Beltway Insider: Biden on Banking Failure Ripple Effect, Russia-Ukraine War, Trump’s Imminent Arrest, Oscars, Lance Reddick

President Biden addressed the worst banking failure since the 2008 financial collapse stating that his administration had taken decisive action to stabilize the industry calling on congress to enact tougher penalties for senior banking executives.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending March 19, 2023 increased by 0.4% to 43.8% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 0.2% to 51.5% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


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Silicon Bank Failure Reverberates

To halt what had all the earmarks of a bank failure domino effect after the closure of the Silicon Valley Bank, on March 10, and the Signature Bank in New York, on March 12, investors globally were becoming increasingly concerned over the possibility of a banking crisis rivaling the 2008 historic bank failure, which triggered the 2009 "great recession."

The ripple effect through the financial industry has reached other insecure institutions and industry giants have moved to thwart the potential collapse of the Credit Suisse with the announcement that the weakened institution, has been bought by UBS in a $2bn deal.

"An end to Credit Suisse's nearly 167-year run would mark one of the most significant moments in the banking world since the 2008 financial crisis. It also would represent a new global dimension of damage from a banking storm started with the sudden collapse earlier this month of Silicon Valley Bank," The Wall Street Journal reported.

The rumors of financial insolvency in any institutions ability to meet its fiduciary responsibilities creates a "run" which means that investors, either individual or corporate attempt to withdraw their funds, either in person or online, because they have lost confidence in the bank and the greater the amount of withdrawal the less likely the bank can accommodate the request and will default.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, once week after the second largest banking collapse in U.S. history, has testified to the Senate Finance Committee that the banking industry is sound.

International Criminal Court Issues Putin Arrest Warrant

The International Criminal court (ICC) at The Hauge, has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing the beleaguered and globally ostracized leader of war crimes, in the deportation of hundreds of Ukraine children.

"The tribunal has no police force of its own and relies on member states to make arrests. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia found the very questions raised by the ICC "outrageous and unacceptable," Rueters.com reported.

Putin Mocks ICC

Russian President Vladimir Putin defiantly traveled to Russian occupied Mariupol and visited the annexed Crimea peninsula one day after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest.

As the ICC is recognized in 123 nations, Putin's travel plans, which have been curtailed since the beginning of the Ukraine assault more than one year ago, is now even more limited. Even as it is doubtful Putin would travel outside Moscow or occupied territory, European nations have stated emphatically if the indicted world leader enters their nations he will be arrested and detained.

European nations have begun to issue warnings to the dictatorial leader using the media to distribute the declarative position statement. "German authorities will arrest Putin if he sets foot in their country, in accordance with the ICC warrant, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann told the Bild newspaper," The Washington Post reported.

As Putin entered the city of Mariupol, the staged images fail to show the siege which lasted for more than 20 days, and was captured on film, in the documentary "20 Days at Mariupol" told from the perspective of Ukrainian-born director and AP video journalist Mstyslav Chernov, who presents the devastation as it happens: the intentional indiscriminate bombings, the intentional shelling of maternity wards, of children playing soccer, of civilians and their homes, apartment buildings.

Putin has largely ignored the ICC indictment, as his cabinet has insisted no war crimes were committed during the 13 months the Russian forces have advanced against the Ukraine in blitzkrieg style, targeting civilians, pregnant women and newborns, raping women, torturing and murdering entire villages, and violating the Geneva Convention charter on warfare.

Simply "Civilians in areas of armed conflict and occupied territories are protected by the 159 articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Civilians are to be protected from murder, torture, or brutality, and from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion or political opinion," a summary statement issued by The American Red Cross explains.


World News: Russia and Ukraine Collides with Destiny


Recent ICC Prosecution

The ICC also prosecuted former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes during the 1990s Balkans War where the dictatorial leader died of a heart attack before the court could render a verdict, leaving the millions of citizens who suffered under his rule without any further recourse. A posthumous verdict would still allow the people of The Balkans the opportunity to seek redress.

Ukraine-Russian War Drags On

For nearly 13 months, Russian Federation Forces have advanced on the Ukraine, as Putin has continued to violate territorial sovereignty of the Ukraine nation-state, to reestablish the territorial strength of held by the former superpower before the 1989 coup which resulted in several breakaway nations declaring independence, of which the Ukraine was one.

As Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has risen in global stature over the past year, his nation continues to absorb bombardments, assaults, and devastations as it fights for its freedom. With an expected counter-offensive coming in the spring, Zelenskyy is petitioning NATO, the UN, and all nations to assist in building an more effective military against Putin's war machine.

According to the Council on Foreign Affairs, 42 nations have provided aid to Ukraine, and the United States has supplied $76.8bn in total aid to the Ukraine, with more than $42bn in military aid alone, additional aid includes medical and humanitarian aid.

Poland became the first NATO nation to announce it would be suppling MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine and was quickly followed by NATO ally Slovakia, who also agreed to send MiG fighter jets to aid Ukraine's effort to combat Putin and the aggression of Russian forces.

"Poland and Slovakia's back-to-back decisions will likely apply pressure on other Western nations to provide military aircraft amid pleas from Ukraine ahead of a likely counter-offensive this Spring," Time Magazine reported.

