Colombia’s massive election upset


IRAN
The regime has denied a rumour (amplified by opposition-aligned outlets) about Iran’s figurehead president tendering his resignation. Meanwhile, the US and Iran have again traded fire for the third time in a week, with the Americans claiming hits on Iranian radar sites, while Kuwait is reporting damage to a base hosting US troops. And… in weirder news, hackers have managed to breach the dormant Obama White House Instagram page to post pro-Iran propaganda! (France24)
CHINA
Beijing has appointed Ding Xiangqun as chief of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), China’s top financial regulator. (CNA)
ARMENIA
Moscow has recalled its ambassador to Armenia in protest over Yerevan’s accelerating rapprochement with the EU. Once a Russian ally, Armenia has pivoted sharply toward Brussels since Putin failed to protect it during Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh. (DW)
MEXICO
President Sheinbaum has used a big election anniversary rally to dunk on US meddling, framing DOJ indictments of top Mexican officials as attempts to destabilise her government rather than genuine anti-cartel cooperation. Her comments come days after Mexico’s senate approved a constitutional amendment adding ‘foreign interference’ to the list of grounds to annul an election. (Guardian)
AUSTRALIA
Treaty allies the UK, US, and Australia have used the sidelines of the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore to ink a deal for new joint underwater drones that’ll patrol undersea cables. It’s part of their trilateral AUKUS defence tech pact, which will also now see Australia get three used (rather than new) US Virginia-class subs. (BBC)
ITALY
Rome is now pushing to “Italianize“ the international unit for electric potential from ‘volt’ to ‘volta’ in honour of Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, whose pioneering work first inspired the name. (Politico)
MOROCCO
According to the African Development Bank, Morocco has now surpassed South Africa as the continent’s most industrialised economy for the first time. It partly reflects Morocco’s industrial upgrades and export diversification, but also South Africa’s struggles with power outages, corruption, and political instability. (Al Jazeera)
Unlock full access to a community of globally curious people and help keep Intrigue going. We can’t do it without you!
Daily audio newsletter.
Unlock our unvarnished analysis in every newsletter.
Connect with Intriguers around the world.
Our weekly rundown of the week ahead.
Hang out with the Intrigue team.
No interruptions, no clutter.
Also included
Early access to everything we’re building — a job board, relaunched merch, IRL meet-ups, and more.
7 days free · $79/yr · Cancel anytime





Editor's picks
How global diplomatic pay stacks up — the numbers, the gaps, and what they signal about state priorities.
Read moreQuiet Signals: What online life inside China shows about how citizens read their own state.
Read moreReading the company's worldview through its public-facing argument — and what it implies for US tech policy.
Read more