The National Book Award for fiction was given to Percival Everett on Wednesday for his new book James, which is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the viewpoint of Huck's enslaved friend. James turns the traditional Mark Twain work on its head by delving into Jim's inner experiences of the adventures, his ideas on racism, and his actions when white people weren't there. Everett discussed the significance of books and how they can unite people in trying times in his acceptance speech on Wednesday. In reference to the outcome of the presidential election, I was feeling quite depressed two weeks ago, and to be honest, I still feel that way. I must admit that I feel a glimmer of hope when I gaze out at all the enthusiasm for literature. Everett, who has written extensivel...

According to official records of a police investigation released Wednesday night, a woman told police that Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary, took her phone, prevented her from leaving his hotel room, and then sexually assaulted her in 2017 following a Republican women's convention in California. The lady, identified only as Jane Doe, told an emergency department nurse days after the Oct. 7, 2017, event that she didn't remember much else about and thought a substance might have been inserted into her drink, according to documents made public by the Monterey Police Department. Hegseth denied any misconduct and was not charged. The report's description of surveillance footage at the Monterey hotel, where the woman met Hegseth, and police interviews wit...

Advent calendars usually count down the 24 or 12 days until the holidays, therefore in order to keep to your plan, you must obtain one before December 1st or December 12th. One of the greatest places to shop if you're pressed for time is Amazon. If you're a Prime member, you can be sure that your Advent calendar will arrive in time to begin celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas because orders ship quickly. Additionally, the store sells a range of calendars in several categories, so there are choices for kids, adults, and even pets. I've included the top Advent calendars available on Amazon below. I advise purchasing one as soon as possible if you want to give it to a loved one or yourself because they will start to sell out as December approaches. GO Ahead and SkipNBC Select is the best sourc...

On Thursday, former Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, declared that he will not be running for president-elect Donald Trump's attorney general position. Numerous claims of sexual misconduct, including having sex with a teenager at a party in 2017, clouded Gaetz's future.The House Ethics Committee, which had been looking into Gaetz, was informed that a 17-year-old girl had two sex encounters with the then-congressman during the party, according to a source who spoke to NBC News on Thursday. She described the second encounter in a deposition in a related civil lawsuit and in testimony to the House Ethics Committee. A familiar source claims that another adult woman was involved in the second sexual encounter. The first outlet to report on the fresh accusations was CNN. Gae...

Recent elections have seen notable advancements for women in Congress, but for the first time since 2016, those advances have stagnated and are now below the current record levels. Democratic Representative Mary Peltola is the most recent woman to lose her race; NBC News predicts that she will lose to Republican Nick Begich in Alaska. Another female member, Republican Representative Michelle Steel, is now trailing Democrat Derek Tran by a slim margin in a close and uncalled election in Southern California. In addition, if Steel loses, there will be 150 women in the next Congress, including the Senate and the House (including the winner of the recount between Democrat Christina Bohannon and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa's 1st District). Data from the Center for American W...

After faking his own death in a staged kayaking accident, a Wisconsin man is still alive and well and most likely in Uzbekistan. Officials are currently in negotiations to bring him back to his family, they announced Thursday. Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old married father of two who was reported missing in August and now seems to be in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, has been contacted by deputies from the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office, officials said. A video discussion between the department and Borgwardt, who was wearing an orange t-shirt and reassured everyone that he was fine, was played by the sheriff. As he said to the camera, "Good evening, it's Ryan Borgwardt," "Today is November 11; it is roughly 10 a.m. for you all. My apartment is where I am. I have no issues and am safe and secu...

The Summary A newly identified chemical byproduct may be present in drinking water in about a third of U.S. homes, a study found. Scientists do not yet know whether the byproduct is dangerous. But some are worried that it could have toxic properties because of similarities to other chemicals of concern. According to a recent study, approximately one-third of Americans have been drinking tap water that contains an undisclosed chemical residue. Some experts are now worried about that chemical's potential for toxicity and are actively looking into it. When water is treated with chloramine, a chemical created by combining chlorine and ammonia, a newly discovered compound known as the chloronitramide anion is created. In municipal water treatment systems, chloramine is frequen...

Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, will step down on January 20, the commission said Thursday, allowing President-elect Donald Trump to choose a replacement right away. Since Gensler assumed control of the SEC in 2021, the agency has approached a number of regulatory matters, including cryptocurrency, in an ambitious but contentious manner. Although Trump has not yet revealed his choice to head the SEC, it is anticipated that the incoming chair will be more accommodating to Wall Street and cryptocurrency. Theoretically, Gensler might have remained on until at least 2026 because SEC commissioners are appointed to five-year terms. Rather, as was largely anticipated, he is quitting the agency altogether. Protecting investors, promoting capital formation, and ma...

According to golfer Brian Harman, a family friend who dove into the sea to save his 6-year-old son from drowning has been in a coma for about six weeks. Ahead of Tuesday's RSM Classic on St. Simons Island, Georgia, Harman informed reporters that the event happened while his family and their friend, Cathy Dowdy, were on vacation in Florida. At the time, he was participating in the Macau Open in China. I'll do all in my power to get through this. My wife took my children and our family friend Cathy Dowdy to Ponte Vedra for a vacation while I was in China. My son was ripped out to sea by a mere rip current while boogie boarding with one of his closest friends. "This one was exceptionally bad," he remarked. Harman claimed that after following the child into the water, Dowdy began to struggle. ...

A breach among Ohio Republicans, who are split between President-elect Donald Trump and establishment-friendly Governor Mike DeWine, is being exacerbated by the Senate hunt for Vice President-elect JD Vance's successor. For the last two years of the term Vance won in 2022, DeWine, who supported a candidate backed by Trump this year in the fight for Ohio's second Senate seat, will designate a candidate to replace Vance's seat at least until a special election in 2026. He is already being heavily lobbied by competitors. DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney told NBC News that his phone has been ringing nonstop. According to DeWine, he would rather pick a candidate who can win a GOP primary within two years. Additionally, the individual he chooses will probably have to pass a rapid litany of loyalt...