Monday, 2 April 2012
At least one dead, 14 wounded in Kenya attacks: police
At least one person was killed and 14 others were wounded in explosions in a restaurant in the Kenyan city of Mombasa and in the nearby town of Mtwapa, police said.
In Mtwapa "what appears to be a grenade" was thrown at a Christian religious gathering injuring 12 people", Coast police chief Aggrey Adoli told AFP.
A second police source, who asked not to be named, said one of the 12 died from his injuries on his way to or on arrival at hospital.
Adoli said that a second grenade was "hurled at a restaurant in Mombasa" and that three people, including one police officer, sustained minor injuries.
He had earlier said no one was injured in the Mombasa attack, which local people said targeted a restaurant next door to the football stadium popular with non-Muslims and renowned for serving pork delicacies.
Adoli said the first blast in Mtwapa occurred after 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) and the second within minutes of it.
Since Kenya sent tanks and troops into Somalia late last year, several grenade attacks and explosions have taken place, both in Nairobi and in eastern towns close to the Somali border.
Targets have ranged from police vehicles to bars.
Saturday's blasts were the first reported in the coastal areas, which are among Kenya's great tourist magnets.
Mombasa's resort hotels line the coast, away from the town centre.
Source- The Hindustan Times
RP Singh eyeing India comeback through Mumbai Indians
Indian Premier League's leading wicket taker, Rudra Pratap Singh, may have been out of favour in India's scheme of things but the left-arm pacer is hoping that season five of the T20 tournament will bring him back in the national reckoning.
The Mumbai Indians bowler, who has 56 wickets from four seasons in IPL, is eyeing a Team India comeback in September's ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka.
"IPL is huge. All the matches are important and I'm happy to have made an impact in the previous four editions. It gives one a big platform to perform against the world's best. I've been able to bounce back twice through IPL. This time also, I'm looking forward to it," he told PTI from Mumbai.
Talking on the sidelines of Mumbai Indians' practise at the Wankhede, the 26-year-old is not only working hard on his bowling but he is doing overtime at the nets, honing his batting skills to come in handy in the death overs.
"I am working out hard, following a strict schedule. I am raring to go. There are no fitness concerns. In T20, a bit of batting can also come in handy. I am working on my batting to contribute to the team's cause," RP said, referring to his teammates Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga's exploits with the bat.
The left-arm pacer had successful stints with Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, with him winning the purple cap in season-II when he was with the Hyderabdi side.
The Mumbai side bought RP for USD 600,000 for IPL-V and the bowler said he feels really lucky to play with Sachin Tendulkar.
"What can I say about somebody who is the world's best batsman. I can just say that I'm lucky to play under him. I'm yet to speak to him after joining here. I'm looking forward to him."
He further said they have the top five IPL bowlers, besides boasting of a star-studded batting line-up.
"We are not stars, just players. It's a great dressing room. I know each of them. We have a balanced unit. I'm looking forward to contribute to the team's cause."
The Uttar Pradesh pacer had to go through a frustrating time in the last few months when he was rushed to England after Zaheer Khan's injury but only to be ignored for the Central Zone's team for Duleep and Deodhar Trophy.
He said he did not want to talk about selection matters.
"There will be ups and downs. But you will have to keep trying. Selection is not in my hands. I am just giving my best," he said
The Mumbai Indians bowler, who has 56 wickets from four seasons in IPL, is eyeing a Team India comeback in September's ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka.
"IPL is huge. All the matches are important and I'm happy to have made an impact in the previous four editions. It gives one a big platform to perform against the world's best. I've been able to bounce back twice through IPL. This time also, I'm looking forward to it," he told PTI from Mumbai.
Talking on the sidelines of Mumbai Indians' practise at the Wankhede, the 26-year-old is not only working hard on his bowling but he is doing overtime at the nets, honing his batting skills to come in handy in the death overs.
"I am working out hard, following a strict schedule. I am raring to go. There are no fitness concerns. In T20, a bit of batting can also come in handy. I am working on my batting to contribute to the team's cause," RP said, referring to his teammates Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga's exploits with the bat.
The left-arm pacer had successful stints with Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, with him winning the purple cap in season-II when he was with the Hyderabdi side.
The Mumbai side bought RP for USD 600,000 for IPL-V and the bowler said he feels really lucky to play with Sachin Tendulkar.
"What can I say about somebody who is the world's best batsman. I can just say that I'm lucky to play under him. I'm yet to speak to him after joining here. I'm looking forward to him."
He further said they have the top five IPL bowlers, besides boasting of a star-studded batting line-up.
"We are not stars, just players. It's a great dressing room. I know each of them. We have a balanced unit. I'm looking forward to contribute to the team's cause."
The Uttar Pradesh pacer had to go through a frustrating time in the last few months when he was rushed to England after Zaheer Khan's injury but only to be ignored for the Central Zone's team for Duleep and Deodhar Trophy.
He said he did not want to talk about selection matters.
