Friday, 31 May 2013
Mary Mary's Tina Campbell opens up about her husband's infidelity
“Once I became aware [of the affair], I initially wanted to kill my husband…I was considering adjusting the will, the living trust and all that kind of stuff. I did physically try to stab him. Several times…I never got to the point of physical harm, not really, but my words…My words hurt. ”A few days after the online publication, Tina posted a message to her fans on her website asking for prayers.
"Hi fans and friends. It’s Tina. I hope all of you are well and I thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown my sister and I over the years.
Well, I'm actually writing you on behalf of my husband Teddy and I. I’m assuming that many of you have seen or heard about our article in Ebony that discussed the challenges of overcoming infidelity in our marriage. Well since the article, the challenges have worsened. My hope turned into hopelessness & despair and I became unwilling to forgive and fight, until God showed me myself.
My husband’s struggle, was with sexual immorality BUT I have struggled with anger, rage, unforgiveness, pride, just to name a few, for over 2 decades. The devil wanted to use strongholds that took hold of our lives in our childhood, to remain and destroy us as adults. So now instead of being mad at each other we’re mad at the devil and we’re ready to fight.
Today we began a 30 day fast (May 24th-June 22nd) for complete deliverance & restoration. If u are able to, please fast and/or pray daily that God would answer our prayers and give us a deeper love & commitment to him and to each other. We believe he still works miracles and he can give us the greatest marriage we could have ever imagined. We can pray alone BUT your prayers will certainly help.
Some Scriptures To Target Your Prayer
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
James 5:16
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Thanks in advance. Talk to you in 30 days".
Tina
BIG BROTHER AFRICA, Denzel And Neal Swapped To The Rubies House!
For the first Big Twist in the Chase, Big Brother told the Housemates that two of them were to switch Houses after the Airtel Arena showdown Task.
The two Houses earlier on this evening had a competition from which the Head of House from the winning side was to choose two Housemates of the 14 who were to be swapped for the other two from the other House.
After the Diamond House, taking the pride, the ball was in Feza’s hands and she had to decide who were to leave and join the Diamond House.
After getting to see the housemates who were in the Ruby House,Feza took her time to think and decide who she had to get rid of and the ones she had to welcome.
At first Feza had chosen Denzel and Betty to leave Diamond but after a while of thinking she changed her mind and replaced Betty with Neyll. She then had to swap the duo with Ruby’s Hakeem and Melvin. This implies that Denzel and Neyll are to leave the Diamond house for Ruby as Melvin and Hakeem are to join the Diamonds.
It was a murky atmosphere in the Diamond House where all this drama was taking place as the already clued Betty was speechless thinking about what was to happen next.
To the side of the swapped Housemates,Denzel looked cool with Feza’s decision though his fellow Neyll seemed hurt and affected.
The twist also has an article that if the swapped Housemates are nominated for eviction, they’ll remain and if they survive or if not, they are immune of the coming Monday Nominations. Looks like Denzel has been saved from eviction. Nutty guy.
Monaco confirm Falcao move
“AS Monaco FC is delighted to announce that it has reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid and the player Radamel Falcao for his transfer to ASMFC, effective as of the 2013-2014 season,” read Monaco’s statement posted on their official website on Friday evening.
“Radamel Falcao Garcia Zarate, the Colombian international forward, has signed a 5 year contract. The player will be introduced to the media in the course of pre-season training, at a future date to be confirmed by the Club.”
Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain were all at one time or another linked with making a move for the Colombian international.
Puyol: Injuries could end career
Carles Puyol has reflected that a continuation of his injury struggles may force him to end dreams of playing for Barcelona into his 40s.
The captain has struggled through 2012-13 with a series of injuries and saw his campaign ended during the March international break when he underwent knee surgery.
Puyol, who recently signed a new contract at Barca until June 2016, was rumoured during his absence from the field to be considering a move to Milan.
However, in addressing the media today, the 35-year-old has explained his situation and his ambition to stay at the Camp Nou, so long as his fitness prevails.
“The club was always informed of everything. My intention is to be ready for when the official games begin next season,” Puyol told reporters at an evening Press conference.
“I never considered going to Milan. I want to stay with Barca. My idea is to continue here. I have three years left on this contract and if I can, I will prolong that further.
