NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

With less than two weeks to go before Arizona's primary election Republican candidate US Representative Martha McSally is refusing to debate her rivals in the US Senate Primary set for August 28th.   The US Senate seat is open because of  the retirement of Senator Jeff Flake.

McSally is running against former State Senator Kelli Ward and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Arpaio's decision to enter the race earlier this year appears to split the more conservative voters giving McSally a better chance of winning.

The missing factor in the race is a clear cut endorsement from President Donald Trump.   Trump did tweet praise of Ward within the last year.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has declared a state of emergency and released 5.7 million dollars worth of aid to the region where a highway bridge collapsed Tuesday.

39 people are dead with 15 others injured and 400 people have been evacuated.

Prime Minister Conte said in part:  "These are unacceptable tragedies...the government will do everything to prevent such tragedies from happening again."

The Italian government has begun the process of revoking the contract of  the private company responsible for maintaining the bridge. 

The social media industry assault on Alex Jones and Info Wars continues with a one week suspension of Jones on Twitter.

Its reported that Twitter judged a recent video post there to include "abusive behavior".

In Israel meanwhile a former handball coach is under arrest suspected of using social media networks to lure children into sexual abuse.

Beno Reinhorn, 35, is under suspicion of involvement in 140 sex offenses against minors.

There is a cease fire between Israel and the Hamas extremist group that rules Gaza following weeks of hostile actions aimed at Israel from Gaza.  Egypt played a role in mediating the agreement.  Israel allowed 700 trucks filled with supplies to enter Gaza Wednesday following the deal.

Shelling attacks continue against rebel positions in northern Syria ahead of a major government offensive by the Assad regime.

Some 25-thousand troops including armored units are poised to move into three northern Syrian provinces to retake the last major areas of the country still held by jihadist opposition forces.

The former CIA Director John Brennan has had his security clearance revoked by President Trump.

In a statement, Trump cited Brennan's "erratic conduct and behavior".  

Brennan was former President Obama's CIA Director and is considered a key figure in promoting the notion when he held office and since that Trump was or is in collusion with Russia. 

Turkey has announced 15 billion dollars in backing from the Persian Gulf oil kingdom of Qatar and imposed tariffs on some American goods as it struggles to boost its economic position in the face of the new metals tariffs on Turkey announced last week by President Trump.

The United States wants Turkey to release Christian pastor Andrew Brunson but this week a Turkish court refused an appeal for his release from house arrest where he currently is held awaiting trial.

The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million people have fled Venezuela as of June this year with most of them leaving the country because of malnutrition.

While the neighboring nation of Colombia has absorbed the largest numbers of Venezuelans, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru are also taking in large numbers of fleeing Venezuelans.

The economic crisis there is believed by opposition forces to be caused by the Cuban style Marxist economic policies of President Nicolas Maduro that began during the reign of former President Hugo Chavez.

South Korea's President Moon Jae In says he is committed to building a common economic community with North Korea.   Moon says that by the end of the year he hopes to have rail and highway links restored between the two Koreas.