In Lebanon, a financial meltdown, state dysfunction and a massive explosion at the Beirut port have submerged the country in crisis for nearly half a decade and left three-quarters of the population in poverty. Now, as 2024 progresses, the Lebanese state’s process of disintegration appears irreversible.
Hundreds of thousands of Chinese students come to the U.S. for their higher education, in part to take advantage of a more open political atmosphere. For this reason, the recent campus crackdowns against pro-Palestine protests offer insights into U.S.-China dynamics, but also the challenges facing U.S. universities as they globalize.
Last week, Nicaragua canceled its deal with a Chinese company to build and manage a canal that stretches across Central America, ending a decade-long saga. Despite this development, China’s influence in Nicaragua has never been greater, in large part due to the diplomatic isolation of President Daniel Ortega’s autocratic government.
