Belarussian Leader Promises Swift Justice Against 'Teddy Bear' Parachute Drop (I Am Being Serious)

Two Belarusian journalists have been arrested for participating in a stunt that involved parachuting teddy bears. © Photo Studio Total

Teddy Bear Air Drop Still Roils In Belarus -- Christian Science Monitor

Belorussians have been put on trial for complicity in last month's teddy bear air drop by two Swedes protesting Belarus's poor human rights and democracy record.

No, it's not happening on the Forest Moon of Endor, but in a place that often seems almost as strange and remote: the post-Soviet republic of Belarus.

Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko has ordered his law enforcement officials to get to the bottom of the intrusion into his country's airspace last month by a small private aircraft that dropped 879 teddy bears, each on its own individual parachute and bearing a pro-democracy messages such as "we support the Belarussian struggle for free speech."

Read more ....

More News On The 'Teddy Bear' Crisis In Belarus

Belarus arrests two in wake of teddy bear airdrop -- NBC
Belarus fines two for toy bear photos after airdrop -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
Belarus pushes Sweden to close its embassy in Minsk -- L.A. Times
Belarus orders closure of Swedish embassy to Minks, expels all diplomats -- Washington Post/AP
Belarus Journalists Fined Over Teddy Bear Stunt -- RIA Novosti
Belarus's teddy bear fury continues -- Foreign Policy

My Comment: That's the problem with dictators who have a thin skin .... a few teddy bears on parachutes can make them go nuts. What an embarrassment .... but on the plus side .... Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko's backers in Moscow are deeply embarrassed with him, and are making themselves scarce when his name is mentioned.

The Teddy Bear Invasion

Belarus Fires Generals After Teddy Bears Drop From The Sky -- L.A. Times

Two generals were fired and two people were arrested after an air bombardment that left the president of Belarus fuming over how its borders could be so easily overrun -- by teddy bears.

Hundreds of the toys descended on Belarus last month, dropped by Swedes tooling over the capital, Minsk, in a small plane. The plush invaders were outfitted with parachutes and bore activist slogans such as “Free Speech Now.” The human pilots, working for a Swedish ad agency, wore teddy bear masks.

Read more ....

More News On The Belarus Teddy Bear Invasion

Teddy Bears Fall From Sky, and Heads Roll in Minsk -- New York Times
Teddy bear air invasion leads to ouster of 2 top generals in authoritarian Belarus -- Washington Post/AP
Sweden in Diplomatic Row With Belarus After Teddy Bear Drop -- SFGate/Bloomberg
Belarus expels Sweden's envoy after teddy bear incident -- AFP
Belarus Denies Expelling Swedish Ambassador -- RIA Novosti
Teddy bear bomb fallout continues in Belarus (VIDEO) -- Global Post
Belarus: Home of 'Europe's last dictator', blighted by human rights problems - and at war with the teddy bear -- Daily Mail
The Teddy Bear Bombers -- Foreign Policy

My Comment: As a rule .... dictators have huge egos and hate ridicule. The President of Belarus certainly falls in this category.

A Political Thaw In Belarus?

Former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov is greeted by supporters after being released from a prison and arriving in Minsk, April 15, 2012. Photo: Reuters

Belarusian Thaw: Lukashenko Pardons ‘Political Prisoners’ Amid EU Pressure -- Voice of America

Belarus has released a former presidential candidate and his campaign manager from prison, following crippling economic sanctions Western nations slapped on the Minsk government for widespread human rights abuses.

Andrei Sannikov, who challenged authoritarian incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko in 2010 elections, was released late Saturday. His campaign manager Dmitry Bondarenko was freed Sunday. Sannikov was serving a five-year prison term for organizing protests in 2010 against widely-perceived election fraud. Bondarenko was serving a two-year term.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus Releasing More Political Dissidents

Lukashenko frees dissidents to repair links with EU -- Irish Times
Belarusian thaw: Lukashenko pardons ‘political prisoners’ amid EU pressure -- RT
Belarus president frees jailed opposition leader -- Reuters
Belarus strongman frees critics after EU pressure -- AFP
Belarusian opposition leader, jailed since Dec. 2010 election, released -- Washington Post/AP
Prominent Political Prisoner Is Released Early in Belarus -- New York Times
Belarus Pardons Opposition Activists -- Wall Street Journal
Europeans Welcome Belarusian Political Prisoner Releases, Demand More -- Radio Free Europe
Belarus Frees Opposition Activist from Prison -- RIA Novosti
Belarus releases second opposition leader -- UPI

Investigation Underway After Minsk Subway Bombing

Three People Held In Belarus Over Minsk Metro Bomb -- RIA Novosti

Three people have been arrested in Belarus following a blast that tore through a crowded subway station in the capital Minsk, security officials said on Tuesday.

