NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT TUESDAY 2/18/2020

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE TUESDAY)

President Trump acting to pardon some and commute the sentences of others convicted of federal crimes today.

The most high profile name is Democrat former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.   His 14 year sentence commuted after serving eight years.     Blagojevich convicted in a retrial on charges of selling a US Senate seat vacated when Barack Obama became President.

THE WASHINGTON POST  REPORTING THAT US ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR IS CONSIDERING RESIGNING OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TWEETS COMMENTING ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS ISSUING A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR BARR INCLUDING SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY AND US SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

As the Harvey Weinstein rape and sexual assault trial resumed today and before jury deliberations began the judge in the case banned the defense lawyers from talking to the media until a verdict is reached.

The lead defense attorney Donna Rotunno wrote an op-ed piece for "Newsweek" published last weekend saying in part:   "I implore the members of this jury to do what they know is right...."

More from "Page Six"......LINK

THE  CORRUPTION TRIAL OF ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS BEEN SET FOR MARCH 17TH, JUST 15 DAYS AFTER ISRAEL'S MARCH 2ND ELECTION.........ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS STATISTICS RELEASED WEDNESDAY  MORNING  IN CHINA REPORT 2,004 DEATHS...........TASS NEWS STORY

The Boy Scouts of America filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware today.     The bankruptcy filing will stop jury trials over sexual abuse claims and allow for payments to victims outside the jury trial process.

The story as  published by "The Independent" in the UK.....LINK

In eastern Ukraine government forces involved in a deadly fight with rebels triggering a meeting of the country's security council.    More from the BBC......LINK

The common explanation of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash in Ukraine in July 2014 is that a Russian surface to air missile system (Buk) was involved, but new documents have been unearthed in the Netherlands which led a joint investigation into the crash.

These documents say no Buk ground to air missiles were in the vicinity of the crash and suggest aircraft missiles (air to air missiles) were involved in bringing the airliner down.   The story below as reported by Russia's "Sputnik News"...

SPUTNIK NEWS

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the new information proves Russia was right about what happened....TASS NEWS STORY

Turkish authorities ordering the arrest of nearly 700 people accused of involvement in the movement of Islamic cleric Fetullah Gullen.    The Turkish government says that Gullen, based in the United States, was behind a failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.    More from "The National" in the United Arab Emirates....LINK

And in brief that's the way it really is Tuesday February 18th, 2020.