Diplomatic breakthrough at NATO, heat waves: Weekend Reads

A key breakthough at the NATO summit and other top political stories [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( After months of diplomatic wrangling, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan [agreed to support]( Sweden’s bid to join NATO in a major breakthrough for the military alliance’s drive to strengthen its defenses in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden said decisions made by the US and its allies in the coming years will determine the fate of democracy, as he [championed the success]( at this week’s NATO summit and sought to implicitly bolster his prospects for reelection next year.  Soaring temperatures broke multiple records across the planet. A high-pressure system named Cerberus — after the three-headed hound from Dante’s Inferno — is [bearing down]( on southern Europe, while nearly 25% of the US population is [facing a heat wave]( that’s raising health risks. Delve into these and other top stories in this edition of Weekend Reads. — [Karl Maier]( Ukrainian artillerymen load missiles onto a self-propelled 122 millimeter multiple rocket launcher near Bakhmut on Thursday. Photographer: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP/Getty Images Check out the latest [Washington Edition newsletter](. You can [sign up]( to get it in your inbox every weekday. And if you are enjoying this newsletter, sign up [here](. NATO Is Papering Over the Cracks After Zelenskiy Loses His Cool There was [friction this week]( between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and NATO leaders over their reluctance to give his country a clear timeline on becoming a member of the alliance. Milda Seputyte, Jennifer Jacobs and Natalia Drozdiak spoke to more than a dozen diplomats and officials to discover how it all played out. Europe Can’t Supply Ukraine With Weapons Fast Enough Europe’s defense contractors face a dilemma almost 18 months into the war in Ukraine. Do they gamble on expanding production, assuming the war and tensions with Russia will last indefinitely? Or do they hold back until they get [long-term commitments]( from governments that have spent decades cutting their defense budgets? - Wagner mercenaries have emerged in Belarus as military instructors, the first official sign of the [group’s presence]( in the country since the mutiny in Russia. China Warplanes Make Biggest Taiwan Incursion in 3 Months China sent the most warplanes into sensitive areas around Taiwan since large-scale military exercises in April, a move that follows visits to the democratically run island by US and Canadian lawmakers. Cindy Wang and Kari Lindberg explain that Beijing argues nations with which it has official ties having contact with Taiwan’s leaders [amounts to interference]( in its internal affairs. - America’s largest semiconductor companies are sending senior executives to Washington in a [last-ditch effort]( to head off new curbs on their sales to China. Biden Maneuvers Around Another China Spy Row to Improve Ties The Biden administration is maintaining its [China-engagement strategy](, even after the State Department reported anomalous activity to Microsoft that the tech firm later blamed on China-based hackers. Iain Marlow reports that the hacking episode underlines the growing risks of restarting crucial diplomatic engagement between the world’s two largest economies. Trump’s New York, Miami Indictments Sparked Extremist Threats Former US President Donald Trump’s criminal indictments in New York and Miami sparked a [barrage of threats]( from extremist supporters and alleged Russian hackers, including bomb warnings, protest plans and other forms of violence. Jason Leopold delved into 85 pages of documents to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how federal agents responded. - Trump asked the Georgia Supreme Court to [halt a state investigation]( into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Best of Bloomberg Opinion This Week - [The World Needs a Climate Marshall Plan: David Fickling]( - [Europe Is Pledging Ukraine Weapons It Can’t Make: Max Hastings]( - [Spain’s Political Storm Stirs Separatists: Rachel Sanderson]( - [Kevin McCarthy Appeases the Radicals Again: Jonathan Bernstein]( - [India’s Northeast Is on the Brink. Where’s Modi?: Ruth Pollard]( Thai Conservatives Stop Pro-Democracy Candidate From Becoming PM Senators appointed by the army in Thailand blocked pro-democracy candidate Pita Limjaroenrat from becoming prime minister in the first vote since his party won the most seats in a May election. As Patpicha Tanakasempipat explains, that’s [raised political tensions]( as the nation struggles to end nearly a decade of military-backed rule. Pita supporters outside parliament on Thursday. Photographer: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg Germans Aren’t Buying Scholz’s Plan to Keep Them Safe and Rich Chancellor Olaf Scholz is struggling to persuade Germans he can handle the [litany of troubles]( facing the country he has led since 2021. Arne Delfs writes that with his governing coalition beset by squabbling, the shadow of a recession lingering, and the industrial base underpinning Germany’s economic model under threat, Scholz is on the back foot. AI Is Making Politics Easier, Cheaper and a Lot More Dangerous Artificial intelligence is poised to boost the productivity of political workers and probably eliminate more than a few of their jobs. But, as Emily Birnbaum and Laura Davison explain, AI can also supercharge the [dissemination of misinformation]( in campaigns through “deep fakes,” bogus pictures and videos that will soon be indistinguishable from real ones, enabling bad actors to literally put words in their opponents’ mouths. Best of Bloomberg Explainers This Week - [China’s Economy Is Slowing. Here’s Why That Matters]( - [Why US-Turkey Relations Hinge on a Fighter Jet Deal]( - [Why Israel Is Bitterly Split by a Judiciary Overhaul]( - [All About the Cluster Bombs Biden Is Sending Ukraine]( - [Thailand’s PM Race Can Take a Whole New Turn, Here’s How]( In Pictures: Europe’s Extreme Drought Is Wreaking Havoc in Spain This week parts of Spain have been facing a [severe heat wave](, with the national weather forecasting agency Aemet issuing an “extreme risk” alert for the southern region of Andalusia on Wednesday. Laura Millan explains how the country is trying to cope with the worsening impact of climate change. - The Italian Ministry of Health warned of “emergency” [heat wave conditions]( in 15 cities, including Rome, Florence and Bologna. - Northern Africa has been experiencing some of the most intense heat waves in recent years, but in many cases [they’ve been under-reported]( due to misconceptions about Africans’ ability to withstand them. A resident walks in front of a sandstorm in Dollow, southwest Somalia, on March 14. Photographer: Sally Hayden/LightRocket/Getty Images Poisoned Cough Syrup Killed Kids. An Investigation Stalled More than 60 children in the West African nation of Gambia have died after taking an over-the-counter cough syrup loaded with toxic industrial solvents. The syrups had been made in India, but [as this investigation]( shows, despite being alerted to the danger, Indian authorities failed to track down the rogue suppliers or root out contamination, and instead cut the probe short. And finally … Dozens of cases of rape by soldiers have been [documented by aid workers]( as fighting rages in Sudan between the army and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces. Listen to Simon Marks [explain]( the scope of the sexual assaults. People fleeing the war line up to board a boat from Port Sudan on April 28. Photographer: AFP/Getty Images Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? 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