Soccer's sin bin trial and U.S. military aircraft crash: Morning Rundown

A plane carrying U.S. service members crashes off Japan. One of pro soccer's biggest rule changes in decades gets a test run. And embattled Rep. George Santos predicts he'll be expelled this week.

Here's what to know today.

The divide between Biden and Obama on how to support Israel

When Barack Obama was president, he clashed with then-Vice President Joe Biden over how to approach Israel’s 2014 military assault on Gaza. Obama publicly admonished Israel’s actions and voiced concerns for Palestinian civilian deaths.

Biden, however, believed that the best way to approach the Israelis is to keep them close and not criticize them, according to people familiar with his comments. It’s a belief Biden has held for decades and one he still holds now as president, amid Israel’s war with Hamas.

He sees some of his initial successes in influencing Israel’s government in recent weeks as vindication of the advice he once gave to Obama.

In fact, Biden’s position on Israel has only hardened, sources said, despite his administration’s recalibrated public message urging Israel to minimize civilian casualties and intense pressure for the president to change course.

Read the full story here.

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your morning. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

U.S. military aircraft crashes into the sea near Japan

At least one person has died after a U.S. military Osprey aircraft with six people on board crashed into the sea near an island off southern Japan this morning, officials said.

The coast guard confirmed one man was recovered from the sea “unconscious and was not breathing,” and was later pronounced dead. There were no immediate details available on the status of the aircraft or the rest of those on board.

Here’s what we know so far.

Life expectancy rises for first time since the pandemic

Life expectancy in the U.S. ticked upwards for the first time since the pandemic. According to the CDC, life expectancy rose to 77.5 years in 2022, a 1.1-year increase from 2021. But it still doesn’t match pre-Covid levels. In 2019, the average lifespan in the U.S. was 78.8 years.

While the U.S. has seen consistent improvement, experts say the numbers are climbing at a slower rate compared to the rest of the world. As other countries make big strides in improving mortality conditions, the U.S. lags behind in addressing a few key issues.

Chuck Todd: The age group that’s leading the call for change

America is experiencing a full-on “political depression,” NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd argues in this week’s analysis. It’s been a gradual slide, starting in the mid-2000s, around the time the Iraq War was going south both in public opinion and actual events on the ground. And pessimism about the country’s future hasn’t really budged since.

To understand this depression, it’s worth zooming in on younger voters, Todd argues. They’re not connected to the Republican and Democratic parties like their older counterparts. They’re skeptical. And there’s a stronger desire for change than for the status quo. Read the full analysis here.

Elon Musk boosts the ‘pizzagate’ conspiracy theory five times in two weeks

Elon Musk continued to boost a debunked conspiracy theory yesterday, posting and later deleting a meme on X that referred to a fringe, far-right claim that sought to connect members of the Democratic Party with child abuse.

Since Nov. 20, Musk has responded to tweets referring to pizzagate four other times. The posts are a recent iteration of the debunked idea focused on unfounded insinuations that journalists were part of the conspiracy theory. Musk remains embroiled in controversy for an X post this month in which he boosted an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Since then, he has denied he is antisemitic, visiting Israel and meeting with government officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That has done little to stop advertisers from leaving the platform.

How to watch the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting

Sure, December doesn’t start until Friday, but that’s not stopping Rockefeller Center from jumpstarting the holiday season with its annual tree lighting. Kelly Clarkson will host tonight’s 91st celebration, which kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern. If you only want to watch the tree lighting, tune in just before 10 p.m. Just know you’d miss earlier performances from Cher, Barry Manilow and other stars. Here’s how to watch and what to expect.

Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., strong winds toppled the National Christmas Tree, but the National Park Service was optimistic things will go as planned for tomorrow’s lighting ceremony.

Walk this fast to reduce your diabetes risk

It’s known that walking daily for at least 30 minutes can go a long way in keeping you healthy, but researchers haven’t identified an ideal speed that will reduce your Type 2 diabetes risk — until now. That magic number is 2.5 mph, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Once you exceed that speed, your risk continues to decline, according to the research. Here’s how researchers zeroed in on the figure.

Today’s Talker: Pro soccer officials are considering a huge...

… rule change that would give referees more flexibility to penalize players. The International Football Association Board gave the go-ahead to trial the so-called sin bin, which allows refs to temporarily send players off the field for offenses deemed more severe than the usual yellow-card warnings. Eventually, sin bins will be used at soccer’s highest levels, the IFAB said. But first, there are a few details that need to be ironed out.

Politics in Brief

Santos scandal: Embattled congressman George Santos predicts he’ll be ousted this week. Many lawmakers who voted against his expulsion earlier this month now say they will support it following the release of a damning Ethics Committee report.

2024 election: An anti-Trump political network backed by billionaire Charles Koch endorsed former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley in the Republican primary. The endorsement is a loss for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who once had strong ties to the group.

Arctic threats: The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing today to discuss the ways some U.S. adversaries are using the Arctic regions to set up trade routes and potentially create strategic military positions.

Supreme Court: A broad legal attack on the Securities and Exchange Commission could give the conservative majority Supreme Court another chance to curb the power of federal agencies.

Inflation Reduction Act effects: President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law is driving outsized clean energy funding to low-income, less-educated and fossil fuel dependent towns, according to a new Treasury Department analysis.

Staff Pick: Holiday savings to come — and a few common traps

Consider this both news you can use and an interesting look at the holiday shopping season from retailers’ perspectives. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but senior business correspondent Christine Romans spoke to experts about why you should expect retailers to keep up their discounts and a few pitfalls to avoid. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor

In Case You Missed It

• Hundreds of students at a Florida high school staged a walkout after their school officials were reportedly reassigned over a transgender student’s participation on the girls volleyball team.

• In his first public comments since Matthew Perry’s death, “Dateline” co-host Keith Morrison looked to honor his stepson’s legacy.

• Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to 27 years in prison for financial crimes. During yesterday’s sentencing, former clients and their representatives confronted the disgraced former lawyer.

• After 74 deaths in 29 months in Texas, advocates are calling attention to immigration-related high-speed chases.

• Nazi flags and a book about the SS were found in the home of the Ohio Walmart shooter, who wounded four people earlier this month.

• A woman eating a salad at a New York restaurant discovered part of a finger in her food, according to a newly filed lawsuit.

Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

After a weekend full of deals, our Select team is sharing the bestsellers from Cyber Monday, including things as practical as a pack of AA batteries and dishcloths, to more fun selections such as an Apple Watch or bluetooth headphones.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for exclusive reviews and shopping content from NBC Select.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com