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
The Republican presidential primary continues to heat up next week when three more candidates are expected to formally throw their hats in the ring. First up is former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is likely to confirm his candidacy during an address in New Hampshire on Tuesday (June 6). Although his prospects of winning the nomination are slim, his entry into the race should spice things up given his strident criticism of Donald Trump. Former Vice President Mike Pence, another candidate with a complicated path to victory, is also expected to formalize his campaign next week at an event in Iowa on Wednesday (June 7).
In contrast to Christie, Pence has been broadly reluctant to criticize his former boss, a decision many have found puzzling given Trump’s reported support for Jan. 6 rioters chanting ‘hang Mike Pence’. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who hasn’t shied away from speculation about his presidential ambitions, also looks set to confirm a run as he holds an event in Fargo on Wednesday to make a ‘major announcement’. While Burgum is generally viewed as a competent governor, his chances of securing the nomination also look challenging, at best, given his relatively low profile and apparent desire to run a centrist campaign.
President Joe Biden, meanwhile, hosts meetings with two foreign leaders next week. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visits the White House first on Monday (June 5) for talks on a range of issues, though rumors – denied by Frederiksen – that she could replace departing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are likely to dominate much of the coverage of her visit. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pays his official visit to DC on Thursday (June 8), with Ukraine, energy security and developments in Northern Ireland all on the agenda. The pair are also due to discuss the risks of artificial intelligence in the wake of a letter published by industry experts this week which warned that AI could pose an ‘extinction risk’ on par with pandemics and nuclear war, with Sunak reportedly keen to promote a leading role for the UK in global AI regulation.
There’s some speculation that AI could also feature at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which opens on Monday (June 5) in Cupertino. The tech giant has been relatively silent on generative AI while rivals including Microsoft, Google and Meta have launched new AI-powered services, and WWDC could give us a peek at how Apple sees the technology working for their business, particularly the development of its virtual assistant, Siri.
The bigger story, though, is that Apple is expected to use Monday’s keynote to launch its highly-anticipated mixed reality headset, thought to be called Reality Pro. The $3,000 AR/VR headset is rumored to be able to run all of Apple’s existing apps and include a new portal for watching VR sports, and leaked tech specs suggest a far more powerful device than what’s currently on the market. Apple is also expected to launch the latest version of its operating system, iOS17, and a new range of Macs at the conference, which runs until Friday (June 9).
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, back in DC next week following visits to Sweden, Norway and Finland, delivers what is likely to be a closely-watched speech on Monday (June 5) at an American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy summit. It’s Blinken’s first address to AIPAC since taking up his current role, and his remarks come amid strained relations between the two nations, notably over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reforms that have prompted widespread protests in Israel. Netanyahu has not been invited to the White House since returning to power, though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy used a recent trip to Israel to criticize the delay and suggested he might extend an invitation himself.