At least 12 people were killed and scores more injured after a bomb went off at Oktyabrskaya metro station, one of the city's busiest, at rush hour on Monday evening. Officials say it was a terrorist attack.

Read more ....

More News On The Terror Attack In The Minsk Metro System

Toll in Belarus subway blast: 12 dead, 200 injured -- Yahoo News/AP
Arrests Made in Minsk Subway Bombing -- Voice of America
Belarus Tightens Security After Subway Blast -- New York Times
Belarus seeks two in terror attack that baffles security experts -- Christian Science Monitor
The Unusual Suspects -- RIA Novosti
Who's to Blame for the Minsk Metro Bomb? -- Miriam Krule, The Atlantic

Massive Bomb Blast Reported At Minsk Subway Station In Belarus

Emergency vehicles gathered outside the metro station in downtown Minsk where an explosion hit on April 11. Photo from Radio Free Europe

Explosion Rocks Subway Station In Belarus -- CBS News

At least a dozen wounded and reports of fatalities; Clouds of smoke sent through streets of Minsk.

MINSK, Belarus - An explosion tore through a subway station in the Belarusian capital during evening rush hour Monday, causing at least a dozen serious injuries and sending clouds of smoke pouring into the street.

The official state news agency Belta said there were fatalities.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw heavily wounded people being carried out of the station including at least one person with missing legs.

There was no immediate official count on casualties.

Read more ....

More News On An Explosion Reported At Minsk Subway Station In Belarus

Dead, wounded in Minsk metro blast - emergencies ministry -- RIA Novosti
Strong explosion hits subway at Belarusian capital Minsk; at least dozen severely wounded -- Washington Post
People on stretchers in Belarus metro blast-witness -- Reuters
Deadly Blast Hits Belarus Subway -- Radio Free Europe
Blast Goes Off In Minsk Metro, Casualties Reported -- Wall Street Journal

Update: Belarus: Blast in Minsk subway kills 7, wounds 35 -- Yahoo News/AP

Belarus Accuses EU States Of Plotting 'Coup'

Belarus Accuses Germany, Poland of Overthrow Bid -- Wall Street Journal

MOSCOW—Belarus accused Germany and Poland of trying to overthrow its authoritarian president by organizing a large street protest against his disputed re-election last month, an event that set off a sweeping crackdown against the former Soviet republic's democratic opposition.

The allegation Friday, denied by both countries, came two days after European Union officials rebuffed a diplomatic effort by Belarus to allay concerns about the crackdown and head off a renewal of EU sanctions against the country's top officials.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus Accusing Western Countries Of Plotting A Coup

Belarus accuses Poland, Germany of plotting "coup" -- Reuters
Belarus Accuses Poland, Germany of Takeover Plot -- New York Times
Belarus says Germany, Poland tried to overthrow president -- Canadian Press
Belarus Accuses EU States Of Plotting 'Poll Coup' -- Radio Free Europe

Belarus Warns Rights Group As Western Pressure Grows -- Moscow Times
Belarus Issues Warning to Rights Group Amid Crackdown -- New York Times
Crackdown against Independent Media Continues to Grip Belarus -- International Press Institute

Belarus faces bruising sanctions -- Globe And Mail
EU threatens Belarus with sanctions -- UPI
EU to decide on Belarus sanctions this month -- Deutsche Welle

Will the E.U. Let Belarus' Despot Off the Hook? -- Time Magazine

Crackdown On Political Opponents Continues In Balarus

A Belarussian detainee arrested during protests gestures from a prison cell at a detention center in Minsk on Dec. 29, 2010. Belarus jailed more than 600 arrests since riot police broke up a rally of about 30,000 people who were attempting to protest alleged fraud in the Dec. 19 presidential elections. Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters

Belarus Crackdown Strains Ties With Both EU And Russia -- Christian Science Monitor

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's crackdown on the opposition has prompted the EU to consider sanctions. But some members say that could backfire.

Belarussian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko appears to be accelerating the crackdown on Belarus' beleaguered prodemocracy opposition. There have been more than 600 arrests since riot police broke up a rally of about 30,000 people who were attempting to protest alleged fraud in the Dec. 19 presidential elections that brought Mr. Lukashenko back to power for an unprecedented fourth five-year term.

Read more ....

