The Evening: Pfizer Vaccine, Iran Sanctions, Royal Blood and More

November 18, 2020

Pfizer Vaccine

The drug maker Pfizer said on Wednesday that its coronavirus vaccine was 95 percent effective and had no serious side effects—the first set of complete results from a late-stage vaccine trial as Covid-19 cases skyrocket around the globe, as the NYT reports.

Sweeping Sanctions on Iran

The United States on Wednesday imposed broad sanctions targeting Iran, blacklisting a foundation controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and taking aim at what Washington called Iran’s human rights abuses a year after a deadly crackdown on anti-government demonstrators, as Reuters reports.

Israel Strikes Iranian Targets in Syria

Israeli fighter planes struck at Iranian targets in Syria early Wednesday, reportedly killing three military personnel in what Israel said was retaliation for explosive devices planted along the contested border between the two countries, as the Washington Post reports.

Coronavirus Crisis Update

The Coronavirus Crisis Update podcast brings you the latest updates and analysis from CSIS experts and the leaders directing the global response. Past guests include NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, White House Chief of Staff-designate Ron Klain, IHME Director Chris Murray, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), Former FDA Comissioner Peggy Hamburg, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

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

20

The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday cleared the way for Boeing’s 737 Max to resume flying, 20 months after it was grounded.

Source: NYT

Critical Quote

“This is a different kind of moment, a new level of danger.”

— Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles (D)

iDeas Lab

CSIS's Judd Devermont explains the rise of #EndSARS movement, what it's achieved so far, where it can go from here, and what it means for the future of Nigeria. Watch here.

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: Christian Bruna/POOL/AFP/Getty Images.) Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi prepares for a virtual Board of Governors' meeting at the organization's headquarters of the UN seat in Vienna.

Recommended Reading

“Covid Hasn’t Crushed the Middle East...Yet,” by CSIS’s Jon Alterman.

This Town Tomorrow

Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair hosts former Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama Denis McDonough to talk about what to expect in a Biden administration.

Then, at 11:00 a.m., the Center for Global Development holds a virtual discussion on the role of migrants in Europe as part of their “Conversations on Covid-19 and Development” series.

Later, at 3:00 p.m., return to CSIS for Debate One of the China Power Project’s series of five live online debates. Experts will consider the proposition: The U.S.-China relationship can best be described as a “new Cold War.”

Video

CSIS’s Judd Devermont and Travis L. Adkins return for a second episode of “Race and Diplomacy” to discuss the experience of Africans living abroad in China, particularly Guangzhou. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

I’m often asked if I think rock is dead. No, I don’t. The follow up question is, “who rocks these days?” As my buddy Scott pointed out recently in a text, the answer is clear. Royal Blood. If you are a fan of the show “Peaky Blinders” and you’re curious about the soundtrack, you probably already know about Royal Blood. If you don’t and you like to rock out, here’s your chance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCKdhk7mi_4.