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UN Chief Says Retaliatory Spiral In Middle East Must End—-UN Secretary-General António Guterres has again appealed to all parties involved in the Middle East crisis to de-escalate the situation, saying the retaliatory spiral in the region should end.

Guterres made the appeal in a statement following reports of alleged Israeli strikes inside Iran near a nuclear power station on Friday.

“The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond.

Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi urged extreme restraint from all sides after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict.

 IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites” and Director-General Grossi “continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts”, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a tweet.

It said this following unconfirmed media reports that possible drone strikes had targeted the Iranian province of Isfahan, which is home to nuclear facilities and military garrisons.

In Geneva, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) also urged all parties “to take steps to de-escalate the situation” rapidly.

“(We) call on third states, in particular those with influence, to do all in their power to ensure there is no further deterioration in an already extremely precarious situation,” said OHCR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

In Gaza, aid teams offered new insight into the dangers faced by Palestinian civilians – particularly pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers – as a result of the wanton destruction of vital medical equipment and widespread dehydration, malnutrition and fear” among Palestinians.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Dominic Allen, Representative for the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) for Palestine, said that there were indications that the number of complicated births is nearly twice what it was before war erupted.

“There is absolutely an increase in the numbers,” he said, adding that before the war, around 15 per cent of births required some form of emergency obstetric care.

“Today, some doctors have reported a doubling of what they previously had dealt with, and this is due to malnutrition, dehydration and fear, which impact the pregnant woman’s ability to give birth safely and carry their baby to full term safely,” the UNFPA official said.

Allen described his latest mission to Gaza to assess the impact of Israeli attacks on healthcare at embattled hospitals in the north, central and southern governorates.

It was clear that the last remaining hospitals in the enclave – including its second largest, Nasser Hospital – are “clinging to life themselves whilst they are a lifeline for the pregnant women of Gaza”,  Allen said via video link from Jerusalem.

“What I saw, it breaks my heart…It’s indescribable. What we see there is medical equipment, purposefully broken, ultrasounds – which you will know is a very important tool for helping ensure safe births – with cables that have been cut, screens of complex medical equipment like ultrasounds and other with the screens smashed. So, purposeful, wanton destruction in the maternity ward,” he added.

Before intense Israeli bombardment began in response to Hamas-led terror attacks across southern Israel on  Oct. 7, Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis had a maternity ward which UNFPA teams have supported and supplied for years.

In order to be fully functional again, the hospital will need reconditioned water and sanitation services and repairs to damaged electricity generators, at a bare minimum.

“But, I stood beside the warehouse (where) we delivered supplies many months ago and it was literally burning; there’s so much work to do in terms of trying to re-establish that lifeline,”  Allen said.

The UNFPA mission, which began on Monday  April 8 and ended this Wednesday, was carried out in partnership with the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

The objective was to visit around 10 hospitals in Gaza, among them Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, which was “overwhelmed with trauma patients” and not supporting maternity care.

At Emirati Hospital in the south of the enclave,  Allen recounted meeting the medical director of the facility who said that “he no longer sees normal-sized babies.”

Turning to Rafah and continuing fears of an Israeli incursion, the UNFPA officer underscored the “great sense of fear” hanging over the more than 1.2 million people sheltering there.

“There is a palpable fear from the Gazans who I spoke with – the midwives, doctors, pregnant women, my fellow colleagues, who are in Gaza…Right now it’s a haven for 1.2 million Gazans; it’s not a safe haven, but it’s a haven at least.”

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NIVEA Educates Nigerian Students on Personal Hygiene with SABI Campaign

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NIVEA Educates Nigerian Students on Personal Hygiene with SABI Campaign

NIVEA Educates Nigerian Students on Personal Hygiene with SABI Campaign—-Leading personal care brand, NIVEA has rounded off the SABI Personal Hygiene Drive, an initiative designed to educate high school students on the importance of personal hygiene, and specifically focused on underarm care and the use of deodorants.

This impactful campaign which ran between September 13 and November 28, with the target of reaching at least 190,000 students, was aimed at empowering teenagers aged 13-18 with the knowledge and tools to maintain proper hygiene while promoting NIVEA’s Dry Impact and Dry Comfort Roll-on products as an effective solution for daily care.

With over 500 schools across Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja participating in the programme, the NIVEA SABI Personal Hygiene Drive campaign was focused on hygiene education, with child educators and the trained team visiting schools to deliver engaging lessons using the SABI Workbook, a tool designed to teach students the science behind body odour, effective hygiene practices, and the role of deodorants in everyday personal care.

Speaking on the campaign, Marketing Activation Manager, Oluwadamilola Adeyemi, said that the transition into adolescence can be a challenging period, especially when it comes to understanding the importance of personal hygiene. “Puberty brings about changes in the body that can cause discomfort and confusion. This is why NIVEA is committed to providing accurate, age-appropriate information that resonates with young people, many of whom are navigating these changes for the first time,” she said.

She disclosed that the SABI initiative emphasizes the need for proper underarm hygiene, a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of personal care. Through engaging discussions, Q and A sessions, and fun games, students were encouraged to incorporate deodorants into their daily routines as a simple and effective solution to eliminating body odour.

