Category Archives: Uncategorized

I Just Learned What The White Bits On Used Pimple Patches Really Are, And No, It’s Not Pus

Posted on by
Reply

My first experience with a hydrocolloid patch ― the generic name for the various pimple patches people apply to their faces ― actually had nothing to do with a spot.

That’s because the same technology, and a lot of the same ingredients, are used on those blister patches you place on your ailing heel (fellow Docs lovers will know the pain).

But if I’m being totally honest, I had no idea why they shrunk my spots or healed my post-run bubble ― until I saw a TikTok from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Witney Bowe.

And yes, she did clarify what that white gunk is.

How do they work?

Speaking to the American Chemical Society (ACS), Hadley King, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, said that the patches work by drawing moisture out of your skin.

That way, they shrink the spot while covering it so it has room to heal. The barrier means you can’t touch your spots, either.

“As the hydrocolloid gel adheres to the skin, it absorbs excess oil and dirt away from pimples,” Dr. King told ACS.

So it makes sense that, as Dr. Bowe explained in her Tiktok, the white spots you see after wearing patches overnight are not pus.

“They’re actually the hydrocolloid material absorbing fluid, extra moisture, extra water, which thickens the hydrocolloid material and just makes it look a little bit whiter in those spots,” the doctor said.

Should I use pimple patches for serious acne?

It’s not that you can’t use them in addition to an existing routine ― but they’re better for one-off “spot treatments,” Dr. Bowe shared.

That’s because, aside from being a bit wasteful if you’re using them on the daily, they don’t tackle the real root of the issue ― they just help to speed up the recovery of a certain type of existing zits.

ACS writes that patches are best for spots that are raised and have visible pus (basically, those you’d be tempted to squeeze otherwise).

Longer-term treatments may include salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, niacinamide, tea tree oil, or, in more serious cases, retinoids.

If you’re just looking to cover the odd spot, though, at least you can be rest assured your patch won’t be stuffed with its unspeakable contents…

Share Button

Tories Turn Their Fire On Kemi Badenoch As Race To Be Party Leader Heats Up

Posted on by
Reply

The small rump of 121 Tory MPs who survived the party’s general election drubbing will return to Westminster on Monday with one item on their agenda – choosing the man or woman to take the fight to Keir Starmer for the next five years.

They will hardly have time to draw breath before the first ballot of the contest takes place 48 hours later, when one of the six candidates will be unceremoniously dumped by their colleagues.

Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, Priti Patel, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat await their verdict, which will be delivered by Bob Blackman, chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, in committee room 14.

Stride, a close ally of outgoing leader Rishi Sunak and the man who was rarely off our TV screens during the general election campaign, is seen as the most likely to fall at the first hurdle.

But many Tory MPs have told HuffPost UK that the outcome of Wednesday’s ballot is too close to call, and that Stride could well survive at the expense of a more fancied rival.

One former cabinet minister said: “I wouldn’t bet on Mel going in the first round. He’s got a hardcore of support in the parliamentary party and 15 or 20 MPs might be enough to get him through the first round.”

A veteran MP added: “I think Rob and Kemi will come first and second, but any one of the other four could go on Wednesday. It will be very close and a few votes here and there could swing it.”

Although Badenoch remains the bookies’ favourite to emerge victorious in the end, many MPs have been surprised by her relative anonymity over the summer.

While her five rivals have been criss-crossing the country meeting party members and doing media interviews, the shadow communities secretary has made a virtue of taking two weeks off to recharge her batteries.

“Articles portraying politicians negatively for having a family life have done much to toxify the environment for MPs – we can do better than this,” Badenoch said earlier this month as she defended her decision to go on holiday with her family while parliament is in recess.

In a quote almost designed to annoy her rivals, a Badenoch ally told Guido Fawkes: “The general election campaign was long and hard and painful. I seriously doubt any Tory members, candidates or MPs will seriously begrudge the next leader of the Conservative Party having some time away with her family.”

