Latest Belarus News

Belarus opposition and Western leaders reject election result that extends strongman's rule

Jan. 27, 2025 11:16 AM EST

Belarus' opposition activists and Western officials on Monday denounced an orchestrated election that extends the more than three-decade rule of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. The country's exiled opposition leader called the result “sheer nonsense.” The Central...

Belarus strongman wins a 7th term in an election the opposition calls a farce

Jan. 26, 2025 19:38 PM EST

The smiling face of President Alexander Lukashenko gazed out from campaign posters across Belarus on Sunday as the country held an orchestrated election virtually guaranteed to give the 70-year-old autocrat yet another term on top of his three decades in power. “Needed!” the...

Belarus frees American woman from detention as strongman leader looks to extend 30-year rule

Jan. 26, 2025 14:17 PM EST

Belarus has “unilaterally” freed an American woman from detention, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday, as the Kremlin-allied country held an orchestrated election poised to give strongman President Alexander Lukashenko yet another term on top of his three decades in power. ...

EU rejects election in Belarus and threatens new sanctions

Jan. 26, 2025 10:54 AM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union rejected the election in Belarus on Sunday as illegitimate and threatened new sanctions. Belarus held an orchestrated vote virtually guaranteed to give 70-year-old autocratic President Alexander Lukashenko yet another term on top of his three...

Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko

Jan. 26, 2025 00:04 AM EST
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Australian Open: Keys upsets 2-time champion Sabalenka in women's final for 1st Grand Slam title

Jan. 25, 2025 08:59 AM EST

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — When Madison Keys stepped into Rod Laver Arena at 7:37 p.m. on Saturday night ahead of the Australian Open final, she strode right past the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, the trophy that goes to the women's champion and was placed on a pedestal near the entrance to the...

Belarus election is poised to extend the 30-year rule of 'Europe's last dictator'

Jan. 24, 2025 09:19 AM EST

The last time Belarus staged a presidential election in 2020, authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner with 80% of the vote. That triggered cries of fraud, months of protests and a harsh crackdown with thousands of arrests. Not wanting to risk such unrest...

Poland wants the EU focused on security. Its border with Belarus highlights the challenges

Jan. 20, 2025 00:17 AM EST

POLOWCE, Poland (AP) — Poland's six-month presidency of the European Union is firmly focused on security. As Europe’s biggest land war in decades rages, fewer places highlight the challenges and contradictions of defending the bloc and its values more starkly than the border with Belarus. ...

An imprisoned Nobel laureate underscores human rights abuses in Belarus

Jan. 19, 2025 00:55 AM EST

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The yellow name tag that Ales Bialiatski wears on his prison garb sets him apart from other inmates in Penal Colony No. 9 in eastern Belarus. It marks Bialiatski as a political prisoner to be singled out for harsh treatment. Because he's been labeled an...

Nigeria is admitted as a partner country of the BRICS bloc

Jan. 18, 2025 05:27 AM EST

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria has been admitted as a “partner country” of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, according to Brazil, the group’s chair. BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, with South Africa added in 2010, as a counterweight to the...