Car insurance premiums are being pushed up by almost a third due to rising levels of fraud, experts warned today.
The average comprehensive policy costs 30 per cent more this year than last, according to AA Insurance.
It is the biggest increase since the company’s records began 16 years ago, with younger drivers facing even steeper price rises
Premiums for those under 30 have soared by 11.5 per cent in the last three months alone.
But the young have also been found more likely to make a false insurance claim.
A separate survey for moneysupermarket.com found that 5 per cent of motorists under 35 have staged an accident to make a fraudulent claim and 15 per cent would consider doing so.
The Association of British Insurers recently said that insurers uncovered £410million-worth of fraudulent motor insurance claims during 2009 – and the AA said increased fraud is a central reason for rising premiums.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said: ‘The evidence from moneysupermarket.com, suggesting that thousands of people are attempting to try “cash for crash” scams themselves – perhaps to get someone else to pay for past damage or to make a claim for non-existent whiplash injury – is deeply worrying.’
The group said other types of fraud, such as fronting, where a named driver is in fact the main driver, withholding information, and lying about where a car is kept or what the driver’s occupation as, were all also on the rise.
But Mr Douglas said insurers were getting ‘wise’ to the way fraudsters can manipulate price comparison sites and introducing new technology to catch them.
Source: Mail
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All is now set for the traditional wedding engagement between Abayomi Oduntan Adesina and Victoria Oluwabukola Ogunfowokan in London.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, September 10, 2010 in London, United Kingdom.
The traditional wedding solemnisation will hold at the popular North London Broad water Farm Community Centre, Adams Road, off Lordship Lane, Tottenham London, N17 6HE.
A family source hinted EMNnews.com that all is now set for the long awaited ceremony which will take off at about 6pm with arrival of special guests at the occasion venue.
Family members, friends and close associates are already arriving from abroad as all is now set for the traditional engagement which sources said would involve family interaction, friend’s networking, formal introduction sessions between both families.
Friends and close relations have been urged to arrive early as the couple says the party would end about 12 midnight on the big day.
Reception follows immediately with good music and plenty of food occupying a big slot in the programme. Wishing the husband and the groom a very happy married life. .
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A blasphemous claim by British scientist Stephen Hawking about the Universe has drawn repelling action from the Church as top echelon of the various Church organisations have reacted sharply, claiming the scientist’s assertion was seriously flawed with ignorance;
A blasphemous claim by British scientist Stephen Hawking about the Universe has drawn repelling action from the Church as top echelon of the various Church organisations have reacted sharply, claiming the scientist’s assertion was seriously flawed with ignorance;
The scientist in a recent book has claimed that the Big Bang was the result of the inevitable laws of physics and did not need God to spark the creation of the Universe.
Stephen Hawking claimed that no divine force was needed to explain why the Universe was formed.
In his latest book, The Grand Design, an extract of which is published in Eureka magazine in The Times, Hawking said: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist.”
He added: “It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the Universe going.”
n A Brief History of Time, Prof Hawking’s most famous work, he did not dismiss the possibility that God had a hand in the creation of the world.
Stave Hawkings
He wrote in the 1988 book: “If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason — for then we should know the mind of God.”
In his new book he rejects Sir Isaac Newton’s theory that the Universe did not spontaneously begin to form but was set in motion by God.
In June this year Prof Hawking told a Channel 4 series that he didn’t believe that a “personal” God existed.
He told Genius of Britain: “The question is: “Is the way the universe began chosen by God for reasons we can’t understand, or was it determined by a law of science? I believe the second”.
If you like, you can call the laws of science ‘God’, but it wouldn’t be a personal God that you could meet, and ask questions.”
Until his retirement last year Prof Hawking was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, a post previously held by Newton.
The new book was co-written by American physicist Leonard Mlodinow,and the publication is being made available in market on September 9.
However, religious leaders were united to fight-back against Stephen Hawking’s assertion which had linked creation to scientific theory.