But one currently undecided Tory MP told HuffPost UK: “I think Kemi has under-performed so far. It’s been a very casual campaign. I think the story after Wednesday will be that she has performed below expectations.”

A shadow cabinet member said: “A few colleagues have expressed surprise at Kemi’s decision to go on holiday. We’re all knackered after the election, but if you want to be turning round the fortunes of the party you have to show that hunger.

“Some people are wondering whether she lacks the necessary drive. There have been questions about her work ethic in the past.

“The initial view was that Kemi would come racing out the blocks with big name endorsements to build up a lot of momentum, and there’s a lot of surprise that that hasn’t happened.”

But a Badenoch aide hit back: “The MPs complaining to you are backing other candidates and trying to make this a thing, but it isn’t.

“Most MPs understand the value of taking a break after the election, and clearly the members care more about getting the best candidate rather than the one who did the most media in August. In the only truly independent poll by YouGov Kemi was the outright leader by a distance.”

“I think Rob and Kemi will come first and second, but any one of the other four could go on Wednesday.”

In that poll of Tory members, carried out a week ago, Badenoch had the backing of 24%, with Tugendhat second on 16%, Cleverly on 14%, Jenrick on 12%, Patel on 11% and Stride on just 2%.

Nevertheless, Jenrick – viewed as Badenoch’s main rival in the battle to be the standard bearer for the Tory right – has won plaudits among MPs for his campaign so far.

“I think Rob has got off to the best start, but it’s a long race,” said one backbencher.

“He’s definitely run the most professional, switched-on campaign, there’s no doubt about that.

“I would say at this moment, he is the frontrunner of six. But of course, that doesn’t mean he would be the frontrunner if he makes it to the final two.”

Kemi Badenoch is the bookies' favourite to be next Tory leader.
Kemi Badenoch is the bookies’ favourite to be next Tory leader.

via Associated Press

The five who survive the first ballot on Wednesday will be reduced to four in another ballot of Tory MPs the week after.

They will then take part in a leadership beauty contest at the party’s annual conference in Birmingham at the end of September, after which MPs will whittle them down to the final two, with Tory members then having the final say on who should be the party’s new leader.

He or she will be announced on November 2, after which they will take on the Herculean task of trying to take the Conservatives back to power in 2029.

Whoever is chosen to succeed Rishi Sunak will be tasked with turning the Conservatives into a united, competent opposition who can convincingly present themselves to voters as a coherent, alternative government in five years’ time.

The evidence of the last few years, in which the warring party has burned through four leaders and suffered its worst ever election defeat, suggest the chances of success are remote.

But one Badenoch backer told HuffPost UK: “I actually think the leadership contest so far has been quite a civil affair, which suggests that the party is ready to finally come together whoever wins. But time will tell.”

Share Button

Jess Phillips Says She Was Given Quicker NHS Treatment Because She Backed Gaza Ceasefire

Posted on by
Reply

A government minister has claimed she got faster NHS treatment because she backed a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to the Daily Mail, Jess Phillips said she had gone to A&E at a hospital in her home city of Birmingham after suffering breathing difficulties.

Speaking at an ‘An Evening With Jess Phillips’ event at the Kiln Theatre in London, the Home Office minister said she had faced a lengthy wait due to overcrowding.

“I have genuinely seen better facilities, health facilities, in war zones, in developing countries around the world,” the MP told the audience.

She eventually made it to the front of the queue, but said that was “undoubtedly” thanks to her outspoken stance on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Phillips was one of eight Labour MPs who left the party’s frontbench last year after voting for a ceasefire.

The Birmingham Yardley MP said: “I got through because of who I am. Also the doctore who saw me was Palestinian, as it turns out. Almost all the doctors in Birmingham seemed to be.”

She added: “He was sort of like, ‘I like you. You voted for a ceasefire’. [Because of that] I got through quicker.”

HuffPost UK has contacted Phillips for a comment.

Earlier this month, the MP admitted she had made a “mistake” over a post she put on X during the recent riots.

Responding to footage showing a Sky News reporter being confronted by masked men in Birmingham, Phillips said it was caused by “misinformation” being spread in the area.

