Feds bring woman to U.S. to face charges, then say she’s here illegally - The Washington Post

"Indeed, it is both preposterous and offensive for the government to bring someone into the United States against their will and then turn around and seek ICE detention because that person is here 'illegally,'" U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui said in the written order. "The government needs to decide what its priorities are: ginning up deportation stats or prosecuting alleged criminals."…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/12/10/extradition-deportation-belarus-russia/ 

'Truly Troubling': Claiming Western Invasion Imminent, Lukashenko Says Belarus Seeks Nukes

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday claimed without evidence that his government needs to "safeguard" the Eastern European country from a looming Western invasion, saying he is seeking to station intercontinental nuclear missiles there to defend Belarus against the United States and other countries in the West...

https://www.commondreams.org/news/belarus-lukashenko-nuclear-weapons

'Extremely Dangerous Escalation': Putin to Station Russian Nukes in Belarus

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on state television Saturday plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus—an escalation anti-war campaigners had been warning about and that alarmed disarmament advocates and experts...

https://www.commondreams.org/news/russia-putin-nuclear-weapons-belarus

Putin wants to take over Belarus by 2030: journalists find out Kremlin's documents

Russia plans to take full control of Belarus' politics, economy, and military potential by 2030, according to an internal Kremlin document that was obtained by a group of journalists…

https://news.yahoo.com/putin-wants-over-belarus-2030-085633008.html

Putin arrives in Belarus as Lukashenko warns of ‘escalating’ situation | The Hill

Ahead of the meeting, Lukashenko struck a defiant tone by indicating the situation was "escalating" and stressing his country's sovereignty amid growing concerns that Belarus could be pulled into Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

"I would like to emphasize this feature once again: no one, except us, governs Belarus. These are our functions under the Constitution, including mine. We are implementing these functions," Lukashenko said on Friday...

https://thehill.com/policy/international/3780555-putin-arrives-in-belarus-as-lukashenko-warns-of-escalating-situation/

What happens if Russia can’t pay its debts after western sanctions?

World Bank's chief economist has warned Russia and Belarus are 'mightily close' to default

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/what-happens-if-russia-cant-pay-its-debts-after-western-sanctions

From Putin to pandas with Karen Attiah (Pod Save the World podcast)

Ben and guest co-host Karen Attiah, the Global Opinions editor for The Washington Post, talk bout Jared Kushner’s coddling of dictators and his trip to the United Arab Emirates, human rights in Egypt, the latest on the crackdown in Belarus and its implications for journalists, far-right protestors in Germany who threatened to storm the Reichstag, and the global impact of the late Chadwick Boseman.
Interview:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/9513168/from-putin-to-pandas-with-karen-attiah

The St. Elisabeth Monastery Scandal

As the coronavirus pandemic was sweeping through Belarus, The St. Elisabeth Monastery tried to hide the outbreak in their church. Even as hundreds of nuns, priests, and members became sick, they continued to hold packed services with no social distancing and discouraged people from wearing masks. Father Andrew Lemeshonok told the nuns to lie about the spread of the infection and told his congregation that churches were places of healing and that you can't get sick from holy communion even when you share a spoon with sick people and kiss the same icons. To keep the scandal under wraps, the leadership of the monastery resorted to cult-like tactics, discouraging nuns from even reaching out to friends and family.
https://youtu.be/zfyDuVL2jxQ

Belarus warns Putin is destroying countries to re-create Soviet bloc under Russian flag | World | News | Express.co.uk

Putin is targeting Belarus in his bid to create a Greater Russia reminiscent of the old Soviet Union, the Belarus president warned today. The Russian President has pressured the government in Minsk to three sets of talks encouraging the ex-Soviet state to come back to Mother Russia.....
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1065149/russia-news-vladimir-putin-moscow-kremlin-belarus-union-state