Belarus-Poland migrant crisis, Cop26 final day, Xi Jinping’s grip on power, House of Gucci
Belarus-Poland migrant crisis, Cop26 final day, Xi Jinping’s grip on power, House of Gucci
Migrants by the hundreds marching to Belarus’ border with Poland a sudden escalation in what is seen as retribution by Minsk for stepped-up EU sanctions, Belarus’ strongman who has been tightening the screws since last year’s post-electoral crackdown. Nato, Poland, the European Union all branding the facilitation of one-way trips from the Middle East hybrid warfare. Thursday, Belarus’ president going so far as to hint that he could cut gas supplies to Europe.
Moscow’s since played down the threat but each day delivers a new surprise: Belarus this Friday distributing footage of joint drills with Russian paratrooper which it claims are happening near the Polish border. What a difference three weeks make: at the last E-U summit, Commission President Ursula van der Leyen said there was no way Brussels would finance border fencing for a Poland that refuses common border policy and defies rule of law. On Wednesday, European Council president Charles Michel went to Warsaw to show solidarity with Poland and yes, border boosting finance is back on the cards.
For the first time in 40 years, China’s communist party has passed what it calls an “historical resolution” a motion that paves the way for next year’s party congress to make Xi Jinping the longest-serving leader in decades. The Politburo putting him on par with Mao and Deng Xiaoping by enshrining Xi leadership as the key to China’s ‘great rejuvenation’.
When the story broke, it was billed as France’s answer to figure skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked orchestrated by the husband of rival Tonya Harding before the 1994 Olympics. Thirty-five hours of questioning later, police now seeking new leads to identify the attackers of French women’s football star Kheira Hamraoui after releasing her PSG teammate Aminata Diallo. Diallo was driving Hamraoui back from a team dinner when their car was forced to stop by hooded attackers. Diallo was kept at bay while Hamraoui was assaulted and when she was unable to suit up for the Champions League, guess who came off the bench to fill her position.
Women with a violent streak fascinate. Case in point, Ridley Scott’s latest blockbuster House of Gucci which chronicles the 1995 hit on Maurizio Gucci, scion of the fashion dynasty’s fortune. His wife Patrizia – played by Lady Gaga in the movie – would get eventually a 26-year sentence.
Produced by Charles Wente, Juliette Laurain and Léopoldine Iribarren.