KARACHI: Pakistan’s newly crowned Asian Snooker Champion Hamza Akbar is looking forward to make his mark on the professional circuit in England.
“By virtue of winning the Asian crown I have qualified for the professional circuit,” he told reporters after a reception hosted in his honour by Pakistan Billiard and Snooker Association (PBSA) here at the Karachi Club Annexe on Sunday.
He said as per the ruling he can play on the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) circuit for two years.
Akbar said he will be directly placed in the main draw and will be joining the circuit in July after event in Iran.
Hamza Akbar he was eagerly looking forward to rub shoulders with top professionals of the world. He said he had to finish among the top 64 in next two years on the WPBSA to continue playing on the professional circuit.
The 21 years old is the second Pakistani after Muhammad Yousuf to win the continental title after a lapse of 17 years.
Dazzling Hamza defeated former IBSF World Snooker Champion Pankaj Advani of India 7-6 to win the title for Pakistan at Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
“It was always my dream to win the title and my hard work paid dividend,” the country’s new snooker prodigy told reporters.
He thanked Almighty for achieving his objective after being 4-5 down.
“Despite being behind I played my normal game and kept reciting Holy Quran and Darood Sharif and that helped me to win the title,” he remarked.
He dedicated his victory to his whole family including his grandmother, coaches, friends and well wishers and the PBSA.
Akbar expressed the hope that Pakistan Sports authorities will provide long standing cash incentives to players for their achievements for the country including former IBSF World Champion and World Team and 6 Red Asian champion Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Sajjad.
LAS VEGAS: Britain´s former two-time light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan has said he wants to be the next opponent for Floyd Mayweather after watching ringside as the American outpointed Manny Pacquiao in the Las Vegas superfight on Saturday.
Mayweather kept his unbeaten record with a unanimous points victory over Pacquiao in a welterweight unification showdown that failed to live up to all the pre-match hype, but fully highlighted the winner´s superb defensive skills.
Mayweather said after the fight that he would only get in the ring once more - in September - and Khan, 10 years younger at 28, believes he is ideally placed to be the American´s final opponent.
"I think the fight is there," Khan told BBC Radio Five Live´s Sportsweek programme.
"I spoke to Len Ellerbe, his manager, I saw him in the media room and he came over to say ´hi...he´s ready when you are´.
"I think Mayweather´s team are wanting the fight. But then - on the other hand - I´ve even spoken to Manny´s team and they said the same thing. (They said), ´Look Amir, I think it´d be good to have the fight between you and Manny next´.
"So, I´m in a position where I could fight either guy but I think Mayweather´s the one I want, because I really believe I have his number."
The Bolton boxer, with 30 wins and three losses to date in his career, is in action later this month in New York taking on Chris Algieri, but he hopes to get in the ring with Mayweather later this year or early in 2016.
"I think it would be an amazing fight, one that boxing fans all around are talking about because I really believe size is a big factor between me and him and the speed and the power as well. I really believe I have his number."
Early reactions to the richest fight in boxing history were mixed with Oscar de la Hoya, a former rival of both Mayweather and Pacquiao saying on Twitter: "Sorry boxing fans" and "call me old school but I like the fans getting their money´s worth by watching an action packed fight."
Former Irish champion Barry McGuigan agreed saying on his Twitter site "boringly one-sided"
Others though praised the boxing skills of Mayweather as he took his unbeaten streak to 48 wins over 19 years.
Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who had picked Pacquiao to win told Sky Sports: "It´s him. It´s who he is. It´s just his time at the moment."
Britain´s Lennox Lewis on Twitter said: "If U can´t catch it you can´t hit it #Maypac that pretty much sums up the fight."
Frank Bruno hailed Floyd Mayweather as a supreme "craftsman" of the boxing ring.
"In this generation you have to go very, very far before you can be a skilled craftsman, businessman, technician, professional and a king in knowing his craft," he told BBC Radio 5 Live´s Sportsweek programme.
"As a boxer you´ve got to admire him, he´s got to go down as one of the greats."
LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision on Saturday in their long-awaited welterweight world title showdown.
In a bout branded boxing´s latest “Fight of the Century” Mayweather took his unblemished record to 48-0 adding the Filipino great´s World Boxing Organization title to his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns.
Pacquiao fell to 57-6 with two drawn, never able to mount the kind of sustained aggressive attack he needed to earn the decision.
Even so, Pacquiao said he thought he did enough to earn the victory.
“I thought I won the fight,” he said. “He didn’t do nothing.”
In fact, Mayweather did what he does best, skillfully thwarting Pacquiao’s offense.
Although his punches didn’t come in the bunches that Pacquiao’s did, there were plenty of telling blows.
Ringside judge Dave Moretti scored the bout 118-110 for Mayweather, while judges Glenn Feldman and Bert Clements both scored it 116-112 for the American.
May 4, (now dubbed Star Wars Day #starwarsday#maythe4thbewithyou) may be over for another year, but news, photos and gossip from the Star Wars camp are still rolling in.
We've always felt strongly that a Wookie should get a magazine cover and in the run up to the December release of The Force Awakens, Vanity Fair have led the way as their June issue cover boasts Chewbacca, Hans Solo and newcomers to the franchise Rey and Finn.
The cover photo and the on-set photos were taken by VF photographer Annie Leibovitz and have already taken the internet by storm in just the few hours they have been released. Fans of the forthcoming trilogy have been piecing together clues to establish who and what they cast are playing (see here for the latest casting news).
Princess Charlotte's birth certificate has been released. The document states the Duke andDuchess of Cambridge's occupation as "Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom".
Kensington Palace/Twitter
It also includes where both William and Kate were born (Paddington and Reading respectively).
The certificate includes the princess's full name - Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge and is signed by Alison Cathcart, the Deputy Registrar of Westminster Register Office, who also registered Prince George's birth.
Today, the Queen got to meet her new, three-day-old great-grand-daughter for the first time.
Getty Images
The couple's "usual address" is stated as Kensington Palace, London, and the Duke signed the certificate as "William".
Kensington Palace released a statement saying: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have formally registered the birth of Princess Charlotte. The Duke of Cambridge signed the birth register at Kensington Palace this afternoon witnessed by a registrar from Westminster Register Office."
Princess Charlotte's birth register document will be kept at the Westminster Registration Office.
AT 9.09AM, WE WROTE:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named the new royal princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, Kensington Palace has confirmed.
Her official title will be 'Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge'.
Getty
Charlotte was born at 8.34am on Saturday morning and weighed 8lbs 3oz. Her name is a nod to her family on both sides - Charlotte is the feminine of William's father, Charles and it's also Pippa Middleton's middle name, while Elizabeth and Diana are obviously William's grandmother and late mother's names.
Charlotte means "free man" traditionally and was the 17th most popular girl's name last year, according to BabyCentre.
Princess Charlotte isn't the first royal with the name; England's Queen Charlotte was the wife of George III. The couple also had a daughter they named Charlotte.
But don't expect there to be a rush of Charlottes anytime soon.
"It's a lovely name but we're expecting to see fewer babies being called Charlotte in the coming months," said Sasha Miller, International Managing Editor of BabyCentre.
"Parents don't want to be labelled as having been influenced by others in their baby name choice, particularly by such a high-profile family. That was a pattern we saw very clearly after the birth of Charlotte's older brother in 2013; the name George quickly dipped in popularity in BabyCentre's naming charts. New parents who had been thinking of naming their baby Charlotte, may well now be thinking again."
Wow! The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth at 8.34am and 10 hours later, she's carrying her newborn princess and taking her home. Yep, they'll be home in time for Britain's Got Talent. Good work!
Kate looked gorgeous as she stepped out of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in West London wearing a yellow Jenny Packham dress.
Getty
Earlier today, Prince William arrived at the hospital with Prince George - who looked as adorable as ever.
Prince William looked incredibly excited about the arrival of he and the Duchess of Cambridge's baby daughter.
The Duke of Cambridge told the waiting paparazzi and fans that the couple were "very happy" with the new arrival before driving away in a Range Rover.
The as-yet unnamed baby girl will be fourth in line to the throne, behind her grandfather Prince Charles, who is "absolutely delighted" by the news, her father Prince William and brother Prince George.
EARLIER, WE WROTE...
Rejoice! KateMiddleton has given birth to a baby girl.
PA Photos
It's time to get your royal bunting out because little baby George has himself a little sister today.
