Brand names are known as ‘Trade Marks’ and the names of enterprises are known as ‘Trade Names’.

Awareness

In order to prevent one’s logo, brand name/mark etc. from being misused by another, it is essential to be aware of the existence of such misuse in different areas and jurisdictions. An owner should not sleep over his rights by letting another misuse his mark without his knowledge as the same would amount to acquiescence of such misuse and losing rights with respect to his mark. One of the ways to monitor the use of one’s mark is by conducting a regular search in the relevant trademark database(s) to ascertain whether any other person proposing to use a mark similar to or identical with one’s own mark has filed an application for registration with regard to the same and raising opposition and objection to such application and proposed use

Unauthorised usage

In case one becomes aware of misuse or infringement by another person, legal proceedings may be initiated in the form of a suit for infringement or passing off. The remedies available in such proceedings would be grant of an injunction(stoppage of such misuse) and/or award of damages and/or delivery-up of the infringing labels and marks for destruction or erasure.

Domain Name

A domain name is a website address on the Internet which gives you an online identity. Owners should obtain a domain name with the name of their respective brand so that unscrupulous users may not have a website with the same name as their brand. This assumes importance as when a person conducts an online search with the name of a particular brand, logo etc., then someone else’s webpage should not show up as it might lead to confusion.

International Registration

If a person proposes to carry on business/trade in foreign jurisdictions or countries, then an application for protection of his mark in the proposed/designated countries may be made under the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid System). The Madrid System is the primary international system for facilitating the registration of trademarks in multiple jurisdictions around the world. If registration is granted under the Madrid System, it is easier to monitor the use of one’s mark in the International Register, which is a single centralized system maintained by WIPO.

Registration

The most important way to safeguard your trademark, however, is to apply for and obtain registration in respect of it. Registration of a trademark confers an array of rights and privileges to the ‘owner’ in comparison with unregistered marks. Some of them being:

Exclusive Use

The owner of a trademark or trade name has the right to use the same in relation to the goods or services for which it has been registered, to the exclusion of all others. The registered owner of a trademark ensures legal exclusivity to such person for the use of a name, brand, logo etc. This prevents any other person, trader, enterprise etc. from using the same in relation to their own business, goods and services and protects the mark of the registered owner by conferring exclusivity.

Prior Search

Before a person can use a name, logo, mark etc., it is imperative upon him to conduct a search in the trademark database to ascertain whether registration in respect of the same has already been granted. If registration has already been granted, then the trademark examiners are likely to refuse registration to conflicting marks. If, however, a similar or conflicting mark is accepted for registration, having a prior registered mark gives a person a strong right to oppose the registration before it’s officially entered on the register. It is advisable for owners to carry out a regular search in the trademark database in order to ascertain whether any application for registration has been filed for a name or mark which is similar to theirs and to file objection or opposition at the relevant time and stage in order to safeguard their rights as also to assist the examiner by preventing him from granting registration in respect of similar or conflicting marks or names.

International Protection

Before an application for registration of a mark can be made under the Madrid system, it is necessary that the trademark must have been granted registration or registration has been applied for in the country of origin of the mark. So, if a person proposes to carry on trade or business in any foreign jurisdiction, then to apply for protection of his trademark, trade name, logo etc., in that country, he would first have to be granted registration in his own country or have to make an application for registration.

Legal Action

Under the Indian Trademarks Act, 1999 (“the new Act” hereinafter), Section 27 lays down that a suit for infringement will not lie in respect of an unregistered trademark. So, registration of a trademark is a precondition to initiating an action for infringement and for an unregistered trademark, only the common law remedy of ‘passing off’ lies.

Permitted Use

Registration of a mark provides a greater degree of safety and protection in cases of assignment, licensing, authorized usage etc. as opposed to an unregistered mark.

Online Services

Registration of a mark enables greater cooperation by third parties. For example, Google will act to prevent traders from bidding on ‘keywords’ that contain a registered trademark. Similarly, websites such as Amazon or eBay would take action to take down listings by other traders which infringe a registered trademark.

Spain is under the lime light having won the two most prestigious tournaments that the world of soccer has to offer; the Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010. Having won both competitions here is a look at two of their prized strikers who are indeed very famous in their own respect.

