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A Conversation Between Ross Beaty And Frank Giustra

My comments on low vaccine efficacy 'misinterpreted" - Chinese official

CC™ Global News

China's top infectious disease control official said his comments on the effectiveness of his country's vaccines over the weekend were misinterpreted.

The director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said it was a "complete misunderstanding'' that he had said Chinese vaccines offer a low level of protection, in comments to state newspaper the Global Times on Monday.

He had been presenting a "scientific vision'' that adapting vaccine sequences or administering different jabs on after the other could also be options for increasing protection, he said.

"The protection rates of all vaccines in the world are sometimes high, and sometimes low. How to improve their efficacy is a question that needs to be considered by scientists around the world,'' Gao said.

Gao Fu was talking at a conference in Chengdu on Saturday on the topic of how to solve the insufficient protection of current vaccines, Chinese news outlet Pengpai Xinwen (The Paper) reported.

"It is also necessary to consider ways to address the low protection rate of existing vaccines,'' he was cited as saying.

His comments prompted a reaction because there is far less data available on Chinese vaccines than those being produced in many other countries.

Critics have complained of a lack of transparency when it comes to Chinese jabs, which have not been authorized in many European nations.

Data from the third phase of clinical studies was particularly sought after.

Because China has the Coronavirus pandemic largely under control and was reporting hardly any local infections, studies so far have only been published from other countries where vaccines were being used.

WORLD PRESS

52 Nigerians hit with severe reactions after taking AstraZeneca vaccine

CC™ Medical News

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, on Friday disclosed that 52 Nigerians have experienced moderate to severe reactions after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja.

He also said 8,439 Nigerians experienced mild Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) after taking the vaccine.

Shuaib stated that the 52 Nigerians that experienced moderate to severe reactions to the vaccine were brought down with fever, vomiting, diarrhea headaches, dizziness and allergic reactions

“In Nigeria, since the vaccination program was officially rolled out on 15th of April 2021, a total of 8,439 mild Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) have been reported. These range from pain, swelling at the site of the inoculation, to body pains and nausea. 

“Similarly, 52 cases of moderate to severe incidents of AEFI have been reported. These presented as fever, vomiting, diarrhea headaches, dizziness and allergic reactions.

“Five states have the highest records of the AEFI namely: Kaduna (970) Cross River (859), Yobe (541), Kebbi (511), and Lagos (448),” he disclosed.

According to Shuaib, as of today, April 16th, 1,071,346, representing 53.2% of the eligible persons targeted with the AstraZeneca vaccine had been administered their first dose in this vaccination phase.

He said the data were based on reports received from states through the Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) system only and did not take into account vaccinations that were not yet captured in the system.

“What this number means is that these are the people who have their information already uploaded on our data base, while others are awaiting upload, potentially due to network problems and the high traffic of those coming in to take their shots at the same time.

“While we continue to optimize our registration and immunization data system, we also encourage the state teams to deploy the most suitable internet service for their locations in order to speed up the data entry process, so that we can have the actual number of vaccinated people at any given time,” he said.

Shuaib added that in many states, the inoculation of frontline health workers had been completed and that they had begun offering vaccination to the elderly, particularly those that were 65 years and above.

“We are glad to be able to progress quickly offer immunization to more members of the community.

“Our rollout has been marked by safety, efficiency, best practice, and speed. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and its development partners, have a platform of Senior Supervisors that engage in daily evening review meetings to determine the status of the COVID-19 vaccine implementation in all States & the FCT.”

AGENCY NEWS

Tinubu calls for unity while speaking from both sides of his mouth

Nigeria News

By Confidence Okwuchi on March 13, 2021

The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has called for unity and decisiveness to tackle the unabated farmer-herders’ crisis in the country.

Tinubu said in a statement on Saturday that the herder-farmer dispute had taken an acute and violent dimensions and had cost too many innocent lives while destroying the property and livelihoods of many others.

According to him, “as vital as security is to the resolution of this matter, the nation must realise security measures alone will not suffice.”

He said that enhanced security might be the necessary first step, but it could not be the only step.

“This matter is not ethnic in factual origin or actual causation although in the minds and hearts of too many it has become ethnic in recrimination and impulsive action.

