Chinese Nobel laureate’s condition deteriorates

China’s cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo suffered respiratory failure as his condition worsened yesterday, his hospital said.

As Germany offered to treat Liu, human rights groups criticised a lack of independent information on his condition. The First Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang said that Liu’s family declined to have him put on artificial ventilation, which was necessary “to maintain life”. It earlier said the democracy advocate’s liver function had deteriorated.