"There will be ups and downs. But you will have to keep trying. Selection is not in my hands. I am just giving my best," he said
Source- The Hindustan Times
Army Chief meets Antony, discusses procurement issues
Army Chief Gen VK Singh has met with defence minister AK Antony to discuss procurement projects for the Army, their first official meeting days after his letter to the Prime Minister on the poor state of defence preparedness got leaked.
The meeting was held to discuss the capital acquisition projects of the Army which will be attended by Gen Singh along with the top brass of the Defence Ministry, Ministry officials said.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of the Army Chief's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he had raised issues about lack of ammunition for the tank fleet and obsolescence of the air defence system of the Army.
The leakage of the letter in the media had triggered a controversy and the CBI is looking into the matter.
A separate meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council will also be chaired by Antony. It will be attended by the Army Chief as also Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne.
The DAC, the apex body of the Defence Ministry, will discuss procurement proposals relating to the three Services, DRDO and the Coast Guard.
The DAC will also discuss the Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) and changes in the offsets policy under the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), they said.
The LTIPP will list all the requirements of the armed forces for the next 15 years and will help in enabling the private defence sector players to prepare them to meet the requirements of the armed forces.
The offsets policy, which mandates at least 30% worth of defence contracts above Rs 300 crore to be invested back into the country, will also come up for discussion at the meeting.
The last DAC had also discussed the issue but due to disagreements over certain issues, it was postponed for the next meeting.
The meeting was held to discuss the capital acquisition projects of the Army which will be attended by Gen Singh along with the top brass of the Defence Ministry, Ministry officials said.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of the Army Chief's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he had raised issues about lack of ammunition for the tank fleet and obsolescence of the air defence system of the Army.
The leakage of the letter in the media had triggered a controversy and the CBI is looking into the matter.
A separate meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council will also be chaired by Antony. It will be attended by the Army Chief as also Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne.
The DAC, the apex body of the Defence Ministry, will discuss procurement proposals relating to the three Services, DRDO and the Coast Guard.
The DAC will also discuss the Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) and changes in the offsets policy under the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), they said.
The LTIPP will list all the requirements of the armed forces for the next 15 years and will help in enabling the private defence sector players to prepare them to meet the requirements of the armed forces.
The offsets policy, which mandates at least 30% worth of defence contracts above Rs 300 crore to be invested back into the country, will also come up for discussion at the meeting.
The last DAC had also discussed the issue but due to disagreements over certain issues, it was postponed for the next meeting.
Source- The Hindustan Times
Second wind
They are back again, and like creaking terminators, to borrow Rahul Dravid's words from the Bradman oration. Over the last couple of seasons, you might have thought many times that you had seen the last of them. But the 'oldies' are not ready yet to give up on the fun and games that the IPL is.
That they could beat younger men in their own game was proved in the first edition. A genius, who goes around by the name of Shane Warne, rose like a phoenix from the ashes of retirement and led a bunch of no-hopers to the IPL triumph, underlining the epithet, "The best captain Australia never had" in the process. Unfortunately, he won't be around this time, neither will his glamorous actress girlfriend Liz Hurley. For many, that's going to make Warne's absence even more conspicuous and poignant!
Nevertheless, Adam Gilchrist, pushing 41, Muttiah Muralitharan, touching 40, and India's own troika of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, all closing in on 40, are set to strut their stuff one more time.
They may not have someone like Hurley in tow, won't be adventurous enough to take a swig of beer during the match or practice with a cigarette in hand, or have the impetuosity to brawl with powerful officials, but they all can play as well as that maverick Australian. So cheer up, that's no small consolation
Nevertheless, Adam Gilchrist, pushing 41, Muttiah Muralitharan, touching 40, and India's own troika of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, all closing in on 40, are set to strut their stuff one more time.
They may not have someone like Hurley in tow, won't be adventurous enough to take a swig of beer during the match or practice with a cigarette in hand, or have the impetuosity to brawl with powerful officials, but they all can play as well as that maverick Australian. So cheer up, that's no small consolation
It is impossible to emulate Gayle: Virat Kohli
Chris Gayle is considered as one of the hardest hitting openers of the game and India vice-captain Virat Kohli feels that it's difficult to emulate the West Indian because matching his exploits is almost impossible. "I understand that it's better to play to your own strengths rather than emulating someone like Chris because matching him is almost impossible. Only he can bat like that," said Kohli."Chris Gayle is the the hardest hitter of the cricket ball in the world," he added.
Kohli, who shares the dressing room with Gayle as a part of the IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, however admitted that batting with the talismanic opener could be extremely intimidating.
"The most difficult thing is to keep yourself safe!," he said jokingly.
"On a serious note, batting with someone like Gayle can be very intimidating. When you see him batting like that at the other end, you might get bogged down with the pressure of coping with his strike-rate.
"It also works the other way. You don't need to worry about the scoring rate because he's doing all the hitting at the other end. You only have to ensure the wickets are intact," Kohli told IPL's official website.
Kohli, who had also led the Royal Challengers in the last edition of the IPL in the absence of injured skipper Daniel Vettori, said leading the team was "a fun experience".
