Russia on Thursday launched its "most massive" missile barrage against Ukrainian cities since the beginning of its invasion earlier this year, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.
Why it matters: Preliminary data released by the Ukrainian Air Force indicated Russia launched a total of 69 air- and sea-based cruise missiles and anti-aircraft-guided missiles.
Israel's new government was sworn in Thursday, with Benjamin Netanyahu returning to the prime minister’s post 18 months after he was ousted.
Why it matters: It's the most right-wing and religious government Israel has had since its establishment, and its expected policies could significantly change the country.
The United States will require travelers from China to show a negative COVID-19 test result before flying to the country amid China's recent uptick in cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
A former Kosovo Serb police officer, whose arrest earlier this month prompted fellow Kosovo Serbs to protest and erect road blockades, was released from jailon house arrest Wednesday, AP reported.
Driving the news: SinceDejan Pantić was arrested on Dec. 10 for allegedly assaulting a Kosovo police officer, Kosovo Serbs had demanded his release — a request reiterated by Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić — as a precondition for taking down the barricades.
People in China — slammed for years by heavy COVID travel restrictions — are suddenly rushing to book overseas trips before the country's borders reopen early next year.
The big picture: Air travel ticket sales have soared in the immediate days after China loosened quarantine requirements for international travel, paving the way for vacationers to hit the open skies.
Pope Francis said Wednesday that his predecessor, 95-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, is "very sick" and asked his audience to pray for the former pontiff.
Driving the news: The Vatican said in a statement Benedict's condition was "worsening due to advanced age" and that Francis had gone to visit his predecessor.
The Chinese government no longer appears as invulnerable as it did at the height of the global pandemic, and Beijing's major policy changes could alter the calculus in U.S.-China competition.
What's happening: Facing economic headwinds at home and increasingly unified opposition abroad, Beijing appears to be softening its tone and offering some concessions to the international community. China is also emerging from three years of self-imposed COVID lockdowns, following widespread protests.
Driving the news: The Security Council members in a statement called on the Taliban to "reopen schools and swiftly reverse these policies and practices, which represent an increasing erosion of the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms."
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