FTC probes Twitter data practices after Elon Musk’s layoffs
March 8, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Elon Musk’s mass layoffs at Twitter and trying to obtain his internal communications as part of ongoing oversight into the social media company’s privacy and cybersecurity practices, according to documents described in a congressional report.
Elon Musk apologizes after mocking disabled Twitter employee
March 8, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you're not told you are fired, are you really fired? At Twitter, probably. And then, sometimes, you get your job back — if you want it.
Haraldur Thorleifsson, who until recently was employed at Twitter, logged in to his computer last Sunday to do some work — only to find himself locked out, along with 200 others.
Twitter glitches as links, images fail to load
March 6, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter experienced a bevy of glitches for over an hour Monday as links stopped working, some users were unable to log in and images were not loading for others.
The company, which has experienced an uptick of instability and bugs in recent months after Elon Musk cut its staff sharply, said “Some parts of Twitter may not be working as expected right now.
Turkish watchdog says it’s fining Musk over Twitter takeover
March 6, 2023 GMTANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s competition watchdog said Monday it was fining Twitter owner Elon Musk for taking over the social media platform without first seeking the watchdog's permission.
The Turkish Competition board said the billionaire would be required to pay 0.1% of Twitter’s gross revenues in Turkey in 2022, without providing a figure for the fine.
Tesla says it will cut costs of next generation cars in half
March 2, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Tesla says it will cut the cost of its next generation of vehicles in half, largely by using innovative manufacturing techniques and smaller factories.
CEO Elon Musk and other executives outlined the goals during a 3 1/2-hour investor day presentation at Tesla's Austin, Texas, headquarters Wednesday as they presented the company's third master plan.
Twitter’s new ‘violent speech’ policy similar to past rules
March 1, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter on Wednesday unveiled a new policy prohibiting “violent speech” on its platform, though the rules appear very similar to guidelines against violent threats that the company had on its books before Elon Musk took it over.
Mexican president says Tesla to build plant in Mexico
February 28, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's president announced Tuesday that electric car company Tesla has committed to building a major plant in the industrial hub of Monterrey in northern Mexico.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the promise came in phone calls he had Friday and Monday with Tesla head Elon Musk.
Mexican states in hot competition over possible Tesla plant
February 25, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico is undergoing a fevered competition among states to win a potential Tesla facility in jostling reminiscent of what happens among U.S. cities and states vying to win investments from tech companies.
Musk’s Tesla pay package under scrutiny in Delaware court
February 22, 2023 GMTWILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for a Tesla shareholder urged a Delaware judge on Tuesday to invalidate a 2018 compensation package awarded by the company’s board of directors to CEO Elon Musk that is potentially worth more than $55 billion.
How to keep your Twitter account secure — without paying
February 18, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Twitter users were greeted early Saturday with an ultimatum from the social media app: Subscribe to the platform's new premium service or lose a popular account security feature.
Tesla recalls ‘Full Self-Driving’ to fix unsafe actions
February 17, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators have pressured Tesla into recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its “Full Self-Driving” system because it can misbehave around intersections and doesn't always follow speed limits.
Elon Musk hopes to have Twitter CEO toward the end of year
February 15, 2023 GMTDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Billionaire Elon Musk said Wednesday that he anticipates finding a CEO for Twitter “probably toward the end of this year."
Speaking via a video call to the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk said making sure the platform can function remained the most important thing for him.
Tesla workers in NY launch campaign to organize a union
February 14, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Tesla workers at a factory in New York are launching a campaign to organize a union in New York.
In a letter to management Tuesday, the Tesla Workers United organizing committee said that the employees are seeking a voice on the job at the plant in Buffalo and want to “build an even more collaborative environment that will strengthen the company.”
From Qatar to Elon Musk, Man United sale rumors grow
February 14, 2023 GMTMANCHESTER, England (AP) — The race is on to buy Manchester United and it will take deep pockets to meet an estimated price of $6 billion.
SpaceX ignites giant Starship rocket in crucial pad test
February 10, 2023 GMTSpaceX is a big step closer to sending its giant Starship spacecraft into orbit, completing an engine-firing test at the launch pad on Thursday.
Thirty-one of the 33 first-stage booster engines ignited simultaneously for about 10 seconds in south Texas.
