Kaka passes Real Madrid medical

Kaka successfully passed his medical with Real Madrid, the Primera Division giants have confirmed.

Kaka successfully passed his medical with Real Madrid this morning, the Primera Division giants have confirmed.

The 27-year-old had already completed a first set of medical tests with Madrid whilst on international duty in Brazil prior to the official announcement of his transfer from AC Milan on June 8.

Kaka, who Madrid have paid Milan a fee reportedly in the region of £56million for, will be presented by his new club at the Bernabeu this evening at a ceremony starting at 2030 local time.

The former Sao Paulo player arrived in Madrid this morning having just helped Brazil win the Confederations Cup in South Africa - being named player of the tournament in the process.

Kaka underwent various tests at the Sanitas La Moraleja Hospital in the Spanish capital, which he passed with flying colours according to the club's medical team.

Carlos Diez, Real Madrid's medical chief, said: "The tests taken today show that he is a player in perfect condition to play football at the highest level as has been seen at the Confederations Cup.

"These test have been done to complement the ones done in Brazil. We have incorporated new protocols, such as a biomechanic study, which allows us to study the player and be able to prevent future injuries and optimise his performances."

Kaka, who has agreed a six-year contract, was the first signing confirmed by Madrid after Florentino Perez returned to the club presidency at the start of this month.

Soon after bringing in the Brazilian, Perez also agreed a world-record £80million fee with Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

That deal was finalised on Friday night and will come into effect from tomorrow, with Ronaldo, who like Kaka will be tied to the Spanish giants until 2015, being presented on July 6.

Aside from Kaka and Ronaldo, Madrid also struck a deal to sign Valencia defender Raul Albiol last week for a fee believed to be around £13million, while the likes of Franck Ribery, David Villa and Xabi Alonso are all being linked with moves to the Bernabeu as Perez relaunches the famous 'galacticos' policy that he presided over during his first tenure at the club.

Then, whilst president from 2000-06, Perez sanctioned the big-money signings of superstars such as Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Luis Figo and Ronaldo, a policy that reaped indifferent rewards with Madrid winning seven trophies under Perez in total but none in his final three years.

Late-night heroics carry Murray through

Andy Murray kept his Wimbledon dream alive but only after an intense five-set thriller under the Centre Court lights.

In the latest-ever finish at Wimbledon, 10.39pm, and with the famous hill still packed but in total darkness, the Scot needed the assistance of a partisan crowd and some raucous support from his mum Judy to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3.

Murray now faces wild-card entry Juan Carlos Ferrero in the quarter-finals in his continuing quest to make history by becoming the first Briton to win the singles title for 73 years.

The crowd witnessed three hours and 57 minutes triumph of determination and desire for Murray, spectacular entertainment and validation of Wimbledon's decision to spend around £80million on their new roof which had been put to its first use when showers halted the previous match between Dinara Safin and Amelie Mauresmo.

It was all the more creditable because Murray could not have started worse, losing the opening game on serve when Wawrinka unleashed some of his trademark backhand winners.

The indoor conditions and the anticipation seemed to have unnerved Murray for the first time. He was also struggling to control the power of Wawrinka who broke serve again in the third game and went on to overpower the Scot in what was a brilliant first set.

At that stage you could feel the apprehension on Centre Court.

Murray was in trouble again in the fifth game of the second set but managed to save two break points on his serve. Then came perhaps the pivotal moment in the match.

First, Murray produced a brilliant running forehand to salvage a game he might well have lost. And at the end of the next game Wawrinka received treatment from the trainer for what appeared to be a thigh muscle strain.

The mood changed. Murray was clawing his way into the match, imploring the Centre Court crowd to get behind him.

And they did just that, Murray pumping his fists, the crowd roaring him on and the errors inevitably beginning to leak from the Wawrinka racket as the Scot levelled the match.

Murray was required to save three break points in a tough sixth game of the third set which went to four deuces. And it turned out to be a significant momentum swing.

In the next game Wawrinka's concentration lapsed. He missed several easy forehands and Murray seized the initiative by taking the crucial break.

With Murray's first-serve percentage increasing he was beginning at last to take control of the match.

The fourth set was a tense struggle, full of heavy hitting, but it was Wawrinka who dug in to gain the only break in the 11th game.

And so it went to a fifth set in which Murray was first to strike, coming back from 40-love down to break the Wawrinka serve and wrest the momentum, only for the man from Lausanne to claw his way back from 3-0 behind.

It was down to guts and sheer will, and although Murray looked weary he dug deep to break the Wawrinka serve once more in the eighth game and clinch a famous victory.

Man City seal deal for Eto'o

Premier League moneybags Manchester City have splashed the cash again by signing Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona.

According to reports in this weekend's News of the World tabloid, the Cameroon international will travel to Eastlands this week to finalise personal details on a five-year deal before agreeing to a transfer thought to be in the region of £25million.

The news comes despite desperate attempts by Barcelona to keep one of their prized assets.

Eto'o's contract expires at the end of next season and with Barca keen to avoid losing one of their key players on a free transfer, it had been expected that he would move on this summer.

But after a season in which Eto'o contributed 36 goals as Barca claimed an unprecedented treble - winning the Primera Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League - club president Joan Laporta was hoping the 28-year-old would sign a new contract.

However, City's recent high profile transfer activity - which has already seen them spend some £30million on Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz - has convinced Eto'o that Mark Hughes' side is well and truly on the up.

"The player could have earned similar money at Barca," a City insider told the newspaper.

"But Eto'o and his people think City could be going places and is excited by the type of players they are attracting."

According to the paper, Eto'o's move finally fell into place after Barca turned their focus on Palmeiras star Keirrison who will be loaned to Valencia in return for them allowing David Villa to sign for Pep Guardiola's team.

Study rates Messi above Ronaldo

An international study shows that Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the most talked-about footballer in the world.

The Economics, Sports and Intangibles (ESI) study, conducted annually at the University of Navarra, reported that Messi is the highest-profile player in the world in terms of media value. The study researches various forms of media, sales and economic factors in determining the profile and value of players.

The research this year showed Messi was just ahead of Cristiano is terms of being the most talked-about player on the globe, also claiming that Messi's goal in the Champions League final helped him edge past the Portuguese superstar.

However, Ronaldo retained the title of the costliest player in the study despite being second in terms of media value. But although the researchers valued his saleability at €82 million, the sum Real Madrid will pay Manchester United for him is close to €96 million.

Messi was valued at €80m, with Liverpool star Fernando Torres coming in third at €67m.

In other ratings determined by the study, there were no surprises as United and Barcelona tied at the top of the team rankings, while United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was first in the managers' rankings as well.

The media value honor will certainly contribute to Messi's chances of winning the Ballon D'Or, an award whose panel is made up of journalists, and is a perfect present for him as the results of the study were released just a day after he turned 22 on Wednesday.

Federer voices betting concerns

Roger Federer has revealed his concern that corruption may be having an impact on top-level tennis.

And the Swiss ace has urged the sport's governing bodies to show no mercy if any cheating of the system can be proven.

It has emerged tennis authorities are looking into betting patterns on a Wimbledon match.

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Online bookmaker Betfair alerted the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) after £700,000 was gambled on the first-round contest in which Austrian number 26 seed Jurgen Melzer beat American Wayne Odesnik by three sets to love.

Some bookmakers suspended betting on the match as the wagers flooded in.

But it is believed the surge in betting could have been down to rumours circulating that Odesnik was suffering from an injury.

Federer was asked for his view on the overall suspicious betting issue and said: "We don't talk about it in the locker room. But it's happened more frequently than we talk about it.

"If it's happening or not, we are suspecting. We're not sure. But, of course, it has no place in tennis.

"But it's hard to control. But I'm sure the ATP (Association of Tennis Professional) and the ITF (International Tennis Federation), we're trying our best to catch those guys - if there are any out there.

"I think we should have massive bans on those who get caught so they get really scared of doing it.

"We talk about it in the Player Council, Player Board.

"Those are things definitely we're trying to fight. We have a good set-up, so we can't avoid that there are some funny results sometimes here and there. That doesn't mean it's really happening."

The world number two was also asked whether it would be difficult to control a flow of information reaching bookmakers.

"I don't know. I've never been approached," Federer said. "I never knew it existed until a few years ago when all of a sudden I heard about it. So I've been shocked to hear it.

"Well, we always hope that the players also want the best for the sport. That is, at the end of the day, what it comes down to."

American Odesnik, ranked 109 in the world, was not expected to win against Melzer even if fully fit.

Before the match the odds on a 3-0 win went from even money to 1-5.

Odesnik, 23, said on Tuesday night night: "I have no idea about this. I don't know why someone would bet for me to lose. This was my first tournament on grass this season.

