Russians out: Canberra joins West’s Putin revolt

Original article by Simon Benson, Paul Maley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-Mar-18

The Australian Government has expelled two diplomats from the Russian embassy in Canberra, in response to the nerve gas attack on double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. The diplomats were both undeclared intelligence officers who are said to have been under surveillance by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. More than 100 Russian have now been expelled by 24 nations, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stating that the concerted response has sent a "clear and unequivocal message" to Russia in the wake of the assassination attempt. Russia continues to deny any involvement in the plot.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov shot in Ankara

Original article by
CBS News – Page: online : 20-Dec-16

Andrey Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, is in hospital after being shot by a gunman who fired at least eight shots at the victim. The incident occurred at a photo exhibition in Ankara on 19 December 2016. The gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar" and "For Aleppo!" before being shot dead by the police.

CORPORATES
RUSSIA. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Race against time to wrap up China FTA

Original article by Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 17 : 20-Oct-14

Chinese President Xi Jinping will in November 2014 travel to Brisbane to attend the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit. The Australian Government aims to finalise a free-trade agreement with China by that date, and insiders say that only six of the 20 issues in the document still require more talks. The Minister-Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese embassy, Huang Rengang, says Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce is correct in scaling back expectations for the nation to become "Asia’s food bowl". Huang also notes that trade between the two countries grew 19% year-on-year during the first three quarters of calendar 2014

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, WORLD BANK, PORT OF MELBOURNE CORPORATION PTY LTD, SHENHUA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX SHU