As Billionaire Elon Musk looks all set to buy Twitter, here's look at what's wrong with Twitter as a business model. Is it a broken business?

Twitter CEO: Direction of the platform unclear

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has met with a mixed reaction from the general public, people in Washington DC voiced their concerns with the spread of fake news and also hate speech while others fear that the world's richest man could now control content for his own purpose.

'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition

The world's richest man Elon Musk has managed to strike a deal with the American micro-blogging site Twitter. The Tesla CEO will now be buying twitter for $44 billion, an all-cash deal. Now, what changes can be expected at Twitter? Will Twitter get an edit button?

Elon Musk acquires social media giant, will Twitter get an 'edit' button now?

Elon Musk, world’s richest man, is set to takeover Twitter for $44 billion. But this deal may be ‘concerning’ for some. The White House Secretary Jen Psaki said US President Joe Biden has “long been concerned about the power of large social media platforms.” Some even speculate the road ahead of Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal while others find a China angle in the story.

Elon Musk’s Twitter deal has people ‘concerned’

Elon Musk, world's richest man, is set to buy Twitter for $44 billion. The deal is likely to cause major changes in tech universe. But is this the biggest-ever acquisition? Not really. Here's a look at biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far.

Elon Musk buys Twitter, is this biggest-ever tech acquisition?

The world's richest man Elon Musk has managed to strike a deal with the American micro-blogging site Twitter. The Tesla CEO will now be buying twitter for $44 billion, an all-cash deal.

Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal

Twitter accepts Elon Musk's buyout deal as it is set to be owned by World's richest man

<p>Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion. The sale will now give control of one of the most popular social media platforms to the world's richest person. Twitter is used by millions of people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a joint release announcing the takeover, 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."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports related to the bid were circulated and the discussions over the deal dominated the media reports&nbsp;globally.</p>

<p>The talks were reportedly accelerated over the weekend after Musk wooed Twitter shareholders with financing details of his offer.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-twitter-hammers-out-deal-to-sell-itself-to-musk-lets-look-at-microblogging-sites-rich-history-473749">The Twitter saga: From Jack Dorsey's first tweet to $43bn bid by Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>It has been reported that shareholders will receive $54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own as per the terms of the deal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>CNN reported that it is apparently matching Tesla CEO's original offer and marking a 38 per cent premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Twitter independent board chair Bret Taylor said in a statement: "The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon's proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taylor hailed the deal as "the best path forward for Twitter's stockholders."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the European Commission said it was too early to comment on the deal but recalled that the bloc's digital services rules apply to all major platforms.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-a-brief-history-of-amber-heard-elon-musk-romance-473065">A brief history of Amber Heard-Elon Musk romance</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Elon Musk acquires social media giant, will Twitter get an 'edit' button now?</strong></p>

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<p>The sale is termed as a dramatic shift for the board as the deal has ended Twitter's run as a public company since its 2013 initial public offering. The board originally manoeuvred to block Musk from taking the social media network private.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported, The New York Stock Exchange (NYS) also suspended trading of Twitter stock amid reports the company was close to accepting Tesla boss Elon Musk's takeover offer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around 1850 GMT, the NYSE said trading was halted on Twitter due to news pending. The stock had gained 5.5 per cent in the day's session.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch WION live:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion. The sale will now give control of one of the most popular social media platforms to the world's richest person.

Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion. The sale will now give control of one of the most popular social media platforms to the world's richest person. Twitter is used by millions of people. In a joint release announcing the takeover, 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." Reports related to the bid were circulated and the discussions over the deal dominated the media reports globally. The talks were reportedly accelerated over the weekend after Musk wooed Twitter shareholders with financing details of his offer. IN PICS | The Twitter saga: From Jack Dorsey's first tweet to $43bn bid by Elon Musk It has been reported that shareholders will receive $54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own as per the terms of the deal. CNN reported that it is apparently matching Tesla CEO's original offer and marking a 38 per cent premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company. Twitter independent board chair Bret Taylor said in a statement: "The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon's proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing." Taylor hailed the deal as "the best path forward for Twitter's stockholders." Meanwhile, the European Commission said it was too early to comment on the deal but recalled that the bloc's digital services rules apply to all major platforms. ALSO READ | A brief history of Amber Heard-Elon Musk romance WATCH | Elon Musk acquires social media giant, will Twitter get an 'edit' button now? × The sale is termed as a dramatic shift for the board as the deal has ended Twitter's run as a public company since its 2013 initial public offering. The board originally manoeuvred to block Musk from taking the social media network private. As reported, The New York Stock Exchange (NYS) also suspended trading of Twitter stock amid reports the company was close to accepting Tesla boss Elon Musk's takeover offer. Around 1850 GMT, the NYSE said trading was halted on Twitter due to news pending. The stock had gained 5.5 per cent in the day's session. Watch WION live: × (With inputs from agencies)

Twitter confirms sale of company to Elon Musk for $44 billion

<p>After Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion, rumours started circulating that&nbsp;former US President Donald Trump might return to the micro-blogging platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This may come as a shock, but apparently, former Trump would not be returning to Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As soon as the news broke that Tesla CEO Elon Musk had successfully purchased Twitter, the social media site was very quickly flooded with tweets and memes about the return of this controversial figure to the platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wion-explains-the-elon-musk-controversy-and-the-current-top-shareholders-of-twitter-471576">WION explains | The Elon Musk-Twitter saga; from hostile bid to the actual takeover</a></strong></p>

<p>However, the business mogul himself has declared that he will not be returning to Twitter. Talking to Fox News, he said that he will join his own startup Truth Social over the next seven days.</p>

<p>"I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth."</p>

<p>The Republican leader however did say a few words of praise for Elon Musk.</p>

<p>"I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth," he said.</p>

<p>Trump has been barred from using Twitter for life.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/musk-may-control-content-for-his-own-purpose-mixed-reactions-on-elon-musks-twitter-acquisition-473883/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>This happened after the infamous assault on the US Capitol in January 2021. Following Trump's inciting tweets and speeches, his supporters rallied on the Capitol, protesting Biden's election as President.</p>

<p>It soon turned bloody, and led to the death of five people, injuring another hundred plus.</p>

<p>At the time of this ban, the businessman had more than 88 million followers. Quite predictably, he didn’t take the ban very nicely.</p>

<p>Using the POTUS Twitter account, he accused Twitter staff of colluding with his political opponents in response to the account suspension.</p>

<p>“As I have been saying for a long time, Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me — and YOU, the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for me.”</p>

<p><img alt="Trump's tweets" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="742d65ea-7f1f-400b-a605-6415205f6803" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Gallery%20%2811%29_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><sup>(Image courtesy: TechCrunch)</sup></em></p>

<p>It was then that he declared his intention of launching his own social media platform, an idea that took the form of Truth Social.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tech-visionary-turned-social-media-king-elon-musks-a-list-enterprises-and-how-much-they-are-worth-473896">Tech visionary turned social media king Elon Musk's A-list enterprises and how much they are worth</a></strong></p>

<p>However, as per an AFP report, Trump has only posted once since the platform's launch in February.</p>

<p>Following its launch, the app was downloaded by over one million people, but interest appears to have dwindled due to technical issues and excessive wait times to access accounts.</p>

<p>Still, Trump claims that “what we're finding is that the response on TRUTH is much better than being on Twitter. Twitter has bots and fake accounts, and we are doing everything we can”.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;Elon Musk said that free speech is the "bedrock of a functioning democracy".</p>

<p>He further added that Twitter is the "digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch WION, Live:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


After Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion, rumours started circulating that former US President Donald Trump might return to the micro-blogging platform.

After Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for $44 billion, rumours started circulating that former US President Donald Trump might return to the micro-blogging platform. This may come as a shock, but apparently, former Trump would not be returning to Twitter. As soon as the news broke that Tesla CEO Elon Musk had successfully purchased Twitter, the social media site was very quickly flooded with tweets and memes about the return of this controversial figure to the platform. Also read | WION explains | The Elon Musk-Twitter saga; from hostile bid to the actual takeover However, the business mogul himself has declared that he will not be returning to Twitter. Talking to Fox News, he said that he will join his own startup Truth Social over the next seven days. "I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth." The Republican leader however did say a few words of praise for Elon Musk. "I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth," he said. Trump has been barred from using Twitter for life. Watch | 'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition This happened after the infamous assault on the US Capitol in January 2021. Following Trump's inciting tweets and speeches, his supporters rallied on the Capitol, protesting Biden's election as President. It soon turned bloody, and led to the death of five people, injuring another hundred plus. At the time of this ban, the businessman had more than 88 million followers. Quite predictably, he didn’t take the ban very nicely. Using the POTUS Twitter account, he accused Twitter staff of colluding with his political opponents in response to the account suspension. “As I have been saying for a long time, Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me — and YOU, the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for me.” (Image courtesy: TechCrunch) It was then that he declared his intention of launching his own social media platform, an idea that took the form of Truth Social. Also read | Tech visionary turned social media king Elon Musk's A-list enterprises and how much they are worth However, as per an AFP report, Trump has only posted once since the platform's launch in February. Following its launch, the app was downloaded by over one million people, but interest appears to have dwindled due to technical issues and excessive wait times to access accounts. Still, Trump claims that “what we're finding is that the response on TRUTH is much better than being on Twitter. Twitter has bots and fake accounts, and we are doing everything we can”. Meanwhile, Elon Musk said that free speech is the "bedrock of a functioning democracy". He further added that Twitter is the "digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated". Watch WION, Live: (With inputs from agencies)

Will Donald Trump return to Twitter? Ex-Prez responds after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover

<p>Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed that it is selling the micro-blogging platform to the world's richest person Elon Musk in a stunning deal valued at $44 billion. How many zeroes does $44 billion have? Nevermind!&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the deal. the publicly traded firm will now become a private company owned by Musk. Apart from this, Musk's efforts have raised hopes about the commercial potential of the micro-blogging platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement after the deal was finalised, Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that free speech is the "bedrock of a functioning democracy". He further added that Twitter is the "digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ever wondered what else could have been done with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/twitter-confirms-sale-of-company-to-elon-musk-for-44-bn-473837">$44 billion</a>?&nbsp;</p>

<p>Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms and millions of people use it. When the news broke, Twitterati reacted with jokes, memes and suggestions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-musks-twitter-deal-whats-next-for-ceo-parag-agrawal-473891">After Musk's Twitter deal, what's next for CEO Parag Agrawal?</a></strong></p>

<p>Among other users, Umar Saif, who is a Pakistani computer scientist and academic, also commented. He rather insinuated that the money used to buy Twitter could have helped Sri Lanka amid the economic crisis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a tweet, Saif, who also serves&nbsp;as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme in Pakistan, wrote, "Elon Musk just bought Twitter for $43 billion."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For a slightly larger amount, he could have also saved Sri Lanka's international default on its debt of $45 billion. Such is the power of big wealth. Focus on that startup you have been dreaming about," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The European Commission has said that it was too early to comment on the deal&nbsp;but recalled that the bloc's digital services rules apply to all major platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/elon-musk-buys-twitter-here-are-other-biggest-ever-tech-acquisitions-so-far-473886">Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elon Musk just bought Twitter for $43 billion.<br />
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For a slightly larger amount, he could have also saved Sri Lanka's international default on its debt of $45 billion.<br />
<br />
Such is the power of big wealth. Focus on that startup you have been dreaming about …</p>
— Umar Saif (@umarsaif) <a href="https://twitter.com/umarsaif/status/1518671314445344769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>What else could have been done?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Such an amount could help in solving world hunger. For instance, in a detailed plan, United Nations' World Food Programme noted that Musk could support 42 million people facing famine by giving them one meal per person per day for a year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per The Verge report, the cost of that plan was apparently, $6.6 billion. The report also mentioned that the billionaire had donated $5.7 billion to charity in November.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Elon Musk acquires social media giant, will Twitter get an 'edit' button now?</strong></p>

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<p>Musk could have bought a media house to support journalism, similar to what Jeff Bezos did when he spent $250 million to buy The Washington Post. Laurene Powell Jobs spent around $100 million and owns a majority stake in The Atlantic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Such an amount could help economies that have been battered by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The amount can facilitate planning for future pandemics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The amount would&nbsp;help underdeveloped nations to provide citizens with basic amenities like food, clean water, proper sanitation, etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed that it is selling the micro-blogging platform to the world's richest person Elon Musk in a stunning deal valued at $44 billion.

