you are not dealing with a politician but with a bloody monster. she is very stoic, she was very supportive of alexei the whole way through. i've known alexei for about 12 years, and she's always been there. she's always been by his side. the widow of alexei navalny appealing to european lawmakers. why are the sanctions not working in russia, and what more can the west do to restrict the kremlin�*s access to hi—tech supplies. we will hear tonight from the russian opposition. also tonight a court in northern ireland strikes down a british bill that would grant amnesty to british soldiers linked to crimes during the troubles. and the risk to humpback whales. maybe a fifth of the north pacific pod, wiped out by warming seas in the last 10 years.

good evening. the last time julia navalny visited strasboug, she was with her husband and her children. he was with her in germany recovering, after russian security officials had poisoned him with the deadly nerve agent novichok. three years on she was back. but this time not with her husband. his body has been transferred to moscow, in time for friday's funeral. ms navalany told the european parliament she had spent the past 12 days, since her husband's death in an arctic penal colony, fighting to get his body back from the russian authorities. and even after they had killed him she said they had abused his body and his mother. she urged the politcians to stop thinking of putin, as a politician who plays by their rules. on his orders, alexei was tortured for three years. he was starved in a tiny stone

cell, cut off from the outside world and denied visits, phone calls, and then even letters. and then they killed him. even after that, they abused his body and abused his mother. on the one hand, the public murder has once again shown everyone that putin is capable of anything and that you cannot negotiate with him. you cannot defeat him by thinking he is a man of principle who has morals and rules. he is not like that. and alexei... alexei realised that a long time ago. you are not dealing with a politician, but with a bloody monster.

the sanctions are not working. today's economic report from russia bears that out. the economy has been hit with 16,500 sanctions, targeting energy, finance, defence, logistics, aviation. but it outperformed europe and the us in 2023, growing 3.6%. direct imports to russia from europe and the us obviously fell. but russia has found new suppliers in asia and the middle east to fill the gap in imports. 10% of gdp is coming from war—related fiscal stimulus. the polish foreign minister says the whole economy is on a war footing. russia may have suffered over 350 casualties, both dead and wounded. but as we know, in dictatorships, human life is cheap. putin has crashed dissidents, murdered alexei navalny, move the country's economy to a war footing, boosted production

of artillery shells and around the clock, russia has started building more factories and running its existing plans and triple shifts. during my last trip to kyiv in december, ukrainians described how the invaders were so much better equipped than they fired eight artillery rounds for everyone that could master. that is not a way to win. let's speak to maxim katz, 0pposition activist and political strategist. he is here in the uk, actually i'm not sure where you are. we probably shouldn't say where you are. let's talk about what we heard that the european parliament today. yuli said alexi's work will continue full stop he will continue to do that? it’s he will continue to do that? it's aood that he will continue to do that? it�*s good that she said she will continue his work. it's very important,

because russian opposition will have a leader. we have some sort of what we will do now. aleksei navalny was the leader of the russian opposition, and she will now continue his work.— opposition, and she will now continue his work. alexei navalny didn't 'ust continue his work. alexei navalny didn'tjust oppose _ continue his work. alexei navalny didn'tjust oppose vladimir - continue his work. alexei navalny didn'tjust oppose vladimir putin, i didn'tjust oppose vladimir putin, he exposed him. he lifted a lead on the corruption and the criminality. either those kinds of people within the movement who can show the russian people what he is up to? i think this process of showing the russian people is mostly already done by alexei navalny. he has a movie about the powers that putin built for himself, he has about 140 million views on youtube, which is almost the same number as the population of russia. i think everybody knows that the russian government is corrupt. the next steps are making a political action

together, the main struggle is to bring together at least the opposition, and the people who oppose putin, to act to make a political action together. i hope you earlier will do it. fine political action together. i hope you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to — you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to go _ you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to go to _ you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to go to the _ you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to go to the funeral- you earlier will do it. one presumes she want to go to the funeral on - she want to go to the funeral on friday, what sort of event is that going to be, and what is the risk to those who attend? we going to be, and what is the risk to those who attend?— going to be, and what is the risk to those who attend? we don't know yet. the russian — those who attend? we don't know yet. the russian government _ those who attend? we don't know yet. the russian government will— those who attend? we don't know yet. the russian government will do - the russian government will do everything it can, this won't be a public event. they tried to pressure the mother of alexei navalny so she will agree to a quiet, fine family funeral. she didn't agree to that. i don't know yet what will happen, and now moscow police have started to hand out fines and two weeks in jail for people who came to put flowers on a memorial on the day of the

death of alexei navalny. these kinds of things can happen for people who will come to the funeral. we don't know yet. will come to the funeral. we don't know et. . �* , ., ., know yet. that's figure on our screens at _ know yet. that's figure on our screens at the _ know yet. that's figure on our screens at the moment, - know yet. that's figure on our screens at the moment, 3.696 know yet. that's figure on our i screens at the moment, 3.696 of screens at the moment, 3.6% of economy grows, that will surprise a lot of people. a message today is that sanctions aren't working, zero p that sanctions aren't working, zero p and parliamentarians aren't doing enough. why? why are they not working? enough. why? why are they not workin: ? , , . enough. why? why are they not workinu? , , ., ., working? this is a long conversation. - working? this is a long conversation. to - working? this is a long conversation. to put i working? this is a long conversation. to put it| working? this is a long - conversation. to put it short, i think the sanctions have no goal, no strategy or plan. europe and the western countries tried to hold accountable russia and putin, and things like this, but there is no practical plan once the sanctions will affect russian economy. the us continue to send huge amounts of money to russia, to putin, there is no sanctions on buying things from russia. mostly not. buying gas, oil.

there are some sanctions, but still huge amounts of money is flowing into russia, and putin is using this money for the war. he is keeping his economy running. 0n the other hand, no efforts to make... a lot of people want to leave russia. but not a lot of effort is being done to offer these people are possibility to exit russia and live somewhere else. in my opinion, the sanctions have no firm strategy, no western leadership can say what strategy is, and the practical steps the sanctions need to achieve. not the moral part of internal politics part of the story, to show your constituency is that you as tough and russia, but nobody discussed...

even publicly. and russia, but nobody discussed... even publicly-— even publicly. practically speaking, what are they _ even publicly. practically speaking, what are they of _ even publicly. practically speaking, what are they of course _ even publicly. practically speaking, what are they of course have - even publicly. practically speaking, what are they of course have to - even publicly. practically speaking, what are they of course have to do | what are they of course have to do is to stop the high—tech equipment getting into russia, which is being used to resupply the armed forces. so, there was a committee hearing yesterday before the senate and services committee in washington, and 211 american manufactured products were used to kill ukrainians on the battlefield. american components in them. major us companies, intel, texas instruments, that ibm, the chip manufacturer amd. all of their kit is getting to russia. how is it getting there? do they know it's getting there? do they know it's getting there? do they know it's getting there?— getting there? yes, it's getting there because _ getting there? yes, it's getting there because russia _ getting there? yes, it's getting there because russia has - getting there? yes, it's getting there because russia has a - getting there? yes, it's getting there because russia has a lot| getting there? yes, it's getting i there because russia has a lot of money. in the modern world, in modern economy of 2024, you cannot stop things flowing anyway. you can

take the example the war on drugs. a huge of money, huge prison terms are given to those who are bringing drugs, for example, to the united states. the drugs are still flowing in because there are people who have many and want to buy them. you cannot do nothing with this. the only thing you can do in the case of russia is making sure that putin won't have this many. if you're sending him dollars and euros and buying gas and oilfrom him, and other different stuff, he will be able to get this many, others modern equipment in. you want to be able to do anything. the equipment in. you want to be able to do anything-— do anything. the problem with that... do anything. the problem with that- -- he _ do anything. the problem with that... he is— do anything. the problem with that... he is finding _ do anything. the problem with | that... he is finding alternative markets to sell his oil and gas. the asian market he has turned you. we documented it on the bbc that oil

which comes out of russia is refined in third countries and shipped to western markets. there are easy ways around the sanctions that are in place, so what is the answer? is it tougher penalties for oil companies for high—tech companies so that they do their own detective work to stop some of that material going on? i don't know the answer about that. but the way through india or china is much more complicated for russia, and they get rupees or grand, not euros or dollars. it's competed to get equipment. brain drain and many drain, this is two things the west can do in terms of sanction in russia. practical things, can do in terms of sanction in russia. practicalthings, not moral or big important committees that

will decide to hold russia accounts. brain drain and many drain, to think thatis brain drain and many drain, to think that is possible to do and should be done. and then putin won't have the money to buy the stuff, and then he would have it. just money to buy the stuff, and then he would have it-_ would have it. just a final one, the commission _ would have it. just a final one, the commission president _ would have it. just a final one, the commission president has - would have it. just a final one, the commission president has said - commission president has said tonight that europe should look very firmly at the many that he has frozen in european banks and in western banks, about 300 billion euros of russian that should be used... you are russian, opposed the regime, but this is russian many which could do an awful lot of good in your country. how do you feel about that, the frozen assets in banks? . . , about that, the frozen assets in banks? , . , ., about that, the frozen assets in banks? , ., ., ., banks? this many want to do any good to my country — banks? this many want to do any good to my country today. _ banks? this many want to do any good to my country today. if— banks? this many want to do any good to my country today. if it _ banks? this many want to do any good to my country today. if it will - banks? this many want to do any good to my country today. if it will be - to my country today. if it will be in the hands of putin, that is. it

would be good in the future if russia want to be with putin in power. this is a whole different internal story of europe in courts, i cannot comment on this. i don't know enough. thank you very much for coming on the programme. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a man has been convicted of murdering emma caldwell 18 years after police first identified him as a potential suspect in the case. iain packer strangled the 27—year—old in april 2005 and left her naked body in remote woods in south lanarkshire. the 51—year—old will receive an automatic life sentence. ministers are consulting backbench tory mps on watering down planned protections for renters in england.

the bbc has seen a series of draught government amendments to a bill which aims to ban landlords from evicting tenants without a reason. the proposed changes come from mps who had concerns about no—fault evictions and wanted to increase rights for landlords. the rapperja rule says he has been denied entry into the united kingdom just days before his tour was due to start in cardiff. the us musician was due to kick off the british leg of his latest tour in the welsh capital on friday. you're live with bbc news. french maritime authorities have confirmed that a rescue operation to assist about 180 people attempting to cross the channel was carried out today. it's happened off cap gris nez near calais. those being rescued told the french emergency services that three people had fallen overboard. two are missing, presumed dead. and one person was recovered

from the water, but could not be resuscitated. earlier, our correspondent in paris hugh schofield gave me an update. i understand if not a number of people were on the boat, but a number of rescues were taken during the day. it's been a very busy day for crossings, and possibly means that there was a weather window which the groups that operate these crossings thought they needed to exploit as quickly as possible. from very early in the morning, three or fourin very early in the morning, three or four in the morning, there were crossings going out and the french authorities were intervening police and navy vessels were interfering early in the day to rescue people in difficulty. 0verall throughout the last, not quite 24 hours really, they rescued this 180 figure number. but as a series of these incidents was this afternoon when a boat with 50 or so people on board were told ljy 50 or so people on board were told by the naval authorities got into

some difficulty of the distance of the coast. two navy vessels and a helicopter got to the scene, they were told there were three people missing and one of them was found and were unable to revive him, and two others are missing. that is the picture, it seems it was a busy day, and a series of incidents. luckily, most of them close to the coast. 0ne most of them close to the coast. one i am told, but split into, but was near the coasts of the migrants were able to swim back to the shore. this one incident was more serious. hugh schofield reporting _ one incident was more serious. hugh schofield reporting from paris. at the end of last year the irish government announced it would begin a legal challenge against the uk government over its decision to offer immunity for crimes that took place during the troubles. victims' groups in the south, had lobbied dublin to challenge the bill in the european court in strasbourg. but it was also opposed by the main parties in northern ireland.

and today the high court in belfast ruled it was in breach of the european convention on human rights. more than 3500 people died during the troubles. the government's new independent commission for reconciliation, and information recovery was given powers to grant immunity to anyone who co—operates with investigations. the commission lead by retired judge, sir declan morgan, will have a £250 million budget and a staff of several hundred. so where does today's ruling leave the governments plans, and the families efforts to get to the truth? explosions. more than 3,500 people were killed during the conflict known as the troubles. the question of how deaths should be investigated is contentious, complex and emotive. most victims strongly oppose the government's plan to end inquests and grant conditional amnesties to suspects who give information to a new commission. i got half of my case today,

but i have not given up the fight. martina dillon is one of the bereaved relatives who took the legal challenge. her husband, seamus, was shot dead by loyalists outside a bar in 1997. i've been living in pure hell since 1997. i haven't got out in 1997. every day it's 1997 to me. my greatest hope was to come and be awarded my inquest. i'm fighting for truth and justice for my husband. i have to speak for me. can't speak for himself. the family successfully applied for a ruling that the provision for amnesties was in breach of international human rights law. the judge said the measure wouldn't help reconciliation, as the government had claimed. so it's back to parliament and back to the uk government about what they are going to do next. we urge them to repeal this legislation and put in its place processes that will finally prioritise victims and vindicate their rights. victims' lawyers had also argued that the commission wouldn't

have the powers to carry out sufficient investigations. the judge disagreed with that. the minister in charge of the legislation, called the legacy act, indicated he was planning a full appeal. it will take some time to consider, but we will consider mrjustice coulson's findings very, very carefully. but we do remain committed to implementing the legacy act. it may take a few years for these issues to be fully resolved. the case here in belfast may well eventually be heard at the supreme court in london and, in separate legal proceedings, the irish government is taking a challenge against the uk at the european court of human rights. northern ireland is a place where history hurts. those who've suffered personal pain believe that today they've increased the political pressure. chris page, bbc news, belfast. let's get more analysis with allison morris from the belfast telegraph.

my my sis you again, thank you for your time. the relatives forjustice, the anti—victim, and human rights, anti—rule of law. so does today's link inside it to the bin? hat link inside it to the bin? not necessarily. _ link inside it to the bin? not necessarily. there _ link inside it to the bin? not necessarily. there is - link inside it to the bin? iirrt necessarily. there is a number of things that could happen. the british government could appeal this decision. it could go up to the supreme court. it could rewrite the legislation in terms of what they declared today, and make more human rights compatible, or repealed immediately, which is what the victims would like and start again from scratch. building a system for information recovery which is more victim centred, and more human rights compliant, which they ruled that... borisjohnson promised this appeal to backbench pensions, and it

was designed to stop any future investigations or prosecutions of soldiers who served in northern ireland. we have now been told that the amnesty is completely incompatible with european human rights act, and therefore cannot stand as it is in law. just rights act, and therefore cannot stand as it is in law.— stand as it is in law. just for context. — stand as it is in law. just for context, one _ stand as it is in law. just for context, one of _ stand as it is in law. just for context, one of the - stand as it is in law. just for. context, one of the supporters stand as it is in law. just for- context, one of the supporters of the spill wasjohnny mercer, who fulfilled a pledge that he made to former soldiers, fulfilled a pledge that he made to formersoldiers, one fulfilled a pledge that he made to former soldiers, one who died. in his view, it was the legal system handing veterans who, some of them now, in the 80s. it expose them to costly civil cases. is everything backin costly civil cases. is everything back in the balance for these veterans tonight?— back in the balance for these veterans tonight? there has only ever been a _ veterans tonight? there has only ever been a handful _ veterans tonight? there has only ever been a handful of _ veterans tonight? there has only | ever been a handful of convictions post—good friday agreement. some have been former paramilitaries, others former members of the british army. i thinkjohnny mercer would say, these are fixations, but

prosecutions when they have reached court, they have to be quite stringent. if there is evidence that someone has committed a crime, whether they date wearing a balaclava or a uniform, of a member of the police or the army, the european court of human rights... people would expect that person to be prosecuted. i do think that time is running out for those prosecutions anyway, she said, a lot of the people are very elderly. witnesses no longer exist. in nay evidence didn't exist at the time. most victims were quite realistic about the fact they will not get a criminal prosecution. many really want to truth and information recovery, but didn't see this legislation as the proper path to get that, and to reach that conclusion. i get that, and to reach that conclusion.— get that, and to reach that conclusion. , , ., , conclusion. i supposed to play devils advocate _ conclusion. i supposed to play devils advocate on _ conclusion. i supposed to play devils advocate on this, - conclusion. i supposed to play devils advocate on this, when | conclusion. i supposed to play - devils advocate on this, when you

look at what happened in south africa with the truth and reconciliation process there, the amnesty that was given brought people forward to bring the truth. 0therwise people forward to bring the truth. otherwise they wouldn't have done. witnesses are dying, people are suspected of dying. this is the last shotin suspected of dying. this is the last shot in the next four years to get answered for the family she suffered. ~ answered for the family she suffered-— answered for the family she suffered. ~ ., ., ., . , answered for the family she suffered. ~ ., ., ., _ suffered. we do need a legacy. some sort of legacy — suffered. we do need a legacy. some sort of legacy mechanism, _ suffered. we do need a legacy. some sort of legacy mechanism, linked - suffered. we do need a legacy. some sort of legacy mechanism, linked to l sort of legacy mechanism, linked to the past. it is so that pics away and prevent our peace protest from being fully realise. i don't think that south african model of truth and reconciliation, back when i was reporting in the late 90s, there was a lot of talks of as having the same sort of style as the south african reconciliation process, but it's too small of a place for that. people lived on the same street, their children or grandchildren went to the same school that were killed.

