A few more years of this and we'll be a failed state.

It is hard to imagine a radically different future for the country in which you live. But plenty of nations have flipped from prosperity into political and economic collapse, often through gross misrule.
Gross misrule is the UK's other pandemic.
And there's currently no vaccine.

The usual treatment is effective opposition. But, given the scale of the crises we now face, Labour is being remarkably quiet and passive. It should be mobilising its base in protest, while articulating a fresh and exciting political vision.

A crucial aspect of this vision is political reform:
Proportional representation, so the many can never again be dominated by the few.
Get the money out of politics.
Cut Murdoch and the other media barons down to size.
Build a new, more participatory democracy.

The crisis makes a much bolder and more radical Opposition response necessary.
It also provides an opportunity for a new politics, that wasn't there before.
Why isn't Labour grasping it?

PRESS RELEASE

FG URGES NIGERIANS TO PUT UNITY AND PEACE ABOVE ALL

The Federal Government has called on the citizens and good people of Nigeria to put unity and peace above all, especially in light of the simmering tension in Ondo and (northern regions of) Oyo States.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni @raufaregbesola who gave the advice today in his office in Abuja, implored all citizens in the country to exercise restraint and pursue active efforts on how to use the tools of constructive dialogue, good neighbourliness and the primacy of

peace-building as ways of dousing anger and resentment that can only lead to anarchy.

In his speech, titled “A TIME TO PUT UNITY AND PEACE ABOVE ALL”, which he personally signed, Aregbesola observed that “The regrettable incidences of heightening ethnic and religious tension in

our country are, in part, outcomes of political and economic strains that have persistently defined our land and continue to exacerbate security challenges, making the task of development more traumatic.”

According to him, “Government is keenly aware and genuinely concerned about these complications that, sadly, have been sharpened by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic through the growth of anxieties about issues, life and livelihood in our communities.”

THREAD: @iampinkywebb speaks to Sinovac Biotech General Manager Helen Yang on #TheSource | LIVE https://t.co/9vB0Rjs8f8

• Senators question gov't deal with China's COVID-19 vaccine, Sinovac
• Palace: Sinovac price not far from ₱650
• Why should Filipinos consider getting it?

Sinovac Biotech on vaccine deal with PH gov't: We are finalizing the term sheet. It's a non-binding understanding between the buyers and sellers.

Sinovac Biotech adds the deal is not yet sealed.

Sinovac Biotech: FDA should approve the vaccine first

Sinovac Biotech says they have already started producing the vaccine in commercial size late last year

Sinovac Biotech on cost of vaccine: Buying the vaccine is only one factor. Logistics and other factors should also be considered.

#PMLnBehindQabzaMafia

""Mafia's In Pakistan"

It is the unfortunate of Pakistan that we have double of the mafia's than the laws to control them.
Start any business and you will have to to face different mafia's,

@aamn__r

#PMLnBehindQabzaMafia

Let's start with poultry business and take a quick look,
1.
First you have to purchase a land in a town and there would be a group of people in that town who used to sue new buyers to blackmail ,

@aamn__r

#PMLnBehindQabzaMafia

and earn easy money.
They will file a suit and gradually withdraw it when you pay them some money. Believe me they would've ties with the local political personality.

@aamn__r

#PMLnBehindQabzaMafia

2.
Now you want to transfer that land in your name. For this purpose you went to land revenue office and you will face a mafia of Government employees and their touts.

@aamn__r

#PMLnBehindQabzaMafia

3. Now you have to made a shed and you try to tender for the construction.
You will face the construction mafia which will force you to construct your shed with their rates.
It's a fact that every construction firm is backed by a political party.

