NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUNDAY 7/7-MONDAY 7/8/2019

(WORK IN PROGRESS THROUGH EARLY MONDAY)

First, Afghanistan.  The talks between the US and the Taliban resume Tuesday after the top US negotiator presented a positive report to the media over the weekend.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad reports "substanitive" progress in the talks between the US and Taliban.

Four issues on the table.   First, withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.  Second,  a "no terorrism" pledge from the Taliban.  Third, the terms of a cease-fire.    Fourth, the notion of negotiations between the Taliban and the current Afghan government on a long-term settlement.

More from "Time" magazine......LINK

Also, 12 killed in Afghanistan Sunday in a bomb blast at an intelligence facility.

Talks starting on the Caribbean island of Barbados Monday between Venezuela's opposition forces of Interim President Juan Guaido and the regime of Nicolas Maduro.

Guaido says there is not unlimited time for the talks because of the worsening situation in Venezuela and called for free and transparent elections.

"Vincent's death is now inevitable.  It was imposed on him as on us"

That was part of the statement Monday from the parents of disabled patient Vincent Lambert, being killed by denial of food and water.   The process began at University Hospital in Reims, France last Tuesday.

Lambert's parents after pursuing legal avenues in France and with a successful appeal to a UN organization not recognized by France's government, now trying to come to terms with his impending death.

Controversial billionaire and registered Florida sex offender Jeffrey Epstein  under arrest and in jail.    Epstein arrested by federal agents when his jet arrived in New Jersey from Paris Saturday afternoon.    

A search warrant at his Manhattan apartment also executed by FBI agents and the NYPD Saturday afternoon...A picture posted on Twitter as a crowbar was used to break in...LINK

Anonymous sources are telling the media that Epstein is facing new charges related to sexual abuse involving underage girls at his Florida and New York homes.  Namely, one count of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit sex traffficking.

Epstein set to appear in court on Monday.   One of the federal prosecutor's involved in the case is Maurene Comey, daughter of the former FBI Director James Comey.

The mainstream media is acknowledging Epstein's relationships with prominent people like former President Bill Clinton and Britain's Prince Andrew.   But they also link President Donald Trump to Epstein in their reporting.

And then there's the curious tweet of Democratic National Committee member and daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Christine Pelosi's tweet in part:

"It is quite likely that some of our faves are implicated but we must follow the facts and let the chips fall where they may-whether on Republicans or Democrats."

Epstein cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Miami in 2008 entering guilty pleas to lesser state charges of soliciting underage girls for prostitution to avoid federal charges.

The US Attorney in Miami then was Alexander Acosta, currently the Secretary of Labor.

A federal district judge is now reviewing the 2008 case and has ruled that federal prosecutors broke the law by not informing Epstein's victims of the plea agreement.

More on the Epstein case and his associates from the "Miami Herald"......LINK

Iran announcing Sunday that its enriching uranium above the 3.67 percent level set by the JCPOA nuclear agreement of 2015.

An Iranian spokesman announced that uranium will be enriched:

"as per our need"

Ali Rabiyee also said that Iran will not try to stay in the JCPOA at any cost noting who got out of the agreement first:

"The US however made a strategic mistake by withdrawing from it"

Iran's Fars News Agency gives the Iranian version of the story.....LINK 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Iranian move as:

"very, very dangerous"

and called on European nations to impose sanctions on Iran.

More on Israeli reaction from "Ynet".......LINK

President Trump also warning Iran to be "very careful" in the wake of its decision.

In northwestern Syria more than 180 airstrikes reported Friday and Saturday by Syrian and Russian aircraft.   That according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights organization, funded by foreign government's opposed to Syria's Assad regime.

It is believed that the massive airstrikes were a response to a ground attack launched by HTS (former Al-Qaeda) jihadist forces against Syrian government troops Friday morning.

Meanwhile a group called the Syrian Network for Human Rights is claiming 544 civilians killed and more than 2,000 wounded by airstrikes in the northwestern region of Syria in the last two months.

Iraqi army and militia units launching a military operation in the western part of Iraq near the Syrian border to eliminate pockets of Islamic State forces in the area.

Iraq announcing the start of the operation Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands protesting in Hong Kong on Sunday demanding that the law allowing extradition of Hong Kong citizens to mainland China be dropped completely and that democratic elections be held in the territory.

Police moved in on protesters late Sunday night with injuries and at least six arrests reported.

With 99.83 percent of the votes counted in Greece the New Democracy Party, comparable to the Republicans in the United States, is in the lead with nearly 39.85 percent of the popular vote trailed by the current party leading the government the left-wing outsider Syriza party which has about 31.53 percent of the vote.

With the winning political party getting 50 bonus seats in the 300 seat Greek parliament, New Democracy is able to govern with an outright majority holding 158 seats while Syriza now has 86 seats, down from 145 in the 2015 election.

The incoming Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says he has a mandate for change in the country and is promising to reform the economic system to allow foreign investment in the name of creating jobs.

In the UK, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage calling for British Ambassador to the US Sir Kim Darroch to leave his job after emails critical of the White House were published by the "Mail on Sunday" newspaper.

Darroch made comments like:

"inept"

"uniquely dysfunctional"

"divided"

in describing President Trump's White House.

President Trump told reporters Sunday:

"We're not big fans of that man"

The British government has announced an inquiry into the matter.

More at Nigel Farage's Twitter Page....LINK

"I don't think there is anyone in there who could change the system"

Those the words of Congressman Justin Amash who left the Republican Party declaring his independence from the GOP on July 4th.

Speculation  in the media as to whether Amash was setting himself up to be the Libertarian Party's nominee in 2020.

Amash said the problems run deep in Washington regardless of the presidency of Donald Trump.

Trump welcomed Amash's departure from the Republican Party.    Amash came out in support of impeaching the President earlier this year.

Amash says he's getting text messages of support from people who are afraid to speak publicly.

He made his comments during an interview with CNN and more on that from the CNN website....LINK

Billionaire Democrat political donor Tom Steyer has told associates that he plans to get into the race for President in 2020.

An announcement expected Tuesday that would make Steyer the 26th Democrat in the race.

The US Women's Soccer team the winner of the Women's World Cup defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Lyon, France Sunday.

And that's the way it really is as we come into Monday July 8th, 2019.