in neighboring a lithuania people rallied in support of the protestors and active solidarity aimed at promoting democracy in criticizing look at. rule the protests aim to form a human chain stretching from the lithuanian capital millions to the border with bellers this action comes 3 decades after what was called the baltic way when residents of the baltic states lithuania estonia and latvia joined hands and linked capital cities in mass protest aimed at ending soviet rule correspondent constantine agard ease at the lithuania border for us readings constantine what is happening where you are. well as you see the human china which according to some estimates numbers about 50000 people stretches nearly 40 kilometers to the sense of vilnius it is a very very significant event for lithuania which is right across the border from belarus and where developments in minsk and other below russians that is amounted to very very closely it is a very. popular event if i may say so because people come here with the families of seeing people with small children and it is very very emotional and you

message today but lana the head of scalia said that she was safe with her children in neighboring lithuania she urged supporters to end their protest against sunday's election result which handed president alexander lukashenko a 6th term. scalia had initially called for a recount but allies say she was pressured to back down. proud of the president on sunday in minsk for the election run. by monday she was gone her whereabouts on urn her tame unable to reach her. now spent lot of taken off scalia has reappeared with the sunday message online. to say the companion i knew what this campaign really toughened me and empowered me was that i could withstand anything. but perhaps i'm still the weak woman that i was in the beginning as a nation i could put employees in the chair in the opposition candidate has fled to neighboring lithuania as confirmed by the country's foreign minister taken off scales says she was not forced out of her country and the belarussians government also insisted that she left on her own a call and. i made a very difficult decision for myself and i've made it absolutely i

threatening withing chin's poland and lithuania called for an extra summit of the heads of states of the european union but this is unlikely to happen. and i want to talk about the possibility of sanctions more in just a moment but 1st we just got news just came in during the last hour that the main opposition candidate in the better is a lecture and it's taken off sky that she has left the country and is now in lithuania and e.u. member state do we know why she's gone there. well it's not uncommon unfortunately for opposition politicians from below rose to flee the country and to go into exile there are several of them in poland and also lithuania so it makes sense for the candidate who failed now to leave the country and as you know the bellerose is not a state of with rule of law we have witness that was a correspondent who was arrested so it's safe for the position to leave the country we've seen that in the elections before. germany's foreign minister has raised the possibility of re imposing sanctions on better rose is that something that. is considering that the u.s. certainly

has fled to neighboring lithuania and she's calling for international help to set up talks with bela lugosi in a forest things and she also wants her supporters to join peaceful protests this weekend. we need to stop the violence on the streets of the russian cities i call on the government to stop this and to come to the negotiation table i ask all town mayors to act as organizers of peaceful mass invest in each town on the 15th and 16th of august we want you foreign ministers are holding a special meeting in brussels to discuss possible sanctions against belarus will start vasant is a lie for us in minsk step let's talk about those protests 1st of all the opposition calling for peaceful protests what's the mood there. peaceful protest that's exactly exactly what's happening here right at the independence square in minsk and the crowds are swelling here by the minute this all started because workers from a tractor factory in the outskirts of minsk left their factory when they were on strike marched through the city center and then asked others to join in which they did so they ended

in us in time and so as foreign minister of lithuania thank you very much appreciated. dr a quick check on some of the other stories making headlines around the world new figures show britain's economy shrank by a record 20.4 percent between april and june the period when the country's coronavirus lock down was at its tightest contraction means the world's 6th largest economy has entered its 1st recession since 2009. the team of u.n. experts have arrived in marriages to aid efforts to prevent an oil spill from further damaging the nation's environment salvage crews are racing to pump fuel from the japanese ship which ran aground last week before it is field vessel could split in 2 hours cracks in the how grow. u.s. democratic presidential candidate joe biden has chosen kamler harris to be his running mate in november's election the senator from california is the 1st black woman and the 1st person of indian descent to be nominated for national office by a major party the decision comes a week ahead of the national democratic national convention where biden and harris are

