2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sony Open Tennis
Playing in her first tournament as the world no. 1 at the Sony Open Tennis as the top seed she received a bye into the second round where she faced Italian Flavia Pennetta. Williams took the first set with a loss of one game; she come back from triple break point down twice and she was 2/10 in break point opportunities. The second set was won by Williams by the same score.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sony Open Tennis
Williams then took on Ayumi Morita, Morita took the first 3 games of the match, but Williams pegged back taking the next 7 games, Williams then broke Morita in the sixth game of the second set to take the match. In the fourth round, she faced Slovakian Dominika Cibulková, the match started with 2 breaks, Cibulková then took the next seven games from the fourth game, to take a set and break lead. Williams then took the next six games from, in the process winning the second set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sony Open Tennis
Williams then completed her comeback, winning the third by 2. Williams ended with 40–41 winners-unforced errors to her opponents 12–19 ratio. In the quarterfinals, Williams faced Li Na. Williams took the first set breaking Li in the sixth game of the match. In the second set Williams took a break lead but Li took the next five games and had a set point on the Williams serve, Williams saved the set point and took the next four games to force a tie-break, that went to Williams. In the semifinals, she faced fourth seed and defending champion Agnieszka Radwańska.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sony Open Tennis
Williams took the first set without dropping a game. In the second set Williams broke Radwańska in the third game to finally take the set and the match. She hit 40 winners and 21 unforced errors to Radwańska's 6 winners and 12 unforced errors. Williams made 12 aces including 5 in the third game of the second set. In the final Williams faced Maria Sharapova. Sharapova got the decisive break in the ninth game and serve the set out. This ended the 13 straight sets Williams had won over Sharapova and the first she had lost in 5 years.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sony Open Tennis
In the second set, Williams won the first two games before Sharapova reeled off three straight games herself. Being a break down Williams reeled off 10 straight games to win the match. Williams had a 34–29 winners-to-unforced errors ratio to Sharapova's 14–25. This win gave Williams the most titles at the tournament at six and most wins at the event at 61 and is tied with Agassi in both accolades. This win also meant that Williams has beaten Sharapova 11 straight times.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Family Circle Cup
Williams then played her first clay court tournament at the Family Circle Cup. She entered the event as the defending champion and as the first seed. Williams received a bye to go through the second round, where she faced Camila Giorgi. Williams won the first set with Giorgi breaking and winning serve only once. In the second set, Williams broke in the fifth game and ninth game of the match to advance. Williams made nine aces and no double faults, whereas her opponent made five aces to a dozen double faults.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Family Circle Cup
On the following day, she faced compatriot Mallory Burdette, the first set went on serve until Williams broke in the tenth game to take the set. Williams then got broken in the first game, but came back winning six of the last seven games to win. Later in the day Williams played her quarterfinal match, playing two singles match in the same for the first time in her career. Williams took on Lucie Šafářová in a rematch of last year's final. The match began with two breaks, Šafářová then broke in the fifth game and then consolidated the break.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Family Circle Cup
However, Williams came back winning 10 of the last 11 games to go through. In the semifinals Williams faced big sister Venus Williams in their 24 meeting and their first in more than three years, with their last match coming in the 2009 WTA Tour Championships Final. The first set went to Serena, with Serena breaking Venus thrice in the set, with she her herself getting broken once. In the second set, Serena broke Venus' serve in the first and seventh game to advance to the final.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Family Circle Cup
The match was the fewest games won by the losing foe with three in the all of the 24 meeting between the sisters. In the final, Williams faced Jelena Janković, whom she had led 5–4 in head-to-head. The first set, four games stayed on serve with Williams not dropping a point and Janković being pushed to deuce. However, things turned around as Janković broke Williams in the fifth and ninth game to take the set. The second set saw Williams rallied to take all of the six games to win it with a bagel. The third set went to Williams breaking Janković in the third and seventh game and served out the match in her third match point. Williams was 39–25 winners to unforced errors to Janković 21–23. This is Williams third Family Circle Cup and extends her 15-match winning streak at the event.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Mutua Madrid Open
Williams came into the Mutua Madrid Open as the defending champion. Williams began her defense against Yulia Putintseva. Putintseva broke Williams in the opening game; Williams then broke back in the sixth game. The opening set then went to a tie-break, with Williams winning it. In the second set, Williams broke serve four times, while getting broken once herself to win the second set with a breadstick to win the match. In the following round, Williams went against local Lourdes Domínguez Lino.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Mutua Madrid Open
Williams took an early lead in the first set and served for it in the seventh game just to be broken, but broke back to take the set. In the second set, they went toe-to-toe, where Williams sneaked ahead, breaking in the twelfth game to win the match. In the round of 16, Williams faced 13th seed Maria Kirilenko. Both held serves in the first six games, until Williams raced through, winning nine of the last ten games. Williams made 22 winners and 10 unforced errors to Kirilenko's 9 and 25.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Mutua Madrid Open
Williams lost 2 points on serve, both on the second serve, and made no unforced errors in the second set. In the last 8, Williams took on wild card Anabel Medina Garrigues; the first set went on serve until Williams broke in the eighth game and then served it out. In the second set, Medina Garrigues took advantage of an erratic Williams taking the second set in a bagel. Williams took the first two games of the final set just to see Medina Garrigues take the next four; however, Williams came back and won the set in the twelfth game.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Mutua Madrid Open
Williams made 39 winners to 48 unforced errors to Medina Garrigues' 19 and 18. In the semifinals, Williams faced Sara Errani. Errani broke twice in the third and seventh game just to see Williams break back right after. Williams then broke in a hard-fought game in the twelfth game to take the set. Williams then broke Errani in the fourth game and then in the eighth game to advance to the final. Williams made 47 winners to Errani's 8 and 39 unforced errors to Errani's 13.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Mutua Madrid Open
This marks Williams first red clay final since her triumph in the 2002 French Open. Williams faced 2nd-seed Maria Sharapova in the final, where the winner could take the number 1 ranking. Williams dominated the first set, winning the first four games and eventually closing it out in the seventh game. Sharapova then broke Williams in the opening game but Williams broke back in sixth game and then again in the tenth game to take the match. Williams made 18 winners and unforced errors, while Sharapova made 14 winners to 21 unforced errors. This is Williams' 50th career title and her first on the red clay since the 2002 French Open.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Williams came into the Internazionali BNL d'Italia with a 19-match winning streak and the top seed. She received a bye into the round of 16 and played British number 1 Laura Robson. The match began with Robson breaking Williams; however Williams won 6 of the next 7 games to take the set. Williams then broke serve twice to take a similar scoreline and advance. Williams was 13-11 winners-unforced errors to Robson 16–35. In the next round she took on Dominika Cibulková and dropped only a game in the match and made 40 winners to 16 unforced errors.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Internazionali BNL d'Italia
In the final 8, Williams faced Carla Suárez Navarro. Williams took control of the match losing only two games both in the first set. Williams made 26 winners to 14 unforced errors to the Spaniards 9 winners and 16 unforced errors. In the semifinals, Williams went against surprise semifinalist in qualifier Simona Halep. Halep took an early break in the third game, however Williams came back winning 11 of the last 12 games, including a bagel in the second set to win the match. Williams made 24 winners and 20 unforced errors to Halep's 3 and 17.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, Internazionali BNL d'Italia
In the final she faced Victoria Azarenka in a rematch of the Doha final. Williams took the first three games before Azarenka could take a game breaking Williams' serve in the fourth game, Williams then took the next three to win the set. The pair then traded three breaks of serve from the sixth game, before Williams could serve it out in the ninth game and revenge her loss. Williams hit 41 winners and 19 unforced errors in the match along with 8 aces. The win extends Williams longest winning streak in her career to 24.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Williams came into the French Open as the favorite, having not lost a match on clay and riding on a 24 match winning streak. Williams also was the top seed and world no. 1 and will come out of the event as the world no. 1 whatever the result of the tournament is. In her opening match, she went up against Anna Tatishvili, where Williams rallied through to win the first nine games dropping only a point on serve before Tatishvili could get a game. Williams then won the remaining three games to advance.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
In the next round, Williams faced wildcard Caroline Garcia. Williams won the first five games and finished it off the set in the seventh game and then broke twice in the second to take the match. Williams made 27 winners and 9 unforced errors to her opponents 14 a piece. In the third round, Williams took on Sorana Cîrstea. Williams took the first set in a bagel, the second set went on serve until the fifth game, where Williams won the last four games. Williams was 13–16 on winners and unforced errors.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
In the round of 16, Williams went against the no. 1 doubles player Roberta Vinci, Williams took the first set, dropping only a game. The second set went on serve until Williams broke in the eighth game and closed it out in the next game to win in straight sets. In the quarterfinals, Williams faced former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. In the first set, Williams cruised through the set dropping only a game with the aid of 15 winners. However, in the second set, Kuznetsova won the first four games.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Kuznetsova then served for the set in the ninth game and was up 40–0, however Williams squandered four break points in the game to bring it to a deciding set. Kuznetsova hit 11 winners to Williams' 8, while hitting the same number of unforced errors. Kuznetsova then broke early and had a chance to take a second break in the 3rd game, however Williams saved three break points to hold. Williams then won 5 of the last 6 game to advance to her first French Open semifinal since 2003. In the semifinals, Williams faced last years runner-up Sara Errani.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Williams stormed through the first 9 games before Errani could get her only game of the match. Williams then served it out in the seventh game in a 46-minute white wash, dropping only 5 points on serve. Williams hit 40 winners to her opponents 2 and 15 unforced errors to Errani's 3. Chris Evert described this as the finest female performance on clay she had ever seen. Williams faced defending champion and number 2 seed Maria Sharapova in the final. Williams was broken in the second game, but won four of the next five games to gain the lead.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Sharapova then broke back in the eight game before Williams went on to break again to take the set in the tenth game. Williams proceeded to play well breaking Sharapova's serve in the second set before serving for the championship in the tenth game. In this service game, Williams fired 3 aces to win her second French Open title 11 years after her first. Williams hit 29 winners-21 unforced errors-10 aces-0 double faults to Sharapova's 10-17-2-4 in comparison. The win improved Williams' win-streak to a career-longest 31 matches. She became the fourth woman in the Open era after Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf to win each Grand Slam title twice or more.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Wimbledon
Williams came into Wimbledon as the heavy favorite to win her sixth Wimbledon title, being on a 31-match winning streak, number 1 seed, and defending champion. Williams opened her campaign for her 17th slam against Mandy Minella. Williams stormed through the first set dropping only a game and not dropping a point on serve. Minella then came back, winning the first two games of the second set, just to see Williams reel off six of the last seven games to win.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Wimbledon
In the next round, she took on youngster Caroline Garcia, Williams took the first set by breaking Garcia in the ninth game, then took the second set taking the last four games from 2-all. In the round of 32, Williams faced Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm. Williams served for the first set in the seventh game, just to get broken. But Williams came back to take the next seven games to win in two sets. In the last 16, Williams had German Sabine Lisicki in her path.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Wimbledon
