Vast protest in Minsk keeps up pressure on Belarus president

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — More than 100,000 protesters demanding the resignation of Belarus’ authoritarian president rallied in the capital of Minsk, jamming a vast square and then marching through the city. That keeps up the massive outburst of dissent that has shaken the country since a disputed presidential elections two weeks ago. Sunday’s demonstration overflowed Minsk’s sprawling 7-hectare (17-acre) Independence Square, then marched to another square about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles away. There were no official figures on crowd size, but it appeared to be about 150,000 or more.  President Alexander Lukashenko has ruled the country with an iron fist for 26 years but residents appear fed up with sinking living standards and government repression.