Chinese Nobel laureate's breathing fails

BEIJING: China's cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo suffered respiratory failure as his condition worsened on Wednesday, his hospital said, as Germany offered to host him and rights groups decried the lack of independent information, reports AFP.

The First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang said Liu's family declined to have him put on artificial ventilation, which was necessary "to maintain life".

"The hospital has explained the necessity of tracheal intubation to the patient's family, the family refused the tracheal intubation," the hospital said on its website.

The hospital, which earlier reported that he had suffered organ failure, said the 61-year-old democracy advocate's liver function had deteriorated despite three days of anti-infection and blood treatment.

Liu, who has been held since 2008 for "subversion", risks becoming the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital under the Nazis in 1938.

Chinese Nobel laureates breathing fails

BEIJING: Chinas cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo suffered respiratory failure as his condition worsened on Wednesday, his hospital said, as Germany offered to host him and rights groups decried the lack of independent information, reports AFP. The First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang said Lius family declined to have him put on artificial ventilation, which was necessary to maintain life. The hospital has explained the necessity of tracheal intubation to the patients family, the family refused the tracheal intubation, the hospital said on its website. The hospital, which earlier reported that he had suffered organ failure, said the 61-year-old democracy advocates liver function had deteriorated despite three days of anti-infection and blood treatment. Liu, who has been held since 2008 for subversion, risks becoming the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital under the Nazis in 1938.