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Hi there Intriguer.Β There arenβt that many ways to hitch a free ride across the Atlantic, but one lucky turtle has scored a 1st class flight from the UK to Texas after getting washed up in Wales.
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Todayβs briefing is a 5 min read:
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π¬π¦ The military takes over in Gabon.
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π¬πΉΒ Guatemalaβs president-elect loses his party.
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β Plus: Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan celebrate their independence, how the papers are covering the latest Ukrainian strikes in Russian territory, and are cracks starting to show in European real estate?
β±οΈ Around the world in sixty seconds

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π¦πΊΒ Australia: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced 14 October as the date for a referendum to recognise Australiaβs original inhabitants through a First Nations advisory council. Polling suggests the vote, which requires a majority of voters and states, may fail.
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πΈπ²Β San Marino: Europeβs top financial regulators have warned a plan to deepen ties with San Marino, Monaco, and Andorra could make it easier for financial criminals to operate in the EU. A spokesperson for San Marino (pop: 33,000) rejected the claims.
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π°πΒ Cambodia: Meta has rejected advice from its own oversight board to suspend former leader Hun Sen. The board had said Hun, who handed power to his son last week, violated Facebook policy by threatening violence against his political opponents.
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π¨π·Β Costa Rica: US President Biden hosted Costa Rican President Chaves at the White House on Tuesday (29 August) for migration and trade talks. The two countries have cooperated to address the growing number of migrants heading to the US through Costa Rica.
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πͺπ¬Β Egypt: EgyptAir will resume flights to Sudan after a months-long suspension. The announcement followed meetings between Egyptβs president and Sudanβs military ruler, who was making his first trip outside Sudan since fighting broke out there in April.
π¬π¦ Gabon | Politics

Gabon has become the 6th African nation to experience a coup or unconstitutional transition since 2020
Gabonβs military seizes power
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Senior military officers announced late yesterday (Wednesday) theyβve taken over Gabonβs institutions and annulled the weekendβs contested election results, which had seen President Ali Bongo declared winner.
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Whatβs happening? Troops have detained Bongo, closed the borders, imposed a curfew, and announced the coup leader (General Brice Oligui Nguema, head of the presidential guard) as transitional leader.
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The ousted Bongo has released a video seeking international support, but jubilant crowds in the streets suggest the coup enjoys popular support.
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Why? Folks were frustrated with Bongo and his familyβs 55-year rule:
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π‘ The Bongos and other elites have reportedly amassed vast overseas real estate portfolios
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π’οΈ A third of Gabonβs people still live below the poverty line, despite the OPEC member producing 200k barrels of oil per day, and
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π These elections were plagued by delays, a lack of international observers, limits on some foreign broadcasts, and internet cuts.
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So whatβs the rest of the world saying?Β
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π The African Union has urged a βrapid return to democratic constitutional orderβ
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π«π· France (the former colonial power) has condemned the coup, calling for βthe result of the election, when knownβ to be respected
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πΊπΈΒ The US says the coup is βdeeply concerningβ, and it supports βthe people of Gabon and their demand for democratic governance“
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π¨π³Β China has called on all sides to βresolve differences peacefully through dialogueβ and βrestore order at an early dateβ, and
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πΊπ³Β The UN has flagged βdeep concernβ with the election, and βfirmlyβ condemned the coup βas a means to resolve the post-electoral crisisβ
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Intrigue’s take: So pretty much the whole world has condemned the methods. But itβs harder to find voices calling for Bongoβs reinstatement. Thatβs in stark contrast to the recent coup in Niger, where much of the world has continued to call for ousted President Bazoumβs return to power.
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The difference? Probably legitimacy. Nigerβs democratically-elected Bazoum still has some. Gabonβs decades-long Bongo family rule? Not so much.
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Also worth noting:
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Like the ousted Bongo, coup leader Nguema reportedly also has property in the US.
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French President Macron visited Gabon earlier this year as part of a tour to revive Franceβs troubled ties with its former colonies.
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French critical minerals player Eramet initially suspended operations in Gabon. French oil giant TotalEnergies hasnβt yet said whether its local operations have been impacted.
π° How newspapers coveredβ¦
The latest Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory
βUkraine launches biggest drone attack yet inside Russian territoryβ |
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βAustralian High-Tech Cardboard Drones ‘Used in Spectacular Strike on Russian Airfield’β |
βRussia says wave of Ukrainian drone strikes βwill not go unpunishedββ |
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Todayβs newsletter is supported by: Mode Mobile
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π¬πΉ Guatemala | Politics

President-elect Bernardo ArΓ©valo
Guatemalaβs president-elect is in a bind
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Guatemalaβs electoral tribunal suspended the party of president-elect Bernardo ArΓ©valo on Monday (29 August), the same day it confirmed his victory in the 20 August elections.
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Unless successfully appealed, the ruling means members of ArΓ©valoβs Semilla (seed) movement would join Congress as independents, limiting their ability to shape Guatemalaβs legislative agenda.
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And itβs just this electionβs latest irregularity:
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π Four candidates, including the initial front-runner, were banned ahead of Juneβs first-round election
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π Police then raided Semillaβs offices after ArΓ©valo unexpectedly made the second-round ballot on an anti-corruption platform, and
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βοΈ Guatemalaβs attorney-general (herself designated as βcorruptβ by Washington) then attempted to dissolve Semilla.
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A court then suspended that dissolution until after voting day, but with the election in the rear-view, the order has now gone through.
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Intrigueβs take: As if ArΓ©valoβs gig wasnβt hard enough already… Without the backing of his partyβs lawmakers in Congress, itβs hard to see ArΓ©valoβs anti-corruption agenda making much headway.
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And thatβs a familiar story for candidates tackling ingrained corruption anywhere: permitted to win the occasional battle, but never the war.
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Also worth noting:
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ArΓ©valo is the son of Guatemalaβs first democratically-elected president, who survived dozens of coup attempts during his six-year term. ArΓ©valo is also Guatemalaβs former ambassador to Spain.
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Heβll be inaugurated as Guatemalaβs 52nd president on 14 January 2024.
β Extra Intrigue
What weβre reading about the global real estate market.
π³οΈ Poll time!
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Do you think military coups can ever be a good thing? |
π On this day in history

Independence day celebrations in Kyrgyzstan.
Credits: US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic.
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Today in 1991, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the Soviet Union, becoming the 12th and 13th former-Soviet republics to do so. The USSR would be formally dissolved four months later.
Yesterdayβs poll: Do you think taxing high-emission vehicles is a good idea?
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π¨π¨π¨π¨β¬οΈβ¬οΈ πΈ Yes, it’s good for the environment and city revenues (43%)
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π©π©π©π©π©π©Β π No, it’ll only punish poorer motorists (53%)
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β¬οΈβ¬οΈβ¬οΈβ¬οΈβ¬οΈβ¬οΈ βοΈ Other (write in!) (4%)
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Your two cents:
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πΈΒ J.P: βDeath from air pollution punishes mostly poorer people, including poorer motorists.β
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πΒ G.L: βNot at all! Being βgreenβ involves more than just cars. Why not tax the airlines, manufacturers and municipalities for their contribution to pollution first.β
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βοΈ A.W: βIf the tax is [β¦] part of a comprehensive program that would use the tax revenue to subsidize public transportation for those same low income people, or even a cash for clunkers program to incentivize them to trade their vehicles in for an upgraded vehicle, then maybe yes.β