NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT MONDAY 10/21/2019

(FINAL UPDATING, POSTING WILL BE LATE TODAY)

Julian Assange denied a delay in his extradition hearing today.

The Wikileaks founder making an appearance in a London courtroom today raising his fist to supporters in the gallery.

Assange also made a comment:

"I can't think properly"

as he was led away.

A judge denying a request by his lawyers for a three month delay in the hearing set for February 2020.

The US wants Assange extradited so he can be tried for revealing secret information about possible war crimes committed by members of the US military in Iraq.

Protesters gathered outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London today.   Here is video.....LINK

The controversial Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, rebuffing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's effort to have a vote on his "Great New Deal" for Brexit today.

The Lebanese cabinet has agreed to a package of reforms following days of mass street demonstrations in the country.

Reforms that include cutting in half the salaries of cabinet ministers.

Protests on the streets of Chile again Monday with curfews now in effect in major cities from 7 pm to 6 am.   Over the weekend looting and vandalism at stores and shops across the country. 

Three died when two supermarkets owned by Walmart were torched.    Dozens of other Walmart owned outlets among those vandalized and looted.

The death toll now reported at 11.

The protests continued through Monday with President Sebastian Pinera declaring Monday evening that he would meet with opposition leaders to forge a "new social contract" in the country.

Live news in Spanish with video from Chile's "24 Horas".....LINK

ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU RETURNING HIS MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT TO PRESIDENT REUVEN RIVLIN.   THE MOVE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATE WAS TO EXPIRE.    BLUE AND WHITE LEADER BENNY GANTZ MAY NOW BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING LAST MONTHS ELECTION, ISRAEL'S  SECOND THIS YEAR.

Its election day in Canada.   A contest for 338 seats called "ridings" in the House of Commons.   The last election in 2015 gave the Liberal Party of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a solid majority but the polls for today's contest were suggesting a different outcome.

The polling showing a close contest with Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer's Conservative Party and pointing to neither major party being able to command a majority.

The results tonight show a close contest in popular vote but an edge in seats for the Liberal Party.    

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is losing his majority in the House of Commons with media predicting a Liberal Minority Government.

The Liberals demonized the Conservative Party to scare left of center voters away from the New Democratic and Green parties to marginalize support for the smaller parties and pick up seats.

The Conservatives appear poised to gain 20 or more seats tonight and will be second largest party.

In Quebec the sovereignty oriented Bloc Quebecois has more than tripled its number of seats and will win over 30 of them it appears.

As the results come in tonight you can follow them via the links......CBC News...LINK.......CTV News......LINK   Also from Ezra Levant and "Rebel Media"......LINK

From Bolivia a late counting of the votes created a win for incumbent left-wing President Evo Morales and a cry of foul from his closest competitor, former President Carlos Mesa.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal updated results to give Morales a 10 percentage point edge something that Mesa called "shameful".   Scuffles in the streets followed the shuffling of the votes in Bolivia tonight.

The headline in this late AP report on Bolivia from the "Globe and Mail" in Canada starts "rioting erupts"....LINK     This video posted on "You Tube" late Monday night.....LINK

Nine are dead following an exchange of fire between India and Pakistan along the "Line of Control" in Kashmir Sunday.   Others were wounded.    Both soldiers and civilians became casualties.

Tensions in the area running high after India's central government took control of Kashmir away from local government in August and imposed a communications blockade.

An Associated Press report on the story published by the "Toronto Star".....LINK

Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard taking to Twitter again to defend herself after Hillary Clinton called her a "Russian asset" late last week:

"Hillary & her gang of rich, powerful elite are going after me to send a msg to YOU: "Shut up, toe the line or be destroyed'"...

part of her tweet which includes a video.......LINK

Some of the other Democrats running for president have come to her defense like Andrew Yang and Beto O'Rourke.    Pete Buttigieg says he disagrees with Gabbard's views on foreign policy but that Clinton should back up her accusations with some evidence.

The Hong Kong Chief Executive for China Carrie Lam offering her apologies after the spraying of a mosque with water cannon Sunday.

With her shoes removed as is the custom, Lam entered the mosque and met Muslim leaders Monday.

The blue dye which is said to have toxic qualities to it was fired at the mosque in Kowloon as the police attacked protesters who defied a ban on protests Sunday.

The police said the spraying of the mosque was an accident and that as far as they are concerned:

"(We) respect religious freedom and will strive to protect all places of worship"

Iran's "Press TV" reports on the story......LINK

Israel is in the room with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Bahrain today.   An Israeli delegation participating in a two day conference of the "Working Group on Maritime and Aviation Security".   Its an alliance established by the United States in the name of security in the Persian Gulf.

The coalition's efforts are squarely aimed at Iran.   Israel's "Ynet" has more on the story......LINK

From Washington President Trump saying some US troops are staying in parts of eastern Syria to protect oil fields from ISIS.

That will also mean the US is denying them to the Syrian government of Bashar Assad in line with the inside the beltway policy agenda hostile to Syria, Iran and Russia.

The US also maintaining a presence at the Al Tanf base in the south of Syria near the Baghdad-Damascus highway, a key supply route for Iranian forces and interests in Syria and Lebanon.

More criticism of the President's policy in Syria today from inside the beltway.   This time Republican US Senator Marco Rubio of Florida claiming it sends the wrong message to Russia and China.

And for now that's the way it really is for Monday October 21st, 2019.

NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUNDAY 10/20/2019

(SERVICE THROUGH LATE SUNDAY,  WILL BE EXPANDED LATER)

Is an attempt under way to destabilize Lebanon?   For the fourth day today protesters in the streets opposing taxes and corruption from a government backed by the Iranian supported Hezbollah movement, arch enemies of Israel also considered a terrorist organization by the United States.

"Newsweek" quotes local media reports of well over 1 million people in the streets of the country...LINK

Media reports also speak of demonstrators calling for a "revolution" in the country.   Yesterday a political party in Lebanon's Christian community, considered to be pro-US, withdrew its support from the government.

Street demonstrations led to the conflict in Libya that overthrew Muammar al-Qadaffi in 2011 and the eight-year long war in Syria that same year.

The government will roll out its plans for reform on Monday.

"We are at war against a powerful enemy, who is willing to use violence without any limits"

The words of Chile's President Sebastian Pinera late tonight speaking from army headquarters.

