Afghan Women Protest, Face Violent Crackdown

Afghan women took to the streets of Kabul to protest for a second consecutive day, outraged by the formation of a hardline Taliban government, as the WSJ reports.

Biden Blueprint for Solar Energy

The Biden administration on Wednesday released a blueprint for producing almost half of the nation’s electricity from the sun by 2050—something that would require the country to double the amount of solar energy installed every year over the next four years and then double it again by 2030, as the NYT reports.

U.S. Government Likely to Breach Debt Ceiling in October Unless Congress Acts

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress on Wednesday that the U.S. government is likely set to breach the debt ceiling in the month of October, and she said lawmakers should not be “waiting until the last minute” to address the risk, as the Washington Post reports.

Executive Education

Crash Course: Trade Policy with the Trade Guys is a two-day, online seminar for public and private sector professionals working on international trade matters and seeking to improve knowledge of American trade policy and politics. Register here.

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

250,000

As schools resume in-person classes across the United States, weekly cases of Covid-19 are surging among children and teens. Weekly pediatric coronavirus cases surpassed 250,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

Critical Quote

"There can be no doubt that the medical and scientific communities do not support the use of ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19."

— Judge Michael A. Oster Jr., Administrative Judge for the Common Pleas court, State of Ohio

iDeas Lab

Thirteen satellite images of the Sinpo South Shipyard and its environs collected between April 21 and September 1, 2021, provide an opportunity to update the status of the facility.

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: Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images.) Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid addresses a press conference in Kabul on September 7, 2021. The Taliban on September 7 announced UN-sanctioned Taliban veteran Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund as the leader of their new government.

This Town Tomorrow

At 2:00 p.m., join the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development for a conversation with author John Norris as he talks about his new book on the history of USAID and the importance of USAID today.

And, at 9:30 a.m. Congressman Gregory Meeks discusses renewed US engagement with African countries from a Congressional perspective at the Atlantic Council.

Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Wilson Center examines the lasting impact of 9/11 and the global war on terror internationally, with specific regional focus on the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe.

Video

In the latest episode of Afghanistan Aftershocks, CSIS's Jon Alterman discusses how Iran may react to the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Podcasts

CSIS’s Dr. Seth Jones joins the podcast to discuss the Taliban announcement that this week they named Sirajuddin Haqqani —the Taliban’s deputy leader and close ally of al Qaeda—to be its first minister of interior.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

“Now I'm in my car
I got the radio on
I'm yellin' at the kids in the back seat
'Cause they're bangin' like Charlie Watts.”

John Hiatt’s famous lyrics from his masterpiece of a song, “Slow Turning,” floored me the first time I heard them and every time since—some lyrics are just like that. They speak the truth in subtle and more obvious ways. Hiatt’s lyrics have an immersive effect because they conjure that synchronicity you feel while your driving with the radio and the kids are banging on the seats in time with the road and the music—just like Charlie Watts, Rolling Stone, the ultimate keeper of musical time.

Watts’s died at 80 last month marking the beginning of the end of an era. Now, Mick and Keith survive as the last original Stones left standing. Brian’s gone, Ian “Stu” Stewart their beloved co-founder, long-time studio keyboard player and road manager died in ’85. Wyman retired in ’93.

Charlie Watts was the ingredient that fused the Stones concoctions so seamlessly, and he made it appear effortless. But don’t take it from me, take it from another all-time great, Stewart Copeland, drummer for The Police, who said upon Watts’ death, “you can analyze Charlie Watts, but that still won’t get you to his feel and his distinct personality. It’s an X-factor, it’s a charisma, it’s an undefinable gift of God.” https://pardot.csis.org/e/906722/watch-v-4oPInSfh6H4/328nph/238111350?h=ObT3tBCx6h17N81aXIzXqXtWO1vfuHAMbay1SPynah8

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, Kendal Gee, and Paige Montfort.