Brinkmanship abounds as year draws to close: Weekend Reads

Follow Us Get the newsletter Brinkmanship abounded this week as negotiations over the U.K.'s divorce from the European Union and over providing additional stimulus to aid the ailing U.S. economy came down to the wire.  Coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. hit record levels as some of the areas initially hit hardest by the pandemic — New York, New Jersey, California — once again find themselves grappling with worrying surges.  A widespread cyberattack on U.S. government agencies renewed questions about Washington's relationship with Moscow. And attention is increasingly focused on the year ahead, and how 2021 may — and may not — be different from the historic year that's coming to a close.   Dig into these and other topics with the latest edition of Weekend Reads — Kathleen Hunter British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Downing Street policy unit chief Munira Mirza arrive Dec. 15 for a cabinet meeting in London. Johnson warned that trade talks with the EU are in a "serious situation" as the Dec. 31 deadline nears. Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg Barring major news, Balance of Power will take a break for the holidays and return Jan. 4. We're wishing our readers all over the world a safe and happy 2021. Click here for this week's most compelling political images and please do continue to tell us how we're doing or what we're missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net. U.S. Governors Who 'Bent the Curve' Prepare for Even Bigger Test New York's Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey's Phil Murphy, who earned plaudits last spring for their early pandemic successes, are girding for a brutal winter. Stacie Sherman and Elise Young take a closer look at what's ahead for the pair of Northeastern Democratic governors. Biden's Plans for Recovery Face Corporate America Debt Problem As U.S. President-elect Joe Biden looks to pull the economy out of the wreckage caused by the pandemic and onto a sustained path of recovery, his team faces one increasingly big problem: a mountain of corporate debt. Craig Torres, Paula Seligson and Josh Saul unpack the challenges.  McConnell recognized Biden as the winner of the U.S. presidential election Dec. 15, the day after the Electoral College confirmed his victory — a pivotal moment that further cemented President Donald Trump's defeat. Hack Attack Adds to Putin's Mystique Even if Russia Faces Pain The storm over a cyber attack on U.S. government agencies only bolsters Russian President Vladimir Putin's image at home. Ilya Arkhipov, Henry Meyer and Stepan Kravchenko explain how Putin can burnish his reputation as s a strong leader unafraid to confront its former Cold War enemy, even as the Kremlin denies involvement amid fears of a backlash when Biden enters the White House. Italy Inc.'s Takeover Spree Brings Coalition Tension to Boil Italy's interventionist economic policy is adding to the strains within its governing coalition. And as Alessandra Migliaccio, Chiara Albanese and John Follain report, that could put Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's administration at risk. Divine Populist or Democrat? Ethiopia's Future Hinges on Leader Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is trying to turn the page on conflict in his country's Tigray region. But, as  Marc Champion and Simon Marks report, what comes next for Africa's second-most populous nation will depend largely on whether the Nobel Peace Prize winner is a true reformer or another strongman-in-the-making. The Biggest Trials Coming to Courts Around the World in 2021 With courtrooms likely roaring back to life next year, cases involving former world leaders — France's Nicolas Sarkozy, Malaysia's Najib Razak and South Africa's Jacob Zuma — are among those to watch.  Anthony Lin charts the legal landscape. How Iran Has Brought Israel and Arab States Together Conflict between Israel and the Arab nations that surround it has been a defining feature of the Middle East, producing periodic wars, lost trade opportunities and uncountable hours of fruitless diplomacy. While the rift is far from resolved, there's been a key shift.  Marc Champion explains. Toxic Spills in Venezuela Offer a Bleak Vision of the End of Oil Broke and subject to international sanctions, President Nicolas Maduro's government is squeezing what it can from Venezuela's collapsing oil industry. As Fabiola Zerpa, Peter Millard and Andrew Rosati report, that has unleashed an environmental disaster in one of Earth's most ecologically diverse nations. Feeding Two Earths: How to End Hunger Without Clearing New Land Better supply chain organization, improved soil management and a little creativity would yield lots more food without adding to emissions. But, in the absence of such measures,  270 million people could be living in famine conditions by the end of this year. Adam Majendie takes a closer look at a worsening crisis.  And finally ... In the western world, humans spend 90% of their time indoors. Scientists long have sounded the alarm that such a lifestyle is linked to health problems. Now experts have begun studying why buildings, even those designed to be as germ-free as possible, are vectors for disease. Engineer Luke Leung says a "misalignment with nature" in building design is partly to blame for our scourge of chronic diseases and the current pandemic.  Leung's projects include the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, seen here. Photographer: Christopher Pike/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.   You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022