The first of these two players is Spain’s striker Fernando Torres. His full name is Fernando Jose Torres Sanz and he has a nickname which is El Nino. The reason for this nickname is that Torres is very young and looks even younger. He was born on the 20th of March 1984 in Fuenlabrada in the Community of Madrid and began playing football at the age of five. By the age of eleven he was scouted by his first official league team Atletico Madrid in 1995. He started off playing in the youth team and worked his way up and won his first youth title in 1998. He was also part of the under 15 teams that Madrid sent to the Nike Cup which had the resulted with them winning the tournament and later on Torres was voted the best player in Europe for his age group. The next year in 1999 he signed his first professional contract with Atletico.

In 2007 he had signed a six years contract with Liverpool for £20 million which was the highest transfer fee in liverpool’s history. Whilst at Liverpool Torres made 102 appearances and had scored 65 goals. He also became the fastest player for Liverpool to score 50 goals. In 2011 Torres had signed a contract with Chelsea for £50 million making him the most expensive Spanish player and it was also the most expensive British transfer and it also made him the fourth most expensive player in history.

The second famous player for Spain is David Villa. His full name is David Villa Sanchez and he is nicknamed El Guaje which means kid in Austrias. He was born in Tuilla, a small village in Asturias, a region in northern Spain. He started his football career rather later due to a serious injury at the age of four when he suffered a fracture to his right femur, but he made a complete recovery.

He made his first official debut aged 19 with his local club Sporting Gijon in 2001 where he made 80 appearances and had scored 38 goals. In 2003 he was signed for 3 million Euros by Real Zaragoza. He was with this club from 2003 up to 2005 during which he made 73 appearances and scored 32 goals. In 2005 Villa made a move to one of Spain’s heavy weight clubs which was Valencia for 12 million Euros. He was there from 2005 to 2010 during this time he had made 166 appearances and scored 108 goals. He was also the top goal scorer for he Euro 2008 tournament one which Spain went on to win. In 2010 Villa made his most expensive transfer to Barcelona for a fee of 40 million Euros and is still currently there. So far he has made 22 appearances and scored 15 goals.

Well there are two famous Spanish players I’m sure there are many more that I have missed out but those two are most commonly known and related to Spain.

Beautiful sun kissed beaches, splendid scenic beauty, delicious cuisines, and amazing night life. Spain has it all. Here are seven holiday destinations which are a must visit in Spain.

1. Costa Brava- Costa Brava has always been a prominent place for holiday throughout the year. The coastline extends from Port Bou to Blanes. The place has soaring cliffs, abundant vegetation, beautiful villages, sun kissed beaches and hidden bays, which are only accessible through boat. The top places include Chichi Begur, Cadaques and Port Lligat. Port Lligat is famous for Salvador Dali and his wife Gala, as they once lived and worked. If culture and archaeology interests you, then Ampurias or Empúries is a must visit.

2. Santiago de Compostela- This is the capital city of the Galicia region in the north western part of Spain. Also known for its traditional pilgrimage, the place is also known as Camino de Santiago. The pilgrimage is important to many Christians as St James was buried. The city captivates the attention of people across the globe. From its illustrious history or rich culture, the city has so much to offer. Praza do Obradoiro is the arriving point for pilgrims. Santiago Cathedral is also an important landmark, as it situated in the heart of the city.

3. Barcelona – The capital city of Catalonia, this cosmopolitan city situated on the Mediterranean coast has both a historical background seamed effortlessly with modern city life. The Antoni Gaudi’s unfinished cathedral La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell is a must visit. The city is well-fed, both historically and culturally. Barcelona has a number of bars, great shops, also amazing clubs. One should also check friendly seaside resort of Sitges, a car ride to the National Park of Montserrat, which offers, hiking, climbing and a monastery with beautiful panoramic view.

4. Madrid-Situated in the middle of Spain, the city is more than two million years old, since the stone age. While most of the tourists visit Madrid because of its laid back beaches, it has so much more. The city offers some of the world’s best museums, restaurants, vibrant night life, mouth watering delicacies, and also a large number of pedestrian shops to offer the true essence of Spain. The historic old town, Madrid los Austrians, is a must visit. Today Madrid stands for its art and culture, with over seventy museums including the famous Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia National Art Centre also the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

5. Valencia- Valencia is one of the largest cities in Spain. The city is located in the eastern part of the country in the region of Valencia. The city is well constructed with substantial cultural as well as entertainment complex, known as the “City Of Art and Science”. There are several science museum, aquarium, planetarium. Valencia hosts the Fallas Festival every March. It should be on every tourist’s bucket list.

