The one that got away 😢

Aged like milk.

busting out my most terrifying halloween costume this week

when diplomats postpone marriage until after they get promoted

just me?

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to “keep the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness”. Machado is in hiding but continues to campaign against Nicolás Maduro's grip on power.

The moral compass? Currently buffering.

Gold has surged 53% this year, and just hit a record-breaking $4,000 an ounce. “The rally is unbelievable — it tells us something bad is happening and that we should be nervous,” said Dan Smith, managing director at UK-based Commodity Market Analytics. We’re inclined to say: we know.

minister arriving to announce more budget cuts

Nothing unites #France’s left and right quite like the idea of Emmanuel #Macron’s resignation. The centrist president could now call snap elections or appoint his sixth prime minister in just two years, after Sébastien #Lecornu resigned amid threats that his new government would be toppled.

just me?

diplomats be like

#UNGA80: The Prime Minister of some country held a speech about something or other.

At this week's #UN General Assembly, President #Trump rallied against "radicalized environmentalists" who leverage the climate change "hoax" to lead countries towards "total destruction." Xi Jinping said "bet."

Multiple airports in #Denmark were forced to close last night after a drone flyover that defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen described as a "systematic" operation by a "professional actor." #Russia has unsurprisingly rejected the "absurd speculation" of its involvement.

At the #UN General Assembly, #Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro issued a stark warning on global crises, linking conflict, migration, and climate change. He urged the UN to act on #Gaza through a General Assembly vote, adding: “We’ve had enough words.”

Great, more history happening. We'll cover it tomorrow. Subscribe so you won't miss it: www.internationalintrigue.io

Putin’s #Russia Today tweeted about #Kirk’s murder 39 times in 24 hours — not just blaming Ukraine, but fanning the flames to deepen #US divisions. Russian propaganda is often less about getting the West to believe something, and more about it believing — therefore doing — nothing.

The “special relationship” is getting a $10bn glow-up. More deals in AI, quantum, and nuclear energy are on the table next to the teacups for Trump’s historic second State Visit to the UK. The US President will be received with pomp at Windsor Castle today.

Donald Trump is suing The New York Times for $15 billion, accusing the paper of a “long-standing pattern” of defamation. The lawsuit cites a 2024 book and a series of articles published last year — but notably, it was filed just days after the Times and Trump clashed over ✨that✨ birthday letter.

#NepalGenZ have entered their revolutionary era. What began as fury over a social-media ban has morphed into mass anti-corruption protests. The government scrambled to roll back the ban on 20+ apps, but not before the capital burned, the PM resigned, and over 30 died.

#ElonMusk isn't the world's richest person anymore. That title now belongs to #Oracle co-founder and Donald Trump ally #LarryEllison, who just feasted on the AI boom with a $101B one-day net-worth jump, proving that in 2025 cloud beats electric cars.

Murdoch succession drama ends with conservative Lachlan Murdoch as sole heir, while his moderate siblings pocket $3.3 billion — leaving Fox free to keep denying climate change, just as Rupert dreamed of.

“I love the smell of deportations in the morning,” read a TruthSocial post by President #Trump, in which he appeared to threaten #Chicago with a crackdown by the newly rebranded #DepartmentOfWar. Needless to say, Democrats do not seem willing to let him cook.

Our readers, too, keep getting better and better. The support. The snappy answers to our daily polls. The occasional stalking. Feedback like this reminds us why we wake up at the crack of dawn to make sure we never miss a story. A big 'thank you' to all of you for making it worth it.

The Fed’s next blockbuster drops Septe. 17 — starring Jerome Powell. August payrolls limped in at just 22,000 (vs 75,000 expected), while unemployment ticked up to 4.3% — the highest in nearly four years. Bond markets rallied, and Trump reportedly dubbed him “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell.”

POV: It’s their victory parade… but your main character moment. China’s “beautiful ceremony,” said President Trump, had one thing missing: any acknowledgement of the US role in Japan’s defeat. Missiles? Impressive. Tanks? Sure. But the real weapon, it seems, was the silent treatment.

Keeping up with headlines can feel like a time sink. Get your daily briefing from International Intrigue and focus on what matters — because you (probably) won't live forever: bit.ly/3UYta4E

1️⃣ Republican Senator from Maine, Susan Collins, has held her Senate seat since 1997. She's become a fixture in a state that usually leans blue, making her voice often tip votes in Congress and keep the media on their toes.

