Some colleagues warn that his comeback could create more political chaos.
Saturday, October 22, 2022 |
Welcome to another weekend of hierarchy in the UK, the Chinese Communist Party's big reveal, an aquatic cliffhanger in the Ukraine war and other items of note that defined the past week and tell us where the news is going in the week to come. |
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Two habitués at No. 10 Downing Street who are not in the running to be Britain's next prime minister. REUTERS/Toby Melville |
- How things stand: Johnson is considering an audacious attempt to win a second term as prime minister only weeks after he was forced to step down. His successor, Liz Truss, quit on Thursday after six weeks in power over her disastrous economic plan.
- How the next few days look: The race is on. Former defense minister Penny Mordaunt has declared her intention to seek the post, while Johnson and his former finance minister Rishi Sunak led potential contenders. More to come on Monday.
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- First, the subpoena: Former President Donald Trump was ordered to testify under oath and provide documents to the House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.
- Next, the deadline: The committee wants the documents by Nov. 4, and has summoned Trump to appear for deposition testimony beginning on or about Nov. 14.
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- The latest: Ukraine says the Russians planted explosives in the Nova Kakhova dam, which could send a deluge down the Dnipro in the direction of Kherson. The Russians say the Ukrainians want to destroy it. This comes as Kyiv's forces prepare to push Moscow's troops from Kherson in one of the war's most important battles.
- Meanwhile, at the border: Sweden and Finland might be getting closer to overcoming Turkey's objections to their NATO membership bids, thanks to what appears to be some meticulous application of diplomacy. And in the USA, politics experts suspect that a Republican congressional majority could get some mileage out of threatening U.S. aid to Ukraine.
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- The big reveal: Xi Jinping on Sunday will preside over the most dramatic moment of the Communist Party's twice-a-decade congress and name the members of its elite Politburo Standing Committee.
- What to expect: Watch for how the members enter the room, according to this handy guide. Their rank and importance diminish until they reach the guy at the back of the line. (And it's likely to be a guy.) Also watch for more news on ex-President Hu Jintao, who was unexpectedly escorted out of the hall on Saturday.
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- Shots fired: With most Americans delaying or skipping new COVID-19 booster jabs, analysts and investors say far fewer will be given each year, pushing the number below annual flu vaccinations.
- Latest case: Pfizer expects to roughly quadruple the price of its vaccine to about $110 to $130 per dose after the U.S. purchase program expires, though insured people likely will keep getting it at no cost.
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- What we know: Twitter's general counsel told employees that the company had no plans for big layoffs after a Washington Post report said Elon Musk planned to get rid of nearly 75% of the staff if his bid to buy the social-media firm is successful.
- What comes next: Impossible to say. There's plenty of room to maneuver with words like "no plans." Meanwhile, the banks providing $13 billion in financing for Musk's acquisition abandoned plans to sell the debt to investors.
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Before I forget… News about inflation and the ebb and flow of money can seem dull or inscrutable to people who don't know the language and structure of finance. That's why I recommend this story on what the weak yen is doing to wine drinkers in Japan, as well as this one on Zara offering its British customers the option to sell, repair or donate second-hand clothes. They speak pretty clearly about the ways that international finance hits people where they live. One quote says it all: "I'll cut back on other things, I don't want to cut back on booze." Here's one more on a topic we don't read about every day: Walmart is taking another chance on Africa after a decade of taking it on the chin there. |
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