00:01The decision by Belarus to designate Euronews as extremist is an act of revenge for honest reporting,
00:08opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Friday.
00:12In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Tsikhanouskaya said the move showed that
00:17Alexander Lukashenko's government remained afraid of independent information.
00:21It is revenge, revenge by the regime for Euronews reporting.
00:25Euronews covered the 2020 protests and it covered the election, which Lukashenko lost.
00:31It covered the service of political prisoners and the war, which started from Belarus.
00:36The regime didn't like this, and dictators like if everyone is silent and no one knows the truth.
00:43But the hypocrisy is that Lukashenko himself gave an interview to Euronews before,
00:48and now even watching them can be considered as a crime in Belarus.
00:53Tsikhanouskaya said that despite the ban, Belarusians will continue to look for independent information.
00:58Independent media are the backbone of our movement.
01:03Thanks to them, we can influence the situation on the ground.
01:06Thanks to them, most Belarusians know what is really happening in Ukraine,
01:10and the majority stand with Ukraine.
01:13Media, social networks, and tech tools help us stay connected and create safe spaces.
01:19She advised people in Belarus to make digital security a priority,
01:23including by using VPNs, keeping separate devices for accessing independent media,
01:28and avoiding contact with unknown accounts that could be linked to security services.
01:33You know, difficult conditions force us to be creative.
01:37That is the only way to survive under dictatorship.
01:40We Belarusians now have a unique experience that can help other captive nations
01:45that find themselves in similar situations.
01:48Above all, Tsikhanouskaya said the extremist designation should not deter Euronews from continuing its work.
01:55Watching Euronews or reading the Euronews website can land you in jail.
02:00Sharing Euronews news can become a crime.
02:04And it gives the KGB another excuse to prosecute people who are simply looking for information.
02:10Of course, those who work with Euronews or help with information are also at risk.
02:16The regime's goal is to stop Euronews from delivering honest information inside Belarus.
02:21But on the other hand, Euronews can take this designation as a badge of honor,
02:26because many decent people and organizations have been declared extremists by the dictator.
02:32It means your work matters.
02:38Spanish police said they have dismantled one of the largest networks smuggling drugs and migrants across the Mediterranean.
02:45The operation, which was carried out with the support of Europol, resulted in 78 arrests,
02:5177 of which were made in Spain and one in Algeria.
02:55Among those arrested were four alleged leaders of the organization.
02:58Police also confiscated 18 high-speed boats.
03:03Authorities said in a statement that the network likely used the vessels to transport drugs from Spain to Algeria,
03:09and on the journey back they'd smuggle migrants to Spain's Mediterranean coast and the island of Ibiza.
03:15The network charged up to 12,000 euros per person transported.
03:20Some operations involved as many as 50 migrants per crossing, police said.
03:24The profits generated by the group are estimated to exceed 24 million euros.
03:30Most irregular migration to Spain by sea takes place along the Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.
03:37This is one of the main entry points to Europe for people fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty.
03:48A federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to hold all construction of its $400 million White House ballroom
03:56until it receives congressional approval.
03:59In a 2-1 decision, the court sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the massive structure,
04:06which has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House.
04:11The 8,400-square-meter ballroom is being constructed where the White House's historic east wing stood
04:17before Trump ordered its demolition last fall.
04:21The court said it would stay its ruling for two weeks to give the administration time to appeal to the
04:26U.S. Supreme Court.
04:28U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out after the ruling,
04:31calling it horrendous, politically motivated and unlawful, and vowed to appeal the decision.
04:37Several of Trump's construction projects, including a proposed 76-meter-tall triumphal arch,
04:43have similarly faced legal challenges, but the ballroom project would be the first to reach the Supreme Court.
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