There are now five deaths reported  in the torching of a garment factory near Santiago, Chile after three deaths in the torching of a supermarket in the capital city itself,  the first fatalities in the rioting in the streets of Chile this weekend.

The nationwide death toll in the rioting is now 10.

Protests began several days ago against increased subway fares in the capital city and have expanded nationwide over the weekend.

By the middle of the day today protesters again on the streets of Santiago with tear gas being employed against them.

Curfews in effect in Chile's major cities overnight tonight.

Live reporting in Spanish with video from "24 Horas" news channel in Chile.....LINK

Reuters offering this late update on the situation in Chile......LINK

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says Prime Minister Boris Johnson has the votes to pass his "deal" on Brexit tomorrow.

A test vote came out of an amendment vote in Parliament Saturday showing Johnson seven votes short of victory in the House of Commons.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told "Sky News" today that the "European Research Group" Conservative Party members of the House of Commons who claim to support Brexit would never have voted for  Johnson's "deal" six months ago.   Farage saying the "deal" is "not Brexit".

Tens of thousands marching in Hong Kong Sunday defying a ban on protests.   After the democracy protesters marched there was an attack on a police station by a smaller group dressed in black.   Police used tear gas against them.

A man distributing flyers in Hong Kong Saturday to promote the Sunday protest was injured in a knife attack.

THE PROTEST CONTINUING IN SPAIN'S CATALONIA REGION TODAY.  DEMONSTRATORS ON THE STREET OF THE CAPITAL BARCELONA FOR THE SEVENTH DAY FOLLOWING SPAIN'S SUPREME COURT DECISION TO JAIL NINE CATALAN LEADERS FOR 100 YEARS IN CONNECTION WITH THE 2017 INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM.

A SMALLER RALLY OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HELD IN BARCELONA TODAY BY THOSE WHO SUPPORT CONTINUED UNITY WITH SPAIN.  BUT THERE WAS A LARGER RALLY IN MADRID.   BOTH PRO-UNITY RALLIES ORGANIZED BY THE CIUDADANOS (CITIZENS) PARTY.

THE LEADER OF CIUDADANOS, ALBERT RIVERA,   SPOKE AT THE MADRID RALLY DEMANDING A CRACKDOWN ON CATALONIA INCLUDING SUSPENSION OF ITS AUTONOMY AND REMOVAL OF ITS GOVERNMENT FROM OFFICE.

LIVE VIDEO FROM "RUPTLY".....LINK

Election  news Sunday.   Bolivia's longtime left-wing president Evo Morales forced into a runoff.   Results counted so far from the first round showing Morales at 45 percent.   He will face former president Carlos Mesa who got 38 percent of the vote in the second round.

In Switzerland  after today's election the populist People's Party projected the top party again but gains for two Green parties in the complex system where election results are translated into distribution of power in the country.

In Syria Kurdish forces leaving the town of Ras al-Ain today pulling back from an area that's part of the "safe zone" designated by Turkey.

The Turkish Defense Ministry says one soldier was killed and one wounded by Kurdish forces and that its military fired back in self-defense near the town of Tell Abyad.

A five day cease fire is in effect to facilitate a Kurdish withdrawal from the northeastern part of Syria near Turkey's border.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says withdrawing US forces moving to Iraq to fight ISIS.  British special forces also pulling out of northeastern Syria.

The Syrian government's SANA News Agency reporting that American forces are transporting wives of ISIS members from a camp in northeastern Syria.    More from "Southfront"......LINK

Also in Syria Russian warplanes hitting terrorist targets in northwestern Syria Sunday with 13 reported killed.

A protest for freedom of  the press by Australia's private owned media companies and the government funded ABC.    The protest over legislation banning reporters from "sensitive information".   Earlier this year Australian federal police raided the offices of the Australian Broadcasting Commission in Sydney.   ABC was reporting on possible human rights violations by the Australian military deployed overseas.

The media also upset they could not report more openly about the criminal case against Cardinal George Pell when he was found guilty of child sex abuse charges.

London's "Daily Telegraph" reports......LINK

And the weather tonight stormy weather with at least one tornado reported touching down in the Dallas area.   CBS in Dallas reporting the story.....LINK

And for now that's the way it really is on this Sunday October 20th, 2019/

NEXTRUSH UNPLUGGED:  SATURDAY NIGHT VERSION HARD TRUTH ABOUT SYRIA AND 'THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARAPEIA'

(BATTLE OF BREXIT NEWS ABOUT TODAY'S DEVELOPMENTS IN LONDON ARE PART OF A SPECIAL POST SEPARATE FROM THIS ONE-LINK)

Music Links:

"WORKING AT THE CAR WASH BLUES"-JIM CROCE

"ONLY YESTERDAY"-THE CARPENTERS

"HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN"-CARLY SIMON



"DANNY'S SONG"-ANNE MURRAY (LIVE)

Pop music from the 1970's and I certainly listened to popular music but on the fringes like crossover songs on country radio, shortwave radio which I listened to a lot back then.    Country music my go to music back then but in later years I discovered the other music sounds from back then.


Where does one start this weekend with the Brexit "deal" being arm twisted through Parliament in London this Saturday in a special session.

Canada going to the polls Monday and if the polls are correct a political deadlock on the way perhaps a minority government.

The mess in Syria that Donald Trump is helping to clean up by his decision making in recent days a scheme by inside the beltway political elites, the European elites, the financial power of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arabs.

The jihadists Al Qaeda movement Bin Laden admirers and followers unleashed on Syria and in the cauldron of the civil war migrants unleashed on Europe and some 3 million still bottled up in Turkey by the way.   Then the jihadists morph into ISIS, the Islamic State.

Murder, rape, torture unleashed on Syria bleeding over into Iraq and of course into Europe with the migrants.

The "DEEP STATE" of the government, business and media elites want you to cry for the Kurds but they never cried much less took the responsibility for what they did to lead us to Donald Trump's action to clean up the situation.

A lot of propaganda being ginned up about another alleged "chemical attack" by Syria with the final "report" on what happened in Idlib in the coming months.

Donald Trump would be facing pressure once the "report" comes out down the road for more military action against Syria so perhaps its time to unify the country and let Assad have it back.

The rage against Iran and I accept Iran is not a nice player justifies the mass murder and rape that was unleashed on Syria and beyond in recent years.

People in high places seem to think so and Donald Trump is our only hope it seems against them.

But lets remember that Republicans like Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky have some sense and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is outspoken about the "regime change wars" in the Middle East as she was in the Democrat debate shindig....TULSI GABBARD DEMOCRAT DEBATE

How much Saudi Arapeian and Gulf Arab Al-Qaeda Land cash is in Hillary's orbit through the "Clinton Foundation"?    And Mitch McConnell is certainly worthy of consideration in this vein as well as others in the ranks of Uniparty leadership in this country who oppose keeping American soldiers out of these endless "regime change" wars like the one in Syria.

But the crimes of "The Kingdom" and I mean "The Kingdom of Saudi Arapeia" extend beyond Syria and Europe.  

Saudi citizens rape here in the USA and are spirited out of the country before they can face any justice for their crimes.

And Washington is so mum about it that it takes another anti-Trump Democrat to make some noise about it for his constituents back home in Oregon.

Ron Wyden of Oregon in on things with a speech on the Senate floor and says things like this:

"This is about manslaughter, rape and more.   This is about real people, real families, who have suffered immeasurable pain"

And all Wyden wanted and got a unanimous consent vote of approval on was disclosure of information in this legislation, not action to shut down the evasion of US justice by the $audis.

Read the story with video embedded from "Oregon Live".....LINK

And off to the music we go.......

Music Links:

"GO NOW"-MOODY BLUES

"ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU"-SONNY AND CHER



"WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED"-THE FREEDOM SINGERS



"REVOLUTION"-THE BEATLES



The protests raging around the world as people fight for some sort of freedom.   Catalans wanting independence from Spain reacting to the prison sentences of their leaders this week.    The continuing Hong Kong protests for democracy.....


In Lebanon the protests against corruption and higher taxes in recent days which have been under the radar of everything else.   Hezbollah a big player in Lebanon offering their opinion on the situation.


HEZBOLLAH-LEBANON PROTESTS

In a late development the Finance Minister of Lebanon saying no new taxes in a new budget for the county.

More trouble in Latin America this weekend.    Last weekend it was Ecuador now a state of emergency in Santiago, Chile.    The black hooded protesters attacking subway stations over higher fares and then setting fires including a high rise building the headquarters of an Italian energy company in Chile.

A state of emergency declared late Friday night and the military placed in charge of the city.

A Cuban and Venezuelan Communist counterattack on the sanctions regime of Washington to deal with them?

Well you have to be cynical with what happened in places like Libya, Syria and Ukraine.  Deliberate stirring up of trouble to change regimes with street protests.    Egypt also a manipulated situation.

But is violence the answer?

There are crazy people out there under the influence of the intoxicating agents from drugs to alcohol to porn and the list goes on and the government agents-informants-infiltrators to discredit protests.

There's a sense of no democratic choices in the world.    The people voted Brexit but they get fake "deals" from their political leaders.

The Uniparty in this country still wants to change things in Syria desperately as Donald Trump seems to take the rug out from under them with his recent decision regarding the Kurdish northeast of Syria.

I voted Trump because there is no difference between the two big parties and the business backed political machine gets their way in the end with the Mitt Romney's and Hillary Clinton's as prime examples with Joe Biden the latest example.

The noise about the "Right" and the "Left" and the other side being "extreme" hides the fact that politics is ultimately controlled by Big Business and Big Banks.

And they can't have things like Brexit?

Borders must be torn down to create superstates that are economically more powerful but also repressive and controlling and bureaucratic.

Super transnational governments that regulate so big business can thrive at the expense of small business and the individual.


More music with a big song from 1967 from a big star in the UK.    This song a big hit in the USA as well......



Music Links:



"TO SIR WITH LOVE"-LULU



"FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY"-GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS



'WHAT WOULD I BE"-VAL DOONICAN



"PUPPET ON A STRING"-SANDIE SHAW

There she is the UK's Sandie Shaw singing the winning song of:

"The 1967 Eurovision Song Contest"

And are we all just puppets on strings,  are the people of the UK to the EU monster's strings unable to leave?

It was Peter Hitchens who said "you can check out but never leave" when it comes to the European Union repeating the lyrics of "Hotel California".

And yes the Remainers pulling strings inside Parliament with the Letwin Amendment and outside with their protest rally. 

Johnson's deal is 95 percent as bad as Theresa May's one was and those who flat out want a 100 percent clean break from the EU not represented in Parliament at all.

BREAKING NEWS-SYRIAN SITUATION

The military action continues in the northeast and northwest of Syria with the Turks and the SDF Kurds accusing each other of violating the cease-fire.

The SDF reported to have recaptured positions east of Ras al-Ayn from Turkish backed militants.

The US forces continue their pull back from northeastern Syria with a late Friday evacuation of 50 US personnel from a northeastern Syrian airbase to Iraq.

35 Russian airstrikes in the Greater Idlib region of northwest Syria today.   That's the word from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the pro-jihadist Syrian opposition group that chronicles the casualties of the war in Syria.   More from "Southfront".....LINK

CHILE PROTESTS-STATE OF EMERGENCY 

The army and police on the streets of Santiago, Chile today after the outbreaks of protest that spread rapidly across the city yesterday originally about subway fares.

Groups of protesters manifesting themselves today and the water cannons in action at mid-day.

Live TV from "24 Horas" in Chile just click the small window to see the live video......LINK


I'M WATCHING '24 HORAS AS OF 7 PM EASTERN TIME SEEING VIDEO FROM OUTSIDE SANTIAGO OF STONE THROWING PROTESTERS IN THE SOUTH OF CHILE AT PUNTA ARENAS.

PROTESTS IN CATALONIA

The independence forces continue to manifest themselves in Barcelona with a big peaceful 500,000 people rally yesterday and these more militant groups getting into fights with police.

Its all about the sentences handed out to the Catalan leaders involved in the 2017 independence referendum.    100 years from the Spanish Supreme Court last Monday for nine people.

Here is a live picture as of 1 pm Eastern US time Saturday......LINK


Catalan leaders calling for talks with the Spanish government on "unconditional" terms.   This story from "France 24".....LINK

Music Links:



"THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH"-HERMAN'S HERMITS



"SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME"-BROTHERHOOD OF MAN



"SHE'S A LADY"-TOM JONES



"POWER TO ALL OUR FRIENDS"-CLIFF RICHARD




And a lot of the British sound in the music today on this Brexit news day.  Link at the top of the post to the Brexit story......