Twitter on Monday (April 25) confirmed that it is selling the micro-blogging platform to the world's richest person Elon Musk in a stunning deal valued at $44 billion. How many zeroes does $44 billion have? Nevermind! After the deal. the publicly traded firm will now become a private company owned by Musk. Apart from this, Musk's efforts have raised hopes about the commercial potential of the micro-blogging platform. In a statement after the deal was finalised, Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that free speech is the "bedrock of a functioning democracy". He further added that Twitter is the "digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated". Ever wondered what else could have been done with $44 billion? Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms and millions of people use it. When the news broke, Twitterati reacted with jokes, memes and suggestions. ALSO READ | After Musk's Twitter deal, what's next for CEO Parag Agrawal? Among other users, Umar Saif, who is a Pakistani computer scientist and academic, also commented. He rather insinuated that the money used to buy Twitter could have helped Sri Lanka amid the economic crisis. In a tweet, Saif, who also serves as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme in Pakistan, wrote, "Elon Musk just bought Twitter for $43 billion." "For a slightly larger amount, he could have also saved Sri Lanka's international default on its debt of $45 billion. Such is the power of big wealth. Focus on that startup you have been dreaming about," he added. The European Commission has said that it was too early to comment on the deal but recalled that the bloc's digital services rules apply to all major platforms. IN PICS | Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far Elon Musk just bought Twitter for $43 billion. For a slightly larger amount, he could have also saved Sri Lanka's international default on its debt of $45 billion. Such is the power of big wealth. Focus on that startup you have been dreaming about … — Umar Saif (@umarsaif) April 25, 2022 × What else could have been done? Such an amount could help in solving world hunger. For instance, in a detailed plan, United Nations' World Food Programme noted that Musk could support 42 million people facing famine by giving them one meal per person per day for a year. As per The Verge report, the cost of that plan was apparently, $6.6 billion. The report also mentioned that the billionaire had donated $5.7 billion to charity in November. WATCH | Elon Musk acquires social media giant, will Twitter get an 'edit' button now? × Musk could have bought a media house to support journalism, similar to what Jeff Bezos did when he spent $250 million to buy The Washington Post. Laurene Powell Jobs spent around $100 million and owns a majority stake in The Atlantic. Such an amount could help economies that have been battered by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The amount can facilitate planning for future pandemics. The amount would help underdeveloped nations to provide citizens with basic amenities like food, clean water, proper sanitation, etc. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Elon Musk buys Twitter: What else could have been done with a mind-boggling amount of $44 billion?

<p>Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal on Monday told employees that the company was in dark about future under Elon Musk. The billionaire is soon to take over social media giant.</p>

<p>Agrawal was speaking with his employees in a company-wide town hall meeting.</p>

<p>The company told the staff that Musk will hold a question-and-answer session with employees at a later date.</p>

<p>During the town hall meeting, Agrawal was asked about the possibility of layoffs, Twitter board's rationale for the deal and also about Musk's plans for the company. Agrawal deferred many questions as ones that should be asked of Musk.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-elon-musks-purchase-of-twitter-white-house-expresses-concerns-473856">After Musk's Twitter deal, White House says concerned over 'power of large social media platforms'</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk has said he believes Twitter should be a platform for free speech. Employees asked Agrawal whether former US President Donald Trump, who was permanently suspended from Twitter last year, would be allowed to return once Musk takes over.</p>

<p>"Once the deal closes, we don't know which direction the platform will go," Agrawal said, referring to the question regarding Trump. "I believe when we have an opportunity to speak with Elon, it's a question we should address with him."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/twitter-confirms-sale-of-company-to-elon-musk-for-44-bn-473837">Twitter confirms sale of company to Elon Musk for $44 billion</a></strong></p>

<p>Agrawal told employees that there were no plans for layoffs.</p>

<p>Bret Taylor, chair of Twitter's board of directors, aimed to reassure employees that the agreement with Musk prioritized "operating continuity" until the deal was closed.</p>

<p><strong>Watch WION Live!</strong></p>

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<p>"I think we feel very comfortable that (the deal) gives this team the ability to continue to make the company successful in between signing and closing the transaction," Taylor said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal on Monday told employees that the company was in dark about future under Elon Musk. The billionaire is soon to take over social media giant.

Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal on Monday told employees that the company was in dark about future under Elon Musk. The billionaire is soon to take over social media giant. Agrawal was speaking with his employees in a company-wide town hall meeting. The company told the staff that Musk will hold a question-and-answer session with employees at a later date. During the town hall meeting, Agrawal was asked about the possibility of layoffs, Twitter board's rationale for the deal and also about Musk's plans for the company. Agrawal deferred many questions as ones that should be asked of Musk. Also Read | After Musk's Twitter deal, White House says concerned over 'power of large social media platforms' Musk has said he believes Twitter should be a platform for free speech. Employees asked Agrawal whether former US President Donald Trump, who was permanently suspended from Twitter last year, would be allowed to return once Musk takes over. "Once the deal closes, we don't know which direction the platform will go," Agrawal said, referring to the question regarding Trump. "I believe when we have an opportunity to speak with Elon, it's a question we should address with him." Also Read | Twitter confirms sale of company to Elon Musk for $44 billion Agrawal told employees that there were no plans for layoffs. Bret Taylor, chair of Twitter's board of directors, aimed to reassure employees that the agreement with Musk prioritized "operating continuity" until the deal was closed. Watch WION Live! × "I think we feel very comfortable that (the deal) gives this team the ability to continue to make the company successful in between signing and closing the transaction," Taylor said. (With inputs from agencies)

Under Elon Musk, Twitter's future in the dark, CEO Parag Agrawal tells employees

<p>Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, on Tuesday (April 26) dismissed speculation that the country may&nbsp;try to influence Twitter through Tesla.</p>

<p>Addressing a press conference, Wenbin said, "I noticed that you're good at speculating but there is no basis."</p>

<p>Tesla CEO Elon Musk has bought Twitter with a cash deal of $44 billion and since China is the biggest market for the electric automobile company it was speculated that it might use this to influence the content on the microblogging site Twitter.</p>

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<p>Earlier, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had said the Twitter deal gives China "a bit of leverage over the town square."</p>

<p>"My own answer to this question is probably not. The more likely outcome in this regard is complexity in China for Tesla, rather than censorship at Twitter," Bezos had tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Interesting question. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square? <a href="https://t.co/jTiEnabP6T">https://t.co/jTiEnabP6T</a></p>
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1518734031566778368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>In response, Musk, who is the world's richest man and a competitor of Bezos said, "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means."</p>

<p>Interestingly, Twitter is blocked in China and Beijing uses Weibo as its replacement in the Communist country.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/elon-musk-buys-twitter-here-are-other-biggest-ever-tech-acquisitions-so-far-473886">Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far</a></strong></p>

<p>After Musk opened a new showroom in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, American activists had urged him to close it as Beijing has made concentration camps over there to abuse Uighur Muslims.</p>

<p>According to Ibrahim Hooper, the communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, “No American corporation should be doing business in a region that is the focal point of a campaign of genocide targeting a religious and ethnic minority.”</p>

<p><strong>Watch WION's live TV here:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>Even White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had condemned the move saying, “The international community, including the public and private sectors cannot look the other way when it comes to what is taking place in Xinjiang.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2019, Musk opened Tesla's first factory outside the US in Shanghai. He has been at loggerheads with the US Securities Exchange Commission over a tweet claiming he will take Tesla private in 2018.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, on Tuesday (April 26) dismissed speculation that the country may try to influence Twitter through Tesla.

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, on Tuesday (April 26) dismissed speculation that the country may try to influence Twitter through Tesla. Addressing a press conference, Wenbin said, "I noticed that you're good at speculating but there is no basis." Tesla CEO Elon Musk has bought Twitter with a cash deal of $44 billion and since China is the biggest market for the electric automobile company it was speculated that it might use this to influence the content on the microblogging site Twitter. Earlier, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had said the Twitter deal gives China "a bit of leverage over the town square." "My own answer to this question is probably not. The more likely outcome in this regard is complexity in China for Tesla, rather than censorship at Twitter," Bezos had tweeted. Interesting question. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square? https://t.co/jTiEnabP6T — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 25, 2022 × In response, Musk, who is the world's richest man and a competitor of Bezos said, "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means." Interestingly, Twitter is blocked in China and Beijing uses Weibo as its replacement in the Communist country. Also see | Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far After Musk opened a new showroom in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, American activists had urged him to close it as Beijing has made concentration camps over there to abuse Uighur Muslims. According to Ibrahim Hooper, the communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, “No American corporation should be doing business in a region that is the focal point of a campaign of genocide targeting a religious and ethnic minority.” Watch WION's live TV here: Even White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had condemned the move saying, “The international community, including the public and private sectors cannot look the other way when it comes to what is taking place in Xinjiang.” In 2019, Musk opened Tesla's first factory outside the US in Shanghai. He has been at loggerheads with the US Securities Exchange Commission over a tweet claiming he will take Tesla private in 2018. (With inputs from agencies)

Twitter-Elon Musk deal: China junks speculations it may gain influence over the site

<p>Twitter&nbsp;Inc and its advisers were not sure at first how seriously to take him.</p>

<p>Elon&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;$54.20-per-share offer price for the social media company on April 14 contained the digits 420, a reference to a trope for smoking marijuana. Financing documents he submitted last week in support of his bid were signed on April 20, abbreviated as 4/20.</p>

<p>Such references harken back to his 2018 "funding secured" tweet stating that he was considering taking electric car maker Tesla Inc private for $420 per share. Tesla and Musk subsequently&nbsp;agreed&nbsp;to pay $20 million each to settle charges that he misled investors.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-elon-musks-twitter-takeover-donald-trump-is-going-to-stay-on-truth-473932">Even after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, Donald Trump is going 'to stay on Truth'</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk said he rounded the price up to $420 because he had recently learned about the number's significance in marijuana culture and thought his girlfriend would find it funny, "which admittedly is not a great reason to pick a price," according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission complaint filed at the time.</p>

<p>Discussions with&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;turned serious, however, when the San Francisco-based company's advisers, including bankers at Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co and Allen &amp; Co, started poring through&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;financing documents in support of his $44&nbsp;billion&nbsp;bid on April 21.</p>

<p>Many of the biggest Wall Street banks, led by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Corp and Barclays Plc, committed to providing $25.5&nbsp;billion&nbsp;in debt, some of it secured against&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;and some of it tied to&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;Tesla stock. Musk himself committed another $21&nbsp;billion&nbsp;in cash.</p>

<p>Twitter's board, which was still reviewing&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;bid after he had presented it with little detail a week earlier, went into overdrive. It rushed to complete an analysis to assign a value on its standalone plan which Parag Agrawal, five months into his role as&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;chief executive, was delivering on. And it asked its bankers to triple-check if there was any other bidder who could offer more than Musk.</p>

<p>This account of how&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;deal&nbsp;for&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;came together is based on interviews with four people familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity to discuss them.</p>

<p>Representatives for Musk,&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;and the banks either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.</p>

<p>Overseeing&nbsp;deal&nbsp;negotiations for&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;was its board chairman Bret Taylor, who is also co-chief executive of Salesforce. It became clear to&nbsp;Twitter's board directors there was no white knight, as technology and media companies fretted about the potential antitrust risk, while private equity firms could not saddle the company with enough debt to juice returns, given its limited cash flow.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/musk-may-control-content-for-his-own-purpose-mixed-reactions-on-elon-musks-twitter-acquisition-473883/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Musk had said he did not care about the economics of the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;"at all" and was pursuing&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;to advance free speech, disillusioned by many of its platform moderation decisions.</p>

<p>His bid was not rich by historical standards. While it came with a 38% premium to where&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;shares were trading before April 4, when he emerged as a&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;shareholder, the stock had traded higher than his offer for most of last year.</p>

<p>Twitter's bankers projected, however, that even if the company did as well as last year, investors would value it less, because the advertising market in the social media world had become more price-competitive. The board did not believe Agrawal could bring the stock back to $54.20 anytime soon.</p>

<p>That view was shared by many&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;shareholders, including big active mutual funds, who reached out to&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;after Musk showed he had financing for his offer. These shareholders asked the company not to let the opportunity for a&nbsp;deal&nbsp;slip away.</p>

<p>If&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;ignored Musk, some of the investors threatened to side with him in a tender offer that he had said he was exploring. A poison pill that&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;had adopted would protect the company&nbsp;from&nbsp;a takeover, but it would not spare it&nbsp;from&nbsp;publicly losing the support of its shareholders.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-musks-twitter-deal-whats-next-for-ceo-parag-agrawal-473891">After Musk's Twitter deal, what's next for CEO Parag Agrawal?</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Bleak backdrop</strong></p>

<p>The stars aligned for Musk in more ways. Technology stocks plunged for most of April amid concerns over inflation and an economic slowdown - a bleak backdrop for&nbsp;Twitter.</p>

<p>Musk also had some allies on&nbsp;Twitter's board. Egon Durban, the co-head of private equity firm Silver Lake who partnered with Musk on his abandoned bid for Tesla, serves on&nbsp;Twitter's board. Jack Dorsey, another board director and the company's former CEO, shares&nbsp;Musk's&nbsp;passion for cryptocurrencies and has often exchanged compliments with him online.</p>

<p>"Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness," Dorsey tweeted on Monday, adding that taking&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;"back&nbsp;from&nbsp;Wall Street is the correct first step."</p>

<p>Twitter's advisers met with Musk on Sunday and tried to convince him to raise his offer, but he stuck to his position that the $54.20-per-share offer was his "best and final".</p>

<p>As a small concession, Musk&nbsp;agreed&nbsp;to offer&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;a chunky break-up fee in the event he changed his mind and walked away. The exact fee is expected to be disclosed in regulatory filings on Tuesday.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/elon-musk-buys-twitter-here-are-other-biggest-ever-tech-acquisitions-so-far-473886">Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far</a></strong></p>

<p>In the small hours of Monday, the two sides&nbsp;agreed&nbsp;to a&nbsp;deal, and&nbsp;Twitter's board met to approve it later in the day.&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;shares, which had ended trading at $45.08 the day that Musk unveiled his bid, closed at $51.70, only a small discount to the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;price.</p>

<p>Four years after walking away&nbsp;from&nbsp;a $72&nbsp;billion&nbsp;acquisition of Tesla he once contemplated, the world's richest person now has a mega&nbsp;deal&nbsp;to brag about.</p>

<p>"I hope that even my worst critics remain on&nbsp;Twitter, because that is what free speech means," Musk tweeted on Monday.</p>


Twitter Inc and its advisers were not sure at first how seriously to take him. Elon Musk's $54.20-per-share offer price for the social media company on April 14 contained the digits 420, a reference to a trope for smoking marijuana.

Twitter Inc and its advisers were not sure at first how seriously to take him. Elon Musk's $54.20-per-share offer price for the social media company on April 14 contained the digits 420, a reference to a trope for smoking marijuana. Financing documents he submitted last week in support of his bid were signed on April 20, abbreviated as 4/20. Such references harken back to his 2018 "funding secured" tweet stating that he was considering taking electric car maker Tesla Inc private for $420 per share. Tesla and Musk subsequently agreed to pay $20 million each to settle charges that he misled investors. Also read | Even after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, Donald Trump is going 'to stay on Truth' Musk said he rounded the price up to $420 because he had recently learned about the number's significance in marijuana culture and thought his girlfriend would find it funny, "which admittedly is not a great reason to pick a price," according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission complaint filed at the time. Discussions with Twitter turned serious, however, when the San Francisco-based company's advisers, including bankers at Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Allen & Co, started poring through Musk's financing documents in support of his $44 billion bid on April 21. Many of the biggest Wall Street banks, led by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Corp and Barclays Plc, committed to providing $25.5 billion in debt, some of it secured against Twitter and some of it tied to Musk's Tesla stock. Musk himself committed another $21 billion in cash. Twitter's board, which was still reviewing Musk's bid after he had presented it with little detail a week earlier, went into overdrive. It rushed to complete an analysis to assign a value on its standalone plan which Parag Agrawal, five months into his role as Twitter chief executive, was delivering on. And it asked its bankers to triple-check if there was any other bidder who could offer more than Musk. This account of how Musk's deal for Twitter came together is based on interviews with four people familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity to discuss them. Representatives for Musk, Twitter and the banks either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. Overseeing deal negotiations for Twitter was its board chairman Bret Taylor, who is also co-chief executive of Salesforce. It became clear to Twitter's board directors there was no white knight, as technology and media companies fretted about the potential antitrust risk, while private equity firms could not saddle the company with enough debt to juice returns, given its limited cash flow. Watch | 'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition Musk had said he did not care about the economics of the deal "at all" and was pursuing Twitter to advance free speech, disillusioned by many of its platform moderation decisions. His bid was not rich by historical standards. While it came with a 38% premium to where Twitter shares were trading before April 4, when he emerged as a Twitter shareholder, the stock had traded higher than his offer for most of last year. Twitter's bankers projected, however, that even if the company did as well as last year, investors would value it less, because the advertising market in the social media world had become more price-competitive. The board did not believe Agrawal could bring the stock back to $54.20 anytime soon. That view was shared by many Twitter shareholders, including big active mutual funds, who reached out to Twitter after Musk showed he had financing for his offer. These shareholders asked the company not to let the opportunity for a deal slip away. If Twitter ignored Musk, some of the investors threatened to side with him in a tender offer that he had said he was exploring. A poison pill that Twitter had adopted would protect the company from a takeover, but it would not spare it from publicly losing the support of its shareholders. Also read | After Musk's Twitter deal, what's next for CEO Parag Agrawal? Bleak backdrop The stars aligned for Musk in more ways. Technology stocks plunged for most of April amid concerns over inflation and an economic slowdown - a bleak backdrop for Twitter. Musk also had some allies on Twitter's board. Egon Durban, the co-head of private equity firm Silver Lake who partnered with Musk on his abandoned bid for Tesla, serves on Twitter's board. Jack Dorsey, another board director and the company's former CEO, shares Musk's passion for cryptocurrencies and has often exchanged compliments with him online. "Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness," Dorsey tweeted on Monday, adding that taking Twitter "back from Wall Street is the correct first step." Twitter's advisers met with Musk on Sunday and tried to convince him to raise his offer, but he stuck to his position that the $54.20-per-share offer was his "best and final". As a small concession, Musk agreed to offer Twitter a chunky break-up fee in the event he changed his mind and walked away. The exact fee is expected to be disclosed in regulatory filings on Tuesday. Also read | Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far In the small hours of Monday, the two sides agreed to a deal, and Twitter's board met to approve it later in the day. Twitter shares, which had ended trading at $45.08 the day that Musk unveiled his bid, closed at $51.70, only a small discount to the deal price. Four years after walking away from a $72 billion acquisition of Tesla he once contemplated, the world's richest person now has a mega deal to brag about. "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means," Musk tweeted on Monday.

From weed joke to agreed deal: Inside Musk's $44 billion Twitter buyout

<p>You would have to be living under a rock to not know by now that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has added yet another feather to his cap: Twitter.</p>

<p>But, let’s still have a short recap. Musk has purchased Twitter for the huge sum of $44 Billion, and this ‘happy ending’ comes after a battle of words and some actions drawn out over a few weeks.</p>

<p>Different people had different reactions to this news.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-elon-musks-twitter-takeover-donald-trump-is-going-to-stay-on-truth-473932">Even after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, Donald Trump is going 'to stay on Truth'</a></strong></p>

<p>Twitter founder Jack Dorsey backed the move commenting, "Elon’s goal of creating a platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is the right one."</p>

<p>The United States expressed concern about the power that large social media outlets hold. While the White House dismissed that the concerns had anything to do with the billionaire, spokesperson Jen Psaki did say "no matter who owns or runs Twitter, the President has long been concerned about the power of large social media platforms, that power they have over our everyday lives."</p>

<p>Now let’s take a look at what the controversial personality, the former president Donald Trump had to say about Musk’s takeover of Twitter.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/musk-may-control-content-for-his-own-purpose-mixed-reactions-on-elon-musks-twitter-acquisition-473883/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Talking to Fox News, he declared that he will not be returning to Twitter. &nbsp;"I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth," referring to his own startup Truth Social.</p>

<p>The Republican leader however also praised Elon Musk. "I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth," he said.</p>

<p>But what did the Twitterati have to say about Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Twitter?</p>

<p>Let’s find out:</p>

<p>Many took to tweeting out requests for the reinstatement of Donald Trump’s banned account, celebrating what was once a very controversial but at times entertaining account with more than 8 million followers.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> it's a great week to free <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>.</p>
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1518573725511213057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Raise your hand if you DEMAND that <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ElonMusk</a> not allow Trump back on Twitter ✋<br />
<br />
I want to see if we can launch a movement.</p>
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) <a href="https://twitter.com/CalltoActivism/status/1518686584664735746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you Elon Musk Donald Trump will be back on Twitter.</p>
— Mazi Iheanacho Nwaeke (@stanleynwaeke77) <a href="https://twitter.com/stanleynwaeke77/status/1518856705504911360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elon Musk is making Twitter GREAT AGAIN<br />
TRUMP IS COMING to make AMERICA GREAT AGAIN<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS45</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a><br />
🙏🔥</p>
— Eze Darlington Okechukwu (@darlykingo) <a href="https://twitter.com/darlykingo/status/1518868228482781185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Others expressed their dismay in pretty strong terms calling the takeover the “worst thing that could happen to Democracy, Freedom of Speech, &amp; Advocating for what’s right”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wion-explains-the-elon-musk-controversy-and-the-current-top-shareholders-of-twitter-471576">WION explains | The Elon Musk-Twitter saga; from hostile bid to the actual takeover</a></strong></p>

