NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT TUESDAY 7/2-WEDNESDAY 7/3/2019 NEWSDUMP EDITION

(WORK IN PROGRESS THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY)

There will be no citizenship question in the 2020 census.    That decision made by the Trump Administration Tuesday with a statement issued by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

A court challenge to the citizenship question was filed leading to a recent Supreme Court decision 5-4 that said not enough justification was provided for the question.

Ross noted his disagreement with court's decision but ultimately said:

"The Census Bureau has started printing the decennial questionnaires without the question"

The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General is out with a report saying there is "dangerous overcrowding" at border patrol detention facilities in southern Texas.

The report says the overcrowding at the facilities endangers those detained there and the officers and agents who work there and requires "immediate attention".

WORD FROM FRANCE THAT THE DOCTOR IN CHARGE OF MENTALLY DISABLED PATIENT VINCENT LAMBERT'S TREATMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY HOSPTIAL IN REIMS HAS DECIDED TO BEGIN HIS STARVATION DEATH TUESDAY.

A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE WAS POSTED TUESDAY MORNING....LINK

A Princess married to the Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai, ruler of one of the United Arab Emirates, is in hiding in the UK in:

"fear of her life"

Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein initially fled to Germany, but is now in the UK reportedly readying herself for a court fight.

Princess Haya reportedly fled Dubai after becoming aware of new disturbing details regarding the case of one of the sheikh's daughters.    Sheika Latifa fled Dubai by sea last year but the boat she was on was intercepted by armed men who returned her back to the UAE.

BBC Defense Correspondent Frank Gardner has published a story online.....LINK

The son of another emirate ruler died in London Monday.    Fashion designer Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, 39, the son of  the ruler of Sharjah.    Police say the cause of his death is not known.

US NAVY SEAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS CHIEF EDWARD GALLAGHER FOUND NOT GUILTY OF KILLING AN ISLAMIC STATE PRISONER AND SHOOTING AT IRAQI CIVILIANS TUESDAY.   GALLAGHER WAS FOUND GUILTY OF POSING WITH THE CORPSE OF THE 17 YEAR OLD ISIS MEMBER.

DURING GALLAGHER'S COURT MARTIAL ANOTHER NAVY SEAL TESTIFIED THAT HE KILLED THE PRISONER.

An air strike in Libya has killed 44 and wounded more than 130 others at a migrant detention center in the Tripoli area.   Most of the casualties reported to be African migrants.

The Government of National Accord that controls the Tripoli area says its opposition the Libyan National Army is responsible for the attack.

14 Russian sailors dead after fire broke out on a submersible vehicle Monday.    Measurements were being taken by the vehicle in Russian territorial waters when the blaze broke out.    The submersible designed to take measurement on the sea floor.

The chief of the Russian navy is in charge of the investigation.

More from the Tass News Agency.....LINK

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage and his Members of European Parliament came to be "cheerfully defiant" as Farage put it on Twitter Tuesday.    As the parliament session opened in Strasbourg, France Farage and Brexit Party members turned away when the "European national anthem" was played.

Farage explained it on Twitter and to "Sky News".....LINK

Catalan nationalists who want independence from Spain and were elected in May prohibited from sitting in the European Parliament session.   They protested outside.

Tuesday evening word of a deal to fill the top post executive posts of the European Union after weeks of wrangling between various "Right", "Left" and "Liberal" factions.

The German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen, a political ally of Angela Merkel, is to be the new European Commission president replacing Jean-Claude Juncker.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel is proposed as the new President of the European Council to replace Donald Tusk.

The foreign policy chief of the EU is set to be Josep Borrell of Spain, currently Spanish Foreign Minister.

Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, is designated to be President of the European Central Bank.

Japanese vessels have resumed the whale hunt and killed the first whales since 1986.    Japan pulled out of an international whaling commission last year setting the stage for resumption of whale hunting Monday.

Conservationist and environmentalist groups are opposed to the Japanese move.   Japan says that whales will be hunted under a scientific formula limiting the number killed each year.    227 is the limit for this year.

More protests planned in Israel Wednesday over the death of an Ethiopian Israeli with highway blockages planned.

There were protests and arrests in Israel on Tuesday when the 19 year old Ethiopian Israel shot and killed by an off-duty policeman was buried.

The policeman, who is now under house arrest, says he feared for the safety of himself and his family when he shot Solomon Tekah.

More from "Ynet" in Israel......LINK

"We are concerned about these alarming developments"

Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova of the Russian Foreign Ministry commenting Tuesday on recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria.     She says the airstrikes prevent the normalization of life in Syria after some eight years of civil war and pose a threat to stability in the region.

Israeli satellite imaging firm ISI has put out a picture of a hanger destroyed during early Monday's strikes by Israel on various targets in Syria around Damascus and Homs.   Pro-Israel sources point to Iranian and Hezbollah installations being the targets.   No claim of responsibility from official sources in Israel.

Reports from Syria say at least 16 were killed, others wounded by the attacks.  Five civilians reported among the dead.   


"Southfront" offers its version of the story....LINK

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that all nations involved, not just Iran, have an obligation to abide by the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement.

Lavrov also said Iran's enriched uranium stockpile has exceeded limits under the JCPOA because of the sanctions imposed on it by the United States following the US decision to withdrawal from the JCPOA.

In Washington, the Democrat controlled House Ways and Means Committee filing a lawsuit in federal district court in the nation's capital seeking President Trump's tax returns.

Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin has said the subpoena of the committee for the President's tax returns is not for a "legitimate purpose" and the Justice Department has backed up Treasury with a legal opinion.    

The Justice Department's view is that the "true aim" of the House committee is to publicize President Trump's tax information.

Portland, Oregon Mayor Ted Wheeler disputes the head of the city's police union who says the Mayor has handcuffed police from taking quick action against violent protesters.    Wheeler says that Officer Daryl Turner's statements are "false" and "misinformation".

Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" has more details on the latest response of the mayor and police chief to last Saturday's violence in Portland.......LINK

The former mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania entering guilty pleas in federal court Tuesday.  Democrat Bill Courtright resigned Monday and was in court pleading guilty to charges of bribery, conspiracy and extortion.

Federal prosecutors say Courtright coerced campaign contributions and bribes from businesses in the city.

He will be sentenced in November facing a potential 35 years in prison and 750-thousand dollars in fines.


An abrupt change in plans for Vice-President Mike Pence Tuesday.    The Vice-President's plane turned around and returned him to Washington cancelling a planned event to discuss opioid addiction in New Hampshire.

Word is that the VP's change in plans not related to national security or health issues involving himself or the President.

And that's the way it really as we come into Wednesday July 3rd, 2019/