person has died and two are missin one person has died and two are missing after a migrant boat gets lost in the english channel. the widow of alexei navalny says vladimir putin is a �*mobster�* whose �*gangsters' killed her husband. ghana's parliament passes a tough new bill that imposes prison sentences on anyone convicted of identifying as lgbtq+. new data shows that eu sylum applications jumped welcome to the world today — an hour of international news from the bbc. us senator mitch mcconnell — one of the most powerful republican leaders of recent decades has announced he plans to step down later this year. it's a hugely significant decision — that could have major consequences for us politics — and the world — heading in an election year.

mcconnell is the republican leader in the senate — with a huge say in which laws make their way through congress. he's masterminded some of his party's key achievements of recent years — including the but he has a frosty relationship with donald trump and called him �*morally responsible' for the january sixth attacks on the capitol. mcconnell is the republican leader in the senate — with a huge say in which laws make their way through congress. in a moment we'll speak with our correspondent in washington, but first let's hear from mitch mcconnell making his announcement on the floor of the senate just a short time ago. one of life's most unappreciated talents is to know when it's time to move on life's next chapter. so i stand before you today, mr president, and my colleagues to say this will be my last term

as republican leader of the senate. i'm not going anywhere anytime soon, however i'll complete myjob my colleagues have given me until we select a new leader in november and they take the helm nextjanuary. let's speak to our washington correspondent gary 0 donoghue. we heard what he had to say there, what should we take away from this? well i think in some ways mitch mcconnell is a man who is inhabiting the party that is unrecognisable in terms of the party he joined. it's moved so far to the right under donald trump that it's not something he's particularly in sync with. no, he's particularly in sync with. no, he is a conservative and there are still elements of the republican credo that he goes along with, particularly on things like social

policy and financial policy, but when it comes to things like america's place in the world, free trade, he is completely out of step with the predominant mood and said that party. in some ways this was inevitable, he's also 82 years old, he has suffered health scares in the last year or two, and as he said there, sometimes you realise the time is up and the time for the next generation has come. unlike some of the other people at the top of american politics, he thinks that his time has come.— american politics, he thinks that his time has come. gary, thank you, gary o'donoghue — his time has come. gary, thank you, gary o'donoghue there, _ his time has come. gary, thank you, gary o'donoghue there, our- gary o'donoghue there, our correspondent in washington. let’s correspondent in washington. let's also seak correspondent in washington. let's also speak to _ correspondent in washington. let's also speak to jeremy _ correspondent in washington. let�*s also speak to jeremy hobson, that also speak tojeremy hobson, that appears on npr stations around the united states. how appears on npr stations around the united states.— united states. how will that change the face of the _ united states. how will that change the face of the republican _ united states. how will that change the face of the republican party? i l the face of the republican party? i think it's becoming more of the trump republican party. when i saw there was a news alert about mitch mcconnell today, i thought it had to

do with him endorsing president from's candidacy for ferguson because he still has not done that. but there was a question about whether he was going to have to fall in line. the fact that he decided get down out now, as your correspondent said, he's getting way up correspondent said, he's getting way up there in age, but also he isjust not in tune with today's trunk magda republican party. since january six for the most part, he has not talked to president trump since 2020. it's kind of amazing. he's the most powerful republican in the senate, obviously one of the most powerful republicans in america, and he hasn't talked to the other most powerful republican in america since 2020. he stands for conservative principles but a lot of people in his party have moved away from him. we to look no further than the funding for ukraine, which mitch

mcconnell is in favour of and it couldn't even get a vote in the republican house of representatives. plenty to talk about on the show there isn't a? jeremy hobson from there isn't a? jeremy hobson from the npr stations across the us. the widow of the russian opposition leader alexei navalny has told the european parliament that her husband had been tortured for three years on president putin's orders — and then murdered. in her address in strasbourg, which received a standing ovation, yulia navalnaya said that people outside russia need to understand that vladimir putin is not a politician, but the head of an organised crime gang. she said he can't be negotiated with, and is capable of anything. she promised to continue his work towards a free russia. in a moment we'll speak with a member of european parliament who was in attendance

during her speech, but first let's listen to some of the key moments. 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 showed everyone that putin is capable of anything and that you cannot negotiate with him. and let's just take a moment to remind ourselves of what we know about alexei navalny�*s death. he was of course a vocal critic of president putin. he died in prison in siberia earlier this month — he'd been serving a 19 year sentence, on charges which his supporters said were baseless, and politically motivated. officials say he had fallen ill, and passed away suddenly.

