NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT TUESDAY 3/31/2020 ISRAELI ATTACK, 'HARD DAYS AHEAD'

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE TUESDAY)

President Trump telling Americans that "hard days" lie ahead but first.......

BREAKING NEWS:  SYRIAN STATE MEDIA SAYS MISSILES FIRED BY ISRAELI PLANES WERE DOWNED TONIGHT IN THE HOMS REGION.

THE SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY SAYS THAT THE ATTACK OCCURRED AT AROUND 825 PM LOCAL TIME, 125 PM EASTERN US TIME.....

SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY REPORT

THE PRO-OPPOSITION SYRIAN OBSERVATORY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS THE ATTACK ON THE SHAYRAT AIRFIELD INVOLVED 'MORE THAN EIGHT MISSILES'.....

YNET NEWS ISRAEL REPORT

THE SOUTHFRONT WEBSITE REPORTS AT LEAST 10 MISSILES WERE LAUNCHED BY ISRAELI AIRCRAFT FROM LEBANESE AIRSPACE.....

SOUTHFRONT STORY

A "Democratic Transition Framework" for Venezuela rolled out by the United States for Venezuela today. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announcing the framework.

The US Special Representative to Venezuela Elliot Abrams wrote an opinion piece for the "Wall Street Journal" that was published this morning.

Abrams says the proposal envisions the resignations of Nicolas Maduro as President and of Juan Guaido as the Interim President to be replaced by a five-member Council of State to serve as a transitional government.      Four of the members of the council to be chosen by the opposition controlled National Assembly with the four picking a fifth person to be designated as "Interim President".....BNN BLOOMBERG NEWS STORY.

The regime of Nicolas Maduro firmly rejected the US proposal......TASS NEWS STORY

Is the US getting ready to launch new attacks in Iraq that may involve assassinations of militia leaders over recent attacks on US bases and facilities?     It was reported last week that plans for attacks have been ordered by top US officials over the objection of the top commander in Iraq.

Now there's word of "unauthorized flights" over Iraq near military areas where attacks may occur....ASHARQ AL-AWSAT NEWS STORY

The militias the United States is targeting are supported by Iran and Iran's elite military force has a warning for enemies of Iran.     The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps warning against the "slightest mistake" by "vicious and adventurous enemies"....PRESS TV NEWS REPORT

Saudi air attacks on the Yemeni capital Sanaa continued late Monday as the Saudi-led military coalition apparently retaliates for the missiles launched last Saturday night at the Saudi capital of Riyadh by the Houthi rebels.     More from the perspective of Iran's Press TV....PRESS TV STORY

19 deaths in a forest fire in the Sichuan province of China.   18 firefighters and their guide engulfed by the blaze when wind direction changed.....BBC NEWS STORY

The US Justice Department reported to be in the early stages of a probe about possible insider trading by United States senators ahead of the recent sharp downturn in the stock market.

At least one of them, US Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, said to have already been contacted by the FBI......CNN NEWS STORY

PRESIDENT TRUMP APPEARED BEFORE THE MEDIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON SAYING THAT IT IS "FRANKLY A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH" FOR AMERICANS TO FOLLOW GUIDELINES ON SOCIAL DISTANCING AND OTHER PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS.

THE PRESIDENT SAID AMONG OTHER THINGS:

'I WANT EVERY AMERICAN TO BE PREPARED FOR THE HARD DAYS AHEAD'

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS HEALTH EXPERTS PRESENTING '30 DAYS TO SLOW THE SPREAD' GUIDELINES.....FULL VIDEO WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING 3/31/2020

"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating....sailors do not need to die"

That's the report from the Captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier currently docked in Guam.    The "San Francisco Chronicle" with an exclusive story including Capt. Brett Crozier's letter to the US Navy.   The Chronicle reporting there are now over 100 cases of coronavirus on board the carrier....BUSINESS INSIDER STORY (WITH LINK TO CHRONICLE)...Later the US Navy said that its "moving quickly to take all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt"....CNN NEWS STORY......LATE WORD ON THIS STORY IS THAT MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER IS TO BE EVACUATED FOR DISINFECTION....DEFENSE POST STORY

The coronavirus numbers from New York State at mid-day 8,470 new cases in the state with 208 new deaths.     The statewide totals now 75,795 cases and 1,550 deaths.  The number of cases adjusted upwards to 75,893 late this evening.

Chris Cuomo, CNN host and brother of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, testing positive for Covid-19.    Cuomo will stay home quarantined in his basement and he presented his program from there tonight.

In Israel more than  five thousand Covid-19 cases now reported......ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

The coronavirus story in France with hospitals in the eastern part of the country jammed with patients causing transfer by helicopter and even train to other hospitals further west and even to neighboring Germany.

The AFP News Agency has been told by Dominique Martin,  Director General of France's version of the FDA for drugs (ANSM),  that there have been serious side effects from the use of various treatments for Covid-19.     Martin says that 30 serious side effects including three deaths have been reported with the use of hydroxychloroquine.       But Martin says final conclusions are still pending further analysis.

Mexico broadening its shutdown of "non-essential activities" for the next 30 days......ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has ordered commanders at bases worldwide to stop publicly announcing new coronavirus cases.    Its a move designed to protect "operational security"....STARS AND STRIPES STORY

A Russian aircraft carrying masks and medical equipment left tonight for the United States....TASS NEWS STORY

A storm of controversy surrounding Amazon and the call for a strike of Amazon workers today.....BBC NEWS STORY

The BBC News coronavirus blog for today.....BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 3/31/2020

And in Bolivia police dressing up as "coronaviruses" to promote compliance with government imposed restrictions.......SOUTHFRONT STORY

The coronavirus stats at 1120 pm tonight Eastern US time are from Worldometers for the USA with 188,578 cases,  3,890 deaths and 7,251 recoveries.....and the Johns Hopkins worldwide stats are 858,785 cases with 42,151 deaths and 178,119 recoveries......

Other news tonight......

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake rocked Idaho and six surrounding states at 552 pm Idaho time tonight, 752 pm Eastern US time.

The epicenter 45 miles west of Challis and 73.3 miles north of Meridian.

Aftershocks were felt several times tonight.

No reports so far tonight of any severe damage......

KTVB BOISE NEWS STORY

And that's the way it really is Tuesday March 31st, 2020.