Latest 'lineage of concern' report now available for 2021-01-13. Today we report on lineages B.1.1.7, B.1.351 /501Y.V2 and lineage P.1. @arambaut @viralverity @nmrfaria @MOUGK @Tuliodna

THREAD

1)
#Iran’s regime has a network of apologists/lobbyists in the US influencing foreign policymakers.

Kaveh Afrasiabi was recently arrested for acting as an agent of #Iran's regime.
https://t.co/fJq6jRtBha

There are more.

cc: @TheJusticeDept

#endsars #endpolicebrutality

Dear Friends,

On a rather deeper look at things, Police brutality is the topmost of the agitation but the anger and fury is deeper, bottled up for many years. An oppression our fathers have endured and the children now say No More, Enough is Enough!

In the context of the current scenario “SARS” has become a metaphor.

“SARS” in our society today represents all the inefficiencies, corruption, structural imbalances, faults and All the shenanigans of the Political class

If this present fury does not inspire an overhaul of the Nigerian system, then we may be headed for another restless round of 60 year of disastrous merry go round. This Nation needs a RESET NOW!!

It’s a good time to negotiate the fixing of this great Nation.

How long do we keep singing; Nigeria has great potentials? Let those potentials start working for good

If we must tell our selves the bitter truth as a people we urgently need to fix these;

* A drastic cut in cost of governance
* Federal Ministers shouldn’t be more than 10

* Remove the lofty attraction in public office
* Reduce the powers of the centre and decentralize reasonably
* Fix our defective constitution
* Reset the civil service
* Create regional economic/developmental competition
* Allow states to explore their resources/endowment

Bravery

6 May 17, I was privileged to fly on the last chopper that brought back the released Chibok girls. Seeing the girls - young, naive BUT broken, was a reminder of how cruel man is. When we touched down, I stayed with them briefly in the C-130 before the Abuja lap.

Military medics began basic checks, deworming them and tending their wounds. There was one particular girl who had lost a leg. She said the Air Force had hit BHT positions & during the strike she lost a leg. I stared at her, wishing it was a dream.

Sitting beside her was another girl - the bravest girl I ever met. For the purpose of this thread, let us call her 'N'. N kept a daily journal of what happened everyday at the BH camp. I snapped as many pages as I could. The girls attested that she was the leader of the pack.

Right under Boko Haram's nose, every night, after the terrorists had ordered them for 'lights out', she would organise the girls for prayers & morning devotion the next day. I found myself smiling sheepishly at this. This is faith. This is bravery.

When the medics were done & we were notified that the C-130 would depart for Abuja, N made a signal & all the girls sat up, crossed their legs & bend their heads. N led them in prayers. I would later learn that this was their routine when there was danger or the bombs dropped.

MIGRATING TO AUSTRALIA
International borders are currently closed and migration for offshore candidates next to zero but I will share this info so you can prepare, if interested. There are still things you can do in preparation

Migrating to Australia is a process and a half. It is costly and the process is long. It can take a year or so for the whole process to come full cycle. What I can not emphasise enough is that IT IS WORTH IT. There are a few visas available for trades people.

Please note that Australia does not classify trades people. You are either one or not. Whether you are class 2 or class 1, apprenticeship trained or not, if you have the required experience and pass their skills assessment you get the same certificate.

The most common visa is the State nomination visas, followed by the employer nominated visas. I will expand on these below. Between 2012 and 2017 you could easily get PR straight up, but they have since changed the rules to balance and spread people across other states.

PR allows you to work anywhere in Australia. Most people chose Western Australia as that is where most of the mining happens, leaving other states with skills shortage. Before we go into details about visas, I will share what you need to be eligible.

We're kicking off the Irish National Integration Conference this morning, with the first of 9 migrant-led discussions on Irish identity & integration, beginning with: INTEGRATION - LEARNING FROM THE PAST, LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE.

#INIC2021

@BriKi

CEO of @immigrationIRL @BriKi, kicking things off with his call to 'truly see the true diversity of Ireland 100 years on'.

Chair of the @immigrationIRL Board, Dr Roja Fazaeli, now delivering opening remarks for the conference, acknowledging the huge contribution of immigrant communities to essential services in Ireland through the Covid-19 pandemic. 🙌

Roja - Institutions such as direct provision continue to disfigure Ireland as an inclusive place to live... Ireland still has a long way to go until we're a fully inclusive society. We want to build a country where no one is left behind.

We're delighted to welcome Minister @joefingalgreen now to deliver the key note address for our opening session. Minister O'Brien was a past team member of the @immigrationIRL, and is now Minister of State with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities.