India look to decode Murali, Mendis

With the famed Indian batting order's reputation in tatters, a dejected India captain Anil Kumble on Saturday said his side will have to find ways to take on the Lankan spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis if they have to come back in the second Test.

Muralitharan and debutant Mendis shared 19 wickets between them to hand the Indians a humiliating innings and 239 run defeat in the first Test here.

"We were not good enough against the spinners. We just capitulated (to them). We have made comebacks in the past. It is just a matter of getting together, but we have to look at the way of tackling both Murali and Mendis," Kumble said at the post-match press conference.

Kumble rued the dropped catches early in the Lankan first innings which had contributed to the hosts' mammoth 600 for six which made it a Herculean task for the famed Indian batting order to save the match.

"Obviously 600 on the board did not help us. We had a good opportunity in the beginning when they were about 100 for 2. We dropped a few catches. Warnapura was dropped, Mahela Jayawardene was dropped a couple of times, though it's tough to bowl first on a wicket which is dry at the start," he said.

"Nothing went right for us in the match. Other than planning, it is important to do well in fielding," he added.

The Indian captain also rued on a few dismissals which did not go his team's way when reviewed by the experimental referral system.

"A few dismissals were obviously negated under the referral system. The new system is something that we have to take forward. It definitely requires a review but it is too early to say."

Kumble denied his team was under prepared for the Sri Lankan tour and said a lot of planning had gone through ahead of the visit.

"We have people who have played Test cricket for more than 15 or 20 years. You can't find a better experience batting line up. We hope to cope with the spin in second Test."

Asked if India paid the price for not focusing on Ajantha Mendis, Kumble said, "Murali and Chaminda Vaas are probably the bowlers we were looking for. Nothing has changed and obviously he (Murali) is the champion bowler."

An elated Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene was a bit surprised by the collapse of the Indian batting and said he did not expect the victory would come so soon on the fourth day.

"When you see that (Indian) batting line up you would not expect them to buckle and (expect them to) give you a fight. That is a surprising factor. I am sure they will come back strongly at us," he said.

The home captain said though they will celebrate their victory but "can't stop working hard and have to try and maintain standards".

'Mystery' spinner Mendis said he had hoped to do well in the debut match but did not expect to take so many wickets.

"The senior players guided me," he said.

Muralitharan said if Mendis keeps his calm and go on learning he would get a lot of wickets in international cricket.

The champion off-spinner said the umpiring referral system was helpful for cricket as there could be "no more excuses" (for defeats).

There are times when it helps to look back and analyse exactly what went wrong in a game. But in situations like this, where everything possible went wrong, it may be prudent to just consign the past to history and look forward.

Anil Kumble tried to do that, asserting that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the team.

“There is no need to look at a change in technique. No other line up is more technically equipped,” he said.

“They are players who have played for more than 15 years and have more than 100 Tests. You can’t get a more experienced line up than this. It is important for the bowlers to also put their hands up.”

At the same time Kumble conceded that his team had been comprehensively outplayed in all departments and that plenty of work awaited them.

“We need to work all three departments of the game,” said Kumble. “We dropped a few catches. Zaheer got a wicket off a no-ball. We had to bowl well and also ensure we held the chances that came our way.”

While India played well below par, Sri Lanka certainly did all they could to win, and Kumble did not shy from giving them credit.

“They bowled exceptionally well. It was never going to be easy after they had 600 on the board,” he said.

“Avoiding the follow-on was always going to be tough. The wicket was not really helping spin but once you bat like we did in the first innings, it was going to be tough. It was an exceptional bowling performance from Mendis and Murali.”

Kumble re-emphasised that it was Murali who posed the biggest threat, and not Mendis, despite his eight wickets.

“We did not concentrate only on Mendis. I did mention before the match that Murali and Vaas are the important bowlers and nothing has changed,” said Kumble.

“It was only that we are asked more about Mendis in media conferences. Probably the focus was on him but we always knew Murali and Vaas were the ones. Murali is a champion bowler.”

When asked what needed to be done ahead of the next Test, Kumble said that it was not as though the team did not have its plans in place for this Test, adding, “We have come back well in the past and it is the same them that has brought some wonderful results. I am confident we will come back.

