Germany at Odds With France Over Tariffs on U.S. Cars
By
March 27, 2018, 8:58 PM GMT+11 Updated on March 27, 2018, 10:33 PM GMT+11
EU seeking permanent exemption on threatened U.S. tariffs
Europe needs to reach common stance by April 30 deadline
Germany is willing to offer the U.S. concessions to stop President Donald Trump from slapping tariffs on European steel and aluminum, exposing a divide with France on how to avert a trade war.
Germany is ready to discuss with the European Union in every respect measures to counter the U.S. threat to impose tariffs, according to a government official in Berlin. That flexible approach to protecting Germany’s export-led industry risks alienating other EU countries including France, which according to a French government official doesn’t want the bloc to make any concessions.
With little more than four weeks until a temporary U.S. moratorium on steel and aluminum tariffs runs out, the EU is still trying to identify a common approach to Trump. At stake is potential disruption to a relationship involving total EU-U.S. trade worth some $640 billion in 2016.
Germany is in favor of any EU deal covering new rules on tariffs for a series of products including cars, machinery, foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, the first official said. That stance is not shared by France, which wants to focus on pressuring China over issues such as subsidies and overcapacity in the steel industry, the second official said. Both government officials asked not to be named discussing internal strategy.
Trade Quarrel
Trump's administration accuses the EU of charging higher tariffs and of unfair trade practices
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is already sounding out the German car industry on whether it would support a reduction in the 10 percent EU tariff on autos to avoid a trade dispute, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Tuesday. Carmakers responded positively to the idea, the newspaper said, citing industry sources.
“Dialogue with the U.S. must continue at the highest political level,” the VDA German car industry body said in a statement when asked about the report. “We advocate sustainable and reliable agreements that are WTO-compliant. In the interests of fair and free trade, it is necessary to dismantle each other’s trade barriers and to agree a new framework.”
To see a tweet from President Trump on trade talks, click here.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, who met last week with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, told reporters that he made no offers to the U.S. to secure an exemption, then denied a report in Handelsblatt on Monday that he had suggested lowering car tariffs.
Much at Stake
The U.S. is still the EU's biggest trading partner, even though China is quickly catching up
“It is only the EU which negotiates, united and together. I have neither made any offers nor any promises,” he tweeted. A spokeswoman for his ministry added that he had kept EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom fully informed on his discussions in the U.S. She declined to comment on the Sueddeutsche report.
The average European Union tariff on goods imported from around the world is 3 percent, while the average U.S. duty on foreign products is 2.4 percent, according to the WTO.
While Trump favors bilateral agreements with certain states, Merkel insists on a common EU approach on the basis of World Trade Organization rules, which do not allow for tariffs for individual products and countries to be lowered. Under those rules, members can offer market access to one another that is more preferential than the WTO standard as long as such agreements cover “substantially all” commerce between the parties to the deal.
— With assistance by Gregory Viscusi, Rainer Buergin, and Jonathan Stearns
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Let's focus on what brings us together, not what pulls us apart - Al Jazeera
26/3/2018
Let's focus on what brings us together, not what pulls us apart
It's time for the Middle Eastern countries to move beyond their differences, writes Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.
Mohammed Javad Zarif by Mohammed Javad Zarif
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations, writes Zarif [Reuters]
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations, writes Zarif [Reuters]
Prior to the Iranian Revolution's success in 1979, Iran was one of the few Muslim states that had good relations with Israel. In fact, the monarchy led by the deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi unfortunately contributed to paving the way for the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel. This was not easy for most Iranians, who saw the Palestinian cause as their cause.
So when the revolution toppled the old regime, among the first orders of business was to raise the Palestinian flag over the first Palestinian embassy. The revolution and its leaders always considered the Palestinian cause as their own. Therefore, and from the beginning, they did not bargain with this principle, even if it meant enduring pressure, sieges and wars. For the Islamic Republic of Iran, the pain, security and freedom of the Palestinian people and Arab countries is the pain, security and freedom of Iran.
Some have tried to turn the Arab world into a battlefield for settling scores and expanding interests. But the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the security and stability of the Middle East is a crucial part of Iran's security and stability - especially the security and prosperity of its neighbouring Arab countries, which is a priority for all.
Iran has always advocated for laying the foundations of joint security agreements based on dialogue, shared values and confidence-building measures as a first step out of the dark tunnel that is wearing everyone down. Iran has repeatedly extended its hand to everyone in order to preserve neighbourly ties and shared security concerns and interests. This is our responsibility to our people and future generations. The minimal base that we have now could evaporate, and we should build on it to reach an end to this current situation, which has lasted for too long.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is recommending a re-engineering of the region in a way that aims to achieve the common interests of all of the countries in the region, regardless of differences and disputes.
The external forces that have impact in this region have always favoured war. They repeat cycles of war, and never give peace a chance. They backed Saddam Hussein's regime in its invasion of Iran and Kuwait, and later launched a war to overthrow him. They supported al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and later launched campaigns to push them out. Then they supported various versions of the same groups in Syria, destroying the country and preparing to occupy it under the guise of fighting extremist groups. Israel waged wars on Lebanon, illegally occupies Palestine and repeatedly violates Syrian airspace. There is also the three-year-old war in Yemen, and massacres using Western weapons. With all the aforementioned and what's to come, how has our region benefited, and how did all of this reflect on the world?
It can be said that the policies of the last half-century have brought the world to what can be described as a crisis. The world today seems like it's facing a dead end. International relations have become impervious to their historical and scientific foundations. And this region is gradually becoming a place that lacks minimal security and is plagued by all kinds of ethnic, national, sectarian, religious and tribal conflicts.
Security has become a scarce commodity between peoples that share a lot and differ on very little in this vast, single home. Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Persians and other peoples of the region have a shared history and culture, similar vocabulary and nearly identical customs and traditions.
So why do we ignore our commonalities and instead allow the logic of confrontation to lead? It can only lead to more widows of war, more hatred and a renewal of the wars of pre-Islamic times. We don't need a modern-day Dahis and Ghabra War (a pre-Islamic tribal war that lasted for decades, sparked by a horse race), nor a Basus War (another pre-Islamic tribal war that lasted for decades, sparked by the killing of a camel). If we don't want to repeat our history, we must see eye to eye and agree to resolve our differences on the table, not on the battlefield.
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations. The Islamic Republic of Iran is recommending a re-engineering of the region in a way that aims to achieve the common interests of all of the countries in the region, regardless of differences and disputes. In fact, those differences and disputes must be respected.
This re-engineering is based on containment, and it can prevent bigger parties from bullying the less-effective parties, allowing smaller states in the region to participate and have their interests safeguarded.
As for our Arab neighbours, with whom we share land or sea borders, our mutual security is based on common standards enshrined in United Nations charters, such as sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of force, peaceful conflict resolution, respect for borders and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs of other states, as well as the right to self-determination within each state.
Mutual security also requires serious measures to build confidence, such as notifications before starting military exercises, transparency in military procedures, reduction in military spending and reciprocal military visits.
We can begin by taking easier steps, such as encouraging tourism and investments between our countries, and joint projects for nuclear safety, fighting pollution and crisis management.
Once again, Iran extends its hand to its neighbours. This is not a manoeuver; it is a strategic choice. Iran truly believes that what brings us together is much greater than the differences that are based on uncertainty and fleeting interests that may not be a priority in the future. But if we wait, and if we don't act to make peace with each other, the next generations may not have enough to look each other in the eye and say "enough is enough!"
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mohammed Javad ZarifMohammed Javad Zarif
Mohammed Javad Zarif is the Foreign Minister of Iran.
Let's focus on what brings us together, not what pulls us apart
It's time for the Middle Eastern countries to move beyond their differences, writes Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.
Mohammed Javad Zarif by Mohammed Javad Zarif
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations, writes Zarif [Reuters]
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations, writes Zarif [Reuters]
Prior to the Iranian Revolution's success in 1979, Iran was one of the few Muslim states that had good relations with Israel. In fact, the monarchy led by the deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi unfortunately contributed to paving the way for the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel. This was not easy for most Iranians, who saw the Palestinian cause as their cause.
So when the revolution toppled the old regime, among the first orders of business was to raise the Palestinian flag over the first Palestinian embassy. The revolution and its leaders always considered the Palestinian cause as their own. Therefore, and from the beginning, they did not bargain with this principle, even if it meant enduring pressure, sieges and wars. For the Islamic Republic of Iran, the pain, security and freedom of the Palestinian people and Arab countries is the pain, security and freedom of Iran.
Some have tried to turn the Arab world into a battlefield for settling scores and expanding interests. But the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the security and stability of the Middle East is a crucial part of Iran's security and stability - especially the security and prosperity of its neighbouring Arab countries, which is a priority for all.
Iran has always advocated for laying the foundations of joint security agreements based on dialogue, shared values and confidence-building measures as a first step out of the dark tunnel that is wearing everyone down. Iran has repeatedly extended its hand to everyone in order to preserve neighbourly ties and shared security concerns and interests. This is our responsibility to our people and future generations. The minimal base that we have now could evaporate, and we should build on it to reach an end to this current situation, which has lasted for too long.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is recommending a re-engineering of the region in a way that aims to achieve the common interests of all of the countries in the region, regardless of differences and disputes.
The external forces that have impact in this region have always favoured war. They repeat cycles of war, and never give peace a chance. They backed Saddam Hussein's regime in its invasion of Iran and Kuwait, and later launched a war to overthrow him. They supported al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and later launched campaigns to push them out. Then they supported various versions of the same groups in Syria, destroying the country and preparing to occupy it under the guise of fighting extremist groups. Israel waged wars on Lebanon, illegally occupies Palestine and repeatedly violates Syrian airspace. There is also the three-year-old war in Yemen, and massacres using Western weapons. With all the aforementioned and what's to come, how has our region benefited, and how did all of this reflect on the world?
It can be said that the policies of the last half-century have brought the world to what can be described as a crisis. The world today seems like it's facing a dead end. International relations have become impervious to their historical and scientific foundations. And this region is gradually becoming a place that lacks minimal security and is plagued by all kinds of ethnic, national, sectarian, religious and tribal conflicts.
Security has become a scarce commodity between peoples that share a lot and differ on very little in this vast, single home. Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Persians and other peoples of the region have a shared history and culture, similar vocabulary and nearly identical customs and traditions.
So why do we ignore our commonalities and instead allow the logic of confrontation to lead? It can only lead to more widows of war, more hatred and a renewal of the wars of pre-Islamic times. We don't need a modern-day Dahis and Ghabra War (a pre-Islamic tribal war that lasted for decades, sparked by a horse race), nor a Basus War (another pre-Islamic tribal war that lasted for decades, sparked by the killing of a camel). If we don't want to repeat our history, we must see eye to eye and agree to resolve our differences on the table, not on the battlefield.
We are not suggesting we ignore our differences and disputes, but that we don't let them ruin our relations. The Islamic Republic of Iran is recommending a re-engineering of the region in a way that aims to achieve the common interests of all of the countries in the region, regardless of differences and disputes. In fact, those differences and disputes must be respected.
This re-engineering is based on containment, and it can prevent bigger parties from bullying the less-effective parties, allowing smaller states in the region to participate and have their interests safeguarded.
As for our Arab neighbours, with whom we share land or sea borders, our mutual security is based on common standards enshrined in United Nations charters, such as sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of force, peaceful conflict resolution, respect for borders and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs of other states, as well as the right to self-determination within each state.
Mutual security also requires serious measures to build confidence, such as notifications before starting military exercises, transparency in military procedures, reduction in military spending and reciprocal military visits.
We can begin by taking easier steps, such as encouraging tourism and investments between our countries, and joint projects for nuclear safety, fighting pollution and crisis management.
Once again, Iran extends its hand to its neighbours. This is not a manoeuver; it is a strategic choice. Iran truly believes that what brings us together is much greater than the differences that are based on uncertainty and fleeting interests that may not be a priority in the future. But if we wait, and if we don't act to make peace with each other, the next generations may not have enough to look each other in the eye and say "enough is enough!"
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mohammed Javad ZarifMohammed Javad Zarif
Mohammed Javad Zarif is the Foreign Minister of Iran.
Jimmy Carter talks "Faith," North Korea and Trump's changing stance on Russia - CBS News
March 27, 2018, 8:38 AM
Jimmy Carter talks "Faith," North Korea and Trump's changing stance on Russia
Former President Jimmy Carter sits down with "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell in an extended interview CBS NEWS
Former President Jimmy Carter says he believes U.S. talks with North Korea could lead to the reclusive country's denuclearization. The 93-year-old Nobel Peace Prize recipient left the White House nearly four decades ago but remains a knowledgeable source on U.S. diplomacy with North Korea.
Carter told told "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell that he has offered to help President Trump and hopes Mr. Trump will be "successful" if he sits down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss denuclearization.
"If President Trump wanted me to help in any way, I would be glad to do that," Carter said.
Jimmy Carter says John Bolton as national security adviser is "worst mistake" Trump has made
The former president also discussed Russia and said Mr. Trump has not taken a hard enough stance on Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
"In the last few weeks, I think President Trump has shown, for the first time, a willingness to stand up against the policies of Russia. I think he's-- I think he could go a little bit further along, but I think he's begun to change his attitude," Carter said.
Now he's out with his 32nd book, "Faith: A Journey for All," published by Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS. Carter said he thinks it will be his last book.
"But I thought the last one was my last one. And so this has been the most difficult book I've ever written, just about faith, you know, just a simple title. Because there's so many different meanings of faith," he said.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
NORAH O'DONNELL: You've been to North Korea three times.
JIMMY CARTER: I've been there, I've spent about 20 hours in detailed talks with the top leaders of North Korea. I think I understand what the North Koreans want. … And what the leaders want is a guarantee that can be confirmed that the United States will not attack North Korea preemptively, as long as North Korea stays at peace with its neighbors.
O'DONNELL: President Trump has now announced he's willing to sit down.
CARTER: I'm glad to hear that, and hope he'll be successful. I pray that he will. I've-- I've offered to President Trump directly, on two occasions, since he's been to office, that I would be glad to help in any way when-- to go to North Korea if needed. I don't wanna go if I don't have to. I'm, as you said, over 93 years old. But I would be glad to do whatever he wanted me to do.
O'DONNELL: You mean hold, like, a preliminary meeting with Kim Jong-un before President Trump--
CARTER: Well, whatever-- whatever the president wants. It's-- it's against the law and against my principles to intercede without permission from the president. But if-- if President Trump wanted me to help in any way, I would be glad to do that.
O'DONNELL: Russia once again back in the news, and today President Trump announcing that he would expel 60 Russians from the U.S. over that poison attack in Britain. … Has President Trump taken a hard enough stance against Russia's meddling?
CARTER: I don't think President Trump has. One reason, I think the main reason is that he doesn't want to admit in any way that the Russians were influential in his election. He wants to give that credit directly to the American people. … And in the last few weeks, I think President Trump has shown, for the first time, a willingness to stand up against the policies of Russia. I think he's-- I think he could go a little bit further along, but I think he's begun to change his attitude.
O'DONNELL: I'm almost embarrassed to ask this question, but you know, there's so many problems facing America, and people in need, and yet there is an entire discussion about this current president and a alleged affair he had with a adult film star. What do you make of that?
CARTER: It'll help the Democratic Party in 2018, and perhaps in 2020. And will be damaging to President Trump. I think most people want a president-- whom they trust to tell the truth always, and who has some basic moral values, including loyalty to his own wife. So in a way, it'll be damaging. But I don't think it's gonna have nearly as much effect as it would've had, say, 20 years ago.
President Carter was in New York Monday to promote the release of his latest book, a reflection on faith and its impact on our lives.
O'DONNELL: What number book is this?
CARTER: Thirty-two.
O'DONNELL: Your 32nd book. I know you're not traveling as much, but--
CARTER: No, I'm not.
O'DONNELL: But it seems like you're hardly slowing down.
CARTER: Well, I'm going to slow down. Rose and I both, since Rose has been ill, she's past 90 now, and so it's time for us to back away from some things.
O'DONNELL: I know you have had melanoma. And congratulations on being in remission now for more than two years?
CARTER: That's right.
O'DONNELL: How's your health?
CARTER: Right now it's good.
O'DONNELL: And what did the doctors say about your prognosis?
CARTER: At this point the prognosis is good. But I'm not overconfident, but I'm a lot more confident than I was for a while, and thankful.
O'DONNELL: I know when you announced your diagnosis in 2015, you said you were surprisingly at ease. And in the book you write that, "We thought that I had only a few weeks to live, and Rosalynn and I began making plans for my death." What plans have you made?
CARTER: Well, I called all my family together and told them that I was going to die quite soon. And I shared that information with the leaders of the Carter Center, where Rose and I spend a lot of our time. And so I was prepared to go, but things turned out for the better.
O'DONNELL: But that's an unusual thing, to prepare to say goodbye and then be granted a great deal more time.
CARTER: I know. That's true, well, I've been very fortunate in many ways.
O'DONNELL: So do you think this is your last book?
CARTER: I think so, but I thought the last one was my last one. (LAUGH) And so this has been the most difficult book I've ever written, just about faith, you know, just a simple title. Because there's so many different meanings of faith.
O'DONNELL: Right, you're talking about more than just faith in God.
CARTER: Well, faith in God, faith in yourself, faith in your fellow human beings, faith in the equality of people in the eyes of God.
O'DONNELL: Are you concerned that there's a lack of faith in many of these?
CARTER: Yeah. We've lost a lotta faith in each other. And the eagerness to accommodate different opinions. A lot of Americans have lost faith in themselves, they've lost faith in democracy.
O'DONNELL: Why do you think that faith is being challenged?
CARTER: It's been challenged, but I still have faith in the long-term correction of our problems. I teach a Bible class every Sunday, and when I ask my 200 or 300 visitors every Sunday if they think that our country can overcome the challenges that it faces today, they almost unanimously respond, "Yes, we have confidence in America. We have faith in America and the principles on which it was founded." So I think we still have faith in the basic rudiments of life in this country.
Jimmy Carter talks "Faith," North Korea and Trump's changing stance on Russia
Former President Jimmy Carter sits down with "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell in an extended interview CBS NEWS
Former President Jimmy Carter says he believes U.S. talks with North Korea could lead to the reclusive country's denuclearization. The 93-year-old Nobel Peace Prize recipient left the White House nearly four decades ago but remains a knowledgeable source on U.S. diplomacy with North Korea.
Carter told told "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell that he has offered to help President Trump and hopes Mr. Trump will be "successful" if he sits down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss denuclearization.
"If President Trump wanted me to help in any way, I would be glad to do that," Carter said.
Jimmy Carter says John Bolton as national security adviser is "worst mistake" Trump has made
The former president also discussed Russia and said Mr. Trump has not taken a hard enough stance on Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
"In the last few weeks, I think President Trump has shown, for the first time, a willingness to stand up against the policies of Russia. I think he's-- I think he could go a little bit further along, but I think he's begun to change his attitude," Carter said.
