Pakistan government deal agreed despite opposition from Imran Khan’s PTI
Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to form a coalition with Shehbaz Sharif selected as candidate for PM. Two of Pakistan’s leading political parties have reached a formal agreement to form a coalition government, they say, days after inconclusive national elections did not return a clear majority. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) now have the “required numbers” to form a government, PMLN President and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday. Sitting beside Sharif at a news conference in Islamabad, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former foreign minister and chairperson of the PPP, confirmed that Sharif would be their coalition’s candidate for prime minister. He added that his father, Asif Ali Zardari, would be the alliance’s candidate for president. Sharif, who is the younger brother of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, said the PMLN-PPP coalition also had the support of other smaller parties. The announcement comes after 10 days of intense negotiations following the February 8 elections, which resulted in a hung National Assembly when no party secured the 134 seats needed for a simple majority and to form government on its own. Independent candidates aligned with another leading political party – jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – won the most seats at 93 but did not have the numbers or a political party or coalition that would enable them to govern. PTI-aligned candidates were forced to run as independents in the face of state restrictions against the party. The PMLN is the largest party with 79 seats, and the PPP is second with 54. They along with four other smaller parties have a comfortable majority in the legislature of 264 seats. Vote rigging In response to the announcement by the two parties, the PTI, which had also been trying to form coalitions with smaller parties, branded their rivals “mandate thieves” in a post on the social media platform X. PDM 2.0 = #MandateThieves pic.twitter.com/9ukk4oJZvF — PTI (@PTIofficial) February 20, 2024 The PTI has alleged there was widespread vote rigging in the elections, a claim that was seemingly backed up when a senior bureaucrat on Saturday admitted to his involvement in changing election results. The PTI faced a severe crackdown from government agencies and security forces in the weeks before the elections. In January, the party was even denied the use of its election symbol, the cricket bat, which resulted in its candidates running as independents instead of as members of the party itself. Meanwhile, the social media platform X has been disrupted across Pakistan since Saturday when the vote manipulation admission was made public and people went out into the streets to protest. “X has been inaccessible in Pakistan [since Saturday] because it is used by the public to protest,” Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist told the Agence France-Presse news agency. However, Pakistan’s government has not acknowledged the outage. The delay in forming a government in Pakistan – a nuclear-armed nation of 241 million people – has caused concern as the country grapples with an economic crisis amid slow growth and record inflation and rising violence by armed groups. It needs a stable administration with the authority to take tough decisions. Bhutto Zardari said on Tuesday that the PPP and PMLN would push to form a government as soon as possible. According to the country’s constitution, a session of parliament has to be called by February 29, after which a vote for a new prime minister will take place. Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Julian Assange and why does the United States want him so badly?
NewsFeed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been fighting for years against being sent to the United States – where he could be jailed for life if convicted on spying charges. Virginia Pietromarchi explains who the whistleblower is and why he’s wanted in the US. Published On 20 Feb 202420 Feb 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Texas AG Paxton sues NGO aiding migrants, accuses it of encouraging illegal immigration
