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Musk says he wants Twitter again and will pay $44B price

Musk says he wants Twitter again and will pay $44B price

Elon Musk wants Twitter again — and Twitter is game. The billionaire Tesla CEO has proposed to buy the company at the originally agreed-on price of $44 billion, bringing the tumultuous, monthslong saga another step closer to a conclusion.Musk made the surprising turnaround not on Twitter, as has been his custom, but in a letter to Twitter that the company disclosed in a filing Tuesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.It came less than two weeks before a trial between the two parties over Musk’s attempt to back out of the deal is scheduled to start in Delaware. Musk also faced a scheduled deposition by Twitter attorneys starting Thursday.In response, Twitter said it intends to close the transaction at $54.20 per share after receiving the letter from Musk. But the company stopped short of saying it’s dropping its lawsuit against the billionaire Tesla CEO. Experts said that makes sense given the contentious relationship and lack of trust between the two parties. “I don’t think Twitter will give up its trial date on just Musk’s word — it’s going to need more certainty about closing,” said Andrew Jennings, professor at Brooklyn Law School, noting that the company may also be worried about Musk’s proposal being a delay tactic. After all, he’s already tried to unsuccessfully postpone the trial twice. Trading in Twitter’s stock, which had been halted for much of the day pending release of the news, resumed trading late Tuesday and soared 22% to close at $52.But even if the deal now goes through without a hitch, it’s too soon to call a victory for Twitter, said Jasmine Enberg, an analyst with Insider Intelligence.“The deal will solve some of the short-term uncertainty at the company, but Twitter is essentially in the same place it was in April,” she said. “There is still plenty of uncertainty around what Musk intends to do with Twitter, as well as the future of a company with a leader who has wavered in his commitment to buying it. And if we’ve learned anything from this saga, it’s that Musk is unpredictable and that it isn’t over yet.”Musk’s proposal is the latest twist in a high-profile saga involving the world’s richest man and one of the most influential social media platforms. Much of the drama has played out on Twitter itself, with Musk — who has more than 100 million followers — lamenting that the company was failing to live up to its potential as a platform for free speech and had too many bots.While some logistical and legal hurdles remain, Musk could be in charge of Twitter in a matter of days — however long it takes him and his co-investors to line up the cash, said Ann Lipton, an associate law professor at Tulane University.A letter from Musk’s lawyer dated Monday and disclosed by Twitter in a securities filing said Musk would close the merger signed in April, provided that the Delaware Chancery Court “enter an immediate stay” of Twitter’s lawsuit against him and adjourn the trial scheduled to start Oct. 17.Attorneys for Musk did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.Musk has been trying to back out of the deal for several months after signing on to buy the San Francisco company in April. Shareholders have already approved the sale, and legal experts say Musk faced a huge challenge to defend against Twitter’s lawsuit, which was filed in July. Eric Talley, a law professor at Columbia University said he’s not surprised by Musk’s turnaround.“On the legal merits, his case didn’t look that strong,” Talley said. “It kind of seemed like a pretty simple buyer’s remorse case.”Musk claimed that Twitter under-counted the number of fake accounts on its platform, and Twitter sued when Musk announced the deal was off.Musk’s argument largely rested on the allegation that Twitter misrepresented how it measures the magnitude of “spam bot” accounts that are useless to advertisers. Most legal experts believe he faced an uphill battle to convince Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, the court’s head judge, that something changed since the April merger agreement that justifies terminating the deal.Musk remained mum about the turn of events on Twitter until late Tuesday afternoon, when he tweeted that “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app” without further explanation. ____Associated Press writer Marcy Gordon in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. .

