Top stories: Comcast deal for NBC Universal, retail sales disappoint, Bernanke on the defensive

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Here are some of the stories we’re working on today:

Cable television giant Comcast Corp. announced this morning that it was acquiring control of NBC Universal from General Electric Co., Meg James and Joe Flint report. The proposed $30-billion transaction is the fruition of a longtime ambition by Comcast CEO Brian Roberts to recast his family-controlled Philadelphia company into a leading producer of movies and television shows and a purveyor of prominent cable and broadcast networks, including the venerable NBC. Read the full story here.

In a stunning step backward, the nation’s retailers saw sales fall in November -- a dismal start to the holidays and an ominous sign for the rest of the season, Andrea Chang writes. Read the full story here.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is testifying before the Senate Banking Committee today, defending the central bank’s record and arguing to preserve its regulatory powers. Read Don Lee’s story here.

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