Today is Thursday, March 13, 2025.
It is the 72nd day of the year.
293 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: New details about last month’s massive crypto heist.
Major update in the MENENDEZ BROTHERS’ potential release and ROSIE O’DONNELL confirms her big move. More in SHOWBIZ.
A Looney Toons fan's odd request and a STEPHEN KING story gets a reboot. Details in CASTING CALL.
KING CHARLES learns first aid in ROYALS.
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LAST MONTH: Crypto exchange BYBIT lost $1.4 BILLION in a heist conducted by hackers believed to be connected to North Korea, called The Lazarus Group.
NOW: Cybersecurity firm Lookout has issued a report suggesting the hackers pried into Bybit’s system using a spyware app they posted to the Google Play store, under an unsuspecting File Manager label. Public data shows the app was only downloaded a handful of times, suggesting that, one way or another, the hackers got someone with access to Bybit’s systems to download the phony app, which in turn allowed them to digitally break in.
Lookout alerted Google to the issue and the spy app has been removed. [via TechCrunch]
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An Indiana woman miraculously survived for six days in her car after suffering an accident last Wednesday.
Brieonna Cassell, 41, reportedly fell asleep at the wheel while on her way to visit a friend. Her car swerved off the road and down into a ditch, out of sight from traffic. In the tumult, she sustained serious injuries to her legs and ribs, making it impossible for her to move. In another stroke of terrible luck, her phone was dead.
By some miracle, the car was close enough to a small creek, allowing her to lower her sweater into the water and wring it back out into her mouth to stay hydrated. It was only after a passerby operating drainage equipment in the area spotted Cassell that first responders were able to find her.
She spent Wednesday in surgery but is expected to recover. [via WLS]
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Congratulations, America: you’re in more debt than ever.
A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows total household credit card debt hit $1.21 TRILLION in the last quarter of 2024, an all-time record high.
Analysts say holiday buying binges fueled the surge. Delinquency rates ticked up past 7%. [via CNBC]
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A man walking his dog on the beach in New Jersey discovered eleven full, sealed, intact bottles of whiskey that date back to the Prohibition Era just under the sand.
Each bottle is etched with the name “Lincoln Inn,” a whiskey produced in Montreal in the 1930’s by a company that has since gone out of business.
The lucky treasure hunter says he’s given out the collection to friends and family. Since all the bottles appeared to be sealed and have the same level of whiskey, he’s hopeful each bottle is still drinkable. [via New York Post]
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A Pennsylvania man was flagged by TSA at Newark International Airport after a body scanner showed something moving in his pants.
When asked what was in there, the man pulled out a turtle wrapped in a towel. The reptile, which appeared to be unharmed, was confiscated and the man was escorted out of the airport.
It is unclear if he will face any charges. [via NY Post]
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THE SWAMP
YOU MAY BELIEVE – based on the endless whining from Democrats and hair-on-fire outrage from the failing, legacy, establishment media – that the Department of Government Efficiency has cut so deep into Washington’s spending addiction that there’s barely any government left at all.
TURNS OUT: The federal budget deficit officially hit $1 TRILLION yesterday, the fastest it’s ever taken to hit the frightening milestone within a calendar year.
DESPITE IT ALL: The Senate is considering a Continuing Resolution that passed the House on Tuesday to maintain spending levels as-is until September.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 82 points (0.2%) to close at 41,350 on Wednesday. The S&P increased 27 points (0.49%) to close at 5,599 and the NASDAQ increased 212 points (1.22%) to close at 17,648.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $67; BRENT CRUDE at $70.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.08 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat on the day, trading just under $83k.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $277 million jackpot or a $129.5 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
FOLLOW UP: Governor GAVIN NEWSOM says ERIK and LYLE MENENDEZ will appear before the parole board in June.
Following that, the board will finalize their risk assessment on the brothers and send all of the information to Newsom, who will then decide whether or not to grant them clemency -- effectively setting them free.
Another potential path to freedom, according to Newsom, is if a judge reduces the brothers’ sentences based on what the parole board finds in their assessment -- essentially allowing the brothers’ release based on time served.
