NEWS

31-year old Sebastian Kurz set to become Austrian leader

Published

7 years ago

October 16, 2017

FAB

Austria’s political “whizz-kid” Sebastian Kurz was on course Sunday to become Europe’s youngest leader, potentially in coalition with the far-right, after his conservative party looked to have triumphed in elections.

Kurz’s People’s Party (OeVP) won 30.5 percent of the vote, followed by Chancellor Christian Kern’s Social Democrats (SPOe) on 27.1 percent and the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) on 25.9 percent, projections on public TV showed.

Kurz, 31, nicknamed “wunderwuzzi”, (“whizzkid”) took over the OeVP in May and managed to attract supporters in droves by depicting himself as a breath of fresh air, talking tough on immigration and vowing to slash taxes and red tape.

“I promise I will fight for great change in this country. It’s time to establish a new political style and a new culture in this country,” Kurz said Sunday.

But to form a government Kurz will have to enter a coalition with one of the other parties.

The most likely partner is seen as the populist FPOe of Heinz-Christian Strache, 48, although this is far from guaranteed.

“We are waiting for the final result,” OeVP general secretary Elisabeth Koestinger said Sunday.

“We will form a coalition for the next five years with the party that can enable us to achieve and change the most in this country.”

Another option for Kurz would be a new “grand coalition” with the SPOe, but after 10 acrimonious years governing together — ended early by Kurz in May — this is seen as less likely.

An even more remote possibility in the wealthy EU member of 8.75 million people is a tie-up between the FPOe and the SPOe Social Democrats, whose campaign suffered a string of mishaps.

“We want to assume responsibility. This can be in many different forms,” PPOe leader Kern said Sunday. “We’ve experienced a massive swing to the right. We’re not enthused but we can live with the result.”

– Stolen thunder –
In December, the FPOe almost won the presidency and topped opinion polls in the midst of Europe’s migrant crisis.

But since taking over the OeVP in May and re-branding it as his personal “movement”, Kurz has stolen some of Strache’s thunder.

As foreign minister, the rosy-cheeked Kurz claims credit for closing the Balkan migrant trail in 2016 that saw hundreds of thousands of migrants trek into western Europe.

Pushing far-right themes, he wants to cut benefits for all foreigners, reduce bureaucracy and stop the EU having too much say in national affairs — in common with Strache.

The last time the FPOe entered government, in 2000 under controversial then-leader Joerg Haider, who praised Hitler’s “orderly” employment policies, Austria was ostracised in Europe.

But there would not be the same backlash now owing to the “normalisation of the far-right in Europe since then,” said expert Pepijn Bergsen at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

“The FPOe is a different party. Its campaign was moderate in tone,” finance student Marcus Kronberg, 23, told AFP at the OeVP’s election party.

“There was nothing to be ashamed of as an Austrian. I have no problems with (a FPOe coalition) and I hope Brussels will see things the same way.”

– EU headache –
But the FPOe in government would still pose a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Brexit and the rise of nationalists in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.

Like Alternative for Germany, which last month became the third-largest party in the Bundestag, and France’s National Front, the FPOe has stoked concerns about a record influx of migrants into Austria and Europe.

The party was founded by ex-Nazis in the 1950s — Strache flirted with neo-Nazism in his youth — and is ambivalent at best about the EU.

The FPOe has an alliance with President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and wants EU sanctions on Moscow lifted.

Vienna will hold the EU’s presidency in the second half of 2018, just when Brussels wants to conclude Brexit talks.

“The Freedom Party as a government partner will not make a good impression in Europe (and) Kurz is aware of that,” commented Der Standard newspaper.

“But the question is whether there is any getting around Strache.”

– Channels

BUSINESS

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Sets The Standard Of AI Phones As A True AI Companion

Published

2 months ago

January 31, 2025

Adaeze Okechi

Samsung Galaxy S25 series sets the standard of AI phones as a true AI companion

…Pioneering the multimodal era with the most context-aware and personalized mobile experience

Lagos, Nigeria – January 23, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced the Samsung Galaxy S25 series: Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25, setting a new standard as a true AI companion with the most natural and context-aware mobile experiences ever created. Introducing multimodal AI agents, the Galaxy S25 series is the first step in Samsung’s vision to change the way users interact with their phone – and with their world.

A first-of-its-kind customized Snapdragon® 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy chipset delivers greater on-device processing power for Galaxy AI and superior camera range and control with Galaxy’s next-gen ProVisual Engine.

