Turkey vs Croatia

Turkey triumph in Vienna shoot-out

Turkey 4:2 Croatia
Turkey (1-3) win on penalties

Turkey made it through to their first UEFA European Championship semi-final at Croatia's expense after a thrilling match in Vienna was decided on penalties after the two sides had swapped goals in the final moments of extra time.
Sensational comeback
When Ivan Klasnić headed in Luka Modrić's cross with a minute of the overtime period to play, Croatia looked to have booked their place in Wednesday's semi-final against Germany. However, for the third game running, Turkey sensationally hit back at the death to force the first shoot-out of these finals when Semih Şentürk drove in, with the aid of a deflection, from just inside the area. They went on to win 3-1 on penalties after Rüştü Reçber saved Mladen Petrić's kick following earlier misses from Modrić and Ivan Rakitić. Turkey coach Fatih Terim, though, will struggle to get a team together to play Germany with Emre Aşık, Tuncay Şanlı and Arda Turan all suspended along with Volkan Demirel after being booked here.

Nervy start
Terim, without the banned Volkan Demirel and Mehmet Aurélio and with injuries also taking their toll, made four changes from the side that defeated the Czech Republic dramatically to reach the quarter-finals. The 35-year-old Rüştü, who had played against Croatia coach Slaven Bilić at EURO '96™, started in goal, while Bilić reverted to the team that had beaten Germany en route to topping Group B. With so much at stake, both sets of players made nervy starts. On five minutes Turkey right-back Sabri Sarıoğlu's misplaced pass allowed Rakitić to dart to the byline and he pulled the ball back for Darijo Srna whose shot was blocked by Hakan Balta. It was a portent of things to come as Croatia probed with success down both flanks with Terim's reshuffled back line struggling to cope with their slick passing.

Olić denied
For Turkey, Hamit Altıntop flashed an early effort wide and Robert Kovač bravely blocked his free-kick, but Bilić's men were soon in the ascendancy and should have gone ahead on 18 minutes. Croatia fans had descended on Vienna en masse during a baking hot day and they roared as one when Modrić raced clear on the right. His low centre singled out Ivica Olić who crashed a shot off the crossbar before Niko Kranjčar headed the rebound over. Just as against Austria, however, Croatia lost their way when it looked like they were ready to take a stranglehold on proceedings. Turkey began to enjoy more of the possession and though chances were few, Mehmet Topal drew a gasp from the crowd with a 30-metre drive that whistled just wide.

Rüştü saves
The traffic was soon flowing back towards Rüştü, with Croatia almost given a goal four minutes after the restart. Gökhan Zan's weak header let Olić in and the veteran goalkeeper had to race off his line to get a finger to the striker's headed attempt. Rüştü saved from Kranjčar moments later and then, on 70 minutes, Rakitić fired over after a neat one-two with Olić had given him a clear sight of goal inside the box. Knowing their side's propensity for late goals Turkey supporters grew in confidence as extra time loomed. But as the clocked ticked down Croatia again came close, Rüştü brilliantly tipping away Srna's curling free-kick on 83 minutes, then blocking from Olić.

Incredible climax
Having taken the match to added time, Turkey started to show more adventure. Stipe Pletikosa did well to parry after Emre Aşık had skipped through the Croatia defence and the goalkeeper was then grateful to see Tuncay's drive flash wide on 102 minutes. In an incredible climax, Klasnić would head Croatia in front in the final minute – Modrić capitalising on an error by Rüştü to provide the assist – only for Semih to hit back with the last kick of the game. His deflected strike flew past Pletikosa, leaving it to a shoot-out to finally tilt the balance in Turkey's favour.

sQuba, world's first swimming car!

Three decades ago James Bond (then enacted by British star Roger Moore) wowed the world with a car that could 'fly' under water in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.
Only, it was animation and not an actual scene.

But Frank M Rinderknecht, the 52-year-old automobile visionary and boss of Swiss automaker Rinspeed, has turned a dream into reality with his 'sQuba.'