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Iran officials linked to Canada-based free VPN provider

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You probably already know that with one of the best VPN services you can secure your online anonymity, while bypassing internet restrictions. What you might not expect is that the government of a country like Iran, where a new draconian internet law will further reduce online freedoms and criminalize circumventing software, is somehow linked with an overseas VPN provider. That’s why allegations that Hamid Rezazadeh – son of Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Ensieh Khazali – is behind the Vancouver-based Betternet VPN have sparked many concerns, both at home and across the global VPN sector. The Iran VPN sagaThe controversial link between Iranian officials and the Canada-based free VPN software came to light when Swiss-based Iranian journalist Abdollah Abdi (opens in new tab) released a long thread where he shared incriminating evidence on his social media pages. Ensieh Khazali’s response was not long in coming. In a series of tweets (opens in new tab), she rejected such allegations, explaining that his son is actually in Canada for a temporary trip aimed at “knowledge-based” research. However, it wasn’t difficult for Iranian social media users to get deeper into the story by finding the Rezazadeh’s profile on the professional website Rocketreach. This clearly describes him as the software manager, chief executive officer and founder of Betternet VPN. Despite the post now disappearing from the site, the vice president’s brother Mehdi Khazali confirmed the truthfulness of such accusations. “He closed his company in Iran and moved to Canada where he created another company that is active in the field of VPNs,” he told to RFE/RL (opens in new tab).  رحالی سرکار خانم انسیه خزعلی به دروغ ادعا کردن که پسرشان برای سفر کوتاه کاری به کانادا رفته است که پسر گل ایشان درکانادا شرکت تولید وی پی ان VPN زده است!همین کارو من جرجندی بکنم میشم جاسوس و بی پدر مادر و مجرم امنیتی!یه نکته مهم دیگه هم داره.. 1/3 https://t.co/sIcixPilOF pic.twitter.com/A7uiCq1GtgSeptember 8, 2022See moreWith the Iranian government’s strict stance on the use of VPN services and online liberties, calls for Ensieh Khazali to resign from her official role inevitably follow suit. The story has also lead to resentments around what Iranian called aghazadehs. This describes the hypocrisy around governmental figures who, while strongly criticizing the West at home, still send their children to study and work there. What’s more, Canada and Iran have been in a conflictual relationship since 2012, and the North American country has been refusing to grant visas to many Iranian citizens.                      Is Betternet VPN safe to use?Whether or not a malicious intent to harvest users’ sensitive data lies behind Betternet’s controversial Iranian ownership exists is impossible to ascertain. What’s undeniable is that its software is not famous for being the most secure VPN on the market. Despite being a popular freebie – it has been downloaded more than 50 million times on Google Play alone – a 2016 research report (opens in new tab) discovered the presence of malware and tracking libraries embedded in Betternet Android app.  Betternet LLC Inc. is registered in California. And, the US together with Canada are two of the founders of the intelligence-sharing alliance known as the Five Eyes. That’s not probably the best news for those looking to secure their data from government prying eyes.In terms of ownership, Betternet is part of the Pango group which was bought last year by digital security firm Aura. The parental company also owns other VPN providers like Ultra VPN and Hotspot Shield. It is worth noting that the latter made headlines a few years ago following allegations of abusing VPN users’ data. Looking at the Betternet privacy policy (opens in new tab) it also became clear that Aura collects tons of users’ information. These include approximate geographical location and ISP to share with third parties, device-specific information and up to three years of VPN connection timestamps. TechRadar cybersecurity specialist Mike Williams wasn’t impressed either, when he reviewed the Betternet VPN premium version. He concluded: “Betternet is a fast VPN and very easy to use, but the lack of features, multiple privacy concerns and poor unblocking results are real problems.”Compare today’s best overall VPNs

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Tesla falls from top of US residential solar installer rankings – pv magazine International