FIRST ON FOX: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a Catholic non-governmental organization operating in the state and wants to have its registration revoked, alleging that it is encouraging illegal immigration and operating a stash house for those entering illegally. Paxton has sued Annunciation House — a Catholic nonprofit set up in the 1980s — and is seeking to revoke its registration to operate in Texas. Annunciation House describes itself as a volunteer organization that “offers hospitality to migrants, immigrants, and refugees in El Paso, Texas.” TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON SAYS STATE WON’T COMPLY WITH BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ORDER TO REOPEN PARK TO FEDERAL AGENTS “Rooted in Catholic social teaching, the volunteers of Annunciation House live simply and in community, in the same houses as the guests we serve, who are mostly from Mexico and Central America,” the group’s website says. “We also participate in advocacy and education around immigration issues. We seek to be a voice for justice and compassion, especially on behalf of the most marginalized of our society.” But Paxton’s lawsuit accuses the group of “openly and flagrantly violating many provisions of law in a systemic fashion.” Specifically, it accuses it of providing shelter to illegal immigrants who have evaded law enforcement, of encouraging illegal immigration, of engaging in human smuggling and of operating a “stash house.” “Annunciation House appears to be engaged in the operation of an illegal stash house by potentially allowing others to use its real estate to engage in human smuggling,” the lawsuit says. Paxton’s office had requested records from the organization to evaluate potential violations of federal law. However, the organization in turn sued the AG’s office, seeking a restraining order and accusing it of making an impossible demand due to its limited volunteer staff and of violating its “constitutional rights of association.” EAGLE PASS MAYOR SAYS SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TEXAS, FEDS OVER BORDER CONTROL IS ‘FRUSTRATING,’ A ‘CONSTANT STRUGGLE’ The lawsuit requests that its right to operate in Texas is terminated and also asks the court to appoint a receiver to liquidate its assets. “The chaos at the southern border has created an environment where NGOs, funded with taxpayer money from the Biden Administration, facilitate astonishing horrors including human smuggling,” Paxton said in a statement. “While the federal government perpetuates the lawlessness destroying this country, my office works day in and day out to hold these organizations responsible for worsening illegal immigration.” In a statement, Annunciation House said it “does its work of accompaniment out of the Gospel mandate to welcome the stranger.” “This is no different from the work of schools who enroll migrant children, the clinics and hospitals who care for the needs of their ill, the churches, synagogues, and mosques who welcome their families to join in worship,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “For the Attorney General to suddenly attack Annunciation House after forty-six years of service to the poor is simply shameful.” The legal battle comes amid a broader fight between Texas, which has promoted border security and sought to block illegal immigrants entering the U.S., and the federal government, which has embraced the role of NGOs in processing and aiding illegal immigrants and has sought millions in funding from Congress for groups and communities that receive them. There was a record 2.4 million migrant encounters in fiscal 2023, and December set a record for encounters with more than 301,000 in that month alone. The House last week impeached DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the crisis. Articles of impeachment now go to the Senate for a trial. Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Trump expected to haul in $6M at South Carolina fundraiser: ‘The primary is over’
EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump is expected to raise more than $6 million at a fundraiser in South Carolina Tuesday night ahead of Saturday’s GOP primary. The campaign told Fox News Digital that projections show that the GOP primary “is over.” TRUMP HOLDS LARGE LEAD OVER HALEY 4 DAYS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY Fox News Digital has learned that the former president and GOP frontrunner will attend a fundraiser in Greenville, S.C. Tuesday night. A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Trump is expected to bring in more than $6 million at this single event. “President Trump continues to show his dominance in the polls and in fundraising across the country because he is the best candidate to beat Crooked Joe Biden and retake the White House,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital. “This primary is over and anyone who thinks otherwise is either delusional or doing Biden’s bidding,” he added. But former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley insists she is staying in the race. SPEAKER JOHNSON TALKS 2024 WITH TRUMP AT MAR-A-LAGO AS HALEY VOWS TO STAY IN GOP PRIMARY “I refuse to quit,” Haley said in a speech Tuesday. “South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I’ll still be running