You won’t believe these politics


UNITED STATES
DC is yet to share details on President Trump’s initial two-hour chat in Beijing with President Xi, though China says Xi delivered a sharper-than-usual warning that the “two countries could collide or even come into conflict” if Taiwan isn’t “handled properly”. Their second and final chat is tomorrow (Friday) before Trump departs. (CNN)
CUBA
Cuba is officially out of fuel oil and diesel, according to the island’s energy minister. Meanwhile, the US (imposing the fuel embargo) is reiterating it could send $100M in aid in exchange for “meaningful reforms to Cuba's communist system”. (BBC)
KYRGYZSTAN
Prosecutors have indicted Kyrgyzstan’s former security chief Kamchybek Tashiev — long one of the country’s most powerful men — for allegedly plotting a violent coup to overthrow President Japarov. The classified case will be heard behind closed doors. (The Diplomat)
UGANDA
Uganda is warning that its generous open-door refugee policy might not be sustainable, amid drastic cuts to international aid while it’s already hosting two million arrivals (mostly from Sudan and South Sudan). (PBS)
EUROPEAN UNION
The EU has proposed new digital rules forcing railway operators to share data and sell each other’s tickets. (European Commission)
BAHAMAS
Philip Davis has secured a landslide second term as prime minister, with his Progressive Liberal Party winning a commanding majority. Elections weren’t due until October, but he called this one early to get ahead of the hurricane season. (Washington Post $)
SLOVAKIA
NATO member Slovakia has abruptly closed its main border crossings with Ukraine, citing “imminent security threats” after Putin launched another massive drone swarm targeting infrastructure in western Ukraine. (AA)
CHINA
An appellate court has ruled in favour of a tech worker who got replaced by AI, ordering his company to pay $36k in compensation after it failed to offer proper reassignment or retraining. (Guardian)
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

12 May





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