So a Belarusian journalist who was travelling between two #EU πͺπΊ destinations is now back in #Belarus against his own will after KGB operatives basically hijacked the plane and forced it to land.
This is not just a grave violation of human rights, it is also an act of aggression against the European Union. They hijacked a plane full of EU citizens and forced it to land in another country, against the will of everyone on board
All of this was planned in advance. KGB operatives knew Roman Protasevich was going to be on a flight that would go through Belarusian airspace. they've probably waited months for this opportunity
Roman Protasevich is now back in #Belarus, the country where he is facing the death penalty.
Roman is the founder of @nexta_tv, a free and independent news channel which provided vital coverage during last year's uprising. This is why #Lukashenko has made him a target.
#Belarus: Roman has been taken away but the @Ryanair flight is still on the ground in #Minsk. Some passengers were forced to disembark and have their baggage checked by the border police of a country they didn't even intend to enter in the first place.
Can you imagine? They hijack your plane by starting a fight and faking a bomb threat. They force your plane to land in authoritarian state. And when you're there they treat YOU as the potential terrorist, letting bomb sniffing dogs go through your baggage.
#Belarus: footage of the MiG-29 fighter jet which intercepted the @Ryanair flight near the Lithuanian border and forced it to divert to #Minsk
#Belarus: latest photos of the @Ryanair flight #FR4978 which as of this moment is still in #Minsk with all 171 passengers (most of them EU citizens) unable to leave.
#Belarus: the regime has released a video of #RomanProtasevich in which he denies any reports of him being in the hospital and states he is being treated well.
The bruises on his face say otherwise
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I've just come back from #Venezuela π»πͺ where I spent 2.5 weeks, witnessing the run-up to the presidential vote, and what was arguably the most outrageous election steal in the modern history of Latin America.
I'll share some thoughts below π§΅
First off before going into the political situation I just wanted to stress how great it was to be reminded how easy it is to fall in love with Caracas, and how amazing the Venezuelan people are.
Someone I'd met briefly 7 years ago, would greet me again as if we were family.
I was never big about celebrating my birthday, so I figured I'll just arrive in Venezuela that day, do some work and let the day pass quietly, no big deal.
Well that wouldn't fly when I told my Venezuelan friends there. They insisted on celebrating, and even brought friends.
I just came back a trip around the resistance territories of southern Karenni state (Myanmar).
During my time I went to the frontlines, visited IDP camps in the jungles, stayed the night at an abandoned junta base, met resistance fighters, refugees and community leaders.
π§΅:
Karenni state (also known as Kayah state) as around the size of Qatar, which makes it the smallest of Myanmar's different states and regions.
Yet because of its proximity to the capital Naypyidaw (120 km) it is still a very strategic region.
After three years of anti-coup resistance and armed struggle around 90% of Karenni is under resistance control.
Karenni is divided into 7 townships: Loikaw (capital), Demoso, Hpruso, Bawlakhe, Hpasawng, Shadaw, Mese.
Seriously watch the original IDF video (re-uploaded minutes ago). At 1:48 the IDF spokesman literally said they found a single gun "just minutes ago", same room as where @TreyYingst walks through in his report. Yet Trey's report shows two extra guns placed in the exact spot
Although it doesn't disprove that the guns are from Hamas or that there are any guns in the hospital. It is a very clear sign that the IDF is moving guns around the hospital and places them in suspicious locations.
This puts everything they show about the hospital into question.
#Palestine π΅πΈ BREAKING: AJE reports that Israeli forces have informed the staff of al-Shifa that they will storm the #Gaza hospital tonight.
#Palestine π΅πΈ: multiple reports now that Israeli forces are INSIDE al-Shifa hospital in #Gaza city and are "carrying out operations" within the facility.
#Palestine π΅πΈ: the #IDF has released footage of their troops supposedly dropping off medical supplies at al-Shifa hospital.
But everything that's important is missing here. Where are the patients? Where are they alleged #Hamas tunnels?
The dry season is starting in #Myanmar π²π². The drier weather and more accessible roads will mean an intensification of fighting between the junta and resistance across the country.
#Myanmar π²π²: junta warplanes have repeatedly targeted the village of Nyaung Kone in the Mogok Township (#Mandalay region) as fighting between junta forces and #TNLA & #PDF resistance groups is ongoing in the region.
#Myanmar π²π²: junta forces clashed with local #PDF resistance in the Tabayin Township of #Sagaing region, after the soldiers ventured out into the countryside and tried to enter a resistance-controlled village.