The Evening: Coronavirus Spreads, India Ties, John Mayer and More
February 24, 2020
U.S. Stocks Plunge as Coronavirus Crisis Spreads
Stocks tumbled around the world on Monday (in the U.S. the S&P 500 fell over 3.3 percent, the Dow fell over 1,000 points) as expanding outbreaks of the coronavirus in Italy and in South Korea forced investors to reconsider the seriousness of the threat economies in Europe and the United States, as the NYT’s Matt Phillips reports.
And, as the WSJ’s Betsy McKay reports, the World Health Organization said Monday it isn’t yet clear whether the coronavirus can be stopped from spreading further.
The Washington Post reports that the White House is considering a significant expansion of its response to the coronavirus, preparing to request an emergency spending package from Congress and looking at ways to address the outbreak’s impact on manufacturing supply chains.
Dive Deeper: New CSIS Podcast: “Coronavirus Crisis Update: More Than We Realized.”
Bolstering India Ties
President Trump called for India to strengthen its ties with America at a rally to kick off a two-day visit to the south-Asian country. India will sign a deal on Tuesday to buy $3 billion worth of U.S.-made advanced naval helicopters, Trump announced, as he urged India to look to the U.S. as its “premier defense partner,” as the FT’s Benjamin Parkin and Amy Kazmin report.
U.S. Wants Afghan President To Postpone Inauguration
The United States wants Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to defer his second-term inauguration over concerns it could inflame an election feud with his political rival and jeopardize U.S.-led peacemaking efforts, as Reuters’ Jonathan Landay and Arshad Mohammed report.
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In That Number
12
Twelve people have died and 61 have been infected with the coronavirus in Iran.
Source: Reuters
Critical Quote
“We must focus on containment while doing everything we can to prepare for a potential pandemic.”
— WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
iDeas Lab
A months-long standoff over oil and gas operations in the South China Sea is playing out between Malaysian, Chinese, and a small number of Vietnamese vessels, though all three governments are keeping the episode out of the public eye.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video.
Optics
(Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images). President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit the Taj Mahal today.
Recommended Reading
“The U.S. Should Get Ready for Syria’s Return from War,” by CSIS’s Jon Alterman.
This Town Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, at 9:30 a.m., the Wilson Center’s Brazil Institute will facilitate a discussion on religion and democracy, asking how partisanship and religious affiliation impact democratic participation in Brazil.
After, at 10:30 a.m., CSIS will hold a conversation on women’s empowerment through skills and workforce development in anticipation for the United States hosting the G7 summit on the same topic in June.
And, at 11:15 a.m., Brookings will host Senator Dan Sullivan (R-A.K.) a keynote address on U.S.-China relations and the return of great power competition.
Video
In June 2020, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, will seek funding to expand its work helping the world’s lowest income countries purchase and deliver lifesaving vaccines to children and their families. Learn more about how Gavi here.
Podcasts
CSIS is closely watching the coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19. I sit down with CSIS experts Steve Morrison and Jude Blanchette to discuss its evolving scientific, political, and economic ramifications.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.
Smiles
I’ve been getting requests for the Dead & Company featuring John Mayer—and with good reason. It’s remarkable to see music that was first performed 50 years ago by the Grateful Dead transmitted so vitally to present day. Mayer has helped the original Grateful Dead band members (Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart) continue to find their groove and a new audience as well.