Lukashenko strikes again

Officers from the Belarusian KGB arrested more than 30 members of an opposition group participating in an unsanctioned apartment meeting, the Belapan news agency reported
The detentions took place Sunday evening in a residential region of the Belarusian capital Minsk. Most of the arrestees were teenagers or young adults belonging to the Molodoi Front (Youth Front) opposition group. Uniformed police, plain-clothes KGB agents, and a military special forces unit conducted the arrests. Most of the Youth Front members were released after two to three hours of questioning, most reportedly because they were younger than 18. Two of the group's top leaders reportedly were still being held in a Minsk KGB-run detention centre by mid-afternoon. Family members were unable to contact either. Based on verbal allegations made by police officers during the apartment raid, both are likely to face criminal charges by Wednesday.
Belarusian law forbids political organizational work by private individuals not belonging to a registered group, or not operating from a government-sanctioned office. Molodoi Front is banned.

No news today so I thought I'd take this chance to post one of my favorite comb-over pictures. Come on, who are you kidding here. You're bald!

Belarus more than eager to have Russian missiles on its soil

MINSK - Belarusian President Alyksander Lukashenko was quoted on Friday as saying that Russia had suggested deploying missiles in his ex-Soviet state to counter a proposed U.S. missile system in nearby countries.

Lukashenko told the Wall Street Journal that even if Moscow failed to proceed with its proposal to deploy Iskander missiles, Belarus would consider buying them for its own use.

He also supported a Kremlin proposal to place the missiles in Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.

"Even if Russia does not offer these promising missiles, we will purchase them ourselves," the daily quoted Lukashenko as saying. "Right now we do not have the funds, but it is part of our plans -- I am giving away a secret here -- to have such weapons."

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Another fantastic move by Lukashenko. Requesting and/or buying missiles you don't need and can't pay for. What are you defending against? A missile defense system?

Cuban delegation arrives in Belarus to discuss bilateral relations

This is when you know you have hit rock bottom as a nation when you're tying yourself to this sinking ship.

MINSK, January 26 (Itar-Tass) - A delegation of the Cuban Foreign Ministry headed by the deputy foreign minister Dagoberto Rodriguez has arrived in Belarus to discuss bilateral cooperation.

According to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the sides intend to discuss the development of inter-state relations and ways of stepping up bilateral ties and coordinate cooperation plans in various spheres. Special attention will be paid to trade and economic cooperation.

Next time they should list more buzz words...

Belarus on track to receive $2.5bn IMF loan

Unfortunately what the below article fails to point out is that the bulk of this loan will go in Lukashenko's pocket with the Belarussian people forced to pay back the loan.

"Belarus, the authoritarian state headed by President Alexander Lukashenko, is set to secure a $2.5bn (£1.7bn, €1.8bn) International Monetary Fund emergency loan to help it weather the global economic crisis."
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Belarus parties’ websites attacked

MINSK: The websites of Belarus’ top two opposition political parties were shut down yesterday after attacks by hackers, party officials said.
The websites for the Party of the Belarusian People’s Front (PBPF) and the For Freedom! group stopped working in the early morning, said Anatoly Lebedko, an opposition spokesman.

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