Russia has previously denied any involvement in the opposition leader’s death

The foreign secretary has said Russia poisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a toxin from a dart frog.

Mr Navalny died at a Siberian penal colony two years ago. On Saturday, February 14, following analysis of material samples found on his body, the UK and its allies stated that Russia carried out the attack.

The Russian authorities have previously strenuously denied any involvement in his death. But the Foreign Office said there is no innocent explanation for the toxin, Epibatidine, being found on the body.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper met with Mr Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya at the Munich Security Conference this weekend. Mrs Navalnaya announced her husband’s death at the gathering in 2024.

Speaking from the conference, Ms Cooper said: “Since Yulia Navalnaya announced the loss of her husband here in Munich two years ago, the UK has pursued the truth of Alexei Navalny’s death with fierce determination. Only the Russian Government had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment in Russia.

“Today, beside his widow, the UK is shining a light on the Kremlin’s barbaric plot to silence his voice. Russia saw Navalny as a threat. By using this form of poison the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition.”

A joint statement from the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands published on Friday states the countries are “confident that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a lethal toxin”.

The statement reads: “This is the conclusion of our Governments based on analyses of samples from Alexei Navalny. These analyses have conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine. Epibatidine is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America. It is not found naturally in Russia.

“Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. But given the toxicity of epibatidine and reported symptoms, poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death. Navalny died while held in prison, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison to him. Russia’s repeated disregard for international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention is clear.”

Putin arch-rival Alexei Navalny died after being poisoned with a lethal toxin and Russia is to blame for the attack, the UK and its allies have said.

The UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said on Saturday during a press conference at the Munich security conference that analysis of samples from Navalny “have conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine.”

It is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America.

Yulia Navalnaya, his widow, appeared at a press conference at the event to announce the discovery.

For the latest updates on the Munich security conference, read our live blog HERE

The countries said that “only the Russian state had the combined means, motive and disregard for international law” to carry out the attack on the Russian opposition leader.

The allies also pointed to an attempt to poison Mr Navalny with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020, which followed the Salisbury poisonings in 2018.

They will now send their findings to the UN’s chemical weapons watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests, died in a penal colony in Siberia in February 2024.

He was serving a 19-year sentence that he believed to be politically motivated.

Ms Navalnaya said last year that two independent labs had found that her husband was poisoned shortly before his death. She has repeatedly blamed Putin for Navalny’s death, something Russian officials have vehemently denied.

It is not clear how the frog poison was allegedly administered to Navalny.

This story is being updated

HMRC has warned people to be wary of pension withdrawals

Brits have been advised to think carefully before tapping into their private pension pots. It follows warnings that some seemingly “helpful” guidance could result in a substantial tax bill.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) stated that certain schemes offering tax relief or additional income can constitute tax avoidance – leaving people not only with unexpected tax bills but also interest and penalties. The tax authority issued an alert via a post on X, saying: “Think twice before accessing your private pension pot. It may count as tax avoidance and could end up costing you more than you expect.”

This comes as experts say some unscrupulous advisers are targeting workers with schemes that sound too good to be true. HMRC emphasised that everyone is responsible under UK law for paying the correct amount of tax, even if they rely on someone else’s advice.

The tax authority highlighted that payments made outside the official tax rules are classified as unauthorised payments, and tax charges are payable. These include most lump sums taken before age 55, lump sums exceeding £30,000, and continued payments after a member’s death.

Payments made due to incorrectly calculated pension transfers or annuities can also be classified as unauthorised. “Unscrupulous firms are using misleading information to promote personal loans or cash incentives, enticing savers to unlock their pension pots early,” HMRC warned.

“There is no legal loophole – these transactions are unauthorised payments.”

Unauthorised payments are subject to three tax charges:

• A 40% unauthorised payment charge, payable by the member (or employer if applicable).
• An additional 15% unauthorised payments surcharge if 25% or more of a pension pot is withdrawn in a year, bringing the total tax payable to 55%.
• A scheme sanction charge of 40%, payable by the scheme administrator on most unauthorised payments, loans, or investments in taxable property.

Members can settle the tax either through a mandate permitting the scheme to deduct it, or via Self Assessment. HMRC emphasised that ignoring the issue only escalates the bill.

Think before you leap

HMRC’s recent reminder comes as experts warn that some advisers are enticing workers with schemes promising extra income or tax relief, which are in fact avoidance schemes. Tax avoidance typically involves artificial arrangements created solely to minimise tax.

Workers should be cautious of payments that don’t align with their payslip, untaxed loans, or capital advances. Those entangled in such schemes face the owed tax, plus interest and any fees already paid to the scheme promoter.

Seek assistance before it’s too late

Anyone suspecting involvement in a tax avoidance or unauthorised pension scheme should contact HMRC immediately. “Ignoring the problem is not the answer. The longer you leave it, the bigger the tax bill,” the authority cautioned.

Support is available to safely exit schemes, and payment plans can be arranged for those unable to pay all at once. Dubious schemes can be reported online or by telephone on 0800 788 887 (or +44 (0)203 0800 871 from outside the UK). Reports can be submitted anonymously using code ‘TAC’.

