NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 7/20/2023 NASDAQ FALLS TWO PERCENT, RFK JR. TESTIFIES AT COVID CENSORSHIP HEARING, KISSINGER-XI MEET IN BEIJING, US-JAPAN-SOUTH KOREA SUMMIT AIMED AT NORTH KOREA

 

                           (SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING)

                    LATE NEWS TONIGHT:

Explosions reported after an air raid warning in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa early Friday morning...TASS RUSSIA...  China says its Consulate General in Odessa has been damaged...(RIA Novosti Russia)

US POLITICS A REUTERS/IPSOS POLL OUT ON THE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS.

AMONG THE DEMOCRATS JOE BIDEN AT 63 PERCENT AND ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. AT 15 PERCENT.

FOR THE REPUBLICANS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AT 47 PERCENT, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AT 19 PERCENT, VIVEK RAMASWATHY AT 9 PERCENT AND FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AT 7 PERCENT...REAL CLEAR POLITICS POLLS

Changes in the French cabinet relatively minor with President Emmanuel Macron retaining his Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Replacements announced at the Education and Health ministries and for some other cabinet posts...ANADOLU AGENCY TURKIYE (TURKEY)

THE 'WALL STREET JOURNAL' REPORTS CHINESE HACKERS GOT INTO THE EMAIL ACCOUNT OF THE US AMBASSADOR IN CHINA NICOLAS BURNS.

ITS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE HACKERS GAINED ACCESS TO THE EMAIL ACCOUNT OF US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EAST ASIA DANIEL KRITENBRINK...REUTERS-THE NATIONAL UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

A US F-16 FIGHTER TARGETING A RUSSIAN WARPLANE IN SYRIA.     

THE RUSSIAN MILITARY IN SYRIA ALSO RECORDING A DOZEN VIOLATIONS OF DECONFLICTION PROTOCOL INVOLVING UNAUTHORIZED DRONE FLIGHTS BY THE US-LED COALTION IN SYRIA...TASS RUSSIA

"Dame Alison Rose's apology is a start, but it is no more than that"

British media host and political activist Nigel Farage reacting to the apology from the CEO of NatWest Group owners of the Coutts Bank.

It follows the public revelation of documents from the bank saying that Farage's views were incompatible with those of Coutts Bank.

Just weeks ago Farage revealing that Coutts had cancelled his bank account claiming it fell below a threshold...NIGEL FARAGE TWITTER POST....

Farage saying that his bank account cancellation is a problem that many others are facing.    The situation discussed during his live program on "GB News" this evening...

         NIGEL FARAGE TWITTER POST (VIDEO EMBED)

A tense situation in Baghdad following the early morning torching of the Swedish Embassy.

Police deployed in the area of the burned building.     During last night's protest both the Swedish flag and the LGBT Rainbow flag were also burned.

The protest over today's Quran burning in Sweden.

The Iraqi government has expelled with Swedish ambassador.    I Iraq recalling its top diplomat in Sweden and suspending business with Swedish companies.

The Quran burning also denounced by Turkey demanding that Sweden take restrictive actions to 'prevent hate crimes'...SVT SWEDEN BLOG (TRANSLATION PROMPT)...BBC NEWS...TASS RUSSIA

OPPONENTS OF JUDICIAL REFORM IN ISRAEL STAGING NIGHT-TIME BLOCKADES OF HIGHWAYS.

BONFIRES LIT ON THE AYALON HIGHWAY THROUGH TEL AVIV. CONFRONTATIONS WITH POLICE REPORTED...ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS...FULL VIDEO OF PROTEST IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL TONIGHT

Democrat Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifying before a Republican run US House subcommittee today.

The subcommittee dealing with weaponization of the federal government to censor speech on the internet.

Kennedy's testimony related to censorship of those who raised questions regarding the COVID vaccines coordinated by the Biden Administration and social media companies.

Last weekend mainstream media following the lead of the New York Post published content conveying the notion that Kennedy was Anti-Semitic.

At one point in today's hearing Democrat Congresswoman Stacy Plaskett accused Kennedy of being a 'racist'.    Kennedy called it "defamation"...

     (FULL VIDEO OF TODAY'S HEARING (THREE HOURS, 41 MINUTES)

Russian and Chinese warships conducting joint maneuvers in the Sea of Japan.    Air and sea escort drills conducted in exercises said not to be directed at any third country...TASS RUSSIA 

The markets today.

A sharp decline on the NASDAQ 2.05 percent of value shed a 294.71 point drop.

The Dow rose 163.97 points.

At 555 pm New York Time the price of oil at 75 dollars and 63 cents a barrel up 28 cents...

                      MARKETWATCH

In Beijing, Dr. Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser who worked to establish US-China relations in the 1970's meeting President Xi Jinping.

Xi called Dr. Kissinger an "old friend".   Xi saying the Chinese people value their friendship with Kissinger and the United States.

Dr. Kissinger has been on a surprise trip to China this week.    He has made more than 100 trips to China over the decades.

The Biden Administration says that Kissinger's trip is his own and he does not represent the US government...NBC NEWS

A SLIGHT DIP IN AUSTRALIA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE LAST MONTH.

THE 3.5 PERCENT RATE FOR JUNE DOWN FROM 3.6 PERCENT IN MAY...ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA

North Korea not responding to US attempts to talk about release of US Army Private Travis King.   King walked across border from South to North Korea this week while among a group of tourists...BBC NEWS

A Japanese newspaper reports plans for a summit meeting at Camp David in northern Maryland on August 18th.

It will involve leaders from the US, Japan and South Korea and is aimed at coordinating policy against North Korea...KBS WORLD RADIO SOUTH KOREA

   THE URKAINE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA

             LARGE FIRE REPORTED IN ODESSA 

GIRL KILLED IN DRONE ATTACK IN NORTHWESTERN CRIMEA

               TASS RUSSIA ENGLISH NEWS FEED

A large fire reported in the Ukrainian city of Odessa following overnight Russian attacks...TASS RUSSIA

A girl reported killed in a drone attack in northwestern Crimea...(RIA Novosti Russia)

In other news...

In Washington a memorandum of understanding between Israel and the United States bringing closer a Visa Waiver Program.

The waiver program will allow entry of American citizens into Israel and Israeli citizens into the United States without visas...ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS