This week, John and Kristen discuss developments in Rome at a conference attracting numerous foreign ministers as the G7 meets right next door, closing Italy’s hosting year.

John dives into what Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, would mean for Washington and the country, plus what some of the 47ths cabinet picks could mean for Trump’s policy.

John mentioned the Musk and Ramaswamy’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal which you can read here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020

Subscribe to International Intrigue here: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but our expert co-host and chief executive, John Fowler, has lost his voice! This means today’s edition of the pod is postponed—but don’t worry, we’ll be back as soon as he’s ready to speak again.

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!

John and Kristen hit record just after the first debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris wrap on their first debate (and first time meeting face-to-face!) in the 2024 election season. From the CHIPS Act to pictures of a Taliban leader’s home, there was more foreign policy intrigue than we banked on. Lucky for you, we had our notes prepared.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

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On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue senior editor Valentina Calvi joins to discuss the latest on normalisation negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, and what the collapse of First Republic bank means for the US financial system.

Thanks to our sponsor, Roca News.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss Samsung's eye-watering earnings report, and how Mozambique managed to stifle an insurgency and reopen a critical natural gas plant. Thanks to our sponsor, The Daily Upside.

On today's episode, Victoire Ingabire and Anjan Sundaram join to discuss their first-hand experience facing political repression in Rwanda, why Western governments continue to support the current government, and what happens when the government's leader, Paul Kagame, leaves office.

Victoire Ingabire is a leader in Rwanda's pro-democracy movement who was imprisoned for eight years while running for president in 2010.

Anjan Sundaram is a journalist and author of Bad News: Last Journalists in a Dictatorship, whose op-ed entitled "He's a Brutal Dictator, and One of the West's Best Friends" was featured in the New York Times.

Thanks to our sponsor, Best Buy.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to examine US President Biden's re-election bid and his foreign policy report card, and how Spain is managing its unprecedented drought. Thanks to our sponsor, Roca News.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss why China's building a new base in Antarctica, and how Chile plans to win the spoils of its resource wealth. Thanks to our sponsor, Babbel.

On today's episode of Intrigue Outloud, Dr. Liana Fix joins to discuss Europe's response to the War in Ukraine, and whether the continent is adequately preparing to address future threats. Dr. Liana Fix is the fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, former resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and author of A New German Power? Germany’s Role in European Russia Policy. U.S. Leadership on Ukraine Is Increasing European Dependence by Liana. Thanks to our sponsor, Power Corridor.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss the deteriorating situation in Sudan as two warring generals fight for control, and explain why Saudi Arabia welcomed Hamas for negotiations.

Thanks to our sponsor, Babbel.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss why Germany decided to close its last three nuclear reactors, and the North Korean nuclear program's big breakthrough. Thanks to our sponsor, Todoist.

On today's Intrigue Outloud, Andrew J. Scott joins to discuss a range of challenges and opportunities as the global population growth rate starts to slow, and how countries can adapt to support citizens through retirement and old age. Andrew J. Scott is a Professor of Economics at London Business School, consulting scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Longevity, and author of the bestselling book The 100-Year Life. Why 8 billion matters: The population milestone signals a significant global shift by Professor Scott Thanks to our sponsor, Best Buy.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss French President Macron's controversial visit to China, and the ongoing leak of highly-classified US intelligence documents. Thanks to our sponsor, Todoist.

This week, we dive into what a Democrat win in November could mean for US-China relations. Harris has signaled she will likely continue down the path that President Joe Biden carved out over the past four years when it comes to Beijing but with a VP pick that has been to China nearly 30 times since the late 80s, there's certainly intrigue on if and what could shift.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

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On today's episode of Intrigue Outloud, Dave Sharma joins to discuss a range of Australian foreign policy issues - how the AUKUS deal can stabilise the region, how to win friends among the Pacific Islands, and how Australia can find new partners outside its traditional sphere of influence.

Dave Sharma is a former member of Australian Parliament from the centre-right Liberal Party and served as Australia's Ambassador to Israel from 2013-2017.