More News On The Unrest In Belarus

Crackdown on Dissent Continues in Belarus -- New York Times
Belarus crackdown tests EU influence -- BBC
European Parliament Panel Recommends Tougher EU Attitude Toward Minsk -- Radio Free Europe
Lukashenko regime has no political legitimacy - EP chairman -- RIA Novosti
Belarusian opposition activist urges EU to freeze ties with Belarus -- RIA Novosti
EU eyes sanctions after tainted Minsk poll -- Financial Times
Belarus shuts station over opposition messages -- Bloomberg
EU Reinstates Travel Ban against Belarusian Dictator -- New American
Belarus Signals It Could Seize Opponent’s Son -- New York Times
Belarus boy in custody tug-of-war after arrests -- BBC
Opposition leader's son threatened in Belarus -- The Independent
3 years old and caught in the crossfire -- Foreign Policy
Lukashenko's inauguration scheduled for Jan. 21 -- Kyiv post
A Post-Election Agenda for Belarus -- Matthew Rojansky, James F. Collins, Carnegie Endowment
Lukashenko’s Gulag -- New York Times editorial

Belarus Cracks Down On The Opposition. Hundreds Are Arrested

Belarus Extends Crackdown -- Wall Street Journal

MINSK, Belarus—Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko extended his crackdown on opponents Tuesday, as authorities charged around 600 activists with taking part in an unsanctioned protest and threatened to disband political parties and organizations involved in Sunday's protest against his landslide re-election.

At least four opposition candidates remained in detention Tuesday as Mr. Lukashenko sought to stamp out any embers of dissent after around 20,000 people hit the streets Sunday to protest a vote Western observers said was deeply flawed.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus

700 arrested in Belarus, 2 candidates freed -- AP
Belarus protests: more than 600 charged and opposition leaders in jail -- The Guardian
Belarus Leader RejectsOutcry After Election -- Wall Street Journal
Key US senators denounce Belarus crackdown -- AFP
Analysis: Now for the hard part after Lukashenko victory -- Reuters
Coming to Terms with a European Tyrant -- Benjamin Bidder, Spiegel Online

Belarus President Lukashenko Arrests Opponents After Election Win

Belarus President Lukashenko Clamps Down On Protests After Election Win -- Bloomberg

Belarus police detained hundreds of demonstrators, some of whom tried to storm parliament to protest President Alexander Lukashenko’s re-election yesterday. Several opposition candidates were also in custody.

Lukashenko gained 79.7 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission’s website. The election was “marred by the detention of most presidential candidates and hundreds of activists,” the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said today. Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, called on authorities to “immediately release those arrested.”

Read more ....

More News On Belarus

Unrepentant Lukashenko defies West over crackdown -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Belarus rounds up opposition after Lukashenko win -- Yahoo News/AFP
Belarus strongman keeps grip on power after vote -- Yahoo News/AP
Belarus strongman brutally suppresses post-election uprising -- The Telegraph
Belarus election ends in protests, police crackdown -- Christian Science Monitor
Belarus Police Arrest Opposition Leaders -- New York Times
'Hundreds of protesters arrested' in Belarus -- BBC
Belarus election: opposition leaders beaten as Lukashenko declares victory -- The Guardian
US, EU, lead condemnation of Belarus crackdown -- AFP
Lukashenko, bogeyman for both West and Russia -- Reuters
Analysis: Now for the hard part after Lukashenko victory -- Reuters
A Pyrrhic Victory for Lukashenko? -- Sam Greene, Carnegie Endowment

Unrest And Riots In Belarus After Presidential Election

Supporters carried the presidential candidate Vladimir Neklyayev to his campaign headquarters on Sunday after he and others were beaten by riot police during a rally in Minsk. Julia Darashkevich/Reuters

Belarus Protestors Try To Storm Government Building After Elections -- Deutsche Welle

Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in Minsk on Sunday to protest after exit polls showed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had won re-election. Many tried to storm the main government building.

Following exit polls that suggest that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been re-elected, around 10,000 opposition supporters have taken to the streets of Minsk.

Thousands tried to storm the main government building to protest what the opposition claims was large-scale vote-rigging in the presidential election.

They broke windows and glass doors, but backed off after discovering riot police inside the building.

Read more ....

More News On The Unrest In Belarus

Thousands try to storm govt building in Belarus -- Yahoo News/AP
Violence as Belarus strongman heads to victory -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Election Sparks Protests in Belarus -- Wall Street Journal
Crackdown mars Belarus elections -- Al Jazeera
Belarus: armed troops gather in Minsk in standoff over election results -- The Guardian
Riot Police Attack Belarus Opposition -- New York Times
Belarus Police Beat Opposition Leader; Polls Show Lukashenko Win -- Voice of America
Election sparks unrest in Belarus -- ABC News Online

Belarus Will Re-Elect President Lukashenko In Today's Election

Belarusians Go To The Polls To Elect President -- CNN

(CNN) -- Voters in Belarus head to the polls Sunday to cast their ballots in presidential elections.

