hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. julian assange�*s last ditch attempt to avoid extradition to the united states. the wikileaks founder's appeal begins at the high court in london. going to take it to the sport very shortly. let me bring you this line of breaking news from kansas city. please say they charged two men with murder in connection with the shooting of the shooting of 137, killing one person in 22 others. you remember this was at the super bowl

rally as the champions, kansas city, two are the top bus. 22 people injured, in prison killed. two men charged with murder by the prosecutor in the last few minutes. let's get the sport. hello from the bbc sport centre. going to start with football and plenty of action on tuesday but not really any goals to bring you up to date with. 2 matches in the european champions league round of 16 the pick of them between inter milan and atletico madrid. nothing of note happening there — it's still 0—0 at the san siro....but in the last few moments, donyell malen hass put borussia dortmund ahead against his former club psv — 1—0 to the german side. it appears kylian mbappe�*s destination is the one we all expected. the psg forward has agreed tojoin real madrid at the end of the season.

when his contract with the french club expires. no deal has yet been signed with real but it's thought it'll be a five year deal. it could be announced once it is no longer possible for the clubs to meet in this season's champions league. the world cup winner is psg's record goal—scorer with 244 goals. primarily the manchester city in brentford. it is zero for the break. a win for manchester city would see them leapfrog arsenal in second place. this is their game in hand which they are playing. world athletics is planning to introduce a new trial for measuring long jump. a "take—off zone" will be used instead of the traditional wooden board where a no—jump is called if the athlete's foot crosses the line. the jump will be measured from where the athlete's front foot takes off to where they land in the pit. the aim is to reduce the amount of no—jumps. a third of all attempts

at the 2023 world championships in budapest did not count as athletes overstepped. and that's all the sport for now. back to you, christian. mark, thank you very much. the wikileaks founderjulian assange has begun his latest attempt to fight his extradition to the united states. he's wanted for disclosing secret military files more than a decade ago. opening a two—day long hearing in london, mr assange�*s team said his prosecution was an example of "state retaliation". with me isjulian assange�*s brother, gabriel shipton. thank you for coming and stopped to look it. i propose that basis of his appeal to a?— appeal to a? this was the best chance for— appeal to a? this was the best chance forjune _ appeal to a? this was the best chance forjune and _ appeal to a? this was the best chance forjune and has - appeal to a? this was the best| chance forjune and has backed appeal to a? this was the best - chance forjune and has backed that chance forjune and has backed that he put forward the political chair of this prosecution because your extradition treaty with the states, there is a carveout saying that you cannot be extradited for political offences. espionage being inherently a political charge. it was really a chance for them to put forward how this originated under mike pompeo, i

trimmed director of cia have how he really pushed as prorated in 17 2010 which eventually led to the charge is being revealed a remake of the secretary of state. so that is showing how it's open to the political nature of it. i'm also talking about the cia plotting to kidnapjulian from talking about the cia plotting to kidnap julian from the talking about the cia plotting to kidnapjulian from the city talking about the cia plotting to kidnap julian from the city as well as the surveillance that went on the embassy there for seven years. like you say it was political. the us government sees it very differently. a say it is criminal about national security secrets that people in the field, still at—risk. well, so, the argument is that during the child's hearing, the vicar of this information about the community for sentencing 2017, during that hearing

the a former general who was engaged by the 0bama administration to actually find anybody who had been harmed, that includes humans are system of government employees, etc. they spent $10 that is couldn't find anybody. so under oath, this this general general gates as they could not find anybody who had been. and that was actually admitted by the prosecutors the extradition hearing when magistrates�* court as well. so the common misconception that these leaks caused, in fact, they led to the end of the iraq war, so that the trial of the majority of troops from iraq, which arguably saved $5 and lives as well. the iraq, which arguably saved ss and lives as well.— iraq, which arguably saved $5 and lives as well.— lives as well. the us authorities have given _ lives as well. the us authorities have given certain _ lives as well. the us authorities have given certain assurances i lives as well. the us authorities i have given certain assurances that is sent to him and he would, you know, he would go into the federal

system. might even be able to serve some of his sentence in australia. does that not reassure you? hot some of his sentence in australia. does that not reassure you? not at all. these assurances _ does that not reassure you? not at all. these assurances that - does that not reassure you? not at all. these assurances that we - does that not reassure you? not at all. these assurances that we were j all. these assurances that we were given our caveat it. if you actually read them, it says he will get the treatment he needs unless we change our mind. and the people in government with those assurances and whetherjulian will be put in a different sort of prison system, the cia, the central intelligence agency because julian�*s cia, the central intelligence agency becausejulian�*s charges relate to national security information, site and this agency provided to kidnap julian, kayla julian could it with his treacherous conditions, which is why the special repertoire and torture told us just two mexico said that the uk must refuse to extricate julian signage because of his

condition that he bases the united states for example, public art was kept solitary it was during that time she attempted suicide. so what herjailers did is they stripped her naked and put her back and solitary. that�*s the sort of treatment that julian has to look forward to if he is extradited to the united states. i did made a comparison in recent interviews with the case of alexei navalny. it is that an appropriate comparison because mickey�*s not going to the gulag if he goes to jail in america, is he? his life not addressed. i do believe it life at risk. there has been testimony before the magistrates�* court, which the magistrate actually rejected julian�*s extradition to the government. and it was based on that expert witness testimony that if julian were to be extradited, that his life would be at risk that it could lead to his death. but there

is also a chance that if he is extradited to his prosecution has changed with the death penalty for that which exists and that he has been a rash act. so there is a very real risk that extradited executed under the espionage act if his prosecution has like that again. it is a very real risk. in my heart goes out to alexei navalny�*s family and his wife because you know, we know what it�*s like. we know what it�*s like to have a loved one in prison whose health has been deteriorating, who suffers from mental illness. i deteriorating, who suffers from mental illness.— deteriorating, who suffers from mental illness. i was going to ask about that, _ mental illness. i was going to ask about that, because _ mental illness. i was going to ask about that, because he's - mental illness. i was going to ask about that, because he's been . mental illness. i was going to ask. about that, because he's been here about that, because he�*s been here for 1h years, had a lot of that time and self confinement within the ecuadorian embassy and that belle marsh. have you seen him? what is his state of health? he marsh. have you seen him? what is his state of health?— his state of health? he wasn't able to attend hearing _ his state of health? he wasn't able to attend hearing today _ his state of health? he wasn't able to attend hearing today because i his state of health? he wasn't able to attend hearing today because ofj to attend hearing today because of his health. so it really is at a stage, you know, that it�*s affecting hand, affecting his ability to

defend himself and it�*s been deteriorating since 2019. he�*s been in a maximum security prison, like the hardest present in the uk for almost five years coming up on april 19. he�*s not convicted, he is not serving a sentence. he�*s being held there solely at that the request of there solely at that the request of the united states. this there solely at that the request of the united states.— the united states. this is the last chance, if the _ the united states. this is the last chance, if the appeal, _ the united states. this is the last chance, if the appeal, there - the united states. this is the last chance, if the appeal, there is - chance, if the appeal, there is another day of hearings tomorrow. if the appeal fails, another day of hearings tomorrow. if the appealfails, do another day of hearings tomorrow. if the appeal fails, do you know how quickly that will come and if he were to lose how quickly it would be removed? i were to lose how quickly it would be removed? ., �* ., ., ., , removed? i don't want to really think too much _ removed? i don't want to really think too much about _ removed? i don't want to really think too much about that, - think too much about that, christian. but it is up to the judges, it�*s at their discretion when they call or when they put down this decision. and so we expect it could be two weeks to make could be two months, but that whole time, julian still has to spend that time in a maximum security prison, those conditions, they are horrible

conditions, they are horrible conditions in themselves, but at least here in the uk, he has a connection to his family, his two children, five and six.— children, five and six. always intrigued- — children, five and six. always intrigued. does _ children, five and six. always intrigued. does he _ children, five and six. always intrigued. does he have - children, five and six. always intrigued. does he have any i children, five and six. always - intrigued. does he have any regrets? would he do it again two i think about this a lot _ would he do it again two i think about this a lot as _ would he do it again two i think about this a lot as well. - would he do it again two i think about this a lot as well. would l would he do it again two i think. about this a lot as well. would he do the same thing that he did? —— what i did the same thing that he did? i can get to look back at the record of the publications, the changes that they need around the world, the lives that they saved, the wars that they stopped. the torture that they exposed in guantanamo bay, the innocent civilians that were killed who had unreported debts and really look back at that record and i believe that if you do, then you would do that if you do, then you would do that again. there is a reason that chelsea manning leaked this