After news broke that Indonesian parliamentarians get a monthly housing allowance nearly 10× the minimum wage, you’d expect the savvy elites to lay low… and maybe keep an eye out for guillotines. Not Rep. Ahmad Sahroni, though.

Wall Street runs on numbers, China’s Gen Z trades on feelings. They may be just 17% of the population, but their "emotional spending" packs a market punch: #Labubu dolls helped Pop Mart overtake #China's largest retailer, #Laopu jewellery stock has tripled, and bubble tea minted a new mogul.

Nvidia’s revenue soared 56% and profits topped forecasts, yet the stock slipped 3% in extended trading. With data center sales just shy of forecasts, AI demand seems still strong, but not feverish enough to silence bubble talk. Are we seeing the first cracks in the trillion-dollar AI hype?

Evergrande’s delisting is the latest symbol of China’s slow-motion property crash. Yet shares of other real estate firms are suddenly surging, buoyed by fresh pledges from Beijing. The latest Intrigue unpacks China’s market euphoria — and yes, somehow Labubus are involved.

Throwback Tuesday: Trump dusts off his old “Apprentice” line for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — “You’re fired!” — over mortgage fraud claims. Kicking her out would give him a Fed majority — but Cook insists she won't be "bullied" out of her role.

getting ready for halloween early this year

History met sci-fi at the just concluded #JacksonHole Symposium. From the Fed to the ECB, central bankers warned that aging populations and political pushback mean #AI and #automation aren’t just gadgets — they’re the plan. Surely this means more money and leisure time for us all, right? ... right?

how it feels slipping 'multipolarity' into conversation

Your friend John reads 5 pieces of news before breakfast. Jane doomscrolls headlines. Joe still thinks BRICS is a type of cereal. But you read Intrigue. 5-minute briefings, global chaos decoded. Served daily by former diplomats — because world affairs don't have to be boring: bit.ly/47d3VTp

Jerome #Powell returns to #JacksonHole today— and markets are nervously sipping iced lattes. They’re hoping for a soft landing, but history says buckle up. Last time he spoke here, yields spiked, stocks tanked, and someone definitely rage-quit Bloomberg mid-selloff. Suit up and brace your #stocks.

what'd i miss?

Mexico’s uber-famous 'The Rich Also Cry' soap filled the primetime gap left by Party-approved news after the fall of the USSR — and millions of ex-Soviets were suddenly hooked on tears, kisses, and glamour. We explored how, sometimes, TV series can be stronger than tanks in the latest Intrigue.

The life of a s̷h̷o̷w̷g̷i̷r̷l̷ world leader. Zelensky opted to don a suit to step onto the world stage on Monday, hoping to dazzle Trump into supporting Ukraine. That's some swift diplomacy right there.

Putin said, "Next time, in #Moscow." Trump joked he’ll "get a little heat on that one." Hopefully enough to keep him warm on the visit, as they both left #Alaska without a deal. 🌎 Full breakdown in today’s Intrigue newsletter: bit.ly/4ml6S91

The Summit Beyond the Wall In the far North, where the sky burns green, two rulers meet at the edge of the world — one crowned in deals, the other burdened by war. A map lies between as European leaders wait at the gates and Ukraine’s king stands outside, his fate forged in a hall beyond his reach.

European eyes are on Anchorage: will it be progress, chaos, or just a very long meeting in a very cold room?

Nvidia + AMD can now sell “slower” AI chips to China — if they hand 15% of revenue to Uncle Sam. Is this industrial policy… or a yard sale for national security? Get the full story in today's Intrigue: archives.internationalintrigue.io

Now serving: conflict carbs. Ukraine’s exports are toast. Russia’s harvest hit a 16-year low. But Putin’s still hungry—demanding a 50% export boost by 2030, served with stolen Ukrainian grain from seized lands, farmer hoarding, and mystery-mix exports. 🥖 2025: Even your sandwich has trust issues.

This Friday, Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska to discuss Ukraine's future. Everyone else? Not invited. Instead, European leaders will join Chancellor Merz’s Zoom call — where we hear the first agenda item is: "reasons we didn’t want an invite anyway."

govt budgets be like