Dozens killed in central Nigeria ahead of presidential election

At least 66 bodies have been found in eight villages in Kaduna state, where religious tensions have led to clashes. The state governor urged calm ahead of Nigeria's hotly contested national elections.

At least 66 bodies were found, likely killed in sectarian clashes, in Nigeria's central Kaduna state on Friday, the eve of the country's national elections. The bodies were found in eight different villages about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of Kaduna city.

"Security agencies today reported the recovery of 66 bodies that were killed in attacks by criminal elements," Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai said in a statement.

"Among the victims were 22 children and 12 women. Four wounded persons rescued by the security agencies are now receiving medical attention… (the) government condemns the attacks and commiserates with the families of the victims."

Local officials said that attacks had started in the area on Sunday, with further unrest and reprisals in the following days.

El-Rufai urged calm and added that arrests had been made. Local Christian and Muslim groups have both blamed each other for the violence. But the unusual announcement from El-Rufai, who is seeking re-election, could be seen as an indication that there have been deaths in both communities as well as a move to diffuse anger.

Nigerians head to the polls

On Saturday, Nigerians will decided whether to give President Muhammadu Buhari a second term, or elect his rival Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president who has contested five presidential elections. Polling has indicated that the final results may be tight.

Both Kaduna and neighboring Zamfara state have seen an uptick in violence in the run-up to the election. The atmosphere across the country is tense, as hundreds of people were killed in 2011 when then-candidate Buhari lost to Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the south.

In Kaduna and neighboring regions, tensions often flare up over land and water rights, and these tensions can often break down along ethnic or religious lines.

es/msh (AP, AFP)

https://www.dw.com/en/dozens-killed-in-central-nigeria-ahead-of-presidential-election/a-47544102?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-xml-mrss

when POTUS was asked if the person he spoke of was paul ryan and he said well let's not mention it, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE ANYWAY…..🤔🐸

Ryan at GITMO Hanging Gallows waiting room, waiting for his number to come up?

Moldovan president presents balanced foreign policy concept in Munich

World February 15, 23:19 UTC+3

Moldovan President Igor Dodon said the country should stay away from the confrontation between the East and the West

MUNICH, February 15. /TASS/. Moldovan President Igor Dodon has presented his concept of balanced foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference.

According to Dodon, it is important for Moldova to stay away from confrontation between the East and the West. "I confirmed my position that the Republic of Moldova will only have a chance to develop if it pursues a balanced foreign policy, preserves and strengthens its neutrality," Dodon wrote on his Facebook account.

This stance is reflected in the document dubbed "Big Package for Moldova" which was developed by the presidential administration and presented at the roundtable.

Munich Conference organizers expect a record number of high-ranking officials to participate in this year’s event, including 40 heads of state, and about 100 ministers

More:

http://tass.com/world/1044996

Putin and Lukashenko take to the ice on same team for Sochi hockey match

World February 15, 16:28 UTC+3

There were no spectators at the stands except for accredited journalists working at the Investment Forum in Sochi

SOCHI, February 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko plaed ice hockey on Friday at the Shayba Arena in the Russian resort city of Sochi.

Both presidents were wearing red and white jerseys playing for team Tigers against team Bears, dressed in blue and red uniforms. Putin was wearing jersey No. 11, while Lukashenko’s jersey is No. 1. Nikolai Lukashenko, the son of the Belarusian president was also on the ice, wearing jersey No. 1 as well.

The match was not official and therefore there are no spectators at the stands except for accredited journalists working at the Investment Forum in Sochi.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists earlier in the day that Putin and Lukashenko were most likely to play ice hockey after their bilateral meeting at the Educational Center Sirius.

"Both leaders will continue their contacts today in various formats and we think it is possible that they would decide to play ice hockey later in the afternoon," Peskov said adding that the Russian president "feels marvelous" although he sustained a slight injury last night during a judo practice.

Putin attended a judo training in the ‘Yug Sport’ center in Sochi late on Thursday and sparred with several Olympic champions. A finger on his right hand was slightly injured in the process, but the problem was solved with a piece of adhesive bandage, and the training continued.

The 66-year-old Russian president, known for his avid support of sports development in Russia, is a black belt holder in judo and he regularly practices.

In 2012, the International Judo Federation granted Putin an eighth Dan for his work to promote this sport. In his youth Putin was judo champion of his home city Leningrad, now called St. Petersburg. In 2008, he starred in the judo video "Let's Learn Judo With Vladimir Putin."

The Russian leader first appeared on the ice, playing hockey in 2012, just several hours after his inauguration and it was as part of the traditional Night Ice Hockey League. He has played regularly since then at this annual event and during the most recent match of the Night Ice Hockey League on December 29, 2018 on Moscow’s Red Square Putin scored an opening goal that led his team to 14-10 win over the opponents.

The Night Ice Hockey League was established at Putin’s initiative several years ago. Hockey enthusiasts started gathering at sports stadiums during their spare time, usually late in the evening (hence the league’s name) to play their favorite game just for fun

http://tass.com/world/1044910

TURKEY EXPECTS U.S. TO PUT ITS WEIGHT BEHIND KHASHOGGI INVESTIGATION

BY REUTERS FEBRUARY 15, 2019 22:16

Jerusalem Post Breaking News

TURKEY EXPECTS U.S. TO PUT ITS WEIGHT BEHIND KHASHOGGI INVESTIGATION

BY REUTERS FEBRUARY 15, 2019 22:16

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Breaking news

Breaking news. (photo credit: JPOST STAFF)

ISTANBUL, Feb 15 - Turkey expects the United States put its weight behind the investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Tayyip Erdogan told broadcaster A Haber in an interview on Friday.

Erdogan also said Turkey was determined to take the investigation to an international court, adding that Ankara would deliver documents and information regarding the case to the authorities that would carry out the trial

https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Turkey-expects-US-to-put-its-weight-behind-Khashoggi-investigation-580800

NOBEL PRIZE

MY MY

BUT NO QANON

SURPRISE

Trump ‘nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Japanese PM’

PREVIOUS

15/02/2019 - 20:22:00Back to Donald Trump World Home

Donald Trump has said Japan’s Prime Minister nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to open up a dialogue with North Korea.

At a White House event to discuss the proposed border wall, Mr Trump spoke about his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam.

The president said early exchanges with Mr Kim were filled with “fire and fury” but since their first meeting last year, the two have established a good relationship.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is said to have nominated Donald Trump (Dan Kitwood/PA)

Mr Trump said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “gave me the most beautiful copy of a letter that he sent to the people who give out a thing called the Nobel Prize.

“He said, ‘I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize.'”

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has also credited Mr Trump with starting negotiations with North Korea, has endorsed him for the prize as well.

In 2009, President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for laying out the US commitment to “seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons”.

“I’ll probably never get it, but that’s OK,” Mr Trump said. “They gave it to Obama. He didn’t even know what he got it for.”

• Press Association

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/trump-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize-by-japanese-pm-904842.html

SWAT responding to active shooter situation at Illinois steel facility

Published time: 15 Feb, 2019 20:55

https://www.rt.com/usa/451586-active-shooter-illinois-steel-plant/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=push_notifications&utm_campaign=push_notifications

>>5194545

related:

Police and federal agents are responding to reports of an active shooter at a steel facility in Aurora, Illinois. Schools have been placed on lockdown and SWAT teams dispatched to the site.

Aurora police responded to the reported shooting shortly after 2pm local time, with ATF and FBI agents following shortly afterwards.

Law enforcement and emergency personnel are currently surrounding the steel plant, and no arrests or casualties have yet been confirmed. Unconfirmed reports suggest that multiple police officers and several civilians have been shot

https://www.rt.com/usa/451586-active-shooter-illinois-steel-plant/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=push_notifications&utm_campaign=push_notifications>>5194545

HOUSE GOP LEADER PRESSES ADAM SCHIFF OVER SECRET MEETING WITH FUSION GPS FOUNDER

3:09 PM 02/15/2019 | US

Chuck Ross | Reporter

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is pressing House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff for answers about his interactions with Glenn Simpson, the founder of the opposition research firm behind the Democrat-funded Steele dossier.

In a statement released on Friday, McCarthy questioned whether Schiff, a California Democrat, should recuse himself from the Intelligence panel’s Russia investigation because of a meeting he had with Simpson at the Aspen Security Forum in July 2018.

“Given Chairman Schiff’s previous underlying rationale when calling for others to recuse themselves from Russia-related investigations, in order to avoid charges of hypocrisy or perceived bias, should Chairman Schiff recuse himself from his intended investigations after meeting with a witness of an ongoing investigation?” McCarthy asked.

The Schiff-Simpson meeting has come under scrutiny because of Simpson’s role in pushing the unverified Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy theory. Simpson has also been accused by some Republican lawmakers of lying to the House Intelligence Committee about his interactions with government officials while working on the dossier. (RELATED: Bruce Ohr’s Testimony Conflicted With Glenn Simpson’s)

During testimony to the House panel on Nov. 14, 2017, Simpson withheld that he met with Justice Department official Bruce Ohr prior to the November 2016 election. Simpson said that he met Ohr only after the election. But Ohr told Congress on Aug. 28, 2018 that he and Simpson met on Aug. 22, 2016 at Simpson’s request. They met again on Dec. 10, 2016.

Ohr’s wife worked as a contractor for Fusion during the 2016 campaign. And after the election, Ohr served as the back channel between the FBI and Christopher Steele, the former British spy who worked for Fusion GPS on the dossier project.

During the same testimony in which Simpson has been accused of lying, Schiff sought investigative leads from the Fusion GPS founder.

McCarthy asserted that it is “virtually unprecedented … that a now Chairman of an investigative committee would seek direction from a fatally biased witness who was actually paid by political opponents to uncover dirt on the President.”

Schiff recently announced that he plans to expand the committee’s investigation into whether President Trump conspired with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election and whether foreign agents have leverage over Trump.

The Steele dossier is the main source document for that conspiracy theory. In the 35-page document, Steele alleges a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Kremlin to release emails stolen from Democrats. Steele also claimed that the Kremlin is blackmailing Trump with a video tape of him with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel room in 2013.

None of the core allegations about Trump have been verified in the more than two years since the dossier was published.

McCarthy is also accusing Schiff of running cover for Fusion GPS and the FBI, which relied heavily on the dossier to obtain surveillance warrants against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Schiff served as a roadblock to House Intel Republican efforts to obtain Fusion’s bank records. Those documents, which were released after a legal fight in October 2017, revealed that the Clinton campaign and DNC paid Fusion GPS $1 million to investigate Trump. (RELATED: Bruce Ohr Testimony Undercuts Adam Schiff’s Defense Of FBI)

Schiff’s office and Fusion GPS have downplayed the Aspen meeting.

“The chairman did not have any pre-planned meeting with Glenn Simpson, and any conversation with him at the Aspen conference would have been brief and social in nature,” a spokesman for Schiff told The Hill, which reported the meeting on Feb. 7.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/15/adam-schiff-fusion-gps-glenn-simpson/?utm_medium=push&utm_source=daily_caller&utm_campaign=push