Groups of Belarusian partisans are currently training in Poland to overthrow dictator Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally – even a puppet – of Vladimir Putin. It even recently allowed Moscow to station tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.

The Times of London reported on Sunday that armed opposition groups have been forming there for months. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the opposition has embraced attacks in Belarus. It undoubtedly coordinates its operations closely with the Ukrainian secret service SBU and benefits from the support of Western intelligence agencies.

I would even think that Canada could certainly participate in the military training of opponents of Belarus in Poland. I’ll come back to that later.

KO Lukashenko

Canada, the United States and the European Union have rejected the results of the rigged 2022 Belarus referendum that cemented Lukashenko’s power.

Like its NATO allies, Ottawa supports opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in exile in Lithuania. Trudeau received her in Ottawa last year. During that visit, he imposed new sanctions on the Belarusian regime for allowing the Russians to invade Ukraine from its territory. Sanctions were imposed on 22 senior and military leaders for accomplices of Moscow and Belarusian companies involved in the manufacture of military equipment.

In all, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,500 individuals and entities in Russia and Belarus.

Ottawa engaged militarily

The Armed Forces of Ukraine’s military training and capacity-building mission, Operation UNIFIER, involves more than 300 Canadian soldiers. According to several media outlets, including the New York Times, they are deployed in Latvia, Poland, the United Kingdom… and Ukraine itself.

And they would not only provide weapons and training to the Ukrainian armed forces, but also collect information about the Russians, according to these media. It would be really surprising if they didn’t also train Belarusian opponents in Poland. In what area are you wondering?

Canadian snipers

Canadian soldiers have a worldwide reputation as snipers. In 2002, two Canadians set world records with deadly shots from 2430 meters and 2310 meters. In Iraq in 2017, a Canadian sniper killed a jihadist more than 3.5 kilometers away.

Canadian commandos in Ukraine are already training the country’s military in this area. The list of equipment supplied by Canada to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, published by National Defense, includes .50 caliber ultra-long-range rifles, the standard weapon of Canadian snipers. In Latvia, too, where Canada sent reinforcements just a few days ago, the soldiers of this NATO country are being trained in how to use these weapons.

If we actually trained Belarusian partisans too, the mission would no doubt be entrusted to one of two formations: either military intelligence with the enigmatic name Joint Task Force “X”, JTF-X (JTF-X in English), or JTF- 2 (JTF-2) commandos tasked with capturing or executing enemy leaders, rescuing hostages, destroying military objectives or getting behind enemy lines.

The two, working in close cooperation with their American and British counterparts, are likely to be deployed in Eastern Europe.

The Cambridge college, which was attended by Hamish Harding, the British billionaire trapped in the missing tourist submarine Titan, hosted an underwater-themed May Ball last night after refusing to change the subject because it “had been chosen months ago”.

This year’s Pembroke College May Ball featured underwater decorations, submarine branding and marine themed entertainment such as shanties.

Mr Harding, 58, is currently missing in the Atlantic Ocean after a trip to the wreck of the Titanic went wrong and the submersible he was on lost contact with its mother ship.

The ball is expected to run out of breath at 5 a.m. Thursday, just hours before the submarine, for the five people stranded on board this morning.

May Balls are held in Cambridge during the week of May at the end of the academic year and are a traditional celebration of the conclusion of exams. Colleges typically have budgets in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Hamish Harding, 58, is currently missing in the Atlantic after visiting the Titanic wreck

Pembroke College, Cambridge continued with underwater ball as planned

The May Ball Committee released this statement on its website just hours before the ball

Rescue teams continue the search for the Titanic submersible that went missing during a trip to the Titanic shipwreck

A statement on the ball’s website, just hours before the actual ball, said: “We are aware of the worrying news about Pembroke graduate Hamish Harding.”

“Today’s May Ball theme was chosen many months ago and if we could change it now, we would.”

“All we can say is that we sincerely hope that Mr. Harding and the others aboard the submarine are found safe and sound.” “Our thoughts are with the Harding family at this very difficult time.”

The theme of the ball was announced in February, but the committee continued to release images of submarines and dark underwater scenes leading up to the ball yesterday, including during the time Mr Harding was missing.

Guests paid up to £175 per ticket for a night of entertainment, celebration, food and alcohol.

Those lining up for the prom on Wednesday night listened to sea shanties, and inside, students enjoyed music from entertainers like Fisherman’s Girlfriends, Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble, and The Lightwaves.

Among the food and drink on offer was a stand from fish and chip caterer Pimp My Fish.

A current student at the college also claimed on social media that the ball committee had to cancel some of its “promotional materials” at the last minute for fear of a lack of sensitivity.

These reportedly included images of “a kraken pulling a submarine down”.

The ball had lots of underwater decor, like these jellyfish models

The ball had the name: “Nautilus – Into The Depths”

The Maiball Committee continued to release underwater images, including those of submarines, up until the ball itself

In addition to the logo, the theme of the May Ball was also named: “Nautilus: Into the Depths”.

Although the May Ball Committee, made up of current students at the college, issued a statement on its website, Mr Harding was not mentioned on any of his social media accounts.

Photos from inside the ball show an underwater decoration and the ball’s branding features divers, submarines and sea creatures like octopuses.

Some students were appalled at the decision to conduct the ball and its theme at such an insensitive time.

Sam Hudson, who studies history and philosophy of science at Trinity Hall College, said, ‘Candlelight vigil at the May Ball!’ To do otherwise would be disrespectful.’

