🎟️ Two cheaper concert tickets, please
The Justice Department is fed up with high concert ticket prices. Norfolk Southern agrees to a settlement in the East Palestine train derailment and spill. And NOAA is forecasting a hurricane season unlike any other.
👋Hey there! Laura Davis here. It’s time for Thursday’s news!
But first: The people on the bus go "awww!" 🚌💞 How Argentina's happiest bus driver makes his passengers’ day.
'Break it up'
In an effort to lower prices for fans and open venue doors to more musicians, the Justice Department, 29 states and the District of Columbia sued Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, on Thursday alleging it monopolized live events.
What’s the beef? Live Nation, which generates $22 billion a year in revenue, owns or controls more than 265 concert venues in North America, including 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters like the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that dominance has allowed the company to exert control over the live events industry in a way that hurts fans, performers, smaller promoters and venue operators. 🎟️ We break down the lawsuit.
Could ticket prices finally go down?
Severe weather still in the picture
Millions across the central and eastern U.S. − including in some states that were ravaged by tornadoes earlier this week − are bracing for severe weather as an onslaught of powerful storms pushes ahead into the holiday weekend. About half the country, from Texas to North Dakota and from Georgia through New England, was at risk of fierce weather conditions on Thursday. The biggest threat was concentrated in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri, an area where winds at speeds of 75-85 mph, large hail and a few tornadoes were "probable" into the evening. And as Memorial Day weekend approaches, the weather doesn't look super encouraging for outdoor activities, either. 🌤️ See if you’ll need sunglasses or a raincoat.
🎥 See more: Drone video shows destruction from tornadoes.
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Norfolk Southern to pay millions over toxic train derailment
Norfolk Southern agreed to pay more than $310 million to resolve a U.S. government lawsuit over a 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, court documents show. Under a proposed consent decree, the railroad also agreed to make significant safety improvements, install additional safety equipment, improve training and pay for medical monitoring for health impacts tied to the derailment and release of hazardous chemicals.
How did we get here? In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying a toxic, flammable gas called vinyl chloride that can cause certain cancers derailed and caught fire. People were evacuated and a controlled release of gas was conducted to prevent an explosion. 👉 Here's what we know now.
The hurricanes are coming
Hunker down, y'all. The start of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is just over a week away, and federal forecasters Thursday predicted an "extraordinary" season with as many as 25 named storms possible – the most storms the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has ever predicted in a preseason outlook.
Count 'em up: Specifically, NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, eight to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including four to seven major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). 🌀 See the full forecast.
🎥 When is hurricane season? Here's how you can prepare.
📣 Are you happy to be in Paris? Oui sure will be. Follow along with the biggest news before the 2024 Paris Olympics and live on the ground in Paris with our newsletter ‘Chasing Gold.’
A break from the news
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Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ sues Live Nation, East Palestine train derailment, hurricane season: Thursday's news
