9/28/2023: Moose on the Loose! đ«
PLUS: American Space Record; Cardi Bâs Ghost; and Working Royals
Today is Thursday, September 28, 2023.
It is the 271st day of the year.
94 days remain.
WHATâS ON TAP
SAM BANKMAN-FRIED suits up for his trial next week and an American soldier is back in US custody after fleeing to North Korea. More in HIT LIST.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN has canceled the rest of his shows and CHER had her son kidnappedâŠallegedly. More in SHOWBIZ.
Late-night shows are set to return as the writersâ strike is officially over. More in CASTING CALL.Â
YE is working hard on some new tunes. More in KARDASH.Â
A slimmed-down monarchy could mean elevating some familiar faces to more prominent roles. More in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio set a record for longest American spaceflight when he returned to Earth on Wednesday, alongside two Russian cosmonauts, from the International Space Station.Â
Originally a 180-day mission, a damaged capsule forced the trio to extend their stay by 191 days. The extra time led Rubio to spend two weeks longer in space than Mark Vande Hei, who held the previous endurance record.Â
A Russian cosmonaut set the all-time record with 437 days in space in 1995. [via CNN]
###
SAM BANKMAN-FRIED will be able to wear a business suit for his trial that starts next week.Â
Since entering jail in New York City after violating house arrest conditions, SBF has been showing up in prison apparel. His attorneys successfully lobbied a judge to allow the disgraced former billionaire to dress up for the proceedings.
MEANWHILE: The Court will also allow SBF to use a laptop without internet access to take notes during the trial â but that computer will be brought in and out of court each day by his attorneys.
TODAY: The judge is expected to make yet another decision on whether SBF can stay out of jail during the trial, this time with much tougher restrictions. That judge previously denied his lawyerâs request. [via Coindesk]
###
MOOSE ON THE LOOSE: A moose caused a busy subway line in Stockholm to close down this week after the animal made its way down the tracks.Â
As rangers closed in to capture the animal, it took off further down the tracks, prompting more closures.Â
After being unsuccessful in attempts to catch the moose, or get it to leave, rangers decided the best course of action would be to shoot it. Shortly after it was removed, tracks were up and running again. [via CTInsider]
###
The American soldier who ran into North Korea in July is back in American custody.
Diplomats from Sweden and, surprisingly, China, were involved in negotiating and facilitating TRAVIS KINGâs release and transport back to the United States.Â
In a scene out of a spy novel, Swedish officials personally drove King to North Koreaâs border with China, where the American and Swedish ambassadors to China picked him up.Â
No word yet on the terms of Kingâs release, but the official line from the White House is that they conceded nothing.
While King is now out of North Korea, he does face potential punishment from the military for his actions. [via Associated Press]
###
A Kentucky man crashed his car into a strip mall storefront â because he was choking on French fries.Â
Fortunately, the man was able to slow the car down and tried to stop it while he coughed up the perilous potatoes, but lost control and the car bashed through the storeâs windows. He only sustained mild injuries and the damage was minimal.
GO FIGURE: The storefront was for an Enterprise Rent-a-Car. [via WLKY]
###
BABY NEWS
âJersey Shoreâ star MIKE âThe Situationâ SORRENTINO and his wife, LAUREN SORRENTINO, are expecting baby #3.Â
The couple, who are already parents to two-year-old son Romeo and eight-month-old daughter Mia, announced the news on Instagram.Â
###
BY THE NUMBERS
đ The DOW lost 68 points (0.2%) to close at 33,550 on Wednesday. The S&P was up barely a point (0.023%) to close at 4,274 and the NASDAQ increased 29 points (0.22%) to close at 13,092.Â
đą WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $93.70, its highest price since July last year. BRENT CRUDE closed over $94, a high-point for the year and the highest close since last November.
✠The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.83 on Wednesday.
âż BITCOIN was mostly flat Wednesday, trading around $26,200.
đ© There were more than 1,750 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 630 such cancellations.
