MADRID ADD BENZEMA TO COLLECTIONREAL MADRID’S extraordinary and relentless summer spending spree continued to send reverberations through the football world last night when the club agreed a €35 million deal to sign the France striker Karim Benzema, a transfer that takes their spending beyond €200 million since Florentino Perez was reappointed as their galactico-obsessed president a month ago.
Perez has now signed Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul Albiol and brought in the man regarded as the most exciting young player in France, in a deal that could rise to €41 million depending on his success at the Bernabeu.

Benzema, the scorer of 23 goals in Ligue 1 last season, has been heavily linked with Arsenal and, particularly, Manchester United but Alex Ferguson’s long-standing admiration for the 21-year-old Lyon player never manifested itself in the form of a concerted attempt to bring him to Old Trafford as a replacement for Carlos Tevez.

Instead, United have left Madrid unchallenged to add yet another striker to their already bloated squad.

“We know his importance and his efficiency in our squad,” Claude Puel, the Lyon coach, said. “He’s an exceptional player but we also know the financial figures of the club.”

Lyon said in a statement: “The player wishes to take the opportunity offered to him by Real Madrid to become one of the key players in an ambitious new policy involving several of the world’s biggest players. Lyon has accepted Karim Benzema’s decision and negotiated the terms of a transfer which satisfies all sides.”

Benzema, who has helped Lyon win four Ligue 1 titles and has already accumulated 24 caps for France, scoring six goals in the process, was finalising the deal in Madrid last night while, back in England, Ferguson’s options now appear to have receded even further as he contemplates starting the season with only two senior strikers, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.

Ronaldo’s transfer was officially formalised yesterday, with United receiving the money in one lump sum, and the indications from Old Trafford are that Ferguson is happy to sit on the money for the time being, despite having already spent €18.8 million on signing Luis Antonio Valencia from Wigan.

“Cristiano has been a marvellous player for Manchester United,” Ferguson said in a statement. “His six years at Old Trafford have seen him develop into the best footballer in the world.

“His contribution has been a major factor in the club’s success in that time and his talent, his ability to entertain and his infectious personality have enthralled fans the world over. Everyone here wishes him well.”

Ronaldo’s new career as a Madrid player had an inauspicious start, however, when he allegedly smashed a car window after being followed by photographers in Lisbon. A 17-year-old woman was reportedly hurt by flying glass and has filed a complaint to the police.

Hibernian have signed former Hearts youngster Danny Galbraith from Manchester United.

The left winger has signed a two-year deal on the day that Republic of Ireland international Alan O’Brien’s contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

Willie McStay has been confirmed as manager of Hungarian side Ujpest after leaving his role as Celtic reserve coach.

Celtic agreed to let the former Sligo Rovers manager take up the position as part of their link-up with the eastern European club.

Burnley have signed defender David Edgar on a four-year deal after his contract with Newcastle expired, while Wolves have purchased Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman. Bolton have confirmed the signing of Sean Davis on a free transfer after his contract at Portsmouth expired.

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Uncommitted'Beckham Blasted By LA Team-mateDavid Beckham has come under fire from U.S. Confederations Cup hero Landon Donovan, who has accused the former England captain of showing no commitment to their club Los Angeles Galaxy.
National skipper Donovan, who led the United States to the final in South Africa last weekend, said in a new book due out later this month that Beckham had been a negative influence since his high-profile move to the Major League Soccer outfit two years ago.
Beckham's arrival was supposed to help lift the profile and standards of the U.S. league, but he has struggled to make an impact.
Donovan said Beckham, who brokered a loan move to AC Milan last season, had shown little interest in the Galaxy since coach Ruud Gullit resigned in August last year.
What do you think? Should Beckham stay in LA?

"All that we care about at a minimum is that he committed himself to us," Donovan says in The Beckham Experiment, authored by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl.

"As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways -- on the field, off the field. Does the fact that he earns that much more money come into it? Yeah. If someone's paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you are suspended or not. Show up and train hard, show up and play hard."

Donovan, who leads the Galaxy in Beckham's absence, also cast doubt on the 34-year-old midfielder's leadership abilities.
"Maybe he's not a leader, maybe he's not a captain," he said. "Fair enough. But at a minimum, you should bust your ass every day. That hasn't happened. And I don't think that's too much for us to expect. Especially when he's brought all this on us."

Beckham has brought in bigger crowds, but has made little impact on the playing field for LA since his surprise, big-money move from Real Madrid, with the Galaxy failing to make the end-of-season play-offs despite high hopes.

