Coronavirus Claims 1.5 Million Lives Globally with 10,000 Dying Each Day

Over 1.5 million people have lost their lives due to Covid-19 with one death reported every nine seconds on a weekly average. In the last week alone, more than 10,000 people in the world died on average every single day, which has been steadily rising each passing week. Nearly 65 million people globally have been infected by the disease and the worst affected country, United States, is currently battling a third wave of infections, as Reuters reports.

Momentum Builds for Bipartisan Stimulus

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke today amid growing momentum for a targeted coronavirus-relief deal, illustrating how Congress has snapped into action amid a surge in new cases and deaths. They also discussed reaching a deal on a spending bill to avert a government shutdown on December 11, as the Washington Post reports.

OPEC, Allies to Increase Output

OPEC and a group of Russia-led oil producers agreed to increase their collective output by 500,000 barrels a day next month, signaling the world’s biggest producers are betting the worst of a pandemic-inspired shock to demand is behind them, as the WSJ reports.

Climate Check

The Just Transition Initiative, a project from the CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change Program and the Climate Investment Fund, has launched a new website to share resources and insights on just transitions to more sustainable, equitable societies.

Coronavirus Crisis Update

The Coronavirus Crisis Update podcast brings you the latest updates and analysis from CSIS experts and the leaders directing the global response. Past guests include NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, White House Chief of Staff-designate Ron Klain, IHME Director Chris Murray, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), Former FDA Comissioner Peggy Hamburg, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Data Unpacked,” Testify,” “What's Happening,” “Preview,” and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!

In That Number

79,000

More than 79,000 people have disappeared in Mexico, most of them since 2006.

Source: Washington Post

Critical Quote

“We have the gold standard of a regulatory approach with the FDA. The UK did not do it as carefully, and they got a couple of days ahead.”

— Dr. Anthony Fauci reacting to how Britain had beaten the United States to authorizing a coronavirus vaccine.

iDeas Lab

n the first episode of Data Unpacked, host Matthew Funaiole unpacks expert reactions to China's rising assertiveness. Using poll data from a CSIS survey, Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair Mike Green illustrates measures the United States can take to shore up its capabilities.

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: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.) The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus holds a news conference to highlight the need for Covid-19 relief legislation.

This Town Tomorrow

Tomorrow, at 9:00 a.m., CSIS Korea Chair will host former CIA director John Brennan for a discussion of U.S. national security priorities.

Later, at 12:00 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program will hold discussion of BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook 2020. The New Energy Outlook 2020 will be presented by Seb Henbest, the report's lead author and chief economist at BloombergNEF.

And then, at 10:00 a.m., the Atlantic Council will host a webinar exploring the challenges and opportunities of Poland’s energy transition, featuring Polish minister of climate and environment Michal Kurtyka.

Video

CSIS on Tuesday hosted the launch of the 2021 UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Global Humanitarian Overview report, followed by a discussion with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Ami Bera (D-CA) on how to sustain bipartisan, U.S. global leadership in humanitarian settings. Watch the full event here.

Podcasts

Politico’s chief political correspondent Tim Alberta joined The Truth of the Matter to discuss the 2020 election, the United States' polarization, and the future of the Republican and Democratic parties.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

Smiles

“If you hear that same sweet song again, will you know why?
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passin' by,
Laugh in the sunshine, sing, cry in the dark, fly through the night.”

I’ve been waiting all week to play this clip below. And y’all will have to excuse me for not writing yesterday—I had important Ravens-Steelers business to attend to. Needless to say I’m proud of the Flock even in defeat. As the great Ed Reed says, “BAL-TI-MORE!!!!”

But I digress…The Grateful Dead covers project that I keep dipping into lately has some real gems. This one, by the San Francisco country band Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers, may be my favorite of all. Bluhm and The Gramblers have something of a cult following and you’re about to see why. Here they are, performing a mesmerizing version of “Bird Song” at the High Sierra Music Festival.

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 with the External Relations team: Emma Colbran, Caleb Diamond, and Kendal Gee.