The Image of the Week was not so much a desired image, but rather an unexpected one featuring Rishi Sunak, the UK’s Prime Minister. While he was trying to mingle with a Henley-on-Thames rowing club, his moment was interrupted by an unexpected appearance from Liberal Democrats. Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem’s deputy leader, along with her election team, stole the show while having a great time on their boat, unnoticed by Sunak.
During the first televised election debate with Labour leader Keir Starmer that followed, there were no Lib Dems present. Sunak’s assertion that Starmer would increase taxes for every wage-earning family by £2,000 was rejected by Starmer as “total rubbish”.
After the ITV debate, controversy erupted when a high-ranking Treasury official confirmed Sunak’s figures were not from the civil service, contrary to his claim on live television. The official also mentioned ministers were prewarned against stating this, causing Labour to charge Sunak with dishonesty. Up until now, there has been no signs of any significant retraction.
The focus then moved to the finance world with Shein, a Chinese-originating online fashion giant, eyeing a London-based initial public offering (IPO), projected at an astounding £50 billion. This move is speculated to help reduce potential examination of its supply chain. Shein, based in Singapore, is believed to have around 150 million users worldwide, with its affordability appealing predominantly to Generation Z.
This could become the second largest IPO in London after Glencore’s inaugural appearance on the London Stock Exchange 13 years ago, likely generating some controversies. Then the text closed with the somewhat unrelated line: Getting to know Yusaku Maezawa.
Planning your life in tandem with transport services can prove to be a fickle affair, as Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa discovered. Maezawa had a grand plan to fly eight creative individuals around the moon. He had locked in this lunar expedition back in 2018, with an optimistic completion timeline set for 2023. Even a fleeting television show-based quest for a companion was mooted, though this idea was swiftly discarded due to personal circumstances.
However, the persistent holdups in SpaceX’s Starship development left Maezawa disillusioned, causing him to call off the whole endeavour. The trip, originally marked as “scheduled” in the Transport for Ireland app, has now vanished without a trace. As such, Maezawa’s ambitious ‘dearMoon’ project has been shelved.
“One could hardly plot their future in such conditions,” he expressed in a way many could empathise with.
Turning to a different note, the guest list for Rupert Murdoch’s fourth wedding to former fashion model Jerry Hall, held in central London in 2016, brimmed with renowned personalities from the worlds of politics and showbiz. His fifth wedding with Elena Zhukova, a retired molecular biologist, on the other hand, took place at his extensive Californian vineyard with noticeably fewer recognisable names.
Present at the gathering were Wendi Deng, Murdoch’s past spouse and current liaison with Zhukova. Rupert’s only ex-wife in attendance, she separated from him back in 2013. Robert Kraft made the cut, with his arrival catching the attention of Daily Mail for a headline story. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, called into service by Murdoch, also made space in his schedule. Murdoch’s designated successor, Lachlan, graced the event with his wife, Sarah. Lastly, the political side wasn’t devoid of representation, with William Barr, a past US attorney general and convert supporter of Trump, among those savouring the vineyard fete.