the opposition candidate has fled lithuania. she was not forced out of her country, the belarusian government alslso insisted t tht she left on n her own accord. >> and made a very difficult decision for myselelf. i made it absolutely independently. many will undererstand m me, may will denounce me and many will hate me. but gotot forbid anyone should face the choice that i faced. her departure came after she refused to come -- concede defeat on sunday's about. -- sunday's vote. before fleeing, she submitted the formal demand for a recount. thousands of belarusians have rejected the results, taking to the streets for a second that of protests. demonstrators were met by security forces who deployed stun grenades, injuring dozens. brent: another video is circulating on social media appear to show the opposition meter -- leader reading a prepared statement. it seems that it was recorded in belarus just hours b before she left for lithuania. [speaking belarusian] mike: the video is bizarre. what d do you make of i it westk -- o of i

good line with you we were just mentioning that the opposition leader to kind of sky had fled to lithuania i want to know g. feel that this would actually impact on her support back home. well she's taken steps to make sure it doesn't because she's quoting what the population is like to hear that she did it for the sake of her children and everyone cares about children so this is the message that she feels will make sure her support at home remains constant but in my opinion she's actually go to lithuania in order to be able to have a secure accommodation a secure line which she can't be overheard on most probably from the u.s. embassy bilious the capital of lithuania so she had basically gone to the thruway had to have a discussion to negotiate real support from the u.s. administration for an extended post election campaign called civil disobedience to put it mildly so that's what i think she's doing i think the americans will play hard to get i'll tell her how hard it is how they don't drive better recency owns a little a look at shane cohen's the arms of russia and she once she promises

earlier the opposition leader issued her strongest challenge yet to go in a video from exile in lithuania she called on him to step down and for new elections to be held. 2 of the 5 ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during this period in order for the country to calm down so that we release all political prisoners as soon as possible but it is a concern yes but i would like to address those in uniform. of people who don't accept violence. a generous and fair if you decide not to carry out your legal orders and switch to the side of the people they will forgive you the support you and one playing you in the future of. the combine them small one and let's get more data use your ears shadow is standing by with us following the story europe yuri so tell us what evidence and significance is taken no sky as she having from her exile there in lithuania. well i think that. has shown in recent days and weeks that she's an actual you ready for her role as a national leader despite the fact that she left the country and fled to lithuania but it's very likely that these escape

diplomat deputy secretary of state stephen big and big in step to lithuania signals a greater u.s. involvement in trying to settle the situation. down i think you might. see in dollars selections we call that raised to really raise the. united states cannot it will decide. the ability to. do that is not it's not just the u.s. germany's foreign minister on a trip to kiev if called on president look at shank oh to face reality and acknowledge the opinions of the belarussian people if you notice and i look brutish right we're using all the avenues we have to bring about a dialogue process because including through russia for instance with angle americans phone calls last week with president putin so i came out and my own with my counterpart sergei lavrov. that's one to unite fluence that russia has on mr integration go to make it clear to him that there's no getting around this dialogue for parking. during some of these protests at least 2 prominent opposition leaders were arrested so far of the thousands of people on the streets of fellows have not been heard. on the w. correspondent

the opposition candidate has fled to neighboring lithuania as confirmed by the country's foreign minister taken off scale says she was not forced out of her country and the government also insisted that she left on her own accord. i made a very difficult decision for myself and i've made it absolutely independently the it's in the knee in the game in europe a moot many will understand me those who did many will denounce me and many will hate me. god forbid anyone should face the choice that i faced. her departure came off to she refused to concede defeat in sunday's vote election official said authoritarian president alexander lukashenko won his 6th term in office with a landslide 80 percent of the verdict took another scale one only 10 percent but has dismissed the results but fulfilling she submitted a formal demand for a recount. thousands of belarusians have also rejected the results taking to the streets for a 2nd night of protests demonstrators in minsk were met by security forces who deployed stun grenades rubber bullets and tear gas injuring dozens of foreign officials have also e

