themoscowtimes--2020-08-24--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 960K

Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 960K

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg .
Russia 's fatality rate has remained low @ @ @ @ @ , raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures .
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus @ @ @ @ @ a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 .
Both events were initially postponed due @ @ @ @ @ cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1 .
In the capital , masks are mandatory in @ @ @ @ @ but not in the streets .
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ Ministry has said it developed a `` safe '' vaccine following clinical trials on a @ @ @ @ @ trials are ongoing , and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed @ @ @ @ @

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-24--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Approximately 100,000 demonstrators massed in central Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko , who @ @ @ @ @ the banned protest in a helicopter and called the marchers `` rats . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ clutching an automatic rifle upon landing at his central Minsk residence , has ordered the @ @ @ @ @ in the face of the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule of the ex-Soviet state @ @ @ @ @ Navalny , who has suffered a suspected poisoning , was flown to Berlin on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ medical evacuation from Russia .
A hospital spokeswoman there said Navalny ’ s doctors could @ @ @ @ @ condition Monday .

‘Fled like rats’
Approximately 100,000 demonstrators massed in central Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who flew over the scene of the banned protest in a helicopter and called the marchers "rats."
The authoritarian leader, later shown clutching an automatic rifle upon landing at his central Minsk residence, has ordered the military into full combat readiness in the face of the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule of the ex-Soviet state.
Navalny in a coma
Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who has suffered a suspected poisoning, was flown to Berlin on Saturday following a standoff over his medical evacuation from Russia. A hospital spokeswoman there said Navalny’s doctors could provide an update on his condition Monday.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-24--Belarus Intensifies Crackdown After Mammoth Demonstration

Belarusian authorities stepped up arrests of political opponents and strike leaders Monday , after Sunday saw the latest unprecedented demonstration against President Alexander Lukashenko 's disputed re-election .
While the protest movement against Lukashenko 's 26-year reign entered its third week , the man known as `` Europe 's last dictator '' responded with fresh rhetoric and martial imagery .
Most prominently , Nobel Literature Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich was summoned for questioning over her ties to the opposition .
Alexievich , who won the Nobel Prize in 2015 , has supported opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and is a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her allies to oversee a peaceful transition of power , although the 72-year-old writer has not attended its sessions .
The Investigative Committee summoned Alexievich for questioning on Wednesday as a witness in an ongoing criminal probe into the council 's creation , focusing on alleged calls to seize power .
Another presidium member , former arts minister and diplomat Pavel Latushko , faces questioning on Tuesday .
The announcement came hours after police reported the detention of two other Coordination Council members on suspicion of organizing illegal strikes .
Meanwhile a top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands took part in some of the largest protests in the country 's recent history for a second Sunday in a row .
'We are under pressure' Tikhanovskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania after Aug. 9 polls that she claims to have won against Lukashenko .
His insistence on his own landslide victory and police violence against demonstrators have sparked the huge protests against his rule .
The opposition said two members of its Coordination Council were detained on Monday : Sergei Dylevsky , a tractor plant worker who has come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kovalkova , a member of Tikhanovskaya 's staff .
Allies of Tikhanovskaya formed the council this month to oversee efforts for a peaceful transition of power .
`` We are under pressure .
This morning two members of the presidium of the Coordination Council were detained , '' another presidium member , Liliya Vlasova , told a press conference .
Vlasova , a lawyer and mediator , said Dylevsky and Kovalkova were accused of illegally organizing a strike , an administrative offense .
A mobile phone video by a witness posted by news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being led to a police van , watched by uniformed workers from the Belarus tractor plant .
Three more people were arrested Monday evening on the sidelines of an opposition protest in capital Minsk .
`` We consider these actions of the authorities are absolutely unlawful , '' Vlasova said .
`` We are negotiators . ''
Vlasova said that investigators had also summoned her for questioning later Monday .
In the industrial city of Soligorsk , police detained a strike leader at the Belaruskaly potash plant , Anatoly Bokun , and another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant , which makes heavy-duty trucks , factory workers told AFP .
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun met Tikhanovskaya in Lithuania , calling her a `` very impressive person . ''
He condemned `` the violation of human rights and brutality that we 've seen play out in Belarus , '' saying Belarusians must `` determine their own future . ''
Tikhanovskaya said Lukashenko `` does not have the support either of the Belarusian people or the international community . ''
Visiting Ukraine , German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to respect the rights of the protesters . ''
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone with Lukashenko on Monday , the latest in a series of calls between the two leaders , whose countries are closely linked .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised protesters for lack of `` provocations '' and said law enforcement behaved `` very appropriately '' during Sunday 's demonstration .
While police did not crack down at the time , the opposition warned Monday that anyone who took part could potentially be detained .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their unsanctioned march through Minsk , Lukashenko mounted a bizarre display of force .
Footage released by his press service showed him landing at his residence in Minsk with his 15-year-old son Nikolai , both in bullet-proof vests and carrying assault rifles .
He then praised riot police manning a heavily fortified barricade as `` beautiful guys . ''
On Monday the presidency and state news agency Belta used the footage in a montage set to stirring music , titled `` Belarus will not waver . ''
It featured scenes of heavily armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impose `` order . ''
Tikhanovskaya 's campaign ally and Coordination Council member Maria Kolesnikova on Monday called for an official investigation into how Nikolai , a minor , was allowed to carry a combat weapon , and ridiculed Lukashenko .
`` We think it 's very strange when someone who heads a country allows himself to run about in very strange clothing , with a very strange weapon in the center of Minsk , '' she said .
`` If he thinks 80 % of Belarusians voted for him , why does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those chains of 'beautiful guys ? '
''

