Business
China to Further Pressure North Korea Over Nuclear Program
BEIJING – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday he received firm commitments from Chinese leaders to take additional steps to pressure North Korea over its nuclear program.
Mr. Kerry met in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, seeking to tamp down regional tensions over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and China’s more assertive military posture.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said earlier Friday, before Mr. Kerry’s statement, that Beijing recognized its “responsibility” to address North Korea’s nuclear program and is playing its part in trying to find a settlement through various channels and to restart international talks.
Mr. Kerry said he cautioned the Chinese against taking unilateral steps that could further provoke already anxious neighbors, warning of the dangers of a military miscalculation. The U.S. has challenged Beijing’s territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea and has cautioned Beijing against unilaterally declaring a new air-defense zone there, messages delivered by Mr. Kerry Friday.
The top U.S. diplomat offered no details about what he described as the “specific” measures that Chinese leaders told him they were prepared to take to move Pyongyang toward denuclearization and international talks.
Mr. Kerry and other U.S. officials have credited China with taking limited steps over the past year to pressure North Korea but they say more concrete action is needed now because Pyongyang appears to have only dug in more deeply. Mr. Kerry has said that China is in a unique position to pressure Pyongyang because the regime depends so heavily on Beijing for economic support.
“China could not have been more emphatic or made it more clear that they will not allow a nuclear program over the long run, that they believe deeply in denuclearization, that denuclearization must occur, that they’re committed to doing their part to make it happen,” Mr. Kerry told reporters.
If North Korea doesn’t move toward denuclearization, then China is “prepared to take additional steps in order to make sure that their policy is implemented,” Mr. Kerry said. “There is a very firm commitment to achieving that.”
Mr. Kerry said the U.S. and China were now discussing the “specifics” of what those additional steps would be.
“They put some ideas on the table. And we put some ideas on the table. And both of us are taking those under evaluation,” Mr. Kerry said.
The message from Mr. Kerry, who began a five-day trip to the region Thursday with meetings in Seoul, amounted to a challenge to China, both to take more responsibility in reining in North Korea and to lowering tensions with Asian neighbors.
In the run-up to Mr. Kerry’s visit, senior U.S. officials have pointedly criticized Chinese territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea, calling Beijing’s actions part of an “incremental” effort to assert control over disputed waterways and to undermine the claims of neighbors that are close U.S. allies.
Officials have described these incremental actions as an attempt by China to assert its position through “extralegal” and “nondiplomatic” means.
Speaking in Beijing Friday, Mr. Kerry toned down the public criticism.
Mr. Kerry said Chinese leaders told him that they believed the country’s territorial claims needed to be “resolved in a peaceful and legal manner, and that they need to be resolved according to international law.”
Mr. Kerry added that Chinese leaders believe they have a “strong claim” to make “based on history, based on fact,” and complained that other countries had taken specific actions which provoked the Chinese.
Mr. Kerry said he wanted “all countries” involved in the disputed areas to refrain from stoking tensions.
U.S. officials have been particularly alarmed by Beijing’s declaration in November of an air-defense identification zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea, and by the possibility that China will establish a similar zone in the South China Sea.
Mr. Kerry stopped short of publicly saying that such a new declaration would provoke a U.S. response, but he cautioned against a move which he said could be misconstrued by China’s neighbors.
“We’ve made it very clear that a unilateral, unannounced, unprocessed initiative like that can be very challenging to certain people in the region, and therefore to regional stability. And we urge our friends in China to adhere to the highest standards of notice, engagement, involvement, information sharing in order to reduce any possibilities of misinterpretation,” Mr. Kerry said.
– WALLSTREET JOUNAL
Nigerian comedian and popular skit maker, Chibuike Josh Alfred, known by his stage name Josh2Funny, has shed light on the profitability of the content-creating industry.
In a recent interview with Echo Room, Josh2Funny highlighted the impressive financial potential that content creators can achieve, noting that it is possible for them to comfortably afford multiple luxury cars, including up to four Lamborghini vehicles.
Speaking candidly, Josh2Funny emphasised that content creation has become an extremely lucrative field due to the constant demand for fresh and engaging material. “If you want to buy four Lamborghini from content creation, you can buy it,” he said.
His remarks underscore the significant revenue opportunities available in the digital content landscape.
Josh2Funny explained that the continuous consumption of online content is what drives its profitability. “What do you think we are doing in the content-creating industry? Are we joking? You all are with your phones, when you’re in the bathroom, when you’re [using the restroom], you’re consuming our stuff. It’s like pure water,” he stated.
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The comedian further elaborated that businesses or industries that deliver products consumed on a daily basis often see the most substantial financial returns. Content creation, with its high rate of daily consumption by audiences worldwide, aligns perfectly with this model.
“People are out there, consuming our content every time,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the reach and influence of content creators have never been more extensive.
