If you watched the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Games, you may have noticed a conspicuous omission during the parade of nations. Because of its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine almost exactly four years ago, Russia-and its allies in Belarus-has been banned from participating in these Olympics.
The charter for President Donald Trump's newly formed Board of Peace claims the organization aims to secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Some of its member states seem less than committed to that goal. The president faced widespread backlash for his highly controversial invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is reportedly still considering accepting a place on the board.
The move follows a December 2 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which found that FIS's earlier decision to block all Russian and Belarusian athletes from Olympic qualification events constituted an unlawful "blanket exclusion" based solely on nationality. CAS ordered FIS to allow a defined group of named athletes to apply for neutral status, provided they meet International Olympic Committee (IOC) neutrality criteria. National teams from both countries remain banned.
The US has eased sanctions on Belarus after the close Russian ally freed more than 100 political prisoners. United States President Donald Trump has eased sanctions on Belarus after it freed more than 100 political prisoners. But stiff European sanctions remain in place against the close Russian ally. Why has the US deal been struck now, and what is the reaction in Russia, Ukraine and the European Union?
There are many symptoms of totalitarian sickness gripping Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus. You risk being arrested for wearing red and white together, the colours of the outlawed flag of the country's opposition movement. Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four has been banned, which seems rather on the nose. But these are just some of the more farcical elements, the collateral comedy spinning from the deep repression, violence and psychological wounds charted in this sobering film that follows a trio of Belarusian activists,
It is 4 o'clock in the morning. There are sirens wailing, and gunfire can be heard everywhere. Teenagers aged 13 to 14, dressed in military uniforms and armed with rifles, run out of tents. Some return the fire, while others crouch down and run over to wounded schoolchildren. They bandage them, place them on stretchers and try to get them to safety.
Mikita Losik was sentenced to three years for "extremist activities" after sending photos of Russian military equipment to a Telegram channel. He fled Belarus after being evacuated to safety.
