🌍 Trump chats with Putin and Zelensky

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Hi Intriguer. I have a letter my grandfather received a few years after WWII. It was written in Greek, so he headed down to the local consulate for a translation, but Jack already knew where it came from: an orange orchard in Argos, Greece.

That’s where a local family helped him evade capture during the 1941 Nazi invasion of Greece. He ended up making it to an evacuation point past Kalamata, and was one of the last Allied troops to be rescued. But any relief was short-lived: his saviour (the SS Costa Rica) was sunk at sea just hours later.

Now, that was just one week, for one 22-year-old, in one war. And my sole link to it all is one old letter, written in Greek. Millions will reflect on their own family stories today, whether that’s for Veterans Day in the US or Remembrance Day abroad.

And many more stories are still being written (or erased), including in the war Donald Trump just discussed with both protagonists: Russia and Ukraine, our lead for today.

THE HEADLINES

Qatar suspends mediator role in Israel-Hamas talks.
The Gulf monarchy, which hosts the Hamas political wing, has said it will resume its mediation role when both parties show a real willingness to negotiate. Meanwhile, the Qatari foreign ministry has described as “inaccurate” earlier reports that Qatar had booted out Hamas.

Taiwan mulls huge US weapons deal to soften Trump.
The island is reportedly considering a major arms deal with the US to show it’s serious about protecting itself, as an overture to a more transactional Donald Trump. But several of the showy items on Taiwan’s rumoured shopping list (like Aegis destroyers and F-35 fighter jets) seem like a distraction from its more critical need for things like anti-ship missiles. Meanwhile, the Philippine defence secretary told the Financial Times his country is planning to buy intermediate-range missile launchers from Washington.

Bitcoin reaches record high.
The cryptocurrency has breached the $80,000 mark for the first time, as it continues its Trump victory rally on his promises to foster a friendlier regulatory environment.

Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba reelected.
The Japanese parliament has voted to reconfirm Shigeru Ishiba as prime minister, weeks after his Liberal Democratic Party suffered the worst electoral defeat in more than a decade. Absent a clear majority, the next few months will be tough for Ishiba.

Trump chooses Stefanik as ambassador to UN.
The president-elect has reportedly offered the senior ambassadorial role to New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik. She’s the House’s fourth-ranking Republican, and has been a close Trump ally plus a major GOP fundraiser.

COP29 kicks off. 
This year’s UN climate change conference has kicked off in Azerbaijan today (Monday) and it’s shaping up to be a low-key summit. Here’s why.

TOP STORY

INTRIGUE’S TAKE

The above snapshot suggests everyone senses an opportunity right now, but history will judge whether peace is even a viable, sustainable option at this stage.

Putin didn’t start his war out of a desire for the types of things any deal might offer, like land, or even a delay to Ukraine’s path to NATO membership.

Rather, he wanted to subdue his neighbours in pursuit of a faded image of Russia as a great power, all hinging on a belief that Ukraine isn’t even a real country. Is a deal — rather than a defeat — even capable of extinguishing that kind of longer-term aim?

Also worth noting:

• Trump just rejected any role for Mike Pompeo or Nikki Haley, which some take as a bad sign for Ukraine (given their vocal support for its self-defence). But it could just be more of a reminder how much Trump values loyalty (Haley was a Trump critic, and Pompeo didn’t endorse him until July).

• It’s hard to know how Putin’s imminent attempt to retake Kursk will play out, but his troops are poorly trained, the North Koreans are a wildcard without armour support, and the Ukrainians have spent months digging in.

• The Biden administration is now moving to rush the remaining $6B in US defence assistance to Ukraine before inauguration day.

What Trump’s return means for global power, diplomacy, and conflict.

Don’t miss out!

We invite you to join us tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT / 4:00 PM GMT for “Global Plot Twist: The New President’s Agenda for a Tumultuous World.” 