Belarusian authorities stepped up arrests of political opponents and strike leaders Monday, after Sunday saw the latest unprecedented demonstration against President Alexander Lukashenko's disputed re-election.
While the protest movement against Lukashenko's 26-year reign entered its third week, the man known as "Europe's last dictator" responded with fresh rhetoric and martial imagery.
Most prominently, Nobel Literature Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich was summoned for questioning over her ties to the opposition.
Alexievich, who won the Nobel Prize in 2015, has supported opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and is a member of the Coordination Council set up by her allies to oversee a peaceful transition of power, although the 72-year-old writer has not attended its sessions.
The Investigative Committee summoned Alexievich for questioning on Wednesday as a witness in an ongoing criminal probe into the council's creation, focusing on alleged calls to seize power.
Another presidium member, former arts minister and diplomat Pavel Latushko, faces questioning on Tuesday.
The announcement came hours after police reported the detention of two other Coordination Council members on suspicion of organizing illegal strikes.
Meanwhile a top U.S. diplomat met Tikhanovskaya in Lithuania after tens of thousands took part in some of the largest protests in the country's recent history for a second Sunday in a row.
'We are under pressure'
Tikhanovskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania after Aug. 9 polls that she claims to have won against Lukashenko. His insistence on his own landslide victory and police violence against demonstrators have sparked the huge protests against his rule.
The opposition said two members of its Coordination Council were detained on Monday: Sergei Dylevsky, a tractor plant worker who has come to prominence as a strike leader and Olga Kovalkova, a member of Tikhanovskaya's staff.
Allies of Tikhanovskaya formed the council this month to oversee efforts for a peaceful transition of power.
"We are under pressure. This morning two members of the presidium of the Coordination Council were detained," another presidium member, Liliya Vlasova, told a press conference.
Vlasova, a lawyer and mediator, said Dylevsky and Kovalkova were accused of illegally organizing a strike, an administrative offense.
A mobile phone video by a witness posted by news site Tut.by apparently showed Dylevsky and Kovalkova being led to a police van, watched by uniformed workers from the Belarus tractor plant.
Three more people were arrested Monday evening on the sidelines of an opposition protest in capital Minsk.
Call with Putin
"We consider these actions of the authorities are absolutely unlawful," Vlasova said. "We are negotiators."
Vlasova said that investigators had also summoned her for questioning later Monday.
In the industrial city of Soligorsk, police detained a strike leader at the Belaruskaly potash plant, Anatoly Bokun, and another, Alexander Lavrinovich, at the MZKT plant, which makes heavy-duty trucks, factory workers told AFP.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun met Tikhanovskaya in Lithuania, calling her a "very impressive person."
He condemned "the violation of human rights and brutality that we've seen play out in Belarus," saying Belarusians must "determine their own future."
Tikhanovskaya said Lukashenko "does not have the support either of the Belarusian people or the international community."
Visiting Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called for Lukashenko "not to resort to violence, to respect the rights of the protesters."
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone with Lukashenko on Monday, the latest in a series of calls between the two leaders, whose countries are closely linked.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised protesters for lack of "provocations" and said law enforcement behaved "very appropriately" during Sunday's demonstration.
While police did not crack down at the time, the opposition warned Monday that anyone who took part could potentially be detained.
'Belarus will not waver'
As the vast crowd of protesters held their unsanctioned march through Minsk, Lukashenko mounted a bizarre display of force.
Footage released by his press service showed him landing at his residence in Minsk with his 15-year-old son Nikolai, both in bullet-proof vests and carrying assault rifles. He then praised riot police manning a heavily fortified barricade as "beautiful guys."
On Monday the presidency and state news agency Belta used the footage in a montage set to stirring music, titled "Belarus will not waver." It featured scenes of heavily armed riot police and warnings that Lukashenko will impose "order."
Tikhanovskaya's campaign ally and Coordination Council member Maria Kolesnikova on Monday called for an official investigation into how Nikolai, a minor, was allowed to carry a combat weapon, and ridiculed Lukashenko.
"We think it's very strange when someone who heads a country allows himself to run about in very strange clothing, with a very strange weapon in the center of Minsk," she said.
"If he thinks 80% of Belarusians voted for him, why does he fearfully hide behind barbed wire and those chains of 'beautiful guys?'"


themoscowtimes--2020-08-24--Germany Hails 'Significant Progress' in Ukraine Peace Efforts

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday praised `` significant progress '' in solving the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ his Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev .
Germany is a key player in what is known @ @ @ @ @ aimed at ending the longrunning conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the ex-Soviet @ @ @ @ @ has been made recently , '' Maas said during a joint press conference with Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ .
He praised an ongoing ceasefire that had lasted longer than then previous ones and @ @ @ @ @ prisoner exchanges and de-mining activity .
No Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since @ @ @ @ @ 's troops and the separatists began in late July .
Since the conflict broke out @ @ @ @ @ been numerous attempts to end the fighting but most ceasefires do not hold long enough @ @ @ @ @ further peace talks .

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday praised "significant progress" in solving the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, as he met with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev.
Germany is a key player in what is known as the Minsk peace process aimed at ending the longrunning conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the ex-Soviet country.
"Significant progress has been made recently," Maas said during a joint press conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
He praised an ongoing ceasefire that had lasted longer than then previous ones and "good progress" on prisoner exchanges and de-mining activity.
No Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the latest ceasefire between Kiev's troops and the separatists began in late July.
Since the conflict broke out in 2014, there have been numerous attempts to end the fighting but most ceasefires do not hold long enough to pave the way for further peace talks.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-24--Russia Expels Austrian Diplomat in Tit-for-Tat Over Espionage Dispute

Austria gave the unnamed Russian diplomat until Sept. 1 to leave the country , according to Austrian media , for allegedly engaging in economic espionage in a high-tech company for years .
An Austrian citizen who reportedly helped him had allegedly identified the Russian diplomat as his senior officer .
Russia has moved swiftly to expel an Austrian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move following the expulsion of its own diplomat from Vienna on accusations of industrial espionage .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry summoned Austria ’ s Ambassador to Moscow Johannes Aigner to “ strongly protest the unjustified decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demand that he leave Austria , ” it said Monday .
“ Guided by the principle of reciprocity , the diplomat of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Russia was declared ‘ persona non grata ’ , ” it said in a statement .
Russian lawmakers were quick to condemn Austria 's move on Monday and the Russian Embassy in Vienna said it had expected Moscow to expel an Austrian diplomat in retaliation .
Austria is at least the third European country , after Norway and Slovakia , to expel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other crimes .
Over the summer , Austria has jailed its retired army colonel for spying for Russia and a Chechen dissident described as Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov ’ s “ personal foe ” was murdered in Vienna .
Austria , under conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz , has positioned itself as one of Russia ’ s closest allies in the European Union .

Austria gave the unnamed Russian diplomat until Sept. 1 to leave the country, according to Austrian media, for allegedly engaging in economic espionage in a high-tech company for years. An Austrian citizen who reportedly helped him had allegedly identified the Russian diplomat as his senior officer.
Russia has moved swiftly to expel an Austrian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move following the expulsion of its own diplomat from Vienna on accusations of industrial espionage.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Austria’s Ambassador to Moscow Johannes Aigner to “strongly protest the unjustified decision to revoke the Russian diplomat’s accreditation and demand that he leave Austria,” it said Monday.
“Guided by the principle of reciprocity, the diplomat of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Russia was declared ‘persona non grata’,” it said in a statement.
Russian lawmakers were quick to condemn Austria's move on Monday and the Russian Embassy in Vienna said it had expected Moscow to expel an Austrian diplomat in retaliation.
Austria is at least the third European country, after Norway and Slovakia, to expel Russian diplomats this month over either spying or other crimes. Over the summer, Austria has jailed its retired army colonel for spying for Russia and a Chechen dissident described as Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s “personal foe” was murdered in Vienna.
Austria, under conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, has positioned itself as one of Russia’s closest allies in the European Union.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--Oil Workers Stumble Upon Mammoth Remains in Russia’s Arctic

Mammoth remains have been accidentally discovered near the Arctic Circle in Russia , the latest surprise archaeological find as climate change accelerates permafrost melt and exposes the long-buried skeletons of ancient animals .
Gazprom Neft workers stumbled upon the elephant-sized animal ’ s skull and tusk earlier in August while working at its northernmost oil field on the remote Yamal Peninsula .
“ Now workers are looking for other mammoth remains and waiting for the arrival of archeologists , ” the company , a subsidiary of energy giant Gazprom , said on its social media pages .
A photo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragments laid on the snow .
The remains are at least the second mammoth discovery during this year ’ s historically hot summer in the Russian Arctic , one of the world ’ s fastest-warming regions .
In July , archeologists uncovered a well-preserved wooly mammoth skeleton in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district .
That rare discovery included part of the animal ’ s skull , its lower jaw , several ribs and a foot fragment with some soft tissue still intact .
Wooly mammoths , which roamed across northern Eurasia and North America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 years ago .
Several mammoth skeletons have been discovered in Siberia .
Temperatures above the Arctic Circle have soared to nearly 40 degrees Celsius this summer .
Climate scientists warn that melting permafrost could further contribute to global warming by releasing mass amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere .

Mammoth remains have been accidentally discovered near the Arctic Circle in Russia, the latest surprise archaeological find as climate change accelerates permafrost melt and exposes the long-buried skeletons of ancient animals. Gazprom Neft workers stumbled upon the elephant-sized animal’s skull and tusk earlier in August while working at its northernmost oil field on the remote Yamal Peninsula.
“Now workers are looking for other mammoth remains and waiting for the arrival of archeologists,” the company, a subsidiary of energy giant Gazprom, said on its social media pages. A photo of the finding showed large skull and tusk fragments laid on the snow. The remains are at least the second mammoth discovery during this year’s historically hot summer in the Russian Arctic, one of the world’s fastest-warming regions.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--It’s a Long Way to Tipperary for Belarus Opposition Leader Tikhanovskaya

It ’ s a long way to Tipperary from Belarus for opposition leader Svetlana Tikhonavskaya , who cultivated an independent streak and a flair for leadership during almost a decade of visits to rural Ireland .
Tikhonavskaya , 37 , was one of the “ Chernobyl children , ” whose health was directly or indirectly affected by the radioactive fallout of the 1986 nuclear disaster in neighboring Ukraine .
She was just 12 years old when she first came to Ireland as a guest of the Chernobyl Lifeline project , an initiative set up by Tipperary man Henry Deane to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the ongoing effects of the world ’ s worst nuclear accident .
Henry ’ s son David remembers “ Sveta ” – as he knows her – well from the time his father and mother Marian hosted her in their Roscrea home from the mid-1990s to 2004 .
While still shocked his friend is spearheading the opposition to Alexander Lukashenko dictatorial regime , he can trace Sveta ’ s evolution from a shy and modest girl into a compassionate and outspoken leader .
“ While in Ireland , Sveta and the others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate , ” David told bne IntelliNews in an interview from Nova Scotia in Canada , where he is an associate professor of theology at the Atlantic School of Theology .
“ They were very taken by [ the ] much higher standard of living relative to Belarus , despite Ireland being a two-bit country in the middle of the Atlantic with nothing going for it then .
What Sveta and the kids were taking back was : what is holding us back from having what they have in Ireland ?
” Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcomed 30,000 children from Belarus , Ukraine and western Russia who have gained respite from the high levels of radiation .
It is estimated that a one-month break in a healthy environment such as Ireland adds two years to their life expectancy .
Most of the children who came to Tipperary came for a summer or two , but Sveta came for eight summers as she grew close to the Deanes and the local community .
For a couple of summers , she got a job working at Gerry Meehan ’ s meat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her studies in Brest in western Belarus and later worked as an interpreter for the younger children .
“ All the children were hand-picked by the teachers and only the best citizens were allowed to go , ” says David .
“ One of the reasons Sveta became an interpreter for the other children was that was the only way she could keep coming back year after year .
Most children were only allowed to come for one year , or two at most.
” David says Lukashenko was very much against children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , to recuperate and it was difficult to get visas for them to travel .
In 2004 , there were reports in the Irish press that Lukashenko was about to block all travel because of the `` consumerist '' influence he believed was infecting his country 's youth .
“ With the prejudices of the former U.S.S.R. , Lukashenko was against children leaving to spend time recuperating in Europe and he was right , because they were different kinds of kids with different kinds of perspective when they came back , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ models made a big impression on Sveta , according to David .
Ireland had elected its first female president , Mary Robinson , in 1990 , followed by Mary McAleese in 1997 .
The office of the presidency in Ireland is largely ceremonial but the holder does possess strong legislative powers and the people ’ s choice was an indicator of great social and cultural change .
“ I definitely remember having a conversation with her and others about the Irish political system and the President , ” recalls David .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman like Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese could become a President while not conforming to a male archetype or a male in disguise like Margaret Thatcher.
” “ The girls would have been tuned into the cultural transformation of Ireland in the 1990s .
The girls were strong , resilient , bright and talented but somehow that generation of her friends could break through a veil and maybe that was because of that experience in Ireland.
” The Belarus girls were also very taken by local Tipperary businesswomen like Pauline Coonan , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved the Chernobyl Lifeline project : “ She was a strong and independent woman and very different to her teachers , who were very traditional and stocky matriarchs.
” Sveta and the other children were bowled over by how generously they were received and the wealth relative to their homeland .
Ireland ’ s ‘ Celtic Tiger ’ economy was just beginning to emerge from perennial stagnation due to the country ’ s access to the European single market and its remarkable success in attracting foreign direct investment ( FDI ) .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a population of just 7,000 , the children were given vital medical checks and taken to the optician and the dentist for treatment .
They were also taken on picnics , shopping expeditions and trips to the cinema in nearby Tullamore or the swimming pool in Birr , County Offaly .
“ My dad would go to a store with a bunch of kids , who would clear the shelves of whatever treats they wanted , ” David said .
“ They would go to the counter and the shopkeeper would just wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcoming the kids and would never ask them to pay – be it at the clothes store or in the cinema.
” In Ireland , Sveta became the first port of call for children when they were homesick , lost and afraid .
“ She had overwhelming compassion for young children , ” he says .
“ They clung to her for comfort when they found themselves in a strange country , far from their parents.
” Adi Roche , a Tipperary activist who ran as a candidate for the presidency of Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Children International in 1991 in response to an appeal from Belarusian doctors to provide humanitarian aid to the 'forgotten children ' of Chernobyl .
David 's father was originally part of that group before going his own way because he wanted to bring in larger numbers of children and play “ a little more fast and loose ” with the strict rules governing their stay .
His mother Marian used to help Sveta and the other children to sew cash into the lining of sweaters , teddy bears and jackets to take back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the precious hard currency .
“ Our host families – some of whom were living on house estates and didn ’ t have much – would have a particular close affinity with a family in Belarus and would risk the ire of the authorities by trying to smuggle money back , ” says Deane , who travelled to Belarus in the late 1990s .
Among her female peers , David says Sveta wasn ’ t entirely popular because she “ less prim and proper and less retiring ” than the other girls : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tougher , less frivolous and more worldly than the others and she was very popular – particularly among the younger children .
She also smoked and that was considered gauche by the others.
” During her last year visit in 2004 , David can recall having a political conversation with Sveta about the USSR and whether people had enjoyed better a sense of community and solidarity .
“ I was asking her about nostalgia for Soviet culture and I was constantly saying wasn ’ t there a better sense of community before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs taken care of but Sveta wasn ’ t having any of it , ” he says .
“ For her , it wasn ’ t about politics but basic human freedoms .
From her perspective , they weren ’ t free to criticise Lukashenko for fear of reprisals and repression and she had no time whatsoever for my sentimentality and nostalgia.
” The Deanes remain in touch with Sveta to this day .
David speaks to her via the secure messaging app Telegram , while his father received an email last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her life , Sveta fled her country for Lithuania on August 11 to be reunited with her two young children as scores of her supporters were detained in protests after Lukashenko claimed another “ landslide '' victory .
The former English teacher had only registered as a candidate in place of her husband Sergey , a blogger and filmmaker who was arrested in May .
David doesn ’ t believe his friend is pro-Moscow , pro-EU or pro-NATO .
“ For her , it ’ s about how do we become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a free and open way , ” he says .
“ She is a Belarus nationalist , who wants [ that ] Belarus should have a larger say in its own destiny .
She doesn ’ t want her country to be client state of Russia , nor does she want Belarus to be a client state of the EU.
” On Aug. 14 , Tikhanovskaya released a video in which she claimed to have won between 60-70 % of the vote .
From her exile , Tikhanovskaya has helped to establish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of power but the Minsk regime is trying to launch a criminal case against it , accusing the body of attempting to `` seize power . ''
Speaking at a hotel in Vilnius , Tikhanovskaya told Sky News on Aug. 22 she would go back to Belarus as soon as the government signals it is ready to speak and once all political prisoners are freed .
`` I think that will be the moment I will go back there and will be with my husband and people , '' she said , speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may yet be convinced to stay on after heading up an interim government so fair elections can be held .
“ She has grown so much as leader in recent months and you never know what the future may hold , ” he says .
“ The alliance of disparate voices could easily crumble and Sveta may be encouraged to take a more active role if she sees sinister forces at play to seize power.
” This article first appeared in bne IntelliNews .

