Trump sees no Russian state hand in Navalny poisoning

Alexei Navalny: confirmed to have been poisoned in Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet seen any direct evidence of Russian state involvement in the poisoning of dissident Alexei Navalny, but had no reason to doubt the German assessment.

Trump, who said this while speaking during a news conference at the White House on Friday, however, described the suspected poisoning of Navalny as “horrible”.

German authorities say toxicology tests have revealed that Navalny, who is currently comatose in a Berlin hospital, has been poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok.

Based on what Germany is saying that seems to be the case.

I would be very angry if that’s the case,” Trump said.

Separately, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun met with Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to express “grave concern about the German government’s findings that Russian opposition leader Aleksey Navalny was poisoned by a chemical nerve agent.”

At the meeting in Washington, Biegun urged Russia to cooperate with an international probe.

Trump said he expected to soon receive documentation on the case which would allow for the U.S. to make a determination.

He said he understood the desire to take action against Russia, but also insisted he “maintains” a good relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian state has adamantly denied allegations of involvement in the Navalny incident.

Trump also raised his long-standing disagreement with Germany over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, questioning Berlin’s decision to buy energy from Moscow.

The U.S. has imposed some sanctions on the pipeline project and more could come.

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Kano Hisbah Board destroys 30 trailer loads of beer worth N150 m

The Kano State Hisbah Board has seized and destroyed 30 trailer loads of beer worth N150 million. In a statement released on Tuesday December 25th, the board’s Public Relations Officer, Adamu Yahaya, said that the cartons of beer were destroyed on Monday evening December 24th after interception at Kalebawa on Danbata Road in Dawakin Tofa area. “The Kano State Law No. 4 of 2004 has banned the manufacture and use of intoxicants in the state. Furthermore, an order was given by a magistrates’ court for us to go ahead with the exercise,” the public relations officer said. The worth of a trailer load of beer is between N5.2 million and N5.5 million. The sale of beer and its consumption has been banned in Kano state.

Boko Haram members attack community in Borno state; raze hospital and Telecoms mast

Suspected Boko Haram members have attacked Magumeri community in Borno State, destroying the only functional telecommunications mast, a hospital recently equipped by the Borno State Government and other facilities. According to reports, the insurgents invaded the community at about 4pm on Monday, August 17, shooting sporadically. The military airstrike engaged the sect members in a gun battle but it did not deter the sect members who destroyed anything in sight. A woman was reportedly killed in the crossfire while several other persons sustained injuries. Magumer which has witnessed a series of Boko Haram attacks, is about 40km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital. See more photos from the attack below Credit-LIB

Abuja-based businessman beaten to death by unknown assailants in Enugu

An Abuja-based businessman was beaten to death by unknown assailants in Enugu. The deceased, Chinedu Nzegwu popularly known as Obroshoo by friends, was attacked by the assailants few days before his return to Abuja. They reportedly hit him with a stick on the head leaving him for dead. Late Nzegwu, a Pure and Industrial Chemistry graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, is a former student of Dennis Memorial Grammar School DMGS, Onitsha, Anambra State. His friends and family members have taken to Facebook to mourn his tragic death. One of them Nwachi Viktor, wrote: "Murdered in cold blood in Enugu by fellow ndi igbo. Another young and hardworking man from Onitsha.He was my junior in Dennis Memorial Grammar school Onitsha. Trying to understand why they had to beat him to death,he was never a thief and came from a good home. Rest in peace Chinedu Nzegwu. No one is safe in Nigeria!"

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