How Trump spurned pleas to act as riot raged: Weekend Reads

Donald Trump’s response to the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol was largely marked by what the former president wouldn’t do or say to stop th [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( Donald Trump’s response to the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol was largely marked by what the former president wouldn’t do or say to stop the violence, the House committee investigating the insurrection [detailed](. Boris Johnson [signed-off]( his final appearance as prime minister in the UK’s House of Commons by offering advice to his successor and declaring his mission is “largely accomplished.” Sri Lanka’s parliament elected a new president who’s backed by a majority of lawmakers from ousted leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s party, a development that could [reignite]( street protests in the bankrupt nation and scuttle bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. The Kremlin is in a [dash]( to hold referendums in Ukrainian territories occupied by its troops to give grounds for President Vladimir Putin to annex them into Russia as early as September, sources say. Delve into these and other top political stories from the past seven days in this edition of Weekend Reads —  Muneeza Naqvi A man rides a bicycle past a destroyed apartment building in the city of Severodonetsk amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine. Photographer: Olga Maltseva/Getty Images Click [hereÂ](for this week’s most compelling political images and share this newsletter with others. They can sign up [here](. Trump Spurned Aides’ Pleas to Quell Jan. 6 Riot, Panel Told Former President Donald Trump [ignored]( pleas to call off the mob storming the US Capitol and remained publicly silent as he watched the violence unfold, [Mike DorningÂ](and [Billy House]( report, citing evidence and testimony presented to the committee investigating the insurrection. Black Districts Gutted as Suburban Flight Reshapes Congress Maps There are 22 majority-Black districts in the current US Congress, but there will be as few as nine next year. The lost seats are a casualty of highly politicized battles over [redistricting]( bringing dramatic change to electoral maps that were already being reshaped by demographic forces, explains [Gregory Korte](. Biden Sees Xi Call in ‘Next 10 Days’ as US Weighs Easing Tariffs President Joe Biden says he expects to [speak]( to Chinese leader Xi Jinping “within the next 10 days,” as the US considers whether lifting some tariffs on Chinese imports would help stem rampant inflation, [Nancy Cook]( and [Josh Wingrove]( report. Japan, Singapore and South Korea have the most [powerful]( passports as the world continues to recover from Covid-19, reversing pre-pandemic rankings that were dominated by European nations. A Japanese passport provides hassle-free entry to 193 countries, reports [Angus Whitley](. Truss Survived Knife-Edge Vote and Is Favorite to Be UK Premier In the final hours before Tory lawmakers chose the two candidates who will face off to become the next British prime minister, anxious supporters of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss were engaged in a [desperate]( operation to muster votes, writes [Alex Wickham](. Liz Truss attends the final scheduled cabinet meeting held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday. Photographer: Neil Hall/EPA/Getty Images Boris Johnson Tells Successors Stick With the US and Ukraine Johnson made his final [appearance]( as prime minister in the UK’s House of Commons, giving advice to his successor and declaring his mission is “largely accomplished,” reports [Ellen Milligan](. Stay close to the Americans, stick-up for the Ukrainians, cut taxes, deregulate where possible, he said. Mario Draghi Saved the Euro, But Italian Politics Beat Him Mario Draghi managed to keep the euro together at the height of the sovereign-debt crisis but he [failed]( to keep Italian political parties in line — just as the euro-zone grapples with a new energy and inflation crisis, [Chiara Albanese](, [Alessandro Speciale]( and [Alessandra Migliaccio]( explain. The premier resigned after three coalition allies withdrew support. Russia Moves to Annex Occupied Ukrainian Land by September Russian officials are preparing to [organize]( votes in Ukrainian areas currently controlled by the Russian military and any others its troops are able to seize in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the plan. The goal is to conduct referendums on joining Russia by Sept. 15. - Ukraine finally secured a deal aimed at [restarting]( crucial Black Sea grain exports that have been crippled by Russia’s invasion. But getting them going won’t be easy. Best of Bloomberg Opinion - [The Populist Experiment in Italy Has Failed: Maria Tadeo]( - [Putin Confronts His Fading Influence in the Mideast: Bobby Ghosh]( - [Pelosi’s Taiwan Date Is a Headache for Biden: Matthew Brooker]( - [Britain Can’t Look Beyond Oxford for Its Leader: John Authers]( - [Prosecuting Trump Has Only Become More Urgent: Timothy O'Brien]( Xi Faces Surprise Revolt From Chinese Homebuyers on Mortgage Boycott Xi has reined in China’s biggest tech companies, stamped out democracy in Hong Kong and locked down 26 million people in Shanghai to eliminate Covid cases. Now he faces a surprise [challenge](, [Rebecca Choong Wilkins]( writes, from thousands of middle-class homeowners who are refusing to pay mortgages for apartments that developers have yet to finish. Behind in Polls, Bolsonaro Is Shunning His Own Campaign’s Advice Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is [shunning]( the advice of his political allies and marketing advisers to run a more conventional campaign for re-election in October. As [Daniel Carvalho]( and [Simone Iglesias]( report, guidance on topics that should be addressed or avoided in public are usually ignored by the president and even mocked by his inner circle. Explainers you can use - [The US Is Exporting Inflation, and Fed Hikes Will Make It Worse]( - [What Experts Know About ‘Long Covid’ and Who Gets It]( - [How Thailand Is Blazing Trails on Gay Rights, Legalizing Marijuana]( - [How Global Warming Makes Extreme Weather More Likely]( - [Truss Went From Anti-Thatcher Protests to Become UK Tory Darling]( Sri Lankan Army Clears Protest Site Before Cabinet Sworn In Sri Lanka’s new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, called in the military to maintain “public order” and troops began [dismantling]( a key protest site near the presidential office, leading to tense scenes with demonstrators. A nationwide emergency, that allows military and police sweeping powers to arrest and detain people, remains in place, [Niluksi Koswanage]( reports. And finally … Corn yields are waning, milk output is shrinking and chickens are sipping electrolytes as unprecedented heat bakes some of Europe’s key farming regions. France, an agriculture heavyweight, is at risk of record-breaking temperatures and fires, while the UK has issued its most severe heat warning and half of Italian farms are [parched](, writes [Megan Durisin]( The dry river Trebbia, a tributary of the river Po, in Piacenza, Italy, on July 18. Photographer: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images Europe Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Bloomberg.com]( | [Contact Us]( [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( | [Ad Choices]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022