Investors' backlash forces Musk to say sorry over 'pedo' remark
San Francisco, July 18 : Bowing to pressure from investors amid falling Tesla stock, Elon Musk on Wednesday apologised to famed British cave explorer Vern Unsworth for calling him a "pedo" after he saved 12 boys and their coach who were trapped in a cave in Thailand.
Unsworth had dismissed the "mini-submarine" idea from Musk to save the boys, called it a "PR stunt" to which, Musk reacted in a bizarre way.
"Nonetheless, his actions against me do not justify my actions against him, and for that I apologise to Mr Unsworth and to the companies I represent as leader. The fault is mine and mine alone," Musk tweeted.
"My words were spoken in anger after Mr Unsworth said several untruths and suggested I engage in a sexual act with the mini-sub, which had been built as an act of kindness and according to specifications from the dive team leader," the Tesla CEO further tweeted to a user.
Earlier, Musk's Twitter posts sparked backlash from shareholders and Silicon Valley analysts, who called his behaviour "immature and an impediment to the car company's success", The Guardian reported.
The company saw "the end of carbon as essential" but, was "frustrated that the real steps towards this are being overshadowed and undermined by this saga," James Anderson, a partner at Baillie Gifford, Tesla's fourth-largest shareholder, was quoted as saying.
Anderson said he agreed with some of Musk's past remarks calling out critical analysts, "but this is different. We are in contact with the company and we are hopeful that it is being taken with due seriousness."
He also said that he would like to see "peace, quiet and execution" at the electric car company.
If Musk's behaviour did not change, "it could have a dramatic negative impact on the company. It has to start with an apology," Gene Munster, Head of research at Loup Ventures, a venture capital firm, was quoted as saying.
Twelve boys and their football coach were rescued from the Tham Luang cave complex last week by an international team after a week-long intense drama.
Musk has faced increasing scrutiny in the past few months over his bizarre tirades on Twitter and his aggressive attacks on journalists, regulators and other critics.
The scandals come amid continuing complaints about workplace safety and a struggle to meet production goals at Tesla.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
