NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 8/22/2019

(LIMITED SERVICE WITH UPDATES, ADDITIONS, ETC. POSSIBLE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY)

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif talking to French President Emmanuel Macron Friday just ahead of Macron's meeting with President Trump and other world leaders at the G7 summit in France.

Salvaging the JCPOA nuclear deal will be part of the agenda with France seeking to get economic concessions for Iran in exchange for compliance but Iran having its own demands including an end to US interference in the Persian Gulf.

Israel has launched several attacks in Iraq according to US officials.    That story being reported by the "New York Times".

Meanwhile from Iraq its being said that the Iranian connected Popular Mobilization Units have shot down a drone that attempted an attack in recent days.

A few weeks after an accident at a Russian hypersonic weapons testing facility the United States is putting out the word that the US that its in the arms race for the same kind of systems.

The US says it will develop hypersonic weapons within two years.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella will hear back from Italy's political parties Tuesday as he gives them time to decide on whether the country will have a new government or new elections.

It was a  day of consultations in Italy Thursday involving President Mattarella and the various political parties.

The League-Five Star Movement government collapsed this week with new elections being advocated by some political parties but the mainstream party of the "Left", the Democratic Party, making an offer to the Five Star Movement on forming a new government.

The Five Star Movement is the largest single party in Italy's parliament.

But word is that the Democratic Party is laying down conditions for a new government with Five Star that involve reversal of policies of both Matteo Salvini on immigration and the Five Star Movement on reform.

As Boris Johnson continues to talk about changes to Brexit with European leaders,  "Mr. Brexit" Nigel Farage continues to express concern about betrayal of Brexit.     More on his Twitter page.....LINK

On Thursday the French president Emmanuel Macron confirmed that any renegotiated deal on Brexit is:

"not an option"

when he met with Prime Minister Johnson.


And in brief that's the way it really is on this Thursday August 22nd, 2019.