“These people came to this location because it has been spread that racists were coming to attack them,” she posted.

Following criticism of her remarks, Phillips said: “I think I almost certainly could have phrased it better.

“Anybody, regardless of who they are, whichever flag they wish to wave, anyone being a thug on our streets should not be tolerated.

“Of course I would choose my words more carefully. I’m more than happy to say that when I make a mistake, absolutely.”

Share Button

Here’s How Many Seconds Science Says It Takes To Poop, And Wow, Am I Doing It Wrong

Posted on by
Reply

We’ve already shared at HuffPost that you’re not actually meant to sit on the loo for more than five minutes at a time.

We’ve also written about the fact that, although women tend to have more complications with their BMs, men spend a lot more time on the porcelain throne.

While writing the second article, though, I learned something that turned my world inside out.

According to some scientists, most mammals (and yep, we’re a part of that) should take no longer than 12 of Gillian McKeith’s own seconds to pass a poop.

What? Why?

Well, okay, it’s not as exact as that.

But according to a paper published by the Royal Society of Chemistry in their journal Soft Matter (I know), most mammals take between five and 19 seconds; 12 seconds on average.

The study, called Hydrodynamics of Defecation, looked at a range of mammals of different sizes at Zoo Atlanta. They didn’t study humans.

It found that, from a cat to an elephant, a majority (roughly 66%) of mammals took the same, sub-20 amount of seconds to pass a stool.

Patricia Yang, a mechanical engineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, said that that may be because “The smell of body waste attracts predators, which is dangerous for animals.”

“If they stay longer doing their thing, they’re exposing themselves and risking being discovered,” the study’s main author told New Scientist.

How come it all takes the same time?

Pooping doesn’t work the way most of us think, the study revealed.

We’re not pushing the BMs out like removing toothpaste from a tube; “It’s more like a plug that just goes through a chute,” the study’s lead author said.

That’s partly because of the mucus that lines our gut and makes it slippery.

Add to that the fact that poop seems to take up a similar amount of space in the gut before it’s excreted across most species (five times the diameter of the mammals’ rectum), and it’s no wonder they exert a similar amount of pressure and take around the same time.

Though, again, the study didn’t look at humans, its lead author said “If it’s taking far longer than 12 seconds, I’d say you should go see someone about it.”

“But you can’t count the newspaper time,” she added.

Share Button

The Tories Oppose Labour’s Plan To Extend The Smoking Ban – But Last Year They Wanted To Make It Completely Illegal

Posted on by
Reply

The Tories have criticised Labour’s plan to ban smoking outside pubs just months after saying they wanted to make it completely illegal.

The former prime minister’s decision to call an early election meant he ran out of time to turn the policy into law.

Labour have said they will introduce the legislation themselves, and today it emerged that they want to go further by banning smoking in pub gardens, outdoor restaurants and outside sports stadiums and hospitals.

The Conservatives posted on X that was “more evidence that Labour hates freedom”.

“This isn’t about people’s health. It’s about control,” they added.

But embarrassingly for the Tories, a community note was added to the post pointing out the party’s previous support for an outright smoking ban.

Other users of the social media platform were also quick to highlight the Conservatives’ apparent hypocrisy.

Share Button

Keir Starmer Has Removed An ‘Unsettling’ Portrait Of Margaret Thatcher From No.10

Posted on by
Reply

Keir Starmer has removed an “unsettling” portrait of Margaret Thatcher from Downing Street.

The painting of the former Tory PM was commissioned by Gordon Brown when she visited No.10 in 2007.

It had been hanging in her former study, which is now known as the Thatcher Room.

But author and journalist Tom Baldwin, who is Starmer’s biographer, has revealed that the PM has decided to take it down.

Speaking at the Aye Write book festival in Glasgow, Baldwin said the pair had recently gone to the study to “have a quiet talk”.

Baldwin said: “We sat there, and I go, ‘It’s a bit unsettling with her staring down at you like that, isn’t it’?”

