from prison, he silent, not even from prison, he continued his fight against putin and russia �*s authoritarian regime. days after her husbands death, the wife of alexey navalny has vowed to continue her husband's fight. she blames president putin for her husband's death. mr navalny�*s body is yet to be released to his family. we will be speaking to one of the doctors who treated him after he was nearly killed by a nerve agent attack in 2020. and we will have a special interview with a member of pussy riot. also, a developing story

as we come in at night, the houthis so two american ships have been targeted in the gulf of aden and we will bring you the latest on that. as we were saying, the widow of the russian opposition leader alexei navalny says her husband was killed because the russian president couldn't break him. she says she will continue his work fighting for their country. the 47—year—old died unexpectedly on friday and the family have still not been able to see his body to independently ascertain how he died. our russia editor steve rosenberg reports. for three days now, she's been trying to recover her son's body, but alexei navalny�*s mother — here in the middle — was told that investigators are not ready to release it or even where the body is. a clue, perhaps, caught on cctv in the dead of night near mr navalny�*s remote penal colony, a prison convoy heading to a nearby town, just hours after the announcement

of his death. it's thought this midnight motorcade may have been transporting his body. alexei navalny was an ambitious politician, promising a brighter future for russia. he once tried to run for president. he ended up in prison. now he's dead. in a video statement filmed abroad, his widow, yulia, accused the kremlin of killing him and vowed to continue his fight to change russia. translation: having killed alexei, putin killed half of me, _ half of my heart and half of my soul. but i still have the other half, and that tells me i have no right to give up. i will continue the work of alexei navalny, continue to fight for our country. today, yulia navalny was in brussels, meeting european foreign ministers.

for years, she's kept a low profile. now she's vowing to unite opposition to vladimir putin. and the kremlin, what has it been saying about the death of its staunchest critic? very little. president putin has yet to make any public comments about the death of alexei navalny, but today the kremlin spokesmen described accusations that it was the russian leadership that killed him as "obnoxious and utterly unacceptable". at this makeshift shrine to alexei navalny, we discovered that many of the floral tributes have been cleared away. and yet muscovites were still coming here to honour the man who called for change but would never live to see it. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. later this hour, we'll be speaking to

a member of pussy riot — the feminist group who were vocal critics of vladimir putin, who were listed as "foreign agents" by the russian government. but now let's go live to alexander polupan, he's one of the doctors who treated alexei navalny after he nearly died, after he was poisoned in 2020. dr polupan was one of a group of russian doctors who signed an open letter urging russian president vladimir putin "to stop abusing" mr navalny. thanks very much forjoining us here on bbc news. in the past, you treated alexei navalny and you continued to advise him on a regular basis. i would like to begin by getting your reaction to his death. the obvious reaction is i am shocked, at the same as all people are in russia who believed in alexei navalny and who hoped to see him in freedom, so it is a big shock for all of us. �* ~' .,

freedom, so it is a big shock for all of us. �* ~ ., ., all of us. and we know that there have been _ all of us. and we know that there have been differing _ all of us. and we know that there have been differing accounts - all of us. and we know that there have been differing accounts so l all of us. and we know that there i have been differing accounts so far of the cause of his death, but as we have said, in 2020 he was poisoned with the nerve agent novichok and you treated him back then. what more can you tell us about novichok and the effects it can have?— the effects it can have? actually, it is an agent _ the effects it can have? actually, it is an agent with _ the effects it can have? actually, it is an agent with poisoning - the effects it can have? actually, it is an agent with poisoning and| the effects it can have? actually, | it is an agent with poisoning and it affects many systems, cardiac symptoms and respiratory symptoms. it can cause extreme cardiac problems, raise heart rate and even cardiac arrest if it is used in a big dose and it has pulmonary

symptoms and a very serious effects that means all muscles are affected and the person that is poisoned sometimes has a seizure and sometimes has a seizure and sometimes he is paralytic and it affects respiratory muscles so it can be deadly, because the patient can be deadly, because the patient can stop breathing. haw can be deadly, because the patient can stop breathing.— can be deadly, because the patient can stop breathing. how badly was mr navalny impacted _ can stop breathing. how badly was mr navalny impacted by _ can stop breathing. how badly was mr navalny impacted by that _ can stop breathing. how badly was mr navalny impacted by that attempt - can stop breathing. how badly was mr navalny impacted by that attempt on | navalny impacted by that attempt on his life in 2020 using novichok? what were the long—term impacts of that on him in the aftermath? obviously after such a serious poisoning, there always are some long—term impact, the most common is muscle weakness, might be a tremor, might be some sensory deficiency,

