Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and his father Jorge testified separately in court on Friday to answer charges of tax evasion on income earned from the sale of the player's image rights.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and his father Jorge have paid five million euros (4.2 million pounds) to the Spanish authorities after they were accused in June of filing false tax returns, a court statement said on Wednesday.

Lionel Messi is optimistic his advisers will be able to sort out his tax problems after he and his father were accused of defrauding the Spanish authorities last month.

The United States topped Group C with a 1-0 win over Costa Rica on Tuesday while Cuba also advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals as one of the best third-place teams after beating Belize by four goals.

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, star player for Spanish soccer club Barcelona, and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud by a Spanish judge, media reports said on Thursday.

Lionel Messi's picture was on the front pages rather than the sports sections of the Spanish media on Thursday, after the World Player of the Year and his father were accused of tax fraud.

The small Indian-American community -- constituting just about one per cent of the US population -- never had it so good as under the Barack Obama administration, with a record number of community members being roped in to head top administrative positions.

Just one week after United States President Barack Obama's convincing re-election, his faithful Vice President Joseph Biden led the White House celebration of Diwali, reflecting on the significance of festival of lights, and also acknowledging the presence of Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu American elected to the US Congress, and also Ambassador Nirupama Rao, who like Gabbard, seemed to have that gravitational pull in terms of the guests wanting to pose for pictures with them

A recent survey conducted by CNNGo lists the ten most hated cities in the world. Interestingly, some of these cities are ranked as the most livable but they continue to be the most hated.

Prince Harry has described his Diamond Jubilee tour of the Commonwealth nations of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas as "an emotional trip".

Prince Harry has described his Diamond Jubilee tour of the Commonwealth nations of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas as "an emotional trip".

On Monday, Queen Elizabeth II marks 60 years as monarch with a deliberately low-key programme of visits to eastern England, kicking off five months of diamond jubilee celebrations.

United States President Barack Obama celebrated Diwali at the White House complex by lighting the traditional diya and hosting a reception for eminent Indian Americans and officials in his administration.

Less than one year after Spain beat the Netherlands to win the World Cup, the circus starts again on Wednesday although the opening match of the 2014 qualifying tournment will cause barely a ripple. Tiny Montserrat, who have won only two international matches, is scheduled to face Belize on neutral territory in a match which will be a far cry from last year's game at Soccer City, watched by an estimated 700 million television viewers.

Among its various position Facebook is looking for head of public policy or corporate communication in India.

Get your lowdown on what's happening in the world of Hollywood, right here!

Soon, the greatest global show will be over. Life will not be the same, probably a bit boring with no octopus, no blundering referees, no Paraguayan starlet or horrible cacophony (though by the end of the competition we will be missing it!).

An Indian-origin man, along with two others, has been indicted here on charges that they duped internet users in more than 60 countries into buying fake software products of more than $100 million.

A Guyanese national of Indian origin on Wednesday pleaded guilty before a court for smuggling an Indian into the US. If convicted, Annita Devi Gerald, 52, faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Pictures posted on social networking sites, showing Carlos Allen with other guests, have confirmed that the third gatecrasher attended the White House State Dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November last.

A Guyanese national was charged in a nine-count indictment on Friday for smuggling one Indian national to the United States and trying to smuggle three others. Arrested by federal authorities on November 17, Annita Devi Gerald aka Annita Rampersad, 52, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the southern district of Texas, the Department of Justice said on Friday.

Scores of Indian American politicians, administration officials, media personalities and activists were among the 320 guests at the first state dinner of the Barack Obama presidency in honour of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Mrs Gurcharan Kaur

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is leading an official delegation on a three-day visit to India during which the two countries are expected to finalise a civilian nuclear deal and ink a major economic treaty. Harper arrived in Mumbai late Sunday night after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore.

Colorado-based Indian American businessman Vinai Thummalapally, who raised funds for President Barack Obama's presidential campaign, on Wednesday said he was proud to be nominated as the first Indian American to serve as United States' envoy to Belize.Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the confirmation hearing, Obama's nominee to the Central American state said he would work to strengthen US interests in Belize, if confirmed.

The bridge is to be inaugurated on June 30 by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Mumbaikars welcomed the long-awaited opening of India's first sea link.

The Reserve Bank of India has admitted that security features introduced in the higher denomination notes in 2005 as an anti-counterfeiting measure have been breached!

President Barack Obama has nominated his friend and former room-mate and major campaign fund-raiser Vinai Thummalapally of Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the next US Ambassador to Belize, the only country in Central America where English is the official language.

Here are the answers to six most relevant questions you MUST know about the New Pension Scheme.

Team Manmohan's first day in office

Anju Bobby George broke a billion hearts on Tuesday when she failed to qualify for the final of the women's long jump at the Beijing Olympics after three consecutive foul jumps.

Welcome to the enchanting, enticing and exciting world of tax dodgers.

Lionel Messi scored a stunning first-half goal to help Argentina to a 4-1 demolition of Mexico in an international friendly.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was named as the new Mexico coach on Tuesday the day after leaving Premier League club Manchester City. Eriksson parted company with Manchester City after leading them to a respectable ninth place in the English Premier League. The 60-year-old Swede's appointment was approved by the owners of the country's 18 first division clubs, who make up the Mexican federation's national teams committee.

Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson could take charge of Mexico, according to the president of the national federation. Eriksson is manager of Manchester City but recent media reports have said he is likely to be sacked despite a respectable ninth-place finish in the English Premier League.

Grenada smashed US Virgin Islands 10-0 while Suriname trounced Montserrat 7-1 in the CONCACAF preliminary round football World Cup qualifiers. Elsewhere, Antigua beat Aruba 1-0 despite having three players sent off and missing a penalty while Belize held out for a 1-1 draw away to St Kitts & Nevis to earn a prestigious tie against Mexico.

Drop that sandwich and let this story (and your taste buds) lead you on a year-long tour of the world's best culinary festivals.

Bob Dhillon, who is well on his way, to becoming the first Sikh billionaire in North America, shares the secrets of his success.

The 31-year-old American is not in training, even though most of the world's elite sprinters have already begun preparations for the 2007 season.