though that lithuania is doing precisely that with its sanction on the question. on wednesday evening the european union held an emergency video conference on the crisis a bloc unanimously rejected the results of the election are based on quarter takes a closer look at the signals coming from the e.u. . for the west bank it was always europe's last dictator the european union never liked the guy but they did try to play nice not anymore we stand by the people of belarus the european union student in so we don't reteach was a piece of better research by skills than most benefits should on its own choose brain dependent cost of the country will follow there should be no outside interference in the situation there just off things could no longer continue as they are in belarus now it's about when a dictator has come to the end of the road it's best to find a way forward for the violence to suspicious in the western powers throw around words like dictator and regime usually it doesn't and well no wonder it sounds pretty alarming to moscow but who's going to be able to

belarus' opposition leader has fled to lithuania, saying she was scared for her safety as unrest continues over sunday's disputed presidential poll. as the first scottish pupils return to school, scotland's education secretary will explain how he'll address student worries after many received grades far lower than expected in exams which couldn't be taken. president putin says that russia has developed the world's first coronavirus vaccine and says his own daughter has already taken it. the uk government says it will strengthen the regional test and trace system as it cuts 6000 contact tracers in england by the end of the month. lebanon's president has asked the country's government to stay on temporarily after all its ministers resigned amid mounting anger over last week's massive explosion that devastated parts of beirut. excuse me...oh. this was the moment president trump was led away from a live news briefing by security officials after an armed man was shot close to the white house. hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world 7 and stay with us for the latest ne

she is currently in self exile in lithuania the group denies any wrongdoing a political analyst and very big check believes the anti-government movement in belarus is losing momentum due to the lack of a clear agenda. below to show you standing going to speed in the store is fired. some people obviously had little bitty an awful lot of discomfort. by this opposition this uprising as it is being called the are aiming at something else which they really don't know what it is they are just being told and told by the opposition by the european union that they. have to demand change they have to change the system but it can see no of the support for this. kind of disappearing because people are thinking ok now for the 1st time a what is going to happen if you really. have this change or are we going to end the blake ukraine are we going to. the former soviet republics which were pushed through this independence or. 'd are we going to end up basically or not in the east the e.u. meanwhile has confirmed it is drawing up sanctions against bell russian officials who are suspected of election. fra

countries have already suggested that they're calling for reelection and the foreign minister of lithuania is is actually calling for sanctions against those who are directly involved in the violation of human rights they are saying that the sanctions will not be against the people but again action against those who are guilty also lithuania's foreign ministry added that e.u. foreign ministers will be ready to discuss measures against bill or russian authorities as soon as the 14th of august meanwhile alexander lukashenko has someone to his country's security council national taking place pretty soon and also he heard here painted a picture all follow what a protester in the list it's like that said listen to that. too she would. go and everyone who's out of work today is supposed to be assessed and offered a job the underlying characteristic of all these supposed protest is is that they have a criminal record a new job bliss have no job take a hike so i asked you nicely everyone who doesn't have a job needs to find one. belorussia law enforcement continue detaining people in various citie

is currently in a self exile in lithuania only and the group of course denies any wrongdoing. are now going to go live to international affairs commentator markup cassock for more on this the belorussian prosecutors are accusing the council of plotting an illegal seizure of power the opposition of course denies that where do you see this case leading. well it depends on the way that the events in bellew's develop generally i mean if. the coup or whatever one call it really lucian is successful then these would be the new leaders that it's unsuccessful they could find themselves are facing the role of the system. against them so it really does depend only bends let's look at what let me actually represent as a coordination council i mean what are they actually coordinating are they coordinating the events themselves in bedrooms or they could coordinating the distribution of $53000000.00 euros or the e.u. funds and then i'll know mounds of american phones that might be arriving maybe they're looking at how to divide that money up and spend some money in various ways that's a pow

