Monday, August 13, 2018

                        NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR


As the bombing and shelling campaign against jihadist opposition forces intensifies in northern Syria, reports of civilian casualties are coming out of the area.

The anti-Syrian government Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that children were among 39 people killed when a rebel ammunition dump was attacked.

The bombing and shelling in northern Syria is a prelude to a major government offensive to retake the last major areas held by the foreign backed jihadist opposition.

The Syrian government news agency reported Sunday that two aircraft were shot down trying to attack a northern Syrian airbase where Russian aircraft are located.   Russia has acknowledged drone attacks on the base in the past.

Left-wing and anarchist protesters flooded the streets of Washington DC today to oppose a very small white nationalist protest.   At best 25 or 30 of the nationalists were brought to a park across from the White House for their rally surrounded by a phalanx of police.

Fencing was also used to increase the level of security and the mass of police allowed the pro-white group to hold its rally, but they also allowed Anifa militants to set off firecrackers and hurl objects including frozen water bottles and eggs aimed at the white nationalists.

The lead juror at the trial of an FBI agent accused of lying about firing two shots during a January 2016 operation that killed one Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicium and injured another Ryan Bundy says: "I feel its possible someone is lying....I don't know which side, or who, or it could be both".

He spoke anonymously to "The Portland Oregonian" newspaper after the jury rendered not guilty verdicts in the case of FBI Hostage Rescue Team agent Joseph Astarita.

The man who helped direct jury deliberations answered his juror questionnaire saying he considered law enforcement officers to be "heroes" and would 'always tend to give them the benefit of the doubt' in their testimony. 

But he would up hearing testimony that pointed to an 'us versus them' tension between the FBI and Oregon State Police who told conflicting stories about what happened during the bloody attack.   The family of LaVoy Finicum has filed wrongful death suit in federal court against all those involved.

President Trump is applauding a movement to boycott the motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson by Harley-Davidson owners.       The owners say they will boycott the company if moves production overseas.  Trump tweeted "Great" and called the company's decision earlier this year to move production overseas out of fear of foreign tariffs "A very bad move".

Gasoline prices rose a few cents a gallon in the last week to a nationwide average now at 2.93 a gallon.

Analyst Trilby Lundberg expects those prices to stay steady in the weeks ahead and perhaps drop.

There's increased production and refining of oil in the USA with weak demand for gasoline.  Also in the mix increased production of oil announced earlier this year by Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The Turkish government says its rolling out 'an action plan' following a big slump in the country's currency Friday.  The fall came after President Trump announced a doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey.

The United States wants Turkey to release Christian Pastor Andrew Brunson.  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that the United States had set a deadline of last Wednesday for Brunson's release.   The Turkish government claims Brunson was supporting a radical Marxist Kurdish group and an Islamic cleric blamed for a 2016 coup attempt.

Firefighters in California now say the Holy Fire burning in southern California is 41 percent contained.

The blase has consumed 22 thousand, 700 acres across Orange and Riverside counties and 12 structures were destroyed.

Five countries have agreed on how to divide the Caspian Sea between them.

Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have agreed in principle on a plan to divide the world's largest body of inland water.

The leader of the five countries signed a "Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea" in Kazakhstan on Sunday.

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