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80m Nigerians living with hypertension, 26.7m receiving treatment - THE GUARDIAN
By Chukwuma Muanya, Deputy Editor
• Sufferers at risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, heart failure
• Experts recommend mandatory screening for people above 18 years
• Walk everyday, avoid salt, processed meat, Nigerians told
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the World Hypertension Day, which has as theme ‘Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer,’ medical experts, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), have warned that the prevalence of hypertension in the country is on the rise. This, they said is, due to prevailing insecurity and poor socioeconomic condition.
Specifically, Executive Director of NHF, Dr. Kingsley Akinroye, yesterday, told The Guardian that the prevalence of hypertension is estimated to be between 30 and 40 per cent of Nigeria’s over 200 million population, which is in the range of 60 to 80 million Nigerians.
He had, last year, told The Guardian that the prevalence of hypertension in the country was as much as 38.1 per cent.
Akinroye, who is also a consultant cardiologist, said, almost one in three adults suffers from hypertension, while only one third of this figure (about 26.7 million Nigerians) are on treatment.
He said a survey by the NHF showed the awareness of hypertension is more in the urban than rural areas and more amongst women than men.
“Since the onset of COVID-19 in Nigeria, we have evidence that more people with heart disease have been affected or died from the pandemic than any other illness. Also, we are aware that the cost of treatment with anti-hypertensive drugs has gone up.”
He noted that the ideal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, but in Nigeria, normal blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg. “Any figure higher than 140 mmHg for systolic blood pressure or 90 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure is regarded as hypertension.”
Another hypertension expert, Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Director, Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, said about 50 million Nigerians and nearly half of those above 25 years are hypertensive at Blood Pressure (BP) greater and equal to 140/90 mmHg.
Owolabi blamed the rise on unhealthy diet (red meat, high salt intake and low consumption of green leafy vegetables), sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking and air pollution.
Owolabi, who is also the Lead Co-Chair, WHO-World Stroke Organisation-Lancet Neurology Commission on Stroke, said increase in complications is due to the low proportion of individuals with hypertension who are diagnosed, treated and controlled. The consultant neurologist said, in Africa, up to 93 per cent of those with hypertension are unaware, untreated or uncontrolled, adding that uncontrolled hypertension is the premier risk factor for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and heart failure.
Owolabi said unaffordability of treatments for hypertension is one of the reasons for poor adherence to treatment.
He said health insurance coverage for hypertension treatment, subsidising medication cost, and provision of free generic medications through collaboration between government and pharmaceutical companies will improve access.
On recommendations on how to reduce the burden of hypertension in Nigeria, Owolabi said screening for hypertension should be mandatory for citizens above the age of 18.
“This can be implemented at all health facilities, especially primary healthcare centres. Hypertension treatment and control should be enhanced through a protocol-based referral system that empowers primary healthcare centres to participate under supervision in the initiation of treatment for uncomplicated hypertension,” he said.
He said there is no proven cure for hypertension but prevention is better than cure, as it could be prevented through healthy diet with frequent consumption of green leafy vegetables, avoidance of excessive table salt and red meat intake and maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index.
For health and wellbeing, WHO recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week (or the equivalent vigorous of activity) for all adults, and an average of 60 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per day for children and adolescents.
According to the first comprehensive global analysis of trends in hypertension prevalence, detection, treatment and control, led by Imperial College London and WHO, and published in The Lancet journal, the number of adults aged 30 to 79 years with hypertension has increased from 650 million to 1.28 billion in the last 30 years. Nearly half of these people did not know they had hypertension.
The study, conducted by a global network of physicians and researchers, covered the period 1990–2019. It used blood pressure measurement and treatment data from over 100 million people aged 30 to 79 years in 184 countries, together covering 99 per cent of the global population, which makes it the most comprehensive review of global trends in hypertension to date.
By analysing this massive amount of data, the researchers found that there was little change in the overall rate of hypertension in the world from 1990 to 2019, but the burden has shifted from wealthy nations to low- and middle-income countries.
The rate of hypertension has decreased in wealthy countries – which now typically have some of the lowest rates – but has increased in many low- or middle-income countries.