pv magazine - Photovoltaics Markets and Technology

In Wood Mackenzie’s solar installer Leaderboard, Freedom Forever overtakes Tesla in the top three spot for the first time. April 4, 2022 From pv magazine USAUS residential solar grew nearly 30% year on year and reached a record-breaking 4.2GW of new installations in 2021. This is a significant accomplishment, considering the challenges faced last year including volatile supply chains, rising system prices, labor shortages, and policy uncertainty.Wood Mackenzie reports that Freedom Forever, a California-based solar installer, secured nearly 4% of the US residential solar market share last year, overtaking Tesla in the top three spot for the first time.For the fifth consecutive year, Sunrun holds onto its No. 1 top residential installer position, with 13% of the total market. However, Sunrun’s market share declined – down nearly a point since the previous year. Sunrun’s direct and indirect installation volumes continued to grow, but Covid-19 was to blame for flat fourth-quarter volumes due to labor shortages.“While Sunrun still maintains a comfortable lead, the rising pressure on the company’s growth rate is a testament to the unyielding momentum of other top players,” said Wood Mackenzie research associate Caitlin Connelly. “An example is Freedom Forever, who made the most notable shift in rankings as it secured 3.9% of the total US residential solar market and squeezed Tesla out of a top three spot for the first time. ”Freedom Forever’s installation volumes grew by 80% in 2021, and the company entered 12 new US state markets. Simultaneously, Tesla has become increasingly dependent on subcontractors for solar installations as the company shifts its business model more towards that of a full-suite technology supplier. Given these two factors, we expect to see Tesla continue to decline in the installer rankings over the next several quarters.If Freedom Forever maintains its momentum, it could edge Titan Solar Power out of its N0. 2 position (4.8% market share) going into 2022. Titan grew installation volumes and market share in 2021, but its growth was smaller compared to previous years. Both Freedom Forever and Titan are  large regional installers with expansive networks, and they have similar business models that rely solely on third-party sales. Their operations overlap in 15 state markets. Sunrun also has a similar model of outsourcing sales to third-party companies, which is a popular tactic for top installers looking to create efficiencies as they expand their geographic footprints.Interestingly, early in 2021 Freedom Forever selected Sunrun as its primary solar-plus-storage as-a-service provider for the next three years. The company planned to leverage Sunrun’s home solar and battery service offering, as well as its favorably branding among consumers.Together, Sunrun, Titan Solar Power, and Freedom Forever command over 20% of the US residential solar market, and the competition among the rest is intensifying. In October 2021, SunPower acquired residential solar provider Blue Raven Solar, a move intended to help SunPower expand in the Northwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. With this acquisition, SunPower now holds 2.7% of the market. Momentum has 2.2% in the No. 6 spot, and Trinity Solar is No. 7 with a 2% share.“The acquisition of Blue Raven strengthens SunPower’s direct installation business, expanding their geographic footprint for direct installs from eight to 19 states. SunPower has noted that direct installs are central to expanding service options and revenue streams,” Connelly said.Residential financeThe top five in the residential finance market accounted for 70% of the financing of the residential market in 2021, up from 60% the previous year. This market is consolidating, which drives up competition and drives down interest rates and dealer fees.Top financier position again goes to GoodLeap with 26% of the total market. Sunrun leads the third-party owned (TPO) market, capturing 15%. While TPO capacity volumes grew in 2021, loan volumes continue to dominate new growth and now represent over 60% of the market. Wood Mackenzie analysts expect this trend to become the norm over the next couple of years before the investment tax credit expires for customer-owned systems in 2023.The US commercial solar market continues to consolidate for both development and asset ownership. Borrego leads the pack with 10% of total market share for the second year in a row.The top 75 national installers accounted for over 60% of the market for the first time since 2013, when Leaderboard data begins. The top asset owners now command almost 40% of the annual market, up from 32% last year. While commercial solar remains a difficult business to scale, many top developers and asset owners have grown their businesses faster through this route, according to WoodMac.This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].

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New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wild

