NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUNDAY 3/29/2020

(FINAL POSTING LATER TONIGHT TOWARDS MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME US)

A projection of how many will die from Covid-19 infection in the United States and the President signaling a longer duration for the coronavirus situation but first......

A riot broke out at a prison in northeastern Syria housing Islamic State detainees and operated by Kurdish elements of the "Syrian Democratic Forces".      Some prisoners escaped and others took over a floor of the prison......DEUTSCHE WELLE NEWS STORY

The shape of a new "unity government" in Israel is emerging that will raise the profile of the political faction headed by the former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz that calls itself the Israel Resilience Party.

His party will hold many posts in the new cabinet pushing aside Likud Party and conservative third party ministers currently occupying those spots.   Religious party cabinet ministers will remain in the new government soon to form.

Current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will remain in his post for the next 18 months, then be replaced by Gantz.   For now, Mr. Gantz is set to become Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.....

ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

A medical evacuation plane exploded into a ball of flames as it was taking off from Manila International Airport in the Philippines bound for Japan.   All eight people on board were killed.....SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST NEWS REPORT FROM NEWS AGENCIES...The plane had a crew of three flying it, three medical personnel, one patient and one companion of the patient.   Six Filipinos, one American and one Canadian on board.

THE AFGHAN MILITARY IN ACTION TODAY ATTACKING TALIBAN FORCES.   THEY SAY 13 TALIBAN FIGHTERS WERE KILLED,   THE OPERATION SAID TO BE ONE TO STOP PLANNED ATTACKS ON AFGHAN GOVERNMENT FORCES....THE NATIONAL UNITED ARAB EMIRATES NEWS STORY

Turkey has reportedly deployed the US made Hawk anti-aircraft missile system to northwestern Syria this weekend.  Currently a cease-fire underway in the "Greater Idlib Region" but tensions are high with jihadist attacks breaking the calm from time to time.    For what it's worth this story published by "Ahval"...LINK

Six injuries reported after a tornado struck Jonesboro, Arkansas Saturday afternoon.....CNN REPORT WITH VIDEO OF TORNADO EMBEDDED

The Houthi rebels  (Ansar Allah) in Yemen reported to have fired missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh last night on the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the civil war in Yemen.   The Saudis say they intercepted both incoming missiles.

Saudi Arabia leading an international coalition with US and British backing to fight the Houthis.

Meanwhile Houthi leader Abdul Malek al-Houthi says he'll swap a Saudi pilot and other prisoners of war in exchange for Palestinians detained in Saudi Arabia.....JERUSALEM POST STORY

The coronavirus story today with one of the big highlights for mainstream media reporting Dr. Anthony Fauci's rough estimation of how many will die in the United States from Covid-19.   The number anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000.   Here is how the story was reported by CBC News from Canada......VIDEO LINK

PRESIDENT TRUMP THIS EVENING ANNOUNCING THAT "SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES" SENT BY POSTCARD TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL APRIL 30TH......VIDEO LINK

THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID IN THAT VIDEO HE WILL  LIKELY HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON TUESDAY BUT ALSO ADDING THAT:

".......WE CAN EXPECT THAT BY JUNE 1ST WE WILL BE WELL ON OUR WAY TO RECOVERY. WE THINK BY JUNE 1ST A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WILL BE HAPPENING.....".

"...in a globalized world when most states have close transportation links, bringing an infection from one place of the planet to another is just a matter of a few hours....."

Part of the critique coming from an anonymous official at Russia's foreign ministry aimed at the United States in regards to the coronavirus.    The criticism focused on the US promotion of a global economy in the first place and calls for an "international" investigation into the origins of coronavirus.

There have been notions presented from various quarters of a conspiracy by either China or the United States involving Covid-19.....TASS NEWS AGENCY STORY

RUSSIA MOVING TO RESTRICT ACTIVITY IN MOSCOW WHERE MANY OF THE COUNTRY'S CORONAVIRUS CASES ARE CLUSTERED.....

Australia's Prime Minister announcing new restrictions Sunday night that limit gatherings to two people.  Scott Morrison clamping down tighter from a previous restriction of gatherings to ten people.

The Chief Medical Officer of Australia, Brendan Murphy, said people have engaged in what he called "silly behaviour....particularly outdoors".......ABC AUSTRALIA NEWS STORY

In Israel the Director-General of the Ministry of Health warning against Passover preparations that involve crowds of people and any celebration of the holiday itself that involves any large gatherings.

Moshe Bar Siman says any "wrong behavior.....will  be devastating and fatal" due to the coronavirus....ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY....A Saturday night funeral brought hundreds together in a religious neighborhood in Israel and brought outrage from a hospital director....ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

India's Prime Minister asking for "forgiveness" over his decision to impose a three week lockdown on the country with only four hours notice......BBC NEWS STORY

There's one European country where the restrictive measures existing in the other countries can for the most part not be found.    That's Sweden....BBC NEWS STORY.....There are 3,447 cases of Covid-19 reported in Sweden with 105 deaths and 16 recoveries.

Military reservists called up to enforce the lockdown in South Africa.    More on the story of Covid-19 there from the "Sunday Times".......LINK

The first federal inmate death reported because of Covid-19 in the United States.  49-year old Patrick Jones was serving time on a drug charge at a prison in Oakdale, Louisiana.....REUTERS NEWS STORY

The worldwide coronavirus story reported today on the BBC News blog.....BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 3/29/2020

And finally the coronavirus stats provided by Worldometers tonight as totals of deaths and cases are blocked tonight on the Johns Hopkins "dashboard" link from being seen?

THE STATS AS WE APPROACH MIDNIGHT EASTERN US TIME.....

WORLDWIDE

722,196 CASES

33,976  DEATHS

151,766 RECOVERIES

IN THE UNITED STATES

142,178 CASES

2,484 DEATHS

4,559 RECOVERIES

And that's the way it really is Sunday March 29th, 2020.