Market volatility is collapsing to levels not seen since February, the latest sign of optimism about a stock rally that lifted major indexes to fresh records this week.116
A potential capstone to the Trump administration’s efforts to reorder the politics of the region slipped away.
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the man widely viewed as the father of Iran’s nuclear-weapons program, was shot and killed, dealing a blow to Tehran’s atomic ambitions and threatening to increase tensions between Iran and its foes.
United Airlines began operating charter flights to position doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for quick distribution if the shots are approved by regulators.
In a ruling that leaves the president few remaining legal avenues to contest the election outcome, a judge said the Trump campaign’s arguments lacked merit and didn’t justify depriving millions of the right to vote.
WSJ News Exclusive
GM’s lending arm is drawing up plans to apply for a banking charter, a move that would allow it to accept deposits and expand its auto-finance business.
After one man was snatched off the street for tracking protests online, he spent four years in custody and even now remains under close police watch.246
Months after graduating into one of the most challenging job markets in generations, many are still searching for that first gig. Few openings emerge in retail or marketing; there are bright spots in tech.151
The pandemic has reshaped the holiday shopping season, with fewer people hitting stores on Black Friday and many retail chains holding the line on discounts because they are sitting on lean inventories.51
Essay
It won’t be easy, but New York theater will recover from the current shutdown—just as it weathered the Depression, the AIDS crisis and 9/11.
JOANNA STERN
Give the gift of work-from-home productivity, from laptop stands to USB-C dongles to 4K monitors.21
Business & Finance
When the coronavirus sent millions of professionals working remotely, other companies seized the spotlight, making Slack a potential acquisition target.
Lawmakers next week are likely to force Chinese companies with shares traded on American exchanges to finally comply with audit-oversight rules—or leave U.S. markets altogether.
OPEC and its Russia-led partners are leaning toward extending oil production cuts for another two to three months, according to officials familiar with the discussions, a move they hope will keep markets tight even as prices start to recover.
On Business
When Brynn Putnam sold her company for $500 million, she couldn’t walk away from what she created. She joins a list of prominent entrepreneurs who cashed in without checking out.
The company is committing $500 million toward holiday bonuses for front-line employees, including $300 for anyone who works full-time for all of December.
U.S.
WSJ News Exclusive
The Air Force Research Laboratory is testing a commercial software platform that taps mobile phones as a window onto usage of hundreds of millions of computers, routers, fitness trackers and other networked devices.149
Lawmakers haven’t figured out what to do for federal workers who got a temporary paycheck boost but now face a looming cut in take-home pay.
Advocates are hoping to pass similar measures in other states, but still-elevated unemployment and lower costs of living in rural areas remain challenges.282
Coronavirus
Europe’s Covid-19 crisis is moving eastward, from the wealthiest and best-prepared countries on the continent into the poorer states that have exported doctors for decades. Now, as cases soar, the bill from that long exodus is coming due.
Some people in Covid-19 vaccine trials say they may drop out if a vaccine gets authorized and they believe they received a placebo, a move that could hinder the collection of data needed.66
The fresh Covid-19 surge has taken root in rural communities, straining small hospitals that are often vital waystations for patients who need to be transferred to larger facilities, many of which are full.
Coronavirus has continued to spread throughout U.S. prisons, despite officials taking a host of drastic measures to stem it.11
Life & Arts
Jason Gay
Socks, slippers, robes, pajamas—cozy, simple gifts are making a comeback in a stay-at-home holiday season.32
We asked picky interior designers to look at mass-market retailers’ offerings—and select affordable holiday decorations they’d hang on their own trees.
This crisp-skinned trout with jamón, charred lemons and scallions is on the table in 25 minutes.3
When sunshine is in short supply, citrus arrives to save us. It lights up this refreshing salad anchored with salty slices of cured meat.
Video
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