encourages foreign minister of lithuania thank you very much. time now for a quick check on some of the other stories making headlines around the world today team of united nations experts have arrived in riches to aid efforts to prevent an oil spill from further damaging the nation's environment salvage crews are racing to pump fuel from the japanese ship which run aground last week authorities fear the vessel could split into cracks in the hole are growing. 3 people have been killed in the southern indian city of bangalore off of facebook post that was derogatory to muslims sparked violent protests thousands of people took to the streets over the provocative post about the prophet mohammad which was allegedly written by a relative of a local politician. singapore has started destroying 9 tons of seized elephant ivory in what it calls the largest such action globally in recent years authorities hope to disrupt the global supply chain of illegally traded ivory conservationists say the trade has pushed elephant poaching to crisis levels in asia a

opposition leaders of operating from the neighboring countries like poland lithuania and latvia but the u. has to walk a fine line they don't want to give. me putin the russian president any excuse to somehow militarily do something like he did in ukraine so the west should not give him any reasons for that so far below was tended to be in the russian camp but now we have to see how that works out our correspondent reporting for us spend record in brussels your chateau in moscow thank you. let's get a roundup now of some other stories making headlines firefighters in california are working to contain a wildfire threatening thousands of homes north of los angeles the blaze has already destroyed more than 15000 acres as it rages through bush covered mountains california is currently experiencing a heat wave that is fueling the fire. house speaker nancy pelosi says she'll call back u.s. lawmakers early from the summer recess to deal with the crisis at the u.s. postal service president trump who was admitted to holding back funding for the service has repeatedly claimed that a surge in mail

or now in the exile in lithuania also she isn't alone in her role as a leader she has strong supportfrom. who is the official representative of another candidate who wasn't allowed to run for presidency. has become another face of the even the russian opposition she's in minsk right now and she has been staying in touch misfit line that you can also go all the time there and how does this look in brussels because the head of sky is in exile in lithuania which is an e.u. country and she's saying i'm ready to take the reins of a country does that put the european union in a difficult position it's not unusual that the. opposition leaders of operating from the neighboring countries like poland lithuania and latvia but the u. has to walk a fine line they don't want to give. me putin the russian president any excuse to somehow militarily do something like he did in ukraine so the west should not give him any reasons for that sofa or was tended to be in the russian camp but now we have to see that briggs old our correspondent reporting for us spend record in brussels europe or chateau in m

opposition to spot on a taken off sky it takes refuge in lithuania as the government is accused of disproportionate with violence against protesters. and hong kong newspaper publisher in beijing critic jimi lie is released on bail after his arrest under a controversial security lol. with grief rage and vows for justice people in beirut of marks one week since a catastrophic explosion shattered that city crowds gathered to near the lebanese capital support the site of the blast to hold a vigil. survivors held a moment of silence for the more than $200.00 people killed and read the victims' names allowed people also walked through some of beirut's worst hit neighborhoods marching towards the parliament a blast injured thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. well anger has spilled out onto the streets as clashes between protesters and security forces continue for a 2nd day demonstrators have set fires and holed stones at parliament now a report suggests lebanon's leaders had been warned just last month about the explosive materials told to beirut port au let's go live now to al-ja

bareness made this following developments from lithuania's capital vilnius joins us now live on the news hour so big crowds again this sunday in men's tell us about the situation right now what a year and what are the challenges the protesters are facing today. foley we're hearing from people that we have in minutes because this is a very large protest and from the pictures we're seeing coming in still a significant crowds turning out and certainly many tens of thousands there's also told a much heavier police and military presence than one has been over previous weekends this is now the food we can the food then to the 3rd week since these protests have started on the hope was all the fear was amongst protest organizers that they were going to lose momentum and that might have been a hope of the or far it is but from the pictures we've seen today meant i'm still seems to be there the 1st 3 days of the protests were met with a very severe crackdown by the authorities 7000 detained hundreds injured and 3 killed when water cannon and rubber bullets were used in flash bomb grenades were use

well neighboring lithuania is becoming increasingly vocal about the situation in the 2 have a close and complicated relationship the nations share a 680 kilometer long border both were part of the soviet union and formally established relations after the dissolution of the u.s.s.r. in 1991 when he has become a key transit in trade route for land locked. or but it's been his life for us in the lithuanian capital so bernard is the country increasingly nervous about what's going on next door. well if it were a par minister linus link of b.c.'s he's already warned that the e.u. response has been too slow and the risk of stalemate is growing and that's certainly something we're hearing from the protest leaders in minsk as well that is and it's for we can the challenge is keeping up the momentum for those who want to protest against. his victory or argue will victory in the last election so a link of the she says said of the e.u. it's not enough to judge or condemn he says there should be actions with awareness about calls for new elections release of political prisoners of course the fear of

strike again the belarus is opposition leaders for atlanta to cut off sky his flight to laboring lithuania this is not a movement that is disappearing and she's urged her supporters to keep up the momentum what they know is that the russian people don't want this president president anymore and it's our people and authorities has to go this year this in and listen and has to hear what the russian people want. this is a protest that has taken root across the country may be clinging on to power by any means rejecting any talk of voter fraud in his electoral win but it is unlikely that he will be able to cultivate support for his leadership in a country where many say they have had enough of his leadership so you go out his era. and protesters have begun forming a human chain aiming to link bella rules and lithuania opposition candidates atlanta taken off and the lithuanian president are taking part in the 40 kilometer demonstration they can ask a affray to neighboring lithuania after the election saying she fears for her safety in bella rules and this comes 31 years after millions formed a h

belarus' long serving dictactor alexander lukashenko, svetla na tikhanovskaya was forced to flee to lithuania to save her family. are you afraid? yes, iam. they can do anything, they can take my children to an orphanage or something like this. we first met svetla na tikhanovskaya as she was preparing to run for president of belarus. taking on the country double long—standing dictator alexander lu kashenko. she did not want to be a politician but had agreed to stand in her husband's place after he was jailed. thank you! i am not sure if i want this. for this month, i became much stronger but i am still not ready for what is going to happen. what followed was enormous popularity. then a rigged election. widespread police brutality. and the biggest protests the country had ever seen. while lu kashenko declared himself victorious, tikhanovskaya was forced to flee the country. as she emerges from hiding, we meet up with her again. this is her first interview in exile. so it is fair to say that a lot has happened since we last met. how are you? i don't know, as a matter of fact, because... as i hav

lithuania and poland have denied claims that nato is building up its forces along their borders witharus. poland's government says the claim is just "regime propaganda." it comes after the president of belarus, alexander lu kashenko, accused what he described as foreign powers of orchestrating the protests against his disputed re—election. he made his remarks in a visit to a military facility in the west of the country. protesters returned to the streets on saturday evening, demanding mr lu kashenko stand down. david campanale has more. his report contains scenes you may find disturbing. bc but they were sent in they show beatings by security forces. multiple cases of police detainees on the streets and in

the opposition candidate has fled to neighboring lithuania as confirmed by the country's foreign minister taken off scales says she was not forced out of her country and the government also insisted that she left on her own accord. i made a very difficult decision for myself and i've made it absolutely independently the it's in the ne. a moot many will understand many will denounce me and many will hate me. is that you but god forbid anyone should face the choice that i faced. over her departure came off to she refused to concede defeat in sunday's vote election officials said authoritarian president alexander lukashenko won his 6th term in office with a landslide 80 percent of the verdict took another scale one on the 10 percent but has dismissed the results before fleeing she submitted a formal demand for a recount. thousands of belarusians have also rejected the results taking to the streets for a 2nd night of protests demonstrators in minsk were met by security forces who deployed stun grenades rubber bullets and tear gas injuring dozens. well there has been condemnation of how the vo

we know that the presidents of lithuania poland latvia and estonia have sent a letter to be offering cooperation if 3 demands are met they want to see an end of the use of force against protesters they want detain protesters to be released and they want to see bellerose organize a national reconciliation roundtable what leverage do these countries have right now with. well particularly lithuania has longstanding relations and they have managed to do it policy also on the one hand supporting activists misdefine australia is currently in the crania but also having economic relationships that simply gives them knowledge and context however you are right a singular country is their power is limited however they could. team up with the always seem to need. currently we have the balian chair we will have sweden next year as of next year and i think together with the oas. they could support such a national we consider taber that has actually been already started to be organized by the band of recent opposition and we also got reports today that all of the protesters who have been arrested i

