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☆ Austin says it’s ‘unfortunate’ that Chinese defense chief declined meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — China’s defense minister declined a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, a move the Pentagon chief said Wednesday was unfortunate. Multilateral gatherings of national security officials in Asia have been used in the past for meetings between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders, but China declined a meeting request by Austin during this week’s Southeast Asian Nations-Plus defense ministers meeting. It affects the region because the region really wants to see us, you know, two significant players in the region, two significant powers, talk to each other,” Austin told reporters. “I don’t think that it has any sort of implications for the future. Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to work with the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump as he held his final talks with departing President Joe Biden on conflicts from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Lloyd Austin, Wednesday, “, ” Austin, ” Austin added.Austin, Dong Jun, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: Pentagon, Austin, Nations Locations: Laos, Asia, China, Singapore, Taiwan, cybercrime, South, Sea, Russia

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night to reject three efforts led by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sanders argued that the resolutions "would not affect any of the systems Israel uses to defend itself from incoming attacks," focusing instead on offensive weapons. "As I have said many, many times: Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack, as any other country would. I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that," he said in his floor speech. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive into the dense enclave since the attack, according to health officials in Gaza.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ed Markey, Netanyahu, Martin Heinrich, Tammy Baldwin, “, Catherine Cortez Masto, ” Sen, Jacky Rosen, ”, Joni Ernst, Bill Cassidy, Israel’s Organizations: U.S, United States, Hamas, Democrats, Biden Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, United States, D, Iowa

The University of Mobile is mourning the sudden death of freshman basketball player Kaiden Francis this week. Francis, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, collapsed on campus Tuesday morning and died, university President Charles Smith said in a letter to students and faculty. "Yesterday morning Kaiden Francis, freshman point guard from Fort Lauderdale unexpectedly passed away after doing what he loved to do, working on his craft in the gym," Archey wrote. Classes at the university of almost 2,000 students were canceled Wednesday, and a vigil was held on campus Wednesday morning. "He was profoundly gifted and clearly loved by his teammates," Smith wrote.

Persons: Kaiden Francis, Francis, Charles Smith, Kaiden, Smith, Darnell Archey, Archey Organizations: University of Mobile, Facebook Locations: Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Fort Lauderdale

Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, was accused of sexual assault. Trump himself has faced various sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied, though he was found liable last year for sexual abuse in a civil trial over an alleged incident in the 1990s that he also denies. Now, after having won the presidency again, he’s spending early political capital to confirm appointees who have faced sexual misconduct allegations of their own. The allegations against Trump’s picksGaetz’s years of controversies have been thrust back into the spotlight now that he’s up for a Cabinet post. “It’s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of,” Trump told reporters.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Gaetz, Hegseth, Kennedy, “, Trump, ”, Marc Short, Mike Pence’s, we’ve, Trump’s, hasn’t, Tim Parlatore, Bill Clinton’s, George H.W, Barack Obama’s, haven’t, Andy Puzder, Puzder, Patrick Shanahan, Shanahan, Ronny Jackson, Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh, ” Trump, reconsidering, JD Vance, Karoline Leavitt, Vance, MAGA, ” Leavitt Organizations: NBC News, NBC, “, Justice Department, Trump, Committee, Washington Post, Republican, You’re, Politico, Pentagon, White House, Department of Veterans Affairs, Supreme, Capitol, White Locations: groping, Florida, America, Hegseth, Washington

A banana duct-taped to a white wall — or an acclaimed piece of art, depending how you look at it — sold at a Sotheby's auction for $6.24 million on Wednesday. The artwork debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2019 and was initially estimated to sell around $1.5 million, according to Sotheby's. At one point, someone even took the banana off the wall and ate it. According to Sotheby's, Cattelan "single-handedly prompted the world to reconsider how we define art, and the value we seek in it." As Galperin put it, "There is no better forum to adjudicate the value of art and a single object than the platform of auction."

