LABARI

Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyer Julio Senn says that the Real Madrid forward's current tax compliance issues are different to those which saw Barcelona's Lionel Messi plead guilty to fraud and receive a suspended jail sentence.  Ronaldo is due in court in Madrid on July 31 to answer charges brought by prosecutors at Spain's "Hacienda" tax authority, who say that he used a network of offshore companies to avoid paying at least €14.7 million in tax due on "image rights" income. Messi was found guilty of tax fraud in July 2016 in another case centred around image rights income being sent abroad. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison and fined €3.6m on top of a minimum amount of €10m his family paid in back taxes and charges to Hacienda. Ronaldo's camp have maintained that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, even as experts with knowledge of the case claim that unless he "regularises" his situation by paying about €50m there is a seri...

Real Madrid remain unable to come to an agreement with Real Betis over the payment of midfielder Dani Ceballos's transfer fee. Betis want the full amount up front, while Real's stance is that they are due concessions over the payment process given that they are preparing to part with a figure higher than the 15m-euro price in the player's buy-out clause. Ceballos has agreed personal terms with Real and has completed a medical, with the 20-year-old expected to be unveiled on 20 July before joining up with the team's US tour the following day. However, the move is not thought to be in any danger of falling through. If negotiations between the LaLiga clubs fail, Madrid still have the option of unilaterally activating the Spain Under-21 star's release clause. Source: Diario

James will sign his contract in Munich once the obligatory medical has been successfully completed. Unconfirmed reports in Bild state the loan fee stands at €10m with the option to buy at the end of the deal standing at €35.2m. Real Madrid wanted €75 million for the player while Bayern were holding firm at €60 million. A loan deal, which was mentioned as a possibility with Bayern paying his wages and a fee to the reigning LaLiga and Champions League winners, has come to pass. Real Madrid will reportedly recieve €5 million a year for two years and have the option to buy the player for €35 million after the two year spell. Talks over a potential move had moved into sixth gear on Monday night as Bayern's directors and Jorge Mendes, the player's agent, negotiated into the early hours and reconvened on Tuesday morning to hammer home the finer details. James had asked Mendes to speed up the deal as he was not keen to travel to the USA with Real Madrid if he was not going to be playi...

"Congratulations because you're now a Real Madrid player and that owes to your talent and personality and all that you've shown despite your young years. "First and foremost, you wanted to come here and defend this badge despite other big European clubs wanting to sign you. Your commitment and conviction is something that won't be forgotten by everyone at Real Madrid. You were one of the breakthrough stars of last season's LaLiga campaign and you've proved that you've got enough potential, quality, ambition, strength and determination to play for Real Madrid. "These supporters will always be behind you because we're aware of your ability to fight in every game and just how keen you are to win. You're joining a club that has won 12 European Cups and you become a part of the history of the biggest club in the game. I know that you'll give your all for this badge and for your family. "You did everything in your power to ...

I'm a middle-aged, white Scottish man who converted to Islam without ever meeting a Muslim. It's important to remember the distinction between written Islamic teachings and culture in the real world. After 18 months, I went to my first mosque and met other Muslims properly for the first time. How does a middle-aged, white Scottish man living in the Scottish Highlands end up becoming a Muslim - especially when he hasn't properly met a Muslim in his life? For me, it all started when I heard the call to prayer from a local mosque while on a beach holiday in Turkey. It woke something up inside me, and inspired me to begin a spiritual quest. Back home in Inverness, I went to the local bookshop, bought a Qur'an and started to read. While reading, I always asked God to guide me on the journey I had set out on. A lot of praying. A lot of time on my knees. The Qur'an really shook me. It's quite a scary book to read because it tells you so much about yourself. ...

Judge: Raouf Abdul Rahman who sentenced former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to death has reportedly been captured and executed by ISIS militants Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sits as his charges were read by the Judge Rahman He is believed to have been arrested on June 16, and died two days later. Jordanian MP Khalil Attieh wrote on his Facebook page that Judge Rahman, who had headed the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal during Saddam's trial, had been arrested and sentenced to death. 'Iraqi revolutionaries arrested him and sentenced him to death in retaliation for the death of the martyr Saddam Hussein,' he said, according to Al-Mesyroon. Attieh also said that Judge Rahman had unsuccessfully attempted to escape from Baghdad disguised in a dancer's costume. The Facebook page for Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam's former deputy who has emerged as a key figure among the Sunni militants, also posted that the rebels had been able to arrest Judge Rahman. Ju...

Olisa Agbakoba Speaks On 2014 National Conference. “You were a delegate to the 2014 National Conference. Do you think there is something in that report that can benefit this country if considered and implemented?” Olisa Agbakoba was asked by his interviewer He said; “We have been having national conferences going back to the time of Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, and (Olusegun) Obasanjo. They didn’t create the conferences in order to promote the interest of Nigeria. They created the conferences for their own personal interests. IBB created it to find a way to become a civilian leader – it crashed. Abacha created it in order to become a civilian leader – he died. Obasanjo created his own in order to become a third-term leader – he failed. Goodluck Jonathan created his own in order to have a seven-year tenure and to avoid election – he failed. So, why should I recommend any of such reports?”. Punch July 9, 2017.