NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

                             

US Senator John McCain of Arizona is dead at 81.   McCain was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year.

He was the son and grandson of  US Navy Admirals and followed them into the Navy.  McCain was shot down and became a prisoner of war in North Vietnam in the 1960's.  After the war he served as a liaison officer with Congress.

This led to a political career, first as a member of the House, then a US Senator.

McCain served on committees overseeing media regulation and the armed services.

McCain sought the presidency losing the Republican Party nomination to George W. Bush in 2000.  He then won the GOP nod in 2008, losing to Barack Obama following the economic downturn that emerged in September 2008.

McCain picked then Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Tonight Palin said:  "John McCain was my friend.  I will remember the good times"

The public controversy surrounding Senator McCain began with an ethics committee investigation into his connections with banker Charles Keating and those of four other senators.   The ethics committee cleared McCain of wrongdoing in 1991, but said he had exercised "poor judgement".

In more recent times Senator McCain's support for a liberal immigration policy and military intervention in the Middle East were sources of controversy, with McCain linked to jihadist militants fighting civil wars in Libya and Syria.  McCain also supported an aggressive stance against Russia including military support for Ukraine. 

The controversy surrounding McCain culminated with his involvement in handling the anti-Donald Trump "Steele Dossier".

Tonight President Trump tweeted:  "My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain.  Our hearts and prayers are with you!".

Also expressing her sadness and sympathy for Senator McCain's family is his primary opponent in his last Arizona Republican primary election, Dr. Kelli Ward.     Dr. Ward is running in a three-way Republican Primary contest to find a candidate for the seat currently held by Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona.  Election Day is Tuesday.

Flake has been a harsh critic of President Trump and Ward is reminding voters that the candidate backed by powerful interests in Arizona and leading in polls, Congresswoman Martha McSally, will be the next Jeff Flake.

Russia is warning of another chemical attack incident in Syria.  A spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday that jihadist militants, aided by British intelligence, intend to stage the chemical incident to justify another American, British, French attack on Syrian government facilities.

The Syrian government, backed by Russian Aerospace Forces (Air Force), intends to launch a major offensive in northern Syria where the fake chemical attack is allegedly being prepared.  

The Russian spokesman says the deployment of a US Navy destroyer to the Persian Gulf with 56 cruise missiles and a B-1 bomber to Qatar with surface to air missiles are signs of preparation for an attack on Syria.

He accused the Western nations of acting contrary to public statements and acting to disrupt the peace process in Syria.

President Trump recently announced that the United States will not spend money on reconstruction efforts in Syria, saying that Saudi Arabia will pick up the tab.

Italian prosecutors in Sicily are investigating Interior Minister Matteo Salvini because migrants have not been allowed to leave a boat that docked on Monday.

They are investigating Salvini for possible illegal confinement, illegal arrest and abuse of power.

Salvini is rebuffing the probe, saying the migrants will be allowed off the boat in due course.

The Italian government is seeking to get other European nations to take more of the migrants and is keeping them on the boat until matters could be worked out.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says his government is not involved in a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest being organized by Dutch Parliament member Geert Wilders.

Wilders is the leader of the Party of Freedom, an opposition party, and plans to hold the contest at the party's headquarters in November.

Rutte responded to anger caused by the planned cartoon contest in Pakistan.

Today Wilders tweeted:  "Never give in to Islamic totalitarianism nor to Islamic cuddlers like the weak Dutch Prime Minister Rutte   Always fight for freedom. Always".