Nearly all would raise their hands to go, ex-military defectors explain, owing to regime loyalty, promise of higher status and a glimpse of the outside world.

Fearing a U.S. tariff barrage, Beijing hopes to use “proactive” tariff cuts and investment offers to peel away American partners in Europe and Asia.

The Gulf state’s move comes after more than a year of trying to leverage the group’s presence to broker a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.

The intelligence agency accused of steering cyberattacks on the U.S. has grown more powerful with a trusted protégé of the Chinese leader at the helm.

The group’s fighters stay hidden for days, or even weeks, before launching hit-and-run attacks on Israeli troops.

The resulting company would be the world’s second-largest crude producer, behind Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, and would pump almost three times the output of Exxon Mobil.