and sometimes it has serious neurological consequences like a worsening of memory and other functions and alexey navalny did not have neurological effects but he did have neurological effects but he did have others. find have neurological effects but he did have ethere— have neurological effects but he did have others. �* , ., , . have others. and you signed a letter raising concerns _ have others. and you signed a letter raising concerns about _ have others. and you signed a letter raising concerns about this - have others. and you signed a letter raising concerns about this and - have others. and you signed a letter raising concerns about this and i - raising concerns about this and i guess that was a risky thing to do to speak out against the government? yes, we received some news from his family that his health is worsening and we saw that our government didn't listen to provide him an

appropriate medical support and there are a lot of people and a lot of doctors who just wouldn't see how he was dying and keep silent, so we just tried to do what we could to force our government to start providing medical support. obviously we understood that there was some risk, but there were a lot of doctors who signed this letter, more than 600 doctors signed them and there was a personal risk for each of us. , . ~ there was a personal risk for each of us. , ., ~ ., , there was a personal risk for each of us. , . ~ ., , , . of us. did it make any difference? did to let it _ of us. did it make any difference? did to let it make _ of us. did it make any difference? did to let it make any _ of us. did it make any difference? did to let it make any difference, | did to let it make any difference, did it change anything? —— did the

letter make any difference? actually, this letter was written several times, actually, this letter was written severaltimes, but actually, this letter was written several times, but we just tried to do what we could. a couple of times they started to give him some drugs or once they sent him to a normal hospitalfor or once they sent him to a normal hospital for investigations but we do not know, and we get different sides from different people. qm. sides from different people. 0k, doctor sides from different people. ok,

doctor alexander polupan, thank you for sharing your thoughts here on bbc news. now, as we were saying at the start of the show, alexei navalny�*s widow, yulia, has released a video on youtube vowing to continue his fight for a "free russia". until friday, she'd kept more of a low profile. then, just hours after his death she appeared on stage at the munich security conference, in what was a surprising and moving moment. so, what might we now expect from her? i'm joined now by fidelius schmid, a reporterfor der spiegel who's interviewed yulia navalnaya. thank you very much forjoining us. i'm short like many of us you have watched that video on youtube. what are your thoughts about what she said, how she wants to continue her husband's fight? i said, how she wants to continue her husband's fight?— husband's fight? i think, to be honest, husband's fight? i think, to be honest. she — husband's fight? i think, to be honest, she doesn't _ husband's fight? i think, to be honest, she doesn't really - husband's fight? i think, to be l honest, she doesn't really know husband's fight? i think, to be - honest, she doesn't really know yet. if you have looked at what has

happened in the past, she was always asked don't you want to replace your husband and all that? so she has been playing on the idea of not joining him, but replacing him. i think what we can expect is that yulia will change her approach from exposing corruption in russia, which is something that alexei has done, but going towards deliverables, getting sanctions against putin's resume, and i have also seen radical change from alexey navalny�*s wife to being a truly don't up in the world stage. being a truly don't up in the world staue. ., ., , , stage. how important is it she continues _ stage. how important is it she continues that _ stage. how important is it she continues that work _ stage. how important is it she continues that work he - stage. how important is it she continues that work he did, i stage. how important is it she l continues that work he did, very brave work, because he was inside

russia? �* ., , ., brave work, because he was inside russia? �* ., ., ~ russia? before you ask me, i think it is hiuhl russia? before you ask me, i think it is highly unlikely _ russia? before you ask me, i think it is highly unlikely she _ russia? before you ask me, i think it is highly unlikely she goes - russia? before you ask me, i think it is highly unlikely she goes back. it is highly unlikely she goes back to russia as he did, but look at the remnants of russia's opposition, they are either in jail remnants of russia's opposition, they are either injail in remnants of russia's opposition, they are either in jail in russia remnants of russia's opposition, they are either injail in russia or they are either injail in russia or they are either injail in russia or they are outside and they don't have a figure they can unite around, so the belarus opposition for instance is united around the wife of a former presidential candidate, there was no such thing in russia and so alexey navalny was a really prominent figure who could be shown as an opposition leader and now yulia has to continue that work, or start it because she is free. what start it because she is free. what was our start it because she is free. what was your reaction _ start it because she is free. what was your reaction when _ start it because she is free. what was your reaction when you - start it because she is free. what was your reaction when you saw her suddenly appear at the munich security conference on friday? i was on air at the time and it was pretty surprising, just hours after her

husband's death, that she made that very emotional and moving speech which i think we will be able to bring up in a moment.- which i think we will be able to bring up in a moment. please do brina it bring up in a moment. please do bring it un- _ bring up in a moment. please do bring it un- i _ bring up in a moment. please do bring it up. i knew— bring up in a moment. please do bring it up. i knew it _ bring up in a moment. please do bring it up. i knew it was - bring up in a moment. please do bring it up. i knew it was going l bring up in a moment. please do| bring it up. i knew it was going to happen but i did not see it live because i was nothing munich, so i had to look it up afterwards. qm. had to look it up afterwards. 0k, and tell us _ had to look it up afterwards. 0k, and tell us more _ had to look it up afterwards. ok, and tell us more about yulia navalny, she stayed away from the spotlight, but does she have a past in the anti—corruption movement in politics? in the anti-corruption movement in olitics? ,, . , in the anti-corruption movement in olitics? ,, , . ., politics? she has stayed much more in the background _ politics? she has stayed much more in the background than _ politics? she has stayed much more in the background than you - politics? she has stayed much more in the background than you would i in the background than you would expect, but you can away see it was a great feeling for the right symbolism, appeared as a protest at the right time, albeit in the back bit you could see it in these moments. and in the oscar—winning documentary about alexey navalny you could see yulia walking up at a hospital and basically accusing the

russian regime of not being let to her husband he was in severe conditions, so she has recently joined the board of directors and so she has gradually moved into that political work already. qm. she has gradually moved into that political work already.— political work already. 0k, thank ou ve political work already. 0k, thank you very much — political work already. 0k, thank you very much for _ political work already. 0k, thank you very much for sharing - political work already. 0k, thank you very much for sharing your l you very much for sharing your insights on that story. and as i said, in a few moments i'll be speaking to a member of the group pussy riot, so do stay with us. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. police say the father of a missing two—year old — who fell into a river in leicester yesterday — entered the water to try to rescue his son. additional specialist teams have todayjoined the search for the missing boy. emergency services were called to the river soar, in the aylestone area, late yesterday afternoon. the british museum has turned off comments on one of its social media posts because of a campaign demanding the return of stone monuments to easter

island. the museum in london has two statues ta ken from the chilean territory in the 19th century. the statues are hundreds of years old and are said to embody the spirits of prominent ancestors. junior doctors in northern ireland are to go on strike next month over pay. the 24—hour walkout from 8am on the 6th of march is their first strike. the union claims doctors pay has been eroded over the last 16 years and what the government is offering is unacceptable. you are live with bbc news. now to some developing news from the middle east. houthis claim they have lots a missile attack on two american ships in the gulf of aden.

american ships in the gulf of aden. a spokesman claimed a british merchant vessel attacked by the houthis on sunday had sunk. i'm joined by our diplomatic correspondent. this is news that has broken in the last hour or so, what more can you tell us?— broken in the last hour or so, what more can you tell us? what is clear is that the — more can you tell us? what is clear is that the houthi _ more can you tell us? what is clear is that the houthi rebel _ more can you tell us? what is clear is that the houthi rebel group - more can you tell us? what is clear| is that the houthi rebel group based in yemen, backed by the iranians, are in no way deterred by western military action by the americans and the british in recent weeks to try and deter these kind of attacks. the houthis have been attacking merchant shipping since november and they have sometimes been successful, sometimes less successful, but clearly in the last 2a hours they have decided to escalate. what we know from the spokesman who has given a statement in recent hours is that they claim that they have now struck two us cargo ships in the gulf of aden, there is reasonable

amount of confirmation, it is greek flagged and the greek interior ministry has confirmed an incident took place but they think the vessel is all right, the maritime authorities have also been talking about that and it is an incident that took place east of aden. that is one american ship and the other one we are a little less clear about, there is not much information. the substantive attack took place late last night against a british owned police flagged lebanese operated vessel called the rubymar and that was in that small gap of seaway between djibouti and yemen on either side. that took place last night and we understand it was a missile attack. the british authorities say the one missile did strike the stern and cause damage. the houthis claim it was catastrophic damage and as a result the vessel has sunk. there is no

