‘It’s Global in Nature’ and Other Stories: Weekend Reads

(Bloomberg) -- Nearly two weeks since he disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi remains uncertain, but the implications are clear. Here’s a podcast from TicToc, with Marc Champion discussing the case, a look at how much is at stake for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and a report card on the kingdom’s young leader.

A Turkish court yesterday set free U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson after holding him in prison for almost two years. Read about how that removes a key source of tension between Turkey and the United States here.

Also in this edition of Weekend Reads – the Venezuelans desperate to leave their country, Angela Merkel’s challenges, and #MeToo comes to Bollywood. 

A Cautionary Tale for How Brexit Summit Can Collapse
A Brexit deal is gradually emerging, but that won’t be the end of it. EU diplomats predict U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May can only get the parliamentary backing she needs if she’s seen to have a fight. Get ready, they say, for fireworks and a long night at an Oct. 17. summit. As Ian Wishart writes, the leaders’ last gathering, in Austria last month, shows the mood music can quickly change. 

#MeToo Comes to Bollywood After Actor Alleges Sexual Harassment
A year after #MeToo upended Hollywood, it’s arrived in the world’s biggest film industry, Bollywood, and is spreading through India. Archana Chaudhary and Ari Altstedter report on the allegations of inappropriate behavior by prominent Indian men that have been flooding Twitter since a decade-old sexual misconduct allegation against a Hindi film industry star was reported to police.

Maduro Got a Salt Bae Feast, But Turkey Gets Venezuela’s Gold
President Nicolás Maduro outraged his impoverished citizens, many of whom are standing in long lines to leave Venezuela, when he was feted with thick cuts of beef and luxury cigars at Salt Bae’s celebrity steakhouse in Istanbul last month. But as Ethan Bronner and Andrew Rosati report, the visit also highlighted an emerging alliance: As the West isolates his government over abuse and corruption, Turkey has become one of its most important backers. 

For Political Focus, our roundup of the week in photos, click here. 

These Are the Challenges Angela Merkel Must Navigate This Fall
Germany’s chancellor is heading into an eight-week buildup to a party convention shaping up as a decisive test of her authority. Patrick Donahue and Arne Delfs look at the upcoming key challenges to her staying power.

The Midterm Ballot Measures That Could Boost a Blue Wave
In a few key states, Democratic aspirations for a wave of victories could get a boost from ballot questions having little or nothing to do with President Donald Trump.  Michael Sasso, Romy Varghese and Jeremy C.F. Lin investigate those questions, from weed in North Dakota to abortion in West Virginia, in this dataviz.

Italy’s Populists Harness Disdain for Brussels in Budget Fight
Unlikely allies Luigi Di Maio of the anti-Establishment Five Star Movement and Matteo Salvini of the anti-migrant League have picked a fight with Brussels they could well win. John Follain looks at the fractious forces that are united in their quest to wrest power from the EU. And here’s a roundup of the 10 Most important people in Italy worth watching .

Russian Fugitive Runs From London to Putin. The Question Is Why?
Sleeper agent, mole, lunatic — nobody knows what to make of Sergei Kapchuk. Irina Reznik and Henry Meyer recount the bizarre tale of the 46-year-old bon vivant and now poster boy for Kremlin efforts to lure back as much as $1 trillion of cash stashed abroad.

Brazil Women’s Movement Is Stung by Bolsonaro Showing, Few Gains
For the Brazilian women pushing to advance equal rights, Sunday’s elections were a flop, Rachel Gamarski writes. Not only did the presidential candidate who was targeted by the #NotHim movement for his vulgar, sexist remarks post a resounding first-round victory, but fewer women were elected to Congress than hoped. With round two just two weeks away, catch up on all the latest election news on our special page.

And finally… Not even fish will be able to escape the onslaught of facial-recognition cameras, Agnieszka de Sousa writes. Millions of Atlantic salmon could have their faces stored in digital databases to track their health and single out those posing threats to their marine surroundings. And before you ask if fish have faces, they do.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net

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