Babar Azam to lead Pakistan in U-19 World Cup

Left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar was included in an otherwise unchanged Pakistan side for the Under-19 Asia Cup in Australia

Orignal From: Babar Azam to lead Pakistan in U-19 World Cup

Wimbledon 2012: Federer eases into record 8th final




LONDON: 

Six-time champion Roger Federer reached a record eighth Wimbledon final when he defeated world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.



In the pair's 27th meeting, Federer booked his place in his 24th Grand Slam final. Victory tomorrow will take the 30-year-old level with Pete Sampras's record of seven Wimbledon wins and allow him to reclaim the world number one ranking and clinch a 17th career Grand Slam crown.


Djokovic, who was bidding to reach a fifth successive Grand Slam final, had defeated Federer six times in their last seven meetings. But Federer, playing in a record 32nd major semi-final, was not to be denied as he buried the heartache of having been knocked out in the quarter-finals in the last two years.


Federer ecstatic


He also took his record of semi-final victories to eight out of eight at the All England Club.


"I played a great match today," said Federer. "Novak played great in the first two sets too, but the third set was key. I stepped it up then. He had break points in the ninth game of the third set. It was a tough match."


Federer said he was delighted to be back in the final, having lost in the quarter-finals to Tomas Berdych in 2010 and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last year.


"It was a shock for some people when I lost to Berdych, but not for me. They said 'How are we going to survive a Wimbledon final without you?' I just went on vacation and prepared for my next tournaments."


Djokovic outclassed


Djokovic, 25, admitted he had been outplayed in the key moments.


"I felt my energy levels drop at the start of the fourth set, I played a couple of sloppy games and had a low percentage of first serves," said the Serb. "It's difficult to get rhythm and control of the match in those circumstances. He was the better player in the important moments. I expected him to be at his top level; I expected myself to be at that level too, but I wasn't."


With Indian cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar and pop singer Kylie Minogue watching from the Royal Box, Federer provided early entertainment by easing to the first set in just 24 minutes. Djokovic hit back in the second, breaking with a razor-sharp backhand down the line for a 2-0 lead. The match was level when the champion fired his fifth ace of the contest to take the second set. However, from that point on, Djokovic could not stop Federer and while there were fierce exchanges, it was the Swiss' day.


'Favourite tag means nothing'


Meanwhile, Serena Williams insists she will have to deliver the performance of a lifetime to win her fifth Wimbledon title against Agnieszka Radwanska in today's women's final.


Serena is widely expected to overpower Radwanska after the American served up a masterclass during a 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) semi-final victory over world number two Victoria Azarenka.


But Serena has too much respect for the Polish third seed.


"Radwanska has been playing well," said Serena. "I really need to go and be ready to hit a lot of shots. She has great hands. If I come out flat, I won't win."


Radwanska in health scare


Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, who faces Serena Williams for the women's title today, insists she will be fit despite suffering a health scare which caused her to cancel a scheduled news conference.


After pulling out of her pre-final interview session, Radwanska confirmed she is fighting breathing problems and has been struggling to talk. "Unfortunately I have picked up upper respiratory illness, it's affecting my nose and throat," said the Pole. "I haven't been well for a few days but the most important thing is that I'm feeling good on the court and playing some good tennis."


Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, July 7th, 2012. 






Orignal From: Wimbledon 2012: Federer eases into record 8th final

Test series: Pakistan look to avert series-loss




PALLEKELE: 

After an impressive performance in the second game, Pakistan will look to deny Sri Lanka a long-awaited series victory when they take on the hosts in the third and final Test in Pallekele from tomorrow.



Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle and drew the second in Colombo, have their best chance of winning their first series in three years since defeating New Zealand 2-0 at home in 2009. But Pakistan have been boosted by a gutsy display with both bat and ball in the rain-hit second Test on a placid pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) to aim for a series-levelling win.


"If the weather had not intervened, we could have pushed for a result," said Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq. "But everyone is encouraged by the way we played the second Test. Hopefully we can repeat that performance in the final Test and draw the series."


The batting flourished with Mohammad Hafeez making 196 and Azhar Ali 157 in the first-innings total of 551 for six declared after Sri Lanka surprisingly chose to field. Pakistan then dismissed the hosts for 391, grabbing the last five wickets for 21 runs, after centuries from Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan had lifted Sri Lanka to a comfortable 236 for one. Young left-arm seamer Junaid Khan claimed a five-wicket haul on a pitch that offered him no help and was deservedly named the man of the match in the batsmen-dominated Test.


But there was no time to force a result after bad weather allowed just 71 of the stipulated 180 overs to be bowled on the second and third days.


Pakistan had enjoyed an impressive run before the current series, winning seven of their last nine Tests, including a brilliant 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England earlier this year.


Sangakkara main threat


But the tourists must find a way to remove Sangakkara cheaply if they are to win the final Test.


The accomplished left-handed batsman made 199 not out in the first Test and 192 in the second, toying with the Pakistan attack that included Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman. Sangakkara's disappointment at missing out on two double-centuries in successive matches may have faded by the news that he has regained the number one spot in the official rankings for Test batsmen. But Sri Lanka's batting has proved vulnerable in the current series with only Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan holding the innings together with centuries in both Tests.


Middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera has managed a meagre total of 21 runs in the two games, while opener Tharanga Paranavitana and skipper Mahela Jayawardene have struggled to stamp their authority.


Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, July 7th, 2012. 






Orignal From: Test series: Pakistan look to avert series-loss

Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Jhang: 4 killed in road accident

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, a bus traveling from Lahore to Dera Ghazi Khan collided head-on with another bus going from Layyah to Lahore near Kot Khaira on Bhakkar Road, killing four people and injuring 60.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Rescue teams reached the spot and shifted 45 injured to District Headquarters Hospital while 8 critical injured were referred to Faisalabad.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US pilot sings American Pie during Afghan missile strike

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A shocking video showing a US helicopter pilot blowing up Afghans while singing classic song American Pie has caused outrage.<br />Cockpit footage shows the crew take aim at a group of people before launching a missile.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Before the rocket strikes its target a person identified as the pilot can be heard singing a burst of the iconic chorus from the 1972 Don McLean hit, more recently made famous by Madonna.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The shocking video is said to have been taken from the on-board camera of an Apache helicopter from the 101st Airborne Division.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The caption on the video - from website Liveleak.com - claims the people on the ground were &quot;innocent farmers planting poppyseed&quot;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The weapon used on them was claimed to be a one kilogram Hellfire missile.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>After the missile slams into the ground, causing a massive explosion another voice, thought to be the co-pilot can be heard saying &quot;nice&quot;.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Two more shot dead in Karachi

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, some unidentified persons opened fire at a car in Teen Hatti area and shot dead a man. The deceased was identified as Abdus Sattar.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In Nasir Jump Korangi, some miscreants opened fire and shot dead a man. Meanwhile, dead body of a woman was recovered from Sea View area. The deceased was identified as Dr Samina Kamal.<br />&nbsp;</p>


President nominates five members for NEC

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>President Asif Ali Zardari nominated four members of Federal Government for National Economic Council (NEC) on the advice of the Prime Minister here on Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan, Federal Minister for Communications (MNA from Khyber Pakhtunkhawa), Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Water and Power (MNA from Punjab), Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Planning and Development, Economic Affairs and Statistics (Senator from Sindh), Mir Changez Khan Jamali, Federal Minister for Science and Technology (MNA from Balochistan).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The president also approved the nomination of Hasnain Mirza (MPA from Sindh) as the member of NEC from Sindh.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>President&rsquo;s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that according to Clause 1 of Article 156, the NEC comprises of the Prime Minister, the Chief Ministers and one member from each province to be nominated by the Chief Minister. The Prime Minister may also nominate four more members from time to time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that although it was neither mandatory nor constitutional requirement yet the former Prime Minister had nominated the above federal ministers, one from each province, for the NEC. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Sherry Rehman calls on President

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan&rsquo;s ambassador to United States Ms Sherry Rehman called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr here on Friday and discussed Pak-US ties.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The ambassador briefed the President about her talks recently with the US Congressmen and the State Department on Pak-US ties.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President appreciated the services of ambassador Sherry Rehman and also hosted lunch for her. He also presented her calligraphy of the Quranic verses. Presenting her with the plaque of Quranic calligraphy in recognition of her services for the people of Pakistan, he commended her for hard work and commitment she brought to the task. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Provinces to provide security to NATO trucks: Malik

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to media in Islamabad, Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik said that provincial government along with Rangers and FC will provide security to NATO containers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Rehman Malik said all the inspector generals have been directed to provide security cover to the NATO containers in their respective jurisdiction.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, said that infrastructure of the provinces should be improved with the restoration of NATO supply.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Child labour: 68 rescued children handed over to Edhi Welfare

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to sources, the children were without security passes and did not have any identity documents. The recued children were handed over to Edhi Welfare.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to police officials, the Port Qasim Authority was informed that two oil companies have employed children for work. The security officials rescued children from the oil companies.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Car bomb kills 7, wounds 20 in Iraq

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A suicide bomber blew up a car packed with explosives near an anti-Qaeda militiaman&nbsp;s home in western Iraq on Friday, killing six people, the latest victims of a spike in nationwide unrest.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The suicide car bombing in Ramadi, capital of the predominantly Sunni province of Anbar, targeted Sahwa fighter Rabah al-Bahiya but he was not at home at the time of the attack, officials said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The blast killed six people -- four men and two women -- and wounded 22 others, including five women, a police major and a medic at the city&nbsp;s hospital said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Sahwa are made up of Sunni Arab tribesmen who joined forces with the US military against Al-Qaeda from late 2006, helping turn the tide of the insurgency.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The latest violence comes amid a spike in attacks, with Iraq suffering a wave of unrest in June that left at least 282 people dead, according to an AFP tally, though government figures said 131 Iraqis died.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While violence in Iraq has declined dramatically since its peak in 2006-2007, attacks remain common across the country.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pena Nieto's win confirmed by Mexico vote count

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The official count in Mexico&nbsp;s presidential election concluded Friday with results showing that presidential candidate Enrique Pena Nieto got about 3.3 million more votes than his closest rival, giving him a 6.6 percent lead in the former ruling party&nbsp;s bid to regain power.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The count by the country&nbsp;s electoral authority, which included a ballot-by-ballot recount at more than half of polling places, showed Pena Nieto getting 38.21 percent of votes. His top challenger, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, got 31.59 percent.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The final count of the roughly 50.3 million valid ballots was almost exactly the same as the quick count released hours after the elections.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lopez Obrador said he will file a formal legal challenge to the vote count in electoral courts next week, based on the allegation that Pena Nieto&nbsp;s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, engaged in vote-buying that illegally tilted millions of votes. PRI officials deny the charge.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Rivers of illicitly obtained money were used to buy millions of votes,&quot; Lopez Obrador told a news conference Friday. He also claimed that the recount of ballots at over half of polling places had not been carried out as thoroughly as promised.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Josefina Vazquez Mota of the conservative National Action Party got 25.41 percent of votes cast in Sunday&nbsp;s elections, and the small New Alliance Party got 2.29 percent, barely passing the two-percent barrier needed to preserve the party&nbsp;s place on future ballots.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Almost 2.5 percent of ballots where voided; while some voters in Mexico void their ballots as a form of protest, some also simply make mistakes in marking them.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The final vote count must be certified in September by the Federal Electoral Tribunal. The tribunal has declined to overturn previously contested elections, including a 2006 presidential vote that was far closer than Sunday&nbsp;s.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Accusations of vote-buying began surfacing in June, but sharpened early this week as thousands of people rushed to grocery stores on the outskirts of Mexico City to redeem pre-paid gift cards worth about 100 pesos ($7.50). Many said they got the cards from PRI supporters before Sunday&nbsp;s elections.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lopez Obrador said millions of voters had received either pre-paid cards, cash, groceries, construction materials or appliances. Lopez Obrador would not rule out street protests, like the one he led in 2006 to protest alleged fraud in the presidential elections of that year, which he narrowly lost to President Felipe Calderon.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But he said Thursday that his challenge of the results would be channeled through legal venues, like the electoral institute and courts.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Oil falls 3 pct on signs of more economic trouble

