STUDIO 24 PRESENTS ISIS MODELS LOOK - COME MARCH 2013

Studio 24 is delighter to announce  the first Isis Models Look which is billed for March 2013.

Full details coming out soon.

.Winner will go for "GO-SEE" in Milan and Paris

.Photo shoot for their book in Paris by Studio

.Automatic qualification for Nigeria’s Nexr  Super Model Male and Female

WATCH OUT IN MARCH 2013

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Jonathan Must Apologise For Killing My Mum- Seun Kuti

   

Scion to the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Seun is battle ready to take on the Federal government led by President Goodluck Jonathan if they fail to apologise officially for killing his grandmother in 1978.

Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has publicly asked the Federal Government to apologise to his family for the death of his grandmother, Funmilayo Kuti, before putting her picture on the proposed N5000 note.

Let’s go back in time; it’s February 1978, and Nigeria was being ruled by the military, led by General Olusegun Obasanjo. One of the most influential women in the country, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti is resting in her Surulere abode, where two of her sons – Doctor Beko Ransome Kuti and musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti also call home. Her house is then invaded by a thousand unknown soldiers who attack and brutalise Beko and Fela, vandalize property, including Beko’s hospital, but in the heat of these inhumane behaviours of 'Kaaki Boys', they allegedly throw Olufunmilayo from the second floor of her house to the ground.

The first woman in Nigeria to drive a car and to ride a bike; a woman often regarded as ‘The mother of Africa’ slips into a coma and in April that year, died from the injuries sustained.

Today, Goodluck Jonathan is the President of the junta that killed the woman, and Seun, with full support of his elder brother and sisters, are asking for unreserved apoloogies from FG.

If you recall, the Federal Government have announced a proposed N5000 note to be printed and circulated in the country. They have also announced that they are considering putting Funmilayo Kuti’s picture on the note. Her four children – Olikoye, Beko, Fela and Dolupo, who protested her death back then are all dead, but one of her grandsons’ Seun Kuti isn’t taking the news lying down.

"She was murdered by the Federal Government, her house was burnt down on that same day, two of her children were brutalised, almost killed on that same day and the family have not receive any apology or compensation, most especially justice for such atrocity." Seun said.

Seun, an Afrobeat musician himself, is asking for not just an apology, but for someone to be held responsible for the February ’78 attack which resulted in the death of his grandmother.

Hear him again, "First, the Federal Government has to accept that they were the cause of her death. The official statement that they are still giving us is that she was murdered by 1,000 unknown soldiers who stormed the Kalakuta Republic."

Social network campaigns have been put in gear, with family, fans and friends of the Kutis. On Facebook an ‘I Hate the New 5000 Naira Note’ group was opened. On micro-blogging site Twitter, popular singer-producer Tha Suspect who is also an ‘advocate of the masses’ said ‘Elder Funmilayo Kuti On The #5,000 Note?? Plenty Apologies Go First Take Place but Shame go Gree Govt?’

Seun Kuti is not just advocating for the FG not to use his grandmother’s picture. From his tweets, we see he wants the N5000 not to be printed at all. Seun also seems to be ready for whatever, as he has also indicated that he will ‘take it to the streets for them’ if the idea is not nipped in the bud.

"If it’s goin to require us taking to d streets for ‘them’ to listen, then AM READY! Nigerians RISE; & say NO to d obnoxious N5,000 note!", Mr Kuti tweeted.

White House denies rift with Israel

Netanyahu and Obama

The White House has denied reports of a rift with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that he and President Barack Obama reaffirmed the two countries' commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Mr Obama and Mr Netanyahu spoke for an hour and the White House said later that the two men agreed to continue "close consultations going forward" regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The White House denied reports that Mr Obama had rejected Mr Netanyahu's request to meet him in Washington next week. No such request was made or rejected, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

The unusual late-night announcement from the White House comes after Mr Netanyahu criticised what he called the world's failure to spell out what would provoke a US-led military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Mr Netanyahu has urged the US to set "red lines" for Tehran, but the Obama administration has refused.

"Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," Mr Netanyahu said yesterday.

His strong words risk antagonising Mr Obama in the midst of a closely fought a re-election campaign and could strain relations with the US, Israel's closest and most important ally. Relations between the two leaders have often been tense in the past.

Differences between the two counties over how to deal with Iran have boiled over into palpable tensions in recent weeks.

On Monday State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said "it is not useful" to set deadlines or declare "red lines".

She and White House press secretary Jay Carney also noted that Mr Obama has stated unequivocally that the United States will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Yesterday Ms Nuland said the Iranian situation was a matter of "intense discussion" with Israel. She declined to elaborate, saying she did not want to conduct diplomacy in public.

