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A new artificial intelligence blood testing technology developed and used by researchers of <keyword id="4336355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Johns-Hopkins-Kimmel-Cancer-Center" source="Orion">Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center</keyword> to successfully detect <keyword id="33225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lung-cancer" source="Orion">lung cancer</keyword> in a 2021 study has now detected more than 80% of <keyword id="3323065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="liver-cancers" source="Orion">liver cancers</keyword> in a new study of 724 people. The findings were reported in <keyword id="2533828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cancer-Discovery" source="Orion">Cancer Discovery</keyword> and at the American Association for Cancer Research Special Conference: Precision Prevention, Early Detection, and Interception of Cancer. The blood test, called <keyword id="5570827" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DELFI" source="Orion">DELFI</keyword> (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception) detects fragmentation changes among DNA from cancer cells shed into the bloodstream, known as cell-free DNA (cfDNA). In the most recent study, investigators used the DELFI technology on blood plasma samples obtained from 724 individuals in the U.S., the European Union (E.U.) and Hong Kong to detect hepatocellular cancer (HCC), a type of liver cancer. The researchers believe this is the first genome-wide fragmentation analysis independently validated in two high-risk populations and across different racial and ethnic groups with different causes associated with their liver cancers. It is estimated that 400 million people worldwide are at higher risk of developing HCC because of cirrhosis from chronic liver diseases including chronic viral hepatitis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a worldwide analysis of the burden of liver disease (J. Hepatology, 2019). "Increased early detection of liver cancer could save lives, but currently available screening tests are underutilized and miss many cancers," says Victor Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, who co-led the study with Zachariah Foda, M.D., Ph.D., gastroenterology fellow, Akshaya Annapragada, M.D./Ph.D. student, and Amy Kim, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Of the 724 plasma samples studied, 501 were collected in the U.S. and E.U. and included samples from 75 people with HCC to train and validate the machine learning model, a type of artificial intelligence that uses data and algorithms to improve accuracy, explains Foda. For validation, an additional 223 plasma samples were analyzed from individuals in Hong Kong and included samples from 90 people with HCC, 66 with hepatitis B virus (HBV), 35 with HBV-related liver cirrhosis and 32 people with no underlying risk factors. The DELFI technology uses a blood test to measure the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cell by studying the size and amount of cell-free DNA present in the circulation from different regions across the genome. Healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase, in which different regions of the genome are placed carefully in various compartments. The nuclei of cancer cells, by contrast, are like more disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. When cancer cells die, they release DNA fragments in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream. DELFI identifies the presence of cancer by examining millions of cfDNA fragments for abnormal patterns, including the size and amount of DNA in different genomic regions. The DELFI approach only requires low-coverage sequencing, enabling this technology to be cost-effective in a screening setting, the researchers say. In the latest study, researchers performed the test -- which was previously shown to accurately classify lung cancer -- on cfDNA fragments isolated from the plasma samples. They analyzed the patterns of fragmentation across each sample to develop a DELFI score. Scores were low for cancer-free individuals with viral hepatitis or cirrhosis (median DELFI score was 0.078 and 0.080, respectively), but, on average, 5 to 10 times higher for the 75 HCC patients in the U.S./E.U. samples, with high scores observed across all cancer stages, including early-stage disease (DELFI scores for Stage 0 = 0.46, Stage A = 0.61, Stage B = 0.83, and Stage C = 0.92). In addition, the test detected fragmentation changes in the content and packaging of liver cancer genomes, including from genome regions associated with liver-specific activity. The DELFI technology detected liver cancers at their earliest stages, with an overall sensitivity -- or ability to accurately detect a cancer -- of 88% and a specificity of 98%, which means it almost never incorrectly provided a false positive result, among people at average risk. In samples collected from those at high risk of HCC, the test had 85% sensitivity and 80% specificity. "Currently, less than 20% of the high-risk population get screened for liver cancer due to accessibility and suboptimal test performance. This new blood test can double the number of liver cancer cases detected, compared to the standard blood test available, and increase early cancer detection," says Kim, co-senior author on the study. The researchers said next steps include validating this approach in larger studies for clinical use. More than 800,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer worldwide each year, and it is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society. In addition to Velculescu, Foda, Annapragada and Kim, other researchers were Kavya Boyapati, Daniel Bruhm, Nicholas Vulpescu, Jamie Medina, Dimitrios Mathios, Stephen Cristiano, Noushin Niknafs, Harry Luu, Michael Goggins, Robert Anders, Jing Sun, Shruti Meta, David Thomas, Gregory Kirk, Vilmos Adleff, Jillian Phallen and Robert Scharpf. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/qatar-fifa-world-cup-revenue-expected-to-surpass-all-previous-records-says-sp/articleshow/95652459.cms">Qatar FIFA World Cup revenue expected to surpass all previous records says S&amp;P</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/2022-huge-year-for-us-india-ties-2023-to-be-even-bigger-white-house/articleshow/95650725.cms">2022 huge year for US-India ties, 2023 to be even bigger: White House</a>

AI blood testing tech that detects lung cancer can now detect liver cancers too

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Yuri Gribkov, <keyword id="6358826" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword>'s consul general in <keyword id="110656" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="estonia">Estonia</keyword>, has admitted taking <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>'s <keyword id="8624004" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</keyword>.</li><li>He got his second shot three days before his term ended and was to return to Moscow.</li><li>Russia has for months sought to discredit Pfizer's vaccine and championed its homegrown Sputnik V.</li></ul>A top Russian diplomat has admitted getting the Pfizer vaccine, shunning the Sputnik V shot developed by his own country.Yuri Gribkov, who is Russia's consul general to Estonia, was confronted by <a href="https://epl.delfi.ee/artikkel/92397395/teolt-tabatud-korge-vene-diplomaat-sai-salaja-juba-teise-covid-i-vaktsiini-haigla-alustas-siseuurimist">a reporter from the Estonian news outlet Delfi on Wednesday</a> as he left a hospital in Ida-Viru, an Estonian town located 32 miles from the Russian border.Gribkov's term as consul general is due to end on Friday. He visited the hospital just after midday on Wednesday for what was his second shot of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine, Delfi reported. When confronted by the reporter, Gribkov confirmed that he had just received the second dose, according to <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/yuri-gribkov-top-kremlin-diplomat-says-nyet-to-russian-vaccine?ref=wrap">a video of the interaction</a> published by The Daily Beast, which worked with Delfi on the investigation."Pfizer?" the reporter is heard asking. "Yes," replied Gribkov. Russia approved the Sputnik V vaccine, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute, for emergency use in August 2020, and <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/latest-on-coronavirus-outbreak/russia-starts-mass-vaccination-against-coronavirus/2068380">began</a> inoculating citizens on December 7.The emergency-use approval came before the vaccine completed phase-3 trials, and many everyday Russians have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-coronavirus-vaccine-russians-split-2020-8">expressed doubt</a> over its efficacy.But Gribvok told The Daily Beast he didn't wait to get vaccinated until he was back in Russia because his physician in Estonia had diagnosed him with "very weak lungs.""The Russian embassy like other foreign embassies received a diplomatic note from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a suggestion to have [diplomats] vaccinated," Gribkov said.<div type="image" title="sputnik v" height="1279" width="2559" msid="80585008" hostid="261"></div>Despite this, the footage will likely raise awkward questions for Gribkov upon his return to Russia, as Moscow has not approved any other vaccine. Insider has contacted Russia's Presidential Press Office for comment.Pro-Kremlin media have have for months sought to <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russians-spread-fake-news-over-oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-2nzpk8vrq">sully the reputation of non-Russian vaccines</a> like Pfizer's.The outlets are trying to create the image that "Russia fights the pandemic more effectively than Western democracies, boosting the credibility of a Russian vaccine and undermining that of other [Western] vaccines," <a href="https://euvsdisinfo.eu/six-real-sandworms-and-fake-monkey-vaccines/">according to the European Union-funded EUvsDisinfo campaign.</a>Several state-media outlets even labelled the Pfizer vaccine "the shot of death," EUvsDisinfo said.One of those was Tsargrad TV, owned by an oligarch ally of President Vladimir Putin, which on January 15 published eight articles that called the Pfizer vaccine the "shot of death," The Daily Beast said. Gribkov told The Daily Beast that he denied that Russian government officials had internally labelled the Pfizer shot as deadly."None of my colleagues, who I know for a long time, said that it is a 'shot of death,'" he said.