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CNN Uncovers Dark Origins Of Massive Brain Collection In Denmark 

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CNN Uncovers Dark Origins Of Massive Brain Collection In Denmark 

‘World’s Untold Stories: The Brain Collectors’ featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta airs November 12 on CNN International 

Olushola Okunlade Writes

CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta travels to Denmark to uncover the dark origins and mysteries of what’s believed to be the largest collection of human brains anywhere in the world in a new hour-long special, World’s Untold Stories: The Brain Collectors, airing Saturday, November 12 at 1:00 pm CET on CNN International. 

Stored in the basement of a university in southern Denmark, nearly 10,000 brains sit in white plastic buckets on rolling shelves. The brains are from men and women who died in Danish psychiatric hospitals from 1945-1982, most taken without consent. 

In this nearly year-long investigation, Gupta interviews Dr. Martin Wirenfeldt Nielsen, a pathologist and current director of the Brain Collection. Nielsen became the custodian of the brains several years ago when the University of Southern Denmark in the city of Odense took possession of the collection. There are 9,479 brains in Nielsen’s care, with roughly 5,500 brains with dementia, 1,400 with schizophrenia, 400 with bipolar disorder, 300 with depression, and more. 

“Back then, doctors really had no idea about what these diseases were,” Nielsen said of the psychiatric disorders central to this decades-long brain bank. “We still know very little about them, but they knew that those diseases were in the brain. So they said ‘okay, we’ll gather all the expertise that we have to sort of help future patients in the same situation.” 

CNN Uncovers Dark Origins Of Massive Brain Collection In Denmark 
Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Gupta also speaks to Lise Søgaard, a Danish journalist who began tracking her family’s connection to the brain collection. She discovered her great aunt, Kirsten, was one of the many patients at Danish psychiatric hospitals who received treatment for her schizophrenia, including a lobotomy or ‘white cut’ as it’s commonly called in Denmark. Following her death in 1951 at just age 24, Kirsten’s brain was removed and sent to the brain collection, where it was transferred to bucket #738. 

