https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexander_Lukashenko_(26-12-2017).jpg

The European Union has threatened to impose more sanctions on Belarus as the migrant crisis worsens at the Polish border.
Summary:

• The European Union has threatened to impose more sanctions on Belarus for their involvement in the migrant crisis at the Polish border, with Belarus being accused of using the migrants as pawns.
• In response to the EU, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko stated, “And what if we halt natural gas supplies? Therefore, I would recommend the leadership of Poland, Lithuanians and other empty-headed people to think before speaking.”
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel made it clear that the crisis was “brought about by the Belarusian regime, which is using defenseless people in a hybrid attack against the European Union.”
• Migrants attempting to cross the Polish border have received the following text message from the Polish government: “The Polish border is sealed. BLR [Belarus] authorities told you lies. Go back to Minsk!”
• Russia has maintained their strong ties with Belarus, sending strategic bombers on a training mission as a sign of support.
• The United States has also spoken against Belarus and threatened sanctions for the country’s “ongoing attacks on democracy, human rights and international norms.”
• Thousands of migrants entering from Belarus are attempting to cross the Poland border. Troops at the border have been retaliating with aggression and refusing to let migrants through.
• Most of the migrants attempting to leave Belarus are from the Middle East and Asia.

Other Headlines: 

COP26 Ends with Surprise Agreement by US, China

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joe_Biden_(48605381202).jpg

• The United Nations COP26 climate conference finished on Thursday after almost two weeks of world leaders discussing climate change, specifically the reduction of fossil fuels and carbon emissions.
• The United States and China announced a surprise agreement aimed at meeting the carbon emission goals set by the 2015 Paris Agreement, which involves keeping global temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius and striving for a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit.
• As the highest emitters of greenhouse gasses, the US and China’s cooperative stance on this issue has been a welcomed surprise. 

China Passes Historic Resolution Securing President Xi Jinping’s Status

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Xi_Jinping_%282017-07-07%29.jpg

• After four days worth of closed-door discussions, China’s Communist Party passed a historic resolution creating a document that summarizes 100 years of the party’s history. 
• The resolution was passed by 370 members of the Central Committee and established that the party should continue to focus on 10 areas in the future, the main being leadership, thus securing Xi’s continued leadership status. 
• Since the party’s founding in 1912, this was only the third historic resolution of its type and with its passing, President Xi Jinping is expected to win next year’s presidency for an un-precedent 3rd term. 

Two Weeks After Coup, Sudan Army Chief Appoints Himself Head of Governing Body

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Chairman_of_the_Sovereignty_Council_of_Sudan_Abdel_Fattah_Abdelrahman_Burhan_in_October_2019.jpg

• In a move set to cause further turmoil in Sudan, General Abdel-Fattah Burhan appointed himself as the head of the interim governing body, two weeks after he led a military coup in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. 
• Since the most recent coup, international leaders and pro-democratic protestors have urged Burhan to return the nation back to a joint military and civilian government and to release all officials currently detained. 
• With Thursday’s appointment and the appointment of a new Sovereign council, many fear that democracy in Sudan continues to slip away. 
• The government of Sudan has been in disarray since 2019 when joint military and civilian leaders ousted then-president, Omar al-Bashir.

Last South African Apartheid President Dies at 85 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/F._W._de_Klerk_2012.jpg

• Former South African President FW de Klerk passed away peacefully in his home Friday after a struggle with mesothelioma. 
• de Klerk is remembered for the role he played in transitioning South Africa from an apartheid state to a democratic one and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 alongside Late Nelson Mandela for ending segregation in South Africa. 
• In a video apology released after his death, de Klerk apologized for the role he played during the apartheid stating, “I, without qualification, apologize for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to Black, Brown, and Indians in South Africa,”
• de Klerk presided over South Africa from 1989 to 1994 until Mandela was elected in the country’s 1st presidential election.

Elon Musk Sells 5 Billion Dollars Worth Of Tesla Shares After Twitter Poll

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Elon_Musk_%283017880307%29.jpg

• In his first sale since 2016, Elon Musk sold approximately $5 billion worth of Tesla shares this week following the results of a Twitter poll on his account. 
• Musk asked his Twitter following if he should sell $10 billion worth of Tesla shares, with the majority believing that he should. 
• Although it’s unclear if Musk offloaded the shares based solely on the poll, the share filing stated the sale was, “solely to satisfy [Musk’s] tax withholding obligations related to the exercise of stock options.”
• Tesla stock declined soon after Musk’s filings were made public.