🗺️ AROUND THE WORLD

1. 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: Officials in Azerbaijan say they’ve foiled an Iranian-backed coup attempt by arresting seven saboteurs on Tuesday (16 May). Tensions between the two countries have been growing since a gunman attacked the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran in January.

2. 🇳🇱 Netherlands: British PM Rishi Sunak and Dutch PM Mark Rutte will form an “international coalition” to help procure F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine. Any transfers of US-made F-16s would require US approval.

3. 🇮🇩 Indonesia: Authorities arrested Indonesia’s communications minister yesterday (Wednesday). Prosecutors say the minister may have embezzled funds that were meant for cell tower construction.

4. 🇯🇲 Jamaica: UN chief António Guterres has thanked Prime Minister Andrew Holness for offering to send Jamaican troops to trouble-stricken Haiti. No other country has offered troops yet, despite a plea from Haiti’s prime minister.

5. 🇳🇬 Nigeria: Gunmen in Nigeria’s southeast attacked a US convoy late Tuesday, killing four local security and embassy employees and kidnapping another three. Officials say the attack was carried out by a separatist group.

🇪🇨 ECUADOR | POLITICS

Ecuador’s president dissolves parliament amid impeachment

Briefly: Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the opposition-led parliament yesterday (Wednesday), hours after the start of his impeachment trial over alleged embezzlement. He announced the move via a tweet, followed by a video of the country’s security chiefs affirming the move’s constitutionality.

Trouble has been brewing for a while. Over recent years, Ecuador has seen:

• 📉 a steady economic decline

• 📈 increased gang-related violence and,

• 👮 allegations of corruption at the highest levels.

The right-leaning Lasso came to power in a surprise 2021 election win but soon faced opposition from a left-leaning legislature, which moved to impeach him earlier this year. That process looked set to remove Lasso from office within days, even though it stemmed from a contract signed under the previous government.

So after months of deadlock, Lasso used Ecuador’s muerte cruzada (mutual death) clause to dissolve the legislature and trigger early elections. He’s said he’ll run for re-election and, in the meantime, is ruling by decree (overseen by Ecuador’s top court).

Intrigue’s take: In a heated environment, folks can reach very different conclusions from the same set of facts. And that’s what’s happening in Ecuador:

• ✊ Opponents: Lasso is a right-wing figure who’s undermining democracy to avoid corruption charges and cling to power, ruling by decree and using the army for political purposes.

• 👍 Supporters: The left-wing legislature has ground the country to a halt, so the president has used the constitution to bring elections forward and let the people decide.

So… which one is true? A lot depends on what Lasso does next: will he usher in swift elections and a smooth transition of power? Or will he use his new decree powers to push through controversial changes? Or maybe a mix of the two.

Also worth noting:

• Lasso’s approval rating was 13% in March. The legislature’s approval rating was around half that.

• A key indigenous organisation in Ecuador, which led major protests last year, has described the situation as a “dictatorship scenario.”

• Lasso’s first act with his new decree powers was to sign into law a bill that boosts tax deductions for families and tweaks them for small firms.

Have you checked out Intrigue Outloud?

🇱🇧 LEBANON | GEOPOLITICS

French prosecutors issue arrest warrant for Lebanon’s central bank chief

Briefly: French prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant (on corruption charges) for the long-time head of Lebanon’s central bank, Riad Salameh. Salameh denies the charges and has called the warrant a “violation of laws”.

Salameh was once considered the guardian of Lebanon’s economy. But many now blame him for a financial implosion that’s plunged millions into poverty.

Half a dozen countries (including Lebanon) are now investigating him and his brother for fraud, including allegations they embezzled $330M over the years.

Intrigue’s take: Just last year, European authorities froze $130M in assets linked to the investigation. Where there’s smoke there’s often fire, right? But honestly, we haven’t seen this much smoke since Snoop Dogg came to town.

Of course, even if Salameh is guilty, that doesn’t mean he’ll face justice. Lebanon’s powerful elite isn’t exactly known for allowing these kinds of probes. Just last week, the Lebanese judge leading his investigation was dismissed.

Also worth noting:

• Salameh, who’s been central bank governor for almost 30 years, has said he’ll step down when his current term ends in July.

• In 2021, the judge investigating the explosion at Beirut’s port the year prior was removed after filing charges against government ministers.

👀 EXTRA INTRIGUE

When we’re not working on your favourite newsletter, we read about… work.

• My company introduced a four-day workweek. Guess what happened? ($)

• Not everyone can disconnect with Belgium’s right to disconnect

• The jobs AI won't take yet

• Young workers are bad at work-life balance ($)

📸​ PHOTO OF THE DAY

Nigerian chef Hilda Baci broke the world record for the longest cooking marathon after cooking, sauteing, chopping and braising for 100 hours straight. Baci prepared over 100 dishes in front of a crowd of supporters cheering her on.

🗳️ POLL TIME!

Yesterday’s poll: Is the EU right in green-lighting Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition?

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🎮 Yes, Blizzard games will achieve new heights now (43%)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🧯 No, they'll smother the competition (54%)

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

Your two cents:

• 🖋️ N.J.G.D: “Given Blizzard Activision's current track record, I don't believe it will be enough to launch Microsoft ahead of any competition. Hopefully some management change comes along to make the company a less toxic work environment!”

• 🎮 M.M: “Don't see what the big deal is, even if they had kept Activision's games console exclusive, you don't see Mario jumping around on a Playstation either…”