đ°Friday nightâs MEGA MILLIONS will be for a $267 million jackpot or a $123.6 million cash payout.Â
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN has canceled his remaining 2023 concerts as he continues to recover from peptic ulcer disease.Â
New dates for the postponed shows will be announced next week. [via TMZ]
###
CARDI B is convinced that her Los Angeles home is haunted by a ghost that wants to sleep with her.Â
During a bizarre Instagram Live stream, the rapper detailed how she often hears strange noises, âlike a fly soundâ or âlike somebodyâs [talking] on the phone,â but there is no one around.Â
She also claimed that the ghost clearly wants some alone time with her because it only appears when her husband, rapper OFFSET, is not there. [via Insider]
###
CHERâs estranged daughter-in-law claims the singer had four men kidnap her husband, Cherâs son ELIJAH BLUE ALLMAN, in an effort to stop the two from reconciling.Â
In court documents, MARIE ANGELA KING stated that she and Allmen were in a hotel room the night of their wedding anniversary in November 2022, when four men barged in and âremoved [Allman].â She alleges that one of the four men told her Cher had hired them.Â
Since then, King claims she is being kept from Allman, who she says is âcurrently in lockdown at a treatment facility.âÂ
Cher shares 47-year-old Allman with ex-husband GREG ALLMAN. [via ET]
###
USHER is reportedly planning a world tour that will follow his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance.Â
An insider told Billboard that tickets for the 2024 global tour will likely become available the second he finishes his performance at Allegiant Stadium on February 11.Â
The halftime show will also be Usherâs time to debut some music from his new album, âComing Home,â which drops the same day. [via Billboard]
WORTH NOTING: The last time an artist used the Halftime show to announce a new tour was LADY GAGA in 2017.Â
###
We now know the name of JOE JONAS and SOPHIE TURNERâs youngest daughter: Delphine.Â
The name was revealed in custody filings obtained by Page Six.Â
The exes also share three-year-old daughter, Willa. [via Page Six]
DIVORCE DRAMA: Turner and Jonasâ lawyers met in a Miami courtroom on Wednesday, where they argued over whether the divorce will play out in the US or the UK. The location could likely favor either side so it is a valid concern. [via TMZ]
###
FOLLOW UP: After BRITNEY SPEARS posted her knife-dancing video, fans are now calling for someone to save her dogs.Â
Not only do followers believe Brit poses a serious threat to herself, but also potentially her tiny pups who were seen walking around during her video.Â
Ventura County Animal Services are aware of the video, but said there is nothing â yet â that warrants them getting involved. [via TMZ]
###
OZZY OSBOURNE has undergone his final surgery and is ready to get back to work.Â
As previously reported, the rocker has had several spinal operations following a fall in 2019. Now that those are behind him, the 74-year-old told Metal Hammer that he wants to âmake one more albumâ and get back on the road for another tour.Â
As for those who think he should call it quits, Ozzy has two words: â[eff] off.â [via Metal Hammer]
###
CASTING CALL
It was back to work Wednesday for the Writers Guild of America after 148 days of striking.Â
Things officially ended at midnight after all parties âvoted unanimouslyâ on a deal put forth by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.Â
The new deal includes a five percent minimum pay increase and additional bumps in 2024 and 2025.Â
STILL STRIKING: The SAG-AFTRA strike is ongoing. [via CBS]
###
Late night shows are coming back!Â
BILL MAHER led the pack of late-night hosts, announcing that his HBO show âReal Time with Bill Maherâ will be back on the air by tomorrow. The rest of the hosts said their shows will be back Sunday.Â
No word on when âSNLâ will return though.Â
LATE NIGHT NUMBERS: During the strike late-night viewership fell between 40% and 50%.
SCRIPTED SHOWS: Other shows will take longer to return as actors are still on strike. [via AP News]
###
Veteran journalist DEBORAH ROBERTS will replace ousted AMY ROBACH as co-anchor on ABCâs â20/20,â alongside DAVID MUIR.Â
Roberts, who is married to âTodayâ show weatherman AL ROKER, has been at ABC for 28 years.Â
Remember, Robach left the network in January amid an investigation into her relationship with âGMA3â co-anchor TJ HOLMES. [via Variety]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE is working hard on new music -- completing 10 tracks just this week -- according to those in the know.Â
Insiders say the new album will be more like the âold Kanyeâ sound and less political than some of his recent works.Â
Ye last released a project more than two years ago with 2021âs âDonda,â named in honor of his mom.Â
No word on an album name or drop date.Â
SPEAKING OF NEW TUNES: Ye and DR. DREâs album âJesus is King IIâ leaked this week. There are 10 tracks on the album, featuring A$AP FERG, ANDERSON .PAAK, THURZ, TRAVIS SCOTT, TY DOLLA SIGN and EMINEM. [via TMZ]
###
WEâLL NEVER BE ROYALS
A formal butler for KING CHARLES expects the monarch to tap his nieces to fulfill official duties on behalf of The Crown, even as he eyes a âslimmed-downâ team of working royals.
