Election you know. Some americans say theyre desperate for an alternative. Every turning in from this are welcome to the International Lines you know. We begin with our breaking news story on the Program Germany has claimed russian opposition figure out Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent from the novacek group not only is currently in a medically induced coma in a berlin hospital after being early from siberia 2 weeks ago the Russian ForeignMinistry Says its requests to berlin for information on the case have so far gone on earlier i was joined by our correspondents maracas dia and peter all over 1st. Well german chancellor Angela Merkel said that there was clear and unambiguous evidence that Alexei Novelli the russian opposition figure had been poisoned using a novacek nerve agent she said that this they come to this conclusion following testing of samples taken from alexei in the valley at the bundeswehr institute a german military. Tree this is credited certified by the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons the o. P. C. W. Going on to say that this was an attempt to silence Alexei Novelli and it was a crime against fundamental values now the german chancellor and the German Foreign minister heiko mass of both called for arms as in this case its an informant soon it is over there is that one of the leading opposition figures in russia has been poisoned as specialized laborde 3 of the armed forces came to a clear conclusion and that alex he never in the last poisoned with a substance from the north. Hes the victim for crime someone tried to shut him up. We demand an investigation into the poisoning of aleksey now while we condemn this poison elix and in the near future will hold consultations and how you reform adequately respond to it it will also depend on russias response to the case of you peter theres been further reaction both within germany and globally as well weve seen statements from several countries on the way well on the merkel said the world was watching the case to find out what happened to him and thats been represented in the reaction weve seen from the european leaders its outrageous that a chemical weapon was used against a look scene of on the weve seen 1st hand the deadly consequences of novacek in the u. K. The russian government must now explain what happened to mr we will work with International Partners to ensure justice is done i was informed by chancellor merkel that russian the position they didnt advise it was a tactic. No the agent in his own country this is a despicable and cowardly act once again that the traitors need to be brought to justice of the nato secretary general again stoltenberg has also commented he said it was utterly utterly condemned the use of a military grade nerve agent while a statement from the white house said that washington was deeply concerned and that they had no reason to disbelieve the statements coming out of germany thank you peter or lets continue in some of the aspects he darned there with our senior correspondent. There had been hard hitting news about nevada for near enough a week now in that time russia had said various requests to the German Government for information theyve offered Legal Assistance for now vali the russian citizen theyve offered medical corp for the doctors the treated him after his initial exposure to the to the substance before he went to germany and russia had heard nothing back and russia has come out here and said that theyve gone on the record saying you know you want to the visual investigation you want the truth you want to find out what happened why arent you talking back. Instead of a thorough investigation into the joint work. Which should be to establish the truth our partners to you for more of the same public speaking thats without presenting any facts russia is to weeding for an official response from burly to the request from the Russian Security office what is continually being spoken to by regards todays developments is the script case in salt when you k. Some 2 years ago what whats the link or whats the alleged link between here we have a remarkable situation which mirrors what happened in salzburg back then with the script. Entirely and that is no communication that has absolutely no communication from Great Britain back then susu the russians learned that. Never only had been that they had found new which opened in the valleys system from the news so the germans didnt see fit to to inform the russians through diplomatic channels through through any any of the channels that they have booked but when straight to the headlock which is quite extraordinary way to go underground he will this loud speaker did the diplomacy sort of you are talking so if you having a conversation you are talking to the public rather than the person another parallel being drew and is new the chalk is one of the most told sick dangerous substances on earth that mankind has discovered this is a tremendously dangerous substance a drop a drop of new choccy if shared out between a population can kill hundreds of people if it gets into their bodies it is incredibly depending a lot what form its in it dissolves in water it evaporates into the air above 20 degrees celsius which is 3 live temperature and the air we have never found the who is apparently been exposed to this incredibly dangerous talks in on that flight packed with people. And incredibly dangerous substance which. Evaporates in the head dissolves and lives even if you touch something thats contaminated and nobody else has come come forward that there are and there were plenty of opportunities for people you know to be who is sitting next to him to be exposed. Me to. Come. Yet. Where were things heading when you put all that out when you when you see the developments in the last few hours where does this issue seem to be going well when you when you utilize as we mentioned loudspeaker diplomacy completely stonewalling russia sir for hours of the. Out of the vents out of the thing as you know refusing to share even lab results with russia but the moment they have left the gate there is often an agenda involved and that agenda is germany has very close ties to russia and there are many who would see germany cut its ties with russia cut its economic ties the north stream to project with billions upon billions you know e. D. S. Part of europes Energy Future its Energy Future designed to pub billions of cubic meters of gas from russia to into the heart of europe the german opposition already coming out and saying that we will to put it would seem to get of suspend the entire thing its almost completed merkel had previously said that would seem to the Gas Pipelines of Europes Energy Security it is a separate thing it is separate from politics in it is separate from from all the drama you know all the. Advantage seeking and she said that in her own words and in a very direct matter go with us i think that we should do couple this issues and in our opinion north stream 2 should be completed the dust hasnt even begun to settle we dont know where this is going to do what we do know is that interested parties. Will do anything it will do anything to take advantage of this opportunity and to try and put a split division chasm between germany and russia and i think go to Great Lengths to do so. Live now to brussels on to speak to independent journalist look look always good to have you on the program as you know rightly there have been so many reactions coming in from western powers some of the latest ones ill just go through the nato chief u. N. Stoltenberg calling for an inquiry the u. S. National Security Council saying quote we will work with our allies on the International Community to hold those in russia accountable are we heading for a serious diplomatic rift do you think. Could be it could be for the moment there is no condemnation as such everybody demands on says from the russian government. All in evident it seems dire its really a poisoning with not chalk and. Stoltenberg spoke of course of military grade poisoning thats its interest everybody playing its own game in this. Who has an interest in this certainly not the russian government if you think of it all president putin is not a troll if you look at what vali was doing was doing over the last few years with drones for example there were overflying properties of Civil Servants rich russian Civil Servants that were office require up to because they had immense properties didnt correspond to do this salary so in a way it played in it played a role in helping the government punishing these people like the chairman of the russian roadways that was fired after the bali revealed how his fortune was incredibly acquired so. I dont think it is the government it is involved it might be some all the guards some corrupt people that want not on me dead of course so russia has an interest now diplomatically in having greil inquiry. And giving an answer to the world because it is the whole world that is looking into this but its not nuance thats not being heard when im looking at analysis of the. Were not hearing that he had many enemies because of his corruption probes you know how does this actually help the kremlin in any way also if we are. If were to believe all the supporters he was given tea laced with novacek this all sounds very familiar going as far back as the go case in the u. K. That was in 2006 do you think the manner of this alleged poisoning would make any sense of the kremlin really did want to get rid of a muslim in the west are suggesting. I dont believe it i dont believe the kremlin has anything to do with it but of course its a process of opinion youre never in all the scribal case its Something Different that spies both west and east as spies on the other side so that that is something very murky and different in this case here its a political opponent to the russian government mr putin and i dont think there was any interest again in killing the family at all but all the people all of the people in russia incredibly rich people and corrupt people had an interest certainly of having him killed and silenced so thats probably what russia should look for you know in that direction. Just like in 2018 in solitary as youve been going through the use of the truck is being treated as a smoking gun essentially with people saying only the russian government. Could use such a thing but then i remember many weapons experts speaking to me here in the program in fact saying that other countries have the capability does the use of novacek actually prove anything actually make it more clear cut or is that they actually the opposite. Shot could be produced in salts breed by the British Special services in their unit in their chemical unit locally so you know even that was mentioned so i think in present day russia its always very possible to obtain military grade weapons. From the soviet union days that could be sold by or mafia type persons and it is very probably possible to obtain knowledge schalke in russia now even if you have not the government told the military or anybody else so. I really dont think it is reserved to to the special services so for russia i think it could be obtained by. Roll figures. Of course we have to remember the a mans life is potentially at risk here thats the overriding issue here but with that in mind youve got the u. K. The u. S. France germany all saying essentially the same thing russia needs to provide answers but russias Foreign Ministry said it has no questions to answer because its being given no information surely a better line of communication needs to be a stop list here. Absolutely its a matter of days so now we are in a local mall and journal every diplomatic and western europe with your little bit yall dont eat crap in london