It’s a long way to Tipperary from Belarus for opposition leader Svetlana Tikhonavskaya, who cultivated an independent streak and a flair for leadership during almost a decade of visits to rural Ireland. Tikhonavskaya, 37, was one of the “Chernobyl children,” whose health was directly or indirectly affected by the radioactive fallout of the 1986 nuclear disaster in neighboring Ukraine. She was just 12 years old when she first came to Ireland as a guest of the Chernobyl Lifeline project, an initiative set up by Tipperary man Henry Deane to help prolong the lives of those dealing with the ongoing effects of the world’s worst nuclear accident. Henry’s son David remembers “Sveta” – as he knows her – well from the time his father and mother Marian hosted her in their Roscrea home from the mid-1990s to 2004. While still shocked his friend is spearheading the opposition to Alexander Lukashenko dictatorial regime, he can trace Sveta’s evolution from a shy and modest girl into a compassionate and outspoken leader. “While in Ireland, Sveta and the others got a glimpse of a different political climate,” David told bne IntelliNews in an interview from Nova Scotia in Canada, where he is an associate professor of theology at the Atlantic School of Theology. “They were very taken by [the] much higher standard of living relative to Belarus, despite Ireland being a two-bit country in the middle of the Atlantic with nothing going for it then. What Sveta and the kids were taking back was: what is holding us back from having what they have in Ireland?” Over the past 25 years, Ireland has welcomed 30,000 children from Belarus, Ukraine and western Russia who have gained respite from the high levels of radiation. It is estimated that a one-month break in a healthy environment such as Ireland adds two years to their life expectancy.
Most of the children who came to Tipperary came for a summer or two, but Sveta came for eight summers as she grew close to the Deanes and the local community. For a couple of summers, she got a job working at Gerry Meehan’s meat factory in Roscrea to help pay for her studies in Brest in western Belarus and later worked as an interpreter for the younger children. “All the children were hand-picked by the teachers and only the best citizens were allowed to go,” says David. “One of the reasons Sveta became an interpreter for the other children was that was the only way she could keep coming back year after year. Most children were only allowed to come for one year, or two at most.” David says Lukashenko was very much against children travelling to Ireland, and other Western countries, to recuperate and it was difficult to get visas for them to travel. In 2004, there were reports in the Irish press that Lukashenko was about to block all travel because of the "consumerist" influence he believed was infecting his country's youth. “With the prejudices of the former U.S.S.R., Lukashenko was against children leaving to spend time recuperating in Europe and he was right, because they were different kinds of kids with different kinds of perspective when they came back,” he says.
Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya partly learnt her English during a decade-long series of visits to Ireland. bne IntelliNews
Powerful Irish female role models made a big impression on Sveta, according to David. Ireland had elected its first female president, Mary Robinson, in 1990, followed by Mary McAleese in 1997. The office of the presidency in Ireland is largely ceremonial but the holder does possess strong legislative powers and the people’s choice was an indicator of great social and cultural change. “I definitely remember having a conversation with her and others about the Irish political system and the President,” recalls David. “They were attracted to the idea that a woman like Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese could become a President while not conforming to a male archetype or a male in disguise like Margaret Thatcher.” “The girls would have been tuned into the cultural transformation of Ireland in the 1990s. The girls were strong, resilient, bright and talented but somehow that generation of her friends could break through a veil and maybe that was because of that experience in Ireland.” The Belarus girls were also very taken by local Tipperary businesswomen like Pauline Coonan, who ran a jewellery shop and was prominently involved the Chernobyl Lifeline project: “She was a strong and independent woman and very different to her teachers, who were very traditional and stocky matriarchs.”
Sveta and the other children were bowled over by how generously they were received and the wealth relative to their homeland. Ireland’s ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy was just beginning to emerge from perennial stagnation due to the country’s access to the European single market and its remarkable success in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). In Roscrea, a historical market town with a population of just 7,000, the children were given vital medical checks and taken to the optician and the dentist for treatment. They were also taken on picnics, shopping expeditions and trips to the cinema in nearby Tullamore or the swimming pool in Birr, County Offaly. “My dad would go to a store with a bunch of kids, who would clear the shelves of whatever treats they wanted,” David said. “They would go to the counter and the shopkeeper would just wave them along. The whole town was welcoming the kids and would never ask them to pay — be it at the clothes store or in the cinema.” In Ireland, Sveta became the first port of call for children when they were homesick, lost and afraid. “She had overwhelming compassion for young children,” he says. “They clung to her for comfort when they found themselves in a strange country, far from their parents.” Adi Roche, a Tipperary activist who ran as a candidate for the presidency of Ireland in 1997, set up the Chernobyl Children International in 1991 in response to an appeal from Belarusian doctors to provide humanitarian aid to the 'forgotten children' of Chernobyl. David's father was originally part of that group before going his own way because he wanted to bring in larger numbers of children and play “a little more fast and loose” with the strict rules governing their stay. His mother Marian used to help Sveta and the other children to sew cash into the lining of sweaters, teddy bears and jackets to take back to Belarus to prevent the authorities seizing the precious hard currency. “Our host families — some of whom were living on housing estates and didn’t have much — would have a particular close affinity with a family in Belarus and would risk the ire of the authorities by trying to smuggle money back,” says Deane, who travelled to Belarus in the late 1990s. Among her female peers, David says Sveta wasn’t entirely popular because she “less prim and proper and less retiring” than the other girls: “Sveta always appeared more mature, tougher, less frivolous and more worldly than the others and she was very popular — particularly among the younger children. She also smoked and that was considered gauche by the others.”
During her last year visit in 2004, David can recall having a political conversation with Sveta about the U.S.S.R. and whether people had enjoyed better a sense of community and solidarity. “I was asking her about nostalgia for Soviet culture and I was constantly saying wasn’t there a better sense of community before the wall came down and all their basic needs taken care of but Sveta wasn’t having any of it,” he says. “For her, it wasn’t about politics but basic human freedoms. From her perspective, they weren’t free to criticise Lukashenko for fear of reprisals and repression and she had no time whatsoever for my sentimentality and nostalgia.” The Deanes remain in touch with Sveta to this day. David speaks to her via the secure messaging app Telegram, while his father received an email last week after she arrived in Lithuania. Fearing for her life, Sveta fled her country for Lithuania on Aug. 11 to be reunited with her two young children as scores of her supporters were detained in protests after Lukashenko claimed another “landslide" victory. The former English teacher had only registered as a candidate in place of her husband Sergei, a blogger and filmmaker who was arrested in May.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--Belarus' 'Peaceful Revolution' Is Neither Pro-Russian Nor Anti-Russian, Opposition Leader Says