"Yesterday, I had a little bit of a strain in my thigh but it was not a question of not being able to play."

He said he would not do anything to jeopardise his future.

And speaking before a practice session on Wednesday, Melzer, who is not under suspicion, said: "I played my match. I won in three sets. I didn't have any knowledge of any betting. I was surprised this morning to read it in the papers.

"Even if he was fit, I would beat him on three sets on grass.

"The odds would be that I would beat him in three sets. Any set I would lose would be a surprise.

"I'm now in a strange position. I'm getting asked questions about something I have nothing to do with.

"It's bad for tennis."

World number four Novak Djokovic agreed, like Federer, that the sport must battle corruption.

"Of course I have heard about it but never experienced it personally," Djokovic said.

"This is certainly something that we have to fight against because it doesn't deserve a place in our sport."

An International Tennis Federation spokesman said: "The Tennis Integrity Unit never comments on any ongoing investigation or lack thereof. We would never confirm or deny whether there is any ongoing investigation."

He added: "All sports have irregular betting patterns. There are a large variety of reasons for that. It doesn't necessarily mean that someone has done anything wrong."

The TIU is an independent unit which works on behalf of the ITF, ATP, WTA (Women's Tennis Association), and grand slam events.

Pato ready to shun the Blues

AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato insists he will remain at the San Siro as long as the club want him.

This was despite reported interested from Chelsea and former coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Brazil international is a protege of Ancelotti, who brought him to Milan as a 17-year-old in 2007, and has been linked with a summer move to west London in the wake of the Italian coach's arrival at Stamford Bridge.

However, the 19-year-old, who is under contract at Milan until 2012, claims he will not be following Ancelotti to the Barclays Premier League club.

"Pato will be at Milan always," he told Studio Sport. "I am part of Milan and the club decides on my life.

"I am happy at Milan and I am here to work for Milan.

"The past year and a half for me has been very great, I want to help Milan win the Champions League."

Tevez agreed City deal weeks ago

Reports in England are claiming that Manchester City-bound Carlos Tevez decided to leave Old Trafford over two weeks ago.

The Mirror newspaper has reported that City will announce a £25.5 million move in the coming days, something that seems increasingly likely to be validated after United announced over the weekend that Tevez had rejected a five-year contract offer from the Red Devils.

A statement on United's website said that despite an offer that would make him one of the highest earners at Old Trafford," his advisers informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club's most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United."

Speculation is rife that Tevez was upset by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's reluctance to give him a starting spot, and the Argentine has earlier claimed he did not feel like "part of the family" in Manchester.

Tevez apparently made his decision to leave since he felt he was not valued enough at the Theatre of Dreams, despite being a fan favourite, with cries of "Sign him up, sign him up" often erupting in the stands whenever he appeared toward the end of the season.

At Eastlands, Tevez is apparently set to sign a £100,000 a week contract, and will be the third signing for City after they snapped up Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz.

Manager Mark Hughes, backed by the club's Arab owners, is looking to revamp a City side that looking attackingly listless last season, and Tevez will join fellow new signing Santa Cruz as well as Robinho and Craig Bellamy up front for them.

After losing both Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez early in the summer, Ferguson will certainly be under pressure to bring in new players, but United have so far been quiet in the market, despite being linked with Antonio Valencia, Douglas Costa and Karim Benzema among others.

Cristiano: It was my fault

Cristiano Ronaldo claims that his departure from England is solely his fault and not Real Madrid or Man United's.

The soon-to-be Madrid galactico will be the world's most expensive player when he finally signs on the dotted line with 94 million euros in transfer fees dished out for him.

With many United fans feeling betrayed by his flippant switch to Madrid, the Portuguese thunderbolt wanted to explain his decisions.

News of the World reported that he said: "This transfer is no different to anyone else's. I expressed my desire to go to Real Madrid and the two clubs reached an agreement.

"Anything wrong with my exit was my fault, not Real Madrid's or Manchester United's. I opened my mouth and that is what caused problems between the two clubs, who acted in a proper manner.

"I could have handled things differently, and not have done everything so publicly," admitted the winger."

Ronaldo will join Brazilian ace Kaka as the two superstars who will be given the tough task of snatching back Spanish supremacy from archrivals Barcelona.

Tevez to leave United

Manchester United have confirmed that Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez will leave Old Trafford.

United chief executive David Gill had been in discussions with Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian, with the aim of keeping the popular Argentina star.

But, despite the offer of a lucrative five-year contract that would have made Tevez one of the highest paid players at the club, the South American has decided to leave.

"Following contact received from Carlos Tevez's advisors last night, in advance of the deadline the club set for concluding negotiations, Manchester United announces that Carlos will not be signing a new contract with the club," said a statement released by United this morning.

"The club agreed to pay the option price of £25.5million and offered Carlos a five year contract which would have made him one of its highest paid players.

"Disappointingly however, his advisors informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club's most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United.

"The club would like to thank Carlos for his services over the last two seasons and wishes him good luck for the future."

The news will be greeted with dismay by United fans, who have warmed to Tevez's all-action style during a two-year 'loan' spell that has included successive Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.

They had hoped some of the £80million about to be pocketed from Real Madrid for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo would be used to keep Tevez, who also impressed during a season with West Ham.

However, after declaring earlier this season he was deeply unhappy at a perceived lack of match action - even though he made more appearances than either Wayne Rooney or Dimitar Berbatov, it was always likely the South American would move on.

Tevez is certainly not short of options, with new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti keen to lure the former Boca Juniors star to Stamford Bridge.

Yet Manchester City are the favourites to confirm Tevez's capture, having made Joorabchian an offer said to be well in excess of United's.

As the Blues are on the verge of confirming Roque Santa Cruz's £18million arrival from Blackburn, it would represent a major statement of intent for a club also hoping to tie up the signing of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

It leaves United boss Sir Alex Ferguson with a major rebuilding job to do in attack given he is still to secure a replacement for Ronaldo.

Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck impressed last term and may be expected to have more involvement as United chase an unprecedented fourth successive title.

But Ferguson needs experience as well to compliment Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, who endured a patchy debut season at Old Trafford following his club record £30.75million arrival from Tottenham.

Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery have both been spoken of as potential targets, although there is no guarantee either will come.

And while Antonio Valencia's £18million arrival from Wigan should eventually go through, his lack of goalscoring prowess is a worry.

With Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar about to embark on what many think will be their final seasons in top flight football and memories of a comprehensive Champions League final defeat to Barcelona last month still fresh, Ferguson clearly has some unwanted headaches seven weeks ahead of the opening Premier League game against Birmingham.

Santa Cruz ‘delighted’ with move

Roque Santa Cruz has signed a four-year deal at Manchester City after they agreed a fee in the region of £18million with Blackburn for the Paraguayan international.

The South American will link up again with former Blackburn manager Mark Hughes at Eastlands and expressed his happiness at finally making the switch to Manchester after being linked with a transfer during the January window.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Santa Cruz said he was glad to finally seal the move to City, and excited for the future.

"Well it took a very long time to get me here and now everything is done. I am very happy and delighted with everything and looking forward to the season."

"I think everybody is expecting a lot and the fact the club are signing big players, great players, also shows we want to be as good as possible", Santa Cruz noted.

"I think everybody is talking about breaking the top four so once we get there, we need to keep looking forward and see what is the best we can get."

The 27-year-old further admitted that the fact that Mark Hughes was in charge at Eastlands was a big factor in his move.

"It's very good I know the way he [Hughes] trains and the people who were with him and the fact that he's a winner and he wants to perform better and better."

"So having him here has helped me a lot to decide and also of course that it is a great club with great fans, and I am looking forward to playing games here."

Santa Cruz is City's second signing of the summer after Gareth Barry, with reports speculating that the club are also in the hunt for strikers Carlos Tevez and Samuel Eto'o as well as Arsenal defender Kolo Toure.

It's Open season for Duval

David Duval continues his unlikely bid for US Open glory saying he is happier as an outsider than when he stood on top.

Duval, 37, lies in a tie for third with England's Ross Fisher at Bethpage Black with one putt and 15 holes left to play of the rain-hit major, five shots behind overnight leaders Ricky Barnes and Lucas Glover.

Just being in contention in a major is a remarkable achievement for the American who lost his game and his commitment to the sport following his victory at the 2001 British Open, his 13th and most recent tournament victory.

From world number one to an also ran, Duval took a seven-month break from the game in 2004 and only played nine tournaments as his ranking plummeted and the following year a tie for 60th was his best finish for 2005.

Still struggling with his game coming into the US Open having made only four cuts from 13 starts this year, he cited a happier family life for helping him make more of his talents.

