PHOTOS: Southern Alberta pounded with near tennis ball-sized hail

Digital Writers

VIDEO
theweathernetwork.com

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/photos-southern-alberta-pounded-with-near-tennis-ball-sized-hail-calgary

Saturday, July 25th 2020, 1:40 pm - Another round of severe thunderstorms marched their way through southern Alberta Friday, dropping hailstones as big as 6 cm.

The story for the summer in Alberta seems to be the barrage of severe thunderstorms. Another chapter was added to the story Friday night, as the southern end of the province was hit with more severe weather including large hail.

Earlier this year, Calgary was hit by a destructive hailstorm, now Canada's fourth costliest natural disaster.

SEE ALSO: $1.2B Calgary hailstorm ranks as Canada's 4th costliest natural disaster

Though not nearly as severe as the June 13 storm, Friday's severe thunderstorms did drop large hail in portions of the province, with Weather Network video journalist Kyle Brittain encountering a wide-range of hailstone sizes while chasing storms. Some were no bigger than marbles and peas, while others were as large as 6 cm, close to tennis ball-sized (6.5 cm).

Needless to say, some of the hail caused structural damage and numerous lawns were covered with a noticeable layer of smaller stones.

GROUNDS COVERED IN HAILSTONES, DAMAGE INCURRED

Large, damaging hail at Indus #abstorm
6cm hail at 645PM pic.twitter.com/yUdjmtWBb8— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) July 25, 2020


Almost tennis ball size#abstorm pic.twitter.com/e5OJJJrJfb— Bruce Hilton (@BruceHilton0551) July 25, 2020


Lots of hail damage in the SE Calgary area of Copperfield. #yyc #abstorm pic.twitter.com/q0VzP07Lrd— Dan Madden (@DanMaddenWX) July 25, 2020


Larger than golf ball hail at Shepard 3 hours later #abstorm pic.twitter.com/LqY8Iz4Vcj— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) July 25, 2020


Still some big ice 3km W of Indus melting in the grass nearly 3 hours after the fact #abstorm pic.twitter.com/tbofqFwp76— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) July 25, 2020


@mckenzietown hail tonight #abstorm pic.twitter.com/31mUVLaLlQ— Quentin Whitford (@QuentinWhitford) July 25, 2020


Hail from Oasis Grove RV park just south of Strathmore from this afternoon’s storm. Hearing of damaged cars, homes, and gardens within SE Calgary. #abstorm #yycstorm pic.twitter.com/ujuMSU00E0— T-Zen (@TTiessen) July 25, 2020


#abstorm that WAS a beautiful pea field until the storm last night. 😥 We are off to check for damage on our fields today. #agriculture #cdnag #westcdnag @KyleTWN @HouckisPokise @weathernetwork

I love a good storm but pink & purple on the radar mean bad things for crops. pic.twitter.com/4n8QOvEWYI— Shanyn Silinski (@MysticShanyn) July 25, 2020


Everything damaged👎#abstorm pic.twitter.com/tIIbyc9u7U— Bruce Hilton (@BruceHilton0551) July 25, 2020
Thumbnail courtesy of Kyle Brittain.

A Conspiracy Theory about Fauci Manufacturing the Coronavirus Will Air on Thousands of Local TV Stations

The latest episode of Sinclair Broadcast Group's America This Week features an interview with discredited virologist Judy Mikovits.

BY ABIGAIL COVINGTON JUL 25, 2020

According to CNN, 294 local news stations, owned by the Trump-endorsing Sinclair Broadcast Group, will air an interview with noted coronavirus conspiracy theorist Judy Mikovits and her lawyer Larry Klayman this weekend. The interview will be included as a segment in “America This Week” hosted by Eric Bolling.

In the segment, which is available online ahead of its weekend airing, Bolling introduces Mikovits as someone who “worked with Dr. Anthony Fauci and is an expert in virology” before asking her what she believes Dr. Fauci has done wrong.

She responded by saying, “I believe Dr. Fauci has manufactured the coronaviruses in monkey cell lines and shipped them from and paid for and shipped the cell lines to Wuhan, China, now for at least since 2014.” Positioned underneath her as she spoke was a graphic stating: “DID DR. FAUCI CREATE CORONAVIRUS?”

“Doctor, that’s a pretty hefty claim,” Bolling said, “You’re claiming that there was a virus that Fauci discovered, the coronavirus -- again, there are many coronaviruses -- but he shipped this specific version to China —”

Related Story

Sinclair Broadcast Group Should Be Broken Up

Mikovits interrupted Bolling to clarify her accusation—he didn’t discover it, he manufactured it—at which point Bolling retreated and encouraged her to explain, saying “tell us.” What followed was a freewheeling explanation in which Miskovitz and her lawyer ping ponged off of each other, dropping unfounded claims as frequently and confidently as a young SoundCloud rapper drops a new mixtape.

Wondering where Ebola came from? According to Mikovitz, it leaked out of a facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Curious why Trump is going so easy on China right now? Klayman thinks it’s because he knows the U.S. is responsible for the coronavirus.

Then, in what Bolling claimed to CNN was an effort to “provide an opposing viewpoint,” the host brought on Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor, to ask her what she thought of Mikovits’s claim. Both Bollier and Saphier agreed it was “highly unlikely” that Fauci created the coronavirus, but neither ruled out the possibility that the virus was created in a lab (it was not) or leaked out of one (it did not).

While it’s comforting to think that coronavirus conspiracy theories only exist in online, fringe communities, that no longer appears to be true. According to new research released by the Pew Center, 71 percent of Americans have heard a variation of the theory that the coronavirus was created in a lab by people in power and “a quarter of U.S. adults see at least some truth in it.”

Considering Sinclair’s extensive reach and positioning within local communities, it’s easy to see how conspiracy theories that once were only available to those who were curious about them have since spread across the public consciousness, infecting everyday people with the kind of dangerous misinformation we've come to expect from the Trump administration.

ABIGAIL COVINGTON is a journalist and cultural critic based in Brooklyn, New York but originally from the mountains of North Carolina, whose work has appeared in Slate, The Nation, Oxford American, and Pitchfork

Turkey made F-35 fighter ‘the first victim’ of Russia’s S-400 missile systems

By TOC On Jul 25, 2020

This post was published in Reporter. The point of view expressed in this article is authorial and do not necessarily reflect BM`s editorial stance.

***

BEIJING, (BM) – The F-35 Lightning II family of American stealth multi-functional fifth-generation fighter-bombers became the “first victim” of the Russian S-400 Triumph air defense systems, writes the Indian edition of the EurAsian Times.

The media notes that the F-35 program to create a single strike platform for the United States and its allies has become the most expensive in history ($ 1.6 trillion). The USA, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway took part in the development of the fighter.

The new “invisible” aircraft, capable of being based both on land and at sea, were to replace a huge number of different aircraft in the United States and NATO countries.

However, after Turkey acquired the S-400 air defense system from Russia, Washington excluded Ankara from this program. According to the Americans, the F-35 and S-400 are incompatible. Moreover, such a neighborhood is dangerous, since the Russians will allegedly be able to find out a large number of secrets of the combat vehicle.

Not only Turkey, which invested $ 1.4 billion in the project, suffered from the decision of the American authorities, but also the American corporation Lockheed Martin, which produces the F-35.

The thing is that the production of a significant amount of parts for the F-35 was stopped in Turkey, and the search for new suppliers is problematic. Over the past few years, delays in the supply of parts have increased fivefold (from less than 2 thousand to more than 10 thousand units).

“The S-400, even without participating in the battle, were able to deliver a serious blow to the F-35. The S-400 not only managed to pull Turkey to Russia, but also delayed the production of American aircraft,” the newspaper said.


The United States and a number of NATO countries tried to pressure the Turks to abandon the S-400, but Ankara did not do this, even despite Washington’s threats to impose sanctions. The Americans call the S-400 the main obstacle because of which relations between the United States and Turkey cannot be the same.

Thanks to the S-400, Russia was able to find new partners, earn money and deal a blow to the reputation and industry of the United States, as well as to split Euro-Atlantic unity, the newspaper concludes


BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team

The TURKEY S-400 scandal damaged the US reputation in the global arms market

By TOC On Jul 24, 2020

This post was published in Vzglyad. The point of view expressed in this article is authorial and do not necessarily reflect BM`s editorial stance.

***

MOSCOW, (BM) – The story around the loud blackmail of Turkey by the United States over the Russian S-400 systems has reached the final point. Washington has finally decided the fate of the F-35 fighters, commissioned by Turkey – they will be supplied to the American armed forces.

The paradox is that in this way the United States punishes itself in the first place.

The scandal, of course, was huge.

First, the United States concludes with Turkey the most important military-political contract for it. Ankara is not only promised to sell the latest F-35 fighter-bombers (which would seriously strengthen the potential of the Turkish army and would be useful in terms of Erdogan’s aggressive foreign policy in the Middle East), but they are allowed to produce components for these aircraft. In addition, Turkey would become a repair hub for F-35s purchased by countries in the region.

Prestige, money, opportunities, technology – all this was promised to Ankara.

Cruelly deceived

And she was deprived of all this after she decided to purchase the S-400 systems from Russia. The American response to this purchase was the suspension of all obligations to Turkey under the F-35 contract.

Formally, because the operation of the latest aircraft next to the Russian air defense system will help Russian engineers somehow read information about the vulnerabilities of the F-35, but de facto, simply because Ankara dared to buy weapons from Moscow.

Initially, Washington wanted to resolve the conflict with Ankara in a brotherly manner. Leading Republicans in the Senate bluntly offered the Turks an exchange: the United States resumes cooperation with Turkey on the F-35 program, in exchange for which Ankara sells the S-400 system acquired by Erdogan from the Russian Federation to Washington. The money for the purchase of Russian weapons was even preliminary contributed to the defense budget for 2021.

Americans need this system to learn – not only to counter Moscow, but also to counter other countries that will acquire the S-400 to defend against American democracy flying on the wings of bombers.

For example, China, which has already acquired Russian systems and is developing their analogues. However, the chances for the implementation of this plan were, to put it mildly, low – Turkey refused such a deal, which would have become a fatal blow to both the authority of Erdogan [who positioned the purchase of the S-400 as an example of Turkish sovereignty] and Ankara’s ties with Moscow.

Therefore, it was necessary to resolve the conflict in a businesslike manner – that is, to make concessions to Turkey only where necessary.

The planes were never given to Ankara. After a year of hardships and doubts, Washington managed to attach F-35s, which were assembled for the Turkish Air Force by the private company Lockheed Martin. They are now known to be acquired by the Pentagon, and also pays for all the necessary modifications for the United States military.

As for the Turkish suppliers for the production of the F-35, then they had to make concessions. Initially, Congress was determined to kick Ankara out of the project as soon as possible and demanded that the Pentagon work faster on plans to replace Turkish suppliers with alternative manufacturers in the aircraft program.

The deadline for the expulsion of the Turks from the project was set for March 2020, and almost $ 300 million was allocated for this noble cause. However, then they decided to postpone the deadlines, and still fulfill the contractual obligations with Turkish suppliers and buy components for the aircraft from them until 2022.

The cost of contractual obligations to Ankara is almost $ 9 billion – and the Turks themselves calculated that breaking these contracts would cost America $ 600 million, plus an increase in production costs from seven to nine million for each aircraft assembled.

Therefore, according to Pentagon spokesman Mike Andrews, in order to avoid “costly, disruptive and wasteful contract breaks,” the decision was made to fulfill the existing contracts, and then switch to alternative suppliers.

Actually, the Turks themselves agreed to produce components, even taking into account Washington’s refusal to supply ready-made F-35s to Ankara. Big money, as well as production experience with its subsequent application in the Turkish military-industrial complex is more important than some kind of offense.

Mood and reputation


It would seem that now the conflict can be considered settled – but this is not so. The Capitol needs to be continued – an anti-Turkish consensus is emerging in Congress. Congressmen are concerned about the direction Turkey is heading under Erdogan’s leadership.

Violating human rights in Syria, groundlessly arresting Americans in Ankara, cooperating in the military sphere with Russia, Turkey does not behave as a responsible player and does not work together with the West at the level that we expect from a NATO member state.

American politicians have no reason to hope that Turkey will start living up to their expectations. Recep Erdogan’s plans to transform his country into a new Ottoman Empire [if not owning, then at least controlling territories from Morocco to the borders of Iran] pose a serious threat not even to the interests, but to the security of the West.

Of course, there are alternative points of view in Ankara. “The ruling Justice and Development Party opposes two other political forces created against it and led by former associates of Erdogan. And if Erdogan himself and his entourage are in favor of greater independence for Turkey, then his rivals are striving for greater ties with the United States,” says Vladimir Avatkov, senior researcher at IMEMO RAN, associate professor of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, to the VZGLYAD newspaper.

However, the chances of a political victory for Erdogan’s opponents are small, and the West cannot help them in organizing the coup (one such attempt four years ago not only failed, but sharply increased the authority of the Turkish Sultan).

A new hurricane in US-Turkish relations may come soon – for example, if Congressmen push new sanctions against Ankara for violating the “Act on Countering America’s Enemies through Sanctions”.


It forbids third countries not only to build Nord Stream 2 together with the Russians, but also to buy serious weapon systems from them. For example, S-400.

However, the consequence of these sanctions is unlikely to be Erdogan’s submission. “In this situation, the strengthening of sanctions pressure, and simply pressure on Turkey, leads to the opposite effect: Ankara is very proud and responds to pressure with an even greater desire for independence and intensified cooperation with other players.

For example, with Russia – without leaving NATO, Turkey is strengthening ties with Moscow in the field of economy and security. He buys the S-400 and discusses other contracts that will allow Ankara to achieve greater independence in its military-industrial complex, ”explains Vladimir Avatkov. Contracts that will be the prologue of a new storm.

The whole world saw that the United States was an unreliable partner in arms procurement. They easily abandon the signed contracts. And not even because there was a coup in the country [as was the case with Egypt, where the Americans refused to supply weapons after the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi], but simply because the country dares to cooperate with the enemy of the United States.

And since the purchase of weapons is not carried out on the basis of the “buy-pay-dump” principle (the suppliers of weapons then serve them, the military are trained to work with these weapons – and the supplier country has a serious impact on the development of the armed forces of the recipient state), then potential buyers now there may be a dilemma.

They can order expensive and sophisticated weapons from the United States – and then live under the sword of Damocles of breaking a contract or the dependence of their armed forces on unreliable suppliers. Or choose another seller country (Russia, and in the future China or even Turkey), which does not bind the fulfillment of its contractual obligations with the fulfillment of some political conditions by the buyer.


The choice, as they say, is obvious – as well as the damage to American politics from such a choice.

***

BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team

Russian bombers are in Libya, possibly belonging to a private military company

By Boyko Nikolov On Jul 24, 2020


TRIPOLI, (BM) – The United States of America accused Russia of transferring its military aircraft to Libya for direct participation in hostilities in this country, learned BulgarianMilitary.com.

Read more: 24/7 BulgarianMilitary.com – All about Libyan civil war

We are talking about the front-line Su-24 bombers, which have never been in service with Libya. However, among other things, Il-76 military transport aircraft, Tiger armored vehicles, as well as air defense systems of various configurations were also transferred to Libya.


The American military does not exclude that the weapons may not belong to the Russian military, but to private military companies, and, most likely, we are talking about the Wagner PMC.

Despite the fact that the American military intelligence does not have direct evidence that Russia carried out the transfer of its military aircraft to Syria, experts draw attention to the fact that the Su-24 front-line bombers, Tiger armored vehicles have never been in service with Libya before and other weapons.

On the other hand, earlier Syrian sources reported that Syrian Air Force fighters were flying towards Libya, in particular, they were talking about MiG-29 fighters, but the purpose of such flights was also not disclosed.

The information provided by the US authorities proves an earlier allegation of a large transfer of weapons from Russia to Libya.

As we reported on June 26 and according headquarters of the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Libya the Libyan city of Sirte is the transfer of militants and weapons from Russia.

According to representatives of the GNA, 11 Russian-made military transport aircraft such as An and Il made a landing at Al-Girdabiye airbase near the city of Sirte. It is also reported on the transfer there of mercenaries from Syria, as well as six complexes “Pantsir-S1”.


Same day [June 26 – ed.] the Libyan National Petroleum Corporation announced that Russian mercenaries had invaded the largest oil field in Libya, Al-Sharara. Allegedly, the night before a convoy of cars entered the field and met with representatives of the NOC facility security.

Russia has repeatedly been accused of invading Libya. On June 23, Petr Ilyichev, director of the department of international organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, denied this. “People allegedly fighting in Libya did not actually leave our country. The so-called wounded are quite healthy. It is all available in the public space and again verifiable,” he stressed.

A few days earlier [June 20 – ed.] the United States again accused Russia of supplying fighters, but this time the MiG-29.

AFRICOM said then that it has documentary evidence that “a Russian plane took off from the Jufra air base in central Libya” and that “it was a MiG-29 operating near the coastal city of Sirte”.

Also, a few weeks after the end of May the AFRICOM made a statement that Russia delivered at least 14 MiG-29 multipurpose fighters and several Su-24 bombers to Libya via the Khmeimim airbase in Syria.

It was alleged that the planes first arrived from Russia at the Russian Khmeimim air base in Syria, where they were repainted and then sent to Libya.


AFRICOM commander General Stephen Townsend said the US military “saw Russia send fourth-generation fighters to Libya.” According to him, neither the LNA, nor private military companies will be able to get such aircraft without the help of Russia.

The State Duma Committee on Defense called fake allegations by the US military about Russian combat aircraft sent to Libya. The information that Russia has transferred fighters and bombers to a North African country is untrue, said Andrei Krasov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, on May 26.

The Turkish state media, whose authorities provide powerful military support to the Libyan National Accord Government, have previously pointed out the strategic importance of the port city of Sirte for Russia, which “is largely due to the location of the large Jufra air base 300 kilometers south of it.”