Samsung Galaxy S25 series sets the standard of AI phones | fab.ng

Galaxy S25 Ultra

With One UI 7, the Galaxy S25 series is a true AI companion that understands the context of your needs and preferences and provides personalized AI experiences with privacy assured at every turn.

It’s the starting point of a shared vision with Google to imagine Android with AI at the core, bringing together developers and partners from around the world.

AI agents with multimodal capabilities enable Galaxy S25 to interpret text, speech, images and videos for interactions that feel natural. Upgrades to Google’s Circle to Search make searching your phone screen more helpful, fast and contextual. Circle to Search now quickly recognizes phone numbers, email and URLs on your screen, letting you call, email or visit a website with a single tap.

With Galaxy S25 series, you can also perform actionable searches with context-aware suggestions for next steps. Plus, Galaxy S25 makes it frictionless to switch between apps for quick follow-up actions, like sharing a GIF or saving event details.

Galaxy S25 represents a breakthrough in natural language understanding, making everyday interactions easier. Simply ask and intuitively find a specific photo in Samsung Gallery or adjust the size of display fonts in Settings.

In the era of AI, personalization goes hand in hand with privacy. On the Galaxy S25, the Personal Data Engine powers personalized AI features by safely analyzing your data on-device to deliver highly tailored experiences that reflect your preferences and usage patterns.

These insights enable tailored experiences, such as using natural language to search for an old photo in the Gallery or being guided through the day with Now Brief, which proactively offers suggestions accessible via Now Bar on the lock screen. Knox Vault keeps all personalized data private and secure.

Combined with enhanced on-device processing capabilities, this creates a powerful, protected AI experience that is unique to Galaxy.

Galaxy S25+

Galaxy’s Most Powerful Performance Ever

The Galaxy S25 series is powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite for Galaxy. With unique customizations by Galaxy, this is the most powerful processor ever on the Galaxy S series. Further delivering a performance boost of 40% in NPU, 37% in CPU and 30% in GPU. This is compared to the previous generation.

This power fuels the Galaxy S25 series’ ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise, including previously cloud-based AI tasks such as Generative Edit.

10-bit HDR recording is now applied by default, offering four times richer color expression compared to 8-bit. Galaxy S25 can thus capture details in any lighting conditions. Plus, low-light videos have never been clearer than with Galaxy S25.

Based on powerful processor, Galaxy S25 analyzes movement and time to reduce noise more effectively. This integration allows detecting both moving and static objects with greater precision, ensuring sharper, cleaner footage in any scenario.

Galaxy S25 also introduces a range of tools once limited to specialized software, making advanced editing accessible for all. Now anyone can be a pro at editing photos and videos. Audio Eraser simplifies the removal of unwanted noise in videos. By isolating categories of sounds – including voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise – you can control what to tone down or eliminate entirely.

Galaxy S25 Series

Durable Design Embracing a More Circular Approach

The Galaxy S25 series builds upon Galaxy’s ‘Essential Design’ grounded in ‘Simple, Impactful and Emotive’ elements.

Galaxy S25 Ultra refines this essence into the slimmest, lightest and most durable Galaxy S series yet. This is with a rounded edge for a comfortable grip that complements the series’ aesthetic identity.

Galaxy S25 Ultra features durable titanium and the new Corning® Gorilla® Armor 2, a first-of-its-kind material that is more durable than glass. It combines Corning’s glass-ceramic with a proprietary anti-reflective surface treatment. This helps to ensure advanced drop protection alongside anti-reflection surface treatment and scratch resistance.

Combined with seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, the Galaxy S25 series ensures a reliable and optimized performance over a longer lifespan.

For greater peace of mind, Samsung Care+ offers comprehensive coverage for accidental damage, repairs, and replacements, ensuring peace of mind for Galaxy users.

The Galaxy S25 series is available to order. Galaxy S25 Ultra will be available in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium Gray. Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ will be available in Navy, Silver Shadow, Icyblue and Mint.

For more information about the Galaxy S25 series, please visit: Samsung Newsroom, SamsungMobilePress.com or Samsung.com.

MOVIES

Nollywood Director, Kemi Adetiba Teases King Of Boys 3

Published

3 months ago

January 9, 2025

Reporter

Nollywood director Kemi Adetiba teases King of Boys 3 | fab.ng

Nollywood director Kemi Adetiba has revealed that another instalment of King of Boys will be released on December 25, 2025. She made this announcement on her birthday through an Instagram post.

