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A Sri Lankan housemaid has had 24 nails hammered into her legs, hands and forehead by her Saudi Arabian employers.

L T Ariyawartha, like millions of her compatriots, travelled to the Middle East to find work last year, but was brutalised when she complained of the excessive workload.

She was in Saudi Arabia for five months in Saudi Arabia, and only returned home last week deeply traumatised and unable to tell anyone of her torment.

Her family had no idea she had been tortured until they took her to see a doctor when she complained of pain.

Medics at Kamburupitiya Hospital, Sri Lanka, LP Ariyawathie, 49, said her employer in Saudi Arabia hammered the nails in with a hammer as a punishment.

“She was brought in complaining her Saudi employer drove nails into her body,” said hospital director Prabath Gajadeera.

“X-rays showed that there were 24 nails and a needle.”

The nails were up to two inches (5cm) long, said Mr Gajadeera.

“There is one nail on the forehead, just under the skin,” he added.

Ms Ariyawathi needed hospital surgery to remove the nails, which she said were hammered in when they were hot.

X-rays showed one to two-inch nails in her hands and legs, and even one over her eyes.

The doctor who treated Ms Ariyawathi said there appeared to be no damage to her internal organs.

Around 1.8 million Sri Lankans are employed abroad, of whom 70% are women, working as housemaids in the Middle East, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The nails were forced into her fingers and between them.

The Foreign Employment Bureau is consulting the Attorney-General while the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry is to take the matter up with the Saudi government, officials said.

Nigeria - Ngozi Odalonu

Miss Mexico.

The 8 African representatives at the 2010 Miss Universe finals will begin their bid for the crown at the final ceremony-taking place tonight 23^rd August in Las Vegas, 9pm local time (2.00am GMT).

Representing Nigeria is 22 year old Ngozi Odalonu, the 1st runner up from the 2010 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant.

African contestants have won the crown thrice– Miss South Africa in 1978, Miss Namibia in 1992 and Miss Botswana in 1999.

22 year old Jimena Navarrete of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2010 during the Miss Universe Pageant at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Monday night.

Pictures of the other 7 contestants:

Source

Amina Alli

On July 31st 2010, Deola Sagoe launched of her Polo line announcing the model and face of the line as the 2008 Elite Model Look Nigeria model and MNET Face of Africa 2008 Finalist who has Beth Models as her agency – Amina Alli.

Amina Alli

You are cordially invited to share yet another wonderful Zebra Living
experience.

Lagos Dynamo, a new collection from fashion and lifestyle brand Zebra
Living, channels the essence of the Zebra Woman – a rose in a concrete
world, strong and graceful, darting through Lagos life (and life in general)
with style, poise and dynamo.

The clothes in this collection are quintessentially Zebra with a new and
slightly daring styling twist!

Lagos Dynamo takes you from day to night and through all the tiers of
stylish living with a fluidity and ease you won’t believe.

Louise Priddy and Duchess Freda

Business woman Duchess Freda and Bacchus Night Club Owner Louise Priddy recently launched a jewelery line. The launch took place on Freda’s birthday. The Exclusive Rocking Accessory/jewelery line is called KRISTOS with items that would serve for more than its  aesthetic properties but as a fashion statement,  meditation, relaxation and a protection tool from negative energy.

Logo

The word “Kristos” is derived from the Russian word “Anointed”. It means Good luck, Love & Peace and how apt this is in regards to our first design & best seller line the distinctive ROSARY design.

For centuries, jewelry has been worn as a symbol of ethnicity, cultural heritage, class, and religious beliefs.

As if the pure beauty of the jewelry itself is not enough, the stones that make up each design, also promote human strengths, desires, aspirations, protection and spirituality.

KRISTOS jewelry is an exclusive luxury brand. Each KRISTOS Jewelry is generously designed and completed for beauty, functionality, durability and longevity. These original pieces of jewelry are all one of a kind and feature beads made of Black Onyx, Pearls, Clear Gem stones, Gold and Diamonds, accented by an 18k Gold/Black onyx cross featuring an18k rose gold peace sign.

The rosary is not exclusive to the Christian religion, or even Western civilization. In fact, the rosary, (or prayer beads), have been a religious icon in Buddhism and Islam. These days, however, the Catholic Church remains the largest consumer of the rosary.

The Black Onyx one of our best sellers is noble, elegant and regal. Mostly worn to defend against negativity that is directed at you. It fortifies self confidence and responsibilty, sharpens your senses & encourages a healthy egotism.

The Pearl symbolizes the best within us. Honesty, Purity, Wisdom and Integrity. They remind us to walk with Dignity. The White pearl is the symbol of Pure Heart and Mind; Innocence and Faith. The Gold and Black pearl represents Prosperity.

The Clear Quartz gem stone amplifies stores, transforms and focuses energy because clear quartz contains the whole spectrum of colours, it can be used for many different purposes. Known as ‘the mirror of the soul’ – it radiates that which is in us that is divine. Great in encompassing all that it means to be spiritual and human. The only gemstone that can be programmed to carry a vibration.

