NEW YORK (AP) — A jury found Wednesday that entertainment giant Live Nation, which hosts tens of thousands of concerts a year, and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had a harmful monopoly over big venues.

The ruling, in a lawsuit brought by dozens of states, won’t immediately bring relief for concertgoers who have long complained about high ticket prices. But it could cost Live Nation hundreds of millions of dollars and perhaps force the company to sell some of its concert venues when the judge hands out penalties later.

Among other things, the jury found Ticketmaster’s anticompetitive practices led to people in 22 states paying an extra $1.72 per ticket, which the judge could order the companies to pay back.

A jury in New York deliberated for four days before reaching its decision. State attorneys general who sued Live Nation said the verdict could potentially lead to lower ticket prices for music fans.

The company predicted that once a remedy phase of the litigation is completed before the judge and all appeals are resolved, the outcome likely won’t be much different from what the federal government achieved with a settlement it reached with the company just after the trial began.

That deal included a cap on service fees at some amphitheaters, plus some new ticket-selling options for promoters and venues — potentially allowing, but not requiring, them to open doors to Ticketmaster competitors such as SeatGeek or AXS.

The trial was a backstage pass

The trial gave fans the equivalent of a backstage pass to a business that dominates live entertainment in the U.S. and beyond.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino testified, answering questions about matters including the company’s Taylor Swift ticket debacle in 2022. Rapino blamed a cyberattack.

Jurors also got to see a Live Nation employee’s internal messages to another employee declaring some prices “outrageous,” calling customers “so stupid” and boasting that the company was “robbing them blind, baby.” The employee, Benjamin Baker, who has since been promoted to a position as a ticketing executive, apologetically testified that the messages were “very immature and unacceptable.”

Live Nation Entertainment owns, operates, controls booking for or has an equity interest in hundreds of venues. Its subsidiary Ticketmaster is widely considered to be the world’s largest ticket-seller for live events.

The civil case, initially led by the U.S. government, accused Live Nation of using its reach to smother competition — by blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers, for example.

Live Nation denies it is a monopoly

Live Nation insisted it is not a monopoly, saying that artists, sports teams and venues decide prices and ticketing practices. A company lawyer said its size was simply a function of excellence and effort.

“Success is not against the antitrust laws in the United States,” attorney David Marriott said in his summation.

Ticketmaster was established in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. The company now controls of 86% of the market for concerts and 73% of the overall market when sports events are included, according to an attorney for the states, Jeffrey Kessler.

Ticketmaster has long drawn ire from fans and some artists. Grunge rock titans Pearl Jam battled the business in the 1990s, even filing an anti-monopoly complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, which declined to bring a case then.

Decades later, the Justice Department, joined by dozens of states, brought the current lawsuit during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration.

Days into the trial, Republican President Donald Trump’s administration announced it was settling its claims against Live Nation.

A handful of the states joined the settlement. But more than 30 pressed ahead with the trial, saying the federal government hadn’t gotten enough concessions.

Attorneys hail verdict

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a release after the verdict that Live Nation’s “illegal, anti-competitive practices” had driven up ticket prices and made it harder for fans to see their favorite acts.

New York Attorney General Letitia James called the verdict “a landmark victory.”

After the victory, Kessler would not say specifically what the states will seek in the next phase of the litigation, which was expected to involve another lengthy legal proceeding before penalties are decided.

But he celebrated the moment.

“It’s a great day for consumers,” he said.

One expert has said you should take the fruit out of bowls for imporant reason

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Bananas are an incredibly versatile addition to any kitchen, whether you enjoy them sliced on toast, stirred into porridge or scattered over pancakes. Yet they rank amongst the most wasted foods in Britain, with more than a million discarded daily across the UK, largely because most households are storing them incorrectly by leaving them in a fruit bowl.

A vast number of fruits emit a substance known as ethylene gas, which is invisible to the naked eye but lingers in the air to accelerate the ripening process, softening fruit until it’s ready to eat.

Bananas are particularly susceptible to ethylene gas despite producing considerable amounts of it themselves, and when placed alongside other fruits, they rapidly begin to deteriorate, turning into an unappetising, mushy mess within just a few days.

Fortunately, Linda Loosli, a specialist from Food Storage Moms, has revealed a straightforward method to keep bananas fresher for longer — simply remove them from the fruit bowl and wrap their stems tightly in cling film.

Linda explained: “You’re probably wondering why you’d need to go through the hassle of wrapping the banana stems with plastic wrap, but it’s pretty simple.

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“When wrapped in plastic, the bananas contain more of their ethylene gas, which prevents the ripening process from happening too quickly.

“If you don’t want the bananas to end up ripening fast before you’re ready to eat them or use them to make something, this is an important trick that will extend the life of the fruit.”

Bananas emit ethylene gas via their stems, and covering them will trap the gas and assist in slowing the ripening process, reports the Express.

This technique prevents bananas from developing spots and turning brown for several additional days, though some individuals have suggested that wrapping the stems can preserve them for as long as a fortnight.

Simply begin by positioning bananas in a distinct bowl away from your other fruit, including apples, avocados, mangoes and peaches.

Maintain a bunch of bananas connected at the stem where possible, as this also aids in reducing ethylene gas production. Subsequently, just cover the bottom of the stem with cling film.

Alternatively, you can utilise tin foil to wrap the bananas, though try to steer clear of baking paper, as it’s too porous and will allow the ethylene gas to leak into the atmosphere.

This preservation technique is fairly straightforward, yet it remains one of the most effective methods to prolong the shelf life of bananas so you needn’t discard them.

Should you wish bananas to last considerably longer, you can also store them in the refrigerator once they’ve ripened, ensuring you never squander your fruit again.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme CourtJustice Ketanji Brown Jackson has delivered a sustained attack on her conservative colleagues’ use of emergency orders to benefit the Trump administration, calling the orders “scratch-paper musings” that can “seem oblivious and thus ring hollow.”

The court’s newest justice, Jackson delivered a lengthy assessment of roughly two dozen court orders issued last year that allowed President Donald Trump to put in place controversial policies on immigration, steep federal funding cuts and other topics, after lower courts found they were likely illegal.

While designed to be short-term, those orders have largely allowed Trump to move ahead — for now — with key parts of his sweeping agenda.

Jackson spoke for nearly an hour on Monday at Yale Law School, which posted a video of the event on Wednesday.

Last week, Justice Sonia Sotomayor similarly talked about emergency orders in an event Tuesday at the University of Alabama that also took issue with the conservatives’ approach.

Jackson has previously criticized the emergency orders both in dissenting opinions and in an unusual appearance with Justice Brett Kavanaugh last month. But her talk at Yale, addressing the public rather than the other eight justices, was notable.

She referred to orders, which often are issued with little or no explanation as “back-of-the-envelope, first-blush impressions of the merits of the legal issue.”

Worse still, she said, was that the court then insists that “those scratch-paper musings” be applied by lower courts in other cases.

The orders suffer from an additional problem, she said, a failure to acknowledge that real people are involved, making them “seem oblivious and thus ring hollow.”

She also pushed back on the court’s assessment that preventing the president from putting his policy in place also is a harm that often outweighs what the challengers to a policy might face.

“The president of the United States, though he may be harmed in an abstract way, he certainly isn’t harmed if what he wants to do is illegal,” Jackson said during a question-and-answer session with law school dean Cristina Rodriguez.

The court used to be reluctant to step into cases early in the legal process, she said. “There is value in avoiding having the court continually touching the third rail of every divisive policy issue in American life,” Jackson said.

While she said she couldn’t explain the change, “in recent years, the Supreme Court has taken a decidedly different approach to addressing emergency stay applications. It has been noticeably less restrained, especially with respect to pending cases that involve controversial matters.”

Thierry Henry has warned Mikel Arteta that Arsenal cannot afford a repeat of their performance against Sporting CP in their Premier League match against Manchester City on Sunday.

Arsenal have secured their place in the Champions League semi-final where they will meet Atletico Madrid following a goalless draw at home to Sporting on Wednesday night.

But the Gunners, who had a 1-0 win from the first leg in Portugal last week, delivered another unconvincing performance as they registered just one shot on target against Sporting in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal now turn their attention to the Premier League this weekend as they play City at the Etihad Stadium in a game which will have a significant impact on the title race.

Arteta’s side currently sit six points clear of City at the top of the Premier League but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and will cut that lead to three points with a win.

‘I want to see that fire at the Etihad,’ Henry told CBS Sports.

‘That’s what I want to see, it’s easy to talk, go there, at Man City, and deliver.

‘I believe in what I see though, I believe in him Arteta, ‘the fire’, but when you talk like that you have to do it then. I didn’t see that tonight.

‘We are through, so happy, semi-final, I never won it, but I won the league though, go and win at Man City, I want to see that fire there, I believe Mikel, yes, but show it.’

Asked how he would approach the game against City, Henry replied: ‘Not like tonight, or against Bournemouth, or Brighton away, or Mansfield, or everything that I’ve seen this season.’

Asked if the performance against Sporting would be enough to beat City, Henry laughed and replied: ‘The Man City I’ve seen recently? We’re talking about the team that won four in a row, Liverpool came in between that if not it would have been more.

‘I do believe, I’ve been saying since the beginning of the season, this year I do believe we can win the league, this is the biggest chance in your life just to prove to yourself, as a team, that we can.

‘And then people will not talk about the word they want to use that I do not want to use.

‘I do believe personally but I am sitting in a chair for CBS, there’s nothing I can do. Now I heard ‘fire’, I want to see that fire at the Etihad.

‘If you have the face of Declan Rice go back to that, at the end of the game I stayed with his face, you had a lot of guys smiling but his face… I don’t know, maybe I need to speak to him to know what he had in his head. This is a guy who just went through to the semi-final of the Champions League.

‘There’s no positive or negative here. We are in a semi-final of a Champions League, well done, that didn’t happen a lot in history so obviously I’m over the moon. But City… I want the team to win there, not draw, statement.’

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As warmer weather approaches, homeowners are taking their garden furniture out of storage to prepare their gardens for summer

A garden expert is urging Brits to not make this ‘common mistake’ with their outdoor furniture as it could cause damage to your lawn. As warmer weather approaches, homeowners are taking their garden furniture out of storage to prepare their gardens for summer.

But green-thumbed individuals are being urged not to commit a common mistake with their tables and chairs that can lead to mould, rust or rotting and could damage your grass. Matthew Lock, a garden furniture specialist at Luxus Home and Garden, revealed that placing wooden furniture on the lawn can cause damage to the item and your grass.

This is because prolonged exposure to moisture from the grass can damage the wooden legs or table and chairs which can lead to damp stains, mould or rot. If you place metal outdoor furniture on grass, Matthew also warns it could cause these items to rust too.

Mathew also warns that putting your table on grass in the summertime can damage your lawn as the heavy item can prevent sunlight and air reaching it. This may eventually lead to your grass dying, leaving you with ‘dead patches’ all over your lawn. To combat these issues, Matthew says garden furniture should be placed on a decked area or patio if possible.

If you’re not able to avoid putting your table and chairs on the grass, you should use protective gliders and make sure the wooden feet don’t directly touch the damp earth below. To prevent your lawn from dying, he suggests rotating your garden furniture regularly to ensure all your grass gets exposure to the elements.

Matthew said: “Garden furniture can be an integral part of making our outdoor spaces a comfortable and enjoyable place to be. However, it’s important to consider where you can maximise its functionality and keep it protected from the elements.

“A common mistake many homeowners make is to place wooden garden furniture on the lawn, which can damage both the item and the grass. Prolonged exposure to moisture can damage a wooden item’s legs and can lead to damp stains, mould or rot, while metal furniture can be prone to rusting.