For more of Dave's insights, check out his Substack newsletter.

Thanks to our sponsor, Power Corridor.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue senior editor Valentina Calvi joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss Italy’s decision to temporarily restrict ChatGPT, and the first Russian detention of an American journalist since 1986.

Thanks to our sponsor, The Daily Upside.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss how Finland finally became a member of NATO, and what Donald Trump's indictment might mean for US foreign policy.

Thanks to our sponsor, Roca News.

On today's episode of Intrigue Outloud, Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili joins to discuss the evolving geopolitical landscape in Central Asia - Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan - and how the Russo-Ukraine War is redrawing old spheres of influence and empowering Central Asian countries to pursue their interests.

Professor Murtazashvili is the Founding Director of the Center for Governance and Markets and professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, and a non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Central Asian countries now have two big worries about Russia by Professor Murtazashvili

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On this episode of Intrigue Outloud, Tiziano Breda joins to discuss El Salvador's unprecedented state of exception, which has restricted civil liberties in order to fight criminal gangs since 27 March of last year.

Tiziano is a researcher at the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome, and a former Central America analyst at the International Crisis Group based in Guatemala.

Latin America Likes Bukele’s ‘War on Gangs.’ That’s a Problem by Tiziano.

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On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins for an update on France's fraught pension reform debate, and to discuss the legal troubles of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan.

Thanks to our sponsor, 1440.

On this episode of Intrigue Outloud, Haviv Rettig Gur and Gilad Kariv join Ethan Plotkin to discuss Israel's ongoing protests, how lawmakers are responding, and why time may not be on Israeli democracy's side.

Haviv Rettig Gur is the Senior Political Analyst at the Times of Israel.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv is a constitutional law expert and member of the Israeli Knesset from the Labor Party.

Anatomy of a self-sabotaging reform by Haviv.

Thanks to our sponsor, Power Corridor.

This week, we dive into what a potential Trump 2.0 administration could mean for US-China relations. Former President Donald Trump set the tone for hawkish China policies out of Washington, very much continued by sitting President Joe Biden. So, what would a Republican ticket look to accelerate if they win in November? You heard reported thoughts here first, from a diplomat who was in China for Trump 1.0 even (John).

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss the AUKUS submarine deal between the US, UK, and Australia, and the collapse of California-based Silicon Valley Bank.

Thanks to our sponsor, Roca News.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder Helen Zhang joins to discuss the protests in Georgia and the normalisation agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Thanks to our sponsor, PolicyWare.

On this episode of Intrigue Outloud, Ellie Geranmayeh joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss how the Iran nuclear deal fell apart, and how Western governments can negotiate with the Iranian regime without undermining the protests against it.

Ellie Geranmayeh is a senior policy fellow and deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She focuses on European policy in relation to Iran, particularly on the nuclear and regional dossiers and sanctions policy.

"We still need a nuclear deal with Iran. Protests don't change that" by Ellie (Washington Post)

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss French President Emmanuel Macron's trip across Africa, and the major reparations agreement between South Korea and Japan.

Thanks to our sponsor, Power Corridor.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss China’s “Two Sessions” parliamentary meetings, and the stories of two political prisoners in Belarus and Cambodia.

Thanks to our sponsor, Roca News.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue Managing Editor Jeremy Dicker (JD) joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss Mexico's booming car industry and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Central Asia.

Thanks to our sponsor, Highland Titles (use discount code 'Intrigue' at checkout for 20% off!).

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss the Northern Ireland deal between the EU and UK, and the latest from the Yemen Civil War.

Thanks to our sponsor, Best Buy.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss Nigeria's presidential elections and China's plan for peace in Ukraine.

Check out today's sponsor, Roca News.

On this episode of Intrigue Outloud, Erol Yayboke joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss why a decade of migration and displacement made the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria on 6 February so deadly, and how regional governments should respond to renewed migration pressure.

