Summit Shock, Fentanyl and Putin: Weekend Reads

(Bloomberg) -- From analysis on U.S. President Donald Trump’s whiplash cancellation of his much-touted summit with Kim Jong Un to how an unassuming Chinese exporter was part of a flood of opiates that's caused a spike in U.S. overdoses, here's your round-up of some of our best political stories from the past week.

Trump's Head-Snapping Reversals Shake Allies at Home and Abroad
Toluse Olorunnipa and Justin Sink explain how Trump's approach to policy suggests a White House that's winging it on almost every major issue.

Elliott Broidy and the GOP’s Bad Hacking Karma
David Voreacos and Michael Riley tell the story of a password hack against a Los Angeles lawyer that has led to a series of embarrassing stories on Republican Donor Elliott Broidy and his attempts to leverage his ties with Trump.

Deadly Chinese Fentanyl Is Creating a New Era of Drug Kingpins
Esme E Deprez, Li Hui and Ken Wills write about the link between Chinese chemical exporters and the unchecked proliferation of fentanyl, the drug that's now the most lethal opiod in the U.S.

Trump Pushes the World Right Into Putin’s Hands
The more Trump strains the alliances that have sustained the post-Cold War order, the more indispensable Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to become, Henry Meyer reports.

Russia’s World Cup Plans Can’t Escape Putin’s Opponents
At the same time, the Russian leader's plans to host the World Cup are drawing criticism at home. Leonid Ragozin writes of how the country's fourth-biggest city, Yekaterinburg, is a microcosm of growing political strife.

The Tories Who Could Force May to Keep Britain Closer to Europe
Alex Morales explains how a group of Britain's ruling Conservatives have a lot to lose if Theresa May bows to demands for a hard Brexit, and they might align themselves with opposition parties to prevent it.

​​​​Qaddafi Regime's Legacy Fuels Violence in West Africa
Centuries-old communal tensions across West Africa are taking an increasingly bloody turn, fueled by competition for land and water and an influx of weapons and fighters from Libya. Dulue Mbaku and Yinka Ibukun have more.

Malaysia’s Mahathir Races the Clock With Many Promises to Keep
Since returning to power two weeks ago, 92-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been busy. Jason Koutsoukis writes how Mahathir has formed a cabinet, cut taxes, launched infrastructure projects and boosted a probe into a case that's dogging his predecessor.

And finally ... If you think your job is meaningless, you may be right. Miranda Purves reviews anthropologist David Graeber's new book, which accuses the global economy of creating work that's killing the human spirit.

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

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