NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT WEDNESDAY 4/15/2020

(SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE TONIGHT)

(WARNING:   SOME CONTENT MAY BE DISTURBING)

THE CAMPAIGN OF DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOE BIDEN HAS ISSUED A DENIAL OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION OF FORMER AIDE TARA READE.

'THIS ABSOLUTELY DID NOT HAPPEN....SUCH CLAIMS SHOULD ALSO BE DILIGENTLY REVIEWED BY AN INDEPENDENT PRESS.    WHAT IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS CLAIM:   IT IS UNTRUE'

THE STATEMENT SAYS IN PART.

READE HAS SAID THAT IN THE SPRING OF 1993 BIDEN PUSHED HER UP AGAINST A WALL AND PUT HIS HANDS UNDER HER CLOTHING AND USED HIS FINGER TO PENETRATE HER AT ONE POINT.  

READE RECALLS BIDEN SAYING AT ONE POINT:

'COME ON MAN, I HEARD YOU LIKED ME'

BBC NEWS STORY

The "stimulus" money electronically deposited into millions of bank accounts today in the USA.  12-hundred dollars per person described as a tax refund on bank records.     That brought crowds to the stores that were allowed to be open as well as the drive throughs restaurants of all kinds.

While the electronic transfer of "stimulus" went into many Americans bank accounts today, others will receive a check in the mail.

And the checks will bear the signature of President Donald J. Trump on them.

That's what's being reported with two officials cited as sources for the news stories.....BNN BLOOMBERG NEWS STORY

IRANIAN SPEED BOATS HARASSING A FORMATION OF US NAVY AND COAST GUARD VESSELS IN THE PERSIAN GULF TODAY.....USNI NEWS STORY WITH VIDEO

THE US SPACE COMMAND SAYS THAT RUSSIA CONDUCTED A TEST OF A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO SHOOT DOWN SATELLITES TODAY.    A US AIR FORCE GENERAL FROM SPACE COMMAND BLASTED THE RUSSIAN ACTION INVOLVING  A WEAPON DESIGNED TO TAKE OUT SATELLITES IN LOW EARTH ORBIT......SPACE NEWS STORY

More cancellations for Boeing's troubled 737 MAX aircraft last month.   The 75 additional cancellations bringing the total to 150......AL JAZEERA QATAR NEWS STORY

THE BRITISH DEFENSE CONTRACTOR BAE SYSTEMS HAS SOLD SOME 18.9 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ARMS TO SAUDI ARABIA SINCE THE WAR IN YEMEN BEGAN.   A SAUDI LED MILITARY COALITION FIGHTING HOUTHI REBELS BACKED BY IRAN.  THE STORY ORIGINALLY REPORTED BY 'THE GUARDIAN' IN THE UK.....PRESS TV IRAN STORY

THE LEBANESE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT SAYS TWO OF ITS MEMBERS ARE UNHURT AFTER THEIR VEHICLE WAS TARGETED BY AN ISRAELI DRONE IN SYRIA TODAY.    LAST WEEK ISRAEL RELEASED A VIDEO SHOWING HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS WORKING WITH SYRIAN OFFICERS SIGNALING THAT AN ATTACK WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.......ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS STORY

A seven member panel of Australia's High Court has ruled that the warrant used by federal police to search a News Corporation reporters home last year was illegal.

But the court also ruled that the materials seized by the police can be retained and will not have to be destroyed.

Reporter Annika Smethurst wrote a newspaper story on plans by the government to expand the powers of the Australian Signals Directorate to monitor communications......ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA STORY

The fighting in Libya continuing with more successes on the battlefield reported for the UN recognized and Turkish backed Government of National Accord in its fight with the Libyan National Army.     The GNA pushing LNA forces back from the coastal cities on northern coast near the capital city of Tripoli.....SOUTHFRONT STORY

THE STORY OF THE CORONAVIRUS IN THE USA TODAY WITH A PROTEST IN LANSING, MICHIGAN AIMED AT THE PERSON OF THE DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER.    THE 'OPERATION GRIDLOCK' PROTEST BROUGHT CARS WITH HONKING HORNS TO MICHIGAN'S CAPITAL CITY.   SOME PROTESTERS GETTING OUT OF THEIR CARS AT THE STATE CAPITOL GATHERING IN WAYS NOT CONSIDERED 'PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING'.  

 THE PROTEST DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE HOUSE ARREST RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY TAKING ACTION TO DISOBEY HER RESTRICTIONS AND GET MICHIGAN BACK IN BUSINESS AGAIN.    ONE COULD ARGUE THAT THIS WAS MORE AN ELECTION YEAR POLITICAL SHOW BY REPUBLICANS IN A STATE PRESIDENT TRUMP WON FOUR YEAR AGO THAN AN ATTEMPT TO STAGE OPEN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS.

A MOVEMENT UNDERWAY TO GET SIGNATURES FOR A RECALL ELECTION INVOLVING GOVERNOR WHITMER WHICH AGAIN HAS POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF INCREASING ELECTION YEAR VOTER TURNOUT TO HELP THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

ONE INTERESTING ASPECT OF THE PROTEST WAS THE CHANTING OF AN OLD SLOGAN FROM THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN USED IN REGARDS TO HILLARY CLINTON.     PROTESTERS SAYING  "LOCK HER UP" REGARDING GOVERNOR WHITMER FOR ELECTION YEAR 2020.   ITS WORTH NOTING THAT HILLARY CLINTON HASN'T BEEN LOCKED UP YET AND ONE CAN SERIOUSLY DOUBT WHETHER THAT WILL HAPPEN TO GOVERNOR WHITMER.

'THE GUARDIAN' NEWS STORY ON MICHIGAN PROTEST

After saying that the country would remain locked down and under virtual house arrest until May 15th  French President Emmanuel Macron dropping a surprise announcement that schools in the country will reopen on May 11th......

AT LEAST 668 POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS ON BOARD SHIPS IN THE FRENCH NAVY'S CHARLES DE GAULLE CARRIER STRIKE GROUP WITH SOME 530 TESTS STILL PENDING.  TWO OF THOSE TESTING POSITIVE US SAILORS INVOLVED IN A MILITARY EXCHANGE PROGRAM.    THE STRIKE GROUP RETURNING TO SHORE FROM AN EXERCISE AT SEA....USNI NEWS STORY

Denmark meanwhile reopening its nursery schools and primary (elementary) schools today with students kept further apart and classes held outdoors if possible.

Israeli police raiding a coronavirus testing center in a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem.  The organizers arrested because the clinic operated in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority.....HAARETZ NEWS STORY

One note about coronavirus stats today some 3,778 deaths "presumed" to be Covid-19 tacked onto the total in the State of New York.

The BBC News blog is following the coronavirus story around the world today.....BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 4/15/2020

In other news.......

A British teenager has told a television documentary that she was forced by police in Cyprus to withdraw her complaint of gang rape by 12 Israelis last summer.

The woman only identified as Emily ended up being prosecuted by Cypriot authorities and was convicted of fomenting public mischief.    The Cypriot police denying they mishandled the case.....THE GUARDIAN NEWS STORY

That's the way it really is Wednesday April 15th, 2020.