Trump aide comes close to recognizing loss, vows smooth transition

The US national security advisor on Monday promised a smooth transition to a new administration under President-elect Joe Biden as he came close to acknowledging the defeat of Donald Trump, who refuses to concede. While Biden is set to take over on January 20 regardless of whether Trump admits defeat, the General Services Administration — the usually low-profile agency that manages the federal bureaucracy — has refused to certify Biden as the…