Don, Author at NairaBrains

In Technology

Best Internet Subscription Plans for Heavy Downloads in Nigeria

December 10, 2021 No Comments

Depending on your location these are the best internet subscription plans for heavy downloads in Nigeria. If you are like me, you definitely want fast and affordable internet for the various stuff you do online.

From watching movies, to taking online meetings (zoom, Google meet etc), sending and downloading sizeable files and many more, there is always the need for reliable internet. While some internet service providers may give you steady internet for routine use they may become unbearably slow when you need to do some heavy lifting.

So what are the most recommended internet subscription plans for anyone who is a relatively heavy internet user?

We did some digging and below are some internet subscription plans we think can do the work. Note that this is not professional advice so you should do your own verification. Also be aware that the speed and reliability for these plans may have changed from the time of writing this article.

These are some of your best options if you are a heavy internet user, in no particular order.

FiberOne

FiberOne is a relatively new internet service provider that supplies fast broadband internet to homes and offices. Their service is currently available only in Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin.

Smarthome Plan: This is the most popular for FiberOne users. Good for normal video streaming, browsing and downloading at up to 10 Mbps download speed and unlimited data storage.
Smarthome Lite: This plans gives you fast download at up to 20Mbps with unlimited data storage

To start using FiberOne you would have to get the installation done at your office or home. Their service is pretty good for a relatively heavy internet user in Nigeria.

MTN Hynetflex

MTN Hynetflex is a prepaid fast speed internet service that offers multi user capability and unlimited downloads. According to the network provider the Hynet service gives speed of up to 1 Mbps. You will have to buy the Hynetflex 4G router to get started.

However it is important to note that the pricing also indicates downloads limits for some plans or throttled speed when you exhaust a certain limit. You can check for more about MTN Hynet and the various plans here

NTEL

Ntel is a 4G/LTE advanced network provider that claims to provide internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Ntel has coverage in many Nigerian cities including Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Maiduguri, Aba, Jos, Enugu, Abeokuta, Edo, Zaria etc.

Ntel has varied unlimited data plans which are good for the working individual/small team who may need to do some heavy browsing or downloading.

There are plans like the Unlimited Family with an FUP speed of 512 Kbps and the Unlimited 90 which gives access for 90 days. The Unlimited daily and Unlimited weekly provides unlimited internet for shorter periods of time – 1 day and 7 days respectively.

Cobranet

Cobranet says it is a leading, reliable internet service and data connectivity provider. It has the UGO mobile network, UGO fixed wireless and the UGO fibre service.

It appears to cover only Lagos at the time of this writing.

It’s residential plans include the Personal, Family and Classic.

IPNX

ipNX Nigeria is a leading fibre to home internet service provider. It claims to have over 5,000 large and small business customers. They also say they have over 800km of cutting edge fibre optic cable infrastructure. IPNX appears to have carved itself a niche a provider of internet services/connectivity to mostly businesses as against persons/individuals.

This however does not mean they do not provide internet to residential areas or individual homes. In fact their FOS Unlimited Residential Plans are competitive in price and can compare to what other providers have.

An intending customer can choose from the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond etc plans under the FOZ Unlimited Residential plans.

Cyberspace

I have personally used Cyberspace and their unlimited internet service was pretty reliable until they became overwhelmed with customers. However it appears they are back on their feet.

The Cyberspace 4G LTE has unlimited plans – Cyberspace Unlimited Classic and Cyberspace Unlimited Premium promising unlimited internet with speeds of up to 1Mbps and 2Mbps respectively.

You should note however that their coverage is limited to only Lagos.

Airtel

Airtel is one of the major telecommunication service providers in Nigeria.

Airtel has the Mega pack plans for heavy internet users and the highest plan provides up to 1TB of data.

It has the Unlimited Ultra plans (router only) for fast internet access on 4G network for locations that 4G coverage. Some of the major Unlimited Ultra plans include;

Unlimited Ultra Lite, Unlimited Ultra Standard, Unlimited Ultra Diamond, Unlimited Ultra Premium

Like MTN one of the major advantages of Airtel is its relatively widespread coverage of most Nigerian cities.

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In Life

Here are Tips to Avoid Falling Victim to Online Scams

September 7, 2021 No Comments

Scams on the internet happen when in various forms. The scammers’ online scam tactics (including use these fake or compromised accounts to trick you into giving them money or personal information) keep evolving. We hope you find these tips to avoid online scams useful.

Most social media platforms, credible websites, financial apps etc will never send you direct messages/emails asking for personal details about your account. For Instagram as an example, to identify phishing and spam emails, you can view official Instagram emails sent within the last 14 days from your Settings.

