Westwood playing into form

Sick on Thursday, better on Friday, flying on Saturday - this has been some week for Lee Westwood.

And next week might be even more memorable. Perhaps only Tiger Woods will go into The Open at Turnberry with more confidence.

Doubtful before the start of the Barclays Scottish Open and wishing after two holes he had pulled out - "I was stupid to play," he said - on Saturday Westwood added a 64 to his second-round 66.

And he admitted afterwards that thoughts of the European Tour's first-ever 59 entered his mind when he birdied nine of the first 12 holes and had two more clear chances coming straight up.

"I was just unfortunate," said the Ryder Cup star, who last Sunday was in a play-off for the French Open after a superb closing 65.

"I had to wait on the 13th tee and on the next and those sort of things just break your rhythm occasionally."

A chest infection that kept him awake all night had been the reason he came so close to withdrawing.

"It just goes to show I'm a man who needs his sleep. It just felt like somebody's else head on my shoulders - I was dizzy and I couldn't focus.

"It felt almost like I was hung over, if any of you have ever been hung over." To a group of journalists that raised a laugh.

"I was given anti-biotics, slept for three hours after I played yesterday and then for another 12 hours.

"I've obviously still got a bit of a bad chest, but it's not making me feel ill. I had my tonsils taken out last November and when you take them out it just goes to your chest instead.

"I spoke to Ian Poulter and he had the same thing. He gets more chest infections than he used to."

Going into last year's Open Westwood was a centre of attention following his third-place finish in the US Open.

He finished only 67th and complained about how hard it was for home players.

"At the US Open I went in with no expectations. This week that's just not possible," he stated then.

"It's just not possible to be low key. There's too much to do to concentrate solely on golf.

"I think that's part of the reason British players don't do better, but I think I can manage it better in the future."

On the same subject he commented: "It's just an intense week. The demands on your time are very great.

"If you can just go in there and not have to talk to anybody it would be a massive result.

"But unfortunately it's the Open Championship and I'm British - and I'm not the sort that's not going to talk."

From three over par after two holes on Thursday Westwood is now 10 under. He still has catching up to do, but his game is exactly where he wants it to be so close to Turnberry.

Asian Cup champions Iraq celebrated their first match on home soil in seven years with a 3-0 friendly win over Palestine. Hawar Mulla Mohamad, Younis

Asian Cup champions Iraq celebrated their first match on home soil in seven years with a 3-0 friendly win over Palestine.

Hawar Mulla Mohamad, Younis Mahmoud and Loay Salah were on target in Iraq's first match played at home since a 2-1 defeat to Syria in Baghdad in July 2002.

The home side opened the scoring at the Francois Hariri Stadium in Arbil after 19 minutes when Salih Sader's corner was headed by Salam Shaker to Mohamad, who converted from close range.

Iraq should have doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time when they were awarded a penalty, but Mahmoud's effort was saved by Palestine goalkeeper Mohamad Shbeir.

Mahmoud made up for that miss, though, by scoring the second goal after 56 minutes when he headed home a cross from the left by Bassem Abbas.

Iraq continued to press and they added a third in the last minute when striker Salah shot powerfully past Shbeir.

This game was hailed as a symbol of hope and peace for the war-torn country.

The match was played in Arbil, which is the capital of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, and it gave an opportunity for Arabs and Kurds to forgo hostilities and cheer for the same side.

Iraq had sensationally won the Asian Cup in 2007 but have struggled since and failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa, while they recently represented Asia at the Confederations Cup but failed to advance out of the group stage after recording draws against hosts South Africa and New Zealand while losing to Spain.

Meanwhile, Palestine will reportedly travel to Baghdad on Monday to play a second friendly against Iraq.

Potter tribute to murdered actor

Cast and crew from the new Harry Potter film are to wear white ribbons on their wrists at its world premiere as a mark of respect to murdered actor Rob Knox.

Mr Knox, 18, who played Marcus Belby in the forthcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was stabbed in Sidcup, south-east London, last May.

He was defending his brother when he was attacked by Karl Bishop, who received four life terms in March.

The film's world premiere is being held in Leicester Square on Tuesday.

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the teenage wizard in the film, said Knox's death had hit all of the cast.

He said: "I won't pretend I knew him incredibly well, or was his best friend on set, but I knew him and liked him, and what happened to him was obviously tragic and awful."

The Harry Potter film cast are to pay tribute to all knife-crime victims

Co-star Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley, younger sister of Harry's best friend Ron, said the cast wanted to show solidarity with all knife-crime victims.

