World Leaders Ready Themselves for a Biden Presidency

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After a drawn-out vote count that transfixed not just the U.S. but most of the world, many global leaders on Saturday were quick to respond to former Vice President Joe Biden’s election victory, with most sending congratulations and vowing to work with him. In Europe, where many countries hope President-elect Biden will reverse some of … Read more

WSJ News Exclusive | Pentagon Draw-Down at U.S. Embassies Prompts Concern About Ceding Field to Global Rivals

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WASHINGTON—The Pentagon has quietly begun withdrawing top military officers from U.S. embassies in Africa and downgrading other such posts world-wide, a move officials say is necessary to shift resources to counter China and Russia on the geopolitical stage and meet congressional caps on the number of generals and admirals in the U.S. military. The position … Read more

France Vows to Root Out Islamist Extremism After Beheading of Teacher Samuel Paty

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PARIS—French authorities vowed to crack down on civic groups they said were promoting radical Islam, days after an extremist beheaded a schoolteacher for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Monday said that 51 associations, including religious schools and mosques, would be visited by security services this week, … Read more

EU to Sanction Russia Over Poisoning and Belarus Leader Over Crackdown

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The European Union agreed Monday to impose targeted sanctions against Russian officials and entities allegedly involved in the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny but officials insisted the move should not undercut Europe’s continued high-level contacts with President Vladimir Putin. Foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg backed a Franco-German proposal to impose a travel ban … Read more

Turmoil Continues in Kyrgyzstan After Former Leader Arrested

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MOSCOW—Political turmoil following a disputed election in the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan continued over the weekend as parliament chose a prime minister who was recently freed from jail while security services detained the country’s ex-leader. The developments appear to strengthen the hand of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov in the short term, though he has said … Read more

In Showing Off New ICBM, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Returns to Old Tactic

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SEOUL—North Korea, even as it pursued denuclearization talks with the Trump administration, kept advancing its arsenal. Now the behind-the-scenes progress is in the public eye. At a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party on Saturday, Pyongyang revealed a new intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who had … Read more

Kim Jong Un Marks 75 Years of North Korean Communism With Giant New Missile

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SEOUL—North Korea celebrated 75 years of communism with a military parade at which it unveiled an intercontinental missile that experts say is likely larger than anything else like it on Earth. The Saturday event, the country’s first military parade in two years, signaled a shift back to the more strident approach Pyongyang long took before … Read more

WSJ News Exclusive | U.S. Covid-Testing Plan Aims to Open New York-London Travel by Holidays

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U.S. officials are aiming to open travel between New York City and London with shortened traveler quarantine periods as soon as the holidays, according to people familiar with the matter. The growing availability of Covid-19 tests in the U.S. has prompted officials at the Transportation Department, Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to revive … Read more

Putin Criticizes Joe Biden’s ‘Sharp Anti-Russian Rhetoric’

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MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his first substantive remarks on the U.S. presidential race, noting what he called Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s sharp anti-Russian rhetoric. He praised President Trump for improving relations between the two countries, and said he was reassured by Mr. Biden’s support for extending arms-control agreements. Mr. Putin’s comments come after the … Read more

U.S., Japan, India and Australia Strengthen Ties to Counter China

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the foreign ministers of Japan, India and Australia pledged to uphold territorial sovereignty and freedom of navigation as rising tension between the countries and China draws them closer to counter Beijing’s expansionist ambitions. On a visit to Tokyo limited to less than 24 hours because of President Trump’s … Read more