NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT MONDAY 3/23/2020 POLITICAL CRISIS IN ISRAEL COURT FORCES PARLIAMENT MEETING

(SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH MONDAY EVENING WITH SERVICE SUSPENDED AT 930 PM EASTERN US TIME)

Israel's Supreme Court ruling today that a vote must be held on a new speaker for Israel's parliament by Wednesday at 5 pm local time.....BNN BLOOMBERG STORY.....JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY STORY

TONIGHT THE PARLIAMENT (KNESSET) MET BOYCOTTED BY MEMBERS SUPPORTING PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WITH A MAJORITY APPROVING A NEW ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SELECTION OF A NEW SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT IN A BLOW TO PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU....YNET NEWS STORY

THE ANTI-NETANYAHU MAJORITY APPROVED SIX NEW TEMPORARY COMMITTEES.....ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

The Chief Justice had earlier ordered Israel's parliament speaker to respond by 5 pm today, 11 am Eastern US time, as to whether he will allow parliament to elect a new speaker by 5 pm on Wednesday.

During the day  hundreds of protesters in front of Israel's parliament building in Jerusalem today waving Israeli flags and black flags denouncing Speaker Yuli Edelstein's decision to suspend the Knesset last week.   The suspension prevented a vote to replace Edelstein, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, as Speaker.    Following the March 2nd election, a majority of the parliament elected consisted of parties opposed to Netanyahu.......

YNET NEWS STORY

Cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government including Justice Minister Amir Ohana have said that Speaker Yuli Edelstein should say "No" to the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Netanyahu acting on the heels of the Supreme Court ruling Monday evening to impose further restrictions on the movement of Israelis and the operation of businesses in Israel in the name of fighting the coronavirus....ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

Politics here in the USA and the winner of the Democrats Abroad Caucus for Democrats living outside the country is Bernie Sanders.   Sanders with 23,151 votes 57.90 percent to Joe Biden's 9,076 votes or 22.70 percent....BUSINESS INSIDER STORY

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit today.    In the aftermath of the peace deal signed between the US and Taliban problems in the country.

Afghanistan facing a political crisis with two rivals claiming the presidency following the last election and continuing acts of violence.

Prisoner exchange talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban began over the weekend with the US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeting the need to conclude the talks quickly.

AFP NEWS STORY PUBLISHED BY AL ARABIYA IN SAUDI ARABIA

THE LATE WORD IS THAT THE US HAS DECIDED TO CUT ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN AID TO AFGHANISTAN AND THREATEN TO CUT AID FURTHER....ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS STORY PUBLISHED BY WTOP

THE DESIGNATED PRIME MINISTER IN IRAQ, ADNAN AL-ZURFI, IS DENYING ALLEGATIONS THAT HE ASSUMED HIS POSITION IN A DEAL WITH THE PRO-UNITED STATES KURDISH PRESIDENT BARHAM SALIH.      AL-ZURFI SAYS THE DECISION TO APPOINT HIM PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE WAS AN IRAQI ONE, NOT AN AMERICAN ONE.    AL-ZURFI HOLDS BOTH US AND IRAQI CITIZENSHIP.    THE LONDON BASED NEWSPAPER ASHARQ AL-ASWAT REPORTS......LINK

Syria says that its soldiers and civilians intercepted an 11-vehicle US military convoy in northeastern Syria and forced it to turn back......SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY REPORT

THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER SERGEI SHOIGU VISITING SYRIA TODAY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD   SHOIGU CARRYING INSTRUCTIONS FROM PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN........TASS NEWS STORY

THE CORONAVIRUS STORY WITH NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO ANNOUNCING 20,875 CASES IN THE STATE AT HIS NEWS CONFERENCE THIS MORNING.......12,305 OF THE CASES IN NEW YORK CITY.

THIS EVENING NEW YORK CITY WITH SOME 13,315 REPORTED CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE CITY ACCORDING TO THE UPDATED FIGURES.  125 REPORTED DEAD IN THE CITY.

THIS EVENING NATIONWIDE US CORONAVIRUS CASES AT 43,718 AS OF 915 PM EASTERN US TIME WITH 552 DEATHS ACCORDING TO WORLDOMETERS.....

There were 602 more deaths reported in Italy today, that's down for the second day in row.    Italy's Covid-19 death toll now at 6,078 with the total number of cases up to 63,927.

TONIGHT BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON ANNOUNCING A NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN IN THE UK THAT INCLUDES A BAN ON ANY PUBLIC GATHERING OF TWO OR MORE PEOPLE.....VIDEO LINK....THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES IN THE UK 6,724 WITH 335 DEATHS.

There are reports tonight that the 2020 Summer Olympics will be postponed until next year because of the coronavirus.....

Speaking at a news conference this evening President Trump said:  "We have to open our country because that causes problems that, in my opinion, could be far bigger problems"

'WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAT THE PROBLEM ITSELF.  AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!'

This was the late Sunday night tweet from President Trump in reference to the Covid-19 situation.

(COMMENTARY-ANALYSIS)

What the tweet will mean down the road remains to be seen?     There are strong opinions in opposition to the restrictive measures adopted in response to the coronavirus with many saying Covid-19 is not that huge of a threat that it's been described as in mainstream media by "experts".    President Trump will have to pivot politically to launch his next line of attack against his political enemies in the context of the Covid-19 situation and perhaps this is part of that process.    Trump needs to get people angered by the economic consequences of the restrictions to support him politically and to believe that he is on their side....

PERHAPS DR. ANTHONY FAUCI SHOULD GET READY FOR THE EXIT DOOR.....

.....DONALD J. TRUMP TWITTER

France's agricultural industry will need 200-thousand seasonal workers by May but the closing of the country's borders because of Covid-19 cuts off the farming business from its usual source of labor.    So French farmers asking for 200-thousand volunteers to come forward by May to support and sustain food production in the country.  (BFM-TV Google translation)

Syria now reporting its first coronavirus case.......SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY REPORT....Syria moving to prevent spread of Covid-19 with an announcement that printed newspapers will not be published.    A general amnesty for prisoners also being declared by the country's President Bashar al Assad.

THE BBC BLOG FOR THE CORONAVIRUS STORY TODAY......BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 3/23/2020

Other news today.....

In Russia's Far East two students detained on Sakhalin Island for plotting an attack on a college.   The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) tells the Tass News Agency that the two are suspected of "propaganda of terrorism, mass murders and suicides on the Internet"......TASS NEWS REPORT

Greece reports violations of its airspace by Turkish fighter jets today.....EKATHIMERINI GREEK NEWS REPORT.....The incidents come amidst continuing tensions on the border between Turkey and Greece as migrants are being allowed to attempt crossings.    More incidents involving Turkish use of tear gas reported on Sunday......SOUTHFRONT REPORT (PICTURES AND VIDEOS)

The former First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, cleared of sexual assualt charges today.    The jury finding him not guilty on 12 of the charges and concluding "not proven" on another charge.  Salmond had contended that the allegations were made up "for a political purpose".....BBC NEWS STORY

And finally Rush Limbaugh unable to return to his radio program today because of his chemotherapy treatments for lung cancer.    Rush expressing the hope he can return later in the week in a short recorded message at the beginning of today's program......VIDEO LINK WITH RUSH LIMBAUGH MESSAGE AT 51 SECONDS INTO VIDEO

And that's the way it really is Monday March 23rd. 2020.