The Evening: WH Rescinds Order, Syria Appoints Leader, Times Like These, and More

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Good Evening,

It's Wednesday, January 29th.

White House Rescinds Order to Freeze Federal Assistance

The Trump administration rescinded its memo calling for federal agencies to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal grants, loans and other financial-assistance programs, a day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the directive that had sowed widespread confusion, as the WSJ reports

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Rebel Leader Declared Syria’s President

The rebel coalition that seized control of Syria last month appointed its leader, Ahmed al-Shara, as president of the country to preside over a transitional period, Syrian state media reported on Wednesday, as the NYT reports

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Rwanda-Backed Rebels Seize Control of Congo’s Goma

An armed rebel group backed by Rwanda took full control of a key provincial capital in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, residents said, after days of bloody fighting that left streets lined with bodies and displaced thousands of people, as The Washington Post reports

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Executive Education

Enhance your leadership skills and deepen your understanding of global dynamics with CSIS Executive Education

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. 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

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provides opportunities tailored to professionals at every stage of their career.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Commentary by CSIS's Jon B. Alterman "Chaos, Power, and Diplomacy: What Kissinger and Trump Teach Us About World Order

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In That Number

$82 billion

A surge in gold shipments to the United States has led to a shortage of bullion in London, as traders amass an $82 billion stockpile in New York over fears of Trump administration tariffs.

Source: FT

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Critical Quote

“What Syria needs today is greater than ever before. Just as we were determined to liberate it in the past, our duty now is to commit to rebuilding and advancing it.”

—Ahmed al-Shara, Syria’s President

iDeas Lab

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This chart shows levels of military presence over time and why this deployment might be unusual. The first deployment of 1,500 troops fits within the historical pattern. Expanding that to 10,000 troops would be on the high end. Going substantially beyond that would constitute an unprecedented level. Read the full CSIS analysis here.

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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: Niharika Kulkarni/AFP/Getty Images.) A pilgrim leaves the hospital after a stampede during Maha Kumbh Mela festival, the world’s largest religious gathering, that killed 15, in Prayagraj, India, on January 29, 2025.

Recommended Reading

"Trump Sends Troops to the Southern Border: A Crisis or a Continuation of U.S. Policy?

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" by CSIS’s Mark F. Cancian.

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:30 a.m.

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, the CSIS Korea Chair discusses what the second Trump administration will do on the Korean Peninsula on a new episode of The Capital Cable.

Then, at 10:00 a.m.

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, the CSIS Africa Program welcomes Brigadier General Rose Lopez Keravuori, Director of Intelligence at U.S. Africa Command.

Later, at 4:00 p.m.

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, the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program hosts a discussion on a new strategy for the containment of Russia.

Video

The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program discusses the implications of recent executive orders and the outlook for energy policy in the early Trump Administration, moderated by Joseph Majkut. Watch the full video here.

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Podcasts

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In this special crossover episode with AI Policy Podcast, Andrew Schwartz and Greg Allen discuss the origins of Chinese AI Company DeepSeek, the release of its R1 model, and what it means for the future of U.S.- China AI competition.

Listen on Spotify

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& Apple Podcasts

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Smiles

More than any other network television program, Saturday Night Live has been a barometer of American culture and collective sense of being. So many of the powerful musical performances over the years have stood out. During the pandemic, Foo Fighters took the SNL stage and launched into a cathartic performance of “Times Like These

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.” It was an unforgettable moment.

I invite you to email me at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

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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.

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Connect w/ H. Andrew Schwartz



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