“On top of that, leaving heavy items on the lawn can harm the grass, preventing sunlight and air from reaching it and eventually leaving behind dead patches. The best place to locate garden furniture is on a stable surface such as a decked area or patio. If this isn’t possible and it must be on the lawn, it’s best to choose items that have protective gliders or feet at the bottom to prevent wood from being directly exposed to damp turf.

“It’s also a good idea to rotate locations regularly to prevent dead patches on your lawn.” Now that spring is in full swing, attention is seeing more Brits spending more time in outdoor spaces.

Homeowners are being advised that it now appears to be a good time to take garden furniture out of storage if it has been kept inside or under covers through the winter. Good-quality wooden items can last decades if cared for properly, including regular cleaning and maintenance.

Matthew said: “A deep clean with warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush can make a world of difference, while an equal parts white vinegar and water solution can be used to tackle stubborn dirt or grime. When the item has dried, it may be worth applying a protective sealer, which is recommended every 12 to 18 months, depending on the type of wood.”

For more information, visit https://www.luxushomeandgarden.com/

British-born Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, has been charged after a string of brutal attacks on Monday, April 13 left two women dead and a man fighting for his life

A British-born man is at the centre of an alleged killing spree described as “pure acts of evil”.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, has been charged after the string of brutal attacks on Monday leaving two women dead and a man fighting for his life.

The killing of the DHS worker, Lauren Bullis, and shootings of the two other victims on Monday led the homeland security secretary Markwayne Mullin to issue a statement raising concerns that the 26-year-old suspect, British native Olaolukitan Adon Abel, was granted US citizenship in 2022.

Mr Mullin’s statement reads: ” On Monday, a DHS employee, Lauren Bullis, was brutally shot and stabbed to death by Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old, born in the United Kingdom, who was naturalized by the Biden Administration in 2022. Since President Trump took office, @USCIS has implemented measures to ensure individuals with criminal histories and who otherwise lack good moral character do not attain citizenship.

Mr Mullun added: “He [Olaolukitan] stands accused of murdering @DHSgov employee Lauren Bullis by shooting and stabbing her while she walked her dog. He has also been arrested for the murder of an unidentified woman whom he reportedly shot outside a Checkers, before randomly shooting a homeless man multiple times outside a Kroger in Brookhaven.

“These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims.”

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that Lauren Bullis, a beloved member of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General team, has tragically passed away.

“She was a respected colleague whose contributions and presence will be greatly missed. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends, as well as to the families, friends, and communities of the additional victims.”

The Brookhaven Police Department have confirmed all three attacks were connected and issued the following statement: “The Brookhaven Police Department has arrested and charged Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, of Atlanta with Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the shooting that occurred earlier this morning at Cherokee Plaza, located at 3855 Peachtree Road.

“On April 13, 2026, at approximately 1:59 a.m., Brookhaven officers responded to the Cherokee Plaza Shopping Center in reference to a person being shot. Upon arrival, officers located a 49-year-old male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he remains in critical condition.

“Through the use of the Brookhaven Police Department’s Operation Plugged In Camera Network, along with coordinated law enforcement efforts, detectives were able to quickly develop leads and positively identify the shooter.

“This afternoon, Adon Abel was taken into custody without incident by the Georgia Department of Public Safety in Troup County following coordination with Brookhaven detectives. Further investigation has revealed that Adon Abel is also responsible for other shootings that occurred earlier in unincorporated DeKalb County.

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation. The Brookhaven Police Department is working closely with the DeKalb County Police Department and state partners to ensure all aspects of these incidents are thoroughly investigated.”

The eastern United States is bracing for an unseasonably long heat wave, with a furnace-like weather pattern threatening to shatter record-high temperatures in major cities including New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Forecasters predict the nation’s capital will reach 93 degrees (33.9 Celsius) late Wednesday afternoon, with similar highs expected on Thursday.

This intense heat is highly unusual for April, not only due to its early arrival but also its anticipated duration, with near-record temperatures forecast to persist into the upcoming weekend.

While inland areas saw temperatures soar into the 80s, the Jersey Shore offered a slight reprieve. Hundreds took advantage of the pleasant spring day Wednesday, strolling along boardwalks where a gentle breeze kept temperatures approximately 15 degrees cooler by the water.

“After all the nasty cold and snow we had to deal with this winter, this is our payback,” New Yorker Javier Estrada, 19, said while taking a break from a beach football game in Seaside Park, New Jersey.

“I’m here with my buds, we’re having a blast and God is smiling on us,” he said. “What more can you ask for?”

The potentially dangerous heat comes as pieces of the roof of Yost Ice Arena, one of the nation’s oldest college hockey arenas, were found scattered by a storm Wednesday in nearby yards in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That arena and another one in the same community — a city ice rink — were both damaged by the severe weather that struck Michigan overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Severe storms earlier this week also tore through Kansas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

While it’s not unprecedented to see high temperatures climb toward 90 degrees (32 Celsius) on an April day, the length of such an April heat wave is rarely seen, experts say.

“That’s borderline unprecedented as far as the duration of it this time of year,” said John Feerick, senior meteorologist at the forecasting firm AccuWeather.com.

Feerick said that starting Wednesday “we’re going to have records challenged from basically Georgia all the way up through the New York City area and back toward the Ohio Valley.”

The National Weather Service is projecting a high temperature of around 86 degrees (30 Celsius) for Central Park in New York City on Wednesday. The record high for the date is 87, set in 1941.

Even hotter weather is expected in Philadelphia, where Wednesday’s high is expected to be 92 degrees (33 C). Other likely hot spots include Washington, D.C., which could see a high of 94 (34 C); and Atlanta, where the high is projected to be 88 (31 C).

“It’s really some very impressive heat for the middle of April, for sure,” Feerick said.

“The good thing about this is that the humidity is not summertime levels,” he added. That means it won’t feel as hot as a sizzling July day.

The early-season heat can be more stressful on people’s bodies since they haven’t had a chance to acclimate.

Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the U.S., the weather service warns. Infants and young children; older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to heat-related injuries and death.

A strong ridge of high pressure fueling moisture into the southern plains was responsible for bringing the unusual heat to the eastern U.S., the weather service said.

Though Wednesday is a day when many records could fall, the heat wave will continue through Friday in many areas, forecasters said.

“Widespread lower to even middle 90s are expected Friday across the lower elevations of the Carolinas, which could set additional daily records and perhaps come close to some monthly records,” the agency’s Weather Prediction Center wrote in a memo.

The heat wave should finally be breaking down by Sunday as a strong cold front moves toward the Eastern Seaboard, and then it should be “pleasantly cooler” by Monday with the front heading out to sea, the weather service said.

In Seaside Park, Tom Larkin, 48, of Toms River, New Jersey, and his 3-year-old Labrador retriever, Vader, were among those strolling on the boardwalk.

“He just loves to see people and get petted, so what should be a 20-minute walk usually ends up taking about an hour and a half at least,” Larkin joked as Vader made friends with passersby.

“But on a day like this I don’t mind the extra time here,” he said. “The people are great and the scenery is gorgeous, and it’s not too crowded yet, like it will get after Memorial Day.”

The advancement in North Korean nuclear weapons comes at a time when the topic of nuclear warfare is rife amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East over nuclear capabilities

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has said that North Korea has made “very serious” progress in its ability to produce nuclear weapons.

This comes at a time when the topic of nuclear warfare is rife amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East over what the US says is a result of Iranian nuclear capabilities.

North Korea is believed to have assembled about 50 nuclear warheads, but some experts are sceptical of its claims that it is able to miniaturise them to be attached to long-range ballistic missiles, the Guardian reported.

Speaking during a visit to the South Korean capital, Seoul, on Wednesday, April 15, Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi confirmed reports of a rapid rise in activity at the country’s main nuclear complex, Yongbyon.

