Since October 2023, Houthi militants have deployed missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea — creating security concerns in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and causing major disruptions to supply chains. On this episode of Baker Briefing, experts assess the security threat in the Red Sea and the broader geopolitical ramifications of the Israel-Hamas war.
Jim Krane, David M. Satterfield, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Mohammad Ayatollahi TabaarFebruary 14, 2024
Health care costs in the U.S. have climbed dramatically in recent decades. Elevated prescription and premium prices have left more Americans at risk of being unable to afford basic health care services. Our experts discuss key factors leading to medical unaffordability and steps policymakers must take to address the issue.
Global leaders met in Dubai this month for the 28th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties on climate change — known as COP28. In the lead-up to the conference, our expert panel broke down the key political and policy issues at play.
Mark Finley, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Jim Krane, Rachel A. Meidl, Joe BarnesNovember 29, 2023
In July, the Chinese government announced that its foreign minister, Qin Gang, had been removed from office and replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. Fellows Joe Barnes and Steven W. Lewis discuss what the move reveals — and what it could mean for U.S.-China relations — on this episode of Baker Briefing.
This week, the White House announced a new initiative to tackle the growing use of fentanyl laced with xylazine — known to many as "tranq." This combination of drugs poses an alarming and significant threat to public health.
OPEC+, which is led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, announced this week that it is cutting oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting in May. This amounts to removing roughly 1% of oil from the global market. Our experts discuss the far-reaching consequences of this move for U.S. gas prices, American energy security, and U.S.-Saudi relations.
David M. Satterfield, Mark Finley, Jim Krane, Kristian Coates UlrichsenApril 5, 2023
In March 2023, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped at gunpoint in northern Mexico; two were found dead and two others were rescued following a manhunt. The incident quickly became an international crisis and renewed U.S. focus on violence south of the border. This conversation explores the binational relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and growing tensions regarding Mexico’s approach to clamping down on violence and crime.
The pandemic spurred a rollercoaster of quick, subsequent economic events in three years that might normally occur across three decades: record unemployment, a brief recession, federal assistance, highest inflation since the 1980s, interest rate increases, and in 2023, concerns regarding a looming recession. Some U.S. consumers have dealt with the aftermath of this whiplash by shifting their spending and saving behaviors. Our experts discuss U.S. consumer trends since the pandemic — what’s stayed the same, new phenomena, and notable policy developments.
David M. Satterfield, Joe Barnes, Joyce Beebe, John W. DiamondMarch 1, 2023
The Texas power grid is infamously disconnected from the rest of the U.S. Its status as an “energy island” can bring both advantages and disadvantages. Two years ago, Winter Storm Uri knocked out power across Texas for days and exposed major reliability concerns. Here, we discuss changes made in the two years since Winter Storm Uri. Is the Texas grid “fixed?”
Julie A. Cohn, Peter R. Hartley, Edward M. Emmett, David M. SatterfieldFebruary 21, 2023