US expels 60 Russian diplomats; Moscow says it will apply the rule of “reciprocity”

1.US and 17 countries expel more than 100 Russian diplomats after poisoning

The US and 17 countries simultaneously expelled Russian diplomats. Photo: Sputnik.

According to AFP, on March 26, US President Donald Trump decided to expel 60 diplomats and asked Russia to close its consulate in Seattle.

Twelve of them are registered as intelligence officers at the Russian Mission in New York. The officials have seven days to leave the country. It is the toughest action yet by the Trump administration, which has often been criticized for not being aggressive enough with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Seventeen other countries, including Canada, Ukraine and Albania, and EU countries, simultaneously expelled Russian diplomats on the same day. The countries announced the expulsions to show solidarity with the UK over the poisoning of a former spy.

The number of diplomats expelled was much larger than previously predicted, and the simultaneous action by 18 countries also came as a shock to Moscow.

2. US House of Representatives investigates China's military ambitions in Africa

US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes. Photo: Reuters

US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes announced that his committee will investigate China's efforts to gain military and economic influence in Africa.

Speaking on the television program "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo", Mr. Nunes, a Republican congressman, said that China's investment in African countries will allow Beijing to increase its ability to control world trade.

Mr. Nunes cited China's inauguration of a military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa and the entrance to the Red Sea, as a prime example of the Beijing government's aforementioned ambitions.

"We believe they are looking to invest in ports and infrastructure around the world, not just for military capabilities but also to control the governments of these countries," Mr. Nunes said.

3. Fire at Russian shopping mall kills 64 people

Fire at shopping mall in Russia: 53 dead, 4 arrested

A fire at a shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo has killed 64 people, Russia's emergencies ministry says.

The fire started on Sunday at the four-story Winter Cherry shopping center in Kemerovo. Firefighters only put it out early this morning (Monday, March 26, 2018).In addition to the death toll, the fire also injured dozens of people.

Many of the victims were children. Earlier in the day, the AP reported at least three children and one woman, but the death toll could change.

4. Türkiye, Russia and Iran set date for talks on Syria

The trilateral meeting was chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: AFP/Getty Images)

The presidents of Türkiye, Russia and Iran will attend a trilateral summit on Syria in the Turkish capital Istanbul on April 4, China.org.cn reported.

The trilateral meeting will be chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and will be the second such summit after the previous one took place in November 2017 in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Also attending the meeting were Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani as the three leaders sought to capitalize on efforts to end the seven-year conflict in Syria.

The decision came after Turkish troops seized a Turkish fortress in northern Syria as Ankara threatened to expand a large-scale operation further east.

5. Russia regrets the West's expulsion of Russian diplomats

Russian Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Photo: VNA

Reuters reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 26 that Russia regretted the decision of Western governments to expel Russian diplomats, related to the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in the British city of Salisbury.
Speaking to reporters, Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow's response would be based on the principle of reciprocity and that Russian President Vladimir Putin would make the final decision on how Moscow would respond to the expulsions.

On the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Western governments of blindly following Britain in confronting Moscow, stressing that it was a mistake.

Following the US lead, on March 26, at least 14 countries in the European Union (EU) simultaneously announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England./.

6. China accuses US of 'arrogance' at the United Nations

President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump. Photo: Daily Express

China accused the United States of being "arrogant" on Monday (March 26) after the US delegation rejected a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council proposed by Beijing, according to Reuters.

The United States cast the sole “no” vote at the Council meeting in Geneva, with one US diplomat saying Chinese officials clearly intended to “glorify their status by adding their own thoughts to the lexicon of the international human rights body”.

China introduced a resolution at the Council calling for “mutually beneficial cooperation,” the second time it has done so in nearly 12 years.

7.Japan gives Philippines surveillance aircraft for the South China Sea

Three Beechcraft TC90 aircraft of the Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) attend the aircraft transfer ceremony to the Philippine Navy at the Naval Air Station headquarters in Mount Sangley, Cavite City, Philippines on March 26, 2018. Photo: Reuters

The Philippine defense official said the territorial dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea remains a security challenge despite an improvement in bilateral ties, he said on Monday as he received three maritime surveillance aircraft from Japan, according to Reuters.

Delfin Lorenzana, in a speech at a naval base south of the capital Manila, said the three TC90 aircraft donated by Japan to the Philippines would help boost its intelligence-gathering capabilities in the South China Sea.

“We have to acknowledge that there is still much to be done to enhance our military capabilities to meet some of the persistent maritime security challenges,” Lorenzana said, identifying territorial disputes between China and other countries over the resource-rich South China Sea.