Might as well go touch grass.

The game for #Ukraine is on — and #Zelensky’s invite might have been lost in the mail. How does a game end with the defeat of someone who’s not even playing? We’ve mapped out the plays in today’s International Intrigue: bit.ly/45cJmVP

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."

No substitutions. No peace of bread. #Ukraine's exports are toast. #Russia's harvest is crumbling. And Putin’s still hungry—demanding a 50% export boost by 2030— so they’ve added a not-so-secret sauce: occupied Ukrainian farmland, now producing 3% of Russia’s grain. Russian

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

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

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

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/4mmPAsr

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.

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

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

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, jokes baked in. Served daily by former diplomats — because world affairs don't have

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

Throwback Tuesday: #Trump dusts off his old “Apprentice” line for #FederalReserve Governor #LisaCook — “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.

#Nvidia reports earnings today with ~$46B revenue expected, fueled by AI chip demand and China’s H20 sales. Options markets brace for a 6% swing — a $260B move — that could ripple through the S&P 500 and crypto. Investors may shoot for the moon, but a sharp pullback looms if

China’s property sector has spent years in freefall, yet real estate shares are suddenly climbing. Markets are betting Beijing will pump in more support to keep the headlines upbeat ahead of next week’s parade — with none other than Putin on the guest list. The latest Intrigue

#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, it seems like AI demand is still strong, but not feverish enough to silence bubble talk. Are we seeing the first cracks in the

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

Barbie had her summer. #NFTs had their moment. But 2025 belongs to Labubu, the ugly-cute plush that’s become the Birkin of toys. It’s been spotted in K-pop fandoms, at celebrity photo ops, and even in the Louvre. The world’s gone delulu for #Labubu — unbox the full story with

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… "Clanker" was clone-speak for battle droids in Star Wars. Now it’s the internet’s jab for #AI headaches — from chatbots and frozen self-checkouts to algorithmic customer service, or the robot colleague who never takes a sick day.