MOSCOW –

Two female suicide bombers known as “black widows” blew themselves up in Moscow’s busy metro during morning rush hour killing at least 35 people, according to the Russian authorities.

wounding 38, the city's mayor and other officials said. Emergency Ministry spokeswoman Svetlana Chumikova said 23 people were killed in an explosion shortly before 8 a.m. at the Lubyanka station in central Moscow. The station is underneath the building that houses the main offices of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the KGB's main successor agency. A second explosion hit the Park Kultury station about 45 minutes later. Chumikova said at least 12 were dead there. The ministry later said 38 people were injured. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said both explosions were believed to have been set off on the trains. "The first data that the FSB has given us is that there were two female suicide bombers," Luzhkov told reporters at the Park Kultury site..

The blasts practically paralyzed movement in the city center as emergency vehicles sped to the stations. In the Park Kultury blast, the bomber was wearing a belt packed with plastic explosive and set it off as the train's doors opened, said Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's top investigative body. The woman has not been identified, he told reporters. The last confirmed terrorist attack in Moscow was in August 2004, when a suicide bomber blew herself up outside a city subway station, killing 10 people. Responsibility for that blast was claimed by Chechen rebels and suspicion in Monday's explosions is likely to focus on them and other separatist groups in the restive North Caucasus region. In February, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov warned in an interview on a rebel-affiliated Website that "the zone of military operations will be extended to the territory of Russia ... the war is coming to their cities." Umarov also claimed his fighters were responsible for the November bombing of the Nevsky Express passenger train that killed 26 people en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The Moscow subway system is one of the world's busiest, carrying around 7 million passengers on an average workday, and is a key element in running the sprawling and traffic-choked city. Helicopters hovered over the Park Kultury station area, which is near the renowned Gorky Park. Passengers, many of them in tears, streamed out of the station, one man exclaiming over and over "This is how we live!" ___ Associated Press Writers Jim Heintz and Mansur Mirovalev in Moscow contributed to this report.

Golfer's wife is furious he has decided to play in US Masters next month

Tiger Woods’ wife is to press ahead with divorcing him... ­infuriated by her cheating husband’s return to golf.

Elin, 30 – left devastated by Tiger’s string of affairs – went to see her divorce lawyers the day after he announced he would play in next month’s US Masters.PHOTOS:Happy Times no more

She is said to be “furious” at his comeback, which has led to him spending 16 hours a day ­practising.

She told pals that Tiger, 34, had humiliated her by breaking a public pledge, made during his grovelling TV apology in February, to put his family first.

Friends revealed Tiger’s decision to return play in the Masters on April 8 came after his advisers looked at polling data on his TV confession and saw a positive response.

But Elin was livid when he then cancelled a family dinner at her home – and instead invited golf journalists there so his team could “spin” his return to the game.

She has now taken the couple’s two young children to live with friends an hour from the family mansion in Isleworth, Florida.

A friend said: “She went to her ­lawyers and told them, ‘I’m going through with it’. After Tiger announced he was going to compete again it was like a switch flicked – he was back to his workaholic ways. He really was focused on his family for a while there, sinking his teeth into his therapy.

“But now he’s spending 16 hours a day on the practice ground, putting his game first, like the selfish, narcissistic husband he is. It’s made Elin realise there won’t be any real end to this and she needs to get out.”

Tiger had seemed to be ­winning his battle for Elin’s ­forgiveness. Earlier this month they were ­pictured ­together for the first time since the scandal broke last month.

The family spent one night under the same roof after Tiger returned from a sex addiction treatment centre in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but Swede Elin is said to have found the experience strained and “odd”.

The Sunday Mirror understands the couple did not share a bed.Photo:cost of cheating may include loss of family dog

Friends say Elin has now vowed to ­boycott the Masters and future tournaments until he changes his ­priorities.

One explained: “She thought very strongly that he needed to take care of the home front first and make sure that was in good working order before he started making big announcements. She’s angry the public seem to be buying his ­apology when she doesn’t even know if she buys it ­herself.

“It’s not about ­Tiger being happy or stopping him ­playing golf – it’s about his not ­following through with all those teary promises he made.

“She went away on the boat with the kids for a few days and when she came back her mind was made up. She will file for divorce, but there is a lot of legal ­wrangling going on behind the scenes so that when she does, it will be like surgery – quick, pristine and seamless.”

There is a massive hunt for James Ibori, the former governor of Delta State, in connection with recently launched investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on his role in the illegal disposal of about 500 million units of Delta State-owned bank shares..

Sources in Abuja, over the weekend, said that Mr. Ibori, who is wanted for questioning over some of his actions while he was governor of the oil rich state from 1999 to 2007, has ‘disappeared’ and has not been seen in the past two weeks since NEXT exclusively reported that a new round of investigations into his activities had been launched.

Looking for him

Efforts to obtain an official position from either Mr. Ibori or the EFCC were unsuccessful at press time. But a source in the commission, who asked not to be named, told NEXT that “EFCC operatives were out looking for him to interrogate him. I think he got wind of it and has disappeared.”

Indeed, according to other sources, Mr. Ibori has cut off communication with all but few associates and relatives. “It is believed that he may be communicating with the Delta State governor, who is related to him,” the source said.

Indeed, Mr. Ibori, who was hitherto very visible in government circles, has suddenly become very scarce. It was not uncommon to find Mr. Ibori in the company of Vincent Ogbulafor, chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the presidential villa, in the era of the Yar’Adua presidency. However, he has not been seen in the State House in recent times.

Fresh charges

Asides the 107 count-charges brought against Mr. Ibori by the EFCC in 2007, the commission is preparing fresh charges against the former governor following a petition signed by some leading citizens of his state.

The latest petition, signed by 10 leading citizens of Delta State headed by a former minister of information, Edwin Clark, includes a demand for a probe of the former governor over the alleged illegal disposal of 528 million shares belonging to Delta State, in Oceanic Bank.

The EFCC responded by launching investigations.

The investigations led to the unravelling of some facts, which have now led to the latest move to interrogate the former governor..

Mr. Ibori allegedly sold off Delta State assets to fund private investments while he was still in office.

“The search has to do with the N44 billion loan which he took from Intercontinental Bank. He used Delta State shares in Oceanic Bank as security for the loan. He later asked the bank to sell off the shares, over 500 million units, to repay the loan,” our source said, adding however that Mr.

Ibori’s disappearance has now stalled the EFCC’s investigations.

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan may persuade the celebrated former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Emeka Anyaoku, to accept the position of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in June this year.

But Ikemba Nnewi and leader of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, thinks that the current INEC boss, Professor Maurice Iwu deserves to be reappointed.

Authoritative sources told Sunday Independent on Friday that Anyaoku had already been suggested to Jonathan with the Acting President only worried whether the Anambra high chief would accept the appointment.

Anyaoku’s unique selling point, according to those pushing his nomination, is that he would bring credibility to the Commission if he accepts to handle the job.

“The world knows Anyaoku and what he stands for. He has a name to protect and a name that can inspire confidence and also create positive image internationally for INEC,” said a Presidency source on Thursday night.

The source hinted that among the names touted in the media so far, none of them is qualified. “Olisa Agbakoba is a politician, Dora Akunyili is a politician; just like that. We need somebody who is a little bit apolitical and with the required clout to handle the job.”

He observed that Anyaoku has a global administrative ability to handle the bureaucracy at INEC, “because from whatever angle you look at it, that is not a job for a new comer, the bureaucracy is huge; and Anyaoku is capable.”

Anyaoku’s profile went higher while he also faced his greatest challenge in his career during the late Sani Abacha’s military regime when Nigeria came under international condemnation over the killing of Ogoni activists, among them, Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Our source added that although he was not sure if the renowned administrator had been contacted for the job, “the prayer on every lip is that he accepts the offer when made and move in to clean up the place.”

Iwu’s tenure will expire in June this year. He was confirmed by the Senate for appointment in June 2005 for a five-year term.

Iwu’s first test as INEC chairman was the 2007 general elections, which were almost marred by logistics problems and allegations of irregularities perpetrated by the political class.

Both local and international rights organisations have mounted pressure on the Federal Government to sack Iwu although none could specify in which particular area the INEC chairman could be blamed for the failure at the polls.

The argument, however, has centred on the feeling that most of the elections conducted by INEC and winners declared have been overturned by the courts for various reasons.

Sources confirmed on Friday that Iwu had concluded arrangements to quit INEC and may not honour any reappointment if offered.

“He has even started recruiting staff for his private office in Abuja. It is becoming clearer that he is eager to quit the job, he is not keen about staying back,” said one of his aides on Friday in Abuja.

He said: “From the best of my knowledge, nobody has asked Iwu if he wants to stay back, that is if he is interested in a re-appointment. So I don’t think there is any doubt about his exit.

“This is why a fresh appointment has to be made immediately; someone has to understudy Iwu for a specific time before his term expires, except the next appointee is already a staff of INEC.”

On whether Iwu could possibly be reappointed, he said: “One thing that is certain is that he will not have his tenure renewed, no matter how much he has improved, his tenure will not be renewed.

“Yes, some of the bye-elections conducted by INEC are better than the previous ones. That is not sufficient reasons for him to be kept back. Can you imagine the outcry that will follow an announcement that Iwu has been reappointed?

“The 2007 elections under his watch brought a lot of image problems to INEC. I am not saying he was responsible for the rigging, but the fact remains that whatever happened was on his watch and people naturally attributed those irregularities to him.”

Meanwhile, Ojukwu has endorsed the re-appointment of Professor Maurice Iwu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), provided that future polls would be modelled after what most observers considered as the success story of the February 6 Governorship ballot in Anambra.

Ojukwu, APGA Presidential Candidate in the 2007 general election, was in court alongside Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC) to challenge outcome of the ballot superintended by Iwu.

Regardless, Ojukwu dismissed widely-held claims that Iwu performed woefully and does not merit reappointment, saying that nobody can satisfy human beings.

Ojukwu spoke on Saturday at his Enugu residence where he held a three-hour closed door meeting with the INEC chairman whose tenure lapses in June. Talk of his replacement has dominated the political landscape, with people torn into different camps on whether or not to replace the man.

Ojukwu reiterated that he was in politics to defend the interest of Ndigbo – the same reason he went into the famed 30-month civil war against the Nigerian state and for which the Ikemba Nnewi insisted he owes “no apology” to anybody.

He said he was glad to be part of the Anambra ballot won by Governor Peter Obi of APGA, and extended the appreciation of the Anambrarians and entire Ndigbo for the success of the exercise.

His words: “I welcome you, but not only that, I want to use the opportunity to transmit to you the good feelings and thanks of the entire Igbo race.

“I speak with authority and thank you for your efforts and congratulate you for your ability to present to the world and Nigeria a Nigerian first free and fair and successful election. Mr. chairman, some day, not too long ago, I was being asked, what was my opinion and what was it that propelled my political career. I remember very clearly my response. It is appropriate that I repeat it here that I came into politics because I see a gap. My aim is to fill that gap and that gap is the defence of Igbo interest.

“I repeat it because I want people to remember that I am not making any apologies about it. I have come into politics to protect the interest of Ndigbo and that is it. I don’t stop anybody hiring whatever structure to protect as they wish any tribal interest because for me if tribes were not necessary, God will not have created the Igbo tribe and allotted me to it.

“Having said that, we saw, we witnessed, and am glad we have been able to be part of that whole exercise, an election, open, transparent, cool, which has been and is still being applauded by not just the participants, Ndigbo, but the entire world.

“One of the reasons I am making this little statement is that I want everybody living here to feel free and to claim the success of Ndigbo in conducting for the first time, the election which Mr. Chairman, you (Iwu) conducted in Anambra State. Accept the entire gratitude of the entire people of Anambra State.

“I understand there are now a few voices now rising, saying, perhaps he didn’t do this quite so well as the chairman. If I have to comment on that, let me say this, if you even gave to every voter in that Anambra election from your pocket say a thousand naira each, there will still be complaints after some time that you didn’t ask for your wife’s permission before spending your own money. I acknowledge the goodness of that election. If you continue like this, I will endorse you for re-appointment.”

Iwu said he was on a working visit to the South-East to inspect a special project of INEC in Abia to set up a National Voters Registry that would serve as a repository of voters’ registers in Nigeria.

The INEC boss, who was accompanied by some resident electoral commissioners (RECs), thanked Ojukwu for the role he played to ensure that the election was free, fair, and peaceful, beginning from the campaigns to the day of the election.

Agitations for pay rise by University lecturers andmedical doctors in Nigeria have paid off as the Federal Government hasapproved a total of N125 billion to settle their demands and those ofother workers in the federal service.

The amount is part of the N440 billion provided for in the Nigeria 2010 budget as passed bythe National Assembly on Thursday to finance wage reforms in the federalservice circle which included allocations for promotions in governmentagencies and departments.

Nigerian Federal Government under Acting President Goodluck Jonathan said this is part ofthe moves by government to ensure better working conditions for federalworkers in the country.

This, government said is also to forestall the reoccurrence of series of strikes whichparalyzed activities in the health and education sectors last year.

University lecturers under the umbrella of the Academic Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU)as well as non-academic staffers in the universities shut down federalcampuses for over three months last year to drive home their demands forwage increase.

They only went back to work after they reached agreements with the authorities to among thingsinclude the funds in the 2010 budget.

In the same vein medical health workers had continued to embark on strikes over theirdemand for wage increase in the sector.

It is thus on this back drop that Government approved a total of N125 billion to take care ofwage increase agitations in these critical sectors.

Out of the N120 billion university lecturers and the non-academic workers are to receive atotal of N80 billion to take care of their demand for increase in wages.

An additional N5 billion was approved to settle wage increase demands by lecturers inColleges of Education and other tertiary Institutions.

In the same vein a total of N15 billion have been approved to take care of wage increase bymedical doctors and other professionals in government hospitals andhealth centers in the country.

Government also approved N25 billion to settle arrears of promotions in federalministries and departments.

There has been widespread agitation in the federal service for increase in pay packagesand better working conditions for workers across board.

Meanwhile, a total of N42 billion has been passed for the settlement of arrears ofmonetization benefit owed workers in extra ministerial parastatals anddepartments.

Workers at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja expressed happiness over the budgetary allocationsand urged Government to ensure full implementation of the provisions toforestall further crisis in the sectors.

Some workers observed that government sometimes do not effect actual releases of funds alreadyprovided for in the budget and urged Acting President Goodluck Jonathanto see to it that the funds are released promptly for the benefit ofthe workers.

We used to think Abacha and IBB both evil intheir own way but now whoever is in charge of Yaradua's movements has revealed a wickedness unprecedented.

Article:

Ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua failed to appear at the Friday Jumat service in Abuja today, dousing tension in the political and security quarters of the federal capital that he will be ending his four months absence from public space by praying at the National Mosque.

Wide claims that Mr. Yar’Adua will be at the Jumat service caused anxiety among Politicians of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) last night who heard that loyalists of the President planned to bring him to the Friday service today.

A presidency source who wanted to remain anonymous said the plan triggered an urgent security meeting that went into deep hours of the night, the resolution of which was a stern warning to elements of the Yar’Adua inner circle to tread carefully and restrain from plunging the nation into a crisis.

“Ï think a riot act was basically read out to the Yar’Adua team with a cautionary note that they will be held responsible for any security breach in the city and in the country” said the source who refused to read any meaning to the sudden news that the president and his inner team had prepared to appear in public today.

Last night party officials described it as disturbing that the president’s planned re-entry into public life was coming three days before the Senate begins the screening of ministerial nominees on Monday, and a day after the 2010 budget was passed. They also questioned the choice of a religious occasion for Mr. Yar’Adua’s re-emergence in public.

One source said, “if the President would be coming out four months after his absence, it ought not to be at a religious event because that will send the wrong signal.” Mr. Yar’Adua, a Muslim from Kastina State participated in the weekly Jumat service at the National Mosque located at the Central business district in Abuja until his illness kept him from public view.

The ailing President was flown out of the country on the 23rd of November 2009 to Saudi Arabia for a heart condition and has since been out of public view. The issue of Mr. Ya Adua’s appearance became subject of interest last week when two national dailies claimed that plans were afoot for the ailing president to make a public outing this week.

Rising out of obscurity to stand in the limelight as an international rap juggernaut, Lil Wayne has come a long way from his humble but harsh Hollygrove beginnings. With the recent incarceration of the New Orleans, Louisiana native, we look at the life and times of the Young Money boss and Cash Money Millionaire..

1982: Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr is born September 27 to Jacida "Cita" Carter and Dwayne Michael Turner.

1990: Writes his first rap song

1993: Meets Bryan "Baby" Williams, rapper and owner of Cash Money Records and starts to record freestyles on Baby's answering machine.

1994: Plays the Tin Man in his middle school drama club's production of The Wiz

1995: Accidentally shoots himself with a .44 caliber gun in his chest while mimicking Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle in his bedroom mirror; the bullet misses his heart by two inches and he goes on life support for two weeks.

>> Signs with Cash Money Records and hooks up with another newcomer, Lil' Doogie "B.G", to form The B.G.'z. Later, they release their first and only album, True Story.

1996: Drops out of school

1997: Joins the Hot Boys alongside rappers Juvenile, B.G. and Turk as the youngest member to release their debut album Get it How You Live.

>> Officially adopts the name Lil Wayne, dropping the "D" from his first name in order to separate himself from an absent father.

>> Step-father Reginald "Rabbit" Carter dies.

1998: Welcomes his first child, Reginae Carter with Antonia "Toya" Johnson, his high school sweetheart.

>> Distinguishes himself on the Hot Boys' multi-platinum selling Universal debut, Guerilla Warfare

1999: Releases debut solo album Tha Block is Hot and receives a Source Award nomination for "Best New Artist.

2000: Releases second album, Lights Out.

>> The Hot Boys receive a Source Award for "Group of the Year."

2001: Gets shot in the chest in Florida after "some groupies" fire two shots through his tour bus window.

2002: Releases third album 500 Degreez.

2003: Releases hit mixtape called Da Drought.

2004: Releases fourth album Tha Carter and two mixtapes, Da Drought 2 and The Prefix.

>> Marries Johnson.

>> Features on Destiny's Child's single "Soldier" which earns him prominent nominations like 2005 BET Award-Best Collaboration and 2006 Grammy Award-Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

2005: Releases fifth album Tha Carter II and two mixtapes, The Suffix and Dedication with DJ Drama.

>> Enrolls at the University of Houston, majoring in Political Science but later switches to Psychology.

2006: Releases collaboration album with mentor Baby: Like Father, Like Son and also a mixtape with DJ Drama called Dedication 2, which includes a track entitled "Georgia Bush" addressing the problems surrounding the government's response to Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans, Lousiana.

>> Divorces wife, Antonia "Toya" Carter.

2007: Releases mixtape, Da Drought 3 and features with several artists including DJ Khaled, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Enrique Iglesias

>> Selected in an MTV poll as "Hottest MC in the Game," in The New Yorker magazine as "Rapper of the Year", GQ magazine as "Workaholic of the Year" and the BET Hip-Hop Award for "MVP of the Year."

>> Arrested at a performance at the Beacon Theatre when the New York City Police Department discovers him smoking marijuana near a tour bus.

>> Arrested again following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accuse him of possessing a controlled substance.

2008: Releases sixth album Tha Carter III and wins Grammy for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for "A Milli", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance on T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us" and Best Rap Song for "Lollipop".

>> Named "Best Rock Star Alive" by Blender magazine and "Best MC" by Rolling Stone.

>> Releases tenth mixtape, Dedication 3 with DJ Drama.

>> Has second child, Dwayne III.

>> Arrested in Yuma, Arizona when his tour bus is stopped by Border Patrol agents whose K-9 Unit recovers 105 grams (3.7 oz) of marijuana, almost 29 grams (1.0 oz) of cocaine, 41 grams (1.4 oz) of MDMA, and $22,000 (approx. N3.3 million) in cash.

2009: MTV lists him number two on their list of Hottest MCs in the Game.

>> Releases collaboration album with his Young Money artists

>> Has his third child, Lennox Samuel Ari, born to actress Lauren London and fourth child, Neal, with singer Nivea.

>> Detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses

2010: Releases seventh album Rebirth.

>> Re-signs with Cash Money Records and goes to jail to serve a one-year sentence for attempted criminal possession of a weapon

>> Gets bench warrant when he doesn't show for a final trial management conference. However, the rapper was already in prison, serving a year-long sentence in Rikers on weapons charges.

The Internet's most successful scams

Most people think they'll never fall for a scam. In fact, that frame of mind is precisely what con artists look for. Those who believe that they know better are often the last to raise their defenses when criminals are nearby. Yes, people lose money online. A lot of it. They wire cash to London, they can't help investigating the one-in-a-million chance they really are related to a dead prince from Africa, and they sometimes even travel to Nigeria to find out. Just in case.

Verdana;"">Many of the scams you read about are sensational, such as the silly "hit man" scam created by real amateurs (recipients get an e-mail that says send me all your money or I'll kill you). And you've also seen lists that offer oddly skewed results, such as the recent FBI announcement that scammers pretending to be FBI agents are now the most prevalent Internet crime. You’d figure those numbers are a bit exaggerated because victims of FBI scams are a bit more likely to report those scams to the agency.