"I'd like to think I enjoyed it immensely, you know, eight, 10 years ago, when I was on top of the world," Duval said.

"But with a life that's a little more complete, I probably honestly enjoy it more now.

"I have no less desire at this point than I did back then. However, I probably feel like I don't simply do it for myself anymore. And, you know, that's a nice feeling."

Duval admitted his confidence had been at rock bottom following a second round 84 at the 2006 Masters but his desire to be an example to his children prevented him from quitting.

"I just knew that I had developed some very bad swing problems and through it had lost all confidence," he said.

"I believed I could get it back. I knew the process was going to be a long time and it would take a lot of work. But you know, I'm just not a player, I'm just not a quitter.

"Certainly not, you know, at that point, what, may be a year into the process of trying to rebuild a golf game and a golf swing.

"I don't remember what my score was, maybe 84, 85 at Augusta, but I sure wasn't going to quit. My older boys had come with me; so you have a rough day and quit and pack up and go home? That's not what I think how it should be and I don't think that's an example to set."

Duval said his past experience of winning a major and being in contention was still something he could draw on, but more important was the knowledge of the negatives he had gone through on the golf course.

"Absolutely. A lot of what happens with confidence and success, they are so closely entwined that as you're not having success, you're losing confidence, and your short-term memory starts to remember bad stuff, and my short-term memory had certainly got to that point.

"But I remember good stuff and I remember good stuff playing well and not two years ago when I knew I was playing well but didn't have anything to kind of draw on.

"I know I've been there before. It's not like a distant memory, but I think more than anything, the benefit I have possibly headed into the next round is that I also know the other side of it.

"I know what the awful golf is about, too. I'm going to go out and play and I'm probably going to hit a lot of good shots in this next round and hit a couple squirrely ones, too, and I'm sure I'll miss a couple of fairways.

"But I feel comfortable in what I'm doing and confident in what I'm doing and that's all you can ask for."

FIA close to Formula One peace

FIA president Max Mosley insists he is "very close" to an agreement with the FOTA which could stave off the threat of legal action.

The prospect of a breakaway series being set up by the eight teams representing FOTA has accelerated the need for a deal to be agreed, otherwise the sport will be hauled through the courts.

After issuing legal proceedings against Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BMW Sauber, Toyota, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso on Friday, the FIA were due to formally serve their writ tomorrow.

But after arriving at Silverstone ahead of today's British Grand Prix with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Renault team principal Flavio Briatore via helicopter, Mosley spent most of the morning locked in talks with various team personnel.

"We are talking to people all the time. It will all be back to normal, it's just a question of when," said Mosley.

"We are very close. What divides us and the teams is minimal and really is something we could sit down and iron out very quickly.

"We have said to them we are ready to do this. Now it may take them a little time to get to the position where they want to, but when they do, we are ready."

Asked if there was the potential for the writ not being issued, the 69-year-old added: "I think we would rather talk than litigate."

Click here to see highlights of the British Grand Prix!

The fact Mosley and Briatore flew in by air was a surprise in light of Mosley's demeaning recent reference to the Italian, and others within FOTA, as "loonies."

Unbecoming of his status as president, Mosley let his guard slip on Friday when he said: "You spend the whole day agreeing something with Red Bull, Brawn, Ferrari and Toyota.

"When they go back to the others, who are what we call the loonies, they tear it up."

Asked to explain himself, Mosley did not retract his comment.

"The way that came about is we divide the teams into two camps - the moderates who want to talk and a settlement, and what we call the loonies, who appear not to want a settlement," said Mosley.

"But it's more of a jokey reference than anything else. I don't think they are literally loonies, but I think they're a little bit immoderate in their approach."

Another figure Mosley would perhaps view as "immoderate" is Ferrari president and FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo who has vehemently campaigned against the introduction of a budget cap.

Although claiming to be close to di Montezemolo, Mosley insists he has to draw a line between business and personal relationships.

"Montezemolo and I have known each other nearly 40 years and I get along with him fine on a personal level," insisted Mosley.

"Flavio is also great on a personal level, but obviously sometimes when you have something as complex as Formula One you can have disagreements about how things operate within the sport.

"But on a personal basis we've always got along fine. In fact, I came in this morning in Flavio's helicopter!"

Arbeloa confirms Real interest

Liverpool's Alvaro Arbeloa has said he would consider a return to Spain as speculation grows linking Glen Johnson to Anfield.

The 26-year-old Spain international has been linked with a return to former club Real Madrid, with Portsmouth right-back Johnson tipped for a £17million switch to Merseyside.

Arbeloa, currently on international duty at the Confederations Cup, told El Mundo: "I am happy at Liverpool, but I have something to prove in Spain as I did not show my best form in La Liga. One day, I'm sure I will return.

"It is always nice to be linked to big teams - even to this Madrid side in a time of transition. They are working hard to build a great team.

"I have one more year remaining on my Liverpool deal, but anything can happen.

"A contract renewal is in the air. I am contracted for one more year, but if Liverpool get an offer, they will consider it. It is all in the hands of my agent."

Alonso: I don't plan to go

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has said that he is not planning to leave the club this summer.

The Spain international has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid amidst rumours of a rift between himself and Reds boss Rafael Benitez.

Alonso did not rule out a move away from Liverpool but insisted that he is happy at Anfield.

"I am happy at Liverpool but in football you cannot close the doors on anything because you don't know what will happen. I do not plan to go," he told El Pais.

"With Sami Hyypia already gone, I am one of the senior players alongside Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard.

"There was strong interest in me from Madrid (in 2004) but Liverpool came and that is where I went. It was not a wrong decision, not for me anyway. I have played at Liverpool, a special club, and grown as a player and won titles."

The 27-year-old also denied that his relationship with Benitez has deteriorated in light of the manager's indecision over his future last year.

"Each one has his own point of view. He is the manager and I try to do the best with what he tells me," Alonso added.

"We have a good professional relationship. We speak normally, saying what he wants from me and what I can give. He makes the decisions and we try to execute them.

"Last summer there was certain indecision and I did not know what was going to happen. I finished up playing well, though. I have had two quite complete seasons."

Gillett in some financial trouble?

Liverpool owner George Gillett has agreed to sell the NHL's Montreal Canadiens to the Molson family.

The deal to sell the NHL's most successful ever team is worth a reported US dollars 550 million (£330 million).

Gillett put the Canadiens up for sale earlier this year as he scrambles to find funds to meet obligations on debt incurred as part of his takeover of Liverpool in partnership with Tom Hicks.

The sale includes Gillett's 80% stake in the team, the Bell Centre arena, and the Gillett Entertainment Group. Brewing moguls the Molsons, who sold the controlling interest in the team to Gillett for around USD275 million (£165 million) in 2001, already own the remaining 20% share.

"This is a very exciting time for our family and we are grateful to the many people and organisations who came forward to offer their collaboration in the development of our proposal," Geoff Molson said in a statement on Sunday.

The sale must first be approved by the NHL's Board of Governors, and will likely not be completed for several more weeks.

The NHL's approval of the sale would, however, seemingly be only a matter of course.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman responded positively to the news of the deal, saying: "I think to the extent that they've been able to find people who are obviously passionate about the game and structure a transaction that makes sense for everybody, that's a real plus for the franchise and the fans in Montreal."

News of the deal comes a little over two weeks after Liverpool's accountants warned of "significant doubt" over the club's parent company's ability to continue as a going concern with debt repayments due on July 24.

The company formed by Gillett and Hicks suffered a loss of £42.6 million (USD70.5 million) last year, largely on interest repayments. The pair took out a loan of £350 million (USD580 million) when they bought the club in 2007.

While Hicks and Gillett have been seeking other investors for Liverpool, they have so far come back empty-handed, meaning funds from a sale of the Canadiens could be needed to help cover upcoming payments.

Hicks has also been seeking to sell off elements of his own sporting empire - which includes Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers and the NHL's Dallas Stars.

Hicks' situation is further complicated as the Hicks Sports Group in April defaulted on a £325 million loan (USD 525million) relating to the Rangers and Stars.

The Canadiens, who are celebrating their centenary year, are the oldest continually run professional ice hockey team in North America. Their 24 Stanley Cup titles are the most in the NHL.

"Our family has been very proud to be associated with the Montreal Canadiens over the past eight years and particularly to be a part of their Centennial Season," Gillet said after confirming the deal.

"I am fully confident that the Molson brothers, who have been a great part of the heritage of the club, will ensure the preservation and development of this great sports institution."

The Molson family first bought the team in 1978, although their involvement dates back to the 1950s.

NZ jury jails father of 'Pumpkin'

A man who sparked an international hunt in 2007 after abandoning his three-year-old daughter in Australia has been found guilty of murdering his wife.

A New Zealand jury convicted Nai Yin Xue, 55, of strangling his wife at their home in Auckland.

He fled to the US after the murder, but abandoned his daughter at a Melbourne railway station on the way - an act that was caught on security cameras.

The child - Qian Xun - was picked up by police, who nicknamed her Pumpkin.

She is now living with her grandmother in China.

Violent and domineering

The defence argued that Xue's wife, 27-year-old An An Liu, had died in a sex game that went wrong.

But prosecutor Aaron Perkins dismissed the claim as "bizarre", saying her body had been found in the boot of Xue's car, and that she had been strangled with his neck tie.

"Pumpkin" now lives with her grandmother in China

Xue, who did not give evidence during the trial, punched the air in frustration when the verdict was announced and said in Mandarin "unfair, unfair", according to reports.

The court had heard that Xue, a martial-arts instructor, was violent. He had threatened to kill his wife if she ever left him.

The prosecutor said An An Liu had lived in fear of her husband, who was angry because she had not given birth to a son.

The case grabbed headlines across the world after footage was released showing the abandoned girl's plight.

Xue was eventually recognised by a Chinese family in Atlanta, Georgia, who tied him up and called the police.

Madrid hold the key for Villa

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims it is only "a question of time" before the club sign David Villa.

With the services of £56million playmaker Kaka already secured and an agreement in place with Manchester United for the £80million capture of Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid now appear to be closing in on Villa.

Madrid are one of a number of clubs being linked to the vaunted striker, but talks between them and cash-strapped Valencia broke down last weekend and Los Che president Manuel Llorente revealed on Tuesday that there were no existing bids on the table for the 27-year-old.

However, Perez was quoted as telling Canal Nou today: "Manuel Llorente knows what he wants to do. Us as well. For that the operation is a question of time.

"Everything must be done in a friendly and co-operative way and we have very good relations with Valencia. Things need to be done calmly, be explained well and so that everybody is happy.

"We have the whole of the summer ahead of us."

Perez insists, however, the fee they are willing to pay for Villa will not be in the same bracket as the ones they agreed for Kaka and Ronaldo.

"Players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, who are Ballon d`Or or FIFA World Player of the Year winners, are players that are called investment players," he said.

"Real Madrid cannot pay these quantities of money for every player. This is not to put down Villa.

"Players who have won these awards have an international impact.

"I think Villa is an excellent player, but he is a footballer who we have to accommodate into our project."

Perez`s comments come just a day after Villa confirmed he had made up his mind about where he wants to be playing his club football next season.

Villa revealed after starring for Spain in the Confederations Cup yesterday that he had already taken a decision about his future and said that his agent was working on achieving that aim.

The striker, who has also reportedly attracted the interest of Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea, did not reveal what his decision was, but Spanish sports newspapers Marca and AS both believe it is Madrid who are his top choice.

While it remains to be seen when Madrid can complete their chase for the Euro 2008 winner, Ronaldo`s world-record switch from United could have moved a step closer with Spanish media reporting that his agent Jorge Mendes was at the Bernabeu yesterday to finalise contract details.

The reports also suggest that Ronaldo could undergo his medical with Madrid next week before being presented at the end of the month, although there is nothing official from the club yet regarding the Portugal international.

Madrid`s summer spending spree could also see them swoop for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, with Zinedine Zidane claiming negotiations for his fellow Frenchman are "on the right track".

Ribery has long been linked with a move to Madrid but his departure from Bayern appeared to hit a snag yesterday when the Bundesliga club issued a statement insisting the player was not for sale.

But Zidane, who was brought in by Perez as a special advisor at Madrid, has revealed the Spanish giants have not been put off by Bayern's stance.

"The discussions are on the right track," he told Le Parisien. "Even if I am not at Madrid today, there are meetings on this matter at the moment.

"Personally, I am for Ribery coming to Madrid and I will do everything to make that happen."

"It's my wish as much as that of the club's president."

With Madrid keen to inject their squad with exciting, and expensive, new talent this summer, there are almost as many stories in the media about which players will be leaving the club.

Perez said earlier this month that around 10 of the senior squad could be moved on to accommodate the new signings, and the likes of Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze have all been linked with moves to England.

However, Madrid have denied media reports suggesting they have faxed English clubs a list of players that are available for transfer, saying in a statement today: "Real Madrid want to categorically deny said information, which if correct would be completely disrespectful to the members of the squad."

Valencia take Villa off market

Valencia have slapped a 'not for sale' sign on star striker David Villa following months of speculation.

Clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea had all been linked with Villa as financially-troubled Valencia seemed poised to cash in on their prize asset.

Los Che president Manuel Llorente even admitted in midweek that although there were no offers on the table at that point, they had held talks with Madrid while other teams, including Barca, had asked about the player`s situation.

However, Valencia have now decided to take the prolific hitman off the market, and will only consider selling if they receive an "amazing offer" for the player.

"We have taken the decision to not sell David Villa. We've taken this decision after some days of thought in which we studied the advantages and disadvantages," Llorente told reporters tonight.

"We think David Villa is the best striker in Europe and we have the fortune to have him in our team and we are going to fight to keep him."

Llorente insists the move is not a ploy either, saying: "It's not a strategy, but to avoid all the rumours. Because they affect Valencia, the media and the player.

"We have to be calm and think about the project. When we talked of selling it was because we thought that some players could bring in a lot of money, like Villa. But it's not been like that."

Llorente did admit though that the decision taken by Valencia does not necessarily guarantee Villa will still be at the Mestalla next season.

"I cannot say that because there could arrive an amazing offer," he added.

Inter expect Maicon to stay

Inter Milan are confident Maicon will stay at the San Siro despite interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs.

The 28-year-old Brazil wing-back has been linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea but Inter president Massimo Moratti believes it is just paper talk.

"I believe Maicon will remain at Inter," he said. "The player has not made any demands to us.

"Some of the comments that have come out have come directly from agents."

Maicon joined Inter in 2006 and was sensational for the Italian champions last season, scoring four goals in 27 league starts.

The defender is under contract with the Nerazzurri through June 2013.

Next wave of layoff after the textile sector: the hotel sector

Thursday, June 18, 2009
N.S.
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

The drop in the number of tourists would lead to the layoff of workers in Siem Reap hotels.

Cambodia’s tourist industry suffers from a severe drop in the number of visitors. In Siem Reap, a wave of layoffs is in the work in several hotels, Pat Sambo, the president of the Raffles Angkor Hotel union and president of the Federation of Workers in the Tourism and Service Sectors, predicted. The fact that these hotels now offer promotions, such as “third night stay free” and that they agree to substantial discount give credentials to this layoff speculation. The economic crisis is hitting this sector, and tourists, who are usually fond of temples, are now endangered species.

At the beginning of June, Thong Khon, the minister of Tourism, declared: “The number of tourists dropped by 14%, during the first four months of the year as compared to the same period in 2008.” This drop is disputed by the union. According to Pat Sambo, Thong Khon’s number is much lower than what actually happens.

Pat Sambo will participate in an International meeting on tourism in Malaysia next 08 July. During the speech he will be giving at this meeting, he will provide an overview of the situation in Cambodia, and he will urge tourists to come discover the kingdom.

Ibra in Chelsea swap deal?

Reports from the Italian press suggest Inter’s Zlatan is bound for Stamford Bridge in a mega-swap deal.

The past few weeks have seen the Swedish superstar linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid and even Manchester City, but now Italian media reports have claimed that Ibra is going to Chelsea, while Jose Mourinho's former players Drogba, Deco and Carvalho will be reunited with their former manager in exchange.

Zlatan has been coy about his future, and only time will tell how much weight these rumours hold, as the striker is reported to be well settled at the San Siro.

But, at least according to both La Gazzetta Dello Sport and Channel 4, Inter are keen on Chelsea tabling a swap deal that would see Ivorian international Didier Drogba reunited with former boss Jose Mourinho, who acted as a father-figure for the player during his time in London.

The Nerazzurri regard Ibrahimovic to be worth €90 million (£76m), so Chelsea will likely need to include a fee in any player-swap.

Inter are also circling around out-of-favour Portuguese pair Deco and Ricardo Carvalho, and statements from both players have signaled a clear intent to leave the London club.

Jose Mourinho is known to be a wily customer in the transfer market, and getting three of his superstars to join Inter from Chelsea will certainly boost the Inter squad, but whether or not Ibrahimovic will leave is uncertain.

US 'prepared' for N Korea missile

The US is "in a good position" to protect its territory from a potential North Korean missile strike, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said.

