From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm Liz Parker reporting.

In response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats, Russia is following suit by expelling the same number of British diplomats. The move comes in response to the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.

British officials have laid blame on Russia after discovering a Russian-inherited chemical nerve agent was used in the attack.

"But Russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable. "

Saturday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain is considering its next move.

Russians began voting in a presidential election on Sunday set to give Vladimir Putin a commanding victory, the election expected to result in another six-year term for Vladimir Putin, who has been in the position of leadership in Russia for 18 years.

He faces seven challengers but no real threats from any contenders. Putin is expected to bring in more than 50 percent of the vote but his election team is hoping for 70 percent.

American counterterrorism airstrikes in northern Afghanistan are reported to have killed up to 35 Islamic State militants and wounded a dozen more.

A regional Afghan military statement said Saturday the pre-dawn strikes took place in districts of Jowzjan province. Seven Uzbek nationals are among the dead.

The U.S. military had no comment.

And China angry at the U.S. as President Donald Trump has signed legislation that encourages U.S. officials to travel to Taiwan to meet their counterparts.

This is VOA news.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, on Saturday afternoon for a consultative meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

According to a Ramaphosa spokeswoman, the meeting was intended to further strengthen the strong economic, political and social relations between the two countries.

Ramaphosa and Mnangagwa were expected to exchange views on important regional, continental and global issues of mutual concern.

The World Health Organization reports a major breakthrough in efforts to contain South Africa's longest and largest listeria outbreak.

WHO food safety expert Peter Ben Embarek says the primary source of the outbreak has been identified - a type of sausage.

"Two weeks ago, food was identified as the primary source of this large outbreak. It's a meat, ready-to-eat meat product, a type of sausage very commonly consumed in South Africa and in the region - Polony product."

Embarek says recalls of the food has happened in South Africa and also in 15 other countries.

As of one week ago, the WHO has recorded 978 lab-confirmed cases of listeria, including 183 deaths.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met a number of Association of South East Asian Nations, also known as ASEAN. He met those leaders on the sidelines of the special summit being held in Sydney.

Turnbull spoke during a joint news conference Saturday.

"What we have in the ASEAN region is an unprecedented opportunity and it's one we must seize together. So, today I'm asking you to continue to be strong advocates and persuasive ones, for open markets and free trade. To be bold, to think big, and open your arms to opportunities and your neighbors. That's how we'll create greater prosperity now and in the future, our children and grandchildren are depending on it."

ASEAN leaders are signing an agreement of regional cooperation against violent extremism as the risk to the region grows due to militants fleeing Islamic State group losses in the Middle East.

The U.S. military says seven American service members were killed when their helicopter crashed in Iraq.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is with the Trump administration. "At least from initial reporting, the crash does not appear to have been caused by enemy action. However, this incident is under investigation. This tragic crash reminds us that all our courageous men and women take extraordinary risks every single day in service of our country."

The United States has been working with Iraqi forces to fight Islamic State militants in Iraq.

We have much more on all the stories we covered on voanews.com. I'm Liz Parker reporting from Washington.

That's the latest world news from VOA.