for president. I’m not going anywhere.” In her remarks, Haley outlined her belief that the calls for her to drop out are coming from “the political elite” and “party bosses” and that only three states have voted so far with many more to come in recent weeks. HALEY TOUTS JANUARY FUNDRAISING HAUL AHEAD OF FIRST RALLY IN SUPER TUESDAY STATE “I’m campaigning every day until the last person votes because I believe in a better America and a brighter future for our kids,” Haley said. “Nothing good in life comes easy. I’m willing to take the cuts, the bruises and the name calling because the only way you get to the blessing is by going through the pain.” “The presidential primaries have barely begun. Just three states have voted. That’s right. Three. That’s it. After this weekend, we’ll be four. That’s not a lot,” Haley explained. “In the ten days after South Carolina, another 21 states and territories will vote, and they deserve a real choice, not a Soviet-style election when there’s only one candidate, and he gets 99% of the vote. We don’t anoint kings in this country. We have elections. And Donald Trump, of all people, should know. We don’t rig elections.” But with nearly 800 delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday as 15 states hold Republican presidential contests on March 5, with over 150 at stake over the following two weeks, the Trump campaign predicted in a memo released Tuesday that the former president would secure the Republican nomination by March 19, even under a “most-generous model” for Haley. The Trump memo predicted an “a– kicking in the making” in South Carolina and said the “true ‘State’ of Nikki Haley’s campaign” is “broken down, out of ideas, out of gas, and completely outperformed by every measure, by Donald Trump.” BIDEN CAMPAIGN BRINGS IN $42 MILLION IN JANUARY, TOUTS ‘HISTORIC’ CASH-ON-HAND The Real Clear Politics average of polls heading into Saturday’s primary election in South Carolina shows Trump leading Haley by 25 points. As for fundraising, Haley’s team says they hauled in $16.5 million in fundraising last month across all of their campaign committees, including $11.7 million from small-dollar grassroots supporters. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign released its January numbers on Tuesday morning, saying President Biden’s re-election effort brought in $42 million in January. The Trump campaign has not yet released its January fundraising figures. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
California budget crisis worse than Newsom projected, as state watchdog warns deficit could reach record $73B
California’s budget crisis is projected to expand more than previously thought and could hit a record deficit of $73 billion, according to a new report from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). The LAO laid out the grim forecast in a Tuesday report that cautions that a $24 billion “erosion in revenues” corresponds to a $15 billion increase in the state’s budget problem. Due to this, the budget deficit, which last month was estimated to hit $58 billion, could now go as high as $73 billion. “The actual increase in the state’s budget problem will depend on a number of factors, including formula-driven spending changes, most notably Proposition 98 spending requirements for schools and community colleges,” the report said. SWALWELL CAMPAIGN CONTINUES LAVISH SPENDING, INCLUDING AT 5-STAR DUBAI RESORT, LUXURY CAR SERVICE H.D. Palmer, the deputy director of the California Department of Finance and Newom’s spokesperson on budget matters, responded to the new LAO report by telling Fox News Digital that their budget shortfall differs from the $38 million they estimate. “From now through April, more than $51 billion in income and corporate tax receipts are forecast to come in,” Palmer said. “No one can say today with certainty how those numbers may change the budget estimate of a $38 billion shortfall.” “A responsible step would be for the Legislature to act now on the early action budget measures needed for $8 billion in solutions to help close this gap,” he added. ERIC SWALWELL CALLS OUT SOFT-ON-CRIME PROSECUTORS FOR LETTING ‘DANGEROUS PEOPLE THREATEN OUR KIDS’ The projected bad news comes as Newsom has worked to increase his profile nationwide. It also occurred as California experienced a mass exodus. California saw its first-ever population decline in 2020 when the state imposed rigid lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. From January 2020 to July 2022, the state lost well over half a million people, with the number of residents leaving surpassing those moving in by almost 700,000. Census data has shown that Texas is the most popular destination for residents fleeing the state, followed by Arizona, Florida, and Washington.
