2019 hurricane season, Elon Musk, remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: 5 things to know Thursday
Experts to predict 2019 hurricane season
After last year's catastrophic hurricane season — which featured such ferocious storms as Florence and Michael — top hurricane forecasters will release their expectations for 2019 on Thursday. Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach and other experts from Colorado State University will release the forecast for this season, which begins June 1. They're regarded as the nation's top seasonal hurricane forecasters, as they were the first group to predict seasonal hurricane activity 36 years ago. Last year, they predicted seven hurricanes, and eight formed. Speaking of Florence and Michael, we'll never see those names again, as they've officially been "retired" by the World Meteorological Organization.
Elon Musk contempt case gets court hearing
The government's contempt case against Tesla CEO Elon Musk is scheduled to be heard in court Thursday. The Securities and Exchange Commission is asking a federal judge to find Musk in contempt of court for allegedly violating terms of an October fraud settlement that required him to get pre-approval to tweet about the company. On Feb. 19, Musk tweeted: "Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019." Back in September, Musk agreed to pay a $20 million fine and step down as Tesla's chairman to settle an SEC civil suit that charged him with lying or recklessly misleading for tweeting that he had "funding secured" to take the electric car company private.
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How Martin Luther King Jr.'s death changed America
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one the world's greatest civil rights leaders who left a lasting legacy, was shot and killed 51 years ago Thursday on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. King arrived to the city in hopes of helping sanitation workers fight for fair wages and basic dignity — the same things that were viewed as a given for white people, but seen as an afterthought, if that, for black people. From quotes on forgiveness to the struggle for racial justice, King's words have resonated with audiences, decades later. As the nation remembers the icon, here's a look back at some of the most popular MLK quotes.
Little Lipscomb goes for NIT championship
The winner of Thursday's National Invitation Tournament championship can lay claim to only being the 69th best team in college basketball, but for one small university in Tennessee, that would be a big deal. The Lipscomb Bisons, one of four fifth-seeded teams in the tournament, have fought their way into the final game against the Texas Longhorns, a 2 seed. Lipscomb, 29-7, has mostly floated along in basketball obscurity. ESPN will air the NIT showdown with the 20-16 Longhorns at Madison Square Garden starting at 7 p.m. ET.
NATO was formed 70 years ago
Thursday marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the NATO treaty by the United States and its allies to counter the aggression of the communist Soviet Union in the aftermath of World War II. From the original 12 signing nations, the alliance has expanded to 29, including several that were once part of the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and criticized some NATO members for not spending enough on defense. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a joint session of Congress that NATO continues to face threats ranging from terrorism and cyberwar to aggression from the Islamic State and said members "must overcome our differences now."
Contributing: Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2019 hurricane season, Elon Musk, remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: 5 things to know Thursday
