NEWS SUMMARY -INTELLIGENCE REPORT MONDAY 1/7/2019

(UPDATES, EDITING, ADDITIONS ETC. UNTIL 8 AM EASTERN THIS MORNING)


Good Morning.

The latest from President Trump on the border wall funding talks is that there was a "productive meeting" between his representatives led by Vice-President Mike Pence and the representatives of the Congressional Democrats on Sunday.

He says there will be a  "steel barrier" on the southern border instead of a concrete wall.

An 18 year-old Saudi Arabian woman is holed up in a hotel room at the airport in Bangkok, Thailand resisting efforts to force her back to Kuwait where she says she will be forced back to Saudi Arabia.

The story of Rahaf al-Qunun is being told by different sources with Saudi and Thai officials having their version of the story along with the group Human Rights Watch.

And then there's the woman herself.

Rahaf al-Qunun puts her situation this way:

"My brothers and family and the Saudi embassy will be waiting for me in Kuwait.   They will kill me.  My life is in danger.  My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things."

Late word is that the head of the immigration police in Thailand says she will not be deported from the country.

More on this story from the BBC.....LINK

The Google translation reads:

"Macron you're screwed, chicks are in the street"

That was part of  a banner held by hundreds of women Yellow Vests protesters on Sunday in Toulouse, France.

"Women in the first line"  

was another part of the banner.

Women protesting on the streets of France Sunday as the Yellow Vests demonstration continued.

This morning a Deputy in the National Assembly for the National Rally and domestic partner of its leader Marine Le Pen said there is a "risk of serious insurrection".

Louis Aliot said there must be a dialogue between the government and the Yellow Vests protesters along with reforms being approved by the legislature.   He also called for the dissolution of the National Assembly so a new election can be held to elect a legislature on the basis of proportional representation instead of individual seats as its currently set up.

More details on France and the Yellow Vests here.....LINK

British Prime Minister Theresa May is expressing fears about what would happen if her Brexit plan is rejected when its scheduled to be voted on at the middle of the month (January 14th or 15th).

She told BBC interviewer Andrew Marr about "uncharted territory" if her plan, strongly opposed by the strongest supporters of Brexit as keeping the UK tied to the European Union, goes down to defeat.

When asked if her intention to hold a vote this month is definite, May told the BBC:

"yes, we are going to hold the vote"

May pulled a vote on her plan last month when it was clear over 100 MP's in her own Conservative Party would oppose it.

Brexit activists are speculating as to what her next political maneuver-trick will be.   Its possible she will call a General Election in a bid to weaponize fear of the opposition Labor Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn to get her way on Brexit.

Also in the mix if her plan fails is the notion of a "no-deal" Brexit.  Some 200 plus MP's from several major political parties have a letter out calling on Mrs. May to rule out the 'no-deal' option supported by Brexit activists from Gerard Batten of UKIP to "Mr. Brexit" Nigel Farage to free speech fighter Tommy Robinson.

In Syria in recent days Russian air attacks have been conducted against jihadist forces in the Idlib region.     The Syrian Army is also reported by pro-government Twitter feeds to be moving its forces in the direction of Idlib.    The HTS forces, formerly Al-Qaeda in Syria, have been attacking pro-Turkish militias and scoring victories against them in Idlib.

The US may keep troops in southern Syria even after they are withdrawn from other parts of the country.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton discussing that with Israeli officials on a visit there.  That reported by NBC News.  The news report speaks of "Iranian influence" being involved.

The clear motive for the US troops remaining in southern Syria would be to prevent a direct land route for Iranian goods, possibly weapons, from crossing into Syria after being transported through Iraq.

US troops would be acting in the interests of Israel's security by remaining in southern Syria.

Enroute to Israel Saturday  Bolton also told reporters on his plane:

"There is absolutely no change in the US position against the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime and absolutely no change in our position that any use of chemical weapons would be met by a very strong response, as we've done twice before.  So the regime, the Assad regime, should be under no illusions on that question"

Bolton is also saying the US wants assurances from Turkey about its military activities in Syria and full coordination so the Kurds will not be harmed. Turkey says its war in Syria is with terrorist Kurdish groups, not the Kurdish people.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin says its "irrational" to claim that Turkey is targeting Kurds.

Overnight in Israel retaliation for recent Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza following balloon launching into Israel.  A missile fired from Gaza at Ashkelon, Israel.   Israel's air force in action this morning hitting Hamas targets.

In Israel Saturday night  two more Jewish minors arrested as "terrorist suspects" joining three other teenagers in custody in a case where there's a gag order in effect.

The first three minors arrested have been denied access to lawyers under an exceptional order in the case being handled by Israel's Shin Bet internal security service.

The five arrested are students of a religious school, a yeshiva.

A protest in Jersusalem outside Prime Minister Netanyahu's residence Saturday with police setting up a checkpoint to delay people from a West Bank settlement from reaching Jerusalem for the protest.

Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas, released a video criticizing the police and Shin Bet for their methods in the case and calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  to release the youths.    Story here.....LINK

Shin Bet finally went public about the case Sunday to say those arrested are suspects in a rock attack on a Palestinian car that killed a 47-year woman and that they are "dangerous anti-Zionists".  They distributed pictures of an Israeli flag with a swastika and "death to Zionists" on it.

Also in Israel diplomat and former Irgun fighter for Israel's independence, Moshe Ahrens is dead at the age of 93.   Ahrens served as Israel's ambassador to the United States as well as Foreign Minister and Defense Minister.

An attempted military coup in an African nation this morning.   Junior military officers said they were taking over from President Ali Bongo, whose family has ruled the country for 50 years.  Tanks and armored vehicles on the streets of the capital city of Libreville this morning.

A statement from the officers read on the radio this morning after they seized the radio station explained their purpose was to restore democracy in the country.

President Bongo reportedly suffered a stroke two months ago and received treatment in Morocco.  He is out of the country and recorded a New Year's message that soldiers say is proof of his poor health and inability to serve as president.

But a later statement from the government says four coup plotters under arrest, a fifth on the run and the situation under control.

In Venezuela the National Assembly has declared President Nicolas Maduro's presidency illegitimate as he plans to take up a second term Thursday.

The opposition controlled legislature met over the weekend and elected a new president Juan Guaido who said in part that as of January 10th:

"this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people"

Maduro is expected to ignore the move and the move of the Lima Group of Latin American nations who said they will not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's president if he takes up a second term this week.

A Venezuelan Supreme Court judge Christian Zerpa has fled to the US protesting last year's presidential election saying it was not a free or competitive one.    Zerpa said President Maduro was telling the court how to rule on cases.   The regime in Venezuela says Mr. Zerpa is accused of sexual harassment.

Russia's Foreign Ministry says that a Russian citizen was detained in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory, in retaliation for the arrest of American citizen Paul Whelan on espionage charges.

The Russians say that Dmitry Makarenko was detained by the FBI when he arrived with family members in the Northern Marianas on December 29th and moved to Florida.

The King of Malaysia stepped down from this throne Sunday just weeks after he apparently married a Russian beauty queen.      Sultan Mohammed V abdicating three years before he was expected to do so.

A short statement issued by the palace with no reason provided.  He apparently met the 25-year old former Miss Moscow when he went on a medical leave to Russia in November.  Pictures said to be taken in connection  with the marriage ceremony have been seen online.

Looks like we have Russian collusion here, better get Robert Mueller on the case.

And that's the way it really is, Monday morning January 7th, 2019.

Malaysia kings come from nine different states and serve five year terms.