“It is precisely at this airbase that the Russian side looks, trying to gain a foothold in North Africa and gain access to the southern coast of the Mediterranean,” said one of the publications on the pages of the Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

Libyan civil war

Having ruled the country since 1969, Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in the 2011 civil war. As a result, the country found itself in a situation of dual power: in the east, a parliament is sitting in Tobruk, supported by the Libyan national army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and in the west, in Tripoli, a government of national accord.


In Libya, armed clashes are currently taking place between supporters of different leaders. The country is led by the Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Saraj, the “eastern government” led by Abdullah Abdurrahaman at-Thani.

The eastern government is supported by the commander of the Libyan National Army, Khalifa Haftar.

Recall that January 13 in Moscow, negotiations were held between the heads of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalif Haftar and the Government of National Accord (GNA) Faiz Sarraj. Also present were members of the Foreign Ministries of Russia and Turkey.

On the meeting the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has notified Russia about the conditions for continuing negotiations on the signing of a peace agreement in Libya.

According to the requirements of Haftar, the militias operating in Libya are required to surrender weapons in the period from 45 to 90 days. This process should be controlled by a special commission created by the LNA together with the UN.

Haftar also refused to recognize Turkey as an intermediary in resolving the situation in Libya, since the Turkish side is not neutral and supports the Government of National Accord (GNA).

At the same time, the GNA is actively supporting Turkey, and Egypt and Saudi Arabia are on the side of the LNA. Its unofficial allies are France and the UAE.

Ruling the country since 1969, Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed during the 2011 civil war. As a result, the country found itself in a situation of dual power: in the east, a parliament sits in Tobruk, supported by the Libyan national army of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and in the west in Tripoli, a government of national accord. At the same time, the PNC actively supports Turkey, and Egypt and Saudi Arabia are on the side of the LNA. Its unofficial allies are France and the UAE.

***
BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team

Rainforest-cover declines: Experts warn severity of climate change
July 22, 2020


Dr Saeed Ahmed Ali

LAHORE, Jul 22 (APP):Rainforests are one of the main natural factors that regulate and maintain climate change impact, weather patterns including amount of CO2, in an area abundant with forest cover.
Forest experts believe that globally, a significant increase in mean-surface-temperature was a major consequence of rapid industrialization and urbanization, due to which deforestation was occurring at a rapid pace. Many parts of the world including Pakistan had witnessed rapid and unchecked cutting down of rainforest cover, which resulted in the worst disasters, during the past many decades. Noted forest expert Mirza Sarwat Baig told APP that massive deforestation could have a direct impact on the environment and the consequences of severity of climate change on agriculture, biodiversity and water would be manifold, if maximum area of land would not be brought under forest cover.Replying to a query Baig said that the rainforests of Pakistan reflect great edaphic, physiographic and climatic contrasts in the country.

He said, “We should give awareness to the masses that rainforests were essential for the conservation of biodiversity and water resource management.Expressing concern over fast deforestation, Mirza sarwat Baig said that the government should evolve a comprehensive strategy and a concise plan to control tree cutting which was the major reason for the environmental degradation.Noted environmentalist and forest expert Dr Mehmood Khalid Qamar said that fast deforestation in the country was causing climate hazards, adding rainforests decline was an existential threat that demands urgent and result oriented action.” “If all formations and communities start with concern, we can overcome tree cutting,”says Qamar.

He mentioned that tree cutting was the main cause of rising temperatures around the globe, which had a direct impact on melting of glaciers, rise in sea-level, frequent floods, increase in mean-surface-temperatures and a higher frequency of droughts and expanding desertification. The climate change-related disasters, particularly riverine and flash floods, were causing billion dollars of losses annually in economic damages, most of them related to clean drinking water, irrigation, education, public health, energy and public infrastructure sectors, he said. Meanwhile, it may be mentioned here that United Nations Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall Inst has recently introduced a new global effort uniting people of all faiths to end tropical deforestation (of rainforests), around the globe. It is pertinent to mention here that UN has initiated a declaration move namely ‘Faiths for Forests,’ which is a global ‘ invitation to all faith-based organizations, networks and places of worship, round the world to take the practical steps in the movement to end destruction of the planet’s rainforests and join advocate for climate justice. ‘We begin from a place of profound concern for the state of the world’s rainforests, which are a sacred trust, an irreplaceable gift and essential to life on Earth,” said a document of the UN Declaration on rainforests.

“We commit to raise awareness about the deforestation crisis within our communities, places of worship and congregations as an expression of our care for the Earth and to advance religious teaching and education that reflects a moral commitment to protect rainforests. We will make ending deforestation a high spiritual calling,” it said. The National Environment Information System (NEIMS) in its report had revealed that the natural forest cover of Pakistan had reduced from 3.59 million hectares to 3.32m hectares at an average rate of 27,000 hectares annually.It may be mentioned here that NEIMS is a project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Pakistan to study and research on the environment, eco-degradation and its impact, biodiversity in plains, forests, mountains, threatened flora, fauna and various animal species.