Some US officials have bristled at what they see is Mr Netanyahu's attempts to exploit the US campaign season to push Mr Obama into a difficult position.

The US officials stopped short of accusing Mr Netanyahu of taking sides in the election, but the Israeli Prime Minister has a long-time relationship with Republican candidate Mitt Romney and with Sheldon Adelson, a casino magnate and top donor to the Republican Party.

Mr Romney, who visited Israel in July, has repeatedly criticised Mr Obama's handling of the nuclear issue.

Mr Obama and Mr Netanyahu have long had a rocky relationship because of policy differences and a lack of personal chemistry. In one notable incident, a frustrated Mr Obama left a White House meeting with Mr Netanyahu to have dinner with his family.

US and Israeli officials confirmed yesterday that Mr Obama would not meet Mr Netanyahu when the Israeli leader goes to New York for the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

Both sides cited scheduling issues and rejected suggestions that Mr Netanyahu had been snubbed.

Andy Murray: Before US Open victory I doubted if I would ever win a Grand Slam

Andy Murray

Andy Murray sat with the US Open trophy on Tuesday night, in the luxurious confines of the British consul’s apartment in Manhattan, and poured out his heart about the twisting and often treacherous path that had led him to this epic achievement.

Above all, he admitted, Monday night’s victory had brought blessed relief from the doubts that had assailed him. Murray has never been too bothered about where anyone else rated him in the pantheon of tennis greats. It was his own self-confidence that was the issue, because he had moments when he feared he would never achieve his life’s dream.

“I always felt when I was younger it was going to happen,” Murray said, “but the older you get, you do start to doubt it. At the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, they were two very close matches [against Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer respectively] and I got so close.

“I wouldn’t say I was preparing for it not to happen but you do start to think that way. Before the match yesterday I was doubting myself, thinking about the match and how tough it will be, if I would be able to do it or not. I am just glad I have done it and I hope it’s not the only Grand Slam I can win.”

The next step, of course, is to build on this breakthrough. In the past, British sport has perhaps shown a tendency to enjoy success too much, but that is not Murray’s way. After the final, he shared a meal with his support staff, but didn’t touch a drop of alcohol. “The problem was that when I arrived, everyone was so drunk already,” he said. “It would have taken a while to catch up so I didn’t bother.”

On Tuesday night he flew back to his home in England, and his next concrete appointment is likely to be the Olympic parade in Glasgow on Friday. “It’s a shame I missed the one in London, but I would like to try to go back for the one in Glasgow,” he said.

“I’d also like to go home and see my family and just be around them. I obviously haven’t got to see them that much and they’ve always supported me. But I would also like to get a few days to myself just to take everything in and just be normal for a few days before doing any of that.”

The other note in his diary concerns a phone chat with his coach, Ivan Lendl, where they will discuss the rest of the tennis season. There may be no more Grand Slams at stake before the Australian Open in January, but a strong run through the Asian swing and then at the ATP World Tour Finals in December would give Murray a shot at his next goal of climbing to the top of the world rankings.

“I spoke to Ivan briefly after the match,” he said. “We’re going to have a chat on Friday or Saturday and I’m going to let things sink in over the next few days.

“He didn’t come out for dinner with us,” Murray added with a smile. “He’s so focused when I’m playing the matches, he just kept telling everyone how dead he was after the match and how tired he was. I was like: ‘You weren’t the one playing.’ But he’s been through many, matches like that, so he knows how tough it is.”

Murray spent Tuesday morning touring the TV studios around New York and appearing on every breakfast show known to man. He was articulate and composed, which was a decent effort in view of the fact he was coming off just 90 minutes’ sleep. The first show – “This Morning” on CBS – insisted that he arrive on set at 7am.

“It’s hard to explain how it feels,” he added. “You probably saw from my reaction I was in a bit of shock, and after that I was just very relieved. And I wasn’t able to sleep last night. I wasn’t bouncing off the walls or anything, I just couldn’t go to sleep, I was sitting awake for a few hours.

“Normally during the tournament if I’d had an hour-and-a-half of sleep and I’d had to get up I would have been in the worst mood ever. I woke up and jumped out of bed at 6.30am which isn’t like me. I was obviously very excited. But I don’t think it has sunk in yet and it will probably take a while.

“It took a lot of sacrifices from both my parents to give me and Jamie the opportunity to play tennis. So it’s nice after the last couple of months to have kind of repaid them in a way for the sacrifices they made when we were younger. Family is the most important thing and they’ve given me a lot of help, especially when I needed it after Wimbledon and tough moments in my career.”

Full list of Nigerians shortlisted for National Honours

149 Nigerians have been shortlisted to be conferred with National Honours on September 17, 2012.

A statement on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties Office) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Henry Akpan said.