“There have been sporadic disputes in the past but this one is more severe. The reasons for the greater violence of this current dispute are myriad, “Tinubu said.

According to him, farmers have a right to farm their land unmolested and herders have a right to raise their livestock without undue interference.

He, however, explained that when conflict between these groups arises to such an extent, the nation must set forth clear principles and policies to remove the tension, in order to allow both to proceed toward their stated goals, to live in harmony and according to their respective rights.

“To destroy the crops or seize the property of the innocent farmer or herder is nothing if not an act of criminality,” he said.

Tinubu noted that unoccupied public land could be fenced into grazing areas or ranches and leased to herders on a very low-cost, nominal basis.

He said the leasing was not intended to penalise herders, rather the nominal fee should be intended to ensure the herders were invested in the project and incentivized to use the land provided.

Tinubu said this aspect would also mitigate any resentment over herders being given land for free.

He urged the government to also assist farmers increase productivity by providing subvention for their acquisition of fertilizer, equipment and machinery.

He said this could be done by establishing commodity boards to guarantee minimum prices for important crops.

NP/Confidence Okwuchi

Nigeria's aviation industry again gets high marks

Abuja Airport named best airport in Africa for customer experience

by Wole Shadare | Mar 1, 2021 | Aerospace | 0 comments

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja has been awarded the Airport Services Quality Award 2020  as judged by their customers as the Best Airport by Size and Region (five million to 15 million passengers per year in Africa). This is coming barely two weeks after receipt of the accreditation of the Airport Council International (ACI) health accreditation certificate to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Port-Harcourt International Airport, the Abuja airport has again been given recognition for its quality service.

This time, it is for providing a superior customer experience despite the difficult circumstances occasioned by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A letter sighted by AirInsight from the office of the Director-General of ACI, dated Feb. 15, 2021, and directed to Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said that the airport was bestowed with the award based on the recommendations by users of the facilities, especially the passengers. “During this most difficult and challenging of years, your customers have spoken and recognised the successful efforts of your team in providing a superior customer experience under trying circumstances.”

ACI also said that Amadeus, the global travel technology company, which it recently renewed its partnership with would deliver the ASQ Awards to the agency. It said that Amadeus supports airports in improving travel experiences for passengers all over the world and its continuing strategic partnership came at a time when it had never been more important for airports to listen to the voice of customers.

A spokeswoman for FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said the award represents the FAAN’s commitment to continuously improving customer experience across all our airports. “The recognition comes at a time when we are geared towards ensuring seamless airport facilitation with the opening of new terminals and upgrading of our current infrastructures across the board. Despite a turbulent year plagued by COVID-19 induced financial struggles, the authority has endeavored to prioritize customer satisfaction while ensuring that health and safety remain topmost. FAAN MD/CEO Captain Rabiu Yadudu accepted the award on behalf of the Authority and restated FAAN’s commitment to ensuring the safety, security, and comfort of passengers at all airports across the country,” she added.

It would be recalled that in the penultimate week, the Abuja, Port-Harcourt, and Lagos airports were accredited by ACI on its health accredited programme, after it said the airports satisfied the safe airport environment requirements as set by ACI. This, it said, was in line with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council Aviation Restart Task Force recommendations along with industry best practices.

“The Abuja Airport is judged by their customers as the Best Airport by Size and Region (5 to 15 million passengers per year in Africa)”. Yakubu also described the feat as huge and underscored the organisation’s relentlessness amid the difficult year occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic which led to financial struggle by the authority.

SPACEX STARLINK: INCREDIBLE BETA TEST PHOTOS SHOW THE FUTURISTIC ROUTER

CC™ Innovation News - Mike Brown

SpaceX's internet connectivity service has started shipping out equipment to beta testers.....

Over the weekend, participants in the "Better Than Nothing" beta test shared photos and videos of the setup box. The package is designed to get the early testers connected to SpaceX's growing collection of satellites, which will offer high speed and low latency internet access to people living in remote and underserved areas. Included in the package is a ground terminal, router, and other components to get connected.

"The router looks so clean and beautiful," wrote a Reddit user called "bigskyreleaf," who shared a photo of the new box. While many internet providers offer bland, curved wifi routers, SpaceX appears to be going for a distinctly angular white and silver design.