“When things don’t go our way people think there is no plan in place.

“It is the same process. Obviously we need to look at our strategy in handling Murali and Mendis. We have to be a little more positive.”

Punjab, Haryana on alert after Bangalore, Ahmedabad blasts

High alert has been sounded in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in the wake of Bangalore and Ahmedabad explosions.

Security around all key public places including railway stations, bus stands, shopping malls has been beefed up, official sources said here.

More 'nakas' were being set up in the two states to keep an eye on movement of any suspicious elements, the sources said.

Chronol

July 26, 2008: Serial blasts in Ahmedabad killing at least 30 people and injuring more than 100.

July 25, 2008: Nine explosions in Bangalore create terror killing two people and injuring twelve.

May 2008: Eight serial blasts rock Jaipur in a span of 12 minutes leaving 65 dead and over 150 injured.

January 2008: Terrorist attack on CRPF camp in Rampur kills 8.

October 2007: 2 killed in a blast inside Ajmer Sharif shrine during Ramadan.

August 2007: 30 dead, 60 hurt in Hyderabad 'terror' strike.

May 2007: A bomb at Mecca mosque in Hyderabad kills 11 people.

February 19, 2007: Two bombs explode aboard a train bound from India to Pakistan, burning to death at least 66 passengers, most of them Pakistanis.

September 2006: 30 dead and 100 hurt in twin blasts at a mosque in Malegaon.

July 2006: Seven bombs on Mumbai's trains kill over 200 and injure 700 others.

March 2006: Twin bombings at a train station and a temple in Varanasi kill 20 people.

October 2005: Three bombs placed in busy New Delhi markets a day before Diwali kill 62 people and injure hundreds.

August 2003: Two taxis packed with explosives blow up outside a Mumbai tourist attraction and a busy market, killing 52 and wounding more than 100.

September 24, 2002: Militants with guns and explosives attack the Akshardham Hindu temple in the western state of Gujarat, 31 killed, More than 80 injured.

May 14: Militants attack an army camp near Kashmir's winter capital, Jammu, killing more than 30, including wives and children of soldiers.

December 13, 2001: More than a dozen people, including five gunmen, killed in an attack on parliament in New Delhi.

October 1, 2001: Militants storm the Jammu and Kashmir state assembly complex, killing about 35 people.

March 1993: Mumbai serial bombings kill 257 people and injure more than 1,100.

ogy - Major bomb blasts in India

Serial blasts rock Bangalore, 2 killed
Bangalore was today hit by eight serial bomb blasts at crowded locations on a stretch from Brigade Road to Hosur Road.

The blasts reportedly occurred at within a span of 12 minutes, leaving two dead, including a woman, and several injured.

The first blast took place around 1.30 in the afternoon. The low-intensity crude bombs were planted mostly near refugee settlements and were triggered by timers.

Bomb squads were rushed to the blast sites. The telephone lines were jammed as a precaution. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa called an emergency meeting of the cabinet. The CM later said the blasts represented a ''planned conspiracy to vitiate the atmosphere'' in the state.

Karnataka Welfare Minister Shoba announced a solatium of Rs one lakh for the family of the deceased woman, and said the government would bear the medical expenses of those injured.

City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari urged the people to ''carry on with their daily activities without any fear.''

However, as the news of the blasts spread, major shopping malls and schools were shut down. Panicked people caused traffic jams across the city while heading for their homes.

In Delhi, the Union Home Ministry said they had forewarned Karnataka about an attack. Home Minister Shivraj Patil condemned the incident, saying the government would deal firmly with anti-national forces. Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said nuts and bolts were used in the bombs, adding that the motive for the bombings was not yet known.

Site of the blasts

Rajaram Mohan Roy Road, Sampan-Giram Nagar

Mallya Hospital, near Richmond Circle

Nayandanahalli, Mysore Road

Kengeri RTO , Mysore Road

Satellite town bus stop, Mysore Road

Sarjapur Road, near Madiwala Police Station

Madiwala checkpost

Crime branch conducts overnight raids; several detained

Police conducted raids and detained a "number of persons" in connection with the serial blasts that rocked this city killing at least 38 people and injuring around 90 others.