6. Seville- Buzzing night life, refreshing atmosphere, and beautiful tourist attraction, Seville tops the list of cities in Spain you must visit. The city is both the cultural and financial capital of Andalusia. A beautiful place with relevant historic landmarks, important most being the grand Cathedral of Seville. The Cathedral of Seville is a major tourist attraction, as it is believed to be the burial place of Christopher Columbus. The Real Alcazar, is yet another exorbitant place with luxurious garden.

7. Granada- The capital of Granada Province, the city is placed to the south of Seirra Nevada. Granada is the perfect mixture of culture, tradition with an extravagant night life and beautiful scenic beauty. Granada has great architectural sight, with visitors coming across the globe mostly to experience Alhambra. The preceding Moorish grip in Europe, the Alhambra offers its visitor marvellous ornamental architecture, splendid scenic beauty along with spectacular lush garden and breath taking views of the city below.

Spain is synonymous with modern experience inter-weaved perfectly with its grand history and culture. Every city in Spain is an experience in itself. Happy Holidays!

Johan Cruyff is a legendary football player known the world over for his aggressive and intelligent style of play. Though he had success in his earlier years, it is when he joined FC Barcelona in 1973 that his star really began to shine.

Cruyff began his career in his home country of the Netherlands playing for AFC Ajax. There he led the team to many victories and memorable performances, but was eventually sold to FC Barcelona for a hefty sum. Cruyff wasted no time winning over the Barcelona fans, stating to the press that he chose Barcelona over their rivals Real Madrid because he didn’t want to play for a team associated with former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. He even named his son Jordi, a traditional Catalan (the region of Spain in which Barcelona is found) name.

Cruyff’s years playing for FC Barcelona were truly memorable and made him an icon. In his first year with the team, he helped them win La Liga for the first time in fourteen years (beating Real Madrid on their own turf along the way) and was also named European Footballer of the Year. It was during this time that he also scored one of his most memorable goals, called “The Phantom Goal” or “Le but d’imposible de Cruyff” (The Impossible Goal of Cruyff). In a match against Atlético Madrid, the football was already past the far goal post and was at about neck height when Cruyff leapt into the air, twisting so that he was facing away from the goal and kicked the ball into the goal with his right heel. This move among others propelled him to godlike status in the eyes of football fans.

Cruyff then spent many years away from FC Barcelona as a player and manager, until finally returning to the club as manager in 1988. When he returned to Barcelona, Cruyff brought with him the so-called “Dream Team”. This elite squad was composed of Spaniards Jon Andoni Goikoetxea, Jose Mari Bakero, Josep Guardiola, Txiki Beguiristain, along with international stars Romanian Gheorghe Hagi, Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov, Dane Michael Laudrup, Brazilian Romario, and Dutchman Ronald Koeman.

Under Cruyff’s direction, the Dream Team went on to win four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994. They won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989 and the European Cup in 1992 at Wembley Stadium with a famous free kick goal courtesy of Ronald Koeman. In 1990, the Dream Team won a Copa del Rey, the European Super Cup in ’92, and three Supercopa de Espana.

Cruyff remains FC Barcelona’s most successful manager to date, with eleven trophies to his name. He also has the distinction of being the club’s longest serving manager. He continues to be an advisor for FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, whom he openly endorsed during the elections. To this day, he is still revered by FC Barcelona fans, who call him “El Salvador” (The Saviour) for his successful run as both player and coach at the club.

Raúl González

Raúl grew up in a modest neighbourhood of Madrid, in the suburb Marconi de San Cristóbal de los Ángeles. His father, don Pedro, was a fan of Atlético Madrid, the club where he started playing after a short period in San Cristóbal’s team. Atletico Madrid coach didn’t notice anything special about him because he was very thin and weak. Raul later turned to Real Madrid’s C team and quickly made it to the first team in 1994/1995 season. Raúl possesses a distinctive celebration, with each goal acclaimed by a kiss of his wedding ring, an acknowledgement to his wife Mamen Sanz. They have four sons: Jorge (February 25, 2000), who is named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo (November 20, 2002) and twins Héctor and Mateo (November 17, 2005). He likes reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte, and listening to all sorts of Spanish music. He also enjoys hunting and watching bullfighting.

Luís Nazário de Lima ‘Ronaldo’

Ronaldo was born in Bento Ribeiro, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Like many of his contemporaries, he began to play football in the streets of his neighbourhood.

