Sleaze spat | U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a fresh barrage of claims over his conduct and that of his government amid pandemic-related lobbying and cronyism scandals. Local and regional elections on May 6 make it an awkward time for such accusations to surface. Tax and spend | Biden is poised to unveil a controversial blueprint in a Wednesday speech to Congress that would raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans to levels not seen in more than four decades. It's designed to help pay for his "American Families Plan" that itself features the biggest expansion of federal support for lower-income and middle-class families in decades. Winners, losers | The once-a-decade battle to redraw the U.S. political map promises to be bitter when it kicks off this week. Based on last year's census, it will determine which states gain and lose seats in the House. While Democrats hold a narrow advantage now, even a small shift could tip power back to Republicans as soon as 2022. Economic revamp | Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi today presents details of his $284 billion proposal to re-engineer the economy that will test the European Union's post-pandemic recovery fund. His plan, which earmarks 40% of funding to green and 25% to digital projects, comes as the European epicenter of the initial outbreak starts to ease its lockdown. Draghi removes his face mask during a news conference in Rome on April 16. Photographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg Zero for three | Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga suffered a setback in his first votes for parliamentary seats since taking office in September, with opposition candidates winning three by-elections Sunday. The premier is already drawing criticism for a slow vaccine rollout and faces a leadership vote in his party in around five months that will determine whether he joins Japan's long roster of short-lived leaders. What to Watch This Week - French energy giant Total suspended its $20 billion liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique indefinitely after an escalation of violence in the area by Islamic State-linked militants.
- Germany's Greens party overtook Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat-led bloc in a poll after it nominated Annalena Baerbock as its lead candidate for the Sept. 26 federal election.
- Countries including Germany, Russia and China resume meetings in Vienna today in a bid to forge a way for the U.S. and Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal.
- China expanded its antitrust crackdown, launching a probe of suspected monopolistic practices by food-delivery behemoth Meituan.
- The European Parliament is scheduled tomorrow to vote on ratification of a post-Brexit trade agreement with the U.K.
- Peru's leftist presidential candidate Pedro Castillo has 41.5% support compared with 21.5% for market-friendly contender Keiko Fujimori, a poll shows.
- North Korea's economy will barely grow this year after its worst contraction in decades as it struggles with the pandemic, U.S. sanctions and a lack of trade with China, according to Fitch Solutions.
Thanks to the more than 50 people who responded to our quiz question and congratulations to Gaby Sivzattian who was the first to name Chad as the country whose president died last week from injuries he suffered during a battle between his army and rebels. And finally ... Travelers are discovering that their choice of vaccine may determine where they can go. While Europe appears poised to allow Americans vaccinated with inoculations approved by its drug agency to enter, those who have received shots by Chinese makers are likely to be barred for the foreseeable future. That will have grave consequences for international business activity and the tourism industry. Customers dine at outside tables in Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain on April 17. Photographer: Paul Hanna/Bloomberg |
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