Joint Commissioner of Police of Crime Branch Ashish Bhatia told PTI on Sunday that no arrests have been made so far.

Bhatia also said that there was no evidence as yet to suggest the involvement of a suicide bomber in the blast that occurred at the civil hospital on Saturday.

"Our teams conducted search operations at various places last night and detained number of persons. I cannot provide the exact figure as many teams were involved in the operations and we are yet to consolidate the figures," he said.

"There are some rumours going on. But I do not suspect an suicide bomber was used at city civil hospital. Upper half of a person was found at the site after the blast. He has not been identified yet. May be this might have fuelled the rumour," Bhatia said.

"But I do not think any suicide bomber was involved," he added.

When asked how the blast at the civil hospital took place, Bhatia said that the bomb was kept in a car near the Trauma Centre of the hospital.

"The car in which the bomb was kept was blown to pieces. Some small gas cylinders were found at the site. This could have increased the intensity of the blast," Bhatia said.

Serial blasts in Ahmedabad, 29 killed

At least 15 of the deaths in Ahmedabad were in blasts which took place in the government-run Civil Hospital and another three in municipal-run LG Hospital. All the blasts, except the one at Sarkhej, took place in the crowded eastern neighbourhoods of the city, within a radius of 5 km. The blasts happened at Sarkhej, Maninagar, Bapunagar, Thakkarbapanagar, Naroda, Raipur Narol and Sarangpur. The Civil Hospital and LG Hospital campuses were the last to get bombed, about 40 minutes after the first round of blasts. Most of the bombs were planted behind bicycles in tiffins contained in blue polythene bags while the bombs in the hospitals were placed in automobiles. The bombs were packed with timer devices and microprocessors. Preliminary reports suggest ammonium nitrate was used in the bombs. Eyewitnesses said multiple bombs were planted within a short range, which went off within an interval of a few seconds. The idea was to attract people to the site with the first blast and then explode the other with more devastating effect. "One bomb went off from a bag on one cycle carrier and as people collected, another one went off within 15-20 seconds on another cycle carrier", said Bhushan Bhatt, a municipal corporator. One of the bombs went off near a bus in a Hindu pocket of the otherwise Muslim-dominated Sarkhej ripping one side of the bus completely. The busy diamond market in Bapunagar here was also made a target. At Maninagar, the bombs were planted in the busy vegetable market and bus stops. Over 30 feared dead in Ahmedabad blast Terrorists want to create communal divide: Prithvi Raj Chauhan Advani reacts to Ahmedabad blasts Communally sensitive Sarkhej targeted Two explosions were heard: Witness Shivraj Patil refuses to play blame game Marked sites of Ahmedabad blasts Ahmedabad Police assures to prevent unrest

Kuselan Trailer

More Kuselan Trailers

• Kuselan 90secs Trailer

Kuselan Overview

Director: P.Vasu
Music: G.V Prakash

Kuselan Stills

View All 150 Stills

Kuselan Trailer

Watch 2 Trailer

Kuselan Wallpapers

View All 9 Wallpapers

Kuselan Event Photos

View 243 Photos

Kuselan Songs

Listen Kuselan Songs

	Rajini Health Secrets He looked only a little younger than his age in Sivaji, while the promo stills of Kuselan present a rather different picture. If not anything else, Superstar Rajinikanth is spruced up and looks a good twenty years younger here. He laid bare the secrets of his youth to the world at the Kuselan audio launch. Just in case you missed the media’s flashlights when they focused on the topic, we have compiled it for you. After all, expert tips are meant to be shared and experimented. And of course, results may vary. Avoid White Foods Superstar’s ideology of white foods range from salt to curd and everything in between. He believes that avoiding sugar, rice, pills, milk, curd, and ghee in food, especially after 40 help one stay younger. Now that you have scored every possible tasty food off your menu, look out for the supermarket shelves for brown breads and sugar free cookies to add a little taste to your life. But of course, you get to look younger that what you are supposed to.