when not large enough or mature enough to deal with that kind of truth and reconciliation information, but there are other mechanisms. they can also report, which could be released next month, but a very specific period of the troubles. it could be carried out by actual detectives and police officers, and a way to reach the truth. a lot of victims felt it was whitewashing over their issues and the process wasn't going to be open and accountable. what we have seen as the judges say the commission itself is not unlawful, and could very well be article to compliance, it could meet human rights standards, we don't know yet. bright just very quickly, obviously, the us congress and dublin have taken a very keen interest in this. it frustrated the northern ireland minister, if you look at what crimes were committed in the republic,...

there were killings that took place in northern ireland, with those people escaping across the border to this site. this approach would be far more sensible way to take on the legacy problem is that we have, and would be good if you can find a situation where the two governments could agree on a mechanism.- could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovel to could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovely to see — could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovely to see you. _ could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovely to see you. thank _ could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovely to see you. thank you - could agree on a mechanism. alison, lovely to see you. thank you for- lovely to see you. thank you for context of that. we're going to take a short break, will be back very soon. plenty more to come. hello. well, it's certainly been a cloudy day today. the cloud has been extensive across the uk — but we did manage a few breaks in the cloud, particularly across northern and eastern scotland, and to the eastern side of the pennines, as well. and that did allow some limited bright spells through — edinburgh, one of the cheerier places. otherwise, there was some drizzle,

particularly across western areas. it was mild — 13 celsius recorded in exeter earlier on. now overnight tonight, we've got a band of rain that's set to move its way southwards and eastwards across the country. that will clear away from scotland and northern ireland, where we'll see some fairly heavy showers working in during the second half of the night. temperatures about 5—6 celsius in the north, but ten across east anglia, in southeast england, where it'll be a very mild start to thursday. thursday will see cooler air work in from the north and west, but a weather front will bring some persistent outbreaks of rain across east anglia and southeast england, where it'll probably be raining, for some of you, pretty much all day. away from that, brighter weather conditions, but sunshine and showers for scotland and northern ireland where the showers will be heavy with some hail mixed in. temperatures about 7—9 celsius, so a smidge below average for this time of year. 0n into friday's forecast — where we've got this area of low pressure and this occluded front that's set to bring the risk of some hill snow. now, the risk area's really across the higher areas

of northern ireland, the southern uplands, in scotland, peaks, pennines, cumbrianfells, and northern parts of wales. above 200 metres elevation — that's where the greatest risk of snow is. there could be some places that see a little bit more than five centimetres of snow bringing the threat of some disruption. however, at lower elevations where the vast majority of us live, we're looking atjust cold outbreaks of rain. and underneath this slow—moving band of rain, i think for a good chunk of the day, temperatures really will struggle at around three celsius or so. away from that, we're about 7—9 celsius. 0n into the weekend's forecast, the same area of low pressure stays overhead. so it's an unsettled start to the weekend, a day on saturday of sunshine and showers. the showers heavy with some hail, thunder, a bit of sleet mixed — and still cold enough for a bit of snow across the highest hills in the north of the uk — and temperatures again just running a little bit below average, particularly so across the northern half of the country. a few more showers into sunday, then next week, rain at times in the west. largely dry across the east.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. a bbc panorama investigation finds timber taken from rare forests in canada is being burnt at drax power station.

sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here's will perry. hello. there are four games under way in the last 16 of the fa cup. fresh from their league cup defeat, chelsea have come from behind to lead leeds 2—1. mikailo mudryk has put them infont. it's still goalless betwen nottingham forest and manchester united. wolves are 1—0 up against brighton at molinieux through mario lemina and it's still scoreless between liverpool and southampton at anfield. these ties will be decided on the night even if we need extra time or penalties. the draw for the quarter fianas has been made, there's the possibility of manchester united takng on liverpol should they get through. just four days ahead of fi's opening grand prix of the season in bahrain, red bull's team principal christian horner has been

cleared of inappropriate and controlling behaviour towards a female collegaue.