Alexei Navalny, a fierce voice for Russian democracy and critic of President Vladimir Putin's authoritarian rule, died on Friday after languishing in Russia's brutal penal system for over 35 months, according to authorities.
The big picture: Navalny's death solidifies the uncertain future of the Russian opposition movement he helped organize to transform Russia into what he described in 2018 as "a normal country."
President Biden on Friday blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Why it matters: Biden has said Russia would face "devastating" consequences if Navalny died in prison. On Friday, he said his administration was "looking at options" after being asked about additional sanctions against Moscow over Navalny's death.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died, according to a statement from Russia's prison service.
The big picture: Navalny, 47, was imprisoned after exposing corruption in Vladimir Putin's inner circle and forming the most effective political movement opposing the Russian leader. His death, if confirmed, has happened in the custody of the Russian state that persecuted him relentlessly.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog secretly met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference Friday to discuss the negotiations aimed at securing the release of the hostages in Gaza, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.
Why it matters: The unusual meeting between the Israeli and Qatari political leaders takes place at a crucial point in the hostage negotiations, as mediators try to create momentum, despite significant gaps.
U.S. Border Patrol acting Deputy Chief Joel Martinez was suspended after he was accused of misconduct, the Washington Post first reported on Thursday.
The big picture: Agency officials cited privacy laws in declining to comment on the details of the misconduct allegations leveled against Martinez, a 31-year agency veteran and native of San Benito, Texas, who previously served as chief of the Laredo Sector, on the Rio Grande, according to his biography.