UPA GOVT WINS TRUST VOTE
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, July 22, 2008
RELATED STORY Rahul pitches for energy security After days of tense standoff over the India-US nuclear deal, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday won majority support in Parliament by a bigger margin than expected, shortly after three opposition MPs dramatically displayed wads of currency in the Lok Sabha alleging they had been bribed to abstain during the trust vote. After more than an hour of utter confusion in the Lok Sabha when Manmohan Singh could not give his final response to the confidence motion debate because of disruptions by opposition MPs demanding his resignation, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee brought the curtains down on two days of acrimony in the house by announcing the final result: 275 MPs in favour of the UPA and 256 against. Full text of PM's speech Ten MPs did not record their vote in the house of 531. Seven BJP MPs, two from the Telugu Desam Party and one from the Biju Janata Dal voted for the government motion. The votes the Congress-led UPA eventually gained was more than the 272 needed to prove majority in the 545-member house where two seats are vacant and one member is barred from voting. "The ayes have it, the ayes have it," Chatterjee announced, bringing smiles on the face of Manmohan Singh, who began receiving congratulatory messages from scores of MPs, Congress president Sonia Gandhi included. At the same time, wild celebrations erupted in the headquarters of the Congress party in the heart of New Delhi. A beaming Prime Minister told reporters after the result: "India is prepared to take its rightful place in the comity of nations." The reference was to the nuclear deal, which the government can now move forward without any hiccups. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi echoed the sentiment: "I believe this nuclear deal is in the interest of the nation. I am proud of the PM." Meanwhile, television reports quoted L K Advani as saying that 10 MPs cross-voted in favour of UPA. It was a dramatic turn of fortunes after a suspense-filled weekend. At one point it was felt that a divided but determined opposition was running neck and neck with the Congress-led UPA and those who came to its rescue after the Left called off its support to the UPA over the controversial nuclear deal. The two-day debate also ended amid hostility - which also marked much of the proceedings - with Manmohan Singh unable to give his final speech because of noisy protests, primarily by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs. They were demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister over the sordid display of tainted money in the Lok Sabha. "We knew all along that we will have a decisive margin," Minister of State for Industries and Congress MP Ashwini Kumar said. "The Indo-US nuclear deal has been endorsed by this vote." Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh, widely seen as the architect of the UPA victory, said the credit for the UPA's success should clearly go to Manmohan Singh. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and National Conference president Omar Abdullah were the most effective speakers Tuesday. The former used his known wit with deadly effect particularly against the Left while the latter was at his forceful best. Another impressive speaker was Rahul Gandhi, who tried to connect his interactions with the poor in rural areas to India's need for energy security and the larger nuclear deal. But all of them - and everything else - suddenly got overshadowed by three BJP MPs - Ashok Argal (Morena), Faggan Singh Kulaste (Mandla) and Mahavir Bhagora (Salumber) who suddenly walked towards the speaker's chair when Marxist Basudev Acharya was ending his speech, placed two brown and black leather bags on a table and pulled out thick bundles of 1,000 rupee denomination. As the millions of Indians following the television proceedings across the country watched in horror, the MPs began to flash the tight bundles of money, triggering pandemonium in the house and leading to its adjournment. The BJP MPs, in particular Kulaste, alleged that Amar Singh and Congress leader Ahmed Patel, an aide to Sonia Gandhi, were the masterminds behind the attempt to win them over so that they stay away from Tuesday evening's confidence motion. Amar Singh and Patel angrily denied the charge. The opposition and the UPA got into an ugly public spat, blaming one another for the sordid scenes that leaders from both sides alleged had dealt a huge blow to India's democratic credentials. Kulaste told reporters that he and a colleague were invited to Amar Singh's house the previous night and promised Rs.9 crore (Rs.90 million/over $2 million) each to abstain from parliament so as to twist the numbers in the house in its favour. He said the three of them were paid Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million) as advance and were promised that the rest of the amount would follow. The dramatic happening prompted BJP leader L.K. Advani and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati to demand the resignation of Manmohan Singh. He did not oblige, and in fact took an aggressive line in his final address. In that speech, which he could not make but which he handed over to Speaker Chatterjee, Manmohan Singh took on two people: Advani and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat. Rebutting Advani's criticism that he was a weak Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh said sarcastically: "To fulfil his ambitions, he has made at least three attempts to topple our government but on each occasion his astrologers have misled him... At his ripe old age, I do not expect Advani to change his thinking. But for his sake, and India's sake, I urge him at least to change his astrologers so that he gets more accurate predictions of things to come." In the case of Karat, who spearheaded the Left's campaign against the government, Manmohan Singh said: "Our friends in the Left Front should ponder over the company they are forced to keep because of miscalculations by their general secretary." He also accused the Left of putting shackles in the conduct of foreign policy. "They wanted a veto over every single step of negotiations (with the International Atomic Energy Agency) which is not acceptable. They wanted me to behave as their bonded slave." The Prime Minister also came out strongly in support of the nuclear deal, saying it would promote energy security and end India's nuclear isolation of decades. "Our strategic autonomy," he asserted, "will never be compromised... All that we are committed to is a voluntary moratorium on further testing (of nuclear weapons)." Like Monday, the final day of the debate Tuesday was marred by disruptions, forcing an exasperated Speaker Chatterjee to adjourn the house. He said: "The parliament of India has reached the lowest position, its nadir." The words, just before the BJP MPs trooped into the house carrying wads of cash, proved to be prophetic.

