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The Current

101 EpisodesProduced by The Brookings InstitutionWebsite

The Current brings you smart, timely, and quick analysis from Brookings experts on breaking news and changing policies. In under ten minutes, learn not only what happened, but why, and how to make sense of it.

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Farewell

February 22nd, 2024

0:39

An important message from RadioPublic

Economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse

March 28th, 2024

15:46

The recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore after being struck by a container ship is both a human tragedy and an economic …

What a strong economy can and can't fix

March 27th, 2024

15:34

The U.S. has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic's economic disruption with a strong economy, but a strong economy alone doesn't address all the challenges Americans face. As part of the Brookings Election '24

Fighting corruption's threat to democracy

March 14th, 2024

22:12

The third Summit for Democracy takes place March 18 to 20, in Seoul, South Korea. The theme of the summit is democracy for future generations. To …

Is Russia winning in Ukraine?

February 23rd, 2024

13:43

"Russia has failed in its biggest goals, but those failures may be reversed. Ukraine's successes are not guaranteed to endure, and at the moment, momentum seems to be shifting at least modestly in Russia's favor."

Two …

What to know about Pakistan’s turbulent national elections

February 6th, 2024

15:17

This week, Pakistan holds national elections. Voters in the world's fifth most populous nation go to the polls to elect representatives to Pakistan's …

Meet Cecilia Rouse, new Brookings president

January 26th, 2024

8:42

For the first episode of 2024, the new president of Brookings, Cecilia Rouse, sits down with The Current to share her thoughts on priorities facing the nation today and how Brookings can provide sound research to inform …

Taking stock of the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza

December 7th, 2023

16:01

As the Israeli offensive in Gaza moves south toward Khan Younis, and as some hostages come home while many more remain captive, Natan Sachs joins the podcast from Israel to reflect on the public mood, Israel's …

How anti-corruption efforts strengthen global democracy and security

December 6th, 2023

21:21

Corrupt regimes around the world threaten global democracy and security. On this episode of The Current, Norman Eisen, senior fellow in Governance Studies and chair of the newly launched global Anti-Corruption, …

Will positive momentum from the Biden-Xi meeting last?

November 16th, 2023

9:26

President Biden and President Xi met on Wednesday in San Francisco during the APEC summit at a time of highly strained relations between China and the U.S. Patricia Kim discussed some of the outcomes of their meeting …

The US-Mexico border challenge

November 9th, 2023

21:55

Thousands of migrants are heading north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. The number of Border Patrol encounters with migrants and asylum …

Unpacking President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence

November 3rd, 2023

17:02

On October 30th, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on "safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence." The E.O. sets new standards for AI safety and security, has new privacy provisions, and much …

What does a new rule on financial advice mean for retirement security?

November 3rd, 2023

12:16

A new Department of Labor rule aims to expand protections for retirement savers by updating standards on different types of financial investment …

Who is new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson?

October 26th, 2023

15:55

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) has served just six years in the House of Representatives before being elected as the new speaker of the House. Molly …

Parsing disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict

October 25th, 2023

17:16

The war between Israel and Hamas militants operating out of Gaza has produced horrific images, but also misinformation and disinformation about actions on both sides. This mis- and disinformation spreads through social …

Biden in Israel and US diplomacy on the Israel-Gaza crisis

October 19th, 2023

11:28

President Biden visited Israel as a show of U.S. support and announced new humanitarian aid to Gaza, but subsequent Arab leader summit fell through in the wake of the al Ahli hospital bombing. Jeffrey Feltman weighs in …

War in Israel and Gaza

October 10th, 2023

59:31

Hamas' surprise attack on Israel this weekend is drawing comparisons to 9/11 and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In an online discussion, Brookings experts …

What Kevin McCarthy's ouster as Speaker of the House means for governance

October 4th, 2023

15:47

This week, the House of Representatives ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, a position he had held since January. The final vote was 216 to 210, with eight Republicans joining all voting Democrats and passing …

UN reform and the Global South at the 2023 General Assembly

September 29th, 2023

12:48

The 2023 U.N. General Assembly saw increased calls from countries of the "Global South" for a greater role in global governance and the major …

India in the world after the G-20 summit

September 12th, 2023

14:14

This past weekend, India hosted its first G-20 summit, the annual gathering of leaders from the world’s largest economies. To assess highlights from …

What happened in the first GOP presidential debate and why it matters

August 24th, 2023

17:08

On Wednesday night, eight contenders for the Republican Party presidential nomination appeared on a Milwaukee stage together for the first GOP …

What underlies the coup in Niger?

August 9th, 2023

24:08

The coup that ousted Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum in a late July follows a string of similar military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and …

Israel's Supreme Court reform crisis

July 28th, 2023

18:31

Israel's Knesset passed a bill that strips Israel's Supreme Court of the power to declare government decisions unreasonable. The so-called "reasonableness bill" passed with a 64 to 0 vote after all members of the …

How will the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling affect college admissions?

June 30th, 2023

10:43

The Supreme Court's decision ending race-based admissions policies at colleges and universities leaves in place other forms of affirmative action …

Putin imperiled? What to know about the Wagner Group's Russian revolt

June 26th, 2023

59:44

This weekend's fast-moving but short-lived revolt by Wagner Group mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves many unanswered questions about what …

What do the SEC's lawsuits signal for the future of cryptocurrency?

June 14th, 2023

13:14

Aaron Klein explains the U.S. SEC's lawsuit against cryptocurrency companies Binance and Coinbase, the current state of crypto regulation, and the …

How is Congress handling the TikTok conundrum?

April 17th, 2023

11:08

The potential security implications of China's corporate control of TikTok's parent company ByteDance have scaled up in recent years as U.S.-China …

How will we remember Jimmy Carter's presidential legacy?

March 15th, 2023

17:08

With former President Jimmy Carter in hospice care, Bill Galston looks back at Carter's administration and his "exemplary and influential" post-presidential dedication to good works, and reflects on the dynamics that …

What's at stake in Turkey's elections?

March 10th, 2023

12:52

President Erdoğan "has been one of the symbols of democracy's global decline" and Turkey's upcoming elections will have consequences not only for …

Who is Ajay Banga, US nominee for World Bank president?

February 28th, 2023

11:54

Former CEO of MasterCard Ajay Banga has been nominated to be the next president of the World Bank following the early resignation of outgoing …

How is the US weighing in with Israel's new hardline government?

February 4th, 2023

19:05

In his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued "a strident call for calm" over recent …

What's happening with the debt ceiling (again)?

January 25th, 2023

27:18

After the U.S. reached its debt limit last week, Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the Treasury will engage in extraordinary measure to prevent …

60 years later, can France and Germany fulfill the ambitions of the Treaty of Élysée?

January 24th, 2023

21:21

On the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Élysée, Constanze Stelzenmüller and Tara Varma examine the French-German cooperative framework, and France …

Moore v. Harper: Who has the power to set state election rules?

December 8th, 2022

12:11

In Moore v. Harper, the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case from North Carolina about whether state legislatures have unrestricted powers in how they …

What does Xi Jinping's power move mean for China?

October 25th, 2022

9:16

China's 20th Party Congress demonstrated that none of Beijing's recent troubles, from public anger over COVID lockdowns to economic slowdowns and rising international tensions, have dented President Xi Jinping's grip on …

What’s on the agenda at the UN General Assembly?

September 16th, 2022

9:45

Amid a host of challenges, the three major priorities of this year's United Nations General Assembly will be Russia's war against Ukraine, climate change, and food shortages. Bruce Jones explains the sideline diplomacy …

What’s happening in Afghanistan one year after the U.S. withdrawal?

August 30th, 2022

14:56

One year after the U.S. troop withdrawal, Afghanistan faces a collapsed economy, humanitarian crisis, and a Taliban regime essentially unchanged from …

What will student loan forgiveness mean for Black students and families?

August 26th, 2022

12:27

After President Biden's release of his plan for student debt relief, Andre Perry explains the impact loan forgiveness will have on student debt …

Why is Sri Lanka in crisis, and what comes next?

July 22nd, 2022

13:24

Sri Lanka's new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, took office last week as the country faces economic collapse, political instability, and ongoing …

What does Shinzo Abe's assassination mean for Japan?

July 8th, 2022

10:20

Following the stunning assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mireya Solís describes Abe's policy legacies, the role he …

What does the Supreme Court’s EPA ruling mean for climate regulation?

July 1st, 2022

14:29

The Supreme Court's decision in West Virginia v. EPA narrowed the breadth of powers the Environmental Protection Agency has to regulate carbon …

Why is Kaliningrad at the center of a new Russia-NATO faceoff?

June 23rd, 2022

12:35

Russia has threatened consequences for Lithuania after the NATO member state blocked transit of EU-sanctioned goods through its territory to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Ahead of the NATO summit in Madrid, Dan …

What can we expect from the January 6 committee hearings?

June 9th, 2022

11:16

 

As the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds its first public hearings in nearly a year, Norm Eisen …

How will France’s changing political dynamics shape Macron’s next term?

April 26th, 2022

19:39

While Emmanuel Macron won re-election as France's president, far-right challenge Marine Le Pen's nationalist populism gained a larger share of the …

Where does France's presidential election stand after round one?

April 15th, 2022

50:48

The first round of France’s presidential election narrowed the field to current President Emmanuel Macron and far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. Before the two face off in a second round of voting on April 24, Célia …

What's new in the January 6 investigation?

March 31st, 2022

16:16

Quinta Jurecic explains the significance of new developments this week around the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the …

Why is Pakistani PM Imran Khan facing a no-confidence vote?

March 25th, 2022

13:45

Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, faces a unified opposition coalition and a vote of no confidence in parliament next week. Whether Khan's government survives the challenge or not, Pakistan's democracy will suffer …

How is Russia conducting cyber and information warfare in Ukraine?

March 3rd, 2022

9:35

While the Russian assault on Ukraine advances through ground and air forces, there haven't yet been significant cyberattacks on Ukraine's …

Did Biden's State of the Union speech meet the moment?

March 2nd, 2022

49:33

President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address aimed to both deliver a strong message to Russia about its war on Ukraine and reset Democrats' …

Russia invades Ukraine: What happens next?

February 25th, 2022

1:36:46

Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday, precipitating a dangerous security and humanitarian crisis in Europe.  In a live Twitter Spaces conversation, a Brookings roundtable assessed the security and …

How far will Putin go against Ukraine?

February 22nd, 2022

1:02:16

In a special long episode of The Current, three Brookings Russia experts discuss what's driving Putin's actions against Ukraine, what his goals may be beyond the present crisis, and how U.S. and European leaders are …

How is US, NATO diplomacy addressing Russian troop buildup?

February 10th, 2022

12:00

Tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict are escalating as Russia and Belarus engage in several days of military exercises, while U.S. and NATO allies continue a flurry of high-level diplomatic activity. Angela Stent …

Will Biden's call for Senate filibuster reform carve out a path for voting rights?

January 13th, 2022

12:20

While President Biden and congressional Democratic leadership's call to modify the filibuster to allow voting rights legislation to pass by a simple …

Will Russia launch a full military invasion of Ukraine?

December 16th, 2021

16:01

As Russian troops gather on Ukraine's borders, the outstanding question is whether Russian President Putin is prepared to bear the domestic and …

What does Congress need to get done before the holidays?

December 3rd, 2021

12:26

After passing a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government operating into the new year, Congress still has a very full to-do list for …

Do COP26 pledges make enough progress on climate change?

November 18th, 2021

10:23

The COP26 climate conference in Glasgow produced new agreements and pledges from 196 countries to continue cutting emissions in an effort to keep the global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. But …

Will the Facebook whistleblower’s testimony spur new US digital regulation?

October 14th, 2021

14:12

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony on the social media platform's business practices may have been an eye-opened for members of Congress, says former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler, but this and other recent …

Will new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida bring change to Japan?

October 4th, 2021

13:03

Fumio Kishida was elected as Japan's new prime minister after former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga lost public support and political backing over his …

After 16 years of Angela Merkel, what's next for Germany?

September 17th, 2021

14:21

Angela Merkel has been Germany's chancellor through a series of massive crises. Ahead of the September 26 elections, Constanze Stelzenmüller explains that the question of how Germany's next leader will shape the …

What does back-to-school look like during COVID?

September 1st, 2021

14:24

Jon Valant examines how the continued surge in COVID-19 cases is challenging educators, administrators, and parents to manage students' return to the …

What did Kamala Harris’ trip do for US engagement in Southeast Asia?

August 27th, 2021

11:29

Building on previous visits from high-level Cabinet officials, Vice President Kamala Harris' trip to Singapore and Vietnam adds positive momentum to the Biden administration's efforts to re-engage with key partners in …

How does the Senate infrastructure bill invest in future resilience and growth?

