17:19 New VIDEO from rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk

Today in Minsk Belarusian individual entrepreneurs have held a protest rally. A numerous column of participants of the rally marched from October Square to the House of Government to demand a meet gin with Prime Minister. Policemen disbanded protesters and forced them out of the center of the city. There are persons aggrieved.

The today protest action of entrepreneurs in Minsk gathered more than 2.000 people. In spite of preventive arrests and detentions of the leaders of entrepreneurs’ movement, the participants of the action weren’t afraid to require the authorities to stop persecution of entrepreneurs, release prisoners from jail on Akrestin Street and impose a moratorium on the decree 760, ruining small business in the country.

16:57 Police to give legal treatment of protesters’ actions

Policemen have detained a number of participants of the unsanctioned protest in Minsk, Interfax was informed by the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of Minsk. “There have been isolated cases of arrests of the unsanctioned action’s participants. At the moment the number of the detainees is being,” Main Internal Affairs Directorate source said. They have also noted that “police is to give legal treatment to the actions of the unsanctioned action’s participants”.

16:29 “EuroFest” Final to be Opened by guard of honour squadron

On January 21 a final game of the National TV musical project “EuroFest”. Viewers of the First Musical Channel and the satellite channel “Belarus-TV” are to see the concert in a live television broadcast on January 21 at 9.40 p.m.

15:55 46 thousands individual entrepreneurs who had hired workers, haven’t become private unitary enterprises

As of January 21, 1,994 individual entrepreneurs in Belarus have approved names of their future unitary enterprises in the registering bodies of the country. 732 individual entrepreneurs have submitted documents for registration of a private unitary enterprise in a preferential procedure under the Law No. 685 (as of January 18). BELTA correspondent has been informed about that by the head of the department of the single register of legal entities of Justice Ministry of Belarus Nina Dubovik.

Belarus hopes Russia will abolish the oil duty in the near future, Anton Kudasov, a deputy director of the foreign economic activity department – chief of the foreign trade policy department of Belarus’ Foreign Ministry, told a press conference discussing “Belarus on the way to the WTO: accession problems and perspectives” in Minsk on January 21.

15:02 First Photos from Disband of Protest Rally of Small Businessmen in Minsk

A few minutes ago policemen with truncheons and plastic shields have disbanded the column of entrepreneurs who came to the House of Government with a demand to meet with Prime Minister. The Internal Minister Navumau personally was in command of the operation.

14:31 More immigrants head to Britain after Polish border scrapped

German police fear only a fraction of illegal immigrants passing into EU territory are being caught after its border posts were abolished last month, according to Daily Mail. Its Interior Ministry said 564 immigrants, most from Chechnya, have been caught since free movement was extended to the Ukraine frontier. Figures from Poland`s border agency headquarters show the number of illegal immigrants stopped on the EU frontiers under Polish jurisdiction - with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine - was down nearly 50 percent in the first three weeks after Dec. 21.

12:41 EU takes dominant lead in talks of Belarus’ joining WTO

The European Union takes a dominant lead in the process of Belarus joining the World Trade Organization, told the deputy director of the foreign economic policy department, the head of foreign policy department of Foreign Ministry of Belarus Anton Kudasau.

12:07 Democracy and Freedom declines for second year: annual report of the Freedom House

The year 2007 was not a good year overall for the advance of democracy and freedom in the world. Democracy advocates were especially singled out for harsh treatment in many countries. Authoritarian regimes are developing new ways to “push-back” against democratic opposition, civil society, and the independence of the media.

11:46 Rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk: on-line report (updating, Photo)

Belarusian entrepreneurs continue their protest action in the Belarusian capital. A large column of participants of the action has gone from October Square to the House of Government to require a meeting with the prime minister. The militia has begun to disperse the protesters and push them to the neighbouring streets. On-line report from the protest action is to begin on our site at 12.00pm (Minsk time).

10:59 State to spend 3 times as much on “Minsk-Arena” as compared to affordable housing

Alyaksanr Lukashenka has signed the investment programme-2008.

10:24 Political prisoner in jail on Akrestin Street wasn’t allowed to receive congratulations on his birthday

Administration of the special prison facility on Akrestin Street refused to pass greeting cards to Anatol Shumchanka.

9:56 What was “Irony of Fate. The Sequel” box-office takings in Belarus?

The film “Irony of Fate. The Sequel” has become the first film in the history of film distribution at the territory of the former USSR to beat the level of $50 mln. The sequel of the “Irony of Fate” directed by Timur Bekmambetov was released on December 21 last year and collected that sum in less than a month. For today it’s the largest film income for the former USSR countries.

9:50 Wajda’s ‘Katyn’ on show for Belarusian media

Representatives of Polish expatriates and members of the Belarusian media from Brest, Belarus, were invited to watch Andrzej Wajda’s “Katyn”, Saturday.

9:21 Vyachaslau Siuchyk At Large

A politician and public activist Vyachaslau Siuchyk, who has become the first victim of repressions in the run-up to the meeting of market vendors on January 10.

9:03 Rally of entrepreneurs to take place in Minsk at midday today

Belarusian entrepreneurs are going to take to October (Kastrychnitskaya) Square in Minsk today. They continue to demand the authorities should cancel the decree 760, forbidding entrepreneurs to employ people except for close relatives. As the protestors think, the decree ruins their business and makes many people jobless. The previous action took place in the Belarusian capital on 10 January. Small businessmen are going to go on an indefinite strike without paying taxes from 1 February. On-line report from the protest action is to begin on our site at 12.00pm (Minsk time).