The Evening: Ruto’s Reversal, Secret Russian Trial, Call Me The Breeze, and More

Newsletter - June 26, 2024

Kenyan President Rejects Bill That Led to Deadly Protests

In a sudden reversal, President William Ruto of Kenya announced on Wednesday that he would not sign a finance bill that he had long said would stabilize the country's economy-a response to devastating protests a day earlier that left nearly two dozen people dead, as the NYT reports.

Secret Russian Trial

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Russian court Wednesday to face a false accusation of espionage in a secret trial, as a senior Kremlin official told reporters that Moscow was open to the possibility of a prisoner-swap deal that would send him home, as the WSJ reports.

Biden Border Restrictions Bring Sharp Drop in Illegal Crossings

The number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border illegally has dropped more than 40 percent in the three weeks since President Biden announced broad restrictions on asylum claims, administration officials said Wednesday, as The Washington Postreports.

Executive Education

Develop your global acumen and elevate your leadership with the Breakthrough Leadership Program. Through coaching on key skills and seminars on pressing policy issues, the Breakthrough Leadership Program empowers rising global leaders to grow their impact. Applications close this Friday, June 28.

Audio Briefs

CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries-in their own words.

Listen here: "Europe's Security Role in the Indo-Pacific: Making It Meaningful" with CSIS's Max Bergmann.

In That Number

23

A day after at least 23 people were killed in demonstrations against a tax increase, President William Ruto withdrew the law that he said was necessary to avoid defaulting on the country's debt.
Source: NYT

Critical Quote

Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this finance bill, I concede, and therefore, I will not sign the 2024 finance bill, and it shall subsequently be withdrawn.

- Kenyan President William Ruto

iDeas Lab

Image

Thermal infrared analysis via LANDSAT 8 and 9 imagery over two years provides key insights into Yongbyon nuclear facilities' operations, highlighting the intricate strengths and limitations of thermal imagery for operational assessment. Read the full CSIS Beyond Parallel analysis 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: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images

U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, gestures from inside a glass defendants' cage prior to a hearing at Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on June 26, 2024.

Recommended Reading

"Press Briefing: Previewing the NATO Summit" with CSIS's Max Bergmann, Kathleen McInnis, and Sean Monaghan.

This Town Tomorrow

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group hosts a conference analyzing lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the ROK and U.S. industrial strategies created to address the present environment.

Also at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair welcomes Gordon Flake to discuss Australia's relations with the two Koreas and the role Australia and South Korea could play in the G7.

Later, at 3:30 p.m., the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosts the inaugural Carnegie Africa Forum to discuss Africa's role in international cooperation.

Video

Yesterday, the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development discussed how international organizations and development agencies harness the potential of AI technology while ensuring robust safeguards. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

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On this episode of Smart Women, Smart Power, Michele Walsh, Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, UNICEF USA, joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis for a discussion on how she led after Russia invaded Ukraine, including the barriers UNICEF USA anticipated from stakeholders.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

There's nothing like a Lynyrd Skynyrd throwdown, and the 2024 CMA Fest now available on Hulu proved that to be true. Check out this version of J.J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze" featuring ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons.