Wednesday, October 3, 2018

NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR-WEDNESDAY 10/3/2018


                                      (EDITING, UPDATES ETC. UNTIL 745 AM)


President Trump was on the stump for Republican candidates in Mississippi last night.  He supported the re-election of Republican Roger Wicker for one US Senate seat and endorsed the woman appointed by Mississippi's governor for the other Senate seat in a Special Open Primary Election on Election Day.

Trump said that a vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith is a vote for him, but many in crowd at the rally wore  red T-Shirts saying "Trump Voters for Chris McDaniel" in support of the conservative state senator.

In that Special Open Primary Senate election set for November 6th in Mississippi, the latest mainstream media poll shows Democrat Mike Espy at 25 percent, Republican Establishment endorsed Cindy Hyde-Smith at 24 percent and Conservative Republican State Senator Chris McDaniel.

The top two finishers on November 6th move onto the runoff election three weeks later on Tuesday November 27th.

President Trump also made a comment about Saudi Arabia at the Mississippi rally, saying he told Saudi King Salman saying:  "You might not be there for two weeks without us" referring to US military power.

Some are saying that US policy in Syria that puts blame on Syria and its allies Iran and Russia is a pro-Saudi Arabia policy dictated by US, UK, European and even Israeli financial dependence on its oil and oil wealth.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has said that the United States can blockade Russian energy production to prevent its export.   He made the comments recently at an event in Pittsburgh sponsored by the Consumer Energy Network, a group with links to the energy industry.

And the United States Ambassador to NATO, former Republican Senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison, says that a new Russian ballistic missile system will be "taken out" if it becomes operational.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called her statement "aggressive rhetoric".

Hutchison amended her remarks to say that she was not suggesting a "pre-emptive strike" on the Russian missiles.

The US considers the missiles in violation of a treaty on intermediate range nuclear forces.  Russia accuses the USA of violating the same treaty.

There have been suspicious letters sent to the Pentagon and White House.   One addressed to President Trump, the other two addressed to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and the Chief of Naval Operations. 

The  two letters processed at a mail facility for the Pentagon have tested positive for ricin, a poison that can cause death within 36 to 72 hours.  No more details on the letter processed at the White House mail facility that came up suspicious.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet North Korea's ruler Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang this weekend.    Short term Pompeo will be working on arranging a new meeting between Kim and President Donald Trump.  Long term he will be working on North Korea's de-nuclearization.   South Korean officials say the North has anywhere from 20 to 60 nuclear bombs

There's a new 38 billion dollar military assistance pact with Israel in effect.   The pact was signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2016.   Heather Nauert as the State Department says the pact supports Israel with 3.8 billion dollars a year over the next ten years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be questioned by a special police investigation unit for the 12th time this Friday.  Israeli police are investigating two corruption cases involving Netanyahu.     Also under investigation for corruption is his wife, Sara.

The man dubbed the  "far-right" candidate is leading the latest opinion poll ahead of the first round of Brazil's presidential election.  Jair Bolsonaro has 31 percent of the vote with the leftist Workers Party candidate Fernando Haddad at 21 percent.   Voters go to the polls this Sunday.   If no one gets over 50 percent, the top two candidates face off in an October 28th runoff.


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