Nation and world news in brief for November 21

Senate blocks bid to halt some Israel military sales

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation that would have halted the sale of some weapons to Israel, which had been introduced out of concern about the human rights catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

As voting continued, 59 of the 100 senators opposed a resolution that would have blocked sales of tank rounds to Israel, while 15 supported it.

Johnson says Capitol bathrooms restricted by ‘biological sex’

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday that all single-sex bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol building would be reserved for “individuals of that biological sex,” weeks after the election of the first transgender member of Congress.

The issue became a flashpoint after Republican Representative Nancy Mace filed a resolution to impose that requirement, which targeted U.S. Representative-elect Sarah McBride.

McBride, a 34-year-old Delaware lawmaker-elect, said she would comply with Johnson’s order but called it a distraction from more substantive issues.

Biden approves anti-personnel mines for Ukraine, US official says

(Reuters) — President Joe Biden has approved provision of anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine, a U.S. official told Reuters, a step that could help slow Russian advances in its east, especially when used along with other munitions from the United States.

The United States expects Ukraine to use the mines in its own territory, though it has committed not to use them in areas populated with its own civilians, the official said. The Washington Post first reported the development.

The office of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian defense ministry, the Russian defense ministry and the Kremlin did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests to comment.

The United States has provided Ukraine with anti-tank mines throughout its war with Russia, but the addition of anti-personnel mines aims at blunting the advance of Russian ground troops, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. mines differ from Russia’s as they are “non-persistent,” and become inert after a preset period, the official said. They require a battery to detonate, and will not explode once the battery runs out.

Vic Flick, guitarist who plucked the James Bond Theme, dies at 87

(NYT) — Vic Flick, a British guitarist whose driving riff in the theme for the James Bond movies captured the spy’s suave confidence and tacit danger, died on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. He was 87.

His death, in a nursing facility, was announced on social media by his son, Kevin, who said the cause was Alzheimer’s disease.

The Bond films produced signature catchphrases (“shaken, not stirred,” “Bond, James Bond”) that have been endlessly recited and parodied since “Dr. No,” the first in the series, was released in Britain in 1962. But it was the sound of Flick’s guitar in the opening credits that helped make the spy thrillers instantly recognizable.

Comcast to spin off cable networks, including MSNBC and CNBC

(NYT) — Comcast said Wednesday that it would spin off its cable networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, in a bid to unshackle its movie studio and theme parks from the waning fortunes of traditional television.

NBCUniversal, Comcast’s media division, is set to cleave off a bundle of cable channels that generate roughly $7 billion in revenue annually, including USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel, into a new public company. Comcast will keep the NBC broadcast network under NBCUniversal, along with Bravo, home to reality TV programs like “Top Chef,” the company’s theme parks and its Universal studio.

Brian Roberts, the CEO of Comcast, will own a one-third voting stake in the new company, which is expected to complete the spinoff to Comcast investors before the end of next year, after shareholder and regulatory approval. Roberts will not serve on the board of the new venture nor oversee its operations.

Cable television, once a juggernaut that propelled the share prices of traditional media companies, has become a financial albatross. Although they remain enormously profitable, cable TV channels are in long-term decline as viewers replace subscriptions with streaming services.

Comcast said Wednesday that the new company would be unencumbered by debt and well-positioned to scoop up other assets.

Target’s stock plunges 21% on weak sales ahead of holiday season

(NYT) — Target rattled Wall Street on Wednesday with a downbeat earnings report showing a sales decline, lower profit and an unwelcome buildup of unsold inventory. The company also cut its forecast for the full year, a bad omen ahead of the critical holiday shopping season.

Target’s stock plunged more than 21% for the day, a loss of nearly $12 billion in market value and its biggest slide in 2 1/2 years.