The report highlighted that only 4.72m hectares or 3.36 per cent of its land mass was covered with forests, as there had been a declining forestation trend since 2000.Forests are home of around 70 to 90 terrestrial species which are found there having widespread economic and medicinal uses, in which most benefits are still unknown to mankind, it said.

The natural resources were decreasing at such an alarming speed that all the forest area would be consumed within the next five years, the report observed.“The roots of trees hold soil in place and the fertile soil that was needed to grow crops would otherwise be washed away in rainstorms, decreasing the amount of soil available for agriculture. Rich soil transfers nutrients to food which contributes to human health,” the report said. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fifth assessment report, human developmental projects and deforestation activity was responsible for the unsustainable calamities around the globe.

AT EID ANIMAL SACRIFICE TO GOD 
IS STILL PRACTICED,BY MUSLIMS
IT'S THE ABRAHAMIC TRADITION OF
THE OLD TESTAMENT
https://www.app.com.pk/photos-section/






HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED 

Wirecard: Why would Russia hide a fugitive fintech exec from EU investigators?
Mitch Prothero
Jul 23, 2020, 8:53 AM

Former Wirecard CEO Markus Braun. picture alliance/Getty Images

Former Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek disappeared in late June after a $2 billion hole was found in the German company's accounts. Sources tell Insider they believe he is in hiding in Russia.

But why would Russian security agencies help with the escape of a fugitive fintech executive?

"There's a million reasons [for the Russians] to get involved with Wirecard," a Dutch official told Insider. "Russian officials always need to move money to the West, and Wirecard was raising lots of money but not as much as they told investors.

"Russian government and intelligence services expect financial favors by way of support for off-the-books intelligence operations by their favored businessmen," a Central European counterintelligence official told Insider.



European Union investigators and prosecutors have arrested three former top executives from the German financial firm Wirecard, which spectacularly collapsed last month after a $2 billion hole was found in its accounts by outside auditors. They continue to seek former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek for questioning, although law enforcement officials are worried that he may have fled to Russia in late June. 


Former CEO Markus Braun and two other executives were rearrested on Wednesday by German police. Investigators believe that Wirecard — a rising star in European Union online financial circles — had been fraudulently misrepresenting its assets to investors on a systematic basis.

After outside auditors discovered in late June that two accounts that were supposed to be holding $1.9 billion did not exist, Wirecard quickly collapsed. More than $3.2 billion in loans from European and Japanese banks is expected to be lost by investors. Within days of being fired, Braun and other executives were detained for questioning, but Marsalek fled Germany. Security sources told Insider he is most likely in Russia.

He knew the recipe for novichok

Marsalek appears to have substantial ties to Russian intelligence, European law enforcement officials told Insider, who cited his public bragging of trips to Syria in the company of Russian military contractors, about 60 trips to Russia over a 10-year period on six Austrian and three other unidentified "diplomatic" passports, as well as links to various Austrian right-wing politicians and political parties themselves linked to Russia politically and economically.


Marsalek also once bragged to colleagues that he knew the recipe for Novichok, showing the documents containing the "recipe" for the chemical used to poison ex-Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018, according to the Financial Times.

"We believe he is in Russia," a Dutch law enforcement official told Insider. "That he could so easily evade the German warrants, and cross into Russia from Belarus, certainly indicates official cooperation with Russian intelligence."


When asked what Russian intelligence would gain from involvement with a German online finance company, two EU law enforcement officials gave nearly identical accounts of a nexus between criminal activity and Russian intelligence and political operations.

'Russian officials always need to move money to the West, and Wirecard was raising lots of money but not as much as they told investors'

"There's a million reasons to get involved with Wirecard," said the Dutch official. "Russian officials always need to move money to the West, and Wirecard was raising lots of money but not as much as they told investors. So there's strong indications of both money laundering as well as fraud."



"So now the Russians have access to money sloshing around in Europe, Germany in Wirecard, and even Braun and Marsalek themselves in Austria," the official adds, pointing to an Austrian criminal investigation into both men filed as the company collapsed. 


"It's well understood that the Russian government and intelligence services expect financial favors by way of support for off-the-books intelligence operations by their favored businessmen," said a Central European counterintelligence official who cannot be named because of close ties between their government and Russia. 


"Austrian prosecutors will be investigating if Wirecard or these executives were funneling Russian support by way of cash to political figures," the official said. "Or I hope they do, as this has been an allegation raised in the past."


In 2019, prosecutors began an investigation into the use of Austrian banks in Russian money laundering that threatened to drag in members of the political elite.


And in March, 2019 the government of Sebastian Kurtz was forced to resign after allegations that officials from their junior coalition partner, the far-right Freedom Party, had engaged in unethical dealings with Russian nationals.

Read more:
Missing Wirecard exec escaped to Russia and 'has close ties to Russian government officials and possibly organized crime,' intelligence sources say

Russian military is testing a robotic underwater monitoring system in the Black Sea

By Boyko Nikolov On Jul 25, 2020

MOSCOW, (BM) – The Russian military is conducting an experiment on the rapid deployment of an underwater monitoring system in the Black Sea, learned BulgarianMilitary.com citing the Russian Defense Ministry statement.

Read more: The Russian Underwater Drone “Poseidon” Completed The Key Stage of Trials

“A military-technical experiment to test an underwater situation monitoring system using a variety of robotic systems is being carried out in the Black Sea by specialists from the Russian Defense Ministry, enterprises of the military-industrial complex and scientists from the Era military innovative technopolis,” the statement says.


In the course of the study, the military, together with developers, will use various robotic systems and sonar systems to determine the most promising.

The developers rely on small-sized hydroacoustic equipment, since it can be placed and put into action many times faster than the existing systems.

It is noted that the proposed underwater robots are not inferior to foreign counterparts in their technical characteristics. The new system will have to multiply the effectiveness of responding to threats from sea areas.

The experiment should also show how well the new underwater robots will be able to recognize not only large objects, but also small-sized robotic systems of the enemy.

Underwater drones

Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov and Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov examined the new underwater drones for observation and filming in the technopolis.


Read more: Russia’s Underwater Drone “Poseidon” Will Reach Speeds of Over 200 km/h

One of such underwater systems was developed by the NPO Aurora concern. As the chief designer of the concern, Yuri Rozhkov, told reporters, the complex consists of two autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (AUV).

One of them is a search one, using side-scan sonar or multi-beam echo sounder, it can find targets in the sea area and on the bottom. The second is an inspection one, equipped with a photo and video system.

He approaches the detected objects and identifies them finally. The devices have the ability to transmit the coordinates of the found objects to a ground or ship control post.

“The main assets are side-scan sonar. There is also a photo and video surveillance system, radio communication, a hydroacoustic positioning system <…> They can determine and transmit the coordinates of target objects,” Rozhkov said.

According to him, the system of two devices is universal, it can be launched from any vessel. The devices are compact and not heavy: two people are enough to send them from the unequipped shore.


A Russian submarine can carry six Poseidon strategic torpedoes

The US Forbes magazine reported on June 7 that the nuclear submarine Khabarovsk of project 09851 is the most secret in the Russian fleet and is able to carry six strategic Poseidon torpedoes.

Read more: Russia Has a Thermonuclear Torpedo That Could Start World War III

The publication notes that there is very little public information regarding this submarine. It is also known that the submarine will be able to carry six Poseidon nuclear torpedoes.

“It could be the defining submarine of 2020,” the article says, and also notes that the submarine should be launched this month.

In addition, the magazine separately identifies the Belgorod submarine of project 09852, the longest submarine in the history of mankind, which also carries the Poseidon strategic weapon.


The material notes that Belgorod will serve as a ship for the deep-sea nuclear submarine Losharik, capable of diving to a depth of 6 thousand meters. The author of the article fears that in this way Russia will be able to connect to cables running along the ocean floor.

According to the analyst, Poseidon is unique. This weapon is an intercontinental autonomous torpedo.

“It is twice as large as a typical ballistic missile, has an almost unlimited range and is armed with a nuclear warhead,” the author states.

Earlier, military analyst Alexander Mikhailov said that Poseidon submarines are capable of “nullifying” the coastal defense of any enemy, including the United States.

In turn, analyst Jacob Kedmi noted that Poseidon is capable of destroying New York, and the tsunami or earthquakes caused by it will cause even greater damage to the target.

Read more: Russian submarine capable of destroying New York is the most secret project, US said


The Russian torpedo Poseidon is capable of starting a third world war. Here’s what it really is.

The Poseidon is an 80-foot-long nuclear-powered submersible robot that is essentially an underwater ICBM. It is designed to travel autonomously across thousands of miles, detonate outside an enemy coastal city, and destroy it by generating a tsunami.

“In the sea area protected from a potential enemy’s reconnaissance means, the underwater trials of the nuclear propulsion unit of the Poseidon drone are underway,” an unnamed Russian defense official told the TASS news agency.

The source also said the “the reactor is installed in the hull of the operating drone but the tests are being held as part of experimental design work rather than full-fledged sea trials at this stage.”

