twitter Spaces event on July 14.

    Igor Babuschkin, a former DeepMind engineer, Tony Wu, a former Google (GOOGL.O) research scientist, Christian Szegedy, a former Microsoft research scientist, and Greg Yang make up the xAI team.

    According to a state filing, Musk registered X.AI Corp, a Nevada-incorporated company, in March.

    Musk is listed as the company’s only director while Jared Birchall, the family office’s managing director, is listed as the secretary.

    The billionaire had said in April that he would launch TruthGPT or a maximum truth-seeking AI to rival Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) Bing AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe.

    Generative AI caught the limelight with OpenAI’s launch of popular chatbot ChatGPT, which came in November last year, ahead of the launch of Bard and Bing AI.

    Dan Hendrycks, who will advise the xAI team, currently serves as the director of the Center for AI Safety and his work revolves around the risks of AI.

    Musk’s new company is separate from X Corp, but will work closely with Twitter, Tesla, and other companies, according to the website.

    xAI said it is recruiting experienced engineers and researchers in the Bay Area.

    Reporting by Akash Sriram, Chavi Mehta, Yuvraj Malik and Aditya Soni in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber.