By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, on Monday in a case that alleged an illegal monopoly over live events in America.

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The settlement was confirmed by a person familiar with the matter who could not publicly discuss details of the agreement publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The terms of the deal were not immediately clear.

It comes as the two sides face trial in New York over whether to dismantle the monopoly the Justice Department said was squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.

The case, brought under President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration in 2024, accused Live Nation of using threats, retaliation and other tactics to “suffocate the competition” by controlling virtually every aspect of the industry, from concert promotion to ticketing.

The Justice Department accused Live Nation of engaging in a slew of practices that have allowed it to maintain a stranglehold over the live music scene. The Justice Department has said the company uses long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don’t choose Ticketmaster.

Live Nation has maintained that artists and teams set prices and decide how tickets are sold.

Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment, based in Beverly Hills, California, have a long history of clashes with major artists and their fans, including Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.

Ticketmaster, which was established in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010, is the world’s largest ticket seller across live music, sports, theater and more.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Russia’s national anthem rang out at the Paralympics for the first time in more than a decade after Para alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won gold on Monday.

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Russian athletes are back competing under their own flag in the Winter Paralympics at Milan Cortina, after years of having to do so as neutral athletes because of the country’s doping violations and military conflicts.

The 23-year-old Voronchikhina, who claimed bronze in the downhill two days earlier, finished first in the women’s super-G standing competition.

With the Russian flag flying high during the podium ceremony shortly after the event, the anthem was played and Voronchikhina sang along, smiling. She raised her right hand to apparently wipe away tears only a few seconds in.

When it was over, she raised both her arms to celebrate as the crowd applauded.

There was also applause when her name was announced as the gold medalist during the ceremony.

It is the first time Russia’s anthem has been played at a major global sporting event since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the first time to be heard at the Paralympics since the 2014 Games in Sochi.

“It’s really special for me, I can see my flag (on the top of the podium),” Voronchikhina said. “Maybe now I can’t believe it, and I don’t understand what happened. Maybe I’ll see my gold medal and (believe)… it’s so special for me.

“It’s amazing. I have a big support of my family and friends and all the people in Russia.”

The Russian national anthem for a gold medal win has not been heard at any Olympics or Paralympics since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

Russian athletes were initially banned because of a state-sponsored doping program, and the sanctions had continued after the invasion.

Russia arrived at Milan Cortina with six athletes. The International Paralympic Committee gave wildcard entries to Russian athletes, a decision that upset Ukraine and a few other nations that boycotted the opening ceremony on Friday.

AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer

Fox News apologized for airing old video of a hatless President Donald Trump during coverage Sunday of his attendance at the dignified transfer ceremony for U.S. soldiers killed in the Middle East war, insisting it was an honest mistake.

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In a polarized time, some online critics suggested without evidence that it wasn’t an error — that the network was trying to make Trump look better by not showing him wearing a baseball cap during what is considered one of the most solemn duties of a commander in chief. The return of the bodies of six soldiers took place Saturday at Dover Air Force Base.

But Fox News said archival footage of Trump at an earlier ceremony was inadvertently pulled up by a staff member and used on two Sunday morning telecasts. A spokeswoman noted the correct footage was used at other times, including on Saturday.

“We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage,” Fox said in a statement.

Fox News anchor Griff Jenkins issued an on-the-air correction Sunday, saying “we extend our respect and condolences” to the families of the service members killed.

The apology didn’t sit well with some critics. “If any other network did this it would be a huge scandal, Fox would lead the chorus of criticisms and faux-outrage, and people would lose their jobs,” said Mehdi Hasan, founder of the online site Zeteo.

Johnny “Joey” Jones, a veteran and co-host of “The Big Weekend Show” on Fox News Channel, said on social media that he was “embarrassed and ashamed” that this happened.

“My belief was that this was an honest mistake, but that doesn’t make it an acceptable one,” Jones wrote. “Few things are more sacred than our heroes who give their lives in the line of duty.”

Jones said that “if posting snarky comments and insults is your way of reacting to this, please direct them at me. I’m the one with sharp words on these issues. If you are using this as a way to take a partisan jab at my hard working colleagues, check your watch.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it killed six men Sunday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against alleged traffickers.

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Sunday’s attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in small vessels in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on the more than 40 known strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. It posted a video on X that showed a small boat being blown up as it floated on the water.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

In a meeting with Latin American leaders on Saturday, Trump encouraged them to join the U.S. in taking military action against drug-trafficking cartels and transnational gangs, which he said pose an “unacceptable threat” to the region’s national security.

To that end, Ecuador and the United States conducted military operations this past week against organized crime groups in the South American country.

With Saturday’s gathering, Trump aimed to demonstrate that he remains committed to focusing U.S. foreign policy on the Western Hemisphere, even while waging a war on Iran that has had repercussions across the Middle East.

Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes also drew intense criticism following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. The Trump administration and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the killings were murder, if not a war crime.