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran&nbsp;s ability to rattle oil markets has been greatly diminished by growing concerns about the world economy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The price of oil fell this week even though Iran staged missile tests and renewed threats to block key oil shipments out of the Persian Gulf. Benchmark U.S. crude dropped by $2.77, or 3.2 percent, Friday to end the week at $84.45 per barrel in New York.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran had much more influence earlier this year as it sparred with the West over its nuclear program. When Iran held military exercises in the Gulf at the beginning of the year, oil prices jumped more than 4 percent. Fears about a prolonged conflict and what that would do to world oil supplies eventually drove benchmark oil to near $110 per barrel in February.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Five months later the U.S. and Europe are still concerned about Iran building a nuclear weapon and have numerous economic sanctions in place to pressure the oil-rich country to limit its nuclear program. Iran still refuses to comply.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The difference, experts say, is that investors are now focusing on growing evidence that the global economy is slowing. The U.S. isn&nbsp;t creating enough jobs to lower its 8.2 percent unemployment rate. Europe has struggled to handle a festering banking crisis and some countries are slipping into recession. Manufacturing activity has stalled almost everywhere.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Iran is still trash talking, but what&nbsp;s even more frightening is the bigger picture,&quot; said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service. &quot;The economy just hasn&nbsp;t looked good. There&nbsp;s a sense that this malaise will march on.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Traders read more troubling economic headlines on Friday. The Labor Department said U.S. employers added just 80,000 jobs in June a disappointing number that shows the economy is still sluggish three years after the recession ended. Meanwhile, borrowing rates for Spain and Italy rose to distressing levels because investors think more needs to be done to resolve Europe&nbsp;s debt crisis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The U.S. is the world economy slows, less oil is consumed and prices tend to fall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Brent crude, which helps set the price of imported crude used to make gasoline, fell by $2.51, or 2.5 percent, to end the day at $98.19 per barrel in London.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Dollar hits 2-year high vs euro

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The US dollar and the Japanese yen were the two big winners as investors looked for safety. Borrowing costs for Spain and Italy rose sharply, reflecting investors&nbsp; unease about the finances of those countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Just one week ago financial markets rallied after European leaders agreed to help Spain and other countries in the region.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The euro was trading as low as $1.2265. That&nbsp;s the lowest it&nbsp;s been since July 1, 2010, when it got to $1.2193.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Japanese yen rose more than 1 percent versus the euro.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The dollar gained on the British pound, gaining to $1.5470, versus $1.5524 a day earlier.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Serena faces Radwanska in Wimbledon final today