The strongman leader of ex-Soviet Belarus Alexander Lukashenko claimed a sixth term in Aug. 9 elections that sparked historic street rallies and a violent police crackdown condemned by rights groups and Western leaders .
Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya told the EU parliament on Tuesday that a `` peaceful revolution '' was under way in Belarus after huge protests broke out over disputed presidential elections .
`` A peaceful revolution is taking place , '' Tikhanovskaya , 37 , told EU parliamentarians , speaking in English via video link from Lithuania , where she fled after claiming victory in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The trained English teacher who was allowed to contest the vote after her husband was jailed and barred from running said that the mass protest movement had no geopolitical aims .
`` It is neither a pro-Russian nor anti-Russian revolution .
It is neither an anti-European Union nor a pro-European Union revolution .
It is a democratic revolution , '' she said .
Lukashenko , Europe 's longest-serving leader , detained his closest rivals in the run-up to the vote which he barred independent observers from monitoring .
Hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election officials announced that the 65-year-old authoritarian leader had won a landslide victory with some 80 % of the ballot .
Tikhanovskaya described the largest protests in Belarus 's post-Soviet history as `` a peaceful striving of the people for self-determination and basic dignity . ''
`` The demand of Belarusians is simple : a free and fair election , '' she said .
`` This is the wish of the whole nation . ''
Several members of the opposition 's Coordination Council that is seeking new elections have been arrested in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused them of attempting to `` seize power . ''

