Hi Intriguer. Three very different names trended over the weekend, leaving me with three very different thoughts on our world.

The first is Travis Head, who helped Australia win the Men’s Cricket World Cup while ~2 billion folks watched live. For non-cricket fans (like me), it’s a reminder that the world’s attention isn’t always where we think.

The second name is Javier Milei, just elected Argentina’s (and maybe the world’s) first libertarian president. More on him below, though my thought here is that any status quo in our world now often seems only a maverick away from crumbling.

And the third is Sam Altman, ousted abruptly on Friday night from the AI powerhouse he co-founded (OpenAI). His departure has been bigger news than the AI summit of 28 governments earlier this month. And that probably says something about where AI’s centre of gravity sits right now.

– Jeremy Dicker, Managing Editor

TODAY’S NEWS

Israel’s latest footage. The Israeli military has released what it’s describing as footage of Hamas taking Israeli hostages inside Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital (plus a fortified Hamas tunnel underneath). But global attention seems to be shifting to reports of an impending hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

Microsoft taps former OpenAI CEO. Just days after Sam Altman was suddenly ousted from his own startup’s board, his blindsided investor (Microsoft) has recruited him for another role. This rounds out what must be one of the most stunning tech firings in history.

Another ship taken. Yemen’s Houthi forces say they’ve captured a cargo ship affiliated with an Israeli billionaire, but Israeli authorities say the Japanese-operated ship doesn’t have any links to Israel at all. Shipping ownership can get murky at times, and the relevant billionaire is declining to comment for now.

Zelensky fires chief military medic. Ukraine’s president has confirmed the removal of Ukraine’s military medic chief, demanding “a fundamentally new level of medical support for our soldiers”. Rumours about the sacking had been swirling after reports about the poor quality of the army’s medical supplies surfaced.

Rosalynn Carter dies, aged 96. Among many other tributes, the former US First Lady will be remembered as a passionate advocate for mental health.

INTRIGUE’S TAKE

One reason investors have long been wary of Argentina is a sense that the place just doesn’t change. So one way to look at Milei's victory is as a rebuke of that very idea: folks in Argentina have clearly voted for change here.

And that partly explains why business leaders, like the CEO of Argentina's largest firm, are cheering Milei's victory.

For world leaders, Argentina's vote for change will mean different things: Milei hasn't shied away from criticising others (including Argentina's top trading partners, China and Brazil), while pledging closer ties to the US, and even hinting at a softening in Argentina's territorial dispute with the UK.

But realistically, much will depend on how he translates rhetoric into reality. E.g., how do you even dollarise an economy that has no dollars? With voters clearly running low on patience, Milei doesn't have much time to deliver.

Also worth noting:

• Argentina’s immediate neighbours (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay) have sent conciliatory messages for now. Further north, Colombia's left-leaning president tweeted that Milei’s victory was a "sad day" for Latin America.

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MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE…

1. 🇨🇳 China: Australia has accused China of “unsafe and unprofessional conduct” after a People’s Liberation Army-Navy ship deployed sonars injuring several Australian navy divers. The divers were reportedly untangling fishing nets from their ship’s engines in international waters.

2. 🇩🇪 Germany: Turkish President Erdoğan flew to Germany on Friday for a rather low-key visit. They had a lengthy agenda (migration, trade, Ukraine), but Berlin was careful not to draw attention to the visit given Erdoğan’s ongoing criticism of Israel, which Germany staunchly supports.

3. 🇲🇻 Maldives: Mohamed Muizzu, the newly-inaugurated president, has formally requested the withdrawal of 70 Indian troops stationed on the archipelago. Muizzu has sought closer ties to Beijing but promises the Indian forces won’t be replaced with Chinese personnel.

4. 🇬🇹 Guatemala: A prosecutor has moved to strip president-elect Arevalo of his immunity over claims he encouraged students to occupy a key university. Critics say it’s an attempt by corrupt officials to prevent Arevalo (an anti-corruption figure) from taking power in January.

5. 🇱🇷 Liberia: Former football star and current Liberian President George Weah has conceded defeat after last week’s runoff elections. The 78-year-old winner and former vice president, Joseph Boakai, pledges to invest in infrastructure, tackle poverty, and crack down on corruption. 

EXTRA INTRIGUE

Your weekly roundup of the world’s stranger news 

• In Dubai, golf champion Rory McIlroy found himself in an awkward situation after his ball landed in the lap of a spectator. Thankfully for all involved, the golfer didn’t have to play it as it lay.

• Italy has banned lab-grown meat, with both supporters and opponents of the ban labelling each other as anti-Italian.

• A Belgium-bound cargo plane has had to return to New York after a horse escaped its stall aboard the aircraft. 

• Canadian police have responded to reports of mysterious screams, only to find the culprit was just a very sad goat. 

• US astronauts carrying out routine maintenance on a space station have lost their toolbag (it’s now visible from Earth with binoculars).

• And a ransomware gang has reported its own victim to US authorities after the target failed to promptly disclose it’d been hacked.

FLAG OF THE DAY

Antwerp, Belgium’s most populous province, rocks a flag so full of shapes and primary colours it’d make Piet Mondrian blush. The red, yellow, and blue represent three of the territory’s most famous cities (Antwerp, Mechelen, and Turnhout), while the chequered pattern pays homage to medieval Flemish rebels. 

Our rating: 8.9/10

DAILY POLL

Thursday’s poll: Do you think deals with third-party countries are a good idea to manage migration?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👍 Yes, global challenges require global responses (64%)

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👎 No, the human cost is unacceptable (32%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!) (4%)

Your two cents:

• 👍 G.G: “It is the only viable solution for countries who are overwhelmed with a never ending stream of migrants.”

• 👎 G.M: “As an Australian who has witnessed this type of ‘solution’ in action over many years – the suffering, loss of dignity and extreme mental health consequences are unacceptable. The third-party countries are often not appropriately resourced to manage the program, and current media reports are highlighting significant opportunities for corruption in the contracting process.”