NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 1/24/2020  NEWSDUMP FRIDAY

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE WITH POSTING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING)

In China the latest word is that 41 have died and that there are 1280 confirmed cases of the corona virus that originated in the city of Wuhan.

The coronavirus is now confirmed in a second person in the United States.

A woman hospitalized in Chicago with the virus in stable condition with the other confirmed case in Washington state.

The virus also reported in other countries with France the latest to join the list with three confirmed cases.

President Trump has said "all is well" following Iranian missile strikes at US bases in Iraq earlier this month, then we were told about 11 injuries and in recent days it was said by the US Central Command that there were more concussion related injuries.

Today the Pentagon put the number of injuries called "Traumatic Brain Injuries" at 34.

The word is that 17 of the soldiers are back on duty with nine being treated in Germany and eight in the United States.

THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS IS CALLING ON PRESIDENT TRUMP TO APOLOGIZE FOR MINIMIZING THE INJURIES TO US TROOPS IN IRAQ FOLLOWING TODAY'S PENTAGON ANNOUNCEMENT.

MORE FROM "NEWSMAX".......LINK

THE DEMOCRATS WRAPPED UP THEIR OPENING ARGUMENTS AT THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY.

TOMORROW THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYERS WILL BEING TO OFFER THEIR OPENING ARGUMENTS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SPEAKING TODAY AT THE ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE IN WASHINGTON HELD EACH YEAR AT THE TIME OF THE SUPREME COURT'S 1973 RULING LEGALIZING ABORTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS ATTENDED THE EVENT.....VIDEO LINK

Iraqis taking to the streets today after Shia cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr called for a "million man march" against the US military presence following the assassination of an Iraqi militia leader and the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani  in Baghdad earlier this month.

Iran's "Press TV' published pictures of what was happening early in the day.....LINK

Mainstream media report thousands protesting with the media in Iran saying more than one million and up to 2.5 million participated in today's protest.

The Wall Street Journal says  that France, Germany and the UK are not going to trigger sanctions against Iran under the JCPOA nuclear agreement of 2015.      They will go no further than suspending Iran from the agreement for violating its provisions.

The report suggests a long period of suspension according to its sources with no immediate move to seek sanctions from the UN Security Council.

Major advances reported on the ground as Syrian government forces took towns from opposition jihadist forces today.......LINK TO SOUTHFRONT

The ground attacks followed dozens of Russian and Syrian airstrikes.......LINK TO SOUTHFRONT

Some 120 Syrian soldiers and civilians killed by jihadist opposition forces in the last two weeks as fighting rages in the greater Idlib region.

Russian General Yuri Borenkov, commander of the Russian mission in Syria, revealed casualty figures Thursday......LINK TO 'SOUTHFRONT' ARTICLE

11 killed and 30 wounded in jihadist shelling of the city of Aleppo according to the Russian mission.   More on this from "Tass"....LINK

IN TURKEY AN EARTHQUAKE OF 6.8 MAGNITUDE TODAY WITH AT LEAST 18 REPORTED DEAD AND HUNDREDS INJURED.    PEOPLE ARE REPORTED BURIED UNDER RUBBLE.

THE BBC HAS MORE ON THE QUAKE......LINK

At the rape and sexual assault trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in New York today a private investigator testified that Weinstein wanted him to approach women suspected of telling the media about his alleged sexual misconduct.

More from the AFP News Agency as published by the "Japan Times"......LINK

The warden who was in charge of the prison where convicted child sex offender and accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein died last August will be put in a new prison leadership position.

The Associated Press reporting that Lamine N'Diaye  is expected to be in charge of a low-security prison in New Jersey.

More from "BNN Bloomberg"........LINK

Mass protests in France today, the latest mobilization against President Emmanuel Macron's push for pension reform.      Demonstrations in Paris, Le Havre, Marseille and other cities.

The CGT trade union says some 1.3 million participated in the protests.  The government estimate was of 249-thousand protesters.

The protest movement of labor unions and professional organizations demanding withdrawal of the plan to combine 42 pension plans in France into one.

The protests began with a nationwide railroad strike 51 days ago that has mostly ended but various protest actions continue across the country.

Video of today's protest in Paris.....LINK

LEBANON AND JAPAN ARE INVOLVED IN A PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT TO FORMER RENAULT-NISSAN CEO  CARLOS GHOSN.

GHOSN FLED TO LEBANON LAST MONTH FROM JAPAN WHILE UNDER HOUSE ARREST THERE AWAITING TRIAL ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL WRONGDOING.

AN INTERPOL NOTICE ON MR. GHOSN LED TO THE 40-DAY PROCESS WHICH COULD EITHER LEAD TO HIS EXTRADITION TO JAPAN OR HIS TRIAL BEING HELD IN LEBANON.

A STORY FROM REUTERS PUBLISHED BY CANADA'S "GLOBE AND MAIL" NEWSPAPER.....LINK

The extradition hearing for Chinese business executive Meng Wanzhou ended Thursday in Vancouver, Canada.

The United States wanted the Huawei telecom firm's Chief Financial Officer allegedly over violation of sanctions against Iran but this week Canadian government lawyers began to allege fraud to justify her being turned over to the US.

Justice Heather Holmes of the British Columbia Supreme Court reserving her judgement for now.    If she rules for the defense Meng would be released but if she rules for the prosecution the hearing will resume in June.

Turkey's Anadolu News Agency reports......LINK

The Kremlin says that Israeli national Naama Issachar must appeal for a pardon to be given one.  Issachar's case high on the agenda this week with reassurances given directly to her parents by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Israel.    They joined his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Issachar was tried and convicted of possessing marijuana and sentenced to seven and half years in prison last fall after he April 2019 arrest at a Moscow airport.

More from "Tass".....LINK

The former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko by prosecutors for some four hours today.   Poroshenko says he's been summoned for more questioning next Friday.

He says his questioning is part of a biased campaign against him orchestrated from Russia and that he is being "politically persecuted".

More from Russia's Tass News Agency......LINK

That's the way it really is Friday Janaury 24th, 2020 Newsdump Friday.