A public health physician and Global Health Expert/Chief Technical Advisor, E4HDI, Dr. Nnenna Marcelina Ezeigwe, said because many people do not check their blood pressure regularly as a matter of routine, they only become aware when kidney damage has occurred.
“Therefore, rising cases of kidney failure is a good indication of high prevalence of hypertension,” she said.
Ezeigwe said many patients are not taking the recommended drugs because of the high cost of treatment and high level of poverty in Nigeria.
“In 2020, Idris Abubakar and Obansa S.A.J. estimated the yearly cost of treating hypertension to be N145,086.12 in Abuja, mostly paid out of pocket. I believe this amount is far below what it actually costs now to manage hypertension in Nigeria while the minimum wage has remained the same and insecurity has led to diminished productivity of rural farmers.
“The implication of failure to treat hypertension adequately is simply more stroke, Ischaemic heart disease, kidney failure, amongst other complications and resultant mortality,” she said.
Medical Director, Optimal Specialist Hospitals, Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos State, Dr. Celestine Chukwunenye, said there has been a noticeable rise in the percentage of people living with hypertension worldwide as well as a rise in the percentage of severe and complicated cases.
He said the rise is due to worsening socio-economic and political conditions in the country, lack of exercise, poor dietary habits, increase in cholesterol levels, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and inadequate night sleep.
He said with the outbreak of COVID-19, people living with hypertension and other co-morbidities were at greater risk of severe illness and death. Fortunately, cases of COVID-19 are now in the decline.
Chukwunenye, who is also a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, however, said there are many herbal or natural remedies including acupuncture, some fruits, vegetables, roots, nuts and snails but their efficacy and contribution to the management of hypertension need further evaluation.
Chairman of the NHF Hypertension Committee, Prof. Basden J.C. Onwubere, said a crucial first step for control of hypertension and achievement of the United Nations 2025 goal for a 25 per cent reduction in uncontrolled hypertension is to improve hypertension diagnosis and strategies have been put in place to encourage BP screening and awareness programmes in communities.
A consultant pharmacist and a fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Dr. Joseph Madu, told The Guardian: “I don’t think that the high cost of drugs is solely responsible for patients not taking their drugs as recommended. That could be a reason but many effective hypertensive drugs are cheap, but rather ignorance and inadequate health education leading to non-compliance and poor adherence are the primary causes. With proper engagement of clinical pharmacists, the challenge can be drastically curtailed.”
To reduce the burden of hypertension in Nigeria, Madu recommended adequate health education and public enlightenment about the disease burden; formation of policies that will encourage patients and the less privileged to access care; policies to enhance access to free blood pressure checks at designated centres will be very helpful; lifestyle changes such as reduced salt and low calorie intake, brisk exercise such as a walk for 30 minutes daily, reduced alcohol and avoidance of tobacco intake etc.
Madu said hypertension has no known cure whether through herbal or orthodox medicine. He, however, said it could be managed to prevent morbidity and mortality. The clinical pharmacist said the danger in using herbal medications is that they are not standardised, most times, as to guarantee proper usage.
He said some natural products used as herbs have blood pressure lowering effects but their usage, especially when combined with orthodox medicine, must be under strict supervision of a competent health care provider.
On what causes hypertension, President, NMA, Prof. Innocent Ujah, said: “The causes are not fully known in most cases and it’s called primary/essential hypertension in about 10 per cent of the cases where the condition is known; it is called secondary hypertension (kidney, blood vessels and hormonal disorders are known causes).”
Ujah, who is also a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said essential hypertension is associated with two broad risk factors. Modifiable or preventable factors are: high intake of salt, overweight, sedentary lifestyles, physical inactivity, diabetes mellitus, tobacco smoking, alcohol intake and stress.
Ujah listed unmodifiable or non-preventable factors to include: family history (hereditary), inheritance from parents, age, sex, and black race, adding: “The reality is that HBP is a common disease and a silent killer. Unfortunately most people are not aware. People should do BP check-up regularly.
“Poverty is a very big problem as well as anxiety. They fuel hypertension. So being poor is a big risk factor. For the rich, the problem is their uncontrolled enjoyment. They don’t control eating and drinking. There are several other causes of hypertension like eclampsia and preeclampsia in pregnant women, which are the commonest killers of women in childbirth. Eclampsia can be controlled but not preeclampsia.
