By: Jill Odom
Sunni camp attacked in Iraq leaves 33 dead
On Tuesday April 23, Iraqi government forces stormed a Sunni protest camp and fighting broke out leaving at least 33 civilians dead and more than 100 wounded. The fighting broke out around midday in a town called Hawija, due to the army and police believing the gunmen who had attacked a government checkpoint on Friday and killed one soldier, along with wounding three others. They claimed that the men had sought refuge with the protestors and demanded they be turned over to authorities. When the Sunnis refused, the Iraqi forces stormed the camp and seized rifles and other various weapons, while a number of Baathists and Al Qaeda members were killed.
Car bomb explodes outside French Embassy in Libya
The French Embassy in Tripoli, Libya was attacked Tuesday April 23, around 7 a.m. when a car exploded outside the building. Two French guards were wounded in the first major terrorist attack since the removal of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in 2011. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but it is suspected that it has been done by militant Islamists in response to the French Parliament’s decision the day before, to extend its presence in Mali. The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, promised a swift investigation to find the perpetrators.
Man found guilty of selling fake bomb detectors
Millionaire businessman James McCormick has been convicted of fraud after selling fake bomb detectors to countries such as Georgia and Iraq even though he knew they would not work. He made around $7.6 million by selling more than 6,000 to Iraq alone. The devices, which he claimed could underwater and from the air. In fact they were $20 golf ball detector, while McCormick was selling them for as much as $40,000. During the investigation it was found that some Iraqi officials were aware the detectors were fakes but it was alleged some received bribes to insure the purchase of the devices. McCormick remains of a conditional bail until sentencing on May 2.
Associated Press Twitter account hacked
The Twitter account of The Associated Press was compromised on April 23, after hackers tweeted false statements about two explosions at the White House and stating that President Obama was injured. The attack was preceded by a phishing attempt on AP’s corporate network. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped nearly 150 points during the shock. Due to Wall Street tracking Twitter for news the stock market relies on these sites for a constant stream of information, which now may or may not be true. CBS News announced also that over the weekend its “60 Minutes” and “48 Hours” Twitter accounts were also hacked and have been suspended for the present time.
Pizza orders can be placed by Xbox 360
Gamers everywhere can now order from Pizza Hut through their Xbox 360 consoles, thanks to a special partnership between Microsoft and the international food chain. The app, “Pizza Hut for Xbox” is now available and is even Kinect’s voice and motion-control. Players can speak or wave their hands to customize their pizza. First they must sync their Xbox Live account to a Pizza Hut account and select a nearby location to place the order. The app also allows for users to post on Facebook, bragging about their ability to order through their console. Customers who use the app to order before May 6, will get a 15 percent discount on their first order.