Persons: —, Maurizio Cattelan's, Nancy Durrant, Maurizio Cattelan, David Galperin, Sotheby's, rhapsodically, Durrant, Lucius Elliot, Durrant —, Elliot, Maurizio, Emmanuel Perrotin, Perrotin, Galperin Organizations: Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Basel, Americas, New, New York Post, Vogue Locations: New York

☆ FBI investigating whether burglaries targeting athletes are linked to a transnational crime ring
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Tom_Winter_Nbc_News.Jpg | Tom Winter | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The officials said Wednesday that they have not made any determination as to who exactly is responsible, and the investigation is ongoing. The report did not identify Mahomes, but the address listed matches public records for Super Bowl-winning the quarterback. Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 17, 2023, in Foxborough, Mass. Twenty-thousand dollars was taken, according to a police report obtained by NBC affiliate KSHB of Kansas City. “We are aware of some of the other athletes in different states that have had their homes burglarized," the statement said.

Persons: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Mahomes, Sarah Stier, Bobby Portis, Mike Conley Jr, Conley, ” Organizations: FBI, Kanas City Chiefs, Sheriff’s Office, Super Bowl, Kansas City Chiefs, NBC, Milwaukee Bucks, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Vikings, NBC News Locations: South America, Belton , Missouri, Cass, Foxborough, Leawood , Kansas, Kansas City, Medina , Minnesota

The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students two years ago may be punished with the death penalty if he is convicted, the trial judge has ruled. Idaho's alternative to the death penalty for a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison with at least 10 years served before becoming eligible for parole. Prosecutors had said in court filings that four aggravating factors exist in the case against Kohberger, who turns 30 on Thursday, making the crime more severe and meriting the death penalty. From top left, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle. A motive remains unclear for the killings of housemates Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, in November 2022.

Persons: Bryan Kohberger's, Steven Hippler, Hippler, Defendant, Prosecutors, Kohberger, Jeff Nye, Nye, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, Xana, Hipple, Thomas Creech, —, Anne Taylor, Taylor, Xana Kernodle, Steve Goncalves, Kaylee Organizations: University of Idaho, Washington State University, NBC News Locations: Boise , Idaho, Idaho, Xana Kernodle . Idaho, Pullman, Washington, Boise, Latah County

“The Simpsons” is saying goodbye to the voice behind some of its most iconic characters. Pamela Hayden, who voiced Milhouse Van Houten and a slew of other characters, announced she is retiring from the show after 35 years. “The time has come for me to hang up my microphone, but how do I say goodbye to The Simpsons?” Hayden said in a news release. “We named him Milhouse because that was the most unfortunate name a kid could have,” Groening said in a statement. “People come up to me and they quote Milhouse lines,” Hayden said in a video FOX shared Wednesday to commemorate her roles.

Persons: Pamela Hayden, Milhouse Van Houten, ” Hayden, “, ” Milhouse, Bart Simpson, Bart, Matt Groening, Richard Milhous Nixon, Milhouse, ” Groening, “ Pamela, He’s, Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Ned Flanders, Lisa Simpson’s, Janey Powell, Malibu Stacy, Hayden Organizations: FOX, “ Locations: Springfield

A homeless Florida man was arrested Wednesday and charged with plotting to bomb the New York Stock Exchange to force a "reboot" or "reset" of the U.S. government, according to a criminal complaint. Yener told agents at the time that he was creating “rockets” with very “volatile” chemical mixtures that would explode if they were mixed incorrectly, the complaint says. Undercover FBI agents later made contact with Yener and convinced him they wanted to help him carry out an attack, it says. “There is one place that would be hella easy...the stock exchange, that would be a great hit," Yener said, according to the complaint. So that’s perfect.”Days later, he told a group of undercover FBI agents that he wanted to bomb the stock exchange the week before Thanksgiving.