“BP is not a death sentence but can be controlled with regular check up, lifestyle changes and medication,” he said.
Americans Can Order Eight More Free Covid Tests Amid Latest Surge - BLOOMBERG
by , Bloomberg News
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration has released another round of free at-home Covid-19 tests available through mail order.
Each US household is eligible for eight free tests at Covid.Gov/Tests, which will ship through the US Postal Service in two separate shipments. This is the third round of free tests since the program first launched in January. A second round became available in March. It comes as the US crosses the grim milestone of one million deaths since the pandemic began.
The widespread use of at-home tests has complicated public health officials' ability to track the pandemic because people don't always report positive results.
The more infectious variant BA.2 has meant greater spread, even among those vaccinated, boosted and with prior infections. Cases are once again surging across major metro areas like San Francisco which maintained low positivity rates over the past two years, and now has the highest in California.
The White House has requested an additional $22.5 billion in funding from Congress for testing, vaccines and treatments.
Lift mask mandate for air travellers, IATA urges countries - PUNCH
The Director-General of the International Air Transport Association, Willie Walsh, has urged Asia-Pacific states to lift the mask mandate for air travelers and also ease border measures further to accelerate the region’s recovery from COVID-19.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Changi Aviation Summit 2022, the IATA DG said that “Asia-Pacific is playing catch-up on restarting travel after COVID-19, but there is growing momentum with governments lifting many travel restrictions. The demand for people to travel is clear.
“As soon as measures are relaxed there is an immediate positive reaction from travelers. So it is critical that all stakeholders, including governments, are well-prepared for the restart. We cannot delay. Jobs are at stake and people want to travel.”
The Asia-Pacific region’s international passenger demand for March reached 17 per cent of pre-COVID levels, after having hovered at below 10 per cent for most of the last two years.
“This is far below the global trend where markets have recovered to 60% of pre-crisis levels. The lag is because of government restrictions. The sooner they are lifted, the sooner we will see a recovery in the region’s travel and tourism sector, and all the economic benefits that will bring,” said Walsh.
Walsh urged Asia-Pacific governments to continue easing measures and bring normalcy to air travel by removing all restrictions for vaccinated travelers.
He also implored states to endeavour to remove quarantine and COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated travelers where there are high levels of population immunity, which is the case in most parts of Asia.
“Supporting and more importantly accelerating the recovery will need a whole of industry and government approach. Airlines are bringing back the flights. Airports need to be able to handle the demand. And governments need to be able to process security clearances and other documentation for key personnel efficiently,” said Walsh.
Airlines, marketers’ Jet-A1 supply deal crashes, product sells N612 per litre - PUNCH
BY Opeoluwa Akintayo
There appears to be no end yet to the current crisis in the aviation sector as findings show that the agreement between airlines and oil marketers can no longer hold due to continuous price hikes of the Aviation Turbine Kerosene, also known as JET-A1 or aviation fuel.
Last week, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and domestic airlines, during a meeting with members of the House of Representatives, reached an agreement that the corporation would supply Jet-A1 to marketers nominated by airline operators for a period of three months at N480 per litre, pending when the carriers would be granted licences to import the commodity.
However, The PUNCH gathered that the agreement could no longer hold as the NNPC no longer has products.
Nominated oil marketers who sold at N480 per litre have also run out of products, and local airlines are back to buying at higher prices.
Findings showed that a former Chairman of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and Chairman of 11 Plc, Tunji Oyebanji, was one of those who offered to sell the product at N480/litre, following the meeting at the House.
Unconfirmed sources said the state oil company, NNPC, merely brought in two cargoes to cushion the effect of the scarcity, and that the corporation is yet to bring in more products in the past few weeks.
During an interview with the current Chairman of MOMAN, Clement Isong, he told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the agreement to sell at N480/litre for three months was not with all marketers.
“The House of Reps didn’t have any agreement with marketers. The only person that had an agreement with them was Tunji Oyebanji, who at that time had six million litres. He was asked to sell at N480 per litre, and the product has almost finished. Six million litres cannot last for three months. So, because the agreement was with just him, other marketers sell at different prices depending on how much the product was brought in,” he said.
