January 6 Hearings, Anniversary of Hong Kong Handover, and More

The January 6 committee hearings generate new interest, Hong Kong observes the twenty-fifth anniversary of its handover to China, and migrant smuggling gets new scrutiny after dozens were found dead inside a truck in Texas.

 

Play Button Pause Button
0:00 0:00
x
Hosts
  • Robert McMahon
    Managing Editor
  • Carla Anne Robbins
    Senior Fellow

Show Notes

The January 6 committee hearings generate new interest, Hong Kong observes the twenty-fifth anniversary of its handover to China, and migrant smuggling gets new scrutiny after dozens were found dead inside a truck in Texas.

 

Books and Articles Mentioned

 

Keith B. Richburg, “Hong Kong Was Not Supposed to Look Like This” (2022)

 

Diana Roy and Sabine Baumgartner, “Crossing the Darien Gap: Migrants Risk Death on the Journey to the U.S.” (2022)

 

Anthony Salvanto, Jennifer de Pinto, Fred Backus, and Kabir Khanna, “CBS News poll: Half say Trump tried to stay in office through illegal means, should be charged with crimes” (2022)

 

Russia

Russia holds its presidential election with the Kremlin aiming to orchestrate a sweeping endorsement of President Vladimir Putin; the U.S. Congress continues its partisan battles over the 2024 budget as concerns of shutdown and aid to allies mount; the U.S. Library of Congress flexes its soft power by awarding Elton John and Bernie Taupin with the Gershwin Prize; and the crisis in Haiti worsens.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Negotiators attempt to establish a six-week cease-fire and hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas before the start of the sacred Islamic month of Ramadan; Portugal holds a snap parliamentary election with a far-right party gaining traction; international films gain prominence at the ninety-sixth Academy Awards; and Chinese President Xi Jinping breaks with the thirty-year tradition of the premier’s press conference after the National People’s Congress.

United States

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his last State of the Union address before elections to a polarized Congress; Iran holds its first parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections since the 2022 protests sparked by the death of activist Mahsa Amini; Bosnia and Herzegovina marks independence as ethnic divisions fester; and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) welcomes Sweden as its newest member state.

Top Stories on CFR

Immigration and Migration

Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the record surge in migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. southern border.

Center for Preventive Action

Every January, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the year ahead and measures their potential impact. For the first time, the survey anticipates that this year, 2024, the United States will contend not only with a slew of global threats, but also a high risk of upheaval within its own borders. Is the country prepared for the eruption of election-related instability at home while wars continue to rage abroad?

Central America