When Starmer agreed, Baldwin asked if he would “get rid of it”.

He said Starmer nodded, adding: “And he has.”

Downing Street sources confirmed to HuffPost UK that the portrait has now been removed.

The move has been criticised by Russell Findlay, who is the bookies’ favourite to be the next leader of the Scottish Tories.

He said: “Gordon Brown commissioned this portrait after calling the first female Prime Minister ‘a conviction politician who saw the need for change’.

“I agree with Gordon Brown’s reasonable position to treat his political opponents with decency and respect.

“Keir Starmer seems to have a much more petty approach.”

Share Button

So… Why Do Men Spend So Much Time In The Bathroom?

Posted on by
Reply

In an Instagram Reel that’s been viewed over 70 million times, site user Hannah Stocking put a book above her loo’s cistern, placed a seat cover on the toilet, and walked out to her partner.

“I have to go,” he said forlornly; “I love you,” they both whispered as he entered the WC.

Arms on a clock span as he played games, scrolled, and generally hung out in there, pants around his ankles. He eventually emerges, bearded and disoriented.

“When your man goes to the bathroom,” the caption reads.

It’s not just an anecdotal thing or a funny post, though; according to a survey run by UK Bathrooms, men spend, on average, one hour and 35 minutes perched on the toilet each week compared to women’s 55 minutes.

Why?

It’s not usually stomach issues; or at least, it’s less likely to be that than it is for women.

Dr. Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist, told Yahoo Life: “It’s true that men do spend longer in the toilet or on the toilet than women do, but in reality are much less likely to have bowel issues and chronic constipation than women are.”

Women’s colons are, on average, 10cm longer than men’s; our hormones also typically fluctuate more often, beleaguering our BMs.

A 2017 study from the University of Oxford and the University of Canberra found that not only are men more likely than women to scroll on the loo (20% vs 26.5%).

A YouGov study also found women feel more nervous about going number two in public loos, where lines are generally also longer than men’s.

But if we’re being real, I reckon we all know the true answer ― a lot of men admit to looking for a bit of an escape and some “me time” on the porcelain throne.

One-third of British men admit to hiding in the loo to escape their families compared to one-fifth of women, according to a survey by bathroom company Pebble Grey.

In a Vice article,

one leisurely loo goer said

: “Now that I live with my girlfriend, I often use that alone time to plan dinners for the both of us and just generally take stock of the days ahead and what I’ve got going on.”

But doesn’t everyone like some me time?

Well, yes.

“I’ve had some clients tell me that the bathroom allows for the perfect escape from parenting duties,” Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and author, told LiveScience.

“It can be a hideout for people because no one ever asks what you’re doing in there, even if you take a long time. It can truly be a safe place.”

That’s despite Office of National Statistics data that showed fathers of children aged five to 10 enjoyed five hours more leisure time than women per week, and “consistently took more leisure time than women regardless of how old the child in their household was.”

A 2023 Mumsnet post from a poster whose husband took several half-hour-long loo breaks daily reads, “The house would [be] chaos, the family wouldn’t eat and nothing would get done if I took 20 minutes out several times a day.”

Of course, if medical issues are to blame, ensure you see a doctor. And if it’s not a real cause of contention, hey ― scroll away.

Just don’t stay seated while, er, exposed for longer than five minutes (that can cause piles); and if you dash to the bog every time you need an escape, you might want to consider other, less pungent sources of “me time.”

Share Button

Oasis Set The Record Straight Amid Widespread Glastonbury 2025 Rumours

Posted on by
Reply

Oasis have dismissed speculation that they will be making an appearance at next year’s Glastonbury festival.

Despite the initial announcement about Liam and Noel Gallagher’s upcoming reunion shows specifying they would mark fans’ only opportunity to see them live in 2025, the last few days have seen rumours emerging suggesting the group could be putting in a performance on the Pyramid Stage next year.

However, they have now spoken out to insist this will not be the case.

“Despite media speculation, Oasis will not be playing Glastonbury 2025 or any other festivals next year,” they said in a statement.