"When David first came, I believed he was committed to what he was doing," Donovan said. "He cared. He wanted to do well. He wanted the team and the league to do well.

"Somewhere along the way -- and in my mind it coincides with Ruud being let go -- he just flipped a switch and said, 'Uh-huh, I'm not doing it anymore'.

"He's not shown (that he's a good team-mate). I can't think of another guy where I'd say he wasn't a good team-mate, he didn't give everything through all this, he didn't still care. But with him, I'd say no, he wasn't committed."

Donovan cites Beckham's desire to move to Italy, which saw him miss half the 2009 MLS season.

"My sense is that David's clearly frustrated, that he's unhappy and, honestly, that he thinks it's a joke," he said. "I also kind of feel (he has taken the team) for granted. I don't see dedication or commitment to this team, and that's troubling."

Donovan believes it would be best if Beckham, due to make his Galaxy comeback against the New York Red Bulls on July 16 -- two days after Wahl's is published -- seal a permanent move back to Europe.

"Let's say he does stay here for three more years," Donovan said. "I'm not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is miserable. I don't want to have soccer be this way."

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In death, will Michael Jackson be more profitable?Michael Jackson's financial woes were well documented: Numerous lawsuits, loss of control of his beloved Neverland and reports that he was hundreds of millions of dollars in debt all point to a complex money mess that trailed the King of Pop as vigilantly as his most ardent fans.
But might he find the financial success in death that eluded him in the last years of his life?
"A few years ago, a gentleman came along with the public company called CKX, and they purchased the intellectual property rights associated with Elvis Presley and that was in excess of $100 million," said Mark Roesler, chairman and chief executive officer of CMG Worldwide, a business and marketing agent whose client roster boasts several deceased celebrities, including James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.

"The most logical question is [whether Michael Jackson is] worth more than Elvis," Roesler added. "And I think the answer to that would be yes."

Experts predict that millions could flow into the Jackson estate coffers with renewed interest in his life and music after his unexpected death.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, Jackson-related titles dominated the top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart released Wednesday, a feat never before accomplished.

Billboard said that with his "Number Ones" album at No. 1 on the chart with sales of 108,000 (an increase of 2,340 percent), it marked the first time a catalog album has sold more than the No. 1 current set on the Billboard 200 albums chart by outselling the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." which was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 88,000 sold in the past week.
None of this comes as a surprise to Roesler, whose company was a pioneer in the field of getting compensation for deceased celebrities.

"Intellectual property" refers to creations of the mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works, as well as symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce. They are considered intangible assets.

Roesler, who served as an expert witness during the Goldman family's civil suit against O.J. Simpson and worked with singer Nick Lachey during his divorce from Jessica Simpson, said those intangible assets can be valued.

That means that when Madison Avenue comes calling to use an image of Jackson or a song that he has copyrighted for advertising purposes, that could mean millions of dollars paid to the estate, Roesler said.

"There's really not that much of a difference between the living clients we represent and the deceased client, nor is there much of a difference in how they are used except the obvious in that [the deceased] can't personally endorse a product," said Roesler whose CMG also represents historical figures including Mark Twain as well as sports figures such as Babe Ruth and living celebs like Scott Baio.

"We have a program with Lee jeans over in Japan that uses [the image of] James Dean on one line, and they use Brad Pitt on another."

Henry Schafer is executive vice president for Marketing Evaluations, Inc., The Q Scores Company in Manhasset, New York, which provides advertising clients with data on the appeal and likability of celebrities.

Schafer said his firm had been measuring Jackson consistently up through 2006, at which point they stopped because of lack of interest from their clients.

Back then, Schafer said, Jackson did not score well.

"Basically, two out of three consumers didn't like him," Schafer said. "It was a pretty strong negative reaction given the trial he went through, the personal problems and the lack of performing. So there was really no need to update his scores."

The pop icon will probably score extremely high in universal recognition, Schafer said, right up there with the likes of Lucille Ball, who Marketing Evaluations currently rates as the public's favorite dead celebrity.

As for how well Jackson will rank with consumers, Schafer said that depends on a number of factors, including what the investigation into his death reveals.

"He'll probably have better scores in death than he did as a living individual," Schafer said. "That's most likely what's going to happen because of the sympathetic reaction. So then it becomes a question of the attributes associated with Michael Jackson, how marketable are they and to what extent can his name be associated with different types of products and services."

Schafer said Jackson will be added to a study on the appeal of deceased celebrities scheduled for the fall, which will measure him against other deceased advertising icons, especially those with similar troubled stories like Elvis Presley.

The comparisons between "The King" and "The King of Pop" are apt considering the similar circumstances of their final years.

At the time of their deaths, both had not had hit albums in some time, were considered to be reclusive and still elicited frenzied reactions among fans.

And there is also the issue of prescription drugs and reports of questionable doctors, confirmed in the aftermath of the death of Presley and speculated about with Jackson.

Presley's estate was able to navigate what at the time was a controversial death into a vast empire complete with licensing deals, marketing of Elvis-related merchandise and the transformation of his Graceland estate into a pilgrimage destination for fans.

The millions of dollars his estate produced annually have landed him in the Forbes rankings of "Top Earning Dead Celebrities," where he placed first last year, earning more than $52 million.

Kevin Kern, director of public relations for Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. said in an email to CNN that, "We are politely declining all media requests of this nature. We don't wish to get involved in the Michael Jackson media frenzy."

He instead referenced a link on the company's Web site which outlines how the management team of The Elvis Presley Trust and its business entity, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. achieved its success.

Forbes senior editor Matthew Miller said he doubts Jackson's estate will be able to duplicate that level of success.

It's unclear at this point the total value of Jackson's assets, including his interest in the Beatles catalogue, Miller said, and it could take years to sort everything out.

"If I had to venture a guess, and it's only a hypothesis at this point, I would think that Jackson's estate ends up in bankruptcy and the question will be do they have to sell off assets in order to pay off the debts," Miller said.

Miller said he could not imagine that Neverland will become Jackson's Graceland because of his past legal issues.

"We are looking at Michael Jackson through rose-colored glasses right now, but if you look at him as an entertainment brand...he will be known for two things," Miller said. "He was one of the greatest entertainers in the world and was continually accused of child molestation. Those accusations stemmed from activities that [allegedly] happened at Neverland Ranch, so I don't think people are going to continually go there and pay money to see it."

CMG chairman and CEO Mark Roesler has a different take on it.

Jackson was found innocent of those charges and controversy has long plagued stars even after death, said Roesler, who pointed to examples of emerging stories over the years about celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe.
Even though the actress has been dead almost a half a century, she still has appeal, and Roesler predicts the Jackson "is still going to be relevant generations from now" despite all of the speculation.

"You constantly see rumors about celebrities, and it just feeds the legend," Roesler said. "It's all part of the public fascination."

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Report: Barcelona Waiting For David Villa Agreement Before Confirming Keirrison Deal
The Blaugrana are finally shifting out of neutral gear in the transfer market as they prepare to complete a double deal.
Real Madrid may have to step out of the summer limelight for a moment as their eternal enemies, Barcelona, prepare to make their first big move in the transfer market.

The Spanish media are now convinced that ‘El Tricampeon’ are moving closer towards signing David Villa from Valencia, following reports that the player and his agent, Jose Luis Tamargo, met yesterday with Barca's technical director, Txiki Begiristain, to begin negotiations.

AS is speculating that the Blaugrana will offer Los Che anywhere between €35 million to €40 million, a sum that would still fall short of the Mestalla outfit’s expectations.

As such, it is believed that Begiristain has asked ‘El Guaje’ to force the issue and demand an exit, and if Valencia are willing to open talks, then the Catalan giants could include Martin Caceres or even Bojan Krkic in the deal.

Globosporte, meanwhile, has confirmed that Barcelona have reached an agreement with Traffic Sports Marketing to sign Keirrison for around €16m.

However, AS reckons that the official announcement has been postponed because Barca are waiting to reach an agreement for Villa first, as the club fear that Valencia would significantly increase their asking price for the striker.

It is also widely expected that 'K9' could be incorporated into a part-exchange deal to lure Villa to the Camp Nou.

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Obama Quietly Marks Troop Withdrawal in Iraq

President Obama spoke about the withdrawal during a ceremony at the East Room.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press President Obama spoke about the withdrawal during a ceremony at the East Room.
President Obama marked the withdrawal of American combat forces from Iraqi towns and cities with little fanfare on Tuesday, using a ceremony in the East Room of the White House to declare the day “an important milestone’’ even as he warned of “difficult days ahead.’’