Hawking claimed that science leaves no role for God in the creation of the Universe.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, dismissed the conclusions of Britain’s most eminent scientist, telling The Times: “Belief in God is not about plugging a gap in explaining how one thing relates to another within the Universe. It is the belief that there is an intelligent, living agent on whose activity everything ultimately depends for its existence.
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This is not about the mudslides miseries that have, once again, drawn world attention to China, the largest and most populous nation on earth (2010 population estimates are 1.33 billion people). Nor is it about the heavy, torrential rains in its provinces of Gansu, Sichuan, and Shaanxi, that have compounded the flooding and mudslides which have claimed more than 1500 lives and trapped thousands.
It is also not about survivors recalling the trauma they suffered and their near-death encounters.
On the contrary, what you are about to read is not a morbid story. It is a piece of sweet-bitter news coming straight from Shanghai, the most populous city in China and one of the most populous in the world, noted for its tourism, textile, and fishing industries. Before the current flooding, and since the 2008 Olympic Games, the world somewhat returned to the country via the ongoing international exhibition tagged EXPO 2010.
The exhibition, which opened on May 1, 2010, in Shanghai, and will run till October 31, this year, has Nigeria participating.
Chair of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola, three other members of the commission, and this writer attended the EXPO during a recent visit to the country on the invitation of the Chinese government. The invitation was to enable us see the multi-faceted approaches adopted by the Chinese government in its fight against corruption.
Predictably, the EXPO had publicity drought in the West, but the Eastern media was awash with the spectacular display of culture, technologyg and arts by virtually all countries of the world. The spectacular event, which flagged off on China’s Labour Day, was part of the programmes lined up for our delegation.
The sweet
One thing that even casual observers would not miss is the magnetic pull with which the exhibition has drawn the world closer to China, a country once known as the Middle Kingdom. Over 250 countries and international organisations are participating in the EXPO. The participating countries have erected stunning architectural pavilions.
A dazzling emblazoned slogan captioned ‘Better City, Better Life’, welcomes the visitor to the EXPO grounds. The first attraction is the iconic China pavilion, a magnificent structure draped in red cloth.
The EXPO sits elegantly along the Huangpu River, making the pavilions look like they would fly away any moment. The rectangular 400 metre-long EXPO centre along the river, our guide told us, has become the longest structure on the waterway.
We were taken round the Chinese pavilion where we saw, in brief, the evolution of China from a poverty stricken nation to an opulently rich country. There were also, on display, animated ways of the life of Chinese citizens, from the Stone Age to the age of amazing technological breakthroughs.
Sitting on six flower-like valleys, the EXPO Boulevard was simply breathtaking. The entrance can be seen from both the Huangpu River and Hongshan Road to the north of the EXPO site.
That’s not all. Visitors to Shanghai may choke in pleasure at the sheer majesty and splendour of the city’s night skyline. As part of the attraction to visitors, nightlife in the city is something else. Climb a tower or a high-rise building in Shanghai and watch a city that sprawls before you like the galaxy and its constellation of stars from an astronomer’s prism. You will see a city lit up in exotic light, giving you an animated sensation of a real paradise on earth. Every building, bridge, park, bus, except, of course, human beings, are fitted with multicolour bulbs synchronising the glow.
In the space pavilion, visitors sit in a cockpit and “pilot” a plane in a virtual-reality exhibition show. They will then embark on a joyous journey filled with discovery and inspiration in the Space Home Pavilion.
The information and communication pavilions take visitors on a fun, interactive journey exploring cutting edge information technologies.
China’s shipbuilding corporations’ pavilion sits pretty in a renovated old factory and adds a new shape to the former plant. Visitors can preview new modes of shipping and also experience life in the future water-world.
The Israeli pavilion resembles a blue and white seashell, while that of the Japanese pavilion is draped in purple cloth, looking like a balloon on the ground. Two distinctive structures are the Pakistan and Oman pavilions, both inspired by famous historic structures. The Saudi Arabic pavilion has the shape of a huge boat.