Now he's out with his 32nd book, "Faith: A Journey for All," published by Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS. Carter said he thinks it will be his last book.
"But I thought the last one was my last one. And so this has been the most difficult book I've ever written, just about faith, you know, just a simple title. Because there's so many different meanings of faith," he said.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
NORAH O'DONNELL: You've been to North Korea three times.
JIMMY CARTER: I've been there, I've spent about 20 hours in detailed talks with the top leaders of North Korea. I think I understand what the North Koreans want. … And what the leaders want is a guarantee that can be confirmed that the United States will not attack North Korea preemptively, as long as North Korea stays at peace with its neighbors.
O'DONNELL: President Trump has now announced he's willing to sit down.
CARTER: I'm glad to hear that, and hope he'll be successful. I pray that he will. I've-- I've offered to President Trump directly, on two occasions, since he's been to office, that I would be glad to help in any way when-- to go to North Korea if needed. I don't wanna go if I don't have to. I'm, as you said, over 93 years old. But I would be glad to do whatever he wanted me to do.
O'DONNELL: You mean hold, like, a preliminary meeting with Kim Jong-un before President Trump--
CARTER: Well, whatever-- whatever the president wants. It's-- it's against the law and against my principles to intercede without permission from the president. But if-- if President Trump wanted me to help in any way, I would be glad to do that.
O'DONNELL: Russia once again back in the news, and today President Trump announcing that he would expel 60 Russians from the U.S. over that poison attack in Britain. … Has President Trump taken a hard enough stance against Russia's meddling?
CARTER: I don't think President Trump has. One reason, I think the main reason is that he doesn't want to admit in any way that the Russians were influential in his election. He wants to give that credit directly to the American people. … And in the last few weeks, I think President Trump has shown, for the first time, a willingness to stand up against the policies of Russia. I think he's-- I think he could go a little bit further along, but I think he's begun to change his attitude.
O'DONNELL: I'm almost embarrassed to ask this question, but you know, there's so many problems facing America, and people in need, and yet there is an entire discussion about this current president and a alleged affair he had with a adult film star. What do you make of that?
CARTER: It'll help the Democratic Party in 2018, and perhaps in 2020. And will be damaging to President Trump. I think most people want a president-- whom they trust to tell the truth always, and who has some basic moral values, including loyalty to his own wife. So in a way, it'll be damaging. But I don't think it's gonna have nearly as much effect as it would've had, say, 20 years ago.
President Carter was in New York Monday to promote the release of his latest book, a reflection on faith and its impact on our lives.
O'DONNELL: What number book is this?
CARTER: Thirty-two.
O'DONNELL: Your 32nd book. I know you're not traveling as much, but--
CARTER: No, I'm not.
O'DONNELL: But it seems like you're hardly slowing down.
CARTER: Well, I'm going to slow down. Rose and I both, since Rose has been ill, she's past 90 now, and so it's time for us to back away from some things.
O'DONNELL: I know you have had melanoma. And congratulations on being in remission now for more than two years?
CARTER: That's right.
O'DONNELL: How's your health?
CARTER: Right now it's good.
O'DONNELL: And what did the doctors say about your prognosis?
CARTER: At this point the prognosis is good. But I'm not overconfident, but I'm a lot more confident than I was for a while, and thankful.
O'DONNELL: I know when you announced your diagnosis in 2015, you said you were surprisingly at ease. And in the book you write that, "We thought that I had only a few weeks to live, and Rosalynn and I began making plans for my death." What plans have you made?
CARTER: Well, I called all my family together and told them that I was going to die quite soon. And I shared that information with the leaders of the Carter Center, where Rose and I spend a lot of our time. And so I was prepared to go, but things turned out for the better.
O'DONNELL: But that's an unusual thing, to prepare to say goodbye and then be granted a great deal more time.
CARTER: I know. That's true, well, I've been very fortunate in many ways.
O'DONNELL: So do you think this is your last book?
CARTER: I think so, but I thought the last one was my last one. (LAUGH) And so this has been the most difficult book I've ever written, just about faith, you know, just a simple title. Because there's so many different meanings of faith.
O'DONNELL: Right, you're talking about more than just faith in God.
CARTER: Well, faith in God, faith in yourself, faith in your fellow human beings, faith in the equality of people in the eyes of God.
O'DONNELL: Are you concerned that there's a lack of faith in many of these?
CARTER: Yeah. We've lost a lotta faith in each other. And the eagerness to accommodate different opinions. A lot of Americans have lost faith in themselves, they've lost faith in democracy.
O'DONNELL: Why do you think that faith is being challenged?
CARTER: It's been challenged, but I still have faith in the long-term correction of our problems. I teach a Bible class every Sunday, and when I ask my 200 or 300 visitors every Sunday if they think that our country can overcome the challenges that it faces today, they almost unanimously respond, "Yes, we have confidence in America. We have faith in America and the principles on which it was founded." So I think we still have faith in the basic rudiments of life in this country.
Next stop for Microsoft: $1 trillion? - CNN Money
Next stop for Microsoft: $1 trillion?
by Paul R. La Monica @lamonicabuzz
March 26, 2018: 3:15 PM ET
Don't count out Microsoft in the race to $1 trillion.
Apple (AAPL), the most valuable company in America, is already valued at about $850 billion. Amazon (AMZN) and the parent company of Google are each above $700 billion.
So is Microsoft (MSFT). And analysts at Morgan Stanley say the company could hit $1 trillion in market value within a year.
Morgan Stanley's new price target for Microsoft is $130 a share. That would be 45% higher than where the stock closed on Friday and enough to clear the trillion mark.
Microsoft stock soared almost 7% Monday because of the Morgan Stanley report. That helped push the Dow to a gain of more than 400 points.
The Morgan Stanley analysts are incredibly bullish on Microsoft's cloud computing units, such as the Office 365 software suite and the Azure hosting business.
Related: Amazon tops Google as second most valuable company
Amazon and Google are also big players in the cloud market. IBM (IBM), Salesforce (CRM), Cisco (CSCO), Adobe (ADBE) and Oracle (ORCL) made big bets on it, too.
But Microsoft has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the cloud revolution ever since it replaced former CEO Steve Ballmer with the company's cloud guru, Satya Nadella.
The Morgan Stanley analysts, citing results of a recent survey of chief information officers, found that big companies expected to shift more of their tech budgets to cloud services from Microsoft, Amazon and Cisco in particular over the next few years.
Microsoft still has many other business lines, of course. It owns the Xbox gaming hardware and software. And it recently made a big splurge on social networking by purchasing LinkedIn.
But Wall Street thinks Nadella's big push into the cloud is what will keep Microsoft's sales and profit growing at a nearly 10% clip for the next few years.
And Morgan Stanley isn't the only investment bank predicting that Microsoft is on the verge of a $1 trillion market valuation, either. An analyst at Evercore ISI made that call last December, also citing the company's cloud strength.
by Paul R. La Monica @lamonicabuzz
March 26, 2018: 3:15 PM ET
Don't count out Microsoft in the race to $1 trillion.
Apple (AAPL), the most valuable company in America, is already valued at about $850 billion. Amazon (AMZN) and the parent company of Google are each above $700 billion.
So is Microsoft (MSFT). And analysts at Morgan Stanley say the company could hit $1 trillion in market value within a year.
Morgan Stanley's new price target for Microsoft is $130 a share. That would be 45% higher than where the stock closed on Friday and enough to clear the trillion mark.
Microsoft stock soared almost 7% Monday because of the Morgan Stanley report. That helped push the Dow to a gain of more than 400 points.
The Morgan Stanley analysts are incredibly bullish on Microsoft's cloud computing units, such as the Office 365 software suite and the Azure hosting business.
Related: Amazon tops Google as second most valuable company
Amazon and Google are also big players in the cloud market. IBM (IBM), Salesforce (CRM), Cisco (CSCO), Adobe (ADBE) and Oracle (ORCL) made big bets on it, too.
But Microsoft has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the cloud revolution ever since it replaced former CEO Steve Ballmer with the company's cloud guru, Satya Nadella.
The Morgan Stanley analysts, citing results of a recent survey of chief information officers, found that big companies expected to shift more of their tech budgets to cloud services from Microsoft, Amazon and Cisco in particular over the next few years.
Microsoft still has many other business lines, of course. It owns the Xbox gaming hardware and software. And it recently made a big splurge on social networking by purchasing LinkedIn.
But Wall Street thinks Nadella's big push into the cloud is what will keep Microsoft's sales and profit growing at a nearly 10% clip for the next few years.
And Morgan Stanley isn't the only investment bank predicting that Microsoft is on the verge of a $1 trillion market valuation, either. An analyst at Evercore ISI made that call last December, also citing the company's cloud strength.
Stray bullet from neighbor's target practice kills woman in Michigan - CBS News
March 26, 2018, 12:19 PM
Stray bullet from neighbor's target practice kills woman in Michigan
RILEY TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Police say a 73-year-old woman was killed by a stray bullet that apparently came into her home from a neighbor's target practice in rural Michigan. Michigan State Police say the woman's husband reported that his wife collapsed Sunday shortly after he heard a "loud crack."
He says his wife was in a kitchen area of their home when she was shot in Riley Township, about 45 miles northeast of Detroit.
Police say a neighbor had been shooting at a berm on his nearby property. Police say he's cooperating with investigators.
Ohio girl, 14, killed in home by stray bullet fired from outside
Teen accidentally killed at gun range by dad's bullet, police say
The names of those involved haven't been released.
