United States Politics and Government

• Top Republican Examining Boat Strike ‘Satisfied’ With Military Mission - After viewing video of a follow-up strike, Republicans largely had confidence in the Pentagon’s legal rationale while Democrats questioned its legality.
• National Center for Atmospheric Research to Be Dismantled, Trump Administration Says - Russell Vought, the White House budget director, called the laboratory a source of “climate alarmism.”
• Senate Passes Defense Policy Bill, Clearing It for Trump - The legislation authorizes $900 billion for the Pentagon, provides a pay raise for troops, and has some measures to reassert congressional oversight.
• Appeals Court Allows National Guard to Remain in D.C., for Now - A three-judge panel voted unanimously to allow troops to stay in the capital for the duration of the appeal, citing the city’s unique legal status.
• Trump Dangles Cash Payments to Assuage Affordability Concerns - With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year.
• Mike Johnson Shuts Door on Key Health Care Vote, and a Dangerous New Drug Hits U.S. Cities - Plus, the subway stop that’s also a museum.
• Heating Costs Expected to Rise 9.2% This Winter - Colder weather and rising electricity and fuel costs will lead to a big jump in costs for individuals, according to estimates from a group representing state energy officials.
• Norman Podhoretz, Influential Editor and Neoconservative Force, Dies at 95 - A New York intellectual and onetime liberal stalwart, his Commentary magazine became his platform as his political and social view turned sharply rightward.
• Australia, After a Mass Shooting During Hanukkah, Looks for a Path Forward - The Bondi Beach massacre has people fearing more anti-Jewish violence — and an Islamophobic backlash. But there are reasons to think stability will prevail.
• Trump Expands Travel Ban and Restrictions to 20 More Countries - People from Syria, South Sudan and those with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority are included in the latest restrictions. More than 35 countries are now under U.S. travel restrictions.