The bitter
But here now is the bitter side of the story. The Nigerian pavilion does not have much to show the world. It is a matchbox shape and during the time we were there, the organisers had little or nothing to showcase about Nigeria, despite our huge potentials and the great things happening in the country.
Indeed, tongues are now wagging in Abuja that the millions of naira committed by Nigeria to the EXPO have gone down the drain. Our pavilion is so poor that it ranks among the worst. This prompts the question: who is actually in charge?
To be able to see all the pavilions, a visitor needs at least four full days! We could only see a few. But the few were very illuminating.
Our guide at the EXPO 2010 told us that it would be a great venture to explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century and a significant period in urban evolution.
He said for the period of the EXPO, which is 184 days, participants would display urban civilization to the full, exchange their experiences of urban development, disseminate advanced notions on cities, and explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle, and working conditions in the new century.
Not only that, he also said visitors would learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings. The organisers of EXPO 2010 have attracted over 200 nations and hope to attract over 100 million visitors before it ends on October 31.
The EXPO is the first registered world exposition in a developing country.
By Folu Olamiti
Olamiti is media consultant to the ICPC.
Source: NEXT
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A Nigerian man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in US prison for orchestrating an advance payment scam that bilked victims out of more than $1.3m.
Okpako Mike Diamreyan, 31, was ordered to serve 151 months in federal prison and pay a little more than $1m in restitution to the 67 victims he was convicted of scamming from 2004 and 2009. The rare conviction was the result of his relocation to the US in 2008, when he married an American citizen. Rather than capitalizing on the opportunity to start a new life, he used it to ramp up his email-based scheme, which is often referred to as a 419 scam, after the Nigerian penal code that makes them illegal.
“i want to forget America and come back home . . . once i take like 1m or half m i don forget this place,” Diamreyan told an accomplice, according to court records. He routinely referred to his marks as “mugu,” which means “fool” in Nigerian pidgin.
According to prosecutors, Diamreyan and his accomplice worked doggedly to dupe their victims, calling one victim more than 1,200 times over a two-year period. He claimed to have various consignments stored in Ghana worth millions and promised his marks a 20-percent commission in exchange for financial help in transferring funds to the US. To back up his claims, he provided fraudulent documents.
Ironically, the Nigerian citizen, who sometimes resided in Ghana, only stepped up the scam once he moved to the US, since many of the victims were more comfortable dealing with a person who was already on American soil, prosecutors said. Many of the marks were conned out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The prison sentence was at the low end of the 151 months to 188 months prosecutors had sought. The feds argued that a stiff sentence was necessary because Diamreyan was otherwise likely to return to Nigeria, where he would be free to continue the scam with impunity.
“Therefore, the only way to protect the public from further crimes by the defendant is to incarcerate him for a lengthy period of time,” they wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
Prosecutors said the $1.3m loss to victims was a conservative estimate, because it included only those who had direct dealings with Diamreyan. The feds conceded the likelihood of him paying the restitution was slim. The sentencing memo is here. ®
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Blackmail: President Goodluck Jonathan now a target from corrupt governors
Desperate corrupt northern politicians in Nigeria are resorting to ‘politics of blackmail’ as political events in Nigeria get mucky with attempts to discredit President Jonathan and set a section of the country against him.
The governors have set a propaganda machinery in motion to blackmail President Jonathan that he was anti north and that the president is picking on some north governors to be investigated of corrupt practices because they are against his presidential candidature in 2011.
The desperate governors are looking for escape route to avoid being investigated of massive corrupt practices and embezzlement of government and public money and are therefore picking on President Jonathan, accusing him of intimidating northern governors, and alleging that he had ordered corruption investigating body, EFCC to witch hunt against those opposed to his candidacy in the coming elections.
The country’s anti-graft agency strongly disputed the accusation, which comes amid divisions in Jonathan’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party over whether he should declare his candidacy in the coming election in January.
Jonathan has not announced his candidacy, but is widely expected to run. His team is believed to be working intensely behind the scenes to line up support, particularly from the country’s north where opposition has built up as desperate attempts are made to keep power in the part of the country without consideration for national interest and development.
An organisation of northern politicians feeling threatened that Jonathan may eventually declare his interest are taking a very sleazy route to blackmail the President who came to the fore as the nation’s leader following the death of incumbent, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,
In a mischievous statement issued to the public, the forum “urges President Goodluck Jonathan … to desist from use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate and harass governors and political leaders.” from the northern part of the country.
It alleged that the politicians being targeted were those “opposed to his ill-advised attempt to subvert the agreed zoning formula by seizing the Peoples Democratic Party ticket in next year’s general elections.”
Zoning refers to the party’s unwritten policy of rotating its presidential candidates between the mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south every two terms.
The presidential seat has been highly politicised as many unpatriotic elements take the initiative to ditch nationalism for self pursued interests, a situation that has begged the question as whether truly, Nigeria is a united country even fifty years after Independence.
Jonathan, a southerner, took over in May following the death of president Umaru Yar’Adua, who was from the north.
Some within the party argue that Jonathan should be abandoned in favour of a northerner since Yar’Adua did not even complete his first term of office.
The statement was issued by the Northern Political Leaders Forum, a group of prominent politicians from the northern region whose agenda remain the pursuit of selfish sectional interest rather than the interest of the nation as a whole.
The statement has been termed by many across the world as attempts to shield corrupt governors from investigation while inciting members of the public against the president to cajoled him into dropping his ambition to run in 2011 election.
There had been stern warnings from the Delta region where Jonathan hailed from that, if he dropped the ambition, he would no more be welcomed as citizen of the area while many had threatened that the erea would be severed out of Nigeria nation.
The EFCC anti-graft agency however has called the claim a fix attempt to “blackmail”, harass and set some northerners who are less informed against President Jonathan.
EFCC said it had an obligation to investigate any legitimate corruption allegations in any part of the country as long as they had their evidence.
“The EFCC is not under any pressure from the presidency or any other quarters to do anyone’s bidding on any issue,” it said in a statement.
Investigations are ongoing over “multi-billion naira fraud allegations” in a number of states, including a couple in the north, it said.
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Obama and Hillary Clinton
Was it really a voluntary American pull out or a deafening defeat for the Yankees in Iraq? Western media mis-information last week gave a false impression according to which last week’s mid-night withdrawal of the last American combat troops from Iraq (seven-and-a-half years after the US-led criminal invasion!), was a voluntary withdrawal in keeping with President Barack Obama’s 31 August promised deadline for withdrawal.
Any report of a “pull out” of American troops from Iraq without singular reference to the official unilateral reasons for a unilateral 2003 invasion was a deliberate subterfuge to make an unjust war look acceptable, justifiable and even understandable.
In 2003, US President George W. Bush announced to the bewildered world and United Nations (UN) that the war against Iraq has begun. According to him, “… every effort would be made to spare the lives of innocent civilians”.
The body count of the Iraqi civilian causalities last week was almost two millions! This body count was as a result of US invasion, resistance to the invasion, and spiral violence the invasion provoked. In fact, a week before the so-called US withdrawal, (read: whether beaten retreat!) a suicide bomber killed at least 60 army recruits in central Baghdad putting paid to Bush’s promise of minimum causalities.
For those who remember, Bush also promised that his adventurous campaign would be “broad and concerted” relying on the use of “decisive force.” A “decisive force” which lasted almost a decade, a campaign “broad and concerted” enough to split the ranks of the allies and elicited UN condemnation as well as politically retrench his Republican party in office is an anti-thesis of Bush’s wishful thinking.
The trigger-happy American President said in 2003: “No outcome but victory will be accepted,” adding that “America’s freedom will be defended, and freedom will be brought to others”. The truth, as promoted by the grim reality America faced in Iraq in the past seven years, (duly acknowledged by President Barack Obama), is that this singular senseless war has led to no wise outcome at all.
The war undoubtedly saw the demise of a singular dictator, Sadam Hussein, but not without as many as 4,400 US troops killed. What a victory? No credit at all to the promise of George Bush that the military operations would “disarm Iraq, …free its people and … defend the world from grave danger”.
Seven years after, Americans are scandalously leaving behind a shaky reality with the “fears that al-Qaida is attempting to make a comeback”. The big lie of George Bush was contained in his sermon to the American troops in 2003 that the “The enemies you confront will come to know your skill and bravery.
The people you liberate will witness the honorable and decent spirit of the American military”.
Yours sincerely did not see an iota of gallantry nor bravery watching surviving US troops descending from Stryker armoured vehicles rolling through the boarder gate into Kuwait last week.
On the contrary, what I saw were soldiers happy to return to their loved ones, happy to escape the monstrosities of an imposed unjust war by a failed Commander-in-Chief that George W. Bush was. I could also feel the gratitude of the returning soldiers to President Obama for putting an end to a senseless campaign that has left our world more unsafe than it was in 2003.
The lesson here is that: in war all suffer defeat, even the victors!
Talking about causalities, Nigeria keeps recording death tolls even without being invaded by another country like Iraq. Last week we read dramatized report of multiple “accidents” which claimed as many as 50 lives along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The living have since identified and buried their dead, but there is no official assurance that this is the last carnage on our roads beyond an official probe of what is obvious: anarchy and lack of road governance. When accidents get addictive on our roads, they are no more accidents; they are suicides. The earlier we apprehend suicide bombers on our roads, be they “drivers” or “check point” policemen (often no policewomen!), the better.
But granted that the carnage and mass murders on our roads are dignified as “accidents”, pray what value do we assign to rising death tolls due to cholera outbreak in Nigeria? Are these also just incidents, accidents or crisis of governance?
As many as 231 people have been reported dead while 4,600 others have been reportedly infected. Read the Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu last Thursday: “As of two or three days ago (sic!), the figure we have in the federal ministry of health is that 4,600 people have been infected with cholera in some states of the federation, out which 231 have died”.
So, women and children who died of cholera (the disease of the poorest of the poor!) are just mere statistics to the health minister? If the minister of health could not even get the date of the outbreak right, what is the assurance that it he could get the preventive and curative measures right? With ministers of ambiguities, not accuracy like the health minister, in the long run we, as citizens, are all dead! The point cannot be overemphasized: cholera is water borne disease. It is preventable with little resources but unambiguous good governance that promotes quality of life as a state policy. It is a scandal that a country that budgets trillions of naira consistently for two decades cannot eradicate cholera that causes avoidable serious diarrhea and vomiting, leading to dehydration but nevertheless has a cure: clean water and basic hygiene!
Lastly, independence news is in the news in Africa from Cameroun to Zambia, Nigeria to Congo, DRC. Scores of African countries mark 50th independent anniversary this year. Of course, the debate continues about the quality of the independence in Africa, judging from over aching dependence of the continent on dumped toothpicks to imposed policy advices from IMF and World Bank. Some have even argued that what we have is dependency not independence, citing the case of Congo in which half of the parading troops during anniversary are peace-keeping forces from UN. Whatever it is (independence or dependency), my special greetings go to all children of independent Africa i.e. those born in 1960 and who are lucky to have survived beyond 47 years Africa-average life expectancy, no thanks to malaria, road accidents, cholera and HIV/Aids. My friend and comrade, John Odah (mni), General Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) like me, is a child of independent Nigeria. He beats me to it by few months to clock 50 on Tuesday, 24th of August. Happy Golden birthday, comrade!
By Issa Aremu
Issa Aremu, mni issaaremu@yahoo.com
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]]>Beautician Olutayo Awogboro is a unique beauty in all ways; embodying style, perfection, class and originality. She has an established credibility as a beautician of high note who has made her mark dressing up brides and birthday hosts and many celebrants of different cadre. Her watchword is ‘perfect finish’ as a well experienced beautician.
