The Ministry for agriculture and foodstuff of Belarus imposed 10 taboo sanctions on import of cattle, beef other meet and animal fodder from England, Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Spain.
This was done in order to prevent the mad cow disease from spreading over to the territories and farms of Belarus.

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Earlier this year the government raised tariffs on long-distance travels. Now the cheapest ticket to Moscow (reserved seats) would cost one $10, Petersburg $12, Smolensk $5, Kiev $10, Adler $25, Kaliningrad $15, Kharkov $10.

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January 9 night editors and publishers of the independent newspapers managed to convince "Magic" press authorities and financial inspections to allow them to publish today`s issues of their newspapers. Today one can buy fresh issues of "Nasha Svoboda", "Narodnaya Volya" and "BDG" at any news agent`s. Tomorrow, though, is still unclear.

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January 9 BelaPAN correspondent Gennady Barbarich was summoned as a witness to the police to speak on his publications in the "Narodnaya Volya": "Dima - new hopes", dealing with the missing ORT cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky. The interrogation was carried out by the procuracy detectives Vladimir Chumachenko and Dmitry Petrushkevich.
The case on which the journalist was interrogated is related to the series of political crimes, having tremendous public resonance. During their conversation the detectives warned the reporter that his articles interfere with the investigation procedures.

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after the awarding of certain journalists, covering the religious issues, by the leaders of the Belarusian Orthodox church. Among those, who received honorary certificates from the hands of the Belarusian Archbishop Rev. Filaret, were: editor-in-chief of the "Narodnaya Gazeta" Mikhail Shimansky, observer from the same paper Nina Yanovich and editor of the Belarusian radio programs on literature and religion Nina Chaika.

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Over the last couple of weeks officials have registered a reduction in the amount of state`s salary indebtedness. On Dec. 31 it constituted 0,9% of the total salary funds, which is over 4 times less than the analogous figure in the end of November. Nonetheless, in the near future the specialists predict another growth of salary debts.

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December 31 around the midnight, as usually, the president was expected to speak on air to the nation. However, the people of Liozno didn`t see his address. The National Channel was broadcasted until the moment the president was about to appear on the screen. Then both the picture and the sound suddenly went blank and resumed as soon as the president was finished with his report.

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Student of the Minsk presidential Academy of Management Nikolai Hlopza was taken hostage on Dec.21 last year in the Belarus capital. The abductors moved their captive from place to place and demanded ransom from his family. The last sum they mentioned was 116 thousand dollars. Interestingly, the parents of the boy, from whom they expected to get the money, are considered unemployed.

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