Johnson pushing the vote on his deal back to Monday as the test vote on that amendment came up seven votes short of a majority.

CHILE-SANTIAGO PROTESTS-BREAKING NEWS-PROTESTS SPREAD OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL CITY

As the protests continued in Chile's capital today the tear gas and water cannon in use there as police and soldiers faced protesters.       There were some incidents of pot banging in other cities as well.

But the latest is that President Sebastian Pinera is suspending the subway fare hike increases that led to the protests.   The BBC posting this story Saturday evening......LINK

BUT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL BREAKING NEWS FROM CHILE

VIA '24 HOURS VIDEO FEED ON THE LINK I POSTED EARLIER SEEING PROTESTS ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF CHILE ALMOST AT THE TIP OF SOUTH AMERICA IN PUNTA ARENAS LATE IN THE DAY SATURDAY.   THIS PROTEST FEATURING STONE THROWING PEOPLE FIGHTING THE POLICE.

ALSO SEEING VIDEO COMING IN FROM VALPARAISO, CHILE'S SECOND LARGEST CITY OF PROTESTS WITH FIRES BEING LIT IN THE STREETS.

Nowadays we have the internet to see things online as they happen.    I can watch "24 Horas" in Chile today to see the coverage of the protests.    Back in the 1970's the technology different I read a lot of newspapers and we had an eight-column local newspaper with world and national stories 20 or more on the front page.

I listened to distant radio stations on AM from the USA and Canada, Mexico and Cuba sometimes further.

But shortwave radio took me to a lot of places with local news from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand coming in via shortwave.    I listened to Israel which always had English language broadcasts from the time radio started there in 1936 as British territory.

I listened to Kuwait a lot and heard radio from all over the world picking up news and information and music.

In Venezuela there was a radio station in San Cristobal on SW for distant listeners in the countryside as well as AM locally  "Ecos del Torbes".    I read through Wikipedia that the radio station had its origin way back in 1947.

I used to listen to the station at night quite a bit and there was also another I remember from Costa Rica in Central America that used SW alongside AM back in the 1970's.   "Radio Reloj" which constantly provided "reloj" to its listeners as in "time" announcing the time with the clock ticking in the background.

Here is an online memory of "Radio Reloj"  from the winter of 1980......

SHORTWAVE RADIO AUDIO ARCHIVE RADIO RELOJ COSTA RICA


Another country I got on the shortwave radio was Rhodesia with much less solid reception but the broadcasting system there had English and African services on shortwave and even at times the popular music station Radio Jacaranda.

Colin Weyer used a cassette recorder to make some recordings of the Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation and he has a memories page about the RBC ........


RHODESIA BROADCASTING CORPORATION MEMORIES



To the music we go with the "Real News Summary" ahead Lebanon, Catalonia and Chile all experiencing street protests this Saturday.


Music Links:



"BAD TO ME"-BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS



"A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE"-PETER AND GORDON



"DO WAH DIDDY"-MANFRED MANN



"LEGEND OF XANADU"-DAVE, DEE, DOZY BEAKY, MICK AND TITCH



Those five guys singing on BBC "Top of the Pops" from 1968 a number one song in the UK back then "Legend of Xanadu".

LEBANON PROTESTS CONTINUE-ANOTHER LIBYA OR SYRIA IN THE MAKING?

As the brutal civil war in Syria moves towards God willing an end and some peace, one has to consider the strategy of those who helped to create it mentioned earlier in the post.

What is the plan to deal with Iran for instance?    Clearly its turning the economic screws to increase the suffering and by default the discontent of the people and leading the charge the USA.   Lebanon with the Iranian backed Hezbollah influencing the government is clearly a target for regime change.

Israel for instance can't launch a military operation because that would trigger the rocket barrage of all rocket barrages from Hezbollah's network of underground launching sites on Israel and it would be too costly in lives both military and civilian.

Why not bring down Iran and Lebanon economically?

The protesters on the streets now for three days in a row in the country.   Street protests are what ignited the messes in Libya and Syria one should remember.

"Al Jazeera" offers a picture of the situation with this story.......LINK


The Yellow Vests continue their protests in France and I created a video link oriented summary of what was going on today with that movement......FRANCE YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49

Earlier we presented Tulsi Gabbard in the context of the Democrat debate and her comments on the "regime change wars" but by gosh by golly Hillary Clinton has come out slinging the stuff on the wall about Tulsi to see if it will stick.

If you oppose all the war making like in Syria you are a tool of Russia by default.

Angela Merkel has observed that the hostility to Russia drives it into the arms of China and in the end the contest for world domination is with the "People's Republic".   I think unlike other issues Merkel gets that right.

Is it Saudi money or Chinese money that leads to that excrement coming out of Hillary Clinton's mouth?

You must ask that question in this day and age.

The whole controversy through the lens of the "Moon of Alabama" website and they see the road to another Trump victory in all this....

MOON OF ALABAMA HILLARY HITS TULSI GABBARD

A lot of British music tonight but a singer popular in the UK just the same offers up this song....



Music Links:



"MY TENNESSEE MOUNTAIN HOME"-DOLLY PARTON



"HIGHWAY HEADIN' SOUTH"-PORTER WAGONER



"ONE'S ON THE WAY"-LORETTA LYNN



"I'M JUST ME"-CHARLIE PRIDE

THE REAL NEWS SUMMARY

A 10 pm to 7 am curfew is in effect in Santiago, Chile tonight as protests continued in the city on Saturday that were sparked earlier in the week by a subway fare hike.

Demonstrators took to the streets across the whole of Chile Saturday from Valparaiso in the north to Punta Arenas near the southern tip of South America.

Rocks thrown at police, fires set, stores looted.   Police using tear gas as protesters erected barricades in the streets.

President Sebastian Pinera announced today that the subway fare hike is suspended.    Last night around midnight Pinera declared a state of emergency in the capital city and ordered the army to join police in patrolling the city.

Live video from Chile on the "24 Horas" News Channel......LINK

The Lebanese Finance Minister announcing the government's new budget will not include tax hikes hoping to quell three straight days of protest about tax increases and corruption in the country.

All the forces behind Lebanon's government working on the situation including the Iranian backed Hezbollah movement and its leader Hassan Nasrallah who is urging the various political parties to work together accepting responsibility for the country's economic woes and working to correct them.

