November 16, 2021

*) Biden, Xi try to tamp down tensions at virtual meeting US President Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping have traded strong warnings on the future of Taiwan during a virtual meeting held to settle an increasingly volatile relationship. The leaders of the two superpowers agreed on the need to tread carefully amid mounting tensions and intense competition. Biden raised concerns about China's practices in Tibet, Hong Kong and the Xinjiang region and Xi warned of Taiwan "red line", according to statements from both sides after the meeting. *) Myanmar military charges Suu Kyi with fraud over 2020 elections Myanmar's junta has charged ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi with electoral fraud in the 2020 polls that her party won in a landslide. Suu Kyi was accused of "election fraud and lawless actions," state-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar reported. Fifteen other officials, including former president Win Myint and the chair of the election commission, face the same charge. *) Russia, Belarus signal willingness to de-escalate migrant crisis Russia and Belarus have both signalled willingness to de-escalate the refugee crisis at the border with Europe after frantic diplomacy by European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed tensions on the Poland-Belarus border had to be defused, Macron's office said. The same day, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a phone conversation about the refugee crisis and measures to prevent it from escalating. The diplomatic huddles took place after ​​the EU agreed to expand sanctions on Belarus, which Brussels accuses of causing the crisis by flying in refugees and pushing them to cross illegally into Poland. *) UN relief agency for Palestinians is on verge of collapse The UN Relief Agency for Palestinian refugees is holding a donor conference to make up a 100-million dollar shortfall. Budget cuts have pushed the agency close to collapse. The agency helps Palestinian refugees no