independent confirmation of that but what we do have confirmation from the uk side is that the vessel was damaged. it was taking on water, it has been abandoned, and that the 2a crew members have been taken off on a target and landed in djibouti so clearly the vessel is in some dire straits. the houthis say it has been sunk but no confirmation of that. very briefly we have been talking about attacks in the red sea since last november also, is there anything that is being done or can being done to de—escalate the situation? being done to de-escalate the situation? ., being done to de-escalate the situation?— being done to de-escalate the situation? ., , , ., ., situation? no, because at the moment both sides are — situation? no, because at the moment both sides are willing _ situation? no, because at the moment both sides are willing to _ situation? no, because at the moment both sides are willing to keep - both sides are willing to keep escalating. the houthis continue making these attacks and at the moment, eversince making these attacks and at the moment, ever since mid—january, largely us forces have been carrying out fairly strikes houthi military targets, ammunition dumps, drone

launch, and it has not deterred the houthis, in fact it seems to have encouraged them because what many western analysts say is that the houthis claim support for the palestinians but actually this is all about an opportunist moment for them to assert themselves in the region and boost their domestic position within yemen, because obviously they control a large part of yemen but by no means all. and so this is seen as a strategic opportunity by the houthis and they are certainly not being deterred by any kind of western attacks, because it is boosting their support both domestically and in the region. qm. domestically and in the region. 0k, thank ou, domestically and in the region. 0k, thank you. for— domestically and in the region. ok, thank you, for the moment. domestically and in the region. ok, thank you, forthe moment. back domestically and in the region. ok, thank you, for the moment. back to oui’ our main story. they rose to fame after storming a moscow cathedral in protest against vladimir putin and the orthodox church. they were arrested after storming the 2018 world cup final in russia.

and in 2021, they were listed as "foreign agents" by the russian government. on sunday, members of the feminist group pussy riot protested against the death of navalny and holding a banner reading �*murderers'. on friday, the group posted a statement on x reading... joining me now is pussy riot member lucy shtein who was at sunday's protest. she was previously sentenced to house arrest after promoting a protest calling for the release of mr navalny and now faces a new criminal case for spreading "fake news" about the russian military which means she faces prison if she ever returns to russia.

thank you very much forjoining us. i wanted to start by getting your reaction to the death of mr navalny. hello, thank you. it is actually a horrible shock for us and we didn't expect his death, because he appears on the court session by video two days before and he was looking good and healthy. so we organised protest action it suddenly and nobody expected that. find action it suddenly and nobody expected that.— action it suddenly and nobody exected that. �* i. ., , expected that. and you have spoken out in sunport _ expected that. and you have spoken out in sunport of— expected that. and you have spoken out in support of him _ expected that. and you have spoken out in support of him in _ expected that. and you have spoken out in support of him in the - expected that. and you have spoken out in support of him in the past, i out in support of him in the past, how well did you know him and indeed his wife, yulia? in how well did you know him and indeed his wife, yulia?— his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once- _

his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once- it _ his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once. it was _ his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once. it was in _ his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once. it was in the - his wife, yulia? in person, i met him once. it was in the subway l him once. it was in the subway sandwich cafe and actually he was part of our lives for the last few years, even for those who did not know him in person or those who did not support him because he was just there always, so we followed him and we didn't expect it to end like that. �* ., , ., ., ,, we didn't expect it to end like that. �* ., .,~ ., we didn't expect it to end like that. ., ., ., that. and what you make of what we have had from _ that. and what you make of what we have had from yulia _ that. and what you make of what we have had from yulia today? - that. and what you make of what we have had from yulia today? she - that. and what you make of what we | have had from yulia today? she says she will continue his fight. yes. she will continue his fight. yes, and i think— she will continue his fight. yes, and i think it — she will continue his fight. yes, and i think it was _ she will continue his fight. yes, and i think it was a _ and i think it was a complicated decision for her because she didn't want to get involved in politics,

but it was their only true way i think, the only decision for now the a relief and she is a very brave women and i think she will be a powerful political figure in future. you and your group have been vocal critics of vladimir putin, you are forced to leave russia, what space if any is left in the country for people to speak out against the government? i’m people to speak out against the government?— people to speak out against the government? i'm sorry, can you reeat? government? i'm sorry, can you repeat? of— government? i'm sorry, can you repeat? of course, _ government? i'm sorry, can you repeat? of course, you - government? i'm sorry, can you repeat? of course, you had - government? i'm sorry, can you repeat? of course, you had to l government? i'm sorry, can you - repeat? of course, you had to leave russia for speaking _ repeat? of course, you had to leave russia for speaking out _ repeat? of course, you had to leave russia for speaking out against - russia for speaking out against random may putin. what space is left in the country, if any, for people who want to criticise the government? —— for speaking out against vladimir putin. m0