“I have always said that I want to play until my 40s, but if I still have discomfort then I will have to stop.
“If I am not right, I will not fulfil my contract, I will go, I will thank everyone and leave. I am trying to return as soon as possible, the knee rules the decision.
“I was told that I would be out for four weeks, but after four weeks I could not walk. I have had to keep working until now, where I feel better.
“Many things have been said that are not true. It's my fault. If I'd spoken on the week I decided to do the operation there wouldn't be a problem. I regret not having had it before. I was advised and ignored it.
“Why haven’t I spoken sooner? Two reasons. When you are injured you want to focus on the recovery. There was a time when I wanted to appear but it was the week that Tito returned and it was better to talk about that good news and not surgery.
“And also I thought I could have recovered but things have not gone as I wanted.
“In theory this is an injury that is now recovered. It could happen again. There is much physical contact and I receive many knocks. In time, it will recover, I am very positive.
“What I hope for is to be 100 per cent for next season. If the symptoms continue and do not allow me to train normally, then I will have to leave.
“Yesterday was a tough day [Eric Abidal announcing his departure], emotional. Eric is an example to follow. I want to thank him for everything he has taught us.”
Puyol was asked if his international career was at an end.
“On from surgery last year I didn’t know if the knee would hold. It was very hard. On from the operation and the discomfort, and every game was a new injury.
“We’ll see next year. Hopefully I will be well, better. Now is not the time to talk about La Seleccion. I’ll see how things are next year.
“If I can, or not, and if the Coach wants me to continue.”
Carles Vilarrubi : ‘Mourinho was, culturally, a disaster’
Last week saw the Barca Vice-President label the outgoing Real Madrid Coach as a ‘scourge on Spanish football’, and in talking to The Telegraph this week, has expanded on that thought, beginning with a warning to Chelsea, who look set to re-sign him.
“It is not good for English football. Chelsea maybe think they had a good time from him in the past,” Vilarrubi declared.
“But you will see the real Mourinho now. If he behaves like he did in Spain it will only be an unhappy relationship. A disaster. And at his age he is not going to change.
“My position is not because he was the Coach of a rival. But because of who he is and what he did. His three years in Spain he only creates disagreements, arguments, there is nothing positive he brings.
“You can learn good things about life from watching people in football, or the circus, or the opera. There was nothing he brought that was good.
“There was no positive balance. I cannot see anything good about him. Not one thing. In sporting terms, maybe I am not the person to ask. But in cultural terms, he was a disaster.
“Apart from his aggression to the Coach of Barca, the ambience he creates everywhere he goes, the relations with the players, with the Press are absolutely terrible. I am happy that he is leaving. And so is everyone in Spanish football.”
Vilarrubi reflected that the atmosphere at Clasicos was worsened during Mourinho’s tenure.
“It seems we play Real Madrid eight times a year when he was in charge, we draw them in every cup. I normally like to play Madrid, I have a good relation with the President.
“But Mourinho made it very hard work. There was always a crisis. It was exhausting. My responsibility is for external relations. Always we had problems. Mourinho would say something and there would be war declared in the papers.”
Vilarrubi was asked of the dominance of German football in Europe this season and the prospect of former Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola taking over at Bayern Munich in the summer.
“It bothers me Bayern Munich winning the League, the Cup, the Champions League without Guardiola.
“Now they have him, it will be very tough for us. He is one of the best coaches in the world. A great person, a very intelligent man, I’m very proud to have worked with him.
“I do not know this for sure, but I bet you a beer when he makes his first press conference in Munich he speaks in perfect German.
“I had lunch with him in New York in March and I asked him what he was doing with his time. He tells me he is playing a lot of golf and having a few German lessons.
“I know what a few means. With Guardiola, he will have been studying.”
Barca have begun their work in preparation for next season already with the signing of Brazilian star Neymar.
“We try to be the exact balance between the base of the team being produced from our own, educated in the ways of Barcelona, and the magicians we will also bring in.
"We need always to bring in the best. If you go to La Masia, if you see what’s going on with the young guys, you can see these guys playing like Xavi.
“They are taught to play like Xavi. These are the fruit of the seed we planted 30 years ago. You will see in the next five years, we will overtake the Germans.
“The minimum for us at the start of every season is to beat Madrid, to finish ahead of them. We have done that already, so this is a good season.
“But if we beat Malaga [on Saturday] we will have 100 points, the same as Mourinho had when he won the league.
“He is always showing off how great he is that he had 100 points. Well, if we beat Malaga we will match that. So we must.”
Victor Valdes Will Stay at Barcelona Until 2014
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes expects to remain with the club until his contract runs out next year, according to Goal.com.
Plenty of transfer speculation followed Valdes around in recent months as questions about his future were raised. While the 31-year-old keeper confirms he doesn't plan to extend his contract, he isn't expecting a summer move, either.
Said the goalkeeper at a press conference (h/t Goal.com):
I owe the fans an explanation as to why I will not renew my contract. Barcelona have given me everything and this has been home for 20 years.The pressure as a goalkeeper is huge, though, at this club. I am exhausted psychologically and I feel that my cycle at the club ends in 2014. This is not about money.I feel honored that the club want me to continue, but my decision is final. I will continue to wear the Barca jersey with honor until the final day of my contract.I want to stay until 2014, but I am open to discuss things with the club. I think that the club have enough time to find a good successor.
Valdes has been involved with Barcelona since joining the youth squad in 1992. Aside from a brief stop at Tenerife during his youth career, he's been with Barca for a majority of the past two decades. He's been a stalwart in net for the senior club for the past 11 years.
Will Smith: Don't compare my family to the Kardashians
Vulture recently sat down with the "After Earth" stars, and asked the father-son duo if they see themselves similar to -- or different than -- the Kardashians, in the sense that they treat their fame as the family business.
Will, laughing, held up his hand for Jaden not to speak: "Don’t. You know, he’s never had to, to deal with those kinds of questions."
"'So how do you think your life is similar or un-similar to people’s names in Calabasas?'" Will asks back to the interviewer, seemingly "mocking" them. "For our family, the entire structure of our life, our home, our business relationships -- the entire purpose is for everyone to be able to create in a way that makes them happy. Fame is almost an inconsequential by-product of what we're really trying to accomplish."
Continued the elder Smith:
"We are trying to put great things into the world, we're trying to have fun, and we're trying to become the greatest versions of ourselves in the process of doing things we love. So the idea of fame or exploitation or orchestrating the media is sometimes even less than desirable for us."
“Do you think Jaden could have been a dentist?" Vulture then asked.
"It may seem like we have pushed our kids into the business, but that is absolutely insane," Will responds. "I would never, ever, push somebody to have their face on a poster that’s going be everywhere in the world. He is making a choice from the informed."
"It’s less scary to me than if he wanted to be a dentist in that I couldn’t help with what he’d chosen," elaborates Will. "I have relationships with some of the biggest filmmakers and actors and producers on Earth. So I can be a huge help."
"Willow chose singing and then un-chose it," Will continues, referencing his daughter, Willow Smith, whose fame peaked in 2010 with her single "Whip My Hair."
"She said, 'Daddy, I want to go to school with my friends during the week, and I want to hang out with them on the weekends,'" Will reminisces. "At the peak of 'Whip My Hair,' she’s like, 'Daddy, I’m done.' I was like, 'Wow, wow, wow. No, baby, I got 'Annie' [the upcoming movie remake, co-produced by Jay-Z], you know. It’ll be New York, you’ll be with Beyoncé. You can bring your friends.' And she said, 'Daddy, I got a better idea. How about I just be 12?' At the end of the day, it has to be their choice."
Oprah Winfrey to Harvard grads: Learn from your failures
The invitation from Harvard University caught Oprah Winfrey at a low point. Her new TV network was struggling, branded a flop in the media, when Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust called last year to ask Winfrey to address 2013 graduates.
The request came "in the very moment when I had stopped succeeding," Winfrey recalled.
She headed for a long shower to think ("It was either that or a bag of Oreos," she joked) and emerged resolved to change her story by the time her speech rolled around.
A year later, Winfrey said, her Oprah Winfrey Network has found its footing and her approach to facing setbacks had been validated. Stumbles are inevitable but not permanent, Winfrey told graduates Thursday.
"I want you to remember this: There is no such thing as failure," she said. "Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction."
Winfrey spoke during the afternoon session of Harvard's 362nd commencement before a packed Harvard Yard. The media mogul and former talk-show host urged graduates to find their own story, which she described as their true calling or purpose.
"When you inevitably struggle and find yourself stuck in a hole, that is the story that will get you out," she said.
Her own calling, she said, was to use television to show people "that what unites us is ultimately far more redeeming and compelling than anything that separates (us)."
Winfrey's speech dipped into politics, as she referred to entrenched partisanship that's stymied legislation she said most Americans favor, including stronger background checks for gun purchases and a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.
Winfrey urged graduates to break through divisions and spoke of a lesson she learned from doing thousands of interviews. Every person — from George W. Bush to Barack Obama to Beyonce, "in all her Beyonce-ness" — asks the same thing when the interview is over: "Was that OK?"
People want to be validated and know that they're being understood, Winfrey said. She challenged graduates to do that by personally connecting with people as a way to bridge divides.
"Even though this is the college where Facebook was born, my hope is that you will have the courage to go out and have conversations with people you disagree with," she said.
Ultimately, graduates need to be true to themselves and open to sharing who they are, she said.
"What you learn, teach; what you get, give," Winfrey said. "That, my friends, is what gives your life purpose and meaning."
Jaden Smith Wears Iron Man Costume On Date With Kylie Jenner
Forget gas masks, Jaden Smith has one-upped Justin Bieber in the weird getups department by dressing up in an "Iron Man" costume.
The 14-year-old was spotted in New York City on Wednesday with his rumored girlfriend Kylie Jenner. And while Jenner, 15, was dressed to deal with the New York heat in a sleeveless leopard print dress, Smith donned a mask and red and gold jumpsuit printed to look like the iron suit worn by Robert Downey Jr. in the "Iron Man" series.
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Mariah Carey is officially leaving "American Idol,"
Mariah Carey is officially leaving "American Idol," the singer's publicists announced via Twitter on Thursday -- a message that the singer then retweeted.
@PMK_BNC PMK•BNC
W/ global success of “#Beautiful” (#1 in 30+ countries so far)@MariahCarey confirms world tour & says goodbye 2 Idolhttp://t.co/ww2q8xmocr
In a statement, Fox, FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment said of Carey's departure: “Mariah Carey is a true global icon -- one of the most accomplished artists on the planet -- and we feel extremely fortunate that she was able to bring her wisdom and experience to the 'American Idol' contestants this season. We know she will remain an inspiration to 'Idol' hopefuls for many seasons to come.”
The news follows Randy Jackson's recent departure from Fox's reality juggernaut, with fellow judge Nicki Minaj announcing her "Idol" exit a few hours later. Keith Urban remains the last judge standing, but is not expected to return. Even before Carey's exit, there were rumblings that "Idol" producers planned to replace all four judges and start fresh for Season 13, potentially with a judging panel made up of "Idol" alums such as Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert. Don't hold your breath for Clarkson to be involved, though rep for the former winner told The Hollywood Reporter that she will not be judging Season 13.
Despite Carey's vocal pedigree, she and fellow judging newcomers Minaj and Urban failed to reinvigorate the aging franchise, with "Idol" hitting an all-time ratings low for its recent Season 12 finale.
Many contend that Carey's highly publicized, season-long feud with Minaj soured viewers to the new panel and contributed to the ratings erosion, resulting in rumors that Fox executives and "Idol" producers attempted to replace Carey with former judge Jennifer Lopez to stem the flow of departing fans.
Plot to impeach Amaechi thickens
Forces opposed to the return of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, yesterday, made fresh moves to unseat him as governor.
This came as some governors have faulted his suspension from the party, saying it was an abuse of the party’s constitution.
Gov Amaechi
Governor Amaechi himself unmoved by report of plans to impeach him, declared that if he was removed, he was satisfied with his achievements and has therefore called on the people of Rivers State to continue to defend their rights, noting that their votes would certainly determine his successor in 2015.
The anti-Amaechi group, it was learnt, decided at a secret meeting in Abuja on Monday night to impeach the governor within a month.
The decision to impeach Amaechi was taken as a last resort by his traducers apparently to prove to their sponsors that although they failed to clinch the NGF leadership through the ballot, they were still capable of getting the governor out of the way before the 2015 election.