@aamn__r

Pakistan on Wednesday emphasised peaceful co-existence in the region as it conducted another test of surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-III,
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

which is also the longest-range missile to have been developed in the country.
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza, who witnessed the test, said: “Pakistan desires peaceful co-existence in the region and its strategic capability is to deter any aggression against the sovereignty of Pakistan.”
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

Shaheen-III is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 2,750 kilometres,
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

which makes it capable of reaching the farthest point in India’s northeast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

Thread: Brazil is ranked number two in the world lists of Covid fatalities, behind the USA. But that is almost certainly wrong. Mexico is almost surely number two. And in this story, we explain why. https://t.co/xeKgkMU1kJ via @WSJ

Mexico is failing to accurately record the majority of those who die from Covid. How do we know? Because the surge of excess deaths in 2020 in Mexico was roughly 2.4 times the official Covid toll. On Dec 12, excess deaths were 274,486 compared to Covid toll of 113,704.

Some of the additional deaths, of course, may not be Covid but from people who put off treatment for chronic disease, for instance. But health experts say the majority of those were likely killed by Covid. Other countries have a far smaller gap between excess deaths and Covid.

In Brazil, excess deaths for last year were 200,270 by Nov 21. The Covid toll by that date was 168,989, a far smaller gap than Mexico. That means Brazil is likely doing a far better job accurately counting its Covid dead.

A big difference is testing. Mexico carries out fewest tests in the Americas. It has only done 3.6 million tests during the entire pandemic. Brazil has done nearly 29 million. Mexico's coronavirus czar @HLGatell says widespread testing is a waste of time and resources.

In the Middle East, such as Syria, the CIA assets operate under splinter cells with different names.

We are seeing the same MO with Antifa, who were trained by CIA terrorist cells in Syria.

First we learned of John Sullivan's Insurgence USA

Now the Boogaloo Boys.

[thread]

Pakistan starts production of advanced JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft
@Jonthoughts01

#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

PAC develops capacity to produce advance 4.5 generation JF-17B Thunder Block-III jets
@Jonthoughts01
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

Aircraft to be equipped with long-range superior radar system and advanced precise firing weapon
@Jonthoughts01

#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

PAC Kamra hands over 14 dual seater JF-17B Thunder Block-II fighter jets to PAF
@Jonthoughts01

#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

Indian Air Force’s Rafale jets will no longer be as lethal as it hoped them to be as
@Jonthoughts01
#PakArmyVirtueOfExcellence

#Indonesia #Jakarta #NaturalDisaster #STATISTICS

In the first three weeks of 2021 alone, the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management Agency (@BNPB_Indonesia or just BNPB) said there had been a shocking 171 natural disasters in Indonesia.

"Most are in the form of floods, hurricanes and landslides," Professor Wiku Adisasmito from BNPB, who is also the national COVID-19 task force spokesperson, said in a press conference this week.

Indonesia reported 297 disasters in the month of January last year, including floods in the metropolitan area of Jakarta and landslides in West Java. But the disasters this year have been more deadly, with 160 individuals dying so far in January 2021,

compared to 91 individuals who lost their lives in natural disasters in January 2020. Environmental disasters are not uncommon for Indonesia, with a total of 2,291 disasters in 2020 reported by the government.

On the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates meet, the archipelago still lies, triggering regular volcanic activity as well as earthquakes. Ecologists, however, warn that the loss of forests and climate change are influencing the severity of disasters.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RUSSIA

My country lives in dictatorship, totalitarianism and poverty for at least 20 years. It is scary to talk or even think about it.
All TV, newspapers are controlled by government, who threatens everyone trying to go against them.
#23января

30 million people(20% of country) LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE, meaning they earn less than 160USD a month.
We never had a choice to vote, our oppositon is SILENCED AND IMPRISONED.
Pluralism is non-existent and no other political views are tolerated. People are scared to speak up.

Our government tried to kill the leader of our opposition, Alexey Navalny, by poisoning. He was in coma and spent months on treatment in Germany.
Several days ago, he came back to Russia and was ILLIEGALLY arrested and put in prison. His lawyers were not allowed to be in.

We DEMAND freedom and justice for Navalny. He’s a prisoner of consciousness and was arrested just because he goes against thieves and corruption.

