Intrigue Outloud

In this fascinating interview with nuclear expert Ankit Panda we discuss the escalating conflict following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and its implications for global nuclear deterrence. He argues that Iran's strategy appears aimed at regionalizing the conflict across the Gulf to generate diplomatic pressure, while questioning the credibility of claims about Iran's imminent nuclear weapons capability. We discussed:How the succession to Ayatollah Khamenei's more hardline son could alter Iran's longstanding restraint on both missile ranges and nuclear weaponization.The troubling lessons other nations (particularly U.S. adversaries like North Korea) may draw from Iran's fate (nuclear weapons provide the ultimate deterrent against regime change). How both adversarial and allied proliferation dynamics are re-surging in ways unseen since the Cold War, with countries from Seoul to Stockholm reconsidering their nuclear postures. Panda critiques last year's bombing campaign as ultimately counterproductive to nonproliferation goals, leaving 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium unaccounted for and eliminating IAEA verification continuity. Despite the current trajectory, Panda maintains that any sustainable resolution to Iran's nuclear program will require diplomatic engagement—though achieving that will prove extraordinarily difficult given how recent events have validated North Korea's narrative about the risks of cooperation with the West.Bio: Ankit Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on nuclear strategy, escalation, missiles and missile defense, space security, and US alliances. He is the author of Kim Jong Un and the Bomb: Survival and Deterrence in North Korea and Indo-Pacific Missile Arsenals: Avoiding Spirals and Mitigating Risks, and his forthcoming book is The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon. His work has appeared in outlets including the New York Times, the Economist, the Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and he serves as editor-at-large at The Diplomat, where he hosts the Asia Geopolitics podcast.

Welcome back to Intrigue Outloud! The US has officially entered its Trump 2.0 era, so we decided to have a chat to reflect on his predecessor's foreign policy legacy. We talk about Biden's approach in Ukraine, whether he was played by Bibi Netanyahu in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and how the last four years of US-China competition is setting Trump up for a tumultuous second term.Subscribe to International Intrigue, the 5-minute daily global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! To get settled in 2025 we thought we'd record a special episode to discuss the year ahead. John, Helen, and Jeremy trade takes on the future of Maduro's Venezuela, whether ISIS is making a comeback in post-Assad Syria, the prospects for a hot conflict between China and Taiwan, and much more. Stick around for the end to see Helen and JD go head to head in a legendary geopolitical trivia showdown.Subscribe to International Intrigue, the 5-minute daily global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SummaryIn this special edition on Syria one week after Assad's downfall, Helen, John and Jeremy discuss:The recent developments in Syria following Assad's flight to Russia, the role of HTS in governing Idlib, and the implications of regional powers' involvement. The complexities of the Syrian conflict, the potential for civil war, and the skepticism surrounding HTS's ability to govern effectively. We also give the view from Israel and Iran as well as Turkey's strategic gains and the shifting geopolitical landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-fa51c020Subscribe to International Intrigue here: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into if newspapers should endorse candidates, each campaign's closing pitches, the period after November 5th and who countries around the world are hoping the American people vote for. 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.3:00-8:00 — Harris’ remarks at the Ellipse 8:00-20:00 — Campaign’s closing pitches22:00-30:00 — Post-election period 30:00 — 40:00 — Newspaper endorsements 40:00 — 42:00 — Campaigns in one-line 42:00 — 53:00 — Cabinet pick 58:00 — 1:06:00 — Who other countries want to win Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into foreign interference into the election (both from predictable and unexpected actors) and the two campaigns last pitches to voters for any of the mythical undecided constituents out there. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into what court cases filed across numerous swing states could mean for voters perception of the election, its fairness and legitimacy of the results. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into what each candidate winning in November could mean for Washington's approach to the Middle East and how hype around the election can fuel the betting markets (with a little help from Elon Musk?). 