The St. Clair County prosecutor's office is expected to review the case once Michigan State Police officials complete their investigation to determine whether charges will be filed.
Stray bullet from neighbor's target practice kills woman in Michigan
RILEY TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Police say a 73-year-old woman was killed by a stray bullet that apparently came into her home from a neighbor's target practice in rural Michigan. Michigan State Police say the woman's husband reported that his wife collapsed Sunday shortly after he heard a "loud crack."
He says his wife was in a kitchen area of their home when she was shot in Riley Township, about 45 miles northeast of Detroit.
Police say a neighbor had been shooting at a berm on his nearby property. Police say he's cooperating with investigators.
Ohio girl, 14, killed in home by stray bullet fired from outside
Teen accidentally killed at gun range by dad's bullet, police say
The names of those involved haven't been released.
The St. Clair County prosecutor's office is expected to review the case once Michigan State Police officials complete their investigation to determine whether charges will be filed.
MARK ZUCKERBERG REFUSES REQUEST FROM UK PARLIAMENT TO SPEAK ABOUT DATA ABUSE - Independent
27/3/2018
MARK ZUCKERBERG REFUSES REQUEST FROM UK PARLIAMENT TO SPEAK ABOUT DATA ABUSE
Facebook data row: What is Cambridge Analytica?
Facebook did not say why its boss would not appear
ANDREW GRIFFIN
@_andrew_griffin
Mark Zuckerberg has refused the UK parliament’s request to be questioned by MPs over data abuse.
The Facebook boss will send one of his senior deputies instead, the company said. Damian Collins, who leads the digital, culture, media and sport select committee, had written to Mr Zuckerberg directly requesting that he appear.
Mr Collins’s letter made the request in the strongest possible terms, and suggested that Mr Zuckerberg himself should appear. He gave until Monday evening to reply to the request.
Facebook has now replied, on a letter dated 26 March, in which it says that it will send either Mike Schroepfer, Facebook’s chief technology officer, or Chris Cox, its chief product officer.
Both have worked under Mark Zuckerberg for more than 10 years, and are among the longest serving executives at the company. It did not say why the Facebook boss himself could not appear.
Mr Zuckerberg has been repeatedly criticised for his failure to speak publicly about the allegations of data abuse made in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
He didn’t address the controversy at all for a number of days, and eventually did so with a statement on his site that itself drew criticism from users.
Facebook admits collecting data on phone calls, but says people agreed
The reply letter to Damian Collins came from Rebecca Stimson, Facebook’s head of public policy in the UK. It said that Facebook took the request from parliament seriously.
“Facebook fully recognises the level of public and Parliamentary interest in these issues and support your belief that these issues must be addressed at the most senior levels of the company by those in an authoritative position to answer your questions,” it read. “As such Mr Zuckerberg has personally asked one of his deputies to make themselves available to give evidence to the Committee.”
The letter also claimed that only one per cent of downloads of thisisyourdigitallife – the app that Cambridge Analytica used to harvest data about users without their knowledge – had come from the UK.
Damian Collins said that the DCMS committee will be “very happy to hear from Mr Cox to give evidence”, but that he still wanted to speak to Zuckerberg.
He said that it wasn’t clear from the letter “whether he is available as well” and suggested that Parliament would consider setting up a “video link if that is more convenient for him”.
Mr Collins also suggested that it still expected Mr Zuckerberg to come if he couldn’t convincingly say why he shouldn’t.
“He stated in interviews that if he is the right person to appear he will appear,” he said. ”We think he is the right person and look forward to hearing from him.”
Mr Collins’ original letter, sent last week, accused Facebook of having “consistently understated” the risks of abuse of data by the company, and that they had been “misleading to the Committee”.
“It is now time to hear from a senior Facebook executive with the sufficient authority to give an accurate account of this catastrophic failure of process,” he said.
He then addressed Mr Zuckerberg directly: “Given your commitment at the start of the New Year to ‘fixing’ Facebook, I hope that this representative will be you”.
MARK ZUCKERBERG REFUSES REQUEST FROM UK PARLIAMENT TO SPEAK ABOUT DATA ABUSE
Facebook data row: What is Cambridge Analytica?
Facebook did not say why its boss would not appear
ANDREW GRIFFIN
@_andrew_griffin
Mark Zuckerberg has refused the UK parliament’s request to be questioned by MPs over data abuse.
The Facebook boss will send one of his senior deputies instead, the company said. Damian Collins, who leads the digital, culture, media and sport select committee, had written to Mr Zuckerberg directly requesting that he appear.
Mr Collins’s letter made the request in the strongest possible terms, and suggested that Mr Zuckerberg himself should appear. He gave until Monday evening to reply to the request.
Facebook has now replied, on a letter dated 26 March, in which it says that it will send either Mike Schroepfer, Facebook’s chief technology officer, or Chris Cox, its chief product officer.
Both have worked under Mark Zuckerberg for more than 10 years, and are among the longest serving executives at the company. It did not say why the Facebook boss himself could not appear.
Mr Zuckerberg has been repeatedly criticised for his failure to speak publicly about the allegations of data abuse made in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
He didn’t address the controversy at all for a number of days, and eventually did so with a statement on his site that itself drew criticism from users.
Facebook admits collecting data on phone calls, but says people agreed
The reply letter to Damian Collins came from Rebecca Stimson, Facebook’s head of public policy in the UK. It said that Facebook took the request from parliament seriously.
“Facebook fully recognises the level of public and Parliamentary interest in these issues and support your belief that these issues must be addressed at the most senior levels of the company by those in an authoritative position to answer your questions,” it read. “As such Mr Zuckerberg has personally asked one of his deputies to make themselves available to give evidence to the Committee.”
The letter also claimed that only one per cent of downloads of thisisyourdigitallife – the app that Cambridge Analytica used to harvest data about users without their knowledge – had come from the UK.
Damian Collins said that the DCMS committee will be “very happy to hear from Mr Cox to give evidence”, but that he still wanted to speak to Zuckerberg.
He said that it wasn’t clear from the letter “whether he is available as well” and suggested that Parliament would consider setting up a “video link if that is more convenient for him”.
Mr Collins also suggested that it still expected Mr Zuckerberg to come if he couldn’t convincingly say why he shouldn’t.
“He stated in interviews that if he is the right person to appear he will appear,” he said. ”We think he is the right person and look forward to hearing from him.”
Mr Collins’ original letter, sent last week, accused Facebook of having “consistently understated” the risks of abuse of data by the company, and that they had been “misleading to the Committee”.
“It is now time to hear from a senior Facebook executive with the sufficient authority to give an accurate account of this catastrophic failure of process,” he said.
He then addressed Mr Zuckerberg directly: “Given your commitment at the start of the New Year to ‘fixing’ Facebook, I hope that this representative will be you”.
Spy poisoning: Russia accuses US of 'expulsion blackmail' - BBC News
27/3/2018
Spy poisoning: Russia accuses US of 'expulsion blackmail'
Some 48 diplomats have been expelled from the Russian embassy in Washington
Russia has accused Washington of pressuring nations to carry out a mass expulsion of its diplomats in response to a nerve agent attack in the UK.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of "colossal blackmail" and said there were "few independent countries" left in modern Europe.
The expulsion of about 100 Russians by more than 20 nations is thought to be the largest in history.
Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on 4 March.
Investigators believe a military-grade nerve agent was used.
EU leaders agreed with the UK last week that it was highly likely Russia was behind the poisoning in Salisbury, southern England. Russia has denied any involvement.
Russian media accuse West of 'crusade'
What the diplomat expulsions tell us
What is Russia's response?
Mr Lavrov said it was inevitable that there would be a response to the mass expulsion. "Certainly, we will not tolerate such impudence," he said.
He singled out the US for blame.
"When one or two diplomats are being expelled from this or that country, all the while whispering apologies in our ear, we know for sure that this is a result of colossal pressure, colossal blackmail, which unfortunately is Washington's main tool now on the international area," he said.
"It is hard to escape a conclusion that we were right when we stressed several times that there remain few independent countries in the modern world, modern Europe."
Russia's foreign ministry is said to be drawing up a number of possible retaliatory measures for President Vladimir Putin to consider.
What next for Russia’s spy networks?
What was the Cold War?
One Russian senator, Vladimir Dzhabarov, was quoted as saying there would be a "tit-for-tat" response to the US decision to expel 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York.
Russia's embassy in the US tweeted its response to the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle.
Skip Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
Russia in USA 🇷🇺
✔
@RusEmbUSA
US administration🇺🇸 ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle @GK_Seattle🇷🇺. What US Consulate General would you close in @Russia, if it was up to you to decide
1:12 AM - Mar 27, 2018
@USconsVlad
@USconsulYekat
@USinStPete
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Mr Lavrov's deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said a tough response was needed but stressed Moscow would not abandon strategic stability talks with Washington.
Who is expelling diplomats?
Ireland has become the latest country to order out a Russian diplomat, saying the attack in Salisbury was "an affront to the international rules-based system on which we all depend for our security and wellbeing".
Earlier, Australia said it was throwing out two Russian diplomats suspected of being "undeclared intelligence officers".
PM Malcolm Turnbull cited interference in elections and threats to "the sovereignty of our partners" for the move, and said "the brazen attack in Salisbury was an attack on all of us".
Inside UK lab that identified ex-spy nerve agent
Has the Russian row given UK diplomacy new focus?
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could return
A total of 25 nations have now announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the EU states had decided to take action after a meeting, held last week, about the Salisbury poisoning. He did not rule out further measures.