Resembling a rosary, this unique necklace is sure to attract attention from everyone around you. Necklace measures usually about 21 inches and cross measures 1 /34 inches long by 1 1/4 inches wide

In the 80′s Madonna made the Rosary an overnight sensation, today celebrities such Beyonce, Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Kim Kardashian, Kanye, P.diddy, David Villa, Maradonna, David Beckham, Wyclef, Chris brown, Flo Rida, Jay Z, Dbanj, D’Prince, Wande Coal,Questionmark artiste, Kevin Lucciano Gabriel, Psquare, Don Jazzy to name a few adorn such pieces.

Kristos is a great gift for yourself or a loved one and makes the perfect addition to any jewelry collection. Get one and express yourself and/or your faith with style…

black onyx

more Jewels.

TAE

The summer holidays are here again and bags are being packed for those long anticipated sojourns to far flung, exotic locales. Of course, your holiday trousseau would be incomplete without the Ariola Tunic, perfect for lunch at that Italian cafe, the Nu Ntt dress which is sure to inspire more than a bit of jealousy in the hearts of the women at that soiree in Monaco, or the whimsical Anjola skirt that will put you in the mood to sing along with the cast of Oliver! At Royal Drury Lane in London.

These gorgeous pieces form part of Tae’s Omoge collection, which will be unveiled at Terra Kulture on the 11th of July 2010.

The Omoge collection is quintessential Taé: fun, flirty with a touch of glam and dollops of the Wow! Factor, for which Taé s renowned. The colours are bold, the styles classic and the tailoring divine.  It would take place at Terra Kulture centre, Plot 1376 Tiamiyu Savage Street Victoria and it would begin 12PM prompt.

Here’s the exciting part there would be a 15-25% discount on old items……

TAE Summer Collection Invitation

the 'age' couple

The reverse was true for males tying the knot with younger females, study found.

Women who marry men seven to nine years their junior could be upping their odds of dying sooner, German researchers report.

Tying the knot with a significantly younger guy raises a woman’s risk of death by 20 percent, according to a study published in the May 12 issue of Demography.

Not that marrying much older men is much safer. The study, based on data from nearly two million Danish couples, indicates that marrying an older man might also shorten a woman’s life, and that the healthiest choice for a husband might be a man around a woman’s own age.

“One of the few possible explanations is that couples with younger husbands violate social norms and thus suffer from social sanctions,” Sven Drefahl, from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock, Germany, said in a news release.

Such couples could therefore be stigmatized as outsiders — receiving less social support, enduring a more stressful life and perhaps developing poorer health as a result, Drefahl speculated.

On the positive side, the study authors stressed that, as a whole, marriage is not bad for life expectancy. In fact, both men and women experience a bump in longevity when they get married, relative to unmarried people, the study found.

In addition, few women may be distressed by the new finding on marrying younger men, since many prior studies have shown that women typically prefer men of similar age.

In the United States, for example, the average groom is typically 2.3 years older than his bride, the research team noted.

In contrast, the study found that men got a health benefit from choosing a younger wife. While men who married older women increased their risk for death, men who exchanged rings with a woman seven to nine years younger cut their risk of dying by 11 percent, the researchers found.

The reasons for the apparent gender difference remain unclear, the authors said. The finding does cast doubt on a long-held theory of “health selection” when it comes to May-September relationships.

That notion suggests that older men and women who found younger partners were able to do so because they were healthier than average and therefore already faced a longer life expectancy. The theory relies on the notion that a younger spouse would boost the older partner’s social and psychological frame of mind on the one hand, while being there to care for him (or her) in old age — all contributing to increased longevity for the older mate.

These theories now have to be reconsidered”, Drefahl said.

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) —Capital FM Lifestyle.

The Attraction

Bad Boys. Love them or hate them, the fact remains that women just can’t get enough of them. I’ve had friends who were clearly dating guys that were so poisonous to their lives. Trying to get them to see how unhealthy the dude was for them was like convincing a certain friend (no names) that flats are so last season. I will also admit that I’ve dated a bad boy or two. Not my wisest decision. I don’t regret it really; the ride was fun while it lasted. However, we have to know when we’re past the phase when we can use age as an excuse for our shenanigans.

Dating a bad boy is quite exhilarating. We usually get into the trap because they know exactly what to say, how to say it, how to look at you, exactly where to touch you, etc. It’s like a well rehearsed play for them. They are experts at the game of seduction. For the expert bad boys, just a look is enough to have a woman’s brain turn to mush. Confidence is everything. Women love men who take charge and know what they want. Nice guys generally tend to be shyer than their counterparts, or slow to go for what they want. Basically they think too much.

