 Belarus leader Lukashenko wins fifth term in landslide Minsk (AFP) Oct 12, 2015 - Alexander Lukashenko won a fifth term as president of Belarus by a landslide Sunday, and warned the opposition against protests that could derail the lifting of Western sanctions imposed over rights abuse allegations. With long-standing opposition figures barred from standing in Sunday's vote and state media giving Lukashenko uniformly positive coverage, the veteran leader ran against three virtual unknowns -- only one of whom campaigned. Lukashenko took 83.49 percent of the vote, election chief Lidiya Yermoshina said, with his nearest rival Tatiana Korotkevich mustering just 4.42 percent of the ballot. The result, though preliminary, is the highest ever for Lukashenko whose government made a huge effort to ensure a high turnout of over 86 percent. The process was closely watched by the European Union, with officials indicating the bloc was ready to lift sanctions against the authoritarian leader, who is regularly accused of human rights violations, if the aftermath of the polls remained incident-free. While Lukashenko allowed an unauthorised opposition rally in the capital to go ahead without police intervention on Saturday, he warned that he would not tolerate such protests after the vote.
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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter arrived in Odesa, Ukraine in support of the NATO initiative to promote peace in the region.
The U.S. Navy says the Porter's presence in the region is meant to reaffirm its commitment to NATO, while also allowing U.S. maritime forces to connect with local forces and strengthen the alliance.
"During our port visit, the crew will have the opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine as well as strengthen bonds between our maritime forces," said Cmdr. Blair Guy, the commanding officer for the Porter. "Ukraine is a key partner for the U.S., and our presence here demonstrates the U.S. commitment to maintaining a persistent presence in Eastern Europe."
The Porter is scheduled to host a reception for naval counterparts to promote partnership between Ukrainian and U.S. sailors. The ship operates as part of the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet area of responsibility, which promotes peace and security in Europe and Africa.
The Porter's arrival comes as NATO officials move to bolster their defenses to counter Russian aggression in Syria and Ukraine. Ukraine's government remains locked in a battle with Russia-backed militants based in the eastern portion of the country.
NATO chief sees 'growing support' for Montenegro membership bid
Oslo (AFP) Oct 12, 2015 -
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said he was encouraged by recent reforms in Montenegro and saw "growing support" for inviting the tiny Balkan nation to join the Western military alliance.
A formal decision on Montenegro's membership bid is to be made at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in early December.
"I will not prejudge the decision... but I sense some kind of growing support for inviting Montenegro," Stoltenberg said at a gathering of lawmakers from NATO member states in Norway's southwestern town of Stavanger.
"Montenegro is really making progress both when it comes to the rule of law, when it comes to establishing an independent judiciary but also when it comes to modernising its armed forces, its intelligence services," he said.
"I am actually encouraged by the progress I've seen."
Stoltenberg is due to visit the Montenegro capital Podgorica later this week.
After breaking away from a loose alliance with Serbia in 2006, the Adriatic nation of around 630,000 people announced its desire to join the 28-member NATO bloc.
It received a boost last month when the United States came out in favour of supporting Montenegro's accession.
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