The Evening: Vaccine Diplomacy, Putin Responds, The Wheel and More

Millions of Doses to Mexico and Canada

The United States plans to send millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Mexico and Canada, the White House said today, a notable step into vaccine diplomacy, as the NYT reports.

EU Clears AstraZeneca

The European Union’s health agency said that the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca was “safe and effective” and didn’t increase the risk of blood clots, a decision that could clear the way for the resumption of inoculation campaigns that have been halted in much of the region, as the WSJ reports .

Putin Responds

Responding to President Biden's comments that he thinks Russia's president is a killer, Vladimir Putin suggested today that the U.S. leader is projecting his own flaws and wished his American counterpart "good health,” as the Washington Post reports.

Executive Education

Navigating U.S. Foreign Assistance features a hands-on study of the latest trends and techniques today’s international development and humanitarian leaders need to successfully maximize their impact. Through seminars, case studies, and a culminating crisis simulation, participants will join a diverse network of industry professionals and pair their own unique experience with CSIS’s rich array of coaching resources. Register here.

Coronavirus Crisis Update

The Coronavirus Crisis Update podcast brings you the latest updates and analysis from CSIS experts and the leaders directing the global response. Past guests include NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, IHME Director Dr. Chris Murray, Covid-19 Advisory Group members Dr. Luciana Borio and Dr. Celine Gounder, chef Jose Andres, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Data Unpacked,” Testify,” “What's Happening,” “Preview,” and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!

In That Number

2.5 Million

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said the United States was planning to share 2.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with Mexico and 1.5 million with Canada, adding that it was “not finalized yet, but that is our aim.”

Source: NYT

Critical Quote

“We’re way ahead of schedule, but we have a long way to go.”

iDeas Lab

In the latest episode of High Resolution, CSIS experts Victor Cha and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. draw from satellite imagery to explain how the undisclosed Kal-gol missile operating base fits into North Korea's missile strategy. Watch the full video here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo credit: AFP via Getty Images.)

Dar es Salaam residents read newspapers announcing the death of Tanzania's President John Magufuli.

Recommended Reading

“Reviving the Iran nuclear deal requires tackling these three issues,” by CSIS’s Eric Brewer and Eurasia Group’s Henry Rome for the Washington Post.

This Town Tomorrow

Tomorrow, at 9:00 a.m., CSIS's Korea Chair hosts the 22nd episode in its Capital Cable event series. Former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris joins the show to discuss the latest events on the Korean Peninsula.

Later, at 1:00 p.m., the CSIS's Seth G. Jones sits down with Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) for a conversation about the global rise of authoritarianism and how the U.S. intelligence community should approach national security.

And, at 9:00 a.m., the Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a webinar to examine the European Union's new trade policy agenda.

Video

CSIS and the U.S. Naval Institute today hosted a Maritime Security Dialogue event, featuring Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Elaine Luria (D-VA), on the future of the U.S. Navy. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Journalist and best-selling author Alec MacGillis joins The Truth of the Matter to talk about his fascinating new book, Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America, a story of regional inequality and economic concentration in the United States told through the lens of Amazon.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

Smiles

“The wheel is turning and you can't slow down,
You can't let go and you can't hold on,
You can't go back and you can't stand still,
If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will”

One more for Phil Lesh who turned 81 this week and is still making beautiful music, not to mention inspiring a new generation of musicians. I can’t wait to see Phil perform live in person again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHXmarqqW1g