America Exchanges Fire With Iran’s Syrian Deep State

Many of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure projects are plagued with construction flaws, including a giant hydropower plant in Ecuador, adding more costs to a program criticized for leading countries deeper into debt Source

People’s Bank of China uses currency-swap lines to support governments that borrowed heavily from Chinese banks Source

A new generation of novice dissidents—many artists and writers—arrested after demonstrations against pandemic lockdowns is fueled by anger over a clampdown on freedoms and attacks on women’s rights Source