The Evening: Fed Chair Warning, Sudan’s Parallel Government, The Brothers, and More

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Good Evening,

It's Wednesday, April 16th.

Fed Chair Warning

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the central bank could face difficult trade-offs in trying to cushion the U.S. economy from the fallout of President Trump’s trade war, as the WSJ reports

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Sudanese Paramilitary Group Declares Parallel Government

A Sudanese paramilitary group declared its own government on Wednesday, even as its fighters pressed an all-out offensive on a city in the western Darfur region that has sent hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing from a famine-stricken camp, as the NYT reports

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U.S. Sanctions Chinese Refinery over Iran Oil Purchases

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on a Chinese refinery for buying Iranian crude oil, as Washington increasingly pushes Beijing to rein in oil purchases from the country to increase the pressure on Tehran, as the FT reports

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Executive Education

From clean energy to national security, critical minerals are at the center of global competition. Building Critical Mineral Security for a Sustainable Future

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provides expert insights into supply chain resilience and sustainability. Join us in person or virtually—register by tonight, April 16

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Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz, "The Consequences of China’s New Rare Earths Export Restrictions

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In That Number

60%

Iran is now producing 60% high-enriched uranium and is the only country without nuclear weapons to do so.

Source: WSJ

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Critical Quote

“We may find ourselves in the challenging scenario in which our dual-mandate goals are in tension.”

—Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell

iDeas Lab

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In a new video, CSIS experts analyze the dramatic rise of Bird Flu, or H5N1, that now infects over 40 different mammalian species, which increases opportunities for the virus to mutate and become more transmissible or lethal to humans. Watch the full video 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: Philippines Coast Guard/Handout /Getty Images.) The Chinese-flagged vessel Hong Hai 16 has capsized off Barangay Malaawan in Occidental Mindoro. The Philippine Coast Guard has launched a search and rescue operation to locate 10 missing crew members of the 25 Filipino and Chinese crew members on board on April 16, 2025.

Recommended Reading

"Trump Restructures the Pentagon Budget: Two Views

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" by CSIS's Mark F. Cancian and Melissa Dalton.

This Town Tomorrow

At 10:00 a.m.

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, the CSIS Defense and Security Department welcomes Iryna Nykorak, Ukrainian Minister of Parliament, to discuss how to prepare society in times of conflict.

Then, at 2:30 p.m.

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, CSIS Renewing American Innovation discusses the Mountain West region's developing quantum innovation ecosystem.

Later, at 5:45 p.m.

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, the Council on Foreign Relations hosts a conversation on the importance of food diplomacy.

Video

Today, the CSIS Wadhwani AI Center welcomed Andrew Freedman, Chief Strategic Officer at Fathom, to discuss key initiatives shaping AI policy and unpack what "Private AI Governance" means for the future of the U.S. AI ecosystem. Watch the full video here.

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Podcasts

Dr. Monica Gorman, special assistant to President Biden for manufacturing and industrial policy and former deputy assistant secretary of commerce for manufacturing, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of President Trump's tariffs on cars and how uncertainty can lead to market crisis.

Listen on Spotify

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& Apple Podcasts

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Smiles

As previewed last week, The Brothers, a band made up of former members of the Allman Brothers Band, took the stage last night at Madison Square Garden and will do so again this evening. They last played MSG just before the pandemic hit in 2020.

This isn’t your typical cover band or tribute band—these are some of the world’s finest musicians who at one time or another played with the Allman Brothers Band during their long career. The only original member of the band now performing is founding drummer Jaimoe, and the rest of The Brothers are comprised of Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Chuck Leavell, Joe Russo, and Marc Quiñones.

You can stream the concerts live or on demand on the Nugs.net platform. Here’s a sample, if you scroll your cursor to 11:05 in, you’ll see why I am so excited by The Brothers' return. This is some of the finest music anywhere.

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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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