Former executives sue Twitter for over $1 Million in expenses, Twitter responds with poop emoji
San Francisco: Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and two other top executives who were terminated by Elon Musk last year have filed a lawsuit on Monday, seeking reimbursement for expenses related to litigation, investigations, and congressional inquiries connected to their former roles.
The executives, who served as the company's former chief legal and financial officers, assert that they are entitled to more than $1 million in compensation, and that Twitter has a legal obligation to pay them.
In response to an AFP request for comment, Twitter followed its tradition of using a poop emoji. The recent court filing lists a variety of expenses incurred as a result of inquiries by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), but lacks specifics about the investigations, including whether they are ongoing or not.
Court documents reveal that Agrawal and former chief financial officer Ned Segal testified to the SEC last year and have remained in communication with federal authorities. The SEC is conducting an investigation to determine whether Elon Musk followed securities regulations while accumulating Twitter shares.
After Elon Musk's release of the "Twitter Files" related to content moderation on the platform, former Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde was summoned to participate in a US congressional hearing concerning big tech and free speech. Additionally, the court documents stated that Gadde was sued by an individual who claimed to have been "doxed" on Twitter as a white supremacist. Gadde was listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Elon Musk fired Parag Agrawal, Vijaya Gadde, and Ned Segal from their positions after his contentious $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in late October. The trio of former executives maintain that Twitter is obligated to reimburse them according to their agreements, but the company has only acknowledged receiving their invoices and taken no further action, according to their claim.
Upon assuming control of Twitter, Elon Musk rapidly reduced the number of employees, leading to concerns about the platform's stability and its capacity to combat misinformation and other forms of abuse. Additionally, allegations have surfaced claiming that Twitter has failed to pay rent and other bills, in accordance with Musk's commitment to "slash costs relentlessly."
As Elon Musk reduces moderation efforts on Twitter, market analysts report that advertising revenue has dropped sharply due to concerns about the proliferation of misinformation and hateful content on the platform.
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Over 100 students fall ill after having food at state-run residential school in Odisha; 1 dead
Baripada (Odisha) (PTI): A Class 5 student died on Tuesday, two days after having a meal at her government-run tribal residential school in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, officials said, and claimed that more than 100 of her schoolmates have fallen ill after having the food.
Officials said the students of the Kakabandha Ashram School had complained of discomfort and fallen ill after having food items "not mentioned in the authorised menu" on Sunday morning.
Parents of the affected students claimed the children had fermented rice ('pakhala'), mashed potatoes, and mango chutney, following which they suffered from loose motion and vomiting.
More than 100 students fell ill, and they were rushed to the local community health centre, from where 67 of them were shifted to the PMR Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in a serious state, officials said.
"Rupali Besra, a student of Class 5, had to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital on Monday. Despite continuous medical intervention, she died on Tuesday morning," said Mayurbhanj district collector Hema Kanta Say.
The officer also said, "At present, 66 students are undergoing treatment at the hospital, while another 41 are admitted at the community health centre. One medical team has been sent to the health centre while another is camping at the school."
Some more students are being admitted to the hospital, the district collector said.
"Besides the police probe, we will conduct an independent inquiry, as it was alleged that the headmaster had served food that was not mentioned in the menu. Action will be taken against teachers and officials responsible for the incident," he told reporters.
A police case has been registered based on a complaint lodged by the deceased's mother, the district collector added.
After the incident came to light, villagers blocked the Rasgovindpur-Jaleswar road, demanding compensation for the deceased's family and action against the persons responsible for the incident.
The school's headteacher, Jayant Kumar Panigrahi, has been suspended for negligence on duty, and the government has announced Rs 7 lakh ex gratia to the family of the deceased student, officials said.
Odisha Housing and Urban Development Krushna Chandra Mahapatra met with the students admitted to the hospital and spoke to their parents.