Josh2Funny’s insights reveal why the content-creating industry has become a lucrative career path for many in Nigeria and around the world. With the continuous growth of social media platforms and the public’s insatiable appetite for entertainment and relatable content, creators are finding new and innovative ways to monetize their craft.
This shift not only highlights the potential for significant financial gain but also showcases the evolving landscape of digital media, where influencers, comedians, and skit makers can turn creativity into a sustainable and highly rewarding business.
A safety alert notification by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria issued on October 31, 2024, regarding NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant (50 ml) batch number 93529610, in relation to the general European Union (EU) Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX), has come to our attention.
The batch is said to contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA).
In a statement on Saturday, in Lagos, Beiersdorf, the owner of NIVEA brand, assured that the “the Batch No. 93529610 in question has not been marketed in Nigeria and thus never recalled”.
According to the statement, Beiersdorf was well informed that “Based on current European legislation, the use of ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned from the European markets as of March 1, 2022.”
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It acknowledged that “The batch in question, in fact, expired in January 2022 and was hence at the time fully compliant with the then valid European cosmetic regulation.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, Beiersdorf is working collaboratively with NAFDAC to safeguard the interest of the Nigerian consumers by ensuring that our locally manufactured product meets the global quality standards.”
It maintained that “The safety of our consumers remains our highest priority, consistent with our ethical philosophy as a business.”
In pursuit of this commitment, Beiersdorf’s entire NIVEA product portfolio formulations have been reformulated to be Lilial-free formulas in full compliance with the EU Regulation on cosmetic products well ahead of its Lilial ban coming into effect as far back as March 1, 2022. For instance, the formulation of NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant has been Lilial-free since at least 2020 across the globe, including Nigeria.
“Our trade partners were informed ahead of time and reminded of their responsibility to remove the outdated Lilial-containing products within the legal timeframe to fulfill their obligations with the European Cosmetic Product Regulation,” it added.
The Shell companies in Nigeria teamed up with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and other stakeholders to build Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres and a digital library in Nigerian universities in 2024.
Biztellers reports that it initiative is part of their continuing support for education.
Some of the corporate bodies that executed the projects include the Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) and NNPC Ltd, and the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board (NCDMB).
The benefiting institutions were, the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, which got a digital library in April, the Sa’adu Zungur University (formerly Bauchi State University), Gadau in Bauchi State, where an ICT Centre was commissioned in July, by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) as part of the Joint Venture with NNPC, TotalEnergies and NAOC.
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In what would sound like singing-off on the educational intervention initiative for 2024, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), overflew with joy at the unveil of a world-class engineering design studios and ICT hub, courtesy of the SPDC, NNPC Ltd and other Joint Venture partners collaborated with NCDMB.
Reflecting on the three facilities, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, and Managing Director, SPDC, Osagie Okunbor, said, “This is Shell working to power lives in Nigeria. The projects have changed the academic and physical landscapes in the three universities and linked the students and lecturers to the global learning arena.”
The facilities at FUTO include two state-of-the-art engineering design studios and a fully furnished 100-seater ICT lecture hall, equipped with computers and smartboards with dedicated power and water supplies. FUTO was selected for the project as part of the “institutional strengthening” in the catchment area of SPDC’s Assa North Ohaji South Gas Development Project. They were launched at a colourful ceremony attended by representatives of the Imo State Government and principal officers of the university.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, represented by the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of our partners in NNPC, SPDC, Total Energies, and NAOC JV, who have invested in the future of Imo State by supporting this critical project. Your commitment to human capacity building aligns perfectly with our goals, and together, we will continue to drive innovation, skills development, and sustainable economic growth for our people.”
Okunbor’s address at the commissioning was read by General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli, in which he expressed happiness “that the collaboration of SPDC, Joint venture partners, NCDMB, and FUTO has resulted in this successful social investment project that demonstrates our commitment to improving access to quality education for every Nigerian.”
On his part, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, called on Nigerian institutions to domesticate the advancements in AI and other technologies.
“Our AI must understand Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Yoruba, and other local languages,” he said, speaking through Dr. Ama Ikuru, the Director in charge of Capacity Building.
“We must leapfrog the innovations of other nations and become a net exporter of advanced technology to achieve the lofty ideals of Nigerian content development,” he added.
The Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti, said in his address which was read by the Senior Advisor Stakeholders Relations, Halimat Wilson, “Innovation thrives in an environment where ideas can be freely exchanged and developed. The Engineering Studio and ICT Hub is designed to be such a place where students, researchers, and faculty can collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and push the boundaries of what is possible.
Welcoming guests earlier, FUTO Vice Chancellor, Prof Nnenna Oti, thanked the sponsors of the project “for a landmark donation” to the university.
The Shell Companies in Nigeria have been education since the 1950s through scholarships and other initiatives. These efforts have resulted in the award of thousands of secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship awards, provision of educational infrastructure and establishment of sabbatical and internship programmes as well as centres of excellence in several universities.
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