NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 6 /26/2020 NEWSDUMP FRIDAY

(POSTING WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY)

TEXAS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT SIGNING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TODAY SHUTTING DOWN BARS IN TEXAS AND LIMITING RESTAURANT CAPACITY FOLLOWING INCREASED NUMBERS OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE STATE......AUSTIN STATESMAN STORY

A federal judge ruling to block restrictions on religious gatherings in New York.   The preliminary injunction coming from US District Judge Gary L. Sharpe of New York's Northern District.   The ruling does not lift restrictions completely but says that religious institutions should be able to operate under the state's 50 percent capacity rules like secular ones under Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo's martial law orders.....JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE

The White House coronavirus task force held its first briefing in weeks today with Vice-President Mike Pence leading it.......His message in part is that America is in a "much better" place when it comes to dealing with Covid-19.......CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING VIDEO 6/26/2020

FACEBOOK MOVING TO LABEL "POTENTIALLY HARMFUL POSTS" FOLLOWING  A MASSIVE BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN BY BIG BUSINESS GIANTS TO REMOVE THEIR ADVERTISING FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM......BBC NEWS

A gunfight in Mexico City this morning during an assassination attempt on the city's security chief.

Omar Garcia Harfuch wounded according to the mayor.   At least two police officers among those killed.   12 arrests reported........DEUTSCHE WELLE STORY FROM AP, REUTERS

"I will never forget how we Pakistanis were embarrassed when the Americans came into Abbottabad and killed Osama Bin Laden, martyred him"

Those words spoken by Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan in parliament Thursday triggering strong criticism from opposition politicians.   Khan is seen as a close ally of Pakistan's military that installed the Taliban in power in Afghanistan who in turn provided safe haven to Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terrorist organization........BBC NEWS

TWO PEOPLE STABBED TO DEATH IN GLASGOW, SCOTLAND TODAY WITH THE ATTACKER SHOT DEAD BY POLICE.   THE ATTACKS IN THE STAIRWELL OF A HOTEL WITH ARMED POLICE SWARMING THE SCENE. A POLICE OFFICER STABBED AND WOUNDED IN THE INCIDENT ALONG WITH FIVE OTHERS.  THE HOTEL SAID TO BE A PLACE HOUSING ASYLUM SEEKERS.......BBC NEWS   

A new development in the defamation suit by legal scholar Alan Dershowitz against Virginia Roberts-Guiffre who has named Dershowitz as one of the men Jeffrey Epstein forced her to have sex with.

The new documents put out by Dershowitz through a court filing this week name former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak as someone who Roberts-Guiffre was trafficked to by Epstein.

Barak is denying that happened and claims Dershowitz is trying to deflect from the allegations of his involvement with Roberts-Guiffre when she was a minor......YNET NEWS ISRAEL.......PRESS TV IRAN......ORIGINAL STORY MIAMI HERALD

Alan Dershowitz also launching a legal attack on a Netflix doumentary series on Jeffrey Epstein.......DAILY BEAST

PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AIMED AT PROTECTING STATUES AND MONUMENTS CALLING FOR LONG PRISON TERMS FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN ATTACKING THEM.   IT ALSO CALLS FOR WITHHOLDING OF FEDERAL FUNDS FROM CITIES THAT FAIL TO PROTECT THEM.....BBC NEWS

COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PORTLAND, OREGON'S POLICE CHIEF DENOUNCING LAST NIGHT'S VANDALISM AT A POLICE PRECINCT.    VULGAR GRAFFITI SPRAYED ON THE BUILDING, BARRICADES SET UP AT ITS DOORS AND A GARBAGE DUMPSTER SET ON FIRE AND PUSHED AROUND THE OUTSIDE.......OREGON LIVE

Federal marshals arresting a man accused of burning a police car and defacing the sign at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta during protests over the murder of George Floyd......11 ALIVE ATLANTA VIDEO REPORT

TWO ROCKETS FIRED FROM GAZA INTO SOUTHERN ISRAEL TONIGHT FOLLOWED BY ISRAELI RETALIATORY STRIKES INTO GAZA.   A ROGUE CELL OF THE ISLAMIC JIHAD GROUP WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN BEHIND THE ATTACK ON ISRAELI TERRITORY WHERE NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES WERE REPORTED.......YNET NEWS

In Iraq security forces raided a base of the Kataib Hezbollah group late Thursday and arrested 14.      The raid said to have been a pre-emptive move against the pro-Iranian militia to prevent an attack on a US base.   Some of those arrested said to have been handed over to US forces......AL JAZEERA QATAR STORY

SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO ANNOUNCING SANCTIONS FRIDAY ON UNSPECIFIED CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICIALS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY FOR INFRINGING ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG........REUTERS

Australian intelligence officers raiding the home of a member of parliament from the opposition Labour Party today amid allegations of his involvement with China.    Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison describing the allegations against Shaoquett Moselmane as "extremely serious"........THE GUARDIAN UK

"Thirty-five spy planes of foreign states conducted air reconnaissance along the borders of the Russian Federation and were tracked by Russia's radars"

That's the word from the newspaper of Russia's defense ministry which also says that six drones approached the country's borders this week......TASS STORY

RUSSIA IS ALSO CLAIMING FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO APPROVE NEW CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.   THE ELECTION COULD CLEAR THE WAY FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT.    RUSSIA SAYS A HACKER ATTACK FROM THE EU, US, UK AND UKRAINE WAS LAUNCHED TODAY ON ITS ELECTION ORGANIZATION......TASS STORY

Russian national Alexei Burkov sentenced to nine years in a federal prison after he pled guilty to two counts following a plea deal with federal prosecutors.     Burkov accused of crimes related to stolen credit card numbers that included many US citizens......TASS STORY

THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS PUBLISHED A STORY QUOTING US INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS AS SAYING THAT A RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE UNIT OFFERED BOUNTIES ON MEMBERS OF THE US MILITARY IN AFGHANISTAN.   PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID TO HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THE MATTER EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE WORLDOMETERS TOTALS FOR THE UNITED STATES REGARDING CORONAVIRUS CASES FRIDAY WAS 47,341 WHICH IS A RECORD DAILY TOTAL.  1,900 CASES IN GEORGIA, 1,695 IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1,410 IN TENNESSEE, 1,313 IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND 1,310 IN LOUISIANA.   ALSO 1,002 NEW CASES IN OHIO.

8,942 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES REPORTED IN FLORIDA FRIDAY ALONG WITH 5,619 IN CALIFORNIA AND 5,614 IN TEXAS.

3,428 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES REPORTED IN ARIZONA TODAY THE EQUIVALENT OF 9,165 CASES IN A STATE THE SIZE OF NEW YORK.....121 CASES REPORTED TODAY ON THE SEPARATE TERRITORY OF THE NAVAJO NATION WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA ALONG WITH PORTIONS OF UTAH AND NEW MEXICO.

An additional 656 coronavirus cases reported today at Veterans Affairs facilities in the United States bringing the total to 20,828.     An additional 13 deaths reported to bring the total to 1,574.    This information according to Worldometers.   

Also 965 new cases reported by the US Military......

Oregon's Democrat Governor Kate Brown approving early release for 57 inmates because of the coronavirus......OREGON LIVE

The epidemiologist for Sweden's government says the World Health Organization is misrepresenting data in asserting that Sweden is threatened with a resurgence of Covid-19.......BBC NEWS

The coronavirus story around the world as reported today by BBC News on its daily blog.....BBC NEWS CORONAVIRUS BLOG 6/26/2020

In other news......

The Trump Administration filing its arguments with the US Supreme Court to buttress the lawsuit brought by 20 states to overturn the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).     One argument is that the law is illegal since Congress voted to eliminate the tax penalty for failing to purchase medical insurance.      The Supreme Court expected to hear the case this fall......NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

The cyber security firm Symantec issuing a warning about a group of Russian hackers known as Evil Corp. targeting business through attacks on people working from home because of the coronavirus.  The Justice Department already indicting its two alleged leaders and offering a five million dollar reward.   Concerns also being raised in media reporting about targeting of voters in the election this fall....BBC NEWS

SPACE X ANNOUNCING AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT OF LAUNCHING A FALCON 9 ROCKET WITH THE NINTH GROUP OF STARLINK SATELLITES........TASS STORY

A new government in Ireland that involves three "mainstream" parties.      The general election in February resulted in a fragmented parliament with a strong showing the left-wing Sinn Fein Party.

Members of three parties (Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Greens) voting to approve the new government with Micheal Martin of Fianna Fail become the new Prime Minister (Taoiseach) replacing Leo Varadkar of Fine Gael......POLITICO EU

The United Nations says its "shocked" by a video appearing to show sexual activity in one of its official vehicles on a street in Tel Aviv, Israel.     The UN conducting an investigaton......BBC NEWS

And that's the way it really is Friday June 26th, 2020 another day in the Dictatorship of Covid-19.