tyb
Myanmar coup latest: Sanctions hit biggest targets yet – MEHL and MEC
Thursday, March 25
9:00 p.m. Western sanctions have hit arguably their biggest target in Myanmar so far: two sprawling conglomerates controlled by the country's military.
In a coordinated move with the U.K., the U.S. blacklisted Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC), freezing their assets and blocking Americans from doing business with them. "In response to the military's refusal to disavow the coup and continuing violence against peaceful protestors, today the United States is taking its most significant action to date to impose costs on the military regime," Secretary of State Antony Blinken says in a statement. U.K. Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said: "Today's sanctions target the military's financial interests to help drain the sources of finance for their campaigns of repression against civilians. Any move against these military-controlled groups have implications for foreign investors. Last month, Japanese brewer Kirin Holdings said it was seeking a "swift end" to its business alliance with MEHL, the co-owner of beer joint ventures in the country, in the wake of the coup. According to a U.S. Treasury Department statement, "MEHL's shareholder data show that profits are systematically distributed to Burma's military, including to those responsible for widespread human rights abuses." MEC is led by Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government, the Treasury Department says.
6:30 p.m. A United Nations human rights investigator calls for an emergency summit on Myanmar, saying that the diplomatic response to last month's military coup and the crackdown on dissent was "out of step with the scale of the crisis" "Conditions in Myanmar are deteriorating," Thomas Andrews, special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, says in a statement. "But they will likely get much worse without an immediate, robust, international response in support of those under siege."
6:00 p.m. Foreign ministers from Indonesia and Singapore once again call on Myanmar's military to stop the use of force to prevent further casualties in the country. After a meeting in Jakarta with his counterpart, Singapore's foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan says both countries are "gravely concerned" with the situation in Myanmar, including the loss of human lives and use of lethal arms by the military. "We both believe that national reconciliation needs to occur and can only occur if both sides actually sit down in good faith, negotiate, and find a solution that works for Myanmar in the long term," he says, adding that there "should be no foreign interference" in resolving the situation. Indonesia's foreign minister Retno Marsudi says both countries "urge Myanmar to start dialogue to put democracy, peace and stability back on track," and that they support the initiative to hold a summit among ASEAN leaders "in the near future" to discuss the issue.
1:00 p.m. Thousands of pro-democracy activists took to the streets on Thursday, Reuters reports. Street protests were held in Yangon, the central city of Monywa and several other towns, according to witnesses and social media posts. Police broke up a street demonstration in the city of Mawlamyine and arrested 20 people, the Hinthar Media Corp says. At least two people were injured but there were no other reports immediately of casualties elsewhere.
10:00 a.m. According to Myanmar Now, several staff members of chain stores such as City Mart have been detained for participating in the civil disobedience movement.
9:00 a.m. The Global New Light of Myanmar reports that security forces have arrested 14 youths who were heading for areas controlled by ethnic armed groups. The state-run paper says that the youths were trying to attend an "explosion course."
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Myanmar-Coup/Myanmar-coup-latest-Sanctions-hit-biggest-targets-yet-MEHL-and-MEC
just for you wakes!
kek
looks like nuffin going in out Minot for nao
GORDO14 USAF E-4B Nightwatch departed Lincoln Muni. Airport es
09-0017 USAF C-32A departed JBA wn (likely another cert./maintenance flight-since these get used so much nao…/s)
82-8000 USAF 747 over Newport News
RCH759T USAF C-17 Globemaster on descent for New Haven, CT
Kneepads going to New Haven tomorrow and likely to dredge up Sandy Hook which is just up the road outside of Newton, CT to the nw.
Vice President Kamala Harris coming to New Haven Friday
Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to New Haven Friday on her first visit to the state as vice president, the White House announced Tuesday. Part of the administration’s “Help is Here” campaign, Harris’ visit is expected to focus on how the administration’s coronavirus relief legislation, called the American Rescue Plan, helps children and child care providers, sources said. The visit may also touch on vaccines and other aspects of pandemic recovery supported by the bill. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who represents New Haven, will give a speech along with Harris in the city Friday. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Reps. Jahana Hayes, D-5, and Joe Courtney, D-2, are also expected to attend.
https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Sources-Vice-President-Kamala-Harris-coming-to-16046707.php
Looks like Chief Stolen Valor is gunna show up too….
Well nao this in interdasting
two E-4B's up nao
STORM76 USAF E-4B Nightwatch up from Wright-Patterson AFB heading nw
GORDO14 E-4B takin' a se vector nao and 09-0017 USAF C-32A continues west from JBA depart
>>73012 pb
RCH583T USAF C-17 Globemaster departed Travis AFB after an overnight
Yesterday this AC had a ground stop at Buckley AFB, Denver priort to arrival at Travis AFB-departed Dover AFB
VELCRO4 USAF E-11A BACN GLEX departed Edwards AFB after an extensive stay (and likely upgraded)
RCH758T USAF C-17 Globey on descent for MCB Quantico from Columbus, OH-picked up equipment from Fauxtus visit on tuesday
RCH759T USAF C-17 Globey done at New Haven Int'l dropping off stuff for Kneepads "visit" tomorrow
82-8000 USAF 747 back at JBA from Newport News Int'l go arounds
>>73222,>>73224
Update on 2 Nightwatch AC's GORDO14 and STORM76 along with 09-0017 USAF C-32A
A little pirouette over Leavenworth, KS by 09-0017 C-32A and GORDO14 mirrored 'dat STORM76 E-4B still heading sw from Wright-Patterson AFB
VELCR04 USAF E-11A BACN GLEX continues en from Edwards depart earlier
>>73216, >>73222, >>73224, >>73236
Wut did we just see with those E-4B's and 09-0017 C-32A?
A leetle speculation and additional info on 09-0017
imo we just saw a high-level command and control exercise and going on while Fauxtus began THAT scripted event-that wuz terribruh!!!!!
09-0017 went back to depart of JBA-this AC had a quick flight to Charlottesville on 0322-cert flight and another on 0317 right over Columbus OH…….
0309 cert flight to Newport News and a out and back at JBA on March 1st so this AC has not been very busy the entire month.
This AC is/was due for a little wing stretching due to it's inactivity but habbing those 2 E-4B Nightwatch AC's (especially GORDO14) so close to a high profile AC is berry unusual
GORDO14 went back to Lincoln landed about 30 minutes ago and STORM76 arrived at Dyess AFB a little less than an hour ago
Berkshire Hathaway Floats $8.3 Billion Plan to Fix Texas Grid
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is proposing an $8.3 billion plan to help Texas avoid a repeat of February’s blackouts: Building a lot of new gas plants.
The conglomerate is asking state lawmakers to create a company that would add about 10 gigawatts of natural gas-fired power plants and gas storage for emergency supplies, according to a slide presentation seen by Bloomberg. The grid operator would control the plants and could call on them during periods of tight supply to prevent blackouts like the one that left more than 4 million homes and businesses in the dark for days.
If Berkshire is successful in its lobbying, Texas would be adding a massive amount of new gas-fired capacity at a time when President Joe Biden is trying to shift the country away from carbon-based electricity – and in a state that’s invested heavily in intermittent renewable resources. Under the proposal, customers would pay a fee to cover the costs of the plants in addition to the allowed rate of return approved by state regulators. A spokesman for Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan confirmed that the office had received the slides and had met with Berkshire regarding the plan.
A representative for Berkshire Hathaway Energy didn’t have an immediate comment.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/berkshire-hathaway-floats-8-3-billion-plan-to-fix-texas-grid-1.1582477
SAM956 USAF C-40B returning from NATO meetings in Brussels-arrived on 0322
Sec. of State/Staff back to JBA
US, Europe, NATO close ranks to counter 'aggressive' China
https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/us-europe-nato-close-ranks-to-counter-aggressive-china/article_41f2db56-b385-5054-9dbd-7ed50e2288aa.html
Fed to lift restrictions on bank dividends, share buybacks for 'most firms' after June stress test
The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Thursday it would likely remove income-based restrictions on bank dividends and share buybacks for “most firms” in June after its next round of stress tests.
The central bank said that all large firms that can show they can stay above regulatory minimum capital requirements after undergoing the next stress test will no longer face those restrictions, which were imposed at the onset of the pandemic to help banks build up reserve cushions. Companies that see their levels fall below minimums during the test will have to adhere to the restrictions through Sept. 30. The central bank said large firms that stay above minimum capital requirements after undergoing the next stress test will no longer face payout restrictions, which were imposed at the onset of the pandemic to ensure banks built up reserve cushions. Firms that see their levels fall below minimums during the test will have to adhere to the restrictions through Sept. 30. Previously, the Fed had stipulated that banks could pay out dividends or buy back stock only so long as those levels did not exceed what the banks made in net income the prior year. “The banking system continues to be a source of strength and returning to our normal framework after this year’s stress test will preserve that strength,” said Randal Quarles, the Fed’s top regulatory official.
The announcement is likely to be met with relief by large banks on Wall Street, which had bristled under the restrictions imposed in June 2020 to further bolster capital cushions at banks facing huge economic uncertainty. It also serves as a vote of confidence for banks that they have been able to weather the worst of the pandemic and can return to business as normal. On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who previously chaired the Fed, said she believed banks look healthy enough to pay dividends or repurchase stock.
The Fed also announced that smaller firms, which only face a Fed stress test every two years, will automatically be freed of the payout restrictions on June 30.
https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-fed-banks/update-1-fed-to-lift-restrictions-on-bank-dividends-share-buybacks-for-most-firms-after-june-stress-test-idUSL1N2LN3FW
SAM022 USAF C-23A departed Minot ND after a ground stop back to JBA-this was Kneepads AC on Monday flight to Jax
BOXR340 USAF C-40C back to JBA from McAllen, TX-prior ground stops at Albuquerque and Peterson AFB today
State Dept. had a day-trip to Laredo yesterday too.
SAM000 G5 and VV700 on approach at JBA
Freight Broker Sees ‘Panic Mode’ Starting With Suez Still Blocked
A massive container ship blocking the Suez Canal is driving desperate shippers to consider moving more goods by air. “You’re starting to get some people in panic mode,” said Michael Piza, vice president of corporate business development for Apex Logistics International, which brokers cargo by air, ship and truck. “We’ll really feel the full impact here in the next seven to 10 days.”
Even if the 400-meter (1,300-foot) Ever Given is freed up soon, the traffic jam in the busy maritime route will further strain global supply lines that are stretched as tightly as guitar strings. Caterpillar Inc., the maker of bulldozers and backhoes, is among companies suffering setbacks in delivery times. Before the container-ship accident, Hong Kong-based Apex was expecting to fly 1,600 freighter flights this year, 400 more than in 2020. Now global demand for air freight is poised to spike even more. “Capacity on the air-freight side is hard to come by to begin with,” Piza said. “Whenever you have issues like this, it’s going to create a real bottleneck and drive the freight prices really high again.” It’s impossible for airplanes to soak up all the cargo carried by massive ships. Companies will now do triage on which supplies they need to move by air to keep operations going, Piza said.
The blockage of a major waterway is just the latest twist in a logistics market that has been upended for more than a year by Covid-19.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/freight-broker-sees-panic-mode-starting-with-suez-still-blocked-1.1582585
spent the last 4 years getting prepared to not be affected by shit like this.
and totally agree-no hurry
Looking at our 'frens' at the FRBNY Desk Operation(s)and the usual show up and we will buy the debt issued by Treasury yesterday showed a pretty big time effort by the Primary Dealers -cap #2 to off-load 3 and 5 yr notes-cap#3
They showed up with $24.56B and the operation (FRBNY) only took $8.8b of it.
Can't off-load it fast enough
These were really outsized-upwards of $150B a day or "whatever it takes" towards the end of 2019 and early 2020.
https://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/desk-operations/treasury-securities
It is still paper and numbers on a screen but the outsized amount offered vs. accepted is of note.