NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT MONDAY 10/21/2019

(FINAL UPDATING, POSTING WILL BE LATE TODAY)

Julian Assange denied a delay in his extradition hearing today.

The Wikileaks founder making an appearance in a London courtroom today raising his fist to supporters in the gallery.

Assange also made a comment:

"I can't think properly"

as he was led away.

A judge denying a request by his lawyers for a three month delay in the hearing set for February 2020.

The US wants Assange extradited so he can be tried for revealing secret information about possible war crimes committed by members of the US military in Iraq.

Protesters gathered outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London today.   Here is video.....LINK

The controversial Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, rebuffing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's effort to have a vote on his "Great New Deal" for Brexit today.

The Lebanese cabinet has agreed to a package of reforms following days of mass street demonstrations in the country.

Reforms that include cutting in half the salaries of cabinet ministers.

Protests on the streets of Chile again Monday with curfews now in effect in major cities from 7 pm to 6 am.   Over the weekend looting and vandalism at stores and shops across the country. 

Three died when two supermarkets owned by Walmart were torched.    Dozens of other Walmart owned outlets among those vandalized and looted.

The death toll now reported at 11.

The protests continued through Monday with President Sebastian Pinera declaring Monday evening that he would meet with opposition leaders to forge a "new social contract" in the country.

Live news in Spanish with video from Chile's "24 Horas".....LINK

ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU RETURNING HIS MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT TO PRESIDENT REUVEN RIVLIN.   THE MOVE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATE WAS TO EXPIRE.    BLUE AND WHITE LEADER BENNY GANTZ MAY NOW BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING LAST MONTHS ELECTION, ISRAEL'S  SECOND THIS YEAR.

Its election day in Canada.   A contest for 338 seats called "ridings" in the House of Commons.   The last election in 2015 gave the Liberal Party of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a solid majority but the polls for today's contest were suggesting a different outcome.

The polling showing a close contest with Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer's Conservative Party and pointing to neither major party being able to command a majority.

The results tonight show a close contest in popular vote but an edge in seats for the Liberal Party.    

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is losing his majority in the House of Commons with media predicting a Liberal Minority Government.

The Liberals demonized the Conservative Party to scare left of center voters away from the New Democratic and Green parties to marginalize support for the smaller parties and pick up seats.

The Conservatives appear poised to gain 20 or more seats tonight and will be second largest party.

In Quebec the sovereignty oriented Bloc Quebecois has more than tripled its number of seats and will win over 30 of them it appears.

As the results come in tonight you can follow them via the links......CBC News...LINK.......CTV News......LINK   Also from Ezra Levant and "Rebel Media"......LINK

From Bolivia a late counting of the votes created a win for incumbent left-wing President Evo Morales and a cry of foul from his closest competitor, former President Carlos Mesa.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal updated results to give Morales a 10 percentage point edge something that Mesa called "shameful".   Scuffles in the streets followed the shuffling of the votes in Bolivia tonight.

The headline in this late AP report on Bolivia from the "Globe and Mail" in Canada starts "rioting erupts"....LINK     This video posted on "You Tube" late Monday night.....LINK

Nine are dead following an exchange of fire between India and Pakistan along the "Line of Control" in Kashmir Sunday.   Others were wounded.    Both soldiers and civilians became casualties.

Tensions in the area running high after India's central government took control of Kashmir away from local government in August and imposed a communications blockade.

An Associated Press report on the story published by the "Toronto Star".....LINK

Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard taking to Twitter again to defend herself after Hillary Clinton called her a "Russian asset" late last week:

"Hillary & her gang of rich, powerful elite are going after me to send a msg to YOU: "Shut up, toe the line or be destroyed'"...

part of her tweet which includes a video.......LINK

Some of the other Democrats running for president have come to her defense like Andrew Yang and Beto O'Rourke.    Pete Buttigieg says he disagrees with Gabbard's views on foreign policy but that Clinton should back up her accusations with some evidence.

The Hong Kong Chief Executive for China Carrie Lam offering her apologies after the spraying of a mosque with water cannon Sunday.

With her shoes removed as is the custom, Lam entered the mosque and met Muslim leaders Monday.

The blue dye which is said to have toxic qualities to it was fired at the mosque in Kowloon as the police attacked protesters who defied a ban on protests Sunday.

The police said the spraying of the mosque was an accident and that as far as they are concerned:

"(We) respect religious freedom and will strive to protect all places of worship"

Iran's "Press TV" reports on the story......LINK

Israel is in the room with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Bahrain today.   An Israeli delegation participating in a two day conference of the "Working Group on Maritime and Aviation Security".   Its an alliance established by the United States in the name of security in the Persian Gulf.

The coalition's efforts are squarely aimed at Iran.   Israel's "Ynet" has more on the story......LINK

From Washington President Trump saying some US troops are staying in parts of eastern Syria to protect oil fields from ISIS.

That will also mean the US is denying them to the Syrian government of Bashar Assad in line with the inside the beltway policy agenda hostile to Syria, Iran and Russia.

The US also maintaining a presence at the Al Tanf base in the south of Syria near the Baghdad-Damascus highway, a key supply route for Iranian forces and interests in Syria and Lebanon.

More criticism of the President's policy in Syria today from inside the beltway.   This time Republican US Senator Marco Rubio of Florida claiming it sends the wrong message to Russia and China.

And for now that's the way it really is for Monday October 21st, 2019.