The statement said, “The Office  of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, have concluded preparations for the conferment of National Honours Award on 149 Nigerians and others.

“President Goodluck Jonathan will conduct the 2012 National Honours Award Investiture of deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria.”

Among the recipients are six Supreme Court Justices (CFR); the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar (CFR); Gabriel Igbinedion (CFR), former Managing Director of UBA Plc, Tony Elumelu (CON); and former Acting Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Kawu Baraje (CON).

Also on the list are two retired Supreme Court Justices, Kayode Eso and Andrew Obaseki, will be conferred with CFR.

Others are governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Danbaba Suntai (Taraba), who will be conferred with CON.

Seven serving senators, including Victor Ndoma-Egba, Abdul Ahmed Ningi and Ayogu Eze will also be conferred with CON.

Others are Wole Olanipekun (OFR), former Military Governor of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson (Rtd.) (CFR); Cletus Ibeto (CON), Benin-based lawyer, Omoruyi Omonuwa (OFR), Alex Izinyon (OFR), Labour Party Chairman, Dan Nwuanyanwu (OFR) and an artiste, Teco Benson (MFR).

The recipients also include the General Overseer of TREM, Bishop Mike Okonkwo (MFR), Osemawe of Ondo, Obama Victor Kiladejo (MFR) and film director, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe (MFR).

Globacom Limited Chairman, Mike Adenuga, will join President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, among personalities conferred with the award of Grand Commander of the Niger.

GCON is usually bestowed on the country’s Vice-President.

Dangote however made history when he was conferred with the award.

Over N500 million PHCN pension trapped in London – Report

PHCN employees protest over pension

A panel set up to investigate the electricity workers’ pension contributions in the power sector has submitted its report to the minister of state for power.

Submitting the report on Monday in Abuja, the Chairman of the investigative panel and a former Auditor-General of the Federation, Joseph Ajiboye said that Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s (PHCN) workers’ pensions was never a contributory scheme and was never funded by a budgetary allocation but rather through an internal arrangement in the company.

“The problem with the PHCN was that they didn’t have sufficient fund to be able to meet the requirements of that closed system, that is the major problem,” he said.

Another major finding of the report according to Mr Ajiboye, was the existence of a mini—estate constructed to service the electricity workers’ retirement fund which was sold off without remissions to the fund, thereby starving the fund and making it impossible to pay off retired workers.

The eight-man-panel also reported that over two million pounds (approximately N500 million) which ought to have gone to the retirement fund is presently stuck in a London account and that if recovered could help solve the ongoing impasse between the electricity workers and the federal government.

The former Auditor-General said he believes that “government in its wisdom will find a solution to this problem.”

The investigative panel’s report has long been awaited. The panel was given 30 working days to probe the PHCN pension scheme especially the details of the N300 billion allegedly accumulated in the NEPA retirement fund which the former minister of power, Barth Nnaji had insisted was only N3 billion.

The Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Wya, while receiving the report from the panel said “We hope this report will aid us to find a solution the lingering labour issue. And you know the only labour issue that is outstanding now is that of pension.”

The PHCN staff are demanding a 25 percent benefit on their pensions different from the 15 percent severance package offered by the federal government on grounds that this was a set standard for pensions and gratuity payoff peculiar to the PHCN pensions scheme under the retirement fund.

Expect uninterrupted power supply from December – FG

Goodluck Jonathan

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the country would soon bid final farewell to power outages beginning from December, 2012 just as it has plans to generate 5,400 mega watts from the current 4,400 mega watts.

Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe told Jouranalists in Abuja on Monday that the president is no doubt living up to expectation on his election promises.

According to Mr Okupe, the 5,400 mega watts target will be actualized following the arrangement by the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) to add 1,000MW to the current 4,400 as against the little above 1,900MW before the president assumed office.

Mr Okupe said: “When the President assumed office, the energy capacity of the country at that time ranged between 1,900 megawatts to some 2,200 megawatts. The Independent Power Projects, 10 of them were grounded and nearly moribund, but today Nigeria is generating in excess of 4,400 megawatts of electricity.

“Some cynics have said this is due to high level of water in the hydro generating plants in Shiroro and Kanji. This isn’t true.

“I can tell you authoritatively that why it is true that every year there is a marginal increase in power supply, because of the increased contribution in the hydro plants, that cannot account for the 15 hours or so that is being currently enjoyed in many parts of the country.

Speaking further, Mr Okupe said “The reason for this additional increase is coming from the NIPP that are now adding between 600 and 800 megawatts to the national grid. That’s what is responsible for this new improvement and between now and December, we are expecting nearly an additional 1,000 megawatts, because of the increase and an arrangement that have been made for purchase and supply of gas to some of these NIPP projects. More areas will enjoy longer hours of electricity supply by December.”