Surge ends hope of fast return to pre-virus order: Weekend Reads

Follow Us Get the newsletter Any optimism that the world could return to life before the coronavirus fizzled this week with an explosion of new cases in the U.S. and elsewhere. American officials are now warning they'll reimpose local lockdowns that shattered economies after Florida recorded a record death toll for a single state, while Texas is preparing refrigerated trucks in anticipation of overwhelmed morgues. Elsewhere, a Latin American country that successfully fought the virus with a textbook plan is suffering, while a resurgent outbreak is adding to pressure against Israel's prime minister. The U.K., U.S. and Canadian governments also accused Russia of trying to hack vaccine research. Take a look at these and other topics in our latest edition of Weekend Reads. — Michael Winfrey U.S. President Donald Trump wears a mask during a public photo opportunity for the first time during the pandemic while visiting Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S., on July 11, 2020.  Photographer: Chris Kleponis/Polaris Click here to read about how, even if Trump fails in his re-election bid in November, the world may be too changed for the U.S. to return to the alliances it had before his presidency. And here for more of the most compelling political images from the past week. New Lockdowns Are Threatened in Virus-Stricken U.S. States It's the ultimate weapon in a pandemic: the lockdown that isolates people and shuts businesses. David R. Baker, Vincent Del Giudice and Jim Wyss explain how officials across the U.S. are warning they'll wield it again if people don't immediately act to halt the virus. A $2 Trillion Rescue Leaves America's Black Neighborhoods Behind The $2 trillion U.S. coronavirus rescue package has helped millions weather the initial plunge into lockdown. But as Shawn Donnan reports, it's amplifying imbalances in Black communities just as the U.S. confronts its foundational racial inequalities. Texas Readies Morgue Trucks in Preparation for Virus Surge Texas is rushing to mobilize overflow mortuary space as communities brace for a surge in coronavirus deaths. Susan Warren, Rachel Adams-Heard and Daniel Flatley delve into the response to record-setting days in new cases, deaths and the number of people hospitalized with Covid-19.   Chichester spoke after the international race for protection from the virus escalated to a treacherous new level with allegations that vaccine development has become a target of Russian cyber-attacks. What the Pandemic Showed Us About Global Inequality: QuickTake The gap between rich and poor had become a defining narrative of the 21st century long before the pandemic. After the killing of George Floyd by a U.S. police officer in May sparked renewed focus on the debate, Rebecca Greenfleld looks into what's coming next. Populists in East Expose EU's Weakness Before Critical Summit As the European Union haggles over a recovery plan, it has a headache in the east that won't go away. Poland and Hungary have long been at odds with the mainstream but their antagonism underscores the EU's limited ability to respond, Ian Wishart, Zoltan Simon and Wojciech Moskwa report. In a World Shattered by Virus, a One-Time Rising Star Falls Hard Peru is suffering from one of the world's deepest recessions and largest per-capita death tolls despite winning early international praise for the way it handled the coronavirus. John Quigley looks into the surprising outcome for a country that fought the pandemic by the book. Virus Fumble Exposes Netanyahu When He Needs to Look Strong Dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu has rarely been so high in Israel amid a new virus outbreak, mounting unemployment and corruption allegations. As Ivan Levingtson writes, thousands are now protesting with a single message: We're fed up with you, Bibi. Belt and Road Re-Emerges in Pakistan With Flurry of China Deals China's Belt and Road program has found new life in Pakistan with $11 billion worth of deals signed in the last month. As Faseeh Mangi reports, projects gaining speed in the disputed Kashmir region may antagonize India, and Pakistan is saddled with an intimidating pile of debt. Opium Demand Jumps as Afghan Villagers Seek Covid-19 Cure A chronic shortage of health care amid the Covid-19 pandemic has Afghans turning to an old remedy: opium. Eltaf Najafizada reports how, when a trip to the hospital can mean navigating Taliban-controlled highways, people will turn to whatever numbs their pain. And finally ... There's no way to grasp the nature of U.S. power without understanding billionaires. Look into this deep dive by Max Abelson, who's held a running series of chats with one since the crisis started that explores the financier's shifting attitude toward Covid-19 and illustrates at least one person's view of the American "system." Healthcare workers test people at a Covid-19 testing site in St. Petersburg, Florida on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. 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