The Wagner empire has a large footprint across Africa and the Middle East that is now in danger of disintegration following its founder’s apparent death.
The interests stretch from Madagascar up through a swathe of central African countries, north to Sudan and into Syria, with at least 70 companies linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The empire consists of diamond mines and armies of mercenaries that prop up autocratic governments but are also an extension of Russian foreign policy.
Its net worth is understood to reach into billions of dollars that could now be carved up either among Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle or Yevgeny Prigozhin’s henchmen.
In Syria on 24 June, immediately after the failed mutiny, Russian military police arrested a number of Wagner commanders and have since moved to control the group’s main Middle East hub.
The mercenaries were hired to protect Syria’s oil and gasfields controlling an area extending to more than 25,000 square kilometres and were employed by a Prigozhin company called Evro Polis, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
In Sudan, since 2017 a Prigozhin-controlled company called Meroe Gold has been exploiting its gold resources by taking raw product from artisanal miners into its processing plant 400km north of Khartoum, the capital.
Much of the cash goes into Kremlin coffers reportedly to help finance the war in Ukraine. Wagner Group has also supported the Rapid Support Forces in its fight that began in April against the Sudanese Army with weapons flown in from Libya.
The group has been in Libya for five years. Wagner is now understood to have a base near the capital, as well as one near Benghazi, where it protects oilfields.
Elsewhere on the continent, Wagner is most dominant in the Central African Republic where a company called M-Finance mines gold, diamonds and timber.
Another outfit called Sewa Security Services employs Wagner troops who, among other roles, provide close protection to President Faustin-Archange Touadera, giving Moscow extensive political influence.
Shortly after the failed mutiny, more mercenaries arrived in the Central African Republic, apparently to help Mr Touadera in a referendum to extend his term.
Wagner’s most lucrative gold operation lies in the Ndassima mine the Central African Republic that is run by Midas Resources, a company now under US sanctions. It is said to have the potential to make billions of dollars in profit over the next decade.
Midas is also connected to people involved in Wagner’s mining activities in Madagascar that it runs in conjunction with the government.
There is also a heavy Wagner military presence in Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, where its harsh tactics against ISIS-linked insurgents is said to be fuelling extremism.
But half of Wagner companies lie inside Russia itself, varying from property to government contracting, as well as owning luxury items such as boats, and as Wednesday’s incident demonstrated, luxury jets.
All of this, it appears, will soon fall fully into the Kremlin’s grasp.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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