NEWS SUMMARY INTELLIGENCE REPORT WEDNESDAY 1/22/2020

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY)

The first day of three days of opening arguments from the House Democrats prosecuting President Trump at his impeachment trial.    They insist that the evidence they are presenting and more evidence Democrats plan to reveal in the trial or through hearings in the House points to wrongdoing by President Trump.

Trump's defense telling the media the accusations do not point to anything being done by the President that was wrong or illegal or an impeachable offense.    They will make their three days of arguments at the trial later.

China is advising against travel to and from the city of Wuhan where a corona virus originated that has spread to several nations including the United States.

People in the city being urged to avoid crowds and minimize public gatherings.

Train and plane travel in and out of the city being suspended as of Thursday,

17 are reported dead with some 473 confirmed cases in China itself.

An emergency committee of the World Health Organization meeting in Geneva today trying to gain understanding of the new virus and how its transmitted between humans.

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

The WHO meeting deciding to continue monitoring the situation deferring for the moment any decision on whether the virus requires international action.

Iran says that South Korea's move to expand its anti-piracy military mission from the Gulf of Aden to the Persian Gulf region is being done under the coercion of the United States.    Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman also says Iran is offended by failure to call the Persian Gulf by its proper name.

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

IRAN IS ALSO SAYING THAT IT DOES NOT INTEND TO DEVELOP A NUCLEAR WEAPON EVEN THOUGH IT IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE 2015 JCPOA NUCLEAR AGREEMENT.

PRESIDENT HASSAN ROUHANI SAYING THAT THERE IS A FATWA FROM SUPREME LEADER ALI KHAMENEI PROHIBITING THE COUNTRY FROM SEEKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THAT INFORMATION IS CONTAINED IN THE LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS OF THIS NEWS STORY PUBLISHED BY "PRESS TV"......LINK

More rioting on the streets of Beirut tonight with police using tear gas and water cannon as demonstrators tried to reach the part of the city where parliament is.

The latest protest follows the formation of a new government in the country lead by the former education minister, now the new Prime Minister Hassan Diab.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, onwer of Amazon and the Washington Post, was the victim of a phone hack originating apparently with the personal account of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

That is the reporting from "The Guardian" newspaper in the UK.

Bezos's phone hacked five months before Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote articles for the "Washngton Post" was murdered at Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

More from "The Guardian".......LINK

The Saudi embassy in the US is calling the story "absurd".     There are fears that wealthy foreign investors won't invest in Saudi Arabia.

At the United Nations human rights experts are calling for an investigation of the Saudi Crown Prince over his targeting of perceived opponents.

The BBC has a story.........LINK

In New York today opening arguments in the rape and sexual assault trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

A  prosecutor saying that Weinstein was '"not just a titan in Hollywood, he was a rapist"   The prosecutor also calling Weinstein "a predator".

His defense arguing that at least one of the alleged victims maintained a five year relationship with Weinstein that did not point to her being victimized by him.

Venezuela secret police agents raided the offices of National Assembly President Juan Guaido Tuesday.    Guaido, who is  recognized by 50 plus nations as the Interim President of Venezuela, travelling to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Swtizerland.

More from "Al Jazeera" in Qatar....LINK

The attempt by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to launch a war crimes probe of Israel for its treatment of Palestinians has been delayed.     It's said to be a technical matter involving an improper filing with court which would have to rule on its jurisdiction in the matter.

More from "Israel National News"......LINK

French politics and a poll for BFM-TV says 61 percent of the public is opposed to President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plan and want it withdrawn.      In addition, 69 percent believe he will not be re-elected in 2022.

The French President is in Holy Land today and apologized to police after an incident at Old Jerusalem's Church of Saint Anne when he shouted out at his Israeli security not to follow him into the church.

More from "Israel National News" including embedded video.....LINK

World leaders converging on Israel for tomorrow's 75th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland.

That's the way it really is Wednesday January 22nd, 2020.