Ukrainian forces battled continuing Russian efforts to occupy Mariupol and claimed to have retaken a strategic suburb of Kyiv on Tuesday, mounting a defense so dogged that it is stoking fears Russia’s Vladimir Putin will escalate the war to new heights. “Putin’s back is against the wall,” said U.S. President …

China has fully militarized at least three of its artificial islands in the South China Sea, equipping them with missile systems and fighter jets, a top U.S. commander has said. The Associated Press quoted U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino as saying on Sunday that the construction of missile …

European Union countries on Monday accused Russia’s military of committing war crimes in Ukraine, but appeared unlikely to target the country’s energy sector with sanctions soon despite a clamor across Europe for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held to account. With civilian deaths mounting in the besieged …