In April 1999, Ronaldo married Milene Domingues. The marriage lasted four years and ended in divorce. The couple had a son, Ronald (born 2000). In 2005 he got engaged and married Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniella Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage, their relationship lasted only 3 months. He is currently dating brazilian model Raica Oliveira. Besides being of interest to tabloid journalists, Ronaldo’s relationships with women apparently have a deep effect on his performances on the pitch. A soccernet.com article by Andrew Downie assessing Ronaldo’s fitness ahead of the 2006 World Cup pointed out a correlation between the striker’s form and the happiness of his love life, noting that his most prolific periods of goalscoring have coincided with the times when he was happily married In 2005 Ronaldo became co-owner of A1 Team Brazil, alongside Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The team participates in the newly launched A1 Grand Prix series, with Nelson Piquet, Jr., Tony Kanaan and João Paulo Oliveira as drivers.

It is rumored that Ronaldo is considering leaving Real Madrid, expressing discomfort with their fans at the stadium. He has been linked with a return to former club F.C Internazionale, where he has often spoke of his desire to one day return. AC Milan could also show some interest in his name, especially after Andriy Shevchenko has left for Chelsea F.C.

Major League Soccer has also expressed interest in signing him. According to reports, Ronaldo turned down a ten-year, $120 million contract from the New York Red Bulls of MLS, saying

Right now I have a contract with Real Madrid and I’m only thinking about the World Cup, but without a doubt, the American market is one of my goals for the future.

(It was reported on ESPN during the broadcast of the Brazil-Croatia match on June 13 that the Red Bulls actually denied making Ronaldo an offer.)

Michael Ballack

Ballack is 6′ 2 ½” (189 cm) tall and weighs 179 lbs (80 kg). He and his girlfriend Simone have three children – Louis, Emilio and Jordi.

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira ‘Ronaldinho Gaúcho’

Ronaldinho was born on March 21, 1980 in Vila Nova, a poor suburb of Porto Alegre, Brazil. He was the youngest of three children. Ronaldinho’s mother Miguelina is a former salesperson who later studied to become a nurse. His father João was a shipyard worker and amateur footballer for Cruzeiro. The family moved to a more affluent district of Porto Alegre when Ronaldinho’s older brother Roberto signed to play professional football for Grêmio. João died when Ronaldinho was 8, after suffering a heart attack while swimming in the family’s pool. Injuries ended Roberto’s career prematurely, and he now manages Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho’s sister Deisi works as his press coordinator. Ronaldinho’s son, named João after his father, was born on 25 February, 2005. João’s mother is Janaína Nattielle Viana Mendes, a former dancer on the Brazilian television show Domingão do Faustão.

In his childhood, Ronaldinho’s skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after a 23 goal flurry against a local team, at just 13 years of age. His reputation as a footballer was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was a prolific goalscorer in the Egypt 1997 under-17 world championship. His stylish play at the tournament also caught the eye of many. He is a huge fan of Brazilian music, and occasionally plays the drums and sings with friends in Barcelona.

David Beckham

In 1997, Beckham started dating the Spice Girl Victoria Adams and their relationship attracted a great deal of media interest.

He married Adams at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999. The wedding attracted tremendous media coverage. Beckham’s teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple’s son Brooklyn was the ring bearer. The media were kept away from the ceremony as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones. 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.

The Beckhams have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 4 March 1999), Romeo James Beckham (1 September 2002) and Cruz David Beckham (20 February 2005).

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite ‘Kaká’

Kaká married Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 in São Paulo, Brazil. The wedding was attended by fellow players from his national team, as well as other well known international players. Guests included Ronaldo, Adriano, Cafu, Dida, Júlio Baptista and Brazilian national coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Kaká first met Celico in 2002, and they started dating soon after. The relationship survived Kaká’s move from São Paulo to Italy in 2003, while she was still at school. It is likely that Celico will stay in Brazil in the short-run, but the couple plan to live together in Italy soon. Against the stereotypical trend of football stars, Kaká is proud he was a virgin when he married. Celico’s mother, Rosangela Lyra, is the director of Dior in Brazil.

Zinedine Yazid Zidane

His wife, Veronique, is a former dancer and model of French-Spanish ancestry. They married in 1993 and have four sons named Enzo, Luca, Théo and Elyaz.

Barcelona

Josep Guardiola has turned Barcelona into the best football club in Spain for the past couple of seasons. Real Madrid was top of the pile but recent seasons haven’t seen consistency at Madrid and Barcelona has triumphed. Barcelona are currently top of the Spanish La Liga by 5 points, ahead of Real Madrid. Barcelona earns many plaudits for the way the play the game, the ‘beautiful way’. With Xavi and Iniesta in the heart of the Barcelona midfield, they have two of the best passers of the game and they are the heart beat of the Barcelona side.

Xavi and Iniesta have been phenomenal this season, but as always, there is one man at Barcelona who always steals the show. Lionel Messi, 43 goals in 35 starts already this season is a phenomenal record. Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the world and possibly the best of this era. His ability to keep the ball away from defenders and to open up defences with his dribbling has the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the game. Words can’t describe how good Messi is and his sensational form this season has seen the success of Barcelona this season, domestically in the La Liga and in the Champions League. Not only has Lionel Messi been in formidable form, but the recent acquisition of David Villa this season who has 21 goals in 36 games himself has seen the attacking threat of Barcelona prove too much for any side this season.

Not only does it help having two strikers that can create a goal from nothing, but they have a midfield that works tirelessly when off the ball that makes it very easy for Barcelona to defend as shown in the recent 4-3 aggregate win over Arsenal in the Champions League. Again they are favourites to win the Champions League despite being knocked out last year to Inter Milan, Barcelona brushed aside Arsenal at the Nou Camp and look unbeatable at home in the competition.

Not to mention that Barcelona play Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final in April that they happen to be favourites for that as well. Barcelona’s attacking flair and ability to keep the ball in all circumstances under any amounts of pressure is the main attribute for their success. Puyol is the leader at the back for Barcelona and he’s been missing for a couple of months through injury but they still look resolute and assured in defence, emphasising the side Guardiola has formed to be labelled one of the best teams in world football.

Barcelona possesses 7 regular Spanish internationals that have won the European Championships (2008) and World Cup (2010) in succession to dominate the national competitions. These 7 internationals consisting of: Puyol, Pique, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pedro and David Villa, thrown in with Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Eric Abidal and substitute Spanish keeper Victor Valdes, you’re inevitably going to get a squad that’s near enough perfection.

Real Madrid

Despite Barcelona’s dominance, Real Madrid have ran Barcelona close and have a superior side of their own which consists of the worlds superstars which came at a hefty price. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed for 80 million pounds, Kaka was purchased for 50 million pounds and Benzema was 30 million pounds. Oh, and combined with the signings of Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso. The forward seven of the team that has been glued together with Iker Casillas, Pepe, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, it’s obvious to say you’re going to have a team with ability in abundance.

Despite the list of megastars Real Madrid have at their disposal, Real Madrid have yet to really explode this season but nevertheless, they still have got a good chance of winning the treble this season. That statement sums up Real Madrid this season, despite not playing at full potential consistently; they’re still competing for 3 major trophies which is frightening for the clubs competing against them.

Jose Mourinho is in his first season at Real Madrid and his first in Spain. He has a big fixture coming up in the form of Lyon in the last 16 of the Champions League which astonishingly, they’ve been knocked out at this stage of the competition for the last 6 years running despite Real Madrid’s force. Jose Mourinho’s arrival in Real Madrid was very much with the Champions League in mind having won the competition with Inter Milan in the previous season.

Cristiano Ronaldo, a Champions League winner with Manchester United in 2010, will want to help carry the battle for Real Madrid and since his arrival in Spain he has been vital asset to the Galaticos. He has notched on average 1 goal every game for Real Madrid (53 goals in 55 games) which is an incredible start to his Madrid career. So far this season he has scored 28 in 26 and has 8 assists to his name in the La Liga to date that includes 5 hat tricks so far this season. Currently he is injured which is a big blow to Real Madrid if they want to progress in the Champions League and push for the La Liga title in Spain. Ronaldo’s overall game has been stated by many Football pundits to be the best in the world, with Ronaldo having the feet of the winger and finishing of a striker added with a very good ability to score goals with his head. All these fundamental parts of his game create a world class player.

Real Madrid has yet to gel together with all the world class players they have in one squad, but with Jose Mourinho’s impact on Real Madrid in full flight, it’s only a matter of time before the players and supporters unite as one and become the potent side that Real Madrid used to be in the days of Zidane and Figo.

Manchester United

Similarly to Real Madrid, Manchester United haven’t been at their superior best and not played at the standard they have done in previous seasons. Fortunately for Manchester United, other teams in the English Premiership have not maintained any consistency either and can’t compete against Manchester United’s ability to grind out results. Manchester United are currently 1st in the English Premiership and still in the Champions League as well as the FA cup semi-finals. This is despite having a particularly average season performance wise by Manchester United’s high standards.

