Big spending Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg have signed in-demand Brazilian international striker Hulk and Belgian midfielder Alex Witsel for a combined EU81m (Dh372.8m).
Hulk joins from Porto, while 23-year-old Witsel moves to Russia from Benfica. Both have joined on five-year deals.
The pair each moved for around EU40m as the club raced to meet the Champions League sgning deadline.
"Congratulations to all of our supporters, to all of our fans, Hulk joined Zenit," the club site announced.
Forward Hulk, who has won three Portuguese titles and the 2011 Europa League trophy with Porto since joining from the Japanese J League in 2008, has scored five goals in his 14 international appearances.
Witsel, meanwhile, has been capped 30 times by Belgium.
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Mainz have given Ivan Klasnic a route back into the Bundesliga by signing the former Werder Bremen striker on a one-year contract.
The Croatian, who was released by Bolton in the summer, signed the deal after successfully passing a medical yesterday, although he was not Mainz's first-choice striker target.
"He was always our plan B," said the Bundesliga club's general manager Christian Heidel. "After the transfer of Adrian Ramos failed to materialise, we wanted to get this one wrapped up as quickly as possible."
The 32-year-old has a fortnight to build up his fitness before Mainz's next game of the season against Bayern Munich on September 15.
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Former Al Shabab target Michael Owen looks set to reveal his next club within 24 hours.
The 32-year-old was in talks with the Pro League side earlier this summer, before negotiations broke down.
Since then, the free agent has been linked with moves to Stoke, Sunderland and Everton, while Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, hinted at taking the former Anfield favourite back to the club to solve his striker crisis.
Yesterday he fuelled speculation a decision might be imminent by tweeting a picture of his boots and shin pads with the message: "The tools of my trade are stacked and ready to go!"
After Marseille-bound player Joey Barton responded with, "Where u off mate?", Owen eventually replied with: "I will tell you on Wednesday!"
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Portuguese international midfielder Raul Meireles has joined Fenerbahce from Chelsea on a four-year deal.
The Stamford Bridge side confirmed the 29-year-old - who joined Chelsea on deadline day last year from Liverpool - had completed the move ahead of the Turkish transfer window closing tomorrow.
The Istanbul club, runners-up to Galatasaray last season in Turkey's Super League, have been looking to bolster their midfield after Emre Belozoglu left for Atletico Madrid on a free transfer earlier this year.
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Former Brazilian international defender Cris ended his eight-year spell at French Ligue 1 side Lyon by signing for Turkish giants Galatasaray for EU1.25m.
The 35-year-old, capped 22 times, won the Ligue 1 title for four successive years (2005-08) as well as the French Cup in 2008 and 2012 after joining Lyon from Brazilian side Cruzeiro in 2004.
Cris, who also won Brazilian titles with Corinthians in 1998 and Cruzeiro in 2003, would have been out of contract with the cash-strapped French side next June.
UAE SQUAD
Jemma Eley, Maria Michailidou, Molly Fuller, Chloe Andrews (of Dubai College), Eliza Petricola, Holly Guerin, Yasmin Craig, Caitlin Gowdy (Dubai English Speaking College), Claire Janssen, Cristiana Morall (Jumeirah English Speaking School), Tessa Mies (Jebel Ali School), Mila Morgan (Cranleigh Abu Dhabi).
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
RESULTS
1.45pm: Green Oasis Trading – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Meeqat, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.15pm: Al Shafar Investment – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Flying Hunter, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
2.45pm: The Union 51 Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Ibra Attack, Adrie de Vries, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3.15pm: ASCANA Thakaful – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Onda Ruggente, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.45pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Dignity Joy, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
4.15pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Tolmount, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Rakeez, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Match statistics
Dubai Sports City Eagles 8 Dubai Exiles 85
Eagles
Try: Bailey
Pen: Carey
Exiles
Tries: Botes 3, Sackmann 2, Fourie 2, Penalty, Walsh, Gairn, Crossley, Stubbs
Cons: Gerber 7
Pens: Gerber 3
Man of the match: Tomas Sackmann (Exiles)
Stan Lee
Director: David Gelb
Rating: 3/5
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 1
Kane (50')
Newcastle United 0
