Hearings offer Trump a win-win possibility

Earlier this week President Vladimir Putin announced plans to amend Russia's constitution so he will, when he is obliged to stand down as president in 2024, retain power. Moscow's parliament was informed though not consulted on measures that mean Putin's two decades of autocracy will not end when he resigns.

He will exercise his authority through a different, as yet undefined conduit. This was not unexpected as Putin was always likely to follow the example of his ally, China's Xi Jinping. Two years ago Xi Jinping contrived to have term limits on his office dropped which, in theory, would allow him stay in office for life.