India to launch lobbying campaign among NSG nations

Victorious Manmohan Singh looking forward on N-deal New Delhi: India is all set to launch a full blast lobbying among the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for an exemption for nuclear commerce from later this week in the wake of Manmohan Singh government comfortably winning the trust vote in Parliament. A group of Ministers and officials will travel to various NSG countries to muster support for the nuclear deal with the United States, particularly focusing on nations which have had reservations so far on allowing exemption to India. The government expects the IAEA Board of Governors to approve the India-specific safeguards agreement during its meeting scheduled for August one. After the approval from the atomic watchdog, India will have to get a waiver by consensus from NSG to allow it to have civil nuclear cooperation with the international community. The ministers, who include Kapil Sibal, Prithviraj Chavan and Anand Sharma, will explain India's position and dwell on the reasons for giving exemption, sources said. Besides the ministers, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and other officials of the Ministry of External Affairs will also travel abroad to lobby support. The government is also expected to instruct its envoys in the NSG countries to approach the governments there with regard to mustering support. Firming up of Safeguards Agreement and NSG waiver are key steps in the implementation of the Indo-US agreement which is to be approved by the American Congress. After the government won the confidence motion Tuesday night, the US said it will work with Indian government expedite the processes at IAEA and NSG.(PTI)

15 Bihar labourers killed in a bus accident in valley Jammu: In a deadly bus accident today morning in the Jammu valley, fifteen people died while 36 others were injured on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Banihal, 200 kms from Jammu. All deceased were daily labourers from Bihar. According to Banihal Police, the labourers from Bihar boarded the ill fated passenger bus heading towards Srinagar from Jammu, the driver lost control and the bus plunged into a deep gorge at Sherbibi in Banihal area. Police confirmed Headlines India that 15 persons had died in the incident and the death toll could rise as out of the 36 injured passengers, 21 are in critical condition. All injured were admitted in the Governmnet Medical College Hospital in Jammu.

