5 Stories to Watch Next Week | October 10, 2020

Second Presidential Debate Scheduled for Thursday President Trump and Joe Biden are slated to take on each other in the second presidential debate on Thursday. The event was originally supposed to take place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. This week, however, the Commission on Presidential Debates said it was changing the format so that the two candidates would participate from remote locations. The announcement came after President Trump and others in the White House tested positive for the coronavirus. Following the change, President Trump said that his campaign was not consulted about the move and that he would not participate in a virtual debate. Watch next week to see if the presidential debate is canceled. And if the debate is called off, watch for any announcements from the commission on rescheduling to a later date. Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings to Begin On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), will begin the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the US Supreme Court. The hearings are set to be held in a hybrid in-person and virtual format as two Senate Republicans on the committee, Thom Tillis (NC) and Mike Lee (UT), have tested positive for the coronavirus. Watch next week for how Judge Barrett responds when questioned about her comments criticizing the Supreme Court’s rulings in Roe v. Wade and NFIB v. Sebelius, where the court deemed the Affordable Care Act constitutional. Also look out for Senate Democrats to press Judge Barrett on her Catholic faith and how that affects her jurisprudence. President Trump Planning to Return to Campaign Trail as Early as Monday After testing positive for the coronavirus last Thursday, President Trump plans to return to the campaign trail with a rally scheduled in Pennsylvania on Monday. News outlets are also reporting subsequent events scheduled in battleground states such as Florida and Michigan next week. In typical cases, the CDC recommends a 10-day self-quarantine following recovery out of an abundance of caution. However, the president’s physician, Sean Conley, has said the president is being tested routinely for traces of live virus and will be cleared to return to the campaign trail only when those tests return negative. Additionally, the Trump campaign has mentioned that the president will post multiple negative tests prior to his return. Watch to find out if the president meets the requirements to return to campaign rallies next week. If that is the case, look out for his messaging on the coronavirus following his recovery. UK Plans to Quit Brexit Talks if No Deal Is Reached Next Week British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated his intention to withdraw the United Kingdom from negotiations surrounding a Brexit deal with the European Union if no deal is reached, at least in principle, by next Thursday. The two parties have so far been unable to resolve disputes on issues such as restrictions on state subsidies and rights of EU nations in UK fisheries. From early indications this week, EU negotiators have no plan to offer the UK any concessions next week, seemingly daring Britain to leave the negotiating table. If no deal is reached soon, Johnson may be forced to make good on his threat to leave the EU’s single market and customs union without an agreement on Dec. 31. Watch to find out if the EU concedes some ground to the UK or if the stalemate continues and the UK withdraws from negotiations. Regardless of what happens, look out for the impact of the eventual outcome on the value of the pound and on global financial markets. Lebanon, Israel to Begin Negotiations Over Maritime Border Lebanon and Israel are set to start negotiations over their long-standing maritime border dispute after Oct. 9. The negotiations will be mediated by the United States and hosted by the United Nations. Israel and Lebanon have no diplomatic relations and are technically engaged in a state of war at this time. Each country claims close to 330 miles of the Mediterranean Sea as being within its exclusive economic zone and hopes to explore and develop new gas fields in the area. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lauded the announcement as a key step toward regional stability. Watch to find out whether either country involved in the conflict announces details on the progress of negotiations or whether the United States announces a timeline for diplomatic talks and a framework for negotiations. Newt's Latest Podcasts: Order Newt's Latest Book: https://www.gingrich360.com/trump-and-the-american-future