Huddled in Minsk, the capital, with senior military and security officials, he displayed his signature aggressive bravado, calling his opponents “tricksters” and “Nazis” intent on seizing power and awarding medals to members of his brutal security services. Protests continued on Tuesday, but on a smaller scale, as some strikers returned to work. Bigger picture: Mr. Lukashenko’s rejection of any compromise came as the leaders of Germany, France and the European Union urged President Vladimir Putin of Russia to help ease tensions. Belarus has reported about 70,000 coronavirus cases and more than 600 deaths. Other coronavirus news:

Source: New York Times August 19, 2020 04:41 UTC