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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West Bengal Raj Bhavan denies reports of Governor unveiling statue of himself
Kolkata: The Raj Bhavan has denied media reports suggesting that West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose unveiled a statue of himself at his official residence on the occasion of completing two years in office.
In a statement on Monday, the governor's office clarified that the statue was a gift from a sculptor and was not installed on the premises of the Raj Bhavan. "The governor did not unveil any bust of himself at the Raj Bhavan nor did he install it anywhere on the premises. This is absolutely incorrect information," an official stated.
The official explained that several artists frequently present their works to the governor, including portraits and sculptures. In this instance, a sculptor created and presented the bust to Governor Bose. "This has unfortunately been misconstrued as the governor unveiling his own statue," the official added.
A two-member panel has been formed to investigate the source of the reports and submit its findings within two days. The official hinted that the reports might be an attempt by external elements to tarnish the governor's reputation.
Governor Bose, who succeeded Jagdeep Dhankhar on November 23, 2022, has had disagreements with the state government over issues such as the appointment of vice-chancellors for state universities and alleged surveillance of Raj Bhavan by the Kolkata Police.
This clarification comes amid speculation and criticism surrounding the alleged event.
