| Chilly response | U.S. President Joe Biden suggested the possibility of an in-person meeting with Xi Jinping during a phone call last week, but the Chinese president demurred as he avoids leaving his country even for major gatherings amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Xi hasn't set foot outside China for more than 600 days, the longest stint at home of any G-20 leader. - China's embassy condemned a decision by the speaker of the U.K. Parliament to ban its new ambassador from the assembly after an invitation sparked outrage among British politicians sanctioned by Beijing.
Democratic win | Voters in California rebuffed a Republican-led effort to oust Governor Gavin Newsom in yesterday's special election, which Democratic leaders had characterized as a power grab by supporters of former President Donald Trump. The outcome solidifies Newsom's support ahead of 2022, when the former mayor of San Francisco may seek a second term. - The once-obscure state-level job of overseeing elections has become a target for wealthy donors and national organizers from both parties before the 2022 midterms, Ryan Teague Beckwith and Bill Allison report.
 China's economy took a knock in August, fueling concerns about the global recovery as countries battle to get delta outbreaks under control. Both retail sales and industrial output grew less than expected under stringent virus controls, while construction investment shrank as the government tightens property restrictions to reduce financial risk.
Complete control | Russian President Vladimir Putin's sidelining of opponents — jailing some and driving others into exile — means parliamentary elections starting Friday will effectively be a referendum on his rule. As Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov write, the Kremlin is taking no chances with support for the ruling party falling amid anger over stagnant living standards. Best of Bloomberg OpinionFresh air | Japan's Liberal Democratic Party has kept a lock on power for most of the past six decades in part because it's seen as safe and predictable. Now the party is in the midst of its most tumultuous leadership fight in decades, but a new generation of parliamentarians is pleased. "Chaos is good," says lawmaker Masaaki Taira. "It means progress." Making variants | The world's worst HIV epidemic is complicating South Africa's Covid fight, raising the risk of variants spreading across the globe. Rene Vollgraaff, Antony Sguazzin and Amogelang Mbatha write that getting the country's 8.2 million, mostly poor and marginalized HIV-infected people vaccinated has become critical because scientists say they can harbor the coronavirus for longer, allowing it to mutate. 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. -
North Korea fired off two ballistic missiles — its second launch in less than a week of weapons designed to bolster its capability to strike Japan and South Korea. It came as Seoul tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile. - Iran replaced top international negotiator Abbas Araghchi with a hardline critic of the 2015 nuclear accord even as world powers push for a resumption of talks to revive it.
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Authorities told key Evergrande lenders not to expect interest payments due next week on bank loans, sources say, taking the cash-strapped developer a step closer to one of China's biggest debt restructurings. -
Facebook faces renewed fury from Washington after reports suggested the company knew, but didn't disclose, that its Instagram platform could pose risks to teenagers. -
Von der Leyen used her speech today to tout the bloc's response to Covid-19 while underscoring the urgent need to boost global vaccination rates. And finally ... Whether for bread, rice or tortillas, the costs of food can bring down governments when they rise too fast, and politicians are taking note. Global food prices spiked 33% from a year earlier in August, driven by extreme weather, soaring fertilizer costs, shipping bottlenecks and labor shortages. Governments from Europe to Turkey to India have responded by handing out aid, ordering sellers to cut prices and tinkering with trade rules.  People line up at a New York food bank in July. Photographer: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images North America | 
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