But one political party that represents part of Lebanon's Christian community decided to leave the government Saturday.  Iranian media describes the party as 'pro-US'.

France's AFP news agency paints a picture of the situation in Lebanon as published by the "Times of Israel"......LINK

In Spain the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rebuffing the call of Catalonia's President Quim Torra to start negotiations about autonomy for the region.

Six days of protest mostly peaceful but with militant elements confronting police at times has rocked Catalonia since nine Catalan leaders received a combined 100 years of prison time from Spain's Supreme Court for their role in a 2017 independence referendum.

More on this from "Deutsche Welle".....LINK

Sunday is election day in Bolivia with left-wing President Evo Morales seeking a fourth term.  Many younger voters considering voting for his main opponent Carlos Mesa out of concern that Morales is looking at being president for life.

In Canada Liberal Party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer of the Conservative Party making their last minute appeals to voters ahead of Monday's election.

It looks like a close contest if the polls are correct with the strong possibility that neither party will win a majority of the 338 seats in the House of Commons.

The median of three different polls taken Friday and today puts the Liberals at about 32.4 percent, the Conservatives at 31.2 percent.

Four other parties competing including the New Democratic Party at 18 percent, the Green Party at 8 percent and the Quebec separatist Bloc Quebecois at 7 percent with all its votes concentrated in Quebec where it could reach 30 percent of the popular vote.

Also the new People's Party of Canada with a populist immigration skeptical platform showing around 2.6 percent of the popular vote.

From Ukraine an red-paint splattered effigy of a Jewish tycoon causing concern.   The country's Chief Rabbi wants the authorities to quickly catch and punish those who put the effigy on the steps of the main synagogue in the capital city of Kiev.

The effigy depicted Igor Kolomoisky who is a supporter of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky is also Jewish by the way.

More from "Israel National News".....LINK

And President Trump tweeting today that he's not going to be hosting the G 7 summit next year at the Doral resort that he owns in Florida.

The President citing:

"Media & Democrat Crazed and Irrational Hostility"

And for now that's the way it really is on this Saturday night October 19th, 2019.

Good night everyone and I hope you find that next right thing to do in your life.    Peace and serenity, sanity and sobriety to all of you.



Music Links:



"GIVE ME LOVE (GIVE ME PEACE ON EARTH)-GEORGE HARRISON



"PEACEFUL"-HELEN REDDY



"PEACE TRAIN"-CAT STEVENS-1971 LIVE



"PEACE IN OUR TIME"-CLIFF RICHARD

FRANCE YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49:  11,500 ESTIMATED PROTESTING AT MORE THAN 200 LOCATIONS

The Yellow Vests continue to come out every Saturday in France with a major anniversary weekend planned for the weekend of November 16th and 17th.

For now Yellow Vests in numbers estimated between 15 and 20 thousand have been on the streets and the highways and byways of France in recent weeks.

Police in France are stressed and strained by working conditions that have included massive overtime to deal with Yellow Vests protests in the past 11 months and at Givors a sickout by the entire night shift of police officers Thursday night in protest at working conditions.

A new development in the ranks of French police the terrorist attack by an IT employee who was a Salafist Muslim just weeks ago.    The attack led to some discipline in police ranks and the backlash of at least one Muslim officer in those ranks saying he felt "stigmatized".


And now video from Paris of Week 49 of the Yellow Vests.


YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49 PARIS


The focus of the protest is media and the government's France Televisions the site of protest.

A big story in the media today is the rail strike affecting the French railroad system.

The live video stream from Toulouse today.


YELLOW VESTS TOULOUSE LIVE


Also a shorter piece a four minute video of the Yellow Vests in Toulouse today....LINK


The Yellow Vests protest in Toulouse went to a fire station in solidarity with the grievances of firefighters and then made some smoke on the streets of the city.....LINK


Video from the Yellow Vests in Lille in northern France today......


YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49 LILLE

A BIG MARCH OF YELLOW VESTS ON THE SPANISH BORDER TODAY THE BORDER WITH CATALONIA WHERE MASS PROTESTS FOR INDEPENDENCE UNDERWAY THIS WEEK AFTER LEADERS OF REGION IMPRISONED BY THE SPANISH SUPREME COURT.

THE YELLOW VESTS BLOCKING THE A9 AUTOROUTE BETWEEN FRANCE AND CATALONIA......

FRANCE-CATALONIA BORDER YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49


Events elsewhere in the world and even in France overshadowing Yellow Vests in mainstream media coverage today.

But in Rouen the Yellow Vests were on the streets today as presented in this 38 minute video..


YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49 ROUEN 10/19/2019


Hundreds on the march in Montpellier with signs in support of firefighters and eventually a confrontation with police illustrated in this ten minute video as the tear gas begins around seven minutes in......


YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49 MONTPELLIER



A gathering of Yellow Vests in Tours today.....



YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49 TOURS


Boredaux also the scene of a Yellow Vests protest with a banner hung from a building and a protest clearly about Turkey and the Kurds in support of the Kurds......


YELLOW VESTS-KURDISH PROTEST BORDEAUX 10/19/2019


The protest in Belfort, France today with trade union banners of the CGT in the crowd....


YELLOW VESTS BELFORT-TRADE UNIONISTS 10/19/2019


And finally a short two minute video of the protest in Paris outside France Televisions.....


PARIS YELLOW VESTS WEEK 49


Again the Yellow Vests continued in France today and the numbers seem steady enough and we get specifics from the "Yellow Number" Facebook in the days ahead and will add it to this post.

The notion of 15-20 thousand protesters seems to be the rough estimate based on what the videos give us from the various locations today.

And in the end the "Yellow Number" Facebook estimate was 11,500 Yellow Vests at over 200 locations for Week 49 of the Yellow Vests.

THE BATTLE OF BREXIT:  DAY OF DECISION IN PARLIAMENT, JOHNSON GETS TEST VOTE ON 'GREAT NEW DEAL'

Boris Johnson's bid to push through a new "deal" with the European Union called the second worst deal since former Prime Minister Theresa May's one and "Brexit In Name Only" among other things is coming to the decisive moment in the hours ahead.

A massive Remain rally planned before the decision on the  "deal" in  a special House of Commons session today.

Leave forces led by Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage got their say outside Parliament last night saying among other things:

"this sell out from the British prime minister...lipstick on the pig....it's still the second worst deal in history and it's still not worth voting for......This is not Brexit...."

