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BBC News with Neil Nunes.
Five European countries say tests on the body of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny show he was poisoned in prison two years ago using a substance developed from the toxin found in Ecuadorian dart frogs. The British Foreign Office said the poison was highly likely to be what killed him and only Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy it. The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the statement as a planted story designed to distract from the West's problems. Mr. Navalny's widow Yulia gave her reaction. "What could else happen with my husband in Russian prison? But now I understand and I know it's not just the words. It's scientific proof. And I appreciate very much to all the governments, their support that they were working together on this matter." European leaders at the Munich Security Conference have responded positively to a speech by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in which he stressed that Washington wanted a strong Europe and a revitalized transatlantic relationship. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was very much reassured. Ghana has requested the extradition of a Russian man who allegedly recorded his sexual encounters with several Ghanaian women and shared the videos online without their consent. Russia does not extradite its citizens [extra...] except in extreme circumstances. More details from our West Africa reporter Makuochi Okafor. The authorities say such acts are criminal under Ghanaian law. The ministry added that it is working with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Innovations and other agencies to prevent and respond to image-based sexual abuse. Reports online suggest the same individual may be involved in similar illegal acts in Kenya. U.N. Women reports that between 16 percent and 58 percent of women and girls worldwide experience digital violence, including harassment, cyberstalking and non-consensual sharing of intimate images. There's been another massacre in western Nigeria with dozens killed in dawn raids on three villages. The heaviest loss of life, up to 38, was in Konkoso, which was raided by dozens of gunmen on motorbikes. Nearly all the homes were torched. A resident of Tunga-Makeri said the bandits beheaded six people and shot more and forced the entire village to flee. The former U.S. President Barack Obama has indirectly addressed a racist video posted on President Trump's social media account last week. The video included a clip depicting him and his wife Michelle as apes. In a podcast, Mr. Obama said the "shame" and "decorum" that once guided public officials had been lost. World news from the BBC. Four astronauts have docked at the International Space Station, replacing the crew that was forced to return earlier than planned last month due to a medical emergency. Ian Skippers has this report. Thirty-four hours after their launch from Cape Canaveral, the two men and two women joined the skeleton crew of three that have been at the orbiting laboratory since last year. Most of the research the team of two Americans, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut will be doing, is aimed at perfecting technologies NASA hopes to deploy in future missions to the Moon and Mars. After docking, the crew's commander, veteran astronaut Jessica Meir, highlighted the importance of international cooperation, saying "Up here, there are no borders and hope is universal." The Paris Prosecutor's Office says it has set up a special team of lawyers to analyze files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. The team will work closely with prosecutors from the national financial crimes unit and police with a view to opening investigations into any suspected crimes. Several French public figures featured in the latest release of the Epstein files. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has restated his country's need for access to the sea. He told an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa that with more than 130 million people, Ethiopia requires maritime access to sustain growth. Ethiopia has been landlocked since Eritrea's independence in 1991 and Eritrea has repeatedly rebuffed calls for dialogue for access through the port of Assab. Relatives of political prisoners in Venezuela have started a hunger strike demanding their release. Families have gathered outside the prison in Caracas, where their loved ones are incarcerated. On Thursday, a vote on an amnesty bill was postponed due to disagreements within the government. BBC News. |