The strongman leader of ex-Soviet Belarus Alexander Lukashenko claimed a sixth term in Aug. 9 elections that sparked historic street rallies and a violent police crackdown condemned by rights groups and Western leaders.
Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya told the EU parliament on Tuesday that a "peaceful revolution" was under way in Belarus after huge protests broke out over disputed presidential elections.
"A peaceful revolution is taking place," Tikhanovskaya, 37, told EU parliamentarians, speaking in English via video link from Lithuania, where she fled after claiming victory in the ballot, fearing reprisals from the authorities.
The trained English teacher who was allowed to contest the vote after her husband was jailed and barred from running said that the mass protest movement had no geopolitical aims.
"It is neither a pro-Russian nor anti-Russian revolution. It is neither an anti-European Union nor a pro-European Union revolution. It is a democratic revolution," she said.
Lukashenko, Europe's longest-serving leader, detained his closest rivals in the run-up to the vote which he barred independent observers from monitoring.
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets since election officials announced that the 65-year-old authoritarian leader had won a landslide victory with some 80% of the ballot.
Tikhanovskaya described the largest protests in Belarus's post-Soviet history as "a peaceful striving of the people for self-determination and basic dignity."
"The demand of Belarusians is simple: a free and fair election," she said. "This is the wish of the whole nation."
Several members of the opposition's Coordination Council that is seeking new elections have been arrested in recent days or summoned for questioning after Lukashenko accused them of attempting to "seize power."


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--No Need to Investigate Navalny’s 'Poisoning,' Kremlin Says

Navalny ’ s allies have criticized the Russian authorities for failing to open criminal proceedings after the anti-corruption campaigner and de facto Russian opposition leader fell into a coma Thursday .
German doctors at the hospital where he was airlifted Saturday have said Navalny was poisoned with an unknown substance belonging to a group of medicines that affects the nervous system .
Russia sees no grounds to launch a criminal investigation into the circumstances of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny ’ s sudden illness that German doctors attribute to poisoning , the Kremlin said Tuesday .
“ There must be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Tuesday .
“ First you need to find the toxin and establish what caused the condition , ” Peskov said .
“ So far , we ’ re observing that the patient is in a coma.
” Peskov reiterated his assertion that an investigation would be warranted if the poisoning attempt was “ proven as fact.
” When asked about the statement from Berlin 's Charité hospital that said its tests indicated Navalny had been poisoned , Peskov said Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ but the conclusions differ.
” “ We do n't understand why our German colleagues are rushing to use the word ‘ poisoning , ’ ” he told reporters .
Navalny ’ s illness marks his second suspected poisoning in two years and he is one of a line of Kremlin critics who have faced similar unexplained attacks .
Peskov on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that the Kremlin could have played a role or that the incidents have become a trend .
“ We can ’ t take these accusations seriously , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call them empty noise .
”

Navalny’s allies have criticized the Russian authorities for failing to open criminal proceedings after the anti-corruption campaigner and de facto Russian opposition leader fell into a coma Thursday. German doctors at the hospital where he was airlifted Saturday have said Navalny was poisoned with an unknown substance belonging to a group of medicines that affects the nervous system.
Russia sees no grounds to launch a criminal investigation into the circumstances of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s sudden illness that German doctors attribute to poisoning, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
“There must be a reason for an investigation,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Tuesday.
“First you need to find the toxin and establish what caused the condition,” Peskov said. “So far, we’re observing that the patient is in a coma.”
Peskov reiterated his assertion that an investigation would be warranted if the poisoning attempt was “proven as fact.”
When asked about the statement from Berlin's Charité hospital that said its tests indicated Navalny had been poisoned, Peskov said Russian and German doctors had the same findings, “but the conclusions differ.”
“We don't understand why our German colleagues are rushing to use the word ‘poisoning,’” he told reporters.
Navalny’s illness marks his second suspected poisoning in two years and he is one of a line of Kremlin critics who have faced similar unexplained attacks. Peskov on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that the Kremlin could have played a role or that the incidents have become a trend.
“We can’t take these accusations seriously,” Peskov said. “I’d call them empty noise.”


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--Yandex Pulls Employees Out of Minsk After Office Raid – Reports

Russian internet giant Yandex has pulled some of its employees out of its local office in Minsk after the Belarusian @ @ @ @ @ amid the ongoing unrest in the country .
Some of the company ’ s Minsk-based @ @ @ @ @ last week , and others who could not leave Belarus were relocated to country homes @ @ @ @ @ Russian news outlet The Bell reported Tuesday , citing two sources familiar with the situation @ @ @ @ @ raided the offices of Yandex and ride hailing app Uber on Aug. 13 , identifying @ @ @ @ @ ’ security services .
Nobody was detained , nothing was taken from the offices and @ @ @ @ @ the search , Yandex ’ s press service said at the time .