Rinspeed sQuba is the most exciting thing at this year's Geneva Motor Show and is creating many a ripple.

sQuba is the world's first real submersible car that can 'move like a fish underwater'.
It can dive up to 32.8 feet (10 mt) below the surface of the water and can move at a sedate 1.8 miles per hour.

The sQuba has an open cockpit for 'safety reasons' (so that people can get out easily anytime in case of an emergency). The occupants of the car have to breathe compressed air through built-in scuba masks.

sQuba is an electric car that uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and 3 electric motors for propulsion. It is a zero-emission car as documented by the rotating license plate in the rear. It produces no exhaust emissions.

The 'sQuba's' filling station is the water reservoir.? It is no surprise that the vehicle features powerful yet energy-saving LED lighting technology.

The first car that could drive underwater was Quandt's Amphibicar, built in 1968. Only 3,878 were produced but many are still being driven on roads.
Then Gibbs Technologies came up with Gibbs Aquada in 2004 which Virgin boss Richard Branson used to break the speed record for crossing the English Channel.

However, the sQuba seems to be the most exciting of them all.

To drive on the roads, the sQuba 'relies on a stainless coil-over suspension from KW automotive and large Pirelli tires mounted on custom-made forged light-weight wheels from AEZ with 17- and 18-inch diameters.'

Technical data
Measurements
Length ----- 3'785 mm
Width ----- 1''940 mm
Height ----- 1'117 mm
Wheelbase ----- 2?300 mm
Track front ----- 1?470 mm
Track rear ----- 1?520 mm
Ground clearance ----- 130 mm
Empty weight ----- approx. 920kg
Performances
Top speed ----- > 120 km/h
Acceleration 0-80 km/h ----- 7.1 sec
Water speed ----- > 6 km/h
Under water speed ----- > 3 km/h
Dive depth ----- 10 m
Engines
Street ----- Electric
Power output ----- max. 54 kW at 4'500 /min
Torque ----- 160 NM at 1'500 /min
Water - Stern propellers ----- Electric
Power output ----- 2 x 800 W
Diving - bow jet drives ----- Electric
Power output ----- 2 x 3.6 kW Rotinor
Batteries ----- Lithium-Ionen
Voltage ----- 6 x 48 Volt
Propulsion
Power train ----- Rear wheel drive
Gearbox ----- R - N - F
Suspension
Chassis ----- Steel
Body panels ----- Carbon Nano Tubes
Seating capacity ----- 2
Front suspension ----- Double wishbone
Rear suspension ----- Double wishbone
Dampers/springs ----- KW automotive
Steering ----- Rack & pinion
Tyres
Front tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 205/40 R17
Front wheels ----- AEZ 7.5 x 17"
Rear tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 225/40 R18
Rear wheels ----- AEZ 8 x 18"
Miscellaneous
Air supply ----- 1 x 15 liter + 1 x 18 liter ScubaPro
Laser scanner ----- Ibeo
Lubricants ----- Motorex

India's most dependable cars

J D Power Asia Pacific 2008 has published its first India Vehicle Dependability Study, and named 8 of India's most dependable cars.

A car's overall dependability is based on the number of problems reported (by customers) per 100 vehicles (PP100) -- with lower scores indicating a lower rate of problem incidences and higher long-term vehicle quality. The 2008 India Vehicle
Dependability Study is based on evaluations from nearly 4,700 owners, who purchased a new vehicle between July 2004 and September 2005.
The study includes 33 vehicle models covering 12 nameplates and fielded from January to April 2008 in 20 cities across India. The study ranks vehicles within eight market segments: compact; premium compact; entry midsize; midsize; premium midsize; entry luxury; multi-utility/multi-purpose vehicles; and sport-utility vehicles.


Also read about world's first swimming car. Click here.

So find out which are India's 'most dependable cars'. . .

