NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 11/22/2019  NEWSDUMP FRIDAY

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH 1230 SATURDAY EASTERN US TIME)

A CURFEW IMPOSED IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF COLOMBIA BOGOTA AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS SWEPT THE CITY ON FRIDAY.

SOME FOUR THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY DEPLOYED IN BOGOTA TONIGHT.

POLICE USING TEAR GAS AMID REPORTS OF SPORADIC LOOTING IN THE CITY.   HERE IS VIDEO OF DISORDERS IN RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS OF BOGOTA.........VIDEO LINK

WORD LATE TONIGHT OF THREE COLOMBIAN POLICE OFFICERS BEING KILLED IN AN EXPLOSION AT A POLICE STATION IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY KNOWN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING.

10 OTHERS REPORTED INJURED IN THE CAR BOMB EXPLOSION IN SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO.  MORE FROM 'FRANCE 24'.....LINK

PROTESTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON THURSDAY WITH THREE DEATHS NOW REPORTED IN THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS.

PRESIDENT IVAN DUQUE SPOKE FRIDAY CALLING FOR A 'NATIONAL CONVERSATION' ON SOCIAL POLICY IN THE COUNTRY.

TONIGHT SOME PROTESTERS ON THE STREETS DEFYING THE CURFEW AT LOCATIONS LIKE THE HOME OF THE PRESIDENT.

REPORTING TONIGHT FROM RUSSIA'S 'SPUTNIK NEWS'.........LINK

STEVEN LOOKNER OF  'AGENDA FREE TV' POSTING A VIDEO REPORT TONIGHT ON THE SITUATION IN COLOMBIA......LINK

"A perfect storm of screw ups"

That's Attorney General William Barr's assessment of the events surrounding the death of convicted sex offender and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein at the federal Manhattan Detention Center on August 10th.

Barr saying he believes that Epstein killed himself that day.

Barr was interviewed by the Associated Press.

Prince Andrew's private secretary Amanda Thirsk moving to a new position.   She organized the controversial interview with the BBC where the Duke of York discussed his relationship with Epstein.

More from the BBC......LINK

The BBC also saying it will broadcast an interview with the woman who said she was forced to have sex three times with Prince Andrew, Virginia Guiffre.   That's scheduled for Monday, December 2nd.

The leaking is underway ahead of the Justice Department Inspector General's report coming out December 9th on the process that led to the investigation of President Trump's campaign for alleged Russian collusion.

There's word that an FBI employee "may have altered" a document involved in the case.  

The "Washington Post" is leaking out this news saying that the Horowitz report found that the surveillance application for Trump associate Carter Page had a "proper legal and factual basis"....LINK

PRESIDENT TRUMP BRINGING TOGETHER THE E-CIGARETTE INDUSTRY AND ANTI-VAPING FORCES AT THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY.

THE PRESIDENT LOOKING FOR MIDDLE GROUND ON THE ISSUE NOTING THAT A TOTAL BAN ON VAPING PRODUCTS WOULD LEAD TO AN UNDERGROUND MARKET AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PRODUCTS BEING SOLD.

MR. TRUMP SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL RAISE THE AGE LIMIT FOR VAPING TO 21.

New testing of Russia's nuclear powered cruise missile  is set to be held before the end of this year year.   That word from a military source quoted by the Tass News Agency today.

Yesterday Russian President Vladimir Putin presented awards to the families of those killed in an August 8th accident during a previous test of the hypersonic missile.

The Tass News Agency story....LINK

The BBC has also published a more lengthy story......LINK

Russian aircraft and Syrian helicopters launched more than 40 airstrikes Thursday against jihadist opposition forces in northwestern Syria's Idlib province.    The airstrikes followed a jihadist rocket attack on the Syrian government controlled city of Aleppo that killed 37 people.

"Southfront" has more on this story.....LINK

Russia's Foreign Ministry says the video alleging a Russian attempt to recruit a Serbian intelligence official as a spy is a provocation.    The video posted by a Bulgarian journalist ahead of the planned visit to Moscow by Serbia's president.

President Aleksandar Vucic says his country wants good relations with Russia and his visit will not be cancelled because of the video.

More from Tass......LINK

You've may have had it up to here with talk about foreign meddling in elections but here's another story about it that doesn't mention Russia.

This time China is being cited for trying to use disinformation to influence the January election on Taiwan.   US diplomat Brent Christensen agreeing with the assessment of Taiwan's government that China is trying to influence the outcome of the election.

Christensen says:

"We believe malign actors are using disinformation campaigns to make people lose faith in democratic institutions"

More on this from Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post"......LINK

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE MAY VETO A BILL THAT'S PASSED CONGRESS TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRACY PROTESTERS IN HONG KONG.

TRUMP CITING THE NEED FOR A TRADE DEAL WITH CHINA.

THE PRESIDENT SAYING:

"We need to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi, he's a friend of mine"

The latest political polling for 2020 showing a Trump lead over almost all Democrats.

At least that's the finding of the Emerson poll that has President Trump over former Vice-President Joe Biden 51-49 percent.    He also leads Senator Elizabeth Warren 51-49 and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg 52-48.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders given a slight edge 50-49 percent over the President.

The poll was conducted from Sunday through Wednesday.

The interim government in Bolivia says former President Evo Morales is fomenting the latest  protests in the country,  accusing him of terrorism and sedition.

In Iraq Friday three dead in Baghdad as security forces used live ammunition and tear gas on demonstrators with two said to have been killed by bullets and another by a direct hit from a tear gas canister.

In the southern port city of Basra the security forces breaking up the blockade of docks by demonstrators.

Protesters demanding dramatic reforms to the country's political system.

"We have now liberated my Twitter account"

The former National Security Adviser John Bolton said his account was cut off by the White House for more than six weeks.

But from the White House a senior official speaking anonymously said:

"The White House did not block Mr. Bolton from accessing his personal Twitter account, and wouldn't have the technical means to do so"

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's going nowhere following Thursday's indictment of him in three corruption cases.    He says the prosecutors are biased against him and that the indictment decision amounts to an 'attempted coup'.

The opposition Blue and White Party released video of Netanyahu calling on former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign in the face of criminal charges.    It is also trying to convince members of Israel's parliament to support a Blue and White government in the 19 days still left following Israel's second election this year to form a new government.

France's leading opposition politician Marine Le Pen of the National Rally is postponing a trip to France's Caribbean territories next month.    Le Pen's cancellation linked to a planned strike by transportation workers protesting President Emmanuel Macron's plans to cut pension benefits in the name of "pension reform".

And the struggle for political power in Germany within the ruling party.

The woman who now leads the Christian Democratic Union and is poised to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer,  challenging the delegates at a party conference in Leipzig.

She told them to back her or:

"end it here and now"

There was a standing ovation from the crowd but the political facts on the ground are very troubling with loss of support in three state elections this year and opinion polling showing the CDU at its lowest levels of support ever in the 26-28 percent range.

More on the story from "The Guardian" in the UK.......LINK

And for now that's the way it really is Newsdump Friday November 22nd, 2019.