The full rally video with low audio in first minutes......LINK

Farage calling on Johnson to bring forward a General Election instead of the deal and to delay any dealing with the European Union until after the election.

Another speaker at last night's rally Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian Paisley Jr. son of the legendary Dr. Ian Paisley.    Paisley Jr. saying in part about Johnson's "deal" and how it affects the union of Northern Ireland with the rest of the United Kingdom:

".....we cannot recklessly treat the union and leave a part of the union behind or a part of the union left in a state of limbo  which is exactly what would happen to Northern Ireland....it will leave part of the union behind...."

This morning the BBC publishing a story about the notion that the British and Irish governments would provide funding to help Northern Ireland under Johnson's deal quoting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.....LINK

Below are links to Farage's Twitter feed and those of other opponents of the Johnson deal.

NIGEL FARAGE TWITTER PAGE

BREXIT PARTY TWITTER

FOR BRITAIN CHAIR TWITTER

UNITED KINGDOM INDEPENDENCE PARTY (UKIP) TWITTER FEED

The Parliament session itself now underway with an vote on an amendment expected at 930 am Eastern US time this morning.

PARLIAMENT SESSION LIVE VIDEO


DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds saying the Prime Minister should reconsider his "deal" again making the point that the UK should leave the EU as one country instead of treating Northern Ireland differently.

This video of his speech posted by the "Irish Independent".....LINK


As we approach the vote the bookies cutting the odds on Boris Johnson's deal being rejected.

The BBC blog is up......BBC POLITICAL BLOG BREXIT

Johnson will be watching the voting on the Letwin Amendment and may pull back from this vote if it passes......

LETWIN AMENDMENT PASSES 322-306

This has put Boris Johnson into a position he says he doesn't want to be in.   Asking the EU for an extension.

Of course EU leadership was backing Johnson up in recent days saying there can be no more extensions even as people like Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage advocated for a delay and a General Election to settle Brexit.

Farage tweeted in recent hours that he is disappointed with the "European Research Group" Conservative MP's who claimed to be for Brexit and opposed Theresa May's deal now supporting the Johnson "deal" with the EU that is 95 percent what Theresa May's plan was.

Farage spoke in a radio interview with LBC Radio after the Letwin Amendment passed saying that its time for a General Election followed by a "Clean Break Brexit" from the European Union.   If that doesn't happen:

"The public will just see more parliamentary shenanigans, more delay, more attempt to stop Brexit"

Farage thinks the endgame of the Remainer majority in Parliament is a second referendum.

Farage's LBC interview at this link......NIGEL FARAGE LBC RADIO 10/19/2019

Johnson making it clear he isn't asking for an extension insisting Brexit must be achieved on his terms by Thursday October 31st.

Drama outside Parliament as the Remainer rally for a second referendum vote is underway with Boris Johnson's cabinet ministers being escorted by police away from Parliament and friction with the protesters.

What's next will be interesting but as far as Parliament is concerned and the judiciary as well and the media and the government bureaucracy the Remainer forces have power and control and whatever power the above institutions have will be marshaled to prevent any "Clean Break Brexit" from the EU.

Boris Johnson can comply with asking for a delay, ignore the vote of Parliament and go forward with his deal and expect a legal challenge giving the courts the opportunity to weigh in.

He could also decide to leave office with his resignation creating a limbo in government that a Remainer majority could potentially fill a vacuum with.  They could then push through its agenda of the second "People's Referendum".

But the next chapter will be written in the coming hours and days.


Nigel Farage posting a video of his speech last night that explained the reality as he sees it of the "Great New Deal" of Boris Johnson and the pretend in the "deal" when it comes to British sovereignty.....


BORIS' DEAL-THE FACTS-NIGEL FARAGE


Johnson taking a few more days apparently to twist arms and get a vote in the coming days on his "deal".    That is the word we get as of Saturday night.

He is complying with legal requirements already stipulated by Parliament and sending a letter asking for an extension to the EU.  Media reports Saturday night note that he did not sign the letter.

But the Letwin Amendment vote gave Boris Johnson a test vote that put him seven votes short of being able to pass what he calls a "Great New Deal".

And he intends to come back Monday to do just that.

NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT FRIDAY 10/18/2019  NEWSDUMP FRIDAY 

(SERVICE IS LIMITED AS TO POSTING TIMES BUT WILL CONCLUDE LATE TONIGHT WITH POSTS AND EDITING EXTENDING PAST MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME TILL AROUND 115 AM)

"This is about manslaughter, rape and more"

The words of US Senator, Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon, speaking on the floor of the Senate Thursday.

What information does the FBI have about the Saudi government's role in spiriting its citizens out of the United States to avoid criminal prosecution?

Wyden's  Saudi Fugutives Declassification act passed the US Senate by "unanimous consent" Thursday requiring the FBI Director in conjunction with the Director of National Intelligence to declassify documents related to Saudi government activities to help Saudis flee justice in the United States.

"OregonLive/The Portland Oregonian" investigated cases of Saudi citizens accused of crimes in the US finding seven such cases and additional cases in seven other states bringing the total to 25.

Three-quarters of the cases involved sexual assault.

More from "OregonLive"........LINK

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed today that Boeing turned over documents it discovered "some months ago".

Internal instant messaging from inside the company in 2016 between two employees suggests Boeing may have misled the FAA about a key safety component of the now grounded 737 MAX aircraft.

Product recalls announced Friday.

The maker of Zantac Sanofi recalling the product in the United States and Canada.    Other countries and retailers had already taken the product off the shelf in recent months.

The Food and Drug Administration investigating the notion that ranitidine, the generic name for the product, is contaminated with or may interact with use to create a cancer causing agent.

Johnson and Johnson recalling 33-thousand bottles of baby powder after traces of asbestos were found.    An  FDA test found the contamination in a bottle purchased online.

The State Department's internal investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of private email found violations by 38 people.   

The 38 people are current and former State Department officials who are not identified.   In 91 cases they sent classified information to Clinton's personal email.

Some may face disciplinary action.    The report says that no deliberate or systematic mishandling of classified information occurred.

