The Wall Street Journal

Suspected Christmas Market Attacker Was Anti-Islam Activist

At least two dead, more than 60 injured after driver rams car into German Christmas market

What Islamist Control Spells for Syria’s Christians

Islamist rebels promise religious tolerance, but people in Syria’s Christian communities don’t know if they can trust them

Israel vs. Turkey: The Intensifying Middle-East Power Struggle

The collapse of the Syrian regime destroyed Iran’s ‘axis of resistance,’ and brought Turkish-backed Islamists to Israel’s doorstep instead

Putin Signals No Rush to End Ukraine War in Marathon TV Appearance

Trump has vowed to secure a quick end to the conflict, which is seeing incremental Russian gains

House Rejects GOP Plan Backed by Trump as Government Barrels Toward Shutdown

President-elect insisted that any stopgap deal includes raising the debt ceiling

How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden in Charge

Aides kept meetings short and controlled access, top advisers acted as go-betweens and public interactions became more scripted. The administration denied Biden has declined.

Musk’s Rivals Fear He Will Target Them With His New Power

OpenAI’s Sam Altman ranks high on the billionaire’s list of enemies; car companies and tech giants scramble for allies in the incoming Trump administration

Fed Signals Plan to Slow Rate Cuts, Sending Stocks Lower

Having reduced rates by a full percentage point since September, officials penciled in just two cuts next year

Inside Ukraine’s Battle for the Skies as Russian Bombardments Hit Records

Moscow fired four times as many drones and missiles this fall as it did the previous year, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis

Luigi Mangione Indicted by New York Grand Jury on New Murder Charges

Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson in Manhattan earlier this month

U.S. Fears Military Buildup by Turkey Signals Preparations for Incursion Into Syria

Kurdish officials urging Trump to press Turkey to head off an invasion

Biden Is Ceding Presidential Influence to Trump, and Some Democrats Are Furious

The president-elect doesn’t take office until Jan. 20, but he’s negotiating with foreign leaders and many are taking cues from his comments

Syria’s Assad Says He Fought to the End

In his first comments from exile in Moscow, the deposed dictator pushes back against criticism that he abandoned supporters

U.S. Officials Trying to Crack Drone Mystery

Homeland Security head promises more resources to investigate drones over the East Coast

As Russia and China Rewrite Rules of War, NATO Adapts Its Game Plan

Sabotage, cyber and energy security are priorities for alliance’s new leader, Mark Rutte

How a Young Chinese Nationalist Turned Her Back on Beijing

Studying overseas, a former ‘little pink’ started questioning her patriotic education

ABC News to Pay $15 Million to Settle Donald Trump Defamation Lawsuit

President-elect sued after George Stephanopoulos inaccurately said Trump was found liable for rape

Russia-Ukraine Standoff Over POWs Leaves Thousands Stuck in ‘Gray Zone’

Kyiv says Russia is using the prisoners to put pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky

How to Bring Fun Back to the Holidays? Simplify Every Single Thing.

Even design pros experience Christmas Fatigue Syndrome some years. Here are the shortcuts and do-withouts (pre-lit trees! mail-order turkeys!) that help you enjoy the holidays.