A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.
Leading the week
The first full week of the COP27 summit begins in Sharm El-Sheikh as heads of state and government meet for the World Leaders Summit on Monday and Tuesday ( 7-8 November) to focus on key objectives around how countries are reducing their emissions, how they adapt to tackle climate change challenges, and debates around global climate finance.
Numerous G20 leaders including Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak (eventually) and Emmanuel Macron have already confirmed their attendance at the conference, but China’s Xi Jinping is likely to be the grouping’s highest-profile absentee.
The UN has already attempted to focus minds ahead of proceedings through its Emissions Gap report, warning delegates that progress on their agreed COP26 targets has so far been “woefully insufficient”, while Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said the world ‘will be doomed’ without a ‘historic pact’ between rich and poor nations. The expectation, then, to hammer out landmark climate agreements over the next fortnight is already sizeable.
Biden will miss the leaders’ summit but arrives for Decarbonization Day on Friday (11 November), though his appearance could well be overshadowed by planned mass protests which have already seen Egyptian security forces make a number of arrests.
The UK delegation is facing more direct pressure, as the family of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah have ramped up action in recent days pushing for his release ahead of the summit. El-Fattah, who has been on a hunger strike since April, will begin refusing water as well as the conference gets underway. His family have warned he could die during the summit, and that world leaders in attendance will have blood on their hands if they fail to act.
Once the leaders have gone, negotiators will get to work – look out for media activity focused around each day’s theme, as well as interventions from high-profile attendees and activists. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will both make an appearance, while Greta Thunberg will be noticeably absent, having criticised the summit as an opportunity for “greenwashing” that won’t encourage systemic change.
Looking abroad
The midterm elections taking place in the US on Tuesday (8 November) will shape the remainder of President Joe Biden’s first term. Republicans are widely expected to seize control of the House of Representatives, which in and of itself will severely hamper the Biden administration’s ability to pass any major legislation.
Losing control of the Senate – which Democrats only currently hold due to Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote – is also a real possibility with many key races tightening as the election approaches. Republicans have been relentless in their criticism over inflation, crime and immigration, and while Democrats have been hammering Republicans over the issue of abortion in particular, it’s unclear if they’ve done enough when it comes to firing up their base.
The outcome will almost certainly hinge on the results in the races in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, though the contests in New Hampshire, Colorado, Washington, Florida and even Utah are worth watching for upsets. Beyond the Congressional races, governors are being elected in 36 states, and there’s a host of state referendums on issues including abortion, marijuana legalisation, and voting rights.
Download Foresight’s full state-by-state guide on when the polls close and the races to watch
Also look out for
November 7
- Civil servant strike ballot closes
- Inquest into the Shoreham Airshow disaster opens
- EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly meets in London
- Closing submissions in Mermaids-LGB Alliance tribunal
- National bird flu housing order in effect
November 8
- Court of Appeal hears challenge to NI abortion services direction
- Revised constituency proposals for England and Scotland published
- Huw Pill at Lords committee session on UK labour supply
- Means-tested cost of living payments begin
- Wrexham Council discusses Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney freedom nominations
November 9
- PMQs and Northern Ireland questions in the Commons
- Man sentenced over murder of Jacqueline Kirk
- Media Freedom Awards
- Earliest date for launch of NOAA polar satellite system
- New series of The Crown airs
November 10
- Strike action by London Underground and Overground staff
- Bank of England temporary repo facility closes
- UK chief medical officers address Leaders in Healthcare Conference
November 11
- UK Q3 GDP figures
- Ballot of midwives in England and Wales opens
- Emmanuel Macron speaks at Paris Peace Forum
- Cambodia hosts ASEAN summits
- Armistice Day
November 12
- Strike action by Royal Mail staff
- Women’s Rugby World Cup final
- Premier League season pauses ahead of World Cup
- Joe Biden visits Cambodia
November 13
- King Charles lays wreath at Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday
- Joe Biden visits Indonesia
- ICC T20 World Cup final
- Brazilian Grand Prix
Statistics, reports and surveys
Monday 7
- WTO World Trade Report 2022
- Oxfam report on billionaires’ carbon emissions
- Results from: BioNTech, Lyft
November 8
- UK house building statistics
- BRC Retail Sales Monitor
- Results from: Associated British Foods Walt Disney, Nintendo
November 9
- Annual stats on the nature of violent crime in England and Wales
- UK Council Taxbase estimate 2022
- Health Index for England: 2015 to 2020
- Forbes China Rich List
- Results from: Marks & Spencer, E.ON, Taylor Wimpey, Tata Motors, FirstGroup
November 10
- NHS key services data
- Financial Stability Board report on non-bank financial intermediation
- Economic inactivity due to long-term sickness, 2019-2022 (ONS)
- Gambling Commission annual survey of youth gambling
- US inflation data
- Results from: National Grid, AstraZeneca, RWE, WHSmith
November 11
- Quality of life in the UK (ONS)
- UK Trade statistics
- Hong Kong Q3 GDP
- Results from: SoftBank Group, Toshiba
Anniversaries and awareness days
November 7
- Talk Money Week (to November 11)
- National School Meals Week (to November 11)
November 8
- Nuclear testing veterans hold Parliament Square “LABRATS” protest
- World Town Planning Day
November 9
- International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism
- World Adoption Day
November 10
- World Science Day for Peace and Development
- Guinness World Records Day
November 11
- Singles’ Day (China)
- National Independence Day (Poland)
November 12
- World Pneumonia Day
- University Defection Day
November 13
- Remembrance Sunday
- Seven years ago: Paris attacks on Bataclan and other locations
- Kindness Day UK
- World Day of the Poor
The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.
Picture: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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