NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUNDAY 2/9/2020

The votes being counted in Ireland today.   Yesterday's projection as polls closed put the left-wing Sinn Fein Party in the top three of Irish political parties with its best showing yet in a southern Irish election.

Early declared results show Sinn Fein a clear winner over other parties.   Sinn Fein received the most votes in the constituency of the incumbent Prime Minister Leo Varadkhar and he will have to wait for subsuquent counts to obtain his re-election in the multi-seat system of constituencies.

No party will win a majority so negotiations to create a coalition will be needed to form a new government.

RTE in Ireland is publishing a blog of election updates.....LINK  

The actual seats elected are seen at the top of the RTE News page......LINK

In Switzerland a law against "homophobia" projected to have won in a referendum with some 62 percent of the vote.    The US taxpayer funded Voice of America reports......LINK

MORE UNUSUAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO IOWA'S DEMOCRAT CAUCUS LAST MONDAY.

THE IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TODAY AWARDED THE POPULAR VOTE WINNER BERNIE SANDERS ONLY 12 DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION WHILE THE CANDIDATE WHO RAN IN SECOND PLACE, PETE BUTTIGIEG, WAS GIVEN 14 DELEGATES.

THE SANDERS CAMPAIGN IS NOW MOVING TO  SEEK A REVIEW OF VOTES IN PRECINCTS WHERE IRREGULARITIES APPEARED TO BE HAPPENING.

LEFT-WING POPULIST MICHAEL TRACEY TELLS 'BREITBART' THAT EVENTS IN IOWA MAY BE MANIPULATING TUESDAY'S RESULT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.....BREITBART STORY

We have a poll in New Hampshire before Tuesday's Democrat presidential primary and the CNN poll shows Bernie Sanders leading Pete Buttigieg 28 to 21 percent.   Joe Biden is at 12 percent and Elizabeth Warren at nine percent.    Others in the poll Amy Klobuchar at six percent, Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang both with five percent.

Iran proclaiming success in its satellite launch today even though it fell short of reaching orbit.   The rocket was able to blast off but it could not reach the speed needed to put the satellite into orbit.   This marks the fourth time in a row that Iran has failed to put a satellite into orbit.

Iran announced earlier it was counting down to the launch of the new satellite.....PRESS TV IRAN NEWS STORY

The US says the satellite launch is related to Iran's missile program.

Also today the new commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Major General Hossein Salami was on hand as Iran rolled out a new missile "Rad 500 (Lightning 500)".     The new missile said to be a big breakthrough for Iran's aerospace program.....PRESS TV NEWS STORY

On Saturday the internet in Iran was disputed by a cyber attack for several hours......PRESS TV NEWS STORY

Two US soldiers killed and six wounded in Afghanistan when they were attacked by someone in an Afghan army uniform.      Attacks by uniformed Afghan soldiers on Americans have occurred in the past.

US and Afghan forces conducting a joint operation in Nangarhar Province Saturday when the attack occurred.

The Pentagon still collecting more information and notifying family members.

More Turkish military movement into northwestern Syria Sunday with a new convoy of armored vehicles and supply trucks.     This report from Sky News Arabia as quoted by Russia's Tass News Agency......TASS NEWS REPORT

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that some 5-thousand Turkish troops are now deployed in the region.   Two bases have been established in addition to the existing observation posts as Turkey has warned against further attacks by Syrian government forces.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar says that Syrian forces must withdraw by the end of the month from northwestern Syrian territories it has retaken from the jihadists and other opposition forces.  He warns that Turkey has a Plan B and a Plan C if what it sees as violations of an agreement with Russia concerning the region are not stopped.

Akar was interviewed by "Hurriyet Daily News" in Turkey...HURRIYET DAILY NEWS STORY

Russian and Syrian airstrikes continue in the northwestern part of Syria as the Syrian military continues to advance against jihadist opposition forces. 

Progress reported in the Syrian advance along the key M 5 highway....SOUTHFRONT STORY..with a report of three more towns taken from the HTS (Al Qaeda) forces this morning...SOUTHFRONT STORY

CHINA HAS RELEASED THE LATEST STATISTICS RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS MONDAY MORNING LOCAL TIME..    908 HAVE DIED, THERE ARE 41,171 CASES AND 187,518 UNDER QUARANTINE.   THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS APPEARS TO BE STABILIZING.

In Thailand the soldier who killed 26 people in mass murder rampage shot dead by police early Sunday morning.

Attacker Jakraphanth Thomma killed his commanding officer then attacked people on the streets and at a shopping mall.    He made posts including video on social media during the attacks.

57 people were also wounded.

More from the BBC.....LINK

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee apologizing and removing Facebook ads that criticized "radical" Democrats for their anti-Israel positions.

AIPAC offering a Twitter apology this weekend "to the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress who are rightfully offended" by the words used in the advertising.

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

Israeli police investigating Health Minister Rabbi Yakov Litzman according to an Israeli media report.   Issues of fraud and breach of trust said to be involved.

Litzman is already the target of two other probes which focus on suspicions that he was protecting Malka Leifer who is wanted for extradition to Australia on serial child sex abuse charges.

More on this from Israel National News.......LINK

A country that's next door to Russia will buy Russian oil at world market prices.   That's the word from a top official of Belarus.  

This news follows talks between the authoritarian ruler of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday.   Their talks follow last weekend's trip to Belarus by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who offered to sell Belarus US oil at competitive prices.

More from Russia's Tass......LINK    Meanwhile, the two countries are still working out final details on the sale of Russian natural gas to Belarus....TASS STORY

In El Salvador armed police and soldiers entered the country's parliament to press their demand for a loan to better equip them to fight criminal gangs in the country.

They made their entrance as President Nayib Bukele was about to speak in favor of the loan.   Bukele is giving lawmakers a seven day deadline that ends this Friday to approve the 109 million dollar borrowing plan.

The BBC reports.....LINK

And yes tonight the Oscars are being handed out in Los Angeles.  One award I'll note is the "Best Original Song" handed out to Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin.  They co-wrote  "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" for the film "Rocketman".     For the rest of the awards and other coverage this blog is available from the BBC......LINK

That's the way it really is Sunday February 9th, 2020.