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>More than once during the past fortnight, Serena Williams has won an important point at Wimbledon and then returned to the baseline, her clenched fist leading the way.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The ferocity of the gesture is understandable, given the obstacles she has beaten back in the past couple of years.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A succession of infirmities led to a long layoff that forced Williams to mount a career comeback, and she&nbsp;ll try to cap it Saturday when she plays first-time Grand Slam finalist Agnieszka Radwanska.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Williams seeks her 14th major title, and her fifth at Wimbledon.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I&nbsp;m so happy to be playing,&quot; she said. &quot;I&nbsp;ve been through so much in the past year or two years it has been unbelievable.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The No. 6-ranked Williams has a shot at her first major championship since Wimbledon in 2010. Shortly after that victory, she cut her feet on glass at a restaurant, required two operations and spent further time in the hospital because of blood clots in her lung and a gathering of blood under the skin of her stomach.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>She was sidelined nearly a year before rejoining the tour in June 2011, and her ranking sank to 175th.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>With older sister Venus&nbsp; fortunes in decline as she deals with an autoimmune disease, some speculated the family might never win another major title.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Now, with one more victory, Wimbledon will again become the Williams Open. Serena, Venus or both have reached the final in 11 of the past 13 tournaments. They&nbsp;ve combined to win nine titles at the All England Club, and the sisters will try for their fifth Wimbledon doubles title Saturday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>As has often been the case with Williams, her play in the tournament improved as the opposition became more formidable. She beat Zheng Jie in the third round, winning the third set 9-7, then edged out wild card Yaroslava Shvedova, taking the third set 7-5.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>She&nbsp;s a big favorite against the No. 3-ranked Radwanska, the first Polish player to reach a Grand Slam final since 1939.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Serena&nbsp;s playing amazing tennis at the moment,&quot; Radwanska said in a statement Friday. &quot;I don&nbsp;t really have much to lose, so I&nbsp;m going to try my best and we&nbsp;ll see.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Radwanska is a steady, dogged baseliner who likes grass she was a Wimbledon junior champion in 2005. With a win in the final, she would rise to No. 1 in the rankings.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But for the past several days she has been battling an upper respiratory illness that makes it difficult to speak and forced her to cancel a news conference Friday. Even when fully healthy, she lacks the weapons of Williams, whose big serve is especially well-suited to Wimbledon&nbsp;s speedy grass courts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The championship is Serena&nbsp;s to win or lose,&quot; Evert said. &quot;She controls every point with her power.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Williams hit a tournament record 23 aces against Zheng, then had 24 against Azarenka. With 81 aces in the tournament, she&nbsp;s eight shy of the Wimbledon record she set in 2010.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>During one stretch in her semifinal victory, Williams won 17 consecutive service points. No wonder she rates her serve as the shot she finds the most fun.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It&nbsp;s the most reliable, like, OK, yes, you don&nbsp;t have to think, don&nbsp;t have to do anything, just hit an ace,&quot; she said with a smile. &quot;It&nbsp;s like a lazy shot.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When she wins, Williams has taken to hopping on the grass like a grade-schooler at recess. But she&nbsp;s no youngster anymore. At 30, she could become the first thirtysomething woman to win a major tournament since Martina Navratilova, who was 33 when she won Wimbledon in 1990.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Not that Williams feels like an old-timer.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;No,&quot; she said. &quot;Mentally I&nbsp;m 12.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Murray ends Britain's 74-year Wimbledon final wait

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Andy Murray ended Britain&nbsp;s 74-year wait for a male Wimbledon finalist on Friday as the world number four clinched a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 semi-final victory over French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Murray&nbsp;s triumph consigned a miserable run of 11 semi-final failures by British men to the history books and emulated the achievement of Bunny Austin, the last home challenger to reach the Wimbledon men&nbsp;s final back in 1938.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 25-year-old had lost at the semi-final stage for the last three years, joining Tim Henman, Roger Taylor and Mike Sangster on the list of British near-misses at the All England Club.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But decades of anguish faded from view in front of a jubiliant Centre Court crowd as Murray booked a showdown with six-time champion Roger Federer in Sunday&nbsp;s final.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While Murray&nbsp;s victory has put one ghost to rest, the Scot won&nbsp;t be truly satisfied until he has become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Murray&nbsp;s meeting with Federer will be the Scot&nbsp;s fourth attempt to win a Grand Slam final following defeats at the Australian Open in 2010 and 2011 and the 2008 US Open.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It&nbsp;s tough to explain (how it feels). It&nbsp;s a bit of relief and excitement,&quot; said Murray who appeared close to tears as he celebrated on court.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I started the match really well but one loose game let him back in. It was so close in the last two sets.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;He was hitting some unbelievable winners and had break points at 4-4, but I managed to hang tough there and win it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I tried to stay calm, but it&nbsp;s not easy. There&nbsp;s a lot of pressure and stress but you need to just focus on the next point and not think about what happened in the past.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It was an emotional end to the match. I&nbsp;ve just got to keep it together for the final. It will be one of the biggest matches of my life.&quot;<br />Tsonga believes Murray may struggle to recover physically in time for the final.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Andy looked pretty tired at the end and it&nbsp;ll be tough to recover against Roger, but I hope he does,&quot; said the Frenchman.<br />&quot;I am proud of what I have done here. I fought but I lost. Hopefully, I can do better next time.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pedrosa tops rain-soaked German MotoGP practice times

