National Defense Strategy

Eight months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and as China pushes to increase its nuclear, space and cyberforces, the Pentagon outlined a sweeping new strategy on Thursday that called for more robust deterrence at an increasingly tense moment in international security, as the NYT reports.

Russia Says It Could Target U.S. Commercial Satellites

Russia said it could target U.S. commercial satellites if they are used to help Ukraine, expanding its threats of reprisals to a new theater that could hit closer to home for American interests, as the WSJ reports.

U.S. Economy Grows in Third Quarter

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the third quarter, marking its first increase in 2022 and a sharp turnaround after six months of contraction — despite lingering fears that the country is at risk of a recession, as the Washington Post reports.

Executive Education

U.S. and Eurasian Security: The Challenges Ahead is a new program that will give participants a competitive advantage through in-depth analysis and insights into the major challenges to U.S. security across Eurasia.

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

40 days

Iran was rocked by unrest Wednesday, with massive protest in Tehran and other parts of the country, marking 40 days since the death of Mahsa Amini.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Critical Quote

“The most comprehensive and serious challenge to U.S. national security is the P.R.C.’s coercive and increasingly aggressive endeavor to refashion the Indo-Pacific region and the international system to suit its interests and authoritarian preferences.”

— Department of Defense National Defense Strategy

iDeas Lab

Last week, H.E. Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, joined the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program to discuss recent developments in transatlantic and European geopolitics.

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: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images.) A man crosses a destroyed bridge in the frontline town of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, on October 27, 2022.

This Town Tomorrow

At 11:00 a.m., the CSIS International Security Program holds a fireside chat on the Department of Homeland Security's cyber priorities with Rob Silvers, DHS Under Secretary for Policy.

And, at 7:00 a.m., Carnegie hosts day two of its 2022 International Nuclear Policy Conference.

Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Atlantic Council discusses Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent nuclear threats.

Video

Today, CSIS hosted a discussion on the most critical takeaways for U.S. defense policy to deal with China and the Indo-Pacific, as detailed in the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS). Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

CSIS's Mvemba Phezo Dizolele is joined by Mr. Nicolas Kazadi, Minister of Finance of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to discuss pressing issues facing the DRC.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

When most people think about festivals in New Orleans, the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival comes to mind. But the Crescent City has festivals just about every month—if not every weekend! And unlike Jazz Fest, some of the best festivals are free of charge. One of the very best is the Crescent City Blues & BBQ which the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation has been putting on since 2006.

The Blues Fest tag line is “Without the blues, there would be no jazz or R&B.” The festival, held in mid-October, presents some of the top artists from Louisiana and Mississippi. Perhaps none better than New Orleans’ Jon Cleary and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen. Here’s their performance. As Cleary says, “There is a kind of way of playing New Orleans blues that they don’t do anywhere else.”

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: Paige Montfort, Claire Dannenbaum, and Claire Smrt.