August 10th, 2021

15:21

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act "is a huge first step to tackle long-range challenges" like climate change, says Adie Tomer. The $1 trillion investment in water and power infrastructure, expanding …

The eviction ban has been extended — for now. What comes next?

August 5th, 2021

10:26

Although the CDC's eviction moratorium has been temporarily extended, approximately 6 million households are behind on their rent and potentially at …

What will US combat forces withdrawal mean for Iraq?

July 29th, 2021

15:41

The White House meeting between President Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi was primarily framed around the future of U.S. military forces in Iraq, but in addition to the destabilizing threats of ISIS …

How could expanded tax credits reduce child poverty?

July 16th, 2021

18:53

As families with children start receiving the first of their monthly checks from the American Rescue Plan's expanded child tax credit, Robert Greenstein calls the benefit transformational in reaching the poorest …

How serious are the Trump Organization tax fraud charges?

July 2nd, 2021

11:57

The Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, face felony charges for an alleged 15-year scheme of conspiracy and criminal tax fraud in the state of New York. "When you read through the indictment, through all …

What did the Biden-Putin summit do for US-Russian relations?

June 17th, 2021

10:57

The White House's goal for the Geneva meeting of Presidents Biden and Putin was not a reset, but to set guardrails for a more stable and predictable relationship. Angela Stent assesses the basic agreements that came out …

What does the end of the Keystone pipeline mean for US energy?

June 11th, 2021

9:20

Attempts to build the the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada's oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast have been abandoned after more than a decade of …

An unprecedented new governing coalition has formed in Israel. What comes next?

June 3rd, 2021

19:09

A broad coalition is coming together to form a new government in Israel, which means Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime minister may be …

Why does Congress need an independent 1/6 commission?

May 20th, 2021

12:58

When it comes to an investigation of the January 6, 2021 insurrection and assault on the U.S. Capitol, it needs "something beyond what Congress can …

What hope is there for de-escalation between Israel and Hamas?

May 12th, 2021

12:13

Both Hamas and the Israeli government have dramatically escalated tensions that began as spontaneous grassroots protests over the eviction of …

Why did US jobs growth slow in April?

May 7th, 2021

12:42

After jobs growth slowed in April, Stephanie Aaronson cautions that employment is going to be slow to return to pre-pandemic levels as employers and workers try to match their needs and pay expectations. She also …

How do Biden’s first 100 days reflect his vision for America?

April 29th, 2021

11:23

John Hudak examines President Biden's first 100 days and his joint address to Congress, and how those reflect Biden's view of his presidency and the …

What does President Idriss Déby’s death mean for Chad?

April 22nd, 2021

19:07

The sudden death of Chad’s President Idriss Déby after 30 years in power has created a governance vacuum that will likely lead to years of instability, says John Mukum Mbaku, unless the military hands power over to the …

After Chauvin’s conviction, will policing finally change in America?

April 21st, 2021

13:15

Will the guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin's murder of George Floyd be just a single blip of accountability in the longer history of police violence, …

Will Natanz attack, uranium enrichment derail nuclear diplomacy with Iran?

April 14th, 2021

11:02

Both Iran and the U.S. have incentive to continue negotiations in Vienna toward restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), says Robert Einhorn, in spite of this weekend's attack on  Iran's Natanz nuclear …

What does the Amazon union effort signify for labor in America?

April 9th, 2021

11:38

Although workers' efforts to form a union at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama ultimately failed, the David versus Goliath attempt "is a …

What does another election deadlock mean for Israel?

March 24th, 2021

13:00

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political and legal fate remains in question after a fourth round of elections in two years has yielded …

What does Quad summit signal for U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific?

March 16th, 2021

14:15

This past week, leaders of the "Quad" - U.S., India, Japan, and Australia - met for the first time as a group to put forward a positive agenda and address Chinese behavior in the Indo-Pacific region. Tanvi Madan …

Congress extended unemployment benefits. What should come next?

March 12th, 2021

12:25

Lauren Bauer explains how unemployment insurance (UI) benefits - now extended to September via the American Rescue Plan - have affected household …

What’s in the latest COVID-19 relief bill?

March 9th, 2021

9:06

As the American Rescue Plan makes its final way through Congress, Wendy Edelberg examines how the key elements will provide much-needed economic relief to states and families, and make significant cuts in child poverty. …

How should the US respond to Mohammed bin Salman’s role in Khashoggi killing?

