The Evening: More NK Troops to Russia, Oil Prices Tumble, Box of Rain, and More

Newsletter - October 28, 2024

NATO says North Korean troops already deployed to Russia

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Monday that North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Kursk, the Russian region where Ukrainian forces seized territory in a surprise attack over the summer, as The Washington Post reports.

Oil prices tumble after Israel refrains from attacking Iran's refining facilities

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after Israel's attack on Iran at the weekend avoided oil and nuclear facilities and Tehran gave a measured response to the strikes, as the FT reports.

Israel urged by Yellen to help Palestinian economy function

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the West Bank's economy could collapse if Israel doesn't preserve its banking relationship with Palestinian financial institutions, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

Step into the unfolding story of superpower strategy as U.S.-China relations continue to redefine the global order. Flashpoints and Future of the U.S.-China Relationshipexplores the complex dynamics driving this critical relationship through expert insights and simulated futures. Registerby November 6.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest critical questions by CSIS's Gregory C. Allen and Isaac Goldston, "The Biden Administration's National Security Memorandum on AI Explained."

In That Number

10,000

The Pentagon said North Korea has now sent about 10,000 soldiers to train in eastern Russia, with many moving toward the battlefield in the Kursk region.
Source: NYT

Critical Quote

I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region.

iDeas Lab

Chris Bowen, Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, joins Pacific Policy Pulseto discuss his meeting with climate and finance ministers from the G20, U.S.-Australia collaboration on renewable energy projects, and why he is reading Jay Hakes' The Presidents and the Planet.

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

Optics

Photo: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty Images

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, and Iceland's Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson are pictured before attending the 2024 Nordic Council meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, on October 28, 2024.

Recommended Reading

"The Biden Administration's National Security Memorandum on AI Explained" by CSIS's Gregory C. Allen and Isaac Goldston.

This Town Tomorrow

At 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses North Korea sending troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., the CSIS Global Health Policy Center hosts a conversation on areas of mutual health interest between the United States and Japan and offering future operations to expand the U.S.-Japan alliance and regional health security.

Earlier, at 9:30 a.m., the Wilson Center holds a symposium bringing together legal scholars, experts, and practitioners from Canada and the U.S. to discuss artificial intelligence regulation, governance, and liability.

Video

Last week, H.E. Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India, joined CSIS for an in-person conversation on India's economic aspirations. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

This week, the Trade Guys recorded their show live at the National Small Business Exporter Summit hosted by NASBITE International. They talk U.S. elections and the services economy, then field questions from the audience.

Listen on Spotify& Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

"Walk into splintered sunlight"
"Inch your way through dead dreams to another land"

This one is bittersweet-the world lost Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh last week. An uncommonly talented bassist, Lesh was the backbone of the Dead. Following Jerry Garcia's death, Lesh kept the music flowing and helped cement the band's legacy. Up until last week, he continued to play a vital role in keeping the Dead's music alive and relevant through his band The Terrapin Family. Along with Lesh's son Grahame, the Terrapin Family brought together some of the best young rock musicians like Nikki Bluhm and Daniel Donato to supercharge the music the Dead made so famous.

Back when the Grateful Dead stormed through America with the wind at their backs and the spirit of Kerouac, Kesey and Cassady carrying them forever further, Lesh could bring down the house when he stepped to the microphone to sing one of his signature tunes like "Box of Rain." His fans in the "Phil Zone" demanded it.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz