Lionel Messi is now out of Barcelona's contract
July 1, 2021, 6:18 am

Lionel Messi

BBC reported that 12 months on from Lionel Messi aborted attempted to leave Barcelona, he is now out of contract.

The Argentine superstar's deal expired at midnight and despite months of rumour and conjecture, he has failed to commit to an extension.

Talks over a new contract are believed to be ongoing, meaning Messi may well decide to stay at the Nou Camp.

But, for now, he is available for absolutely nothing.

According to BBC, Spanish football writer Guillem Balague said earlier this week that Barcelona had "raised the level of urgency" in contract talks, with the hopes of making an announcement of a new two-year deal before the start of July.

"Messi's contract renewal is new president Joan Laporta's main priority and he is currently negotiating it directly with Messi's father and representative, Jorge Messi," he said.

"To be able to keep the Argentine, the club will have to reduce their wage bill by around 200m euros (£172m) to meet La Liga's Financial Fair Play requirements.

"Messi knows of the interest from other clubs, but up to now has not negotiated anything with them, waiting first to hear what Barcelona were offering."

The 34-year-old has been linked with moves to Paris St-Germain and Manchester City, where he would be reunited with his former boss at Barcelona Pep Guardiola, as well as America's Major League Soccer.

He is currently in Brazil playing for Argentina at the Copa America and became their most-capped player when he made his 148th international appearance against Bolivia on Tuesday, scoring twice and setting up another in a 4-1 win.

levant

Source: BBC

Image source: Getty Images-BBC

Iraqi chef dies after falling in a giant vat of chicken soup Levant newspaper, ISSUE 25 July 2021

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”