Daniel Bach

Stock futures are muted and gold prices are continuing their ascent, with futures topping $4,500.

Coming up, we look at how Trump's pressure campaign on Venezuela is pushing Cuba towards collapse.

Plus, we brush up on the new world of hybrid workplace etiquette after the break.

For months, the Trump administration has been dialing up the pressure on Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan strongman that the White House accuses of letting immigrants and drugs flow into the United States.

And though the recent blockade of oil tankers is meant to choke off a key source of revenue for Caracas.

people in Cuba are really feeling the impact of this move.

Already in the throes of a prolonged crisis, Cuba's economy risks collapsing if shipments of cheap oil supplied by Venezuela are cut off, which could lead to even more people trying to flee the country.

For more on this, I'm joined by the Journal's South America Bureau Chief Juan Ferrero.

Juan, first off, give us a sense of how heavily Cuba relies on Venezuela.

And given the situation now, is there anything that Cuba can do and how long could this last?

And just lastly, Juan, there are some pretty staggering statistics in your story, including recent polling that found almost 80% of people say they intend to flee the island.

What could that mean for the United States?

That's the Journal of South America Bureau Chief Juan Ferraro.

Juan, thank you for this.

Thank you.

And finally, as you prepare to celebrate the holidays this year, you might be switching into family mode and leaving any thoughts of work behind until the new year.

But if you're looking for something to do over the Christmas period or need a goal for 2026, how about using the time away from the office to polish up on your workplace manners?

That's Ray Smith, who covers career and workplace issues for the journal.

Ray says one question in the quiz in particular has become the subject of rigorous debate among journal readers, whether phones are OK in meetings.

Think you've got perfect office manners?