Birmingham have completed the signing of former West Ham midfielder Lee Bowyer on a two-year contract.
Bowyer became out of contract at Upton Park on July 1 and has made the switch to St Andrews after an impressive loan spell during the second half of last season.
He has put pen to paper on a deal which will keep him at Blues until the summer of 2011.
Bowyer has experienced a fair share of controversy throughout his career but played a major role in helping City regain their Premier League status at the first attempt.
He made 17 appearances for manager Alex McLeish's side, scoring his only goal on his debut against Cardiff in January.
The 32-year-old began his career at Charlton before switching to Leeds in 1996 for a fee of £2.8million - a then record transfer for a British teenager.
He joined West Ham in 2003 but moved to Newcastle six months after, only to return to Upton Park three years later.
Birmingham's record signing Christian Benitez has vowed to repay the faith shown him in by the English Premier League newcomers after completing his £7.7 million (Dh45.45m) move.
Benitez, 23, has scored 31 goals in the last two seasons for the Mexican side Santos Laguna and played for his country in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.
He is currently recovering from a shoulder injury and has to secure a permanent visa but is relishing making an impact at St Andrew's.
Benitez told City's official website: "I'm very happy to be here. I know Birmingham City is a good club and since I have been in this country I have been really well received by the people at the club.
"I'm expecting a good season and I will try to do my best for the team and repay the confidence the club has shown in me.
"I know this is a good challenge for both me and the club and I'm really happy to be a part of it.
"I think this is the right time for Christian Benitez to play in the Premier League and I want to show the fans why Birmingham wanted to sign me.
"You never know when the right time is to come to the Premier League, but I take every challenge as it comes and I think I can show the Birmingham fans that I'm prepared to do a good job.
"I hope I can play my part in bringing back good times to the fans. I will try my best to help create and score as many goals as I can and sharing those moments is a special feeling."
Benitez will link up at City with his international teammate, the defender Giovanny Espinoza.
He said: "Giovanny is a great player who I have known from Ecuador for a long time. I'm very happy he's here at Birmingham too as it's always nice to have a player you know at a new club.
*PA Sport
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The%20Specs%20
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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.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
How to help or find other cats to adopt
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
INFO
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4