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into the vice presidential debate and how escalation (yes, even further escalation) in the Middle East could impact the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance campaigns.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into the impact that Biden's speeches and movements have on the Harris campaign and look back at the Trump administration foreign policy record. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we dive into the impact that overseas voters could have on the election as RFK Jr. goes to bat over getting his name removed from state ballots. Plus, some on-the-ground reporting in Washington on what secretaries are doing to mitigate a potential cut to US diplomats pay. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**This episode originally aired July 15th, 2024 (Video Episode Here) .We'll be back next week!--Hi Everyone! Welcome to International Intrigue's newest show: John&Jacob! Every week, Intrigue CEO and Former Australian Diplomat John Fowler and Cognitive Investments Director of Geopolitical Analysis Jacob Shapiro bring you fresh, egoless analysis of the world's most pressing stories. 2024 has been the year of global elections, and this week brought huge changes. We saw the ousting of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Tory. Party by his replacement, Keir Starmer, and the Labour Party. Marie Le Pen's far right takeover in France's parliamentary elections flopped with the most gains from the left, Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian may be a sign of Iran becoming more West-friendly, Japan-Philippines have signed a defense treaty that indicates growing fears of China, and it all comes together in the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington DC. Subscribe to International Intrigue, the free 5-minute global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Chapters: 0:00 How 2024's Elections are Shifting the Global Order 1:00 Labour takes UK's Elections 5:02 France's Far Right 9:23 Iran's New President 14:18 Japan-Philippines Defense Pact 18:54 Washington NATO Summit 26:43 Will Biden Drop Out of the Race? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Sign up for weekly editions of the Election Intrigue newsletter here.Shoot us an email here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Video Episode HereHi Everyone! Welcome back to International Intrigue's newest show: John&Jacob! Every week, Intrigue CEO and Former Australian Diplomat John Fowler and Cognitive Investments Director of Geopolitical Analysis Jacob Shapiro bring you fresh, egoless analysis of the world's most pressing stories. This week we start with Ukraine's cabinet shakeup and what it means for the war, as well as Volodymyr Zelenskyy's reputation as a President whose power is now secured by martial law, rather than democratic elections. We then review the latest victory by Germany's AfD party in their regional elections and what it says about the growing far-right presence across the EU. Next is the most recent quarrel in East Asia, where a Chinese plane has breached Japanese airspace for (depending on who you ask) the first time, and China continues to butt heads (ships) with the Philippines in the South China Sea. We wrap things up with a few notable travels by world leaders: Putin in Mongolia, Pope Francis in Indonesia, and Egypt's Sisi in Turkey, and finish with our Pardon the Interruption-inspired game "What's the Word?" Chapters: 0:00-1:30 Intro 1:30-7:10 Ukraine's Cabinet Shakeup7:10-16:10 AfD wins in Germany's elections 16:10-25:38 China Breaches Japan's Airspace and Clashes in SCS 32:10-37:06 What's the Word? Subscribe to International Intrigue, the free 5-minute global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Shoot us an email here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Video Episode Here.Hi Everyone! Welcome back to International Intrigue's newest show: John&Jacob! Every week, Intrigue CEO and Former Australian Diplomat John Fowler and Cognitive Investments Director of Geopolitical Analysis Jacob Shapiro bring you fresh, egoless analysis of the world's most pressing stories. This week we kick things off with the CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, being arrested by French authorities and the greater conversation of social media and communication platforms' role in cracking down on the unsavory things that happen on their servers. We then go to our main discussion of Canada's new tariffs on EVs and other Chinese-made products, how they affect China's current standard of overproduction, and how China will address its currently deteriorating economy. 0:00-2:20 Intro 2:20-12:25 Pavel Durov (CEO of Telegram) Arrested 12:25-19:55 Canada's EV Tariffs and How China Will Respond 19:55-27:05 The Greater Issues with China's Economy 27:05-34:15 Libya Pauses Oil Production over Central Bank Disputes 34:15-38:41 New Game: Big Deal / Little Deal Subscribe to International Intrigue, the free 5-minute global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.