NATO restricts HQ access for Belarus officials

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO is restricting access to its headquarters for a group of Belarus officials in the wake of Minsk’s decision to divert a Ryanair passenger plane to arrest a dissident journalist. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the military organization has “decided to restrict the access of Belarusian personnel to the NATO headquarters based on our assessment of security measures.” The move’s likely to hit about five officials. They’ll still be able to enter NATO headquarters in the Belgian capital of Brussels, but only with visitors badges, depriving them of access to some areas. Stoltenberg has described Belarus’s actions as “a state hijacking.”