News

RyanAir pilot says they had ‘no choice but to land’ in Belarus

Published

5 years ago

June 16, 2021

The pilot flying the RyanAir plane that made an emergency diversion to Belarus says he had ‘no choice’

While Belarus denies it was a forced landing, the RyanAir crew onboard disagree. They say they were warned that if the aircraft entered Lithuanian air space “a bomb on board would be detonated”.

The head pilot says the incident was “a premeditated breach” of global aviation rules.

When trying to contact the airline for clarification, Belarusian authorities told him that “Ryanair in Poland were not answering the phone”.

Belarus ‘forces’ flight diversion, sparking international outrage

Belarusian actors diverted the flight from Greece. There, authorities boarded the aircraft and arrested an anti-government activist and journalist Roman Prota-sevich. They also arrested his girlfriend, who was onboard the flight as well.

Journalist Roman Protasevich was living in exile from Belarus. He is a vocal critic of the country’s President and his regime.

The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed they had detained the activist at Minsk’s airport, the nation’s main international hub.

In a statement, Ryanair said Belarus air traffic control informed staff of a “potential security threat onboard” and ordered them to make an emergency landing.

News

Ukraine and Russia set for U.S.-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi

Published

1 hour ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that new peace talks with Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi later this week. The discussions are part of U.S.-led efforts to find a path toward ending the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine is prepared for meaningful dialogue aimed at achieving peace. The announcement comes after weeks of uncertainty over the timing of the meeting.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff described prior discussions with Russian officials as productive, though major disagreements over territorial issues remain unresolved.

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News

Tensions rise as Iran threatens conflict and U.S. increases naval forces

Iran warns of regional conflict, labels European armies terrorists; U.S. boosts naval presence as both sides consider negotiations.

Published

2 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Iran warns of regional conflict, labels European armies terrorists; U.S. boosts naval presence as both sides consider negotiations.

Iran has warned of a potential regional conflict if the U.S. launches an attack, while labelling European armies as terrorists. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted that threats from President Trump will not intimidate the Iranian people.

The U.S. has ramped up its naval presence in the Middle East in response to mounting threats, amid speculation over Iran’s next moves. Iranian officials have denied claims of imminent naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to global uncertainty.

#MiddleEastCrisis #IranUS #Geopolitics #NavalTensions #Trump #AyatollahKhamenei #EuropeanUnion #GlobalConflict

News

Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest man to complete career Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz, at 22, stuns tennis by winning the Australian Open, defeating Djokovic, and celebrating with a kangaroo tattoo.

Published

3 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Carlos Alcaraz, at 22, stuns tennis by winning the Australian Open, defeating Djokovic, and celebrating with a kangaroo tattoo.

Carlos Alcaraz has stunned the tennis world by winning the Australian Open, becoming the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam at just 22 years old.

The world number one beat Novak Djokovic in a thrilling four-set match, finishing 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. Djokovic missed out on claiming his 25th Grand Slam title. To mark the milestone, Alcaraz revealed he plans to add a new tattoo of a kangaroo on his leg, joining his existing Eiffel Tower and Wimbledon strawberry tattoos.

#CarlosAlcaraz #AustralianOpen #GrandSlam #TennisHistory #NovakDjokovic #SportsNews #TennisTattoo #YoungChampion