Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday announced the release of a U.S. citizen who had been imprisoned in Belarus as controversy looms over the Eastern European nation's ongoing election.

Belarus autocrat Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, won a seventh consecutive term in office yesterday in an election denounced by the European Union and the exiled opposition.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus prepares to serve to Clara Tauson of Denmark during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus serves to Clara Tauson of Denmark during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne,

(AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a forehand return to Clara Tauson of Denmark during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for winning a seventh term in office, saying Sunday's election showed he had the undoubted backing of the people.

"Workers intend to preserve the damaged pipeline, installing special blinds on each open end of the pipe in order to prevent further gas release and ingress of oxygen-saturated seawater," the regulato

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MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. The Belarusian incumbent president is re-elected, Denmark boosts its military aid to Ukraine, and the Valdai Discussion Club offers strategies for trade challenges with India. These stories topped the headlines in Monday’s newspapers across Russia.

Diplomacy: President Trump has pushed to “clean out” the Gaza Strip, including by asking Egypt and Jordan to take in hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. His suggestion drew flat rejections from those countries, two of the most important U.S. allies in the Middle East.

The Belarusian will next face Spain’s world number 12 Paula Badosa that outplayed World No.3 Coco Gauff of the United States, 7-5, 6-4.

MINSK, 19 January (BelTA) - World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus rolled into her third straight Australian Open quarterfinal with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Russia’s world number 15 Mirra Andreeva in Melbourne, BelTA has learned.