- World Report 2024: Belarus (hrw.org)
In 2023, widespread repression of government critics in Belarus continued. At time of writing, almost 1,500 people remained behind bars on politically motivated charges, including human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, opposition politicians, culture workers, trade unionists, and activists. Authorities increasingly subjected political prisoners to incommunicado detention, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment.
- Tacoma, Washington (Wikipedia)
Tacoma (/təˈkoʊmə/ tə-KOH-mə) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington’s Puget Sound, 32 miles (51 km) southwest of Seattle, 36 miles (58 km) southwest of Bellevue, 31 miles (50 km) northeast of the state capital, Olympia, 58 miles (93 km) northwest of Mount Rainier National Park, and 80 miles (130 km) east of Olympic National Park. The city’s population was 219,346 at the time of the 2020 census. Tacoma is the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area and the third-most populous in the state. Tacoma also serves as the center of business activity for the South Sound region, which has a population of about 1 million.
role in Russo-Ukrainian war
- Belarus role in the Russo-Ukrainian war (ChatGPT)
Belarus has played a significant but indirect role in the Russo-Ukrainian War, acting as a key ally of Russia under the leadership of President Alexander Lukashenko. While Belarus has not committed its own troops to the conflict, it has provided critical logistical support to Russia. This includes allowing Russian forces to use Belarusian territory for staging and launching attacks, particularly during the initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when Russian troops advanced toward Kyiv from Belarus. Additionally, Belarus has hosted joint military exercises with Russia and permitted its airspace to be used for missile strikes on Ukraine. Lukashenko’s regime has faced international sanctions and diplomatic isolation as a result of its support for Russia, but it continues to align closely with Moscow, relying heavily on Russian economic and political backing to maintain its own stability.
- Belarus (Wikipedia)
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Covering an area of 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) and with a population of 9.2 million, Belarus is the 13th-largest and the 20th-most populous country in Europe. The country has a hemiboreal climate and is administratively divided into six regions. Minsk is the capital and largest city; it is administered separately as a city with special status.