According to him, while the two cargoes brought in by the NNPC was sold to marketers at N432.6/litre and N462/litre respectively, marketers sold to operators at N540/litre, adding that the NNPC was able to sell at lesser price because it could access the foreign exchange.
“No forex everywhere and NNPC cannot subsidise the products,” he added.
When contacted by The PUNCH, Oyebanji said he had no knowledge of any agreement with the House of Reps.
“I didn’t have any agreement with anybody. What happened was that there was a call to us (marketers) to help out with the situation, and my company, 11 Plc, offered to help,” he said.
According to him, the House of Reps was to be blamed when they announced that they were on top of the situation and that marketers would sell at N480 for three months.
“Nobody gave me any directive. I was the one who offered to help. That’s why we are not politicians. We are businessmen, so, I wouldn’t know how the Reps convened my offer to the media to mean that they directed me, or that they had an agreement with marketers to sell at N480 for three months.”
He reiterated that the NNPC did not currently have any product to sell and that the quantity left in his tank was for his contract customers.
“So, I offered to help at a loss to my company. Because of the low price I sold, there was a rush by airline operators. Now, I have almost exhausted my products. The little I have is for my loyal customers,” he said.
The PUNCH learnt that price has since hit about N612 per litre.
Further findings show that with the naira-dollar exchange rate now at 600, aviation fuel may go for as high as N633/litre.
“The product I have left is for my contract customers because they can sue me if I don’t meet up with our agreement. We have been telling the local airlines to also sign contracts with us so that we can also plan for them like we do for foreign airlines,” he said.
Isong advised Nigerians to adjust to current market trends as the crises was not peculiar to Nigerians.
“Nigerians should understand that there is a situation in the world, and we must adjust and sort out ourselves. Government cannot do everything for us. Currently, government does not have money to sort out the education sector, health, agriculture and the other sector. ASSU is currently on strike, and the government can’t do anything about it,” he said.
Intentional Crashes by Pilots Remain a Rare Form of Air Disaster - BLOOMBERG
(Bloomberg) -- Indications that someone in the cockpit intentionally crashed a China Eastern Airlines Corp. plane in March suggests the tragedy may join a rare group of air disasters deliberately caused by a pilot or passenger.
Black-box data from the China Eastern Boeing 737-800 shows someone on board input controls that sent the plane on its fatal dive, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with US officials’ preliminary assessment of the incident.
The plane had been cruising at about 29,000 feet (8,840 meters) before suddenly going into an almost-vertical dive that reached close to the speed of sound before it slammed into a remote hillside. The two black-box recorders were sent to the US to retrieve the data.
If intentionally caused by a pilot, the China Eastern crash would be the third major disaster in less than a decade to be attributed to pilot suicide, according to the Aviation Safety Network. That includes the Germanwings flight in 2015 that was flown into a French mountain by its co-pilot, killing himself and 149 passengers and crew.
The co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, had been diagnosed with psychotic depression and was recommended for psychiatric hospital treatment weeks before the doomed flight. In the wake of the disaster, U.S. regulators increased training for the doctors who screen airline pilots so they can better spot mental health issues.
In the deadliest incident, an EgyptAir flight from the US to Cairo plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 217 passengers and crew. In that case, a relief co-pilot was alone in the cockpit when he disconnected the autopilot, moved the throttles to idle and pointed the nose of the airplane down, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a final report. Those findings were disputed by the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority.
Since 1950, there have been 24 such incidents of pilot or passenger suicide -- including the Sept. 11 attacks in the US -- though many involved small aircraft that killed only the pilot.
Some crashes led to new safety requirements, such as having more than one pilot in the cockpit or making doors more resistant to intrusion from the cabin.
A 2002 China Northern Airlines Co. crash that killed 112 people was blamed on a passenger who bought life insurance worth $170,000 before boarding the flight. He then took water bottles filled with gasoline on board and ignited them on the aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
According to a report in The Paper, China Eastern tightened cockpit safety protocols after the March crash. The airline introduced a requirement for flight crews to be composed of two senior captains with one senior co-pilot, or of two flight instructors with a senior co-pilot, The Paper said.
China’s aviation regulator says US officials that participated in the China Eastern crash probe told them that they didn’t release any information about the investigation to any media organizations, the Global Times reported Wednesday.
