Japan and US aim for chip supply chain deal in April summit
The U.S. and Japanese governments will cooperate to secure a supply chain for strategic technology components such as semiconductors, Nikkei has learned.
The two sides will set up a working group to determine how to divide tasks between them, such as research and development and production. They hope to agree on the project when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden meet on April 16 in Washington. The two leaders are expected to confirm the importance of creating a decentralized supply network. They will aim to establish a system in which production does not rely on specific regions such as Taiwan, where geopolitical risks are high, and China, where conflicts with the U.S. are deepening. The working group will be attended by Japan's National Security Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, along with counterparts from the U.S. National Security Council and the Department of Commerce. The two sides are considering assigning undersecretary-level personnel to the top posts. First, the working group will identify the risks posed by the current supply networks in both countries. Both Japan and the U.S. are grappling with a global shortage of semiconductors. The Biden administration has decided to ask Congress to provide a $50 billion subsidy to boost U.S. production of semiconductors.
Japan has strengths in the fields of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and materials. The two sides will consider cooperation in areas such as establishing a joint research base in Japan to develop new technology. Major chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has decided to set up a state-of-the-art semiconductor plant in Arizona, and has also announced a plan to establish a development base in Tsukuba, in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture. The U.S. side may also seek cooperation from Japan in terms of export restrictions to China. The U.S. tightened export restrictions on Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei during the administration of former president Donald Trump. Unlike the U.S., Japan currently does not impose restrictions on exports to China.
The semiconductor shortage became apparent in the latter part of 2020, after carmakers had trimmed their semiconductor orders in anticipation of a decrease in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, the recovery in the auto market was stronger than expected, but semiconductor manufacturers were already responding to strong demand for laptops and smartphones due to remote working. Power outages caused by the cold weather in the U.S. and a fire at Renesas Electronics' main factory, in northeast Japan, added to the woes. Japan and the U.S. are wary of the concentration of production bases in China.
According to the Boston Consulting Group, the share of semiconductor production in the U.S. fell from 37% in 1990 to 12% in 2020. The market share of China, which invests huge amounts of subsidies in the sector, is projected to increase from 15% in 2020 to 24% in 2030, making it the largest in the world.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tech/Semiconductors/Japan-and-US-aim-for-chip-supply-chain-deal-in-April-summit
This visit was originally scheduled to start yesterday…when first announced weeks ago..then pushed to April 9th and now-according to this article-starts April 16th.
U.S, Iran to go to Vienna for indirect nuclear deal talks
Officials from Tehran and Washington will travel to Vienna next week as part of efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers, though they will not hold direct talks, diplomats said on Friday. Even without face-to-face talks, which Tehran has ruled out, the presence of both of Iran and the United States in the Austrian capital would mark a step forward in efforts to bring both sides back into compliance with the accord.
“Iran and the U.S. will be in the same town, but not the same room,” a European diplomatic source said. A Western diplomat said a shuttle diplomacy approach would be adopted.
Iran, China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain - all parties to the 2015 deal - discussed on Friday the possible return to it of the United States, and how to ensure full and effective implementation by all sides.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed U.S. sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to violate some of the pact’s nuclear restrictions in retaliation.
The EU, which is coordinating efforts to revive the deal, said next week’s participants in Vienna would seek to “clearly identify sanctions-lifting and nuclear implementation measures,” including through convening meetings of relevant expert groups. After Friday’s meeting, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, a senior negotiator in the talks, said the United States would not be present at any session attended by Iran in Vienna and affirmed Iran’s stance on what needed to be done. “Iran will suspend its steps (scaling back compliance with the deal’s terms) as soon as (U.S.) sanctions are lifted and this is verified,” Araqchi said, according to Fars.
The Biden administration has been seeking to engage Iran in talks about both sides resuming compliance. Under the accord, U.S. and other economic sanctions on Tehran were removed in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme to make it harder to develop a nuclear weapon - an ambition Tehran denies.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it was good that talks were resuming, but time was of the essence. “An agreement that is once again fully respected would be a plus for security for the entire region and the best basis for talks on other important issues of regional stability,” he said in a statement.
Russia’s ambassador to the U.N. atomic watchdog said Friday’s talks had given him the impression they were on the right track but the way ahead would not be easy.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-vienna/iran-world-powers-to-hold-nuclear-talks-in-vienna-on-tuesday-idUSKBN2BP0QY?il=0
>>74730 pb
RCH582T USAF C-17 Globemaster departed Aberdeen Proving Grounds after a ground stop-inbound from Dyess AFB earlier
Second Globey with the T call sign to depart Aberdeen in last 24 hours-the other one landed at Luke AFB last night-see 74730
Think Joe bailed from DC and went to Camp David already-schedule says no activity other than receiving Daily Brief and then a Press Pool -both already habbened
59-1468 USAF KC-135 tanker setting up as if Joe went to Camp David and already there
SAM113 USAF C-32A departed JBA nw
This AC is/was used as secondary AF2 and by the State Dept.