March 1st, 2021

10:21

Although a U.S. intelligence report conclusively found that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the Biden administration has not yet directly penalized …

What's the significance of Biden's first military strikes in Syria?

February 26th, 2021

13:36

President Biden's authorization of a U.S. retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed militias in Syria raises questions about his administration's …

Biden is ready to resume nuclear talks with Iran. How will they respond?

February 19th, 2021

14:09

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced its willingness to rejoin talks with Iran over the future of its nuclear program. However, the administration's goal isn't to simply revert to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive …

Will pro-Navalny protests threaten Putin’s power?

February 4th, 2021

11:09

The protests in Russia in support of jailed anti-corruption leader Alexei Navalny are fueled by a combination of frustrations with Vladimir Putin's repressive government, Russia's stagnant economy, and the impacts of …

What steps is the Biden administration taking on racial equity?

January 28th, 2021

10:45

In his first week in office, President Joe Biden has issued two executive orders emphasizing racial equity as a core policy at the Department of …

Will Trump be removed from power after Capitol attack?

January 7th, 2021

13:55

The attack by Trump supporters on the U.S. Capitol "was America at its darkest," says John Hudak, and raised "legitimate serious concerns for not …

What does Saudi-Qatar reconciliation signal for the Biden administration?

January 6th, 2021

10:55

Bruce Riedel explains why the departure of President Trump may have led the Saudis and their Gulf allies to rethink their rift with Qatar, and what …

Does the latest COVID relief bill do enough?

December 22nd, 2020

9:31

After months of inaction and halting negotiations, Congress's $900 billion COVID economic relief package is "too little, too late." William Gale argues that while the bill makes a good start at getting relief to the …

How did the US government get hacked?

December 16th, 2020

12:53

Hackers gained access to U.S. government systems in a months-long act of cyberespionage. While the full extent of the security breach is still being …

How is Biden’s presidential transition going?

December 10th, 2020

13:08

The Trump administration's delay in acknowledging the results of the 2020 election have left President-elect Joe Biden's transition team with even …

What will Trump’s final foreign policies mean for the Biden administration?

December 9th, 2020

12:03

In its final weeks, the Trump administration has sought to lock in its foreign policy priorities against the efforts of the incoming Biden …

Why did Trump fire Secretary of Defense Esper?

November 9th, 2020

9:20

President Trump fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper via tweet on Monday, raising questions about the motives and risks of shaking up leadership at the Pentagon so close to a presidential transition. Michael O'Hanlon …

What will Trump’s executive order mean for the future of the civil service?

November 3rd, 2020

14:06

Less than two weeks before Election Day, President Trump issued an executive order which will strip job protections from civil service employees that prevent them from being fired at will, undermining the procedures …

What trends are we seeing in early voting?

October 28th, 2020

13:36

With less than a week before voting in the 2020 election concludes, Elaine Kamarck takes a look at early voting trends--who is voting early, how many votes have already come in, and whether voter turnout will break …

What’s the significance of the US-Israel-Sudan normalization deal?

October 23rd, 2020

10:15

On Friday, the Trump administration announced it reached a new deal for normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel, a follow-up to the …

What’s behind the US Justice Department's antitrust case against Google?

October 21st, 2020

8:43

The U.S. government's antitrust case against Google will take a long time to come to trial, says Brookings Visiting Fellow Bill Baer, but what remains to be seen is how Google will defend the actions it took securing …

What’s the state of global girls’ education during COVID?

October 10th, 2020

13:23

To mark the UN International Day of the Girl Child, Christina Kwauk examines the state of progress on girls' education and gender equity over the last 20 years, the dangers and setbacks caused by pandemic shutdowns, and …

What does the plot against Gov. Whitmer tell us about right-wing domestic terrorism?

October 9th, 2020

16:22

Right-wing terrorism, like the recent plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government, has been the deadliest form of terrorism in the United States in recent years—and is likely to …

The president has COVID-19. Now what?

October 2nd, 2020

11:25

What does President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis mean for the functioning of the presidency, the White House, and the 2020 election? John Hudak describes how the executive branch can continue to operate with the president …

What do leaked financial documents reveal about dirty money in banking?

September 24th, 2020

12:33

New reporting on leaked suspicious activity reports from the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("FinCen") has revealed significant flaws in U.S. and global anti-money laundering efforts. Matthew …

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