his mother has previously said the official death certificate presented to her claimed her son had died of natural causes. his wife, along with several world leaders have, directly blamed vladimir putin for mr navalny�*s death. last week, the us announced more than 500 new sanctions against russia over navalny�*s death and the invasion of ukraine. let's speak to andrius kubilius, former lithuanian prime minister and member of the european parliament — he was watching yulia navalyna speak thank you forjoining us here on the world today. before we talk about the content of that speech, we saw there the standing ovation. just described to us the atmosphere there as she spoke. it described to us the atmosphere there as she spoke-— as she spoke. it was of course very emotional — as she spoke. it was of course very emotional because _ as she spoke. it was of course very emotional because alexei - as she spoke. it was of course very emotional because alexei navalnyl as she spoke. it was of course very - emotional because alexei navalny was a few years ago was awarded by the

parliament for his fight for democracy, forfreedom in russia. " many of us especially those who were with the russian opposition, we knew his team which is now based in vilnius, so his murder was very close to us, so to listen to his widow yuliya was something very special. widow yuliya was something very secial. �* ., ., widow yuliya was something very secial. �* . . ., special. and again we heard the owerful special. and again we heard the powerful comments _ special. and again we heard the powerful comments that - special. and again we heard the powerful comments that she . special. and again we heard the - powerful comments that she made. what impact do you think they will have. what will change as a result of what she's doing now? first have. what will change as a result of what she's doing now?- of what she's doing now? first of all, of of what she's doing now? first of all. of course _ of what she's doing now? first of all, of course she _ of what she's doing now? first of all, of course she described - of what she's doing now? first of all, of course she described in i of what she's doing now? first of all, of course she described in a l all, of course she described in a very clear way what is putin's regime. she called him a mafia crime boss, a mobster leader of a gang. that's what we have in moscow at

this moment. and this is what we have —— need to have, someone talking that well, maybe, the war should be concluded, negotiation with putin he doesn't want to talk so yuliya was very precise in saying that if we want to help russian transformation, if you want to make the dream of democracy become a reality, statements of concern for condemnation of solidarity with russian opposition and what she called in a very precise way, they are not having any kind of impact on what putin is doing it if we want to help russian people, we need to have more instruments in our hands and we need to use them to power. she named

one of those instruments like to go off the mafia money which has hidden somewhere in europe. we need to do that and much more effective way. i will add to that no additional instrument the fact of which we need to use most effective ways defeat of putin in ukraine, we can assist a ukraine with his military, and support we need to support the opposition in russia because the transformation is needed in order to have novelli's dream become a reality. have novelli's dream become a reali . ., .,, have novelli's dream become a reali . ., , , reality. you feel those instruments ou seak reality. you feel those instruments you speak of _ reality. you feel those instruments you speak of are — reality. you feel those instruments you speak of are sufficiently - you speak of are sufficiently powerful? with a huge number of sanctions that have been laid out russia's doorstep over the last couple of years and still we see

vladimir putin behaving the same way. vladimir putin behaving the same wa _ . ., , vladimir putin behaving the same wa. . .,, , , way. sanctions may be, can be effective but _ way. sanctions may be, can be effective but i _ way. sanctions may be, can be effective but i doubt _ way. sanctions may be, can be effective but i doubt about, . way. sanctions may be, can be| effective but i doubt about, you know, effective those sanctions we are including those sanctions a list of ordinary guys who are working in the prisons because they are not travelling abroad, they do not have any experience abroad for them, and what we need to look really, we need to look to the sanctions which can diminish money flow into russia pockets come into the budget of russia. we need to be much more strict on prohibition of export of russian oil and gas. that is what we're doing but we need to do even more. but also, you know, iwill say what is needed for us, what i see as some kind of basic challenge for the

western leaders especially, is from one side we need to believe that russia can become a democracy. that russia, his dream, of navalny, that his dream can become a reality this is not the case with everybody and there are also people who... russia will never become a democracy. if we allow us to keep that approach to russian future, then of course our supporters and opposition will be very limited. from another side we need not to be afraid of putin defeat, because in some cases we can hear that, you know, in the western capitals when somebody saying that, well, putin defeat there can be someone even worse and that's what we need to avoid and that is why in some cases even military assistant

to ukraine, we need to overcome those two basic challenges, from one side we need to believe russia can become a democracy, from the other side we need not to be afraid of putin defeat.— side we need not to be afraid of putin defeat. ., ~ , ., ., ., putin defeat. thank you for “oining us, putin defeat. thank you for “oining former— putin defeat. thank you for “oining us, former lithuanian h putin defeat. thank you forjoining us, former lithuanian prime - putin defeat. thank you forjoining i us, former lithuanian prime minister and member of the european... thanks for being here. and ghana's anti—gate cracked outcome of the west african nation has passed a tough new bill imposing a prison sentence for anyone convicted of identifying as lgbt q convicted of identifying as lgbt 0 plus. around the world and across the uk, this is the world today on bbc news.

