Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens convicted of crimes in Belarus, the state news agency Belta reported on Saturday.
According to Lukashenko’s spokesperson, Natalia Eismont, the decision followed agreements reached between Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump at Ukraine’s request.
Ukraine’s prisoner exchange coordination committee later confirmed on Telegram that 31 civilians had been returned from Belarus, saying: “Women and men detained in Belarus and sentenced to between two and eleven years are now returning to Ukraine.”
The committee expressed gratitude to the United States and President Trump for their efforts in securing the release of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel held in Belarus and Russia, adding that those freed would receive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
On Thursday, Lukashenko also released two Roman Catholic priests convicted of “serious crimes against the state” following talks with the Vatican, Belta reported.
A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko has freed several hundred prisoners since mid-2024 as part of efforts to improve ties with the West after years of sanctions over his human rights record and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Earlier this month, President Trump appointed a special envoy to Belarus to negotiate further prisoner releases.
At a WHO supported malnutrition ward in Khartoum, doctors and mothers describe children arriving too weak to eat or drink as nearly three years of con...
Beijing has launched a scathing diplomatic attack on Tokyo, accusing Japan of exploiting the Taiwan issue to destabilise the region, following a dange...
Thailand says it carried out air and ground operations along the Cambodian border as hostilities escalated, breaking the U.S. brokered ceasefire that ...
Ukraine will hand the United States a revised 20 point peace plan on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders work to steer ...
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) executive board approved Pakistan’s latest loan review on Monday, unlocking a critical $1.2 billion in finan...
Beijing has launched a scathing diplomatic attack on Tokyo, accusing Japan of exploiting the Taiwan issue to destabilise the region, following a dangerous naval encounter involving fire-control radar locks in the Pacific.
American farmers hurt by his trade policies look set to receive financial assistance for next year's crops. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced a $12 billion aid package aimed at supporting agriculturalists affected by his trade policies and ongoing tariffs.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Monday revealed new details about the final hours before Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell last year, including urgent discussions with Russian officials to brief them on rapidly unfolding events.
Tanzania's government warned on Monday that protests scheduled for Tuesday would be illegal and amounted to an attempted coup, as security forces were heavily deployed in major cities.
A coup attempt by a “small group of soldiers” has been foiled in Benin after hours of gunfire struck parts of the economic capital Cotonou, officials said on Sunday.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
Authorities in Japan lifted all tsunami warnings on Tuesday following a strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck off the northeastern coast late on Monday, injuring at least 30 people and forcing around 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
At a WHO supported malnutrition ward in Khartoum, doctors and mothers describe children arriving too weak to eat or drink as nearly three years of conflict, displacement and disease push Sudan towards famine.
Beijing has launched a scathing diplomatic attack on Tokyo, accusing Japan of exploiting the Taiwan issue to destabilise the region, following a dangerous naval encounter involving fire-control radar locks in the Pacific.
Thailand says it carried out air and ground operations along the Cambodian border as hostilities escalated, breaking the U.S. brokered ceasefire that halted five days of clashes in July.
Ukraine will hand the United States a revised 20 point peace plan on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders work to steer Washington’s ceasefire framework away from concessions they fear could lock in Russian territorial gains.
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) executive board approved Pakistan’s latest loan review on Monday, unlocking a critical $1.2 billion in financial support, ensuring that the country’s ongoing IMF program remains on track.
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