Vanguard gathered that shortly after suspending the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party, some powerful politicians met in the house of a PDP chieftain in Abuja and hatched the plot to impeach Amaechi from office.
A source close to the secret meeting, which was also attended by some governors in the PDP opposed to Amaechi’s re-election as the NGF chairman, said that the implications of Amaechi’s victory to the re-election bid of President Jonathan was thoroughly examined during the meeting, which lasted for about four hours.
The forces arrayed against the Rivers Governor, were said to have frowned at the audacity of Amaechi to stand election against the candidate favoured by the Presidency, thereby portraying the President in bad light.
The anti-Amaechi group was particularly miffed when one of the governors in attendance pointed out that the full implication of Amaechi’s victory meant that President Jonathan could lose the 2015 election, if the trend of the NGF poll was repeated and called for urgent actions to remove the governor.
The major plank of the anti-Amaechi plot, according to sources close to the matter, is to raise a large chunk of money and compromise a majority of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who are still loyal to Amaechi.
The plot is to get at a reasonable number of the pro-Amaechi lawmakers and add to the five, who are loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and use them to impeach Amaechi before the end of June.
However, when the foot soldiers complained that it would be difficult to infiltrate the pro-Amaechi lawmakers and get the required number to oust the governor, a governor from one of the South-South states, reportedly opted to take necessary steps to raise the N7 billion required for the ‘coup’ against Amaechi.
But Amaechi said, yesterday, that he had not done anything to warrant being impeached, saying that the plot against him by his detractors would fail.
The governor, who spoke through the state Information Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said that members of the state House of Assembly were men of integrity, who appreciated the good work that Amaechi was doing in the state and would not be cajoled to embark on illegality.
“The work that Amaechi has done in Rivers State is self-evident and the people are proud of their governor. If winning a free and fair election of a group of governors has suddenly become an impeachable offence, we leave it to Nigerians to decide.
“But we know that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are men of integrity and we do not believe that they could be swayed by pecuniary promises,” Semenitari said.
If I am removed, I am satisfied —Ameachi
Reacting to his suspension from the party and report of plans to impeach him, Governor Amaechi said it was surprising that his party could suspend him without any reason, stressing that he had left the issue to God almighty.
Amaechi said: “Indeed, it is only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has the guts to suspend a governor without a reason. I leave them to God and to you (the people). We must come together to defend Rivers State. It’s not about me; I have served eight years as Speaker, nearly six years as Governor. Even if I am removed tomorrow, I am satisfied that this state, this country and history will recognize and remember me.”
The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt at the opening of an inter party summit with the theme “Cohesive inter party relations as a panacea for peace and sustainable development in Rivers state.”
Chairman of the event, Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte (rtd) lauded the achievements of Amaechi since he came on board as governor. Describing opponents of the governor as conspirators with a destructive motive, Justice Karibi Whyte further charged the political class to be transparent and pursue the common good at all times.
Govs fault Tukur
Meanwhile, some governors, yesterday, faulted Governor Amaechi’s suspension by the National Working Committee of the party, declaring it as total abuse of the party’s constitution.
Vanguard gathered yesterday that the governors argued that only the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party has the power to suspend a governor and not NWC according to the party’s Constitution, 2012 as amended.
Governors are also key members of NEC besides the National Chairman, President, Vice President and others.
Citing section 59.3 of the constitution, the governors contended that the Bamanga Tukur-led NWC was wrong and the decision must be reversed.
According to the section, ‘’Notwithstanding any provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers or member of any of the Legislative houses.”
In a related development, crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, has taken another turn as Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo will tomorrow formally open, the office of the factional chairman of the Forum, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State who was declared the chairman of the forum by some governors.
Vanguard gathered that the office which is located in Maitama, Abuja will be declared open at 4pm, tomorrow, by the Vice President.
According to the source, these Chairmen were invited to be part of the event because their parties produced governors who are members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, adding that the leadership of the National Assembly have also been invited to the be part of the opening of the secretariat.
