China’s AI Advances

The Chinese AI company DeepSeek has made waves and caused panic in tech stocks by matching the abilities of cutting-edge chatbots while using a fraction of the specialized computer chips that leading A.I. companies rely on, as the NYT reports.

DR Congo Accuses Rwanda of Declaration of War

Rwandan-backed rebels moved to tighten their grip on the strategic city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday in what Kinshasa described as “a declaration of war” by its neighbor, as the FT reports.

Suspected Sabotage of Deep-Sea Cable Triggers First NATO-Led Response

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization mounted its first coordinated response to the suspected sabotage campaign against critical infrastructure, after another underwater data cable was severed in the Baltic Sea, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

Enhance your leadership skills and deepen your understanding of global dynamics with CSIS Executive Education. Engage with leading scholars, grow your network, and sharpen strategic thinking through interactive seminars, experiential learning, and leadership coaching. With a diverse range of offerings, our 2025 catalog provides opportunities tailored to professionals at every stage of their career.

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: "Deterring Russia: U.S. Military Posture in Europe" with CSIS's Seth G. Jones and Seamus P. Daniels.

In That Number

2 million

On Monday, a rebel alliance led by the ethnic Tutsi-led M23 militia said it had seized the lakeside city of Goma with more than 2 million people, a major hub for displaced people and aid groups lying on the border with Rwanda.
Source: Reuters

Critical Quote

“The technology innovation is real, but the timing of the release is political in nature. Trying to show that the export controls are futile or counterproductive is a really important goal of Chinese foreign policy right now.”

—Gregory C. Allen, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

iDeas Lab

The United States continues to fall short in its management of the threat posed by bird flu, or H5N1. The virus causes regular outbreaks in wild birds and livestock across the world that generate serious agricultural and economic disruptions. But H5N1 can also spill over from birds to infect other animals, including humans. Read the full CSIS analysis 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: Aaron Chown/Pool/Getty Images.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lays a candle during commemorations at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland to mark 80 years since the liberation of the concentration camp on January 27, 2025 in Oswiecim, Poland.

This Town Upcoming

Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program hosts a discussion on President Trump’s recent executive orders and the outlook for energy policy in the early Trump Administration.

On Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program welcomes Miriam D'Onofrio, Acting Senior Director for Energy and Investment at the White House National Security Council.

On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses how the Trump administration will handle South Korea's political crisis.

Video

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) recently joined Pacific Policy Pulse to discuss his trip to Australia, the congressional legislative agenda for 2025, and why he's reading Arthur Herman's Freedom's Forge. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

RAND Corporation's Lennart Heim joins the podcast to discuss the Stargate announcement, how AI company CEOs are talking about AGI, and why the latest models from DeepSeek matter.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

It was hard to smile yesterday without my Ravens playing in the AFC Championship, but I watched both the AFC and NFC games closely. I’m super happy for the Commanders and the great season they had, and congratulate the Eagles who clearly have something going on. I was pulling for the Bills but it seems that no one in the AFC can deal with the Chiefs (again).

My favorite part of the playoffs yesterday was when the Fox producers deployed one of their ingenious musical outros to a commercial break. When it was clear that the Eagles would fly to New Orleans for the Super Bowl in a couple of weeks, the Fox team hit America with a quintessential tune from the Crescent City canon—“Cissy Strut” by the Meters.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed by Lauren Adler, Ava Rose, and the External Relations team.