oh mrs snow covered the south and said we demand. Ok fine thats normal and russias answer we dont have the specific requests yet so its a matter of days within a week ever but the point is that russia wasnt asked for answers instead they went to their allies germany they went to nato you know you would have thought one of the 1st things you would do would be to contact the country where the this alleged crime took place absolutely i dont think germany contacted nato i think this is stoltenberg of nato took advantage of it to put some oil on the fire as usual but its nothing to do with the european the glossy. Germany as well as france as well as the u. K. To to name both the largest countries have asked that sent questions through to russia and they havent involved nato mentors they just want to get to know if an inquiry is on what will be the. Issues is stake and they are probably jones willing to give all information needed to the russian government thats a matter of then setting and diplomatically this will be done im sure now we need a real inquiry into this yeah look thanks very much for your time this sorry giving us some insight as always on the big issues of the day independent journalist look of a in brussels and here we will be providing updates analysis on the right throughout the night here in moscow but after the break well take a look at more global news stories stay with us. Legs. Join me every day on the alex im unsure when ill be speaking to us of the world of politics sports business im show business ill see you then. 14 suspects have gone on trial in fronts over their alleged involvement in a series of terrorist attacks in 2015 the satirical magazine surely abdo was one of the main targets alongside a jewish supermarket. Reports now from. Well Charlie Hebdo is back in the spotlight here in france and thats because as that trial is underway that important trial its decided to take a Bold Decision according to some some of described it perhaps as being more idiotic and that is to republics some of its most controversial cartoons which depict the prophet mohammed the muslim prophet now it was those types of cartoons that were published by the magazine that initially put a target on its back and led to that attack back in 2015 in which 12 people were murdered now back then the world came out in support singhs use 3 sharlee saying they supported the right of the magazine its freedom of speech to publish cartoons like that but by republishing these cartoons again today a montage of them it has reignited the debate here in france over whether or not its ok to blast fim now there has been some polls done with the news that Charlie Hebdo was reprinting some of those cartoons and its really interesting the results that have come out this is a poll thats been done by the French Institute of Public Opinion now it found when it asked the french people in general what they thought was this the right thing to do and that the majority of people supported the decision supported the freedom of speech of Charlie Hebdo but when you narrow that field down and only asked that question to french muslims there was a very different response was 69 percent responding that they didnt think it was right to publish those cartoons in the 1st place now everybody seems to be getting involved in this issue from the president right the way across through social media everybody has an opinion and those opinions are polarized there isnt from a freedom to blast fim which is attached to freedom of conscience im here to protect all these freedoms and why would you allow a publication to wreck your. Untruths harmony always sees games this is not freedom of speech this is disrespect in the sentiments of all the muslims around the world still pined in behind freedom of speech it doesnt give people the right to say whatever they want to choose decency and their ticket so freedom of speech will again be used as an excuse to hurt muslim sentiments and our beliefs and while we condemn these actions openly vehemently no heed will be paid because who cares about muslim sentiments anyway now this trial is hugely important not just because its about the attacks but its also about the attacks that took place a few days later on a kosher supermarket here in paris where more people were killed and what the National Anti terror prosecutor here in france i said while this might not be about the men that carried out those attacks because they are dead this is about that wider web of individuals who supported them who perhaps finance them or shielded them in the aftermath of those attacks and this also comes as font says interior minister warns that while this trial is about the historical event an event that is still something that is poignant in french memory there is also something that we must remember he talked about and that is the fact that there is still a huge threat of terror here in france it is the internal threat within our walls which has become the most significant and the strongest one which mobilizes the most attention of the Intelligence Services are now also talked about more than 8000. 00 individuals still being on a french database of suspected islam ists that could potentially pose a Security Threat here in france and he said that their full attention was needed on those individuals talking about the resilience of networks such as Islamic State and he also mentioned the number on. Of individuals in prison that are connected to islam is threats and talked about the verticalization in prisons he said that the majority of those individuals who were radicalized in prisons have then gone on to commit their own terror offenses when theyve been released now the trial is about those 2 messages that surely abdo and the kosher supermarket in paris and they heralded in a new wave of terror that has and compass fronts now for more than 5 years. So while many people thought t