<p>There were also claims that this takeover is “Trump’s main man” Elon Musk’s attempt at helping Trump win the 2024 Presidential elections.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear Elon Musk,<br />
Please keep Trump off of Twitter.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
All Americans</p>
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDCocchiarella/status/1518667546790178820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guys, I don’t really care whether you or I or anyone we know stays on Twitter or leaves. Elon Musk is going to reinstate Trump’s account, and that will set Trump up to win in 2024. That’s all that matters here.</p>
— Jess Row (@row_ie_argument) <a href="https://twitter.com/row_ie_argument/status/1518667048481607680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elon Musk Acquiring Twitter would be the worst thing that could happen to Democracy, Freedom of Speech, &amp; Advocating for what’s right! He’s a Repub. he’d Reinstate Trump &amp; non stop lies propaganda &amp; misinformation would Nvr. End! It’ll be Goodbye Twitter 👈🏾🤦🏾‍♀️ <a href="https://t.co/B9OVVX7eZZ">pic.twitter.com/B9OVVX7eZZ</a></p>
— Donnedia Edmond (@donnedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/donnedia/status/1518621670960865281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Remember the thing when Trump was running for office where people denied he was a white supremacist candidate but all the Nazis and white supremacists were going, "He's our candidate!"<br />
<br />
Look at the people cheering the loudest for Elon Musk's Twitter buyout. Same thing.</p>
— Alexandra Erin (She/Her) (@AlexandraErin) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexandraErin/status/1518818824354770944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Twitter accepts Elon Musk's bid to buy the company for $44bn.<br />
So... what comes next?<br />
<br />
(Artwork of Elon Musk and Donald Trump carving Twitter logo by <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnSoonaye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnSoonaye</a>. Ink and blue highlighter on white card.)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElonMusk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Twitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Twitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonaldTrump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterTakeover?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TwitterTakeover</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Twitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> <a href="https://t.co/iZLNEm5Q5S">pic.twitter.com/iZLNEm5Q5S</a></p>
— John Soonaye (@JohnSoonaye) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnSoonaye/status/1518871290072948736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elon Musk is buying Twitter to “ unlock its value” and entrench freedom of speech. That’s code for finding means to make us all pay to be on it, changing its character so its kind to rich libertarian conservatives and aiding Trump’s re-election.Twitter’s great days are behind it.</p>
— Will Hutton (@williamnhutton) <a href="https://twitter.com/williamnhutton/status/1518696918431457281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So Trump's main man, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> is now the owner of twitter... This life is wonderful! Congratulations to free expression😘😘 <a href="https://t.co/Cg9UnanQhh">pic.twitter.com/Cg9UnanQhh</a></p>
— Divine Sunshine (@Sun_ShineDivine) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sun_ShineDivine/status/1518867277457891330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>And yet another group decided to just focus on making fun of the news and filled up Twitter with some very hilarious tweets and memes. Here are some of my favourites.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Moment Elon Musk reinstates Donald Trump's Twitter Handle after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterTakeover?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TwitterTakeover</a> 😀<a href="https://t.co/Opci150QjV">pic.twitter.com/Opci150QjV</a></p>
— Prasenjit Mandal (@Prasenjit97m) <a href="https://twitter.com/Prasenjit97m/status/1518655991532851200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Donald Trump after hearing Elon Musk bought twitter….. <a href="https://t.co/R84P4qFhS2">pic.twitter.com/R84P4qFhS2</a></p>
— Lil Äziiz (@Lil_Aziiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lil_Aziiz/status/1518823705471819781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elon Musk after buying twitter for $44 billion to Donald Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twittersold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#twittersold</a> <a href="https://t.co/aiVlr0Yi1e">pic.twitter.com/aiVlr0Yi1e</a></p>
— Harsh nandan (@nandanharsh181) <a href="https://twitter.com/nandanharsh181/status/1518790013625856000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“If Elon Musk buys Twitter I’m deleting the app” is the new "If Trump wins I’m moving to Canada”</p>
— JT Lewis (@thejtlewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejtlewis/status/1518569469244633088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Donald Trump celebration🎉🤸‍♀️ after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElonMusk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterTakeover?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TwitterTakeover</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> announce free speech .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CEO_of_Twitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CEO_of_Twitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParagAgrawal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParagAgrawal</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jackdorsey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jackdorsey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/leavingtwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#leavingtwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twittersold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#twittersold</a> <a href="https://t.co/M7CQHqB5Bh">pic.twitter.com/M7CQHqB5Bh</a></p>
— Subhash Suman (@Subha7Suman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Subha7Suman/status/1518830694155251718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Donald Trump as soon as Elon Musk bought Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twittersold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#twittersold</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngEkHD4Nz1">pic.twitter.com/ngEkHD4Nz1</a></p>
— Rosa Parks’ Burner Account (@Rosasburner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rosasburner/status/1518684909786722304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Donald Trump being welcomed back on Twitter by Elon Musk.<a href="https://t.co/cFnINEKnIV">pic.twitter.com/cFnINEKnIV</a></p>
— El Don 🇳🇦 (@el_dme_363) <a href="https://twitter.com/el_dme_363/status/1518825197457055744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Watch WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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You would have to be living under a rock to not know by now that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has added yet another feather to his cap: Twitter. But, let’s still have a short recap.

You would have to be living under a rock to not know by now that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has added yet another feather to his cap: Twitter. But, let’s still have a short recap. Musk has purchased Twitter for the huge sum of $44 Billion, and this ‘happy ending’ comes after a battle of words and some actions drawn out over a few weeks. Different people had different reactions to this news. Also read | Even after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, Donald Trump is going 'to stay on Truth' Twitter founder Jack Dorsey backed the move commenting, "Elon’s goal of creating a platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is the right one." The United States expressed concern about the power that large social media outlets hold. While the White House dismissed that the concerns had anything to do with the billionaire, spokesperson Jen Psaki did say "no matter who owns or runs Twitter, the President has long been concerned about the power of large social media platforms, that power they have over our everyday lives." Now let’s take a look at what the controversial personality, the former president Donald Trump had to say about Musk’s takeover of Twitter. Watch | 'Musk may control content for his own purpose,' mixed reactions on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition Talking to Fox News, he declared that he will not be returning to Twitter. "I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth," referring to his own startup Truth Social. The Republican leader however also praised Elon Musk. "I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth," he said. But what did the Twitterati have to say about Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Twitter? Let’s find out: Many took to tweeting out requests for the reinstatement of Donald Trump’s banned account, celebrating what was once a very controversial but at times entertaining account with more than 8 million followers. Hey, @elonmusk it's a great week to free @realDonaldTrump. — House Republicans (@HouseGOP) April 25, 2022 × Raise your hand if you DEMAND that @ElonMusk not allow Trump back on Twitter ✋ I want to see if we can launch a movement. — CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) April 25, 2022 × Thank you Elon Musk Donald Trump will be back on Twitter. — Mazi Iheanacho Nwaeke (@stanleynwaeke77) April 26, 2022 × Elon Musk is making Twitter GREAT AGAIN TRUMP IS COMING to make AMERICA GREAT AGAIN@POTUS45 @elonmusk 🙏🔥 — Eze Darlington Okechukwu (@darlykingo) April 26, 2022 × Others expressed their dismay in pretty strong terms calling the takeover the “worst thing that could happen to Democracy, Freedom of Speech, & Advocating for what’s right”. Also read | WION explains | The Elon Musk-Twitter saga; from hostile bid to the actual takeover There were also claims that this takeover is “Trump’s main man” Elon Musk’s attempt at helping Trump win the 2024 Presidential elections. Dear Elon Musk, Please keep Trump off of Twitter. Sincerely, All Americans — Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) April 25, 2022 × Guys, I don’t really care whether you or I or anyone we know stays on Twitter or leaves. Elon Musk is going to reinstate Trump’s account, and that will set Trump up to win in 2024. That’s all that matters here. — Jess Row (@row_ie_argument) April 25, 2022 × Elon Musk Acquiring Twitter would be the worst thing that could happen to Democracy, Freedom of Speech, & Advocating for what’s right! He’s a Repub. he’d Reinstate Trump & non stop lies propaganda & misinformation would Nvr. End! It’ll be Goodbye Twitter 👈🏾🤦🏾‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/B9OVVX7eZZ — Donnedia Edmond (@donnedia) April 25, 2022 × Remember the thing when Trump was running for office where people denied he was a white supremacist candidate but all the Nazis and white supremacists were going, "He's our candidate!" Look at the people cheering the loudest for Elon Musk's Twitter buyout. Same thing. — Alexandra Erin (She/Her) (@AlexandraErin) April 26, 2022 × Twitter accepts Elon Musk's bid to buy the company for $44bn. So... what comes next? (Artwork of Elon Musk and Donald Trump carving Twitter logo by @JohnSoonaye. Ink and blue highlighter on white card.)#ElonMusk #Twitter #DonaldTrump #Trump #TwitterTakeover @Twitter @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/iZLNEm5Q5S — John Soonaye (@JohnSoonaye) April 26, 2022 × Elon Musk is buying Twitter to “ unlock its value” and entrench freedom of speech. That’s code for finding means to make us all pay to be on it, changing its character so its kind to rich libertarian conservatives and aiding Trump’s re-election.Twitter’s great days are behind it. — Will Hutton (@williamnhutton) April 25, 2022 × So Trump's main man, @elonmusk is now the owner of twitter... This life is wonderful! Congratulations to free expression😘😘 pic.twitter.com/Cg9UnanQhh — Divine Sunshine (@Sun_ShineDivine) April 26, 2022 × And yet another group decided to just focus on making fun of the news and filled up Twitter with some very hilarious tweets and memes. Here are some of my favourites. The Moment Elon Musk reinstates Donald Trump's Twitter Handle after #TwitterTakeover 😀pic.twitter.com/Opci150QjV — Prasenjit Mandal (@Prasenjit97m) April 25, 2022 × Donald Trump after hearing Elon Musk bought twitter….. pic.twitter.com/R84P4qFhS2 — Lil Äziiz (@Lil_Aziiz) April 26, 2022 × Elon Musk after buying twitter for $44 billion to Donald Trump #twittersold pic.twitter.com/aiVlr0Yi1e — Harsh nandan (@nandanharsh181) April 26, 2022 × “If Elon Musk buys Twitter I’m deleting the app” is the new "If Trump wins I’m moving to Canada” — JT Lewis (@thejtlewis) April 25, 2022 × Donald Trump celebration🎉🤸‍♀️ after #ElonMusk #TwitterTakeover @elonmusk announce free speech .#CEO_of_Twitter #ParagAgrawal #jackdorsey #leavingtwitter #twittersold pic.twitter.com/M7CQHqB5Bh — Subhash Suman (@Subha7Suman) April 26, 2022 × Donald Trump as soon as Elon Musk bought Twitter: #twittersold pic.twitter.com/ngEkHD4Nz1 — Rosa Parks’ Burner Account (@Rosasburner) April 25, 2022 × Donald Trump being welcomed back on Twitter by Elon Musk.pic.twitter.com/cFnINEKnIV — El Don 🇳🇦 (@el_dme_363) April 26, 2022 × Watch WION LIVE HERE:

As Elon Musk buys Twitter, netizens have something to say about Donald Trump

The world's richest man Elon Musk has managed to strike a deal with the American micro-blogging site Twitter. The Tesla CEO will now be buying twitter for $44 billion, an all-cash deal. Now, deal subject to a shareholder vote.

