Egypt secretly planned to supply rockets to Russia, leaked U.S. document says  —  President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi in February planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia and instructed officials to keep production and shipment secret ‘to avoid problems with the West’

Drug Company Leaders Condemn Ruling Invalidating F.D.A. Approval of Abortion Pill  —  More than 250 executives said that the decision ignored both scientific and legal precedent and, if it stands, would create uncertainty for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Twitter Isn't a Company Anymore  —  In a court filing on Tuesday, April 4, Twitter Inc. quietly revealed a major development: It no longer exists.  The company is currently being sued by right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer, who accused it of violating federal racketeering laws when it banned her account in 2019.

Citing Trump's attacks on ‘hush money’ judge, court keeps E. Jean Carroll rape jury completely anonymous  —  Some weeks after cloaking a jury in complete anonymity to preside over E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit accusing former President Donald Trump of rape, a federal judge refused to relax …

Scoop: Nikki Haley campaign memo rips Trump “drama”  —  Nikki Haley's 2024 campaign is telling donors that former President Trump is “consumed by the grievances of the past and the promise of more drama in the future,” according to a memo obtained by Axios.

Ousted Tennessee legislator Justin Jones reinstated after Nashville council vote  —  The council suspended the rules to allow an immediate vote on Jones' seat.  Less than an hour later, Jones was sworn in on the steps of the State Capitol.  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nashville Metropolitan …

Lauren Boebert's Eldest Son's Car Wreck Injured Friend, Led to Criminal Charges  —  Representative Lauren Boebert with her son Tyler. … Like mother, like son.  —  On September 17, 2022, Representative Lauren Boebert's eldest son, Tyler, was issued a “careless driving causing bodily injury” …

Congress Members Announce Hearing, Demand Chief Justice Investigate Clarence Thomas' Trips  —  The lawmakers said the chief justice was duty-bound to conduct a “swift, thorough, independent and transparent investigation” of Thomas' undisclosed travel with billionaire Harlan Crow in order to “safeguard public faith in the judiciary.”

White House launching $5 billion program to speed coronavirus vaccines  —  ‘Project Next Gen’ would succeed ‘Operation Warp Speed’ with a mission to develop next-generation vaccines and therapies.  —  The Biden administration is launching a $5 billion-plus program to accelerate development …

Trump Ignores Deadline for Personal Financial Disclosure to F.E.C.  —  The disclosure will eventually provide the first look at the former president's businesses since leaving the White House.  —  Former President Donald J. Trump has a minor addition to his mounting pile of legal challenges …

Al Jaffee, Inventive Cartoonist at Mad Magazine, Dies at 102  —  For 55 years he created the fold-in (as opposed to, say, Playboy's fold-out), giving readers a satirical double-take on whatever was going on in the news or elsewhere.  —  Al Jaffee, a cartoonist who folded in when the trend …

Gunman livestreamed mass shooting at Louisville bank that left 5 dead and 8 injured, police say  —  A 25-year-old bank employee opened fire at his workplace in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, Monday morning and livestreamed the attack that left five dead and eight others injured, authorities said.

Hasidic magazine: Santos said DNA tests prove his Jewish ancestry  —  A New York Yiddish-language magazine reported the scandal-plagued congressman's latest claim  —  Rep. George Santos, under congressional and federal investigation for lying about his background, told two Hasidic writers …

Illustrated Anne Frank book removed by Florida school  —  A high school along Florida's Atlantic Coast has removed a graphic novel based on the diary of Anne Frank after a leader of a conservative advocacy group challenged it, claiming it minimized the Holocaust.

Dalai Lama apologizes after video asking child to ‘suck’ his tongue sparks outcry  —  New Delhi and Dharamshala, India CNN —  The Dalai Lama has apologized after a video emerged showing the spiritual leader kissing a child on the lips and then asking him to “suck my tongue” at an event in northern India.

Downtown San Francisco Whole Foods Closing a Year After Opening  —  One of the largest supermarkets in Downtown San Francisco—the Whole Foods Market at Eighth and Market streets—intends to shut down at the close of business Monday just a little more than a year after the store opened, company officials told The Standard.

State Rep. Bryan Slaton retains criminal defense lawyer in possible ethics investigation  —  The complaint came after an incident in which Slaton and the staffer allegedly met up at his Austin apartment last weekend.  A separate staffer told The Texas Tribune that Slaton drank alcohol with an intern under 21 years old.

Hashtags are everything on Mastodon — why not give them a home? … Mastodon has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Twitter's ongoing meltdown, and since I started seriously using it late last year, it's won me over.  While I still use Twitter for monitoring news and talking to the occasional source …