The Current
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.
info_outline
How a divided House passed critical foreign aid bills
04/22/2024
How a divided House passed critical foreign aid bills
The U.S. House of Representatives passed four bi-partisan bills in a $95 billion foreign aid package with monies going to aid Ukraine, to the Indo-Pacific region to counter China, to offensive and defensive weapons to Israel, and to humanitarian aid for Gaza and elsewhere. Molly Reynolds, senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, joins The Current to talk about how these bills were passed in a deeply divided House of Representatives and the potential risk to Rep. Mike Johnson's speakership. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/30937768
info_outline
Economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse
03/28/2024
Economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse
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 disaster. Six construction workers doing repair work on the bridge lost their lives when it plunged into the cold Patapsco River. The wreckage of the bridge now sits in the channel that connects Baltimore Harbor to the Chesapeake Bay, effectively closing the Port of Baltimore. Joe Kane, a fellow in Brookings Metro, talks about the economic impacts of the disaster and prospects for rebuilding the bridge.
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/30582898
info_outline
What a strong economy can and can't fix
03/27/2024
What a strong economy can and can't fix
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 initiative, Wendy Edelberg talks about where the economy is doing better - increasing wages, decreasing inflation - and other areas where social policies can step in to fill the gaps on housing, child poverty, and more. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/30571373
info_outline
Fighting corruption's threat to democracy
03/14/2024
Fighting corruption's threat to democracy
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 talk about the summit’s critical importance and the role of anti-corruption work in the support of democracy, Ambassador Norm Eisen joins The Current. Eisen is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings and chair of the Anti-corruption, Democracy, and Security Project. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/30378233
info_outline
Is Russia winning in Ukraine?
02/23/2024
Is Russia winning in Ukraine?
"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 years after Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, Michael O'Hanlon takes stock of where the war stands and what happens if the U.S. House of Representatives fails to authorize additional financial and military aid. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/30072713
info_outline
What to know about Pakistan’s turbulent national elections
02/06/2024
What to know about Pakistan’s turbulent national elections
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 parliament, and from that, the next prime minister. To talk about what's at stake for Pakistan, the turmoil surrounding some of the major candidates, and what the outcome could mean for the region and the world, Madiha Afzal, a fellow in Foreign Policy, the Center for Middle East Policy, and the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at Brookings, joins The Current. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/29814343
info_outline
Meet Cecilia Rouse, new Brookings president
01/26/2024
Meet Cecilia Rouse, new Brookings president
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 policy to improve the lives of those across America. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/29652773
info_outline
Taking stock of the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza
12/07/2023
Taking stock of the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza
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 operational goals, the ongoing threat of wider regional escalation, and what might come next. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28981063
info_outline
How anti-corruption efforts strengthen global democracy and security
12/06/2023
How anti-corruption efforts strengthen global democracy and security
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, Democracy, and Security (ACDS) project at Brookings, talks about the project and explains why fighting corruption and promoting good governance are key to strengthen democracy and security. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28939773
info_outline
Will positive momentum from the Biden-Xi meeting last?
11/16/2023
Will positive momentum from the Biden-Xi meeting last?
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 and stressed the ongoing need for Beijing and Washington "to depoliticize diplomacy and functional channels of communication and make them a regular feature of the U.S.-China relationship." Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28679728
info_outline
The US-Mexico border challenge
11/09/2023
The US-Mexico border challenge
Thousands of migrants are heading north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. The number of Border Patrol encounters with migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to be high. And for two years in a row, the number of illegal crossings has exceeded 2 million. Meanwhile, border security remains a hot political issue as Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail accuse President Biden of having an “open border policy.” Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings offers insight about what's happening on the border. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28560587
info_outline
Unpacking President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence
11/03/2023
Unpacking President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence
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 more. Nicol Turner Lee, a senior fellow in governance studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation, joins The Current to talk about the scope and implications of the AI E.O. Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28507334
info_outline
What does a new rule on financial advice mean for retirement security?
11/03/2023
What does a new rule on financial advice mean for retirement security?
A new Department of Labor rule aims to expand protections for retirement savers by updating standards on different types of financial investment advice. Ben Harris explains what the new rule does and other steps the Biden administration could take to increase Americans' retirement security. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28504382
info_outline
Who is new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson?
10/26/2023
Who is new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson?
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 Reynolds explains how his relative inexperience could hurt or help, especially in upcoming negotiations to avert a government shutdown in November. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28435373
info_outline
Parsing disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict
10/25/2023
Parsing disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict
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 media like X, the former Twitter, and confuses our understanding of what’s happening. On this episode of The Current, Valerie Wirtschafter, a fellow in Foreign Policy and the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at Brookings, discusses how disinformation spreads, how we can spot it, and how we can better consume information coming out of conflicts like the one in the Middle East.
