NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 5/22/2020 NEWSDUMP FRIDAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND

(SPORADIC POSTING WITH POSTING CONTINUING PAST MIDNIGHT INTO SATURDAY)

BIG BEN MIDNIGHT CHIMES

The Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, New Jersey open for business today in spite of Governor Phil Murphy's "stay at home" coronavirus order shutting gyms down....CBS 3 PHILADELPHIA VIDEO......

Car-rental company Hertz filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in Delaware today.     That will allow the company to operate.   Hertz hit hard by the "stay-at-home" orders that shut down the nation's economy....BNN BLOOMBERG STORY

Economic advisers to the President see better economic news later this year with expectations for strong third quarter growth.      Both Kevin Hassett and Larry Kudlow expect it to be the biggest quarter of growth in American history........NEW YORK POST STORY

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE A MAJOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN 2002,  ARGENTINA IS IN DEFAULT ON A LOAN TONIGHT.    THE COUNTRY UNABLE TO PAY SOME 500 MILLION DOLLARS IN INTEREST.     OFFICIALS BELIEVE THEY CAN CUT A DEAL TO RESTRUCTURE THE DEBT BEFORE THE ECONOMY IS IMPACTED, BUT NO TALKS WITH INTERNATIONAL CREDITORS ARE SET UNTIL JUNE 2ND.........REUTERS, AFP STORIES PUBLISHED BY DEUTSCHE WELLE

Iran's top military commander says his country has intelligence on US military movements in the Persian Gulf region and far beyond and will respond to any move that endangers Iranian interests anywhere in the world.

Major General Mohammad Baqeri's comments come following word that the US is considering action against as many as five Iranian tankers carrying gasoline to Venezuela.......PRESS TV IRAN STORY

A SUCCESSFUL TEST OF A LASER WEAPON BY THE UNITED STATES THAT IS SAID TO BE ABLE TO DESTROY AN AIRCRAFT IN MID-FLIGHT.     WORD OF THE TEST TODAY FROM THE US PACIFIC FLEET.........CNN STORY (WITH EMBEDDED VIDEO)

THE US IS CONSIDERING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1992.   THE REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE WASHINGTON POST.    RUSSIA AND CHINA SEEN AS THREATS THAT WOULD REQUIRE SUCH A TEST.......TASS NEWS AGENCY

FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY ORDERING AN INTERNAL REVIEW OF HOW THE AGENCY HANDLED THE CASE INVOLVING FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER GENERAL MICHAEL FLYNN.......TALKING POINTS MEMO

The US adding 33 Chinese companies-institutions to an economic "blacklist" for involvement in violations of human rights and surveillance activities.....

A new Hong Kong security law has been proposed at the National People's Congress in China.    The law at the central level of Chinese government on "treason, secession, sedition and subversion" bypasses any consideration in Hong Kong's legislature.    It is seen as a violation of promises made when the United Kingdom gave up control of Hong Kong to China in 1997........BBC NEWS STORY

At least 97 dead in the Friday afternoon crash of a Pakistan International Airlines plane that ploughed into buildings in a residential neighborhood of Karachi.    That count published Saturday in Pakistan by the "Doon" newspaper.   One eyewitness described what happened when a body landed on his car......HINDUSTAN TIMES INDIA STORY

The mainstream media reporting in recent hours on an eyebrow raising comment made by Democrat Presidential candidate Joe Biden that any black person considering voting for President Trump:

"ain't black"

Biden now characterizing his comment as "cavalier"......

BBC NEWS STORY JOE BIDEN

A LAWYER REPRESENTING TARA READE, WHO SAYS SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY JOE BIDEN WHEN HE WAS A US SENATOR IN 1993,  IS DROPPING HER AS  A CLIENT.

BUT DOUGLAS WIGDOR SAYS HIS DEPARTURE IS NOT A REFLECTION ON THE ACCURACY OF HER ALLEGATION.   WIGDOR SAYS HE BELIEVES READE AND BLASTED THE 'DOUBLE STANDARD' IN MEDIA REPORTING ABOUT HER STORY.......THE GUARDIAN UK NEWS STORY

The left-wing National Lawyers Guild settling a lawsuit brought by an Israeli organization under New York's "human rights" law.     The NLG had refused an ad for the Israeli group based in the "West Bank".      The New York State law prohibits any boycotting of Israel......ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

(WARNING:  DISTURBING LANGUAGE)

A VIDEO RELEASED BY A BRAZILIAN COURT SHOWING PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO TALKING ABOUT HIS FAMILY GETTING 'SCREWED' BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.......REUTERS STORY PUBLISHED BY GLOBAL NEWS CANADA

"Today I'm identifying houses of worship churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services.     Some governors have deemed the liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worship"

President Trump coming out on a Friday afternoon to call on the nations governors to allow houses of worship to reopen immediately and saying that in his words he "will override them" if they do not.......CNBC VIDEO

THE WARDEN OF A FEDERAL PRISON IN OAKDALE, LOUISIANA WHERE 40 STAFF MEMBERS AND 227 INMATES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 WITH EIGHT INMATES DYING HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS JOB.

ROD MYERS GOING AFTER THE UNION REPRESENTING WORKERS AT THE PRISON ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE THAT ENDANGERED STAFF AND INMATES.....KALB-TV ALEXANDRIA LOUISIANA REPORT

The BBC News coverage of the coronavirus story continues on its daily blog......BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 5/22/2020

In other news.......

The fiance of the murder Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi reacting to news that Khashoggi's son who lives in Saudi Arabia is forgiving the killers in what many believe was an act of murder ordered by the Saudi state at its highest levels.

Hatice Cengiz says that 'no one has a right to pardon his killers".....BBC NEWS STORY

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaking with the head of Libya's Government of National Accord Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj today.   State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus says that Pompeo expressed his opposition to weapons and ammunition entering the country and the need for an end to fighting and negotiations.    Pompeo's conversation with the GNA leader similar to that of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last weekend.

The GNA fighting the opposition Libyan National Army for control of the country......STATE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE

Former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell winning a delay in her questioning in a civil lawsuit alleging sexual battery when she was 16 years old.    The judge ruling her questioning can be delayed pending other legal matters surrounding Maxwell.......NEW YORK POST STORY

That's the way it really is Friday May 22nd, Newsdump Friday entering the Memorial Day Weekend.........