His comments came in response to a report that North Korea was considering launching a missile towards Hawaii.

"We do have some concerns if they were to launch a missile to the West, in the direction of Hawaii," Mr Gates said.

The US has approved the deployment of missiles and radar to "provide support" in the event of an attack, he added.

Bank warning

North Korea's nuclear ambitions have long been the focus of international concern.

After a period in which the country appeared to be willing to suspend its programme, North Korea has recently begun to increase its sabre-rattling, says the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington.

On 25 May, North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test and has subsequently test-fired a number of short-range missiles.

North Korea has stepped up its missile programme in recent weeks

Our correspondent says the Pentagon is also tracking the movement of a North Korean ship to ensure that it does not break UN sanctions.

And he says that in a separate move, the Obama administration has issued a warning to all US banks that North Korea may try to avoid financial sanctions by engaging in deceptive practices.

The UN Security Council passed tough new sanctions in response to North Korea's nuclear tests, and Russian and China - the country's traditional allies - on Thursday called for North Korea to return to the negotiating table.

Monfils out of Wimbledon

Gael Monfils has pulled out of Wimbledon because of a wrist injury.

The Frenchman also missed last year's event through injury and had been seeded 14th at the All England Championship, which gets under way on Monday.

Monfils, who has never gone beyond the third round at SW19, will be replaced in the draw by a lucky loser from qualifying.

Nadal a doubt for Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal will make a decision on whether he defends his Wimbledon title, after failing to convince in a practice match.

The Spaniard, bidding to recover from knee troubles, struggled with his movement during an exhibition match against Lleyton Hewitt at London's Hurlingham Club, losing 6-4 6-3.

Nadal will now decide whether to play at Wimbledon after an exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka tomorrow.

The player's coach said after the game: "He is having difficulties bending and it seems his treatments aren't enough.

"I don't know [if he will defend his title], we have to wait for Friday."

The world number one was forced to withdraw from Queen's Club last week with knee trouble and was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadricep tendons and fluid on the kneecaps.

But the 23-year-old looked on course to defend his title after coming through a practice session on Tuesday.

However, Nadal struggled throughout today's match - his first since losing to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open to put his place at SW19 in jeopardy.

Brazil 3-0 USA

Brazil reached the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup with a comfortable win over an unambitious United States side.

After a controversial 4-3 victory over Egypt in their opening game Dunga's men were under pressure to impress.

And the Copa America champions did more than enough to earn victory over their Gold Cup counterparts as goals by Felipe Melo (7), Robinho (20) and Maicon (62) produced a scoreline that still flattered the Americans, who had Sacha Kljestan sent off in the second half.

Brazil's opening goal was typical of a more efficient style of play introduced by Dunga. Holding midfielder Melo easily lost his marker before timing his run to head home Maicon's free-kick from wide.

It was 2-0 with less than 20 minutes gone.

After DaMarcus Beasley failed to control Landon Donovan's short corner Brazil launched a ruthless counter-attack as Kaka fed Ramires near the half-way line.

The Benfica midfielder carried the ball forward briskly before feeding Robinho to his left for the Manchester City striker to stroke home easily.

Robinho and strike partner Luis Fabiano tried their luck with inaccurate efforts as half-time approached with the Sevilla man also firing a volley straight at Howard.

It should have been 3-0 in the 40th minute when Maicon's teasing cross was met by Gilberto Silva who could only head over from close range. Two minutes later Melo fired wildly over after Maicon's crossed free-kick.

The United States had the first chance of the second half but Jozy Altidore's unrefined attempt was never close to troubling Julio Cesar.

Robinho and Kaka had shots on goal minutes later, with the latter forcing a good save from Howard.

Bob Bradley's fortunes got even worse shortly before the hour mark when Kljestan was sent off for a crude tackle from behind on Ramires.

Man-of-the-match Maicon finally produced a well-deserved third in the 62nd minute, bursting through to beat Tim Howard with a deflected shot after intricate passing between Ramires and Kaka.

After a distinctly lifeless 83 minutes the United States put together arguably the move of the match. Jonathan Spector nutmegged Melo, played a quick one-two and clipped the ball back for substitute Benny Feilhaber, whose powerful shot crashed against the crossbar but bounced clear of the line.

Bradley's side hit the bar again in the closing stages as Conor Casey rose to nod Donovan's free-kick from the left only for the ball to clip the woodwork.

Zidan revels in 'home' atmosphere

Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan believes the atmosphere at the Ellis Park Stadium played a key part in their shock win over Italy.

Mohamed Homos scored the only goal five minutes from half-time when he headed in a corner from Mohamed Aboutrika, before goalkeeper Essam El Hadary produced a string of fine saves to help them hold on for all three points.

It capped a memorable win for the defending African Nations Cup winners, who now move level on points with the Italians in Group B and have an outstanding chance to qualify for the semi-finals with a game against the United States still to come.

More than 50,000 supporters watched the game in Johannesburg and Zidan admitted that it felt like playing in Cairo.

"What happened today gives us a great feeling," he said afterward. "It was a fantastic victory and makes us very proud.

"I think the way the crowd got behind us was excellent and it motivated us a lot towards the end. It was great and almost a feeling like playing at home in Egypt.

"I think we had a very good experience with the atmosphere today."

The thrilling performance from Hassan Shehata's men comes on the back of another outstanding display in their opening game against Brazil, when they held their own only to be beaten 4-3 courtesy of a last-gasp penalty from Kaka.

Zidan continued: "We knew that Italy would prepare well after seeing the way we played against Brazil.

"We just said that we will try much better than we did against Brazil, try and cut out the same mistakes and it worked very well for us.

"Our group was the hardest group, but we are doing well as African champions, which is good."

Despite their progress in the tournament, the Egyptians continue to struggle in World Cup qualifying, where they are bottom of their group with a single point from two games.

Asked about their sudden turn in fortunes, the Borussia Dortmund player added: "I think we had a hard time during the last two games of qualification. It wasn't as good as we expected. But then we realised that we have to improve a lot if want to be at the World Cup.

"The team is very good at standing together when we spend a long time at a training camp. By this I mean, when we stay together for a long time, we then play much better than if we were only together for five or six days.

"This is like what we did together at the Nations Cup the last two times in Egypt and in Ghana and now we're seeing the same thing in South Africa here.

"We are having enough time to prepare well for the games and the coaching staff are also having time to prepare the players."

Italy coach Marcello Lippi felt his side did not show enough initiative, despite deserving a goal.

He said: "I think the beginning of the game was not bad, but towards the end of the first half we were very poor.

"We played nicely in the second half and we created a few opportunities. But I think my players did lack some initiative.

"I think their goalkeeper was fantastic. We almost had the ball in the goal three or four times, but he kept us out. I think we deserved at least one goal."

Murray keeps it in perspective

Andy Murray is keeping everything in perspective as he finalises his preparation for Wimbledon.

The 22-year-old has been seeded third for the event which begins at the All England Club on Monday and his triumph at Queen's at the weekend has added to the expectation.

The world number three swept through the event without losing a set before defeating James Blake in the final but Murray is just glad to have finally captured a title on grass.

He said: "It is good for confidence any time you win tournaments," he said.

"To win your first event on grass is nice - I had never made a final on grass.

"Tim [Henman] was a great grass-court player but there are so few tournaments on it. It was probably his best surface but he never won one.

"It is a tough thing to do because you are only playing one or two tournaments on grass a year and all of the best players normally play."

Murray last night revealed he had pictured himself winning Wimbledon, to help him cope with demanding sessions in the gym.

He told Radio Five Live: "I've thought about serving for the title - but the closer you get to a grand slam the less you think about it.

"In the gym is the time I think about those things - to find a reason for putting in the hard work - and when you're going through it on the running track.

"Sometimes you feel sorry for yourself, you are finding reasons for doing the training. When I get tired and out of breath I think, 'I'm doing this so I can last long enough in the fifth set of a grand slam' - focusing on the last point and hoping your opponent misses."

As for his prospects this year, the Scot added: "At Queen's I felt more comfortable on grass than I have in the past. I played well there and I feel good."

Murray has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months, adding another level of power to his game and carrying on the momentum from a first grand slam final appearance at the 2008 US Open.

"When my game kicked on, I started to improve big time since Wimbledon last year and I learned that I was in much better shape but needed to get even stronger to be able to play back-to-back five-set matches over the whole tournament," he said.

"After Wimbledon last year, I went to train in Miami for three or four weeks and that is pretty tough weather to train in around this time of year.

"That made a difference going into the hard court stretch and I made my first slam final. I have that belief that I can play the whole of the slams now.

