1/30/2024: The Vet Clinic Next Door 🐈
PLUS: No Retrial for Murdaugh; Britney's Olive Branch; and Recovery
Today is Tuesday, January 30, 2024.
It is the 30th day of the year.
336 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Officials crack a decades-cold case of art theft and French farmers double down. Details in HIT LIST.
Never-before-seen BEATLES footage hits the auction block and WHOOPI GOLDBERG doesn’t like group chats. More in SHOWBIZ.
Netflix renews a fan favorite baking show and Nielsen data reveals which shows were the most-streamed. Details in CASTING CALL.
YE continues to isolate BIANCA CENSORI. More in KARDASH.
KING CHARLES and PRINCESS KATE return home after their respective hospital stints. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A judge in South Carolina denied convicted murderer ALEX MURDAUGH’s petition for a new trial on Monday.
Murdaugh argued that the clerk working on his original conviction trial wrongfully influenced the jury’s decision.
Even after one juror said on the stand the clerk influenced her final vote, the judge determined that testimony alone was not enough to declare a new trial. [via @BrianEntin]
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French farmers doubled down as expected on Monday and expanded their protests against agricultural regulations levied by the government.
The protestors deployed hundreds of tractors to block highways, sometimes with the machinery itself and other times with bales of hay, on roadways leading into Paris. Some farmers are calling their activism an all-out siege on Paris, as they seek even greater concessions from the government.
Officials have mobilized 15,000 police officers to prevent entry into the city of Paris itself, but right now that does not appear to be the protestors’ priority. “Our goal isn’t to bother or to ruin French people’s lives,” said one union rep in an interview. “Our goal is to put pressure on the government to rapidly find solutions out of the crisis.” [via The Associated Press]
MEANWHILE: Similar protests have emerged in Brussels, Belgium – but they only intended to remain for the day. [via Brussels Times]
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When bandits tried to steal Ali Zacharias’ French bulldog, she jumped on the hood of the getaway car and held on for dear life as the thieves drove away.
Zacharias said a woman grabbed the dog’s leash while she enjoyed lunch with a friend. The owner followed the woman, who got into a car with three other passengers. At first, Zacharias tried to stand in front of the car to keep them from driving away, but in doing so she tripped onto the hood – and didn’t let go.
After swerving to shake Zacharias, she finally fell. Her pet, described by local media as “a black merle French bulldog with a spotted coat and two different colored eyes,” remains missing and the crooks at large. [via ABC 7]
Camera footage shows some of Zacharias’ perilous rescue attempt >
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Police near Miami arrested two men over the weekend for allegedly running an unlicensed veterinary clinic out of a private home.
Their operation was not particularly discreet, either: police told local media a line of cars filled with clients and animals were waiting outside the house at the time of the bust.
Officials began an investigation following a complaint filed in November, when a chihuahua developed an infection after a procedure done at the clandestine, cash-only, clinic.
The two men, a 68- and 47-year-old, bonded out of jail while formal charges remain pending. [via WSVN]
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A painting stolen by a former New Jersey politician and members of the mob has been returned to its rightful owner, Dr. Francis Wood, 55 years after the heist took place.
A trio of thieves stole the artwork from Wood’s parents’ home in 1969 at the request of then-New Jersey state Sen. Anthony Imperiale. It remained in Imperiale’s possession until his death in 1999.
From there, the piece ended up in the hands of Joseph Covello Sr -- a known member of the Gambino crime family. The painting would remain in his possession until 1989, when it was included in the sale of his Florida home. The buyer then relocated the piece to St. George, Utah, where in 2020 it was appraised, and determined to be the stolen painting.
The artwork, titled “The Schoolmistress,” dates back to 1784. It was created by artist John Opie, whose other pieces of artwork have sold for around $1 million. [via NY Post]
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 224 points (0.59%) to close at 38,333 on Monday. The S&P gained 36 points (0.76%) to close at 4,927 and the NASDAQ added 172 points (1.12%) to close at 15,628.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $77; BRENT CRUDE at $82.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.10 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN climbed nearly 2.5% on Monday, trading over $43,000.
