North Korea, China Tensions With U.S. Are Back: Weekend Reads

(Bloomberg) --

U.S. President Donald Trump shattered a six-month trade truce with China, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reignited tensions with a fresh round of weapons launches. Elsewhere, South Africans went to the polls and the transition to Germany’s next chancellor remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Dig into these and other political stories unfolding across the globe with the latest edition of Weekend Reads and click here for some of Bloomberg’s most compelling political images from the past seven days.

Trump’s China Tariff Hikes Could Cut U.S. Growth in Half
Sustained levies of 25 percent would induce a slowdown, undermining the president’s argument that duties are good for the economy. Shawn Donnan, Jennifer Jacobs and Jenny Leonard explore the potential impact. 

Ramaphosa Helps Halt the Decline of South Africa’s Ruling Party
South Africa’s African National Congress has extended its quarter-century grip on political power and it largely has President Cyril Ramaphosa to thank for halting its decline. Mike Cohen and Paul Vecchiatto take a closer look. 

Tax Hikes on Wealthy Alone Can’t Pay for Medicare for All Plan
To pay for the expensive social programs they’ve proposed, the Democratic presidential candidates have focused on taxing the rich. But many of their plans would require across-the-board tax increases that would hit middle-earners as well, Laura Davison reports. 

Erdogan’s Big Political Drama in Istanbul Gets a Surprise Actor
Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan has made a rare statement at a critical time for the Turkish president. Selcan Hacaoglu explains. 

Bullet-Proofing Experts, Slogan Writers Win Big in India Polls
Businesses offering image makeovers, political slogan writers and experts in bullet-proofing vehicles are in high demand in India. They have a short window to make money before the country’s vote ends, Shruti Srivastava and Bibhudatta Pradhan report. 

Jihadist Threat Prompts Ivory Coast, Ghana to Raise Guard 
Katarina Hoije reports that some of West Africa’s biggest economies are increasingly vulnerable to attacks by Islamist militants, whose influence is spreading to the inland borders of coastal nations.

Merkel Successor’s Stumble Puts Germany’s Direction in Doubt
Five months after Angela Merkel handed over the reins as her party’s leader, the transition to her chosen successor as German chancellor is shrouded in uncertainty. And with it the direction of Europe’s largest economy,  Patrick Donahue and Arne Delfs report. 

Putin’s Broken Promises Stir Discontent in Forgotten Russia
In a country with 100 billionaires, more than a third of Russians can’t afford to buy two pairs of shoes a year. Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov take a closer look at why. 

And finally… After pasta company chairman Guido Barilla rebuked gay families on national radio, his CEO spent five years cleaning up the company’s reputation. Thomas Buckley charts the company’s turnaround. 

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

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