Lisicki took the first set at ease dropping only two games as Williams fired back in the second set dropping only a game. Williams then took a 3–0 lead then a 4–2 lead, however Williams got passive, wasting four break points in the 8th game as Lisicki took initiative and took four games in a row to win 6–4 in the third, ending Williams's 34-match winning streak, the longest in her career.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Wimbledon, Collector Swedish Open
After her Wimbledon Loss, Williams came back to clay and played the Collector Swedish Open. Williams played her opening match against Sesil Karatantcheva. Williams won the match with ease dropping only three games in just 64 minutes. In her second round match, Williams took on Anna Tatishvili, Williams cruised to victory in straight sets with help from her seven aces. Williams then faced Spaniard Lourdes Domínguez Lino, demolishing her opponent, Williams won in a double breadstick scoreline. In the final four, Williams had Klára Zakopalová on the other side of the net.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Wimbledon, Collector Swedish Open
Williams dominated the opening, proceeding to take the first 8 games of the match. Zakopalová came back and broke Williams to get on serve up to the 8th game; however, Williams took the last 2 games to reach the final. In the final, Williams took on local Johanna Larsson. Larsson took an early break lead, breaking Williams in the 4th game, just to see Williams reel in 11 of the next 13 games to win the title. This is Williams' first title that is below a premier level. This also marks Williams being undefeated on clay in 2013 having a 28–0 record.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Rogers Cup
Williams' began her US Open campaign at the 2013 Rogers Cup in Toronto. Williams received a bye in the first round and faced Francesca Schiavone. Schiavone broke in the fifth game; however, Williams came back and won seven games in a row to take a set and double break lead. Schiavone then took two games just to see Williams take the next two and win the match. In the third round, Williams faced Venus' conqueror Kirsten Flipkens. Williams dominated the first set with a bagel.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Rogers Cup
In the second set, Williams broke in the fourth game and it was enough to take the set and advance. In the quarterfinals, Williams defeated Slovakian Magdaléna Rybáriková, dropping only a game on each set, which was a hold and a break respectively. In the final 4, Williams took on Agnieszka Radwańska. In the first set, the pair traded breaks twice to push it to a tiebreak, which Williams won. In the second set, Radwańska took an early break lead, however Williams then broke Radwańska twice to win the match. Williams then took on surprise finalist Sorana Cîrstea; Williams took the first three games, just to see Cîrstea take the next two, however Williams raced through winning the last nine games to win the title. This is Williams' eight title of the year matching her most titles in a year.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Western & Southern Open
After a successful campaign at the Roger's Cup in Toronto, Williams played in the 2013 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Although she came in as the clear favorite, Williams had never won the tournament before. Along with the other top 8 seeds, she received a first round bye and went on to face Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in the second round. Bouchard broke in the first game, they then traded breaks in the fourth and fifth game. Bouchard then held with a break lead in the tenth game to take the set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Western & Southern Open
Williams then broke in the fourth and eight game to push it to a decider. In the third set, Williams took the first four games, before Bouchard could take two straight games to see Williams win the next two to advance. Williams then took on German Mona Barthel. Williams broke in the second game, just to be broken serving for the set in the ninth game, however Williams broke to take the set. Williams then won the first five games before Barthel could win a game; Williams then closed it out to win.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Western & Southern Open
In the quarterfinals, Williams faced Simona Halep and took the first set with a bagel. The second set was closer; the pair traded breaks in the fourth and fifth game before Williams could break in the tenth game to win the match. Williams then went against China's Li Na and won in straight sets. The two sets had similar situations as Williams took a 4–2 lead in both; Li served for both in the tenth game just to get broken by Williams and then again in the twelfth game of each set to reach her first Cincinnati final.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, Western & Southern Open
The final saw the top two seeds, Williams and Azarenka, take to the court for the title. After a dominant display by Williams and an error plagued game from Azarenka, Williams took the first set with a two break lead. A revitalised Azarenka began to take charge and the errors started creeping into Williams game, Azarenka then took the second set with a similar scoreline. Azarenka led by an early break in the final set, just to see Williams come back and serve for it in the tenth game only to get broken and lead to a tie-break, which Azarenka took 8 points to 6. This broke Williams' 14 match winning streak.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
After her disappointing loss to Azarenka in Cincinnati, Serena entered the 2013 US Open as the top seed, the defending champion, and bidding to become the oldest woman to win the U.S. Open since tennis turned professional in 1968. She beat former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the opening round, dropping only a game and hitting 13 winners to 8 unforced errors. In the second and third rounds, Williams easily dispatched Kazakhstan opponents, Galina Voskoboeva and Yaroslava Shvedova.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
In the Round of 16, Williams had a rematch of the Australian Open against Sloane Stephens, who surprisingly beat Williams in that event. In the first set, Williams broke first only to get broken back by Stephens in the 7th game. Williams then broke in the tenth game to take the set and cruised through the second set in a breadstick to avenge her loss at the Australian Open. Williams put up a ratio of 22 winners to 13 unforced errors. She then faced Carla Suárez Navarro, in the latter's birthday.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
Williams didn't drop a game, handing the Spaniard a double bagel loss; the first in a US Open since 1989, when 18-time major title winner Martina Navratilova did it to Manuela Maleeva. She again had a good ratio, with 20 winners to 9 unforced errors. In the final 4, Williams faced 5th seeded Li Na of China. Williams cruised past the Chinese with a bagel in the first round. Li then took an early break in the second, but Williams won four straight games.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
Li then served to stay in the match in the 7th game and saved 6 match points to make Williams serve it out, which Williams did in her 7th match point. For the first time in the event, Williams made more unforced errors of 20 to winners of 19. In the final, Williams took on second seed Victoria Azarenka in a rematch of last year's final. The pair exchanged breaks in the first two games. Williams then survived a long tenth game and broke the Belarusian the following game, then served out the set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
In the second set, Williams served for the match twice in the tenth and twelfth game, but got broken by Azarenka to push it to a tie-break, which Azarenka outlasted Williams 8–6. Williams then cruised through the final set dropping only a game, winning the match on her 2nd championship point. Williams made 36 winners and 9 aces to 35 unforced errors and 5 double faults. This was Williams' 5th US Open and 17th Slam title.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
It was the first time Serena was able to defend a US Open title while also becoming the oldest women's US Open champion in the Open Era, surpassing the previous record set by Australia's Margaret Court. For winning the US Open Series, Williams received $2.6m and an additional million in prize money, the highest single paycheck in tennis.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
In the doubles competition, Serena paired with sister Venus for the second time in the year. They opened their US Open against the Spanish pairing of Silvia Soler Espinosa and Carla Suárez Navarro. They lost the first set in a tie-break but they dominated the next two sets, dropping just three games, with a bagel in the second. They then competed against compatriots, Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears, and won both sets. Next, they played Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Šafářová, and quickly dominated the first set with a breadstick.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, US Open Series, US Open
In the second set, they served for the match in the tenth game but got broken and were pushed to a tie-break, which they won. In the quarterfinals, they took on world no. 1's Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, and dominated them in straight sets. In the semifinals, the sisters faced the Czech pairing of Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká, and were surprisingly beaten in straight sets.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, China Open
Williams came into the China Open as the top seed and was assured to end the year at number 1. Williams began her quest for her 10th title against Elena Vesnina in the first round. The first set saw Vesnina breaking Williams twice; However, Williams broke the Russian three times to take the set. Williams then won the last five games to advance. In the second round, Williams took on Francesca Schiavone, in a rematch of the US Open first round where Williams only dropped a game.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, China Open
In the first set, it remained on serve until the tenth game when Williams broke Schiavone to take the set. In the second set, Schiavone served for it in the ninth game and had 2 set points but Williams broke and took the next three games to win the set and match. Williams then faced Maria Kirilenko in the round of 16 and defeated her Russian opponent in two very tight sets, with Williams winning both sets by breaking Kirilenko in the twelfth game. In the quarterfinals, Williams went against Caroline Wozniacki.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, China Open
Williams won 10 of the first 11 games in the process, taking the first set. However, Wozniacki came back winning three games in a row to keep it just a break down. Williams kept the break lead and won the second set. In the semifinals, she took on 3rd seed Agnieszka Radwańska and won in straight sets; breaking Radwańska twice on each set and facing only 1 break point in the last game and saving it. Williams then faced Jelena Janković in the final. In the first set, Williams broke Janković twice to take the set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, China Open
In the second set, Janković broke in the third game, but took a medical timeout right after and lost the last five games to give Williams the title. This was Williams' 10th title of the year and her first China Open title since winning the first edition of the event in 2004.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, WTA Championships
Williams came into the Year-End Championships being assured to end the year at no. 1 and in a 10 match winning streak having won it in 2012 and 2009, while missing the 2010 and 2011 editions. She was grouped alongside Agnieszka Radwańska, Petra Kvitová, and Angelique Kerber in the red group. Her first match was against German Kerber. Williams broke at the 3rd game of the first set and held serve in the entire set to take the first. Williams then won the second set with a breadstick. Williams made 31 winners and 11 unforced errors in the match.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, WTA Championships
In her second match in her group, Williams faced Pole Radwańska. Williams broke Radwańska to wrap up both sets in the eight and tenth game respectively to go 2–0 in her group. In her final round robin match, she took on Czech Kvitová. Williams fend off break points in the opening game and then broke Kvitová in the second and eight game to take a set lead and assured her a spot in the semifinals. The second set was tighter, Williams broke Kvitová in the fourth game and that was enough to win the set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, WTA Championships
Williams hit 11 aces in the match. After finishing first in her group, Williams took on Jelena Janković in the semifinals. Janković took the initial lead breaking Williams in the fourth game, but Williams came back breaking the Serbian in the fifth and seventh game, and held in the tenth game to take the first set. In the second set, Janković broke the American three times, whilst getting broken once to take the set breaking Williams in the eight game, this is the first set Williams lost in 11 consecutive straight set wins at the event.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, WTA Championships
In the deciding set, the first 3 games were breaks of serve, Williams then broke against in the fifth game. Williams served for it for the first time at the eight game but was broken, however, she closed it out serving it out in the tenth game in her 4th match point and saving a break point. Williams hit an even 40 winners and 40 unforced errors. In the final, Williams took on first time finalist and fourth seed Li Na. Li dominated the first set breaking Williams twice to take the set.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Asian Swing and Year-End Championships, WTA Championships
Williams took a quick lead in the second set taking the first three games, however Li came back winning the next three. However Williams dominated winning the final nine games, to take the sets at three and love to claim her fourth Year End Championships title and 11th title in the year. She also extends her winning streak at 15 at the event.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Year in detail, Fed Cup
While she didn't play in the United States' first round match against Italy, Williams represented United States in the Fed Cup against Sweden for a spot in the 2014 World Group. In her opening rubber, she faced Johanna Larsson and dominated her opponent winning both set with a loss of only two games in each in just 66 minutes. In her second rubber, Williams took on Sofia Arvidsson and just needed 56 minutes to a straight set victory to give United States a 2–1 advantage, which her sister Venus closed out when she beat Larsson to help US advance to the World Group.