Verdana;"">Fantastic stories like these only serve to convince many consumers to let their guard down even more, helping to increase the pool of marks for the professional scammers.

Verdana;"">I know, because I hear from victims all the time. My inbox is littered with people whose notes say,"I know I should have known better, but ...." And with that, they beg me for help restoring their ravaged bank accounts. In fact, every single victim I've ever interviewed says they had an inkling that something was wrong from the outset, but they ignored that feeling. That’s why the single most important factor in avoiding fraud is this: Learn to trust the feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Verdana;"">

Verdana;"">Usually, I can't help restore those bank accounts. But I can help you, if your turn hasn't come up yet. And even if you are convinced you'd never fall for any online con, someone in your circle of friends or family is vulnerable. Please forward this story to him or her.

Verdana;"">Because I hear from so many victims all year long, I know what people really fall for. Here are the top 5 ways cyberthieves separate people from their money, based on my 12 years of writing about Net cons.

1.) Online dating scams

Verdana;"">Anyone out there never done anything dumb for love? If you are raising your hand, congratulations. You may now relinquish your credentials as a human being. The rest of you should read on.

Verdana;""> Love-based cons are the easiest to perpetrate. Why? Because love always involves a leap of faith -- trusting something you can't see or touch. Just like Internet scams. For years, criminals have made haunts out of dating services and lonely-hearts chat rooms. Broken-hearted folks are rarely in their right minds, so they make easy targets.

Verdana;"">I once knew the FBI agent in charge of investigating cyber-love scams. He put it this way: Men could learn a lot from con artist lovers. They send flowers and candy constantly while wooing a mark (purchased with stolen credit cards, of course). Gifts really do put women in an agreeable state of mind, he assured me.

Verdana;"">Some cons spend months grooming their marks, waiting until after several "I love yous" before asking for $800 to be wired to the passport office in London to help clear up a paperwork mess so he can come to America for a visit.

Verdana;"">Yes, it all sounds ridiculous. It's not. It's so profitable that criminals actually pay monthly fees on some dating services. Generally, the more you pay for a service the fewer criminals you'll see, and free Craigslist personal ads tend to be a cesspool. But I've heard from victims who never joined a dating service but were still conned into fake love from perfectly innocent-sounding places like Facebook groups or chat rooms devoted to hobbies like stitching or horses. It all starts with a simple e-mail, perhaps enhanced by a little Facebook research (“Hey, you love the New York Islanders and the Beatles, too! Wow”)

Verdana;"">Since I've written about this scam many times, I've even heard from concerned family members who beg me to talk the deluded lover down off the cliff when he or she is about to send a bunch of money to a scammer. Usually, I fail. Love is blind; it's also really, really stubborn.

Verdana;"">In the latest flavor of the scam, when a deluded lover actually wises up and confronts the criminal, he or she admits to the crime but then adds this twist: "Yes, at first it was just a con, but while we were talking I've really fallen in love with you."

Verdana;"">For a whole lot more on this insidious, more-common-than-you'd-believe crime, visit romancescams.org. The group, founded by former victims, has been fighting back for nearly 10 years. They post blacklisted photos there, e-mail addresses and typical opening lines from scammers , and lots of additional helpful scam-fighting tools. If you fall in love and have any doubts, visit the site.

2.) Fake or "rogue" anti-virus software

Verdana;"">We've all seen the pop-ups: "Your computer is infected! Get help now!"

Verdana;"">black;"">Verdana;""> at-xid-6a00d83451b0aa69e20120a6792d57970c " title="Herbbox" style="float: left; margin: 6px;" alt="Herbbox" src="http://onthescene.msnbc.com/.a/6a00d83451b0aa69e20120a6792d57970c-800wi" border="0"">If you've ever clicked through such an ad (really, a hijacking), you know that the price for freedom is $20 or $30 a month. At first, the ads were clunky and the threats idle. But now, many pop-ups are perfect replicas of windows you would see from Windows or an antivirus product. Some sites actually employ so-called ransomware, which disables your PC until you pay up or disinfect it with a strong antivirus product. That's why consumers forked over hundreds of millions of dollars to fake antivirus distributors in 2009, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Verdana;"">Your best bet? Make a plan now. This is the one scam that just about anyone can fall for. The best protection of all is to back up your important files, so the day your computer is hacked, your digital life won't be on the line. It's also important to have a fire extinguisher nearby. A second PC or laptop is often your best help when disaster strikes. Many viruses disable Internet access, so you'll need a second computer to research your infection and download disinfectant software. Have a flash drive nearby, too, so you can move the inoculation from one computer to the other.

