New Battle Lines, Arch Enemies and a Softer Putin: Weekend Reads

(Bloomberg) --

It was “The Squad” versus Donald Trump this week after the U.S. president told four Democratic congresswomen to “go back” to where they came from. The war of words between the U.S., U.K. and Iran continued, and in Brussels, the European Union got its first female leader — Ursula von der Leyen.

Dig into these and other key stories from the past seven days in this edition of Weekend Reads.

In Donald Trump vs. Jay Powell, New Battle Lines Are Being Drawn
Stoicism, the classical philosophy of emotional resilience, logic, and virtue, has long been a handy guide for anyone dealing with a crazy boss. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell also seems to be a fan, Christopher Condon reports.

Hard Man Putin May Be Showing Softer Side to Russia’s Neighbors
The stage was set last week for Russian President Vladimir Putin to hammer tiny Georgia with new economic sanctions after parliament called on him to punish anti-Kremlin protests, Marc Champion, Helena Bedwell and Henry Meyer report. Instead, Putin refused.

Puerto Rico Erupts at Governor, but Real Power Resides Far Away
Infuriated by years of recession, corruption and living under a bankrupt government, Puerto Ricans are demanding the ouster of Governor Ricardo Rossello after leaked text messages showed him and his aides to be vindictive, sexist and profane, Michelle Kaske writes.

Trump Picked His Perfect Education Secretary in Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos is rolling back Obama-era student protections in a way that could change the U.S. education landscape for decades. As Devin Leonard and Shahien Nasiripour report, she’s encountered opposition not just from Democrats and their teachers’ union allies, but also Republicans in rural states where traditional public schools are often the sole option.
 

Devils on Horseback Leader Holds Fate of Sudan in His Hands
A one-time camel trader turned leader of a Sudanese militia known as the “devils on horseback” now holds the fate of Africa’s third-largest nation in his hands, write Mohammed Alamin and Okech Francis. Known popularly as Hemeti, Mohamed Hamdan dominates the military council that overthrew President Omar al-Bashir in April.

New Cabinet Pledges ‘Quiet Revolution’ Against Graft in Moldova
Natalia Gavrilita used to run a charity. Now she’s finance minister of a country that has become a byword for corruption and says her modest goal is just to make it normal. As Jasmina Kuzmanovic writes, that will be a lot harder than it sounds.

Women in Japan Fight for Their Identity — Starting With Their Name
Japan’s women are going through an identity crisis. They’re fighting to overturn a centuries-old law that bars married couples from having different last names, which creates complications for women who have established careers and reputations.  As Marika Katanuma reports, the issue played a part in the campaign for the upper house, which goes to the vote tomorrow.

Australia Leader Channels Mike Pence With Religious Freedom Law
Australia’s first Pentecostal prime minister has taken a leaf out of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign for “religious freedom” laws. But Scott Morrison’s message has sparked concerns among gay-rights groups it will lend weight to a push by religious organizations to enshrine in law their right to discriminate, as Jason Scott reports.

The Next Neil Armstrong May Be Chinese as Moon Race Intensifies
Fifty years after Neil Armstrong took one small step, there’s a renewed race to put human beings back on the moon⁠ — and the next one to land there may send greetings back to Earth in Chinese. Bruce Einhorn, Justin Bachman, Hannah Dormido and Adrian Leung explain.

And finally … When Nancy Whiteman founded her marijuana edibles company almost a decade ago the legal industry was relatively diverse and dominated by local startups. These days it’s increasingly controlled by men and the influx of venture money and Wall Street dollars has made things harder for female-led businesses, write Ellen Milligan, Kristine Owram and Jordyn Holman.

--With assistance from Karl Maier.

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