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28422446
info_outline
Biden in Israel and US diplomacy on the Israel-Gaza crisis
10/19/2023
Biden in Israel and US diplomacy on the Israel-Gaza crisis
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 on how Biden's show of empathy - but also caution - was received by Israelis, the urgent need for humanitarian relief in Gaza, and the dangers of escalation from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28367162
info_outline
War in Israel and Gaza
10/10/2023
War in Israel and Gaza
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 Natan Sachs, Shibley Telhami, Suzanne Maloney, and Molly Reynolds weighed in on Israel's response to the attacks, Iran's involvement, the regional repercussions, and how domestic politics will bear on the U.S. response, moderated by Michael O'Hanlon. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28277063
info_outline
What Kevin McCarthy's ouster as Speaker of the House means for governance
10/04/2023
What Kevin McCarthy's ouster as Speaker of the House means for governance
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 a motion to vacate, introduced by Florida Representative Matt Gaetz. Sarah Binder, senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, joins the show to discuss what happened and what it means for governance in Congress. . Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28226369
info_outline
UN reform and the Global South at the 2023 General Assembly
09/29/2023
UN reform and the Global South at the 2023 General Assembly
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 multilateral institutions. Bruce Jones explains how the U.S., China, and Russia are competing for the Global South's attention, why calls to reform of the U.N. Security Council may now have a chance, and highlights a new multilateral framework called the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28175312
info_outline
India in the world after the G-20 summit
09/12/2023
India in the world after the G-20 summit
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 the summit and India’s global role moving forward, Tanvi Madan, senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings, joins the program. Madan is host of the new podcast, debuting this month from the Brookings Podcast Network. . Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/28012029
info_outline
What happened in the first GOP presidential debate and why it matters
08/24/2023
What happened in the first GOP presidential debate and why it matters
On Wednesday night, eight contenders for the Republican Party presidential nomination appeared on a Milwaukee stage together for the first GOP debate. Donald Trump, currently leading in the polls, was not among them. On this episode, Elaine Kamarck, founding director of the Center for Effective Public Management and a senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, offers her analysis of what happened and what it portends moving toward the first primaries in January. . Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27842235
info_outline
What underlies the coup in Niger?
08/09/2023
What underlies the coup in Niger?
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 Mali. Landry Signé discusses how Niger and other democracies in the Sahel have struggled to build systems of accountability and deliver public services, and the need for international, regional, and local alignment to strengthen economic security. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27705816
info_outline
Israel's Supreme Court reform crisis
07/28/2023
Israel's Supreme Court reform crisis
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 Knesset's governing coalition voted for it and all members of the opposition left the chamber. Passage of the bill has sparked turmoil in the country. Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings and a senior fellow in Foreign Policy, discusses what's happening in Israel. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27592257
info_outline
How will the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling affect college admissions?
06/30/2023
How will the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling affect college admissions?
The Supreme Court's decision ending race-based admissions policies at colleges and universities leaves in place other forms of affirmative action like legacy preferences and early admissions — affirmative action policies that disproportionately benefit white students, says Katharine Meyer. Meyer looks at how underrepresented student enrollment dropped in states that previously banned race-based affirmative action, and how some have tried to increase student diversity through race-neutral methods. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27337272
info_outline
Putin imperiled? What to know about the Wagner Group's Russian revolt
06/26/2023
Putin imperiled? What to know about the Wagner Group's Russian revolt
This weekend's fast-moving but short-lived revolt by Wagner Group mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves many unanswered questions about what this signals for Russian President Vladimir Putin's grip on power, what will happen to the Wagner Group after this, and the ramifications for Russia's war on Ukraine. In a discussion moderated by Susan Glasser, Angela Stent, Michael O'Hanlon, and Constanze Stelzenmüller try to make sense of what happened, how to interpret it, and the longer-term implications for Russian stability and European security. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27267738
info_outline
What do the SEC's lawsuits signal for the future of cryptocurrency?
06/14/2023
What do the SEC's lawsuits signal for the future of cryptocurrency?
Aaron Klein explains the U.S. SEC's lawsuit against cryptocurrency companies Binance and Coinbase, the current state of crypto regulation, and the continuing debate over cryptocurrency's core purpose. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/27148215
info_outline
How is Congress handling the TikTok conundrum?
04/17/2023
How is Congress handling the TikTok conundrum?
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 relations have soured and China has expanded its domestic social, political, and economic controls. But Congress' potential answer — the RESTRICT Act — has its flaws. Cam Kerry examines TikTok's challenges, other ways to address the security concerns beyond an outright ban, and the need for comprehensive privacy legislation. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/26549112
info_outline
How will we remember Jimmy Carter's presidential legacy?
03/15/2023
How will we remember Jimmy Carter's presidential legacy?
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 shape how we think about presidents' successes and failures. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/26243991
info_outline
What's at stake in Turkey's elections?
03/10/2023
What's at stake in Turkey's elections?
President Erdoğan "has been one of the symbols of democracy's global decline" and Turkey's upcoming elections will have consequences not only for Turkey, but the world, says Aslı Aydintaşbaş. In the latest episode of The Current, Aydintaşbaş assesses how public opinion of Erdoğan has shifted after the recent devastating earthquake and why the political opposition has coalesced around Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/26185317
info_outline
Who is Ajay Banga, US nominee for World Bank president?
02/28/2023
Who is Ajay Banga, US nominee for World Bank president?
Former CEO of MasterCard Ajay Banga has been nominated to be the next president of the World Bank following the early resignation of outgoing President David Malpass. Homi Kharas explains the challenges ahead for the World Bank to integrate climate change into its economic development agenda and how Banga's background in large-scale financial services may be brought to bear to expand the bank's efforts. Show notes and transcript: Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to . The Current is part of the .
/episode/index/show/5on45/id/26081979