The race will determine the political fate of Alexander Lukashenko, regarded as "the last dictator in Europe" by U.S. lawmakers.

Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994, is running against nine other candidates, according to the Central Election Commission.

National polls show that he enjoys wide support of the electorate.

Read more ....

More News On Today's Presidential Vote In Belarus

Lukashenko heads for victory in Belarus presidential election -- RIA Novosti
Belarus votes in presidential election -- Financial Times
Belarus set to give maverick president new term -- AFP
Belarus opposition complains of dirty tricks -- AP
In Belarus Campaign, a Veneer of Pluralism Emerges With the West in Mind -- New York Times
Belarus looks east, west as vote nears -- Washington Post
US embassy cables: Belarus president plans to rule 'indefinitely' -- The Guardian
WikiLeaks cables describe Belarus leader as 'bizarre' and 'disturbed' -- The Guardian
Factbox: Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko -- Reuters
Factbox: Profile of Belarus ahead of presidential election -- Reuters

Europe's Last Dictator

The Incredible Survival Of “Europe’s Last Dictator” -- Euronews

He was branded Europe’s “last dictator” by the Bush administration. Many have predicted his demise. But Alexander Lukashenko has survived, cunningly exploiting his country’s strategic position to play off Russia against the West.

Over the past couple of years the frostiness with Europe has thawed. Belarus has joined the EU’s Eastern Partnership Initiative. Sanctions imposed on the country’s leaders over human rights have been relaxed.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus

Life Under Europe's Last Dictator -- Foreign Policy
Belarus: Lukashenko's certain victory -- Global Post
Lukashenko coasts to re-election, West, Russia squirm -- Reuters
Moscow struggles with entrenched leader of Belarus -- Reuters
Putin praises Belarus leader ahead of election -- Reuters
Ruler Feels Pinch as Russian Aid Wanes -- Wall Street Journal
Riot control troops move towards Belarus capital ahead of elections -- M&C
Factbox: Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko -- Reuters
Factbox: Profile of Belarus ahead of presidential election -- Reuters

Belarus To Scrap It's Highly-Enriched Uranium Stocks

Belarus Promises To Eliminate Highly-Enriched Uranium -- The Telegraph

Belarus has promised to eliminate its stocks of highly-enriched uranium by 2012, the material that can be used to form the warhead of a nuclear bomb.

Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, won the pledge from Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov after talks on the sidelines of the OSCE summit in the Kazakhstan capital Astana.

"Foreign Minister Martynov announced that Belarus has decided to eliminate all of its stocks of highly enriched uranium and intends to do so by the next nuclear security summit in 2012," said a joint statement.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus Giving Up On It's Stocks Of Highly-Enriched Uranium

Belarus agrees to give up stockpile of highly enriched uranium -- Washington Post
Belarus Pledges at Summit to Eliminate Highly Enriched Uranium Stockpiles -- Bloomberg
Belarus Vows to Eliminate Bomb-Grade Uranium -- Global Security Newswire
Belarus to eliminate uranium stockpile -- UPI
Belarus to Scrap Uranium Stockpile -- AOL News
Belarus to Give Up Uranium Stockpile -- New York Times
Belarus to scrap high enriched uranium stocks-U.S. -- Reuters
Former Soviet republic giving up nuclear materials -- AP
Belarus to scrap highly-enriched uranium stocks -- RIA Novosti

Are The Days Numbered For The "Last Dictator In Europe"?

Russia Aims To Topple The 'Last Dictator In Europe' -- The Independent

Alexander Lukashenko, the moustachioed former collective farm manager often described as "the last dictator in Europe", could be about to see his iron grip on power in Belarus turned to jelly by an intervention from his domineering neighbour and erstwhile ally, Russia.

Until recently Mr Lukashenko was expected to win presidential elections that are due in the neo-Soviet state next February at a canter. But in the last few weeks the Belarusian President has engaged in what might be an unwinnable media war with Moscow. Questions are now being asked about whether eastern Europe's great political survivor might be on his last legs.

Read more ....

More News On Belarus

Prospects For Regime Change in Belarus -- Georgian Daily
Belarus and Georgia get together for a few potshots at Russia -- The Guardian
Russia and Belarus: It takes one to know one -- The Economist
Belarus leader to West: 'We will not crawl' -- Reuters
Belarus to seek alternatives to Russian energy -- Xinhuanet
Lukashenko says has no rivals in 2011 presidential elections -- RIA Novosti