E.U. agrees to impose sanctions on Belarus, bars E.U. airlines from country's airspace, after authorities forced down a Ryanair jet https://t.co/QsFGWaMyNR
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 24, 2021
Conclusions on #Belarus adopted at #EUCO chaired by @eucopresident pic.twitter.com/MWco6QEiTy
— Barend Leyts (@BarendLeyts) May 24, 2021
We have a 3 billion euro economic and investment package ready to go for Belarus, when it becomes democratic. pic.twitter.com/704CAyX8tZ
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 24, 2021
Belarus release a video of Roman Protasevich claiming that he is in good health and being treated lawfully. He also acknowledges he was at the protests and is cooperating with the govt.
— Bianna Golodryga (@biannagolodryga) May 24, 2021
This has all the hallmarks of a forced confession and I can only imagine how fearful he is. https://t.co/1wIwQsvSJG
Roman Protasevich, 26, drew worldwide attention on Sunday as a Belarusian fighter jet was used to intercept a commercial flight. Here's why the Belarusian government is so fixated on the dissident journalist. https://t.co/4hpM1Ql6Qx
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 24, 2021
Analysis | Brazen display of autocratic power by Belarus is a new test for Biden https://t.co/G3falfnvSS
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 24, 2021
The Belarus hijacking belongs alongside Russian assassinations, Saudi Arabia’s brutal murder of Kashoggi, Iranian and Chinese kidnappings and killings of their citizens abroad. Transnational repression is now a part of what modern autocracies do https://t.co/mr3136VFL3
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) May 24, 2021
Top Kremlin Pundits Celebrate Mid-Air Takedown of Journo Facing Execution:
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) May 24, 2021
‘WELL DONE, BATKA’
“Never thought I’d be jealous of Belarus… But now I’m jealous.”
“[Lukashenko] created an important precedent for us to follow in dealing with such people.”https://t.co/GEP9RMcVSJ
The Dictators Are Winning – @JVLast on Belarus https://t.co/0jQaJqL9Pl
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) May 24, 2021
Meanwhile…
NEW POLL: Biden's job approval ticks upward to 62 percent https://t.co/F9oOt0lcFw pic.twitter.com/bLZ4hIWGjD
— The Hill (@thehill) May 24, 2021
I wrote this https://t.co/vyjapN5S7f for over the weekend. Biden has the most stable approval rating through 4 months in the Post-WWII era. Trump's had dropped from the mid 40s into the 30s by this point.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) May 24, 2021
The story is not "partisan gridlock" but Republican negation. The GOP unanimously voted against Covid Relief, as they did against the Obama Stimulus, as they did against Obamacare. And McConnell says 100% of his focus is on stopping Dem legislation. https://t.co/qO9Uwumteh
— Lawrence Glickman (@LarryGlickman) May 24, 2021
Florida on Monday became the first state to approve fines on social media companies that permanently bar political candidates in the state. The law is a direct response to Facebook and Twitter’s suspension of Donald Trump. https://t.co/y62STjncsX
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 24, 2021
Trump: I want to see Biden in prison.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) May 24, 2021
Biden: Why does Trump think I would visit him in prison?
***
NUMBER 10 BRACING FOR CUMMINGS TESTIMONY
It marks the culmination of the collapse of one of the most influential political relationship of modern times which – as @ShippersUnbound says – "began to disintegrate in the week that Cummings had to account for his car journey north." https://t.co/EVU3ZT2JYz
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) May 24, 2021
In case you missed it: Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings is preparing to give an unfiltered testimony on the UK’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic after sharing allegations online of incompetence and inept decision-making. https://t.co/xYpYhNiMZC
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) May 24, 2021
Dominic Cummings is going to get one hell of a shock when he realises Dominic Cummings was a key figure in Number 10 decision making
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) May 23, 2021
The most depressing thing is Cummings could present video evidence that Johnson actively tried to wipe out every one of us and his poll numbers wouldn’t even dip two points
— Jonathan Lis (@jonlis1) May 23, 2021
Why does it take tweets from Dominic Cummings to prompt the media to find the footage of the Govt saying that its policy in March was herd immunity?
— Phil Syrpis (@syrpis) May 23, 2021
When Ministers deny it (why?), why doesn’t the media show them said footage?
Will @BorisJohnson tell us why he missed the 5 COBRA meetings on Covid then?https://t.co/M9rgLNwHvz
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) May 24, 2021
Best get cracking on your next book, fat lad https://t.co/sl3yqlgFdY
— Enough Of That Now (@AndyGilder) May 24, 2021
France warns UK not to 'play' with Northern Ireland #Brexit deal https://t.co/IO6Cxabqi5
— Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) May 24, 2021
Edwin Poots said the prospect of such an agreement posed a “high level of risk” to farmers across the UK https://t.co/sicxlWEDKj
— The New European – Think Without Borders (@TheNewEuropean) May 24, 2021
So the DUP was *against* EU membership, which requires the Protocol which the DUP is also *against*, which saves us from the Australian Trade Deal which the DUP is also *against*?
— Ian James Parsley (@ianjamesparsley) May 23, 2021
The Overnight Note 