I have yet to eben see 98-0001 which was historically primary AF2
59-1468 USAF KC-135 tanker still in the "Joe is at Camp David" position
#336
notabruhs, not endorsements
>>74825 Japan and US aim for chip supply chain deal in April summit-nikkei
>>74826 U.S, Iran to go to Vienna for indirect nuclear deal talks-reuters
>>74831, >>74835, >>74836, >>74838, >>74840, >>74841, >>74847 pf report(s)
>>74836, >>74842 did Joe leave DC already?…pf thinks so
>>74837 Milley and Russian military chief hold 'private' talk amid rising tension over Ukraine-justthenews.com
>>74839 Buttigieg sets aside $230m for US port developments-splash247.com
>>74843 Pete Buttigieg Has Gas-Guzzling Suburban Drop Him Off a Couple Blocks from Work So He Can Ride His Bike in for the Cameras (VIDEO)-gatewaypundit/soc media
>>74845 Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Blasts American Airlines: ‘Texans Are Fed Up with Corporations that Don’t Share Our Values’-breitbart
>>74846 Florida's Gov. DeSantis issues Executive Order banning vaccine passports-disclose.tv
#336
wut I have
need to get out…
Next!
Some pf housekeeping
RCH582T C-17 Globemaster on ground at Luke AFB, AZ
SAM044 USAF KAF AC of interdast on final at Tinker AFB, OKC
SAM113 USAF C-32A on final at Fairchild AFB after a few go arounds prior to touching down.
SWATH59 USAF KC-135 tanker took over for 59-1468 who is already back at Pittsburgh Int'l
Citi Hires FinCEN’s Blanco as Financial Crimes Compliance Chief
Citigroup Inc. hired Ken Blanco, the director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, as its chief compliance officer of its newly created financial crimes unit. Blanco worked on combating financial crimes and enforcing regulations on money laundering and terrorism financing at FinCEN, a bureau in the Department of Treasury. Before that, he spent 29 years in the U.S. Department of Justice, including serving as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and overseeing the investigation of white-collar fraud.
so in other words business as usual
Blanco will start at Citi in the second quarter, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. He will step down from FinCEN on April 9. Satisfying regulators and reshaping global operations are among the top challenges faced by Jane Fraser, who became Citi’s chief executive officer in March. Last year, the bank was fined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for what the agency called an ongoing “failure to establish effective risk management and data governance programs and internal controls.” The bank announced last year that it would create a new Financial Crimes Unit, integrating the anti-money laundering, sanctions and anti-bribery teams.
Blanco’s appointment follows a list of recent hires from U.S. regulators by Wall Street. On Thursday, Citadel Securities announced it hired Heath Tarbert, the former chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as its chief legal officer.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/citi-hires-fincen-s-blanco-as-financial-crimes-compliance-chief-1.1585727
Occidental Petroleum sold by Carl Icahn: $217m-Mar 31, Apr 1
Has a big chunk still left: 80,627,271 shares after this transaction
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is one of the world's largest oil groups in the United States. Net sales (including intra-group) break down by activity as follows:
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exploration and production of hydrocarbon (62%): 580,000 barrels of crude oil, 174,000 barrels of natural gaz liquids and 41.1 million m3 of natural gas produced per day in 2019;
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transportation, storage and distribution of hydrocarbons (19.1%);
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fabrication of chemicals (18.9%): basic chemicals (chlorine, caustic soda, ethylene, etc.) and performance chemicals (primarily PVC, pigments, and plastics).
Net sales (including intra-group) are distributed geographically as follows: the United States (76.9%), Middle East (18.5%), Latin America (4.3%) and other (0.3%). Number of employees : 11 800 people.
https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/OCCIDENTAL-PETROLEUM-CORP-13928/company/
from July 22, 2019
Warren Buffett took Occidental CEO ‘to the cleaners,’ says Carl Icahn
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/warren-buffett-took-occidental-ceo-to-the-cleaners-says-carl-icahn-2019-07-22
https://finviz.com/insidertrading.ashx?oc=921669&tc=7&b=2
Nikola Corp sold by founder/former chair: $48.61m-Mar 31
This is collateral for a L.O.C. methinks
The reported disposition was made in exchange for non-cash consideration in the form of a credit to the reporting person's account with the purchaser for goods and services provided by the purchaser in the amount of $48,615,000.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1731289/000114036121011469/xslF345X03/form4.xml
from Sept 2020
Nikola rebuts fraud claims but acknowledges that its truck wasn’t driving itself
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/14/nikola-details-false-and-misleading-information-of-short-sellers-fraud-claims.html
Nikola Corporation, formerly VectoIQ Acquisition Corp., specializes in battery-electric and hydrogen trucks and powersports vehicles. The Company provides zero-emissions transportation and infrastructure solutions. Its product lineup includes battery-electric and hydrogen-electric class 8 commercial trucks, off-highway vehicles and watercraft. The Company's products include Nikola One, Nikola Two, Nikola Tre and Nikola Badger. Its powersports include Nikola NZT, Nikola Reckless and Nikola water adventure vehicle (WAV).
Number of employees : 450 people.
https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/NIKOLA-CORPORATION-44211889/company/
Trevor Milton founded Nikola Motor in 2014 to build semi trucks powered by batteries and hydrogen. Milton resigned as chairman of Nikola in September 2020 following allegations from a short seller that Milton misrepresented the company's technology. In response to the allegations, Milton tweeted, "I intend to defend myself against false allegations leveled against me by outside detractors." The Phoenix, Arizona-based company raised $600 million from investors. In June 2020 it merged with listed firm VectoIQ, now called Nikola Corp. Anheuser Busch ordered 800 trucks, which Nikola aims to deliver in 2021; in Sept. 2020, General Motors agreed to take an 11% stake in Nikola.
https://www.forbes.com/profile/trevor-milton/?sh=27533f8f8861
https://finviz.com/insidertrading.ashx?oc=1808962&tc=7&b=2
imma just laughing at the response leaf got in the first place