Maruti Suzuki Swift:
This hatchback 5-seater by Maruti Suzuki, which hit the Indian roads in 2005, is designed after the acclaimed Concept S car unveiled by Suzuki at the 2002 Paris Auto show. It is available in diesel and petrol versions.

The 1298 cc-engine petrol version has four varieties: Maruti Suzuki Swift LXi, Maruti Suzuki Swift VXi, Maruti Suzuki Swift VXi (ABS) and Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXi, whereas the 1248-cc engine diesel version of the car comes in three variants: Maruti Suzuki Swift VDi ABS, Maruti Suzuki Swift VDi and Maruti Suzuki Swift LDi.

The car is priced between Rs 4,29,280 and Rs 5,50,812 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Maruti Esteem:
Once known as the 'most dependable workhorse with a great engine' this midsize car's old chassis gradually became unpopular so that Maruti phased out the car to make space for a new sedan -- Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire.

Esteem had good quality interiors but lacked cabin space and used to come in petrol and diesel varieties. The Esteem's price varied between Rs 4,63,020 and Rs Rs 6,15,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, which has replaced Esteem, comes in petrol and diesel variants and are priced between Rs 4,88,683 and Rs 7,09,682 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Toyota Corolla:
Toyota started its operations in India by launching the Corolla which was the segment leader for a long time. A fine sedan, Toyota Corolla scaled the popularity chart across the world in no time. Toyota Corolla is also the world's largest selling car ever.

Corollas are currently manufactured in Japan, USA, UK, Canada, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, Philippines, Thailand, Venezuela, Pakistan and India.

The 1794 cc-engine car comes in six varieties and are priced between Rs 9,00,090 and Rs 12,20,830 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Toyota Innova:
The Toyota Innova is a medium multipurpose vehicle, which means the car is less than 4,600 mm (181.1 inches) in length as per the European system of size classification. The car was manufactured in Indonesia under supervision by Toyota Astra Motor since 2003.

In India, the car replaced Toyota Qualis. It comes in both petrol and diesel variants. A particular diesel version of the car Toyota Innova 2.5 E has recently been discontinued.

The 2494-cc engine car is priced reasonably between Rs 7,38,480 and Rs 10,70,740 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Hyundai Santro:
The Seoul-bsed Hyundai started it's India operations in 1998 with the launch of the Santro. It went on to become one of the largest selling cars in the country.

This 1086-cc engine 5-seater with either automated or manual transmissions, runs in petrol only and comes in four variants: Hyundai Santro Xing Non-AC, Hyundai Santro Xing GL, Hyundai

Santro Xing GLS and Hyundai Santro Xing GLS AT.

The car is reasonably priced between Rs 2,73,747 and Rs 4,09,489 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Honda City ZX:
The Honda City is a subcompact car manufactured by Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981 for the Asian market. The first Honda City was launched in 1981 as a three-door hatchback. Since then, the car has undergone several redesigns over the years.

Priced between Rs 7,13,000 and Rs 9,07,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai), this 5-seater with either automated or manual transmissions, runs in petrol only and comes in five variants: Honda City ZX EXi, Honda City ZX GXi, Honda City ZX CVT, Honda City ZX VTEC and Honda City ZX VTEC Plus.

Ford Endeavour:
The Ford Endeavour is another name for Ford Everest, a midsize sport utility vehicle sold in Asia, and the Bahamas.

This 2499-cc engine, 7 seater with manual transmission runs in diesel only and comes in three varieties -- Ford Endeavour TDCi 4x2 XLT, Ford Endeavour TDCi 4x2 XLT - Limited Edition and Ford Endeavour 3.0 Thunder+ 4x4.

The car is priced between Rs 15,54,903 and Rs 18,17,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Mercedes-Benz C-Class:
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is an executive car produced by the Mercedes Car Group division of Daimler AG. Introduced in 1993, the C-Class was the most affordable model in the Mercedes lineup until the 1997 arrival of the A-Class.

