Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial may end as soon as Saturday, and probably without the two-thirds majority needed to secure his conviction for inciting the deadly insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. After House Democrats portrayed the Republican as unrepentant about his role in an attack, Trump’s lawyers argued Friday that he didn’t provoke the violence, something that at least one of Trump’s extremist supporters disagrees with. A group of Trump’s fellow Republicans unhappy with what they see as their party’s blind loyalty has started discussions about forming a new party. But even if Trump escapes conviction, remaining free to run for president again in 2024, Bloomberg Opinion’s Jonathan Bernstein contends that he’s still being held accountable.

What you'll want to read this weekend

The Long Hack tells the tale of how U.S. investigators found evidence that China repeatedly tampered with hardware made by Super Micro Computers. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden criticized what he calls China’s “unfair economic practices” in his first phone call with President Xi Jinping.
Clubhouse’s surging popularity spurred Facebook to explore a rival product, driving up the share price of a Chinese startup that provides the social media platform’s underlying audio technology. Now the mania has spread to Japan, and Covid conspiracies continue to flourish.

The Clubhouse app.

Photographer: SOPA Images/LightRocket

The more easily transmitted Covid variant first discovered in the U.K. is gaining momentum in the U.S. Missed doctor visits have created a shadow health crisis that may last beyond the pandemic. And listen to how pharmaceutical companies are racing to update their vaccines for variants.
Bumble’s hugely successful IPO created a rarity in the world of finance—a female billionaire. Bloomberg Businessweek delves into how MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos have taken different approaches to philanthropy since their divorce.

Dating app Bumble's initial public offering advertised in Times Square in New York City on Feb. 11.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Let the vacation planning begin: Marriott International is betting on all-inclusive resorts, and airlines are ditching business hubs and rerouting flights to Florida. Sales of private jets have picked up as the uber-wealthy would rather not mix with the masses in premium class.

What you’ll want to know next week

What you’ll want to watch in Bloomberg Video

How Weaponized Social Media Fueled Jan. 6

YouTube and Facebook may have laid the groundwork for the U.S. Capitol attack by white supremacists and so-called militia groups long before Trump started speaking on Jan. 6, misinformation experts said. While these huge companies say they are clamping down on violent, hate-filled posts, their algorithms serve to weaponize far-right conspiracy theories touted by groups like QAnon. Then came Trump’s lies about the 2020 election. This is the film about how it all happened.

Photographer: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Photographer: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

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