2013 Serena Williams tennis season, Yearly records, Head-to-head matchups
Ordered by percentage of wins, as of WTA Tour Championships


2013 Serendra explosion
The 2013 Serendra explosion was an explosion that occurred in the Two Serendra condominium complex occurred in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. The explosion killed at least 3 people, and another 5 were injured in the area.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas confirmed that only three persons were killed and five were injured in Friday night's Two Serendra blast that rocked the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), in Makati last Friday. The Office of the Civil Defense, meanwhile, apologized for releasing wrong information on the number of fatalities from the condo blast. It earlier said that six people died in the explosion. The fatalities were identified as Salimar Natividad, driver of the Abenson delivery van along with two crew members Jeffrey Umali and Marlon Bandiola. Roxas said.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The victims' closed van was crushed by a concrete wall that was blown off the Unit 501 of Two Serendra as they were passing by McKinley Parkway road. It then collided with a Hyundai Starex van driven by Orlando Agravante, who was unhurt. The explosion which happened at about 8 p.m. also injured Angelito San Juan, tenant of unit 501 of Two Serendra, who suffered burns. He was brought to the intensive care unit of the St. Luke's Medical Center, in BGC.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The other injured victims were identified as Allen Poole, an American and tenant of unit 683 who suffered cuts from shattered glass, and three passersby identified as Louise Lorenzo, a 9-year-old girl; Janice Nicole Bonjoc; and 19-year-old Joy Garcia. Although bomb-sniffing dogs from the police and the Philippine Army did not detect any bomb residues from Unit 501, Roxas said they are not ruling out a possible bomb attack. Roxas said that the K9 dogs deployed never even barked nor stayed in a spot. He said that based on investigations, the explosion generated a fire that traveled between the floor levels of the condominium building. A used fire extinguisher was earlier found at unit 506.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The condo unit owner and the building's developer may be liable for negligence that resulted in a gas leak that led to the May 31 deadly explosion at Two Serendra condominium in Taguig, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said Thursday. Citing the findings of the inter-agency task force and foreign experts that looked into the incident, Roxas said the leak in Unit 501-B was caused by the "unauthorized movement of the gas range (which) caused a detachment of the gas supply hose." The explosion occurred when the leak was ignited by a light switch, he said.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The tenant, one of four people who died as a result of the blast, was not alerted of the leakage because the "vaporized" LPG used in Serendra's pipeline system was odorless, Roxas added. That attitude of the Ayala Land developer and the cooking-gas supplier led to the blast that killed four people at the residential block Two Serendra in Taguig on May 31, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said on Thursday.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The Ayala-owned Serendra Inc., in a statement issued Thursday, said that it had taken note of the findings of the interagency task force that investigated the explosion and that it remained “confident that government regulations and standards have been complied within the design and operation of Serendra.” Serendra Inc. promised to work with the government for the improvement of those standards and adhere to any changes in regulations. “Once again, we wish to express our regret over the incident.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The conclusion of the IATF investigation will allow us to expedite the conduct of repairs and restoration of the damaged building so the affected residents can return to their units as the soonest possible time,” the company said. An explosion ripped through an apartment on the fifth floor of Two Serendra at 8:30 p.m. on May 31, blowing off an entire wall and sending it flying across the road below. The wall crashed on a passing delivery van of a prominent chain of appliance stores, killing the vehicle’s three occupants.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Five others, including an American and a 9-year-old child, were injured. Angelito San Juan, the renter of the apartment who was vacationing from the United States, suffered serious burns and died in hospital a month later. The government investigation by the task force, led by Roxas, began on June 1. to continue, especially in this kind of sensitive matter [involving] the vaporized distribution system of gas,” Roxas said, as he presented the final findings of the task force at a news conference in Camp Crame on Thursday.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Roxas reiterated the previous finding of the task force that the blast that destroyed Unit 501-B in Two Serendra was not caused by a bomb, but by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that leaked from the main gas supply line of the building. Justice for victims Roxas said the task force identified the possible liabilities in the explosion of Makati Development Corp. (MDC), the property developer of Two Serendra, and Bonifacio Gas Corp. (BGC), the supplier of LPG to the building. Both companies belong to the Ayala Corporation.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Also facing possible charges are the owner and caretaker of Unit 501-B, officials of RM Larido Construction Services, which renovated the apartment, and Two Serendra Inc. Gas range moved Citing the final task force report, Roxas said investigators discovered that the workers of RM Larido Construction Services, with the consent of the owner, Marianne Cayton-Castillo, moved the gas range in Unit 501-B by 22.9 centimeters from its original position when they renovated the apartment. Roxas said the paint drippings on the hose of the gas range, which connects it to the main gas line, showed that the hose was lying on the floor when the explosion happened.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The investigators also noted that the steel clamp used to lock the hose connected to the gas range’s nozzle was found far from where it should be, which meant that the workers did not properly refit the hose, “This is the proximate cause of the gas leak. We found out that the workers were not authorized to move the gas range. It was not part of the approved renovation works,” he said. He said three employees of the construction firm admitted that they moved the gas range, even if it was not part of the renovation program.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
The accumulated gas fumes inside the room was ignited when the light switch was turned on, he added. Safety gadgets failed the explosion could have been prevented had the gas leak detector and automatic shutoff valve of the gas range, and the separate LPG leak detector gadget of the building functioned properly.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
“But the gas leak detector and the automatic shutoff valve are connected to the main electrical line of the gas range, which was unplugged at the time of the incident,” the building’s only gas leak detector did not activate after a power outage in the area hours before the blast. Roxas said he had briefed the President on the final report of the task force, which would be submitted to the Department of Justice, Department of Energy, Department of Public Works and Highways and other governmental agencies.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Foreign experts The government, Roxas said, sought the help of New York-based Kroll, Inc. Advisory Solutions, headed by certified fire investigator James William Munday, for an independent investigation of the blast. the government paid $67,500, or about P3 million, to Kroll, which had investigated similar blasts in other parts of the country. He said it would be up to the justice department to determine if the groups and individuals involved could be held liable for civil and criminal offenses.


2013 Serendra explosion, Overview
Asked why the task force did not recommend the filing of charges against MDC, BGC and the others, Roxas said: “This is the first time that something like this happened in our country and that’s why we focused on [the scientific investigation].” “If what happened and other contributing elements constitute legal liabilities, it’s better to let the lawyers determine them. If this was a brawl, stabbing or shooting incident, the police would know how to investigate it. But this is something more complex,” he said. Roxas added: “Our investigators were asked to ascertain facts based on science, not to include legal liabilities. That task belongs to the government prosecutors and the courts.”


2013 Setanta Sports Cup
The 2013 Setanta Sports Cup was the eighth staging of the annual all-Ireland football competition. It commenced on 11 February 2013 and ended on 11 May 2013 with the final played at the Tallaght Stadium, Dublin.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup
Crusaders were the defending champions, after they defeated Derry City 5–4 on penalties in the 2012 final, when the match ended 2–2 after extra time. However, this season they went out 4–1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals to Cork City. Shamrock Rovers were the eventual winners for the second time overall, following a comfortable 7–1 win over Drogheda United in the final. This season's competition was notable for the fact that all four semi-finalists represented the Republic of Ireland. It was also the sixth time in the eight competitions played thus far that the winner had been a League of Ireland club.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup, Qualifiers
The following clubs qualified to take part in this year's competition. The eight unseeded clubs entered in the first round, while the four seeded clubs entered in the quarter-finals.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup, First round
The first round draw was made on 6 December 2012. Four League of Ireland and four IFA Premiership clubs played each other in the first round over two games with the winners qualifying for the quarter-finals. The first legs were played on 11 February 2013 and the second legs were played on 18 February 2013.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup, Quarter-finals
The winners of the four first-round games joined the four seeded teams in the quarter-finals. The first legs were played on 26 February and 4 March, while the second legs were played on 4 and 11 March 2013.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup, Semi-finals
The first legs of the semi-finals will be played on 16 April and the second legs on 22 April.


2013 Setanta Sports Cup Final
The 2013 Setanta Sports Cup Final was the final match of the 2013 Setanta Sports Cup, an all-Ireland association football competition. The match took place on 11 May 2013 in Tallaght Stadium, home of one of the participating teams, Shamrock Rovers. Drogheda United were the other side to contest the final. Shamrock Rovers won the match 7–1 to win their first trophy under manager Trevor Croly.


2013 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
The 2013 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali was the 28th edition of the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali cycling stage race. It started on 20 March in Gatteo and ended on 24 March in Fiorano Modenese.


2013 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
The race was officially presented on 12 March 2013 in Sant'Angelo di Gatteo. It consisted of four full stages and two half-stages; the first stage, second half-stage (Stage 1b) was a particular team time trial in which each team was split into two separate mini-teams, with the final time taken on the third rider who crossed the finish line. This original time trial was won by Team Katusha.


2013 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
The race was won by Lampre–Merida's Italian rider Diego Ulissi, who took the leader's red jersey by winning the second stage. His teammate Damiano Cunego was second in the General classification, was the winner of the Points classification, as well as the third stage. Colombian rider Miguel Ángel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli–Venezuela) completed the podium. Alessandro Mazzi of Utensilnord Ora24.eu won the King of the Mountains classification, and Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Bardiani Valvole–CSF Inox) won the Young rider classification. Androni Giocattoli–Venezuela was first in the Teams classification.


2013 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali, Teams
25 teams were invited to take part in the race, including the ProTeams Lampre–Merida, Cannondale, Astana and Team Katusha. The 25 teams were:


2013 Seve Trophy
The 2013 Seve Trophy by Golf+, the eighth edition of the Seve Trophy, was played 3–6 October at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche in France. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Sam Torrance, while the captain for Continental Europe was José María Olazábal. The contest took place at the same time as the 2013 Presidents Cup, unlike 2009 and 2011 when it was scheduled during the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs. Continental Europe won the tournament by 15 to 13, their first victory since 2000.


2013 Seve Trophy, Format
The teams will compete over four days with five fourball matches on both Thursday and Friday, four foursomes matches on Saturday morning, a further four foursomes matches on Saturday afternoon and ten singles matches on Sunday. This means that a total of 28 points are available with 14½ points required for victory. This will be the first Seve Trophy without any greensome matches.


2013 Seve Trophy, Teams
The teams are made up of five leading players from the Official World Golf Ranking as of 23 September 2013 and five leading players (not otherwise qualified) from the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the Italian Open (22 September 2013). There were a number of players (listed after each table below) who qualified for the trophy, but pulled out.


2013 Seve Trophy, Teams
Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño was a late replacement for Peter Hanson who withdrew from the Continental Europe team with a back injury. Hanson had qualified as one of the leading 5 players in the World Rankings (world ranked 39). After his withdrawal his place amongst the World Rankings qualifiers was taken by Nicolas Colsaerts who had previously qualified through the Race to Dubai list. Colsaerts' place in the Race to Dubai list was taken by Fernández-Castaño.


2013 Seve Trophy, Teams
The following players qualified but did not play: Justin Rose (world ranking - 5), Rory McIlroy (6), Graeme McDowell (11), Luke Donald (15), Lee Westwood (18), Ian Poulter (20) and Martin Laird (59).


2013 Seve Trophy, Teams
The following players qualified but did not play: Henrik Stenson (world ranking - 4), Sergio García (17), Jonas Blixt (35) and Martin Kaymer (42).


2013 Seve Trophy, Sunday singles
Simon Khan had to pull out of the event through to injury. Under the rules of the event a half was agreed, while Thomas Bjørn sat out the singles.


2013 Shahbag protests
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2013 Shahbag protests
On 5 February 2013, protests began in Shahbag, Bangladesh following demands for capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and convicted on five of six counts of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Later demands included banning the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party from politics including election and a boycott of institutions supporting (or affiliated with) the party.


2013 Shahbag protests
Protesters considered Mollah's sentence too lenient, given his crimes. Bloggers and online activists called for additional protests at Shahbag and joined the demonstration.


2013 Shahbag protests
Ruling party Awami League supported the protests. However, main opposition party the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) initially expressed its support for Jamaat-e-Islami, a political ally. But, the BNP cautiously welcomed the Shahbag protest, while warning the government not to make political mileage from a movement demanding capital punishment for war criminals. A counter-protest, questioning the validity of the tribunal and the protest movement and demanding release of those accused and convicted, was called by Jamaat-e-Islami.


2013 Shahbag protests
During the protests, blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was killed outside his house. On 1 March, five students of North South University were arrested who 'confessed' involvement in Rajib's killing. From the killing of Haidar, his and his fellow bloggers' writing regarding prophet Muhammad made public by Amaar Desh. Therefore, against those bloggers Hefazat-e-Islam was formed.


2013 Shahbag protests
On 27 February 2013, the tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayeedi of war crimes and sentenced him to death. Jamaat followers protested and there were violent clashes with police. About 60 people were killed in the confrontations; most were Jamaat-Shibir activists, and others were police and civilians.


2013 Shahbag protests
The movement received considerable criticism in Bangladesh and abroad for encouraging the revival of fascism in the country by the use of slogans inciting violence, being politically motivated, forcing students of the University of Dhaka to join, blocking the road to hospitals, violating dead bodies, and so on.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context
In 1971 Bangladesh was the portion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan known as East Pakistan. In the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, East Pakistan fought West Pakistan for nine months. During this period the Indian Army which provided guerrilla training to Mukti Bahini, joined the war on 3 December 1971 in support of the liberation of East Pakistan. Armed conflict ended on 16 December 1971 through surrender of the Pakistani Armed Forces to the joint force of Bangladesh and India, resulting in the formation of the People's Republic of Bangladesh as an independent state.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context
According to the famous Blood telegram from the United States consulate in Dhaka (formerly known as 'Dacca') to the State Department, many atrocities had been committed by the Pakistan Army and its supporter Razakars and Al-Badar militia. Time reported a high-ranking US official as saying, "It is the most incredible, calculated killing since the days of the Nazis in Poland." Estimates are that one to three million people were killed, nearly a quarter of a million women were raped and more than ten million people fled to India to escape persecution.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context
A paramilitary force known as the Razakars was created by the May 1971 Razakar Ordinance promulgated by Tikka Khan, the governor of East Pakistan. The ordinance stipulated the creation of a volunteer force, trained and equipped by the provincial government. Razakar (Bengali: রাজাকার), originally meaning volunteer, became a derogatory term among Bangladeshis due to the widespread killings of civilians and atrocities committed by the paramilitary during the war.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context
The majority of East Pakistanis supported the call to create a free and independent Bangladesh during the Liberation War. However, Pakistani supporters and members of Islamic political parties, particularly Jamaat-e-islami(JIP) and its east Pakistan student wing Islami Chatra Sangha (ICS, Bengali: ইসলামী ছাত্র সঙ্ঘ, romanized: Islami Chhatro Shônggho), the Muslim League, the Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) Council and Nezam-e-Islami, collaborated with the Pakistani army to resist the formation of an independent Bangladesh. The students belonging to Islami Chatra Sangha were known as the Al-Badr force; people belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Muslim League, Nizam-e-Islami and similar groups were called Al-Shams, and the Urdu-speaking people (generally known as Bihari) were known as Al-Mujahid.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, After the Independence
After the independence, Bangladesh government locked up  many Rajakars and defenders of Pakistan. However, In November 1973 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman issued a general pardon for all people who opposed the independence and helped the Pakistani Army, and eventually  all prisoners were let go. However, Rahman banned all kinds of Islamic parties including the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Eventually the ban was lifted, and under  Ershad Jamaat-e-Islami participated in 1986 election. They got 10 seats with 4.6% vote. In the 1991 election, which was the first free and fair election after independence, Jamaat got 18 seats out of 300 and gained 12.2% of vote.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, After the Independence
Against Ghulam Azam who was Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Jahanara Imam organized the Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee (Committee for Eradicating the Killers and Collaborators of '71), and she become a public face. The committee called for the trial of people who committed crimes against humanity in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistani forces. The Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee set up mock trials in Dhaka on 26 March 1992 known as Gono Adalat (People's Court) and symbolically 'sentenced' persons they accused of being war criminals. Imam and others were reportedly charged with treason during the government of Bangladesh Nationalist party. In 1996 election, Jamaat's public support decreased and they got only 3 seats in that election.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, After the Independence
In 2001 Election, BNP with 3 others parties including Jamaat-e-Islami wins the election. Jamaat got 17 seats. From 2001 to 2003, Amir of Jamat-e-Islami Motiur Rahman Nizami served as the Minister of Agriculture, then as the Minister of Industry from 2003 to 2006. And general secretary of Jamaat Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed served the Ministry of Social Welfare between 2001 and 2006.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010
Since 2000, there has been growing demands in Bangladesh for justice related to war crimes committed during the 1971 struggle; the issue was central to the 2008 general election. The Awami League-led, 14-party Grand Alliance included this issue in its election manifesto. Its rival, four-party alliance (which included the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami) had several leaders alleged to have committed war crimes.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010
The Grand Alliance won the election (held on 29 December 2008) with a two-thirds majority, based in part on its promise to prosecute alleged war criminals. On 29 January 2009 the new Parliament unanimously passed a resolution to prosecute war criminals. The government intended to use the 1973 law: the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act. The government worked to amend the law, updating it and incorporating in it other nations' experience. The amendments provided the legal basis for the trial of individuals and political parties that had committed war crimes during Bangladesh liberation war. The government was empowered to appeal tribunal decisions.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010
On 25 March 2010, the Awami-led government announced the formation of a three-member tribunal, a seven-member investigation agency, and a twelve-member prosecution team to conduct the trials under the ICT Act 1973. The panel of three judges included Fazle Kabir and Zahir Ahmed, with Mohammed Nizamul Huq as chairman. Abdul Matin, Abdur Rahim, Kutubur Rahman, Shamsul Arefin, Mir Shahidul Islam, Nurul Islam and M. Abdur Razzak Khan were appointed to assist the state prosecutors. Golam Arif Tipu was named Chief Prosecutor. Others prosecutors were Syed Rezaur Rahman, Golam Hasnayen, Rana Das Gupta, Zahirul Huq, Nurul Islam Sujan, Syed Haider Ali, Khandaker Abdul Mannan, Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, Ziad Al-Malum, Sanjida Khanom and Sultan Mahmud Semon.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, Verdicts
A formal charge was filed by the prosecution against Abdul Quader Mollah on 18 December 2011. He was charged with:


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, Verdicts
On 5 February 2013, the ICT found Mollah guilty of crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the Alubdi and Ali killings and 15 years each for the Pallab, Meherunnesa and Taleb murders. The day before the verdict was announced, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (of which Mollah is a leader), announced a nationwide dawn-to-dusk general strike for 5 February in protest of their leader's conviction.


2013 Shahbag protests, Historical context, Verdicts
Many citizens (especially young people) were outraged that, given his crimes, Mollah was sentenced to life imprisonment rather than death. The verdict was criticised in social media, and a peaceful demonstration began at Shahbagh Square in Dhaka.


2013 Shahbag protests, Protesters' demands, Reading of oath
We swear an oath that the leadership of the mass of people from the Gonojagaran Mancha (National Awakening Stage) will continue the movement from Teknaf to Tetulia until capital punishment is handed down to those Razakar and Al-Badr members who committed crimes against humanity like mass killing and rape in 1971. We take the oath that we will remain vocal, both on the streets and online, until the politics of the war criminals, Jamaat and Shibir, is banned and the citizenship of their members cancelled.


2013 Shahbag protests, Protesters' demands, Reading of oath
We further take the oath that we will continue this demonstration and keep demanding trials, under a special tribunal, of those Razakars and Al-Badr activists who were convicted, and under trial, but freed after 1975. We swear that we will boycott the war criminals' business entities – Islami Bank, Ibn Sina, Focus, Retina and various other coaching centres. We know through these they collect money to continue with their anti-liberation activities. We will also boycott the academic and cultural organisations through which they are spreading anti-liberation sentiments among the children.


2013 Shahbag protests, Protesters' demands, Reading of oath
In brief, we will work for banning all the business, social and cultural organisations belonging to Razakars and Al-Badr activists. We swear that we will continue with our demand for stringent punishment of Jamaat and Shibir, who have committed crimes of sedition by threatening civil war, after making their immediate arrest by recognising them through video footage of news and newspaper pictures. We swear that we will boycott war criminals' mass media like Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, The Daily Sangram, Sonar Bangla Blog. We will not subscribe to the newspapers of the war criminals at any office or house. At the same time, we request the pro-liberation mass media to boycott the war criminals and their accomplices.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Origins
Protest began right after the verdict was announced. Student organisations started the protest immediately after the Judgement in the Shahbag square that was the actual call for people to gather in the Shahbag square within half an hour of the Judgement. It took half an hour to spread out the call for protest through different social media and later the satellite TV channels. BOAN and some other social and cultural organisations called for different programmes in the same venue who later worked together. Demonstrators gathered at Shahbag Circle; they painted murals on the road, drew cartoons, hanged effigies of war-crimes suspects and chanted slogans, with a vow to continue demonstrating until their demands were met.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Origins
On 7 February, demonstrations began at 8 am. Thousands of people gathered with banners, posters, Bangladeshi flags and placards in Shahbag with their demands. On Friday afternoon, a mass rally was held at Shahbag with an estimated attendance of more than 100,000.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Origins
On 12 February, protesters observed three minutes of silence at 4 pm at Shahbag and all across Bangladesh. In Dhaka, traffic was stopped as thousands of people took to the streets, formed human chains and stood in silence. A Bangladesh Premier League game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium halted for three minutes, as players and supporters observed the silence. Parliamentarians and the police also joined the protest. Bengali singer Kabir Suman wrote a song entitled "Tin Minit" ("Three Minutes") in honour of the silent protest.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Further developments
On 21 February, International Mother Language Day, the number of protesters reached a new high. Its leadership declared 26 March 2013, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, as the deadline for the government to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from politics.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Further developments
The government did not ban Jamaat-e-Islam from politics after the deadline was over. Seven protesters calling themselves the Shaheed Rumi Squad began a fast until death on 26 March at 10:30 pm in front of the National Museum, protesting "inadequate government action" to ban Jamaat in response to the Shahbagh protesters' ultimatum. The fasters said at a press briefing that they would send an open letter to Prime Minister Hasina during the 100th hour of their protests. More than 100 organisations expressed solidarity with the hunger strikers.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Sentencing of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi
On 28 February the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Nayeb-e-Ameer (vice-president) of Jamaat-e-Islami, to death for convictions on 8 out of 20 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The protesters celebrated the sentence.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
Jamaat followers were enraged by the decision, claiming that the case against Sayeedi was politically motivated. His lawyer, Abdur Razzaq, accused authorities of preventing a key witness from testifying and intentionally slanting the process. "This is a perverse judgment. It is inconceivable that a court of law awarded him a conviction. This prosecution was for a political purpose", Razzaq said. Jamaat quickly called for a nationwide two-day strike, to start on 3 March. By afternoon, violence led by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters had erupted across Bangladesh. "The Jamaat-e-Islami is fighting for its political survival", said a spokesperson. By the end of the day thirty-five people were dead, including three police officers; an additional eight hundred were injured. According to the BBC, it marked "the worst day of political violence in Bangladesh in decades".


