NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SATURDAY 12/15/2018 NEWSDUMP EDITION
(POSSIBLE UPDATES, EDITING, ADDITIONS UNTIL 815 AM)
Today is the fifth consecutive Saturday of "yellow vests" protests in Paris and other parts of France.
Some snow and ice in the northwest of France around Normandy with a lot of road blockages expected in the south of the country prompting a closure of a major highway between Paris and Lyon for safety reasons by police.
One thousand protesters were estimated in the center of Paris this morning.
One thousand protesters were estimated in the center of Paris this morning.
Some confrontations on the Champs-Elysees with protesters gathering at the Opera House by mid-day with a moment of silence for the six who have died and hundreds wounded during the protests.
The yellow vests are now talking about using the "citizen referendum initiative" which allows for a new law to be proposed for a national referendum if 700-thousand signatures are obtained.
In London a yellow vests protest demanding "Brexit now" blocked Westminister Bridge for awhile on Friday.
Commenting on that protest on "Facebook" was activist Tommy Robinson:
"This was just 30 people who sat down and blocked traffic bringing London to a standstill. Imagine when this is happening across multiple towns and cities across the UK in protest at the traitors in Westminster. Surprised they never blocked the BBC.
I am sure the Media and establishment will find some way to blame it on Tommy Robinson"
On that terrorist attack in France the other day. One of the injured has died raising the death toll to four in the attack on a Christmas market in Strasbourglast Tuesday.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
President Trump has named Mick Mulvaney as acting chief of staff to replace John Kelly. Mulvaney is a former Republican congressman from South Carolina and is currently the President's director of the Office of Management and Budget.
In Texas US District Judge Reed O'Connor has ruled a key provision of the Obamacare law illegal.
The case is now expected to head to the US Supreme Court.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned China's arrest of two Canadians and called for their release, calling their detention "unacceptable".
The Canadians were arrested by China in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the United States. She is suspected of evading US sanctions on Iran.
Meng is currently out of jail in Canada on 7.5 million dollars bail pending her extradition proceeding.
In Sweden yesterday, a vote rejecting Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven as Prime Minster. The vote 200-116 against a proposed government of Social Democrats and Greens was the second time Sweden's parliament has rejected a government since last September's general election.
The speaker of Sweden's parliament will announce the next step next week. There are two more chances for the parliament to approve a new government before new elections have to be called.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned China's arrest of two Canadians and called for their release, calling their detention "unacceptable".
The Canadians were arrested by China in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the United States. She is suspected of evading US sanctions on Iran.
Meng is currently out of jail in Canada on 7.5 million dollars bail pending her extradition proceeding.
In Sweden yesterday, a vote rejecting Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven as Prime Minster. The vote 200-116 against a proposed government of Social Democrats and Greens was the second time Sweden's parliament has rejected a government since last September's general election.
The speaker of Sweden's parliament will announce the next step next week. There are two more chances for the parliament to approve a new government before new elections have to be called.
The Syrian Army fought some US backed forces near the US military's Al-Tanaf base late Thursday night.
The fighting came as the US backed militia approached the 55 kilometer deconfliction zone the Syrians have set up. A convoy was approaching a Syrian army position.
"Southfront" reports that the fighting may been by chance and involved a smuggling operation by the militia.
The British Labor Party's Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has more questions about a Foreign Office funded organization that's been the source of attacks on Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
She has a written a letter with the additional questions to Sir Alan Duncan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister following his answer to her original question in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Duncan denied that the Foreign Office is funding domestic political activities in response to her original question about activities of the Institute for Statecraft's "Integrity Intitiative".
Duncan says government money is supporting overseas activities of the organization, not domestic ones.
The questions are being raised following anonymous online postings of documents related to the "Integrity Initiative" and the Institute for Statecraft.
Australia has made its move on expectations of a move of its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
After consultations Prime Minister Scott Morrison says West Jersualem is being recognized by Australia as the capital of Israel but the embassy will stay in Tel Aviv until a peace settlement is reached.
In coming months President Trump is set to unveil a "Deal of the Century" peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Working on the details is his son-in-law Jared Kushner who discussed the proposal in an interview with Sean Hannity last Monday night on Fox News.
In the island nation of Sri Lanka off the coast of India a resignation from the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. His surprise appointment by the president of the country seven weeks ago sparked a political crisis.
The resignation of Rajapaksa appears to be bringing to an end the power struggle that has been raging for nearly two months. Rajapaksa is associated with his actions in the military during the country's civil war when he led soldiers in using harsh tactics against the country's Tamil minority.
The Prime Minister who was sacked, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister again tomorrow morning.
Prosecutors in Spain claim the singer Shakira owes 16.3 million dollars in back taxes. They accuse her of living in the country from 2012 to 2014 when she claimed residence somewhere else. If someone lives in Spain for more than six months of the year their income can be taxed under Spanish law.
And that's the way it really is, Saturday morning December 15th, 2018.
She has a written a letter with the additional questions to Sir Alan Duncan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister following his answer to her original question in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Duncan denied that the Foreign Office is funding domestic political activities in response to her original question about activities of the Institute for Statecraft's "Integrity Intitiative".
Duncan says government money is supporting overseas activities of the organization, not domestic ones.
The questions are being raised following anonymous online postings of documents related to the "Integrity Initiative" and the Institute for Statecraft.
Australia has made its move on expectations of a move of its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
After consultations Prime Minister Scott Morrison says West Jersualem is being recognized by Australia as the capital of Israel but the embassy will stay in Tel Aviv until a peace settlement is reached.
In coming months President Trump is set to unveil a "Deal of the Century" peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Working on the details is his son-in-law Jared Kushner who discussed the proposal in an interview with Sean Hannity last Monday night on Fox News.
In the island nation of Sri Lanka off the coast of India a resignation from the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. His surprise appointment by the president of the country seven weeks ago sparked a political crisis.
The resignation of Rajapaksa appears to be bringing to an end the power struggle that has been raging for nearly two months. Rajapaksa is associated with his actions in the military during the country's civil war when he led soldiers in using harsh tactics against the country's Tamil minority.
The Prime Minister who was sacked, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister again tomorrow morning.
Prosecutors in Spain claim the singer Shakira owes 16.3 million dollars in back taxes. They accuse her of living in the country from 2012 to 2014 when she claimed residence somewhere else. If someone lives in Spain for more than six months of the year their income can be taxed under Spanish law.
And that's the way it really is, Saturday morning December 15th, 2018.
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