Erol is the director of the Project on Fragility and Mobility at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and an adjunct professor at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Public Policy.

Shattered Relief: A 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Turkey and Syria by Erol.

Thanks to our sponsor, 1440.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss US President Joe Biden's surprise visit to Kyiv, and the cost-of-living protests in Suriname.

Check out today's sponsor, 1440

This week, we took to the windy city to get the scoop on the DNC live from scene. From main stage speeches to off-the-record conversations, the Democrats created a convention that felt like a pep rally for November. With Trump still doing well in the polls, the fight is far from over.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

On today's Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins to discuss Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Beijing, and the months-long protests over pension reform in France.

If you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a rating and review, and tell a friend!

On today’s Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founders John Fowler and Helen Zhang join Ethan Plotkin to discuss a potential plot against Moldova’s government, and the judicial reforms that are bringing hundreds of thousands of Israelis into the streets.

If you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a rating and a review, and tell a friend!

On today’s Intrigue Outloud news rundown, Intrigue co-founder John Fowler joins Ethan Plotkin to discuss Nicaragua’s surprise transfer of more than 200 political prisoners to the United States, and whether the tragic earthquake in Turkey and Syria will move countries to cooperate with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

If you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a rating and a review, and tell a friend!

Thanks to our sponsor, Policyware.

Welcome to the Intrigue Outloud podcast channel!

For this inaugural episode, Charles Dunst joins to discuss his new book Defeating the Dictators, released on 2 February. The book tells the story of how democracy saw its global image threatened by technologically-advanced and bureaucratically-efficient autocracies in the Middle East and East Asia, and provides a roadmap to policymakers looking to rebuild trust in their political systems. Dunst is a Senior Associate at the Asia Group, a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a regular contributor to leading newspapers like the New York Times.

Make sure to subscribe to stay up to date on all the content coming to this channel. And if you have comments, concerns, or guest ideas for future episodes (or if you want to be a guest yourself!), reach out at ethan@internationalintrigue.io.

Link to purchase Defeating the Dictators: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/charles-dunst/defeating-the-dictators/9781399704434/

This week, we discuss Trump's return to X, the former President's over two hour conversation with tech titan Elon Musk (including a potential cabinet position) and how the Democrats are prepping for the DNC next week in Chicago.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

This week, we discuss what putting Tim Walz on the Democrat ticket could mean for Harris's chances of winning in November, the governor's views on foreign policy, and his relationship with China dating back to 1989.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

This was supposed to be a slow news week as we all digested a brand new race for president but nevertheless Venezuela had elections, the Middle East a few assassinations and a number of foreign countries has US election interference on the mind.

This week, we discuss what the latest global developments mean for the two candidates, who looks most likely to chosen for Kamala Harris's VP slot and how the DNC, once seen as a snooze fest, could end up bringing embassies after all.

Join John Fowler and Kristen Talman for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

Vice President Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee for President. And that's the sum total of what we know about how the electoin will go from here!

This week, we discuss what her lightning-fast ascent to the top of the ticket means for US foreign policy, and how leaders in capitals around the world make of a potential Harris Administration.

Join John Fowler and Kristen Talman for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

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📧 Shoot us an email here.

Can we get a weekend off? Only kidding but it has been a wild past two weekends between an assassination attempt and President Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic candidate, stepping aside. While Kristen was in Milwaukee for the RNC, Republicans united around Trump as foreign delegations tried to squeeze time in with potential 2.0 administration bigwigs. The uncertainty now lies in the Democrat camp where Vice President Kamala Harris looks to be an obvious frontrunner but isn't without her adversaries. John and Kristen discuss the implications of the US political drama and what it means.

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Hi folks, John here. Both Kristen and I are in the field talking to sources and trying to get close to the people in the rooms where decisions are made. We hear you about the audio quality - it's not the best it could be, but if you can bear with us, we'll back in our home studios soon. Until then, we hope you enjoy our timely, insightful and most importantly, free(!) content.

