Latest news for 19 September 2025

UNITED STATES

Nvidia’s got good Intel.

Chipmaker Nvidia has announced it’ll invest $5B in struggling local competitor Intel, making Nvidia one of Intel’s biggest shareholders (along with the US government). (CNN)

Comment: The deal potentially leverages Intel’s US foundries to help Nvidia diversify, breathes life into Intel, and keeps both players aligned with the White House’s domestic chip production agenda.

AFGHANISTAN

I’d like that back.

President Trump has said he wants the Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan back, noting its location would offer the US strategic advantages in countering China. (FT $)

Comment: It’s hard to see which is the biggest obstacle ahead here: convincing the Taliban to hand that (Soviet-built) base over, or convincing US voters it’s worth sending troops back again.

ARMENIA

Lights out.

For the third time in as many months, Gazprom has halted gas supplies to Armenia over purported repairs, though this time Russia’s gas giant only made the announcement 24 hours before the cut-off began. (Eurasianet)

Comment: It looks a lot like a Kremlin attempt to impose costs on Armenia for its cautious pivot West. It’s a fine balance for Putin, who risks just validating his critics in Armenia with this kind of move. As always, a dash of plausible deniability is key.

ICELAND

Private, public divide.

Responding to government pledges to focus on a renewable future (it’s almost 100% hydro and geothermal already), Iceland’s chamber of commerce is calling for more oil exploration, arguing it could unlock half a trillion in revenue. (Euractiv)

Comment: Iceland has a maritime boundary with Norway, and must be among the long list of countries now quietly yearning for Oslo’s staggering oil and gas wealth.

MALDIVES

Media freedom.

Journalists are hoping the Maldivian supreme court will intervene now that President Muizzu has signed a new law granting the government sweeping powers to fine, suspend, and block media outlets. (IFJ)

Comment: Authorities are making familiar arguments that this is about simplifying regulations and helping fight against mis-and-disinformation. But it’s hard for folks to have faith in those pro-transparency claims when the bill itself was opaquely rushed through parliament (journalists were blocked from committee hearings).

MEXICO

Howdy neighbour.

Canada’s Mark Carney has been in Mexico City this week for chats with President Sheinbaum, ahead of US-Mexico-Canada trade pact renewal talks next year. (AP)

Comment: The logic behind this USMCA bloc has always been to harness Mexican labour, Canadian resources, and American tech and capital to out-compete the world. But with Trump’s tariffs disrupting that vision, Canada and Mexico are trying to strike the balance of maintaining a united front without seeming like they’re ganging up.

IRAN

The final countdown.

France’s Emmanuel Macron has announced that Europe will likely reimpose UN ‘snapback’ sanctions on Iran by the end of this month, after France, Germany and the UK triggered a formal 30-day process accusing Tehran of breaching the 2015 nuclear deal. (Al Jazeera)