"It's going to be quite a traumatic experience for his family, who've been very supportive of him," she said.

She said the wearing of white ribbons on their wrists was not only for his life but for other families who had experienced knife crime.

The film is the sixth film based on JK Rowling's best-selling books and has director David Yates, who took charge of the last movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, back at the helm.

He said Knox's death was a "waste".

"You are surrounded by young people all day long who bring a great commitment to what they do, and Rob was no different," he said.

"He came in and wanted to do brilliant work, he put his heart and soul into it, and you just think 'what a terrible waste'."

Tensions Reportedly Rise at Preah Vihear Border

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh 03 July 2009

Military sources said Thursday Thai troops have reinforced their positions along the contested border near Preah Vihear temple, adding tensions to a military standoff that has resulted in several skirmishes over the past year.

“A clash could have happened this afternoon, at 3 pm, but finally tensions were abated,” one officer stationed in Preah Vihear province said Thursday.

On Wednesday night, Thai soldiers arrived in five trucks at the entry of Preah Vihear temple, which is at the center of the disputes that were sparked when the temple was added to a Unesco World Heritage list in July last year.

Cambodian soldiers barred about 10 Thai soldiers from entering an encampment near Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda, which has been occupied by Thai soldiers since July 15, 2008, the officer said, requesting anonymity.

“They came with their truck lights switched off,” he said.

Other military sources said Thai soldiers had reinforced positions near Ta Thao gate, at the entry of the 11th-Century temple, near two areas where fighting occurred in 2008, namely Sambok Khmom and Veal Intry, or Eagle Field.

Gen. Pol Saroun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, downplayed the rising tensions between the military.

Lt. Gen. Chhom Socheat, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Defense, said the situation on the border was “normal” on both sides.

In meetings between regional military commanders Wednesday, the Cambodian side urged the Thais to withdraw troops from nearby the pagoda, Sambok Khmom and other areas around the temple, Chhom Socheat said.

Thai commanders said they would take the request under consideration, he added.

U.S. to provide assistance to reform Cambodia public financial system

PHNOM PENH, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States government announced Monday its intention to provide technical assistance to the Royal Government of Cambodia to support the country's public management reform program and efforts to improve fiscal controls and promote greater transparency in financial transactions.

The announcement was made after a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economy and Finance Keat Chhon and U.S. Ambassador Carol A. Rodley, and Michael Ruffner from the Treasury Department's Office of Technical Assistance (OTA).

"The assistance is designed to help Cambodia strengthen the enforcement of laws and controls as they relate to budgeting and financial accountability, banking and financial services, the insurance and financial industries, and tax administration and collection," it said in the statement.

It added that the financial management and accountability assistance programs were expected to begin within the next few months.

Ronaldo ready for La Liga challenge

Cristiano Ronaldo is confident he will have no problems adapting to life in the Spanish Primera Division.

Ronaldo was officially presented as a Madrid player tonight after passing his medical earlier in the day and then putting pen-to-paper on a six-year contract with the Spanish giants.

That finalised his record-breaking £80million move from Barclays Premier League champions and fulfilled what the 24-year-old revealed was a long-held dream.

"I am just so happy. For me, I have made my childhood dream a reality, which was to play for Real Madrid," he said.

Ronaldo's move to Spain brings to an a six-year spell with United in the Premier League, during which time the Portugal international won a host of team and individual awards.

Much is now expected of the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year at Madrid, especially as he now carries the tag of the most expensive player ever, but the winger insists he is ready for the challenge of testing himself in a new environment and a new league.

"I expect a different league of course," Ronaldo said. "I played six years in the Premier League and it's very difficult.

"It's faster and players are stronger. It's very competitive here as well. It will be interesting. I look forward to enjoying La Liga.

"I think I'm ready for this challenge. I eat good. I sleep good. I drink good. I think I'm ready for this league.

He added: "I am sure that I will be able to adapt no problem. I have some Spanish skills, Spanish language skills, I am compatible with the life here and I am sure that I will make very good friends here."

Ronaldo was also quizzed about what he might expect in terms of refereeing in Spain.

During an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca this weekend when he was comparing La Liga to the Premier League, Ronaldo suggested players get more protection in Spain.

However, he skirted the subject this evening, saying with a smile: "In England, there are very nice referees, but in La Liga you have unbelievable referees."

An estimated crowd of more than 80,000 crammed into Madrid's Bernabeu stadium for the former Sporting Lisbon star's presentation.

