Apr 10, 2019

John Abizaid confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Trump shake hands on May 20, 2017. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

John Abizaid, a retired army general and former U.S. Central Command commander, was named the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in a 92-7 vote.

The backdrop: This post has been vacant since 2017, which became a sore point in the backlash against the Trump administration for failing to respond with force to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's assassination at the Saudi Sonsulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence has since concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the operation against Khashoggi.

Go deeper: U.S. ambassadors have become less qualified under Trump

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Axios

Live updates: Possible U.S. community spread of coronavirus as more countries report cases

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

The CDC said Wednesday U.S. clinicians have found the novel coronavirus in a person who did not recently return from a foreign country nor knowingly have contact with anyone infected, as six more countries reported their first cases.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed more than 2,700 people and infected over 81,000 others. By Wednesday morning, South Korea had the most cases outside China, with 1,261 infections. Europe's biggest outbreak is in Italy, where 374 cases have been confirmed.

Go deeperUpdated 6 mins ago - Health

Orion Rummler

Mass shooting in Milwaukee: What we know so far

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in 2012. Photo: John Gress/Corbis via Getty Images

Six people died in a shooting at the Milwaukee Molson Coors brewery complex on Wednesday, including the shooter, Mayor Tom Barrett told reporters at an evening press conference with local police.

What's happening: Police said "there is no active threat" just before 6 pm ET, but noted the scene remains active. Police chief Alfonso Morales told reporters that officers have "more than 20 buildings we have to secure" at the complex and they do not currently have all employees accounted for, as more than 1,000 were at the complex during the shooting.

Go deeperUpdated 37 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Zachary Basu

Trump assigns Pence to lead U.S. coronavirus response

Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump announced at a press briefing Wednesday evening that he'll be putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of leading the administration's response to the coronavirus.

The big picture: In the wake of a market sell-off and warnings from health officials that there's a real threat of the coronavirus spreading in the U.S., Trump sought to reassure the nation and Wall Street that the U.S. is "ready" for whatever comes next.

Go deeperUpdated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy