NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 10/25/2019  NEWSDUMP FRIDAY

(SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN ABLE WITH FINAL POSTING AFTER 10 PM EASTERN TIME PAST MIDNIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY)

From California raging wildfires and fear of more wildfires causing Pacific Gas and Electric to warn that up to 850-thousand customers may have their power shut off between Saturday night and Monday because of dangerous conditions that could trigger fires.

Questions raised about whether a PG and E transmission tower sparked a blaze at Geyserville, California.    There was an outage Wednesday night just minutes before the fire erupted.    The investigation continues.

PROTESTERS BACK ON THE STREETS OF IRAQ TODAY WITH AT LEAST 40 REPORTED DEAD AND SOME TWO THOUSAND INJURED.

TEAR GAS, WATER CANNON AND RUBBER BULLETS USED WHEN THE PROTESTERS TRIED TO ENTER THE 'GREEN ZONE' OF BAGHDAD WHERE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ARE LOCATED.

IRAQ'S PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT A CABINET SHAKE-UP WILL OCCUR NEXT WEEK.

The demonstrations continuing in Lebanon for a ninth straight day today with roads blocked and some reported to have pitched tents on them.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah speaking today.    The Iranian-backed group a key force behind the Lebanese government.

Standard and Poor's credit rating agency put Lebanon on a "CreditWatch negative" status Thursday because of the turmoil.

The streets of Bolivia's capital La Paz blocked today in protest at the election result showing a win for long-time left-wing President Evo Morales.

They are demanding an audit of the vote count.

More from Reuters as published by the "Voice of America"....LINK

Some one million people reported participating in a mass rally in Santiago, Chile today and into the evening.   It was one week ago today that violent protests rocked the city and eventually spread to other cities in the country.

Today's protest peaceful with President Sebastian Pinera saying "We've all heard the message.  We've all changed".

A federal judge ruling late Friday that the Justice Department must hand over grand jury materials from the Robert Mueller investigation to the Democrat controlled House Judiciary Committee.

US District Judge Beryl Howell setting a deadline of next Wednesday for the handover of the materials.

The news late Thursday that a criminal investigation is now underway into the origins of the Russia collusion investigation involving President Trump and his 2016 campaign causing anger among Democrats.

Democrats saying that a probe into any lawbreaking in the launching of the investigation causes "irreparable damage" to the "rule of law".

The BBC has its version of the story.....LINK

(COMMENT-ANALYSIS)

It certainly has been no secret inside the beltway that the administrative review of the Justice Department's actions related to the launch of the investigation into President Trump, his campaign and alleged Russian collusion could lead to a criminal investigation.

A criminal investigation that could rebound to President Trump's benefit in 2020.

When one considers this one can wonder whether the "impeachment inquiry" is simply a Democrat "Trump card" to help buck up their 2020 campaign effort.

The European Union agreed to a delay in Brexit Friday but did not agree on how long the extension will be.     That issue will be taken up again by EU leaders on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said to be a leader opposing extension.

A Russian solider shooting and killing eight fellow soldiers and injuring others at a military base in Siberia today.    He was on guard duty at the time and the attack occurred during the changing of the guard.   This story from Russia's Tass News Agency...LINK

"WE ARE REINFORCING THAT POSITION"

US DEFENSE SECRETARY MARK ESPER CONFIRMING AT NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS TODAY THAT MORE US MILITARY FORCES INCLUDING 'MECHANIZED VEHICLES' HEADED INTO NORTHEASTERN SYRIA TO PROTECT OIL FIELDS THERE.   REPORTS HAD SAID UP TO 500 US TROOPS AND 30 TANKS WERE ON THE WAY THERE.

Russia has moved 300 more military police and armored vehicles to Syria to help police the 30 kilometer "safe zone" on the border with Turkey.

The story from Russia's Tass News Agency......LINK

When US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier this week, a plane flying from Israel landed there.

Speculation about who may have been on the privately owned plane that's registered in the United States.

Iran's "Press TV" reporting on the story which originated in Israeli media.

To the South Pacific where the independent nation of Solomon Islands, home of numerous islands where Americans fought during World War 2, has decided to cancel a deal to lease one of those islands to a Chinese company.

The attorney general of the Solomon Islands invalidating the proposed 75 year lease for the island of Tulagi.

The decision praised by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Sanctions tightened on Cuba even more today with the State Department ordering US airlines to cease all flights to Cuban airports other than Havana.    The air carriers have 45 days to stop their flights to Cuban locations outside of the capital city.

She's running for President in 2020, but won't be running for re-election to Congress next year.

That's the word late Thursday night from U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Gabbard tweeted in part:

"I've always made my decisions based on where I felt I could do the most good......As president, I will immediately begin work to end the new cold war & nuclear arms race..."

More on this story from "Breitbart".....LINK

British police making three more arrests in connection with the discovery of a trailer with 39 bodies.

A man and woman being held on suspicion of manslaughter and suspicion of conspiracy to traffic.

Another suspect, a 48 year-old man, taken into custody at Stansted Airport near London Friday.

More from the BBC......LINK

The Indonesian investigation into the Lion Air plane crash involving a Boeing 737 Max aircraft has issued a 353 page report that says Boeing, Lion Air and the pilots themselves all contributed to cause the crash.   

Nine issues cited as causes of the crash that killed 189 people last October.

Boeing's design fault combined with Lion Air's lack of testing of the plane's equipment and pilot errors all said to have beeen involved.

South Korea's transport ministry says nine Boeing 737 NG aircraft are grounded after safety checks found structural cracks.

Earlier this month the US Federal Aviation Administration ordered inspection of older Boeing 737 NG's for structural cracks.

A Russian woman imprisoned for being an agent who infiltrated the American political scene freed from a federal prison today.

Maria Butina being deported back to Russia and is expected to arrive there tomorrow.

Commenting on her imprisonment Congressman Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, posted on Twitter today:

"She served a ridiculously long sentence essentially for not filing the right paperwork.  But she is now free.  Sadly she was jailed to satiate the rampant Russophobia in the US these days.   We are better than this."

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the recipient of a million dollar prize given annually to people who "have profoundly shaped human understanding and achievement".

Recipients donate the prize to a non-profit organization of their choice.

More on this from "Israel National News".....LINK

The strike against General Motors by the United Auto Workers is over.   Final approval by the rank and file Friday of a new four- year contract.   The vote was 57 percent in favor.

Some auto workers could be back on the job tomorrow.

A report on the story from CNBC.....LINK

In what's being reported as a surprise, a 10 billion dollar Pentagon  contract has been awarded to Microsoft beating out Amazon.

Its a ten year cloud computing contract called JEDI (Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure) in which artificial intelligence will play a role.

This report from France's AFP news agency.....LINK