Good Evening,
It's Wednesday, July 2nd. |
Iran Suspends Cooperation With UN Atomic Agency
Iran said it was suspending cooperation with the United Nations atomic agency, denying international inspectors the chance to assess the damage done by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on its main nuclear sites and setting up a new clash with Washington and other Western powers, as the WSJ reports. |
Israel Wants to Resume Truce Talks With Hamas Soon
Israel’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that there were encouraging signs in the U.S.-led efforts to restart intensive cease-fire negotiations with Hamas, adding that Israel was eager for talks to resume “as soon as possible,” as the NYT reports. |
U.S. Pauses Some Ukraine Weapons Shipments; Kyiv Scrambles to Respond
Ukrainian officials scrambled to clarify the situation Wednesday after the United States announced that it was halting deliveries of air defense munitions to Ukraine—weapons that Ukraine desperately needs as Russia pummels the country with unprecedented waves of aerial attacks, as The Washington Post reports. |
Executive Education
Founded on the four key pillars CSIS is best known for—leadership, executive communication, strategy and gaming, and geopolitics—the CSIS Global Strategy Lab is a blended virtual and in-person learning experience for seasoned professionals leading their organizations through complex challenges. Register by August 29 to join a community of seasoned leaders from across the private sector, government, and nonprofits. |
Audio Briefs
CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park, "Disentangling the Five Key Questions on Iran’s Nuclear Program." |
In That Number
30,000
North Korea to send as many as 30,000 troops to bolster Russia’s forces, Ukrainian officials say.
Source: CNN |
Critical Quote
“I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue.”
—Dalai Lama |
iDeas Lab
CSIS Director Joseph Majkut and Senior Adviser Kevin Book of the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other relevant factors shaping oil and gas outlooks. Watch the full video 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: Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images.) Security forces burn illicit drug packages seized from different operations and regions on July 1, 2025 in Sana'a, Yemen. |
Recommended Reading
“Disentangling the Five Key Questions on Iran’s Nuclear Program” by CSIS's Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park. |
This Town Upcoming
On Monday, at 1:00 p.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program holds a conversation on the 2025 Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy.
Also on Monday, at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies hosts a discussion on the rule of law in China, the country's rights protection movement, and what we can learn from 709 in understanding today's China.
Later, on Tuesday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program unpacks the Chinese embassy's strategic location and significant national security risks to the United Kingdom and its allies. |
Video
Today, CSIS hosted Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army General James Mingus to discuss Army force planning, readiness, and initiatives to build a modern, capable force. Watch the full video here. |
Podcasts
In this episode, we cover the Senate's vote to remove the moratorium on state AI laws from the reconciliation bill, the latest AI copyright court rulings involving Meta and Anthropic, key takeaways from the House Select Committee on China's AI hearing, and the latest developments surrounding DeepSeek, including export control impacts and military ties.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
Ok, back to The Bear. One of the remarkable tunes they dropped in the season four soundtrack comes from Van Morrison. And it’s not just any Van track. Series creator Christopher Storer and executive producer Josh Senior personally curated the music, and these guys are experts. Take the Van Morrison example, “Slim Slow Slider,” that they utilized this season. It’s not a widely known Morrison tune like “Moondance,” “Into the Mystic,” or “Brown Eyed Girl.” Far from it. But it is highly regarded for aficionados of Morrison’s 1968 masterpiece record “Astral Weeks.” And since these guys know what they are doing, they took “Slim Slow Slider” a step further and used the live version from Morrison’s more obscure “Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl,” culled from a 2008 performance that I really wish I had attended. The good news is this is what it looked and sounded like. The Bear got another thing right for sure. |
| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
