Good morning, readers!

No joke, we were dying to write about the weekend’s happenings.

Here’s a sneak peek:

• 🇪🇨 More on the assassination in Ecuador.

• 🇨🇳 China fuming over Taiwan VP’s US visit.

• 🇮🇩 Miss Universe Indonesia’s sexual scandal.

• 🇵🇰 Pakistani militants attack Chinese engineers.

Today’s geopolitics hotspots:

Is this Ecuadorian gang boss responsible for the assassination?

This is Jose Adolfo Macias, but he goes by the alias “Fito.”

On Saturday, the powerful gang leader of Los Choneros was transferred from a less-secure jail to a maximum security prison called La Roca (The Rock) on Saturday.

Death threats:

The recently assassinated Ecuadorian presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, previously reported receiving death threats from Fito.

During an interview on a local program, Villavicencio shared that a representative of the gang leader cautioned that:

Operation:

The relocation involved around 4,000 heavily armed soldiers and police officers. Ecuadorian president Lasso justified the operation as being meant “for the safety of citizens and detainees."

Taiwan VP: "I'm just passing through!"

China is throwing a tantrum over Taiwanese VP William Lai dropping by the US on his way to Paraguay on a seven-day trip.

✍🏻 Quick Facts:

• Lai departed for Paraguay on August 12, making a transit stop in New York City.

• The US and Taiwan said this was just “routine,” but China says these are “sneaky visits.”

• China reacted angrily, calling Lai a "troublemaker" and saying that his visit was "a serious provocation."

• China also warned that it would take "resolute and forceful measures" to safeguard its "national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

📚 Background: 

• China claims Taiwan as its own territory, but Taiwan has been self-governing since 1949.

• Lai is the front-runner to become Taiwan’s president in the upcoming January elections.

🌟 Today’s gem

WTH actually…

Quick updates