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April 3, 2024

United States
What Does the U.S. National Guard Do?

The National Guard is a special part of the U.S. military that answers to both state governors and the president. While it began as a “strategic reserve,” the guard has come to play an important role…

A member of the National Guard patrols the southern U.S. border in Eagle Pass, Texas.

April 2, 2024

Economics
Local Leaders in the Global Economy

Many Americans are losing faith in the benefits of internationalism. On this episode of Why It Matters, experts discuss the important role state and local leaders play in global affairs.

Podcast California Governor Newsom and Australian Ambassador Rudd meet to sign climate pact.

March 27, 2024

Space
UFOs: Close Encounters of the National Security Kind

On this episode of Why It Matters, experts discuss the national security concerns around UFOs and the real search for extraterrestrial life.

Podcast Sign for UFO "self parking" against a blue sky.

March 18, 2024

India
India’s Muslims: An Increasingly Marginalized Population

India’s Muslim communities have faced decades of discrimination, which experts say has worsened under the Hindu nationalist BJP’s government.

Muslim women in India hold signs during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

February 23, 2024

Sanctions
Two Years of War in Ukraine: Are Sanctions Against Russia Making a Difference?

The United States and its allies have imposed broad economic penalties on Russia over its war in Ukraine. As the conflict continues, experts debate whether the sanctions are working.

January 17, 2024

Technology and Innovation
The Crypto Question: Bitcoin, Digital Dollars, and the Future of Money

The dizzying rise of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has created new challenges for governments and central banks. Increasing popularity and high levels of market volatility have raised the stakes…

A technician inspects the backside of a bitcoin mining operation in Quebec, Canada.

December 4, 2023

Budget, Debt, and Deficits
The U.S. National Debt Dilemma

With the U.S. national debt already exceeding $16 trillion, President Trump’s tax reform and budget deals with Congress have added to the country’s deficits. CFR explores the origins of the national debt, the risks it presents, and the outlook for change.

An exterior view of the U.S. Treasury building from below

November 8, 2023

Trade
A Turning Point for Global Trade

International trade has shaped the world for much of the past century. Countries benefited from the global flow of goods, and the world became richer and safer. At the same time, many Americans lost …

Podcast Factory worker making textiles on a large industrial machine.

October 20, 2023

Monetary Policy
What Is the U.S. Federal Reserve?

Over the past decade, the Fed kept interest rates low while it deployed trillions of dollars in stimulus and expanded its regulatory oversight. Now, the central bank is back in the spotlight for its …

A stone bald eagle perches on the Federal Reserve building in Washington, DC.

October 11, 2023

G20 (Group of Twenty)
What Does the G20 Do?

The Group of Twenty, an informal gathering of many of the world’s largest economies, is the premier global forum for discussing economic issues. But it has faced divisions over trade, climate change,…

World leaders sit around a circular table at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India.