Nation and world news in brief for December 4

Trump urges judge to dismiss hush money case due to election victory

NEW YORK (Reuters) — Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a New York state judge to dismiss the criminal case in which he was convicted in May of 34 felony counts involving hush money paid to a porn star in light of his victory in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election.

In urging Justice Juan Merchan in Manhattan to vacate the guilty verdict and toss the charges, Trump’s lawyers said having Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case hang over him after he takes office on Jan. 20 would impede his ability to govern.

Merchan last month delayed Trump’s previously scheduled Nov. 26 sentencing indefinitely to give him the chance to seek dismissal.

Prosecutors with Bragg’s office supported delaying the sentencing to give Trump the chance to make his case for dismissal, though they said they would oppose that bid. The prosecutors have until next Monday to respond.

Trump’s pick to lead DEA withdraws from consideration

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Chad Chronister, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, said on Tuesday he was withdrawing from consideration.

“Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set it, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister, a Florida sheriff and Trump loyalist, said in a post on X.

Mattel sued over ‘Wicked’ dolls with porn website link

(Reuters) — Mattel was sued on Tuesday by a South Carolina mother for mistakenly putting a link to a pornographic website on packaging for dolls tied to the blockbuster movie “Wicked.”

In a proposed class action filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Holly Ricketson said she bought a “Wicked” doll for her daughter, who then visited an adult entertainment website through the link provided by the toymaker.

Ricketson said her daughter showed her hardcore photographs from the website and both were “horrified” by what they saw, suffering emotional distress.

The plaintiff said she would not have bought the doll had she known of the mistake, and Mattel has not offered refunds despite recalling the dolls on Nov. 11.

Mattel did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but has expressed regret for the error.

Thanksgiving weekend records 197M shoppers, retail body says

(Reuters) — About 197 million Americans shopped over the five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday this year, data from the National Retail Federation showed on Tuesday.

The number of shoppers exceeded the retail body’s prior expectations of 183.4 million, but was still lower than the 200 million shoppers in 2023.

During the long weekend, consumers on average spent $235, or $8 more than 2023, with top gifts purchases being apparel and accessories, followed by toys as well as personal care, the retail trade body’s report showed.

The data signals retailers’ success in countering a shorter shopping window this year and bargain-focused shoppers through blockbuster deals.

E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has ended: CDC

(Reuters) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that the E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers is over and the investigation has been closed.

As of Dec. 3, the CDC said 104 people have fallen ill and 34 were hospitalized due to the outbreak caused by the E. coli O157:H7 strain that can cause “very serious disease.”

The outbreak was first reported on Oct. 22, with one person reported dead due to the infection resulting from the slivered onions served on the burgers.

Onions were supplied by Taylor Farms, which serves three distribution centers and has already recalled several batches of yellow onions produced in a Colorado facility.

The infection was reported in 14 states: Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Wisconsin, Washington, North Carolina and Michigan.

Israel threatens to expand war if Hezbollah truce collapses

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel threatened on Tuesday to return to war in Lebanon if its truce with Hezbollah collapses, and said this time its attacks would go deeper and target the Lebanese state itself, after the deadliest day since the ceasefire was agreed last week.

In its strongest threat since the truce was agreed to end 14 months of war with Hezbollah, Israel said it would hold Lebanon responsible for failing to disarm militants who violate the ceasefire.

“If we return to war we will act strongly, we will go deeper, and the most important thing they need to know: that there will be no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said.

French lawmakers to vote today on toppling government

(TNS) — French lawmakers will hold a no-confidence vote Wednesday, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen expected to join forces with a left-wing coalition to topple the government.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier used a constitutional mechanism on Monday to force through an unpopular budget, leading to a leftist coalition and Le Pen’s National Rally to call for votes of no confidence.

Given the fragmented National Assembly and a diminished number of centrist lawmakers, the unlikely alliance between the far right and left groups should be sufficient to topple Barnier’s administration.

3 climbers missing after attempt to scale New Zealand’s tallest mountain

(NYT) — Three mountaineers from the United States and Canada were reported missing on Monday after they did not return from an attempt to summit Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, local police said. Severe weather conditions were obstructing the search.

The two Americans, Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and a Canadian whom officials did not name, did not show up to a charter flight that had been scheduled to return them from the mountain Monday morning, Vicki Walker, the commander of the local police department, said in a statement.

Search teams found several climbing-related items that they believed belonged to the three men, she said. They had to suspend their search because of severe weather and would probably not be able to resume until Thursday, she said.

Trump team agrees with Justice Dept. to begin background checks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team said it reached an agreement on Tuesday with the Justice Department that will allow it to submit names for background checks and security clearances, needed for access to classified information.

Trump’s team last week signed a separate agreement allowing direct coordination with federal agencies and access to documents, but had put off signing an agreement with the Justice Department while talks continued.