Dem state cracks down on gas-powered lawn equipment as part of climate crusade
Colorado state environmental regulators unanimously approved a measure to crack down on certain uses of gas-powered lawn equipment as part of the state’s broader climate push. In an 8-0 vote, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) green-lit regulations that prohibit gas-powered lawn and garden equipment from being used on public property statewide. Under the finalized rules, the ban will be enforced beginning in 2025 and, according to the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), represents the first effort of its kind in the nation. “Given the significant pollution generated by gas-powered lawn equipment and the severe air pollution problem in our region, I’m glad the state is taking action to accelerate the switch to cleaner, quieter electric lawn equipment,” said Kirsten Schatz, the clean air advocate at CoPIRG, which pushed for the measure. “This vote is the first step toward eliminating this unnecessary source of harmful air pollution.” “It doesn’t make sense to allow air pollution that damages our health when we cut grass or blow leaves – especially when cleaner, quieter electric options are readily available,” Schatz continued. “Soon, Coloradans won’t have to worry about fumes or obnoxious noise from gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers when they head to public parks.” BIDEN ADMIN REPORTEDLY DOUBLING DOWN ON GAS CAR CRACKDOWN She added that the action will “allow more people to enjoy a lovely summer day.” CoPIRG — an affiliate of the left-wing U.S. Public Interest Research Group — published a report in October showing that gas-powered lawn mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers and chainsaws produce a large amount of air pollution and noise. The report estimated that, in 2020, the appliances generated 671 tons of fine particulate air pollution in Colorado, the equivalent of more than 7 million cars in a year. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS UPHOLD STATE’S EV MANDATE DESPITE GROWING OPPOSITION: ‘DEFY COMMON SENSE’ The so-called Regulation 29 approved by the AQCC largely adopts recommendations outlined by CoPIRG, including calling for state and local governments to lead by example and ban gas-powered equipment on public properties. Overall, the AQCC’s regulatory action bans gas-powered landscaping tools under 25 horsepower on state property during the summer months every year between June and August. And it directs the state’s Air Pollution Control Division to track the market share of electric lawn equipment and to consider regulations restricting commercial use of such equipment and prohibiting economy-wide sales of such equipment. The commission’s action comes months after Democrat Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order directing state agencies to reduce air pollution in their operations. The order specifically calls for agencies to phase out gas-powered, push and handheld lawn and garden equipment used at state facilities. NEW YORK DOUBLES DOWN ON WAR ON GAS APPLIANCES OVER OPPOSITION FROM UNIONS “I always want to ensure that our state government is leading by example when it comes to pressing issues like the housing crisis, workforce and job creation, and now we are doubling down on our commitment to lead the way in reducing pollution,” Polis said after signing the order in September. “We are doing our part to save people money, protect water and our planet.” “Colorado is leading the nation on commonsense ways to reduce pollution and ensure Colorado can thrive,” the governor continued. The move was applauded by Democrat state Rep. Cathy Kipp, who chairs the House Energy and Environment Committee, and Democrat state Sen. Faith Winter, who chairs the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. “I am pleased to see Colorado leading by example as we transition toward a more sustainable future,” Kipp said.
Pence’s organization demands Congress release government funding agreement as deadlines loom
FIRST ON FOX: Former Vice President Mike Pence‘s public policy think tank Advancing American Freedom urged congressional leaders on Tuesday to release the government funding agreement as the current temporary spending patch, known as a continuing resolution (CR), will expire the first week of March. “Three weeks ago, your committees reached a private agreement on the 302(b) allocations for the next fiscal year. Since then, the American people have been kept guessing as to the negotiated funding levels for each of the twelve subcommittee appropriations bills,” executive director Paul Teller wrote in a letter to the House and Senate appropriations committees on Tuesday. House and Senate leaders came together in mid-January to pass a CR to give themselves more time to hash out a deal for the rest of fiscal 2024. It was the third CR passed since the previous fiscal year ended Sept. 30 and preserved funding for some agencies through March 1 and others through March 8. MIKE PENCE’S THINK TANK PUSHES BACK ON JD VANCE’S ‘IMPEACHMENT TIME BOMB’ CLAIM IN FOREIGN AID PACKAGE Both chambers are currently in recess. “The American people deserve transparency on the spending levels of their government as Congress looks to pass additional spending bills,” Teller told Fox News Digital in a statement. “With another deadline rapidly approaching, the American people and rank-and-file members are kept in the dark as to the true spending levels, and this needs to change. Advancing American Freedom is calling on these numbers to be immediately released to the American public.