Putin to Sing at Trump Inauguration

[FORD]

Putin to Sing at Trump Inauguration
By Andy Borowitz December 18, 2016 (http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/putin-to-sing-at-trump-inauguration)

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—After having difficulty persuading prominent entertainers to participate at the event, the Trump transition team announced on Sunday that the Russian President Vladimir Putin would sing at Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration next month.

In a brief statement from the Kremlin, Putin said, “I will be most delighted to perform for my comrade.”

The choice of Putin raised eyebrows in Washington, since the Russian, while famous for invading neighboring countries and imprisoning political opponents, is not particularly well known as a singer.

The Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway pushed back against such criticism during an appearance on CNN. “If we limited ourselves to people who had talent and experience, that would disqualify half of our Cabinet,” she said.

Putin’s choice of musical material also stirred controversy, as politicians on both sides of the aisle questioned his plan to perform the Russian national anthem.

According to those critics, the spectacle of Putin praising the glory and majesty of Russia in song would be inappropriate for the Inauguration of an American President.

In an attempt to quell that controversy, Putin said late on Sunday that he would instead serenade Trump by singing the Bette Midler classic, “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

[katina]

It seems that Pootie will be very busy

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov shot dead in Ankara

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-ambassador-to-turkey-andrey-karlov-shot-dead-in-ankara.aspx?pageID=238&nID=107512&NewsCatID=341

Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was shot dead at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Dec. 19, Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed.

Karlov was shot by a gun while making a speech at a photography exhibition in the Turkish capital, the Russian embassy said, adding that it believed that it was a radical Islamist attack.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova later announced that Karlov succumbed to his wounds.

Meanwhile, private broadcaster NTV said three other persons were also injured in the attack. The channel also reported that the attacker was shot dead later in a police operation at the scene.

The three wounded people were taken to Güven Hospital in central Ankara, CNN Türk reported.

Hürriyet Ankara representative Deniz Zeyrek said the attacker first shot into the air and later shot the envoy in the back.

He shot the envoy for the second time after the scene was evacuated. It has also been reported that the attacker entered the scene by showing a police identity and wearing a suit.

The attacker reportedly shouted “Don’t forget Aleppo! Don’t forget Syria! As long as our brothers are not safe, you will not enjoy safety” according to a footage released on Dutch website nos.nl.

“Whoever has a share in this oppression will pay for it one-by-one,” he added.

“Only death will take me away from here.” He also recited "God is great" before talking in Turkish.

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu later arrived at the scene.

Meanwhile, Kremlin said that President Vladimir Putin was studying a report on the attack.

Russian Foreign Ministry also said the Russian side was in contact with Turkish authorities about the attack.

The exhibition was held by the embassy at a cultural center in central Ankara and was announced one week earlier.

A private guard does not accompany Karlov in such public occasions.

The attack comes one day before Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu heads to Moscow for talks on Syria with his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Javad Zarif, respectively.

Çavuşoğlu was on the plane to Moscow during the time of the attack.

Mr. Karlov, who started his career as a diplomat in 1976, worked extensively in North Korea over three decades, before moving to Ankara in 2007, according to a biography on the Russian Embassy’s website. He became ambassador in July 2013.

Meanwhile, the attack drew condemnations from both the U.S. and the U.K.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the heinous attack on Ambassador Karlov tonight," the U.S. Embassy tweeted quoting Ambassador John Bass after the attack.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby condemned the attack.

"We have seen reports that the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov and others have been attacked by a gunman in #Ankara. We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," Kirby tweeted.

"Shocked to hear of despicable murder of #Russia's Ambassador to #Turkey. My thoughts are with his family. I condemn this cowardly attack," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted.

Relations between Turkey and Russia came to a halt after the former downed the latter’s fighter jet along its border with Syria on grounds of air space violation on Nov. 24, 2015. Russia denied any breach of Turkish air space.

It was not until late June when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan penned a letter to his Russian counterpart Putin that a rapprochement started.

Since then strained ties have started to be restored, with the two leaders meeting three times in person and a ban on Russians to travel to Turkey lifted.

The two countries has recently cooperated and reached a deal over a cease-fire on Syria’s besieged part of eastern Aleppo and an evacuation of rebels and civilians from the city.

The evacuation started on Dec. 15, and was ongoing on Dec. 19.
December/19/2016

[Nickdfresh]

It seems that Pootie will be very busy

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov shot dead in Ankara

...


I guess Obama wasn't kidding around when he said we would be "retaliating"... :D

[Nickdfresh]

The NYT actually showed the photo:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/world/europe/russia-ambassador-shot-ankara-turkey-report.html?_r=0

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/12/20/world/20TURKEY-WEB4/20TURKEY-WEB4-superJumbo-v3.jpg

The murderer moments before being shot dead by other Turkish police. Apparently he was a plainclothes policeman:
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/12/20/world/20TURKEY-WEB5/20TURKEY-WEB5-blog427.jpg

[Seshmeister]

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/15644228_10209083210096338_28095163_n.jpg?oh=06d4d 6a3e2b0d3b08d2ca285ce4fae0c&oe=585A843A

[Nickdfresh]

Too soon? LMFAO!!

[vandeleur]

I sort of laughed and went wtf at the same time ..... think that's normally a good thing

[FORD]

What's NOT funny is that comparisons are already being made between this assassination and the shooting of Arch Duke Ferdinand, which started World War I :headlights:

[vandeleur]

What's NOT funny is that comparisons are already being made between this assassination and the shooting of Arch Duke Ferdinand, which started World War I :headlights:

Someone here said that straight away .... but only because they no fuck all about history ;)

[Nickdfresh]

LOL USSR Ain't invading Turkey over this...

[FORD]

One bad cop shooting a Russian isn't likely to start a war in and of itself, of course. All this white supremacist bullshit taking over governments in various countries (sadly, including this one) is far more of a threat. So that means a combination of the shit that started BOTH World Wars, actually.

[Seshmeister]

Putin owns Trump so who knows anything at this point.

The assasination that sort of started WWI was a lot to do with there being too many alliances. The threat this time is more about NATO and the rest breaking down.

Putin I'm sure will sit in on this one and wait for the orange puppet.