Remember, L.A. County District Attorney NATHAN HOCHMAN previously stated he doesn’t think the brothers should be resentenced. [via TMZ]
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FOLLOW UP: Actress ROSIE O’DONNELL confirmed she is no longer living in the United States.
Speculation about a potential move across the pond arose after O’Donnell shared some snapshots of her time in Ireland. Her 12-year-old daughter, Dakota, is with her.
O’Donnell was one of the many celebs who threatened to leave the U.S. following a DONALD TRUMP win. Looks like she has followed through on her threat…or promise. [via The Cut]
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SCOTT PETERSON suffered some nasty blows during a pickleball match with a fellow inmate.
According to multiple sources, the incident went down last weekend after Peterson hit his opponent with the ball. The assault was not enough to land the 52-year-old in the hospital, however.
Peterson is serving time at Mule Creek Prison in San Francisco for the murder of his pregnant wife, Lacey Peterson, in 2002. [via NewsNation]
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JENNIFER GARNER’s boyfriend, JOHN MILLER, is speaking out about those photos of BEN AFFLECK getting a little too close for comfort.
While supportive of their co-parenting relationship, Miller now feels “Ben crossed the line” and “it’s disrespectful to their relationship.”
An insider did note, however, that while Miller does not believe anything is going on between the exes, he “gave Jen an ultimatum” that he “doesn’t want to see anything like that again.”
The photos in question were taken at Ben and Jen’s son’s birthday celebration at a paintball range. The exes were snapped standing close together, with Ben embracing her. [via Page Six]
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TIGER WOODS is recovering from surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The 49-year-old suffered the injury while practicing his golf game at home in Jupiter, Florida.
Now, he will take time off to recover. No word on when he will return to competition. [via ESPN]
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MILLIE BOBBY BROWN says she plans to shave her head when she has her first baby.
In her “Call Her Daddy” interview, the “Stranger Things” star revealed that she told husband JAKE BONGIOVI that she intends to ditch her luscious locks prior to giving birth so it doesn’t get in the way of nurturing their little one.
This isn’t Brown’s first rodeo with a shorter ‘do, as she was bald for her role as Seven in the hit Netflix show.
ALSO: No word on when the newlyweds plan to start a family. [via TMZ]
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SZA’s “S.O.S.” album is now tied with MICHAEL JACKSON’s “Thriller” as the longest running Top 10 album by a Black artist in Billboard 200 history.
WORTH NOTING: MJ’s album reached the milestone before there was streaming. [via Hot97]
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SAM ASGHARI is giving credit where credit is due.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Nikki and Brie,” the actor spoke about how his relationship with ex-wife BRITNEY SPEARS gave his career a “kick star.”
The two met in 2016 when he played Spears’ love interest in her “Slumber Party” music video. After five years of dating, the two tied the knot in June 2022. A year later, in August 2023, Asghari filed for divorce.
“I’m grateful it even happened,” he said of the relationship. [via Billboard]
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TORI SPELLING has “issues with liquids.”
On a recent episode of her “misSPELLING” podcast, the actress told listeners that she doesn’t “drink water.”
“How I’m still living, no one knows. I’m like a cacti, you just water me once in a while and I somehow survive,” she quipped.
As for what Spelling does drink, she says it's usually ginger ale or Diet Dr. Pepper. [via Page Six]
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CASTING CALL
A person dressed as Wile E. Coyote stood outside the Warner Bros. lot with a sign reading “Release Me.”
The stunt was an effort to get the studio to release the shelved live-action film, “Coyote vs. Acme.”
According to a Reddit thread, Warner Bros. wanted $75 million for the film, and rejected offers from several streamers, including Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount. [via The Wrap]
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Netflix is working on a reboot of STEPHEN KING’s “Cujo.”
The novel was first adapted into a film in 1983, starring DEE WALLACE and DANNY PINTAURO.
In the story, a mother-son duo is terrorized by a St. Bernard who was bitten by a bat. [via THR]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES visited the Royal College of Nursing this week – and appeared to be having the time of his life practicing CPR on a dummy.
