News diary 22 – 28 July: Olympic opening ceremony, Netanyahu US Congress speech London Journal

Olympic rings are seen on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the host of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.

Leading the week

The legislative programme set out in the King’s Speech on Wednesday was largely as anticipated, with the new Labour government including long-trailed measures on fiscal rules, energy, the railways and planning. Labour’s shiny new majority means the contents of the speech will be rubber-stamped without fuss after the final day of debate on Tuesday (July 23), but there will be interest in which amendments get chosen over the course of the debate and what impact they will have on the new government’s agenda.

An early battle is set to come over the controversial two-child benefit cap, which is notably being targeted by the SNP in an amendment which has already generated cross-party support and may be taken up by the Conservatives in an attempt to make a first mark as the official opposition. But the most contentious issue is Zarah Sultana’s proposal to suspend arms sales to Israel, which would be an early test of Starmer’s ability to keep left-wing Labour MPs onside. If chosen, the vote will come ahead of a Friday (July 26) deadline for the government to set out its observations to the ICC over the court’s jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Sultana’s amendment joins calls from other Labour MPs to drop the challenge, which was initiated by Rishi Sunak’s government.

Next week also sees a role reversal for Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak in the first session of PMQs of the new Parliament on Wednesday (July 24). It’ll be interesting to see whether the pair maintain the collegiate tone they’ve adopted since the election or if Sunak uses the opportunity to start laying some groundwork for a future Conservative leader’s attack lines against the new government’s policies.

Elsewhere, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey can be expected to continue his calls for more spending on health and social care, while Stephen Flynn will be hoping to capitalise on the publicity for his party’s amendment and demonstrate that the SNP is not a spent force in Westminster.

The most intriguing interaction, however, is likely to be between Starmer and Nigel Farage as we get a first look at how the Reform UK leader will try to hold the government to account and advance his party’s domestic priorities. Farage criticised the prime minister after yesterday’s European Political Community summit over the suggestion of a “reset” of relations with the EU, and he’s likely to return to that theme and talk up the necessity of stronger ties with what he hopes will be a second Trump administration in a speech to the Washington-based Heritage Foundation on Monday (July 22).

The Paris Olympics get underway on Friday (July 26) with the opening ceremony ushering in a little over two weeks of sporting drama. In a departure from tradition, the ceremony is set to take place along the River Seine, with athletes and performers parading on boats and showcasing some of the City of Lights’ iconic landmarks, before it arrives at the Place du Trocadéro facing the Eiffel Tower. Performances from French-Malian superstar Aya Nakamura and Celine Dion, health permitting, are also rumoured though yet to be confirmed.

The first weekend of sport includes what are likely to be emotional appearances from Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal, who is playing in the men’s doubles alongside his compatriot and recent Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, and injury-beset British veteran Andy Murray, who will retire after the Games. In the pool on Sunday (July 28), medal events include the women’s 100m butterfly, likely featuring Gretchen Walsh, who set a new world record at the USA trials last month, and the men’s 100m breaststroke final, where Britain’s Adam Peaty is seeking a third Olympic gold medal in the distance after taking a year out to focus on his mental health. The marquee women’s and men’s 100m track finals are scheduled for following weekend, on August 3 and 4 respectively, while breakdancing makes its Olympic debut on August 9.

Looking abroad

The US Congress returns next week following the Republican convention and kicks off with what is likely to be a bombshell hearing on Monday (July 22) with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle following the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

Cheatle has faced harsh and at times sexist criticism amid questions over how the would-be assassin, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to take up a position on a rooftop some 130m away from where Trump was speaking and come astonishingly close to killing the Republican presidential candidate. The House Homeland Security Committee, which is conducting its own investigation, has invited Cheatle to appear alongside DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Chris Wray at a second hearing on Tuesday (July 23).

On Wednesday (July 24), Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a controversial address to a joint session of Congress, his first since the October 7 attacks. The speech will be closely watched given suggestions an Israel-Hamas hostage deal could be imminent and the charged political atmosphere in the US ahead of November’s election. A planned meeting with Joe Biden, which had been pencilled in for Monday (July 22) before Biden contracted Covid-19, may be delayed until later in the week depending on the president’s recovery.

The pair’s relationship is already strained – this would mark Netanyahu’s first trip to the White House since his return to power in 2022 – and talks that come after Wednesday’s address could be tense if Netanyahu, who enjoys widespread support among Republicans, views his speech as an opportunity to repair his alliance with Donald Trump ahead of November’s election. While the pair enjoyed a close relationship when Trump was president, Trump was said to be incensed by Netanyahu’s decision to acknowledge Biden’s victory in 2020 and has openly criticised the Israeli premier over security failings connected to the October 7 attacks.