Mr. Obama ran for office on a vigorous campaign of bringing an end to the Iraq war. But the withdrawal did not command its own presidential appearance; instead, Mr. Obama offered a brief and somewhat muted assessment of the day’s events at the outset of a ceremony intended to honor entrepreneurs who are committed to social justice.
It was a sign, perhaps, that the president did not want to draw attention to the rising tide of violence in Iraq, including a devastating bombing Tuesday in Kirkuk.
“The Iraqi people are rightly treating this day as cause for celebration,’’ Mr. Obama said in his brief remarks, adding, “Iraq’s future is in the hands of its own people and Iraqi leaders must now make some hard choices.’’
The president praised American troops, and said he was confident that insurgents would fail in their efforts to destabilize Iraq. He promised that the United States would be ‘’a strong partner for the Iraqi people.’’
But Mr. Obama forecast more violence in the days to come: “Now make no mistake. There will be difficult days ahead. We know that violence in Iraq will continue. We see that already in the senseless bombing in Kirkuk earlier today.’’
As Mr. Obama spoke, his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, was asked if the president was intentionally playing down the troop withdrawal. He said Mr. Obama was not.

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Ferrari stands firm on legal threat as three new teams join formula one in 2010
Ferrari have reiterated their threat to quit formula one over the budget-cap row as the FIA left the door open to five other current teams to be on the grid in 2010.
On Wednesday, FIA president Max Mosley invited all the Fota teams to enter the world championship unconditionally to be in a position to discuss and, if necessary, amend the 2010 technical regulations.

And motor sport's governing body today confirmed that Manor Grand Prix, Campos Grand Prix and Team US F1 are the three new teams on the grid from next season. McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber and Brawn GP have been named on the entry list for 2010, and they now have a week to submit an unconditional entry.

Ferrari have been given an entry, but that could now prompt a legal battle as they, along with the other seven members of the Formula One Teams' Association, initially submitted conditional entries. Red Bull Racing and sister team Toro Rosso have also been handed an entry by the FIA, who will argue they and Ferrari are contractually obliged to be involved.

A statement from Ferrari today read: "Following publication of the list of entries for the 2010 formula one world championship, which includes Ferrari as an unconditional entrant, Ferrari wishes to state the following: Ferrari submitted on 29 May 2009 an entry to the 2010 FIA formula one world championship which is subject to certain conditions.

"As of today, these conditions have not been met. Notwithstanding this and despite Ferrari's previous written notice to the FIA not to do so, the FIA has included Ferrari as an unconditional participant in next year's formula one world championship.

"For the avoidance of any doubt, Ferrari reaffirms that it shall not take part in the 2010 FIA formula one world championship under the regulations adopted by the FIA in violation of Ferrari's rights under a written agreement with the FIA."

Williams and Force India have places on the 2010 grid, although that is no surprise as they opted to split from Fota and submit conditional entries due to binding contracts of their own.

If any team fails to submit a conditional entry, the FIA will return to the pool of potential new entrants as they are determined to have a 26-car grid in place for next year. At present, further due diligence is currently taking place on the other possible entries should further positions become available.

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‘Miracle’ crash survivor is reunited with family Teenager meets father, siblings in Paris after 13-hour Indian Ocean ordeal
LE BOURGET, France - A girl believed to be the only survivor of an Indian Ocean plane crash flew back to Paris from the Comoros Islands on Thursday to the waiting arms of her father and siblings.

Bahia Bakari, 14, was brought back to France on the plane carrying a government minister and other French officials. The Falcon-900 jet with medical facilities aboard left the archipelago nation of the Comoros, a former French colony, and arrived at Le Bourget airport just north of Paris shortly after 8 a.m. local time.

Yemenia Flight 626 crashed Tuesday morning amid heavy winds, and Bakari, described by her father as a fragile girl who could barely swim, spent some 13 hours in the water before she was rescued.

'Extraordinary battle for survival'
Her father, Kassim, and several other members of her family met the plane in Paris. An emergency ambulance then took the girl to the Armand-Trousseau Children's Hospital in the east of the French capital.

"In the midst of the mourning, there is Bahia. It is a miracle, it is an absolutely extraordinary battle for survival," France's government minister for cooperation, Alain Joyandet, said at a news conference at the airport.

Bahia, the eldest of four children, had boarded a plane in Paris with her mother, Aziza, on Monday morning for a long journey via Marseille and San'a, Yemen, to Comoros where they planned to spend part of the summer school holidays with relatives. Her three siblings had stayed behind with her father.

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