The Duchess of Cambridge and her husband Prince William welcomed their second (royal) baby on 2 May 2015.
Kensington Palace revealed the news on Twitter...
An email went out to members of the media...
"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a daughter at 8.34am.
The baby weighs 8lbs 3oz.
The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news.
Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well."
EARLIER, WE WROTE...
Kate Middleton is in the early stages of labour and was admitted to hospital around 6am this morning. The next official announcement is likely to be that of the birth.
PA Photos
Prince William is by his wife's side at the private Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in West London, where he himself was born in 1982, and where the couple's son, George, was born in July 2013.
The couple's nanny Maria Borrallo, is looking after their eldest son, Prince George. The Duchess of Cambridge is thought to be over a week overdue and there is talk that she may have to be induced.
A spokesman for the couple said in a statement: "The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St Mary's Hospital in the early stages of labour."
"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted at 06.00hrs to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London and is in the early stages of labour."
"The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge."
ON 28 APRIL 2015, WE WROTE:
Prince Harry is set to miss the birth of his new niece or nephew as he flew out of London last night to return to his army job in Australia.
Rex Features
Kate Middleton and Prince William's second child is thought to be five days overdue and it now seems that Harry won't meet the newest member of his family until mid-May when he returns to the UK.
Harry's weekend whistle-stop tour included a visit to his brother and sister-in-law in Kensington Palace and an appearance at the London marathon on Sunday. The young prince joked that he'd like to see the couple welcome a girl.
"I can't wait to see my brother suffer more," the cheeky Prince revealed back in September when news of a second royal baby became public. "And with any luck, if it's a girl, then he'll suffer even greater. I'd love to see him try and cope with that!" he said.
Like Prince George, it seems that the second royal baby will be late.
Check back to GLAMOUR for updates on the royal baby.
ON 27 APRIL 2015, WE WROTE:
Kate Middleton and Prince William are well and truly down with the kids - the pair will be informing the world of the royal baby's arrival by sending out the news electronically. Yep, on Twitter.
#Modern.
PA Photos
According to reports, an email will go out to members of the media and then, "a couple of minutes later," an aide explains, the news will be announced on the palace's social media feeds, including the @KensingtonRoyal Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The information will be the sex of the baby, the time of birth and the weight.
The next piece of information will tell us when the couple and their son or daughter are leaving the hospital. And then after, once they've faced the dreaded camera, the family is expected to stay at their London home Kensington Palace for a couple of days before heading to their country residence, Anmer Hall, around 150 miles north, where they will spend much of the summer.
William is set to have two weeks' paternity leave from his new job as an air ambulance pilot, for which he re-starts training on 1 June.
As the Kate Wait rumbles on, the bookies are being inundated with bets.
A Manchester man has put £10,000 on the new royal baby being a girl - and he stands to win £15,000 if he's right.
Currently, Ladbrokes' odds are 8/15 for a girl and 11/8 for a boy.
The man, who usually bets on horse racing and football, said: "I'm not really bothered by the royals, but I'd just had a big win and my missus reckons it's a girl, so that's a good enough reason for me."
Alice is the favourite name for a new princess at 5/4 - but a poll carried out for The Sunday Times found the public's top pick to be Diana.
Other bookies' favourites are Charlotte, at 5/1 and James or Arthur if it's a boy (20/1 and 12/1).
The due date of new baby Cambridge is not known; but odds are in that it could be April 29 (the couple's fourth wedding anniversary).
ON 21 APRIL 2015, WE WROTE...
This is lovely news - Kate Middleton has someone to keep her company as she waits for baby number two to arrive. Her husband, Prince William, has started his paternity leave early after completing the first phase of his air ambulance training ahead of time, meaning he can be by his wife's side as she scolds him for putting him in this damn situation.
Rex
The Prince, who is training to become an air ambulance helicopter pilot with Bond Air Services in Norfolk, was due to remain at his and the Duchess of Cambridge's country residence, Amner Hall, in the run up to the birth of their second child.
The distance apart meant that if the Duchess went into labour while William was at work, he faced a two hour drive to London.
"The Duke of Cambridge has completed the first phase of his in-work air ambulance helicopter pilot training with Bond Air Services earlier than anticipated," a Kensington Palace spokesperson has said. "This is due to a combination of The Duke performing well in the various modules and having very good flying conditions that allowed flight training and assessment to progress more quickly than had been planned," they added.