These are some of the things to watch out for when it comes to online scams:

People asking you for money who you don’t know in person.
People asking you to send them money or gift cards to receive a loan, prize or other winnings.
Anyone asking you to pay a fee in order to apply for a job.
Accounts representing large companies, organizations or public figures that are not verified.
People claiming to be from a major social media app, bank etc security asking you to provide account information (like your username or password), or offering you account verification services.
People asking you to move your conversation off social media to a less public or less secure setting, such as a separate email.
People claiming to have a friend or relative in an emergency.
People who misrepresent where they are located.
Messages that appear to come from a friend or a reputable company you know that ask you to click on a suspicious link.
Accounts that have a brief history on social media.
Messages or posts with poor spelling and grammatical mistakes.
People or accounts asking you to claim a prize.
People or accounts that offer items at an extreme discount.

Here are Types of Online scams to Watch Out for

Romance Scams: Romance scammers typically send romantic messages to people they don’t know, often pretending to be divorced, widowed or in distress. They’ll engage in online relationships claiming to need money for flights or visas. Their goal is to gain your trust, so the conversations may continue for weeks before they ask for money. Be vigilant of engaging in such conversations with people you don’t know in real life.

Lottery Scams: Lottery scams are often carried out from accounts impersonating someone you know or an organization (such as a government agency or a social media platform). The messages will claim that you’re among the winners of a lottery and that you can receive your money for a small advance fee. The scammer may ask you to provide personal information, such as your physical address or bank details which they can use for other criminal activities.

Loan Scams: Loan scammers send messages or leave comments on posts offering instant loans, at a low interest rate for a small advance fee. Once an initial payment is made they may ask for more money to provide a larger loan or simply end the conversation and disappear with the payment. Avoid making any transactions to people that you don’t know.

False Investment Scams: Scammers may promise unrealistic monetary benefits like offering to convert a small amount of money into a larger sum (example: $100 = $1000) and solicit money from you. This false promise of return on investment results in the scammer disappearing with the payment. Some types of false investment scams to watch out for include “cash flipping” scams, Ponzi schemes or “get rich quick” schemes.

Job Scams: Job scammers use misleading or fake job postings to try and get your personal information or money. Avoid job postings that sound too good to be true or that ask you to pay anything upfront. When clicking on a link from a job posting, watch out for websites that seem unrelated to the original job posting or that ask for sensitive information (example: government ID) but don’t use secure (https) browsing.

Credit Card Fraud: Scammers use stolen financial information to make purchases online or to lure others into buying goods or services at a significantly lower price than the market price. If you notice suspicious activity on your credit card, you should report it to your financial institution or local law enforcement.

Paid Subscription Services: Scammers will offer the sale of paid subscription services or lifetime access to these paid subscription services for a one-time payment. Avoid purchasing subscription-based services from unknown third parties since scammers won’t deliver the product, or the product won’t work as they claim it will.

Phishing Scam: Phishing is when someone tries to get access to your Instagram account by sending you a suspicious message or link that asks for your personal information. If they get into your account, a scammer may have access to things like your phone number or email address. They may also change your password to lock you out of your account.

Inauthentic Sellers: Inauthentic or misleading sellers may try to use underpriced items to lure buyers into a scam. They may try to create a sense of urgency to get buyers to act quickly, request payment through a non-secure method, or misrepresent their location in their posts.

Recommended Crime and Action Series to Watch on Netflix Now

August 30, 2021 No Comments

If you are like us you probably are always on the lookout for interesting crime and action series to watch on Netflix. Movies help make the world go round. Series make the world even go rounder, as you’re lost in the zone, getting you to have something to look forward to at the end of the working day or during weekends. Good series will do that to you. Yes!

Indulging in series bling may affect your health if you overdo it (especially with plenty of junk food eating) so also learn to keep that fat in check. Also watch series only at specific times during the day or week so you do not let movies/series binging get in the way of doing meaningful work and making more money.

Of recent there have been thrilling crime and action series which have kept us hinged to our seats

at all times. Shows like How to get away with Murder, Collateral, Bodyguard, Peaky Blinders,

and Money Heist have all proven to us that they are capable of getting our brains going and

showing us the beauty and the importance of science cum action thrillers in our world today.

If you love some adrenaline rush, intrigues, blood rushing action these recommended series will definitely keep you engaged for quite some time.

Queen of the South

This is a high octane, action series about drugs, lowly beginnings, survival and wealth. Teresa has it quite rough from early in life, falling in love with a drug dealer/gangster, dealing with fallout of her boyfriend’s drug life/business and having to flee for her life.

Teresa’s acting really gives the series some necessary grip. Following her journey is as compelling as they come. Be ready for edge of the seat action, twists, betrayals and some more.

Money Heist (La Casa De Papel)

The series that started as La Casa de Papel is a hugely popular crime series (we’d be surprised if you’ve not watched it or heard of it). Following the escapades of a brilliant criminal mastermind who goes by the name ‘The Professor’ this Spanish original series follows ‘The Professor’ as he assembles, what looks on the surface as, a most awkward assemblage of a criminal crew – the crazy Tokyo, the nervy Rio, the two giant cousins Helsinki and Oslo, the pretty and dreamy Nariobi etc.

Money Heist should be on your list of series to watch if you haven’t.

The Innocent Man

Netflix’s true crime series of six episodes The Innocent Man is a fascinating outsider in its kind. While true crime is now all hot in the television industry, it was obviously initially popular as a book, and in 2006, the best-selling author John Grisham published his one and only true crime book: The Innocent Man. Throughout the popularity of this particular story, however, the show does not make it less valuable. Grisham is indeed a camera participant in a six-episode survey that not only tells a truly bizarre story about two murders and probably erroneous convictions in a little city of Oklahoma, but also offers a comprehensive and insightful account of the foregone alternative of humans when the United States of America’s judiciary system collapses.

The Peaky Blinders

This British drama in Birmingham is the focus of the crime organizations’ extraordinary strength in the early twentieth century. Punches and violence on these medium-sized English streets settled scores. There has been no struggle on TV as fistful as this show and very few historical dramas mix historical intrigues with numerous action plays. There is also a lot of action plays. However, the complexity of the individuals is what truly sells all these strife.

How to Get Away With Murder

How to escape murder is a delightful, soapy series of procedural crimes. Viola Davis starts out as a morally dubious teacher who gets caught up in a very chaotic killing mystery, covering some of her most valued students. In the first season, there are enough twists and turns to last a whole series, and they are really exciting to watch. It is your job to try and figure it out each season and that includes a season-old criminal mystery at the heart. This is fantastic if you wish to watch a series that does not attribute too much seriousness to itself.

The Witcher

The initial fan program on this list is still a recent release for many action fans, but many of the other action episodes on Netflix have been distinguished by the mythical conflict between the monster hunter and the mystical creatures he slays. The original series centered on the bestselling books and computer games follows a lengthy warrior who kills magical animals on contracts. The unusual presentation is characterized by its high-end items and adds a lot to the genre of sword and magic.

Bloodline

Bloodline as one of the earlier original series on Netflix is amazingly amazing until it isn’t anymore. The first season is well worth a look, because a man named Danny Rayburn comes back home in the Florida Keys and brings a cloud of plot with him, as secrets from the past have been disclosed and new difficulties bringing stakes for all. It’s a complex, ensemble-driven, criminal family drama that has some really great theatrics, and although it gets rather tedious at the end, the set-up is still extremely overwhelming.

Supernatural

Supernatural is one of the longest TV shows in its fourteenth season and yet is showing no evidence of slowing down. This could be owing to the close friendship between Sam and Dean Winchester, a range of exciting encounters with monsters and guest stars, or to the fascinating plot of Castiel’s short turn to the dark. Supernatural’s 13 initial seasons are available for streaming aficionados of fantasy and action on Netflix, offering viewers a wealth of funny stuff.

The Bodyguard

The initial scene of Bodyguard’s first episode is lowered in you, and the show never truly lets you go through its first six-episode. The series first appeared in UK before debuting in America via Netflix and follows a Metropolitan Police Officer called David Budd, who’s in the middle of a political crisis, notably the debate on how to deal with terrorism, to protect the lives of Julia Montague, a Conservative home secretary. Budd’s biography and background throughout the show is gradually disclosed, prompting the public to debate constantly whether he is a real hero or a possible evil.

Collateral

For a few reasons, the BBC-produced Collateral Drama series is unique. First, this is a criminal show with a female lead. Two, this is a four-hour closing narrative. Thirdly, instead of simply following a typical procedural format, it truly delights in nuance. A narrative about the murder of a delivery man, who might be an immigrant or a refugee, is based on the story by the writer David Hare and Director SJ Clarkson, Carey Mulligan, as confident detective of London. A simple investigation into a murder revealed a web of intrigue, and the characters framed the whole plot. The novel digs into the concerns of migration and racial tension in a post-Brexit England theoretically, but not without sparks of joy and humor.

Daredevil

Daredevil follows Matt Murdock, a blind vigilante hero who promised to safeguard her neighborhood Hell’s Kitchen against crime and injustice, and another succeeding Marvel series. Daredevil promises to take care of its fans for its three seasons, full of many skillfully performed combat scenes and interesting stories surrounding that disturbed, yet endearing Superhero. Surprisingly, Netflix terminated the series by late 2018 but Daredevil enthusiasts can still enjoy streaming trips.