Aware of the financial limitations of teenagers, especially in the face of the current economic challenges in the country, the brand introduced NIVEA Dry Impact Roll-on, and NIVEA Dry Comfort Roll-on in a new format (25 ml) Nicknamed the SABI roll-on, an affordable option, and the perfect product for this demographic. “By tapping into the lives of adolescents at this crucial stage of their hygiene journey, NIVEA aims to build long-lasting relationships with young consumers. The SABI Personal Hygiene Drive not only positions NIVEA as a trusted brand for personal care but also strengthens its credibility as a company that understands and addresses the unique hygiene needs of young people,” she said.

Additionally, the drive featured visibility items such as stickers, mirrors, and notice boards to keep the conversation going in school environments. As part of the activation, NIVEA presented the neatest students with the “SABI Star Award” and rewarded the most engaging students in each school. These rewards, he/she said, are aimed at encouraging students to consistently maintain high hygiene standards while also reinforcing the connection between cleanliness and self-esteem.

Commenting on the initiative, the Brand Manager Central East & West African Region CEWA, Nnenna Onoh, “By involving students, teachers, and school administrators in the campaign, the SABI Personal Hygiene Drive will create a ripple effect, fostering a culture of good hygiene practices that extends beyond the classroom,” she said.

“The NIVEA SABI Personal Hygiene Drive is more than just a campaign. It is an investment in the health, confidence, and well-being of tomorrow’s leaders. By providing teenagers with the education, tools, and affordable solutions they need, NIVEA is setting the stage for a future where personal hygiene is embraced as a fundamental part of everyday life,” she said.

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‘No Disparity,’ NUPRC Confirmed 1.8m bopd NNPC Ltd Oil Production Figures At NAPE Conference

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NUPRC Confirmed 1.8m bopd NNPC Ltd Oil Production Figures

‘No Disparity,’ NUPRC Confirmed 1.8m bopd NNPC Ltd Oil Production Figures At NAPE Conference—-‘1.54m bopd production figure (quoted by THISDAY for October) is for September, not October,’ What NUPRC boss told highest body of petroleum explorationists and stakeholders in Lagos.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) confirmed the 1.8 million barrels of per day (bopd) production figures earlier released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) at the conference organised by the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.

This newspaper, which reported the Commission boss, Gbenga Komolafe, to have said this to stakeholders, maintained that the development is contrary to a report making the round that the NUPRC contradicted the NNPC Ltd figures.

Speaking at the 42nd Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists Annual International Conference & Exhibition in Lagos, Komolafe said that Nigeria’s crude oil output, including condensate, increased by 16.56 per cent to 1.8 million barrels per day, bpd in October 2024, from 1.54 million bpd in September 2024.

He said that as a result of this feat, Nigeria has exceeded the 1.5 million bpd quota of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

“This represents an increase of 253,710,
bpd to reach 1.8 million bpd in October, up from 1.54 million bpd in September 2024, representing 16.56 per cent month-on-month rise,” he said.

Represented by Enorense Amadasu, Executive Commissioner for Development and Production at NUPRC, the NUPRC boss declared that efforts were underway to further increase oil output to two million bpd by December 2024.

Highlighting the theme of the conference, “Resolving the Nigerian Energy Trilemma: Energy Security, Sustainable Growth and Affordability”, Komolafe, said the organization is committed to expanding Nigeria’s oil production capacity.

Checks by this newspaper showed that this is the same position of the NNPC Ltd, which said it and its partners have revved up crude oil and gas production to 1.8 million barrels per day (mbpd) and 7.4billion standard cubic feet (bscf) per day.

The company announced this at a press briefing, maintaining that the feat was achieved in compliance with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This newspaper gathered that these figures are, contrary to misconstrued report, the same with the ones announced by the NUPRC.

Disparity Where There Is None

A THISDAY review of the delayed October production figures by the NUPRC, which is the oil and gas sector upstream regulator, claimed that Nigeria produced 1.538 million bpd of crude oil and condensate.

The three-month low production data released by the NUPRC, the report claimed, contradicted the report announced by the national oil company and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Oil), which specifically put production at 1.808 million bpd.

Looking Beyind 1.8m bopd

Speaking on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, who reiterated that the Company revved up oroduction to 1.8 m bopd, declared the target to even increase the production to 2 million bopd.

Kyari congratulated the Production War Room Team that anchored the production recovery process.

“The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are in the short and long terms acceptable to our shareholders based on the mandates that we have from the President, the Honourable Minister, and the Board,” Kyari explained.

Giving details of the efforts of the Production War Room, the Chief War Room Coordinator, and Senior Business Adviser to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lawal Musa disclosed that the feat was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners, the Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as government and private security agencies.

He said the interventions led to the recovery of production cut across every segment of the production chain with security agencies closely monitoring the pipelines.

He stressed that when the Production War Room team was inaugurated on the 25th June 2024, production was at 1.430mbpd, but the team swung into action, culminating into it sustaining the production recovery to 1.7mbpd in August and hitting the current 1.808mbpd in November.

“We are confident that with this same momentum and with the active collaboration of all stakeholders, especially on the security front, we can see the possibility of getting to 2mbpd by the end of the year,” he stated.

Also speaking on the development, Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board of Directors, Chief Pius Akinyelure, who also congratulated the team, said he was happy to be part of the production recovery process, adding: “today, I will leave this place with my heart full of joy”.

He charged the Company’s Management to come up with a cashflow projection based on the new production figures to facilitate planning, stressing that he was looking forward to further production increase to 3mbpd.

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