Good morning, readers!

The General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly is like finding a unicorn in a field of horses. It's not every day you see so many world leaders huddled together, giving speeches.

The event kicked off yesterday and it's heating up already. But more on that later. 🔥

Playlist of all the past and upcoming speeches: (link).

Today’s geopolitics hotspots

Island residents fight back against Chinese money.

Imagine living on a tropical island, surrounded by nature and tranquility. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, not for the residents of Rempang, an island in Indonesia.

They are facing eviction from their ancestral lands to make room for a massive industrial and tourism hub funded by China. And they are not going down without a fight.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 The deal.

• Rempang Eco-City is the name of this megaproject that aims to transform the island into a modern and prosperous zone.

• It has attracted a massive $11.6 billion investment from a Chinese glass producer, Xinyi Group, for a glass and solar panel factory. But there are other unnamed companies involved in the project as well.

• The project is expected to create 35,000 jobs and boost the economy of the region.

💵 The cost.

But not everyone is happy with the deal. About 7,500 residents are facing eviction to make way for the industrial park.

• On September 11, around 1,000 protestors stormed the BP Batam building, the government agency that that manages construction and development in the area.

• Rioters claim that the land is their ancestral home and that they have not been consulted or compensated adequately.

• Residents with a 45m² house are set to:

  • receive a compensation of $7,800.

  • receive a land area of 500m².

  • receive a financial aid of $65 will be provided for each family member.

  • be exempt from housing rental costs during relocation.

🚔 Heavy-Handed Response.

The protesters accused the authorities of using excessive force and violating human rights.

• The cops: Accused of using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the dissenters.

• The protesters: Accused of throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks.

🇨🇳 The bigger picture.

The China factor cannot be ignored. The rioters’ response is not solely regarding weak compensation and lack of consultation.

• Many are suspicious of China’s economic activities and its effects on the environment and society.

• They worry that these projects will trap them in debt and strip them of their freedom.

Siwage Dharma Negara, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, highlights a 2022 survey: 60% of Indonesians believe China’s Belt and Road Initiative is nothing more than a debt trap, ensnaring Indonesia and other countries “to be heavily indebted to China.”

After all, who can blame them when there is news every week about China’s faltering economy and real estate sector troubles?

(More on Rempang Eco-City)

🌟 Today’s gem.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇮🇱 Israel:

UN security guards detain Israeli envoy for protesting Iran’s president.

The UN has hit “a new moral low” by giving a platform to a “vile murderer,” says Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan. He was detained after storming out of the General Assembly Hall on Tuesday, holding a picture of an Iranian woman killed by the regime’s morality police.

✱ ALSO: Iranian President Raisi used his speech to implicitly blame the US for the instability, saying:

🇺🇸 United States:

Five Americans released by Iran arrive on US soil.

After years of captivity, five US citizens finally returned home from Iran on Tuesday. They were accused of spying or violating sanctions by Iran.

The freed Americans include:

• a businessman,

• an environmentalist, and

• a software engineer.

(Plus two others who wish to remain anonymous)

✱ ALSO: The White House defended the $6 billion prisoner swap deal, saying it was not a ransom. But some Republicans slammed it as a dangerous precedent that rewards Iran’s hostage-taking.

🇮🇳 India:

India fumes over Canada’s assassination accusation.

In response to Canada expelling its diplomat, India has fired back by also kicking out a Canadian diplomat from the country. Trudeau insists he’s not stirring the pot but seeking justice.

🇨🇳 China:

Hong Kong’s foreign consulates under China’s watch now.

In a move straight out of the mainland's playbook, China is demanding personal data from all local employees of foreign consulates in Hong Kong, tightening its grip on the city. The move is seen to be aimed at quashing dissent and foreign influence.

✱ ALSO: The data could be shared with other authorities for unspecified purposes.