let's look at some other stories making news. a power company that has received £6 billion in uk green subsidies has kept burning wood from some of the world's most precious forests. a bbc panorama investigation has found that drax took timber from rare forests in canada it had claimed were "no—go areas". drax says its wood pellets are "sustainable and legally harvested". aims to band landlords from evicting tenants without a reason, proposed changes come from people who had concerns about no—fault evictions and wanted to increase rates for land—holders. 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. he says his criminal record was the reason for the refusal. you're live with bbc news.

emma caldwell was strangled in her body dumped in the woods of south lanarkshire back in 2005. ian caldwell was also convicted of ii caldwell was also convicted of 11 charges of rape and multiple sexual assaults against 21 other women, making him one of the most prolific sexual offenders in scotland's history. lorna gordon has this report. emma caldwell had a happy upbringing but when her sister died

you abused women who were not necessarily vulnerable but we were in a vulnerable position. your conduct has caused extreme and enduring suffering for so many women. emma caldwell had a happy upbringing but when her sister died from cancer, in her grief, she turned to drugs and prostitution. she'll always be in our thoughts. she'll always be there. she'll always be my emma. the trial heard of her mother's anguish, of how she and her late husband scoured the streets of glasgow searching for emma in the weeks after their daughter went missing. packer was described in court as a jekyll and hyde—type character, a violent, obsessive use of sex workers. packer admitted indecently assaulting emma in the months the trial heard from more than 20 women who said he'd violently attacked them. some told of how he'd taken them to this isolated woodland.

it was here that emma's body was found. one of those who gave evidence against packer, and whose voice has been changed to protect her identity, thinks the concerns that she and other sex workers had about him were ignored by the police. i don't think i have ever been so angry with the police. i am disgusted with how women were treated back then by the police. they made us fear them rather than see them as safe people we could go to tomake reports. instead of receiving justice and compassion they were humiliated, dismissed — compassion they were humiliated, dismissed and in some instances they were arrested. whilst at the police gifted _ were arrested. whilst at the police gifted freedom to an evil predator to rape _ gifted freedom to an evil predator to rape and to rape again.- gifted freedom to an evil predator to rape and to rape again. police in scotland apologised _ to rape and to rape again. police in scotland apologised and _ to rape and to rape again. police in scotland apologised and said - to rape and to rape again. police in scotland apologised and said those that spoke up at the time to duck and the support they deserve. it is

clear that and the support they deserve. it 3 clear that further investigation should have been carried out into emma's murderfollowing should have been carried out into emma's murder following the should have been carried out into emma's murderfollowing the initial inquiry into thousand five. the lack of investigation until 2015 caused unnecessary distress to her family and all of those women who came forward to report sexual violence. emma's family were praised for their courage and determination. no closure for them, thejudge courage and determination. no closure for them, the judge said, even as their daughter's killer was finally brought to justice. lorna gordon, bbc news at the high court in glasgow. french authorities have confirmed that a rescue of people trying to cross the channel was carried out today. three people had fallen overboard, two were missing, presumed dead, and one person was recovered from the water but couldn't be resuscitated. earlier

our correspondent in paris, hugh schofield, gave us this update. i understand it's not the number of people that were on this particular boat but the number of rescues that have taken place during the day. it seems like it's been a very, very busy day for crossings. that probably means there was a weather window which the groups that operate these crossings thought they needed to exploit as quickly as possible. because from very early in the morning there were crossings going out, and the french authorities were police were intervening and from that in the day to rescue people and difficulty, and overall throughout the last not quite 2a hours even, they've rescued 180 people. the most serious of these incidents was this afternoon with the boat with 50 or so people on board, were told by the maritime authority, got into difficulty some distance off the coast and it was when two navy

vessels and a helicopter got to the scene that they were understood and were told there were three people missing and one of them was found and was unable to revive him. and two others are missing. so that's the picture. it seems it was a very busy day and a series of incidents, likely most of them quite near to the coast so that people, when i'm told a boat split into but it was quite near the close of the migrants were able to scramble back or swim back to the shore. but this one incident was more serious. he was schofield in _ incident was more serious. he was schofield in paris. _ the number of people entering the the eu to seek refuge is at it's highest level in nearly a decade. in fact, the european union's new figures are comparable to peaks seen during the migrant crisis back in 2015. the new data is likely to fuel the debate about migration, ahead of elections being held across the continent this year.

