NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT WEDNESDAY 12/4/2019

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY)

The "impeachment inquiry" entering a new phase today in the House Judiciary Committee with four scholars testifying, three of them supporting impeachment of President Trump and one opposed.

The process underway expected to lead to an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives right before Christmas.

A SHOOTING AT THE PEARL HARBOR BASE IN HAWAII TODAY.   A SAILOR KILLING TWO CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND WOUNDING ANOTHER AT THE PEARL HARBOR NAVAL SHIPYARD THEN KILLING HIMSELF.

MORE ON THIS STORY FROM KGMB HAWAII NEWS NOW.....LINK

The Iranian Navy will hold joint drills with Russian and Chinese naval forces later this month.

The drills called "Maritime Security Belt" will be held in the Indian Ocean beginning December 27th.

More from Iran's "Press TV"......LINK

Iran's President Hasaan Rouhani says his country is ready for dialog if the United States lifts the economic sanctions on his country.    Rouhani says Iran will talk with the group of nations involved in the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement  (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and United States).

Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making their case as to why he should lead a "unity" government with next week's deadline to form a new government approaching.    No new government likely to lead to new elections next February, Israel's third in less than a year.

The Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz says its all about Iran and with Iran under tremendous economic pressure (My Comment:  Like Japan was 78 years ago this week) it will either buckle under at a negotiating table or "explode in a powerful war in the Middle East".    

Either way, Steinitz says that Netanyahu's leadership is needed at this time.    His interview with an Israeli radio station in full via "Israel National News".......LINK

Netanyahu leaving Israel today to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Lisbon, Portugal.    He is said to be urging President Trump to "pressure Iran".

A senior Pentagon official John Rod being quoted as saying Iran is "likely to take aggressive action" under the present circumstances.

Tomorrow in France the General Strike against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plans.   The railroads expected to a center of strike activity with other sectors involved including education with many teachers walking out.

Macron's Minister of Education already estimating 55 percent of schools will be impacted with 35 percent in rural areas and 78 percent in Paris being shut down.

An opinion poll for BFM-TV says 58 percent of the French support the strike.

Yellow Vests protesters may appear in the streets and the authorities are sounding the alarm about possible "black blocs" acts of violence by the anarchists dressed in black.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner promising police that specifics in their pension plan like early retirement would remain intact under the government's proposal just hours before the strike was set to begin amid calls from some police unions to join in the strike.

There's been a lot of drama lately over the delay in US military aid to Ukraine but another delay in military aid drawing some attention.     It was just last week that military assistance was allowed to go to Lebanon totaling 105 million dollars.

The aid delayed in the months when Lebanon went into a political crisis with mass demonstrations in the streets against the government.

In Australia, star rugby player Israel Folau reaching a settlement with Rugby Australia.   Folau kicked out of the rugby organization after social media posts reflecting his Christian beliefs about homosexuality.

Folau had been asking for 9.5 million dollars in compensation but the final settlement is confidential.

More from the BBC......LINK

And for now that's the way it really is Wednesday December 4th, 2019.