Russian opposition leader Alexei Navlany‘s sudden death
in an Arctic prison last week leaves unanswered questions as leaders in the U.S. sound the alarm about the Russian government. An ally of Navalny
said Monday that Russian authorities will not release the Russian opposition leader’s body for two weeks.
“The investigators told the lawyers and Alexey’s mother that they would not give them the body. The body will be under some sort of ‘chemical examination’ for another 14 days,” Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a video posted online that the Russian government is “vilely and cowardly … hiding his body, not showing it to his mother, not giving it back.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied any involvement in Navalny’s death, despite President Biden and other Western leaders calling out Putin and pinning blame for the Russian opposition leader’s death on him. Biden called it “yet more proof of Putin’s brutality” and Navalnaya has said she’ll take on her husband’s work against Putin.
While lawmakers in Congress have for months debated sending additional aid to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, Navalny’s death and U.S.-Russia relations more broadly are also serving as a flashpoint on the campaign trail. GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has used Navalny’s death to attack former
President Trump‘s past praise for Putin. Haley on Monday called Trump “weak in the knees” when dealing with Putin. For his part, Trump compared Navalny’s death to his own legal issues in a Truth Social post. |
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Welcome to Evening Report and Happy Presidents’ Day! I’m Liz Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what’s coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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- The E.U. has opened an investigation
into TikTok‘s impact on minors.
- Presidential experts ranked President Biden as the nation’s 14th best president, while former President Trump came in last.
- Comedian John Oliver says he’ll pay Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas $1 million a year to vacate the bench.
- Everything you need to know about former President Trump‘s legal issues, via The Hill.
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Man accused of breaking Pelosi sign on Jan. 6 arrested
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An Oregon man who is accused of breaking a sign outside then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s (D-Calif.) office during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol has been arrested, after allegedly bragging about it.
David Medina
, 34, faces felony and misdemeanor charges, the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington announced late last week. Charges he face include destruction of government property, entering or remaining in a restricted area without authority and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted area, among others. |
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Senate colleagues fed up with Graham’s ‘annoying’ moves |
Senators across the political spectrum who have worked for years with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are upset and baffled over his opposition to a $95 billion defense and foreign aid package.
Graham’s support for the spending plan was seen as crucial to getting Republican senators on board and pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to bring the measure to the House floor.
Without Graham, the bill fell short of supporters’ goals and now faces a unknown fate in the House.
Now, some senators who thought Graham was on their side told The Hill they feel like he pulled the rug out from under them, as Graham appears to try to curry favor with former
President Trump.
“He got sucked into the Trump orbit, and he is so zealously about his own self-preservation in South Carolina that he literally would push his mother in front of a train to get to where he needs to be,” one senator told The Hill. “I hate to say it because I actually like him.”’ |
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Israel sets Ramadan deadline for feared Rafah invasion |
Israeli officials have set a Ramadan deadline ahead of a possible move into Rafah, a south Gazan city that has become the largest refugee camp.
“The world must know — and Hamas leaders must know — that if by Ramadan the hostages are not home, then the fighting will continue, including in Rafah,” Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war Cabinet, said at an event Sunday
, previewing the March 10 event.
Israel has argued it needs access to Rafah to continue its fight against Hamas following the Palestinian militant group’s Oct. 7 attack in Israel. |
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Join The Hill’s State of the Union Watch Party
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Samsung DC, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003 |
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President Biden’s State of the Union address will reach the largest audience of the year for him to outline his administration’s policy achievements and priorities. Join The Hill, in partnership with Samsung Electronics America, for a State of the Union watch party with pre-speech analysis, bingo, food, and drinks. REGISTER NOW |
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President’s Day was first celebrated in recognition of George Washington‘s birthday. It was later established as the third Monday in February. |
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Larry Hogan’s surprise Senate bid sends shockwaves
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Larry Hogan
isn’t running for president, but the Republican former governor of Maryland has still managed to surprise political watchers with his bid to run for Senate, aiming to replace outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
The seat was expected to be a safe Democratic win, despite Cardin’s retirement after nearly two decades.
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Florida measles outbreak sounds alarms about vaccines
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The Florida Department of Health (FDH) is investigating a measles outbreak in the state.
According to the FDH, at least four cases have been confirmed at Manatee Bay Elementary School.
“The health, safety and welfare of our students and staff remain our utmost priority,” the Broward County Public School District said in a statement. “The school’s principal is keeping families informed and following health department guidelines to safeguard our community.”
The Broward health department said those who have gotten the measles, mumps and rubella immunization are 98 percent protected and unlikely to contract the disease.
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5 days until the South Carolina GOP primary. 15 days
until Super Tuesday. 260 days until the general election. |
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