A lot of Manchester United’s success this season has to go down to Sir Alex Ferguson. Despite being one of Manchester United’s weakest sides in his years at the club, he has still worked wonders with them this season. He has used Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes so effectively this season for players that are at the age that are unable to compete competitively 2 times a week.

The dip in form of Wayne Rooney has seen other players around him step up to the mark and perform at their best which has also seen the success of Manchester United this season. Dimitar Berbatov has excelled massively this season and has already hit two hat tricks, against Liverpool and Blackburn respectively. Javier Hernandez has also been pivotal this season and has scored vital goals this season in what is his first season in English football. The Mexican striker signing for 7 million pounds this season has scored 16 goals so far, is one of the signings of the 2010/2011 season. Nani and Ryan Giggs have also been in exceptional form this season that has helped contribute to Manchester United’s results this season and they will need to carry that form on for several more weeks if they are to win that illusive 19th English Premiership title that will see them go past Liverpool’s record of 18 English Premiership titles.

Manchester United’s quality in depth has also been a strong reason for their success this season. The English side have been hit with unfortunate injuries this season too many of their leading stars. Rio Ferdinand has been hit and miss this season with injuries but Chris Smalling has been a revelation since signing from Fulham and definitely looks one for the future. Antonio Valencia’s unfortunate injury has seen Nani deliver consistency in his performances which has turned him into one of the best wingers currently due to being given much more match time than last season. Gary Neville’s long term replacement, Rafael has come on leaps and bounds since the start of the season which saw Neville lose his place to the young Brazilian and recently the former England international retired from football. Rafael is now ever present in the Manchester United side.

Tottenham

Tottenham have exploded on the European scene this season, and people in Milan won’t need reminding. Tottenham were desperately unlucky to lose in the group stage 4-3 to Inter Milan with Gareth Bale hitting a hat trick at the San Siro. Tottenham beat them in the home tie and also recently knocked out AC Milan in the knockout rounds of the Champions League to progress to the last eight of the competition.

The success has been down to a number of different aspects of the club that have been significantly improved to make Tottenham one of best sides in England. They have found a consistent manager in Harry Redknapp and is regarded as one of the best managers in England. He has helped stabilise the club and has brought the best out of all his players. His wheeling and dealing in the market has also provided Tottenham with one of the strongest sides in the English Premiership in depth. With Niko Kranjcar, Roman Pavlyuchenko and a host of other stars finding it hard to break into the side proves how strong the Tottenham side is.

Tottenham have been helped by one of the best players in the world this season. The vast improvement of Gareth Bale this season has earned him many plaudits and deservedly so. Gareth Bale’s performances this season are right up there with Lionel Messi this campaign and he has been speculated about in national newspapers about possible moves to Manchester United or Inter Milan. The left sided midfielder is already in double figures this season and has set up numerous goals for his side; his hat trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro has been one of the highlights of the football season.

Not only has Gareth Bale been in great form this season, but Rafael Van Der Vaart’s first season in English football has been priceless. Van Der Vaart was signed by Redknapp for a bargain 8 million pounds, one of the best signings of Tottenham’s history. Van Der Vaart has been a shrewd signing by Redknapp, playing just off the front man he has revelled in the role and has been one of Tottenham’s best players this season. Not only the form of Van Der Vaart and Bale, but Luka Modric has also been very impressive this season, dictating the way Tottenham play. Tottenham have the perfect balance of creativity and aggression in midfield with the Modric – Palacios combination.

Borussia Dortmund

Nine points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga see’s Dortmund the certain favourites to take the title this season. Despite a poor season in the Europa League, Dortmund have came out triumphant in the German Bundesliga, taking usual title challengers Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen by storm. If they go on to win the league, it will be the clubs first major silverware for 13 years, and completely taking the league by shock which they deserve to win with their performances this season.

The Dortmund squad have a fantastic team spirit and always keep the club’s off the field problems under wraps keeping a close harmony at the club. They are very discrete with no natural ‘stand out’ players, there aren’t any players who think their too big for the club which makes the squad solid as a unit and a togetherness at the club. Dortmund has some of the brightest prospects coming up at the club in Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic. The pair has formed a superb partnership at the heart of the defence for Dortmund which has seen them concede a mere 15 goals in 26 games, the best defence in the league by 18 goals.

Dortmund have already done the double over Bayern Munich and despite losing to Leverkusen on the opening day of the season at home, Dortmund later got revenge on Leverkusen by beating them at Leverkusen’s ground 2-0. This proves that they are one of the best clubs in Germany at present, not only just beating the teams who are struggling this season but getting good results against the best teams in Germany.

