Putin Calls a 36-Hour Cease-Fire, but Ukraine and U.S. Are Skeptical
The cease-fire would coincide with the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on Saturday, but Kremlin adversaries and some analysts call it a ploy for military and political advantage.
International Relations
Kenneth Rowe, Who Defected From North Korea With His Jet, Dies at 90
Two months after the Korean War armistice, he handed America an intelligence bonanza with his headline-making flight in a Soviet-made MIG.
For the State Department, Now It’s Türkiye, Not Turkey
The department will use the Turkish-language spelling in “most formal, diplomatic, and bilateral contexts” after a request from the country’s embassy, a spokesman said.
Ukraine Finds Sexual Crimes Where Russian Troops Ruled
Russian officials have denied abuses against civilians despite widespread evidence of sexual violence by Russian troops documented by Ukrainian and international investigators.
E.U. Urges Nations to Require Negative Covid Tests for Travelers From China
In a diplomatically fraught move, the bloc advised its 27 members to put restrictions in place as Chinese tourists prepare to return to global destinations.
Ukraine Keeps Downing Russian Drones, but Price Tag Is High
When costly missiles take out cheap drones, the real winner over time may be the country that spends less.
Your Wednesday Briefing: Chaos in the U.S. House Speaker Race
Also, China threatens countermeasures against travel restrictions.
China Denounces Covid Testing Rules Imposed on Its Travelers
A government spokeswoman said Beijing would consider reciprocal measures against countries that have sought to limit travelers arriving from China.
In Romania, U.S. Troops Train Close to Russia’s War, in Signal to Moscow
The deployment to a NATO country near the conflict in Ukraine is seen as a model of deterrence for a U.S. military that has recently stepped back from direct fighting.
How Russia’s War on Ukraine Is Worsening Global Starvation
Moscow blocks most shipments from Ukraine, one of the world’s largest wheat producers, and its attacks on the country’s energy grid also disrupt the flow of food.