Off the wire
FLASH: "WE HAVE A TRANSITION DEAL" BUT STILL NEED MORE TIME ON IRISH BORDER -- MICHEL BARNIER  • Portugal Fashion week kicks off at new Lisbon cruise ship terminal  • Britain's ethnic workers face lower pay, bullying, harassment: union leader  • Eurozone inflation revised down to 1.1 pct in February  • British MPs call to banish petrol, diesel cars sooner than 2040 deadline  • Britain calls for urgent UN Security Council meeting over spy attack row  • EU states to share tax information via centralized database  • Britain prepares for day when 1-in-10 people live beyond 100  • FLASH: EU27 CITIZENS ARRIVE IN UK DURING TRANSITIONAL PERIOD TO HAVE SAME RIGHTS WITH CITIZENS ARRIVING BEFORE BREXIT  • Feature: Contemporary literature helps West better understand China  
You are here:  

Britain to expel 23 Russian diplomats over spy poisoning row

Xinhua,March 20, 2018 Adjust font size:

LONDON, March 14 (Xinhua) ---- British Prime Minister Theresa May announced measures Wednesday against Russia over its failure to respond to a demand by the British government to explain how a Russian--made nerve agent was used in a recent attack in Salisbury.

Former spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to a nerve agent earlier this month.

The Russian government has denied any involvement in the attack, and has threatened reprisals against Britain if measures are taken by the British government.

May announced that 23 Russian diplomats will be expelled from Britain and told to leave within a week. She said it is the biggest expulsion from Britain in 30 years.

The prime minister said Britain will not break off diplomatic relations with Russia, but all high level bilateral contacts will be cancelled.

She said no government ministers or members of the Royal family will attend the World Cup being hosted by Russia. Enditem