Starmer not resigning.
Philippine Senator in hiding.

🧠 Vocabulary challenge​
​
Which of these is the meaning of the word 'dodge'?

(A) to submit, to file (e.g. a complaint)
(B) to carefully collect information from different sources
(C) to avoid, physically or metaphorically
(D) to reduce risk, especially in finance

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(answer at bottom of email)

3 big stories…

1. Starmer hanging on.

In the United Kingdom, over 80 members of parliament from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party said that he should resign, including 4 ministers, who quit their jobs. Starmer has refused until now, however, a leadership challenge now looks highly likely. More detail in today's episode.

2. Latvia's PM doesn't.

Last weekend, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina told Defence Minister Andris Spruds to resign after Ukrainian drones crashed in Latvia. However, this eventually ended with Silina's resignation because Spruds' party dropped support for the coalition government, causing it to lose its majority. Silina resigned on Thursday.

3. Senator hiding.

Filipino senator Ronald dela Rosa was hiding in his own office in the Senate building this week, after an arrest warrant was issued for him by the International Criminal Court. The ICC alleges that dela Rosa was partially responsible for crimes against humanity during the Philippines' war on drugs during the presidency of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is already facing trial at the ICC in the Netherlands.

… and one you might have missed.

A woman in Ethiopia has given birth to quintuplets - 5 babies at once. Bedriya Adem is 35 years old, and said that she had been trying to get pregnant for 12 years.

🔍 Find the Synonym:​
​
Somewhere in the "3 big stories", find a synonym for the word "probable".

Graph of the week

Gasoline and Diesel prices have risen by 50% in the United States since the start of the war in Iran. Gasoline (or petrol, as we say in the UK) has risen from under 3 dollars per gallon (less than a euro per litre) to almost $4.50. In most of the world there have been increases in petrol and diesel prices, however they vary widely between countries, with increases in Europe averaging around 20%, whereas in Pakistan and the Philippines rises have been more than 50%.

🌍 World news question:​
​
President Yoweri Museveni was sworn in for his seventh term this week. Museveni is 81, and has been president since 1986, although democracy groups and human rights groups generally consider him a dictator, and that elections are rigged. Yoweri Museveni is the president of which country?

Quote of the week:

- Kenyan President William Ruto

SEND7 Supporter's corner:

• Read today's podcast transcript and vocabulary list
• Play today's world news quiz ​
• Use Wednesday's worksheet​

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to have access to all of our transcripts, vocabulary lists, worksheets, world news quizzes and more, you can become a supporter at send7.org/support. We give 10% of our profit to highly effective charities.

Stephen’s view:

Around 70,000 people in Manchester could possibly choose the next prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Over the last week, there has been a lot of drama in London, with members of parliament from the ruling Labour Party either declaring that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should resign, or declaring that he should not resign.

According to public opinion polls and journalists who are well-informed in parliamentary matters, the most popular candidate to replace Starmer as leader of Labour, and therefore as prime minister, is Andy Burnham.

There is just one problem - Andy Burnham is not a member of parliament. He left parliament in 2017 in order to run for office as the Mayor of Manchester - which he remains to this day.

So, on Thursday, an MP from the small constituency of Makerfield, in Greater Manchester, resigned his seat in parliament in order to trigger a by-election in which Andy Burnham can stand as a candidate. (Do you have a friend who would do that for you?!)

In order to become prime minister, Andy Burnham must first win this by-election in Makerfield. This may be difficult, as both the far-right Reform Party and the Green Party have been performing well in the area recently.

If he is successful, he must get 20% of Labour MPs (81) to sign a petition for a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.

Then, he must beat Keir Starmer in the leadership contest, in which all Labour members are able to vote.
​
It sounds difficult, but it is certainly possible. I'd say that the most difficult part will be winning the by-election in which around 70,000 people from western Manchester will have Burnham's fate in their hands.

If all this happens, don't forget you heard it here first - the next prime minister of the UK could be Andy Burnham.

Have a great weekend.
Stephen

P.S. What part of your English are you trying to improve at the moment? Click reply and let me know!

ANSWERS
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(don't look until you've answered all three questions!)

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🧠 VOCABULARY CHALLENGE : (C) Dodge means " to avoid, physically or metaphorically".

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🔍 Find the synonym : A synonym for "probable" is "likely" (in the first paragraph)

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🌍 World News question : Uganda.

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