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner topped the times after Friday&nbsp;s two free practice sessions here ahead of Sunday&nbsp;s German MotoGP.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pedrosa was quickest in both sessions with his Australian teammate taking second on the combined times.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pedrosa, winner at the Sachsenring circuit in 2010 and 2011, exploited the early driy weather to post a time of 1min 22.357sec with Stoner just 0.087s off the pace.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the afternoon, with rain hitting the track, Pedrosa continued to dominate with a fastest lap of 1:32.228, 0.180 ahead of Stoner.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pedrosa said: &quot;The weekend has started pretty good for us.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I felt comfortable in both the dry and wet conditions, but we only managed half of our plan today.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We wanted to test the hard rear tyres in the afternoon, because in theory the hardest compound should be working better in this track where you are leaning to the left a long time, and with the soft the bike slides a lot.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Stoner commented: &quot;We were pretty happy in both conditions today.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;In the dry we felt comfortable and we had a consistently higher pace than the others and we&nbsp;re confident we can go quite a bit faster so that was definitely a positive.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We were struggling a little at the beginning in the wet, we needed to find more rear traction but the conditions weren&nbsp;t perfect as they were changing throughout the session with some parts of the track drying out and then more rain arriving.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Stoner, a winenr last time out in Assen, is neck and neck with Yamaha ace Jorge Lorenzo on 140 points in the overall standings, with Pedrosa 19 points back in third.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Tour de France: Sagan wins crash-hit 6th stage

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Peter Sagan of Slovakia survived another day blighted by crashes at the Tour de France and claimed a third stage win by edging out Andre Greipel of Germany in a sprint finish on Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland retained the yellow jersey for a seventh day after the 207.5-kilometer sixth stage from Epernay to Metz through the Champagne region.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I don&nbsp;t know how many stages I can win,&quot; Sagan said. &quot;Three is already good, maybe more.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Giro d&nbsp;Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal of Canada, Frank Schleck of Luxembourg and Mark Cavendish of Britain were among the riders involved in a huge pile-up that split the peloton 26 kilometers from the finish.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The crash left riders and bikes all over the road, but main contenders Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Cadel Evans escaped unscathed. At least three riders dropped out of the race.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The peloton, led by sprint teams from Orica-GreenEdge and Lotto-Belisol, then caught four breakaway riders with just over a kilometer to go.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Greipel, hoping to claim a third consecutive stage win, was the first to make his move in the final section but couldn&nbsp;t resist Sagan&nbsp;s surge.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I was in a good position, I kept it and then nothing hampered my effort,&quot; Sagan said. &quot;I took Greipel&nbsp;s wheel and everything went according to plan.&quot;<br />Competing in his maiden Tour, Sagan was involved in a crash on Thursday but recovered quickly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>As spirited fans cheered the riders by lifting glasses and Champagne bottles on the side of the road, American rider David Zabriskie launched an attack just five kilometers after the start. He was joined by Davide Malacarne of Italy, Romain Zingle of Belgium and Karsten Kroon of the Netherlands.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The four breakaway riders collaborated well and built a four-minute lead over the peloton before Cancellara&nbsp;s teammates moved to the front of the bunch to set up a faster tempo.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But a crash involving about 20 riders after 35 kilometers upset the chase, and the escapee&nbsp;s advantage grew to more than six minutes after 42 kilometers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Among others caught in the crash were Rabobank team leader Robert Gesink, winner of the Tour of California this year, and former Spanish Vuelta champion Alejandro Valverde of Spain. But all the riders involved in the pileup were able to get back on their bikes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Another crash slowed the peloton with 60 kilometers to go, with Greipel hitting the ground.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Overall, Cancellara leads the second-place Wiggins a pre-race favorite who is hoping to become the first British winner of the Tour by seven seconds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Evans climbed one spot to sixth, 17 seconds back, due to Norway&nbsp;s Edvald Boassen Hagen losing more than two minutes in a crash.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>As far as title hopes go, the biggest casualty of the last pileup was Hesjedal. He had entered the stage in ninth place, 18 seconds back, but straggled across the finish with an injured more than 13 minutes behind all but ending any reasonable hopes of Tour victory for him.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Watch Pakistani Dramas Online: Pak villa Episode 8 on Geo Tv – 6th July 2012

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online
DramasOnline
Pak villa Episode 8 on Geo Tv – 6th July 2012
Jul 6th 2012, 16:32

Watch Latest Pak villa Episode 8 on Geo Tv – 6th July 2012



You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online: Nachley Season 4 Episode 7 in High Quality on Ary Digital – 6th July 2012

