Morning Report: 2023-03-16

MIDDLE EAST:  CHINA, IRAN, RUSSIA HOLD DRILLS IN GULF OF OMAN.

Arutz Sheva:  Naval forces from China, Iran and Russia — countries at odds with the United States — are staging joint drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, China’s Defense Ministry announced.  The exercises are scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday.

IRAN:  OFFICIALS CALL FOR CONSERVATIVE REFORMS.

ISW:  Hardline Islamic Coalition Party Secretary General Asadollah Badamchian called for constitutional reform within the bounds of the Islamic Republic during an interview with reformist news outlet Entekhab on March 15.

BANKING:  CANADA'S REGULATOR TAKES CONTROL OF TORONTO SVB.

Epoch Times:  Canada’s banking regulator has taken permanent control of the assets held by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)’s branch in Toronto, with the assets being transferred to a new “bridge bank” created by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

ARCTIC:  RUSSIA'S NORTHERN FLEET BEGINS COMMAND AND STAFF EXERCISE.

Barents Observer:  From its headquarters in Severomorsk north of Murmansk, the Northern Fleet informs that about 20 warships and support vessels are involved in the ongoing command and staff exercise. Five aircraft and 50 other military special equipment units take part in the training that according to the press service will last for several days.  Meanwhile, Norway’s Joint Viking exercise enters its second week.

 

Afternoon roundup.

 SCIENCE: PSYCHOLOGY VOLUNTEERS ARE A SELF-SELECTED POPULATION.
https://www.sciencealert.com/psych-studies-attract-a-certain-kind-of-volunteer-which-could-be-skewing-results
Has this revelation only just now dawned upon the scientific community? Izabela Kaźmierczak and colleagues, authors of a Warsaw-based study write: "In our studies, we have shown that those who have more personality pathologies are more drawn to studies where they can express their trauma and may be simply more likely to volunteer for studies."

UGANDA: BUTEBO LEADERS BLAME HEALTH MINISTRY FOR MALARIA DEATHS.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202303150665.html
Butebo District Woman MP Agnes Amede stated that many people go from one health center to another because "The government last stocked medicine in November 2022."

ISRAEL: NETANYAHU HEADS TO BERLIN, IRAN ON THE AGENDA.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/368778
Netanyahu is to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and is expected to push for stronger EU sanctions against Iran. It was recently disclosed that Iran has enriched uranium to 84% purity, not far from the 90% which constitutes weapons-grade uranium.

PORTLAND: TRI-MET MAX TRAINS OFTEN DELAYED BY DRUG USE.
https://thepostmillennial.com/portlands-trimet-commuter-trains-face-repeated-delays-due-to-passenger-drug-use-on-board-report
Between November 16 and 30, 29 of 30 "passenger issue" incidents involved a passenger smoking or suspected of smoking illicit drugs. Each incident requires the passengers to exit the train for 15 minutes while the car airs out.

ANTI-SEMITISM: NEW JERSEY MAN ARRESTED AFTER THREATENING FLORIDA SHERIFF.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/368773/
Richard Golden, 38, was arrested at his condo in South Brunswick, New Jersey, following threats posted online directed at Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Chitwood had denounced an anti-Semitic group active in the Daytona area.