The 10-Point: Ukraine’s Strategy, Republican Plans, Hong Kong Politics and More

On the Defensive

Ukraine is shifting its focus from offense to defense. We report that its military operation has changed tactics from an emphasis on rooting out rebels in the east to preparing for what one minister called a "full-scale invasion" by Russian regular troops. The decision comes as talks between the protagonists over ending the conflict failed to produce a breakthrough. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Estonia this week to try to reassure a region rattled by Russia's incursion into Ukraine that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization remains committed to defending its Baltic members. NATO leaders are expected to approve a rapid-response force of several thousand troops when they meet in Wales this week. But if they hoped it might deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from pursuing further territorial ambitions, they will have been quickly disabused. In a letter to the rebels, Mr. Putin has resurrected the term "Novorossiya," or New Russia, the czarist-era name for modern-day Ukraine's Russian-speaking southeast, a telling indication of his expanding objectives.

A Governing Majority?

Chances are improving that the GOP will control both chambers of Congress next year. Should it succeed, Senate Republicans are planning on extracting policy concessions from President Barack Obama without inducing the capital's market-rattling brinkmanship of recent years. Our story notes that the emerging plans aim to show voters that the party can successfully govern—enacting GOP policy while avoiding a sharply confrontational tone. Top goals include approving the Keystone XL pipeline, passing accelerated rules for overseas trade agreements, speeding up federal reviews of natural-gas exports and repealing the 2010 health law's medical-device tax. "I want to put things on the president's desk that he will have to think long and hard about and would be encouraged to sign," said the chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

Killing the Golden Goose

Under British rule for 150 years and under the Chinese for the past 17, Hong Kong has prospered as a financial and business center by being able largely to ignore politics. Our story looks at how politics are now impossible to ignore, threatening to undermine the pillars that have made the former colony (pictured above) a commercial success. In its latest move to show who's in charge, the central government in China has decreed that it will in effect decide who can run for Hong Kong's leadership post in 2017 by requiring that candidates be approved by a committee loyal to Beijing. The issue has sparked protests in Hong Kong. Yesterday, pro-democracy politicians heckled a top Chinese official as he tried to explain Beijing's position. Police used pepper spray in an attempt to restore order outside the meeting. Our senior correspondent Andrew Browne notes that the Chinese leadership of today is showing far less willingness to embrace political pragmatism than its predecessors.

Plugged In

Technology has the power to drive trends across our entire economy, writes our columnist Christopher Mims. He looks at a number of events coming soon to illustrate how. Among them are Alibaba's initial public offering, a bunch of big releases from Apple and the political battle over whether the Internet is in fact a public utility. As Alibaba starts its roadshow next week, he considers the risks and implications of an offering so big "that banks are delaying the IPOs of other companies for fear they could get overlooked in the riptide." And in the run-up to the release of the iPhone 6 next week, Christopher tells us what to look out for in the smartphone wars—and it's not whiz-bang innovations. He also considers the debate that has been stirred over a bill that would reduce the Federal Communications Commission's funding if it overrides bans on local governments building their own Internet-delivery infrastructure, begging the question: is the Net a service like electricity?

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Number of the Day

46.2 million

Americans on food stamps in May, according to the latest data available, down 1.6 million from a record 47.8 million in December 2012.

Quote of the Day

This measure is going to prove that a cleaner environment is compatible with expanding the economy and job creation.

-- State Sen. Kevin de León, a Democrat from Los Angeles, on a California bill banning the use of plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor stores and other businesses in the state.

What do you think of the ban? Send your response to 10point@wsj.com. Follow @GerardTBaker on Twitter and "like" my Facebook page.

—Compiled by Khadeeja Safdar

Reader Response

This daily briefing is named "The 10-Point" after the nickname conferred by the editors of The Wall Street Journal on the lead column of the legendary "What's News" digest of top stories. Technically, "10-point" referred to the size of the typeface. The type is smaller now but the name lives on.

Photo: European Pressphoto Agency