That attendance swamped the estimated 55,000 that watched Kaka's unveiling here last Tuesday, and is be lived to be the biggest turn-out for a presentation since a reported 75,000 saw the arrival of Diego Maradona at Napoli from Barcelona in 1984.

Ronaldo, who was sporting the number nine on his Madrid kit as he was greeted on stage by club president Florentino Perez, honorary president Alfredo di Stefano and Portugal legend Eusebio, said of his presentation: "It's been impressive, a very nice feeling.

"I didn't expect a full stadium and to come onto the pitch and see this was incredible."

Ronaldo is the third player to be unveiled by Madrid since Perez returned to the presidency at the start of June, following in the footsteps of Kaka and Raul Albiol.

Brazil playmaker Kaka was a reported £56million signing from AC Milan, while Spain centre-back Albiol was brought in from Valencia for a fee believed to be around £13million.

Madrid have also agreed a deal with Lyon for their striker Karim Benzema for an initial fee of £30million, a transfer that takes the Spanish giants' summer spending close to the £200million mark.

When asked about his giant fee, Ronaldo again insisted he will do all he can to prove Madrid were right to spend that amount.

"I have always thought that the best clubs, to have the best players, have to pay - so Real Madrid did a good thing. It was a correct decision," he added.

"I understand...it is not your everyday thing to manage these figures, but I'm happy to be the most expensive player in the history of football and I'm going to prove that they paid good money for me and it was worth it."

Swiss master marvels at achievement

Roger Federer admitted it was "staggering" to win a record 15th grand slam title in just 25 events after his epic win over Andy Roddick.

Federer won his first grand slam at Wimbledon in 2003 and landed number 15 at the All England Club by beating a gallant Roddick 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14.

Watched by the man with whom he had shared the record - Pete Sampras flying in from California overnight to watch from the Royal Box - Federer saved four set points in the second-set tie-break before finally breaking Roddick's serve for the first time in the match in the final game.

The match featured the most games ever in a Wimbledon final, the total of 77 easily eclipsing the previous record of 62 set last year.

And the 30 games in the fifth set also surpassed the previous highest of 24 in a final, although Federer's total of 50 aces was just one short of the Wimbledon record held by Ivo Karlovic.

"It's staggering that I've been able to play so well for so many years and stay injury-free," said 27-year-old Federer.

"It's crazy that I've been able to win so many in such a short period of time.

"It was difficult because I thought Andy played great. It was so different to what I experienced the last few years with Rafa (Nadal), where it was a baseline game. Today it was a serve and return game.

"It was frustrating at times because I couldn't break Andy until the very very end so the satisfaction is maybe bigger this time around to come through, because I couldn't control the match at all.

"I thought the second set was obviously key to what came after. Being down two sets to love, the way Andy was serving, would have been a very difficult situation to be in."

Federer spared a thought for the unlucky Roddick, who he has now beaten three times in Wimbledon finals, and who had to hold his serve 10 times in succession during the epic final set to stay in the match.

"Tennis is cruel sometimes," added Federer, who finally made the breakthrough at the 11th time of asking by forcing Roddick to mis-hit two forehands.

"I went to some five-setters too in grand slam finals and ended up losing. But I think he did great. I think he's not gonna let his head hang down, I think he's going to come back strong and play great in the States.

"I had to play my very very best to come through."

Federer also revealed he had said hello to Sampras when the seven-time Wimbledon champion took up his seat after the third game of the opening set.

"Today with Pete it was a bit special," added Federer, who will regain the world number one spot tomorrow. "When he walked in and I saw him for the first time I did get more nervous.

"I said hello to him too, which is unusual, but I didn't want to be rude. I only got confirmation (he was coming) yesterday, but he promised me a long time ago he would.

"He hoped it was maybe going to be in New York so it's closest to him. He said maybe not Australia if possible. But I always knew he would keep his word."

Roddick admitted the second set tie-break, which he led 6-2, would live long in the memory and was difficult to recover from during the match.

"There's no way it doesn't cross your mind," he said. "We're human, we're not cyborgs. At that point, like everything else, there's two options; you lay down or you keep going. The second option sounded better to me."

The 26-year-old has now reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon final since starting to work with coach Larry Stefanki at the end of last year, and explained: "It was to give myself an opportunity to win tournaments like this.

"I feel like I did give myself that opportunity today. It didn't work out but I definitely gave myself a look.

"He just makes it real tough. He was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever. He just stayed the course. You didn't even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it. He just toughed it out.

"He served great. He did what he had to. If he hadn't have served as well, I'd probably be sitting here in a better mood."