EU calls out Twitter for incomplete disinformation report
February 9, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Twitter failed to provide a full report to the European Union on its efforts to combat online disinformation, drawing a rebuke Thursday from top officials of the 27-nation bloc.
Musk deputy’s words on Starlink ‘weaponization’ vex Ukraine
February 9, 2023 GMTBOSTON (AP) — Ukrainians reacted Thursday with puzzlement and some ire to comments by a top Starlink official that their country has “weaponized” the satellite internet service, which has been pivotal to their national survival.
Twitter scrambles to fix meltdown as many unable to tweet
February 9, 2023 GMTMany Twitter users found themselves unable to tweet, follow accounts or access their direct messages on Wednesday as the Elon Musk-owned platform experienced a slew of widespread technical problems.
Mexico expects US to finance 4 wind power plants
February 8, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president said Wednesday that he expects the U.S. government or U.S. banks to provide interest-free loans to build four wind-power farms in the narrow waist of southern Mexico, an area known as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Jury: Musk didn’t defraud investors with 2018 Tesla tweets
February 4, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISO (AP) — A jury on Friday decided Elon Musk didn’t defraud investors with his 2018 tweets about electric automaker Tesla in a proposed deal that quickly unraveled and raised questions about whether the billionaire had misled investors.
Treasury makes more electric SUVs eligible for tax credits
February 3, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department said Friday it is making more electric vehicles — including SUVs made by Tesla, Ford and General Motors — eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 under new vehicle classification definitions.
Nevada says Tesla’s possible tax breaks stay secret, for now
February 2, 2023 GMTRENO, Nev. (AP) — The details of any potential tax breaks for Tesla's $3.6 billion expansion of its Nevada factory will remain secret until late February, under a nondisclosure agreement that state officials signed with the electric carmaker.
Ex-aide says Elon Musk had ‘handshake deal’ for Tesla buyout
February 1, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk's former chief of staff on Wednesday testified that the billionaire believed he had a “handshake deal" to take Tesla private in 2018 shortly before he tweeted he had the financing for an aborted buyout that is still haunting him in a high-profile trial.
Updated permit required to legalize bedrooms at Twitter HQ
February 1, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco building inspectors have given Twitter's construction contractor two weeks to submit a corrected building use permit if the social media company wants to keep using two conference rooms as bedrooms at its headquarters.
EU official pushes Musk for Twitter’s progress on new rules
February 1, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — A top European Union official told Elon Musk that Twitter needs to make progress in preparing for a new law aimed at curbing hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content, adding pressure on the company to ensure it complies.
Elon Musk’s Tesla tweet trial delves into investor damages
January 31, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An Elon Musk tweet declaring he had the financing to take Tesla private in 2018 caused billions of dollars in investor damages after the deal collapsed, according to estimates presented Tuesday at a trial examining the haphazard handling of the buyout proposal.
Justice Department seeks Tesla automated driving documents
January 31, 2023 GMTThe U.S. Justice Department has requested documents from Tesla related to its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features, according to a regulatory filing.
“To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred,” Tesla said in the filing Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Elon Musk’s mysterious ways on display in Tesla tweet trial
January 29, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk’s enigmatic personality and unconventional tactics are emerging as key exhibits in a trial revolving around one of his most polarizing pursuits — tweeting.
Musk, top Biden aides meet in Washington, talk electric cars
January 27, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk and a pair of top aides to President Joe Biden met in Washington on Friday to discuss the electric vehicle industry and the broader goal of electrification.
Musk and Biden did not meet, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Tesla will invest $3.6B in Nevada truck factory expansion
January 26, 2023 GMTSPARKS, Nev. (AP) — Tesla said it intends to invest $3.6 billion to expand manufacturing capabilities in Nevada and is confident growing software-related profits, reflected in record net income reported Wednesday for the fourth quarter of last year, will keep margins higher than any other automaker.
Tesla says its 4Q profit rose 59%, expects strong demand
January 26, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Tesla on Wednesday posted record net income in the fourth quarter of last year, and the company predicted that additional software-related profits will keep its margins higher than any other automaker.
Elon Musk’s tweeting style seizes spotlight in Tesla trial
January 25, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk's impulsive and sometimes inflammatory usage of Twitter took center stage Wednesday in a trial focused on whether he misled investors with his 2018 tweets indicating he had lined up financing to take the electric automaker private, a proposal that rapidly unraveled.
