Wishing all our readers a Happy Dussehra! We're taking a break today, so there won't be a regular edition of Tech3. But we didn't want to leave you hanging. So, here are some of the most important stories we've published this week.

But first...

After terminating the Twitter buyout (thrice!), billionaire Elon Musk has made yet another U-turn by stating his intentions to move forward with the acquisition deal at the original price of $44 billion.

The latest development might just put an end to a bitter legal battle before it begins on October 17.

• Court filings in the case have already disclosed some humiliating details, such as a private conversation between Elon Musk and Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal that Jack Dorsey had attempted to mediate. A range of high-profile investors, operators and bankers were also soliciting to be a part of the deal.

Musk also made yet another enigmatic tweet about creating something called "X-the everything app". But if the past few months have been any indication, this saga is far from over. 

More on the Musk-Twitter saga

• 6 revelations from Elon Musk’s private texts with billionaire buddies
• Twitter surges after report Musk will go through with deal
• Elon Musk’s Twitter deal has employees asking: Should I Stay or should I go?
• Elon Musk’s Twitter will reel from culture shock
• Why should Twitter, or investors, trust Elon Musk this time?

• Similar to the Musk-Twitter drama, BillDesk shareholders are reportedly preparing to sue Prosus after the global tech investor backed out of a $4.7 billion takeover transaction with its payment unit PayU. BillDesk shareholders were not given any additional explanation for the termination of the deal beyond what Prosus announced on stock exchanges.

• During the pandemic, IT companies were in the news because they were hiring people at a rate that had never been seen before. Now, though, they are in the news for the wrong reasons. Candidates who have been employed by technology companies like Wipro and Tech Mahindra tell us that they have received no information from the company about when they are expected to join, which has caused a great deal of anxiety and frustration. Read more

• Have you ever wondered how the same topper's face appears on the ads of multiple coaching institutes in our country? From straightforward pitches to offers of cash and cars, and even blackmail, coaching centres caught in the vortex of intense rivalry are trying every trick to lure the brightest students so that they can leverage the association with the toppers later. Do read our detailed story on this trend. 

• Walmart-backed payments and financial services leader PhonePe has taken a major step towards its domestic IPO ambitions. The company has moved its businesses and subsidiaries from Singapore to India. PhonePe co-founder and CEO Sameer Nigam had told us in June that they plan to list in India once its core businesses turn profitable, a feat the company hopes to achieve by 2023. Read more.

• After a blockbuster 2021, the first nine months of 2022 have been painful for Indian startups as funding to the world's third-largest startup ecosystem has dried up amid uncertain macroeconomic conditions. Investors have cut their exposure to private markets amid rising inflation and shrinking liquidity. A look at the key startup investment trends in 8 charts.