This past week, leaders of the "Quad" - U.S., India, Japan, and Australia - met for the first time as a group to put forward a positive agenda and address Chinese behavior in the Indo-Pacific region. Tanvi Madan evaluates what the Quad summit signals about the Biden administration's regional strategy, and the significance newly announced COVID-19 vaccine initiative.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3eM0Hv1 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Lauren Bauer explains how unemployment insurance (UI) benefits - now extended to September via the American Rescue Plan - have affected household finances and worker behavior, and why Congress should add automatic triggers to UI before the next recession.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2Ord8l1 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

As the American Rescue Plan makes its final way through Congress, Wendy Edelberg examines how the key elements will provide much-needed economic relief to states and families, and make significant cuts in child poverty. Looking ahead, Edelberg recommends that Democrats and Republicans should next put together an infrastructure package to help build a robust, long-term economic recovery.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3ewuY0q 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Although a U.S. intelligence report conclusively found that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the Biden administration has not yet directly penalized the crown prince himself. Bruce Riedel explains why the White House may be hesitating to act more directly and why Mohammed bin Salman's position in Saudi Arabia may be less secure than the administration thinks.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3swwS5c 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

President Biden's authorization of a U.S. retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed militias in Syria raises questions about his administration's policies toward Iraq, Syria, and the broader region. Michael O'Hanlon addresses the scale of the airstrikes, whether congressional authorization should have been sought, and how he expects the Biden administration to streamline the U.S. military presence in the Middle East. 

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3sA3xXl 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced its willingness to rejoin talks with Iran over the future of its nuclear program. However, the administration's goal isn't to simply revert to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, explains Suzanne Maloney, and when it comes to Iran policy, "getting it right is more important than getting it fast."

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3saiQ93 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The protests in Russia in support of jailed anti-corruption leader Alexei Navalny are fueled by a combination of frustrations with Vladimir Putin's repressive government, Russia's stagnant economy, and the impacts of COVID, says Angela Stent. Whether demonstrations will grow into a larger, sustained movement remains to be seen, and what influence the U.S. and Europe can wield may be limited.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3ayuq6N 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

In his first week in office, President Joe Biden has issued two executive orders emphasizing racial equity as a core policy at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and across the federal government writ large. Senior Fellow Andre Perry explains the significance of both orders, and more ways for the Biden administration to proactively pursue inclusive policies in its first 100 days and beyond.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/36kUz7T 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The attack by Trump supporters on the U.S. Capitol "was America at its darkest," says John Hudak, and raised "legitimate serious concerns for not just the operation of the Congress to count electoral votes, but for the continuity of government itself." Hudak examines whether Congress will seek to remove President Trump from power in his final 13 days, how successful it will be if it tries, and whether the Republican Party will reassess where it stands post-Trump.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/398TtN7 

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The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Bruce Riedel explains why the departure of President Trump may have led the Saudis and their Gulf allies to rethink their rift with Qatar, and what reconciliation among the Gulf states will mean for the Biden administration's goals for restoring a working relationship with Iran.

Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3s1U4bQ 

Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to [email protected], and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.

The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.