NEWS SUMMARY AND INTELLIGENCE REPORT-MONDAY DECEMBER 10TH, 2018

(UPDATES, EDITING, ADDITIONS ETC. POSSIBLE UNTIL 7AM)

The French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to his nation at 2pm Eastern time in the US today.  He will break his verbal silence to address the challenge presented by the 'yellow vests' protest movement.  

A first it was a movement against "climate change" taxation of gasoline but has broadened to be a protest against Macron's pro-big business, pro-big bank policies that keep the standard of living down for average French workers and denude the countryside and smaller cities outside of Paris of jobs and economic opportunity.   Cuts to traditional welfare state programs and educational opportunities have also angered the general population.

The draconian attempts to suppress protest appear to have mostly failed with official estimates of 136-thousand protesters operating Saturday,  a number virtually identical to the Saturday before.  Some 2,000 were arrested many without even committing a crime.   BBC reporter Lucy Williamson said more powerful tear gas was employed on the streets of Paris Saturday.  

Macron has already dropped his gas tax increase for next year and made some economic concessions.

What further steps he will take to appease the general population isn't clear yet.

But what is clear is that the "yellow vests" have already committed to continuing their Saturday protests again next Saturday.

Climate change was on the agenda at a world conference in Katowice, Poland over the weekend.

But an attempt to pass an anti-energy producing resolution was stopped by fossil fuel producing countries led by the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The Battle of Brexit.

Newspapers in the UK claimed that Prime Minister Theresa May won't allow her Brexit plan to be voted on Tuesday but her people said there would be a vote.

May spoke to the Irish Prime Minister Sunday as well as European Union leader Donald Tusk.  Both men would be critical players in any changes to her current Brexit plan.

She was reported to be planning private meetings to convince Conservative Party MP's who oppose her plan to change their minds.

Expectations are she would lose the vote with the fallout of that unclear at this time.

Late word is that Mrs. May may be backing away from the vote and trying to find a way to make it palatable through a re-opening of negotiations with the EU.

Saudi Arabia is refusing to extradite suspects in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khshoggi.  The Saudi Foreign Minister says:

"We do not extradite our citizens"

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had demanded that the Saudis extradite suspects like a key aide to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.    A  Turkish court issued arrest warrants last Wednesday for Saud al-Qahtani and another key suspect, the former Saudi intelligence chief on belief that Saudi Arabia will not prosecute either man for Khashoggi's murder.

The "Washington Post" has obtained confirmation from US and other intelligence sources that an Israeli company provided cellphone spy technology used by Saudi Arabia to spy on opponents like Jamal Khashoggi.

The "Post" says Israel's government dealt with the Saudi's to get Saudi help in its quest to apply economic and military pressure on Iran.

The US, Israel and Saudi Arabia appear to be jointly applying military and economic pressure on Iran with steps that approach war and have the potential to trigger an Iranian response that would be used to justify all out military action against Iran.     Overt and covert means appear to be in use.

Israeli sources say Israeli military experts will meet Russian ones in the coming days.  For the first time in several months, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days.

Syrian air defenses were activated late Sunday night in what appeared to be an air attack around Damascus Airport but later indications were that Israeli electronic warfare was in operation, perhaps to let the Iranians know that Israel is aware of arms shipments flying into the airport.

Iran says it has arrested 10 suspects in connection with last Thursday's suicide bombing at a police station in the southeastern part of the country.  Two were killed and 48 injured in the attack.

China has called in the ambassadors from Canada and the United States to protest the arrest of Chinese businesswoman Meng Wenzhou in Canada.    Meng, who is the Chief Financial Officer of the Huawei telecommunications firm, is to be extradited to the United States on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran.

The Canadian ambassador was warned of "grave consequences" if Meng is not released.  The US ambassador was warned that China will take further steps if the US does not vacate its arrest warrant for Meng.

Her bail hearing continues today in Vancouver, Canada.

President Trump confirmed to reporters on Saturday what was being rumored Friday.   White House Chief of Staff John Kelly is leaving at the end of the year.  Trump spoke as he left to watch the Army-Navy Football Game in Philadelphia.

Trump has tweeted that he's actively searching for a replacement.   Nick Ayers, chief of staff to Vice-President Mike Pence was said to be in the running.  But Ayers says he's leaving his job too at the end of the year.

And some interesting statistics on money being wired to home countries from people working overseas.    First on the list, India with 80 billion dollars being sent home by people working outside the country.   Second, China at 67 billion dollars.     Third is  a tie.  Mexico has 34 billion being sent home from people working mostly in the USA and the Philippines is also at 34 billion dollars.   Filipinos are working extensively in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab countries.

And that's the way it really is Monday morning December 10th, 2018.