Elon Musk's deal to takeover Twitter subject to a shareholder vote

Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far

<p>Elon Musk's feud with Twitter is expected to come to an end soon, according to Bloomberg News, which reports that Twitter is close to reaching an agreement with Elon Musk on his bid to buy the social media giant.</p>

<p>According to the sources, the social media company is working on transaction conditions and might strike a deal as early as Monday if talks go well.</p>

<p>Many of the social media company's stockholders had been wooed by Musk's $43 billion buyout bid, which included financing information.</p>

<p>In filings filed with US securities regulators last week, he stated that the funds would come from Morgan Stanley and other banks, with some of them secured by his large interest in the electric vehicle manufacturer.</p>

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<h5>The price of Twitter's stock has risen by 5.3 percent as a deal for Musk's purchase of the company appears to be imminent.</h5>
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<p>The company's willingness to work with Musk does not imply that it will accept his $54.20 per share offer.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wion-explains-the-elon-musk-controversy-and-the-current-top-shareholders-of-twitter-471576">WION explains: The Elon Musk controversy and the current top shareholders of Twitter</a></strong></p>

<p>However, it indicates that Twitter is currently looking at the possibility of selling the firm to Musk on favourable terms.</p>

<p>Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has been meeting with Twitter shareholders in recent days to seek backing for his takeover proposal.</p>

<p>He believes that in order for Twitter to thrive and become a true forum for free speech, it needs to be taken private.</p>

<p>Following Musk's presentation of a detailed financial plan for his bid, several Twitter shareholders contacted the company, urging it not to miss out on the opportunity.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stung-by-the-poison-pill-elon-musk-takes-a-dig-at-twitter-boards-salaries-472114">Stung by the 'poison' pill, Elon Musk takes a dig at Twitter board's salaries</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk has stated that he wants to buy Twitter because he believes it is not living up to its potential as a free expression medium.</p>

<p>He has recommended a number of reforms to the firm in recent weeks, ranging from loosening content restrictions — such as the ones that suspended former President Donald Trump's account — to resolving the platform's issues with phoney and automated accounts.</p>

<p>According to Forbes, Musk is the world's wealthiest individual, with a worth of almost $279 billion.</p>

<p>However, much of his wealth is invested in Tesla shares — he owns approximately 17% of the company, which is valued at over $1 trillion, according to FactSet — and SpaceX, his privately held space enterprise.</p>

<p>It's unclear how much money Musk possesses.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates</strong></p>

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Elon Musk's feud with Twitter is expected to come to an end soon, according to Bloomberg News, which reports that Twitter is close to reaching an agreement with Elon Musk on his bid to buy the social media giant.

Elon Musk's feud with Twitter is expected to come to an end soon, according to Bloomberg News, which reports that Twitter is close to reaching an agreement with Elon Musk on his bid to buy the social media giant. According to the sources, the social media company is working on transaction conditions and might strike a deal as early as Monday if talks go well. Many of the social media company's stockholders had been wooed by Musk's $43 billion buyout bid, which included financing information. In filings filed with US securities regulators last week, he stated that the funds would come from Morgan Stanley and other banks, with some of them secured by his large interest in the electric vehicle manufacturer. The price of Twitter's stock has risen by 5.3 percent as a deal for Musk's purchase of the company appears to be imminent. × The company's willingness to work with Musk does not imply that it will accept his $54.20 per share offer. Also read | WION explains: The Elon Musk controversy and the current top shareholders of Twitter However, it indicates that Twitter is currently looking at the possibility of selling the firm to Musk on favourable terms. Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has been meeting with Twitter shareholders in recent days to seek backing for his takeover proposal. He believes that in order for Twitter to thrive and become a true forum for free speech, it needs to be taken private. Following Musk's presentation of a detailed financial plan for his bid, several Twitter shareholders contacted the company, urging it not to miss out on the opportunity. Also read | Stung by the 'poison' pill, Elon Musk takes a dig at Twitter board's salaries Musk has stated that he wants to buy Twitter because he believes it is not living up to its potential as a free expression medium. He has recommended a number of reforms to the firm in recent weeks, ranging from loosening content restrictions — such as the ones that suspended former President Donald Trump's account — to resolving the platform's issues with phoney and automated accounts. According to Forbes, Musk is the world's wealthiest individual, with a worth of almost $279 billion. However, much of his wealth is invested in Tesla shares — he owns approximately 17% of the company, which is valued at over $1 trillion, according to FactSet — and SpaceX, his privately held space enterprise. It's unclear how much money Musk possesses. Watch | Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates

Deal for Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter might happen today: Report

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wooed many of the social media company shareholders with financing details on his 43 billion dollar acquisition offer for Twitter. According to reports, Twitter has kicked off deal negotiations with Elon Musk.

Twitter begin deal talks with Elon Musk

<p>Elon Musk has urged his "worst critics" to stay on Twitter as the platform's board of directors prepares to accept the Tesla founder's $43 billion cash bid.</p>

<p>Musk took to Twitter amid reports he could become its owner as early as Monday, and wrote, "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1518623997054918657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The entrepreneur has made free speech a core issue in his attempted takeover of Twitter, prompting detractors to speculate that he could reinstate banned right-wing figures like Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates</strong></p>

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<p>According to reports, Twitter &nbsp;will be accepting Elon Musk's $43 billion cash offer to purchase the company. The Tesla and SpaceX Founder and CEO had earlier called the offer, also valued at $54.20 per share, his "best and final" in the offering document.</p>

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Elon Musk has urged his "worst critics" to stay on Twitter as the platform's board of directors prepares to accept the Tesla founder's $43 billion cash bid. Musk took to Twitter amid reports he could become its owner as early as Monday, and wrote, "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means.

Elon Musk has urged his "worst critics" to stay on Twitter as the platform's board of directors prepares to accept the Tesla founder's $43 billion cash bid. Musk took to Twitter amid reports he could become its owner as early as Monday, and wrote, "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means." I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022 × The entrepreneur has made free speech a core issue in his attempted takeover of Twitter, prompting detractors to speculate that he could reinstate banned right-wing figures like Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene. Watch | Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates According to reports, Twitter will be accepting Elon Musk's $43 billion cash offer to purchase the company. The Tesla and SpaceX Founder and CEO had earlier called the offer, also valued at $54.20 per share, his "best and final" in the offering document.

'That is what free speech means': Elon Musk's appeal to 'worst critics' as he nears deal with Twitter

<p>If reports are to be believed Twitter is now reconsidering Elon Musk’s buyout proposal.</p>

<p>This comes as a shock after the social media giant’s board resorted to the “poison pill” approach to negate Musk’s attempts at a takeover.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wion-explains-the-elon-musk-controversy-and-the-current-top-shareholders-of-twitter-471576">WION explains: The Elon Musk controversy and the current top shareholders of Twitter</a></strong></p>

<p>As per a report by the Wall Street Journal, the discussions between Twitter and Musk are ongoing and follow a meeting between the Tesla CEO and shareholders of the company.</p>

<p>"The potential turnabout on Twitter’s part comes after Mr. Musk met privately Friday with several shareholders of the company," the business daily reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.</p>

<p>According to the Journal, Musk has also promised to address the free-speech issues that he claims affect “the platform and the country more broadly, whether his bid succeeds or not".</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates</strong></p>

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<p>Musk "made his pitch to select shareholders in a series of video calls, with a focus on actively managed funds... in hopes that they could sway the company’s decision", reported Wall Street Journal.</p>

<p>The report states that not only is Twitter taking a fresh look at Musk’s offer, but that the company is more likely to negotiate this time around.</p>

<p>On Thursday, the billionaire announced that he has secured around $46.5 billion to finance the transaction and that he plans to make a direct appeal to shareholders.</p>

<p>As per a BBC report, he plans to back his bid with the backing of Morgan Stanley among other financial institutions.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stung-by-the-poison-pill-elon-musk-takes-a-dig-at-twitter-boards-salaries-472114">Stung by the 'poison' pill, Elon Musk takes a dig at Twitter board's salaries</a></strong></p>

<p>The opposition of the Twitter board is now widely known, as is the “poison pill” they swallowed to make it more difficult for Musk to acquire from the market a share higher than 15 per cent.</p>

<p>However, following Musk's announcement of the fundraising proposal, a number of Twitter shareholders allegedly contacted the firm, urging it not to miss out on a potentially lucrative deal.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


If reports are to be believed Twitter is now reconsidering Elon Musk’s buyout proposal. This comes as a shock after the social media giant’s board resorted to the “poison pill” approach to negate Musk’s attempts at a takeover.

If reports are to be believed Twitter is now reconsidering Elon Musk’s buyout proposal. This comes as a shock after the social media giant’s board resorted to the “poison pill” approach to negate Musk’s attempts at a takeover. Also read | WION explains: The Elon Musk controversy and the current top shareholders of Twitter As per a report by the Wall Street Journal, the discussions between Twitter and Musk are ongoing and follow a meeting between the Tesla CEO and shareholders of the company. "The potential turnabout on Twitter’s part comes after Mr. Musk met privately Friday with several shareholders of the company," the business daily reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. According to the Journal, Musk has also promised to address the free-speech issues that he claims affect “the platform and the country more broadly, whether his bid succeeds or not". Watch | Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates Musk "made his pitch to select shareholders in a series of video calls, with a focus on actively managed funds... in hopes that they could sway the company’s decision", reported Wall Street Journal. The report states that not only is Twitter taking a fresh look at Musk’s offer, but that the company is more likely to negotiate this time around. On Thursday, the billionaire announced that he has secured around $46.5 billion to finance the transaction and that he plans to make a direct appeal to shareholders. As per a BBC report, he plans to back his bid with the backing of Morgan Stanley among other financial institutions. Also read | Stung by the 'poison' pill, Elon Musk takes a dig at Twitter board's salaries The opposition of the Twitter board is now widely known, as is the “poison pill” they swallowed to make it more difficult for Musk to acquire from the market a share higher than 15 per cent. However, following Musk's announcement of the fundraising proposal, a number of Twitter shareholders allegedly contacted the firm, urging it not to miss out on a potentially lucrative deal. (With inputs from agencies)

Under pressure from shareholders, Twitter to reconsider Musk's buyout offer

The Twitter saga: From Jack Dorsey's first tweet to $43bn bid by Elon Musk

<p>Amid a nasty court battle between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, one name that has been prominent throughout is that of billionaire Elon Musk. In his UK libel case against a tabloid, Depp had accused Musk of having an affair with Heard while she was still married to Depp.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Court documents alleged that Musk had a "three-way affair" with Heard and model-actress Cara Delevingne at Depp and Heard's apartment in Los Angeles in 2016 while the actor was away in Australia for shooting.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Musk later went on record to deny the accusation and called Cara Delevingne his friend.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Musk though admitted to having dated Heard but only after she had filed for divorce from Depp.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/missing-fingerprint-to-rotten-corpse-shocking-revelation-from-johnny-depp-vs-amber-heard-case-472377" hreflang="en">Missing fingertip to 'threesome' with Elon Musk: Shocking revelations made in Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case</a><br />
<br />
<strong>The history</strong><br />
<br />
Elon Musk and Amber Heard reportedly first met on the sets of "Machete Kills" back in 2013. Heard played the lead in the film and Musk had a cameo appearance. The duo remained friends but sparks flew when in January 2016 Heard and Johnny Depp's divorce got finalised.<br />
<br />
Musk was single at that time having divorced his wife Talulah Riley for the second time in October 2015. The two had earlier divorced in 2012 but had remarried.<br />
<br />
Sources told People, that Musk pursued Heard seriously and the actress played hard to get initially. Other court documents during the Johnny Depp UK libel case, Musk had even offered Heard '24/7 security' when she had contemplated on enforcing restraining orders on her ex-husband.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
“Elon loves a pretty face, but he needs more to be intrigued. Amber has lots more to offer,” added a source close to Musk. “Elon is attracted to her edginess. She isn’t frightened about being different. She doesn’t get easily intimidated. She is very focused and loves to learn.”<br />
<br />
The duo were spotted on their public outings soon after but shied away from confirming their relationship to the press.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
In April 2017, Heard shared a photo of Musk and Her at an event. The photo had Musk looking away from the camera with lipstick mark on his cheek while Heard posed for the camera. "Cheeky," Heard captioned the photo.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BTP1xBzFke5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard)</a></p>
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<p>Musk also shared a photo of the couple on his official Instagram account, writing, "Having moo moo at Moo Moo Gold Coast with @AmberHeard, @CreepyPuppet and @CowanFilms."</p>