The key now for Dortmund is hanging onto these players and maintaining such a good season and carrying it onto next season and in the Champions League next season which seems a certainty in the position they are currently in. No doubt the top European clubs will be looking to get Hummels and Subotic on their books so they will need backing financially to help keep hold of their assets. Attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa has already been linked with Manchester United in the January transfer window having scored an impressive 12 goals in 25 games from midfield this season.

Long weekend of May is approaching really quickly. Have you already thought, where are you going to spend it? If not, you better make up your mind soon, because the best offers can be already booked!

If you have no idea for your destination, maybe you can think of going to Spain. This southern country is a popular direction during whole year, but it is specially worth seeing in May, because the weather is already good, but it is not too hot still. There is not the time for laying on the beach, but just perfect period for seeing the cities and having long walks. Of course, if you have never been before in Spain highly recommended for the beginning of you Iberian adventure is to get know the two most important and maybe also most beautiful cities: Barcelona and Madrid.

You should look for Barcelona apartments or Madrid apartments as soon as possible, because during first weekend of May really a lot of tourists are coming to those cities.

In Spain 1st of May is also a free day. It is a labour day, as in the most of European countries. Apart from that, in the community of Madrid also 2nd of May is a free day. During those days many shops and offices can be closed, because a lot of Spanish is going to spend this period away from home, so you better think about buying some necessary things in advanced. On 2nd of May you can count on very big party on the streets of Madrid. A lot of tourists are going to visit this city to take a part in this event. So why don´t you look for a Madrid apartments right now?

In Spain long weekend in May is called Puente de Mayo, which means the May bridge. The meaning of this expression is that if the first of May is on Thursday or Tuesday, normally most of people take a free day of work also on Friday or Monday to enjoy their really long weekend. This year we do not have this situation, but still the Spaniards are used to call it Puente de Mayo.

Beginning of May is amazing period in Spain, time when you can already sit in open-air cafeterias, eat strawberries and take part in whole-night parties on the streets. If you want to experience that, check out available Madrid apartments and Barcelona apartments and choose something suitable for you.

Before I get close to a deal in an international country, I contact a local law firm. They:

• Are in command of the language, laws and customs
• Know people in government and the major businesses
• Grasp the logistics of getting things done and how long it will take
• Understand how to read the local tea leaves of negotiating
• And it doesn't cost you anything to knock on their door, say hello, and tell them what you plan to do.

One good resource is Baker & McKenzie .

A few years ago I went into their Paris office cold and asked to speak with a lawyer. I had a potential deal brewing and asked Wallace Baker, managing partner, if he could meet with both sides and advise me if a deal was possible. He was cordial, gave us a conference room on the following day, and served us coffee. It turned out the transaction did not move forward, but Mr. Baker didn't charge me anything. In fact, he left the door open in case I needed his help again.

In Spain the scenario was different. I negotiated a deal in Madrid and was given a draft agreement in Spanish, which I do not speak. I called Baker & McKenzie's Madrid office and made an appointment. James Baker, the managing partner and brother of the partner in Paris, met with me the same day, gave me an espresso, and read the contract. He reported, somewhat to my dismay, that it read exactly 180 degrees opposite to the terms that had been agreed on so I decided the people could not be trusted. He was very nice about it and said I could come back any time. I got a bill some month's later for a half hour of his time, a huge bargain in my book.

On a third occasion I was going on a sales prospecting trip to Thailand. I called the Baker & McKenzie partner in Bangkok and asked if he would just come to lunch with my prospective clients and get involved if the deal went through. Not only did he agree to attend, he had his secretary reconfirm my guests and make the arrangements. Some of the attendees came because of his phone call. The meeting was a great success and he turned out to be the star of my show. He introduced himself as my lawyer in Thailand. Again there was no bill, though I did buy him lunch.

Recently I started doing business in Italy and Spain. I e-mailed the managing partners of Baker & McKenzie in Rome and Barcelona (closer to my clients than their Madrid office) and explained my situation.

We are a small, private company We need cost-effective local advice We have nothing for them to do immediately We want to line up a local lawyer to be ready if we are offered a contract I wanted our sales reps in Rome and Barcelona to come in and meet them just to get acquainted I suggested that if we were too small for Baker & McKenzie they could make a local referral Aurelio Giovannelli, the managing partner in Rome, replied to my e-mail the same day. He said they can be cost-effective for a small company and would be happy to help. He cc'd a local law partner specializing in small business and lined up resources ready to help me at short notice. He was delighted to meet our local rep. Esteban Raventós, the Baker & McKenzie managing partner in Barcelona, ​​replied from out-of-town, offering to have a colleague meet with us immediately if the need was urgent.