Confirming the opening of Jang’s Secretariat with Vice President Sambo declaring it open, the Sole Administrator of the Secretariat, Osaro Onaiwo said that letters have gone to everybody ahead of tomorrow’s event, even as he said that governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State was invited along side other governors, adding that the forum is not an opposition to any body and also not quarrelling with anyone, but an avenue to harmonise issues affecting thee states and how to deliver on democracy.
It was also gathered that governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are asking the Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC to as a matter of urgency call for a meeting of National Executive Committee, NEC where issues bothering on the party will be tabled and addressed.
The governors who are calling for NEC meeting, a source told Vanguard that the meeting which has failed to hold was partly responsible for the problems confronting the PDP as a party that were almost tearing it apart, even as they said that the last meeting was held last year July which was against the constitution of the party.
Chicharito: Nigeria deserve respect
Manchester United and Mexico striker Javier Hernandez says Nigeria deserve respect ahead of their meeting tomorrow.
Both countries meet in an international friendly in Houston, Texas, and the Mexican forward is wary of the threat posed by the African champions
Javier chicharito Hernandez
“The most important thing is to have a game to prepare for the qualifiers, which we’ll be doing against Nigeria.
“They are African champions and they have many players abroad. The players are always full of running when they play but they have also improved a lot in recent years.
“The game against Nigeria will be very important for us to prepare ourselves. You have to give them due respect knowing well that they too will be using the game to prepare for the World Cup qualification too.”
Kick-off is at 2am Nigeria time.
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Multiple Bombings, Including Attack On Wedding Ceremony Claim More Lives In Iraq
At least 24 people, including 12 police officers, have been killed in fresh attacks in Iraq, amid a surge of violence that has left 160 dead in a week and increased fears of all-out sectarian conflict.
On Thursday morning, a car bomb in the neighbourhood of Binouq in northeast Baghdad killed four people and wounded a dozen more, while another vehicle packed with explosives went off in the centre of the capital, leaving two dead and 10 wounded, officials said.
Two border policemen were also ambushed along the main Iraq-Jordan highway and shot dead.
Another explosion in the capital killed one police officer at a checkpoint in the Karrada district.
Outside of Baquba, two football players were killed and at least nine injured in a roadside bomb outside a sports stadium.
The latest violence came a day after multiple bomb blasts struck two neighbourhoods in the Iraqi capital, killing at least 28 people, including several members of a wedding party.
There is speculation that the increase in attacks is a result of score settling between al-Qaeda and security forces or because of the political crisis which needs to be resolved, reports say.
Hoshyar Zebair, the Iraqi foreign minister, said that the pattern of these attacks is a clear indication that the government needs to revise its security plans.
Wednesday’s deadliest attack targeted a bridal party in the southern Jihad district, killing 16 people and wounding 42 others, police said.
Many of those killed were cheering a bride passing by when the blast went off, according to authorities.
Jihad district was one of the earliest flashpoints in Baghdad’s descent into sectarian unrest in the years after the 2003 US-led invasion.
Many of Jihad’s Sunni residents earlier this year received threatening leaflets from a Shia armed group warning them to leave.
Another 12 people were killed and 31 were wounded when a roadside bomb and then a car bomb exploded near a market in the western Baghdad district of Abu Ghraib, police said.
The increasing wave of violence in the country is raising fears that Iraq is slipping back towards an all-out sectarian fighting like that which nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007.
“We have major concerns. Because what is going on now is the same that led to what happened in 2006,” Adnan Faihan, the head of the political bureau of the Shia armed group Asaib Ahl al-Haq, said.
Iraq security and oil ministry officials also said they foiled an al-Qaeda plot to pack tanker trucks with explosives to attack a key Baghdad oil facility. [AlJazeera]
Suspect conceals cannabis in dried bitter leaf
Beware of bank scammers
Some customers of commercial banks in the country are at risk of falling victim to Internet fraudsters behind the current surge in dud e-mails. Many bank customers admit they have received mails requesting them to verify their bank account information or risk having the account suspended.
This e-mails, purported to have emanated from the online security units of commercial banks, request the customers to click on a link in the mail and instructs them to enter their user ID and password into the website in a bid to acquire sensitive banking information.
Online security experts call them ‘phishing mails’. Obviously they are sent by fraudsters disguising as trustworthy entities for the sole purpose of stealing people’s identity.