information, because it was obvious crimes, obvious crimes against... 0bvious war crimes, for instance, the helicopter gunship that plunged down to reuters journalists in baghdad. you watch these things you look at crimes that were revealed in the changes that they led to. i believe he would.— the changes that they led to. i believe he would. gabriel, got to talk to this _ believe he would. gabriel, got to talk to this evening. _ believe he would. gabriel, got to talk to this evening. thank - believe he would. gabriel, got to talk to this evening. thank you . believe he would. gabriel, got to l talk to this evening. thank you for coming in. in spain, police have found the body of a russian pilot who defected to ukraine last year maxim kuzminov had piloted his helicopter across the border to ukraine in august 2023, saying he was opposed to the invasion of ukraine. his death was confirmed by ukraine�*s main intelligence directorate. reportedly he was living under a false identity, in villajoyosa on the spanish east coast. he had recently invited his ex—spouse tojoin him. he was shot dead at a villa he was staying out. a a burnt—out car apparently used by the attackers was recovered near the scene of the crime. the tentacles of the kremlin

reach far and wide. and in different guises. the defence and security think—tank, the royal united services institute, reports today that the wagner group which we know played such a pivotal role in the war in eastern ukraine, until the untimely death of leader yevginey prighozin, has been rebranded and retasked. it is now known as the expeditionary core, and it is offering governments in africa a "regime survival package" in exchange for access in these countries to strategically important, natural resources. now we go live to dr samuel ramani, an associate fellow at the royal united services institute and author of russia in africa. how far howfarand how far and how wide do operations spread in africa? the how far and how wide do operations spread in africa?— how far and how wide do operations spread in africa? the wagon a group as it was have _ spread in africa? the wagon a group as it was have several— spread in africa? the wagon a group as it was have several operations. i as it was have several operations. 0ne as it was have several operations. one is libya where they control some of the major... they play a critical

war in a paramilitary government in the east. they are also involved in sudan where they have access to gold, and they have a thousand forces stationed for counterterrorism and 1000 forces in car on rotation, station most of the regime survival purposes. lshiheh car on rotation, station most of the regime survival purposes.— regime survival purposes. when you sa an regime survival purposes. when you say an off-the-shelf _ regime survival purposes. when you say an off-the-shelf survival- say an off—the—shelf survival package, it sounds like a toolkit for oppressed and autocrats. what does that actually entail? {jut for oppressed and autocrats. what does that actually entail?- does that actually entail? out it is basically that. _ does that actually entail? out it is basically that. she _ does that actually entail? out it is basically that. she against - basically that. she against opposition and the affairs of western countries into the context of africa. so it combines disinformation, autocracy promotion, election interference but it also adds hard power insecurity and a military component to help these governments sensibly fight insurgencies, also from popular

unrest. ~ ., , insurgencies, also from popular unrest._ that i insurgencies, also from popularj unrest._ that is insurgencies, also from popular i unrest._ that is an unrest. who runs it? the that is an 0 en the unrest. who runs it? the that is an open the group _ unrest. who runs it? the that is an open the group seems _ unrest. who runs it? the that is an open the group seems to _ unrest. who runs it? the that is an open the group seems to be - unrest. who runs it? the that is an | open the group seems to be handed over to his son. it is important to keep in mind that when he was killed, it was notjust ten, it was also the founder who was the main logistics managerfor the wagner group who were also killed. this new, and structure i think it�*s probably much more beholden to the administrative defence in the russian state. it reflects months of visits from the deputy defence minister to african countries to get them on board. but the personnel, them on board. but the personnel, the very experienced officers who have done this quite successfully so far. , ., , have done this quite successfully so far. , . , ., , have done this quite successfully so far. , .,,, far. this has to be seen in the context of— far. this has to be seen in the context of everything - far. this has to be seen in the context of everything else - far. this has to be seen in the | context of everything else that far. this has to be seen in the i context of everything else that is going to the global south and recently divorced from the states.

and much more transactional and it operates. the old colonial ties are dying. is this new group for the new guy, is that the getting in the way of some of those old relationships? well, i think in some ways it is getting in the way of it because the russians are trying to usurp the west weapon they can. obviously they are trying to usurp them in west africa which is why we see the overtures in the french exits, and france and the west seem to leave whenever russia comes in. it is inextricably linked for the battle of hearts and minds as well as influence inside the global south. 0ne influence inside the global south. one of the criticisms when the wagner group came to prominence was that actually it�*s operations and how wide scandalous operations where

was not properly understood within government, particularly our own government, particularly our own government here in the uk. do you think there is a greater appreciation now of these mercenary groups are doing? i appreciation now of these mercenary grapps are doing?— groups are doing? i think the fact that they been — groups are doing? i think the fact that they been the _ groups are doing? i think the fact that they been the play _ groups are doing? i think the fact that they been the play of - groups are doing? i think the fact i that they been the play of ukraine, the amount of coverage and analytical coverage of prigozhin conflict is having with a history of defence, the monthly to his death elevated. it seems the major projects being instituted like those fantastic reports from the house of commons that detailed the wagner threat and we can see the wagner threat and we can see the wagner threat to being named as a transacting chain or even a terrorist group by many western countries. but that is being better understood but we still have a long way to go in terms of actually preempting the expansion of these theatres, and now that prigozhin is gone, it is possible that wagner in its new form and try to expand its frontiers to new countries.

interesting. thank you very much indeed. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. voiceover: bbc news - bringing you different - stories from across the uk. with its origins in the street for all of south america, futsal bounds into play at a salford sport centre. wearing kits to match their surroundings, pupils at light 0aksjunior school in the city have been giving it a thumbs up. it�*s a bit better than football in a way because, in football, you�*re mostlyjust blundering up the pitch, but here, you�*ve actually got to use the ball and your feet a bit more to get around players cos it�*s so much smaller. the brand—new futsal court in 0rdsall has been paid for by the fa premier league football foundation and salford city council, who are putting in £127,000. how much is something like this needed in a place like this? everybody knows it's well documented that sport helps to improve physical and emotional well—being, sojust getting people together in the community, doing things that benefit them.

for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. - you�*re live with bbc news. the mother of the russian opposition leader alexei navalny has made a direct appeal to president putin, begging him to release her son�*s body. lyudmila navalnaya made the statements outside the arctic prison where her son alexei died suddenly last week. she said she wanted his body to be released immediately so she could give him a decent burial. translation: behind my back, there is a colony - _ k3, the polar wolf — where on 16th february, my son alexei navalny died. it�*s the fifth day that i cannot see him. they won�*t hand over his body to me and they won�*t even tell me where he is. i speak to you, vladimir putin. the decision on the question depends only on you. let me finally see my son. i demand you immediately hand over the body of alexei so that i can bury him.

mr navalny�*s wide yulia has publicly accused putin of ordering the murder ——mr navalny�*s wife yulia has publicly accused putin of ordering the murder of her late husband and said investigators were holding his body in order to cover up a political assassination. some of his closest allies who are also being held in prison are only now learning of the news. ilya yashin, jailed for eight years for publishing reports about the war crimes in bucha in said he felt "a black emptiness inside. and, of course, i understand my own risks. iam behind bars, my life is in putin�*s hands, and it is in danger." but what of the man whose story we have followed so closely on this programme, the wall stjournal reporter, evan gerschkovich? this was day 328 of his detention. today he lost a further appeal, which means he will remain in the notorious lefortovo prison until at least march 30; a full year without trial. now we go live to bill browder, who is the head of the global

magnitskyjustice campaign. the financier used to invest in russia, but when his lawyer died in prison there he became an anti—corruption campaigner. always good to have you on the programme. maybe we could just step back and talk very quickly about this russian pilot who defected to ukraine, was taken under an assumed identity to spain, was hiding out, called his ex fiance, asked her to join him and then shot dead. the fingerprints that are on that are all too familiar. i fingerprints that are on that are all too familiar.— all too familiar. i don't think we have to be _ all too familiar. i don't think we have to be so _ all too familiar. i don't think we have to be so creative - all too familiar. i don't think we have to be so creative to - all too familiar. i don't think we have to be so creative to the i all too familiar. i don't think we | have to be so creative to the gas where that came from. you should understand that pertain these traders as the worst kind of people. his hierarchy of hatred, the people who betray him or betray his country and fluency with the likes to go

after. so for him it�*s very important to go after them to send a message to everybody else in the country that if you betray who tend if you betray the military then you�*re going to find yourself shot deadin you�*re going to find yourself shot dead in whateverforeign you�*re going to find yourself shot dead in whatever foreign country and a presiding. so that there is a pretty clear thing. now, from our perspective, in the last of the fact that through sending his hit squad to spain is a pretty nice thought. of course we�*ve seen this before of course we�*ve seen this before with others, but i suspect we will see a lot more of this going forward. ih see a lot more of this going forward. ,., , , . , see a lot more of this going forward. ,, . , �* see a lot more of this going forward. ,, ., �* forward. in some respects we're back to the battle — forward. in some respects we're back to the battle days _ forward. in some respects we're back to the battle days of _ forward. in some respects we're back to the battle days of the _ forward. in some respects we're back to the battle days of the cold - forward. in some respects we're back to the battle days of the cold war- to the battle days of the cold war where the fascinations are happening on a regular basis. i where the fascinations are happening on a regular basis.— on a regular basis. i don't think i fascinations _ on a regular basis. i don't think i fascinations happen _ on a regular basis. i don't think i fascinations happen all- on a regular basis. i don't think i fascinations happen all that - fascinations happen all that regularly during the cold war. this is a different type of work. this is what i would call. for putin, he is not like stalin or hitler, is a problem as part with all the powers

of the sovereign state and going around doing its against his business entities, and his political and anyone who exposes his crimes. he does it on a regular basis, i would say it�*s much worse than the cold war. the cold war was predictable, this is not to post on the cold war there were wills. nobles incorrect. at the trial, denied any bail today at this appeal hearing. not entirely surprising. no, of course not. forget about what they say in court. the courts are not independent, this is not an independentjudiciary. the courts are taking instructions from. there is a reason why he should be in jail the first is not a spy and he didn�*t do anything wrong. he was certainly arrested in order to gain leverage, as a bargaining chip is a trading chip so that the russians could get

somebody they want from the west. he is not fair for any criminal activity. is not fair for any criminal activity-— is not fair for any criminal activi .�* ., , , activity. any stay in that prison is not a rock — activity. any stay in that prison is not a rock the _ activity. any stay in that prison is not a rock the park. _ activity. any stay in that prison is not a rock the park. that's - not a rock the park. that�*s not downplay that. you can see from these pictures that he looks in better health than alexei navalny looked and there is a reason for that, he has a high—value prisoner. a development since we last spoke about him come has been thinking this interview with tucker carlson that he wants a swap, and the man he wants is the russian hit man who killed a chechen dissident in germany. that is not a straightforward swap, is that, that is more problematic for the americans surely.— is more problematic for the americans surely. is more problematic for the americans surel . .. ., americans surely. the fact that he sa s he's americans surely. the fact that he says he's in _ americans surely. the fact that he says he's in germany _ americans surely. the fact that he says he's in germany rather- americans surely. the fact that he says he's in germany rather than l says he�*s in germany rather than america but the americans have to convince the germans to do that swap. i think that it is a problematic swap in a lot of different ways, but putin

interestingly has been really going on and on about this, it�*s not clear why he loves him so much that he really wants him back. he seems to be desperate to have him back and he�*s mentioned it on a number of occasions. that tells you something about the value of him. just occasions. that tells you something about the value of him.— about the value of him. just went home and your — about the value of him. just went home and your thoughts - about the value of him. just went home and your thoughts of - about the value of him. just went home and your thoughts of the i about the value of him. just went i home and your thoughts of the most effective repost all of this behaviour seems to be is to redouble our support for ukraine. there is a big debate now, the estonian prime minister talked about at the other day, confiscating the frozen russian assets here around £26 billion in london alone. how united is the international community on that aspect? international community on that asect? , , international community on that asect? , �* international community on that asect? , , �* , aspect? this is something i've been workin: on aspect? this is something i've been working on for— aspect? this is something i've been working on for the _ aspect? this is something i've been working on for the last _ aspect? this is something i've been working on for the last two - aspect? this is something i've been working on for the last two years. i working on for the last two years. it seems kind of obvious to me that this $300 billion of central bank reserves that belongs to russia should be transferred to ukraine. it's should be transferred to ukraine. it�*s kind of a no—brainer. we have a

