News of the World

[kyonides]

Just in case you thought that everything was OK or that Russian drills in Nicaragua were no serious issue, then you gotta read the following article published about 2 weeks ago.

Iranian Warships Finally Dock in Rio de Janeiro
After U.S. Issues Sanction Threat

A pair of Iranian warships pulled into Rio de Janeiro on Sunday after a month of waiting in the southern Atlantic Ocean, USNI News has learned.

According to photos from ship spotters, the Iranian surface group passed the Fortress of Santa Cruz on Sunday. Photos from Reuters show Dena docked at the Wharf of Gamboa general cargo terminal on Tuesday.

The government of newly-elected Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave permission for IRIS Makran and IRIS Dena to dock in the country shortly after returning from a state visit to Washington, D.C.

Brazil had initially given permission for the two ships, which deployed from Iran last year, to make a port visit in January, but that was delayed after U.S. pressure. Brazil and Iran have had an ongoing trade relationship.

On Feb. 3, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted Makran and Dena as Iranian property for sanctions related to a wider effort to punish the Iranian lethal drone industry.
...
“Given that the Makran and another vessel were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury earlier in February, their docking in Brazil, particularly after President Lula da Silva’s U.S. visit, will paint Washington as falling flat in its face when it comes to using sanctions to deter precisely this sort of activity,” he said.
...
Iranian officials said in January that they plan to send the ships through the Panama Canal later this year.

Congress Notified of Potential $895M Tomahawk Sale to Australia

The deal is for as many as 20 Block IV Tomahawks and 200 Block V Tomahawks for $895 million.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific,” DSCA said in a news release. “The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.”

DSCA informed lawmakers about the potential Foreign Military Sale on Thursday.

Australia first said it would buy Tomahawk missiles during the September 2021 unveiling of the trilateral security and technology sharing agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, – known as AUKUS. The missiles, built by Raytheon, will get fielded on the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers.

Makin Island, America ARGs Wrap Up Exercises with Thai, Japanese Forces

The Makin Island and America amphibious ready groups wrapped up their participation in exercises in Thailand and Japan this week.

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – which includes amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8), amphibious transport docks USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) and USS Anchorage (LPD-23), and the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) – participated in multinational exercise Cobra Gold 23, which began Feb. 23 in Thailand and ended on Friday. Although 20 countries took part in the exercise, the bulk of the approximately 7,400 personnel came from host nation Thailand, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States.

In addition to the ARG and the embarked MEU, the U.S. Navy also dispatched a P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from the “Red Landers” of Patrol Squadron (VP), currently operating from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, for the exercise with Combat Aircrew (CAC) 3 and a maintenance support team deployed to U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy (RTN) Airfield, according to a service release.

The P-8 was assigned to provide support to the 13th MEU as part of an amphibious assault exercise, during which the P-8A used its MX-20 EO/IR system to collect aerial imagery of the coalition forces.

First Republic Gets $30 Billion Rescue From Top US Banks

First Republic Bank will receive $30 billion from some of the top U.S. banks in a bid to stabilize the troubled firm, the banks confirmed in a March 16 joint statement.

Eleven of the largest U.S. financial institutions will provide an infusion to the bank following a volatile week that saw the lender’s shares plunge following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) last week, the institutions stated, confirming anonymously sourced reports that there were discussions to shore up First Republic.

“The actions of America’s largest banks reflect their confidence in the country’s banking system. Together, we are deploying our financial strength and liquidity into the larger system, where it is needed the most,” the banks said in the March 16 statement. “Smaller- and medium-sized banks support their local customers and businesses, create millions of jobs and help uplift communities. America’s larger banks stand united with all banks to support our economy and all of those around us.”

The banks that will provide deposits include Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BNY-Mellon, PNC Bank, State Street, Truist, and U.S. Bank. Those deposits will be uninsured, the statement said.

Yellen Confirms Chinese, Other Foreign SVB Depositors Will Be Protected

The rescue package will be partly funded through special assessments levied on U.S. banks to recoup these losses and make customers whole.

Since the collapse of the Santa Clara-based financial institution, it has been reported that the bank had many Chinese funds and startups, including companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“Will my banks in Oklahoma pay a special assessment to be able to make Chinese investors whole from Silicon Valley Bank?” asked Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday.

Yellen noted that uninsured depositors would be made whole at SVB, adding, “I suppose that could include foreign depositors.”

“I don’t believe there’s any legal basis to discriminate among uninsured,” she said.

Other Republicans have expressed concern about handing payouts to Chinese investors and companies.

Yes guys, you read it. They're gonna give the money back to  CCP controlled companies as well.