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-covid19-vaccines-capitol-police-custodians-frontline-workers-waiting-2021-1">Vaccine inequity on Capitol Hill: Members of Congress got the shots but essential Hill workers are left waiting</a><div type="image" title="pfizer vaccine" height="1625" width="3250" msid="80585010" hostid="261"></div>Pfizer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-pfizer-vaccine-90-percent-efficacy-rate-extraordinary-2020-11">announced that its vaccine had 90% efficacy</a> on November 9, 2020. In an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/within-days-of-pfizer-results-russia-claims-sputnik-v-vaccine-demonstrates-92-efficacy/articleshow/79171485.cms">apparent attempt to steal the spotlight</a>, Russia's health ministry announced later that day that Sputnik V also had 90% efficacy.Pro-Kremlin disinformation networks have also sought to cast doubt on the efficacy of Pfizer's shot on social media, according to <a href="https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/azerbaijan/90950/pro-kremlin-disinformation-covid-19-vaccines_en">a December 2020 report</a> from the Delegation of the European Union to Azerbaijan. The claims included that Pfizer used "fake clinical trials" and delayed news of its vaccine efficacy "to get rid of Trump." Former President Donald Trump has also made the latter claim, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-conspiracy-theory-delay-election-day-2020-11">accusing Pfizer</a> of deliberately withholding its vaccine trial results until until after Election Day.Russia has not approved Pfizer's vaccine, but the company is considering seeking approval, <a href="https://tass.com/economy/1244017">according to the state-run TASS news agency.</a>Russian state media have also worked to rubbish a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, calling it "<a href="https://cherwell.org/2020/10/27/russian-propaganda-claims-coronavirus-vaccine-will-turn-us-into-monkeys/">the monkey vaccine</a>" because it was widely tested on apes. "Western vaccine developers are openly mocked on multilingual Russian state-controlled media, which has in some cases led to absurd claims that vaccines will turn people into monkeys," Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-eu-russia/eus-borrell-accuses-russia-of-spreading-covid-19-disinformation-to-sell-its-vaccine-idUKKBN2921DP">wrote in a December blog post.</a>However, Russia announced in December that it was working with AstraZeneca to explore whether their two vaccines could be combined.That Gribkov was able to get two doses of a vaccine when the majority of Estonians haven't had their first shots has not gone down well at the Ida-Viru Central Hospital, which has launched an inquiry."I can't think of any regulations that would have allowed something like this to happen," Tarmo Bakler, the hospital's administrator, told The Daily Beast.

A top Russian diplomat was caught secretly getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, shunning his country's prized Sputnik V

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="63113" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Belarus">Belarus</keyword> diverted a Ryanair plane on Sunday and arrested a dissident on board.</li><li><keyword id="11309422" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="roman-protasevich">Roman Protasevich</keyword> often criticized Belarus' government and is charged with organizing protests.</li><li>Belarus released a video of Protasevich on Monday. His father said he looked coerced and beaten up.</li></ul>The father of the detained Belarusian dissident Roman Protasevich says his son looked beaten up and coerced in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarusian-authorities-video-of-journalist-arrested-after-government-hijacked-flight-2021-5">new video</a> released by the government.The younger Protasevich was taken into custody Sunday after a Ryanair plane carrying him to Lithuania from Greece <a href="https://www.insider.com/international-outrage-after-belarus-diverted-plane-and-arrested-journalist-2021-5">was forced to land in Belarus</a> after the <a href="https://www.insider.com/international-outrage-after-belarus-diverted-plane-and-arrested-journalist-2021-5">pilots received a fake security report</a> from local authorities.Protasevich is one of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko's most vocal critics. He had been living in Poland since 2019 over fears for his safety, and he has continued to criticize Lukashenko from afar. Belarus accused Protasevich of terrorism and provoking riots last year.On Monday, Belarusian authorities <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarusian-authorities-video-of-journalist-arrested-after-government-hijacked-flight-2021-5">posted a video in which Protasevich</a> acknowledged organizing protests in Minsk last year."Right now I continue to cooperate with police and confess to organizing mass protests," Protasevich said, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/father-of-detained-journalist-roman-protasevich-video-admission-was-forced-12316306">Sky News reported</a>. He also said he was cooperating with authorities and continued to "provide evidence related to the mass rallies in Minsk," according to a translation by Insider.Protasevich's father, Dzmitry, told Reuters on Tuesday that the statement seemed coerced.''I think he was forced. It's not his words, it's not his intonation of speech - he is acting very reserved, and you can see he is nervous," he said."And it's not his pack of cigarettes on the table - he doesn't smoke these. So I think he was forced."He added: "My son cannot admit to creating the mass disorders, because he just didn't do any such thing. It's unlikely he went for a deal with prosecutors. I think it's just that he was forced to record the message."The elder Protasevich went on to say it looked as if his son had been beaten up. "It is very likely that his nose is broken, because the shape of it is changed," he said.