<p><strong>The break-up</strong><br />
<br />
Things were going well until distance played a spoilt sport between the two. In August 2017, after just over a year of dating the duo decided to break up.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Rumours of their split were doing the rounds for weeks when Heard shared a photo of herself and The Little Mermaid's Ariel putting forks in their hair on her Instagram account. Musk commented on the photo saying, "Cute." He followed it up with a lengthier comment saying, "Btw, just to clear up some of the press storms this weekend, although Amber and I did break up, we are still friends, remain close and love one another."<br />
<br />
He also reaffirmed that stated they had split due to a demanding work schedule. "Long-distance relationships when both partners have intense work obligations are always difficult, but who knows what the future holds," he added.&nbsp;<br />
Hours later, Heard posted her own Instagram confirming the split and elaborating on the breakup.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"Being in the public eye means having to explain yourself to so many people, so much of the time. In this case, I'd like to remain more quiet. Although we have broken up, Elon and I care deeply for one another and remain close. Thank you for the continued support, respect, and privacy during these difficult, very human times."<br />
<br />
Months later, during an interview with author Neil Strauss, said he was really in love with Heard. "I just broke up with my girlfriend," Musk told him. "I was really in love, and it hurt bad...Well, she broke up with me more than I broke up with her, I think."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-how-is-elon-musk-connected-to-the-johnny-depp--amber-heard-defamation-case-472374">How is Elon Musk connected to the Johnny Depp- Amber Heard defamation case?</a><br />
<br />
"I've been in severe emotional pain for the last few weeks," he said. "Severe. It took every ounce of will to be able to do the Model 3 event and not look like the most depressed guy around. For most of that day, I was morbid. And then I had to psych myself up: drink a couple of Red Bulls, hang out with positive people and then, like, tell myself: 'I have all these people depending on me. All right, do it!'"<br />
<br />
"If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy," he said, later adding, "I will never be happy without having someone. Going to sleep alone kills me."<br />
<br />
Musk may testify in the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp case along with actor James Franco.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-poison-pill-tactic-billionaire-elon-musk-hopes-to-take-over-twitter-says-will-defeat-spam-bots-472953" hreflang="en">Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots</a><br />
<br />
Depp filed a defamation case against Heard after she wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post claiming she had been a victim of domestic abuse.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Heard never mentioned Depp's name in the article but the actor's lawyers have stated that the article damaged Depp's reputation and his career in Hollywood. Heard countersued Depp for physical abuse.&nbsp;</p>

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Amid a nasty court battle between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, one name that has been prominent throughout is that of billionaire Elon Musk. In his UK libel case against a tabloid, Depp had accused Musk of having an affair with Heard while she was still married to Depp.

Amid a nasty court battle between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, one name that has been prominent throughout is that of billionaire Elon Musk. In his UK libel case against a tabloid, Depp had accused Musk of having an affair with Heard while she was still married to Depp. Court documents alleged that Musk had a "three-way affair" with Heard and model-actress Cara Delevingne at Depp and Heard's apartment in Los Angeles in 2016 while the actor was away in Australia for shooting. Musk later went on record to deny the accusation and called Cara Delevingne his friend. Musk though admitted to having dated Heard but only after she had filed for divorce from Depp. Missing fingertip to 'threesome' with Elon Musk: Shocking revelations made in Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case The history Elon Musk and Amber Heard reportedly first met on the sets of "Machete Kills" back in 2013. Heard played the lead in the film and Musk had a cameo appearance. The duo remained friends but sparks flew when in January 2016 Heard and Johnny Depp's divorce got finalised. Musk was single at that time having divorced his wife Talulah Riley for the second time in October 2015. The two had earlier divorced in 2012 but had remarried. Sources told People, that Musk pursued Heard seriously and the actress played hard to get initially. Other court documents during the Johnny Depp UK libel case, Musk had even offered Heard '24/7 security' when she had contemplated on enforcing restraining orders on her ex-husband. “Elon loves a pretty face, but he needs more to be intrigued. Amber has lots more to offer,” added a source close to Musk. “Elon is attracted to her edginess. She isn’t frightened about being different. She doesn’t get easily intimidated. She is very focused and loves to learn.” The duo were spotted on their public outings soon after but shied away from confirming their relationship to the press. In April 2017, Heard shared a photo of Musk and Her at an event. The photo had Musk looking away from the camera with lipstick mark on his cheek while Heard posed for the camera. "Cheeky," Heard captioned the photo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard) × Musk also shared a photo of the couple on his official Instagram account, writing, "Having moo moo at Moo Moo Gold Coast with @AmberHeard, @CreepyPuppet and @CowanFilms." The break-up Things were going well until distance played a spoilt sport between the two. In August 2017, after just over a year of dating the duo decided to break up. Rumours of their split were doing the rounds for weeks when Heard shared a photo of herself and The Little Mermaid's Ariel putting forks in their hair on her Instagram account. Musk commented on the photo saying, "Cute." He followed it up with a lengthier comment saying, "Btw, just to clear up some of the press storms this weekend, although Amber and I did break up, we are still friends, remain close and love one another." He also reaffirmed that stated they had split due to a demanding work schedule. "Long-distance relationships when both partners have intense work obligations are always difficult, but who knows what the future holds," he added. Hours later, Heard posted her own Instagram confirming the split and elaborating on the breakup. "Being in the public eye means having to explain yourself to so many people, so much of the time. In this case, I'd like to remain more quiet. Although we have broken up, Elon and I care deeply for one another and remain close. Thank you for the continued support, respect, and privacy during these difficult, very human times." Months later, during an interview with author Neil Strauss, said he was really in love with Heard. "I just broke up with my girlfriend," Musk told him. "I was really in love, and it hurt bad...Well, she broke up with me more than I broke up with her, I think." How is Elon Musk connected to the Johnny Depp- Amber Heard defamation case? "I've been in severe emotional pain for the last few weeks," he said. "Severe. It took every ounce of will to be able to do the Model 3 event and not look like the most depressed guy around. For most of that day, I was morbid. And then I had to psych myself up: drink a couple of Red Bulls, hang out with positive people and then, like, tell myself: 'I have all these people depending on me. All right, do it!'" "If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy," he said, later adding, "I will never be happy without having someone. Going to sleep alone kills me." Musk may testify in the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp case along with actor James Franco. Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots Depp filed a defamation case against Heard after she wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post claiming she had been a victim of domestic abuse. Heard never mentioned Depp's name in the article but the actor's lawyers have stated that the article damaged Depp's reputation and his career in Hollywood. Heard countersued Depp for physical abuse.

A brief history of Amber Heard-Elon Musk romance  

<p>At the moment, billionaire Elon Musk, who is also the richest man on Earth, is on cloud nine. On one hand, the Tesla CEO has made a bid to takeover Twitter recently while on the other, his personal wealth has also been growing enormously. &nbsp;</p>

<p>But the billionaire seems to have got into a spat with American business magnate Bill Gates. The supposed conversation on chat was shared on Twitter by a user named Whole Mars Catalog. In it, the two billionaires had a conversation, which was later confirmed by Musk in a separate tweet. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-poison-pill-tactic-billionaire-elon-musk-hopes-to-take-over-twitter-says-will-defeat-spam-bots-472953" hreflang="en">Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots</a></strong></p>

<p>“So apparently Bill Gates hit up @elonmusk to discuss “philanthropy on climate change” but Elon asked if he still had a half billion dollar short position on $TSLA. Bill said he hasn’t closed it out, so Elon told him to get lost. No idea if this is true lol,” said the tweet, while posting screenshots of the supposed conversation. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So apparently Bill Gates hit up <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> to discuss “philanthropy on climate change” but Elon asked if he still had a half billion dollar short position on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a>.<br />
<br />
Bill said he hasn’t closed it out, so Elon told him to get lost. No idea if this is true lol <a href="https://t.co/iuHkDG3bAd">pic.twitter.com/iuHkDG3bAd</a></p>
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/WholeMarsBlog/status/1517626832241057792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>To get to know if it was true, the user tagged Elon Musk. In reply, Musk said, “Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends…I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret.” &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends.<br />
<br />
I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret.</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1517702987359133696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>SpaceX chief has also shared a meme on Twitter, and said, “In case u need to lose a boner fast”. In the meme, a picture of Gates and pregnant person emoji can be seen.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">in case u need to lose a boner fast <a href="https://t.co/fcHiaXKCJi">pic.twitter.com/fcHiaXKCJi</a></p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1517707521343082496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Musk and Gates seem to have also been involved in a strife in 2021. As per Tesla CEO, Microsoft co-founder was betting Tesla in the stock market. So, Gates' alleged shorting of Tesla’s stock (TSLA) had become popular.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter</strong></p>

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<p>Shorting or short selling means selling a security at a given price without actually possessing it, and buying it again at a lower price in markets. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


At the moment, billionaire Elon Musk, who is also the richest man on Earth, is on cloud nine. On one hand, the Tesla CEO has made a bid to takeover Twitter recently while on the other, his personal wealth has also been growing enormously.

At the moment, billionaire Elon Musk, who is also the richest man on Earth, is on cloud nine. On one hand, the Tesla CEO has made a bid to takeover Twitter recently while on the other, his personal wealth has also been growing enormously. But the billionaire seems to have got into a spat with American business magnate Bill Gates. The supposed conversation on chat was shared on Twitter by a user named Whole Mars Catalog. In it, the two billionaires had a conversation, which was later confirmed by Musk in a separate tweet. Also Read: Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots “So apparently Bill Gates hit up @elonmusk to discuss “philanthropy on climate change” but Elon asked if he still had a half billion dollar short position on $TSLA. Bill said he hasn’t closed it out, so Elon told him to get lost. No idea if this is true lol,” said the tweet, while posting screenshots of the supposed conversation. So apparently Bill Gates hit up @elonmusk to discuss “philanthropy on climate change” but Elon asked if he still had a half billion dollar short position on $TSLA. Bill said he hasn’t closed it out, so Elon told him to get lost. No idea if this is true lol pic.twitter.com/iuHkDG3bAd — Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) April 22, 2022 × To get to know if it was true, the user tagged Elon Musk. In reply, Musk said, “Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends…I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret.” Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends. I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2022 × SpaceX chief has also shared a meme on Twitter, and said, “In case u need to lose a boner fast”. In the meme, a picture of Gates and pregnant person emoji can be seen. in case u need to lose a boner fast pic.twitter.com/fcHiaXKCJi — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2022 × Musk and Gates seem to have also been involved in a strife in 2021. As per Tesla CEO, Microsoft co-founder was betting Tesla in the stock market. So, Gates' alleged shorting of Tesla’s stock (TSLA) had become popular. Watch: Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter × Shorting or short selling means selling a security at a given price without actually possessing it, and buying it again at a lower price in markets. (With inputs from agencies)

Leaked! Elon Musk confronts Bill Gates on shorting Tesla stock, mocks him with 'pregnant man' emoji

<p>Billionaire Elon Musk is a very hopeful person. Well, he certainly seems to be. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>After his offer to buy Twitter was brutally turned down by the board, the Tesla CEO is saying that if the bid succeeds, he will make concerted efforts to defeat the spam bots or perish in the endeavour. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1517215066550116354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>In a tweet, Musk said, “If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!” &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-announces-to-roll-out-robotaxi-with-no-wheels-or-pedals-by-2024-472851" hreflang="en">Elon Musk announces to roll out robotaxi with no wheels or pedals by 2024</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes as Twitter moved to defend itself against the hostile takeover bid of the billionaire last week. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The firm had announced the plan to let shareholders purchase additional stock, which is also called 'poison pill' protocol. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk’s relationship with this social media platform is quite long. After holding numerous polls on it, the Tesla CEO had recently suggested a raft of changes for the platform. He was also going to join its board of directors but later abandoned the plan. Elon Musk was also reportedly sued by the shareholders of Twitter. &nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Twitter bots have been a major concern for years. The number of automated bot accounts have been growing in the recent past. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter</strong></p>

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<p>Although Twitter has banned thousands of these bots, their number keeps growing.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>Wondering what are these automated bot accounts? Well, these accounts can actually interact with users, follow them, tweet content, or retweet content with a specific hashtag. As per an estimate,&nbsp;over 15% accounts on Twitter are these bot accounts.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-a-brief-history-of-amber-heard-elon-musk-romance-473065" hreflang="en">A brief history of Amber Heard-Elon Musk romance&nbsp;&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>In an investigation, it was also found that the company had a stock of over 3.5 million Twitter bots. As per records, the company also sold its customers over 200 million automated Twitter accounts to push the number of followers. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Billionaire Elon Musk is a very hopeful person. Well, he certainly seems to be. After his offer to buy Twitter was brutally turned down by the board, the Tesla CEO is saying that if the bid succeeds, he will make concerted efforts to defeat the spam bots or perish in the endeavour.

