Today is Monday, April 21, 2025.
It is the 111th day of the year.
254 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: A statement from the Fyre folks sheds more light on the ongoing fiasco.
MARTHA STEWART shades KATY PERRY and HALEY JOEL OSMENT issues an apology. More in SHOWBIZ.
Some exciting “Star Wars” news in CASTING CALL.
The Telegraph biffs some reporting in ROYALS.
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An American man attempted to hijack a small plane flying from Corozal to San Pedro, Belize, on Friday.
The suspect stabbed two passengers and a pilot. One of the stabbed passengers was licensed to carry a gun on the flight – as can be legal for domestic flights in Belize, apparently – and shot the suspect dead.
All three stabbing victims, including the pilot who was still able to safely land the plan, are recovering in hospital.
Investigators say the suspect demanded that the plane be flown out of the country, even to the United States. It flew an erratic path for nearly two hours before the suspect was shot and killed. No official word yet on his motive. [via NBC News]
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FYRE FESTIVAL organizers are laying blame for yet another date and venue change on the municipal government at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
In a statement sent to (former) ticket holders last week, event organizers accused the local government of first laying out the red carpet to land their business, including making introductions to venues, hotels, and hospitality partners, holding press conferences to promote the event, and signing the paperwork – and then days later saying they’d never heard of Fyre Festival.
"You can't make this stuff up,” the statement read in part, “When a government takes your money, issues permits, promotes the event, and then pretends it's never heard of you, that's not just dishonest — it's theft. Due to this, we have decided to move FYRE Festival 2 elsewhere."
No word yet if ticket holders have gotten their money back, where the new venue could be, or if it will happen at all. [via Consequence]
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China hosted the world’s first half-marathon that included humanoid robot participants.
Among more than 12,000 human racers, 21 robots ran in a separate lane; despite huge advances in the technology, they still can’t keep up with humans – for now.
Robot teams were allowed the opportunity to swap batteries out at any point. Some robots ran on remote control; others use autonomous sensors to navigate the course. Teams could swap in new robots entirely if they had to, subject to a 10-minute penalty.
The fastest robot finished in two hours, 40 minutes, well behind the fastest running, who finished in one hour, two minutes. [via CNN]
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Wanna get lucky in love? Get active with your date.
A study by matchmaking company Tawkify said first dates that involve an activity, for example hiking or a cooking class, are 25% more likely to go out together again than sitting down at a bar or restaurant.
Hiking in particular boosted second date chances by 50%. In a statement, Tawkify’s “Chief Matchmaker” said that bars and cafes are full of distractions, whereas one-on-one activities give more opportunity to connect.
The site also suggests dates like visiting a museum, going to a show or, if you must eat, grabbing a bite from a food truck. [via New York Post]
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The world’s oldest Humboldt penguin celebrated her 37th birthday last weekend at Paradise Park zoo in Hayle, Cornwall, where she has lived since 1988.
According to her keepers, Spneb is the oldest of her species, which is an amazing feat considering Humboldt penguins typically live 10 to 15 years.
BY THE WAY: Her unusual name comes from when she was being treated for a dangerous fungal disease known as Aspergillosis. At the time, she was receiving a drug known as “Sp” from a nebulizer (neb). [via BBC]
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