New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wild

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold – further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab.The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate times.“All this evidence tells us the same thing: It points right to this particular market in the middle of Wuhan,” said Kristian Andersen a professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research and coauthor of one of the studies. “I was quite convinced of the lab leak myself until we dove into this very carefully and looked at it much closer.”In one study, which incorporated data collected by Chinese scientists, University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey and his colleagues used mapping tools to estimate the locations of more than 150 of the earliest reported COVID-19 cases from December 2019. They also mapped cases from January and February 2020 using data from a social media app that had created a channel for people with COVID-19 to get help. They asked, “Of all the locations that the early cases could have lived, where did they live? And it turned out when we were able to look at this, there was this extraordinary pattern where the highest density of cases was both extremely near to and very centered on this market,” Worobey said at a press briefing. “Crucially, this applies both to all cases in December and also to cases with no known link to the market … And this is an indication that the virus started spreading in people who worked at the market but then started to spread into the local community.”Andersen said they found case clusters inside the market, too, “and that clustering is very, very specifically in the parts of the market” where they now know people were selling wildlife, such as raccoon dogs, that are susceptible to infection with the coronavirus.In the other study, scientists analyzed the genomic diversity of the virus inside and outside of China starting with the earliest sample genomes in December 2019 and extending through mid-February 2020. They found that two lineages – A and B – marked the pandemic’s beginning in Wuhan. Study coauthor Joel Wertheim, a viral evolution expert at the University of California, San Diego, pointed out that lineage A is more genetically similar to bat coronaviruses, but lineage B appears to have begun spreading earlier in humans, particularly at the market. “Now I realize it sounds like I just said that a once-in-a-generation event happened twice in short succession,” Wertheim said. But certain conditions were in place — such as people and animals in close proximity and a virus that can spread from animals to people and from person to person. So “barriers to spillover have been lowered such that multiple introductions, we believe, should actually be expected,” he said.Many scientists believe the virus jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another animal. But in June, the World Health Organization recommended a deeper probe into whether a lab accident may be to blame. Critics had said the WHO was too quick to dismiss the lab leak theory. “Have we disproven the lab leak theory? No, we have not,” Andersen said. “But I think what’s really important here is there are possible scenarios and there are plausible scenarios and it’s really important to understand that possible does not mean equally likely.”The pandemic’s origins remain controversial. Some scientists believe a lab leak is more likely and others remain open to both possibilities. But Matthew Aliota, a researcher in the college of veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota, said in his mind the pair of studies “kind of puts to rest, hopefully, the lab leak hypothesis.”“Both of these two studies really provide compelling evidence for the natural origin hypothesis,” said Aliota, who wasn’t involved in either study. Since sampling an animal that was at the market is impossible, “this is maybe as close to a smoking gun as you could get.” ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. .

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Henrico Islamic center grapples with discrimination

Islamophobia is a growing problem across the country and the world, and experts say recent events in Virginia show the commonwealth still struggles to address this form of discrimination. 

During Ramadan last month, vandals desecrated the West End Islamic Center in Short Pump. It’s the second time in six months the same center was the target of Islamophobic attacks.  Members like Kashif Perwez, who serves as the center’s treasurer, said they’re increasingly worried about the safety of their community. 

“I don’t think [the attacks are] decreasing,” Perwez said. “This is a place of worship, so everybody should feel safe. You know, the last thing you want to worry about is safety in a place like this. You come to reflect and pray.” 

Experts agree with Perwez that rates of Islamophobic hate crimes have increased during the past year. 

Huzaifa Shahbaz is a senior researcher and advocate for the Council of American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights organization nationwide. He’s also the author of “Still Suspect: The Impact of Structural Islamophobia,” which tracks complaints of Islamophobic treatment every year. According to this year’s report, there were 6,720 complaints of Islamophobic events last year in the States, 9% more than in 2020. In the DMV area — which includes Northern Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Maryland — there were 1,408 complaints last year, down slightly from the previous year.

“We are increasingly seeing complaints of anti-Muslim discrimination and civil rights complaints,” Shahbaz said. “Of those [DMV-area] complaints, we found that 116 comprised harassment and hate crime complaints.” 

The  increase in complaints is due in part to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in schools and workplaces, according to CAIR’s report. But historically, Shahbaz said those rates fluctuate with the political climate. 

“We’ve been documenting civil rights complaints since our founding of the organization back in ’95,” Shahbaz said. “Over the years, this has fluctuated depending on the political circumstances of our time.” 

However, if you look at the government’s reports on hate crimes in Virginia and nationwide, you might think that Islamophobia is a minor issue. For example, in 2020 the Virginia Crime Report included only two cases of anti-Muslim hate crimes in the commonwealth. Shahbaz said underreporting is an ongoing problem nationwide rooted in distrust between the Muslim community and law enforcement.

“There’s a lack of trust Muslim communities have in law enforcement. And that’s because American Muslim communities have historically been subjected to mass surveillance, to deportation, to illegal questioning and harassment by local and federal law enforcement with no sort of accountability in sight,” Shahbaz said. “This ultimately erodes the trust in law enforcement and results in severe underreporting of hate crimes and bias incidents.” 