"I would love to win Wimbledon one day, there is no question about that, but I try not to think about it too much."

Governor seeks more bank powers

The governor of the Bank of England has called for greater powers to allow it to fulfil its new role of promoting financial stability.

In a major speech in London, Mervyn King said the Bank could no longer act "like a church" whose congregation "ignores its sermons".

His remarks appeared to be at odds with those made earlier by the chancellor.

Alistair Darling told the same event he had no plans to fundamentally change the current system of regulation.

At present, oversight is carried out jointly by the Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Services Authority.

But Mr King, delivering the annual Mansion House speech, said the major lesson of the financial crisis was that these authorities lacked the means to take effective action to prevent excessive risk taking at banks.

He said reform of the Bank's powers was vital if it was to fulfil the role it had been asked to.

"Warnings are unlikely to be effective when people are being asked to change behaviour which seems to them to be highly profitable," he said.

"So it's not entirely clear how the Bank will be able to discharge its new statutory responsibility if we can do no more than issue sermons or organise burials.

"Blaming individuals is no substitute for acknowledging the failure of the system."

'Right people'

The chancellor, on the other hand, did blame those at the heads of financial institutions.

And while he said there could be no return to "business as usual" for UK banks, he did not lay out plans for radical, structural change.

Instead, he called for "a change of culture" in which bank staff were "rewarded for long-term success, not for failure".

"Bank boards must have the right people of the right skills and the right experience to manage themselves more effectively," the chancellor said. "And they need to be equipped to ask the right questions.

"Their focus must be on long-term wealth creation and not short-term profits."

Mr Darling's approach came in contrast to plans unveiled earlier on Wednesday by US President Barack Obama, which involved the most significant reform of finance regulation since the 1930s Great Depression.

The BBC's business editor Robert Peston said the comments by Mr King were bound to be seen as an attack on the chancellor because "the Treasury has resisted significant changes to the allocation of regulatory responsibilities between the Financial Services Authority, the Treasury and Bank of England".

Alistair Darling: "We cannot go back to business as usual"

'Too big'

Mr King also outlined what he saw as the problems of the finance sector more widely, saying it had become too "big and too highly leveraged".

"One important practical step would be to require any regulated bank itself to produce a plan for an orderly wind down of its activities," he said.

Banks had entered the financial crisis with "inadequate" levels of capital to absorb losses, he said, suggesting that smaller institutions might be a safer bet in the future.

He renewed his call for High Street banks to be prevented from straying into investment banking where they could take big risks while, at the same time the government provided "an implicit guarantee against failure".

"If some banks are thought to be too big to fail, then, in the words of a distinguished American economist, they are too big," he added.

But Angela Knight, of the British Bankers' Association, said that the "overwhelming majority" of UK banks had ridden out the downturn without needing direct bail-outs, and said the government should not look to restrict banks' business models.

"If we intervene and start to break up banks artificially, then the business goes elsewhere," she said.

Both Mr King and the chancellor spoke of signs of recovery in the economy but remained cautious.

Mr King said that "there are some signs that the British economy is beginning to stabilise" but said recovery could be "protracted".

Khmer Krom Supporters Meet in Paris

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
17 June 2009

Overseas members of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom community gathered in Paris on Saturday to mark the day of a loss of their territory to Vietnam and to call for more freedoms there.

Kampuchea Krom, or Lower Kampuchea, was portioned to Vietnam by French authorities in June 1949. Advocates for the Khmer ethnic group now living in the Mekong Delta region say they want more religious freedoms under the Vietnamese.

“We will force the Vietnamese government to have a clear administration and to make sure that Khmer Krom have a self governance,” Thach Ngoc Thach, president of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation, told VOA Khmer by phone from Paris.

A statement issued by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization said that for decades, indigenous people have had the desire to address their status and continued maltreatment by settler societies in their own homelands.

UNPO Secretary-General Marino Busdachin said in a speech Saturday that France had contributed Khmer Krom “inequality” due to “the lack of awareness or lack of acknowledgement of the position of the Khmer Krom internationally.”

Vietnamese officials were not immediately available for comment.

Bun Phalla, a participant from France, expressed optimism for the group’s struggle.

“It is like drops of water filling a pot,” she told VOA Khmer by phone. “One day it will be full. I hope that in the future we will get our land back.”

World Bank raises China forecast

By Michael Bristow
BBC News, Beijing

The World Bank has raised its forecast for growth in China this year from 6.5% to 7.2% amid signs that the economy is doing better than expected.

Bank analysts say the government's four trillion yuan ($585bn, £358bn) stimulus package has helped the economy.

But it says the country's exports are still down, as the rest of the world struggles with the global recession.

The World Bank believes the global economy, excluding China, will shrink by about 3% this year.

"Developments in the real economy [in China] have been somewhat better than expected three months ago," says a report published by the bank.

'No meaningful increase'

It predicted in March that the Chinese economy would grow by 6.5% in 2009, several percentage points down on last year's growth.

But the government stimulus package, and increased bank lending, has protected the economy from the worst effects of the global recession, leading the bank to raise its growth forecast.

"Growth in China should remain respectable this year and next, although it is too early to say a robust, sustained recovery is on the way," said Ardo Hansson, the bank's leading economist in China.

But it is not all good news. China's export sector has been one of the hardest hit parts of the economy and has still not recovered.

This has led to millions of migrant workers - farmers who leave their villages to find work in China's factories - losing their jobs.

"We have not had a meaningful increase in exports since last year's plunge," said World Bank economist Louis Kuijis, speaking at a press briefing to launch the bank's latest China predictions.

Some migrant workers who lost their jobs late last year told the BBC they had still not been able to find new jobs.

Neville seeks successful start

Everton captain Phil Neville is targeting a positive start to next season against Arsenal on opening day.

The Toffees, who finished fifth in the Barclays Premier League, drew 1-1 at home to Arsene Wenger's side in January - being denied victory only by Robin van Persie's 90th-minute equaliser - having lost 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in October.

Neville believes a good performance at home to the Gunners on August 15 can set them up for another successful season.

"I am like every other football fan when the fixtures come out," Neville told Everton's official website.

"We all want to know who we have got in the first few weeks and over Christmas and the new year.

"The opening fixture of a new season is always an exciting one anyway, but the fact that we are playing a side like Arsenal adds even more spice to the occasion.

"A full house at Goodison on day one is always something special and we will be looking to get off to a good start."

Sunderland will open the season away to Bolton and chairman Niall Quinn told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "The holidays are coming to an end now the fixtures are out.

"This is the time when everyone gets giddy about what's going to happen. Last year is dead and gone and it's all about bringing it on now.

"We are all very excited and, with three games in eight days, the start of the season will be hectic, but we will relish it.

"This is what staying in the Barclays Premier League was all about and it's great to be involved."

Steve Bruce's side will follow their trip to the Reebok Stadium with a tough opener at the Stadium of Light three days later against FA Cup winners Chelsea.

They face promoted duo Burnley and Wolves in successive weeks in September and make the trip to Bruce's former club Wigan on November 28.

Swine flu cruise ship quarantined

Venezuela has quarantined a visiting cruise ship following an outbreak of swine flu on board.

More than 1,200 passengers and crew will be kept on board the Spanish-owned Ocean Dream, which has docked at the Venezuelan island of Margarita.

They were stopped from disembarking at previous stops in Barbados and Grenada after three crew members were diagnosed with the flu virus.

Eleven more crew members are reported to have symptoms.

"The virus was detected in three crew members and the boat must now stay in quarantine until June 24," said Venezuelan health official Jorge Alchaer.

Ocean Dream is managed by the Spanish tour operator Pullmantur. Miami-based Royal Caribbean, which owns Pullmantur, said it could not comment on the situation.

The passengers' nationalities were not immediately known.

Last week the World Health Organisation declared the virus a global pandemic that has spread to 74 countries. There have been some 30,000 cases diagnosed globally and more than 140 deaths.

Scolari happy out of the spotlight

Luiz Felipe Scolari has hinted his troubled spell at Chelsea prompted him to take a less high-profile job in Uzbekistan.

The 60-year-old former Brazil and Portugal coach, who was dismissed by the Blues in February after barely six months in charge, penned an 18-month contract at Bunyodkor last week.

Scolari told the Brazilian media: "I received an offer from an English club but Chelsea's contractual clauses prevent me from working in England for a year.

"I had offers from other clubs and national teams. I thought that might lead me to the same situation that I experienced in Chelsea and could have further difficulties.

"That's why I chose this new project, which pleased me much."

Scolari's move to Uzbekistan was initiated by fellow Brazilian Rivaldo, a member of his World Cup-winning squad in 2002, who joined Bunyodkor last year.

