News | 6 March 2018

Ex-Russian spy critically ill in Britain +++ North Korea agrees to summit with South

Ex-Russian spy critically ill in Britain +++ North Korea agrees to summit with South +++ Rohingya are “still subject to ethnic cleansing” +++ Saudi Arabia defends war in Yemen +++ Russia offers rebels safe passage out of Eastern Ghouta +++ The weather

News | 6 March 2018

Rosie Waites

Ex-Russian spy critically ill in Britain

British counter-terrorism police are taking part in efforts to find out why a former Russian double agent collapsed in southern England. Sergei Skripal and his daughter are critically ill in hospital - after being exposed to an unknown substance. The case has drawn comparisons with the radioactive poisoning of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London, 12 years ago. President Putin's spokesman said the incident involving Skripal was tragic, but that the Kremlin couldn't make any further comment.

North Korea agrees to summit with South

South Korea says it has agreed to hold summit talks with North Korea in late April. North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, said he wants to write a new history of reunification with the South. The comments came at a dinner he hosted for a high-level South Korean delegation.

Rohingya are “still subject to ethnic cleansing”

A senior United Nations Human Rights official has said Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are still subject to widespread violence. Andrew Gilmour, who's been visiting Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, says he has no doubt that ethnic cleansing is continuing: "Not only are there still killings, are there still rapes on a large scale, not only are they driving people out with force and threats - but also there is, it seems, an almost systematic attempt to destroy their future livelihoods."

Saudi Arabia defends war in Yemen

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Ardel al-Jubeir, has defended his country's decision to go to war in Yemen - saying the conflict had been imposed on the country by rebels. He said that those accusing Saudi Arabia should instead blame the Houthis: "They criticise us for a war in Yemen that is a just war - that is supported by international law. They criticise us for the casualties in Yemen when it was a war that was imposed on us by the Houthis. They should be demonstrating against the Houthis for taking 9-year-old boys into battle." UN officials say that most of the civilian casualties in the war have been caused by Saudi-led airstrikes.

Russia offers rebels safe passage out of Eastern Ghouta

The Russian military in Syria has offered rebels what it calls "safe passage" out of the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta. A statement said Russian forces would provide transport and security for the rebels and their families. There are reports that people in Eastern Ghouta have been treated for breathing difficulties after a government airstrike. Some groups there accuse Damascus of using chlorine gas.

The weather

Mainly cloudy, with some rain and snowfall in the east. Some sunshine in the south-east. Highs ranging from zero to 9 degrees.

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