Russian minister blasts British inquiry
MOSCOW – Russia’s foreign minister has rejected the conclusion by a British judge that former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko had been poisoned by two men acting at the behest of Russia’s spy agency as a “show” lacking substance.
Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Judge Robert Owen’s conclusion was based on testimony of hand-picked witnesses who he said lacked objectivity and classified testimony. Lavrov added British officials’ statements on the issue could be viewed as slander.
Owen said he was certain two Russians with links to the security services had given Litvinenko tea containing a fatal dose of radioactive polonium-210 at a London hotel in 2006.
Brazilian troops to help fight virus
RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s health minister says the country is sending some 220,000 troops to battle the mosquito blamed for spreading a virus suspected of causing birth defects but he also says the war is already being lost.
Marcelo Castro said that nearly 220,000 members of Brazil’s Armed Forces would go door-to-door to help in mosquito eradication efforts ahead of the country’s Carnival celebrations. Agency spokesman Nivaldo Coelho said Tuesday details of the deployment are still being worked out.
Castro also said the government would distribute mosquito repellent.
But the minister also said the country has failed in efforts against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika.
Associated Press