“The only way to see the band perform will be on their Oasis Live ’25 World Tour.”

It’s perhaps worth pointing out that earlier in the summer, Noel made headlines when he slated the most recent Glastonbury line-up, for which he ended up facing a huge backlash.

After literal years of theorising about whether the estranged Gallagher brothers would ever put their differences aside and perform together again, it was confirmed on Tuesday morning that Oasis would be doing a string of gigs around the UK and Ireland in 2025.

So far, a total of 15 live shows have been announced, beginning in Cardiff in July.

Following this, the tour will travel to Manchester, London and Edinburgh, with two last shows scheduled for Dublin on 16 and 17 August.

Alongside the announcement, Oasis said:

“The guns have fallen silent.

“The stars have aligned.

“The great wait is over.

“Come see.

“It will not be televised.”

Tickets for Oasis’ 2025 tour will go on sale on Saturday morning at 9am BST, although a fan pre-sale is also taking place on Friday. Visit Oasis’ website for more information on this special pre-sale event.

Share Button

Here’s The Only Italian Seasoning Italians Actually Use, And It’s Not The One In Your Cupboard

Posted on by
Reply

Before you even ask, I’ll come clean. Yes, I do own a tub of “Italian herbs” myself.

To be honest, though, I’m something of a seasonings libertarian ― I’ve never understood how people trusted a stranger to find the perfect mix of flavours for every dish.

So, I’m not surprised food site My Recipes says the invention of the generic “Italian herbs” mix is likely American, adding that you’d be “hard-pressed” to find an equivalent in Italy.

Eva Santaguida, cookbook author and the Italian half of YouTube couple Pasta Grammar, seemed baffled by the concept in a video about the topic. “They put everything together without a defined taste,” she said of the mix.

One version is native to Italy, however; and it sounds delicious.

What is it?

“Salamoia Bolognese, a blend of rosemary, sage, garlic, salt, and black pepper, is popular in Bologna and beyond,” My Recipe says.

Italian restaurateur and celeb chef Massimo Capra seems to confirm that.

In a TikTok, he sniffed a metal container of the stuff ― “smells like a roasted chicken,” he said between whiffs.

“It smells like roast veal,”Capra added, writing in the caption of his video that “it’s something you need in your pantry right now”.

It’s used on grilled meat, fish, vegetables, and (obviously) veal and chicken; Italian food YouTuber Janna’s Cooking Show used it in her chicken marsala recipe.

It also makes soups, stews, and spuds sing (perhaps reassuringly, if inconveniently, most of the recipes I saw for it online were in Italian).

How do I make it?

It’s pretty simple, though as with all seasoning mixes, there’s no one true recipe.

Slow food cooking site Hare & Tortoise suggests mixing equal parts salt and rosemary with one clove of garlic per two teaspoons of salt or rosemary; there’s one teaspoon of black peppercorns per two teaspoons, or one clove, of the rest.

They whizz the lot up in a blender.

Italian cooking site Il Cucchiano D’Argento’s more complex affair puts sage, bay leaves, and lemon zest in their “easy” recipe too.

Their large-scale recipe uses 1kg of salt, the zest of two unwaxed lemons (though they admit these aren’t “traditional”), half a head of garlic, five sage leaves, four bay leaves, three sprigs of rosemary, and 45g (ish) of black peppercorns.

“The [herb’s] oils released are absorbed by the salt, [which is] left to dry… for a couple of days: a process that guarantees its shelf life for a few months,” the cooking site adds.

They say the final product’s texture should be halfway between coarse and fine salt. You can store it in an airtight glass jar when it’s done.

BRB, just taking out my blender…

Share Button

Putin’s Top Ally Lukashenko Seems To Hint There’s A 1% Chance He Could Turn Against Russia

Posted on by
Reply

The president of Belarus and loyal ally to Vladimir Putin claimed this week he could not accept 99% of the proposals for him to turn against Russia.

Alexander Lukashenko alleged that “some from the outside” are encouraging him to turn against Moscow and start backing Ukraine.