Elon Musk defiantly defends himself in Tesla tweet trial
January 25, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk returned to federal court to defend himself against a class-action lawsuit that alleges he misled Tesla shareholders with a tweet about an aborted buyout that the billionaire defiantly insisted Tuesday he could have pulled off, had he wanted.
Nevada governor touts education investment, suspends gas tax
January 24, 2023 GMTCARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said Monday he wants to cut business taxes, suspend the state gasoline tax for a year, make the single biggest investment in education in Nevada history and use the budget surplus to proposal fiscal savings.
Twitter faces lawsuits over unpaid rent for US HQ, UK office
January 24, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — More landlords are taking Twitter to court over unpaid rent, this time at the social media company’s headquarters in San Francisco and its British offices — the latest sign that owner Elon Musk's extreme cost-cutting strategy includes simply not paying the bills.
Elon Musk: Tweets about taking Tesla private weren’t fraud
January 23, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk returned to federal court Monday in San Francisco, testifying that he believed he had locked up financial backing to take Tesla private during 2018 meetings with representatives from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund — although no specific funding amount or price was discussed.
This Week: Tesla earns, GDP snapshot, consumer spending
January 23, 2023 GMTA look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:
ON THE HOT SEAT
Tesla reports its fourth-quarter results Wednesday at a time when the spotlight couldn’t be more intense on CEO Elon Musk.
Elon Musk takes witness stand to defend Tesla buyout tweets
January 21, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk took the witness stand Friday to defend a 2018 tweet claiming he had lined up the financing to take Tesla private in a deal that never came close to happening.
The tweet resulted in a $40 million settlement with securities regulators.
Climate misinformation ‘rocket boosters’ on Musk’s Twitter
January 19, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Search for the word “climate” on Twitter and the first automatic recommendation isn't “climate crisis” or “climate jobs” or even “climate change” but instead “climate scam.”
Clicking on the recommendation yields dozens of posts denying the reality of climate change and making misleading claims about efforts to mitigate it.
Elon Musk depicted as liar, visionary in Tesla tweet trial
January 19, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk was depicted Wednesday as either a liar who callously jeopardized the savings of “regular people" or a well-intentioned visionary as attorneys delivered opening statements at a trial focused on a Tesla buyout that never happened.
Twitter auctions off blue bird memorabilia, pricey furniture
January 18, 2023 GMTA neon Twitter bird for $35,000, anyone? How about a used industrial kitchen mixer for a good price? Going once ....
When Elon Musk wants to make a point, it can be pretty blunt. On the day he took over Twitter last fall, he walked in to the San Francisco company's headquarters carrying a sink.
Jury selected for Elon Musk trial about Tesla buyout tweets
January 17, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A nine-person jury was seated Tuesday to hear a trial that will determine whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk cheated investors by asserting in 2018 tweets that he had lined up financing to take the electric automaker private.
Davos organizers: Musk wasn’t invited despite what he says
January 17, 2023 GMTDAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The World Economic Forum says billionaire Elon Musk wasn't on the guest list for the annual meeting of business executives, global leaders and cultural trend-setters in Davos, Switzerland — despite what the Twitter owner claims.
Elon Musk’s next drama: a trial over his tweets about Tesla
January 16, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — While still grappling with the fallout from a company he did take private, beleaguered billionaire Elon Musk is now facing a trial over a company he didn't.
Long before Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October, he had set his sights on Tesla, the electric automaker where he continues to serve as CEO and from which he derives most of his wealth and fame.
Elon Musk rebuffed in bid to move Tesla tweet trial to Texas
January 13, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge on Friday rejected Tesla CEO Elon Musk's bid to move or delay a trial over a misleading tweet about a potential buyout of the electric automaker, setting the stage for the mercurial billionaire to be thrust into a legal drama amid the turmoil of his Twitter takeover.
Tesla cuts vehicle prices in bid to boost flagging demand
January 13, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — With its sales slowing and its stock price tumbling, Tesla Inc. slashed prices dramatically Friday on several versions of its electric vehicles, making some of its models eligible for a new federal tax credit that could help spur buyer interest.
Investors mock Elon Musk’s bid to move Tesla buyout trial
January 12, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lawyers for Tesla shareholders suing the electric vehicle maker's CEO Elon Musk over a misleading tweet are urging a federal judge to reject the billionaire's request to move an upcoming trial to Texas from California.
