The Evening: Coronavirus U.S., India, Fat Tuesday and More

February 25, 2020

CDC Officials Warn of Coronavirus Outbreak in U.S.

The coronavirus almost certainly will begin spreading in communities in the United States, and Americans should begin preparations now, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, as the NYT’s Pam Belluck and Noah Weiland report.

Dive Deeper: “What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak,” by CFR’s Claire Felter and Lindsay Maizland.

Riots in New Delhi

More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds injured in clashes between opposing groups of protesters in New Delhi, hospital officials said on Tuesday, as riots overshadowed U.S. President Donald Trump’s first visit to India, as Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, President Trump said on Tuesday that India will buy $3 billion worth of military equipment, including attack helicopters, as the two countries deepen defense and commercial ties in an attempt to balance the weight of China in the region, as Reuters reports.

Global Goods Trade Rose as U.S.-China Tensions Eased

The volume of goods traded around the world rose late last year for the first time in more than six months as U.S.-China trade tensions eased, but the improvement is likely to be short-lived as the spread of coronavirus hits the global economy, as the FT’s Valentina Romei reports.

CSIS Executive Education

We invite you to apply for the Project on Nuclear Issues's 2020 Mid-Career Cadre, a select group comprised of nuclear professionals that have been in the field for five or more years and demonstrate particular promise for developing expertise and moving into leadership positions. Applications are due by March 31.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify,” "What's Happening," "Preview," and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!

In That Number

$2.5 Billion

The White House is asking Congress for $2.5 billion to respond to the coronavirus illness known as COVID-19.

Source: NBC News

Critical Quote

“It’s not a question of if this will happen but when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illnesses.”

— Nancy Messonnier, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

iDeas Lab

Over the past two decades, many of the countries originally eligible for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance support have transitioned out of assistance and taken on full financial responsibility for their vaccine programs. A new CSIS brief explores how Gavi can make continued progress on its critical health security and development goals.

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

Optics

(Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images). President Trump sprays rose petals to pay tribute at Raj Ghat, the memorial for Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi, today in New Delhi.

Recommended Reading

“Critical Questions: Secretary Pompeo’s ‘Do No Harm’ Trip to Sub-Saharan Africa,” by CSIS's Judd Devermont.

This Town Tomorrow

At 10:00 a.m., CSIS will host a panel discussion on the UN Sustainable Development Goal #9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, which seeks to increase connectivity and productivity of developing countries’ industries and build resilient infrastructure systems to bolster economic growth.

And, at 8:30 a.m., the Asia Society Policy Institute will hold an event on the challenges governments face in protecting emerging technologies and critical digital infrastructure, featuring Assistant Secretary of Treasury for Investment Security Thomas Feddo.

Later, at 9:30 a.m., the Hudson Institute will host former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley for a conversation on the strengths of the U.S. economic system.

Video

Gregory B. Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and a fellow in the CSIS Southeast Asia Program, testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on “China’s Military Power Projection and U.S. National Interests” yesterday. Learn more about his testimony here.

Podcasts

CSIS is closely watching the coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19, as it spreads quickly throughout China and around the world. I sit down with CSIS experts Steve Morrison and Jude Blanchette to discuss its evolving scientific, political, and economic ramifications.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

In New Orleans, it’s Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras Day. And while the parades have been rolling for days in the Crescent City and the dancing has been nonstop per usual, it’s the Mardi Gras Indian tradition of the neighborhoods that fascinates me the most. The neighborhood I lived in, Uptown’s 13^th ward, is home to the Wild Tchoupitoulas whose members consist of the Neville Brothers and their family. In this clip taken from a beautiful film about New Orleans called “Always For Pleasure” by Tulane graduate Les Blanc, you’ll see the late Art Neville, Charles Neville, and their uncle, Big Chief Jolly. You’ll also see a very young Ivan Neville, Aaron Neville, and Cyril Neville. Happy Mardi Gras!