<div type="image" title="roman protasevich berlaus" height="1000" width="2000" msid="82939972" hostid="261"></div>Lukashenko's office said the president personally scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the Ryanair plane to the ground on Sunday.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarus-diverted-plane-kgb-agents-onboard-ryanair-ceo-2021-5">In a Monday statement</a>, Ryanair called the diversion "an act of aviation piracy," and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary <a href="https://www.newstalk.com/shows/newstalk-breakfast-234855">told an Irish radio station</a> that "the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist."After the passengers were informed that plane was being diverted to Minsk on Sunday, Protasevich told fellow passengers he was "facing the death penalty," the Lithuanian news site <a href="https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/prievarta-minske-nutupdytame-lektuve-buve-lietuviai-cituoja-paskutinius-protaseviciaus-zodzius-sake-cia-jo-laukia-mirties-bausme.d?id=87267543">Delfi News</a> reported.In a video <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/05/24/belarus-flight-passenger-accounts/">published by The Washington Post</a>, one passenger identified as Mantas said that upon learning of the diversion, Protasevich immediately started destroying his electronic equipment.

The father of captured dissident Roman Protasevich said he looked forced and beaten up in his video confession from Belarus

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="63113" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Belarus">Belarus</keyword> on Sunday diverted a <keyword id="137187" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ryanair">Ryanair</keyword> plane and arrested a journalist who was on board.</li><li><keyword id="11309422" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="roman-protasevich">Roman Protasevich</keyword>, 26, fled to Poland in 2019 and is accused of terrorism in Belarus.</li><li>Ryanair's CEO said on Monday that Belarusian KGB agents were on the plane during the forced landing.</li></ul>Belarusian KGB agents were on board the Ryanair plane that was abruptly diverted so a dissident journalist could be arrested, the airline's CEO said on Monday.On Sunday, Belarus <a href="https://www.insider.com/international-outrage-after-belarus-diverted-plane-and-arrested-journalist-2021-5">forced a Ryanair plane</a> that was flying from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, to land in Minsk after local air traffic control informed the pilots of a bomb threat.Once on the ground, authorities found no security threat on board, but Belarusian police entered the plane and arrested a passenger, the 26-year-old journalist Roman Protasevich.Protasevich is one of Belarusian President <keyword id="375957" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alexander-Lukashenko">Alexander Lukashenko</keyword>'s most vocal critics. He had been living in Poland since 2019 over fears for his safety, and has continued to criticize Lukashenko from afar.Lukashenko personally deployed a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the plane to Minsk, <a href="https://t.co/dEJNaxw4ix?amp=1">his office</a> said. <h2>'An act of aviation piracy'</h2>Appearing on <a href="https://www.newstalk.com/shows/newstalk-breakfast-234855">Ireland's "Newstalk Breakfast" on Monday</a>, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, called the grounding "a case of state-sponsored hijacking" in which "the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist."<div type="image" title="ryanair activist Roman Protasevich lukashenko" height="1000" width="2000" msid="82907390" hostid="261"></div>O'Leary went on to say that he believed that agents from the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus, known as the KGB, were on board the plane when it took off from Athens."We believe there were some KGB agents off-loaded at the airport as well," he said, referring to the airport in Minsk.A Ryanair spokesperson told Insider in a Monday statement: "Ryanair condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities who diverted Ryanair's flight FR4978 to Minsk yesterday (23 May), which was an act of aviation piracy.""This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies &amp; NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons."World leaders have criticized Lukashenko for what they said is a brazen kidnapping attempt and human-rights violation.Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1396597056341426185">tweeted</a> on Sunday that the US condemned the "brazen and shocking act." And Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/05/23/communique-of-european-council-president-charles-michel-on-the-incident-involving-a-forced-landing-of-a-ryanair-flight-in-minsk-belarus-on-23-may/">said on Sunday</a> that "the incident will not remain without consequences."Ryanair's initial statement on the grounding, issued on Sunday, made no mention of the bogus security threat or Protasevich's arrest.<h2>'Europe's last dictator'</h2>Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus since 1994, and was recently accused of <a href="https://www.insider.com/belarus-protests-lukashenko-rejected-election-2020-8">manipulating the results of last year's election</a> in his favor. He has long been called "Europe's Last Dictator."