Feds reviewing Musk tweet about disabling driver monitoring
January 9, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — A tweet from Elon Musk indicating that Tesla might allow some owners who are testing a “Full Self-Driving” system to disable an alert that reminds them to keep their hands on the steering wheel has drawn attention from U.S.
Musk says he can’t get fair trial in California, wants Texas
January 8, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk has urged a federal judge to shift a trial in a shareholder lawsuit out of San Francisco because he says negative local media coverage has biased potential jurors against him.
Twitter says it will relax ban on political advertising
January 4, 2023 GMTTwitter says it will ease up on its 3-year-old ban on political advertising, the latest change by Elon Musk as he tries to pump up revenue after purchasing the social media platform last year.
The company tweeted late Tuesday that “we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US."
Elon Musk cuts Twitter expenses by falling behind on bills
January 3, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk is trying to slash expenses at Twitter as close to zero as possible while his personal wealth shrinks — and this apparently has included falling behind on rent payments at the company's offices.
Tesla shares tumble after company misses delivery target
January 3, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Shares of Tesla tumbled more than 12% Tuesday on the first full day of trading since the company announced 2022 delivery numbers that fell short of targets.
The electric vehicle and solar panel maker's stock closed at $108.10, and it's down just under 70% since the start of last year.
Tesla, Univar fall; InterDigital, Digital Realty Trust
January 3, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday:
Tesla Inc., down $15.08 to $108.10.
The electric vehicle maker fell short of CEO Elon Musk's pledge to grow the company’s sales by 50% in 2022.
Tesla says it sold a record 1.3 million vehicles last year
January 2, 2023 GMTAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tesla said Monday that sold a record 1.3 million vehicles last year, but the number fell short of CEO Elon Musk's pledge to grow the company's sales by 50% nearly every year.
The 2022 figure topped the prior record of 936,000 vehicles delivered in 2021, but it was shy of the 1.4 million needed to reach the company's 50% growth target.
Rocky ride: Tesla stock on pace for worst year ever
December 28, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Owning Tesla stock this year has been anything but a smooth ride for investors.
Shares in the electric vehicle maker are down nearly 70% since the start of the year, on pace to finish in the bottom five biggest decliners among S&P 500 stocks.
Elon Musk tells investors he’ll pause on Tesla stock sales
December 23, 2022 GMTCEO Elon Musk says he won't sell any more shares in Tesla for 18 months or more, likely an attempt to comfort shareholders of the electric vehicle company who have watched the stock lose nearly half of its value since Musk's purchase of Twitter went through in October.
SEC says it’s not violating Elon Musk’s right to free speech
December 23, 2022 GMTDETROIT (AP) — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is denying allegations that it is violating Elon Musk's free speech rights by trying to enforce a 2018 securities fraud settlement.
The commission, in an appeals brief filed late Thursday, said Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, waived his First Amendment rights by agreeing to the settlement and amendments.
Musk says Twitter in precarious position, defends cost cuts
December 21, 2022 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk is defending his massive cost-cutting at Twitter as necessary for the social media platform to survive next year, due in part to debt payments tied to his $44 billion takeover of the company.
Musk says he’ll be Twitter CEO until a replacement is found
December 21, 2022 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk said Tuesday that he plans on remaining as Twitter's CEO until he can find someone willing to replace him in the job.
Musk’s announcement came after millions of Twitter users asked him to step down in an unscientific poll the billionaire himself created and promised to abide by.
Analysis: Musk and Trump, 2 disrupters face reckoning
December 20, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk and Donald Trump share bestride-the-colossus egos, an incessant desire to be the center of attention and a platform to showcase their eccentricities and erraticism.
Both the Tesla CEO and the former president have used that platform, Twitter, as a sword and a shield — a soapbox to rouse the passions (and tap the pocketbooks) of tens of millions of followers and repulse the other side.
Elon Musk Twitter poll ends with users seeking his departure
December 19, 2022 GMTMillions of Twitter users asked Elon Musk to step down as the head of Twitter in a poll the billionaire created and promised to abide by. But by Monday afternoon there was no word on whether Musk would step aside or who the new leader might be.