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed upon a top-line funding agreement of $1.66 trillion last month. That figure was part of an agreement mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act last year, a compromise reached during debt limit talks between President Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “Now, disconcerting rumors are swirling that the 302(b) allocations that were agreed upon blow out the already excessive $1.7 trillion Johnson-Schumer ‘cap,’ itself built on Speaker Pelosi’s COVID-19 level spending,” Teller wrote. “Although it has become ‘business as usual,’ airdropping an appropriations package on Congress at the last second is no way to govern,” he wrote. MIKE PENCE’S AAF SENDS MEMO TO LAWMAKERS: ‘BIDEN DOESN’T SEEM TO WANT ISRAEL TO WIN’ On the Senate floor, only three of the 12 appropriations bills have been passed. “There isn’t a funding agreement to release,” a House appropriations aide told Fox News Digital. “The bills are still being negotiated.” The CR continues funding for four appropriations bills through March 1: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Energy and Water Development; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Additionally, the CR allocates funding for the remaining eight appropriations bills through March 8: Commerce, Justice, Science; Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; Legislative Branch; and State, Foreign Operations. The aim of having two separate deadlines is to prevent Congress from passing a comprehensive “omnibus” spending bill, a practice widely opposed by Republicans. However, the staggered approach may not eliminate the possibility of an omnibus as Congress will only have a few days to pass appropriations bills before the current CR expires. If they fail to either extend current funding levels or reach an agreement on new levels, the government could fall into a partial shutdown, with federal programs on pause and thousands of federal workers potentially furloughed. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Democrat Maine governor touts location for a key wind port, seeks to lead in offshore wind energy
A state-owned site on the coast of Maine will serve as the location of an offshore wind port critical to developing the nation’s first floating offshore wind power research array, the state’s governor said Tuesday. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill last year that aims to see Maine procure enough energy from offshore wind turbines to power about half its electric load by 2040. An offshore wind port to build, stage and deploy the turbine equipment is a major component of that effort. The port is also key for developing the research array, which would include up to 12 turbines on semi-submersible concrete platforms in federal waters. Mills said Tuesday the state has selected state-owned Sears Island, about 117 miles northeast of Portland, as the preferred site for the port facility. The site would take up about 100 acres (40.47 hectares) of the 941-acre (380.81-hectare) island and is the most feasible place to build the port, Mills said. TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN ENDORSES FORMER NASCAR DRIVER IN CONTENTIOUS MAINE ELECTION: ‘STRONG CONSERVATIVE’ The Sears Island parcel “fundamentally makes the most sense and provides us with the best opportunity to responsibly advance offshore wind in Maine, an industry that will create good paying jobs for Maine people and deliver clean, renewable energy to stabilize and reduce energy prices for Maine people and businesses in the long run,” Mills said. Mills has said Maine is positioned to become a leader in offshore wind development. The port is expected to cost about $500 million, and Maine is seeking funding from federal and other sources, she said. The proposal will also be subject to extensive state and federal permitting. Meanwhile, the state has proposed to lease a site in the Gulf of Maine for the floating research array. That application is before the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Offshore wind development has often been a contentious issue in Maine, where members of the state’s historic lobster fishing industry have raised questions about how they would be affected by the development and use of turbines. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association said in a statement Tuesday that it stands by its position that “offshore wind should not be developed in one of the world’s most productive marine areas,” the Gulf of Maine. The group added “the productive and fragile waters of the Gulf of Maine should not be used as testing ground for new offshore wind technology or to site large industrial wind farms.” Some community and conservation groups in the state have also opposed wind development. Steve Miller, a member of the Alliance for Sears Island, said his group was planning a demonstration for Wednesday because it felt the state was “breaking its promise to Maine residents” by locating the port on the island. The American Association of Port Authorities was quick to speak in favor of the project. Ian Gansler, the group’s manager of energy, resilience, and sustainability policy, said all offshore wind projects “rely on port infrastructure for their construction, and it is crucial that Maine invest in its ports to achieve this future.” Several conservation and labor groups also spoke out in favor of the port plan on Tuesday. Some characterized it as a boost for rural Maine jobs, while others said it will aid the production of renewable energy in New England. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The rapid deployment of renewable energy is critical to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change and protecting Maine wildlife,” said Sarah Haggerty, conservation biologist and GIS manager with Maine Audubon. “Floating offshore wind presents an incredible opportunity to generate a large amount of clean energy while successfully coexisting with Gulf wildlife.”