ok we are going to cross to at correspondent in minutes later but 1st in neighboring lithuania people rallied in support of the belorussian protest is an act of solidarity and promoting democracy and criticizing lucasian because or thora tarion rule you artists and to form a human chain stretching from the lithuanian capital vilnius to the border with other groups is action comes 3 decades after what was called the baltic way residents of the baltic states lithuania stony and latvia joined hands and linked their capital cities in a mass protest ended in serve you well. well they did play correspondent constantine a get is at the let you on the abilities border for us gratings constantine what has been happening today where you are. well the human china is discussed but we are now oh i think concert which is held also very close to the belarus both in the old casa love myth in ca and what you hear now links us back to 9099 this is a song called we them on change which 1st became famous during that period strike a years 30 years ago and now has become the anthem of the belorussian democ

the main opposition candidate in the better was a lections has left the country and is now in lithuania do we know why she's gone there. we don't know why but the definitely after yesterday's talk in the central electoral coming to she changed her mind because before she planted the support for testers from what i know and she plans to join the protesters about 3 hours stuck the secret talk with the secret service of brothers made her change for a moment what did they tell her i think i think they end up blackmailed her i don't know what they used for abs they threaten her with with her husband perhaps with her relatives perhaps they promise to not shoot people if she flees the country we don't know but definitely what we know they achieved what they wanted they divided protesters from their leaders and the resistance now becomes leaderless so the protest has lost its figurehead it would seem tell us more about those protests in belarus how serious are they. i never saw it before that something absolutely. unprecedented in the country i must say that i couldn't even imagine the other se

after those threats she was driven to lithuania, where she is located now.ed as a national leader, by other european countries, and lukashenko is recognised as not a legitimate president and this is happening for the first time ever. and yes, nikolai, my husband, is right. in terms of it being hong kong style. because what is happening now in belarus, this is the best possible way of nonviolent resistance, and it is accumulated wisdom of all revolutions that happen, but is now happening in belarus. and people have stood up, literally. they understand that it will be time for the leader to come back to them and start to leave the country. and people have stood up, literally. we have seen the pictures of them walking out of factories. but i am also mindful, reading an article from belarus the other day, that some of those strikes are now ending because many of the workers, according to one worker in a tractor factory, he says that arrests and threats to sack strikers and replace them with workers coming from russia which alexander lukashenko says he can easily

has joined her children in neighboring lithuania she'd sent them back before the vote and before accusing president alexander look at shango of rigging the result germany has called on the european union to consider imposing sanctions against a better roast us secretary of state might pump aoe said the votes have been a. either fair nor free but russian president vladimir putin has congratulated president bush and co on his way to kind of skier had given no him 3rd she was leaving the country. proud of the president on sunday in minsk for the election. by monday she was gone her whereabouts on earn her team unable to reach her. now svetlana taken off scalia has reappeared with a somber message online. to say the companion i knew what this campaign really toughened me and empowered me that i could withstand anything. new but perhaps i'm still the weak woman that i was in the beginning but was initially. the opposition candidate has fled to neighboring lithuania as confirmed by the country's foreign minister taken off scale says she was not forced out of her country and the government also

diplomat deputy secretary of state stephen big and begins trip to lithuania signals a greater u.s. involvement in trying to settle the situation. down i think you're going to see in dollars selections we call dollars to relieve pressure all the. united states cannot it will decide. the delusion. that it's not it's not just the u.s. germany's foreign minister on a ship to kiev if called on president looking to face reality and acknowledge the opinions of the bowler russi in people of your thoughts and i look good to start using all the avenues we have to bring about a dialogue process including through russia for instance with angle americans phone calls last week with president putin so i and my own with my counterpart sergei lavrov. that's one to use immunity fluence that russia has on mr unofficial go to make it clear to him that there's no getting around this dialogue for particle. during some of these protests at least 2 prominent opposition leaders were arrested so far of the thousands of people on the streets of bellows. if not been hurt. the gunman who shot dead 51 people in