Verdana;"">Meanwhile, if you aren't paying for antivirus software, at least employ one of the popular free products like AVG font-family: Verdana;"">or Windows Defender

3.) Facebook impersonation

Verdana;"">Facebook is no longer a Web site -- it's a full-fledged platform, rapidly approaching the scale of the Internet itself. Many young users spend more time on Facebook than on e-mail, and actually use Facebook as their e-mail service. That means scammers are now crawling all over the service, since they always go where the people go. There are hundreds of Facebook scams, such as phishing e-mails, Trojan horse infections, misleading advertisements and so on.

Verdana;"">But the crime you should most worry about is Facebook impersonation. A criminal who hacks into your Facebook account can learn a staggering amount of information about you. Worse yet, he or she can gain trusted access to friends and family. We've seen plenty of stories that show Facebook friends can easily be tricked into sending money in response to believable pleas for help.

Verdana;"">For this reason, it's time to upgrade your Facebook password. Treat it like an online banking site, because it's not a stretch to say that a criminal who hacks your Facebook account is only one small step away from stealing your money (“Hello, First National Bank, I've lost my password. But my high school mascot is the Owl and my mother's maiden name is Smith. Oh, and my first girlfriend's name was Mary. Can you reset the password now?”)

4.) Becoming a bot

Verdana;"">You may not know it, but your computer might be a criminal. Botnets -- armies of hijacked home computers that send out spam or commit other crimes -- remain the biggest headache for security professionals. The various botnets ebb and flow in size, but at any given time, tens of millions of computers on the Web are under the influence of a criminal. No one thinks it's their PC, of course, but look at the odds. If one estimate claiming 100 million infections is accurate, then about one out of every 20 computers in the world is infected. In other words, someone in your extended family is aiding and abetting a spammer.

Verdana;"">How can this be? Victims typically don’t notice the criminal activity. Cyberthieves can easily use your machine without leaving a trace or slowing down your PC performance. They do not deposit e-mails in your sent items folder. Instead of sending 1 million e-mails from your machine, they send one e-mail every hour from 1 million infected machines.

Verdana;"">Any honest antivirus company will tell you that there is so much new malicious software created every day that the good guys simply can't keep up. The Web is jammed full of e-mails and Web sites that can turn your home computer into a bot. Your PC could very easily be safe today but at risk tomorrow. That's why it's so important to keep your computer's security tools up to date. But you shouldn't assume that this will keep you 100 percent safe. Avoid the Web's seedier side, and don't let the kids download illegal music or games, a main source of infections. And always keep on the lookout for strange programs, files or surprising hiccups from your machine.

5) The fakosphere

Verdana;"">The Web is now littered with fake blogs, fake ads, fake acai berry products, fake work-at-home jobs and fake Web sites saying how great all these things are. You'll even see ads for such products on all major media Web sites, as they've become the Web's answer to late-night infomercials.

Verdana;"">The FTC recently issued an opinion clarifying that fake testimonials on Web sites are a violation of federal law, and some of the over-the-top ads have disappeared. But the fakosphere is far from dead.

Verdana;"">I know it's tempting to obey one rule that will make your tummy flat, make your bank account fat or make your cancer disappear. But you can't believe everything you read online. Never purchase a product without searching Google using this search term: "(Product name) scam" and "(Product Name) complaint." Then, spend three minutes familiarizing yourself with the reputation of the item you are about to buy and the price you are about to pay. One or two complaints might say one thing, but 500 complaints should certainly scream at you that you should put that credit card back in your wallet.