Chinese illegal immigration on pace to break records at US southern border
A dramatic increase in Chinese illegal immigration is on track to break records at the southern border, with apprehensions from the communist country in one sector alone already eclipsing fiscal 2021 in just a few days. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources tell Fox News that between Saturday and Monday there were 452 Chinese nationals apprehended by Border Patrol in the San Diego Sector alone. That’s more than the 450 apprehended in fiscal 2021 altogether across the entire southwest border. The number of Chinese nationals has been increasing since fiscal 2021. In fiscal 2022, numbers increased to more than 2,000 border-wide. In fiscal 2023, that number then surged to more than 24,314. CHINESE MIGRANTS POURING ACROSS SOUTHERN BORDER SPARK NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS So far in fiscal 2024, which began in October, there have been more than 18,750 encounters by the end of January, meaning that the fiscal year is already on track to exceed last year’s numbers. There were nearly 6,000 encounters in December alone. The increase in migration from China is an indicator of how global the U.S. border crisis has become. Officials previously said they have encountered migrants from more than 150 countries. Fox News witnessed migrants from countries including Brazil, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador and China crossing into the U.S. at San Diego this week. Chinese nationals have quickly become the fastest-growing demographic entering the country illegally. Some officials and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns that single adults entering from the geopolitical rival could pose a national security threat. Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents all rank-and-file Border Patrol agents nationwide, told Fox News last week that the majority of the Chinese border crossers are single adult males of military age. INFLUX OF ILLEGAL CHINESE MIGRANTS THREATENS US TERRITORY; ISLAND MUST SHOW ‘STRENGTH OF THE NATION’ “That is a very scary prospect. We know that China does not like us, we know that we are in the crosshairs of China,” Judd said. “And they are exporting so many people to our country, and you have to really fear about that.” “There have been numerous documented instances of Chinese nationals, at the direction of the CCP, engaging in espionage, stealing military and economic secrets,” a group of Republican senators warned last year. The Republican-held House impeached DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his handling of the migrant crisis. The articles of impeachment now go to the Senate for a trial. Overall, there have been more than 961,000 migrant encounters this fiscal year after a record-setting 2.4 million in fiscal 2023. December saw a record 301,000 encounters, followed by a sharp drop to 176,000 in January. Fox News’ Aubrie Spady and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
State Department says ‘major sanctions package’ coming to hold Russia ‘accountable for Navalny’s death’
The State Department announced Tuesday that the U.S. will be unveiling a “major sanctions package” against Russia later this week to hold them “accountable” for the death of jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny. The latest wave of sanctions to target the Russian government will be revealed on Friday, one day before the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “As the White House announced this morning at President Biden’s direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday to hold Russia accountable for Navalny’s death in prison and for its actions over the course of the vicious and brutal war they have waged in Ukraine for the past two years,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a briefing Tuesday. “The Kremlin has poisoned Navalny, imprisoned him unjustly, kept him in harsh conditions and denied him medical care,” Miller continued. ALEXEI NAVALNY’S MOTHER DEMANDS PUTIN HAND OVER SON’S BODY ‘SO THAT I CAN BURY HIM HUMANELY’ “It is the Russian government that is responsible for Navalny’s death while in detention and now in any other society, in a free democratic society, we would see openness and transparency as his family seeks more information about their beloved son, husband and father,” he added. “But of course, in Russia, openness and transparency remain in short supply.” Navalny died last Friday at the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp in northern Russia. RUSSIAN DEFECTOR WHO FLED WITH ARMY HELICOPTER FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN SPAIN The country’s prison agency said the 47-year-old opposition leader collapsed following a walk, but Navalny’s cause of death remains unknown, and his wife is accusing Putin of poisoning him. President Biden said Friday that there is “no doubt” it was a “consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.” Russia though has brushed off the accusations from Biden and other Western officials, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Monday, “We consider it absolutely unacceptable to make such, well, frankly obnoxious statements,” according to Reuters.