The C-Class is built at Mercedes-Benz factories in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany, as well as in DaimlerChrysler's factory in East London.

This 1796-cc engine 5 seater runs on petrol and comes in two variants: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 200 K MT (manual transmission) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class 200 K AT (automated transmission). The car's diesel variant comes with 2148 cc engine and is of two types: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 220 CDI MT (manual transmission) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class 220 CDI AT (automated transmission).

The car is priced between Rs 26,73,877 and Rs 30,76,555 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Skipping Breakfast: Read this before you do so.

A big breakfast can help shed the kilos

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. How often have you heard that statement? It comes at you from all directions -- at home, in the papers, on the Internet, everywhere. There have been countless studies on this very topic, researching just what value a healthy breakfast can add to your body, lifestyle, overall well-being etc. However, if you are still not entirely convinced maybe the findings of the latest study on the topic might motivate you to take the first meal of the day more seriously.

According to a study by American researcher Dr Daniela Jakubowicz, a big breakfast may be just the key to losing weight and keeping it off. According to a report on bbc.co.uk, the study followed the weight loss pattern of 96 obese women --one group of whom consumed half their daily calorie intake during breakfast and a second group that followed a low-carbohydrate diet that had almost equal calories at every meal.

The results showed that while initially the latter group showed better weight loss results, after eight months, the former continued to lose weight while the low-carb dieters gained a lot of the weight lost.

According to Dr Jakubowicz, a healthy serving of breakfast helps prevent hunger pangs through the day and also allows for a larger amount of fibre and fruit to be included in the meal.

Keeping the balance
Of course, it's not just that you eat but what you eat that counts. Mayoclinic.com suggests that a well-balanced breakfast -- one with protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre -- can keep hunger at bay for a longer time through the day and reduce the need for a big lunch or dinner.
Cereal, milk, boiled/poached eggs, a few slices of whole grain bread, fruit, peanut butter all make for a delicious breakfast without being too heavy on the calories.

Cut out the excuses
We all have them: I need my sleep, I don't have the time, there's too many things to do, I can't cook so early, I'm not hungry in the morning and on and on.

Whatever your excuse, remember, it's just one more reason you are choosing to lead a less healthy lifestyle. Get up 10 minutes earlier than you usually do and prepare yourself a bowl of cereal with a few slices of fruit mixed in. It will take you a few minutes but give you a great start to the day.

If you have been skipping meals for months or even years, chances are you don't feel hungry in the mornings, so start off small, suggests thedietchannel.com. A slice or two of toast with some butter or margarine, a small bowl of cereal, a bowl of fruit -- all healthy beginnings to a healthy habit!

India inflation to hit 13-yr high at 9.82 pct

India's annual inflation rate is expected to have jumped to 13-year highs near 10 percent in early June, powered by a fuel price rise, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.

The wholesale price index is forecast to have risen to 9.82 percent in the 12 months to June 7, which would be the highest since June 3, 1995, when annual inflation was at 9.89 percent.

The forecasts from 12 analysts ranged widely from 9.63 percent to 10.62 percent, and compared with an annual rise of 8.75 percent in the previous week.

Click here to see how India calculates inflation

Four economists in the poll estimated the data, due around noon (0630 GMT) on Friday, to come in at above 10 percent, its first double-digit reading since May 27, 1995.

It would be the 17th consecutive week that inflation rate has been above 5.5 percent, the central bank's target by the end of the fiscal year in March 2009.

India had raised state-set fuel prices by about 10 percent on June 4, and the central bank last week raised its key lending rate for the first time in more than a year to contain inflation expectations.

India's chief statistician, Pronab Sen, told Reuters on Tuesday that headline inflation would hit double digits sometime in the coming weeks and was likely to hover around 8 to 9 percent before declining in the last quarter of 2008.

The wholesale price index is more closely watched than the consumer price index (CPI) because it includes more products and is also published weekly. The CPI is released monthly.