Current Visa Arrangement Frustrating Nigeria-US Trade, Says Lagos US Consul - ARISE NEWS
The Head of Commercial Section/Commercial Counsellor, Lagos US Consulate, David Russell, on Tuesday, stated that the current visa environment between Nigeria and the United States of America was the biggest limiting factor hindering trade between both countries.
The US envoy stated this at the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce ((NACC) breakfast meeting in Lagos, with the theme: “US Mission’s Current Commercial-focused Activities in Nigeria.”
According to him, many Nigerians doing business with the United States have had difficulties traveling for training and connecting with their business partners which he said was detrimental to the overall business relationships.
In his words: “We put a lot more focus on ensuring that we work with our partners across the embassy to facilitate traveling when we are able to. We are dedicated to doing what we can to build capacities for both travels to the United States and here in Nigeria.”
Russell added: “One of the biggest limiting factors we have with doing business with US is the current visa environment in which people doing business with US have had difficulties travelling for trainings and connecting with their business partners which is detrimental to their overall business relationships.”
He also stated that US businesses were willing to invest in Nigeria, but are however worried over trust gaps in working in unfamiliar markets like Nigeria.
“We have to get the risk profile to a level that is acceptable to US businesses. Our goal is to look to the bright sides and perceptions of risk within markets like Nigeria.
“Many times the risk is what keeps companies from not looking into a market like Nigeria, so we want to make sure companies are giving Nigeria a second look,” he assured.
He, however, stated that the Biden-Harris administration was focused on Africa, stressing that the administration was committed to revitalising partnerships and alliances based on dialogue, respect, and mutually shared values.
“This means working together with African partners to advance our shared vision of a better and greener future; this means building long-term partnerships, creating jobs in our economies, and doing so with two way trade and investment. There are significant opportunities for both countries as we look to reopen for business,” said.
He pointed out that the US mission to Nigeria has several initiatives to engage Nigerian businesses such as those that make up the membership of the NACC, adding that these programmes could provide the tools and opportunities for those looking to carry out businesses in the US.
He said the US government was dedicated to increasing two way trade and mobilising investment inside Africa’s fast growing markets.
He noted that through Prosper Africa initiatives, the embassy was delivering on the Biden administration’s agenda of strengthening the ability of the availability of capital and right sizing some of the perceptions of debt and liability on the continent.
Nigeria's Lagos bans 'nuisance' motorbike taxis from most roads - REUTERS
LAGOS, May 18 (Reuters) - Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos said on Wednesday it will ban motorcycle taxis from operating in most of the traffic-clogged city, removing a popular mode of transport for residents.
Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the ban, the second in just over two years, would come into force from June, adding that the motorbikes that offer taxi services, known locally as "Okadas", were unsafe.
It was not immediately clear if the ban, which does not include delivery motorcycles, would include ride-hailing start-ups such as Oride, Gokada and Max.ng, which have sought to capitalise on the city's teeming population of just over 20 million people to expand their businesses.
The companies could not be immediately reached for comment.
Traffic jams are part of daily life in Lagos, where many residents use motorcycles to criss-cross between the traffic, but with little regard for road and safety rules.
"Lives are being lost on a daily basis, preventable accidents are happening every day and the riders are not respecting any of our traffic laws," Sanwo-Olu said.
"The situation has led to a complete breakdown of law and order. This ban has come to stay and we will not tolerate any weakness in enforcement," told a news briefing.
A similar restriction imposed in February 2020 fizzled out because of a lack of enforcement.
Motorcycle taxis will be banned from 40 bridges and flyovers and areas covering the business districts of Victoria Island and Lagos Island, Apapa, where the primary port is located and Ikeja, which is home to the international airport.
"How am I supposed to survive when there are no jobs? We will see if this is different (from last time)," said Okada driver Victor Abara while the tyre of his motorcycle was being fixed at a roadside garage in Victoria Island.
Migrating to Canada from Nigeria – Provincial Nominee Programs - BUSINESS POST
By
There continues to be a high demand for high-skilled immigrants in many developed countries worldwide, and Canada isn’t an exception. The country’s skilled immigration system recognizes that immigrants can be instrumental in addressing labour market needs and economic growth, especially when they have in-demand skills, experience, and education. Hence, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is an important component of Canada’s economic immigration system.
