8.18.26 Beijing’s leverage, a surrogate mother, classroom phone bans, and Scripture as a living record

A China expert explains Beijing’s influence infrastructure ; a surrogate mother defies intended parents who demanded abortion; and classroom phone bans may leave students still tethered to their devices. Plus: a bear honks for help before chewing up a car’s interior, Tim Mulgrew on Scripture as a living record , Daniel Suhr on the malleable political center, and the Tuesday morning news . Support…