EFCC Files Fraud Charges against Jimoh Ibrahim

By Davidson Iriekpen and Akintunde Akinwale, 07.23.2008

	Add To Favorites
	Print This Article
	Post Comment

The inability of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce the Chairman of Global Fleet Oil and Gas Limited and Group Managing Director of NICON Insurance, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim , before an Ikeja High Court yesterday stalled his arraignment.
Had Ibrahim appeared, he would have been arraigned on a six-count charge of fraud, forgery and impersonation, contrary to section 467(1)(a) of the criminal Code Law Cap. C17, Vol.2, Laws of Lagos State 2003 and section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act Cap. A6, Vol. 1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Adetunji Adegboyega, told the court presided over by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole that the anti-graft agency could not produce Ibrahim in court yesterday because it could not re-arrest him after it granted him administrative bail recently.
However, an EFCC source said Ibrahim could not be produced in court yesterday because the anti-graft agency's new Head of Operations at the Lagos office resumed work yesterday, and needed time to be adequately briefed on the case.
Ibrahim has however dismissed the allegations, saying it was being orchestrated by the Minister of State for Finance, Remi Babalola, who incidentally was at the centre of the NICON Insurance crisis.
In a press statement yesterday, Ibrahim said: "My attention has been drawn to the charges of forgery of the board resolution of my company by the EFCC, without my knowledge.
"The EFCC is purported to be acting on the instruction of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), which in turn reports to the Minister of State for Finance, Remi Babalola, who incidentally was at the centre of the NICON Insurance crisis.
"I wish to inform the general public that Global Fleet Limited and VGC Communications is not in any way indebted to Trade Bank Plc (now in liquidation), for any amount whatsoever and that as at the time of exchanging a board resolution between the bank and VGC Communications, we were in possession of the company, VGC Comm, having made part payment of $32 million to the seller, Globe International Holdings Limited.
"It is of note that the transaction cut-off date was 31st January 2006, while the said board resolution was written and dated September 26, 2005, this was still within the period that we were in possession of the company. It is on record that the company borrowed money from Trade Bank, but this was paid within the period in the terms of the agreement of the facility.
"It is in view of this development that an owner of a company cannot be charged for forging the board resolution of his own company, this is rather absurd.
"Under the sales and purchase agreement, the board was directed to name the board of directors for the time being, nevertheless, as a law abiding citizen of Nigeria, we have the EFCC to withdraw the case, in the event that they fail to do so and they lose, we shall sue for unlawful prosecution."
THISDAY checks revealed that the EFCC may have decided to arraign Ibrahim based on a petition sent to it last year by the National Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) over what it called the "outstanding indebtedness of Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim and his related companies to the defunct Trade Bank (in liquidation) to the tune of N255,370,949.86".
In the three-page petition addressed to the then chairman of the anti-graft agency, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, NDIC is alleging that Global Fleet Oil and Gas Limited was against the then market price of N1.35K, allotted 150 million units of Trade Bank's shares at 80K each which translated to the sum of N120million, adding that the amount was debited to the company's account and the shares duly allotted.
It added that Global Fleet later paid the N51million leaving the a balance of N69million, adding that what this meant was that the bank granted a loan for the acquisition of its shares by Global Fleet Oil & Gas.
It stated further: "The bank, curiously and without basis, credited this account with the sum of N25 million, said to be interest payment on a net sum of N1 billion received as inflow from its transaction with this company. After careful examination of this transaction , the crediting of the account with N25 million was found to be unjustifiable and has thus been reversed. The outstanding debit on this account is therefore N68,943,600 .”
"In its bid to meet with CBN's re-capitalisation requirement, Trade Bank Plc floated a N7.5 billion offer. Global Fleet subscribed to this offer to the tune of N2 billion. Because the offer was unsuccessful, the company's subscription of N2 billion was refunded to it by the CBN. But before the refund, the failed bank had made the following questionable payments totaling N49,326,712.32 to Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim in respect of the N2 billion equity subscription.
"In its bid to meet with CBN's re-capitalisation requirement, Trade Bank Plc floated a N7.5 billion offer. Global Fleet subscribed to this offer to the tune of N2 billion. Because the offer was unsuccessful, the company's subscription of N2 billion was refunded to it by the CBN.
"But before the refund, the failed bank had made the following questionable payments totaling N49,326,712.32 to Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim in respect of the N2 billion equity subscription: N40 million, being two per cent commission for sourcing the N2 billion equity subscription by Global Fleet Oil & Gas, his own company; refund of charges totaling N8 million to Mr. Ibrahim's account by Oceanic Bank which issued the cheque of N2 billion for the equity subscription.
"The sum of N1,326,712.32 to defray the cost of Mr. Ibrahim's journey to Nigeria from United Kingdom for the purpose of ensuring that value was received for the N2 billion cheque issued for the equity subscription.
"An application for a term loan of N1 billion was made by VGC Communications Ltd to Trade Bank on September 26, 2005. The application was supported by a resolution purportedly made by its Board at a meeting held on September 22, 2005. Trade Bank approved the loan believing that Mr. Ibrahim who was held out as having acquired the company, was the sole signatory to the account it was dealing with.

