Challenger denied

The central elections commission in Belarus has rejected a top challenger’s bid to run against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in the August election. The commission’s decision to bar Valery Tsepkalo from the ballot removes any serious competition for Lukashenko, who has stifled opposition and news media during a quarter-century in power. Tsepkalo submitted 160,000 signatures to get on the ballot, but the commission said only 75,000 were valid — less than the 100,000 needed.