Having a world-class law firm in your corner doesn't guarantee that you will win a huge international deal, but why try without some powerful support behind you?

One of the most popular secondary languages is Spanish and in this article you will see some reasons why you should take up a Spanish course today.

Some quick facts:

• Spanish is the 4th most spoken language in the world after Chinese, English and Hindu.
• There are close to 500 million Spanish speakers, around 350-400 million of which are native speakers.
• Spanish is the 3rd most used language on the internet and the 2nd in international business.
• The Spanish speaking countries of South and Central America are going through a period of rapid economic growth.
• In 1999 the number of people who speak Spanish as a second language in the world was estimated to be 20 million. In the USA alone, this number will be 50 million by 2015.

This shows that the importance of Spanish is increasing, especially in the world of business and communication.

Learning Spanish for leisure can be just as rewarding as learning it for business. Many years ago before I decided to study Spanish and move to Spain, I took a weekend trip to Madrid with a friend who already knew the language. The fact that my friend was able to communicate with the Madrid people (Madrileños) meant that we could really get to appreciate the many treats the city had to offer. The locals gave us tips on how to find small very typical well priced restaurants which were certainly not on the beaten Madrid tourist track. As these restaurants were not for tourists the menus were just in Spanish; I envied the fact that my friend could read the menu whilst I had to rely on her translation. After my trip to Madrid I realised that travelling to Spain is more rewarding when you can integrate with locals and fully experience the Spanish culture.

If you know the language you can even get a taste of the culture without travelling. You can watch Spanish TV shows and films, listen to Spanish radio or read newspapers, enjoy Spanish music and literature etc. All of these materials create an overview of the Spanish way of thinking and experience some parts of the culture without even leaving your own home.

The Spanish language comes from Latin so its similarity to romance languages such as Portuguese, French and Italian will help you if you decide to take a class in any of these languages after Spanish. In addition I improved my vocabulary in English through learning Spanish because words which exist in English but are rarely used, are often used more in Spanish. Spanish is a good place to start your language learning because it is a relatively easy language to learn and the orthography is quite basic once you have understood the alphabet.

Finally, the most important reason to learn Spanish is because it is fun! Learning Spanish does not mean just sitting inside a class room studying. There are Spanish schools in Spain that offer free activities outside of lessons specifically for experiencing the Spanish culture. These activities could include visiting world famous museums such as the Prado or Reina Sofia in Madrid or a night of “tapas” and “copas” with fellow students.

There is great satisfaction in learning a new language so the sooner you start the quicker you can reap the benefits so begin studying Spanish now!

The Madrid system is a multi-national trademark system based on two international treaties:-

1. the Madrid Agreement; and

2. the Madrid Protocol.

The system is managed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) which is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

This system means that you no longer have to apply to several individual different countries to register your mark, which can take a lot of time and be much more expensive. By filing one application in one jurisdiction with one set of fees, the Madrid System has proved to be a much more cost effective way of managing international trademarks – provided of course that the country you wish to register are part of the Madrid Agreement.

There are, of course, risks in using the system in that any refusal, withdrawal or cancellation of the basic application or basic registration within five years of the registration date of the international registration will lead to the refusal, withdrawal or cancellation of the international registration to the same extent.

Another disadvantage is that not all countries participate in the agreement, check below to see if your country is listed:-

Albania

Antigua & Barbuda

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Belarus

Belgium

Bhutan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Bulgaria

China

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

European Union (via

Community Trade Mark)

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Iran

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Kenya

Korea (North)

Korea (South)

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Lesotho

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Madagascar

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russian Federation

Sao Tome and Principe

Serbia & Montenegro

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States of America

Vietnam

Zambia

Those that aren’t listed, aren’t part of the agreement – so you may end up having to make separate applications to these countries.

If your home country is listed above, then you are able to use the system if you have a current trademark registration in your home country or a trademark application pending.

Applications are filed at the national Trade Mark office of the ‘home’ application or registration who pass the application to WIPO. WIPO conducts a formalities examination and then the application is granted covering all the countries specified. The Trade Mark Offices of the countries you’ve applied to then have 18 months to oppose the registration. An International Registration can only cover members of the Madrid Protocol (as listed above).

All rights in an International Registration date back to the day of filing, not the date on which the registration is granted.