During a recruiting event to encourage young people to join the healthcare profession, the King learned the basics of the first aid process. At one point, a 17-year-old coach reminded him to keep his arms straight.
After completing the round of chest compression, Charles quipped, “At least I haven’t broken it.” Afterward, his minder told media, “he did very good.” [via Royal Family Channel]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
World Kidney Day
National Good Samaritan Day
National Popcorn Lover’s Day
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ON THIS DATE
1781 - European astronomer William Hershel discovers Uranus.
It became identified as the seventh planet from the sun and the first discovery of a new planet in centuries.
It was also the first to be found using a telescope. Earlier astronomers believed it to be a star.
Voyager 2 was the first spacecraft to fly by it in 1986, when it also identified ten new moons and rings around the planet.
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1809 - A military-led coup removes King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden from his throne, following a disastrous loss of the country’s territory to Russia.
The revolutionaries let Gustav’s uncle, Duke Charles, take charge of an interim government while the Royal Family was imprisoned in a castle. A few weeks later Gustav abdicated, leading the way for his uncle to become King Charles XIII of Sweden and oversee a new constitution.
Gustav IV lived in exile for the rest of his life, though he was ultimately buried at a monastery near Stockholm.
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1868 - The first presidential impeachment trial begins, with Andrew Johnson fighting accusations of violating the Tenure of Office Act when he dismissed Edwin M. Stanton from his cabinet seat.
Contemporary accounts described the trial as pure theatrics -- a political show to make a political point.
In May that year, a majority of senators would vote to remove Johnson from office, but fell short of the two-thirds majority for removal by just one vote.
In 1926, the Tenure of Office Act would be declared unconstitutional.
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1961 - JFK sets up the Alliance for Progress.
The plan aimed to establish economic cooperation between the United States and Latin America, and counter the perceived communist threat from Cuba.
It was short-lived, however, and by the early 1970s was deemed a failure due to Latin American nations who were unwilling to implement needed reforms, JFK’s successors not being supportive and not enough financial contribution.
The whole thing would be disbanded by 1973.
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2005 - Robert Iger takes over at Disney.
He succeeded Michael Eisner and hoped to breathe new life and vigor into the company. Disney had struggled to keep up with creative powerhouse Pixar, which had recently produced the family blockbuster, “Finding Nemo.”
Since Disney owns ABC, Iger became the first big-four network head to agree to sell its TV shows on the iTunes store.
He was also instrumental in coordinating the purchase of Lucasfilm by Disney in 2012.
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2019 - The U.S. grounds all Boeing 737 Max aircraft after the second crash in Ethiopia.
China was the first to ground the MAX, with other countries following in quick succession.
By March 18, all 387 airplanes were grounded, disrupting 8,600 weekly flights by 59 different airlines.
In April, Boeing admitted that the new Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) played a role in both crashes.
Boeing’s CEO would be ousted in December over mismanagement of the crisis.
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2020 - The US government officially declares the Covid-19 pandemic a national emergency.
In a matter of days, from coast to coast, businesses closed, schools sent kids home, and millions of people lost their jobs.
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BIRTHDAYS
Coco Gauff - tennis player - 21
Jack Harlow - rapper - 27
Mikaela Shiffrin - Olympic skier - 30
Kaya Scodelario - actress, “Skins” - 33
Lucy Fry - actress, “Vampire Academy” - 33
George MacKay - actor, “Peter Pan” - 33
Tristan Thompson - basketball player - 34
Harry Melling - actor, “Harry Potter” films - 36
Emile Hirsch - actor, “Into the Wild” - 40
Noel Fisher - actor, “Shameless” - 41
Leigh-Allyn Baker - actress, “Will & Grace” & “Good Luck, Charlie” - 53
Annabeth Gish - actress, “The West Wing” - 54
Adam Clayton - bassist, U2 - 65
Kathy Hilton - fashion designer & reality star - 66
Jamie Dimon - CEO of JPMorgan Chase - 69
William H. Macy - actor, “Shameless” & “Pleasantville” - 75
Born On This Date
Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins - serial killer, claimed to have murdered over 100 people - 1933 (d. 1991)
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo - conquistador who discovered California - 1499 (d. 1543)
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