China's Xi-Jinping Meets with Putin

China's President Xi-Jinping is meeting with Russia President Putin this week in what will be billed as encouragement in the "limitless" friendship the two reportedly share. The actual meeting appears to more solution oriented as Xi-Jinping would be unlikely to enter the peace talks fray unless the economy of his nation was suffering, or at least feeling the effects of Russia's continued effort to expand its border to its once former glory.

As the world's nation states continue to tighten the limits around Putin his resources are scares and needs China. China, however, needs the United States and the import/export trade which benefits both nations and will not risk economic stability of his nation over a photo op and a fruitless friendship.


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Trump's Imminent Arrest

Former President Donald J. Trump has indicated, through several media sources, he expects to be indicted and arrested over the payment of hush money to former porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign, and has called for the public protests, as he continues to incite division.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has reportedly been investigating the former president for several years and according to media reports has spoken with officials regarding logistics for the upcoming week as court sources expect an indictment soon.

Vaccine Totals

As of March 19, 2023, in the United States, 673,012,265 have been administered with a 14-day increase weekly increase of 936,160 doses. More than 90% of the population have received the two-dose vaccine. (Data from the CDC). As of March 19, 2023, 13,232,904,667 vaccines doses have been administered worldwide (Data from WHO).

Coronavirus Totals

Mandates have been altered or lifted in most urban areas with limited exceptions, and the population is encouraged to maintain personal protective practices. Masks are optional and tolerated. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the week ending March 19, 2023, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide reached 760,360,956 people, with a 14-day increase of 1,970,392 with a total worldwide death toll of 6,873,477 deaths. (Data from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the 14-day period ending March 19, 2023, the total confirmed cases rose to 103,801,821 people with new confirmed cases increasing by 230,974 with a 14-day average of 21,602 cases per day. The coronavirus has claimed 1,121,512 total deaths, adding 3.656 more deaths over the 14-day period. (Data from the CDC).

Pentagon's Diary Gets Personal

Protecting for gain of function knowledge only aides those who initiated the constitutional violations. It does nothing to combat the homegrown terrorism or the narcissistic above the law belief. The best obtainable version of the truth.


Glam, Glitz and Glitter It's The 95th Academy Awards (Updating Live)


Hollywood's Biggest Night Celebrates Global Unity

The Academy Awards, Hollywood's biggest celebration went off with a hitch this year, as the shadow of the 2022 Oscars seemed to be as present as if the instant reply of the infamous stage slap was on every monitor in every room, everywhere. Fortunately, the ceremony returned to a night of celebration and decorum.

Even as the alt-universe mash-up "Everything, Everywhere All at Once" ruled the evening winning seven Academy Awards, the night belonged to the world, a global community of first time nominees and talent, as 17 of the golden statuettes awarded were to filmmakers and talent from around the world, representing nine countries outside the United States, including Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Germany, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and Canada.

Canadian film director Daniel Roher Speak on Alexi Navalny's Condition

"Navalny," the documentary which detailed the attempted murder of Russian President Vladmir Putin's strongest critic, Alexi Navalny, also won an Oscar. When Canadian film director Daniel Roher, who spearheaded the film arrived in the Academy Awards winner's room, I had the opportunity to speak with him regarding Alexi Navalny's current condition. Below is a transcript of my question.

Q. Hi, I am Janet Walker from Haute‑Lifestyle.com.  What is his [Alexi Navalny's] condition right now?  And do you expect him to be released?

A. (Daniel Roher) Maria, do you want to speak to Alexei's current condition?

A. (Maria Pevchikh) Yeah, sure.  For the last five months, he has been in solitary confinement.  We're talking about a cell which is 6 by 11 feet large.  And there's barely anything.  There's a tiny, little window, one chair, one little table, and a bed that is being chained up to the wall every day at 5:00 a.m. and chained down at 9:00 p.m. so he cannot use it during the day.  He is unwell in terms of health, and I don't like to deliver this with this news but that's true.  Due to the fact that he's in solitary confinement, he's under strict regime.  He's not allowed to have such basic things as, I don't know, like, books or calls to his family, and he hasn't seen his family members for almost a year, which is completely illegal.  So I classify his prison conditions as torture.  There isn't another word.


World News: China Shifts to Find Geopolitical Favor


Actor Lance Riddick Dies Unexpectedly

Lance Riddick, an actor from television and film, unexpectedly died this week. He was 60.

Riddick, who will be seen in the upcoming "John Wick: Chapter 4" release, had worked steadily throughout his nearly thirty year career. Born in Baltimore, Maryland the son of educators, Riddick's first choice was music and studied classical music composition at the prestigious University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, it was there that he realized his talent for acting and enrolled in the Yale School of Drama and was accepted.

He began working in the late 1990s with bit parts and after he was cast as Lieutenant Cedric Daniels in the television series "The Wire," his career solidified, and he worked steadily. Perfecting the image of the character, Riddick had a presence that exuded more than words and could capture a tone with clarity.

"Mia Hansen, the actor's publicist, said Reddick "passed away suddenly" and that it was from "natural causes." She did not provide further details. "Lance will be greatly missed. Please respect his family's privacy at this time," Hansen said in a statement," NBC.com reported.

Riddick is survived by his wife Stephanie, and two children. No further information is available currently.

For more information on President Joe Biden www.whitehouse.gov.

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