Our president is ONE OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
HIS NET WORTH IS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $200 BILLION (which makes him much richer than american billionaires like Bezos or Gates).
All of those money were gained by drowning our country in poverty.

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "I will give a short update on today's figures. 1,656 positive cases were reported yesterday, which is 7.5% of all tests carried out. The total number of cases therefore is now 166,583."

NS: "As of yesterday, 309,909 people had received their first dose of vaccine. There are currently 2,003 people in hospital, which is 14 more than yesterday, and 156 people in intensive care, which is 6 more than yesterday."

NS: "I very much regret to report that, in the past 24 hours, a further 92 deaths were registered of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days and the total number of people who have died under that daily measurement is 5,468."

NS: "National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update. That, of course, includes cases where Covid is a suspected or contributory cause of death, even if it hasn't been confirmed through a test."

NS: "Today's update shows that, by last Sunday, the total number of registered deaths linked to Covid under the wider definition was 7,448. 368 of those deaths were registered in the most recent week, which is 23 fewer than in the week before that."

With little @Mbuhari has achieved alot in Nigeria security structure, if you budget 100 trillion dollars for security, it is not enough as long as we keep having population everyday. Under Buhari I will be listing some of the new changes we have from all security agencies

DIA - @MBuhari expands the scope of the is agency to function well as it supposed to be under a world standards Intelligence and also fight against insecurity. DIA are part of those in the NE helping the military in intelligence.

DSS - @MBuhari increased the recruitment process

From 600,700 to 3000, also enhance their capacity in intelligence reports, this agency people think they are not working but I can say that their work is the most stressful job in Nigeria imagine 1 field officer covering 200 towns and you must provide reports everyday. Also in NE

NIA- the NIA also are doing their best in intelligence gathering also it's recruitment increased from 100 to 700 personnels. And they are also active in Nigeria Counter-insurgency, NIA has been brain behind other agencies telling them how they need to work on the lapses.

Police- police has received more than I can imagine, from Criminal records lab, forensic lab, improve in intelligence, logistics, recruitment process, funding. The police are part of the AFSF which were trained in Belarus, Russia, Israel. Some of them are in NE doing greatly

THREAD: Presidential Spokesperson @attyharryroque holds a media briefing in Malacañang | LIVE https://t.co/0X6MAKcUyB

Tweets by our digital producers @pplmanuel and @lisbetesmael

Roque recaps the recent hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on the government's COVID-19 vaccination plan

Roque: Magkakaroon po ng legal na pananagutan ang drug companies 'pag nagbenta sila ng bakuna for commercial use kahit Emergency Use Authorization use pa lamang meron sila

Roque reiterates government is not favoring Sinovac or any particular vaccine: Dahil napakataas po ng demand, gagamitin natin kung ano ang available

Roque: Kung gusto mo makakuha ng supply, dapat bultuhan ang order mo. Halos lahat ng bansa centralized ang purchasing. Wala pa tayong alam na pribadong kumpanya na bumibili dahil hindi pa pwede

Navalny’s return, his arrest and the protest. A first quick thread
1. Navalny in Germany had rot make a difficult choice: to stay in exile and become insignificant or to return to stay significant (and may be even rise more), but under risk for his freedom and life. /2

2. I can’t imaging that Navalny and his team thought that his return and even his arrest might provoke a „revolutionary situation“ in Russia like we’ve seen in Ukraine earlier or Belarus now. he’s a too experienced politician for such a misjudgment. He’s playing the long game./3

3. He had to wage his wishes and the risk. His preferred the possibility of a rather long imprisonment to the perspective of insignificance in evil. He’s more than 20 y. younger than Putin. The next medium-term goal will be „smart voting“ in the Duma elections next September. /4

4. Nobody can with certainty predict the tipping point of political developments. No revolutionary moment was ever predicted.Lenin did not know that he will succeed, when he returned to Russia in 1917. What he knew was that there is a crises. There is a multiple crisis in…/5

…Russia now, too. No really worrying for Putin. But worrying enough to be afraid of an upcoming challenger to try to not let become him too strong. So far Putin’s strategy was to use only as much force as needed. This is a strategy that demand first certain skills…/6

Quick thoughts and thread on the recent barrage of articles seeking to push the view that all of Israel, and the West Bank, and Jerusalem and Gaza are “apartheid”...implications of this is to roll it out on eve of Biden admin to try to shift narrative (again)

First of all the whole “Zionism is racism” and “Israel is apartheid” has been a talking point for decades pushed first by the “anti-imperialist” crowd and then later in the 1990s after end of Cold War and end of actual apartheid in S. Africa.

Second this argument has shifted from seeking to encourage Israel to leave the “Occupied Palestinian Territories” which means Gaza and West Bank and East Jerusalem; to arguing all of Israel is “apartheid”

Essentially this seeks to re-write the partition plan that the colonial power and UN put in place in 1940s and the resulting armistice lines of 1948; shoehorning Israel and the Palestinians into One State, which neither communities actually want.

The goal of this paradigm is to move from trying to encourage Israel to withdraw, making it IMPOSSIBLE for Israel to withdraw because even if Israel does...the next goal will be to dismantle the rest of Israel as an “apartheid” state inside the Green Line

NOTE FOR (IN)HUMAN RIGHT GROUPS IN NIGERIA🇳🇬

I bring you good tidings (may be bad for you) @HURIWA_NIGERIA. I want to inform you that for the past eight years, the people of RAFI LOCAL GOVT, KAGARA, NIGER STATE have been batting with incessant attacks by bandits, cattle rustling

kidnapping for ransom and unprovoked arson.
These cases were duly reported to appropriate authorities.

What interest the good people of the area is that none of the #HumanRightsWatch either spoke for or sympathize with us, in any form or at any occasion.

@GovNiger @SSGNGSG

Many villages and communities that were attacked fled to Kagara, the headquarters of the LGA as refugees. As a result of this bandits took over most of these villages & converted them as their places of abode with some few villagers who have connived them as informants and allies

remaining in those villages.

Sadly, whenever any aerial raid or military operation takes place that's when we hear noise from this unfortunate human rights groups against any of the operations so conducted to dislodge these top notch killers & arsonists.

@humanrightslaw

So far the people of that area have lost, in momentary terms, cattles, houses, motorcycles, farm produce, looted provision stores, patent medicines stores etc worth more than three billion (N3b) aside of human lives killed as well as traumatized women that were raped.

@abusbello

The dust hasn't yet settled, but we can draw some early conclusions from today's protests in #Russia. TL;DR: The Kremlin and the opposition are at a stalemate.

/1

I don't see reliable nationwide turnout figures, but this feels similar in size & scale to the 2017 Dimon protests, which brought out 60-100k nationwide. This may be bigger. Either way, more than the Kremlin was hoping to see, but probably less than the opposition wanted.

/2

The Kremlin went to extraordinary lengths to keep people off the streets - including preventive arrests, online censorship, and threats to workers and students - and there's little indication it worked (though, I suppose, turnout could have been even higher).

/3

The opposition demonstrated that it can turn out significant numbers of people nationwide, even when its leaders are in jail and there is a credible threat of violence.

/4

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is sticking to the tactics it used against the Moscow protests in the summer of 2019: random but not overwhelming violence, enough to create fears of bodily harm, but not enough to keep people off the streets.

/5

According to reports #Iran's #IRGC have conducted an unannounced exercise including drones and ballistic missiles, surface to surface. The BM tests included Zolfaghar and Dezful, potentially more.

The "First Phase" of the 15th Prophet exercise was completed successfully.

I assume this means there is more to come...

New generations of missiles were used, a new Zolfaghar, Dezful, and Zelzal. They are reportedly now equipable with detachable warheads according to state media.

Initial footage of the 15th Great Prophet exercise, including missile launches from underground missile cities, mobile TEL's and RQ-170 drones.

Zolfaghar or Dezful missile?