NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 10/10/2019

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY)

The Battle of Brexit and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meeting his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar.    The Irish border issue on the table.    Johnson said to be "cautiously optimistic" about a "deal" with the European Union.

After the meeting Johnson speaking about a "pathway" to a deal and the UK's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay being sent to Brussels to meet with the EU's chief negotiator.

But writing in the "Daily Telegraph" Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage says the only way to get Brexit taken care of is for a clean break from the EU.

More on Nigel Farage's Twitter feed.......LINK

To the political drama and word that US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland will give a deposition to the House "impeachment inquiry" next week.   Sondland had originally declined to testify at the direction of the State Department but a report from "Axios" is saying Republicans on the committee want his testimony because it will help the President's position that nothing improper happened during his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Trump speaking at a rally in Minneapolis tonight pledging to work the next 13 months to win Minnesota in 2020.    The President came close to beating Hillary Clinton there in 2016.

Here's a seven minute segment of his speech tonight that includes references to Democrat candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, suspected of being involved in corrupt activities connected to Ukraine and China.....LINK

In northeastern Syria the Turkish ground units are advancing into the Kurdish territory and they've moved to take down a border wall.

Air strikes reported was well as "heavy fighting" on the ground as characterized by the BBC.  Seven civilian deaths also being reported in the fighting.

Mortar shells have been fired from northeastern Syria into Turkey with at least 17 civilians reported injured.    More from "Southfront"........LINK

This is live video as of 1130 am Eastern US time......LINK...... from the border region......

As the Turkish military operation continues in Syria President Trump has warned that if the Turks act in an "inhumane" way against the Kurds, he will "wipe out" the Turkish economy.

More reporting on the Turkish attack in Syria via the "Kurdistan 24" website......LINK

The Iranian parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, cancelled a trip to Turkey Thursday because of the Turkish military operation in Syria.

Widespread denunciations of the Turkish action from various world leaders including France's President Emmanuel Macron and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Iran's Foreign Ministry.

The energy ministry in Ecuador announcing a shutdown of one of the country's two oil pipelines because of the ongoing protests against the cutting of fuel subsidies.

More battles fought in the streets of the capital city Quito Wednesday between protesters and police.

The protesters using molotov cocktails and paving stones with police countering with tear gas.

Five protesters now reported dead with 400 injured and some 700 arrests in Ecuador.

ON THURSDAY PROTESTERS IN ECUADOR DISPLAYED CAPTURED POLICE OFFICERS AND PARADED THEM IN QUITO.

PRESIDENT LENIN MORENO HAS RETURNED TO THE CAPITAL QUITO OFFERING TO NEGOTIATE BUT REFUSING TO BACK DOWN ON THE ABOLITION OF THE FUEL SUBSIDIES.

THE VOICE OF AMERICA IS REPORTING ON THE STORY........LINK

Two men associated with Rudy Giuliani arrested accused of making illegal contributions to Republican political campaigns including a pro-President Trump super PAC.

Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman taken into custody today at Dulles International Airport outside Washington as they were getting ready to leave the country.

Power outages now affecting over 350-thousand customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Its a deliberate shut down of power to prevent the electric grid from causing wildfires amidst dangerous conditions.

A report from ABC in San Francisco......LINK

Iran has released Russian journalist Yulia Yuzik who was arrested accused of being an Israeli spy last Wednesday.

She was flown from Tehran to Moscow early this morning.

The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Iran will never develop nuclear weapons or possess them because it is prohibited by Islam.

Iran's "Press TV" reports.......LINK

"I want to start off slower and build up"

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders vowing to come back with an active campaign following his recent heart attack.    Sanders will be on the stage with 11 other candidates for next Tuesday's Democrat presidential candidates debate.

And in brief that's the way it really is for Thursday October 10th, 2019.