The Evening: Vaccine Safety, GOP Stimulus Bill, Two for Tuesday and More

Companies Pledge Vaccine Safety

Nine drug companies issued a joint pledge today that they would “stand with science” and not put forward a vaccine until it had been thoroughly vetted for safety and efficacy, as the NYT reports.

Senate GOP Covid Relief Measures

Senate Republicans said today they plan to introduce their new coronavirus relief bill and are eyeing a vote later this week. The new, more narrow GOP proposal will provide $300 in increased weekly federal unemployment benefits through Dec. 27, additional money for the Paycheck Protection Program, and liability protections for schools and businesses as they try to reopen, as Politico reports.

Belarus Opposition Leader Arrested after Tearing Up Her Passport to Avoid Expulsion

A Belarusian opposition leader who played a key role in leading recent anti-government demonstrations was arrested after she tore up her passport to avoid being expelled to neighboring Ukraine early today, as the Washington Post reports.

CSIS Executive Education

Join CSIS’s Trade Guys for their next crash course on trade policy. This two-day program breaks down the fundamentals of how U.S. trade policy is formulated, the legalities of trade in an international arena, and the impact of Covid-19 on supply chains. Register here.

Video Shorts

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

In That Number

10%

The Nasdaq Composite has dropped 10 percent from last week’s high.

Source: Financial Times

Critical Quote

“We pledge to always make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals our top priority.”

— The CEOs of AstraZeneca; BioNTech; GlaxoSmithKline plc; Johnson & Johnson; Merck; Moderna, Inc.; Novavax, Inc.; Pfizer Inc.; and Sanofi

iDeas Lab

A newly updated map from CSIS's Missile Defense Project shows Israel's ballistic and cruise missile capabilities. Much of Israel's capabilities are short-range tactical systems.

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: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images.) A firefighter douses flames as they push toward homes in Madera County, California.

Recommended Reading

“Sinpo South Shipyard: Preparations for a Pukguksong-3 SLBM Test?” by Joseph Bermudez and Victor Cha for Beyond Parallel, a CSIS microsite.

This Town Tomorrow

Tomorrow, at 8:00 a.m., CSIS Senior Vice President for Asia Michael Green and Defense Minister Taro Kono of Japan will discuss the U.S.-Japan alliance and security in the Indo-Pacific region, featuring introductory remarks from CSIS CEO and President John Hamre.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., return to CSIS for a discussion with Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer-in-residence, about his acclaimed new book on the links between environmental conservation and human security and prosperity, The Nature of Nature.

And, at 9:30 a.m., The Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies will hold a webinar on the recent poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and what it means for the political climate and political culture in Russia.

Video

CSIS's Global Health Policy Center last week hosted a panel discussion about Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine and its geo-strategic implications. Watch the full event here.

Podcasts

On the latest episode of The Trade Guys, trade policy all-star Wendy Cutler offers a deep dive into the race for the WTO director-general position and explains what WTO members are looking for in a new leader.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

I love “Taco Tuesday” as much as the next guy, but when I was growing up it was “Two For Tuesday” on DC101 the incredible rock radio station in the Nation’s Cap. That meant of course that they played two songs consecutively from our favorite artists. I bet this happened/happens for many of you on your radio stations all over the country. My favorite Two For in my hometown was the great Led Zep combo of “ Heartbreaker/Living Loving Maid.” It’s a good idea to turn it up loud.