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.

South Korea Impeaches President Yoon Suk Yeol Over Martial-Law Decision

South Korea prime minister is set to assume presidential powers on interim basis

American Freed From Syrian Regime Prison Was on Levantine Pilgrimage

Released in the wake of Assad’s downfall, the man had been traveling through the country on his way to Jordan when he was detained

The Case for Wine With Less Alcohol—and Fewer Calories

Winemakers attract young adults who want to drink in moderation; one brand labels itself ‘the official wine of Tuesday nights’

Luigi Mangione’s Mother Spent Months Searching for a Son Who Didn’t Want to Be Found

Arrest of alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO killer has rocked his sprawling, prosperous family—‘She would have done everything.’

Fall of Syrian Regime Exposes Limits of Russia’s Global Ambitions

Kremlin projects abroad are crumbling as Putin focuses on Ukraine conflict

Biden to Commute Sentences of Around 1,500 People

White House says the move is the biggest single-day act of clemency for any president in modern history

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Donates $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund

President-elect had blasted the tech tycoon during the presidential campaign, but ties have been improving

Hamas Concedes on Israeli Troops in Gaza, Raising Hopes for Hostage Deal

Militants back down on presence of Israeli troops in Gaza after the war and hand over list of hostages they would release under a pact

Christopher Wray to Step Down as FBI Director

President-elect Trump, angered by the FBI search of his Florida resort, was planning to fire Wray

A Top Mission for Europe’s Chief Is to Cool Trump’s Ire Toward the EU

Trump is threatening Europe over trade and war. What comes next will depend partly on Ursula von der Leyen

Inside Assad’s Ransacked Palace: Anxiety Pills, Graffiti and Shredded Posters

A Wall Street Journal reporter in Damascus tours the dictator’s former home, office and underground bunker