Belarus leader blames US, vows to end opposition protests

MINSK, Belarus — Authorities in Belarus detained a leader of striking factory workers and threatened demonstrators with criminal charges Friday in the latest response to massive post-election protests challenging the country's authoritarian president of 26 years, who accused the United States of fomenting the unrest. Investigators also summoned several opposition activists for questioning as part of a criminal probe into a council they created with the stated goal of coordinating a transition of power with the government and the protesters demanding President Alexander Lukashenko's resignation. Lukashenko blamed the U.S. of instigating the protests that started on the night of the Belarus'...