This Associated Press story was published by "The New York Post" on the matter......LINK

Japan is considering sending its own protection force to the Strait of Hormuz area but not associate itself with the United States-Gulf Arab protection force organized in the aftermath of recent oil tanker attacks and seizures in the region.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga revealed this at a Friday news conference.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is close to President Trump, played the role of intermediary in June talking to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Japan also has close economic ties to Iran importing Iranian oil and does not want to appear hostile.

Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" has more on the story.....LINK

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday.

Pompeo reassuring Israel that the United States has a policy focused on the "Iranian threat".  The withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria is considered inconsistent with an anti-Iran policy in Israel and among leading figures in both major political parties in the United States, among other places.

President Trump's Syria policy is considered an plus in this commentary on the "Moon of Alabama" website posted today.......LINK

From the conflict in northeastern Syria word Friday of Turkish forces and their armed Syrian supporters attacking Kurds in spite of the cease-fire agreed to on Thursday.

The French President Emmanuel Macron announcing a joint initiative with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel aiming at a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  

Macron speaking to reporters at the summit of European Union leaders in Brussels.

ALSO IN SYRIA FRIDAY AIRSTRIKES AGAINST JIHADISTS IN NORTHWESTERN SYRIA WITH THE RUSSIAN AEROSPACE FORCES (AIR FORCE) OPERATING IN SOUTHERN IDLIB PROVINCE.

TALK FROM PRO-GOVERNMENT SOURCES OF AN IMPENDING GROUND ATTACK BY SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES THERE BUT NO SIGN OF IT HAPPENING YET.

A day of arm twisting and cajoling for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he tries to round up 320 House of Commons members to pass his Brexit "deal" with the European Union.

A special Saturday session planned to vote on the "deal".

Advocates for a clean break from the European Union call the deal "Brexit In Name Only".

Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party, led a list of speakers at a rally in Westminster Friday night.

There's a BBC blog following the latest news about the "deal" today.....LINK 

A general strike underway today in Catalonia protesting the Spanish Supreme Court's hundred years worth of prison sentences for Catalan leaders involved in the 2017 independence referendum.

Highways blocked including the main highway connecting Spain with France.

Protesters marching on the capital city of Barcelona from five other cities for a mass rally attended by half a million people.

Four days of protests in the city including some clashes with police involving the use of molotov cocktails by protesters and anti-riot bullets by the police.

Late Friday fighting again erupted on the streets of Barcelona with rocks and fireworks from protesters and rubber bullets and tear gas from the police.

More from France's AFP News Agency.......LINK

A live multiplex video stream of the protests was posted Friday morning.....LINK

Another stream began later in the day currently up at 625 am Eastern US time Friday.....LINK

This live video also up from "Ruptly" of the protesters who are fighting the police.....LINK

This video link shows the non-violent march and rally and the massive crowd in downtown Barcelona today.......LINK

There is a state of emergency after a protest against fare hikes in Santiago, Chile's subway system Friday included attacks on subway stations by hooded protesters who lit fires.

Pots were clanged and streets blocked after dark in the city.  The headquarters building of an Italian energy company was set on fire.

The subway in the city will remain closed over the weekend.   Military patrols began in the city after the state of emergency was declared.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera saying:

"This is not protest, it is crime"

Tonight in a televised address President Pinera declared a state of emergency in Santiago...."The Guardian" reports.....LINK

A video report on the protest from "The Guardian".....LINK

Live video from "24 Hours" news channel in Chile......LINK

A Muslim comedian and radio host in France, Yassine Belattar, resigning from President Emmanuel Macron's Council of Cities.

In an open letter to the President published in the newspaper "Liberation",  Belattar blames the recent controversy over a Muslim woman wearing a veil during a school trip and the criticism of it by some of Macron's cabinet ministers.

Belattar writes in part:

....I am disappointed that some ministers you have chosen do not even support the idea of seeing a woman veiled on the territory..."

While the cabinet ministers have expressed their views, President Macron himself is not advocating for any laws to ban the wearing of the veil  expressing his concern that Muslims in France should not be "stigmatized" as he also says he supports France's secular tradition. 

Strongest opposition in connection with the veil wearing incident has come from the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen.

The family of an Israeli woman being held on drug trafficking charges in Russia with a seven year plus prison sentence wants Israel's Justice Minister to delay the extradition of a Russian hacker to the United States.

The case of Aleksey Burkov appears related to the treatment of Naama Issachar and her family's lawyer says there is more that the government can do about the case.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a pardon of Naama Issachar.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holding a meeting of his security cabinet following the Thursday incident in the city of Culiacan heavy fighting broke out in the city when police captured the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

President Obrador said on Friday:

"The capture of a criminal is not worth more than people's lives"

The police freed Ovidio Guzman Lopez to stop the violence.

Eight killed and 21 wounded in the fighting.

The bombing of a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan during Friday prayers.     At least 62 killed and more than 100 wounded.   Several blasts in the attack.

The "Extinction Rebellion" climate change protesters defying a ban on protest in London blockading Oxford Circus in the city center Friday.

Police removed demonstrators perched on wooden pyramids using a cherry picker.

Later in the day a protester climbed Big Ben dressed as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and displayed banners.

More from the BBC......LINK

And a tropical storm approaching Florida's west coast.    Nestor has maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour.    The storm to make landfall Saturday morning on the Florida panhandle.

And for now that's the way it really is for Newsdump Friday October 19th, 2019.

NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 10/17/2019  BREXIT DEAL STEAMROLLER, 'CHEMICAL BURNS' ALLEGED IN TURKISH ATTACK IN SYRIA, CEASE-FIRE DEAL REACHED WITH TURKEY

(SERVICE IS LIMITED AND WILL BE COMPLETED LATE THURSDAY AFTER MIDNIGHT NO LATER THAN 1230 AM)

BREAKING NEWS:

The quick steamroller process is underway with the announcement of what Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls a:

"great new deal"

on Brexit with the European Union earlier today.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is reacting on his Twitter account saying the 'new deal' is not Brexit.   Farage is advocating a General Election and an extension of the deadline for Brexit of October 31st......NIGEL FARAGE TWITTER

In a video posted on Twitter Farage says that if Parliament approves the deal and he suspects it won't, it would be:

"Brexit In Name Only"

Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn pushing for a confirmatory referendum on the "deal".   Corbyn calling the deal a "sell out".

Leader of the pro-EU anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson calls it a "dressed-up Theresa May deal".

