News diary 25-31 March: One year since WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich detained in Russia

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

Leading the week

There will continue to be a huge focus on the Royal family next week following the shock announcement that the Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer. Kate’s absence from public life since undergoing abdominal surgery in January prompted weeks of fevered speculation about her health, with blurry paparazzi images, grainy video footage and a row over doctored photographs fuelling newspaper gossip and online conspiracies. The Princess’ video message announcing she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy followed reports that she could make her first public appearance at the family’s traditional walk to the Easter service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Sunday (March 31), despite the palace’s insistence that she wouldn’t return to duties until after Easter. It is now understood that she and Prince William will not attend the service.

While Kate stressed the importance of dealing with her diagnosis privately, there was likely pressure to explain her absence in advance following questions about whether the royals’ traditional PR approach can work in the social media age, and concern over the public reaction if she didn’t appear on Sunday as rumoured. King Charles may also be missing from the Easter service as he continues his own cancer treatment, with Queen Camilla taking on the duty of distributing the Royal Maundy at Worcester Cathedral on Thursday (March 28).

After the House of Lords delayed the next round of Rwanda bill ping pong until after Easter, the prime minister has only the small matters of a potential coup and increasingly frequent demands to call an election to worry him as he prepares for his latest appearance before the Liaison Committee on Tuesday (March 26). These regular sessions with the select committee chairs rarely produce any genuine headline-making moments, particularly with the themes announced in advance and Sunak typically straight-batting every question put to him, but the prime minister’s performance will nonetheless be scrutinised for any signs that he’s struggling with his messaging or starting to feel the pressure of those external factors. This session’s themes will give Sunak the opportunity to talk up recent economic and foreign policy wins, though questions on public services and strategic planning may prove trickier.

A victim of disgraced glam rock singer Gary Glitter is bringing a claim against him for whatever remains of his musical fortune on Wednesday (March 27). The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is suing Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, for the ‘severe and profound’ consequences of his abuse, committed when she was just 12. The victim is one of three women abused by Glitter when they were girls between 1975 and 1980, when he was at the height of his fame. Glitter served half of his 16-year sentence after he was jailed in 2015 as a result of Operation Yewtree, before he was released last year. His release sparked outrage around the country but proved to be short-lived, as Glitter was recalled for breaching his licence after trying to access the dark web on a mobile phone. Before the trial, the High Court investigated just how much of Glitter’s fortune remains, with the disgraced singer refusing to cooperate. Glitter is likely to spend the rest of his life in jail after latest appeal for release was rejected.

Looking abroad

Monday (March 25) marks the deadline for former US President Donald Trump to post bond for the more than $460 million he owes following a civil fraud judgment against him in February. His lawyers are appealing and have said they will be unable to pay, claiming they have approached 30 surety companies but that the amount required makes it a practical impossibility. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who in theory could begin seizing assets such as Trump Tower if he fails to pay the court-ordered disgorgement, has cast doubt on that claim and appears to be preparing for Trump to fail to meet the deadline.

Monday was also supposed to be the start of Trump’s trial in New York on 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records to hide, among other things, payments made to former porn actor Stormy Daniels. But proceedings were delayed last week to allow Trump’s defence team time to review thousands of pages of documents from federal prosecutors that they say were deliberately withheld until shortly before the trial was due to begin. Instead of jury selection, legal teams will attend a hearing on Monday when, among other things, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will hear arguments over a motion to have the case thrown out. A new trial date is also likely to be announced following the hearing, with prosecutors arguing the trial should proceed on April 15.

Next Friday (March 29) marks the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention last year during a 2023 reporting trip in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, Russia. After being transported to Moscow, Gershkovich was initially ordered to be detained until the end of May that year, accused of espionage – though no evidence has ever been produced to corroborate the charge – and his pre-trial detention has been repeatedly extended while his appeals are denied. Hopes that he could be freed were raised in February when Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested he was open to a prisoner swap agreement. But with his current detention order set to expire on Saturday (March 30), a hearing is likely at some point next week, and yet another extension is all but certain.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spent a lot of time on the campaign trail recently ahead of local elections that taking place on Sunday (March 31). His involvement is indicative of the importance being attached to the elections, particularly in the key cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, where Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are seeking to regain control after losing the 2019 mayoral races in those cities to the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). While Erdogan has suggested he does not plan to seek another term, some suspect a strong result for the AKP could tempt him to pursue fresh constitutional reform and potentially see him remain in office beyond 2028.