NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 10/17/2019  BREXIT DEAL STEAMROLLER, 'CHEMICAL BURNS' ALLEGED IN TURKISH ATTACK IN SYRIA, CEASE-FIRE DEAL REACHED WITH TURKEY

(SERVICE IS LIMITED AND WILL BE COMPLETED LATE THURSDAY AFTER MIDNIGHT NO LATER THAN 1230 AM)

BREAKING NEWS:

The quick steamroller process is underway with the announcement of what Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls a:

"great new deal"

on Brexit with the European Union earlier today.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is reacting on his Twitter account saying the 'new deal' is not Brexit.   Farage is advocating a General Election and an extension of the deadline for Brexit of October 31st......NIGEL FARAGE TWITTER

In a video posted on Twitter Farage says that if Parliament approves the deal and he suspects it won't, it would be:

"Brexit In Name Only"

Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn pushing for a confirmatory referendum on the "deal".   Corbyn calling the deal a "sell out".

Leader of the pro-EU anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson calls it a "dressed-up Theresa May deal".

 As was the case with the previous Prime Minister Theresa May and a previous "deal" with the EU Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, is again clearly rejecting the deal which tends to lock in a closer connection to Ireland instead of the United Kingdom.

There was quick approval of the "new deal" today at the EU leaders meeting.

The BBC's political blog is following the story.....LINK

FROM THE POLITICAL DRAMA IN WASHINGTON US AMBASSADOR TO THE EUROPEAN UNION GORDON SONDLAND TELLING THE HOUSE 'IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY' TODAY THERE WAS NO QUID PRO QUO IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DEALINGS WITH UKRAINE LINKING AID TO INVESTIGATION OF BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS DEALINGS.

THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS GOING AFTER CHIEF OF STAFF MICK MULVANEY FOR COMMENTS HE MADE DURING A BRIEFING OF REPORTERS TODAY.

THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA SAYING MULVANEY LINKED US AID TO UKRAINE TO AN INVESTIGATION BY UKRAINE OF THE ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIAN COLLUSION INVESTIGATION INVOLVING PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS 2016 CAMPAIGN.

MULVANEY CLARIFYING HIS REMARKS TO MAKE IT CLEAR HE WAS STATING THAT THERE WAS NO QUID PRO QUO FOR US AID TO UKRAINE INVOLVING UKRAINE INVESTIGATING UKRAINIAN ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIAN COLLUSION ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS CAMPAIGN.

US ENERGY SECRETARY RICK PERRY WILL RESIGN.  THE FORMER TEXAS GOVERNOR URGED  PRESIDENT TRUMP TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY.     THAT LED TO THE PHONE CALL THAT BECAME A BASIS FOR THE 'IMPEACHEMENT INQUIRY' INVOLVING THE PRESIDENT.

"Let's work out a good deal"

was what President Trump wrote in a letter to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging him not to launch military action in northeastern Syria.   

The letter dated last Thursday did not sway Erdogan who is reported to have thrown it in the trash can.

BUT THERE WAS A DEAL TODAY AFTER TALKS INVOLVING VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO AND TURKISH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN.

THE DEAL IS A FIVE DAY CEASE FIRE TO ENABLE A PEACEFUL WITHDRAWAL OF KURDISH FORCES FROM THE 'SAFE ZONE' DECLARED BY TURKEY IN NORTHEASTERN SYRIA.  SOME AREAS OF THE 'SAFE ZONE' ARE ALREADY OCCUPIED BY SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND IN SOME CASES RUSSIAN MILITARY POLICE.

THE KURDISH 'SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES' SAYING THEY WILL ACCEPT THE CEASE-FIRE BUT ONLY MENTIONING AREAS WHERE THERE'S HEAVY FIGHTING.

TURKEY VIEWING THE FIVE DAY PERIOD AS A CESSATION OF THE MILITARY OPERATION INSTEAD OF A CEASE-FIRE.

The Syrian government news agency reporting  "several cases of chemical burns" caused by Turkish shelling from "unknown chemical substances".  This story published today by SANA News Agency.....LINK

Iran's "Press TV" reporting this as Breaking News.....LINK

This was published on a Kurdish website today, a story headlined:  "Turkish use of chemical weapons protested in Germany"......LINK

And the Syrian Democratic Forces communications chief tweeted today that SDF suspects use of "non-conventional weapons" in the city of Ras al-Ayn in Syria.

The Turks reported to be using intense air strikes to propel their advance in the Ras al-Ayn area.

Democrat Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland is dead at the age of 68.

Cummings had several health problems including heart related issues in recent years.

A brutal hammer attack on a democracy activist in Hong Kong today.    Jimmy Sham approached by five men who beat him bloody leaving him lying in the street.

Sham was taken to a hospital and was conscious.    He said later that he remained committed to "peaceful non-violence".

Meanwhile at the territory's legislature opposition lawmakers dragged from the chamber by security guards today as they heckled the Beijing appointed leader of the territory, Carrie Lam.

Quim Torra, the President of Catalonia, says the violent acts committed during demonstrations this week are the result of "infiltrators" getting involved.

Catalan leaders have urged peaceful and non-violent protests in the wake of the Spanish Supreme Court's Monday sentencing of nine Catalan leaders involved in the 2017 independence referendum to a combined 100 years in prison.

Speaking in the Catalan parliament today President Torra called for a new referendum on independence from Spain.

Police reinforcements en route to Catalonia with Spain's Interior Minister saying they will improve the security situation and provide rest to police already involved in opposing the massive demonstrations across the region.

Friday is a day designated for a general strike in the region with a massive protest rally in the capital Barcelona.

Clashes between police and demonstrators on the streets of the city Thursday night.   Here is video mainly of fires set by protesters......LINK   This is a shorter video of clashes....LINK

Live Video from "Ruptly" of today's protest in Barcelona......LINK

The House voted 354 to 60  Wednesday to oppose the withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria and the Turkish military operation there.

The vote a move by the Democrat controlled House to embarrass President Trump.    Many Republicans joined the Democrats in support of the resolution but who didn't was Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Massie tweeted:

"Congress never voted to send troops to Syria, but in five minutes we will be voting on a resolution that disapproves of Trump removing them.   We should never have gone to Syria.    We should leave Syria.    I'm voting no on this resolution"-LINK

Also in support of President Trump decision Republican US Senate candidate for 2020 Judge Roy Moore.

Moore tweeted:

"Under Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution the President, as Commander in Chief, has every right and authority to order the withdrawal of troops from Syria"-LINK

The White House announced Thursday to the consternation of the mainstream media that the G 7 summit next June will be held at the National Doral Miami.     Its a property owned by President Donald Trump.   Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney facing the media for the announcement.

Former President Barack Obama endorsing Canada's current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for re-election.

Canadians going to the polls Monday.

Trudeau was dogged by a blackface controversy with pictures and video surfacing of him during the election campaign.

Activist Ezra Levant of "Rebel Media" in Canada posted this on his Twitter feed....LINK

The four polls published on Tuesday showed a close contest that will likely not leave either Trudeau's Liberals or the Conservatives of opposition leader Andrew Scheer with a majority in the House of Commons.

"Enough"

seemed to be the message conveyed by commuters today when a subway train in London was targeted by "Extinction Rebellion" climate change protesters who put themselves on the roof of the train.

The commuters climbed up and pulled down the protesters.

The BBC published this video of the incident.......LINK

And for now that's the way it really is Thursday October 17th, 2019