"I was a bit nervous in the beginning. But once I took the field and started to think as a captain, I was fine. I was very well-supported by everyone in the team in terms of what I planned and what fields I wanted to set. That made me pretty relaxed. It was a fun experience for me," he revealed.
Kohli, who shares the dressing room with Gayle as a part of the IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, however admitted that batting with the talismanic opener could be extremely intimidating.
"The most difficult thing is to keep yourself safe!," he said jokingly.
"On a serious note, batting with someone like Gayle can be very intimidating. When you see him batting like that at the other end, you might get bogged down with the pressure of coping with his strike-rate.
"It also works the other way. You don't need to worry about the scoring rate because he's doing all the hitting at the other end. You only have to ensure the wickets are intact," Kohli told IPL's official website.
Kohli, who had also led the Royal Challengers in the last edition of the IPL in the absence of injured skipper Daniel Vettori, said leading the team was "a fun experience".
"I was a bit nervous in the beginning. But once I took the field and started to think as a captain, I was fine. I was very well-supported by everyone in the team in terms of what I planned and what fields I wanted to set. That made me pretty relaxed. It was a fun experience for me," he revealed.
Source.--The Hindustan Times.
Deccan Chargers sign up Emirates as team sponsor
Hyderabad-based IPL franchisee Deccan Chargers on Wednesday announced that international airline Emirates will be the Team sponsor for a three-year period starting from its opening match of this season against Chennai Superkings in Vizag on April 7.
Emirates will have its logo on
the team's apparel, in stadia branding, on premium hospitality and match tickets, on official merchandise, and will also get access to Deccan Chargers players.
Deccan Chargers co-owner Gayatri Reddy said, "We are proud to have Emirates as our Team sponsor for the next three seasons of IPL. With an exciting new squad and sponsor, we look forward to the tournament and are confident of repeating our winning performance in IPL 2012."
Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Emirates vice president (India and Nepal) Orhan Abbas said: "India is a vital market for us and through this sponsorship we have chance to connect with the people in the next three years and get very close to our customers."
Emirates will have its logo on
the team's apparel, in stadia branding, on premium hospitality and match tickets, on official merchandise, and will also get access to Deccan Chargers players.
Deccan Chargers co-owner Gayatri Reddy said, "We are proud to have Emirates as our Team sponsor for the next three seasons of IPL. With an exciting new squad and sponsor, we look forward to the tournament and are confident of repeating our winning performance in IPL 2012."
Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Emirates vice president (India and Nepal) Orhan Abbas said: "India is a vital market for us and through this sponsorship we have chance to connect with the people in the next three years and get very close to our customers."
BCCI directive for IPL opening ceremony a throwback to Modi days
“Accredited photographers and camerapersons will not be permitted to carry and use their equipment inside the venue.” When this was mentioned in the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI's) media statement detailing arrangements for Tuesday's opening ceremony of the Indian Premier
League in Chennai, the first impression it gave was whether the BCCI/IPL organisers were playing a Fools' Day prank on journalists.
Money matters
However, as it panned out, the IPL authorities were serious about setting the conditions. And in many ways, the IPL/ BCCI bigwigs had little say in the decision, since it was the event managers (Wizcraft) who had sold the photography rights exclusively to an agency.
With the IPL being a private event, they can justify the decision to allot entry to the media. Since the statement also clarifies that 'limited' photographs will be allowed to be downloaded by every media house, even the fans will be deprived of reliving the opening ceremony in the papers the day after.
But this also means that if there is a goof-up during the gala night, fans will not be able to see those pictures the day after. After all, the organisers will choose what to put out in public domain.
The vindictive attitude of the organisers is reminiscent of the days of former IPL chairman, Lalit Modi, whose strict media coverage restrictions had created a furore ahead of the first two IPL seasons.
Modi learnt his lesson the hard way that you 'discount media at your own peril'. We hope the current regime is wiser by the experience. Access or no access, if there's a goof-up, there would be no escape from the preying eyes of the media.
League in Chennai, the first impression it gave was whether the BCCI/IPL organisers were playing a Fools' Day prank on journalists.
Money matters
However, as it panned out, the IPL authorities were serious about setting the conditions. And in many ways, the IPL/ BCCI bigwigs had little say in the decision, since it was the event managers (Wizcraft) who had sold the photography rights exclusively to an agency.
With the IPL being a private event, they can justify the decision to allot entry to the media. Since the statement also clarifies that 'limited' photographs will be allowed to be downloaded by every media house, even the fans will be deprived of reliving the opening ceremony in the papers the day after.
But this also means that if there is a goof-up during the gala night, fans will not be able to see those pictures the day after. After all, the organisers will choose what to put out in public domain.
The vindictive attitude of the organisers is reminiscent of the days of former IPL chairman, Lalit Modi, whose strict media coverage restrictions had created a furore ahead of the first two IPL seasons.
Modi learnt his lesson the hard way that you 'discount media at your own peril'. We hope the current regime is wiser by the experience. Access or no access, if there's a goof-up, there would be no escape from the preying eyes of the media.
Source-The Hindustan Times
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