The Brookings Current

Under Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, deforestation of the Amazon has risen, and consequently so have the number of fires throughout the Amazon region. Nonresident Senior Fellow Otaviano Canuto addresses the need for sustainable economic development across the Amazon region, how the fires could affect Brazil's future participation in the global economy, and whether public and political support...

Following Denmark's rejection of a U.S. offer to buy Greenland, Scott Anderson weighs in on the diplomatic incident prompted by the White House's cancellation of a meeting between President Trump and Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Anderson explains the international principles of self-determination that shape Greenland's increasingly autonomous relationship with Denmark, the failure o...

Following the resignation of Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Brookings Visiting Fellow Giovanna De Maio explains what led to the government crisis, the likelihood of Italy's political parties forming a new coalition government, and whether Matteo Salvini's League has enough popular support to win an outright majority in elections. De Maio also examines the "Moscopoli" scandal over the role...

Amid a turbulent week in the U.S.-China trade war, Senior Fellow  David Dollar  explains why the value of China's yuan is falling and whether the U.S. Treasury Department's designation of China as a currency manipulator is accurate. Dollar also discusses the effect that the yuan's depreciation had on the U.S. stock market, why markets stabilized on Tuesday, and the prospects of a de-escalation of...

Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Cold War-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, Frank Rose examines the Trump administration's reasons for exiting the treaty, steps the U.S. should take to avoid escalating an arms race, and the need for any new arms control treaties to be responsive to the changing security environment in Europe and Asia. Full show notes:  https://brook.g...

Following Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's meeting with President Donald Trump, Visiting Fellow Madiha Afzal examines whether this visit succeeded at repairing relations between the U.S. and Pakistan, Pakistan's role in talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, as well as Trump and Khan's personal similarities. Full show notes:  https://brook.gs/32O9mEu   Subscribe to Brookings pod...

A new report from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization shows that the number of undernourished people in the world has been on the rise since 2015, with more than 2 billion lacking regular access to nutritious and sufficient food. Brookings Senior Fellow John McArthur examines the trends of rising hunger and obesity and recommends using all the sustainable development goals as a North Star t...

Following Labor Secretary Alex Acosta's resignation, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas updates her count of the Trump administration's unprecedented levels of senior staff turnover and examines the effect leadership turmoil has on the ability of departments and agencies to govern. Full show notes available here:  https://brook.gs/2l5lPT2   Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on  Apple podcasts , send feed...

In this episode, Jon Valant explains how the sharp exchange between Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden during the Democratic primary debate showcased the generational, racial, and ideological divisions within the Democratic Party. He also explores federal policy options to improve school integration that don't involve forced busing, from housing policies to promoting voluntary...

Christine Lagarde has been tapped by the European Council to be the next leader of the European Central Bank. Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Douglas Rediker examines the role of the ECB in the European and global economies and Lagarde's transformative leadership at the International Monetary Fund, including her focus on the role of women as drivers of economic growth. Full show notes availabl...

Following the storming of Hong Kong's Legislative Council building by protesters, Richard Bush weighs in on China's moves to undermine political freedoms there, how Hong Kong's government has responded to the ongoing protests, and compares the current demonstrations to 2014's Umbrella Movement.  Full show notes available here:  https://brook.gs/2XnfsIe   Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or o...

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from adding a question on citizenship status to the 2020 census. In this episode, demographer William Frey explains the ruling and how a skewed census would affect the political representation of state legislative districts, over-weighing the representation of older, whiter populations. Frey also cautions that the decision has b...

As Trump administration and Arab government officials meet in Manama, Bahrain, Tamara Cofman Wittes examines the likely outcomes of the "Peace to Prosperity" economic workshop based on current Israeli and Arab political contexts, and skepticism from potential private sector investors. Wittes also explains how President Trump's reelection considerations may forestall any further advancement of a po...

Following former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's sudden death in a Cairo court, Shadi Hamid evaluates his legacy and how his passing symbolizes international and regional resignation to the intensifying repression in el-Sissi's Egypt.   Show notes available here:  https://brook.gs/2x36oxm   Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on  Apple podcasts , send feedback email to  BCP@Brookings.edu...

Ahead of the U.S. visit of Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Visiting Fellow Giovanna de Maio explains the nationalist priorities Salvini and the Trump administration have in common, uncertainties within Italy's coalition government, and what recent EU election wins mean for the likelihood of Salvini making a run for prime minister. Full show notes available here:  https://brook.gs/2Fc...

As the Supreme Court deliberates whether a question about citizenship status should be allowed on the 2020 Census, Senior Fellow Alan Berube explains the new documents that have come to light regarding the political motivations behind the question. Berube also addresses how such a question is likely to result in the disenfranchisement of immigrant communities and other communities of color, as wel...

As the African Continental Free Trade Area comes into effect, Landry Signé explains its potential to unlock economic opportunities across the continent, what's delaying Nigeria's participation, and the challenges remaining to implementation. Full show notes here:  https://brook.gs/2wqltJd  Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on  Apple podcasts , send feedback email to  BCP@Brookings.edu , an...

Brookings Visiting Fellow Célia Belin explains three lessons to be learned from the recent elections for the European Parliament, including how to understand the emergence of a "third voice" between the traditional center-left and center-right parties on one side, and euroskeptic nationalists on the other. Full show notes here:  https://brook.gs/2QsNtFa Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on...

In this episode, Brookings Fellow Tanvi Madan examines Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's re-election, his party's stunning sweep of parliamentary seats, and the record-breaking turnout, especially of female voters, that fueled it. She also speaks to the economic and foreign policy challenges Modi will need to address in the coming months.  Full show notes available here:  https://brook.gs/2W3Y...

Senior Fellow Suzanne Maloney discusses the rising tensions between Iran and the United States and the likelihood of an escalation into military conflict or changes in Iranian behavior. Maloney also discusses the severe sanctions the U.S. has imposed on Iran, their effect on the Iranian economy, and whether the Islamic Republic's situation will remain tenable moving forward. Subscribe to Brookings...

In this episode, former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler reacts to Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes' op-ed calling for the breakup of Facebook and recommends a broad set of tools beyond just anti-trust regulation to break open Facebook's monopolization of information and ensure an open and competitive digital marketplace. Full show notes:  https://brook.gs/2V9zswQ  Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or o...

Senior Fellow Shadi Hamid examines the Trump administration's renewed push to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, how this move reflects the administration's priorities in the Middle East, and the repercussions of criminalizing the activities of millions of people in U.S.-allied countries.  Full show notes:  https://brook.gs/2GRD80Z  Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on ...

Brookings Fellow Adie Tomer explains what's included in the $2 trillion infrastructure proposal announced Tuesday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer following their meeting with President Trump, and how federal infrastructure programs are woefully outdated.  Full show notes:  https://brook.gs/2GSh070  Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or on  Apple podcasts...

In the first episode of The Current (formerly 5 on 45), Lawfare's Margaret Taylor explains what's revealed in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on whether the Trump campaign engaged in criminal conspiracy and obstruction of justice, and the political and moral questions that remain for the public and Congress to answer regarding acceptable norms of governance and the rule of law. Full show n...

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. This new show from the Brookings Institution broadens the scope of "5 on 45." If you already subscribe to "5 on 45," you won't need to do anything. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  here  or...