The area remains cordoned off.

Police have taped off a main street in a Scots town following an early-morning crash.

Emergency services were called to the collision on Main Street in East Whitburn, West Lothian, at 6.25am on Saturday, February 14. Crews remain at the scene.

It’s currently unknown if there are any injuries. Motorists have been urged to use alternative routes.

Images taken from the scene show a large cordon in place. Multiple cop vehicles are in attendance.

A statement from Police Scotland reads: “Main Street in East Whitburn has been closed between Redmill Court and Copart due to a crash which happened around 6.25am. Motorists are advised to use alternative routes.”

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It’s a shift driven by Instagram, yes, but also by a broader rethinking of luxury. Food has become fashion-adjacent: we’re buying provenance, craft and storytelling, wrapped up in packaging that feels collectable. These are products designed to be seen, not shoved into a cupboard. Think the sort of tins you stack artfully next to your Le Creuset, jars you casually leave by the hob, bottles that earn a permanent spot on the countertop.

Enjoy today’s sunshine while it lasts

Greater Manchester is basking in glorious, long-awaited sunshine on a chilly Valentine’s Day. Clear sunny skies have dominated so far today (February 14), on what one Met Office forecaster described as ‘the best day we’ve seen for some time’.

But clouds are expected to gather as the afternoon goes on, before wintry conditions return later tonight. A yellow weather warning for snow and ice comes into force at 9pm tonight and runs until 10am on Sunday morning.

Click here to prioritise Manchester news in Google from the MEN

The Met Office says ‘snow, heavy at times, may cause some disruption to travel, especially over high ground during Saturday night and Sunday morning’. The warning covers north and east Manchester, plus Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, and parts of Salford and Wigan boroughs.

Met Office maps show a band of rain, sleet and snow moving eastwards later tonight, first hitting Greater Manchester from around 10pm and covering the region within an hour. Maps from the Met Office suggest this will first land as rain and sleet, turning to snow by 11pm.

Thicker snow is expected in the early hours of the morning. At 1am, thicker snow is forecast around Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, while sleet and rain hits Wigan.

Wetter weather could hit Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Wigan from around 2.30am, with snow lingering on areas of higher ground after 3am. Rain should begin to clear at around the same time, before wintry conditions shift from the region by 5am.

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A mostly dry morning is forecast in Greater Manchester on Sunday, but a band of heavy rain is expected to hit the region from 11.30am, moving eastwards until it clears the area by 1.30pm. Further spells of light rain and showers are forecast as the afternoon and evening goes on.

Standard Sport understands Tudor will be a candidate for the full-time role if he does well between now and the end of the season, but it appears likelier that they will look elsewhere for the permanent appointment in the summer – with ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino tipped by some for a romantic return to the club.

The tool was launched a decade ago to help taxpayers calculate how much they would receive when they reach state pension age.

However, an investigation by The Telegraph revealed that the tool may have given up to 800,000 users forecasts that were too high.

This was due to an error that remained unfixed for nine years.

What is the State Pension?

The State Pension is a government-provided payment in the UK that is typically paid every four weeks to people who have reached the State Pension age, which is currently 66.

As the Gov.uk website explains, you can claim the new State Pension when you reach State Pension age if you’re

• a man born on or after April 6, 1951
• a woman born on or after April 6, 1953

The payment is not automatic and instead relies on having at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance (NI) contributions.

To receive the full new state pension of £230.25 a week, you will need 35 full years of qualifying National Insurance contributions.

HMRC state pension tool error finally fixed

The Telegraph investigation revealed that the tool’s misinformation risked people retiring on lower state pensions than expected.

It also deprived users of the opportunity to increase their weekly payments to tackle the shortfall.

Ministers were reportedly first made aware of the error in the tool in 2017, but it took four years before any fixes were implemented.

There were already some 360,000 incorrect estimates dished out by 2019.

An error was corrected for people reaching state pension age before April 2029.

However, HMRC said that some people due to reach state pension age after that date were still incorrectly being told they would receive the full amount and did not need to make extra payments.

The tool also did not reflect that when someone retires, a deduction is made from their final state pension for any periods when they were contracted out.

Due to this error, up to 800,000 people could have been told incorrectly that they did not need to make any more National Insurance contributions to reach the qualifying number of years.

The Government told The Telegraph it did not know how many people were affected.

HMRC published a message on Monday aimed at users checking their state pension forecast via their Government Gateway account.

It said that a planned system update on February 13 would “improve the accuracy of forecasts” and advised anyone who will reach state pension age after April 2029 to wait until Feb 14 to use the tool.

HMRC apologises as it fixes state pension tool error

A HMRC spokesperson said: “We have made a planned update to our online Check your State Pension tool to ensure customers who reach state pension age after April 2029 will receive a forecast which takes into account the years they were contracted out.

“We’re sorry for the problems that some people have experienced with the tool in the past, but are pleased to confirm this update will ensure customers who reach state pension age after April 2029 will now receive a forecast which takes into account the years they were contracted out.”

HMRC said previously that it would allow those affected by the error to top up their National Insurance contributions by making lump sum payments of up to £907 per missing year.