In Money

Check Out the Richest Royals and Monarchs in the World and How Much They are Worth

August 8, 2021 No Comments

All royalty are certainly not equal, not with this list of richest royals and monarchs in the world.

Before diving in you may want to read up on the The Richest Kings in Africa and How They Flaunt Their Wealth.

There are probably hundreds of recognised monarchs in the world but these stand out in terms of their wealth.

While putting together this list we looked at the work done by the CEOWorld Magazine and the Business Insider. Only personal net worth was considered; properties held by the state were not included.

So here are the world’s richest/wealthiest monarchs

Vajiralongkorn – $30 billion

Vajiralongkorn is the King of Thailand and only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. He was made Prince at age 20. He became King in December 2016 a few months after his father’s death.

He is regarded as the richest monarch in the world worth an estimated $30 billion – $40 billion. As head of the Thailand royal family he appoints six members of the governing board of the Crown Property Bureau.

In 2018 King Vajiralongkorn was granted full, personal ownership of royal assets thought to be worth at least $30 billion. The Crown Property Bureau, which controlled the royal fortune on behalf of the monarchy, stated it transferred ownership of the assets following a change in the law a year earlier.

Hassanal Bolkiah – $20 billion

Hassanal Bolkiah is the 29th and current Sultan of Brunei. He is also by virtue of being Sultan, the Prime Minister of Brunei. The Sultan is the monarchical head of state and government.

One of the last absolute monarchs in the world, Sultan Hassanal has been ranked among the richest individuals in the world worth between $20 billion – $28 billion. He is also the longest reigning monarch in the world, behind Queen Elizabeth II, having been on the throne for over 53 years.

The bulk of his wealth is profits from the oil and gas industry which he controls.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – $18 billion

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been the King of Saudi Arabia since 23 January 2015. The King is the monarchical head of state and government who holds absolute power.

With his wealth at an estimated $18 billion most of this comes from profits in the oil industry which is Saudi Arabia’s biggest revenue earner.

King Salman was implicated in the Panama Papers, linked with two companies in the British Virgin Islands taking mortgages in excess of US$34 million to purchase property in London. His role, however has not been specified.

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan – $15 billion

Khalifa bin Zayed is the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and also the Emir of Abu Dhabi as well as the supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates armed forces.

As chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority he oversees the over $875 billion in assets under the authority and has amassed a fortune of over $15 billion personally. He also sits atop the Supreme Petroleum Council as Chairman.

Mohammed VI – $5 billion

Mohammed VI became King of Morocco after the death of his father King Hassan in 1999. The King’s net worth has been estimated at between $2 billion and $5 billion.

He is widely seen as the richest king (monarch) in Africa. He has significant investments and portion of his wealth in SIGER (his leading holding company) and SNI or Al Mada (a large private Moroccan holding company mainly owned by the Moroccan royal family. This conglomerate holds significant stake in some of the country’s largest companies – AttijariWafa (banking), Nareva (energy), Managem (mining) Lafarge Ciments and several others.

Some of his spendings have attracted criticism. For eg, In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic Mohammed VI was reported to have purchased an €80 million mansion in Paris.

Hans-Adam II – $4 billion

Hans-Adam II (Johannes Adam Ferdinand Alois Josef Maria Marco d’Aviano Pius) is the current reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He also holds the titles – Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, and Count of Rietberg.

As Prince he is the head of state of Liechtenstein and has amassed quite a fortune. He owns the LGT banking group (the largest family owned banking group in the world). He has a family fortune of $US7.6 billion and a personal fortune of about $US4 billion.

He is Europe’s wealthiest monarch and owns an extensive art collection, some of which are displayed at the Liechtenstein museum in Vienna.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – $4 billion

Sheikh Mohammed is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates as well as the Emir of Dubai. He became head of the Dubai Emirate in 2006 after the death of his brother Sheikh Maktoum.

Described as one of the world’s most prominent real estate developers most of his billionaire net worth comes from real estate. He oversaw the growth of Dubai into a globally renowned city. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between the assets of the Government of Dubai and those of the ruling Al Maktoum family.

Some of the big developmental projects he has overseen include the Dubai International Finance Centre, The Palm Islands, Dubai Internet city, the Burj Al Arab hotel etc.

According to the laws of Dubai, the ruling family owns all undeveloped land in Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed has definitely benefited from this with a number of businesses and assets held by his two companies – Dubai World and Dubai Holdings. He has an estimated $4 billion net worth.

