Belarus News

Kazakhstan, Astana, Jul.11 /Trend News K.Konireva

The Kazakh Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksibekov met with representatives of Belarus Military Industrial Committee headed by chairman of Nikolai Azamatov at the defense ministry on July 10.

Roman Catholic priests from Belarus and neighboring countries participate Thursday morning in a festival honoring an icon of the Virgin Mary, believed to be miracle-working, known as the Mother of God of Budslav icon.

Local businessman Francois DeDietrich of Etic Solutions, Ballybofey made a donation of a 3000 to the Bellarussian Orphanage Project .

Mikhail Larchanka reviews what some Belarusian bloggers write about Belarus' three Independence Day holidays, including the official one, which took place on July 3. Post-Thumbnail No Thumbnail On July 3, Belarus celebrated its Independence Day with a military parade.

Few stories are as Byzantine as the recent case involving Emanuel Zeltser, an American lawyer who late last month was released from a Belarusian jail after spending nearly a year behind bars on charges of industrial espionage.

Michael and Esta Miran accused of overbilling the government about 250-thousand dollars through a psychology practice.

The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could resume talks on joining the World Trade Organization in the fall, Russia's WTO negotiator has said, RIA Novosti reported.

Obama should invite their presidents to the White House before China and Russia take control.

This was supposed to be Russia 's round in the battle over its backyard. All year, despite its own economic spasms, Moscow has earmarked great chunks of cash for its impoverished post-Soviet neighbors, seeking to lock in their loyalty over the long term and curtail Western influence in the region.

Belarus is marking on Friday Independence Day and the 65th anniversary of the republic's liberation from German fascist invaders....

Belarus plans to create a gambling zone near its international airport in Minsk to attract foreign visitors as neighboring Russia and Ukraine have banned casinos, an official said on Thursday....

WASHINGTON Days from his first Moscow summit, President Barack Obama declared Thursday that former Russian President Vladimir Putin "still has a lot of sway" in his nation and needs an in-person reminder the Cold War is over....

MINSK -- An ailing U.S. lawyer who was imprisoned in Belarus last year on charges of using fake documents and attempted industrial espionage has walked free after a presidential pardon.

Emanuel Zeltser, a 55-year-old diabetic, was sentenced to three years in prison in August 2008 after being convicted in a closed trial on charges that his supporters called politically motivated.

In November, Zeltser was placed in a prison hospital after arriving at a penal colony in eastern Belarus where he was denied medicine, lawyers said.

On leaving the prison clinic in the eastern town of Mogilyov, Zeltser said Tuesday, "I am glad about my freedom....

The neon lights are no longer flashing; the roulette wheels have spun their last turn. Casinos across Russia closed their doors Wednesday as a sweeping ban on gambling went into effect, less than a week after a similar ban hit neighboring Ukraine. Lawmakers in both countries say the actions were necessary to bring under control spiraling addiction and a notoriously shady business. But critics say the moves will leave hundreds of thousands out of work and force the industry underground.

Gambling has become an epidemic that can be compared with AIDS and tuberculosis," says the law's author, Valeriy Pysarenko...

Until June 25, the River Palace was one of the most popular casinos in Kiev, buzzing with customers trying their luck in rooms awash with the sounds of pinging bells and clicking roulette balls. But now the place is deserted, filled only with an eerie silence. The timing couldn't have been worse for Olha Stupak, who was one of the casino's senior supervisors. With a child about to enter university, car-loan repayments to make and rent to pay, she's going to struggle to get by on her savings and unemployment benefits. "I'm looking for work, but it's difficult because of the crisis," she says, looking around at the empty tables. "I know all about roulette, poker and blackjack. But other jobs require different work experience...."

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 1 /Trend Capital, E. Tariverdiyeva/

New joint venture launched by Ganja Automobile Plant and Belarus Tractor Plant in Azerbaijan has launched production, Belarus ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolai Paskevic said.

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 1 /Trend News, E. Tariverdiyeva/

By adopting positive decision on Belarus, Europe admitted that absence of dialogue with Minsk was not fruitful, Belarus ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolai Paskevic said.

An ailing American lawyer who was imprisoned in Belarus last year on charges of using fake documents and attempted industrial espionage walked free Tuesday night after a presidential pardon.

Eds: APNewsNow. Moving on general news and financial services. MINSK, Belarus A U.S. senator says the president of Belarus is promising to free an ailing American lawyer who was imprisoned in the former Soviet country last year on espionage charges.

Led by CEO Michael Rietveld, the delegation will meet officials of local state companies including Greenfield's joint venture partner Belbiopharm, agriculture services company Belagroservice, Belarusbank, the Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture and other official bodies.

Russia will continue to maintain cheap energy supplies to Belarus in the near future to support its economy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Sunday, Xinhua reported.