As hundreds of federal and local agents scoured the Arizona desert and chased down potential leads in the nearly two weeks since Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her affluent neighborhood, families of other missing people are reminded how elusive answers can be.

On the one hand, families who spoke to The Associated Press share in the deep pain that Nancy Guthrie’s children, including the well-known “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, have expressed publicly.

On the other, people like Tonya Miller — whose own mother disappeared under suspicious circumstances in Missouri in 2019 — say they feel frustrated as they watch seemingly endless resources flood into the search for Guthrie.

“Families like ours that have just your normal missing people, they have to fight to get any help,” Miller, 44, said.

Miller’s mother, Betty Miller, is one of the thousands of people who are listed as abducted each year, according to federal statistics. In most cases, families like Tonya Miller’s say it’s a full-time job advocating for a fair and thorough investigation.

Guthrie investigation flooded with resources

The country has been engrossed by the apparent kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, after authorities said they believe she was taken against her will. People in her neighborhood have tied yellow ribbons to tree to express their support.

Multiple news outlets have reported receiving ransom notes, and the Guthrie family has expressed a willingness to pay — although it’s not known whether ransom notes demanding money with deadlines that have already passed were authentic.

In the meantime, several hundred detectives and agents are now assigned to Nancy Guthrie’s investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.

FBI spokesperson Connor Hagan declined to say how many of those agents were federal law enforcement, and how many were already assigned in Arizona. He also didn’t clarify how the federal agency prioritizes different missing persons cases.

However, he said agents from the Critical Incident Response Group, technical experts and intelligence analysts are working to bring Guthrie home. There is also a 24-hour command post where dozens of agents parse through the 13,000 tips that have flooded in from the public, among other responsibilities, according to a post the agency made.

Abductions are rare

The vast majority of people who are reported missing are believed to be runaways — not kidnapped or abducted.

Throughout all of 2024, the latest year that National Crime Information Center published the data, over 530,000 missing person records were entered. By the end of the year, just over 90,000 cases remained unresolved on that list — some going back decades.

Roughly 95% of the hundreds of thousands of cases filed in 2024 were believed to be runaways and only 1% were listed as abducted.

Often, the abductor is a parent who doesn’t have legal guardianship over a child, the report said. It’s even more rare for someone to be abducted by a stranger.

Disproportionately Black and Indigenous people

The FBI names five kidnapped or missing people, including Nancy Guthrie, from Arizona on its online database of 125 missing or kidnapped people. All five from Arizona are listed as Native American or otherwise disappeared from tribal communities, except for Guthrie.

That racial trend holds true for the rest of the country, too.

A disproportionate number of Black and Indigenous people were among the abducted in 2024, according to the National Crime Information Center report. Roughly a third of the 533,936 missing people listed as abducted in 2024 were Black, even though the U.S. Census reports only 13% of the U.S. population as Black. Similarly, almost 3% of the missing people listed as abducted were Indigenous, compared to the 1.4% of people who are Indigenous in the U.S. writ large.

“Every person deserves to be safe, and when someone is missing, there should be an immediate, coordinated, and effective response,” Lucy Simpson, the chief executive officer for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center said. “For many Native women, longstanding gaps in resources, coordination, and systemic support for Tribal Nations have made prevention and response more difficult.”

No answers for families

Experts have said that sometimes the attention on high-profile cases can be a major obstacle to law enforcement operations. But Savannah Guthrie’s celebrity status has also garnered extensive resources from the federal and local government — including a $100,000 FBI reward for accurate information about her whereabouts or that could lead to an arrest and conviction of whoever took her.

That’s in stark contrast, Miller said, to the dearth of help she’s received in Sullivan, Missouri, where she’s had to use her own time and money to search for her mom, who was last seen in her apartment in the roughly 7,000 person town. A box of Betty Miller’s prescribed fentanyl patches were missing from the apartment and her prescription eye glasses were left on an armchair, Tonya Miller said. There was a massive scratch on her mom’s front door that wasn’t there before.

The Sullivan Police Department didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment Friday.

Despite those suspicious circumstances, local police didn’t treat her mother’s apartment like a crime scene, Tonya Miller said. She had to beg them to take fingerprints and often had to prod them to follow up on tips filed by the public. In the weeks that followed, Tonya Miller organized search parties, printed out fliers and held fundraisers to scrape together a $20,000 reward for her mother.

Tonya Miller said it has become harder as the years go by to know how to help find her mom. She’s written letters to elected officials at all levels of government, including President Donald Trump.

“I feel so helpless,” Miller said, “because you just don’t know what to do anymore.”

___

Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

A 33-year-old man was taken to hospital by the ambulance service where he later died.

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A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in Belfast earlier this week.

Isaac Koko, 32, with an address at Cromwell Road in the south of the city, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with the murder.

Police said officers attended the scene of the incident in the Cromwell Road area on Wednesday, February 11 following the report of a “concern for safety”.

A 33-year-old man was taken to hospital by the ambulance service where he later died.

The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of the next court appearance.

The case is next due to be mentioned on Tuesday, March 10.

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