The US state department said in a statement the attack "on our ally, the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk" and was an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".
The UK announced it was expelling 23 Russian diplomats earlier this month.
Iceland has also announced it is suspending high-level dialogue with Russian authorities, and its leaders will not attend the World Cup, which starts in Russia in June.
Media captionBoris Johnson on widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats
The UK said earlier this month it would not send ministers or members of the Royal Family to the football tournament.
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop mooted the possibility of boycotting the World Cup altogether.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has praised the "extraordinary international response" by the UK's allies. He said "the world has had enough" of Russia's behaviour but rejected suggestions a new Cold War was dawning.
Russian spy: The story so far
Who is not expelling Russians?
EU countries that have said they have no intention of expelling diplomats include Austria, Greece and Portugal, although all have said they support the UK and condemn the poisoning.
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz tweeted that while he backed the EU, "as a neutral country we will not expel any diplomats", preferring to "act as a bridge-builder between East and West".
Sebastian Kurz
✔
@sebastiankurz
Ö steht hinter d klaren Erklärung d Europäischen Rates u d Entscheidung,d #EU-Botschafter aus #Moskau zurückzurufen.Als neutrales Land werden wir aber keine Diplomaten ausweisen. Vielmehr wollen wir Brückenbauer zwischen Ost u West sein&Gesprächskanäle nach #Russland offenhalten.
3:20 AM - Mar 27, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @sebastiankurz
Belgium said that, for now, it was not expelling any diplomats. Prime Minister Charles Michel said Belgium was the headquarters for the EU and Nato and as it hosted Russian ambassadors for both organisations "for that reason we have to consider the possible repercussions extra carefully".
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it did not have any undeclared Russian intelligence officers, but added: "If we did, we would expel them."
Remarkable show of solidarity
By Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted its view that the use of a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury was "highly likely" the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsions from the US and EU member states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain, even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
European Council President Donald Tusk's note that there could be "additional measures" is a signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
It is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May - concerted action has now followed the strong rhetorical support from its allies. It also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Moscow.
Spy poisoning: Russia accuses US of 'expulsion blackmail'
Some 48 diplomats have been expelled from the Russian embassy in Washington
Russia has accused Washington of pressuring nations to carry out a mass expulsion of its diplomats in response to a nerve agent attack in the UK.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of "colossal blackmail" and said there were "few independent countries" left in modern Europe.
The expulsion of about 100 Russians by more than 20 nations is thought to be the largest in history.
Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on 4 March.
Investigators believe a military-grade nerve agent was used.
EU leaders agreed with the UK last week that it was highly likely Russia was behind the poisoning in Salisbury, southern England. Russia has denied any involvement.
Russian media accuse West of 'crusade'
What the diplomat expulsions tell us
What is Russia's response?
Mr Lavrov said it was inevitable that there would be a response to the mass expulsion. "Certainly, we will not tolerate such impudence," he said.
He singled out the US for blame.
"When one or two diplomats are being expelled from this or that country, all the while whispering apologies in our ear, we know for sure that this is a result of colossal pressure, colossal blackmail, which unfortunately is Washington's main tool now on the international area," he said.
"It is hard to escape a conclusion that we were right when we stressed several times that there remain few independent countries in the modern world, modern Europe."
Russia's foreign ministry is said to be drawing up a number of possible retaliatory measures for President Vladimir Putin to consider.
What next for Russia’s spy networks?
What was the Cold War?
One Russian senator, Vladimir Dzhabarov, was quoted as saying there would be a "tit-for-tat" response to the US decision to expel 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York.
Russia's embassy in the US tweeted its response to the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle.
Skip Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
Russia in USA 🇷🇺
✔
@RusEmbUSA
US administration🇺🇸 ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle @GK_Seattle🇷🇺. What US Consulate General would you close in @Russia, if it was up to you to decide
1:12 AM - Mar 27, 2018
@USconsVlad
@USconsulYekat
@USinStPete
Vote
55,531 votes • 1 hour left
2,514
5,492 people are talking about this
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End of Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
Mr Lavrov's deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said a tough response was needed but stressed Moscow would not abandon strategic stability talks with Washington.
Who is expelling diplomats?
Ireland has become the latest country to order out a Russian diplomat, saying the attack in Salisbury was "an affront to the international rules-based system on which we all depend for our security and wellbeing".
Earlier, Australia said it was throwing out two Russian diplomats suspected of being "undeclared intelligence officers".
PM Malcolm Turnbull cited interference in elections and threats to "the sovereignty of our partners" for the move, and said "the brazen attack in Salisbury was an attack on all of us".
Inside UK lab that identified ex-spy nerve agent
Has the Russian row given UK diplomacy new focus?
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could return
A total of 25 nations have now announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the EU states had decided to take action after a meeting, held last week, about the Salisbury poisoning. He did not rule out further measures.
The US state department said in a statement the attack "on our ally, the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk" and was an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".
The UK announced it was expelling 23 Russian diplomats earlier this month.
Iceland has also announced it is suspending high-level dialogue with Russian authorities, and its leaders will not attend the World Cup, which starts in Russia in June.
Media captionBoris Johnson on widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats
The UK said earlier this month it would not send ministers or members of the Royal Family to the football tournament.
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop mooted the possibility of boycotting the World Cup altogether.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has praised the "extraordinary international response" by the UK's allies. He said "the world has had enough" of Russia's behaviour but rejected suggestions a new Cold War was dawning.
Russian spy: The story so far
Who is not expelling Russians?
EU countries that have said they have no intention of expelling diplomats include Austria, Greece and Portugal, although all have said they support the UK and condemn the poisoning.
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz tweeted that while he backed the EU, "as a neutral country we will not expel any diplomats", preferring to "act as a bridge-builder between East and West".
Sebastian Kurz
✔
@sebastiankurz
Ö steht hinter d klaren Erklärung d Europäischen Rates u d Entscheidung,d #EU-Botschafter aus #Moskau zurückzurufen.Als neutrales Land werden wir aber keine Diplomaten ausweisen. Vielmehr wollen wir Brückenbauer zwischen Ost u West sein&Gesprächskanäle nach #Russland offenhalten.
3:20 AM - Mar 27, 2018
786
449 people are talking about this
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End of Twitter post by @sebastiankurz
Belgium said that, for now, it was not expelling any diplomats. Prime Minister Charles Michel said Belgium was the headquarters for the EU and Nato and as it hosted Russian ambassadors for both organisations "for that reason we have to consider the possible repercussions extra carefully".
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it did not have any undeclared Russian intelligence officers, but added: "If we did, we would expel them."
Remarkable show of solidarity
By Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted its view that the use of a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury was "highly likely" the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsions from the US and EU member states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain, even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
European Council President Donald Tusk's note that there could be "additional measures" is a signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
It is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May - concerted action has now followed the strong rhetorical support from its allies. It also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Moscow.
Spy poisoning: What the diplomat expulsions mean for Russia - BBC News
Spy poisoning: What the diplomat expulsions mean for Russia
Jonathan Marcus
Diplomatic correspondent
@Diplo1 on Twitter
26 March 2018
The war of words between the UK and Russia
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of the Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted London's view - that the use of a military grade nerve agent in an assassination attempt in a British city was "highly likely" to be the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsion of Russian diplomats from the US and 14 European Union states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain; even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
Indeed Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, noted that "additional measures, including further expulsions were not excluded in the coming days" - a tough signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
This is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May, and also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Russia.
Britain was swift to point the finger at Moscow. But then it largely avoided public diatribes, seeking out every available international forum, from the EU, to Nato, the UN, and the highly relevant OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons) to set out its evidence and justify its conclusions.
This patient diplomacy has now paid off.
The BBC's Paul Adams looks at why the UK is expelling 23 Russian diplomats
One must assume that many or most of the Russian diplomats designated for expulsion are intelligence operatives. Thus the cumulative impact on Russia's overseas intelligence activities could be considerable.
Russia must now ponder what actions it will take in response. But President Putin could never have imagined there would be this degree of solidarity.
Russia perceived Britain as weak and increasingly isolated; the EU as distracted; and the Trump administration as off-balance and compromised by President Trump's own curious unwillingness to castigate Moscow.
Mr Putin may have made a serious mistake. This is in many ways a remarkable display of concerted European action, though he may prefer to note that by no means all members of the EU have participated.
Russian spy: What we know so far
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could go home
It may be the US shift, though, that is most significant. Mr Trump's approach to Russia has been curiously lenient and unfocused. But the US diplomatic action is noteworthy because it doesn't just involve throwing out 48 diplomats in the US and closing the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.
It also includes the separate expulsion of 12 Russian diplomats at the UN who are described by the State Department as "intelligence operatives" who have "abused their privilege of residence in the United States".
Only a few days ago Mr Trump was seemingly setting aside the Salisbury attack and talking about a new summit with Mr Putin. Will this now go ahead? And if so when?
It remains to be seen what the frostiness will mean for long-term US-Russia relations
The current row comes just as the cast-list overseeing US foreign policy is changing significantly, with former CIA chief Mike Pompeo taking over at the State Department and John Bolton at the National Security Council.
While both men are closely in tune with the president on policy towards Iran and North Korea, Mr Pompeo must have a comprehensive understanding of Moscow's disruptive activities from his intelligence job, and Mr Bolton has long been an advocate of a tougher stance towards Moscow.
What happens when you expel a diplomat?
Who controls the world's most toxic chemicals?