He said work had intensified at Yongbyon’s 5MW reactor, reprocessing unit, light water reactor and other facilities. North Korea is believed to possess several dozen nuclear warheads.

Since conducting its first nuclear test two decades ago, the regime has acquired what some experts say is a workable nuclear capability that includes intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.

Under leader Kim Jong Un, the country has ramped up its nuclear weapons programme in defiance of UN sanctions.

Observers view this as attempt to reduce the likelihood that it could one day be a target for regime change by the US.

Grossi’s comments came as a US thinktank said North Korea appeared to have completed a building intended for uranium enrichment at the nuclear complex.

Beyond Parallel, at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said this week that satellite imagery indicated the new facility was nearing operational readiness, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

The thinktank said the suspected new enrichment facility at Yongbyon and another at a site in Kangson near the capital Pyongyang had not been declared to international nuclear authorities.

It said production of enriched uranium “would significantly increase the number of nuclear weapons North Korea could possess”.

The report matched an assessment issued by the IAEA in June last year in which it said the regime was building an enrichment facility at Yongbyon that could be used to produce weapons-grade material.

In March, Grossi said there was no evidence of “significant change” at the North’s main nuclear testing site at Punggye-ri, but added that it was still capable of supporting nuclear tests.

He called North Korea’s nuclear programme a “clear violation” of UN security council resolutions.

He also said that the agency “continues to maintain its enhanced readiness to play its essential role in verifying [North Korea’s] nuclear programme”.

The country has not conducted a nuclear test since 2017, but it has demonstrated advances in its missile technology and increased its stockpile of weapons. This is in line with Kim’s comments last August to pursue a “rapid expansion of nuclearisation”.

Diplomatic efforts to rein in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have faltered after unsuccessful summits between Kim and US President Donald Trump during his first term and a deterioration in ties between the regime and neighbouring South Korea.

The Banks Group, first formed commercial ties with the club more than three decades ago and continues to play a key role in its growth and development.

Its sponsorship includes naming rights to the Banks Homes Riverside Stadium in Chester-le-Street and branding on the men’s, women’s and junior pathway teams’ kits.

Harry Banks OBE DL, chairman and chief executive at the Banks Group, said: “The start of a new cricket season is always a landmark time in our business year and the connection with our 50th anniversary celebrations makes this season an especially important one for us.

“We’ve been part of the Durham Cricket story for over 35 years and are looking forward to seeing all the club’s teams and players succeeding through the summer.”

Founded in Tow Law in 1976, Banks first backed Durham Cricket before it achieved First Class county status.

The company sponsored the under-19 team in 1989 and later helped the club gain First Class status after a 70-year wait.

Banks has long supported junior cricket development, helping to create the nursery ground at the Riverside and sponsoring boys’ and girls’ age group teams for many years.

Russ Hall, managing director at Banks Homes, said: “Our partnership with Durham Cricket has helped to increase our brand visibility as we’ve expanded our portfolio of high-quality residential developments across the North East and Yorkshire, and we’re excited to be taking our place for a new season at the iconic Banks Homes Riverside ground.”

The company’s support for cricket extends well beyond Durham.

Banks has invested in grassroots cricket throughout the North East by sponsoring league and cup competitions and providing grants to clubs.

It recently renewed its sponsorship of the North East Premier League, a partnership that dates back to the league’s formation 27 years ago.

Banks has also sponsored Northumberland County Cricket Club for the past eight years, with the team wearing the Banks Homes brand in National Counties Cricket Championship matches.

Tim Bostock, chief executive at Durham Cricket, said: “It is great to celebrate our second year with Banks Group as Durham’s principal partner.

“Banks Group has been a long-term partner of Durham Cricket who have supported us for over 30 years, and it is fantastic to continue to work alongside the group.

“Banks Group is a progressive, community-minded partner that aligns with our Northern culture, sharing our passion for community spirit and cricket.

“Everyone at the club is excited about the coming years, in what is an exciting time for English cricket, as we continue to move forward both on and off the field.”