Henri (Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume) – $4 billion

Henri has been the Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 7 October 2000. He is a first cousin of King Philippe of Belgium. Henri’s net worth has been estimated at $4 billion.

The Grand Duke retains the constitutional power to appoint the Prime Minister and government, promulgate laws and accredit ambassadors. He is also commander in Chief of the armed forces and represents Luxembourg in foreign affairs.

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Emir of Qatar) – $2.1 billion

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is the Emir of Qatar. As Emir he is an absolute monarch, head of state of Qatar as well as commander in chief of the armed forces. He has been Emir since 25 June 2013 when his father abdicated the throne. Under his rule the people of Qatar has limited political and civil rights.

Tamim heads the Qatar Investment Authority that has invested billions in European and British businesses. He has an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion.

Albert II – $1 billion

Albert II is the Sovereign Prince of Monaco and regarded as one of the wealthiest monarchs in Europe. With asset value of over $1 billion the Prince owns land in Monaco and France, shares in Société des Bains de Mer (which runs Monaco’s casinos and other entertainment properties).

A car enthusiast he owns vehicles like the BMW Hydrogen 7, the Lexus RX 400h among several cars. He also owns a Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X 14 seater jet.

In Life

20 Best Cities in the World to Live in as a Remote Worker

August 5, 2021 No Comments

Post Covid-19 remote work has become even more fashionable. If you are looking to work remotely either as a freelancer or as a worker whose employer has fully endorsed remote work one of the ways to get the best out of your life is choosing a nice place to stay/live in while working remotely.

While choosing best cities to live in as a remote worker you want to consider several factors, safety, healthcare, social activities (with remote work you will definitely need to fill the gap of co-workers with some fun time), as well as very importantly the state of infrastructure (power, internet, etc).

Research done by Nestpick, an on-demand housing platform, showed cities like Australia’s Melbourne and Dubai ranking in the list of 20 best cities to live and work remotely. Nestpick’s study covered 75 cities around the world. The cities were scored across three major categories – costs and infrastructure, legislation and freedoms, and livability.

Melbourne, along with Zagreb, Prague, Dubai, Lisbon were listed among cities that offer a specific visa or equivalent document allowing self-employed and foreign-employed remote workers to enter and work in the country.

Omer Kucukdere, CEO of Nestpick, said that the coronavirus pandemic had prompted many people to reassess their personal priorities, revealing the benefits of remote working flexibility and provoking the question: “Is it really possible to work from anywhere?”

Kucukdere also noted that the pandemic had caused high-earners to leave “business-focused cities to live in places that offer better day-to-day lifestyles, taking their purchasing power with them.”

Here are the ten best cities to live in and work from as a remote worker.

Melbourne, Australia
Dubai, UAE
Sydney, Australia
Tallinn, Estonia
London, UK
Tokyo, Japan
Singapore
Glasgow, UK
Montreal, Canada
Berlin, Germany
Prague, Czech
Toronto, Canada
Chicago, USA
Hong Kong
Lisbon, Portugal
Cape Town, South Africa
Edinburgh, UK
Vienna, Austria
Los Angeles, USA
New York, USA

Check out;

Comprehensive List of Countries Where You Can Get Citizenship by Investing at Least $100,000

9 Countries with the Fastest Internet Speed in Africa

In Life

These 20 Countries Have the Highest Ageing Population

August 5, 2021 No Comments

Countries with the highest ageing population are countries where more people are getting older than the number of people being born.

If that makes sense.

In these countries less and less people give birth.

While at the same time more of their adults grow older. They run the risk of depopulation.
The benchmark age for this article is 65 years. Thus we rank the countries that have the most percentage of their population in the 65+ age bracket.

From the data above Europe and Asia appear to have the largest populations of older people. China, by virtue of its huge population, leads the list. However by percentage of the total population Japan has the most number of its entire population aged 65 and above – 28.2%. This is followed by Italy with over 22% of its population aged 65+.

In Life

Comprehensive List of Countries Where You Can Obtain Citizenship by Investing at Least $100,000

August 5, 2021 No Comments

About a dozen countries have programs where you can obtain citizenship by investing significant sums of money (otherwise known as citizenship by investment).

Citizenship by investment programs are immigrant investor programs where countries offer citizenship to people who invest certain threshold sums of money in those countries. The programs either offer citizenship by investment (golden passports) or residence by investment (golden visa) or a hybrid of both where one gets residence with accelerated progress to citizenship.

There are usually multiple qualification conditions for these programs and they differ by country. Some of the popular requirements could include a contribution of certain sum to government of the country, investment of a minimum sum in real estate, or creation of a certain minimum of jobs.

Of the handful of countries offering citizenship by investment programs almost half are carribean, a few European countries and MiddleEast countries make up the list.

These are the Countries Currently Offering Citizenship by Investment.

Dominica – Dominica has two options for its citizenship by investment program – donation to the government or investment in real estate. Until 1993 it was not possible to gain Dominican citizenship without residing in the country. Now applicants can apply to gain Dominica citizenship through any of the two citizenship by investment options.

Grenada – Grenada’s citizenship by investment program is one of the newest. Applicants need to invest either $150,000 as a donation to government or $200,000 in a government approved real estate project (they would have to maintain the project for a minimum 5 years). The Grenada passport is pretty solid as it gives the holder visa free (or visa on arrival) access to 153 countries including the UK, EU Schengen countries and China.

Vanuatu – To gain citizenship in Vanuatu applicants will have to invest from $130,000 in local development fund. Vanuatu’s citizenship program is one of the fastest and also the only citizenship program in the Asia-Pacific Hemisphere. A single applicant invests min $130,000 while a four of four will require at least $180,000 plus fees. Vanuatu is a chain of 80 islands in the South Pacific ocean to the east of Australia.

Malta – Malta’s citizenship by investment program known as the Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment (MEIN) is aimed at high networth individuals. An individual investor must contribute a minimum of €600,000 to the government’s National Development Fund and prove 3 years of residence. The fast-track route requires the individual investor to contribute €750,000 and show evidence of 1 year residence. Investors must also contribute €50,000 per each additional dependent included in their application.

In addition to the contribution, investors must also invest a further €700,000 into residential real estate, or enter into a rental agreement at a minimum value of €16,000 p.a which must be maintained for five years. A compulsory donation of €10,000 to a registered philanthropic, cultural, sport, scientific, animal welfare, or artistic non-governmental approved organisation or society is also required. The Maltese citizenship by investment program is certainly one of the most expensive

St Kitts and Nevis – The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program is the oldest of its kind in the world (established in 1984). It requires either a minimum donation of $150,000 to the country’s Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) or an investment of $400,000 (can be reduced to $200,000 for connected investors) in real estate. There are also some government related and due diligence fees.

Antigua and Barbuda – The options for getting citizenship by investment in Antigua and Barbuda include; contributing $100,000 to the Antigua National Development Fund, or investing $1.5 million in establishing a business ($5m for two or more investors), or investing $400,000 in a government approved real estate project (this can be reduced to $200,000 for connected investors). The Antigua and Barbuda passport offers visa free travel to over 160 countries.

Turkey – Turkey has a program that grants either citizenship or residency to applicants who either make a bank deposit or invest in real estate. For the real estate route you need to buy a property with minimum $250,000 plus fees. It was earlier set at $1million but was drastically reduced in September 2018. The Turkish passport allows visa free (or visa on arrival) travel to over 125 countries.

St. Lucia – St. Lucia’s citizenship by investment program started in January 2016. To qualify an applicant must invest the minimum investment level in an approved real estate project or donate to the Saint Lucia National Economic Fund. A single applicant can donate a minimum $100,000, $165,000 for a couple and $190,000 for a family of four. If you choose the real estate option the minimum investment is $300,000 for the main applicant. In May 2020 a temporary bond offering was launched offering an option starting at $300,000 for a single applicant with return of capital in five years.

Bulgaria – Bulgaria’s citizenship program is a two step program. You first apply for the permanent residency program by investing €512,000 into a choice of investment fund vehicles. Shortly after residency has been approved, applicants can then fast-track to the citizenship stage by investing a further €512,000. The total timeframe is around 18 months, making it one of the fastest methods of obtaining citizenship in an EU country.

Montenegro – Montenegro launched its citizenship by investment program as recently as 2019. Applicants can apply by investing in one of several government approved real estate development projects. The investment element ranges from €250,000 in the northern and central region to €450,000 in the coastal region. An additional government donation of €100,000 is required, plus application and due diligence fees. As a citizen you get access to all the privileges of an EU country and visa free travel to 137 countries.

Countries Offering Residence by Investment Programs (many of which eventually lead to citizenship)

Portugal – Portugal’s Golden Visa program was launched in 2012. An investment of €500,000 (or €350,000 reduced option) in real estate in Portugal will get residency permit for a family including dependent children. The golden visa can be renewed every two years providing the applicant spends at least two weeks in the country every two years.

Spain – To get a family residency you will invest €500,000 in real estate and the visa is renewable every two years. After five years you can apply for permanent residence and after ten years citizenship.

Greece – Greece has a golden visa program that grants 5 year residence in exchange for an investment in real estate. You can include children up to 21 years of age in the family application. The visa can be renewed for five years provided you maintain the real estate investment. You can apply for citizenship after 7 years.