<a href="https://www.belarus.by/en/press-center/belarus-presidential-election-news/belarus-cec-updates-preliminary-voting-results_i_0000117310.html">His office said</a> at the time that he had won just over 80% of the vote, but EU foreign minister Josep Borrell <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/11/eu-foreign-minister-belarus-elections-were-neither-free-nor-fair">said</a> the election was "neither free nor fair." Since the election, Lukashenko's administration has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarus-state-tv-bruised-protesters-promise-give-up-election-fraud-2020-8">cracked down on opposition</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarus-state-tv-bruised-protesters-promise-give-up-election-fraud-2020-8">limited access to the internet</a>, shut down independent media outlets, and jailed activists.Belarus has accused Protasevich, who had in the past edited the popular Telegram channels Nexta and Nexta Live, of terrorism and provoking riots.Last November, the country charged him with inciting public disorder and social hatred, which if convicted could lead to 12 years in prison, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/world/europe/roman-protasevich.html">The New York Times reported</a>.After the plane was diverted to Minsk on Sunday, Protasevich told fellow passengers that he was "facing the death penalty," <a href="https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/prievarta-minske-nutupdytame-lektuve-buve-lietuviai-cituoja-paskutinius-protaseviciaus-zodzius-sake-cia-jo-laukia-mirties-bausme.d?id=87267543">Lithuanian news site Delfi News reported</a>.The Belarusian KGB has included Protasevich on a list of terrorists, The Times reported. If he is convicted of terrorism, he could face the death penalty.

Belarus had KGB agents on the passenger plane that was diverted to arrest a dissident journalist, Ryanair CEO says

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11309422" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="roman-protasevich">Roman Protasevich</keyword> pleaded with cabin crew not to land Flight 4978 in Minsk, according to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/on-board-a-hijacked-plane-to-minsk/">Politico</a>. </li><li>Passengers said the flight was "just minutes" from its destination when the pilot announced an emergency landing.</li><li>Protasevich told passengers he was "facing the death penalty."</li></ul>Roman Protasevich, the Belarusian journalist and activist who was <a href="https://www.insider.com/international-outrage-after-belarus-diverted-plane-and-arrested-journalist-2021-5">detained in Minsk</a> on Sunday, pleaded with cabin crew not to ground the Athens-Vilnius flight in the <keyword id="63113" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Belarus">Belarus</keyword> capital, out of fear for his life, according to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/on-board-a-hijacked-plane-to-minsk/">Politico</a>. Belarusian authorities on Sunday sent a fighter jet to divert the <keyword id="137187" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ryanair">Ryanair</keyword> plane, citing a bogus bomb threat. When the passenger plane was forced to land in Minsk, police officers boarded the jet and arrested Protasevich and his girlfriend, sparking <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> outrage. Passengers on Ryanair Flight 4978 told the outlet that the plane was "just minutes" from its destination in Lithuania when the pilot announced the plane would make an emergency landing in Minsk. Initially, many of the flight's 171 passengers worried there was something wrong with the plane or the Vilnius airport, Politico reported.But Protasevich - a 26-year old dissident who has been openly critical of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's rule - knew what was really happening, according to multiple media reports. Passengers on the flight told <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/girlfriend-of-belarusian-activist-roman-protasevich-also-snatched-from-hijacked-ryanair-flight">The Daily Beast</a> that as soon as Ryanair announced the diversion, Protasevich "immediately" opened the overhead compartment to collect his electronics, handing his laptop and phone to his girlfriend, <a href="https://www.insider.com/girlfriend-of-arrested-journalist-also-detained-following-grounded-flight-2021-5">Sofia Sapega.</a> "Behind me, a man stands up and says he wants to talk to the steward," Raselle, a Lithuanian woman who lives in Greece, told Politico. "He was shocked and scared."Protasevich then began to plead with the crew."Don't do this. They will kill me," he reportedly said. "I am a refugee." According to eyewitnesses, a flight attendant cited "legal agreements" as the reason the plane had to land. Though other passengers remained mostly calm, passengers told <a href="https://twitter.com/kjalee/status/1396573062393434118?s=20">AFP reporter Katy Lee</a> that Protasevich expressed fear and told other passengers he was "facing the death penalty.""He was not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid," passenger Edvinas Disma told Lee. "It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it." Once in Minsk, authorities removed passengers from the plane in groups of five, while dogs sniffed them and their bags, Politico reported. One passenger, Saulius Danauskas, told