ISLAMABAD: In its ongoing crackdown on militant groups the government of Pakistan formally took control yesterday of the main operational facility of a charity allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks, underscoring its effort to ease international pressure over militancy on its soil.
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Pakistan has formally taken control of the main operational facility of a charity allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks, as part of its effort to ease international pressure over militancy on its soil.
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KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to become a part of the Federal Cabinet.The decision to this effect was reached at a meeting of MQM Coordination Committee which was later ratified by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain.According to sources, MQM MNA Dr. Farooq Sattar, Senator Babur Khan Ghori and Senator Ahmed Ali are likely to take oath as Federal Ministers.It may be mentioned here that Aiwan-e-Sadr has already sent the invitations for the oath taking ceremony.
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Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in a limited-overs international by 234 runs to clinch the series 2-1.
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MELBOURNE: Seventh seeded American Andy Roddick was in ominous form as he downed Spaniard Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday.Playing on the Hisense Arena for the third match in a row, Roddick battled out a tight first set then steamrolled his Spanish opponent in the second and third sets to send out a warning to his rivals.The American has been in great form at this year’’s tournament, dropping only one set on his way to the last eight, against Belgium’’s Xavier Malisse in the second round.Roddick blasted 13 aces against Robredo and won 84 percent of his first serves to have the Spanish player on the back foot throughout the match.He broke Robredo five times and wasn”t broken once — the Spaniard only had one break point over the three sets.Roddick’’s quarter-final appearance equals his best Grand Slam performance of what was for him a disappointing 2008.He now plays either defending champion Novak Djokovic or 2006 runner-up and crowd favourite Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the semi-finals.
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Pakistan News
MELBOURNE: Three-time champion Roger Federer mounted one of the greatest comebacks of his career on Sunday when he recovered from a two-set deficit to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.Czech 20th seed Tomas Berdych was on course for an almighty upset when he froze in the third set, with Federer finally winning 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to stay on course for a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title.Federer, 27, has not come back from two sets down since 2005, when he fought past Rafael Nadal in the Miami Masters final, and has not failed to reach a Grand Slam quarter-finals since the 2004 French Open.He also battled through a five-set tussle with Igor Andreev in the fourth round of last year’’s US Open before recovering to win the title.Federer came into the match on the back of a sweeping victory over old adversary Marat Safin and one-sided wins over Andreas Seppi and Evgeny Korolev.But despite winning his last seven matches with Berdych he immediately looked out of sorts against the Czech, plodding around the court and making errors of every description.Berdych was set for an almighty upset but he suddenly collapsed at 3-3 in the third, missing three easy volleys to hand Federer the break, the set and the momentum.Federer is seeking to equal Pete Sampras’’s record 14 Grand Slam titles after starting his first season without the top ranking since 2004.He has reached the semi-finals at the previous five Australian Opens, winning in 2004, 2006 and 2007, and last failed to reach the quarter-finals in 2003.Federer came here last year suffering from mononucleosis and was beaten in the semis, kicking off his toughest season as he lost his Wimbledon title and number one ranking before recovering to win the US Open.Only four other men have won four or more Australian Open titles: Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Jack Crawford and Ken Rosewall. Federer has reached the last 18 Grand Slam semi-finals, an all-time record.
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MELBOURNE: The Australian Open was blown wide open Sunday when top seed Jelena Jankovic crashed out, joining Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams as high-profile early round casualties.They were nearly joined by Russian third seed Dinara Safina, who survived two match points to claw back and beat France’’s Alize Cornet 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.Jankovic was crushed by French 16th seed Marion Bartoli 6-1, 6-4, giving more ammunition to critics who believe she doesn”t deserve the world number one ranking having never won a Grand Slam.With Ivanovic and Williams already gone, the first Grand Slam of the season has become one of the most open ever with Bartoli into a quarter-final against either Russia’’s Nadia Petrova or Vera Zvonareva. Safina appeared certain to follow Jankovic out when Cornet was serving for the match at 5-4 and 40-15, but she somehow clung on and hauled herself out of trouble.Despite almost tumbling out of the tournament, Safina felt she was stronger now than ever before.She next faces either local comeback queen Jelena Dokic or Russian 29th seed Alisa Kelybanova, who play later Sunday.
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MELBOURNE: Seventh seed Vera Zvonareva advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals Sunday after winning an all-Russian clash with tenth seed Nadia Petrova 7-5, 6-4.Zvonareva maintained her good form at the season-opening Grand Slam to down Petrova in 100 minutes and set up a meeting with French 16th seed Marion Bartoli in the quarters.The 24-year-old always looked comfortable against Petrova, despite winning only one of their six previous meetings.Zvonareva’’s new-found self-belief stems from a strong season in 2008 when she won bronze at the Beijing Olympics, reached the biggest final of her career at the season-ending WTA Championships and broke into the top 10.But she was assisted by a mistake-ridden performance from Petrova, who committed 49 unforced errors in the match.Monte Carlo-based Petrova’’s serve also failed to fire and she committed three double faults in each set, allowing Zvonareva to break her twice in the first and once in the second.Zvonareva took the first set in 57 minutes and went ahead with an early break in the second and never surrendered the advantage.Petrova saved one match point and appeared to have survived another when a Zvonareva return went long.But her opponent challenged the decision and the point had to be replayed when Hawkeye technology showed the ball had brushed the baseline.Zvonareva left no room for doubt when she again served for the match, rushing to the net to meet a Petrova backhand and smashing it beyond her opponent’’s reach in the corner of the curt.
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MELBOURNE: Dinara Safina clawed her way past Frenchwoman Alize Cornet and into Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday.The third seed narrowly avoided the same fate as Jelena Jankevic and Venus Williams when she survived two match points to defeat Cornet 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.Far from being happy with her efforts in making the last eight, Safina was furious for almost losing a match which she believes she should have won comfortably.The Russian raced through the first set easily to win it 6-2, won the first game of the second and had Cornet 15-40 in the next before it all started to go wrong.Cornet stormed through the second set as Safina’’s unforced error rate skyrocketed, and then went out to a 5-2 lead in the third.But despite twice serving for the match and at one stage having 5-4 and 40-15, Cornet was unable to take advantage and it was Safira raising her arms in triumph, leaving the Frenchwoman slumped in her chair in tears.
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LAHORE (AFP)–Pakistan on Sunday appointed an administrator to oversee the headquarters of an Islamic charity that India says is linked to the militants who carried out the Mumbai attacks, officials said.
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