Persons: Harun Abdul, Malik Yener, Yener, ”, Seamus Hughes Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, ., FBI, Facebook, ISIS, Undercover FBI, Walmart, NBC News, Stock Exchange, Court Watch Locations: Florida, Coral Springs, “

Gautam Adani, India’s second-richest person, has been charged by U.S. federal prosecutors with fraud on accusations that he and several alleged co-conspirators sought to pay $250 million in alleged bribes to Indian officials. The defendants then “lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from U.S. and international investors.”The scheme, according to prosecutors, occurred between 2020 and 2024. Gautam Adani, worth approximately $70 billion according to Forbes, heads the Adani Group, an industrial conglomerate that holds stakes in logistics and energy units. The findings from the short-seller, Hindenburg Research, caused Adani Group shares to tumble — but they ended up recovering following a favorable ruling related to the allegations by India’s Supreme Court. Adani has also received direct support from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, something India’s opposition party has highlighted.

Persons: Gautam Adani, India’s, Attorney Breon Peace, “, Adani’s, Sagar, Forbes, Adani, Narendra Modi, ” Hindenburg, ” Organizations: Attorney’s, “, Attorney, Securities, Exchange Commission, Group, Adani, SEC, Green Energy Ltd, Hindenburg, Adani Group, India’s, Indian Locations: U.S, Brooklyn, United States

The majority of transgender employees, 82%, reported experiencing workplace discrimination or harassment because of their gender identity or sexual orientation at some point in their lives, according to a new survey. Trans employees were more likely to report such experiences than cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer employees, at 45%, and nonbinary employees, at 59%. Half of the trans adults surveyed were people of color and 6 in 10 were making less than $50,000 a year. Of the trans respondents who reported having experienced workplace discrimination or harassment at some point in their lives, 65% reported experiencing verbal harassment, 34% reported experiencing physical harassment and 42% reported experiencing sexual harassment. Trans people attempted to mitigate workplace discrimination and harassment by concealing their gender identity at work or by looking for another job, according to the report.

Persons: Brad Sears, they’ve Organizations: Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, U.S, Trans Locations: Massachusetts

North Carolina Republican lawmakers voted to strip the state’s incoming Democratic governor and attorney general of key powers, passing a sweeping bill before the GOP likely loses their veto-proof supermajority in the Legislature next year. That power currently lies with the governor's office, which will remain in Democratic hands after Attorney General Josh Stein defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Republicans have long sought control of the state Board of Elections, which is historically controlled by the same party as the current governor, but their past efforts have been foiled by the courts. That means they would be unable to override any future vetos from Stein without Democratic support. Stein is succeeding outgoing Cooper, whose administration repeatedly clashed with the Republican-led Legislature in the battleground state.

Persons: Dave Boliek, Jessica Holmes, Josh Stein, Mark Robinson, Roy Cooper's, ”, Karen Brinson Bell, Jeff Jackson, Stein, Cooper Organizations: North, North Carolina Republican, Democratic, GOP, Republican, Gov, Republicans, Democratic Gov, Board, State Board, North Carolina Legislature Locations: North Carolina, Stein

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an attempt by Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to protect doctors being investigated in Washington state for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 virus. The emergency application was denied by Justice Elena Kagan on behalf of the court. Circuit Court of Appeals, declined to impose injunctions blocking investigations led by the Washington Medical Commission. The Supreme Court did not ask the state to file a response to the application, suggesting that it was deemed lacking in legal merit. Two doctors subject to investigations, Richard Eggleston and Thomas Siler, had joined Kennedy's group in asking the court to weigh in.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Elena Kagan, ” Rick Jaffe, Kennedy, Donald Trump, Richard Eggleston, Thomas Siler, Eggleston, Siler Organizations: Children's Health Defense, Department of Health, Human Services, Circuit, Washington Medical Commission Locations: Washington, San Francisco

Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but early Black Friday Best Buy deals are already here, with notable deals on TVs, laptops, headphones and more. I frequently cover shopping events as a tech reporter for NBC Select, and I’ve been combing through discounts to find the best early Black Friday Best Buy deals actually worth shopping. SKIP AHEAD Best early Black Friday Best Buy deals | How I found the best early Black Friday Best Buy deals | Why trust NBC Select? How I found the best early Black Friday Best Buy dealsAll of my recommendations above are based on NBC Select’s previous coverage and reporting. For this piece, I researched early Black Friday deals across Best Buy to find notable products across categories like home, audio, TVs and gaming.

Persons: Belkin, Zoe Malin’s, It’s, Smart, Mario, TikTok Organizations: Retailers, Walmart, Home, NBC, Echo, Gaming, Nintendo, Mario Kart, Travel, Giftable Tech, Facebook, Twitter

Delta Air Lines will begin shaking up its menu by serving Shake Shack cheeseburgers on flights departing from Boston this December, part of a new partnership with the New York-based burger chain. Only first-class fliers on routes over 900 miles will be able to pre-select a Shake Shack cheeseburger as their meal option starting Dec. 1, Delta Airlines said Tuesday in a press release. Passengers will be served a Caesar salad, chips and a dark chocolate brownie in addition to their cheeseburger, the release stated. "At Shake Shack, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to meet our guests where they are, even at 35,000 feet," said Michael Kark, President of Global Licensing at Shake Shack. "Taking our beloved cheeseburger to new heights, Shake Shack is proud to partner with Delta as we elevate the in-flight dining and hospitality experience for travelers across the country."

Persons: we’re, Stephanie Laster, Michael Kark, Delta Organizations: Delta Air Lines, New, Delta Airlines, Delta's, Service, Global, Delta Locations: Boston, New York

Mike DeWine, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and other city leaders condemned the neo-Nazis in statements and on social media. But Black locals like Holmes wanted to do more and send a message of solidarity, they said. A group of Black leaders and locals marched through Columbus, Ohio, in a “unity” rally. Dozens of men walked, many side by side, down North High Street, many dressed in all black. He said the atmosphere among Black Columbus residents was one of fear and anxiety, with many wondering if they were safe in the city.

Persons: Derrick Holmes, ” Holmes, Joe Biden, Andrew Bates, Nazism, Mike DeWine, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Holmes, Black, Sean Walton Jr, Brian Winston, Walton, ” Winston, “, ” Walton, ”, Elaine R, Bryant, Winston, Donald Trump’s, Anne Frank ”, Trump, Christian supremacists, Trump’s, Karoline Leavitt, Oren Segal, Jon Lewis, George, ” Lewis Organizations: Columbus ’ Union, Columbus ’ Union Grove Baptist Church, North, North Arts District, ”, ” Ohio Gov, Columbus Mayor, of, Black Columbus, Columbus, Columbus Division of Police, Police, Washington Post, Nazi, Defamation League Center, Extremism, New York Times, Hate, George Washington University’s Program Locations: Columbus , Ohio, Columbus, Columbus ’ Union Grove, United States, ” Ohio, of Central Ohio, Houston, Black, Michigan, Ohio, Springfield, Charlottesville , Virginia, Louis, “

In just a few months, the world will have its first digital saint. Pope Francis on Wednesday announced April plans to canonize a teenage web designer who documented miracles online and used his tech skills to maintain web sites for local Catholic organizations. Acutis, who was born to Italian parents in London, was a web designer who died of leukemia in Italy in 2006 at the age of 15. The church has attributed two miracles to the teen informally known as “God’s influencer.”In May, the pope attributed a second miracle to the teen, who is set to become the church’s youngest contemporary saint. The move came four years after he was beatified in 2020 after one miracle was attributed to him.

