Belarus rally for presidential challenger largest in years

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Belarus saw its largest opposition demonstration in years as about 5,000 people rallied Sunday to support a candidate challenging Belarus’ longtime authoritarian leader in next month’s presidential vote. President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to easily win a sixth term in the Aug. 9 election after 26 years in power, but simmering discontent over the country’s economic woes has posed a challenge to his rule. Belarus election officials ruled Tuesday to bar Lukashenko’s two main rivals from the race, leaving Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, wife of jailed popular opposition blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, as the most visible challenger. She said a demand to release all political prisoners will be her top campaign slogan.