5 Stories to Watch Next Week | September 5, 2020

5 Stories to Watch Next Week There are simply too many developing stories to follow in the world. To make things easier, we narrowed them down to five that you should really watch next week: Labor Market Slowly Improving, Jobless Claims Decreasing The Labor Department reported Thursday that weekly initial claims for jobless benefits fell by 130,000 last week. As of mid-August, about 29 million people were receiving assistance from state and federal programs. Since then, however, the number of people seeking and receiving state unemployment benefits has decreased. The labor market is still in a deep hole from the coronavirus pandemic but is slowly improving. Figures are complicated by the introduction of many new state programs, in addition to those run by the federal government. Jobs in construction and manufacturing are likely to expand in the coming months which should also improve the market. Some companies, however, such as United Airlines and Ford Motor, recently announced massive staff cuts as the private sector continues to feel the effects of the pandemic. Even with jobs opening up, safety is still the main concern for many employees and their families. Watch next week to see if the labor market shows improvement from President Trump’s latest executive order on benefit extensions. Analysis Says Use of Steroids Significantly Reduces COVID-19 Deaths A new analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that steroid treatment reduced coronavirus deaths by “about a third.” Seven different studies across several months were used to obtain these results. Scientists see this as a win in battling the virus, since steroid treatment could be a cheaper alternative than potential vaccines. Still, Dr. Derek Angus, one of the study’s authors, emphasized that it is still too soon to draw any serious conclusions from these results. The World Health Organization recommended that steroids only be used in patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, since the drugs could do damage to those with early signs of the virus. Watch next week to see if steroid tests will yield more results and if any other treatments prove successful. Trump Visits Kenosha Amid Riots Following the recent shooting of Jacob Blake, President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisc., the site of the incident and subsequent riots, this week. The president went ahead with his visit despite some local officials warning his presence could cause more unrest. President Trump announced his administration will donate $1 million to Kenosha law enforcement, $4 million to help small businesses, and $42 million to support public safety in Wisconsin. He also met with city officials and business owners to discuss next steps at a roundtable. The Trump campaign’s message of law and order contrasts with Joe Biden’s reluctance to condemn the violence in Kenosha and elsewhere. Wisconsin will be an important state on Election Day, with the two candidates neck and neck in polls. Watch next week to see how residents in Kenosha respond to Trump’s visit and whether it has an effect on unrest in other cities. Shinzo Abe Set to Step Down, Posing Questions for US-Japan Ties Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently announced his decision to step down from his position due to health concerns. The longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, Abe has worked to build closer relations with the United States. This change in leadership comes at a pivotal time as the U.S. is close to holding its presidential election and China looks to project its power abroad. Now all eyes are now on Yoshihide Suga, one of Abe’s aides, as a frontrunner to succeed Abe as prime minister. Suga has little diplomatic experience but would likely continue Abe’s policies. Watch next week to see how the Japanese change in leadership begins to affect the US-Japan alliance and if anyone challenges Suga to be voted prime minister in mid-September. Israel, UAE Pursue Economic Coordination Following US-Brokered Breakthrough The world witnessed Israel and the United Arab Emirates agree to normalize relations last month. This week, the two countries agreed to form a joint committee to promote bilateral trade and business activity. The committee will also examine how to combat terror financing and money laundering. The biggest debate now is whether Israel will allow the UAE access to American-made fighter jets that Abu Dhabi requested. Despite this thorny issue, both countries are hoping to establish embassies as quickly as possible to ensure that deals run smoothly. Watch next week to see how the US will involve itself in these new arrangements as Israel and the UAE look to embark on a new relationship. Newt's Latest Podcasts: Order Newt's Latest Book: https://www.gingrich360.com/trump-and-the-american-future