according to the eu's asylum agency — more than 1.1 million people applied for asylum in european union countries last year. that's an 18% increase on figures from 2022. i mentioned 2015 — the number of claims now are similar to the numbers we saw then, around 1.3 million asylum applications. germany continues to be the eu country with the highest number of applications — at more 330,000. but where are these applications coming from? our europe correspondent jessica parker has more. the largest group of people who applied for asylum in the european union last year were from war—torn syria, the second largest group from afghanistan, and another big group, actually, were people from turkey. now, that saw a significant increase in people applying for asylum from turkey over the course of 2023, and many of them here in germany. in terms of this 1.1 million figure, it is the largest number in seven

years since the end of the migrant crisis but not a figure that's necessarily a surprise because we were aware of the monthly data over the course of 2023, but this is the first time we've seen that final overall tally from the eu's asylum agency. jessica also told us the effect on the political situation in the eu. here in germany it is the country that received by far the largest number of asylum application. it's a country that has been seen as having a relatively generous asylum system, a relatively generous asylum system, a bigger economy as well, and the government have talked about they desperately need migrants to fill workforce shortages, but nevertheless it is a politically tricky topic, notjust nevertheless it is a politically tricky topic, not just for the government here in germany but across the european union of different political backgrounds. and it certainly an issue as well of that the anti—immigration far right

movements seek to capitalise and many think will seek to capitalise on the of key european parliamentary elections later this year. gaza's hamas—run health ministry says at least 29,954 people have been killed there since october 7th. israel is continuing its bombardment of the gaza strip — these images are from deir al—balah in central gaza, where overnight air strikes killed at least 58 people, including children. negotiators are still hoping to reach a ceasefire agreement that can be brought in before ramadan, but time is getting shorter — it begins on march 10th. the draught framework includes a 40—day pause in all military operations, and an exchange of prisoners and hostages. the last such deal was in november last year. let's cross tojerusalem — and speak to our diplomatic correspondent, paul adams. is there any suggestion that this can be achieved before ramadan begins next week?—

can be achieved before ramadan begins next week? there is been at least a couole _ begins next week? there is been at least a couple of _ begins next week? there is been at least a couple of days _ begins next week? there is been at least a couple of days of— begins next week? there is been at least a couple of days of mounting l least a couple of days of mounting speculation and to a certain degree of optimism here in israel, the papers full of details of this draught agreement. none of which we have had to confirmed and all of which could change as the negotiations proceed. today, the only new thing that we heard was finally some remarks from the leader of hamas, is mild honey who was speaking in a televised address. "any flexibility we are showing in the negotiations is for the blood of our people and put an end to their pains and sacrifices." for the first time, how mass may be willing to use drop some of its conditions that it has had until now, things like a complete end to the fighting, a total withdrawal of israeli troops, thinks that the israeli government was never going to agree to. we

don't knowjust how flexible hamas is going to be, we don't know the views of the hamas leader in gaza because he was last seen in a tunnel somewhere under khan younis or rafah. there is very difficult to get messages into and out of the gaza strip. everything is still hanging in the balance but some cautious sense that this could happen in the coming weeks. we've onl not happen in the coming weeks. we've only got about _ happen in the coming weeks. we've only got about 30 _ happen in the coming weeks. we've only got about 30 seconds - happen in the coming weeks. we've only got about 30 seconds or so, i happen in the coming weeks. we've only got about 30 seconds or so, but i know a lot of the work you do there is really cutting through all of this, isn't it? and working out which of these reports we should give credence to.— give credence to. yes, and that doesnt give credence to. yes, and that doesn't get _ give credence to. yes, and that doesn't get any _ give credence to. yes, and that doesn't get any easier. - give credence to. yes, and that doesn't get any easier. you i give credence to. yes, and that i doesn't get any easier. you know, we are farfrom doesn't get any easier. you know, we are far from where all this is happening, we are looking, reading, interpreting, trying to put together with the various sides are saying, but all of that is leading me, at the moment, to feeljust a little bit optimistic that this is going to happen fairly soon.— happen fairly soon. paul, we appreciate — happen fairly soon. paul, we appreciate your _ happen fairly soon. paul, we appreciate your efforts, i happen fairly soon. paul, we | appreciate your efforts, thank happen fairly soon. paul, we i appreciate your efforts, thank you very much. paul adams,

appreciate your efforts, thank you very much. pauladams, our diplomatic correspondentjoining us live from jerusalem. stay with us here on the world today on bbc news. 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. on 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, cumbrian fells, 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. on 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.

this is the world today from bbc news. the headlines... the powerful republican senate leader, mitch mcconnell, is to step down later this year. ghana's parliament passes a tough new bill that imposes prison police in scotland apologise for failing to investigate the murder of 27—year—old emil caldwell —— emma caldwell. ghana's parliament passes a tough new bill that imposes prison sentences on anyone convicted of identifying as lgbtq+. and picture perfect — the incredible effort that goes into maintaining the splendour of the sistine chapel, in the vatican.