The race to gauge the threat of omicron: Weekend Reads

Omicron stokes renewed fears over the pandemic. [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( The still unknown potential for the omicron variant to cause severe illness and evade vaccines stoked concern around the globe, with scientists and doctors in South Africa, the epicenter of the current outbreak, hoping to complete a study on its [virulence]( by Tuesday. European countries including Germany [tightened]( restrictions on people who aren’t vaccinated against Covid-19 and moved closer to making the shots mandatory to stem a sharp rise in infections. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday [warned]( Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of “serious consequences” if Moscow makes a military move on Ukraine.  Didi Global began preparations to withdraw from U.S. stock exchanges, underscoring the depth of Beijing’s concern about the potential [leakage]( of sensitive data to its geopolitical rival. And France scored a big [military]( deal in the Gulf, with the United Arab Emirates agreeing to buy 80 Rafale fighter jets as part of a $19 billion deal signed during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the region. Delve into these and more of Bloomberg’s biggest stories from the past seven days in this edition of Weekend Reads. — [Karl Maier]( A health worker packages a coronavirus swab test at a Covid-19 testing site in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday. Photographer: Dwayne Senior/Bloomberg Whether or Not It’s a Game Changer, Omicron Is Covid’s Future Pharmaceutical companies were certain that more Covid-19 [mutations]( would arise. Battling them without comprehensive data will be the new normal. [Cynthia Koons]( explains why. What We Know About Omicron, the New Virus Variant: QuickTake The omicron variant is characterized by some 30 or more changes in the spike protein, half of which are in the area that binds to the enzyme that the coronavirus targets to enter cells and cause an infection. [Jason Gale]( and [Lisa Du]( outline the many unanswered questions, including how it developed. - Read here what governments are doing to get more people [vaccinated](. How a Missing Gene Led South African Scientists to Find Omicron [Antony Sguazzin]( investigates how the inability of laboratories in South Africa to detect a virus gene led to a discovery that [triggered]( a global panic. - South Africa is readying a [mandatory]( vaccine policy that it may implement early next year. Ramaphosa [criticized]( the European Union, U.S. and other countries for imposing travel bans on South Africa and its neighbors, dealing a blow to their beleaguered tourism industries ahead of the year-end holiday season. Biden Grapples With Influx of Cases as Omicron Threat Grows Five months after Joe Biden declared the U.S. to be close to defeating Covid-19, the virus threatens a winter [resurgence]( across the country. With the omicron variant threatening to increase infections, [Josh Wingrove]( looks at the political implications for the president. China’s Didi Crackdown Is All About Controlling Big Data Didi Global’s exit from the U.S. shows how big data is quickly turning into the next major [battleground]( in a clash of superpowers, with implications that potentially could reshape the global economy for decades to come. Macron Diplomacy Helps Saudis Turn Page on Khashoggi Macron toured the Gulf this week seeking to raise France’s standing as a serious player in global affairs. [Samy Adghirni]( reports on the first visit by a major western leader to Saudi Arabia since de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was implicated in the [murder]( in 2018 of critic Jamal Khashoggi. Jamal Khashoggi. Photographer: Mohammed al-Shaikh/AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Angers Russia by Buying Turkish Drones and Wants More Turkey’s sale of armed drones to Ukraine has highlighted its role as one of Kiyv’s most important backers and drawn a rebuke from Russia. [Selcan Hacaoglu]( and [Marc Champion]( write that the [tensions]( come as Putin again builds up troops near Ukraine’s border. - Biden said he anticipated a “long discussion” with Putin over the threat of an [invasion]( of Ukraine. Modi’s Top Priorities With Two Years to Go Until Election Day Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to repeal controversial farm laws after widespread [protests]( shows that economic reforms will likely take a back seat as he prepares for the next election in 2024. [Bibhudatta Pradhan]( and [Archana Chaudhary]( explain his thinking. A farmer at a protest site on Nov. 19. Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg Carrie Lam’s Second Term Depends on 0.02% of Hong Kong’s People Public opinion hardly matters when it comes to next year’s [battle]( to lead Hong Kong. As [Kari Soo Lindberg]( and [Iain Marlow]( write, Chief Executive Carrie Lam just needs the backing of the 1,500 Communist Party loyalists who are allowed to vote for the city’s leader to win another five-year term. Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ Bill Risks Hurting Its Democratic Credentials [Yinka Ibukun]( reports on how proposed legislation in Ghana to [punish]( LGBTQ people with jail time, legalize discrimination, and to force anyone to report a gay person to the authorities is challenging the West African nation’s democratic credentials. Ocean freight rates on goods shipped to major U.S. coasts from Asia fell to the lowest levels since July, reflecting an easing of supply strains after the pre-holiday shipping [frenzy]( that fanned inflation fears in the world’s largest economy. Zemmour Brings Trump-Like Audience Boost to Media Tycoons Eric Zemmour’s pronouncements against Muslims have made the commentator-turned-presidential candidate an attention-grabber in France. As [Albertina Torsoli]( and [Benoit Berthelot]( explain, he’s also been a [boon]( for French networks in terms of viewership. Audience members listen to a speech by Zemmour in October. Photographer: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images One of These Five Candidates Could Be the Dark Horse in France As Macron prepares to [fight]( for reelection next year, the main conservative party has a potential opening. With the Republicans gearing up to pick their candidate starting next week, [Samy Adghirni]( and [Ania Nussbaum]( look at the contenders. China Cash Flowed Through Congo Bank, Enriching Kabila’s Cronies A trove of 3.5 million bank documents shows how a Chinese-run company moved millions of dollars to former Congo President Joseph Kabila’s family and allies. [Michael Kavanagh]( and [William Clowes]( report on what became a [takeover]( of much of the African nation’s mining industry by Chinese businesses. Best of Bloomberg Opinion This Week - [A Cowboy Solution to Afghanistan’s Cash Crunch: Ruth Pollard]( - [Honduras Vote Offers Hope in Hard Neighborhood: Clara F. Marques]( - [What’s Worst About Omicron So Far Is Uncertainty: Andreas Kluth]( - [Disney’s China Program Is No Laughing Matter: Matthew Brooker]( - [Populism Has Killed Latin America’s ‘Technopols’: Shannon O'Neil]( A King in Oil-Rich Nigeria Delta Pins Hope on U.K. in Shell Case Communities in the heart of Nigeria’s oil region have been dealing for decades with a legacy of environmental [damage]( in the area that they blame on Royal Dutch Shell. [William Clowes]( and [Chukwudi Ejimofor]( report that they now see a U.K. court as their best chance to win compensation. And finally … The U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of plastic, and every year as much as 2 million metric tons of the stuff winds up in the ocean. [Leslie Kaufman]( writes about a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report that says America needs comprehensive reforms by the end of next year that address everything from design and production through disposal if it is to control its [outsized]( plastic “leakage.” Trash and plastic collect after a major rainstorm in Culver City, California. Photographer: Citizens of the Planet/Universal Images Group Editorial/Getty Images Like Balance of Power? [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Bloomberg.com]( | [Contact Us]( [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( | [Ad Choices]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022