U.K. woman exposed to Russian nerve agent Novichok dies

A British woman who was exposed to the Russian-produced nerve agent Novichok — the same used on a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter in the U.K earlier this year — died in hospital on Sunday evening, prompting police to launch a murder inquiry, per The Guardian.

The details: The woman, Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell critically ill last month following exposure to the nerve agent. A 45-year-old man, who was also admitted, reportedly remains in critical condition. It’s unclear whether this is related to the poisoning of Skripal, which was blamed on the Russian government, but both incidents occurred just miles apart near Salisbury, England.