Democrats Debate, AMLO Speaks, Death on the Nile: Weekend Reads

(Bloomberg) --

Did the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates squander a chance to court auto workers and union voters at their second round of debates in Detroit?  What does Mexico's new president have to say about Donald Trump's border policy? And how did a symbol of Ethiopia's prosperous future become a potential reminder of the country's struggles to shake its turbulent past? 

Delve into these and other questions surrounding this week's political news with the latest edition of Weekend Reads. 

Queen's Banker Is Less Picky About Clients as Brexit Takes Toll
Coutts & Co., Queen Elizabeth II's banker, is getting less genteel about chasing new clients in Brexit Britain. Edward Robinson takes a closer look. at why. 

Democratic 2020 Candidates Inch Away From Medicare for All
In April, many of the top Democratic presidential candidates eagerly lined up to co-sponsor Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All bill. Now, many of them are inching away from it. Tyler Pager and Joshua Green explain why. 

Russians Dream of Jobs in State-Owned Giants Like Gazprom
Jake Rudnitsky reports that most Russians regard their dream job as working in a giant state-run company like Gazprom, nearly three decades after the collapse of communism ushered in an era of capitalism.

Trump Saves About $1 Million With Powell's Interest Rate Cut
Trump is likely to save nearly $1 million in annual borrowing costs after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell – who has been the subject of withering presidential criticism – cut interest rates this week, Shahien Nasiripour reports.

China's Leaders Face Crises on Two Fronts at Secretive Retreat
Iain Marlow and Dandan Li explain why the Chinese Communist Party's secretive summer getaway on the Yellow Sea is likely to be anything but relaxing this year.

Executives Abandon South African State Companies Over Indecision
Top South African businessmen called upon to help save ailing state-owned companies are abandoning their posts, frustrated by indecision and political interference. Loni Prinsloo and Roxanne Henderson take a closer look. 

Death on the Nile Haunts Ethiopia's Rebirth
Marc Champion and Nizar Manek explore an epic power struggle involving a mysterious death, ethnic tensions and an attempted coup.

What Exactly Does Trump Want for the Dollar?
Amid the Trump administration's chaotic messaging, it's unclear whether the U.S. is still committed to a strong greenback, Katherine Greifeld reports. 

And finally… To help battle global warming, companies around the world are expected to spend billions of dollars over the next decade building devices aimed at sucking carbon from the atmosphere. The thing is, Mother Nature already made one. Emily Chasan looks at efforts to cultivate empress trees, which mature several times faster than your average oak or pine and absorb about 103 tons of carbon a year per acre.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tony Czuczka at aczuczka@bloomberg.net

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