Ireland – The Irish immigrant program which was started in 2012 gives applicants from outside the EU the opportunity to gain Irish residency by investing minimum €1.0 million in an approved investment fund. Investors must be of good character, clean criminal record and show proof of a minimum networth of €2 million.

Germany – Germany has an entrepreneurial residency program that requires a total capital of €360,000. For the main applicant you get Permanent Residency after 3 years of holding a temporal residency while for dependants it is 5 years. After 8 years of residing in Germany you may apply for citizenship. Germany offers a solid economy as well as high standards of living.

United States – The USA has two major programs – the EB5 Investor Visa and the E2 Investor Visa. The EB-5 visa gives permanent U.S. residency to those investing into government-approved projects across the United States of America. The USA EB5 investment visa can be beneficial as it grants access to the U.S. education system, the right to live, retire, work and study in the USA, the ability to receive investment back upon the completion of the project and residency for the investor, any children (under 21) and their spouse. The main applicant must reside in the USA for 6 months per year.

The E2 can only be obtained by citizens of countries holding an E2 treaty with the USA such as Grenada, Turkey, Montenegro. The route to residency can be faster and cheaper than EB5 although a key difference with the E2 is that it is a non-immigrant visa meaning unlike the EB5 it cannot lead to a Green Card.

Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands offer a permanent residency programme which also offers a path to eventual naturalisation and citizenship. The programme is attractive for investors seeking a tax efficient residence as the Cayman Islands have no corporation, income, capital gains, inheritance or sales taxes.

Applicants can qualify by making a minimum investment of $2.4 million into qualifying real estate.

United Kingdom – The UK has the Tier 1 Investor Visa which allows the holder(s) live and work in the UK and ultimately qualify for citizenship provided they meet the criteria. You will be required to invest a minimum £2,000,000 along with meeting other eligibility requirements.

There is also the Startup Visa which enables you live and work on your start-up business in the UK. You will of course need to meet other requirements for eligibility. You can read more about the Start-Up Visa here.

In General

This is the List of Countries that Have no Military or Armed Forces

July 29, 2021 No Comments

You would think that all countries have military or armed forces right? Wrong! There are actually countries that have no military or armed forces.

The term countries refers to only sovereign states that are not dependent on other countries.

Some of them have long standing arrangement with their former occupying country to be responsible for their security. An example – The Compact of Free Association countries (Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau) depend on the United States for their defence.

We dug in to find all the countries and independent states that Have no Military or Armed Forces. If you are interested in learning military tactics this illustrated manual will teach you a lot.

And these are what we found.

Andorra: Andorra has no standing army but has signed treaties with Spain and France for military protection. It has a small volunteer army that is purely ceremonial in its function. It has a national police responsible for internal security.
Dominica: Dominica has not had a standing army since 1981. The country’s defence is the responsibility of the Regional Security System.
Grenada: The country has not had a standing army since the Peoples Revolutionary Army was disbanded in 1983. The Royal Grenada Police Force maintains a paramilitary special service unit for internal security. The Regional Security System handles the country’s defence.
Kiribati: The only forces permitted are the police. The national police includes a maritime surveillance unit equipped with small arms and one patrol boat. Australia and New Zealand helps with the country’s defence under an informal agreement between the three countries.
Liechtenstein: Liechtenstein disbanded its army in 1868 because it was thought to be too costly. The country only permits an army during war but that has not happened in their history. It however maintains a police unit equipped with small arms to carry out internal security. Austria and Switzerland provides defence assistance under an informal agreement among the three countries.
Marshall Islands: Like the Kiribati this country only has a police force with a maritime surveillance unit equipped with small arms and one patrol boat for internal security. Like Grenada, the defence of the country is the responsibility of the Regional Security System. The country has not had a military since its foundation.
Federated States of Micronesia: The country has not had a military since its formation. It has a police, with a maritime surveillance unit equipped with small arms and three patrol boats for internal security.
Nauru: Nauru has a relatively large armed police force but no army. Australia is responsible for its national defence under an informal agreement.
Palau: Palau has no army but has a police force with a 30 person maritime surveillance unit for internal security. The unit has small arms and 2 patrol boats. The United States provides defence assistance under the Compact of Free Association
Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia maintains two small paramilitary forces consisting of 116 people responsible for internal security – the Special Service Unit and the Coast Guard. Defence is the responsibility of the Regional Security System.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: the country has two small paramilitary forces – the Special Service Unit and the Coast Guard, responsible for internal security and patrolling coastal waters respectively. The Regional Security System provides defence assistance.
Samoa: The country has had no military force since its formation. It has a small police force and a maritime surveillance unit (with small arms and a patrol boat) for internal security. Based on a 1962 Treaty of Friendship New Zealand is responsible for its defence.
Solomon Islands: The country maintained a paramilitary force until a heavy ethnic conflict where Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific countries had to intervene to restore law and order. Since then it has not kept a military force. However it has a relatively large police force and a maritime surveillance unit for internal security. The maritime unit has small arms and two patrol boats
Tuvalu: The country has never had a military force. It has a small police force and a maritime surveillance unit for internal security.
Vatican City: It has a Gendarmerie Corps for internal security. The Pontifical Swiss Guard (though officially under the authority of the Holy See and not the Vatican City) is an armed unit charged with protecting the Pope. Informally the Italian Armed Forces protect the Vatican though there is no official defence treaty.