This type of man is quite a rush to be around. There’s never a dull moment. He’s always on the move with what may seem brilliant ideas of things to do. While the regular nice guy may suggest dinner in town at 8.00pm two weeks away and actually show up on time, the bad boy is more likely to suggest a random trip to Naivasha, right after clubbing all night; no need to even stop by the house for some toiletries. Let me explain what you should deduce from these two scenarios. The nice guy suggests dinner because he wants to get to know you as a person. The bad boy is just out for some fun, if you happen to be there, cool. If not, life will go on…

Women are also attracted to bad boys for the drama. Yeah I said it. Drama is the reason why we watch Nigerian movies and Mexican soap operas. We feed off drama. We love to have quite a story for the girls at the weekly committee meeting (Shout out to my girls Audrey and Sarah!). Whether he stood you up, didn’t call when he said he would, had the nerve to walk out on you or made you pay the bill when he’s the one who asked you out, we all love drama. A nice guy is stable and predictable. And what’s the fun in that, right?

There’s also what I like to call the Mama Nani Syndrome. Women love challenges. They think no matter how bad a guy is, they have this supernatural nurturing power to change him. Seriously, if he was brought up by his mother and that’s how he turned out, there’s nothing you will ever do to make him a better person, or turn him into the man you want him to be. He can only be the man he was when you met him. Don’t have false hopes. If you met him drinking like a fish, be prepared to live with mafans wa Tusker (or wa Kumi Kumi as I see women in Central complaining). If you stole him from your pal, resign to the fact that he’s weak and will probably be stolen from you.

I know I’ve really pumped up the bad boys. The bad news is that, for most women, this is just a phase. Reality has to bite sooner or later. Right now, I only have time for a man who is focused about where he is going and what he wants from life. Someone who will inspire me to be a better version of me. My bad boy days are long gone. I once went out with a guy who had cornrows, sagged his jeans and always had on NBA jerseys (one NBA jersey according to Audrey and Shirley). I can’t even imagine what I was thinking at the time. It was fun while it lasted. I would definitely not make that mistake again although I’m forgiven due to age. So while you enjoy with the bad boy, make sure you don’t miss out on the nice guy.

Capital FM Lifestyle

Annette Beggs - One time Winner of Elite model search

The Search for the next Elite Model Look is on, and things are getting really exciting.

Some sponsors of the search have stepped up to add some pizzazz at the casting which would be taking place at the REHAB POOL LOUNGE & BAR on 288B Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos,
Come the 9th to 10th of July.

A BLACKBERRY PHONE will be given out as well a 3 lucky girls who would stand a chance of being the face of HAIR LTD – a highbrow beauty salon in the heart of Victoria island .

Other exciting freebies and gifts would be given out at the casting as well. So the reward galore would not be at the event proper alone, which would be coming up in the month of September.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made to make this event on to remember in a long while .

It is remembered that Beth Modeling Agency has the sole rights to hold the Elite Model look annually here in Nigeria. This competition has produced two international models namely – Tracy Onyekachukwu (Elite model look Nigeria 2008) and Annete Begg (Elite model Look 2009). Both who are working presently in UK and New York.

Presently, registration forms for the Elite model look 2010 are available at Beth modeling agency or any Eco bank nationwide.

Sex sell and a great body is the instrument still it is the eye of the beholder – who do you think is the sexiest Nigerian model?

Munachi Abii

In 2007, every man wh0 stood half a mile close to her was trying to get her attention and that same year she was the Most beautiful Girl in Nigeria. Now she loves to rap, rumoured to be P square’s Peter’s girlfriend and a Soundcity TV staff. her ultimate plan? “to be a very successful person richer than Bill Gates, than Oprah but at the same time” with a body like herself, oh my! all she needs is the work and we can guarantee money enough to live Bill gate plus Oprah Winfrey kind of life in Nigeria.

Uche Odoh

She was singer HMan’s love interest. She has been modelling since 2008 and in 2009, she was awarded most photogenic model at the Nigeria Model Achievers Award and we should forget to add, she was a contestant in the AMBO reality show.

Titi Adelagun

Titi adelagun represented Lagos at the MBGN. then she went on to host a show on Soundcity, dated Mr Nigeria Brian. She was the lead girl in Freewindz ‘Who be that girl’ video in addition to be seen in several TV adverts for Cowbell Milk and She graced billboards as the face of ‘Out Of Africa, KSLD’

Annette Begg

Annette is 2009 Elite Model Look Competition and she has been the face of video vixen in Nigeria recently feature in Banky W’s Lagos Party video.

Dolapo Olorunisola

The 5 feet 8 inch model was first spotted in the video for Tuface’s massive hit record – African Queen. The model who has no favourite Nigerian designer is a toast to Agents who flock in their dozens with make-quick-money-of-models proposals.

Cynthia

Cynthia Omorodion emerged as winner of Nigeria’s Next top Model in 2008

Oluchi Onweagba

You have heard her story – at the age of 16, she won the Face of Africa and today she’s married with Kids to her long timer Italian lover. Oluchi has graced every Magazine cover – She is the most envied Nigerian model, she has to be.