NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT TUESDAY 4/21/2020

OIL PRICES STARTING THE DAY IN MINUS TERRITORY AS OF 615 AM EASTERN US TIME STANDING AT -7.80 DOLLARS A BARREL FOR "WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE"

THE SITUATION AT 1135 AM EASTERN US TIME SHOWING WTI OIL AT 4.92 A BARREL.

AND BY LATE AFTERNOON THE PRICE STOOD AT 9.06 A BARREL  (445 PM EASTERN US).  THAT PRICE STILL STANDS AT 1045 PM EASTERN TONIGHT

THE OIL PRICE COLLAPSE THREATENS THE SURVIVAL OF THE OIL PRODUCING INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH NEEDS PRICES OVER 40 DOLLARS A BARREL TO BE PROFITABLE.

FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S CRASH IN PRICES TO NEARLY -40 DOLLARS A BARREL PRESIDENT TRUMP SUGGESTED BLOCKING SAUDI OIL IMPORTS AND OR TOPPING THE STRATEGIC OIL RESERVE.    TOPPING OFF THE OIL RESERVE WAS SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT SPOKE ABOUT LAST MONTH AS OIL PRICES FELL FROM HIGHS OF AROUND 45 TO 50 DOLLARS A BARREL.....AL JAZEERA QATAR NEWS REPORT

THE PRESIDENT THROWING OUT MORE MESSAGING TODAY TO BOOST THE PRICE OF OIL TWEETING THAT HE HAS INSTRUCTED THE ENERGY AND TREASURY SECRETARIES TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO SEND MONEY TO THE US OIL PRODUCING INDUSTRY........DONALD J. TRUMP TWITTER

THE BAILING OUT OF BIG BUSINESS BY TAXPAYERS WILL EXTEND BEYOND THE ENERGY INDUSTRY TO DEFENSE CONTRACTORS WITH THE PENTAGON REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO SEEK BAILOUT FUNDS FOR THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY.......REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS MASSIE (REPUBLICAN-KENTUCKY) TWITTER

"No amount of bailout money will stimulate an economy that is being strangled by quarantine"

The blunt message on the floor of the US Senate this afternoon from Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky).    More at the link.......TWITTER VIDEO LINK

Facebook banning the promotion of events that "violate social distancing orders" which means that promotion of protests against house arrest 'stay at home' orders are being removed from the platform.     Facebook says it is consulting with local governments in conjunction with the bans......

BBC NEWS STORY

CBS News reports that Democrat governors asked the White House to call off protesters  opposing the coronavirus crackdown on business.     In a private conference call Michigan Democrat Gretchen Whitmer said protesting was "dangerous" and called on Vice-President Mike Pence to emphasize to the public the need to stay home for now because of the coronavirus.

Pence said in his conversation with Whitmer:

"Governor we will certainly do that.    We will make a point today and going forward to continue to reiterate that."

CBS NEWS STORY

Rioting in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood against coronavirus restrictions imposed there by the Israeli government......YNET NEWS ISRAEL REPORT

HERE IN THE USA A WOMAN IN NORTHERN IDAHO ARRESTED AND CHARGED FOR HAVING  A YARD SALE ON HER PROPERTY......MORE FROM BRAD LITTLE IS A DISGRACE WEBSITE WITH LINKS

PRESIDENT TRUMP SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA THIS EVENING ABOUT "SAFELY RESTARTING THE ECONOMY" SAYING THAT WILL BEGIN TO HAPPEN IN SOME 20 US STATES WITH THE TIMETABLE NOT DEFINITE.

SOME BUSINESSES WILL REOPEN "SAFELY" IN GEORGIA THIS FRIDAY LIKE MOVIE THEATERS AND BOWLING ALLEYS.

A court ruling in Israel against a printer who refused to create pro-LGBT material on religious grounds.    Conservative Israeli politician Betzalel Smotrich, who is Transportation Minister, expressed his outrage at "stark secular coercion".....ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS STORY

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that nine were killed in what the Syrian government says was an Israeli airstrike near the city of Palmyra late Monday night.   Six of dead foreigners with some of the dead said to be fighters loyal to the Iranian supported Hezbollah movement......ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY PUBLISHED BY YNET NEWS ISRAEL

The Syrian government says that US made weapons like TOW anti-tank missiles among other types have been found at bases of terrorist forces in the southwestern part of the country near the Jordanian border.    There have been a number of isolated attacks on Syrian soliders in recent months in the areas of Daraa and Al Sweida which are located around 30 miles south of Damascus.....SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY REPORT

President Trump tweeting Monday night that he intends to sign an Executive Order to suspend immigration to the United States in order to fight the coronavirus and protect American jobs.....Green cards for foreign workers in the US will be suspended in some cases for 60 days but there are exemptions.

REPORTS CIRCULATING THAT NORTH KOREA'S RULER KIM JONG-UN IS IN POOR HEALTH FOLLOWING A SURGICAL PROCEDURE......A US OFFICIAL WITH 'DIRECT KNOWLEDGE' QUOTED BY CNN BUT SOUTH KOREA AND CHINA ARE DOWNPLAYING THOSE REPORTS.....PRESIDENT TRUMP WISHING KIM JONG-UN WELL DURING THE WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING THIS EVENING.

In Iowa today the number of coronavirus cases reported jumping by 482 to reach 3,641 representing a 15 percent plus increase in cases since yesterday.    A Tyson Foods facility in Black Hawk County where the principal city is Waterloo has a major outbreak.....KWWL-TV NEWS REPORT WATERLOO, IOWA

Today Iowa Governor Republican Kim Reynolds spoke about efforts to increase Covid-19 testing in the state....WHO-TV DES MOINES NEWS STORY

THE POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON SEALING A DEAL TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE WITH MOST OF IT GOING TO MORE 'PAYCHECK PROTECTION' SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS.

300 PLUS BILLIONS ALREADY EXHAUSTED WITH CONTROVERSY OVER RESTAURANT CHAINS GETTING FINANCIAL SUPPORT DESIGNED FOR BUSINESSES WITH UNDER 500 EMPLOYEES.

Austria will allow restaurants and bars to reopen in the country on May 15th..

The coronavirus story as interpreted by BBC News today.......BBC NEWS BLOG CORONAVIRUS 4/21/2020

What is the truth and what is not the truth about the coronavirus?  We are all entitled to our opinion although I don't know if this one posted on Facebook by Ammon Bundy will be allowed to remain but for now you can read it.....AMMON BUNDY ON CORONAVIRUS POSTED ON GAVIN SEIM FOR LIBERTY FACEBOOK

In other news..........

Shelling reported in eastern Ukraine where a cease-fire is supposed to be in force between Russian separatists and the Ukrainian government.    In 2014 when an elected pro-Russian government was overthrown in Ukraine,  Crimea was annexed by Russia and Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine proclaimed independence.      There has been an on-again, off-again conflict since then.....TASS NEWS REPORT

And from Canada the death toll in the mass murder rampage last weekend in Nova Scotia now up to 22......CBC NEWS STORY

ALSO TONIGHT AS A BONUS A SPECIAL DC 19 UNPLUGGED POST.......NEXTRUSH UNPLUGGED: DC 19 TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS SPENT

That's the way it really is Tuesday April 21st, 2020......