government? -- for speaking out against vladimir putin. no people can do anything. _ against vladimir putin. no people can do anything, it _ against vladimir putin. no people can do anything, it is _ against vladimir putin. no people can do anything, it is not - against vladimir putin. no people can do anything, it is notjust - can do anything, it is notjust about the protest, you cannot bring flowers to the grave, so when we are abroad, i think we don't have, we can't make any suggestions to those who stay the. we don't have the moral right to do this. find who stay the. we don't have the moral right to do this.— moral right to do this. and why did ou decide moral right to do this. and why did you decide to _ moral right to do this. and why did you decide to join _ moral right to do this. and why did you decide to join those _ moral right to do this. and why did you decide to join those protests? | you decide to join those protests? it is obviously a very brave decision tojoin it is obviously a very brave decision to join those protests in the wake of mr navalny�*s death. i the wake of mr navalny's death. i think it is important to participate in protests in europe because we should... i think it is necessary to

put pressure on the international community and local politics, because they have to stop... sorry to stop you — because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that — because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that but _ because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that but we _ because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that but we have - because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that but we have a - because they have to stop... sorry to stop you that but we have a lot of time, thank you very much for joining us. this is the context. —— we have run out of time. tomorrow is going to be another mild day, we will see a band of rain spreading southwards across the country. tonight, many places will be dry, variable cloud, some cricbuzz will stop most of the cloud in northern and western areas and then we will start to see that rain pushing in. fortuesday, then we will start to see that rain pushing in. for tuesday, here then we will start to see that rain pushing in. fortuesday, here is this what the front moving its way southwards and eastwards, gradually through the course of the day. had

of it, it stays mild, rather cloudy, some of the brightness here and there. the rain will spread across scotland and northern ireland in the morning period and start to spread southwards and eastwards across england and wales as we head into the afternoon. behind it brightens up the afternoon. behind it brightens up the scotland and northern ireland, sunshine, blustery showers, if you could be heavy and thunder across north—west scotland. head of the rain band, it will be another largely cloudy day, very mild, 13 or 14, largely cloudy day, very mild, 13 or 1a, something coolerfurther north. that weather front southwards, fizzles out. it is dry, clear and chilly for a while but then the next low pressure system hurt is on of the atlantic and the increasing cloud, wind and rain were lift those temperatures across southern and western areas. here it is, a more active system to move through for wednesday, more isobars on the chart so it will be windy, looking at gales around coastal areas, particularly around northern areas. this rain can be quite heavy,

falling on saturated ground and to see some issues with localised flooding, but the rain mostly clears out into the north sea into the afternoon, sky is bright and but there will be blustery showers to clear across northern and western areas. a hang back for eastern england and the south—east. are fairly mild again, but that is the last of the multi—day through this week. from thursday onwards we opened the floodgates to a north—westerly wind, you can see the blue colour is taking the so it will be telling kelly for all areas. because no pressure will be nearby, it will tend to remain fairly unsettled, so temperatures dipping for all areas, closer to the monthly norms.

you're watching the context on bbc news. the foreign secretary david cameron has arrived in the falkland islands, in a high profile demonstration of the uk's sovereignty over the contested territory. now time to get the sport, straight to betty. hello. it's a big one in the bottom half of the premier league tonight. everton are hosting crystal palace, both sides in desperate need of three points.

it's currently goalless. chances are both teams. already plenty riding on this one, but even more eyes are on palace, after roy hodgson stood down as manager earlier — that former eintracht frankfurt boss oliver glasner has been appointed as his replacement. he will be in charge for saturdays game against burnley. hodgson who's 76, was taken ill during training on thursday last week, amid reports he was going to be sacked. the club say that he is now out of hospital and doing well, but in the same statement announced that his second managerial spell at the club had come to an end. manchester united have made an official approach to newcastle united for their sporting director dan ashworth. earlier on monday, newcastle confirmed that ashworth had been placed on gardening leave after requesting his release. the newcastle chief, regarded as one of the best sporting directors in the game, is at the top of sirjim

ratcliffe's list to front up