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
As the fight over pro-Palestinian protests continues to spread across university campuses, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is scheduled to appear before the Senate appropriations committee on Tuesday (April 30). Cardona is likely to come under further pressure from Republicans at the hearing to revoke federal funding for Columbia University after announcing that his department has opened an investigation into the school over allegations of antisemitic harassment. Catherine Lhamon, who leads the Department’s office for civil rights, is then due to deliver a keynote address at a Center for American Progress event on Wednesday (May 1).
Meanwhile, after the University of Southern California yesterday announced it was scrapping its main commencement ceremony altogether having already significantly scaled it back following the controversy over its decision to cancel a planned speech by Muslim valedictorian Asna Tabassum, the University of Michigan’s ceremony takes place on Saturday (May 4). UMich President Santa Ono has faced criticism for his response to a pro-Palestinian protest during an honors convocation last month, and at the time of writing a group of students remain camped out in the university’s Diag. Saturday’s commencement is likely to be closely watched by other colleges as they prepare to hold their own graduation ceremonies over the coming weeks.
The debate over reproductive rights in a post Dobbs America will continue following arguments this week at the Supreme Court over Idaho’s near-total ban on abortions. In Florida, a new six-week abortion law enters into force on Wednesday (May 1) after a ruling by state’s supreme court earlier this month. President Joe Biden used a speech in Tampa this week to blame his presidential rival Donald Trump for the new law in the latest example of his campaign’s focus on the issue, and Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Jacksonville on Wednesday to drive the point home at an event ‘focused on the stakes of the election for reproductive freedom across the country’. With Floridians due to vote on an abortion ballot initiative in November, some are hoping that a backlash against restrictions could even put the former swing state back into play for Democrats.
In Arizona, which is already set to be a critical state in November, lawmakers in the state’s Senate will hold their weekly session on Wednesday, when they are expected to vote on legislation that would repeal the near-total abortion ban dating back to 1864 that could otherwise come into force as early as June 8. Democrats in the House were able to secure the backing of three Republicans this week to overcome Speaker Ben Toma’s opposition to their bill repealing the 1864 law. Arizona’s Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who is expected to move quickly to sign a repeal if it reaches her desk, may address the issue when she delivers remarks at this year’s Sedona forum, which opens on Friday (May 3).
It’s another big week in economic news following yesterday’s disappointing growth data that has some worrying about the prospect of stagflation. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen appears before a House panel on Tuesday (April 30),and then on Wednesday (May 1) all eyes will once again be on Fed Chair Jay Powell when he holds a press conference following the latest FOMC meeting, amid chatter that a rate hike could be on the cards in the next year as hopes of an imminent cut fade. Major companies set to report earnings next week include Amazon and boycott-impacted McDonald’s on Tuesday (April 30) and Apple on Thursday (May 2), which is also when the OECD releases its latest Economic Outlook report. On Friday (May 3), the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its monthly jobs report, and the Biden administration will be hoping for more of the same following last month’s figures showing unemployment at near–historic lows and workers enjoying steady wage growth.
Looking abroad
With the Israeli offensive in Rafah looking possible any day now despite warnings it could dramatically exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the special World Economic Forum taking place in Riyadh on Sunday and Monday (April 28-29) may provide an opportunity for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, with a host of foreign ministers from the region set to attend. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné are also looking likely, with both thought to be planning trips to Israel after their visits to Saudi Arabia. The conflict will also feature prominently later in the week when leaders from the Muslim world gather in the Gambian capital Banjul for the two-day Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit beginning on Saturday (May 4).
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will make a public statement on Monday (April 29) on his political future after his shock announcement on Wednesday that he is considering resigning. The 52-year-old socialist party leader, known as El Guapo, suspended his public duties and said the deliberations were prompted by the ‘unprecedented’ nature of an investigation into corruption allegations involving his wife, Begoña Gómez, which he claims are based on stories in ‘rightwing and ultra-rightwing media’. Sánchez has been in power since 2018 and was appointed to a third term in November after cobbling together a governing coalition which includes support from the Catalan separatist party. His opponents have characterized the announcement as a political stunt designed to garner support for his government.
Ahead of a general election expected this fall, the UK holds bellwether local polls on Thursday (May 2), where Rishi Sunak’s ruling Conservatives are projected to lose up to half of their share of councillors amid widespread discontent over the cost of living, immigration and the state of the National Health Service.
It’s a busy voting day: ballots are taking place in over 100 English authorities and some of the biggest cities in the country, and a parliamentary by-election triggered by the resignation of an MP who broke lobbying rules could prove a useful indicator for the Labour Party’s prospects of regaining crucial seats it lost in 2019. London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan looks set to win a third term, but Sunak will also have an eye on the regional mayoral contests where defeat for two prominent Conservative leaders could spell trouble for the prime minister, who is already the subject of backbench plotting to remove him before the next election. The by-election and council results will start to filter through from Friday (May 3), while London declares on Saturday (May 4).