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A HUMAN RIGHTS group in Belarus said more than 500 people were arrested in protests around the country calling for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to step down.
The demonstrations continued the wave of near-daily protests that have gripped Belarus since early August.
In the capital Minsk, police wielded clubs and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of demonstrators.
The Viasna human rights organisation reported detentions at demonstrations in other cities, including Vitebsk and Gomel. It said the nationwide arrest numbers exceeded 500.
Many of the demonstrators carried placards in commemoration of Raman Bandarenka, an opposition supporter who died on Thursday after reportedly being beaten in police detention.
A wide wave of protests, some attracting more than 100,000 people, broke out following the August 9 presidential election that official results say gave Mr Lukashenko a sixth term in office.
The opposition and some poll workers say the results were manipulated.
Lukashenko, who has suppressed opposition and independent media during 26 years in power, refuses to negotiate with the opposition and alleges the protests are incited by Western countries.
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The cynic in me thinks that Arlene is digging her heals in just to show she is British and therefore will not do the same as the Irish, but will do the same as the British even if that is not what NI citizens want her to do. The Scots and Welsh closing the schools gives her the opportunity to show she is as British as the Scots and Welsh. A ladder to climb down.
@Alan Rossiter: is say your statement is a statement of fact!
@Alan Rossiter: couldn’t agree more. The DUPs will happily risk everything. With Brexit they risked people’s livelihoods and now with the virus they risk people’s lives. All in an effort to prove/remain being British
@Alan Rossiter: Arlene will do as Boris says
@Alan Rossiter: had my children out anyway. They go to school in Tyrone. Take the power out off her hands. Seriously tricky ppl.
@Alan Rossiter: BJ caved in! Well done Scotland and NI :)
About time.
The north won’t close until Westminster tells them though.
@John Murphy: Snalene will now do as she’s told and not what was best for keeping this whole island safe. She will be remembered for doing nothing what a great leader.
@John Murphy: it’s not unprecedented…plenty of countries have done it already.
Dáil Éireann 1-0 Northern Ireland Assembly
Who said there was no sport
The extra week the UK had has been used for teachers to prepare student home course work and allow the parents to plan child care arrangements. There are no right answers here, there is no playbook to consult and its not a point scoring game . Its not about stopping the virus its about managing it so that health services can keep going.
Is that my horse running down the road? I’d better close the barn door so.
About time too. The North has been reckless with our health and safety. Wetherspoons and Filthys PUBS open in Belfast on Paddy’s day. On RTE news. As we an island with significant cross movements, direct bus and train links, we cannot let this go. A leading virologist at Queen’s said yesterday that due to poor testing regimes up to 3000 people could be infected now in the NORTH. Irish government needs to sort this out with Westminster. No repetition. Hop virologist is wrong. Soon find out.Titanic Centre closed/ staff illness.Try tracing its customers. Executive from at first at one subsequently divided on the issue
We cannot allow the Tory government to effectively undermine our trojan efforts to deal with the virus. We must be treated as an island for health safety purposes.Never again.
Our Strategy seems at odds with the UK & NI. Based on this would it not be prudent to shut down our exposure to the UK by way of Flights and Sea travel?
Only facilitate the movement of Goods and those who need to return home.
@Charles McCarthy: But they can fly into the North and come in that way or by ferry.
@Charles McCarthy: build the wall
How dare ye try and tell us brits what to do…….our egos cant take it.
Closed now. A case of coronavirus in my niece’s school and the original plan was to close until Monday for a deep clean. My niece is experiencing symptoms and cannot get tested. Her mother is a public health nurse and has been instructed to continue working. Madness
Slow learners
Finally!!! It took long enough!!!
Took long enough but that’s all schools on islands shut now.
Thank goodness for that!
Poor Arlene too little too late
NI hang your head in shame…
@MickN: DUP, UUP and Alliance. the nationalist party’s said they should close
Arnold won’t be happy
@Seld Employed Anarchist: was he ever happy?
Australia keeps its schools open. Apparently, Aussie politicians want us to be another Italy. We had plenty warning but have chosen to ignore it.
I don’t think the proposed plan to allow the children of healthcare workers in N Ireland to be cared for in yet to decided on buildings in groups is maybe a good idea but completely understand the need to help the health workers as the elderly need protection too .China found that 15-17% of the covid 19 cases was among healthcare workers there . It could mean that if children or their parents in these groups contracted the disease and all the children are together potentially many of the parents could then become contacts if certain scenarios arose and then many healthcare workers be required to stay home or worse case scenario bring the virus from infected children in the group in to their patients as children often have little or no symptoms . Difficult situation to arrange .
I wonder how many people will die because Arlene was more worried about appearing to be more british than she was about the lives of the people of northern ireland
have your say