Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated in an interview published on Friday that he has no intention of seeking another term in office and dismissed claims that he is preparing his son to take over leadership.
Lukashenko, a long-standing ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has ruled Belarus for over 30 years under an authoritarian regime and was re-elected to a seventh term in January.
Speaking to TIME magazine, the 70-year-old leader said he was “not planning” to run again, though he joked that U.S. President Donald Trump, at nearly 80, was still “looking decent.”
He emphasised that his successor should not make abrupt changes but should continue the country’s development to prevent any “revolutionary collapse.”
Addressing persistent rumours that he is grooming his son, Nikolai, as a successor, Lukashenko firmly denied the speculation.
“No, he is not a successor. I knew you’d ask that. No, no, no. Ask him yourself- he might actually be offended,” he told TIME, with excerpts later published in Russian by state news agency Belta.
Lukashenko faced massive protests in 2020 after an election widely condemned by the opposition and Western governments as fraudulent. His government responded with a crackdown, imprisoning or exiling opposition leaders.
Since mid-2024, several hundred people jailed for "extremism" and other politically motivated charges have been released- a move analysts interpret as an attempt to reduce Belarus’s isolation from the West. However, human rights groups report that nearly 1,200 political prisoners remain in custody.
Lukashenko continues to deny the existence of political prisoners in Belarus.
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Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the trend is supported by investment activity, industrial expansion and large-scale infrastructure projects.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Georgia to implement reforms to tackle youth unemployment. Nearly 30 per cent of people aged 15-24 are without a job in the country, according to World Bank data.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to publish the UK government's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan ahead of next month's NATO summit in Ankara, following growing pressure over the UK's military spending commitments.
Hundreds of protesters have torn down fences surrounding a planned luxury development site in Albania, as public anger continues to mount over construction in environmentally sensitive areas.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Japan’s birth rate and fertility levels have fallen to their lowest levels on record, highlighting the country’s worsening demographic crisis as fewer people marry and have children.
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to close out the series 4-1 and claim their first NBA championship since 1973, sparking celebrations across New York City.
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is a rarity for Beijing to engage directly with the group.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
Romania's centrist President Nicușor Dan on Sunday designated Adrian Veștea, a member of the liberal party, as prime minister, after independent candidate Eugen Tomac withdrew.
North Korea said on Sunday, 14 June, that denuclearisation is a matter that is irreversibly terminated, in a condemnation of recent nuclear deterrence talks between the U.S. and South Korea.
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