Grant Harrold says that the daughters of PRINCE ANDREW and FERGIE â thatâs PRINCESSES BEATRICE and EUGENIE â are expected to take on more work on behalf of the Firm, even as they potentially continue to hold down private sector jobs.
Harrold says the cousins to PRINCE HARRY and PRINCE WILLIAM âhave already shown that they are there to support and are called in to support the King when needed."
WORTH NOTING: With Harry and Meg out of the picture and Andrew sidelined, and George, Charlotte, and Louis still kids, âGenie and Bea make for reliable stand-ins to represent the monarchy for now. [via Express]Â
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
National Drink Beer Day
National Good Neighbor Day
World Maritime Day
World Rabies Day
Remember Me Thursday
International Poke Day
National Strawberry Cream Pie Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1542 â Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo of Portugal leads an expedition to the shores of San Diego Bay -- making it the first recorded European encounter with the West Coast.
He went on to explore much of present-day California's coast. But in a freak accident on one of his landings, Cabrillo broke his leg and fell very ill. He would die four months later.
Today there's a national monument where he's believed to have landed.
###
1779 â Samuel Huntington is elected to succeed John Jay as the president of the Continental Congress
He was one of the more soft-spoken of the Revolutionaries, but vocal in opposition to British hegemony. His background in law made him a smart voice in the fight for independence. He actively lobbied the colonies to support the war effort with supplies, troops, and money.Â
Under his watch, the Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation. Some consider him the first president of the United States, but without the constitutional title.
Huntington would later become governor of Connecticut.
###
1781 â Nearly 20,000 Continental soldiers lay siege to Yorktown, Virginia, with the help of the French.
British General Cornwallis was there with 9,000 troops, defending his last headquarters of the Revolutionary War.
It took three weeks of constant artillery attacks to smoke out the remaining redcoats. Cornwallis issued surrender on October 17th, but was not gentlemanly enough to show up for the ceremony: he said he had a bad cold and sent his Number Two to carry his sword to give to Washington.
The United States would be officially recognized as a free nation after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, on September 3rd, 1783.
###
1858 â William Usherwood of England captures the first photo of a comet. He snapped a picture of Donati's comet, whose two gas tails made a spectacular sight in the evening sky.
An American also tried to get a picture, but it didn't turn out nearly as well.Â
The next recorded shot of a comet wouldnât be captured until 1881.
###
1889 â The First General Conference on Weights and Measures meets to standardize the way things should be weighed and measured.
Its first mission was to define the kilogram and the meter -- which it did.
Today, a meter is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458th of a second.
###
1941 â Ted Williams plays in his last game for the season. He gets a hit on six of his eight at-bats, boosting his batting average to .406.
Exactly 19 years later, in 1960, Williams would make his last career trip to the plate and hit a homerun, for a career total of 521.
###
1958 â French voters approve a brand-new constitution -- the country's fifth since its bloody revolution in the late 18th-century.
It came on the heels of the final collapse of the French Empire, particularly its holdings in Algiers. It replaced the parliamentary system with a president who appointed a Prime Minister.
It's what they're using today, though with some changes here and there.
1982 â The first deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules are reported in Chicago.Â
A total of seven people would die with several more deaths in subsequent copycat crimes.Â
No suspect has ever been charged.Â
###
2008 â SpaceX launches the first ever private spacecraft, the Falcon 1 into orbit.
###
2015 â Trevor Noah takes over for Jon Stewart as host of âThe Daily Show.âÂ
Stewart hosted the show for 16 years.  Â
###
2020 - Global COVID-19 deaths pass 1 million with over 33 million known cases.Â
###
BIRTHDAYS
Lauren Spencer-Smith - pop singer - 20
Brenna DâAmico - actress, âDescendantsâ - 23
Frankie Jones - actor & youngest Jo Bro - 23
Tyler Lockett - football player - 31
Hana Mae Lee - actress, âPitch Perfectâ films - 35
Hilary Duff - actress, âLizzie McGuireâ - 36
Nick Viall - reality star, âBachelorâ - 43
Bam Margera - reality star, âJackassâ - 44
Jeezy - rapper - 46
Naomi Watts - actress, âKing Kongâ & âThe Ringâ - 55
Mira Sorvino - actress, âRomy and Micheleâs High School Reunionâ - 56
Maria Canals Barrera - actress, âCamp Rockâ & âWizards of Waverly Placeâ - 57
Brigitte Bardot - actress, âContemptâ & âAnd God Created Womanâ - 89
Born On This Date
Ben E. King - soul singer - 1938 (d. 2015)
###