United States

• Pete Hegseth Is Ordering Executions at Sea - Did Pete Hegseth break the law after authorizing Venezuelan boat strikes? The Times Opinion editor, Kathleen Kingsbury, argues that there are multiple reasons the strikes were legally dubious.
• Berkshire Hathaway is on track to lag behind the S&P 500 in Buffett's last year as CEO - With less than a month to go, Berkshire Hathaway's B shares are behind the S&P in their 2025 race. With dividends included, the S&P's lead is even bigger.
• Supreme Court to hear case on Trump birthright citizenship order - The U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment had been understood to grant citizenship to children born in the country, even if their parents are not citizens.
• Trump Administration Says Europe Faces ‘Civilizational Erasure’ - America’s goal should be “to help Europe correct its current trajectory,” the administration said in its new National Security Strategy.
• As Trump Covets Nobel Peace Prize, FIFA Cozies Up to Him With Its Own Award - Gianni Infantino, head of soccer’s governing body, has been ingratiating himself with the president to help ensure a successful 2026 World Cup.
• Asia-Pacific markets slide after subdued Wall Street session - Asia-Pacific markets slid on Friday following a subdued Wall Street session.
• A Volunteer’s Dire Warnings About the National Guard D.C. Shooting Suspect - More than a year before the Trump administration granted asylum to the Afghan immigrant, the volunteer’s emails raised concerns that he was unraveling.
• Poll Suggests Voters May Blame Republicans More if Affordable Care Act Subsidies Go Away - About half of people covered under the Affordable Care Act say that if their health costs spike, it will have a “major impact” on how they vote in the 2026 midterm elections, a survey found.
• Layoff announcements this year top 1.1 million, the most since 2020 when pandemic hit, Challenger says - The firm said layoff plans totaled 76,835 in November, a step down from October but still enough to bring the 2025 total up to 1.17 million.
• Inside Europe’s biggest rare earths factory on Russia's doorstep - Developed by Canada's Neo Performance Materials, Europe's largest rare earths facility sits in Estonia's border city of Narva.