NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 5/7/2020

(SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE TONIGHT)

The US Justice Department moving to drop the criminal charges against former National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn who was prosecuted in connection with the Robert Mueller investigation into alleged "Russian collusion" with President Trump's campaign in 2016.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING THAT THE CHARGES BE DISMISSED 'WITH PREJUDICE' MEANING THEY CANNOT BE REFILED IN THE FUTURE.   THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE BRANDON VAN GRACK WITHDREW FROM IT JUST BEFORE TODAY'S COURT FILING TO DISMISS THE CHARGES.    HE WILL STILL BE EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

Flynn had entered guilty pleas in the case, but new evidence of manipulation of those charges and hidden evidence proving his innocence has since been uncovered.

The view of the story from the BBC........BBC NEWS STORY

Robert Willman offered a post on the Justice Department's move to have the charges dismissed via the "Sic Semper Tyrannis" blog.......ROBERT WILLMANN ON DOJ MOVE TO DISMISS CASE AGAINST MICHAEL FLYNN

Former CIA employee Larry Johnson has been following the Flynn case and offering analysis and comment at the "Sic Semper Tyrannis" blog.   He offered a brief post today on the withdrawal of the prosecutor from the case......LARRY JOHNSON ON MICHAEL FLYNN CASE COLLAPSE-SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

The US Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a former aide to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie convicted in 2016 of fraud.     Bridget Kelly implicated in what was called the "Bridgegate" scandal.    Her lawyers arguing that while her actions were motivated by politics, they did not constitute fraud.

Lanes that accessed the George Washington Bridge from the New Jersey city of Fort Lee were closed down in 2013 in retaliation for the mayor of that city refusing to endorse Christie for re-election......NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO STORY

OREGON'S GOVERNOR KATE BROWN IS TALKING ABOUT A REGULATED RE-OPENING OF OREGON BUSINESS STARTING MAY 15TH WITH NEW 'RULES' FOR SOCIAL CONTACT AND A PROHIBITION ON LARGE GATHERINGS UNTIL FALL.   

   

WHILE SOME OREGON LAW ENFORCEMENT MAY NOT ENFORCE GOVERNOR BROWN'S BUSINESS RESTRICTIONS, THE STATE HAS THE POWER TO FINE BUSINESSES AND REVOKE ANY LICENSES THEY HAVE FROM THE STATE.........OREGON LIVE NEWS STORY

PROTESTERS ON THE STREET OF INDIANAPOLIS FOLLOWING INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE FATAL SHOOTING OF TWO MEN BY POLICE AND A THIRD SEPARATE INCIDENT INVOLVING THE KILLING OF A PREGNANT PEDESTRIAN BY AN OFFICER GOING TO WORK.    ALL THREE INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN HOURS OF EACH OTHER TODAY.    THE MEN WHO WERE SHOT BLACK THE WOMAN STRUCK AND KILLED WHITE.

FACEBOOK VIDEO WAS LIVESTREAMED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FIRST SHOOTING INCIDENT .......ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arresting Gregory McMichael and his son Travis in the killing of  Marcus Arbery in February.     The GBI did its own investigation in response to a request from an outside prosecutor.       There's been controversy over the shooting in Brunswick, Georgia much of it over the racial components of the case.   Arbery black and the accused men white.......CANADA GLOBE AND MAIL STORY CANADIAN PRESS-ASSOCIATED PRESS

Israel's High Court rejecting petitions to stop formation of a new government involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.     The new "unity government" with former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz set to begin next Wednesday May 13th.

Israel's parliament holding marathon deliberations and approving legislation to enable the new government by a 72 to 36 margin......YNET NEWS ISRAEL STORY

Iraq has a new prime minister.....A late night parliamentary session approving Mustafa al-Kadhimi and most of his cabinet.

Protesters on the streets for the months in the country demanding political reforms.    Al-Kadhimi urging all sides to "unite" and bring about "change" in the country.

A top priority of the government is to facilitate new elections in the country.......KURDISTAN 24 NEWS STORY

Poland's presidential election, scheduled for this Sunday, has been cancelled amidst concern over the coronavirus.......TASS NEWS STORY

At least 13 are dead in India and hundreds of others sickened following a gas leak in the southern part of the country.     The leak at a polymer factory in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state said to have involved styrene gas.   The plant in the process of re-opening following the coronavirus lockdown in the country.....BBC NEWS STORY

The Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro has produced a video of American citizen Luke Denman saying he was involved in an effort to allow the people of Venezuela to run their own country again.

Denman one of a group arrested by the Maduro government said to be involved in a plot to take Maduro out of the country.    Maduro has been indicted on drug trafficking charges in the US and there is a 15 million dollar bounty on him......BBC NEWS STORY.....US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says no direct US government involvement in this matter and that if the US government had been involved in it things would have gone differently.....TWITTER VIDEO

A United Nations report on Libya's conflict says that mercenaries from the Russian firm Wagner have been involved on the side of the Libyan National Army of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.     The mercenaries are of various nationalities including Russian.     The United Nations recognizes the Government of National Accord which is fighting the LNA.       The GNA is supported by Turkish military assistance and thousands of jihadists recruited in Syria.....BBC NEWS STORY

A PERSONAL VALET TO PRESIDENT TRUMP TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.    THE VALET A MEMBER OF THE US NAVY.    PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF BEING TESTED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS AS A RESULT WITH A NEGATIVE RESULT......CNN NEWS STORY

Some US Navy personnel testing positive for the coronavirus at the Yokota Air Base in  Japan.....STARS AND STRIPES STORY

Russian military personnel who helped with Italy's fight against the coronavirus are beginning to leave the country today......TASS NEWS STORY

The coronavirus story as reported around the world today by BBC News on its blog.......BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 5/7/2020

In other news.......

The Bank of England leaving its key interest rate at .1 percent following a monetary policy committee meeting today.

Yesterday the bank forecast a steep recession for the UK this year with the economy shrinking by 14 percent assuming the economy will be free to operate again in June.....BARRON'S BUSINESS NEWS STORY

And that's the way it really is Thursday May 7th, 2020.......