“KOB Army…. ARISE!!! It’s time…. We MOOOOOOOVE. Signed: Your General. #KOB3 #TheBeginningOfTheEnd #DettyDecember25 #KAV25,” she said.

Earlier in 2023, director Kemi Adetiba commenced pre-production for the next instalment of King of Boys.

Alongside this, she hinted at the upcoming releases of “To Kill A Monkey” and “Welcome to the Fourth.” This new King of Boys instalment, subtitled “The Beginning of the End,” will feature a blend of familiar faces and exciting new characters.

The feature-length film will make its debut in cinemas on December 25, 2025. This groundbreaking series centres around Alhaja Eniola Salami, a powerful businesswoman and philanthropist embroiled in a high-stakes power struggle.

The first film, released in 2018, captivated audiences with its compelling narrative and exceptional performances. Its sequel, “King of Boys: The Return of the King,” premiered on Netflix in 2021.

The original film boasted an ensemble cast, including the formidable Sola Sobowale as Eniola Salami, alongside Nse Ikpe-Etim, Jide Kosoko, Adesua Etomi, and Richard Mofe-Damijo.

Kemi Adetiba’s career began as a radio presenter at Rhythm 93.7 FM, where she hosted the popular shows “Soul’d Out” and “Sunday at the Seaside.”

During this time, she anonymously shared her remixes on platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud under the pseudonym “Hule.”

Transitioning to television, Adetiba became a prominent figure on Mnet, producing and hosting popular shows such as “Studio 53” and “Temptation Nigeria” alongside Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa.

She also hosted the Maltina Dance All reality show for three consecutive seasons.

After achieving on-screen success, Adetiba pursued her passion for filmmaking. She enrolled at the New York Film Academy to hone her filmmaking skills.

This decision led to international recognition for her work. Her short film, “Across a Bloodied Ocean,” was showcased at the 2009 Pan African Film Festival and the National Black Arts Festival.

Her directorial debut, “The Wedding Party,” a romantic comedy, premiered on September 8, 2016, as the opening film of the City-to-City Spotlight at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

MOVIES

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” Becomes Nollywood’s Highest-Grossing Film Of All Time

Published

3 months ago

January 8, 2025

Reporter

Everybody Loves Jenifa Nollywood’s highest-grossing film | fab.ng

Nollywood filmmaker Funke Akindele has achieved a historic milestone with her latest film, “Everybody Loves Jenifa.”

The film has officially broken box office records, surpassing the ₦1 billion mark to become the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time.

This groundbreaking achievement was announced by FilmOne, the film’s distributor, on their official Instagram page.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” has officially hit a historic ₦1.466 billion and counting at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time! A massive THANK YOU to our incredible audiences in Nigeria and Ghana for making this dream a reality. Your support is everything. On to even greater heights! Still showing in cinemas near you—experience the magic on the big screen,” the statement read.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FilmOne Entertainment (@filmoneng)

Akindele continues her reign as a dominant force in Nollywood with this latest triumph.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” achieved this remarkable feat in less than two weeks, further solidifying her legacy of box office successes.

Last year, her film “A Tribe Called Judah” made history by becoming the first Nollywood film to surpass the ₦1 billion mark, firmly establishing her as the queen of Nigerian cinema.

In 2023, Akindele’s “Battle on Buka Street” also achieved record-breaking success, surpassing the previous record set by her own blockbuster, “Omo Ghetto: The Saga.”

The “Jenifa” franchise has transcended the realm of a mere movie series, evolving into a cultural phenomenon.

Akindele first introduced the iconic character “Jenifa” to audiences in the 2008 Yoruba-language film “Jenifa,” captivating viewers with her wit and charm.

The character’s popularity skyrocketed with the 2015 launch of “Jenifa’s Diary.” Interestingly, the series is a beloved television series that seamlessly blended humour with valuable life lessons.

With “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” Akindele elevates the character to new heights. She delivers a heartwarming and comedic story that resonates deeply with fans.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, featuring Funke Akindele as Jenifa, Folarin “Falz” Falana as Sege.

Also, Jackie Appiah, Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Bisola Aiyeola, Patience Ozokwor, Chimezie Imo, and Isaac Olayiwola (Layi Wasabi) brought life to the movie.

Check out more movie updates here.