🛩 There were more than 1,960 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 125 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $311 million jackpot or a $147 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
BRITNEY SPEARS wants her fans to know that it is okay for them to enjoy JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE’s new song “Selfish,” because she does!
Spears shared her thoughts on the new release on Instagram, writing that she is “in love” with the song.
In the same post, she also apologized for anyone she “offended” with some of the things she wrote about in her memoir. [via Instagram]
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Never-before-seen candid footage from THE BEATLES’ 1965 feature film “Help!” has hit the auction block.
The 3-minute, 17-second clip gives a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the movie, which took place in Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.
RR Auction has the item included in their “Remarkable Rarities” series, with a starting bid of $1,000, though it is expected to go for more than $10,000. [via RR Auction]
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JONI MITCHELL will perform at the Grammy Awards for the first time ever.
The 80-year-old is nominated in the Best Folk Album category, for her album “Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live].”
Mitchell is a nine-time Grammy winner and has been nominated a total of 18 times.
The 66th annual Grammy Awards airs this Sunday, live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. [via People]
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MORGAN WALLEN fans are coming to his defense (again).
This time the drama is about the newly released EP “Stand Alone,” which Wallen said came out without his permission.
In response, fans have been leaving one star reviews on iTunes, and calling out the label and Wallen’s former partners in the comments, with several writing “Not Morgan Wallen. Don’t buy or listen to it.” [via TMZ]
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A judge has denied CHER’s temporary conservatorship request for her adult son ELIJAH BLUE ALLMAN.
She cited her son’s ongoing battle with addiction as the reason for seeking the ruling, but Allman claims he has cleaned up his act and has the ability to handle his own affairs.
The issue will be addressed again at a future date, though the judge ruled Monday that Cher and Allman should maybe head to mediation before then. [via The Messenger]
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New versions of three of LADY GAGA’s songs have hit streaming sites Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.
Two of the songs, “Perfect Illusion” and “Fashion,” are tweaked versions of previously released songs, while the third is an unreleased song from 2007 called “Retro Physical.”
The tracks were uploaded by an account called UnreleasedSongs under Gaga’s real name, Stephanie Germanotta. [via Variety]
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The ladies of “The View” have a continuous group text chat that WHOOPI GOLDBERG constantly exits.
When asked why she removes herself from the group, Goldberg simply said, “I don’t care!”
“I’m busy!” she later added. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
Netflix has renewed “Is It Cake?” for a third season.
In the announcement, the streamer said the show will come back with “bigger cakes, higher stakes and wilder bakes” leaving viewers once again asking “is it real? Or…Is It Cake?”
The baking show, hosted by MIKEY DAY, will return on March 29. [via Deadline]
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GLENN CLOSE believes that ROBIN WILLIAMS would still be alive if “Superman” star CHRISTOPHER REEVE was still around.
She made the statement in the new documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.
Williams and Reeve roomed together at Juilliard and formed a close friendship, which Close described as “life-giving force sustaining them both.”
Reeve passed away in 2004 of cardiac arrest at 52-years-old, nine years after a horseback riding accident left him paralyzed. Williams passed away in 2014 by suicide. He was only 63.
The documentary is currently being pitched to studios, with Warner Bros. Discovery likely to land it. [via People]
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Newly released Nielsen data shows that “Suits” was the most-watched streaming program overall last year with 57.7 BILLION minutes viewed. It was followed by animated kids’ show “Bluey,” with 43.9 BILLION minutes viewed.
“Ted Lasso” was the most-watched streaming original last year. With 16.9 BILLION minutes viewed across all 24 episodes, the series was 2.5 BILLION minutes ahead of second place, which went to Netflix’s “The Night Agent.”
Nielsen also noted that streaming usage was up over 21% from 2022. [via Variety]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE knows best.