Venezuela holds presidential elections on Sunday (July 28) as socialist former bus driver Nicolas Maduro seeks a third term in charge of the oil-rich South American nation. The last election, held in 2018, was marred by irregularities and led to opposition figure Juan Guaidó, the National Assembly president, being recognised by dozens of countries as Venezuela’s interim president. But Maduro was able to hold on to power and ultimately signed an agreement last year with the opposition Unity Platform, paving the way for next week’s election, which coincides with the birthday of Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chávez. This time around, the opposition candidate is retired diplomat Edmundo González, who was chosen by the Unitary Platform after their preferred candidate, former lawmaker María Corina, was barred from running. Polling suggests González holds a comfortable lead over Maduro heading into the vote, but whether Maduro would accept defeat remains an open question.

Also look out for…

July 22

Ministers expected at Farnborough International Air Show
John Healey at RUSI Land Warfare Conference
Lindsey German testifies at Undercover Policing Inquiry
JD Vance holds hometown rally in Ohio
EU foreign ministers meet on Ukraine and Gaza
Finnish law to counter ‘instrumentalised migration’ enters into force
Taiwan simulates attack by China in Han Kuang 40 military drills
Olaf Scholz addresses XXV International AIDS Conference

July 23

DHSC and BMA junior doctors committee begin negotiations
High Court hears challenge to government’s climate change policies
Jonathan Hall address on foreign interference in the UK
Tony Radakin and Roly Walker speak at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference
Full inquest into death of Abdul Ezedi
The Hundred begins
Keanu Reeves novel The Book of Elsewhere released

July 24

Trial of Greenpeace activists charged over protest at Rishi Sunak’s home
International Olympic Committee announces 2030 and 2034 hosts
Jimmy Lai makes statement as national security trial resumes
FAO publishes State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
Israel-Lebanon discussed at the UN Security Council

July 25

Met Office State of the Climate report
Vince Cable and Greg Clark appear at Post Office Horizon Inquiry
Deadline for Johnny Mercer submissions to the Afghanistan Inquiry
Pre-inquest review for asylum-seeker who died on the Bibby Stockholm
Court hearing for two 12-year-olds found guilty of murder
G20 finance ministers meet in Rio de Janeiro
Deadpool and Wolverine is released

July 26

Sentencing for paedophile who tried to murder abuse victim’s brother
Robert F Kennedy and Edward Snowden address Bitcoin 2024
ASEAN foreign ministers meet with non-members
Virtual hearing in Justin Timberlake drink-driving case
England v West Indies third test

July 27

Donald Trump speaks at Bitcoin 2024
PSC protest against ‘fascist’ Tommy Robinson
Bulgaria hosts the 61^st session of the IPCC
V&A’s Taylor Swift exhibition opens

July 28

Iran holds Tanfiz ceremony with Supreme Leader and President-elect
Vladimir Putin traditionally attends parade for Day of the Russian Navy
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
Formula One: Belgium Grand Prix

Statistics reports and results

Monday

UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2024
China Loan Prime Rate announcement
Savanta UK grocery trends
Results from: Verizon, Ryanair

Tuesday

NAO reports on Conservative government programmes
Results from: Alphabet (Google), Tesla, Spotify, Comcast, Visa, Capital One, TSB, Compass Group, Mattel, UPS, Lockheed Martin, Thales Group, General Motors, LVMH, Coca-Cola

Wednesday

Quarterly update on crime in England and Wales
Police workforce in England and Wales
DCMS participation survey
Flash UK PMI
IEA coal report
European Commission Rule of Law report
Results from: Heathrow, AT&T, IMB, Iberdrola, Repsol, Deutsche Bank, Unicredit, BNP Paribas, Santander, Carrefour, Ford, GE Vernova, Reckitt Benckiser

Thursday

US and South Korea Q2 GDP
IFS annual report on poverty and living standards
Prison and probation service digest 2022/23
Offender Management statistics (including prison population)
NHS General Practice Workforce
DfT figures on road casualties involving alcohol
DfE parents’ survey on childcare and early years provision
SMMT automotive production figures
Turkey interest rate decision
Results from: Centrica, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Vodafone, TotalEnergies, Eurotunnel, ITV, BT Group, Liberty Global (Virgin Media), Nissan, Renault, Stellantis, Lloyds Banking Group, RTX, American Airlines, Air France-KLM, Anglo American, British American Tobacco, Nestle

Friday