"It turned out that Mr. Ibrahim's bid to acquire the company failed. The letter and Board resolution submitted to the bank by the company was alleged to have been forged. The outstanding balance on this account as at January 16, 2006 (date of revocation of Trade Bank's licence) was N1,059,610,869.54. The indebtedness subsequently reduced to N137,100,637.54 (made up of principal and accrued interest) as a result of payment of N922,510,232.00 by the debtor after the revocation of the bank's licence.
"Upon revocation of the bank's licence and appointment of an interim Management Committee (IMC) for the bank, several overtures were made to Mr. Ibrahim to repay the debt, but they were rebuffed by him."

Nokia 888

Nigeria Meets The world

Top Stories

N’Delta: Presidency Rules out UK Military Support
The idea of securing military assistance from the United Kingdom and other foreign interests as the next option for the troubled Niger Delta has been described as “unfounded” and “definitely not on the agenda” of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua More...

CBN to Review New Financial Year End for Banks
Indications emerged yesterday that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may review the December 31 uniform financial year end stipulated for all banks and discount houses in the country in view of attendant astronomical interest rate occasioned by the policy. More...

Gunmen Attack Gov Orji’s Convoy, Kill One
The convoy of Abia State Governor Theodore Orji was yesterday attacked by gunmen on the way to Port Harcourt International Airport as it was going to pick the governor and his wife, Odochi, who were returning from a trip to the United States More...

Obasanjo: Leave Electricity Problem to God
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigerians should take their electricity problem to God, adding that they should take to God anything they do not have which they wished to have or cannot get More...

NNPC Paid Militants $6m, Says GMD
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday that it paid Niger Delta militants $6 million in order to allow it repair the Chanomi Crude oil pipeline in Delta State More...

Nokia 888

About The Concept

NOKIA 888

*design concept

“Form follows you”
A personal mobile communication device which lets you be free and fun. It is light, simple and carefree. You can change its form according to your needs during the day.

*target

It is targeted to the young consumers who are likely to be active and take place in a lot of different activities.

*why this target ?

Because they move and change place too much. They do a lot of different things during the day. So that’s what my design offers : to adjust to the moment, the place and the function.

*technologies that are used

It uses liquid battery, speech recognition, flexible touch screen, touch sensitive body cover which lets it understand and adjust to the environment. It has a simple programmable body mechanism so that it changes forms in different situations.

*the functionality of design

You dont have to carry it in your pocket or on your wrist. You can carry it anywhere, in anyform. You can roll it, bend it, put on your clothes like a clip. It also makes some form changes that makes it more ergonomical: i.e. when you want to talk on the phone, the body form turns into the form of the good old telephone. You can personalize these forms and record them. So it fits you the best in the way that you have chosen. The functions that it has also create a feeling of electronical pet, as it senses your moves, understand what you want, respond you in the best way. It learns you, to fit you better.Also e-motions lets you send forms to the other 888 users. It could be the shape of a heart or a small dance. This way you can talk without words.

*how the user interacts

E-motions… It means electronical motions that 888 has. You can send and receive forms from / to friends. You can send a heart shape to your girlfriend, so her telephone turns into an icon of heart. Or you can send a dancing form to your friends to call them to the party tonight. This is the fun side of the product. If we look from the functionality side, 888 is quite flexible. You can put it into your pocket, roll it and make it smaller, or put on your wrist when you want to make a video call on the go. If you want to talk like a normal telephone, there you have your telephone shape. We go through a lot of places and situations in the daily life, so it seems like one form is not enough.

*what is unique ?

You can change the form of the body. Not just the color. And you can do the same by sending an e-motion to your friend.

*the inspiration

The idea is that “the perfect form” does not exist. “Form follows you”
We create the perfect form for each function.

Tamer NAKISCI
industrial designer