Patch Morning Briefing: NATO Is Not Obsolete; Wal-Mart Cuts Jobs; United Cops Suspended

Good morning! It's Thursday, and tomorrow is Good Friday. Here's what you need to know to start your day.

President Trump Says NATO Is 'No Longer Obsolete'

The United States will redouble its efforts to strengthen NATO after the president met with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Following a conversation in which he stressed the importance of fighting terrorism, Trump told the press, "I said it was obsolete," referring to his criticisms of the alliance during the 2016 campaign. "It's no longer obsolete." (Patch)

United Flight 3411: 2 More Chicago Aviation Cops Suspended

Two more Chicago Aviation Police officers are suspended from duty for their roles in violently pulling a passenger off a United Airlines flight traveling from Chicago to Louisville on Sunday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. One officer had already been placed on administrative leave Monday by the department that oversees the airport police after video of the incident at O'Hare International Airport spread online earlier this week, sparking a firestorm of outrage. (Patch)

Wal-Mart To Cut Hundreds Of Jobs As It Invests In Online Sales

Wal-Mart will cut hundreds of corporate jobs going forward to cut costs as it invests in online sales, according to multiple reports. This news comes just a few months after the company announced the elimination of 1,000 jobs in January and following a month in which the retail sector overall lost 30,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Patch)

Quick Hits

Ben Carson Rescued From Elevator At Miami Public Housing Complex (Patch)

Nashua Dog Rescued After Falling Through Ice (Patch)

North Carolina GOP Leader Kills Attempt To Invalidate Same-Sex Marriage (Patch)

Firefighters Rescue Puppy Stuck In Dryer Vent (Patch)

Two Chicago-Area Men Accused Of Conspiring To Help ISIS

Undercover FBI agents say they caught the pair conspiring to knowingly provide material support and resources to the militant jihadist group. (Patch)

Beach Books For 2017: Put A Pulitzer In Your Beach Bag

Don't grab just any book when heading to the beach this spring break. If you are looking for a read that has international critical acclaim, look no further than these top four Random House Pulitzer Prize Winners. (Patch)

Discipline or Abuse? Couple Accused of Belt-Beating, Locking Away Children

A Chelmsford, Massachusetts, couple is fighting assault charges, including the allegation that they beat their four children with a leather belt and leather sandal. Defense attorney Debra Dewitt said this may be a form of "discipline." (Patch)

Bill O'Reilly Goes On 'Vacation' As Sexual Harassment Scandal Festers

Dozens of advertisers have fled the Fox News host's show after the New York Times reported on allegations of sexual harassment. (Patch)

Texas Senate Approves Bill Allowing County Clerks To Deny Same-Sex Couples Marriage Licenses

The Texas Senate this week gave initial approval for a bill designed to allow county clerks to opt out of issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples over religious objections. (Patch)

Trump Border Wall: First Lawsuit Filed

“Trump’s border wall will divide and destroy the incredible communities and wild landscapes along the border,” said Kieran Suckling. (Patch)

This Day In History

1997 — Tiger Woods wins golf's Masters Tournament, the youngest player to do so

Famous Birthdays

1570 — Guy Fawkes, English soldier who planned the failed "Gunpowder Plot" who has become a symbol in anarchist movements

1963 — Garry Kasparov, world famous chess player and Russian dissident

Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images