Who noticed the NATO summit even happened? The shadow Biden's future cast over the proceedings obscured the relatively important takeaways from the two day summit. And isn't that the problem? If the president's future is more important than the work he's elected to do, it feels a little like the tail is wagging the dog. John and Kristen discuss the implications of the US political drama and what it means.

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📧 Shoot us an email here.

Welcome to Trump's America. On January 20th, former President Donald Trump will become the 47th president. In the meantime, he is President-elect. Washington, as we know it, has changed and will evolve over the next some 10 weeks. Is this a surprise? Tune in.

Join John and Kristen for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.

Shoot us an email here.

The UK has a new Prime Minister, and the US doesn't have a new president... yet! What does a Labour government mean for the 'Special Relationship'?

*To the emailers: Kristen apologises for her less than perfect audio, but we'll be back in our home studios soon!

Join John Fowler and Kristen Talman for their takes on the US election and what it means for the world.

👉 Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter.

📧 Shoot us an email here.

Key takeaways:

• US Political Climate: There are ongoing debates about President Biden's health and the media's role in shaping public perception. Media outlets have shifted their narrative, facing criticism for potentially downplaying Biden's cognitive issues.
• Foreign Policy Focus: The Biden administration's foreign policy decisions are still made with input from key figures like Blinken and Sullivan, even as domestic policy decisions remain somewhat opaque.
• UK Election Results: The Labour Party won a significant victory in the UK election, leading to discussions on what this means for UK foreign policy, particularly in relation to the US and NATO. The Labour Party's stance on Brexit and its commitment to NATO and Ukraine were highlighted.
• Labour's Foreign Policy Strategy: Labour's approach to foreign policy is described as "progressive realism," focusing on using realistic means to achieve progressive ends. This includes a strong commitment to NATO and supporting Ukraine, distancing themselves from the previous leadership under Jeremy Corbyn.
• Future Implications: There is speculation on how the Labour Party, under Keir Starmer, will navigate relationships with global powers, particularly the US, depending on the outcome of the US election. Labour needs to balance domestic priorities with maintaining strong international alliances.

What will Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin or Benjamin Netanyahu make of Biden's stumbling performance? Did we learn anything about Trump or Biden's foreign policy 2.0? Will Biden even be the candidate come November?

Join John Fowler and Kristen Talman for their reaction to the Trump-Biden debate last night.

👉 Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter.

📧 Shoot us an email here.

Key takeaways:

• Biden's performance in the debate raised concerns about his fitness to lead
• The Democratic Party may need to replace Biden if they want to win over undecided voters
• Trump's worldview is isolationist, while Biden's is more aligned with traditional alliances
• The candidates' views on foreign policy, including NATO and the Russia-Ukraine war, differ significantly
• The messaging on Israel-Gaza relations is not clear for Biden
• China is an area of common ground between the parties, with both candidates likely to take a tough stance

Welcome back to Intrigue Events!

The space for geopolitical discussion and exploration is often relegated to dusty rooms, with jargony conversations, and one too many uses of the word 'tripolarity.' At Intrigue Media, we're here to change that. Our mission is to discover, contextualize, and analyze the consequences of global political events.

Intrigue Events transforms these insights into vibrant, engaging experiences where professionals connect, hear exclusive insights, and engage in dynamic discussions.

On October 24th we hosted an event in partnership with Samsung at their Future Center in Washington DC: “Securing Tomorrow: The Future of Cyber Threats and Global Defense.” Our incredible guests from the State Department, DARPA, and SentinelOne offered great insight into the growing role of cybersecurity in a geopolitically active world. Enjoy!

Chapters:

0:00-2:00 Opening Remarks from Intrigue's Helen Zhang

2:00-4:30 Remarks from Eric Tamarkin – Director & Senior Public Policy Counsel at Samsung

4:30-27:50 Liesyl Franz – Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the Department of State

27:50-47:45 Dr. Matt Turek – Deputy Director, Information Innovation Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

47:45-1:08:56 Brandon Wales – Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy, SentinelOne and Former Executive Director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

Subscribe to International Intrigue, the free 5-minute global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/