Verdana;"">Here are a few other top scam lists worth checking:

LAGOS IS NOT THE 5TH WORST CITY

The folks at The Economist created a list of the best and worst cities to live in. Based on an exacting and rigorous process, they decided that Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, is the 5th worst background:
city out of 140 featured in a
2010 Global
Liveability Report. On this list, Lagos was only surpassed by the 4
following cities - Ports Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Algiers, Algeria,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Harare, Zimbabwe. In the 2006/2007 version of the
report, Lagos ranked as the 3rd
least liveable city. So, technically, one could say that moving up 2
spots since then is a good thing.
ANOTHER QUESTIONABLE LIST AS IT APPLIES TO LAGOS

However, this list is as dubious as any list could get. One cannot help
but wonder how a city like Lagos is in the top 10 least liveable cities
but cities that have high rates of kidnapping (such as Bogota,
Columbia), practically lawless
borders and harbor Islamic militants (such as Asuncion, Paraguay), have
incredible high rates of rape and murder (such as Johannesburg, South
Africa) or are blighted with poverty and vicious drug wars (such as
Mexico City, Mexico and other towns bordering the U.S.) are not granted
that distinction of the top most unliveable cities.

But, it is no matter. Although Lagos is indeed a growing metropolis
struggling to accommodate the influx of Nigerians and non-Nigerians
seeking opportunities, those who know and appreciate Lagos know that
despite the cities issues, this is also Lagos -

While it is clear that much more work is needed to transform Lagos into a truly modern and cosmopolitan city, the facts indicate that it is well
on its way. Lagos
State is the 32nd
most expensive country in the world and the 5th most expensive city in the
Africa/Middle East region. In 2007, Lagos State achieved an
unprecedented GDP of N3.68
trillion ($29.028 billion) in 2007 meaning the state had the 6th
largest GDP among African cities and 118th among all cities of the
world. And, to really provide some context, the GDP of Lagos State
in 2007 equaled that of the nation of Kenya and was greater than those
of neighboring Cameroon, Cote d’lvoire and Ghana. It is also interesting
to note that another ranking 102, generated by The
Economist gives Nigeria a 'country
risk' rating of 'Stable'. That country risk rating seems
inconsistent given that another of The Economist's rankings suggests
that a city in Nigeria is not just unliveable but possibly dangerous, a
conclusion many of its readers will likely come to.

LAGOS STILL NEEDS A LOT OF WORK
Unfortunately, Lagos's problems cannot be ignored and they no doubt
weighed heavily in determining its rank. From inconsistent electricity
supply to incongruous traffic jams and a high disparity between the
haves and the have nots. However, as is the case with lists, rankings
such as the Global Liveability Report tend to be subjective and do not
necessarily consider additional relevant circumstances that help to put
places like Lagos, and its progress in context.

PUTTING A POSITIVE SPIN ON THE RANKINGS
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola insisted on considering this
latest ranking a positive - noting
that

"it is a plus that Lagos is among the 140 cities rated in the world. While city like
Accra was not there, we have 10 of American cities and perhaps five
Canadian cities in the ratings.”

This writer, however, sees this ranking as an opportunity for not just Lagos, but Nigeria to
prove the naysayers wrong in due time by improving living conditions for
all, regardless of sex, tribe, religion or socioeconomic status.
Ultimately, there is nothing sweeter than success. 2010 is the year
Nigeria celebrates 50 years of independence from Britain, and this
should be the year the country pivots towards a future of success.

Corps members to get N250,000 for self-employment

AGENCY REPORTER

The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to release N250,000 to any corps member who opts for self-employment after undergoing the national service.

The NYSC Director-General, Brig-Gen. Muharizu Tsiga, made the announcement on Wednesday at Ede, Osun State, while addressing corps members during a familiarisation visit to the orientation camp.

He said government was aware of the hardship faced by fresh graduates after the mandatory one-year service and had taken necessary measures to ease their burden.

Tsiga urged interested corps members to start preparing their feasibility studies and submit them to his office in Abuja, through the state coordinators.

He noted with regret the inconveniences at the various orientation camps, and promised that the scheme would start enforcing the rights of corps members, especially in the provision of comfortable accommodation.

Tsiga said: "Corps members don't have to pay rent. They are expected to be accommodated free. Where there is none, they are to be paid in lieu of accommodation to make them comfortable.

"They also have the right to be redeployed if they have genuine reasons, but must follow due process in facilitating such redeployment at the office of the state coordinator.''

The director-general added that it was wrong for corps members to request for redeployment from his office in Abuja, while sideling the state coordinators.

He warned that he would no longer attend to such requests.

Tsiga explained that the scheme had a mandate of ensuring that nothing negative happened to any corps member, adding that adequate security measures had been provided for them.

"Security agencies will be coming to deliver lectures. We have also asked community leaders to ensure security in their areas of primary assignments. It is, however, important that the corps members are disciplined too,'' he added.