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online
DramasOnline
Nachley Season 4 Episode 7 in High Quality on Ary Digital – 6th July 2012
Jul 6th 2012, 17:08

Watch Latest Online Nachley Season 4 Episode 7 in High Quality on Ary Digital – 6th July 2012



You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online: Kitni girhain baqi hain – Saath – 6th july 2012

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online
DramasOnline
Kitni girhain baqi hain – Saath – 6th july 2012
Jul 6th 2012, 16:57

Kitni girhain baqi hain – Saath – 6th july 2012



You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Higgs boson: Pakistan̢۪s contribution to a major breakthrough




KARACHI: 

Few Pakistanis know what the Higgs boson is and even fewer realise that some of the earliest theoretical groundwork that led to this discovery was laid by Pakistan's only Nobel laureate, Dr Abdus Salam.



The Higgs boson is a subatomic particle whose existence was confirmed by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (known by its French acronym, CERN) on July 4. The discovery of the particle provides the last remaining bit of empirical evidence necessary for the Standard Model of physics, which seeks to explain the existence of all forces in the universe except gravity.


In the 1950s, physicists were aware of four different types of forces in the universe: gravity, electromagnetic force, the force that attracts an electron towards the nucleus of an atom (weak nuclear force), and the force that keeps the nucleus of the atom together (strong nuclear force). The Standard Model can offer an integrated explanation for the latter three of those forces. Its origins lay in the discovery in 1960 by American physicist Sheldon Glashow of the fact that the weak nuclear force and electromagnetic force are the same thing.


Of the many discoveries that later solidified the Standard Model of physics was work done in 1967 by Dr Abdus Salam and American physicist Steven Weinberg in unifying the Higgs mechanism to Glashow's theory, giving the "electroweak theory" its current form. But Dr Salam's contributions to particle physics do not end there. Collaborating with Indian physicist Jogesh Pati, he proposed the Pati-Salam model in 1974, which further moved forward the theoretical underpinnings of the Standard Model.


It was for this body of work that Salam, along with Weinberg and Glashow, was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1979.


While this work in theoretical physics may seem obscure and with little practical application, the tools created by physicists engaged in this research are ones we all live with today. For instance, in order to assist the thousands of physicists around the world collaborating on this project, European scientists helped develop the internet. The need to crunch massive amounts of data led to the development of what is now known as cloud computing.


Research like this does not come cheap: it cost the Europeans about $10 billion to build the Large Hadron Collider, the atom-smashing machine that allowed for the discovery of the Higgs boson. But the economic payoffs for any country that invests in them seem to be several orders of magnitude higher, making it well worth it. Imagine: the thousands of internet companies – worth trillions of dollars – would not exist, were it not for the innate curiosity of particle physicists seeking what seems an outlandish goal: one theory that explains everything in the universe.


It is this curiosity to seek out the truth through empirical evidence, to seek explanations for the inexplicable, to unmask the unknown, to venture into the uncharted, that forms the basis for the fundamental drive of moving humanity forward. It is at the frontier of discovery that the future is born, and new industries and new avenues of wealth created, allowing millions – even billions – to lead better lives than they did before.


A Pakistani was at the fore of this frontier of discovery in the 1960s and 1970s. But rather than encourage and celebrate his magnificent achievement, he was maligned and sidelined for his faith. An ironic fact: most physicists are staunch atheists but Salam was one of the few firm believers in God.


Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, July 6th, 2012.






Orignal From: Higgs boson: Pakistan's contribution to a major breakthrough

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online: Fun Khana Episode 23 in High Quality – 6th july 2012

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online
DramasOnline
Fun Khana Episode 23 in High Quality – 6th july 2012
Jul 6th 2012, 15:02

Fun Khana Episode 23 in High Quality – 6th july 2012


You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online: Shehr e Zaat Episode 2 in High Quality – 6th July 2012

Watch Pakistani Dramas Online
DramasOnline
Shehr e Zaat Episode 2 in High Quality – 6th July 2012
Jul 6th 2012, 15:49

Watch Latest Shehr e Zaat Episode 2 in High Quality – 6th July 2012 Online



Last Part in Process

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About the Administrator

© 2013 Mera Pak Watan. All rights resevered. Designed by These Templates