Persons: Pope Francis, Carlo Acutis, ”, canonize, Giorgio Frassati Organizations: Wednesday, Adolescents, Vatican News, Roman Catholic Church Locations: Italy, London, Italian

A group of more than a dozen Republican lawmakers is urging a collegiate athletic conference to ban transgender women from competition after reports of a trans student competing on the s women’s volleyball team of a participating university. “Under these guidelines, it is only fair that biological males play men’s sports and biological females play women’s sports.”“Clearly, the Mountain West Conference has dropped the ball,” it continues. In September, SJSU volleyball player Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen women athletes against the NCAA, which oversees collegiate athletics, about trans athletes’ participation in school sports. The lawsuit argues that the NCAA violated the Title IX rights of cisgender female athletes by allowing transgender women to compete against them. Just last week, Slusser and 10 other former and current athletes in the Mountain West Conference filed a separate lawsuit against the conference and three SJSU staffers, accusing them of violating players’ Title IX rights.

Persons: Utah’s Sen, Mitt Romney, Sen, Mike Lee, John Curtis, Blake Moore, Burgess Owens, Celeste Maloy, Idaho’s Sen, Mike Crapo, James Risch, Russ Fulcher, Mike Simpson, Wyoming’s Sen, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis, Harriet Hageman, SJSU, Brooke Slusser, Lia Thomas, University of Nevada and Southern Utah University —, Michelle Smith McDonald, ” Organizations: Republican, Mountain West Conference, NCAA Division, Rep, San, NBC, NCAA, University of Pennsylvania, — Utah State University, University of Wyoming, Boise State University, University of Nevada and Southern Utah University Locations: San José State

Voters in California have narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have gradually increased the minimum wage in the state to $18 per hour, NBC News projected Wednesday. It’s the first time a ballot measure proposing to raise the statewide minimum wage has failed nationwide since 1996. Some cities within New York also implement a minimum wage of $16 per hour, while Washington state’s minimum wage is $16.26 per hour. The defeat is the first time in 28 years that a ballot measure to increase a state minimum wage was defeated. Meanwhile, ballot measures in two other states to increase the minimum wage overwhelmingly passed this month.

Persons: It’s, “ CalChamber, Jennifer Barrera, Gavin Newsom, Newsom Organizations: NBC News, U.S, California Chamber of Commerce, Democratic Gov, Washington, Voters, NBC Locations: California, New York, Missouri, Montana, Alaska

WASHINGTON — A Donald Trump supporter who was among the first rioters to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been convicted of plotting to kill FBI special agents who investigated him over his crimes at the Capitol. NBC News affiliate WBIR in Knoxville reported that the jury convicted Kelley on all three counts after just an hour of deliberation. Kelley will be sentenced in the murder plot case on May 7, one month after he is set to be sentenced on his Capitol case, on April 7. Kelley provided a list of about 37 members of law enforcement who worked on his Jan. 6 case, prosecutors alleged. Edward Kelley was the fourth rioter to breach the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Donald Trump, Edward Kelly, FBI Edward Kelley, Kelley, Austin Carter, Carter, “, WBIR, Christopher Roddy, Edward Kelley, Court Kelley, Kelley's, messaged Organizations: U.S, Capitol, FBI, NBC, WBIR, The, Planned, Federal Bureau of, Court, U.S . Capitol Locations: United States, Knoxville , Tennessee, Knoxville, FBI Knoxville, Washington

The filing said those claims are "unambiguous violations of the Consent Injunction, and the Court should hold him in civil contempt." A representative for Giuliani, Ted Goodman, called the motion "a dishonest and duplicitous attack meant to deprive Mayor Rudy Giuliani of his First Amendment right to freedom of speech." "The ongoing lawfare against Mayor Giuliani must end," he said in a statement. Giuliani was found liable for defaming the pair during his efforts on Trump's behalf to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Moss and Freeman's attorneys urged the judge to stick with the current trial date, which was set last month.

