Vaccines in school, London’s fate and Xi’s target: Weekend Reads

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The new spike in case of the Covid-19 delta variant has thrust U.S. schools into a thorny debate about immunizing kids, and in France, a court ruled that the government can bar non-vaccinated people from eating out. In China, the government has rocked the stock market by targeting lucrative industries, while Japanese officials are worried that Taiwan may soon follow Hong Kong in Beijing's crackdown on democracy. Meanwhile, the city of London is struggling to get back its pre-pandemic groove as people are slow to return to offices and the government puts its focus on other U.K. regions in the wake of Brexit. Dig deeper into these and other topics in this edition of Weekend Reads.— Michael Winfrey

U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush protest the expiration of an eviction moratorium outside of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. President Joe Biden extended the ban on evicting people who are behind on rent, drawing a legal challenge from landlords. Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg Click here for this week's most compelling political images and tell us how we're doing or what we're missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net.

Vaccine Mandates for Kids Is the Next Big Back-to-School Fight More than 4 million American children in the have tested positive for Covid. As Riley Griffin and Suzi Ring show, schools now face a tough choice: whether to implement mandates requiring Covid vaccinations, as they do for other diseases, or punt because of politics and let parents decide. Senate Sets Up Weekend Infrastructure Vote After Final Skirmish The U.S. Senate is heading toward a vote as early as today on its $550 billion infrastructure legislation, after an attempt to rush its passage was thwarted by disagreements over cryptocurrency and other matters, Steven T. Dennis and Laura Davison report. Silicon Valley's Many Asian Americans Still Feel Like a Minority The U.S. tech industry sometimes seems to see itself as a post-racial paradise. But as Priya Anand and Ellen Huet report, many Asians still experience racism that starts at the earliest stages of their careers and can be hard to escape even for executives. London Defined Boris Johnson. Then Brexit Changed the Metrics Less than a decade after London made British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's political career, it risks becoming a casualty of his government. Alex Morales looks at how a focus on the provincial regions that backed leaving the European Union may undermine the engine of the U.K. economy. Riding High on Vaccines, Trudeau Aims to Restore Ruling Majority Early in the pandemic, Justin Trudeau looked like a man under siege, atop a minority government, hiding behind a scruffy Covid beard. But as Kait Bolongaro reports, Canada's prime minister now seems likely to call a snap election for September and win big. France's constitutional court endorsed Macron's push for vaccine passports that people will need if they want to visit restaurants, cinemas and other venues. Faithful Vegan Knockoffs Rattle Multibillion-Dollar Fish Sector As more people go meatless, many see seafood as an alternative. Now, however, fears of overfishing, heavy-metal consumption and microplastics are fueling new faux fish products aimed at shoppers ranging from vegans to expectant mothers and those with allergies, Irina Anghel reports. Putin Flexes His Muscles in Syria in Test of Israel's New Leader Russia is seeking to exploit the change of government in Israel to assert some control over military operations in Syria. Henry Meyer and Gwen Ackerman explain how a more abrasive relationship could force Israel to change its strategy on Iran and inflame political tensions in the region.   Post-Apartheid Inequality Sparks Fury in South Africa The end of apartheid has done little to improve the lot of as much as a third of South Africa's population who depend on social welfare. Now the country is dialing back assistance further as it grapples with depleted coffers and the biggest economic downturn in a century, Antony Sguazzin and Leah Wilson write. Hong Kong's Fate Spurs Japan to Speak Up About Defending Taiwan A growing chorus of Japanese voices calling for support for Taiwan is emblematic of a shift in response to China's crackdown on Hong Kong. As Isabel Reynolds and Emi Nobuhiro write, the efforts to silence the city's pro-democratic opposition have fueled fears it might do the same in Japan's island neighbor. China imposed new travel and movement restrictions as a Covid outbreak driven by the delta variant grew to over 500 symptomatic cases across half the country. Shocked Investors Scour Xi's Old Speeches to Find Next Target Chinese President Xi Jinping's scrutiny of businesses ranging from tech giants and video-game makers to the for-profit education sector wiped $1 trillion off the country's stock market last week. Now traders are scouring his speeches for clues about which industries might be next. And finally … North Korea's Kim Jong Un has appeared in recent days with a bandage about the size of a few postage stamps on the back of his head. As Jon Herskovitz reports, it's the latest episode to stoke speculation about one of country's most closely guarded secrets: the reclusive leader's health. Kim Jong Un. Photographer: Jorge Silva/Reuters

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