A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News. Delivered to your inbox on Fridays.
Leading the week
With opening statements possible as soon as Monday (April 22) in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial, the former president’s legal struggles are likely to dominate the news again next week. A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday (April 23) on whether Trump has already violated a gag order in the case, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office alleging he has ‘unquestionably’ violated the order by publishing social media posts attacking former porn star Stormy Daniels and his former attorney Michael Cohen.
On Thursday (April 25), attention turns to the Supreme Court, where arguments will be heard in the historic case over Trump’s claim of immunity from prosecution over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, though Trump won’t be allowed to make the trip to DC to witness proceedings. Some of the key issues at stake in the immunity case are whether his alleged efforts to remain in power after losing the election constituted official presidential acts which might in turn provide him protection under the presidential immunity doctrine, and whether he is immune from prosecution because the Senate failed to convict him during his second impeachment trial in February 2021 when he was accused of inciting an insurrection.
Thursday’s hearing is not the only politically contentious case before the Supreme Court next week, with justices set to hear arguments on Wednesday (April 24) in a challenge to Idaho’s near-total ban on abortions introduced in the wake of the Dobbs ruling. At the heart of the case is the question of whether Idaho’s Defense of Life Act conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, and whether in this instance the Supremacy Clause should apply such that EMTALA pre-empts Idaho’s law, which could have major implications for similar battles in states like Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Next week will also see some major economic data released: preliminary first quarter GDP data is out on Thursday (April 25), as well as financial results from the likes of Tesla on Tuesday (April 23), Meta (Facebook) and Boeing on Wednesday (April 24), and Alphabet (Google) and Microsoft on Thursday. But arguably the real highlight will be the release on Friday (April 26) of the monthly Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, famously known to be Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric. March’s consumer price index report came in hotter than expected, and markets will be parsing the PCE report for clues as to how it might shape the Fed’s thinking regarding an eventual rate cut.
Looking abroad
The risk of a significant escalation of conflict in the Middle East has dominated much of the week in the wake Iran’s attack on Israel last weekend, and it looks set to continue in the wake of Israel’s initial military response overnight.
Monday (April 22) is shaping up to be a busy day, as European Union foreign ministers gather in Luxembourg to discuss the situation in the Middle East among other topics, while in New York the UN is due to the release findings from the independent review into UNRWA following Israeli accusations that 12 of its employees participated in the October 7 terrorist attacks. On Wednesday (April 24), the UN Security Council is due to be briefed the UN’s coordinator for humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, following claims earlier this week by UNRWA’s chief that Israel continues to block aid deliveries amid a ‘man-made famine’.
The European Parliament is also due to debate the ramifications of Iran’s attack on Wednesday with EU High Representative Josep Borrell. Finally, Sunday (April 28) marks the latest deadline for Israel to submit a report to the ICJ on measures it’s taking to ensure basic services and humanitarian assistance, including access to food, as part of proceedings brought by South Africa over its claim that Israel is committing in genocide in Gaza.
After attempts to pass the UK government’s flagship Rwanda immigration policy failed this week, the legislation returns to parliament on Monday (April 22). This latest delay has been particularly unwelcome for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he contends with publicity-hungry rivals, record low approval levels and a string of embarrassing scandals. But there’s now little scope for further disruption and the bill, which would see some asylum seekers sent to Rwanda while their claims are processed, should be approved on Monday or Tuesday (April 23) at the latest. All that will be left then is the small matter of making the deportation scheme operational and getting flights off the ground, with the prime minister’s springtime target looking less and less likely as the government anticipates legal challenges once the legislation receives Royal Assent.