Billionaire Elon Musk is a very hopeful person. Well, he certainly seems to be. After his offer to buy Twitter was brutally turned down by the board, the Tesla CEO is saying that if the bid succeeds, he will make concerted efforts to defeat the spam bots or perish in the endeavour. If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2022 × In a tweet, Musk said, “If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!” Also Read: Elon Musk announces to roll out robotaxi with no wheels or pedals by 2024 This comes as Twitter moved to defend itself against the hostile takeover bid of the billionaire last week. The firm had announced the plan to let shareholders purchase additional stock, which is also called 'poison pill' protocol. Musk’s relationship with this social media platform is quite long. After holding numerous polls on it, the Tesla CEO had recently suggested a raft of changes for the platform. He was also going to join its board of directors but later abandoned the plan. Elon Musk was also reportedly sued by the shareholders of Twitter. However, Twitter bots have been a major concern for years. The number of automated bot accounts have been growing in the recent past. Watch: Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter × Although Twitter has banned thousands of these bots, their number keeps growing. Wondering what are these automated bot accounts? Well, these accounts can actually interact with users, follow them, tweet content, or retweet content with a specific hashtag. As per an estimate, over 15% accounts on Twitter are these bot accounts. Also read: A brief history of Amber Heard-Elon Musk romance In an investigation, it was also found that the company had a stock of over 3.5 million Twitter bots. As per records, the company also sold its customers over 200 million automated Twitter accounts to push the number of followers. (With inputs from agencies)

Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has now embroiled himself in another disagreement with fellow billionaire Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates. Musk has confirmed that he asked Bill Gates if the latter has half billion short against Tesla when Gates approached him to discuss philanthropy on climate change

Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates

Netflix lost subscribers for the first time in 10 years. Its shares tanked by more than 30 per cent! Billionaire Elon Musk thinks he knows the reason behind this. "The woke mind virus is making Netflix unwatchable," Musk tweeted. Ok, so wokeness may be one cause for Netflix fall. But what are the other factors?

Musk blames wokeness for Netflix slide, but what are the other factors?

<p>Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company plans to roll out robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals by 2024.</p>

<p>The announcement came after the world's largest electric-vehicle maker recorded a strong net profit of US $3.3 billion in the March quarter.</p>

<p>Quarterly revenue stood at $18.8 billion, beating estimates for $17.9 billion, and up 81 per cent year-on-year. Earnings per share came in at $2.86, compared with expectations for $2.27, and adjusted earnings per share were $3.22.</p>

<p>The autonomous rideshare service will cost as much as a subsidised subway ticket, Musk said. Though it remains to be seen how cheap can he sell the robotaxi,&nbsp;considering that Tesla is known for selling expensive electric cars.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It's fundamentally optimised for trying to achieve the lowest fully considered cost per mile, cost per kilometre, accounting everything," The Business Insider quoted Musk as saying.</p>

<p>"I think that really will be a massive driver of Tesla's growth."</p>

<p>Musk said that Tesla Robotaxi will also contain a “number of other innovations” though he did not elaborate how innovative it would be.</p>

<p>Musk first mentioned about the robotaxi earlier this month at Tesla’s Austin gigafactory opening, where he outlined a variety of future products&nbsp;including Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot concept.</p>

<p>The 50-year-old said that these “futuristic products” would mark Tesla’s departure from its passenger car business, which generates the bulk of its profits today.</p>

<p>"Optimus ultimately will be worth more than the car business, worth more than FSD," he said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;Tesla has been hit by supply-chain issues, with its factories running below capacity for the last several quarters.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-takeover-elon-musk-secures-465bn-to-buy-twitter-in-hostile-bid-472777">Twitter takeover: Elon Musk secures $46.5bn to buy Twitter in hostile bid</a></p>

<p>Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory, which was responsible for half the company's global production last year, had been impacted by a surge in COVID-19 cases&nbsp;in China.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-how-is-elon-musk-connected-to-the-johnny-depp--amber-heard-defamation-case-472374">How is Elon Musk connected to the Johnny Depp- Amber Heard defamation case?</a></strong></p>

<p>But after the local authorities decided to ease some of the restrictions, a measured restarting of production has begun.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company plans to roll out robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals by 2024. The announcement came after the world's largest electric-vehicle maker recorded a strong net profit of US $3.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company plans to roll out robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals by 2024. The announcement came after the world's largest electric-vehicle maker recorded a strong net profit of US $3.3 billion in the March quarter. Quarterly revenue stood at $18.8 billion, beating estimates for $17.9 billion, and up 81 per cent year-on-year. Earnings per share came in at $2.86, compared with expectations for $2.27, and adjusted earnings per share were $3.22. The autonomous rideshare service will cost as much as a subsidised subway ticket, Musk said. Though it remains to be seen how cheap can he sell the robotaxi, considering that Tesla is known for selling expensive electric cars. “It's fundamentally optimised for trying to achieve the lowest fully considered cost per mile, cost per kilometre, accounting everything," The Business Insider quoted Musk as saying. "I think that really will be a massive driver of Tesla's growth." Musk said that Tesla Robotaxi will also contain a “number of other innovations” though he did not elaborate how innovative it would be. Musk first mentioned about the robotaxi earlier this month at Tesla’s Austin gigafactory opening, where he outlined a variety of future products including Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot concept. The 50-year-old said that these “futuristic products” would mark Tesla’s departure from its passenger car business, which generates the bulk of its profits today. "Optimus ultimately will be worth more than the car business, worth more than FSD," he said. Tesla has been hit by supply-chain issues, with its factories running below capacity for the last several quarters. Also read | Twitter takeover: Elon Musk secures $46.5bn to buy Twitter in hostile bid Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory, which was responsible for half the company's global production last year, had been impacted by a surge in COVID-19 cases in China. Also Read | How is Elon Musk connected to the Johnny Depp- Amber Heard defamation case? But after the local authorities decided to ease some of the restrictions, a measured restarting of production has begun. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk announces to roll out robotaxi with no wheels or pedals by 2024

<p>Truth Social is slow and clunky. Its audience participation remains low. Two top executives have left. And the merger that could bring $1.3 billion in desperately needed cash to former President Donald Trump’s social media project seems far from completion.</p>

<p>And now Truth Social’s very reason for being appears under threat.</p>

<p>Elon Musk’s plan for a potential hostile takeover of Twitter is the latest challenge for Trump Media &amp; Technology Group’s flagship Truth Social app, which Trump has positioned as Twitter’s freewheeling conservative counterpart.</p>

<p>Musk said Thursday he had obtained $46.5 billion in financing for his takeover bid and has suggested he would loosen Twitter moderation policies that he has chafed under — and that famously led the service to ban Trump for inciting violence over the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.</p>

<p>Although Musk has not said if he would allow Trump to return to the platform if his bid succeeds, his ideas for easing Twitter’s rules would further sap the appeal of Trump’s beleaguered startup as it faces a regulatory investigation that could decide its future.</p>

<p>Karen Freberg, a professor of strategic communications at the University of Louisville, said Truth Social might have missed its chance.</p>

<p>“Had Truth Social had everything up and running, it could have brought people in and had potential time to grow the platform,” she said. “What’s happening with Twitter is that it’s gotten the media attention and spotlight, and Elon Musk is now utilizing his influence.”</p>

<p>Trump Media declined to comment on Musk’s Twitter bid. Liz Harrington, a spokesperson for Trump, pointed to a recent interview with Americano Media in which Trump said he “probably wouldn’t rejoin Twitter if he could.”</p>

<p>Trump Media and Truth Social were facing significant challenges even without a competitor that could become more alluring to its prospective user base.</p>

<p>The clock is ticking on Trump Media’s planned merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp., a cash-rich blank-check company that raised nearly $300 million in an initial public offering. If the companies do not complete their merger by Sept. 8 or agree to extend the deadline, Trump Media is in danger of losing out on that money. More significantly, investors in a $1 billion private placement to support the merger can pull out if the deal is not completed by Sept. 20.</p>

<p>Five months is precious little time to complete the merger while also dealing with an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulator that must sign off on the deal.</p>

<p>Digital World disclosed the investigation just a few weeks after announcing the merger plans in October. The regulator is looking into unusual trading activity in the company’s shares before the announcement and seeking information about potential communications between representatives of the two companies before Digital World, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, went public in September.</p>

<p>The SEC has requested numerous emails and text messages from individuals involved in the merger talks, said two people briefed on the matter but not authorized to speak publicly.</p>

<p>The investigation has fueled growing skepticism about the deal’s prospects. Kerrisdale Capital, a prominent short-selling hedge fund — a firm that specializes in betting on a stock’s decline — on Wednesday issued a 27-page report that predicted the SEC would never sign off on the deal.</p>

<p>Investor enthusiasm has also dampened: Shares of Digital World fell sharply this week and were trading around $40 on Friday, less than half their $97.54 peak on March 4.</p>

<p>Digital World CEO Patrick Orlando did not respond to requests for comment. Digital World’s annual report, filed last week, did not mention the SEC investigation and provided little information on the status of the merger.</p>

<p>Some investors in the private placement — which mainly included hedge funds and wealthy individuals — are increasingly frustrated at the lack of information about when the deal could close, said three people briefed on the matter who did not want to speak publicly because the deal was still pending. Seeking more information, some investors have reached out to representatives for the two companies and bankers involved in the deal, but none was provided, the people said.</p>

<p>The merger has moved slowly since it was announced six months ago. That’s about the average length of time that SPACs such as Digital World are taking to go from an announcement to a completed merger this year, according to Dealogic, a deal tracking service.</p>

<p>(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)</p>

<p>Digital World has yet to file a critical registration document, called an S-4, which is an important milestone in any merger or acquisition. An S-4 would typically be filed within two months of a deal announcement, said Mike Stegemoller, a finance professor at Baylor University who studies SPACs, a kind of shell company that goes public with the intention of merging with a private company. Digital World’s annual report promised the S-4 would be filed “as promptly as practicable.”</p>

<p>Regulators are scrutinizing the deal because a SPAC is not supposed to go public with a potential deal in its sights. The New York Times previously reported that another SPAC that Orlando leads, Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp., was the initial intended merger partner for Trump Media, but those negotiations broke down when some board members balked at doing a deal with a company led by Trump. In a recent filing, Benessere said negotiations with an unnamed “media and technology company” ended in August, not long before Digital World went public.</p>

<p>Digital World said in its annual report that it would “continue to pursue a business combination” with another company if the Trump Media deal falls through.</p>

<p>Trump Media would face a murkier future. After a flurry of downloads when Truth Social first launched, interest has dropped sharply. Sensor Tower, an app insights company, said the app was downloaded an estimated 41,000 times in the last full week of March, down 95% from the same period the previous month.</p>

<p>Truth Social, which is only available on Apple devices, has about 1.3 million installs, Sensor Tower estimated. By comparison, Twitter has more than 200 million active users.</p>

<p>The sagging engagement extends to Trump, who only recently hit the 1 million follower mark, a sliver of the 89 million he once had on Twitter. He has published just one post on Truth Social, a February message telling his followers to “Get Ready!”</p>

<p>The platform got off to a glitchy start with error messages and a long waiting list. Three people familiar with Truth Social said there was a scramble to prepare it for launch amid frustrations with the performance of some of the back-end technology to support the app.</p>

<p>Two top tech executives working on Truth Social, Josh Adams and Billy Boozer, left the company last month, Reuters first reported. Both were said to be dissatisfied with elements of the technology behind the platform, according to five people briefed on the matter. Neither responded to repeated request for comment.</p>

<p>Their departures add to the mystery of the company’s internal operations.</p>

<p>In a November presentation for investors, Trump Media provided the full names for only a handful of employees. Adams, the chief technology officer, and Boozer, the chief product officer, were described by their titles and as “Josh A.” and “Billy B.” The company’s chief financial officer, Phillip Juhan, was not identified at all.</p>

<p>Juhan and Devin Nunes, a former California Republican congressman hired by Trump in December to serve as Trump Media’s CEO, are listed as directors on a filing in Georgia, where Trump Media incorporated itself last month. Trump Media is also incorporated in Delaware but has listed Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club as its corporate headquarters.</p>

<p>Nunes has refused numerous interview requests. In an appearance this month on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” he told host Maria Bartiromo that Twitter was a “ghost town.”</p>

<p>Twitter, he said, “desperately” needed Musk.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Truth Social is slow and clunky. Its audience participation remains low. Two top executives have left. And the merger that could bring $1.3 billion in desperately needed cash to former President Donald Trump’s social media project seems far from completion.