West End Islamic Center under construction
The West End Islamic Center was vandalized while the site was under construction. (Photo: Crixell Matthews / VPM News) 

Perwez said the graffiti that vandals painted on his community center contained obscene drawings. The building was also broken into and property inside was damaged. Both he and Shahbaz said the vandalism and burglary of a space where Muslims pray every week seems to be motivated by Islamophobia. 

“It definitely felt like a hate crime, you know, because you’ve come in and this is the one place you don’t expect that to happen. It’s a place of peace and worship and reflection, and you see the destruction and damage,” Perwez said. 

Matthew Pecka, a spokesperson for the Henrico County Police Division, said the department  has not classified the case as a hate crime. 

“The offenses being investigated may include both burglary felony and vandalism misdemeanor.” Pecka said. “This is not being investigated as a hate crime at this time.” 

This isn’t the first time the West End Islamic Center has been the target of a crime members  perceived to be anti-Muslim. Less than six months ago, on Thanksgiving, Perwez said the center was vandalized. Again, Pecka said the Henrico police did not investigate the event as a hate crime. 

That same year, Shahbaz’s report highlighted two other incidents in Virginia including an attempted stabbing at a mosque in Falls Church and the alleged assault of two Muslim women waiting to pick their children up from school in Northern Virginia. 

Following the most recent vandalism, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin visited the community center in Henrico and condemned what he called an attack on religious freedom. 

“We stand together as a community against any violence, but particularly when it is targeted against a house of worship and people of faith. And that’s why this is such an important moment for us to make sure we stand in solidarity against that,” Youngkin said. 

Governor Glenn Youngkin
Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks to members of the press outside of the West End Islamic Center in Henrico County. (Photo: Crixell Matthews / VPM News) 

Youngkin met with members of the center’s board of trustees on Eid, another important Muslim holiday, and promised he would look into updated law enforcement guidelines and training around times when people of the Muslim faith are in custody.

“The training of law enforcement and the understanding of the Muslim community is really important,” Youngkin said. “It’s one of the reasons why I’ve been so focused on funding and compensation and training and community outreach from our law enforcement. And I think this is really our next big step.” 

According to Shahbaz, CAIR last year recorded 200 complaints from incarcerated Muslims over mistreatment by Virginia law enforcement..

Police officers in Henrico County already receive cultural diversity training in the police academy, as well as when they are trained on the job, according to Pecka. 

Though Youngkin expressed a general condemnation of hate crimes motivated by religious bias, he made news last year over the views of a former campaign communications director. Matt Wolking was the author of a blog that referred to 90 million Muslims as “murderous thugs” and CAIR as “the longtime arm of terrorism.”

Youngkin did not directly answer questions about how he plans to respond to people in his administration with such ideologies. 

“I think one of the most important things we can do is recognize that when we see something like what has happened here in the last six months,” Youngkin said. “This is a moment for us to recognize across the commonwealth and across the country, that there is no place for religious persecution, there was no place for us to condemn people because of their faith.” 

Shahzeb Khan is on the management committee of the West End Islamic Center. He wants the governor to be more specific in his response. 

“Probably [it] could have been more detailed,” Khan said. 

Shahbaz took a stronger stance on the issue, warning the governor that inaction can contribute to violence. 

“If he does not take the threat of Islamophobia seriously, he’s complicit in the Islamophobia that is happening in the state,” Shahbaz said. “Anti-Muslim blogs and online Islamophobia … this is … what’s really contributing to a climate of Islamophobia. It’s the sort of anti-Muslim messaging that we’re seeing in a lot of these platforms, especially in these right-wing blogs.” 

The Richmond-area Muslim community came together on the day the Islamic center was attacked to repair the space for holiday services.

“We pulled together really well. We got together the same day [and] cleaned up. We had daily services,” Perwez said. 

According to the Henrico County police, the case remains open and active. This story was produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Clarification: Matt Wolking’s comments on Muslims and CAIR have been updated to more fully reflect their context.

Correction: The spelling of Huzaifa Shahbaz’s name was incorrect in several places and has been corrected. VPM regrets the error.