situation where putin has caused all this damage and we have custody of his money and we can grab it and we should. when he first started talking about it two years ago, people were sort of laughing me out of the room. it�*s never been done before, we couldn�*t do this, how could you suggest it, but this time has, or has gone is the damage has been increasing in ukraine the conversations have become much warmer. the foreign secretary has been publicly advocating for this and various international conferences, as he mentioned, the estonian prime minister, a piece of legislation going through the us senate, the rico act which would do this. and in canada a piece of legislation which is artie been passed of the present assets repurchasing enactments of this is all starting to come together. we are u- all starting to come together. we are up against the break. i wish we could talk more about it. thank you for coming on the programme has he

been. always good to thoughts. speaking to us on the programme. we will get to our panel shortly after the break. plenty more to come. hello there. the next couple of days look pretty unsettled. we�*ll see two areas of low pressure moving in. bringing wet and windy weather to our shores. could see some issues with localised flooding in places as the ground is already so saturated. but one thing noticeable for the next few days, despite the wind and the rain, it will stay very mild before things turn colder from thursday onwards. now through tonight, that wet, windy, milderweather spreads its way northwards. but initially ahead of that rain, it will turn quite cold across some northern and eastern areas. a touch frost perhaps for northeast scotland, but temperatures recovering — nine or ten degrees across southern and western areas by the end of the night. and here it is, this area of low pressure, a fairly deep feature with quite a few isobars on the chart

indicating windy weather with gales certainly around coasts of irish sea coasts, northern and eastern parts of scotland could see the strongest gusts. the rain splashing its way eastward through the morning. into the afternoon, starts to push out into the north sea. skies brighten up behind it, but it does remain blustery for all areas. some showers running into northern and western scotland. but it might hang back, i think across eastern england with regards to the cloud and the rain. but these temperatures again above the seasonal norm, 11 to 13 celsius. as we head through wednesday night, it�*s dry for a time. then we see another area of low pressure gathering force out west that will bring a band of showery rain into northern and western areas. that rain starts to pep up, begins to cross england and wales. again, a fairly mild night to come across the south, something a bit cooler working its way into northern and western areas. that�*s a sign of things to come as we head through thursday, as this low pressure system, with its heavy rain and strong winds across the south, spreads across the country and pushes on in towards the north sea, starts to open the floodgates to a much

colder west northwest. that�*s when you can see that�*s evident here with the blue colours, not particularly very cold, but certainly colder than what we�*ve had over the last week or so. so a rather unsettled, wet day to come, i think, for much of the country, certainly england and wales on thursday, windy in the south. as the rain pulls away, the colder air starts to move in. so those showers begin to turn wintry over the higher ground of northern and western hills. and notice the temperatures as well. it will be noticeable. 5 to 9 degrees factor in the wind. it�*ll feel colder than that. it stays fairly unsettled into the weekend. sunshine and showers again, these wintry over northern and western hills and nights will be turning colder with some frost.

hello, i�*m christian fraser. you�*re watching the context on bbc news. i refuse to quit. south carolina will vote on saturday. but on sunday, i�*ll still be running for president. i�*m not going anywhere. we have to do what's good for our party, _ we have to do what's good for our party, and — we have to do what's good for our party, and she was up, but she's doing _ party, and she was up, but she's doing a _ party, and she was up, but she's doing a speech like she won. she didnt— doing a speech like she won. she didn't win, — doing a speech like she won. she didn't win, she lost. joining us on our panel tonight is tara setmayer, a resident scholar at the uva�*s center for politics and former communication director for the republican party, and peter walker, political correspondent for the guardian.