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WORLD NEWS Saturday 17 March 2018

Britain points at Putin in poisoning attack as gulf widens

By ANGELA CHARLTON on March 4, in what West-
JILL LAWLESS ern powers see as the latest
Associated Press sign of increasingly aggres-
MOSCOW (AP) — The gulf sive Russian interference
between Russia and Britain in foreign countries. The
widened on Friday as they tensions threaten to over-
cranked up pressure over a shadow Putin's expected
nerve agent attack and a re-election Sunday for an-
suspected murder in Britain other six-year presidential
that have deepened West- term.
ern worries about alleged But that's not all.
Russian meddling abroad. New concerns surfaced Fri-
Britain's foreign secretary day about the death this
accused Russian President week of a London-based
Vladimir Putin of personally Russian businessman, Niko-
ordering the poisoning of lai Glushkov, found dead
ex-Russian spy Sergei Skri- at his south London home
pal and his daughter, Yulia, on Monday. British police
describing it as the most said Friday that he died
brazen such move since from compression to the
World War II. neck and opened a mur-
Putin's spokesman de- der investigation.
nounced the claim as Russia also suspects foul
"shocking and inexcus- play in Glushkov's death Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks to Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander
able." and opened its own inquiry Bortnikov as they attend a security council meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday,
March 15, 2018. Lavrov said Thursday that Moscow would "certainly" expel some British diplomats
As relations between the Friday. Russia's top agency in a tit-for-tat response. In remarks carried by the RIA Novosti news agency, Lavrov said the move
two nations sank to a new for major crimes was also would come "soon."
post-Cold War low, nearly investigating the attack on (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
two dozen Russian diplo- Yulia Skripal, who is a Rus-
mats in London were pack- sian citizen. Her father has further Friday and said it's and Germany have al- streets of the U.K., on the
ing their bags to leave British citizenship. Both are "overwhelmingly likely" that ready lined up against Rus- streets of Europe, for the
Tuesday after an expul- in critical condition. Putin himself ordered the sia over the Skripal attack. first time since the Second
sion order from Britain. Brit- British police said there is no attack. Britain is expelling 23 Rus- World War," Johnson said.
ish diplomats in Moscow apparent link to the attack Top EU diplomats were sian diplomats and taking Putin spokesman Dmitry
were bracing for a retalia- on Glushkov and the poi- expected to discuss next other steps against Russian Peskov was quoted by Rus-
tory order from the Kremlin soning of the Skripals. steps at a meeting Mon- interests as the two nations' sian news agencies as call-
and were just waiting to be But to the West, they are day, with some calling for relations plummet. ing Johnson's statement a
told who had to leave and raising similar concerns. a boycott of the upcoming "Our quarrel is with Putin's "shocking and inexcusable
when. While Britain has accused World Cup in Russia. British Kremlin, and with his deci- breach of diplomatic pro-
Geopolitical tensions have the Russian state of order- Prime Minister Theresa May sion, and we think it over- priety." Peskov reiterated
been mounting since the ing the poisoning of the is seeking a global coalition whelmingly likely that it was Russian denials of involve-
poisoning of the Skripals in Skripals, Foreign Secretary of countries to punish Mos- his decision, to direct the ment in the attack on the
the English city of Salisbury Boris Johnson took it a step cow, and the U.S., France use of a nerve agent on the Skripals.q
Street clashes erupt in Madrid after street vendor's death

MADRID (AP) — Street the Lavapies neighbor- treated for minor injuries. "investigate thoroughly said.
clashes erupted Thursday hood of the Spanish capi- The Spanish news agency what happened and act One resident, who gave his
night in central Madrid over tal. An Associated Press re- Europa Press quoted police accordingly." name only as Marcos, told
the death of a 35-year-old porter saw protesters throw as saying the vendor died Doudou Diouf, who de- AP that earlier in the day
African vendor who wit- stones at dozens of riot po- of cardiorespiratory arrest scribed himself as a friend he saw police on foot and
nesses said died trying to lice officers. Rioters also set while running from officers. of the dead man, said the on motorbikes pursuing
escape from police crack- fire to the facade of a bank "I regret very much the vendor had lived in Spain a group of African street
ing down on illegal street branch and broke glass death of a citizen in La- for 12 years and had ap- vendors. He said the chase
sales. partitions at a bus stop. vapies," Madrid Mayor plied unsuccessfully three began in Madrid's central
Hundreds of protesters Madrid's emergency ser- Manuela Carmena tweet- times for legal residency. Puerta del Sol square and
burned plastic trash bins, vice said 16 police officers ed, adding that the mu- "He was a good guy. He headed toward the La-
blocking narrow streets in and four civilians were nicipal government would doesn't deserve this," Diouf vapies neighborhood.q