Mike's Content

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan Warned of COVID Crisis in January

Posted by Michael Campbell

on Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:18

The Canadian Forces Medical Intelligence Unit warned Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and other government departments about the COVID-19 crisis on January 17, 2020

“Canada, for reasons that go unexplained, missed the opportunity to do proper risk assessments, to seize the opportunity of early warning and to get the response planning into gear,” –  Wesley Wark, one of Canada’s top intelligence experts. -CBC

The Latest Cockroach To Crawl Out From Under the We Charity Scandal

Posted by Michael Campbell

on Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:12

Oops – they misspoke again. As the CBC reports, We Charity didn’t get the $912 million contract for the student volunteer program as the Prime Minister stated. Instead it went to the newly minted We Charity Foundation, whose stated purpose is to “hold real estate” and only received Charity Status last year. And has absolutely no track record of performance in any area let alone administering a near billion dollar program.

High-Stakes COVID Vaccine Game Targeted By Russian Hackers

Posted by Fred Dunkley

on Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:04

With the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine in full force, and with Moderna having just published encouraging human trial results, news that Russian spies have been targeting vaccine developers in three countries is enough to make pharma investors extremely nervous.

Reports on Thursday emerged that Russian spies are targeting vaccine developers in the United States, Canada and the UK.

Security agencies from all three countries issued a joint statement saying that while espionage had not disrupted work on a vaccine, Russian hackers have been trying to steal information about vaccine efforts.

More specifically, the agencies are blaming the attacks on a Russian intelligence hacking group called “APT29” (aka “Cozy Bear” or “the Dukes”), which was also linked to the 2016 attacks on the Democratic National Committee.

“Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines,” agencies said in a warning.

The agencies said the attacks were also directed at the energy industry.

According to the UK’s NCSC security agency, the group “almost certainly operate as part of Russian intelligence services”–an assessment that is supported by the U.S. Department for Homeland Security (DHS), and other Canadian and U.S. agencies.

“APT29’s campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property,” the NCSC said…CLICK for complete article

Nat Gas Prices Crash As U.S. Exports Fall

Posted by Julianne Geiger

on Tuesday, 21 July 2020 6:57

The price of natural gas fell nearly 5% on Monday, as lower U.S. LNG exports threaten to exacerbate inventories, which are already significantly higher than the five-year average.

The price of natural gas was just $1.636 as of 4:27pm EDT, a drop pf $0.082 or 4.77%.

The EIA reported that U.S. LNG exports fell week over week for the week ending July 15, with just four vessels with a combined carrying capacity of 15 Bcf leaving the United States that week. This is the lowest volume since the end of 2016—a time when the Sabine Pass LNG was the only LNG export facility in the United States, according to FX Empire.

Last year at this time, natural gas deliveries to U.S. LNG export facilities were setting records, according to the EIA. This year, the pandemic is cramping the style for the cleaner fuel, and inventories are well above the five-year average, at 3.178 billion cubic feet as of July 10. That compares to the year ago levels of 2.515 Bcf, and the five-year average of 2.742 Bcf… CLICK for complete article

Gold price climbs again after Citi says record is “matter of time”

Posted by Mining.com

on Tuesday, 21 July 2020 6:51

The rally in the gold price regained momentum on Monday as investors continue to pile into hard assets amid a flood of easy money on financial markets in the developed world and expectations of a prolonged period of ultra-low interest rates and currency debasement.

Gold for delivery in August, the most active contract on the Comex market in New York with 17 million ounces traded by early afternoon, touched a high of $1,823.40 an ounce, just short of a near 9-year high.

Gold is now up 19.7%, or $300 an ounce so far this year. The last time gold traded above $1,800 an ounce was September 2011, but it ended that year at $1,565 an ounce.

Bloomberg reports, according to Citigroup’s third-quarter commodities outlook, the price of gold “is expected to climb to an all-time high in the next six-to-nine months, and there’s a 30% probability it’ll top $2,000 an ounce in the next three-to-five months.” CLICK for complete article