In 2019, the Southern Swamp Associated Gas Solutions project was commissioned, and the SPDC JV is planning to reduce associated gas flaring further through its Forcados Yokri gas-gathering project, of which large parts are set to be completed in 2022. Despite such efforts to reduce continuous flaring, unfortunately flaring intensity (the amount of gas flared for every tonne of oil and gas produced) at both SPDC- and SNEPCo-operated facilities increased in 2021 owing to short-term operational issues. Flaring from SPDC-operated facilities increased by around 5% in 2021 compared with 2020. The increase was primarily because of the extended outage of the gas compression system in SPDC’s shallow-water operations. The system was restored and became operational from January 2022. Flaring at SNEPCo-operated facilities rose by around 160% in 2021 compared with 2020. This was mainly because of an increase in flaring on the Bonga floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Repairs to a flex-joint on the Bonga FPSO’s gas export riser in the second quarter took longer than expected, in part because of weather conditions. While repairs were under way, the FPSO continued to produce oil and therefore flaring was necessary for safety reasons. The repairs were safely concluded in July 2021. Although flaring intensity levels rose in 2021, SPDC and SNEPCo over the last 10 years have almost halved the combined amount of hydrocarbons they flare from 1.5 million tonnes in 2012 to 0.8 million tonnes in 2021. This reduction is the result of a strict flaring reduction management process and both SPDC and SNEPCo will continue to work in close collaboration with joint-venture partners and the government to make progress towards ending routine flaring of associated gas. NIGERIA LNG EXPANSION UNDERWAY Global demand for LNG continues to grow as the world increasingly seeks reliable supplies of lowercarbon energy. Shell’s investment in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure for export is expected to help 6 This is according to a data provided by global research and consultancy business Wood Mackenzie. the country benefit further from revenues. Shell Gas B.V. and its partners took a final investment decision in 2020 on a new LNG processing unit – known as Train 7 -- at NLNG. The expansion is expected to create around 12,000 jobs for Nigerians during construction and stimulate growth of the local oil and gas service sector, with 55% of engineering and procurement of goods and services being sourced in-country. Train 7 is expected to ensure Nigeria’s continued place as a global player in a lower-carbon energy source. Once operational, Train 7 will add around 8 million tonnes per annum of capacity to the Bonny Island LNG facility, taking the total production to around 30 million tonnes per annum. In 2021, NLNG began awarding procurement and construction contracts. Early works started at the site. The first phase of the worker village is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2022 and the new material offloading facility ready for use by the end of 2022. NLNG’s Train 7 is expected to come onstream in the middle of the 2020s. KEY LICENCE RENEWED FOR DEEP-WATER SNEPCo has interests in four deep-water blocks in the Gulf of Guinea, two of which it operates. Today, nearly one-third of Nigeria’s deep-water oil and gas production comes from the Bonga and the nonoperated Erha fields.6 Since production began in 2005, Bonga alone has produced more than 950 million barrels of oil with the 2021 average oil production per day at 105,000 barrels. The Bonga FPSO vessel has a total production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and 150 standard cubic feet of gas export per day. In 2021, the availability of the FPSO vessel increased to 80% from 70% in 2020. In addition to Bonga, SNEPCo’s exploration activities have led to several significant discoveries of oil and gas over the last two decades, including the Bolia and Doro fields (Shell interest 55%). Nigeria Briefing Notes Helping to power Nigeria’s economy 13 In the right investment climate, SNEPCo believes that there are opportunities to expand. In 2021 the OML 118 (Bonga) production sharing contract was renewed and the lease extended for 20 years. Bonga North and Bonga South West Aparo (BSWA) oil fields are two such potential opportunities. Bonga North is a proposed tie-back project to the existing Bonga FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 14 wells. BSWA is a development of a new FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 23 wells. SUPPORTING RENEWABLE ENERGY STARTUPS Millions of Nigerians are excluded from the country’s power grid and Shell Companies in Nigeria have established and provided substantial funding for a not-for-profit, impact-investing company called All On. Operating as an independent company, All On works to bring reliable electricity – often from renewable energy sources -- to off-grid urban and rural customers. This support aims to build a solid pipeline of viable businesses that can create the scale required to address Nigeria’s access to energy gap. In December 2019, SPDC and SNEPCo made a significant additional 10-year financing commitment of $160 million in All On, bringing the total commitment to $200 million. By the end of 2021, All On had provided investment capital to over 40 renewable energy start-ups in its portfolio – an increase of more than 30% from 2020. One such company is Infibranches Technologies Limited, to which All On has committed $2 million, which is expected to enable the indigenous technology company to expand sales of solar home systems via its more than 13,000 agent banking partners across Nigeria. With the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, the All On Hub was established in 2020 to provide nonfinancial support and build the capabilities of off-grid energy entrepreneurs. In 2021, the hub supported 81 ventures – nearly double the 41 supported in 2020. Also in 2021, All On, Odyssey Energy Solutions and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet launched a $10 million equipment financing facility as part of the DART pilot programme in Nigeria. 7 Hydraulic flying leads support the delivery of hydraulic fluid and/or chemicals between subsea equipment. 8 Subsea trees are an assembly of valves and other components used to monitor and control the production of a subsea well. DART will combine demand pooling, aggregated purchasing of solar equipment, and access to affordable finance to unlock economies of scale for solar companies, achieve cost savings for end-users, and accelerate the growth of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria and beyond. DEVELOPING LOCAL CONTENT AND SKILLS Shell Companies in Nigeria contribute to the growth of Nigerian businesses that can provide technical and support services to the industry. This includes the manufacture of tools and technical kits, the operation of helicopter flights in the Niger Delta, and strategic partnerships between foreign and local companies to stimulate technology transfer and capacity development. While there are government-required programmes in some areas, such as the Nigerian and Community Content Strategy embedded in the Assa North/Ohaji South gas development project, Shell Companies in Nigeria deliberately seek to contract local businesses wherever possible. In 2021, Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded $800 million worth of contracts to Nigerian-registered companies. Of these, 92% were companies with at least 51% Nigerian ownership. SNEPCo has awarded major engineering and construction contracts to companies that are indigenous, have local staff, or possess domestic capabilities in the country. At present, the manufacture and rebuild of hydraulic flying leads7 (HFLs) is being carried out in-country by wholly indigenous companies. Pressure Controls Systems Nigeria Limited, another Nigerian company, continues to refurbish old subsea trees.8 Sometimes, a lack of access to capital hinders Nigerian companies from competing for and executing contracts effectively. Shell Companies in Nigeria have provided access to nearly $1.6 billion in loans to 901 Nigerian vendors under the Shell Contractor Support Fund since 2012. These loans help improve their tendering opportunities.

Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon, later gets access to something he has never seen before – a brain that had undergone the ‘white cut.’ He explains that lobotomy is an integral part of Denmark’s psychiatric history as the country reportedly did more lobotomies per capita than any other country during the time the brain collection was running. Now considered barbaric, the procedure was developed by a Portuguese doctor who won the Nobel Prize for the procedure in 1949, not long before Kirsten underwent the ‘white cut’ herself. 

“I don’t think that the doctors wanted to do bad. I think they actually wanted to do good and their actions were horrible,” Søgaard said. “And if we look at them today, you could say, ‘how could you do that?’ But they were a part of a system.” 

World’s Untold Stories: The Brain Collectors airs at the following times: Saturday, November 12 at 12:00 am, 7:00 am, and 10:00 pm; and Sunday, November 13 at 11:00 am, 4:00 pm, and 8:00 pm. All times Eastern. 

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Otunba Jafaru Braimoh Renew Marital Vows With Yeye Juliet, Iyalaje Of Oke-Aro

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Otunba Jafaru Braimoh Renew Marrital Vows With Yeye Juliet, Iyalaje of OkeAro

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

Chairman, African British Group, Otunba Jafaru Braimoh has spurred many hearts with love and admiration as he renewed his wedding vows with his wife Olori Yeye Juliet J. Braimoh, Iyalaje of Oke-Aro in Ogun State.

The couple celebrated this milestone by organizing a simple gathering surrounded by family and loved ones.

Reflecting on their journey together, Otunba Jafaru Braimoh expressed that over the years, he has gained a deeper understanding of the true meaning of marriage and wished to renew their vows.

Braimoh is the Chairman of African British Consulting & Investments Company Limited, a household name in business facilitations, products, and services influencer.

His company organises international conferences, seminars, exhibitions, award presentations, etc. It is also involved with production lines in diesel, engineering, ship ownership, broker, and manager, all registered in the UK, Nigeria, Rwanda, and many other countries. He is a member of the APC. Braimoh is a die-hard Jgabanist and the director-general, TSSG-Diaspora Team (Tinubu-Shettima 2023 victory).

Braimoh holds a B.Sc in agricultural economics, University of Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria; MPA-Masters in public administration-University of East London, Stratford E15 8GH, UK and presently director-general, Tinubu-Shetima 2023 Movement in the Diaspora, BOD-APC-Party, Belgium.

The couple shared more cherished moments from the celebration through these photos:

 

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Phil Nelson Named Executive Vice President Of CNN International Commercial

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Phil Nelson Named Executive Vice President Of CNN International Commercial

By Moninuola Sulaiman

CNN Worldwide has appointed Phil Nelson to lead the network’s international business operations and its work with commercial partners outside of the United States.

 

As Executive Vice President of CNN International Commercial (CNNIC), Nelson is responsible for all international Advertising Sales, Content Sales & Licensing, and Commercial Distribution revenue, as well as related client solutions functions including the award-winning Create brand studio and world-class digital and data operations. In this role, Nelson also works with partners across the Warner Bros. Discovery business on areas such as CNN International’s distribution strategy and collaboration on digital operations and ad sales to provide more opportunities for brand partners to access news and other genres across the portfolio. Nelson becomes part of CNN Worldwide’s leadership team and reports to the network’s Group Executive Vice President of Business Operations & Strategy, Chris Marlin.

 

As CNNIC’s Chief Operating Officer since 2019, Nelson led operational and international growth initiatives while managing advertising sales support functions. In that time he put in place the framework for CNNIC’s Audience First ad sales strategy, took CNN content onto new platforms, and grew the portfolio of CNN’s international affiliate business with broadcasters and publishers around the world as well as its commercial distribution footprint with hotels and airlines. Major initiatives in Nelson’s time at CNNIC to date include the introduction of CNN International onto Connected TV platforms in Europe, the launch of the CNN Apparel business in Asia, licensing the rights to Great Big Story, and the expansion of the CNN branded channel portfolio with additions including CNN Brasil, CNN Prima News and CNN Portugal.

 

Prior to joining CNN, Nelson was Managing Director, Turner North Asia and South East Asia Pacific, overseeing all aspects of Turner’s business in these regions. He had previously held other business development and strategic planning roles at Turner since joining in 2010 and has significant digital experience from his time at AOL, where he was Managing Director for AOL Asia. In addition, Nelson holds an MBA from Harvard University and, prior to entering the corporate sector, was a commander in the US Navy.

 

CNN is making additional key changes to CNNIC’s executive leadership team as it evolves its client offering:

  • Cathy Ibal is named Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, to oversee all of CNN’s international advertising sales. A proven commercial leader with 22 years experience at CNN, Ibal has a track record of leading global teams and developing innovative advertising and brand solutions for a wide range of clients – from major luxury and blue chip brands to travel and tourism and other private and public sector partners
  • Rob Bradley is appointed Senior Vice President, Digital Revenue, Strategy & Operations, with a remit that includes everything related to the digital ecosystem for CNNIC – revenue, operations, and commercial strategy. In addition to his CNNIC role, Rob is part of the CNN Digital leadership team and will lead CNNIC’s collaboration with WBD’s international business operations on digital projects and utilising best practices in advertising technology and solutions
  • CNNIC’s sophisticated capabilities in creative, data, revenue strategy, and client services are all being brought into one unit under the leadership of James Hunt, Senior Vice President, Global Client Solutions. This will include a joined-up offering for partners across CNNIC’s award-winning Create Studio and the Audiences & Data unit along with client servicing, events, and strategy functions.

 

“For journalism to flourish, it’s imperative that we have a robust effective commercial operation to fund the work that CNN does around the world every single day,” said Chris Licht, Chairman and Chief Executive of CNN Worldwide. “To that end, I am delighted that Phil and his executive team are taking the reins at CNNIC to lead us into a new era of working with our commercial partners.”

 

“CNNIC has an incredible track record in unlocking value for both CNN and our commercial partners across a wide range of sectors,” said Phil Nelson. “As we look to the future, we are creating new ways for partners to work with CNN that enable advertisers to engage with our audiences wherever they consume CNN and for broadcasters, publishers, Out of Home partners, and platforms to access and leverage our world-renowned content and journalism. In a fast-changing media landscape, we are combining the best of CNN’s content and commercial offering in an innovative way that reflects client and market needs as well as audience expectations.”

 

Know More About CNN International Commercial: CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) is responsible for the business operations of CNN’s properties outside of the United States. All commercial activities for brands such as CNN International, CNN Arabic, CNN Style, and CNN Business are aligned within the division. This encompasses advertising sales, sponsorship partnerships, commercial content development, content sales, brand licensing, distribution, and out-of-home operations, business development, and marketing for the world’s leading international news provider. CNNIC is a recognised industry leader in international advertising sales and its use of award-winning commercial content, produced through its Create unit and driven by its advanced data usage and digital capabilities, has resulted in strong and enduring partnerships with many of the world’s most recognised brands. Its Content Sales and Licensing unit has relationships with more than 1,000 affiliates ranging from licensing the CNN brand through to content supply contracts as well as offering consultancy services. For more information visit http://commercial.cnn.com

 

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Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat’s Second-Term Inauguration Kicks Off With Youth Carnival, Robotic Competition

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Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat's Second-Term Inauguration Kicks Off With Youth Carnival, Robotic Competition

…Students urge LASG to include Robotic Science in school curriculum 

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

Lagos State Government on Sunday kicked off the inauguration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat for a second term in office with Youth Carnival and Robotic competition.

