The primarily Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which allied with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS, has struck a deal with the Syrian government to help protect the northeastern Syrian border against a military offensive by Turkey, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria ahead of a military incursion announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has caused intense bipartisan backlash, with many accusing Trump of abandoning an ally. The deal will result in forces loyal to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is also backed by Russia and Iran, returning to areas that had been under Kurdish control for 7 years.
American brands are facing challenges in the Chinese market, as trade and geopolitical disputes wage on for the two countries, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: Western executives had long-established plans to dominate the Chinese market, but global consumer brands now have a smaller market share in China than at any other time since the last financial crisis, per WSJ.
President Xi Jinping became the first Chinese president to visit Nepal in 2 decades on Saturday, as Chinese investors continue to pour millions of dollars into "one of Asia's poorest and least-developed democracies," the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: Xi's visit emphasizes China's increasing interest in using South Asia as a "strategic hub for defense and transit projects," per the Times.
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