Another current student wrote on Twitter: “Oh my god.”

A third added: “Omfg”.

Pembroke College and the Pembroke May Ball have been contacted for comment.

BERLIN (Portal) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Bundestag in Germany on Thursday that he had warned China against using force to bring about territorial changes, particularly against Taiwan, during talks earlier this week.

Scholz hosted a large Chinese delegation led by Premier Li Qiang this week for the first in-person summit since the pandemic, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions between the West and China.

“We firmly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force or coercion. This is especially true for Taiwan,” Scholz said, according to prepared statements.

“We are also concerned about the human rights situation and the state of the rule of law in China,” he added.

China, which has never refrained from using force to seize Taiwan, has stepped up military activity near the democratically ruled island to force it to recognize Chinese sovereignty.

Taiwan has firmly denied Beijing’s claims to sovereignty and has promised to defend itself if attacked.

Speaking to lawmakers, Scholz also called on Turkey to pave the way for Sweden to join the NATO alliance and said Sweden should sit at the table at the next NATO summit.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; text by Matthias Williams; editing by Friederike Heine)

On Sunday, June 18, a submarine called Titan that was visiting the Titanic wreck disappeared in the Atlantic with five people on board, including a British businessman, another Pakistani and a French aquanaut.

The U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards launched a search and rescue mission on Monday, June 19 to try to locate a small tourist submarine named Titan, which was headed to the Titanic sinking area and was reported missing. in the Atlantic Ocean off North America with five people on board.

The submersible, owned by the company OceanGate Expeditions, began its dive on Sunday but lost contact with the surface less than two hours later, according to authorities.

Hamish Harding

The first passenger is Hamish Harding, 58, British businessman and CEO of Dubai-based Action Aviation.

On Instagram, the Briton confirmed his participation in this mission. “Due to the worst Newfoundland winter in 40 years, this mission will likely be the first and only manned mission to Titanic in 2023. A weather window has just opened and we will attempt a dive tomorrow. “We departed from Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada yesterday and plan to begin diving operations tomorrow around 4am,” the British businessman wrote ahead of the start of this fifth mission.

Hamish Harding. © Jannicke Mikkelsen/via Portal

Hamish Harding flew into space a year ago aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket on a 10-minute flight. This was the fifth successful manned mission for Jeff Bezos’ company. The latter is also his “mentor”.

He is mentioned several times in the Guinness Book of Records.

In July 2019, he was part of a team that flew the fastest plane around the world in 46 hours, 40 minutes and 22 seconds, crossing both poles.

In March 2021, he and fellow explorer Victor Vescovo dived deep into the Mariana Trench, the deepest previously known part of the ocean, aboard a two-seat submersible. This mission was the longest at this depth (4 hours and 15 minutes) and the longest distance traveled (4,600 meters).

Stockton Rush

The second passenger is Stockton Rush, CEO and founder of OceanGate. A trained pilot, he became the youngest transport pilot in the world at the age of 19. In an interview with SkyNews last February, Stockton Rush spoke about visiting the wreck of the Titanic.

Stockton Rush. © Shannon Stapleton/File Photo/Portal

“What really stands out is its beauty. It’s an incredibly beautiful wreck. (…) We dived in and saw the grand staircase and some of the chandeliers that were still hanging. Next year we hope to send a small robot in, but for now we’re staying out,” he said.

Paul Henri Nargeolet

Frenchman Paul-Henri Nargeolet is a former submarine pilot turned specialist in deep sea diving and a passion for marine archaeology. The marine explorer, who comes from Haute-Savoie and is now 77 years old, spent the first part of his career as a naval officer.

As commander of the clearance diving group in Cherbourg (Manche, north-west of France) he then became a submarine pilot of the Undersea Intervention Group, which belongs to the French Navy.

From there he turned to marine archeology, excavating several wrecks as part of the Naval Archeology Research Group.

As early as 1987, Paul-Henri Nargeolet saw wreckage on board the French submarine Nautile. Dozens of dives followed over the years, notably allowing the recovery of several hundred objects.

The latest date dates back to the summer of 2021, the submariner says in a lengthy interview published on the website of La Cité de la Mer, a museum in Cherbourg.

“Our last dive in the front part of the Titanic, with no current, which is very rare, allowed us to see parts of the wreck from a different angle for the first time, which made it particularly interesting,” he said.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet became director of the research program at RMS Titanic/Phoenix International, which owns the wreck, in 2007.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet ©HarperCollins France/Portal

Shahzada Dawood and her son Suleiman

The last two passengers on the tourist sub are Shahzada Dawood, vice chairman of conglomerate Engro, based in Karachi, southern Pakistan, and his son Suleman.

“At this point, contact with the dive boat has been lost and little information is available,” her family said. “We are grateful for the concerns of our colleagues and friends and would like to ask everyone to pray for their safety,” she added.

Suleman and Shahzada Dawood © Courtesy of Engro Corporation Limited/via Portal

Engro invests in several business areas: energy, agriculture, petrochemicals and telecommunications.

Shahzada’s father, Hussain Dawood, is regularly cited by the Pakistani press as one of the richest men in the country.

Designed to carry five people at depths of 4,000 meters with a range of 96 hours, the Titan began its descent on Sunday. According to the authorities, contact with the approximately 6.50 meter long vehicle broke off less than two hours after departure.