Insiders say the rapper is no longer allowing his wife BIANCA CENSORI to use social media. While sources say he is doing it “for her own protection,” many believe it's all in an effort to keep “isolating” her from family and friends.
Censori’s friends told the Daily Mail that the “strong” woman they once knew “has seemingly vanished.” [via Daily Mail]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Both KING CHARLES and PRINCESS KATE returned home from their respective hospital stays on Monday.
The monarch was spotted walking out of the hospital with QUEEN CAMILLA at his side, smiling and waving to those gathered.
Kate, though, left discreetly and returned to the Windsor estate for a longer recovery.
While the King is expected to get back to public engagements in the coming days, Kate’s schedule does not resume for a few months. [via Kensington Palace, People]
DAY OF THE YEAR
National Escape Day
National Plan for Vacation Day
National Draw a Dinosaur Day
National Inane Answering Message Day
Yodel for Your Neighbors Day
School Day of Non-violence and Peace
National Croissant Day
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ON THIS DATE
1781 - Maryland ratifies the Articles of Confederation. The early governing document for the 13 states was intended to be approved in March of 1778.
Maryland and other small states weren't ready to give all the marbles to the largest states by land size.
The articles would then take effect March 1st of that year, leaving the states with a great deal of individual power and outlining a limp federal government.
The US Constitution would replace the articles in 1789.
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1835 - Andrew Jackson survives the first assassination attempt on a US president. He was the 7th President, to give you some context.
He was attending the memorial service for late Representative Warren R. Davis, which was open to anyone.
A man named Richard Lawrence fired two separate pistols in the direction of Jackson. Neither weapon actually discharged, though. Lawrence was tackled and arrested.
After a trial, he was found to be criminally insane.
Jackson spent the rest of his life convinced the Whigs were behind the attempt. Vice President Martin Van Buren served out his term personally carrying two loaded pistols whenever visiting Congress.
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1933 - Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
He was at the time the leader of the National German Workers Party — the Nazis.
Immediately Hitler expanded the police state. New security forces were hired, including the Gestapo and SS.
The Nazi's influence was solidified, and would continue until Hitler's suicide 11 years later.
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1948 - Nathuram Godse shoots and kills Mohandas Gandhi.
The pacifist leader was headed to a prayer meeting.
The assassin and his planning accomplice were swiftly tried and convicted for the crime. They would be executed in November the following year.
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1965 - A state funeral for Winston Churchill is held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Churchill had passed away six days earlier at 90-years-old.
After his death, he laid in state for three days in the Palace of Westminster, per an order from Queen Elizabeth II.
It was the first state funeral of a politician in the century and the biggest national event since Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1953.
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1994 - Speed skater Dan Jansen sets the record for the 500-meter sprint, clocking in at 35.76 seconds.
Four days later he would take home gold for another world record finish in the 1,000-meter event, at 1-minute 12-seconds.
After the victories, Jansen retired from competitive skating.
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2020 - The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at a meeting in Geneva.
At the time, the virus had been detected in 19 countries, with nearly 8,000 cases in China alone.
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BIRTHDAYS
Danielle Campbell - actress, “The Originals” - 29
Chase Ryan - pop singer - 33
Eiza Gonzalez - actress, “Baby Driver” - 34
Khleo Thomas - actor, “Holes” - 35
Becky Lynch - wrestler - 37
Kid Cudi - rapper - 40
Peter Crouch - soccer player - 43
Wilmer Valderrama - actor, “That 70’s Show” & “NCIS” - 44
Andy Milonakis - actor, “The Andy Milonakis Show” - 48
Olivia Colman - actress, “The Crown” & “Fleabag” - 50
Christian Bale - actor, “Dark Knight” & “The Fighter” - 50
Phil Collins - rock singer - 73
Born On This Date
Dexter King - son of MLK Jr. & actor, “King” - 1961 (d. 2024)
Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd POTUS - 1882 (d. 1945)
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