Persons: Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Ruby Freeman, Shaye Moss, Giuliani, he'll, —, Ted Goodman, Mayor Giuliani, Freeman, Moss, Lauren Bacall, Aaron Nathan, District Judge Lewis Liman, Plaintiff, Trump's Jan Organizations: Washington , D.C, America's, Mayor, Benz, U.S, District Locations: Georgia, Washington ,, New York, Florida

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson says he supports banning transgender women from using women's bathrooms
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ali-Vitali-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Ali Vitali | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said that he supports restricting “single-sex facilities” in the Capitol, including restrooms, to “individuals of that biological sex”— which would effectively ban the first transgender congresswoman from using women’s bathrooms in the next Congress. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a resolution this week that would ban transgender women from using women's bathrooms and other facilities at the Capitol. She said Tuesday the bill "absolutely" targets Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del., the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. In a statement posted to X on Wednesday, McBride wrote, “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars."

Persons: Mike Johnson, Nancy Mace, Sarah McBride, Johnson, ” Johnson, McBride, “ I’m, Speaker Johnson, I’ve, ”, doesn’t, Mace, resoundingly, Hakeem Jeffries, ” Jeffries, ” Sarah McBride, Andrew Harnik, Jeffries, Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal, Chuck Schumer, ” McBride Organizations: Rep, Capitol and, GOP, Republican, Small House Republican Conference, U.S, Capitol

COLUMBIA, S.C. --- Susan Smith, the young mom who shocked the nation 30 years ago when she rolled her car into a lake with her two sons inside and watched them drown, was denied parole Wednesday. Susan Smith is led from the Union County Courthouse after the first day of testimony in the penalty phase of her trial. Brooks Kraft LLC / Sygma via Getty Images fileFrom behind bars, Smith continued to claim she was a good mother. He then read a passage that Smith wrote explaining why she allowed her sons to die. “I knew Jesus would take better care of them than I could,” Smith wrote, according to Thomas.

Persons: Susan Smith, Smith, recusing, Michael, Alex, Smith's, David Smith, It's, it’s, Brooks Kraft, “, ” Smith, Tommy A, Thomas, Jesus, ” Tommy Pope, “ Susan, Susan, ”, Juliette Arcodia, Corky Siemaszko Organizations: COLUMBIA, S.C, TV, Courthouse, Reuters, Brooks, Brooks Kraft LLC, Getty, State, Women’s Correctional, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Republican, Pro Tem, South Carolina House Locations: Union , South Carolina, Union, South Carolina, Columbia, New York

President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday named former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as his pick for the next ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a key alliance that Trump derided for years. He served just three months in the position until Bill Barr was confirmed as attorney general. Before becoming acting attorney general, Whitaker served as chief of staff to Sessions when he was attorney general. Trump has long criticized NATO, accusing European allies of not contributing enough toward defense spending. In February, Hillary Clinton warned that Trump would seek to withdraw the U.S. from NATO if he were to be re-elected.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Whitaker, Trump, Matt, Whitaker doesn't, Whitaker, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr, George W, Bush, Ursula von der Leyen, Hillary Clinton, JD Vance, Putin Organizations: Donald Trump Wednesday, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Patriot, NATO Allies, AMERICA, Justice Department, Trump, Twitter, Sessions, Southern, Southern District of, Center of Law & Justice, Policy Institute, Union, NBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Ukrainian, U.S Locations: States, Southern District, Southern District of Iowa, Russia, Europe, Ukraine, U.S, Poland

Big retailers’ fortunes are diverging as the holiday shopping season gets underway. On Wednesday, Target cited “lingering softness in discretionary categories” as a top factor in its disappointing third-quarter sales, as many budget-conscious shoppers continue to focus on necessities. It’s the latest sign that discounts will be the driving force this holiday season, as they’ve been for much of this year. “We’re starting to get back to normal here.”U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% overall in October, federal data showed last month, beating analysts’ forecasts. In the meantime, the steady expansion of e-commerce looks set to continue this holiday season.

Persons: ”, Brad Thomas, they’ve, TJ Maxx, John David Rainey, “ We’re, “ They’re, they’re, ” Thomas, Matthew Shay, TransUnion, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Helene, Milton, who’ve, ” Saunders Organizations: Target, Walmart, KeyBanc, Marshalls, CNBC, “, National Retail Federation, GlobalData, NBC

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