Baltic news site <a href="https://www.delfi.lt/">Delfi</a>, that he quickly realized the bomb threat had been a ruse. "When we landed people were standing around the plane doing nothing, looking pleased with themselves," Danauskas told the outlet. "They didn't let us out for half an hour. If there was a bomb on the plane, why would they not let us out?"Passengers told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/05/24/world/belarus-ryanair-protasevich">The New York Times</a> that Protasevich's luggage was checked twice before a security officer took him to the terminal, where he was then arrested. "Roman was with us and after we arrived they took him and his girlfriend," Raselle told Politico. "All very discreetly. He was very calm, didn't shout, he followed them, somehow accepting his destiny."For the next seven hours, passengers said they waited."The Belarusian authorities treated us like prisoners, we were so many hours in the bus, then at the airport for hours without water or being able to go to the toilet, all in order to have this show that they were actually searching for something, when they only wanted to get the guy," Raselle told Politico. "It was a circus, a fiasco."Belarusian state media has reported that it was Lukashenko who gave the "unequivocal order" to ground the plane in Minsk. Flightradar.com data that shows the jet was closer to its destination in Lithuania than Minsk, Insider's Cheryl Teh reported. Lawyers looking to help Protasevich told The Times they believe he is being held in a jail in Minsk operated by the Belarusian intelligence service.On Monday, Belarusian authorities <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/belarusian-authorities-video-of-journalist-arrested-after-government-hijacked-flight-2021-5">posted a video</a> of Protasevich, in which he said he was cooperating with authorities.The international response has been swift. On Monday, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/european-union-isolate-belarus-government-diverted-flight-belarusian-dissident-2021-5">European Union moved to isolate Belarus</a>, ordering all EU-based airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace and banning Belarusian airlines from entering EU airspace and landing in its airports. The White House has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-calls-immediate-investigation-diversion-ryanair-flight-belarusian-dissident-2021-5">called for an international investigation</a> into the flight's diversion and President Joe Biden released a statement applauding the European Union's call for economic sanctions. "The United States will continue to stand with the people of Belarus in their struggle," Biden said.

Belarusian journalist reportedly pleaded with crew before being detained in Minsk: 'Don't do this. They will kill me.'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A passenger <keyword id="6356222" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="plane">plane</keyword> flying from Athens to Lithuania was forced to land after a bogus security threat.</li><li>When it was grounded in Minsk, Belarusian police boarded the jet and arrested journalist Roman Protasevich.</li><li>The incident sparked <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> outrage and condemnation from the US, Australia, and <keyword id="6355123" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="eu">EU</keyword> member states.</li></ul>Belarusian authorities on Sunday sent a fighter jet to divert a Ryanair plane, citing a bogus security threat. But when the passenger plane was forced to land in Minsk, police officers boarded the jet and arrested <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/world/europe/roman-protasevich.html">Roman Protasevich, 26,</a> a journalist known for vocally opposing Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's rule.According to a statement seen by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/world/europe/ryanair-belarus.html">The New York Times</a>, Ryanair said the pilots of flight FR4978 - which was flying from Athens to Lithuania - were told by Belarusian air traffic operators that there was a "potential security threat on board." The pilots were then instructed to "divert to the nearest airport," which was in Minsk.<a href="https://www.belta.by/president/view/komandu-prinjat-v-minske-zaminirovannyj-samolet-ryanair-dal-lichno-lukashenko-442580-2021/?/2874">Belarusian state media</a> Belta said it was Lukashenko who gave an "unequivocal order" for the Ryanair plane to land in Minsk, citing a potential bomb threat.But data on <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/sp-rsm#27cce9a2">Flightradar.com</a> showed that the plane was closer to its destination in Vilnius, Lithuania, than it was to Minsk and maps the sharp u-turn that the jet took to land in <keyword id="63113" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Belarus">Belarus</keyword>.The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57219860">BBC</a> wrote that Belarus sent a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the plane - which was carrying 171 passengers - to the Minsk airport. Authorities didn't find a security threat on board, but Belarusian police instead hauled Protasevich off the flight.The BBC reported that the plane landed in Lithuania seven hours after its scheduled arrival time.According to Lithuanian <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> site <a href="https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/prievarta-minske-nutupdytame-lektuve-buve-lietuviai-cituoja-paskutinius-protaseviciaus-zodzius-sake-cia-jo-laukia-mirties-bausme.d?id=87267543">Delfi News</a>, when it was announced that the plane would be landing in Minsk, Protasevich looked fearful and told passengers on the plane that he was "facing the death penalty" there."He was not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid. It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it," said passenger Edvinas Dimsa <a href="https://twitter.com/kjalee/status/1396573062393434118?s=20">to the AFP.