Russian diplomats leave UK
Russia is clearly in the diplomatic dog-house; and a frostier period of relations between Moscow and the West beckons. But this is also a moment for Western governments to define exactly what the Russian "problem" is.
Rhetoric about a new "Cold War" and a significant defensive build-up is all very well, but probably wide of the mark.
Image copyrightMOSCOW DISTRICT MILITARY COURT/TASS
Image caption
The poisoning of Sergei Skripal - which the UK and its allies blame on Moscow - has put Russia in the diplomatic dog-house
It overstates the case: Russia is not the Soviet Union, a global player with an ideology that mobilises people around the world. It has its strengths but also its weaknesses, not least its economy.
In recent years Mr Putin has made a good hand out of focusing Russia's capabilities on places that matter to Russia, where it has strong historical or diplomatic links.
Essentially Russia is a power close to home, in what Russians call the "near abroad". Thus it can mount a threat to Georgia or Ukraine. Syria in a strange way could also be included in this "near abroad".
Russian "power" may be reaching its zenith. It retains, though, an extraordinary ability to create trouble more broadly through hacking, information warfare, and by backing extremist political parties.
To counter this, Western governments and societies may need to spend some more on defence; but they certainly need to spend a great deal more on making their societies more resilient.
The first thing is to reach a common and comprehensive assessment of the problem. And the use of a nerve agent in the quiet cathedral city of Salisbury may just have set that process in motion.
Jonathan Marcus
Diplomatic correspondent
@Diplo1 on Twitter
26 March 2018
The war of words between the UK and Russia
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of the Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted London's view - that the use of a military grade nerve agent in an assassination attempt in a British city was "highly likely" to be the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsion of Russian diplomats from the US and 14 European Union states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain; even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
Indeed Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, noted that "additional measures, including further expulsions were not excluded in the coming days" - a tough signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
This is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May, and also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Russia.
Britain was swift to point the finger at Moscow. But then it largely avoided public diatribes, seeking out every available international forum, from the EU, to Nato, the UN, and the highly relevant OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons) to set out its evidence and justify its conclusions.
This patient diplomacy has now paid off.
The BBC's Paul Adams looks at why the UK is expelling 23 Russian diplomats
One must assume that many or most of the Russian diplomats designated for expulsion are intelligence operatives. Thus the cumulative impact on Russia's overseas intelligence activities could be considerable.
Russia must now ponder what actions it will take in response. But President Putin could never have imagined there would be this degree of solidarity.
Russia perceived Britain as weak and increasingly isolated; the EU as distracted; and the Trump administration as off-balance and compromised by President Trump's own curious unwillingness to castigate Moscow.
Mr Putin may have made a serious mistake. This is in many ways a remarkable display of concerted European action, though he may prefer to note that by no means all members of the EU have participated.
Russian spy: What we know so far
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could go home
It may be the US shift, though, that is most significant. Mr Trump's approach to Russia has been curiously lenient and unfocused. But the US diplomatic action is noteworthy because it doesn't just involve throwing out 48 diplomats in the US and closing the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.
It also includes the separate expulsion of 12 Russian diplomats at the UN who are described by the State Department as "intelligence operatives" who have "abused their privilege of residence in the United States".
Only a few days ago Mr Trump was seemingly setting aside the Salisbury attack and talking about a new summit with Mr Putin. Will this now go ahead? And if so when?
It remains to be seen what the frostiness will mean for long-term US-Russia relations
The current row comes just as the cast-list overseeing US foreign policy is changing significantly, with former CIA chief Mike Pompeo taking over at the State Department and John Bolton at the National Security Council.
While both men are closely in tune with the president on policy towards Iran and North Korea, Mr Pompeo must have a comprehensive understanding of Moscow's disruptive activities from his intelligence job, and Mr Bolton has long been an advocate of a tougher stance towards Moscow.
What happens when you expel a diplomat?
Who controls the world's most toxic chemicals?
Russian diplomats leave UK
Russia is clearly in the diplomatic dog-house; and a frostier period of relations between Moscow and the West beckons. But this is also a moment for Western governments to define exactly what the Russian "problem" is.
Rhetoric about a new "Cold War" and a significant defensive build-up is all very well, but probably wide of the mark.
Image copyrightMOSCOW DISTRICT MILITARY COURT/TASS
Image caption
The poisoning of Sergei Skripal - which the UK and its allies blame on Moscow - has put Russia in the diplomatic dog-house
It overstates the case: Russia is not the Soviet Union, a global player with an ideology that mobilises people around the world. It has its strengths but also its weaknesses, not least its economy.
In recent years Mr Putin has made a good hand out of focusing Russia's capabilities on places that matter to Russia, where it has strong historical or diplomatic links.
Essentially Russia is a power close to home, in what Russians call the "near abroad". Thus it can mount a threat to Georgia or Ukraine. Syria in a strange way could also be included in this "near abroad".
Russian "power" may be reaching its zenith. It retains, though, an extraordinary ability to create trouble more broadly through hacking, information warfare, and by backing extremist political parties.
To counter this, Western governments and societies may need to spend some more on defence; but they certainly need to spend a great deal more on making their societies more resilient.
The first thing is to reach a common and comprehensive assessment of the problem. And the use of a nerve agent in the quiet cathedral city of Salisbury may just have set that process in motion.
Nelson Mandela's golden hand casts sell for $10m in bitcoin - BBC News
27/3/2018
Nelson Mandela's golden hand casts sell for $10m in bitcoin
Four casts of Nelson Mandela's hands were made by mining group Harmony Gold in 2002
Gold castings of the hands of South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela have been sold for $10m (£7m) in bitcoin.
Canadian crypto-currency exchange firm Arbitrade bought four casts from South African businessman Malcolm Duncan.
The firm said it planned to launch a global "Golden Hands of Nelson Mandela" tour to educate young people about the anti-apartheid icon's life.
This is the first time artefacts of Mr Mandela have been sold in bitcoin.
Mr Mandela was jailed for 27 years for fighting white minority rule in South Africa.
He was released in 1990, and served as president from 1994 to 1999.
Mr Mandela died in 2013 at the age of 95. He had turned into a global brand, with businessmen and artists cashing in on his name.
Mr Duncan, who now lives in Canada, bought the casts from mining group Harmony Gold in 2002 for about $31,000.
Half of the money paid to Harmony Gold was meant to go to charity, but it remains unclear as to whether that happened, Bloomberg news agency reports.
Harmony said it had "supplied Mr Duncan with the necessary paperwork verifying the provenance as requested by his attorneys," but declined to comment on what happened to the donation, Bloomberg reports.
Mr Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island
The casts, which weigh around 20lb (9kg), include Mr Mandela's hand, palm and fist. They are part of a collection meant to mark the years the former president spent in prison on Robben Island.
The artefacts are believed to be the only ones left in the world.
The other sets of the collection were ordered to be destroyed by Mr Mandela, Mr Duncan told Bloomberg.
It was part of the former president's attempt to control his copyright after a number of scandals, including forgery allegations, arose around the sale of art bearing his image and name.
Arbitrade has paid Mr Duncan a bitcoin deposit that has been converted to $50,000, and the rest is expected to be paid in quarterly instalments of at least $2m, Bloomberg reports.
"They take possession when I have the dollar amount in the bank, At two-and-a-quarter million at a time, they take one hand at a time," Mr Duncan was quoted as saying.
Arbitrade is due to launch an initial coin offering and plans to mine its own crypto-currencies and trade others, Bloomberg reports.
The company's chairman, Len Schutzman, told the news agency that it will back all its virtual currency with a percentage of physical metal, such as gold.
Nelson Mandela's golden hand casts sell for $10m in bitcoin
Four casts of Nelson Mandela's hands were made by mining group Harmony Gold in 2002
Gold castings of the hands of South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela have been sold for $10m (£7m) in bitcoin.
Canadian crypto-currency exchange firm Arbitrade bought four casts from South African businessman Malcolm Duncan.
The firm said it planned to launch a global "Golden Hands of Nelson Mandela" tour to educate young people about the anti-apartheid icon's life.
This is the first time artefacts of Mr Mandela have been sold in bitcoin.
Mr Mandela was jailed for 27 years for fighting white minority rule in South Africa.
He was released in 1990, and served as president from 1994 to 1999.
Mr Mandela died in 2013 at the age of 95. He had turned into a global brand, with businessmen and artists cashing in on his name.
Mr Duncan, who now lives in Canada, bought the casts from mining group Harmony Gold in 2002 for about $31,000.
Half of the money paid to Harmony Gold was meant to go to charity, but it remains unclear as to whether that happened, Bloomberg news agency reports.
Harmony said it had "supplied Mr Duncan with the necessary paperwork verifying the provenance as requested by his attorneys," but declined to comment on what happened to the donation, Bloomberg reports.
Mr Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island
The casts, which weigh around 20lb (9kg), include Mr Mandela's hand, palm and fist. They are part of a collection meant to mark the years the former president spent in prison on Robben Island.
The artefacts are believed to be the only ones left in the world.
The other sets of the collection were ordered to be destroyed by Mr Mandela, Mr Duncan told Bloomberg.
It was part of the former president's attempt to control his copyright after a number of scandals, including forgery allegations, arose around the sale of art bearing his image and name.
Arbitrade has paid Mr Duncan a bitcoin deposit that has been converted to $50,000, and the rest is expected to be paid in quarterly instalments of at least $2m, Bloomberg reports.
"They take possession when I have the dollar amount in the bank, At two-and-a-quarter million at a time, they take one hand at a time," Mr Duncan was quoted as saying.
Arbitrade is due to launch an initial coin offering and plans to mine its own crypto-currencies and trade others, Bloomberg reports.
The company's chairman, Len Schutzman, told the news agency that it will back all its virtual currency with a percentage of physical metal, such as gold.
Kemerovo fire: Russia crowd condemns officials over disaster - BBC News
27/3/2018
Kemerovo fire: Russia crowd condemns officials over disaster
Mourners carried photos of fire victims and questioned what officials said
Thousands of people are protesting in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, angry at Russian officials over the leisure complex fire that killed at least 64 people, 41 of them children.
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kemerovo earlier and blamed "criminal negligence" for Sunday's blaze.
Relatives say as many as 85 people are still missing, most of them children, according to Interfax news agency.
Investigators say the fire alarm was switched off and exits were blocked.
Some 300 people rallied outside the local government headquarters on Tuesday, demanding that officials be sacked over the fire safety shortcomings.
There were also some chants of "Putin resign!"
Firefighters tackle fatal shopping centre blaze
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but Russia's Investigative Committee has spoken of "serious violations" at the Winter Cherry mall.
Wednesday will be a day of mourning throughout Russia, Mr Putin has decreed.
How party turned into nightmare
A woman in the Kemerovo crowd drew applause when she said "children called their parents, asked them for help, asked for the fire brigades to be sent in".
Officials were booed when they urged the crowd to disperse, after the protest had already lasted seven hours, Russia's RIA news agency reported.
Regional deputy governor Sergei Tsivilev then got down on his knees to beg forgiveness, and was applauded by the crowd.
'There was no panic - she was saying goodbye'
At the scene: Sergei Goryashko and Elizaveta Fokht, BBC Russian
Kemerovo residents' anger has built up since Sunday and it burst forth at the rally of several thousand outside the city administration building.
The main slogans were "Truth!" and "Resign!" - directed at local officials.
The most active among them was Igor Vostrikov, whose wife, sister and three children - aged two, five and seven - all died in the fire.
Deputy governor Sergei Tsivilev accused him of trying to gain publicity out of the tragedy. Igor's reply was that his entire family had suffocated in the cinema, unable to escape because the doors were locked.
Fighting back tears, he described his wife's last moments, when she phoned him, short of breath. "There was no panic - she was saying goodbye."
"I have nothing more to lose," he said.
Dozens of people vowed to stay on the square until governor Aman Tuleyev resigns.
President Putin also expressed indignation over the disaster - though he did not speak to the crowd.
"What is happening here?" he said, after laying a wreath. "This is no battle or an unexpected methane outburst in a mine."
"People, children came to relax. We are talking about demography and are losing so many people because of what? Because of criminal negligence, sloppiness."
Mr Putin (touching patient) met some survivors in a Kemerovo hospital
What do we know so far?
Sunday's blaze started on an upper floor of the complex at about 17:00 local time (10:00 GMT).
The mall's shops, cinema and bowling alley were packed at the time as it was the beginning of the school holiday.
The Investigative Committee says a fire safety technician at the complex "switched off the alarm system" after being alerted about the fire.
It said a criminal investigation had begun.
Russian emergency service staff work at the site of the fire
Five people have been arrested including the official suspected of deactivating the public address system.
In a Facebook post (in Russian), Kemerovo politician Anton Gorelkin said that "fire exits were shut, turning the complex into a trap" and "there was no organised evacuation".
He also said a fire extinguisher that could have doused the flames at the start did not work.
The region's deputy governor, Vladimir Chernov, said "this is the question: Why were the doors shut?"
Mr Chernov was quoted as saying the fire probably began in the children's trampoline room.
"The preliminary suspicion is that a child had a cigarette lighter which ignited foam rubber in this trampoline room, and it erupted like gunpowder," he said.
However, Rossiya 24 TV, a national broadcaster, said an electrical fault was the most likely cause - as in most previous deadly fires in Russia.
Who were the victims?
Interfax news agency has published a list of 41 children among the victims.
As well as those killed, 11 injured victims were being treated in hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.
The most serious case is an 11-year-old boy whose parents and siblings died in the fire, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said. He reportedly fell from the fourth floor and is in intensive care with multiple injuries.
Officials says 56 bodies have been recovered and the remains of 21 have been released to relatives for burial.
Kemerovo lies about 3,600km (2,200 miles) east of Moscow.
The shopping centre, covering 23,000 sq m (248,000 sq ft), opened in 2013. It includes a petting zoo, all of whose animals are reported to have died.
Russia's deadliest fires
2009 - 156 people die in a Perm nightclub inferno in the Urals region, Russia's worst fire in recent years (fireworks and lack of exits blamed)
2007 - Fire engulfs a rural old people's home in the southern region of Krasnodar, killing 63 (burning cigarette blamed)
2006 - 46 die in Moscow narcological hospital fire (arson blamed)
2003 - A hostel fire at the Russian People's Friendship University in Moscow kills 44 (lack of safety measures blamed)
1999 - Fire engulfs the police headquarters in the southern city of Samara, killing 57 people (burning cigarette blamed officially, but arson by criminals not ruled out)
Source: Interfax news agency
Kemerovo fire: Russia crowd condemns officials over disaster
Mourners carried photos of fire victims and questioned what officials said
Thousands of people are protesting in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, angry at Russian officials over the leisure complex fire that killed at least 64 people, 41 of them children.
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kemerovo earlier and blamed "criminal negligence" for Sunday's blaze.
Relatives say as many as 85 people are still missing, most of them children, according to Interfax news agency.
Investigators say the fire alarm was switched off and exits were blocked.
Some 300 people rallied outside the local government headquarters on Tuesday, demanding that officials be sacked over the fire safety shortcomings.
There were also some chants of "Putin resign!"
Firefighters tackle fatal shopping centre blaze
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but Russia's Investigative Committee has spoken of "serious violations" at the Winter Cherry mall.
Wednesday will be a day of mourning throughout Russia, Mr Putin has decreed.
How party turned into nightmare
A woman in the Kemerovo crowd drew applause when she said "children called their parents, asked them for help, asked for the fire brigades to be sent in".
Officials were booed when they urged the crowd to disperse, after the protest had already lasted seven hours, Russia's RIA news agency reported.
Regional deputy governor Sergei Tsivilev then got down on his knees to beg forgiveness, and was applauded by the crowd.
'There was no panic - she was saying goodbye'
At the scene: Sergei Goryashko and Elizaveta Fokht, BBC Russian
Kemerovo residents' anger has built up since Sunday and it burst forth at the rally of several thousand outside the city administration building.
The main slogans were "Truth!" and "Resign!" - directed at local officials.
The most active among them was Igor Vostrikov, whose wife, sister and three children - aged two, five and seven - all died in the fire.
Deputy governor Sergei Tsivilev accused him of trying to gain publicity out of the tragedy. Igor's reply was that his entire family had suffocated in the cinema, unable to escape because the doors were locked.
Fighting back tears, he described his wife's last moments, when she phoned him, short of breath. "There was no panic - she was saying goodbye."
"I have nothing more to lose," he said.
Dozens of people vowed to stay on the square until governor Aman Tuleyev resigns.
President Putin also expressed indignation over the disaster - though he did not speak to the crowd.
"What is happening here?" he said, after laying a wreath. "This is no battle or an unexpected methane outburst in a mine."
"People, children came to relax. We are talking about demography and are losing so many people because of what? Because of criminal negligence, sloppiness."
Mr Putin (touching patient) met some survivors in a Kemerovo hospital
What do we know so far?
Sunday's blaze started on an upper floor of the complex at about 17:00 local time (10:00 GMT).
The mall's shops, cinema and bowling alley were packed at the time as it was the beginning of the school holiday.
The Investigative Committee says a fire safety technician at the complex "switched off the alarm system" after being alerted about the fire.
It said a criminal investigation had begun.
Russian emergency service staff work at the site of the fire
Five people have been arrested including the official suspected of deactivating the public address system.
In a Facebook post (in Russian), Kemerovo politician Anton Gorelkin said that "fire exits were shut, turning the complex into a trap" and "there was no organised evacuation".
He also said a fire extinguisher that could have doused the flames at the start did not work.
The region's deputy governor, Vladimir Chernov, said "this is the question: Why were the doors shut?"
Mr Chernov was quoted as saying the fire probably began in the children's trampoline room.
"The preliminary suspicion is that a child had a cigarette lighter which ignited foam rubber in this trampoline room, and it erupted like gunpowder," he said.
However, Rossiya 24 TV, a national broadcaster, said an electrical fault was the most likely cause - as in most previous deadly fires in Russia.
Who were the victims?
Interfax news agency has published a list of 41 children among the victims.
As well as those killed, 11 injured victims were being treated in hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.
The most serious case is an 11-year-old boy whose parents and siblings died in the fire, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said. He reportedly fell from the fourth floor and is in intensive care with multiple injuries.
Officials says 56 bodies have been recovered and the remains of 21 have been released to relatives for burial.
Kemerovo lies about 3,600km (2,200 miles) east of Moscow.
The shopping centre, covering 23,000 sq m (248,000 sq ft), opened in 2013. It includes a petting zoo, all of whose animals are reported to have died.
Russia's deadliest fires
2009 - 156 people die in a Perm nightclub inferno in the Urals region, Russia's worst fire in recent years (fireworks and lack of exits blamed)
2007 - Fire engulfs a rural old people's home in the southern region of Krasnodar, killing 63 (burning cigarette blamed)
2006 - 46 die in Moscow narcological hospital fire (arson blamed)
2003 - A hostel fire at the Russian People's Friendship University in Moscow kills 44 (lack of safety measures blamed)
1999 - Fire engulfs the police headquarters in the southern city of Samara, killing 57 people (burning cigarette blamed officially, but arson by criminals not ruled out)
Source: Interfax news agency
Spy poisoning: Russian diplomats expelled across US and Europe - BBC News
Spy poisoning: Russian diplomats expelled across US and Europe
26 March 2018
Russia had been expecting diplomatic expulsions in response to the attack
The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
It is said to be the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history.
More than 20 countries have aligned with the UK, expelling more than 100 diplomats.
Russia vowed to retaliate to the "provocative gesture".
Russia denies any role in the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, southern England. The pair remain in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
What the diplomat expulsions tell us
What next for Russia’s spy networks?
What was the Cold War?
Russian spy: The story so far
Full coverage of the Russia spy poisoning
EU leaders agreed last week it was highly likely Russia was behind the nerve-agent poisoning.
Mrs May said: "President Putin's regime is carrying out acts of aggression against our shared values and interests within our continent and beyond.
"And as a sovereign European democracy, the United Kingdom will stand shoulder to shoulder with the EU and with Nato to face down these threats together."
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also praised the "extraordinary international response" by the UK's allies.
Media captionBoris Johnson on widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats
The Russian foreign ministry said the moves demonstrated a continuation of a "confrontational path".
"It goes without saying that this unfriendly act by this group of countries will not go without notice and we will react to it," its statement said.
Remarkable show of solidarity
By Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted its view that the use of a military grade nerve agent in Salisbury was "highly likely" the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsions from the US and EU member states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain, even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
Donald Tusk's note that there could be "additional measures" is a signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
It is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May - concerted action has now followed the strong rhetorical support from its allies. It also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Moscow.
Who is expelling diplomats?
The UK announced it was expelling 23 Russian diplomats earlier this month.
Various countries announced they were making the same move in solidarity on Monday. These are:
US: 60 diplomats
EU countries: France (4); Germany (4); Poland (4); Czech Republic (3); Lithuania (3); Denmark (2); Netherlands (2); Italy (2); Spain (2); Estonia (1); Croatia (1); Finland (1); Hungary (1); Latvia (1); Romania (1); Sweden (1)
Ukraine: 13
Canada: 4, plus the rejection of 3 further applications from Russia
Albania: 2
Australia: 2
Norway: 1
Macedonia: 1
Iceland has also announced it is suspending high-level dialogue with Russian authorities, and its leaders will not attend the World Cup, which starts in Russia in June.
The UK said earlier this month it would not send ministers or members of the Royal Family to the football tournament.
EU countries that have said they have no intention of expelling diplomats include Austria, Greece and Portugal, although all have said they support the UK and condemn the poisoning.
Why are they doing it?
President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the EU states had decided to expel Russian diplomats as a direct result of a meeting, held last week about the Salisbury poisoning.
"Additional measures, including further expulsions within this common EU framework are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks," he said.
Inside UK lab that identified ex-spy nerve agent
Has the Russian row given UK diplomacy new focus?
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could return
The US state department said in a statement: "On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury.
"This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer."
It called the attack an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".
The US is expelling 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York. It will also order the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle.
US toughens its tone
By Chris Buckler, BBC News, Washington DC
In a phone call last week with Vladimir Putin, the US president failed to mention the attack in Salisbury. But he did congratulate Mr Putin on his re-election, against the advice of his officials.
The deliberate change in tone also demonstrates real concern about Russian activity inside the US, as well as elsewhere.
Alongside the allegations of election interference two years ago, the Kremlin is accused of spying and cyber-attacks targeting vital infrastructure in the US.
Closing the Russian consulate in Seattle reflects those specific fears - a submarine base and the aerospace firm Boeing are both close to the city.
Diplomatic retaliation is inevitable. Almost immediately, the Russian Embassy asked its followers to take part in a Twitter poll to recommend which US consulate it should close in response.
Skip Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
Russia in USA 🇷🇺
✔
@RusEmbUSA
US administration🇺🇸 ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle @GK_Seattle🇷🇺. What US Consulate General would you close in @Russia, if it was up to you to decide
1:12 AM - Mar 27, 2018
@USconsVlad
@USconsulYekat
@USinStPete
Vote
55,385 votes • 1 hour left
2,503
5,468 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Report
End of Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
What are the precedents?
In 1986, US President Ronald Reagan expelled 80 Cold War-era Russian diplomats.
In 2016, the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats in response to the alleged hacking of the US Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton campaign during the 2016 presidential election, accusations Moscow denied.
Senior US officials told the Associated Press that Russia had an estimated 100 intelligence officials at its diplomatic posts in the US, suggesting that dozens will still be left in the country.
However, the diplomats working at the UN were described by the US State Department as "intelligence operatives", suggesting it is looking to hamper more than just administrational work.
26 March 2018
Russia had been expecting diplomatic expulsions in response to the attack
The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
It is said to be the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history.
More than 20 countries have aligned with the UK, expelling more than 100 diplomats.
Russia vowed to retaliate to the "provocative gesture".
Russia denies any role in the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, southern England. The pair remain in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
What the diplomat expulsions tell us
What next for Russia’s spy networks?
What was the Cold War?
Russian spy: The story so far
Full coverage of the Russia spy poisoning
EU leaders agreed last week it was highly likely Russia was behind the nerve-agent poisoning.
Mrs May said: "President Putin's regime is carrying out acts of aggression against our shared values and interests within our continent and beyond.
"And as a sovereign European democracy, the United Kingdom will stand shoulder to shoulder with the EU and with Nato to face down these threats together."
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also praised the "extraordinary international response" by the UK's allies.
Media captionBoris Johnson on widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats
The Russian foreign ministry said the moves demonstrated a continuation of a "confrontational path".
"It goes without saying that this unfriendly act by this group of countries will not go without notice and we will react to it," its statement said.
Remarkable show of solidarity
By Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent
This is building into the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Whatever the denials, Britain's allies have clearly accepted its view that the use of a military grade nerve agent in Salisbury was "highly likely" the work of the Russian state.
The collective expulsions from the US and EU member states is a remarkable show of solidarity with Britain, even more so because it comes at a time when UK-EU relations are strained due to the Brexit negotiations.
Donald Tusk's note that there could be "additional measures" is a signal to Moscow as it considers how it will respond.
It is a significant diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Theresa May - concerted action has now followed the strong rhetorical support from its allies. It also marks a significant toughening of the Trump administration's stance towards Moscow.
Who is expelling diplomats?
The UK announced it was expelling 23 Russian diplomats earlier this month.
Various countries announced they were making the same move in solidarity on Monday. These are:
US: 60 diplomats
EU countries: France (4); Germany (4); Poland (4); Czech Republic (3); Lithuania (3); Denmark (2); Netherlands (2); Italy (2); Spain (2); Estonia (1); Croatia (1); Finland (1); Hungary (1); Latvia (1); Romania (1); Sweden (1)
Ukraine: 13
Canada: 4, plus the rejection of 3 further applications from Russia
Albania: 2
Australia: 2
Norway: 1
Macedonia: 1
Iceland has also announced it is suspending high-level dialogue with Russian authorities, and its leaders will not attend the World Cup, which starts in Russia in June.
The UK said earlier this month it would not send ministers or members of the Royal Family to the football tournament.
EU countries that have said they have no intention of expelling diplomats include Austria, Greece and Portugal, although all have said they support the UK and condemn the poisoning.
Why are they doing it?
President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the EU states had decided to expel Russian diplomats as a direct result of a meeting, held last week about the Salisbury poisoning.
"Additional measures, including further expulsions within this common EU framework are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks," he said.
Inside UK lab that identified ex-spy nerve agent
Has the Russian row given UK diplomacy new focus?
Ex-spy asked Putin if he could return
The US state department said in a statement: "On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury.
"This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer."
It called the attack an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".
The US is expelling 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York. It will also order the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle.
US toughens its tone
By Chris Buckler, BBC News, Washington DC
In a phone call last week with Vladimir Putin, the US president failed to mention the attack in Salisbury. But he did congratulate Mr Putin on his re-election, against the advice of his officials.
The deliberate change in tone also demonstrates real concern about Russian activity inside the US, as well as elsewhere.
Alongside the allegations of election interference two years ago, the Kremlin is accused of spying and cyber-attacks targeting vital infrastructure in the US.
Closing the Russian consulate in Seattle reflects those specific fears - a submarine base and the aerospace firm Boeing are both close to the city.
Diplomatic retaliation is inevitable. Almost immediately, the Russian Embassy asked its followers to take part in a Twitter poll to recommend which US consulate it should close in response.
Skip Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
Russia in USA 🇷🇺
✔
@RusEmbUSA
US administration🇺🇸 ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle @GK_Seattle🇷🇺. What US Consulate General would you close in @Russia, if it was up to you to decide
1:12 AM - Mar 27, 2018
@USconsVlad
@USconsulYekat
@USinStPete
Vote
55,385 votes • 1 hour left
2,503
5,468 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Report
End of Twitter post by @RusEmbUSA
What are the precedents?
In 1986, US President Ronald Reagan expelled 80 Cold War-era Russian diplomats.
In 2016, the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats in response to the alleged hacking of the US Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton campaign during the 2016 presidential election, accusations Moscow denied.
Senior US officials told the Associated Press that Russia had an estimated 100 intelligence officials at its diplomatic posts in the US, suggesting that dozens will still be left in the country.
However, the diplomats working at the UN were described by the US State Department as "intelligence operatives", suggesting it is looking to hamper more than just administrational work.
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