Good Evening,
It's Thursday, December 14th. |
Washington Urges Israel to Scale Back Ground War in Gaza by Year’s End
President Biden’s national security adviser advised Israel on Thursday to end its large-scale ground campaign in the Gaza Strip and transition to a more targeted phase in its war against Hamas, as the NYT reports. |
EU agrees to open membership talks with Ukraine
The European Union on Thursday agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine, an important sign of support at a moment when battlefield progress has stalled and U.S. commitment to continued funding for the war has wavered, as The Washington Post reports. |
Putin Says Russia Wants to Reach Agreement on Return of WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich
Vladimir Putin said that Russia wants “to reach an agreement” on the return of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is currently in Russian custody on an allegation of espionage that he, the Journal and the U.S. government vehemently deny, as the WSJ reports. |
Executive Education
Taiwan in the Balance is an opportunity to gain a comprehensive framework for understanding the dynamics at play in one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints. With this 1.5-day course, go beyond the headlines to explore the latest trends and developments impacting cross-Strait relations and heightened tensions in the region. |
Audio Briefs
CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries—in their own words.
Listen here: "National Oil Companies, Climate Commitments, and Methane" with CSIS's Ben Cahill. |
In That Number
11
Authorities in Europe on Thursday arrested 11 people in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands suspected of planning attacks on behalf of Hamas, according to German and Israeli officials.
Source: The Washington Post |
Critical Quote
“It will require a long period of time—it will last more than several months, but we will win and we will destroy them.”
—Yoav Galant, Israeli Defense Minister |
iDeas Lab
CSIS's Ryan Berg testified before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions about U.S. sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector. Watch what he told Congress, in about two minutes.
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: GPO - Handout/Anadolu/Getty Images.) National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, on December 14, 2023. |
Recommended Reading
“Scared Strait: Understanding the Economic and Financial Impacts of a Taiwan Crisis” by CSIS’s Jude Blanchette and Christopher B. Johnstone with Gerard DiPippo. |
This Town Upcoming
On Monday, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program hosts a conversation on COP28 outcomes.
Also on Monday, at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Missile Defense Project launches its new report, "Getting on Track: Space and Airborne Sensors for Hypersonic Missile Defense."
On Tuesday, at 3:00 p.m., the CSIS Africa Program welcomes the Prime Minister of Niger to discuss managing great power competition and the government’s plan to return to democracy. |
Video
Today, CSIS hosted Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) to discuss congressional perspectives on COP28 and the U.S. policy outlook on climate. Watch the full video here. |
Podcasts
CSIS's Kathleen McInnis sat down with Heidi Grant, Vice President of Global Growth and Engagement for Boeing Defense, Space, and Security, at the 2023 Halifax International Security Forum. The pair discussed Heidi’s successful career as a civilian in the national security space, as well as her thoughts on how to make the U.S. defense industry more competitive.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
I have so many favorite tracks from the now 17-volume Dylan Bootleg Series that I may need to carry this thread into next week. I’ve been focusing this week on material from “Springtime in New York Vol.16,” but today I want to dip into my favorite of the series, “Fragments—Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997) Vol.17.”
Produced by Daniel Lanois, “Time Out of Mind” was released in the fall of 1997. It marked Dylan’s return to mainstream success and built on the atmospheric sound of his ‘89 album, “Oh Mercy,” also produced by Lanois. Both records are incredible in their own right, but lyrically and musically, “Time Out of Mind” is a masterpiece. “Fragments” contains the motherload of remixes and outtakes, but it also shows off how powerfully Dylan performed the material live. Listen to this live track of “Love Sick.” I recommend playing it LOUD. |
| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
