1.   Belarussian investigators say a young pilot made the decision to down the balloon, which was approaching a military base.

2.   It was not clear precisely how the balloon was downed.

3.   The government-controlled daily newspaper Sovietskaya Belarus blamed the military and scoffed at air defense officials for downing a balloon.

4.   The two men died when their sport balloon was downed by a Belarussian helicopter gunship Tuesday during a prestigious international race.

5.   Belarus forces decided to down the balloon after failing to establish contact with its crew.

6.   But Belarus forces decided to down the balloon after failing to establish contact with its crew, Belarus officials said.