The Duchess is currently chilling out with her feet up at Kensington Palace - which is close to St Mary's Hospital, where she is due to give birth.
ON 27 MARCH 2015, WE WROTE...
We don't know whether Prince George will be getting a brother or a sister, but we DO know that the Duchess of Cambridge is due to give birth at some point in April.
As Kate Middleton's due date nears, there are lots of people placing bets on the name, hoping to cash in.
PA Photos
Punters in a Kent area have caused a surge in bets on the name of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby.
Bookmaker William Hill has slashed the odds on the royal baby being called Alice from 14-1 to 4-1.
William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said there had been a "large volume of bets" from that area.
He told Mailonline: "Alice is the new favourite and we have seen a significant number of bets. You have to think there is good reason for the gamble."
If the baby does prove to be a girl called Alice it would not be a huge break with tradition.
Since the mid 19th century a number of royal women have been called Alice, with Queen Victoria calling her second daughter Princess Alice and the wife of the late Duke of Gloucester - the Queen's uncle - having the same name.
At Ladbrokes the name Elizabeth leads the way as the 5/1 favourite for the name of choice. This royal name is followed closely by Charlotte, Alexandra and James.
TheMetro combined Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Coral's odds for their calculations, giving Elizabeth 7/2 odds, followed by James 8/1, Charlotte 9/2 and Victoria 10/1. Five names were tied with 12/1 odds: Philip, Alice, Mary, Arthur and Diana.
The site shared some unusual bets as well, like Tyrone (100/1), Macbeth (500/1), Ringo (5001/1) and Chardonnay (500/1).
We're not sure who was more starstruck, Kate Middleton or Harry Styles, when they met last night - but we reckon it was probably Harry, who, rather than sticking to a traditional royal greeting, couldn't help congratulating Kate on her bump!
PA Photos
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William met the One Direction boys at the Royal Variety Performance in support of the Entertainment Artists' Benevolent Fund at the Palladium Theatre in London, and the boys admitted they were really nervous for the meeting.
"It's the most nervous I think I've ever been in my life," Liam said, while Louis admitted: "I didn't say 'ma'am. I said, 'Hi, How are you? I'm Louis.'"
Don't worry, Louis, we'd have done the same.
However the most down-to-earth chat was heard from Harry, who congratulated Kate on her bump.
"I said congratulations on the bump," Harry said. "(Though) she didn't look bumpy."
The boys also became pally with Prince William, who told them he'd been "keeping a close eye" on their career. It must be nice to have a royal fan!
ON WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2014, WE WROTE...
How lovely! Kate Middleton looked gorgeous as she arrived at the Wildlife Photography of the Year awards last night.
Rex Features
It was a big day for the Duchess yesterday - it was her first public appearance since her pregnancy was revealed. Kate remarked that she was pleased to be "out of the house" after suffering with Hyperemisis Gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness.
Last night she arrived at the awards, which were held at the Natural History Museum, of whichKate is a patron. She looked beautiful in a bespoke Jenny Packham pale jade crepe full-length gown, which she teamed with nude stilettos, and Monica Vinader jewellery.
On Tuesday morning her radiant smile spoke volumes about how the Duchess felt about getting back to work this week.
Kate told guests: "I've been looking forward to getting out of the house, that's for sure."
ON 20 OCTOBER 2014, WE WROTE...
Aww, some royal baby news for you! Kensington Palace has confirmed that Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William are due in April 2015, and they are "delighted".
Will Royal Baby #2 be a headstrong Aries or a stubborn Taurus? Only time will tell…
PA Photos
As with her first pregnancy, the Duchess has suffered from acute morning sickness and been treated by doctors at Kensington Palace. The royal household said in a statement that theKate's condition is "steadily improving."
The statement read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in April 2015.
"The Duchess of Cambridge continues to be affected by hyperemesis gravidarum, but her condition is steadily improving."
Now, can we have a public holiday for the occasion? Please?
ON 13 OCTOBER 2014, WE WROTE...
Kate Middleton added an exciting new role to her royal duties today, but was unable to attend its launch today because of her severe morning sickness, or hyperemesis gravidarum.
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