This provincial program creates a platform for the federal and provincial governments to work together to create industrial growth in Canada. The initiative makes it easier for qualified, skilled foreigners to become permanent residents. Provinces can nominate skilled immigrants who have been invited to apply for PR through Express Entry or the paper-based process.
Who Can Apply for PNP?
Although the nominee program is exclusive to workers, not all applicants in the job market are eligible. Some workers may be eligible, depending on their occupation. If an applicant holds a high human capital that is in demand in the province, the individual can apply for nomination in any of the available PNP immigration programs best suited.
Applicants must apply in the provinces they intend to live in. For example, a foreign senior developer who receives a “notification of interest” from Alberta is not qualified to apply under British Columbia’s PNP, especially when the individual has no interest in becoming a long-term resident there. Using the same scenario, the software engineer may not be considered for this program if there’s no intention to become a permanent resident in Canada.
Breaking Down the PNP Framework
As previously highlighted, there are two approaches to the PNP application process. The procedure entails undergoing some background checks, like police clearance and medical examinations for the province of application. The applicant must clear them successfully, as they make up part of the overall assessment. For those who consider the standard process, the requirements share some similarities with its counterpart.
To begin with, the applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the province; likewise the Express Entry stream. Their skills must match one of the listed programs. That way, the province can invite such persons to apply. If nominated, they can submit the application to the IRCC. This approach has a longer wait time, compared to the second option.
Generally, the Express Entry stream is faster and more straightforward than the standard process. The skilled immigrant visits the province’s website to apply for nomination. Whereby the province finds the applicant an ideal fit for its labour market needs, it proceeds to nominate the professional, earning the individual 600 CRS extra. The next step would be to create an Express Entry account and proceed to apply for permanent residence.
Another option would be to flip the process around. This time, the Express Entry account creation comes first, which the professional notifies the province of. This is where the “notification of interest” comes into play. With this approach, there is direct communication between the candidate and the province officials in charge of the application. The former can then apply to the latter’s Express Entry stream and proceed to send the PR application to the IRCC.
Is Permanent Residence Available to Families of PNP-Nominated Immigrants?
The Provincial Nominee Program is one of the selected initiatives that encourage families to be united. Under this program, a spouse or child can accompany the foreign-born applicant when they make Canada their permanent residence. Those who move to Canada are eligible to become permanent residents as well. Plus, it extends to the children of the dependent children.
What Are Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Points?
When seeking permanent residence, various prerequisites must be met. Still, the Comprehensive Ranking System majorly determines whether a candidate is eligible for PR status. Points are allocated depending on the following:
- Language proficiency
- Academic background
- Work experience
- Age
- Province ties
Some are given points for obtaining professional degrees, like the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other specializations that require significant academic efforts. The same is true for a foreign skilled worker, such as a financial advisor, who is fluent in the required language (often English or French). When a province nominates this skilled professional, additional CRS points are added to the person’s profile.
These points combined with those from other considerable aspects of the program, help the IRCC officials determine if the financial advisor qualifies for permanent residence.
How Can Applicants Improve Their Chances of Being Nominated?
Given a large number of skilled foreigners in the Express Entry pool, the possibility of being nominated quickly may be dicey. As such, applicants are advised to build a strong profile. Those who end up securing a job or enrolling in an academic program in Canada increase their CRS points and thus, their chances of getting a provincial nomination for PR application.
For example, an IT project manager seeking a PNP nomination from New Brunswick can boost his or her profile by acquiring a Master’s degree from a Canadian university. This tech professional can boost the chances of being nominated for PR by securing an IT-related role, such as computer programming at a New Brunswick-based tech firm.
The CRS points for such an expert would be higher than someone in the same field who has no connection to the province. In other words, the province will be more inclined to nominate the former than the latter. In the end, it is not simply about being skilled, as many highly skilled individuals are in Canada seeking permanent residence; it is about being the best fit for a province’s labour needs.
PNP Application Language Requirements
The language requirements for any of the streams in the PNP can vary. In general, the provinces nominate applicants who can integrate successfully into Canada. To this effect, applicants must be fluent in either English or French, depending on the stream. They’ll need to demonstrate their competence by taking any of the exams below:
- IELTS
- CELPIP
- TCF Canada
- TEF Canada
The first two tests are English-based, whereas the last two are used to measure foreigners’ French language skills. They evaluate an applicant’s capability to converse, write, and listen in the language.