It bears more than a passing resemblance to the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup truck – both firms are run by CEO Elon Musk.

It also looks a lot like Shanghai's striking World Financial Center – perhaps not the first time a gadget has taken inspiration from architecture.

Reddit-shared images also show the shiny dish – affectionately dubbed "Dishy Mcflatface" by SpaceX.

The beta test is another step toward SpaceX's goal of satellite internet at gigabit speeds, with latency fast enough to play video games. SpaceX first started launching batches of SpaceX satellites in May 2020, and has applied for permission to launch a staggering 42,000 satellites. SpaceX achieves its lower latencies by placing the craft closer to the Earth's surface, around 550 kilometers high.

The company warns beta testers that they can expect speeds of around 50 to 150 megabits per second – for context, a megabit is an eighth of a megabyte, and the measurement is common when discussing internet speeds. But Business Insider reported Monday that some users were seeing higher speeds of up to 174 megabits per second.

The beta test doesn't come free. Users are asked to pay $99 per month for the connection itself, plus $499 for the Starlink Kit containing the ground terminal. One tester on Reddit found their order came to nearly $600 after $50 shipping and Washington state taxes. They then paid a further $100 for a ridgeline mount, an alternative to the tripod mount that comes with the Starlink Kit.

Although it all sounds rather expensive and slow, it's still impressive for satellite internet. Unlike fiber optic and other technologies, satellite doesn't depend on local infrastructure to get online – just point at the sky. The United States is served by satellite operators Viasat and HughesNet, but users end up paying similar prices to Starlink for speeds in the tens of megabits. Latency also runs into the hundreds of milliseconds, around 20 times slower than wired.

SpaceX began offering services to customers in the northern United States and Canada in 2020. It plans to offer "near global coverage of the populated world" by 2021.

The company is inviting fans that are interested in Starlink to register with their name and physical address via the website.

THE INVERSE ANALYSIS – SpaceX's setup looks impressive, and the design is sleek. Company-provided routers tend to be rather drab affairs, so it's nice to see a bit of design flair from the new service's first outing.

Of course, the most technically minded may opt to switch the router for their own box when it comes to filling the house with wifi. Mesh networking setups like Google and Eero allow users to place access points in various parts of the house, ensuring there's no blind spots for service.

Fiber is likely to remain the best option where it's available, but for rural and underserved areas, flaky internet could soon be a thing of the past. As more people work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, could this ultimately change the conversation about where people can live?

INVERSE

Buhari pampering terrorists with so-called re-integration of ex-Boko Haram killers

CC™ News

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of “pampering” Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen terrorists in Nigeria.

Kanu stated this in reaction to the graduation and reintegration of  hundreds of so-called repentant Boko Haram members into the society.

Reports that the ex-Boko Haram killers reintegrated into the society included those from Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic have infuriated many Nigerians.

The Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, Major General Bamidele Shafa made the announcement recently.

Reacting, the IPOB leader lamented that Nigeria was rewarding terrorism.

In a tweet, Kanu wrote: “No nation ever PAMPERS terrorists. @MBuhari’s Nigeria not only pampers terrorists but it gives them scholarships and sends them to mix with those they’ve terrorized and slaughtered.

“There’s no other way of looking at this than that Nigeria is the ONLY nation that rewards TERRORISM.”

The Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram have been classified as being among the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world by the requisite global organizations, including the United Nations.

But the Buhari administration has repeatedly used the organs of power, the military and the police, to in the case of the Fulani Herdsmen, force the murderous group on the Nigerian people by way of its clandestine grazing program, especially in the Middle-Belt and Southern parts of the country which are predominantly Christian. 

Buhari, a retired Army General, had campaigned on a pledge to rid the nation of the Boko Haram scourge using his military background as a talking point, as he wrested power from President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections. 

His administration has however falling woefully short on his campaign promise as not only has Boko Haram become even more menacing, the dynamic of the Fulani Herdsmen terrorists was added under Buhari's watch and the president, who is also Fulani, has been accused of being complicit, at least through inaction, in the murderous activities of the Fulani terrorists.

Nigeria is a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and there is ample evidence of ethno-religious cleansing that has gone on since the inception of the Buhari administration.

Southern, Middle Belt leaders flay demotion of General Adeniyi by Buhari and Buratai's 'Fulani' Army

Major-General Olusegun Adeniyi

CC™ Global News

The forum also condemned the jailing of Adeniyi's assistant for 28 days with hard labor.

In a statement yesterday, the spokespersons of the group, Chief Guy Ikokwu (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South South), Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), and Mr. Yinka Odumakin (South West), said it was unfortunate Adeniyi's ordeal started with his complaints about those who sent him to lead troops to fight Boko Haram insurgencies with bare knuckles.

The forum described the embattled general as a combatant who has won so many awards and commendations for his command of Operation Lafiya Dole but has now lost many troops in combat recently, raising questions on what happened to the last $1billion released for armed forces to buy weapons.

The statement read in part: "The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, General Olusegun Adeniyi, who once led the country's onslaught against Boko Haram, was found guilty of violating some sections of the rules of engagement.

"Section 15 (g) of the policy specifically forbids personnel from 'posting any video, audio, materials pictures during exercises/operations.'"

The forum noted that the court-martial, however, found Adeniyi guilty of producing and publicizing a video on the counter-insurgency operation in the North East in a manner that embarrassed and ridiculed the armed forces and was demoted while his orderly, Tokunbo Obanla, a private, was also found guilty and sentenced to 28 days in jail with hard labor."

The forum lamented that the Nigerian Army had in July ordered Gen. Adeniyi to face court-martial, four months after he was seen in a rare video confessing that Nigerian troops were being killed by Boko Haram terrorists.

The forum queried: while it might be said that the army was only enforcing its rule, why was the rule mute against northern Muslim officers who were accused of giving out the routes of our soldiers, who were brutally murdered over two years ago, to Boko Haram?

And what has the Air Force done to date over the controversial killing of Tolulope Arotile in Kaduna last year, an officer renowned for deadly exploits against Boko Haram?

According to the leaders, "It is an officer commended for conducting the good fight against Boko Haram who is being promptly court-martialled because he says he now lacks weapons.

This country is incomprehensible."

GUARDIAN

The losing streak continues: Trump loses Wisconsin case while arguing another one

CC™ Politico

By Scott Bauer

President Donald Trump lost a federal lawsuit Saturday while his attorney was arguing his case before a skeptical Wisconsin Supreme Court in another lawsuit that liberal justices said “smacks of racism” and would disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters only in the state's most diverse counties.

U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig, a Trump appointee, dismissed Trump's federal lawsuit asking the court to order the Republican-controlled Legislature to name Trump the winner over Democrat Joe Biden. The judge said Trump's arguments “fail as a matter of law and fact.”

The ruling came as Trump's attorney in a state case faced a barrage of questions about his claims from both liberal and conservative justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Trump is trying to overturn his loss to Biden in the state by disqualifying more than 221,000 votes in Wisconsin's two most heavily Democratic counties. Trump is not challenging any votes in counties he won.

“This lawsuit, Mr. Troupis, smacks of racism," Justice Jill Karofsky said to Trump's attorney Jim Troupis early in his arguments. "I do not know how you can come before this court and possibly ask for a remedy that is unheard of in U.S. history. ... It is not normal.”

Justice Rebecca Dallet, like Karofsky another liberal justice, questioned why Trump didn't raise his same concerns about the absentee ballot process in the 2016 election that he won in Wisconsin. Troupis said Trump was not an aggrieved party that year.

Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley questioned how the court could reject more than 28,000 ballots of people who said they were indefinitely confined given that it would include people who properly claimed that status.

Wisconsin's highest court agreed to take the case at Trump's urgent request Friday, soon after a state judge ruled against him and with Monday's Electoral College vote bearing down and the state's 10 electoral votes about to go to Biden.

The court is controlled 4-3 by conservatives, but its willingness to take the case isn't necessarily an indicator of how it will rule. The court previously refused to hear the case before it went through lower courts, and a majority of justices have openly questioned whether the remedy Trump seeks is appropriate.

Trump sought to have more than 221,000 ballots disqualified in Dane and Milwaukee counties. He wanted to disqualify absentee ballots cast early and in-person, saying there wasn’t a proper written request made for the ballots; absentee ballots cast by people who claimed “indefinitely confined” status; absentee ballots collected by poll workers at Madison parks; and absentee ballots where clerks filled in missing information on ballot envelopes.

