Chance to unite, Ukraine tensions, Chinese games: Weekend Reads

President Joe Biden said he would fulfill his promise to nominate the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court after Justice Stephen Brey [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( President Joe Biden said he would fulfill his promise to [nominate]( the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court after Justice Stephen Breyer announced he would retire. Biden vowed to send U.S. [troops]( to eastern Europe to confront Russia in the standoff with Ukraine, even as that country’s president bridled at U.S. warnings that an attack may be imminent. And Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Schulz, is drawing criticism for taking a more moderate approach. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is [refusing]( to quit amid an escalation of the so-called partygate scandal, into which police launched a formal probe this week. President Xi Jinping, meanwhile, is working to shield China from criticism over its human rights record as he prepares to kick off the Winter Olympics. Delve into these and more of Bloomberg’s biggest stories from the past seven days in this edition of Weekend Reads. [— Michael Winfrey]( Ukrainian soldiers attend a rally in Odessa on Jan. 22. Photographer: Christopher Occhicone/Bloomberg Click [here]( for this week’s most compelling political images. And share this newsletter with others too. They can sign up [here](. Breyer’s Exit Strategy Nods to Supreme Court Politics He Decried After a career trying to keep the U.S. Supreme Court above politics, Justice Breyer’s [retirement]( underscores just how political the court has become. As [Greg Stohr]( reports, his announcement was timed perfectly for Biden to reinforce the court’s beleaguered liberal wing. Biden’s selection of a Black woman for U.S. Supreme Court justice would make history, and the nominee would join the ranks of one of the most diverse groups of federal judges ever to make their way to the bench. Read more as [Kelsey Butler]( walks us through the possible [candidates](. Collapsed Pittsburgh Bridge One of Thousands in Poor Condition The bridge that collapsed in Pittsburgh yesterday ahead of Biden’s visit to the city for an infrastructure speech is one of thousands in Pennsylvania rated in poor or worse condition last year. But as [Mark Niquette]( and [Gregory Korte](explain, it’s not the worst-off state. The bridge near Frick Park in Pittsburgh on Friday. Photographer: Justin Merriman/Bloomberg The Partygate Scandal: What Boris Johnson Has Said So Far Johnson is grappling with two investigations into alleged rule-breaking parties in government buildings while the country was in lockdown. [Emily Ashton]( takes a look [here]( at how the prime minister has tried to refute, brush off and — to some extent — explain his staff’s and his own behavior. The Tragicomedy of Boris Johnson Enters Final Shakespearean Act Macbeth’s ambition, Falstaff’s charisma, Mark Antony’s gift with words: Johnson shares many of the traits exhibited in Shakespeare’s flawed heroes. As [Flavia Krause-Jackson]( writes, what makes his predicament so baffling — and [Shakespearean]( — is how much of it is his own fault. Germany’s Scholz Is Tested as West’s Weak Link in Ukraine Crisis Scholz won Germany’s election by emulating Angela Merkel’s steady approach to government. But as [Birgit Jennen](, [Alan Crawford]( and [Arne Delfs]( write, his caution is beginning to look like a liability as he risks becoming cast as the West’s [weak link]( in dealing with Russia. - At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the U.S. was [damaging]( his country’s economy by unduly stoking panic that Russia may be planning an invasion (Russia says it isn’t). - This [graphic]( explains where military forces are assembling around Ukraine. Ukraine’s Economic Arteries Fear a Fresh Hit If War Breaks Out The damage to Ukraine’s Black Sea links since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea points to the [array]( of options short of invasion that Putin has to apply pressure on Kyiv and the West. [Marc Champion]( delves into how Putin can undermine Ukraine’s economy and Zelenskiy’s government. Peng Shuai Case Threatens China’s Goal of Protest-Free Olympics Xi is determined to ensure the Olympics aren’t overshadowed by political statements on a range of human rights issues, from tennis star Peng Shuai to Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Hong Kong democracy activists. But as this [story]( points out, it won’t be easy. China’s American-Born Olympic Star Is Being Very, Very Careful Eileen Gu, an American-born 18-year-old, is a freestyle skier who is a medal favorite at next month’s Olympics. As [Ellen Huet]( explains, she’s also the subject of intense scrutiny because her story lies at the intersection of simmering international tensions. Gu enjoying a win in California on Jan. 8. Photographer: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Deaths Months After Covid Point to Pandemic’s Grim Aftermath Covid-19’s deadly effects manifest long after some patients leave the hospital, making people more than twice as likely to die or be admitted again within months. [Jason Gale]( reports on [research]( that found Covid survivors had an almost five-times greater risk of dying 10 months later. U.S., Other ‘Populist’ Nations Mishandled Pandemic, Study Say Lenient policies from “[populist](” governments including in the U.S. and Britain caused unnecessary deaths during the pandemic, a study showed. As [Iain Rogers]( reports, the number of deaths beyond those that could be expected without the pandemic was more than twice as high on average.  Denmark will reclassify Covid-19 as a disease that no longer poses a [threat]( to society and won’t extend pandemic measures beyond Monday, even as infections hit a record high. The decision dramatically pushes forward an idea that’s emerged recently in Europe: It’s time to start thinking about Covid as endemic rather than a pandemic. Best of Bloomberg Opinion This Week - Come On, Jan. 6 Panel! Get Your Act Together: Jonathan Bernstein]( - [Biden May Catch Putin in His Own Ukraine Trap: Leonid Bershidsky]( - [Russia’s Oil Weapon Is More Potent Than Gas: Meghan O'Sullivan]( - [There’s Only One Rule in China’s ‘Fight Club’: Matthew Brooker]( - [The World's Next Big Health Emergency Is Here: Therese Raphael]( India Boosts Naval Patrols to Catch China in Crowded Global Seas India is carrying out more warship [patrols]( than ever before as concerns grow about the country’s ability to remain dominant in the Indian Ocean with China’s naval power quickly increasing. [Sudhi Ranjan Sen]( outlines how India’s underfunded navy lines up with China’s, the world’s largest. As World Watches Ukraine, Another Part of Europe Embraces Russia With concern growing over Putin’s intentions in Ukraine, hard-won stability in another highly combustible corner of Europe is at risk of unraveling. [Andrea Dudik](, [Jasmina Kuzmanovic]( and [Misha Savic]( visited the Bosnia, where they found years of Western foreign policy under pressure. Burkina Faso Coup Fallout to Reverberate Across West Africa Soldiers toppled President Roch Marc Christian Kabore in Burkina Faso, accusing him of failing to tackle an Islamist insurgency. [Katarina Hoije]( and [Michael Cohen]( explore how the [coup]( will reverberate across West Africa and heighten concerns about growing instability in neighboring states. Explainers You Can Use - [Why Swift’s Global Payments Are Sanctions Pain Point]( - [How a Country Joins NATO (and Why Putin Cares)]( - [How Jihadists Are Creating Turmoil Across West Africa]( - [What We Know About Omicron, the New Covid Virus Variant]( - [‘Crypto Winter’ Fears Send Chills to Battered Bitcoin Faithful]( And finally … During the pandemic in the Mississippi Delta — the poorest region in the poorest U.S. state — doctors, nurses, and administrators have sacrificed and improvised to keep their hospitals afloat. But as [Monte Reel]( reports, Omicron is pushing already struggling health-care providers over the [brink](. Dr. Braveen Ragunanthan with a young patient at the Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, Miss. Photographer: Ariel Cobbert/Bloomberg 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. 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