TASS reported last year that Poseidon will be armed with a 2-megaton warhead. That’s more than enough to destroy a city. But that leaves the question of why Russia would choose to nuke an American city with an underwater drone – even one that allegedly travels 100 miles an hour – when an ICBM can do the job in 30 minutes.

Russia suggests the Poseidon is a retaliatory weapon that would revenge a U.S. first strike even if American missile defenses were capable of stopping hundreds of Russian ICBMs.


But even in the unlikely event that the U.S. could intercept 500 or more Russian ballistic missiles, a delivery system that could take days or weeks to reach its target seems hardly an efficient deterrent.

Read more: An accidentally taken photo unveils Russia’s secret weapon called “the Judgment Day”

More intriguing is the suggestion that Poseidon could be used against U.S. aircraft carriers. A very fast, nuclear-armed drone could prove difficult for American anti-submarine defenses to stop.

In a March 2018 speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin described his nation as being able to “move at great depths — I would say extreme depths — intercontinentally, at a speed multiple times higher than the speed of submarines, cutting-edge torpedoes and all kinds of surface vessels, including some of the fastest. It is really fantastic. They are quiet, highly maneuverable and have hardly any vulnerabilities for the enemy to exploit. There is simply nothing in the world capable of withstanding them.”

Putin added that Poseidon’s “nuclear power unit is unique for its small size while offering an amazing power-weight ratio. It is a hundred times smaller than the units that power modern submarines, but is still more powerful and can switch into combat mode, that is to say, reach maximum capacity, 200 times faster.”

Let’s also leave aside the question of why, if Russia really is that advanced in reactor design, its regular nuclear submarines aren’t so blessed. The puzzle is why a giant robot submarine would be needed to detonate a nuclear warhead near a U.S. aircraft carrier (presumably Poseidon is too expensive to waste by arming it with a mere high-explosive warhead).


If the goal is to sink a U.S. carrier, couldn’t Russia saturate a carrier’s defenses with a volley of conventionally-armed hypersonic missiles like the Mach 5-plus Khinzal? And if nukes are being used, Russia has no shortage of missiles, bombs and aircraft to target American ships.

Read more: Forbes: Russian nuclear submarine drones change the rules of the game

***

BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team

New ‘wall’ of military veterans protect protesters in Portland
By Vincent Barone NY POST 

July 25, 2020 | 2:29am | Updated

Another huge crowd tonight in Portland, including a new "wall" on the front lines: a Wall of Vets.

Here's a look at the line of military veterans getting set up here in front of the federal courthouse. Behind them, the Wall of Moms and the Wall of Dads are arriving. pic.twitter.com/gGnXHjI3k2
Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) July 25, 2020

First, there was a “wall” of moms protecting Portland protesters — now there’s a wall of vets doing the same.

A group of military veterans joined protesters in the city for the first time Friday night, standing with their hands clasped behind their backs or holding Black Lives Matter signs, according to a New York Times reporter and others from the scene.

“Disabled veterans 4 BLM,” one vet’s sign read.

“I am an American patriot. Federal troops defend property, but this does not give them the right to take away my constitutional freedom,” another sign from a veteran read.

Federal officers have been dispatched to the city since July 4, earning criticism for “kidnapping” protesters and tear-gassing crowds that have held demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd for more than 50 days.

On Friday night, the federal police used tear gas to try to disperse a large crowd in front of the federal courthouse after multiple fireworks were shot toward the building, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier in the week, federal agents teargassed a crowd that included Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who was attending a demonstration.

Wheeler said the troops were grossly overstepping their authority.

But President Trump has praised the federal police there for doing a “great job” in fighting off what he described as “anarchist” arsonists trying to damage the city’s federal courthouse.

On Thursday Trump mocked the mayor over his tear-gassing.

“[Wheeler] made a fool out of himself,” Trump said during a Fox News interview.

“He wanted to be among the people so he went into the crowd and they knocked the hell out of him. That was the end of him. So it was pretty pathetic.”

Large crowds gathered again Friday night as the officers stood their ground in front of the federal courthouse.

“Walls” of moms — and walls of dads — were also reportedly in attendance

Last night

'Wall of Vets' joins Black Lives Matter protests in Portland

On Friday, thousands of people hit the streets for another consecutive night of demonstrations against police brutality. Those on the scene reported that a group of veterans banded together to lend their support to the "Wall of Moms", "Wall of Dads" and other groups in attendance.

Tonight, in addition to the "Wall of Moms", Portland has a "Wall of Vets" lined up to protest outside the federal courthouse. (photos by @killendave) pic.twitter.com/PJig66hpv4

— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) July 25, 2020