In an address on Tuesday – shared on both the official Belarus government website and Russian state news agency TASS – he said: “Some from the outside are giving us advice, throwing in ideas and urging us to back down here and give something up there.

“The idea is that we should forget about Russia and turn away from Russia.

″‘Go fight against Russia together with Ukraine,’ they say, ‘and we will deploy NATO forces close to [the Russian city of] Smolensk.’

“This is how far it gets. I’m receiving proposals from all sides, and 99% of them we cannot accept,” he said – suggesting he could be persuaded to accept that narrow 1% of the proposals being pitched to him.

At the meeting of Belarus’s teachers’ Council, he suggested he wanted Belarusians to understand the situation they are in.

He then said: “Do your thing and I will do mine together with my colleagues in the government and other senior officials.”

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="Twitter" data-component-id="6541" data-component-props="{"itemType":"rich","index":11,"contentIndexByType":1,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

Lukashenko complained that the West is trying to persuade him to fight with NATO against Russia.

He also added that he receives \"proposals from all sides that I, 99%, cannot accept.\"
Did he mean Russia and NATO by \"all sides\"? pic.twitter.com/DVa7NZ1nql

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 27, 2024

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Anton Gerashchenko","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en","cache_age":86400,"description":"Lukashenko complained that the West is trying to persuade him to fight with NATO against Russia.He also added that he receives \"proposals from all sides that I, 99%, cannot accept.\" Did he mean Russia and NATO by \"all sides\"? pic.twitter.com/DVa7NZ1nql— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 27, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Anton Gerashchenko on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1828424875016425522","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"66cf1fd4e4b02e9516052d6e","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/lukashenko-dismisses-99-of-plans-for-belarus-to-turn-against-russia_uk_66cf1fd4e4b02e9516052d6e","entryTagsList":"russia,ukraine,belarus,alexander-lukashenko","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb","clickToPlayPlayer":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","videoPagePlayer":"19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"66cf1fd4e4b02e9516052d6e","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Russia","slug":"russia","links":{"relativeLink":"news/russia","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/russia","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/russia"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Ukraine","slug":"ukraine","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukraine/"},{"name":"Ukraine","slug":"ukraine","links":{"relativeLink":"news/ukraine","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukraine","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukraine"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Ukraine","slug":"ukraine","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukraine/"},{"name":"Belarus","slug":"belarus","links":{"relativeLink":"news/belarus","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/belarus","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/belarus"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/belarus/"},{"name":"Alexander Lukashenko","slug":"alexander-lukashenko","links":{"relativeLink":"news/alexander-lukashenko","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/alexander-lukashenko","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/alexander-lukashenko"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/alexander-lukashenko/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

Lukashenko complained that the West is trying to persuade him to fight with NATO against Russia.

He also added that he receives “proposals from all sides that I, 99%, cannot accept.”
Did he mean Russia and NATO by “all sides”? pic.twitter.com/DVa7NZ1nql

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 27, 2024

The suggestion Lukashenko could be wavering, even just in that 1%, over his loyalty to Putin is eye-catching, especially as Belarus agreed to host nuclear weaponry on Moscow’s behalf.

Russia has been pretty isolated on the world stage since invading Ukraine in 2022, with many nations in the West condemning the war as a land grab.

Lukashenko, though, has publicly advocated for Putin, claiming only in January that Russia “bears the greatest burden in the world” and suffers “more than anyone else”.

Like Putin, he is known for his authoritarian rule and eliminating the political opposition – making the two leaders natural allies.

However, when mercenaries from the now-dissolved Wagner group attempted to stage a coup last year, it was Lukashenko who managed to stop it in its tracks.

According to specialists from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) at the time, this pulled Putin and Lukashenko into a bit of a “power play”.

A year later it seems as though the Russian president is still on top – but, crucially, Belarus is still not actually at war with Ukraine.

Troops are building up the border between the two countries, but, as the ISW claimed on August 26, Lukashenko is still not going to risk combat with Ukraine which “could weaken his regime or drastically increase Belarusian discontent.”

Share Button