 As was the case with the previous Prime Minister Theresa May and a previous "deal" with the EU Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, is again clearly rejecting the deal which tends to lock in a closer connection to Ireland instead of the United Kingdom.

There was quick approval of the "new deal" today at the EU leaders meeting.

The BBC's political blog is following the story.....LINK

FROM THE POLITICAL DRAMA IN WASHINGTON US AMBASSADOR TO THE EUROPEAN UNION GORDON SONDLAND TELLING THE HOUSE 'IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY' TODAY THERE WAS NO QUID PRO QUO IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DEALINGS WITH UKRAINE LINKING AID TO INVESTIGATION OF BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS DEALINGS.

THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS GOING AFTER CHIEF OF STAFF MICK MULVANEY FOR COMMENTS HE MADE DURING A BRIEFING OF REPORTERS TODAY.

THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA SAYING MULVANEY LINKED US AID TO UKRAINE TO AN INVESTIGATION BY UKRAINE OF THE ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIAN COLLUSION INVESTIGATION INVOLVING PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS 2016 CAMPAIGN.

MULVANEY CLARIFYING HIS REMARKS TO MAKE IT CLEAR HE WAS STATING THAT THERE WAS NO QUID PRO QUO FOR US AID TO UKRAINE INVOLVING UKRAINE INVESTIGATING UKRAINIAN ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIAN COLLUSION ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS CAMPAIGN.

US ENERGY SECRETARY RICK PERRY WILL RESIGN.  THE FORMER TEXAS GOVERNOR URGED  PRESIDENT TRUMP TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY.     THAT LED TO THE PHONE CALL THAT BECAME A BASIS FOR THE 'IMPEACHEMENT INQUIRY' INVOLVING THE PRESIDENT.

"Let's work out a good deal"

was what President Trump wrote in a letter to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging him not to launch military action in northeastern Syria.   

The letter dated last Thursday did not sway Erdogan who is reported to have thrown it in the trash can.

BUT THERE WAS A DEAL TODAY AFTER TALKS INVOLVING VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO AND TURKISH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN.

THE DEAL IS A FIVE DAY CEASE FIRE TO ENABLE A PEACEFUL WITHDRAWAL OF KURDISH FORCES FROM THE 'SAFE ZONE' DECLARED BY TURKEY IN NORTHEASTERN SYRIA.  SOME AREAS OF THE 'SAFE ZONE' ARE ALREADY OCCUPIED BY SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND IN SOME CASES RUSSIAN MILITARY POLICE.

THE KURDISH 'SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES' SAYING THEY WILL ACCEPT THE CEASE-FIRE BUT ONLY MENTIONING AREAS WHERE THERE'S HEAVY FIGHTING.

TURKEY VIEWING THE FIVE DAY PERIOD AS A CESSATION OF THE MILITARY OPERATION INSTEAD OF A CEASE-FIRE.

The Syrian government news agency reporting  "several cases of chemical burns" caused by Turkish shelling from "unknown chemical substances".  This story published today by SANA News Agency.....LINK

Iran's "Press TV" reporting this as Breaking News.....LINK

This was published on a Kurdish website today, a story headlined:  "Turkish use of chemical weapons protested in Germany"......LINK

And the Syrian Democratic Forces communications chief tweeted today that SDF suspects use of "non-conventional weapons" in the city of Ras al-Ayn in Syria.

The Turks reported to be using intense air strikes to propel their advance in the Ras al-Ayn area.

Democrat Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland is dead at the age of 68.

Cummings had several health problems including heart related issues in recent years.

A brutal hammer attack on a democracy activist in Hong Kong today.    Jimmy Sham approached by five men who beat him bloody leaving him lying in the street.

Sham was taken to a hospital and was conscious.    He said later that he remained committed to "peaceful non-violence".

Meanwhile at the territory's legislature opposition lawmakers dragged from the chamber by security guards today as they heckled the Beijing appointed leader of the territory, Carrie Lam.

Quim Torra, the President of Catalonia, says the violent acts committed during demonstrations this week are the result of "infiltrators" getting involved.

Catalan leaders have urged peaceful and non-violent protests in the wake of the Spanish Supreme Court's Monday sentencing of nine Catalan leaders involved in the 2017 independence referendum to a combined 100 years in prison.

Speaking in the Catalan parliament today President Torra called for a new referendum on independence from Spain.

Police reinforcements en route to Catalonia with Spain's Interior Minister saying they will improve the security situation and provide rest to police already involved in opposing the massive demonstrations across the region.

Friday is a day designated for a general strike in the region with a massive protest rally in the capital Barcelona.

Clashes between police and demonstrators on the streets of the city Thursday night.   Here is video mainly of fires set by protesters......LINK   This is a shorter video of clashes....LINK

Live Video from "Ruptly" of today's protest in Barcelona......LINK

The House voted 354 to 60  Wednesday to oppose the withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria and the Turkish military operation there.

The vote a move by the Democrat controlled House to embarrass President Trump.    Many Republicans joined the Democrats in support of the resolution but who didn't was Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Massie tweeted:

"Congress never voted to send troops to Syria, but in five minutes we will be voting on a resolution that disapproves of Trump removing them.   We should never have gone to Syria.    We should leave Syria.    I'm voting no on this resolution"-LINK

Also in support of President Trump decision Republican US Senate candidate for 2020 Judge Roy Moore.

Moore tweeted:

"Under Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution the President, as Commander in Chief, has every right and authority to order the withdrawal of troops from Syria"-LINK

The White House announced Thursday to the consternation of the mainstream media that the G 7 summit next June will be held at the National Doral Miami.     Its a property owned by President Donald Trump.   Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney facing the media for the announcement.

Former President Barack Obama endorsing Canada's current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for re-election.

Canadians going to the polls Monday.

Trudeau was dogged by a blackface controversy with pictures and video surfacing of him during the election campaign.

Activist Ezra Levant of "Rebel Media" in Canada posted this on his Twitter feed....LINK

The four polls published on Tuesday showed a close contest that will likely not leave either Trudeau's Liberals or the Conservatives of opposition leader Andrew Scheer with a majority in the House of Commons.

"Enough"

seemed to be the message conveyed by commuters today when a subway train in London was targeted by "Extinction Rebellion" climate change protesters who put themselves on the roof of the train.

The commuters climbed up and pulled down the protesters.

The BBC published this video of the incident.......LINK

And for now that's the way it really is Thursday October 17th, 2019