after those threats, she was driven to lithuania where she is located.lready european countries, and lukashenko is recognised not as legitimate president. and that's happening for the first time ever. and yes, nikolai khalezin, my husband, is right in terms of hong kong style, because what is happening now in belarus, this is the best possible way of non—violent resistance. and it's accumulated wisdom of all the revolutions that happen that is now happening in belarus. and people are standing up there for themselves and they understand that now it will be time for their leader to come back to them and start to lead the country. and people have stood up, literally. we saw the pictures of them walking out of the tractor factory and other workplaces. there have been strikes across the country. but i'm also mindful, reading an article from belarus just the other day, that some of those strikes are now actually ending, because many of the workers, according to one worker in the tractor factory, sergei dylevsky, he says that arrests and threats, threats to sac

well particularly lithuania has longstanding relations and they have managed to do it policy also on the one hand supporting activists misdefine osco yes currently in the queen yeah but also having economic relationships that simply gives them knowledge and context however you are right a singular countries their power is limited however they could. team up with the o.s.c. need. currently we have the balian chair we will have sweden next year as us next year and i think together with the oas. they could support such a national we consider taber that has actually been already started to be organized by the bend the recent opposition and we also got reports today that all of the protesters you have been arrested in the last week and detained they have been released so do you see that as proof that the pressure coming from its neighbors is working and. yes and no right this is a huge success however there is information that between 70 and 100 people have gone missing and this is another thing that the new coach demands this summit to. immediately know learn about the whereabouts off th

has said she'll go home when it's safe to do sorry she fled to lithuania after rejecting the results of the recent election which confirmed long time before a tarion president alexander lukashenko in power she called for more strikes to try and force a new presidential election. the fires raging in northern california have now become some of the largest in state history more than 12000 firefighters are currently battling the blazes that have killed 6 people governor governor said help is arriving from several u.s. states and he also put in a plea for assistance from australia and canada church the fires were started by lightning strikes and the forced tens of thousands to flee to safety this is all that's left of karen hansen's hardiman in northern california which she and her family are in they had 2 minutes to evacuate the small farm the full flames obliterated it hardly ever say a thing like it was the whole sky was red and orange i mean that's it. i don't have to just read 9 and it was coming over the hill. there and it was massive i've never seen one like it and it only took a f

is iner statement -- lithuania with her. filing a complaint against the election results together with two men with suitcases and also video equipment. certainly also video has appeared in which she is seen to read a statement saying she actually wants everyone to accept the official results and stop protesting on the street. ae campaign seems to have recording. people in that room, we still do not know who they were. two men, have been forced to read a statement. after that, she left. she has not been in any contact directly with her campaign team until she was on the other side of the border. so this is of course an important development because she has been the symbol of the growing opposition in the last couple of months. there were three me women on the stage during the election campaign. two of them are now abroad because they are worried about their safety and the safety of their families. only one of them is left in belarus, and she said i will continue -- we will all continue. this is not going to stop. maryam: a me

we certainly have seen where lithuania is taking a leadership role both within the european union, their minister has been very strident in an interview that the european union must do more, and the baltic states and poland have also offered mediation assistance to try to give president lukashenko a diplomatic way out of this situation. he has turned that down. so it is very good that secretary pompeo is in the region. it's a timely moment. we really need strong transatlantic cooperation because if russia begins to take advantage and move into belarus, that certainly affects nato's position. we often hear president lu kashenko referred to as europe's ‘last dictator'. it is not quite as simple as him always having an antagonistic relationship with his european neighbours. there have been times when he has moved towards them and away from russia. where exactly does belarus sit in these kind of big power plays? you are absolutely right. for 26 years, lukashenko has done what some analysts have called "doing a pirouette." he spins between the west, the eu and the united states. when russia e