Conclusion
Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program is not difficult to understand. With proper research and planning, foreign-born professionals can apply, get selected, and become part of the country’s permanent population. There’s so much more to Canada than the majestic snow-capped mountains and lakes. Those looking for a career upgrade can consider moving to Canada, particularly if they are competent and willing to settle down.
Chinese airliner with 132 people on board 'was crashed deliberately' - METRO
A Chinese airliner which nosedived into the side of a mountain was likely crashed deliberately, investigators believe.
All 132 people on board the flight were killed when a China Eastern Airlines mysteriously dropped from the sky over a remote area of the Guangxi region on March 21.
Teams in Beijing and Washington are trying to piece together what happened to the US-made Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with no evidence pointing to a mechanical or technical failure.
The plane was travelling at cruising altitude between Kunming and Guangzhou when it suddenly dropped to the ground, the worst aviation disaster on mainland China in 28 years.
It has previously been reported that the plane’s pilots did not respond to radio messages from air control during the rapid descent.
Experts familiar with the work of the US probe now believe evidence recovered from the black box points to an intentional downing.
The full findings are yet to be released but officials familiar with the contents of the report told the Wall Street Journal they had reached an unsettling conclusion.
One told the American newspaper: ‘The plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit.’
Three pilots were in charge of the plane and investigators have not ruled out a hijacking, according to the report.
A China Eastern Airlines spokesperson told the paper ‘unofficial speculation may interfere with the accident investigation and affect the real progress of the global air transport industry’.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a statement last month that preliminary results from labs in Washington suggested there was no useful data on the badly damaged black box and cockpit recorder, whilst noting work was ongoing.
Screenshots of the Wall Street Journal report appear to be censored on Chinese social media, according to Reuters.
Topics like ‘China Eastern’ and ‘China Eastern black boxes’ are banned on Weibo, the country’s most popular platform, the agency reported.
The CAAC previously dismissed speculation about a deliberate crash online, saying it ‘gravely misled the public’ and ‘interfered with the accident investigation work’.
It also said the crew were qualified and in good health, the jet was properly maintained, the weather was fine and no dangerous goods were onboard.
UK deportation flight to Jamaica takes off with seven onboard - THE GUARDIAN UK
A Home Office deportation flight to Jamaica took off in the early hours of Wednesday morning with seven people onboard.
Some media reports said the Home Office initially had 100 people on the list of Jamaican nationals that officials hoped to remove.
Although the number was low it was more than the four who left on a Jamaica deportation flight last November. Four of the most recent flights had 17, 13, seven and four people onboard.
Home Office deportation flights to Jamaica are among the most contentious carried out by the department as many of those earmarked for removal have Windrush connections or have been in the UK since childhood, with children and other close relatives in the country. Some convicted of drugs and firearms offences as teenagers have been found to be victims of county lines grooming and exploitation.
Related video: Passengers queue to travel at Heathrow Terminal 5 (Wales Online)
Among those who did not fly was Mark Nelson, who has lived in the UK for 22 years, has five British children and was facing deportation following a conviction for cultivating cannabis plants. A 34-year-old man with severe learning difficulties also had his ticket cancelled.
About 30 detainees not due to fly to Jamaica blocked the exercise yard at Colnbrook immigration removal centre near Heathrow airport on Tuesday evening to try to prevent officers from removing three men due to fly. The protest was dispersed and the three men were taken to Stansted airport to board the flight.
Karen Doyle of Movement for Justice, an organisation that has been campaigning against Wednesday’s charter flight, said: “At 2am this morning we had to comfort a new mum whose family and future have been ripped apart. Today she has to tell their five-year-old daughter who dotes on her daddy that he’ll likely never again be in the same room as them. These flights are brutal and inhumane.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Those with no right to be in the UK, including foreign national offenders, should be in no doubt that we will do whatever is necessary to remove them. This is what the public rightly expects and why we regularly operate flights to different countries.
“The new plan for immigration will fix the broken immigration system and stop the abuse we are seeing by expediting the removal of those who have no right to be here.”
MARKET NEWS
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