NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUNDAY 1/5/2020

(SERVICE ENDING AT 1159 PM EASTERN US TIME SUNDAY)

THREE AMERICANS KILLED,  TWO WOUNDED IN AN  AL QAEDA LINKED AL SHABAAB ATTACK ON A MILITARY BASE IN KENYA TODAY BUT FIRST.....

 

IRAN ANNOUNCING THE REMOVAL OF ALL LIMITS ON URANIUM ENRICHMENT TONIGHT,  A FIFTH STEP AWAY FROM THE JCPOA NUCLEAR AGREEMENT OF 2015.

THIS IS SAID TO EFFECTIVELY MEAN A TOTAL IRANIAN PULLOUT FROM THE JCPOA.

Massive crowds in the hundreds of thousands in the Iranian city of Ahvaz today mourning the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani by the United States.    His remains arrived in the city early this morning for the beginning of what is being called a "cross-country" funeral.

Legislation moving forward in Iraq's parliament that pushes for the withdrawal of US and other foreign military forces from Iraq and an end to the use of its air, sea and land space by foreign military forces.   Some 170 lawmakers co-sponsoring the legislation following the assassination of the Iranian General Soleimani and the Deputy Leader of the Popular Mobilization Units of Iraq's military Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the US attack.

The legislation passed Iraq's parliament unanimously.

PRESIDENT TRUMP TONIGHT THREATENING IRAQ WITH SANCTIONS IF IT EXPELS US TROOPS FROM THE COUNTRY.

Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi told lawmakers before the vote that General Soleimani had arrived in Baghdad with an Iranian letter responding to a Saudi proposal for de-escalation supported by President Trump.

Mahdi also said that President Trump had asked him to mediate with Iran leading to Soleimani's arrival in Baghdad. More on this from "Southfront"....LINK

Iraq's Foreign Minister has sent letters to the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations condemning the deadly US drone strike and calling for votes to condemn the attack.....TWITTER LINK TO IRAQI NEWS WITH LINK THERE TO IRAQI NEWS RELEASE

Iran's "Press TV" is citing a source that tells them US forces are already pulling out of the region while additional guards have been deployed for US diplomatic facilities.    Here is the story.....LINK

Tonight in Baghdad six rockets fired with three landing in the Green Zone near the US Embassy.  Iraqi police report six injured.

Also an Iranian general responding to President Trump's designation of 52 Iranian targets to be hit has a target list of his own including Israel's port city of Haifa.

The story as reported by Iran's "Press TV".....LINK

One US soldier and two defense contractors are dead in a terrorist attack on a joint US-Kenyan military base in Lamu, Kenya.  Two defense department employees were wounded.

Earlier the Kenyan military said they were driven back but the US Africa Command was describing the situation as "fluid".

The US recently attacked Al-Shabaab after a massive car bombing that killed around 80 people in Mogadishu, Somalia.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country's military is beginning its deployment in Libya to support the UN recognized Government of National Accord.

The GNA is fighting the eastern Libyan National Army backed by Egypt for control of the country.

Erdogan saying Turkish forces will not fight in the war but will 'coordinate' and he also laid out the notion of Turkey and Libya working together to search for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey is contesting the plans of Israel, Cyprus and Greece to exploit those areas that are backed by the United States.

"Southfront" with more on this.....LINK

In Metz, France today a man known to authorities as an Islamic militant was arrested.    The man taken into custody after he ran towards police with a knife shouting "Allahu Akhbar".    The police shot him in the leg as he charged.

This incident follows the Friday knife attack in the greater Paris area where one was killed and two wounded.   The attacker shot dead by police is now said to have been a recent convert to Islam in possession of Salafist literature.

More from Russia's "Sputnik News" including embedded video of today's attack......LINK

Thousands marching today in New York City in protest of the recent anti-Semitic attacks in the Greater New York Area.   Here is video from RT-Ruptly....VIDEO LINK

Austria says its foreign ministry has come under a "serious cyber attack".    It's being said that a "state actor" is suspected.    The BBC offers up its version of the story......LINK

Spain's interim Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez failed to get a majority vote in the lower house of parliament today for a new government, but he was successful anyway.

 With a major Catalan party abstaining on the vote Sanchez had 166 votes in favor and 165 against, allowing his new government to be formed following the second election in Spain this year.

In exchange for abstention, the Catalans received a promise of talks with Spain's government on Catalonia's future with most voters there supporting parties that want independence from Spain.

In Venezuela today Interim President and opposition leader Juan Guaido prevented by police from entering parliament for a vote to confirm him for a second term as parliament speaker.

More from France's AFP News Agency......LINK

Later another politician opposing Guaido, Luis Parra, declared himself speaker of parliament.

Its a move not recognized by either Mr. Guaido or the United States government with today's events declared a "farce".

Later statements from the European Union and Organization of American States also supporting Mr. Guaido as speaker.

The story updated tonight from the BBC.....LINK

And in the Balkan nation of Croatia today the presidential runoff election with the candidate of the "Left" Zoran Milanovic defeating the incumbent President of the "Right" Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

The margin of victory 52.7 percent to 47.3 percent.

And that's the way it really is Sunday January 5th, 2020........