</a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/belarus-forces-vilnius-bound-ryanair-plane-land-detain-blogger-2021-05-23/">Reuters</a> spoke to a Lithuanian passenger who wanted to be known as Mantas, who said he saw Protasevich open an overhead locker. Mantas added that Protasevich then passed a laptop and phone to a female passenger who was traveling with him.But Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Sunday at a news conference attended by Reuters that the woman traveling with Protasevich did not make it back onto the plane when it departed from Minsk.Protasevich was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/world/europe/belarus-blogger-poland-svetlov.html">NEXTA, a news channel based in Poland</a> that spread clips of mass protests against Lukashenko via encrypted messaging app Telegram. This was one of the only ways such information could be transmitted in the country after a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53753412">government clampdown on mass media.</a> The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/23/belarus-diverts-ryanair-plane-to-arrest-blogger-says-opposition">Guardian</a> wrote that before his arrest on Sunday, Protasevich had been branded as an extremist by the Belarusian government and was wanted on several charges - including terrorism and organizing riots - all of which he denies.Thousands of Belarusians <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/protests-in-belarus-continue-in-hopes-of-forcing-new-election-11598202171?mod=article_inline">protested for several weeks</a> last August after Lukashenko <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/belarus-votes-after-waves-of-arrests-ahead-of-pivotal-election-11596978557?mod=article_inline">claimed</a> he won the presidential election - and his sixth term - with 80% of the vote. Lukashenko <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55108312">has ruled Belarus since 1994</a> and is <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/08/25/905808711/facing-the-biggest-challenge-ever-to-his-power-lukashenko-looks-to-russia-for-he">backed by the Russian government</a>.<h2>Journalist's arrest sparks international condemnation from US, EU </h2><div type="image" title="roman protasevich protest" height="2663" width="3551" msid="82900907" hostid="261"></div>The incident has sparked anger from the US, Australia, and EU member states. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/diversion-of-ryanair-flight-to-belarus-and-arrest-of-journalist/">strongly condemned Protasevich's arrest</a> and demanded his immediate release. "This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenko regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens," Blinken said in a statement on Sunday night.He added that the US is "closely coordinating" its response with partners, including the EU, Lithuanian, and Greek officials."Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," Blinken said."The United States once again condemns the Lukashenko regime's ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of journalists," Blinken added. Meanwhile, EU leaders are calling for strong action - including sanctions - to be taken against Belarus for the shocking diversion of the passenger plane and Protasevich's arrest.Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union's executive European Commission, said on Sunday that the EUCO would discuss on Monday what actions to take. "The outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately," von der Leyen said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1396566441370001413">statement</a> on Twitter."Hijacking of a civilian plane is an unprecedented act of state terrorism. It cannot go unpunished," <a href="https://twitter.com/MorawieckiM">said</a> Poland Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. He <a href="https://twitter.com/MorawieckiM/status/1396486441518125061?s=20">added</a> that he would petition for sanctions to be imposed against Belarus over the arrest. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/icao/status/1396515815248257027?s=20">tweet</a> that it was "strongly concerned" about the "apparent forced landing" of the Ryanair flight. The ICAO added that this action might have violated the Chicago Convention, a 1944 accord outlining core guidelines for international aviation.<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-canada-impose-sanctions-on-belarusian-president-lukashenko-11601400152?mod=article_inline">Sanctions were imposed last year by the UK and Canada against Belarus officials</a> in a bid by a league of Western countries to take Lukashenko's regime to task after he was accused of rigging the elections and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-to-sanction-belarus-officials-for-opposition-crackdown-11598628934?mod=article_inline">repressing peaceful protests.</a>

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