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Judge blocks JetBlue-Spirit merger after DOJ’s antitrust challenge

Yesterday, a federal judge intervened to prevent JetBlue Airways from acquiring Spirit Airlines, deeming the $3.8 billion transaction as potentially detrimental to price-sensitive consumers and competitive balance in air travel. Following the ruling, Spirit Airlines' stock plummeted by 47%, while JetBlue's shares rose by 4.9%.

During the trial, the U.S. Justice Department presented its case that the merger would lead to reduced flight choices and dampen the "Spirit effect." This phenomenon refers to an average industry-wide fare reduction of 17% that occurs when Spirit lowers its prices on certain routes. The proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit would have formed the fifth-largest airline in the U.S., commanding about 10% of the domestic market. Currently, the four largest carriers—United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines—hold a two-thirds market share in the U.S. Both JetBlue and Spirit expressed disagreement with the court's decision and are considering their future course of action.

In a related development, the DOJ previously compelled JetBlue to terminate its Northeast partnership with American Airlines. This collaboration enabled the two airlines to align their schedules and share revenues.

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Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann charged in death of 4th woman

Yesterday, murder suspect Rex Heuermann faced new charges for his alleged involvement in the 2007 homicide of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Heuermann, a 60-year-old ex-architect from Manhattan, was charged with second-degree murder. The charges are supported by DNA evidence that purportedly ties him to the scene of the crime. Heuermann had previously been accused in July of the murders of three other individuals.

Brainard-Barnes was discovered among four women whose remains were uncovered in a 500-foot stretch of Gilgo Beach in December 2010. Overall, 11 bodies—consisting of nine women, one man, and a toddler—were discovered around Gilgo Beach in Long Island between 2010 and 2011. Heuermann's alleged connection to these four murders involves DNA evidence located at the crime scene and the usage of burner phones, which he supposedly used to coordinate meetings with the victims. However, prosecutors have not established a direct link between Heuermann and the remaining murders.

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TV Ratings: Emmys Fall to Another All-Time Low

Broadcasted four months later than its usual schedule and amidst a particularly busy evening of television, the Emmy Awards experienced their lowest viewership to date.

The Fox network's airing of the awards show averaged just 4.3 million viewers, based on preliminary national ratings provided by Nielsen. This figure represents a 27 percent decline from the 2022 Emmys' previous record low of 5.92 million viewers on NBC. This year's viewership marks the fifth time in six years that the Emmys have seen a decline in their audience numbers.

Additionally, the ceremony recorded its worst performance ever in the key demographic of adults aged 18-49, with a rating of 0.85. This is a 22 percent decrease from the 1.09 rating in 2022. While the final ratings might see a slight increase, they are not expected to surpass last year's figures significantly.

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