Russian internet giant Yandex has pulled some of its employees out of its local office in Minsk after the Belarusian security services raided its premises amid the ongoing unrest in the country.
Some of the company’s Minsk-based staff were moved to Russia last week, and others who could not leave Belarus were relocated to country homes away from the capital, Russian news outlet The Bell reported Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the situation.
Armed men in masks raided the offices of Yandex and ride hailing app Uber on Aug. 13, identifying themselves as members of Belarus’ security services. Nobody was detained, nothing was taken from the offices and no reason was given for the search, Yandex’s press service said at the time.


themoscowtimes--2020-08-25--5 Things We Know About the Navalny 'Poisoning' So Far

Prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny remains in a medically induced coma in a German hospital almost a week after falling suddenly ill on a flight in Siberia due to what his aides said was poisoning .
The anti-corruption campaigner was flown to Berlin after a standoff with the hospital treating him in the city of Omsk , where doctors ruled out poisoning and diagnosed Navalny with metabolic disease .
Berlin 's Charité hospital confirmed on Monday that its tests indicated he had been poisoned .
Here ’ s a look at what we know so far : — What was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unknown , but Charité said multiple independent lab tests confirmed that it belongs to a group of cholinesterase inhibitors .
That group of medicines blocks the normal breakdown of the brain and body ’ s main neurotransmitter called acetylcholine .
Some cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer ’ s while others are used in nerve agents such as Novichok .
— How is he being treated ?
The Charité hospital said it is treating him with an antidote called atropine .
A Moscow anesthesiologist involved with Navalny ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Russian doctors “ almost immediately ” administered two doses of atropine on Navalny .
Atropine was used to treat former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia after they were attacked with Novichok in Britain in 2018 .
Britain accused Russian military intelligence of using Novichok to poison the Skripals , claims Moscow denies .
— How was he poisoned ?
Navalny ’ s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh says she believes a toxic substance was mixed into Navalny ’ s cup of tea at the Tomsk airport before takeoff .
She says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumed before falling suddenly ill. Russian authorities have not opened a criminal investigation into the suspected poisoning .
“ We need a reason to investigate .
So far , we ’ re observing that the patient is in a coma , ” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday .
Most likely .
The Charité hospital says Navalny is in “ serious ” but “ not currently life-threatening ” condition .
The hospital ’ s statement does , however , warn of long-term health effects , particularly on Navalny ’ s nervous system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Following the Charité diagnosis , the Omsk hospital ’ s deputy chief doctor Anatoly Kalinichenko said “ we ’ ll look into whether we or the lab made a mistake or if it ’ s all disinformation.
” President Vladimir Putin , according to Reuters ’ Russian-language edition , told the president of the European Council that Navalny “ fell ill. ” Putin ’ s spokesman has said that Russian authorities will launch an investigation if Navalny ’ s poisoning diagnosis is confirmed .
Yevgeny Prigozhin , the catering magnate known as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factory has published far-fetched theories about Navalny ’ s poisoning , said “ we can ’ t lose Navalny because he amused so many people for many years and we ’ ll be bored without him .
”

Prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny remains in a medically induced coma in a German hospital almost a week after falling suddenly ill on a flight in Siberia due to what his aides said was poisoning.
The anti-corruption campaigner was flown to Berlin after a standoff with the hospital treating him in the city of Omsk, where doctors ruled out poisoning and diagnosed Navalny with metabolic disease.
Berlin's Charité hospital confirmed on Monday that its tests indicated he had been poisoned.
Here’s a look at what we know so far:
— What was he poisoned with?
The specific substance is unknown, but Charité said multiple independent lab tests confirmed that it belongs to a group of cholinesterase inhibitors. That group of medicines blocks the normal breakdown of the brain and body’s main neurotransmitter called acetylcholine.
Some cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s while others are used in nerve agents such as Novichok.
— How is he being treated?
The Charité hospital said it is treating him with an antidote called atropine.
A Moscow anesthesiologist involved with Navalny’s initial treatment in Omsk said Monday that Russian doctors “almost immediately” administered two doses of atropine on Navalny.
Atropine was used to treat former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia after they were attacked with Novichok in Britain in 2018. Britain accused Russian military intelligence of using Novichok to poison the Skripals, claims Moscow denies.
— How was he poisoned?
Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh says she believes a toxic substance was mixed into Navalny’s cup of tea at the Tomsk airport before takeoff. She says it’s the only thing he consumed before falling suddenly ill.
Russian authorities have not opened a criminal investigation into the suspected poisoning. “We need a reason to investigate. So far, we’re observing that the patient is in a coma,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
— Will he survive?
Most likely. The Charité hospital says Navalny is in “serious” but “not currently life-threatening” condition.
The hospital’s statement does, however, warn of long-term health effects, particularly on Navalny’s nervous system.
— What are Russian officials saying?
Following the Charité diagnosis, the Omsk hospital’s deputy chief doctor Anatoly Kalinichenko said “we’ll look into whether we or the lab made a mistake or if it’s all disinformation.”
President Vladimir Putin, according to Reuters’ Russian-language edition, told the president of the European Council that Navalny “fell ill.” Putin’s spokesman has said that Russian authorities will launch an investigation if Navalny’s poisoning diagnosis is confirmed.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the catering magnate known as “Putin’s chef” whose troll factory has published far-fetched theories about Navalny’s poisoning, said “we can’t lose Navalny because he amused so many people for many years and we’ll be bored without him.”