Hear what Tayo, who doubles up as a Clinic Administrator says recently to tell the world of the secret of her beauty:” This is the magic that Mary Kay does to all lovers of style and special looks. I am a living testimony to that “. Wishing
Tayo and her friends
Tayo, friends at a party
Cool Tayo with another friend
Tayo a more successful beauty treat to create special pride to party hosts.
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]]>Three Nigerians have been arrested over allegations of fake marriage in Tilbury near London.
The arrests followed a tip to the UK Border Agency operation that the alleged wedding was due to hold at a church in the city.
Officers from a specialist immigration crime team stormed the venue to stop the suspected fake wedding at St John’s Church, Dock Road, Tilbury as it was about to start at 12:00. The church vicar was a party to the operation as he offered to assist Immigration Department in the operation, fully getting set for the wedding conduct in an apparent set up of the bride and the groom.
Uk Border Agencies
The Nigerian groom and Dutch bride were put in handcuffs at the altar, while two witnesses – with the arrest of two Nigerians(a man and woman) who were inside the church during the operation.
Another Nigerian, believed to be the wedding ’fix-link’, tried to escape by jumping over a 6ft fence but was apprehended by the officers from Essex Police unit.
At least five people including the Dutch bride were arrested on suspicion of assisting a breach of immigration laws.
They were taken immediately to Grays police station.
The Reverend of St John’s was involved in the planning of the operation and fully supportive of the Immigration action taken by the UK Border Agency.
UK Border Agency assistant director Sam Bullimore said:
‘We will not tolerate immigration abuse, and our immigration crime teams are cracking down on sham marriages all over the country.
‘If we uncover marriages that are not genuine, we will challenge them and prosecute where appropriate. Our main aim is to identify the organisers who profit from and fuel the demand for sham marriages, and destroy their criminal business.
‘We do not expect vicars or registrars to be experts in immigration law or spotting forged documents – that’s our job. But if they have any suspicions about whether a relationship is genuine, we would urge them to get in touch with us.’
Detective Sergeant Andy Harvey of Essex Police said:
‘Sham weddings are big business with the organisers charging £10,000 or more to arrange ceremonies and to pay “brides” and “witnesses”. The UK Border Agency and Essex Police are working closely to crack down on the criminals involved in these activities.’
Anyone with possible information about immigration crime should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the Crimestoppers website, where anonymity can be assured.
In 2009, UK Border Agency officers carried out 900 illegal working enforcement operations across the Midlands and East region.
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Samuel Peter
Nigeria’s Samuel Peter, who floored Vladimir Klitschko three times in a heavyweight title bout five years ago and still lost, said the bruising Ukrainian will not get up when they meet again in September.
The “Nigerian Nightmare” has another title shot against Klitschko on Sept. 11 in Frankfurt, Germany, and despite the bout being in the world heavyweight champion’s former adopted country, Peter will be packing his own judge and referee.
“He will be down again but this time he will not be standing up,” Peter said on a conference call from his training base in Big Bear, California.
“I got my own referee and my judge … my referee is my right hand and my judge is my left hook, no question about this time around. This time he will not get up from my hook.”
Since the two men have combined for 75 knockouts in their combined 93 career fights, the bout is not expected to go the distance and Peter predicts Klitschko will not survive more than four rounds.
Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs) will face a much different Peter (34-3, 27 KOs) than the boxer he confronted in 2005 in Atlantic City when he survived to earn a unanimous decision.
Peter has since slimmed down and, according to his trainer Abel Sanchez, the 29-year-old has re-dedicated himself to the sport and is more of boxer than a brawler.
“I’m going to prove to the world I am the best heavyweight champion,” said Peter. “This time I am coming to prove myself a champion again. I have improved, he hasn’t improved.”
Peter has matured and sharpened the skills he let rust while relying heavily on his devastating knockout power to win fights, according to Sanchez.
“He has put in the work this time,” said Sanchez. “In the past he’s allowed outside influences to contribute to his lack of dedication, lack of commitment.
“It’s important that you just don’t come in with an A plan against a Klitschko. You have to come in with an A, a B and C plan and he’s been working on that.”