Two generals in Belarus have been sacked after their country was invaded by hundreds of teddy bears.

Police in Belarus detained at least three opposition activists and prevented dozens more from protesting against the jailing of opposition leaders in a rare rally in the capital.

Financial panic swept the republic of Belarus today after its currency was sharply devalued.

RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev called on the world community to tighten safety rules at nuclear plants and tell the truth when there were accidents like those at Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Belarus’ authoritarian leader claims his country is “so democratic, it’s just nauseating”, adding to concerns that a crackdown on political opponents after disputed elections and an underground bombing that killed 13 people is set to intensify.

Two more people have been arrested over the deadly subway bombing in Belarus as fears grew among opponents of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko that he is using it to strengthen his grip on power.

TWO suspects have confessed over a fatal bomb attack on the subway system in the capital of Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko said.

Two suspects have confessed over a fatal bomb attack on the subway system in the capital of Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko said today.

Intelligence forces in Belarus have said they now know who carried out the fatal metro attack which killed 12 people and wounded more than 200.

A rush-hour explosion which tore through an underground station in Belarus’ capital Minsk, killing 12 people and wounding 126, was a terrorist act, an official said.

A BLAST hit a crowded metro station in the centre of the Belarusian capital Minsk during the evening rush hour yesterday and police said eleven people had been killed and about 50 injured.

An explosion tore through a key subway station in the Belarusian capital of Minsk during evening rush hour today, with reports of seven fatalities.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has been officially declared re-elected for a fourth term after a vote that other contenders say was rigged.

The hardline leader of Belarus was today accused of winning re-election through fraud and violence after more than 16 years of repressive rule.

In the biggest challenge to authoritarian Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko in 16 years in power, thousands of demonstrators massed outside the main government office to protest over alleged vote fraud in Sunday’s presidential election, but club-swinging riot police drove them off and beat many.

No opposition candidate won a seat in the Belarus parliament with nearly all the districts counted, the head of the elections commission said early today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met the Belorussian leader tonight, starting a visit that was closely watched for signs the two ex-Soviet neighbours were advancing towards a long-discussed merger.

The Belarusian president said his country would pay a £230m (€341m) gas bill to Russia in the next few days, possibly with the help of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko slammed Moscow today for a series of energy deals that have sharply raised prices and cut revenues for Belarus, vowing in a defiant speech to find oil from sources other than Russia.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko lashed out angrily at the Russian leadership over energy price increases, calling its conduct “shameless” and threatening to charge Moscow for military facilities and transit of oil across his country.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko lashed out angrily at the Russian leadership today over energy price increases, calling its conduct “shameless” and threatening to charge Moscow for military facilities and transit of oil across his country.

A price increase for Russian natural gas will be painful, but manageable, a Belarusian official said today, while urging Moscow to scrap a new customs duty on oil exports to Belarus.

Negotiations on an Iran sanctions resolution were postponed unexpectedly early today as Russia exploded at the US for raising the plight of a Belarusian opposition leader in the United Nations Security Council.

Belarussian opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich today received the EU’s top human rights award – the Sakharov Prize – in recognition of his fight for democracy in the ex-Soviet republic.

More than 5,000 opposition protesters massed in the Belarusian capital Minsk today to mark the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster despite police fencing off a downtown square where they had planned to rally.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expressed confidence yesterday that Moscow will not significantly raise the price his country pays for Russian gas, a defiant statement that followed warnings that the rate could skyrocket.

THE European Union told Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko yesterday that he was unwelcome in the 25-nation bloc after his re-election last month in a vote observers said was rigged.

The European Union today imposed a visa ban on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and 30 other officials in protest at his re-election last month that Western nations claim was rigged and for cracking down on opposition supporters.

The EU called on its European partners today to protest at Belarusian violence against demonstrators and the detention of opposition leader Alexander Kozulin.

Thousands of Belarusians defied a massive show of force by the hard-line government in Minsk today, protesting in streets swarming with riot police and gathering peacefully in a park to denounce President Alexander Lukashenko after a disputed election returned him to power.

THE European Union was joined by the United States yesterday in imposing sanctions on Belarus in retaliation for a crackdown on political protesters after an election that both said was fraudulent.

Police swiftly ended an unprecedented protest in Belarus on today, arresting hundreds of demonstrators in a pre-dawn raid.

European Union leaders today decided to personally punish Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko after an election widely seen as rigged – announcing “restrictions” against the authoritarian leader that would likely include a travel ban from Europe.

European Union leaders slapped expanded sanctions on Belarus today and condemned a crackdown against opposition protesters in Minsk.

European Union leaders were expected to call for sanctions against Belarus political leaders at the end of their two-day summit talks today, adding that the recent presidential vote there was “fundamentally flawed”.

Riot police stormed the opposition tent camp in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, detaining scores of demonstrators who had spent a fourth night in a central square to protest at President Alexander Lukashenko’s victory in a disputed election.

Final results from last weekend’s presidential election in Belarus confirm a landslide victory for incumbent Alexander Lukashenko, a top electoral official in the former Soviet republic said today.

The European Union today said it was consulting neighbouring countries before deciding on any sanctions on Belarussian officials following presidential elections in the ex-Soviet country, and would also talk to Russia.

OPPOSITION leader Alexander Milinkevich said yesterday that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko must be excluded from any rerun of presidential elections.

Thousands of Belarusians demonstrated in a central Minsk square for the third night in a row tonight, swelling the ranks of a core group who spent the previous night there to protest at the extension of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko’s rule.

Opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich said today that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko must be excluded from a rerun of presidential elections that is being demanded by the opposition.

Hundreds of demonstrators shivered and cheered through a frigid night and morning snowfall on a Minsk square, trying to keep up momentum in an arduous and unlikely drive to overturn election results.

Hundreds of demonstrators shivered and cheered through the freezing pre-dawn today in the capital of Belarus, trying to keep up momentum in a drive to overturn a landslide election that gave a new term to authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.