With Donald Trump as the 2024 U.S. president-elect, the world is watching closely. We’ll dive into how the new administration plans to navigate a complex array of global challenges—from the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War and evolving dynamics in the Middle East to high-stakes diplomacy with China.

We’re thrilled to announce our experts:

• Neil Thomas, Fellow on Chinese Politics, Center for China Analysis, Asia Society Policy Institute

• Ali Vaez, Director of Iran Project and Senior Adviser to the President, Crisis Group

Register now to gain insights and be ready for what’s on the horizon.

MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE…

1. 🇦🇫 Afghanistan: The Taliban’s environment agency has announced it’s sending a delegation to Baku, Azerbaijan for this week’s UN climate conference, COP29. Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has no official UN recognition, but says it’s aiming to work with other countries “on environmental protection and climate change.”

2. 🇸🇪 Sweden: Stockholm deepened its defence ties with Brasilia over the weekend, committing to buy Brazilian-made Embraer cargo aircraft while Brazil pledged to acquire more Gripen fighter jets from Sweden’s Saab. The Embraer C-390 Millennium has become a popular choice for European militaries, with Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Portugal all using them.

3. 🇦🇺 Australia: Malian authorities have detained the chief executive of Resolute Mining, an Australian gold miner currently ramping up its Syama project in Mali’s northeast. The military regime has lately been pressuring foreign miners to renegotiate the terms of their permits in an effort to lift state revenue.

4. 🇪🇨 Ecuador: Quito has temporarily suspended without pay its own vice president, who also serves as ambassador to Israel. The government alleges Veronica Abad disobeyed war-time orders to temporarily relocate from Israel to Turkey, though critics suggest it’s part of a broader feud with President Noboa, who hopes to run for re-election in February.

5. 🇲🇺 Mauritius: The island nation headed to the polls yesterday (Sunday) to elect 62 members of parliament, who’ll eventually determine the next prime minister. Incumbent leader Pravind Jugnauth was hoping the recent UK agreement to cede the Chagos Islands would help secure his re-election, but initial results suggest voters have now punished him over a wiretapping scandal.

EXTRA INTRIGUE

🤣 Your weekly roundup of the world’s lighter news

• Hackers who stole 40GB of data from a French energy management company have demanded $125k in baguettes (the bread) as ransom.

• A court in Delhi has overturned a long-standing ban on a Salman Rushdie book, after the government failed to prove that the ban ever actually existed.

• Forty-three monkeys have escaped their compound in South Carolina, with employees having to lure them back with food after spotting the group in the nearby woods.

• Dorothy’s stolen ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz are now going under the hammer in a Texas auction after the FBI recovered them in 2018.

• And Australian Olympic break-dancer Raygun, who went viral with her unusual moves such as ‘the kangaroo’, has said she’s now done with competitive breakdancing.

RESTORATION OF THE DAY

The Notre-Dame cathedral’s bells have rung out across Paris for the first time since April 2019, when the historic church was partially destroyed by a fire. This was only a technical test, mind you, before the cathedral officially reopens next month, in line with President Macron’s pledge to have the icon rebuilt within five years.

DAILY POLL

Last Thursday’s poll: What do you think about Australia’s social media ban for under 16s?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🛡️ In favour, social media is not a safe place for kids (62%)

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Against, these bans are hard to enforce and drive the behaviour underground (31%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!) (3%)

Your two cents:

• 🛡️ P.V.C: “Some kids will still find ways to get on it, but it will block the majority and that is worthwhile.”

• 🤔 E.K.H: “Young people are citizens too, with rights to free expression and access to information. Not everything adults do is safe or good for us either.”

• ✍️ V.G: “I concur that social media is not a safe place for kids but it’s not up to the state to decide whether to prohibit or not, but rather the parents!”

• 🛡️  M.K.A: “As someone who grew up with all social media only the distance of my hand from my pocket away, I wish someone would have tried to help my parents restrict my access to it. ”