The Evening: Mask Mandates, Myanmar, Joshua Tree and More
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** Good Evening,
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It's Monday, March 29th.


** Biden Calls on States to Reimpose Mask Mandates
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President Biden on Monday called on governors and mayors to maintain or reinstate mask-wearing orders, saying that because of “reckless behavior,” the coronavirus was again spreading fast, threatening the progress the nation has made so far against the pandemic. Biden also said that doses are now plentiful enough that nine of ten adults in the nation—or more—will be eligible for a shot by April 19, as the
NYT reports ([link removed]) .


** CDC Study: Pfizer, Moderna vaccines are 90% effective after two doses in study of real-life conditions
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The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines being deployed to fight the pandemic are robustly effective in preventing infections in real-life conditions, according to a CDC study released Monday. In its study, the CDC found that the vaccines reduced the risk of infection by 80 percent after one shot. Protection increased to 90 percent following the second dose, as the
Washington Post reports ([link removed]) .


** U.S. Suspends Myanmar Trade Pact
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The Biden administration condemned the Myanmar government’s latest crackdown on protesters and said the U.S. was suspending relations established with the country under a 2013 trade pact after security forces there gunned down at least 90 anticoup protestors over the weekend, as the
WSJ reports ([link removed]) .


** Executive Education
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Expand your professional horizons with an Executive Master's in International Relations ([link removed]) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in as few as 18 months. Work alongside top policy experts at the United States' top international security think tank while developing the leadership skills, international perspective, and technical expertise needed to excel in today’s global landscape.


** Mexico Matters
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The Mexico Matters podcast series highlights key developments in Mexico and their impact on the United States. Hosted by Mariana Campero and featuring leading voices from both sides of the border, each episode brings in-depth analysis, commentary, and conversations, offering a deep dive into an array of subjects ranging from economics, trade, and energy, to national security, foreign policy, and business. Listen on Apple Podcasts ([link removed]) & Spotify ([link removed]) .


** Video Shorts
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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 ([link removed]) !


** In That Number
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** 90 percent
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President Joe Biden announced that roughly 90 percent of Americans will have access to coronavirus vaccines in a matter of three weeks, while also warning that new infections are once again beginning to climb.

Source: Politico ([link removed])


** Critical Quote
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** “I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope, but right now I’m scared.”
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— Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC Director


** iDeas Lab
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CSIS's latest High Resolution Spotlight ([link removed]) examines Indonesia’s third Nagapasa-class submarine, the first submarine successfully built in Southeast Asia.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.


** Optics
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(Photo credit: Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images.) People watch as the container ship 'Ever Given' is refloated, unblocking the Suez Canal on March 29, 2021 in Suez, Egypt.


** Recommended Reading
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“Global Networks 2030: Developing Economies and Emerging Technologies ([link removed]) ,” by CSIS’s Jonathan Hillman and Laura Rivas.


** This Town Tomorrow
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Tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m. ([link removed]) , CSIS will examine how the Army is transforming to meet the demands of the Indo-Pacific theater with General James McConville, Army Chief of Staff, and General Paul J. LaCamera, Commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific.

Then, at 2:30 p.m. ([link removed]) , join FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to discuss steps the U.S. has taken to secure America's networks and hear his thoughts on the path ahead, including additional actions the FCC should take to secure our 5G networks.

Later, at 4:00 p.m. ([link removed]) , the Hudson Institute will be joined by a panel of leading experts from Australia and the U.S. to break down the national security risks created by China’s efforts to cultivate influence in foreign countries while expanding its technology-enabled surveillance capabilities at home and abroad.


** Video
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Covid-19 is threatening education for girls and could reverse decades of health and development progress for girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. The CSIS Global Health Policy Center highlights three critical perspectives on the challenges girls face in returning to school after Covid-19 lockdowns, Watch here ([link removed]) .


** Podcasts
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Democratic data scientist David Shor joins the podcast to talk about what’s working and what isn’t with the Democratic Party’s approach to voters in gearing up for the 2022 midterm elections.

Listen on Spotify ([link removed]) and Apple Podcasts ([link removed]) .


** Smiles
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Joshua Tree, CA

The desert is vast and unpredictable—at one end 90 degrees and blazing sun, but drive down the road a few miles and you’ll wish you had your winter fleece. What’s a “wash” in the desert, you ask? It’s an area where water once flowed, or flows during rain events. They are easy to spot by their deeper sand and sparse vegetation. You wouldn’t want to be near a wash during a rain storm but they are beautiful to look at when dry. The boulders stacked everywhere are 1.4 to 1.7 billion years old. One single Joshua Tree in the park is thought to be over 1,000 years old. It’s where two great American deserts meet: the Mojave and the Colorado.

Rambling down the desert highway of I-10 is otherworldly. The famous windmill farm outside of Palm Springs, the dusty town of Joshua Tree, the polo fields of La Quinta and the canyons of Indio are just a few of the sights. I kept blasting music like Tom Petty and his original band Mudcrutch on the stereo of the cherry red Jeep Wrangler. I’m working on a playlist. By the time I go back it will be perfect, but not as sublime as the American desert itself.
[link removed].
I invite you to email me at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz ([link removed])

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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.

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