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
Clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami workers continued on 1 March, spreading to the northern districts of Gaibandha and Chapai Nawabganj. Opposition leader Khaleda Zia criticised government "brutality" and Jamaat called for a demonstration in the capital, Dhaka. Security measures were increased to prevent the situation from escalating. The death toll rose to forty-four (including six policemen). Former prime minister and BNP member Khaleda Zia declared a nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal for 5 March, and called for countrywide rallies on 2 March to protest what she called government corruption, misrule, oppression, and "mass killings".


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
Violent conflict continued on 2 March, with another four deaths and hundreds of injuries. In Chittagong district police opened fire on Jamaat-e-Islami protesters, leading to three deaths. In Nilphamari, a young person died in a clash between protesters and police.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
On 3 March, violence continued as the Jamaat-organised strike began. In Bogra Jamaat supporters attacked police outposts with sticks and homemade bombs, leading to at least eight deaths. In Godagari two deaths were reported in a similar incident, and three deaths were reported in the Joypurhat district. Violence continued in Chittagong as well, where Jamaat claimed that police opened fire without provocation. The government denied the charge, saying that violence against citizens and police would not be tolerated; three deaths were reported. "People in the street are very, very afraid of Jamaat-e-Islam. I am scared", reported an eyewitness in Dhaka. Jamaat supporters were accused to attack the Hindu citizens and their homes in many parts of the country, and torching Hindu temples, which was denied by Jamaat-e-Islami. More than 40 temples and many statues were destroyed and scores of houses set ablaze, leaving hundreds of people homeless throughout the country.


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
Amnesty International has urged the Bangladeshi government to provide better protection for minority Hindus. Abbas Faiz, the organisation's Bangladesh researcher, has noted that the attacks on the Hindu community were predicted and it was shocking that people were attacked because of their religion. Attacks on Hindu communities had been widespread during the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh. The Pakistani Army, Razakar and Al-Badar (organised by and are former militant political wings of Jamaat-e-Islami) were involved in committing atrocities against the Hindu minority in East Pakistan (Bangladesh).


2013 Shahbag protests, Development, Counter-demonstrations
The Islamist pressure group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, has accused several protesters of the Shahbagh of lampponing Muhammad, and making pornographic depictions of him.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Domestic response
The Shahbag protest has attracted people from all social strata to its cause. The Shahbag intersection at the center of the protests has been referred to as "Generation Circle" (Bengali: প্রজন্ম চত্ত্বর Projônmo Chôttor) or "Shahbag Square", in a nod to the events which unfolded in Tahrir Square, Cairo. The protest spread from Shahbag to other parts of the country, with sit-ins and demonstrations in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh, Rajbari, Rangpur, Comilla, Bogra, Narayanganj, Sunamganj, Noakhali and Narsingdi.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Domestic response, Political response
State Minister for Law, Quamrul Islam, said that the verdict against Abdul Quader Mollah could have been different if people had taken to the streets sooner. The government is planning to file appeals with the Supreme Court contesting the sentence for Mollah. On 11 February the Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, introducing a provision for plaintiffs to appeal verdicts handed down by the tribunal. This amendment, if passed, would enable the state to appeal Mollah's life sentence.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Domestic response, Political response
Jamaat-e-Islami, which was already staging protests against the impending trial of its leaders, called for a general strike. Jamaat continues to demand that the international war crimes tribunal be stopped and its party leaders freed. Jamaat supporters had staged nationwide demonstrations with increasing frequency from November 2012 to February 2013, demanding the release of its leaders. Actions included firing gunshots, smashing and setting fire to vehicles and detonating homemade bombs. Violence was targeted at police stationed in the capital, Dhaka, and major cities such as Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Khulna. Several Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested during the strikes and confrontations with police.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Reaction from Bangladeshis abroad
Bangladeshis abroad have expressed solidarity with the protests through social media websites Facebook and Twitter. Demonstrations of solidarity have also taken place in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, and the United States.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Reaction from Bangladeshis abroad
Bangladeshis in New York City joined in a symbolic protest on 9 February at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights. A mass sit-in was organised by the Bangladeshi community in Sydney on 10 February at the International Mother Language Monument in Sydney Ashfield Park. At a rally at the Angel Statue in Melbourne, demonstrators signed a petition to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina demanding death for war criminals. Bangladeshis in Taiwan also expressed their solidarity with the Shahbag protests on 10 February.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Reaction from Bangladeshis abroad
On 10 February, Bangladeshi students gathered at Rutgers University in New Jersey to express solidarity with the Shahbag protests. Bangladeshi residents joined the students to express their support. Bangladeshi students at the University of Delaware and nearby residents demonstrated their solidarity with the Shahbag movement on 15 February at a busy intersection in Newark, Delaware. A candlelight vigil was held that evening for Rajib, a blogger and activist who was killed several hours before the demonstration.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, Reaction from Bangladeshis abroad
In London, protesters at Altab Ali Park in solidarity for Shahbag were attacked by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters. Protests are held at the park every week by both sides.


2013 Shahbag protests, Reactions, International response
On 18 February British Foreign Office minister Sayeeda Warsi hailed the Shahbag Square protests, describing them as peaceful, productive and non-violent. An article in the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs by Suzannah Linton on 27 February expressed concern about "bloodlust in Bangladesh" and called on the international community to steer the process towards international standards. William Nicholas Gomes, human rights activist and journalist criticised the shahabg protests. Indian government supported this movement from the first place.


2013 Shahbag protests, Media coverage, Domestic
In Sreemangal, Moulvibazar cable operators in solidarity with the protests have stopped broadcasting the pro-Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami television channel Diganta Television.


2013 Shahbag protests, Media coverage, International
The BBC News, CNN, Yahoo! News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, The Independent and others have published stories on the protests; BBC Bangla has been closely following the events. Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj published "live" photos of mass demonstrations at Shahbag.


2013 Shahbag protests, Media coverage, Social media
Facebook had played an important role in spreading news worldwide about events at Shahbag. A Facebook event was created calling for a protest at Shahbag; the human chain which went viral on 5 February 2013. Facebook was one of the main sources of information about Shahbag protest among its activists.


2013 Shahbag protests, Media coverage, Social media
Bangladeshis used the Twitter hashtag "#shahbag" to provide live updates of the movement.


2013 Shahbag protests, Outcome
The demonstration put pressure on the government to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act so war criminals "can be swiftly executed if convicted". The cabinet also set a 60-day limit for the Supreme Court's Appellate Division to rule on appeals, to keep the cases moving. This means that those who have been convicted and sentenced to death could be executed this year if their verdicts survive appeal. In response to popular protests, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui said on 12 February that a bill is being drafted to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics.


2013 Shahbag protests, Outcome
On 17 September 2013, Bangladesh Supreme Court found Abdul Quader Molla guilty of murders and other war crimes and ordered his execution, executed on 12 December 2013.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Slogans inciting violence
During the movement, protesters used various slogans. These included "Ekta ekta Shibir dhor, dhoira dhoira jobai kor." ("Catch Shibir activists one by one, and slaughter them. "), "Rajakarer chamra, kutta diya kamra." ("Make dogs chew on the skin of razakars. "), among others, which were accused of promoting violence.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Political motivations
Since the International Crimes Tribunal's inception on 25 March 2010, of the 83 people tried 52 were sentenced to death and 31 people were not. Those not sentenced to death included only three Jamaat leaders. The remainder included BNP leaders, former Awami League activists etc. The protests began when Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah was not sentenced to death, due to the sentiment that war criminals deserves capital punishment. Even after the verdict of Ghulam Azam's 90-year sentence, a 24-hour nationwide strike was called in protest. Notably however, there were minimal protests when non-Jamaat leaders were not given death sentences. Consequently, critics say the protests were not motivated by seeking justice for victims of war crimes, but rather by the desire to see Jamaat's leaders hanged, Jamaat-e-Islami banned from politics, and Jamaat institutions 'boycotted', indicating the protests were politically motivated in nature.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Government sponsoring
The ruling party Awami League fully supported the protests, with the police helping in blocking roads until they ended. Security forces allegedly spent thousands of taka every day towards the leaders, and criticized opposition leader Begum Khaleza Zia and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on multiple occasions. Members of Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League joined the demonstrations too. Critics claim the movement was partially created by the government itself to gain public support for hanging Jamaat leaders to consolidate its power 42 years after the war.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Violating dead bodies
On 25 October 2014, after the funeral of Golam Azam, a Shahbag movement's leader named Mahmudul Haque Munshi attempted to hurl a shoe at the vehicle carrying the coffin of Golam Azam, for which he was praised by fellow protesters. A number of critics opposed this however, condemning the action as promoting hatred and violence.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Vandalizing hospitals, banks and educational institutions
Shahbag protesters called for boycotting Jamaat-supported/sympathising institutions such as Islami Bank and Retina Coaching Centre. Eventually, many protesters vandalized and attacked those institutions too.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Enforced participation
Bangladesh Chhatra League were accused of enforcing students from various residential halls of the University of Dhaka to join the rally.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Reviving neo-fascism in Bangladesh
Protestors called for boycotting media outlets that did not support their views, including Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, and The Daily Sangram, which are newspapers and television networks that criticised the Awami League government. Eventually, the government banned Diganta Television on 6 May 2013. The Acting Editor of the Amar Desh newspaper, Mahmudur Rahman, was arrested on 11 April 2013, with the government closing down the newspaper.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Reviving neo-fascism in Bangladesh
Critics say that Shahbag protests were the beginning of fascism in Bangladesh, through which Awami League is still in power today.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Using under-aged children
Protesters were accused of encouraging under-aged children to join in on the violent slogans as a means of accruing sympathy and public support.


2013 Shahbag protests, Controversy, Blocking the Hospital Road
Shahbag is home to many hospitals, including many of the largest ones of the city such Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, BIRDEM General Hospital and Ibrahim Medical College. The blockage of this important and sensitive road by protesters for more than a month was accused of causing significant patient suffering.


2013 Shanghai Challenger
The 2013 Shanghai Challenger was a professional tennis tournament played on hard courts. It was the third edition of the tournament which was part of the 2013 ATP Challenger Tour. It took place in Shanghai, China between 2 and 8 September 2013.


2013 Shanghai Challenger, Singles main draw entrants, Other Entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2013 Shanghai Challenger, Singles main draw entrants, Other Entrants
The following players received entry as a lucky loser the singles main draw:


2013 Shanghai Challenger – Doubles
Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana were the two-time defending champion, and successfully defended their title against Lee Hsin-han and Peng Hsien-yin 6–3, 6–4.


2013 Shanghai Challenger – Singles
Lu Yen-hsun was the defending champion but decided not to participate. Yūichi Sugita defeated Hiroki Moriya 6–3, 6–3 in the final.


2013 Shanghai International Film Festival
The 2013 Shanghai International Film Festival was the 16th such festival devoted to international cinema held in Shanghai, China.


2013 Shanghai International Film Festival, International Jury
The members of the jury for the Golden Goblet Award were:


2013 Shanghai Masters
The 2013 Bank of Communications Shanghai Masters was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 16 and 22 September 2013 at the Shanghai Grand Stage in Shanghai, China. It was the third ranking event of the 2013/2014 season.


2013 Shanghai Masters
John Higgins was the defending champion, but he lost 1–5 against Mark Davis in the last 16.


2013 Shanghai Masters
Ding Junhui won his seventh ranking title by defeating Xiao Guodong 10–6 in the final. This was the first time that two Chinese players had reached the final of a ranking event, but was also the first of three consecutive ranking finals between Asian players, all of which were won by Ding.


2013 Shanghai Masters, Prize fund
The total prize money of the event was raised to £425,000 from the previous year's £400,000. The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:


2013 Shanghai Masters, Wildcard round
These matches were played in Shanghai on 16 and 17 September 2013.


2013 Shanghai Masters, Qualifying
These matches were held between 7 and 10 August 2013 at the Doncaster Dome in Doncaster, England.


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters
The 2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the fifth edition of the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000, classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2013 ATP World Tour. It took place at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China from October 6 to October 13, 2013.


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pairs received wildcards into the doubles main draw:


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters – Doubles
Leander Paes and Radek Štěpánek were the defending champions, but Štěpánek chose not to compete. Paes played alongside Daniel Nestor, but lost in the second round to Robert Lindstedt and Vasek Pospisil. Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo won the title, defeating David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco in the final, 7–6(7–2), 6–7(6–8), [10–2].


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters – Singles
Novak Djokovic was the defending champion and successfully defended his title by defeating Juan Martín del Potro in the final, 6–1, 3–6, 7–6(7–3).


2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters – Singles, Seeds
The top eight seeds receive a bye into the second round.


2013 Shanghai Shenhua F.C. season
The 2013 Shanghai Shenhua season was Shanghai Shenhua's 10th season in the Chinese Super League and 51st overall in the Chinese top flight. They also competed in the Chinese FA Cup losing in the third round.


2013 Shanghai Shenhua F.C. season, Players, First team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shanghai Shenhua F.C. season, Players, Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shanghai Shenxin F.C. season
The 2013 Shanghai Shenxin season is Shanghai Shenxin's 4th consecutive season in the Chinese Super League. They will also compete in the Chinese FA Cup starting in the third round.


2013 Shanghai Shenxin F.C. season, Players, First team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shanghai Shenxin F.C. season, Players, Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shanghai Shenxin F.C. season, Players, On loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shanghai shooting
On June 22, 2013, a man went on a killing spree in Shanghai, China. Six people died and four others were injured. The perpetrator allegedly beat to death a coworker at Guangyu fine chemical company in Shanghai's Baoshan District, and then shot to death one person in Pudong District. The perpetrator shot and killed one person in the Baoshan District, and then returned to the fine chemical company, where he shot to death three more people before being apprehended. The suspected perpetrator is 62-year-old Jieming Fan.


2013 Shanghai shooting, Details
The attacker allegedly beat a colleague to death at the Guangyu fine chemical company in the Baoshan district of the city. He retrieved a hunting rifle that had been hidden in his dormitory, and then asked a taxi cab driver to take him to Pudong District. When the cab stopped in the Pudong District, the attacker shot the driver to death and drove the vehicle back to Baoshan. In Baoshan, he shot and killed a soldier who was guarding the entrance to a barracks and stole his gun. The suspect then returned to the factory and shot dead three more people, including a manager who may have also been one of the factory's owners.


2013 Shanghai shooting, Suspect
The suspected perpetrator is 62-year-old Fan Jieming. According to Shanghai police, the rampage may have been motivated by an economic dispute.


2013 Shannons Nationals Racing Championships season
The 2013 Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships season was the eighth time that the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships were held. The season began on 22 March 2013 at Sydney Motorsport Park and finished on 17 November 2013 at Sandown Raceway.


2013 Shannons Nationals Racing Championships season
The 2013 Australian Manufacturers' Championship, 2013 Australian Saloon Car Series, 2013 Australian Superkart Championship, 2013 Australian Suzuki Swift Series, 2013 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series and the 2013 Kumho V8 Touring Car Series were all held exclusively on the Shannons Nationals calendar. Rounds of the 2013 Australian Drivers' Championship, 2013 Australian GT Championship, 2013 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, 2013 PRB Motorsport Series and the 2013 Radical Australia Cup were also part of the Shannons Nationals schedule.


2013 Shapla Square protests
The Shapla Square protests also known as Operation Shapla or Operation Flash Out by security forces refers to the protests, and subsequent shootings, of 5 and 6 May 2013 at Shapla Square located in the Motijheel district, the main financial area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The protests were organized by the Islamist pressure group, Hefazat-e Islam, who were demanding the enactment of a blasphemy law. The government responded to the protests by cracking down on the protesters using a combined force drawn from the police, Rapid Action Battalion and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh to drive the protesters out of Shapla Square.


2013 Shapla Square protests
Following the events at Motijheel, protests in other parts of the country also broke out, during which 27 people died, although different sources report casualty numbers ranging from 20 to 61. The opposition party BNP initially claimed thousands of Hefazat activists were killed during the operation, but this was disputed by the government. Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations put the total death toll at above 50. Initial attempts to dispute the chain of events were thwarted due to the government closure of two television channels, Diganta Television and Islamic TV, which were live telecasting the operation.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Background, 13 point demand
In early 2013, Hefajat-e Islam emerged as a pressure group composed of madrassah teachers and students, led by Shah Ahmad Shafi, rector of  Hathazari Madrasah. The group became particularly active after allegations surfaced that some protesters in the Shahbag protests were involved in the publishing of content offensive to Muslims on blogs, including the depiction of Muhammad as a pornographic character. On 6 April 2013, its supporters made a long-march to promote their 13-point charter, which included:


2013 Shapla Square protests, Background, 13 point demand
The government responded by saying that it had "already met" many of the group's demands. This included the arrest of four bloggers for making derogatory comments against the Muhammad.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Background, Human Rights Watch warning
On 3 May 2013, Human Rights Watch issued warnings, based on information obtained from diplomatic missions regarding an imminent government crackdown, to security forces against committing excesses in the planned upcoming protests. It also urged the government to appoint an independent commission to investigate the killing of civilians since February, and prosecute those responsible for unlawful killings and use of force.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 5 May
Hefazat-e-Islam organized a protest on 5 May demanding a trial of "atheist bloggers", and new legislation for the punishment for blasphemy. On 5 May 2013, Hefazat activists blockaded all six entrance routes to Dhaka from dawn. At noon, with the permission of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), activists entered Dhaka and started moving towards Baitul Mukarram Mosque to attend a prayer service. However, activists of Hefazat-e- Islam were attacked en route by armed Awami League activists, who were using the Gulistan Road to reach Shapla Square. In self defense, Hefazat activists counterattacked with bricks.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 5 May
During the clashes, two television journalists were injured, apparently by Hefazat protesters. At about 3:00 pm, while Hefazat leaders were delivering speeches, the Secretary General of the Awami League, Sayed Ashraful Islam, demanded, via press conference, that they leave Dhaka. The opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) countered by asserting that Hefazat members had a democratic right to assemble and articulate their cause. During the unrest, Hefazat protesters allegedly attacked the offices of the Communist Party of Bangladesh at Motijheel.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 5 May
Hefazat claimed that their workers were unarmed and had come under attack by police and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at Gulistan, Purana Paltan and Baitul Mukarram, and in front of the Communist Party offices. Hefazat supporters reportedly vandalized at least 50 vehicles and several buildings during their rally. They violently attacked others in front of the Awami League headquarter at Paltan, Dhaka, and allegedly set fire to a number of book stores near the Baitul Mukarram mosque.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 6 May
By nightfall, many of the demonstrators had left the city, but about 50,000- 70,000 still remained in Shapla Square. There, they held prayers and were addressed by their leaders. At around 2.15 am on 6 May, security forces cut power to the area. At 2:30 a.m. about 5000 members of the security forces launched "Operation Shapla", or "Operation Flash Out", to remove them. The forces included members of the Bangladesh Police, RAB, and BGB. At first they used megaphones, asking the protesters to leave the area peacefully.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 6 May
Then, moving in from three directions via Dainik Bangla, Fakirapool and Bangladesh Bank intersection, security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound grenades to disperse the demonstrators. Most fled the area, but others hid in side streets and buildings, where they were shot down by security forces. Hefazat alleges that the bodies were then picked up by garbage trucks and dumped outside the city. Ahmad Shafi was escorted away from a madrassa in Dhaka and flown to Chittagong. Police insisted he was not arrested but was leaving voluntarily.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Protests, 6 May
On the following morning, the protests spread across the country. In Narayanganj, students and teachers of a local madrasa held protests and blockaded the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. In return, police fired on the protesters, killing 27. In Hathazari Upazila, six people were shot dead by police, while in Bagerhat, a Hefazat member died in a clash between protesters and police.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Casualties
According to government estimates, the number of casualties in this operation was 11, including a few law enforcement members, while the Daily Star reported 5 deaths. Opposition parties initially claimed that 2000- 3000 of protesters had been killed, while Hefazat claimed about 1000 deaths. Human Rights Watch disagreed with Hefazat's claims.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Casualties
Some victims were bystanders, including a number of shopkeepers near the Baitul Mukarram, while most were Hefazat supporters, including children, who were killed by a blow to the head or gunshot wounds. Doctors at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital confirmed that many of those dead had been shot in the head. One policeman was also attacked in reprisal. According to Human Rights Watch, eyewitnesses saw 25-30 bodies that were confirmed dead. This included British activist and journalist David Bergman, who saw 24 bodies.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Casualties
The Guardian reported 22 confirmed deaths, while an investigation conducted by Aljazeera revealed that 14 bodies of "bearded men" with gunshot wounds were buried, after the protests, at Dhaka's state-run cemetery. Human rights group Odhikar reported 61 deaths, but refused to reveal the names of the victims out of security concerns for their families. The UK Home Office estimates a total of no fewer than total of 50 deaths. Many individuals, including orphan children, were missing, which may have contributed to the discrepancies in casualties.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Casualties
Because of the differing views, Human Rights Watch called for an independent body to investigate the protest deaths. Amnesty International demanded that Bangladesh government set up an independent and impartial investigation immediately to look into police excesses.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Censorship
Diganta TV and Islamic TV channel were broadcasting live footage of the raid on Motijheel when they were forced off-air on the dawn of 6 May. Diganta Television's chief reporter M. Kamruzzaman said that around 25 plain-clothed policemen and an official from the broadcast commission had entered their studios without warning. According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the channels' reporting on raid on Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh contained "exaggerated things, (had) given misinformation and called for breaking the law and attacking the law enforcers." Critics have accused the Sheikh Hasina government of using the Islamist issue to silence dissidents.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Government
In response to the massacre allegations, police claimed the operation resulted in “zero casualty” while 14 party leaders claimed it to be "bloodless." Bangladeshi foreign minister Dipu Moni downplayed reports of inaccuracy in government figures and added that "most of the people in the country doesn't even think that there was any controversy with the matter." On 19 June, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rejected the allegations, stating in Parliament


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Government
... and that day's event was fully televised, you have seen how they have rubbed red dye onto their bodies and when police came and called them they got up and ran away ... we saw that dead bodies made a run for it! This kind of drama has been made there.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Government
She also blamed the attack on her arch rival Khaleda Zia, claiming: “She (Khaleda) is the instigator, she is the issuer of order.” Awami League politicians blamed Qamrul Islam BNP, Jamaat and ISI of backing the protests. Hefazat was also criticized for bringing minors, who were also attacked by law enforcement agencies during the operation, to the protests.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Opposition
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party compared the attacks to the Pakistani crackdown on 25 March and Jalianwala Bagh massacres. BNP leader MK Anwar called it a "disastrous killing." In response, Detective Branch police raided the houses of city BNP convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Bangladesh Jatiya Party chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partha.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Hefazat-e-Islam
While some Hefzat activists vowed "revenge" after the killings, Hefazat amir Shah Ahmad Shafi appealed for calm and called a general strike all over Bangladesh on 12 May 2013.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Domestic, Others
On 10 June 2013, human rights group Odhikar, published a fact finding report claiming 61 deaths, but refused to provide any names of the victims report, citing security concerns for the families of the victims. The Ain O Shalish Kendro demanded impartial investigation "to deal with them (Hefazat-e-Islam) more strategically and responsibly."


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, International
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon voiced concern over the killing of unarmed protesters in Bangladesh and requested the government to sit with religious and political leaders. US ambassador, Dan Mozena, has cautioned that all groups and individuals have rights to protest.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Lawsuits
The government filed 12 cases against Hefazat-e Islam leaders for murder, vandalism, arson and destruction of properties and other charges. Hefazat denies the charges.


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Lawsuits
On 27 June, Martin F. McMahon & Associates, a US law firm representing two US-based organisations, Human Rights and Development for Bangladesh and Bangladeshi-Americans in Greater Washington DC filed cases in the International Criminal Court against 25 Bangladeshi ministers and security officials, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for alleged "torture, forced disappearance, extrajudicial executions and mass killings", Ahmed Ziauddin, a Brussels based Bangladeshi lawyer who was accused of influencing the proceedings of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal at the instruction of Bangladesh government, stated- "I am not sure about the objective of it and I am sure those Washington-based organisations have some political motives. They may have been trying to create political hype since filing a complaint in the ICC does not mean proceedings of a case will start immediately"


2013 Shapla Square protests, Reactions, Lawsuits
On 10 August, Police raided the office of Odhikar and arrested its general secretary Adilur Rahman Khan. In a press briefing Police said they found the list of 61 deaths and released it to the media. In a press statement, the US Department of State expressed deep concern over the arrest and demanded his immediate release.


2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup
The 2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup was the 35th edition of the league cup competition for football teams from Qatar.


2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup, Groups
18 clubs from the Qatar Stars League and Qatari 2nd Division were drawn into 4 groups. The winners of each group qualify for the semi-finals.


2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup, Groups
All group games are played in one 'host' location, instead of the common home and away format used in other competitions.


2013 Shelbourne F.C. season
In 2013 Shelbourne F.C. competed in the League of Ireland Premier Division.


2013 Shelbourne F.C. season, The Club, First Team Squad 2013
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2013 Shelbourne F.C. season, Premier Division, Summary
Last updated: June 14, 2013. Source: League of Ireland Premier Division Fixtures


2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston
The 2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston was the third and final doubleheader of the 2013 IndyCar Series season. The races took place on October 5 and 6, 2013.


2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston, Report
The starting scene of race 1 was a crash involving James Hinchcliffe and Ed Carpenter after Hinchcliffe's car suffered stall. The first race was won by Scott Dixon, who finished second to Team Penske driver Will Power in the second race. The second race was also notable for an accident on the final lap involving Dario Franchitti, E. J. Viso, and Takuma Sato. Franchitti suffered major injuries in the crash, and was forced to retire from racing due to the severity of the injuries he sustained.


2013 Shimizu S-Pulse season
The 2013 Shimizu S-Pulse season was Shimizu S-Pulse's 21st consecutive season in J.League Division 1. Shimizu S-Pulse also competed in the 2013 Emperor's Cup and 2013 J.League Cup.


2013 Shropshire Council election
Elections to Shropshire Council were held on 2 May 2013 as part of the 2013 United Kingdom local elections. These were the second elections to the unitary authority created as part of local government restructuring in Shropshire, following on from the previous elections in 2009. All 74 seats in the 63 electoral divisions (consisting of 53 single member divisions, nine 2-member divisions and one 3-member electoral division) were up for election across Shropshire. At the same time, all town and parish council contested elections took place, most notably including Shrewsbury Town Council.


2013 Shropshire Council election
The Conservative party retained control of the Council, though with a slightly reduced majority, with 3 fewer seats compared to just prior to the election.


2013 Shropshire Council election
All locally registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) who were aged 18 or over on Thursday 2 May 2013 were entitled to vote in the local elections. Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) were also entitled to vote in the local elections.