A customer of one of the new generation banks, Olusanjo Lawrence, observes a sharp increase in the number of phishing mails he has received over the past few weeks.
Lawrence adds that he usually receives such e-mails whenever he concludes a transaction with his bank.
He says, “These e-mails get delivered to my mail box as soon as I receive transaction alerts from my bank. But I decided to take one of the mails seriously after the sender requested me to update my bank information so as to prevent online fraud.
“As I clicked on the link, I was directed to a page containing a form that had to be filled in. I had started filling the link when it occurred to me that the web address I was directed to did not belong to my bank. I immediately alerted my bank on their customer care line about the development.”
Our correspondent, who has also received many of such fraudulent e-mails, observes that they are almost similar to original bank alerts.
One of such e-mails sent to our correspondent on Tuesday reads:
Dear Customer,
Your XXX Bank Online security is still not active.
Please login below to activate your Online Banking security.
Online banking Log on.
Please complete your online verification
Privacy Department.
2013 XXX Bank Nigeria plc.
When the link attached to the website for the purpose of verification was clicked, he was redirected to a site with a URL totally different from that of his banker. At the website, www.gotadaguanoticias.com, the bank information update form requested some personal details such as User ID, Password, telephone number, security question, security answer, e-mail address and password.
The information on the form went on to instruct him to press his token device and type the new code generated before finally submitting the form.
An online security expert, Olorunfemi Lawore, says fraudsters who send phishing mails are merely tossing baits out to see if unsuspecting members of the public will bite, adding that falling for such a scam could deal a devastating blow to victims.
Lawore, who is a certified ethical hacker and head of operations, GNT Nigeria, an IT training and consulting firm, explains that phishing is actually geared towards trying to make people click on a link or going to a URL so as to gather information about usernames and passwords.
Explaining how ‘phishers’ gain access to the e-mails of their victims or potential victims, he says, “They get people’s email by using tools such as email harvesters which pull emails from various sites based on keywords.
“Also, they steal emails from people’s computers through peer to peer websites, as well as from hacking into registration portals of websites. Besides, worms and viruses could be used to steal emails from mail clients, such as Microsoft outlook on people’s computers.”
Lawore notes that there are many tell-tale symptoms of a phishing scam that those who engage in online transactions can memorise in order to prevent them from falling victim to multi-million naira scams.
He says, “You can easily tell when a mail is a phishing, especially if you are not expecting it. Also, if you place the cursor of your mouse on the link attached to such e-mails and you find that what is on the link is not what is showing on the status bar on your browser, then you must desist from clicking the link.
“But do not reveal any personal or secret information or password about yourself online and always disregard mails asking you to do so. Besides, never click on internet links without thinking twice or asking why you are being sent a mail to click on a link.
“If you are not expecting such e-mails, always visit the legitimate website of the organisation that the sender claims to represent and call their official phone number to enquire why and if the request is from them.”
Lawore advises victims of phishing scams to immediately reset their online passwords as soon as they are being set up, adding that they should do so by using a safe Internet connection and activating a legitimate antivirus software.
“The affected parties, such as commercial banks and their clients, should also be immediately alerted,” he says.
Kelly Rowland Washes Dirty Laundry In Tears
The singer sobbed as she came to the end of Dirty Laundry – an emotional track about an abusive relationship with an ex and her rivalry with her Destiny’s Child band mate.
She broke down during the final verse of the song at the Washington gig, as she sang:
“He pulled me out, he said, ‘Don’t nobody love you but me Not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’ “
Supportive fans at the Lights Out Tour show began chanting her name to encourage her to continue.
After a while the weepy star wiped her eyes and carried on.
Beyonce reportedly battled with H&M over photoshopped ad campaign pictures
Retailer H&M reportedly felt Beyonce's wrath after the store nearly used photoshopped images of the diva for their 2013 swimwear campaign.
A source told The Sun, the 31-year-old mother "hit the roof" when she found out H&M planned to tone down her famous curves for the ads.
A rep for the store told the UK newspaper that though a battle took place, of course, Beyonce ended up being victorious. The rep said in the end, the unedited images were used for the ad campaign.
"As with all campaigns there are discussions on which images should be used. Both H&M and Beyonce are very happy with the final result."
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