"I decided to accept an invitation by Rivaldo, an outstanding person who was for me the most important player of the 2002 World Cup," Scolari continued.

"The other important thing is the structure surrounding the project.

"They want to assemble a team that can fight for places in international competitions and they are building a new stadium, with seven training pitches of excellent quality.

"All this weighed on my decision."

Scolari does not expect his stay in Uzbekistan to be long term, however, and revealed he is planning to retire by 2013 at the latest.

"I'm tired of being away," Scolari added. "I want to go to the beach, and train a team here in Brazil.

"I will continue working as a coach for three, four years at most and then I will definitely retire."

North Korea qualify for World Cup

North Korea qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1966 following a goalless draw in Saudi Arabia watched by 66,000 fans.

Iran's failure to defeat South Korea in Seoul earlier meant that North Korea only needed a draw in Riyadh.

They join South Korea, Australia and Japan as Asia's four automatic qualifiers for South Africa 2010.

North Korea's Kim Yong Jun was sent off in the fifth minute of injury-time, but by then his team were all but through.

In the 1966 event in England North Korea famously defeated Italy at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park.

And in the quarter-finals they led Portugal 3-0 at one stage before going down 5-3 as Eusebio inspired a remarkable comeback at Goodison Park.

In Wednesday evening's match, North Korea found themselves under a lot of pressure but they held firm at the King Fahd International Stadium.

The Saudis threatened from the start, but were unable to capitalise on a number of scoring opportunities as Korean goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk produced some fine saves.

Saudi Arabia will get another chance to progress after finishing third in Group B to advance to the Asian play-offs, where they will face Bahrain.

They will play each other over two legs in September, with the winners advancing to a home-and-away play-off against Oceania winners New Zealand in October and November.

Gattuso hints at Chelsea move

Gennaro Gattuso has hinted he could be interested in a reunion with manager Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.

The Italy international's agent, Andrea D'Amico, recently revealed his client's 'distress' at Ancelotti's move to Stamford Bridge.

D'Amico, though, insisted that tough-tackling Gattuso, who joined Milan in 1999, did not want to bring to an end his time at the San Siro.

But Gattuso has now indicated that, despite having two years remaining on this contract with the Serie A giants, he could be interested in a switch to England.

"I like the Premier League. The Premier League is the best league for me, for my characteristics," he said in the Daily Mirror.

"I don't know what will happen. I have been at AC Milan a long time and it's not easy to go away, but we'll have to see.

"Chelsea are a big, big team but working with Ancelotti is a good feeling. We have worked together for eight years and he is for me a second father.

"He is a great person, and a great manager."

Chelsea issues statement

Chelsea are considering their response to UEFA's decision to hand lengthy European bans to their players.

Ivorian striker Didier Drogba was given a six-match ban - the last two suspended for two years - for his foul-mouthed confrontation with referee Tom Henning Ovrebo at the end of their Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona in May.

UEFA's control and disciplinary body also handed a four-match ban - the last game suspended for two years - to right-back Jose Bosingwa.

The Portugal defender labelled Ovrebo a "thief" after the same game, while the club received a fine of £85,000 for the improper conduct of their players and for the throwing of missiles by their supporters.

A spokesman for Chelsea said: "We've received the UEFA verdict and we'll now take time to assess it in full and consider our response. There is unlikely to be further comment on it tonight."

Chelsea and both players have three days in which to launch an appeal and Chelsea have indicated they are likely to respond to the verdicts either later tonight or tomorrow.

The UEFA statement read: "Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been suspended for six UEFA club competition matches - the last two of which are deferred for a probationary period of two years - following incidents at the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona in London on May 6. The decision was taken today by the UEFA control and disciplinary body.

"In addition, Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa has been suspended for four UEFA club competition matches, the last of which is deferred for a probationary period of two years, for offences at the same match.

"Drogba and Bosingwa were facing charges of being in breach of the principles of sportsmanship by insulting the referee by making offensive comments.

"Drogba's suspension applies to the next four UEFA club competition matches for which the player would be eligible, while Bosingwa's suspension applies to the next three UEFA club competition matches for which the player would be eligible.

"Chelsea FC have been fined 100,000 euros for the improper conduct of their players and the throwing of missiles by their supporters at the match against Barcelona, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

"Either the club or the players may appeal against the decision within three days of the despatch of the reasoned decision."

Referee Ovrebo was at the centre of controversy after rejecting four Chelsea penalty appeals during the second leg of the semi-final.

Chelsea were leading through Michael Essien's early strike but Andreas Iniesta's late away goal gave Barca a place in the final, where they beat Manchester United to win the trophy.

Drogba's foul-mouthed rant at the official was seen by millions of television viewers. The Ivorian stunned the worldwide audience by shouting: "It's a f****** disgrace" straight at the cameras. He later apologised for his behaviour.

The ban will rule him out of most of the club's Champions League group stage next season.

Bosingwa was banned for labelling Ovrebo a "thief" in an interview - words he later retracted. But he too will miss a large chunk of Chelsea's Champions League group stage unless the club can get the suspensions reduced on appeal.

Barry: I would have stayed

Gareth Barry does not believe Aston Villa's stars will follow his example and leave the club this summer.

Barry finally called time on his lengthy stay with the Villa Park outfit last week after sealing a £12million move to Manchester City.

The England international's departure has led to speculation that some of the club's bright young stars could also seek a move away.

However, Barry believes with age on their side they will remain at Villa and continue to improve their games.

"I can't believe any other top players at the club will leave," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"If I was 22 or 23 like Gabby (Agbonlahor) and Ashley (Young) I would want to stay at Villa Park. It is different at my age, 28."

Economists see end to US downturn

The US economy should emerge from recession by the late summer, according to economists from some of the country's top banks.

The American Bankers Association's Economic Advisory Committee has said it expects economic activity to increase by 0.5% between July and September.

But committee head Bruce Kasman said, "the economy will return to growth [in the quarter] but not to health."

The bankers also said US unemployment would hit 10% early next year.

Separately, the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said that economic recovery within the group's 30 countries will begin at the end of this year.

Speaking in Mexico, Angel Gurria added that the US would be one of the first countries to come out of recession.

Housing recovery

US consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of economic growth in the US, should increase in the second half of the year and help to moderate lay-offs and cuts in investment spending, the Economic Advisory Committee said.

"Coupled with support from policy stimulus and an improvement in financial market conditions, these developments have made it likely that the overall economy will expand in the second half of the year," it predicted.

Mr Kasman, chief economist for JP Morgan Chase, also said that a recovery in the housing market would be an "important contributor" to economic growth.

But he cautioned against too much optimism.

"Growth in the coming quarters is likely to gather momentum but will not prove sufficiently robust to undo much of the severe damage done to our labour markets and public finances," he said.

This means that growth would not return to "trend pace" until the middle of 2010, he added.

For this reason, unemployment would remain at or above 9.5% for the whole of next year.

The current unemployment rate in the US is 9.4%, the highest since 1983.

Mixed messages

The US economy contracted by an annual rate of 5.7% in the first three months of 2009.

It has shrunk for three consecutive quarters - the first time that has happened since 1975.

And recent figures have sent out mixed messages about the timing of any recovery.

Earlier on Tuesday, figures showed that the number of new houses being built in the US in May bounced from record lows in April.

But separate figures showed that industrial production fell by more than analysts had expected.

Nuclear N Korea is 'grave threat'

US President Barack Obama has warned that a nuclear-armed North Korea poses a "grave threat" to the world.

At a news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Mr Obama said the US would "vigorously" pursue an end to the country's nuclear programme.

North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test on 25 May, before test firing a number of short-range rockets.

"Under no circumstance are we going to allow North Korea to possess nuclear weapons," said Mr Lee.

'Break the pattern'

Mr Obama said that he and his South Korean counterpart had agreed that a new UN resolution designed to halt North Korea's nuclear ambitions should be fully enforced.

And he pledged to end a cycle of letting North Korea create a crisis in order to be rewarded with concessions from the international community.

"This is a pattern they've come to expect," Mr Obama said.

"We are going to break that pattern."

Mr Lee was in Washington for talks with the US president.

The two men also discussed a free trade deal signed by the US and South Korea two years ago.

During last year's presidential election campaign, Mr Obama criticised the agreement, saying its terms were too favorable to South Korea.

In their meeting in Washington, the leaders agreed to initiate working-level talks to resolve their differences.

City owners promise shake-up

Man City are looking to bring in up to six more players as they attempt to create a squad that can make an impact on the BPL.

Gareth Barry was the first arrival at Eastlands in a £12million deal from with Aston Villa and now chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak has revealed there will be a number of comings and goings at the north-west club.