Some of them (eg Iceland and Monaco) have no standing armies but have what you can call a non-police military force in some cases. Countries with limited military but no standing army or military force include;

Costa Rica: A Standing army has been forbidden since 1949 based on article 12 of the constitution. Costa Rica however has a Public Force with limited military capacities whose main role includes law enforcement, internal security and command of the Air Vigilance Service.
Iceland: Though a member of NATO it has not maintained a standing army since 1869. However it has a military expeditionary peacekeeping force, an air defence system, a militarised coast guard, a police service and tactical police force. It also has agreements regarding military and other security operations with Norway, Denmark and other NATO countries.
Mauritius: Mauritius has not had a standing army since 1968. All military, police and security functions are handled by 10,000 active duty police personnel under the Commissioner of Police. This consists of the 8,000 person strong National Police Force responsible for domestic law enforcement, the 1500 member Special Mobile Force and a 500 member National Coast Guard both regarded as paramilitary units equipped with small arms.
Monaco: Defence is the responsibility of France though Monaco maintains two small military units; one to protect the Prince and the Judiciary, the other responsible for civil defence and firefighting. There is also an armed national police for internal security.
Panama: In 1990 Panama abolished its army; this was ratified/confirmed by by a unanimous parliamentary vote for constitutional change in 1994. It has a public force which includes the National Police, National Borders Service, National Aeronaval Service, and Institutional Protection Service which have some warfare capabilities.
Vanuatu: it maintains a paramilitary force called the Vanuatu Mobile Force for internal security. It is manned by almost 300 hundred people equipped with small arms.

In General

Boanthropy, a Psychological Disorder That Makes the Sufferer Think They are Cows

July 29, 2021 No Comments

Ever heard of Boanthropy? It’s a psychological disorder that makes the person suffering from it believe or think they are cows.

So persons suffering from Boanthropy may be found on all fours (hand and feet) chewing grass or exhibiting other cow-like behaviours such as mooing.

Boanthropy is a rare disorder that makes the sufferer act or behave like cows.

We are sure you have probably never met anyone suffering from boanthropy. However we can think of one or two examples.

Nebuchadnezzar!!

In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar II the king was “was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen”

Madj Al-Dawla

Madj Al-Dawla, the Buyd prince, according to Persian traditions was suffering from an illusion that he was a cow. He made cow like sounds and asked that he be killed so his flesh would be consumed.

You can read more about Anthropy here

Recommended Read – How to Overcome Shyness and Embrace Talking to People

In General

These are the Likely Things That Will Happen If You Try to Land an Helicopter on the White House Without Authorisation

July 28, 2021 No Comments

So someone asked a question online on what will happen to anyone who tries to land an helicopter on the White House without authorisation.

The responses were varied and interesting.

But seriously what do you think would happen if you or someone landed an helicopter unauthorised on the White House? [Learn more about flying Helicopters from this extensive manual compiled by the Federal Aviation Administration]

Here are the possible scenarios

First if what you are flying is an assault type helicopter the following will likely happen; Air Traffic Control (ATC) will warn you that you’re about to enter restricted airspace and ask you to change course. This warning will come well before you even enter the restricted airspace. If you persist these guys below will be warmed up and ready to take you out.

Now let’s check out an incident that actually happened. Someone landed a small helicopter on the white house lawn a few years ago. He was immediately taken into custody. His copter wasn’t shot down or anything like that. This was probably because the helicopter was not a full assault type or a threatening one.

http://https://youtu.be/8cXyRzT4hBw

As the pilot/operator named Hughes was taken into custody a bomb sqaud investigated the gyrocopter but found nothing hazardous. Hughes was transferred to central cellblock in Washington.

The 61 year old mailman flew his gyrocopter to the White house lawn as a protest against the influence of money in campaign financing and had letters addressed to congressmen and women in his bag.

The letters were not delivered. Many people thought he was lucky not to be shot down.