Truth Social is slow and clunky. Its audience participation remains low. Two top executives have left. And the merger that could bring $1.3 billion in desperately needed cash to former President Donald Trump’s social media project seems far from completion. And now Truth Social’s very reason for being appears under threat. Elon Musk’s plan for a potential hostile takeover of Twitter is the latest challenge for Trump Media & Technology Group’s flagship Truth Social app, which Trump has positioned as Twitter’s freewheeling conservative counterpart. Musk said Thursday he had obtained $46.5 billion in financing for his takeover bid and has suggested he would loosen Twitter moderation policies that he has chafed under — and that famously led the service to ban Trump for inciting violence over the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Although Musk has not said if he would allow Trump to return to the platform if his bid succeeds, his ideas for easing Twitter’s rules would further sap the appeal of Trump’s beleaguered startup as it faces a regulatory investigation that could decide its future. Karen Freberg, a professor of strategic communications at the University of Louisville, said Truth Social might have missed its chance. “Had Truth Social had everything up and running, it could have brought people in and had potential time to grow the platform,” she said. “What’s happening with Twitter is that it’s gotten the media attention and spotlight, and Elon Musk is now utilizing his influence.” Trump Media declined to comment on Musk’s Twitter bid. Liz Harrington, a spokesperson for Trump, pointed to a recent interview with Americano Media in which Trump said he “probably wouldn’t rejoin Twitter if he could.” Trump Media and Truth Social were facing significant challenges even without a competitor that could become more alluring to its prospective user base. The clock is ticking on Trump Media’s planned merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp., a cash-rich blank-check company that raised nearly $300 million in an initial public offering. If the companies do not complete their merger by Sept. 8 or agree to extend the deadline, Trump Media is in danger of losing out on that money. More significantly, investors in a $1 billion private placement to support the merger can pull out if the deal is not completed by Sept. 20. Five months is precious little time to complete the merger while also dealing with an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulator that must sign off on the deal. Digital World disclosed the investigation just a few weeks after announcing the merger plans in October. The regulator is looking into unusual trading activity in the company’s shares before the announcement and seeking information about potential communications between representatives of the two companies before Digital World, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, went public in September. The SEC has requested numerous emails and text messages from individuals involved in the merger talks, said two people briefed on the matter but not authorized to speak publicly. The investigation has fueled growing skepticism about the deal’s prospects. Kerrisdale Capital, a prominent short-selling hedge fund — a firm that specializes in betting on a stock’s decline — on Wednesday issued a 27-page report that predicted the SEC would never sign off on the deal. Investor enthusiasm has also dampened: Shares of Digital World fell sharply this week and were trading around $40 on Friday, less than half their $97.54 peak on March 4. Digital World CEO Patrick Orlando did not respond to requests for comment. Digital World’s annual report, filed last week, did not mention the SEC investigation and provided little information on the status of the merger. Some investors in the private placement — which mainly included hedge funds and wealthy individuals — are increasingly frustrated at the lack of information about when the deal could close, said three people briefed on the matter who did not want to speak publicly because the deal was still pending. Seeking more information, some investors have reached out to representatives for the two companies and bankers involved in the deal, but none was provided, the people said. The merger has moved slowly since it was announced six months ago. That’s about the average length of time that SPACs such as Digital World are taking to go from an announcement to a completed merger this year, according to Dealogic, a deal tracking service. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) Digital World has yet to file a critical registration document, called an S-4, which is an important milestone in any merger or acquisition. An S-4 would typically be filed within two months of a deal announcement, said Mike Stegemoller, a finance professor at Baylor University who studies SPACs, a kind of shell company that goes public with the intention of merging with a private company. Digital World’s annual report promised the S-4 would be filed “as promptly as practicable.” Regulators are scrutinizing the deal because a SPAC is not supposed to go public with a potential deal in its sights. The New York Times previously reported that another SPAC that Orlando leads, Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp., was the initial intended merger partner for Trump Media, but those negotiations broke down when some board members balked at doing a deal with a company led by Trump. In a recent filing, Benessere said negotiations with an unnamed “media and technology company” ended in August, not long before Digital World went public. Digital World said in its annual report that it would “continue to pursue a business combination” with another company if the Trump Media deal falls through. Trump Media would face a murkier future. After a flurry of downloads when Truth Social first launched, interest has dropped sharply. Sensor Tower, an app insights company, said the app was downloaded an estimated 41,000 times in the last full week of March, down 95% from the same period the previous month. Truth Social, which is only available on Apple devices, has about 1.3 million installs, Sensor Tower estimated. By comparison, Twitter has more than 200 million active users. The sagging engagement extends to Trump, who only recently hit the 1 million follower mark, a sliver of the 89 million he once had on Twitter. He has published just one post on Truth Social, a February message telling his followers to “Get Ready!” The platform got off to a glitchy start with error messages and a long waiting list. Three people familiar with Truth Social said there was a scramble to prepare it for launch amid frustrations with the performance of some of the back-end technology to support the app. Two top tech executives working on Truth Social, Josh Adams and Billy Boozer, left the company last month, Reuters first reported. Both were said to be dissatisfied with elements of the technology behind the platform, according to five people briefed on the matter. Neither responded to repeated request for comment. Their departures add to the mystery of the company’s internal operations. In a November presentation for investors, Trump Media provided the full names for only a handful of employees. Adams, the chief technology officer, and Boozer, the chief product officer, were described by their titles and as “Josh A.” and “Billy B.” The company’s chief financial officer, Phillip Juhan, was not identified at all. Juhan and Devin Nunes, a former California Republican congressman hired by Trump in December to serve as Trump Media’s CEO, are listed as directors on a filing in Georgia, where Trump Media incorporated itself last month. Trump Media is also incorporated in Delaware but has listed Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club as its corporate headquarters. Nunes has refused numerous interview requests. In an appearance this month on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” he told host Maria Bartiromo that Twitter was a “ghost town.” Twitter, he said, “desperately” needed Musk.

The newest problem for Trump’s Truth Social is Elon Musk

<p>18 House Republicans on Friday (April 22) sent a letter to the board members of Twitter to preserve all records about Elon Musk's offer to buy the company.</p>

<p>According to a report by CNBC, the letter was led by the United States representative for Ohio, Jim Jordan.</p>

<p>“As Congress continues to examine Big Tech and how to best protect Americans’ free speech rights, this letter serves as a formal request that you preserve all records and materials relating to Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter, including Twitter’s consideration and response to this offer, and Twitter’s evaluation of its shareholder interests with respect to Musk’s offer,” the letter stated.</p>

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<p>“You should construe this preservation notice as an instruction to take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction or alteration, whether intentionally or negligently, of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information and metadata, that is or may be potentially responsive to this congressional inquiry,” said the letter.</p>

<p>Tesla CEO Elon Musk has raised $46.5 billion in debt and equity financing to buy Twitter Inc.</p>

<p>The South African billionaire has already presented a "best and final" cash offer of $43 billion to Twitter's board of directors.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-poison-pill-tactic-billionaire-elon-musk-hopes-to-take-over-twitter-says-will-defeat-spam-bots-472953" hreflang="en">Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots</a></strong></p>

<p>In response, a Twitter representative said, "As previously announced and communicated to Mr. Musk directly, the board is committed to conducting a careful, comprehensive, and deliberate review to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company and all Twitter stockholders."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk, who is the world's richest man, has described himself as a “free speech absolutist.” He believes Twitter is not living up to free speech principles.</p>

<p>His opinion is shared by former US President Donald Trump and several right-wing political figures who have accused Twitter of unfairly removing or moderating posts on ideological grounds.</p>

<p>Twitter had banned Trump for inciting riots and violence at the US Capitol and posting material that violated its privacy policy.</p>

<p>Political analysts have predicted that if Republicans retake control of the House of Representatives in the November elections, they will open a formal investigation against Twitter. It can also potentially subpoena records from Tesla.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


18 House Republicans on Friday (April 22) sent a letter to the board members of Twitter to preserve all records about Elon Musk's offer to buy the company. According to a report by CNBC, the letter was led by the United States representative for Ohio, Jim Jordan.

18 House Republicans on Friday (April 22) sent a letter to the board members of Twitter to preserve all records about Elon Musk's offer to buy the company. According to a report by CNBC, the letter was led by the United States representative for Ohio, Jim Jordan. “As Congress continues to examine Big Tech and how to best protect Americans’ free speech rights, this letter serves as a formal request that you preserve all records and materials relating to Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter, including Twitter’s consideration and response to this offer, and Twitter’s evaluation of its shareholder interests with respect to Musk’s offer,” the letter stated. “You should construe this preservation notice as an instruction to take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction or alteration, whether intentionally or negligently, of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information and metadata, that is or may be potentially responsive to this congressional inquiry,” said the letter. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has raised $46.5 billion in debt and equity financing to buy Twitter Inc. The South African billionaire has already presented a "best and final" cash offer of $43 billion to Twitter's board of directors. Also read | Even after 'poison pill' tactic, Elon Musk hopes to take over Twitter, says will try to defeat spam bots In response, a Twitter representative said, "As previously announced and communicated to Mr. Musk directly, the board is committed to conducting a careful, comprehensive, and deliberate review to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company and all Twitter stockholders." Musk, who is the world's richest man, has described himself as a “free speech absolutist.” He believes Twitter is not living up to free speech principles. His opinion is shared by former US President Donald Trump and several right-wing political figures who have accused Twitter of unfairly removing or moderating posts on ideological grounds. Twitter had banned Trump for inciting riots and violence at the US Capitol and posting material that violated its privacy policy. Political analysts have predicted that if Republicans retake control of the House of Representatives in the November elections, they will open a formal investigation against Twitter. It can also potentially subpoena records from Tesla. (With inputs from agencies)

House Republicans send letter to Twitter's board members to preserve all records about Musk's offer

The world's richest man has double down on his quest to acquire Twitter after the social media giant tried to adopt poison pill approach. Musk has lined up funds for a hostile takeover here's a report.

Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter

As billionaire Elon Musk offered a bid to buy Twitter, the microblogging site said it would implement poison pill. The strategy may effectively make it difficult for Musk to buy Twitter. But what exactly is going on and what is poison pill?

Elon Musk, Twitter & poison pill: What’s cooking?

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