Meta, L3Harris fall; Madrigal Pharmaceuticals rise
December 19, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Monday:
Tesla Inc., down 36 cents to $149.87.
A majority of Twitter users in a poll want the electric vehicle maker's CEO, Elon Musk, to step down as head of the social media company.
Musk’s Twitter rules: A dizzying, whiplash-inducing timeline
December 19, 2022 GMTSince Elon Musk took control of Twitter in late October, confusion over what is, and what is not allowed on the platform, even what a verified account is, has run rampant. Rules and policies can change daily, or even hourly.
Journalist suspensions widen rift between Twitter and media
December 18, 2022 GMTElon Musk's abrupt suspension of several journalists who cover Twitter widens a growing rift between the social media site and media organizations that have used the platform to build their audiences.
Twitter chaos too much? There are plenty of other options
December 16, 2022 GMTTwitter has been engulfed in chaos since billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk took the helm, cutting the company’s workforce in half, upending the platform’s verification system, reinstating previously banned accounts — including those of white nationalists — and suspending journalists who've been covering him.
Elon Musk claims he was doxxed. But what exactly is that?
December 16, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — When Twitter abruptly suspended the accounts of several journalists with no explanation, the platform's owner Elon Musk hinted at the possible reason: They allegedly doxxed him.
Twitter suspends journalists who wrote about owner Elon Musk
December 16, 2022 GMTTwitter on Thursday suspended the accounts of journalists who cover the social media platform and its new owner Elon Musk, among them reporters working for The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Voice of America and other publications.
Tesla closes up despite Musk selling $3.58B of its shares
December 15, 2022 GMTAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Shares of Tesla rose slightly Thursday despite news that CEO Elon Musk sold another $3.58 billion worth of the electric vehicle maker’s stock this week.
The stock closed at $157.67, up less than 1% but still close to its two-year lows.
Nordson, AbCellera rise; Warner Bros., Novavax fall
December 15, 2022 GMTStocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday:
Nordson Corp., up $5.93 to $241.84.
The maker of adhesives and industrial coatings beat analysts' fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts.
German official dedicates legal win against Twitter to Fauci
December 15, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A German official who won a defamation case against Twitter this week dedicated his legal victory to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert targeted by the microblogging site's new owner, Elon Musk.
2022 Notebook: Charting the unexpected direction of Twitter
December 15, 2022 GMTTHE BACKGROUND: Billionaire Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter in 2022 began what would turn out to be an upending of one of the world's predominant social media platforms.
Musk’s Twitter tweaks foreshadow EU showdown over new rules
December 15, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Self-proclaimed free speech warrior Elon Musk’s more unfettered version of Twitter could collide with new rules in Europe, where officials warn that the social media company will have to comply with some of the world’s toughest laws targeting toxic content.
Elon Musk sells $3.58B worth of Tesla stock, purpose unknown
December 15, 2022 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk sold another $3.58 billion worth of Tesla stock this week, but it wasn't clear where the proceeds were being spent.
The Tesla CEO, and new owner of Twitter, sold the shares from Monday through Wednesday, according to a filing posted Wednesday night by the U.S.
Twitter changes rules over account tracking Elon Musk’s jet
December 15, 2022 GMTTwitter on Wednesday suspended an account that used publicly available flight data to track Elon Musk's private jet, despite a pledge by the social media platform's new owner to keep it up because of his free speech principles.
EXPLAINER: How Elon Musk is changing what you see on Twitter
December 13, 2022 GMTWhat you're seeing in your feed on Twitter is changing. But how?
The social media platform's new owner, Elon Musk, has been trying to prove through giving selected journalists access to some of the company's internal communications dubbed “The Twitter Files” that officials from the previous leadership team allegedly suppressed right-wing voices.
Musk’s Twitter disbands its Trust and Safety advisory group
December 13, 2022 GMTElon Musk's Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm and other problems on the platform.
Twitter relaunching subscriber service after debacle
December 12, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Twitter is once again attempting to launch its premium service, a month after a previous attempt failed.
Elon Musk takes the stage, amid boos, at Chappelle’s show
December 12, 2022 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dave Chappelle asked the crowd at his comedy show to “make some noise for the world’s richest man.”
They did. Lots of booing.
It was a rather uncomfortable appearance for Elon Musk, Twitter's new owner, at Chappelle’s show with Chris Rock on Sunday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco.