Many questions

Omicron is spreading rapidly but its virulence remains unknown. [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( The good news on omicron so far is that the highly mutated Covid-19 virus doesn’t appear to be fueling a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. The bad news is that it may spread more easily between people who’ve had no direct contact. Key reading - [Crunch Time for South African Hospitals as Omicron Cases Soar]( - [Omicron’s Spread Across Hotel Hall Highlights Transmission Worry]( - [What We Know About Omicron, the New Virus Variant: QuickTake]( - [Omicron Isn’t Fueling Surge in Hospitalizations: Virus Update]( - [Fauci Says U.S. Is Reviewing Travel Restrictions on Daily Basis]( Admissions to hospitals in South Africa, the epicenter of the outbreak, have picked up as infections soar, but remain relatively low, [Mike Cohen]( and [Janice Kew]( report. Anecdotal evidence suggests omicron causes relatively mild illness, though scientists working with the provincial government of Gauteng will know more when they complete a study into its virulence as early as tomorrow. Yet a more disturbing report indicated that the variant spread between two fully vaccinated people across the hallway of a Hong Kong quarantine hotel. Close-circuit television footage confirmed neither person left their room and only opened their doors for food. As [Jason Gale]( writes, the episode has increased concern among health officials that omicron is better able to pass by airborne transmission than previous strains. Dozens of countries have now reported omicron infections since it was first detected last month. Its rapid dissemination has heightened fears the variant could partially evade vaccine protection and threaten the reopening of economies. With so many unknowns, health officials agree it’s too soon to assess the scale of the threat. In the meantime, the best defense is to vaccinate as many people as possible — and fast. Expect governments to redouble efforts to compel their populations to get inoculated just as the protest mood in many countries is deepening against such measures. — [Karl Maier]( [Click here]( to follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and share this newsletter with others too. They can sign up [here](. Global Headlines Slow rollout | U.S. President Joe Biden plans to tour states to tout the $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan in an effort to boost Democrats headed toward midterm votes. But as [Gregory Korte]( writes, the [slow-moving]( wheels of government won’t allow him to show off many new roads or bridges next year or even in time for the 2024 presidential election. Safety concerns | Moscow said it will [protest]( officially to the U.S. about an incident over the Black Sea Saturday, when Russian aviation officials said two civilian aircraft had to divert from their routes because of a U.S. spy plane. - Read our [exclusive]( report on the testy exchange between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over a dinner with dozens of their colleagues. - Biden said he anticipates a “long discussion” with President Vladimir Putin over the threat of an invasion of Ukraine in a [videconference]( scheduled for tomorrow. Delicate dance | Putin visits New Delhi today as billions of dollars of Russian weaponry flow into India that would normally attract U.S. [sanctions](. But [Archana Chaudhary]( and [Ilya Arkhipov]( explain why the U.S. may look away this time. Even by the volatile standards of Chinese stocks, Didi Global saw extraordinary [swings]( on Friday following its announcement of plans to switch its listing from New York just five months after going public. The gut-wrenching ride shows how perilous betting on Chinese equities remains more than a year into President Xi Jinping’s campaign to remake the country’s tech sector. Best of Bloomberg Opinion - [West Can’t Ignore China's Evolving Africa Plan: Clara F. Marques]( - [Barbados Has Traded One Empire for Another: Martin Ivens]( - [China’s ‘Fansub’ Crackdown Is Trouble for Hollywood: Adam Minter]( Courting danger | In 2018, ex-Malaysian leader Najib Razak looked like a dead man walking: He lost his job after a shock election defeat and was arrested in connection with a scandal that allegedly saw billions in stolen cash laundered through superyachts, Hollywood films and even a Pablo Picasso painting. While his political star is on the rise again, the stakes couldn’t be higher. [This story]( lays out why. Junta verdict | A court in military-controlled Myanmar today [convicted]( former leader Aung San Suu Kyi and sentenced her to four years in prison in her first trial since her ouster in a February coup. Suu Kyi was found guilty of inciting dissent against the military and breaching Covid rules. Bloomberg TV and Radio air Balance of Power with [David Westin]( weekdays from 12 to 1pm ET, with a second hour on Bloomberg Radio from 1 to 2pm ET. You can watch and listen on Bloomberg channels and online [here]( or check out prior episodes and guest clips [here](. News to Note - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman starts a tour of Gulf Arab states today, the latest high-level visit seeking to ease [tensions]( in the world’s top oil-exporting region. His stop in Qatar will coincide with a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sources said, without indicating if they will meet. - Iran signaled it intends to keep [expanding]( its nuclear work until the U.S. lifts economic sanctions, adding to the urgency as world powers seek to revive the 2015 atomic accord. - The U.S. is poised to announce a diplomatic [boycott]( by government officials of the Beijing Winter Olympics, CNN reported. - Gambian President Adama Barrow secured a second term as [leader]( with 53% of votes in the biggest test of its democracy since dictator Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule ended. Thanks to the 61 readers who answered our quiz on Friday and congratulations to John Gabriel, who was the first to name India as the country whose government moved to repeal controversial farm laws in a bid to quell protests ahead of state elections next year. And finally ... The U.S.-China space race is [heating]( up, after a top Chinese scientist said his nation may be able to send astronauts to the moon for the first time by 2030. Coming just weeks after Biden’s senior space official set out a similar timetable for new U.S. lunar exploration, the comments set up the possibility of dueling missions between the world’s two largest economies. A plane flies in front of the moon at sunset over London on March 3, 2015. Photographer: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe 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