The Youth Carnival and Robotic competition were held simultaneously across the five divisions of Lagos State comprising Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe, as Lagos residents gathered in their thousands to celebrate the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

The Youth Carnival and Robotic Competition were held simultaneously at JJT Park, Alausa, Ikeja; Badagry Grammar School, Badagry; Ikorodu Town Hall Premises, Ikorodu; Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos Island, and Epe Recreation Centre, Epe, were parts of the 11-day program lined up to celebrate Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, who have performed excellently in office in the first term, with the promise of improved performance to effectively achieve ‘A Greater Lagos Rising.’

Governor Sanwo-Olu was represented in the five divisions by top government officials.

Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat's Second-Term Inauguration Kicks Off With Youth Carnival, Robotic Competition

Speaking at the event in Ikeja, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who represented Governor Sanwo-Olu, said the Governor deserves a second term in office to enable ‘A Greater Lagos Rising’ agenda.

She said the Robotic competition among students was part of the feats achieved in education during the first term of Governor Sanwo-Olu, adding that Lagosians should expect more when the second term takes off on May 29.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Somolu Local Government Area, Hon. Abdulhamid Salawu, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for empowering the youths.

“We can all see what Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu did during his first term, which is about to end and we are preparing for the inauguration of another term.

“The youths are happy with Governor Sanwo-Olu because they felt his impact during his first term and we believe he is going to do more for youths in his second term,” he said.

The council boss also urged youths in Lagos State to be focused on achieving their goals.

Some of the Students who took part in the Robotic competition at JJT Park Ikeja said they used their robots to showcase Emergency Response Services on Hospital Incidents and Traffic related issues.

Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat's Second-Term Inauguration Kicks Off With Youth Carnival, Robotic Competition

Speaking at the event held at Muri Okunola Park, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, of the Public Service Office, Mrs. Sunkanmi Oyegbola, said the event was to thank the youths for their support during the last gubernatorial poll and for them to embrace artificial intelligence for development which they did through the Robotic display.

He advised the youths to shun violence and drug abuse and do things that would ensure the rising of Greater Lagos.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Iru/Victoria Island Local Council Development Area, Princess Rashidat Adu, said Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration had so far embarked on inclusive governance, especially on youth-related issues, which had led to his re-election with his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat for a second term.

She said a lot of talents had been displayed at the Robotic Competition. She assured the youth that more programs that would be of benefit to them would be embarked upon by the administration.

At the Ikorodu event, students appealed to the Lagos State Government to include Robotics Science into their school curriculum to further develop the technology set skills of the younger population.

Speaking during the Robotic competition organised in the Ikorodu division of Lagos State, the students expressed confidence that investment in the ecosystem will build the science and technology space of Lagos State and Nigeria.

A representative of the CMS Girls Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, Miss Joe Halimat, said that it becomes imperative for government to give priority to Robotic studies in schools as they do to Sports and Entertainment.

Halimat whose school came second in the competition explained that building a robot for traffic management has taught her perseverance and tolerance which has changed her way of life.

Also speaking, the Head of the Department, Co-curriculum for Science and Technology, Education District II, Mrs. Amaka Oto, advised students to brace up for technological advancement and acquire more knowledge in line with the THEMES agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

During the events held simultaneously across the five Lagos divisions – Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe, youths thrilled the gathering with various displays, including dance, and singing, among others.

Students from the six Education Districts in Lagos State also participated in the Robotic competition held simultaneously in the five divisions in the State.

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