Belarus refuses to register top opposition candidate

Election officials in Belarus have refused to register a leading opposition politician as a candidate in the September 23 parliamentary elections.

A district election commission said Alyaksandr Milinkevich was denied regsitration because too many of the signatures he gathered from supporters were invalid.

Election officials also declared that Milinkevich -- leader of the opposition Movement For Freedom -- did not provide correct information about his income or the property he owns.

Milinkevich told the French news agency AFP that the ruling "is a political decision" and that he will appeal.<