The circuit judge on Friday ruled that none of Trump’s arguments had merit and that state law was followed during the election and subsequent recount.

Biden won Wisconsin by about 20,600 votes, a margin of 0.6% that withstood a Trump-requested recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties.

Trump and his allies have suffered dozens of defeats in Wisconsin and across the country in lawsuits that rely on unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud and election abuse. On Friday evening, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a Texas lawsuit that sought to invalidate Biden’s win by throwing out millions of votes in four battleground states, including Wisconsin.

Also Saturday, former Trump campaign attorney Sidney Powell asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a federal case she lost in Wisconsin seeking to order the GOP-controlled Legislature to declare Trump the winner. Powell has also lost similar cases in Georgia and Arizona.

AP

DEMOCRATS MUST NOT SAVOR VICTORY FOR LOSS AT SENATE RUNOFF ELECTION

CC™ Opinion Piece

By Yahaya Balogun

Elections have consequences; victory at any election is also consequential. Smart people always attempt to smartly use success----at any time to meet the expectations of the people who make success happen. The recently concluded 2020 general election in America was a blessing in disguise. The election punctuated the last four years of blurry power and chaos in America.

In a nutshell, Democrats need to walk a fine line now. The party should stop amplifying unnecessary rancours and demands; they should be serious about making the Georgia race a national campaign right now. The obstructionist Mitch McConnell's majority leadership must be halted to help Joe Biden meet his progressive agenda and electoral promises. Democrats should begin to mobilize from coast to coast to ensure they make the Georgia elections national campaign for Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock's victory. The US political juggernauts, Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama, must be deployed to Georgia to help sway the Georgian voters to vote overwhelmingly for the two crucial candidates--Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock. The Democratic Party must make the economy and Coronavirus their central and focal points. The victory of the runoff will be determined by the turnout of the Peach's state voters.

Meanwhile, Democrats must measure their political slogans against the police. The clamoring for defunding the police is not only a crazy idea; it is a political suicide mission that might doom Democrats in the mid-term election. One should hope that some Democrats are not playing with political fire. Historically, the inability of the Democrats to manage a victory has always been their encircling encumbrance. The expectation of taking over the house in the last election was dashed. Now, the far-left in the Democratic Party is savoring the temporal triumph of the 2020 presidential election. It must be carefully sustained.

Democrats must be careful not to play into the hands of their political adversaries in the most critical mid-term election. American voters aren't dumb; if they give you their overwhelming votes and support in a general election, you must be careful and not be complacent. You must perform. Don't get fixated on savoring your victory. The Democratic Party should adhere to the admonition of President Barack Obama, who is our smart party leader. Without too much glorification of President Barack Obama, Obama is one of the shrewdest politicians America has produced. He has polished skills at statecraft, administration, and leadership. While management is administrative, Leadership is aspirational. Leadership focuses on what must be done to make sure that the administration and its people succeed. Obama is a master at winning the hearts of the pragmatic and intelligent Americans, especially the educated millennials, to win elections. He is harmonizing the victory of the Democratic Party. 

Obama knows the political underpinnings of the millennials. He is trying to walk a fine line between the agitated progressive and responsive moderate Democrats. But the two groups within the same Democratic Party must listen to Obama's words of wisdom to avoid being winners lose all in the end.

The Democratic Party must not jeopardize the goodwill they enjoyed from the American people in the 2020 general election. Elections have implications; victory at any election also has consequences. The smartest way of maintaining a healthy success from the voters' wrath is to do what you are elected to do. And your victory and governance must accommodate all citizens in the country, otherwise, it will be a yearning for political suicide. However, the President-elect Joe Biden is a pragmatist and experienced politician. Democrats must not sandwich him to do any extreme bidding for their own political perils. Joe Biden is not elected to govern the Democrats alone; he is elected to lead all Americans irrespective of party affiliation. The stakeholders in the Democratic party should carefully savor the historical event as a victory for all American people and the world. Before January 5, 2020, the focus must be on Georgia's peach state to ensure the success of the Democrats for Senate majority in the runoff elections in the state.