He told The National, an Abu Dhabi english language paper: "We will shrink our squad and add four to six players.

"Key for us is that we trust (manager) Mark (Hughes) and any acquisition is based on his view."

Al Mubarak also insisted City would only pay realistic fees for players and criticised what he feels is an unfair perception of the club.

"There are two things going on," he continued.

"One, a general view of Arab investors and two, a whole hierarchy within football where there is a group of clubs that fall within the hierarchy and the clubs that fall outside don't have a seat at the table and shouldn't even demand one.

"I'm frustrated with people assuming we are going to throw crazy money at deals, that we won't understand true values and we can't negotiate or get value for a player.

"We've had numbers thrown at us that are a joke.

"There are situations where a £10 million player will be offered to us for a 'City price' of £20 million. We just leave because at that point there's no point arguing - if people are throwing crazy numbers at us, fine, deals won't be done.

"Look at (City owner) Sheikh Mansour, he's a very shrewd businessman who has conducted himself in a professional way. I will defend the value of every deal we have done.

"Look at our Robinho deal. If he went in this transfer window for the same price [£32.5m] it would be a steal.

"Our deals to date presented fair value to the clubs we brought them from, fair value to us and are typical of the type of deals we are looking to make."

Al Mubarak also bridled at the different way Real Madrid have been treated in the wake of their big-money moves for Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Why is it when Real Madrid not only talks about but actually closes two deals, like the ones they've closed with the numbers they've committed to, it's fine?"

Dunga delighted with spirit

Brazil coach Dunga praised his side's never-say-die attitude after their last-gasp 4-3 victory against Egypt.

The South Americans had to rely on a 90th-minute Kaka penalty to overcome plucky Egypt and claim a barely-deserved win in Bloemfontein.

A relieved Dunga said afterwards: "We played two very demanding South American World Cup qualifiers (against Uruguay and Paraguay) before we came out here and all we did in the training sessions for the Egypt match was try to get the players back into shape.

"We almost paid for the lack of rhythm today. It wasn't easy getting those three points and what pleased me most about today was the fact that we kept going until the end, trying to score the winner."

Dunga's side looked to be on their way to an easy win in Group B after first-half goals from Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Juan opened up a 3-1 lead at the break.

But a fragile first-half defensive performance meant they never fully looked in control of the contest and two goals in as many minutes soon after the re-start, from Mohamed Shawky and first-half scorer Mohamed Zidan, had the Africans dreaming of a memorable win.

Those hopes were dashed a minute from time, however, when defender Ahmed Al Muhamadi handled a Lucio shot on the line and was given his marching orders.

New Real Madrid signing Kaka, who had been a largely peripheral figure, then stepped up to coolly convert the spot-kick and deny Egypt.

The former AC Milan playmaker felt his side were well worth the win.

"I think we deserved the goal at the end for all our excellent play in the first half and above all for the commitment we showed throughout the game," said the former World Player of the Year.

"I've got used to taking important penalties over the last few seasons at Milan so I didn't think twice about taking this one.

"We expected it to be a very tough opening match and we're very happy to leave here having got the job done in what is a very tight group.

"We've got the three points we wanted and now we're in a position to reach the semi-finals."

Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan was pleased with his team's display, despite the defeat.

"This game proved to everyone that Egypt is not in the Confederations Cup just to make up the numbers," he said.

"We showed some real fight and put in a spectacular performance despite losing out in the end.

"The next game against Italy promises to be very tough, maybe even more so than today's match. We'll be going out there determined to perform at the same level."

Pienaar: Pressure got to us

Steven Pienaar believes that the pressure may have affected South Africa after they were held to a goalless draw against Iraq.

The hosts kicked off the tournament with high expectations of walking away with all three points from the game in Johannesburg, but the determined visitors held their own to claim a share of the spoils.

Before the match, Bafana Bafana boss Joel Santana spoke of the importance of victory in the first two fixtures in Group A, against Iraq and New Zealand. But, despite showing plenty of attacking intent, his side lacked cutting edge in front of goal.

"We are definitely disappointed because we expected a lot from this game," the Everton midfielder said afterwards. "If you can get three points in the opening game, it normally takes a lot of pressure off a team.

"Now we have our backs against the wall. But we just have to stay focused and there's still two games. So we'll have to give everything then."

The South Africans had only one real opportunity in the opening 45 minutes, but were blunted by Iraq goalkeeper Mohammed Kassid, who finger-tipped away a cross-goal shot from MacBeth Sibaya.

In the second period, the best chance came via a header by Kagisho Dikgacoi, which was cleared off the line by one of his own players, Bernard Parker.

Pienaar continued: "In the first half, we were a bit poor and gave the ball away easily. I think Iraq were very well organised and it was difficult for the guys to break them down.

"We knew the first game was going to be difficult, everyone was expecting a win, so we're just disappointed now. But I'm glad it's over now and we can look forward to the next game, hopefully a bit more relaxed."

Pienaar, who only came on for the final five minutes after starting on the bench, also brushed aside any injury worries, adding: "I was ill the whole week, that's why I started on the bench. I feel much better now and things should be okay."

Iraq coach Bora Milutinovic was pleased with the way his side performed, saying that he was going to enjoy the moment rather than concentrate on their next group opponents Spain.

He said: "I'm very happy because we got one point. Now we are alive and we have more than two days to prepare for the game against Spain.

"We did everything I wanted them to do and that has pleased me. I thought the team was good, there was very good discipline.

"I am not yet sure what the future holds, whether we can qualify or not still remains to be seen. We have to respect everybody, but what I am sure is that we're going to enjoy the next two days. We have to enjoy this moment first."

Fabregas eager to start for Spain

Cesc Fabregas is keen on starting for the European champions in the Confederations Cup, and making a big impact.

Andres Iniesta is out of the tournament through injury, so Fabregas is set for a starting spot in the middle of the park. The midfield dynamo can't wait to play, and has told the press: "I have felt great in training, and I hope to have a great game against New Zealand."

"Since I made my debut two and a half years ago, it has been very difficult to find a starting place. It is still tough, but I always give my all to achieve it."

"Iniesta's injury is unfortunate, but it gives an opportunity to other players. I am ready if the boss calls on me."

Fabregas then gave his assessment of New Zealand, stating, "They are a strong, well organized team, and we will have to play well to beat them."

"We have watched the video, and they have good players."

Stars attend Carradine's funeral

Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of actor David Carradine, held in Los Angeles 10 days after he was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room.

Family members were joined by former co-stars and other Hollywood figures in the congregation of about 400.

Actors Jane Seymour, Tom Selleck, Daryl Hannah and Lucy Liu were among them.

Thai authorities are still investigating Carradine's death at the age of 72. A private pathologist ruled out suicide as a cause.

Carradine was found naked in a wardrobe with a cord around his neck and other parts of his body, Thai police said.

He was in Thailand filming his latest movie, Stretch, according to his personal manager.

Actress Lucy Liu was among the mourners in Los Angeles

At the funeral, his family were not visible to the media and his burial was private.

Security guards made sure only invited guests entered the service.

The order of service showed a photo of a smiling Carradine on the front, and a sketch of him on the back above the lyrics to Midnight Rider by the Allman Brothers Band.

Other song selections included The Beatles' Let It Be and Beethoven's Requiem for a Fallen Hero, Associated Press reported.

Carradine is survived by his wife, Annie Bierman, and four children.

Carradine appeared in more than 100 films, but was best known early in his career for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the TV series Kung Fu, which aired from 1972-75.

Ribery only leaving on crazy money

Bayern Munich will only consider selling Franck Ribery if his club receive a "crazy" bid for the France midfielder.

Bayern General Manager Uli Hoeness Hoeness this week informed Real Madrid the Bavarians were not willing to sell the 26-year-old, but speculation is rife he may soon be hearing from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson - if Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Madrid goes through.

The Barclays Premier League champions yesterday accepted a world record £80million bid for the Portugal winger from the Spanish giants, meaning they could offer the kind of money that would tempt Hoeness into parting company with Ribery.

Ribery is reportedly one of the players on United's list of targets to fill Ronaldo's boots, and Hoeness has refused to rule out the possibility of letting the former Marseille man leave.

"We would only talk on very strict conditions," he told Munich's Tz newspaper.

"And that would be if they were prepared to do crazy things."

Hoeness recently claimed that not even one of Ribery's legs could be bought for 50 million euros, but the consensus in Germany is that a bid in the region of 75 million euros could prove to be tempting enough.

Having already spent close to that amount on new players this summer, the Bundesliga outfit may welcome the opportunity to recoup their expenditure in one deal - particularly since Ribery has made it clear he fancies a move abroad.