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4/5/2022: Is Elon Planning a Twitter Takeover?
PLUS: Kamala Loses More Staff, Martha Stewart’s Cat-astrophe and Kanye Drops Out
Today is Tuesday, April 5, 2022.
It is the 95th day of the year.
270 days remain.
TRENDING
Elon Musk was trending Monday after news broke that he purchased significant shares of Twitter. More in Hit List.
#NationalLibraryWeek landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends as Twitter users encouraged others to visit their local libraries and thank those working to keep them running.
Truth Social was trending after news broke that two execs quit the app.
Fans tweeted birthday wishes for Robert Downey Jr. on Monday. The actor turned 57.
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HIT LIST
An SEC filing posted Monday shows that Elon Musk bought nearly $3 billion worth of Twitter stock last month, making him a shareholder of nearly 10% of the company.
Musk has in recent weeks coyly suggested dabbling into the social media world and developing a platform committed to free speech regardless of political philosophy.
Twitter’s shares spiked in value as a result of the news.
Musk has more money to spend too: He’s worth more than $230 billion.
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Think twice before loading up on certain chocolate eggs this Easter celebration: A British news channel investigative report shows the horrors that go into making the popular Cadbury creme eggs.
The Channel 4 investigation shows footage of children in West Ghana as young as 10 harvesting cocoa plants for nine hours a day in what is described as blazing heat. For their efforts, they’re paid just a few dollars a day.
Mondelez — Cadbury’s parent company — denies exploiting child labor to make their product.
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Burger King is facing a deceptive advertising suit.
The complaint alleges that BK’s ads suggest burgers 35% larger than they actually are with meat patties twice the size of the real ones.
In particular, the Whopper and King burgers are named, as well as some breakfast sandwiches.
So far the class action suit has 100 people signed on.
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A report published Monday in the UK outlines the extensive psychological development issues British children are facing as a result of overly restrictive lockdowns.
Most critically, kids who missed crucial formative years for language and communication skills are among the farthest behind.
WORTH NOTING: Masking was not as strict for younger children in the UK as it was in the US. So how much worse off are children here?
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Officials in Sacramento have arrested a suspect connected with a shooting that left at least six dead and a dozen injured early Sunday morning.
26-year-old Dandrae Martin has been booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and being a convict carrying a loaded gun, the AP reports.
He’s expected to appear in court today.
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CHARTS
Top 5 Songs on iTunes:
Harry Styles, “As It Was”
Van Zant, “Sweet Florida”
Latto & Mariah Carey, “Big Energy (Remix) (ft. DJ Khaled)”
BTS, “We are Bulletproof: The Eternal”
Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”
Top 5 Songs on Spotify:
Harry Styles, “As It Was”
Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
Lil Nas X, “THATS WHAT I WANT”
Camila Cabello, “Bam Bam (ft. Ed Sheeran)”
Shawn Mendes, “When You’re Gone”
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DEATHS
GENE SHUE has died.
The NBA legend passed away Monday. No cause of death was shared.
He was 90.
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BABY NEWS
Lifestyle blogger LAUREN SCRUGGS and her husband, former E! News host JASON KENNEDY, 40, are parents.
The 33-year-old gave birth to a son, River Rhodes, on Sunday April 3.
The couple announced they were expecting in September, after months of fertility struggles.
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THE SWAMP
The Senate has cleared the way to confirm Judge KETANJI BROWN JACKSON to the Supreme Court.
“Republican” Senators MITT ROMNEY, LISA MURKOWSKI, and SUSAN COLLINS have all publicly committed to voting for Brown’s confirmation.
A final vote is expected before the end of the week.
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ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS’s deputy chief of staff will leave his post at the end of May. He’s staying on in the meantime for a more seamless transition.
He’s the 11th staff member in Harris’ office to leave in less than a year.
WORTH REMEMBERING: Remember when the media lost its mind over former PRESIDENT TRUMP’s tumultuous staff turnover? Where are the stories and constant, breathless coverage now?
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HUNTER BIDEN is currently living in Malibu, and being the president’s son, he’s entitled to ‘round the clock Secret Service protection.
ABC News reports that to accommodate this duty, the Secret Service is spending $30,000 a month to rent a nearby home in Hunter’s swanky California community.
WORTH NOTING: That’s still $20,000 a month less than what Hunter was paid to sit on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, despite not not having any relevant professional experience in the field.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for an $81 million jackpot or a $51.5 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
OLIVIA RODRIGO broke one of her three Grammys while taking some photos after the awards show.
Fans quickly pointed out how similar the moment was to when TAYLOR SWIFT dropped one of the four Grammys she won in 2010.
Rodrigo won for Best Pop Solo Performance, Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album. It is unclear which one she damaged.
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Actor ALEXANDER SKARSGARD “nearly ran over” activist GRETA THUNBERG while riding his bike through a recent protest in Sweden.
The 45-year-old described the near accident to the UK Times, saying “She is how we sell our country now. And I almost hit her with my bike.”
Thunberg, 19, was protesting the fossil fuel industry.
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The working lyric sheet for the Beatles’ 1969 hit, “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is hitting the auction block.
Moments in Time has listed the handwritten lyrics from PAUL MCCARTNEY for $450,000.
The pages were last sold in 2006 for $192,000.
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AMY SCHUMER used a joke that was cut from the Oscars at her comedy set in Vegas over the weekend.
She prefaced it by telling the crowd that her lawyer advised her not to tell it, and told them not to get mad at her.
“‘Don’t Look Up’ is the name of a movie? More like don’t look down the barrel of Alec Baldwin’s shotgun,” Schumer quipped, before adding, “I wasn’t allowed to say that [at the Oscars], but you can just come up and [slap] someone.”
SPEAKING OF THE SLAP: Schumer called WILL SMITH’s assault on CHRIS ROCK “really sad,” and blamed it on “toxic masculinity.”
WORTH ASKING: Had Schumer told the joke, would Baldwin’s wife HILARIA have gotten a pass if she chose to slap her?
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New Jersey housewife JENNIFER AYDIN is asking her followers for help locating the thieves who broke in and stole her husband’s 2016 Ferrari California over the weekend.
The 44-year-old reality star posted surveillance video of the heist, along with a caption that said her parents and kids were home at the time of the theft.
She also shared a video of what appears to be two men wandering around outside her home.
The Ferrari, frequently featured in the “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” is valued at nearly $200,000.
UPDATE: On Monday afternoon, Aydin posted that the Ferrari had been found. The suspects are still at large.
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MARTHA STEWART’s pet cat was killed by her four dogs.
Taking to social media, Martha revealed that the feline “died in a case of mistaken identity,” explaining that her pups mistook her for an intruder.
RIP Princess Peony.
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Fans are concerned about MADONNA after an odd TikTok video.
The 63-year-old shared a 13-second clip of a close-up of her face. She doesn’t speak in the clip, but instead leans back and forth to the camera.
Some followers called the post “unsettling” while others felt it was “highly terrifying.”
Madonna has not commented on the clip.
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The embalmed corpse of rapper GOONEW was propped up front and center at his funeral, named The Final Show, over the weekend.
Reactions were mixed to the dead rapper appearing so life-like.
Bliss Nightclub owners told TooFab that they are now investigating if the body was real or not and if any legal ramifications are possible.
Goonew, real name Markelle Morrow, was fatally shot a few weeks ago. He was 24.
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CASTING CALL
HARRISON FORD will star opposite JASON SEGEL in “Shrinking” for Apple TV+.
The 10-episode comedy series follows a grieving therapist (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tells his clients exactly what he thinks.
Ford will play Dr. Phil Rhodes, a down-to-earth, blue collar shrink.
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WESLEY SNIPES is working on a graphic novel, titled “The Exiled.”
The comic follows Detective Niles “Roach” Washington as he pursues a serial killer in the aftermath of a deadly gas attack. As he tries to find the killer, Washington also uncovers Earth’s darkest secret.
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A group of familiar faces will return for the 20th anniversary of “American Idol.”
“The Great Idol Reunion” will feature past stars such as JORDIN SPARKS, LAUREN ALAINA, SCOTTY MCCREERY, DAVID COOK, KRIS ALLEN, WILLIE SPENCE, RUBEN STUDDARD and more.
The special episode will air on May 2.
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The WWE announced WrestleMania 39 will be a two-night event in 2023.
Typically held between mid-March and mid-April, WrestleMania is the sport’s largest yearly event.
Next year’s show will take place April 1-2 at SoFi Stadium.
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COURT CASES
Jury deliberations began Monday in the trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. GRETCHEN WHITMER.
ADAM FOX, BARRY CROFT JR., DANIEL HARRIS and BRANDON CASERTA face charges of conspiracy, despite not actually pulling off the kidnapping.
Fox, Croft and Harris also face charges related to weapons.
No verdict was reached. Deliberations continue today.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KANYE WEST has dropped out of Coachella and is taking TRAVIS SCOTT with him.
Sources connected to the event told TMZ that Ye will no longer be performing at the 2-weekend event, leaving an opening for another headliner. Scott was supposed to join him on stage, so that means he is out too.
It is unclear why Ye has pulled the plug.
Coachella is set for April 15-17 and April 22-24.
WORTH NOTING: Scott was supposed to headline the festival, but Coachella organizers pulled his name after the tragedy at Astroworld.
WORTH ASKING: Do you think KIM KARDASHIAN has an issue with her ex being so close with her sister, KYLIE JENNER’s boyfriend?
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE ANDREW appears to be returning from the shadows.
After attending PRINCE PHILIP’s memorial service with his mom on his arm, Andrew is now said to be accompanying QUEEN ELIZABETH to the Epsom Derby during her Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Royal insiders told The Sun that the disgraced royal will chaperone Her Majesty to the race in June.
MEANWHILE: Royal expert Natalie Oliveri told the outlet that Andrew’s royal return will “leave a lot of people angry” -- especially amid reports he is involved in another potential legal battle.
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SPORTS
As horse trainers around the country begin prepping for the upcoming Triple Crown, one of the most recognizable trainers is stuck watching from the sidelines.
Trainer BOB BAFFERT started his 90-day suspension yesterday. The punishment was handed down by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in response to thoroughbred Medina Spirit’s medication violation from last year’s Derby.
The Kentucky Derby kicks off on Saturday, May 7.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
First Contact Day
Gold Star Spouses Day
National Caramel Day
National Deep Dish Pizza Day
National Flash Drive Day
National Go for Broke Day
National Nebraska Day
National Raisin and Spice Bar Day
National Read a Road Map Day
SAAM Day of Action
National Library Workers Day
National Employee Benefits Day
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ON THIS DATE
1722 - Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen discovers Easter Island aka Rapa Nui in the southeastern Pacific.
While the discovery was not deemed historical at the time, it has since attracted the attention of scientists and archaeologists from all around the world because of the large mysterious statues that dot the island.
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1792 - President Washington issues the first veto.
The bill in question would have changed the allocation of legislators in the House of Representatives. Washington consulted with his cabinet, and decided it was unconstitutional.
His only other veto was for a bill that would have reduced the size of the US cavalry.
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1945 - Yugoslavian dictator Tito creates an alliance with the Soviet Union.
The agreement allowed Soviet troops to move through Yugoslavia's borders without issue.
Tito and Allied powers engineered a counteroffensive in 1941 to keep Germany and Italy out of the country. But with the end of World War II and the rise of the Cold War, Yugoslavia became a cog in the expansive Soviet regime.
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1955 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill resigns.
He had led the country through World War II, and much of Europe's restoration. Throughout his tenure, he opposed fascism and communism, and was skeptical of Soviet victories after the war.
Before leaving office he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and even received the Nobel Prize in literature.
Following his resignation as PM, he remained in parliament for another 9 years.
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1969 - Nearly 100,000 war protestors march through New York City.
Partner protests erupted across the country, including San Francisco, Washington DC, and Los Angeles.
The Socialist Workers Party was the primary organizer of the events.
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1984 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks the all-time scoring record for an NBA player.
With 31,420 points, he bested Wilt Chamberlain.
The basket that put Abdul-Jabbar on top came with fewer than 9 minutes left in the game, off a pass from Magic Johnson. He was then benched for the rest of the game.
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1994 - Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, fueled by a drug overdose.
Some conjecture that his crazy wife Courtney Love engineered his murder, but Cobain notoriously struggled with addiction.
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2016 - San Francisco becomes the first US city to mandate paid parental leave.
The new law requires most San Francisco employees to receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave.
It would officially go into effect in January 2017.
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2020 - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is admitted to the hospital after suffering symptoms from COVID-19.
He survives the deadly virus.
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BIRTHDAYS
Dominik Mysterio - wrestler - 25
Daniel Caesar - soul singer - 27
B. Simone - R&B singer - 32
Lily James - actress, “Downton Abbey” & “Cinderella” - 33
Charlotte Flair - wrestler - 36
Phil Wickham - rock singer, The Ascension - 38
Hayley Atwell - actress, “The Duchess” & “Captain America” - 40
Zak Bagans - TV show host, “Ghost Adventures” - 45
Sterling K. Brown - actor, “This Is Us” & “Army Wives” - 46
Juicy J - rapper - 47
Pharrell Williams - pop singer - 49
Greg Mathis - retired District Court judge & reality star, “Judge Mathis” - 62
Born On This Date
Gregory Peck - actor, “To Kill a Mockingbird” - 1916 (d. 2003)
Bette Davis - actress, “All About Eve” - 1908 (d. 1989)
Booker T. Washington - author & director of the Tuskegee Institute - 1856 (d. 1915)
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