FIFA fines Croatia, Greece over fan racism
FIFA has warned and fined World Cup play-offs teams Croatia and Greece for fans' racist behaviour at qualifying matches last month.
FIFA announced the sanctions yesterday but did not order full or partial stadium closures for the play-off matches starting next week.
FIFA fined the Croatia Football Federation 35,000 Swiss francs ($38,000) for incidents during its 2-1 loss against Belgium in Zagreb on October 11.
"Croatian supporters made far-right salutes which were used during World War II by the fascist Ustase movement," fan monitoring group Fare reported to FIFA.
FIFA fined the Greek federation 30,000 Swiss francs ($32,500) following reports of far-right banners displayed when Greece beat Slovakia 1-0 in Athens on October 11.
In the play-offs, Croatia host Iceland in the second leg on November 19, and Greece host Romania in the first leg on Friday.
In September, Ukraine were found guilty by FIFA of racist behaviour by fans at a qualifying match, but have escaped a closed-stadium order when it they host France on Friday in Kiev.
FIFA deferred the punishment while it considers Ukraine's appeal after fans made monkey noises at the team's Brazil-born player Edmar during a win against San Marino in September in Lviv. FIFA also banned the Lviv stadium from hosting qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
In other sanctions yesterday, the Croatia federation was also fined 15,000 Swiss francs ($16,300) for "crowd disturbance among visiting spectators" during a World Cup qualifier in Scotland on October 15.
The Scottish FA, which was responsible for security at the match in Glasgow, was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,850).
Romania's federation was fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,850) for crowd disturbances at a home qualifier in Bucharest against Estonia last month.
Richie Incognito deflects blame
Richie Incognito spoke in-depth for the first time since his indefinite suspension, describing the Miami Dolphins' locker-room environment as a place where threats and racial slurs were acceptable and joking behavior.
Incognito deflected blame for many of his harsh actions against teammate Jonathan Martin during an interview with Fox Sports.
Incognito also accused Martin of using equally crass language, claiming that was the nature of their relationship.
"When words are put in a context, I understand why a lot of eyebrows get raised," Incognito told Fox Sports during the interview, which aired Sunday. "But people don't know how Jon and I communicate to one another. For instance, a week before this went down, Jonathan Martin texted me on my phone, 'I will murder your whole F'ing family.'
"Now, do I think Jonathan Martin was going to murder my family? Not one bit. He texted me that. I didn't think he was going to kill my family. I knew that was coming from a brother. I knew it was coming from a friend. I knew it was coming from a teammate."
Incognito staunchly denied bullying Martin and claimed to be Martin's most supportive teammate. Incognito said he was genuinely surprised that Martin left the team and it became a national media firestorm.
"You can ask anybody in the Miami Dolphins' locker room who had Jon Martin's back the absolute most, and they will undoubtedly tell you [it was me]," Incognito said. "Jon never showed signs that football was getting to him [or] the locker room was getting to him."
Incognito confirmed that he did leave the controversial voice mail message to Martin last April that included racial slurs and a threat to kill Martin.
Despite the scathing language, Incognito said his actions "came from a place of love" and that vulgar communication was normal among Dolphins players.
"I'm not a racist, and to judge me by that one word is wrong," Incognito said. "In no way, shape or form is it ever acceptable for me to use that word, even if it's friend-to-friend on a voice mail.
"It's thrown around a lot. It's a word that I've heard Jon use a lot. It's not saying it's right that I did it and used it in a voice mail. But it's a lot of colorful words that are being thrown around in a locker room that we don't use in everyday life."
The NFL is investigating the troubled relationship between Incognito and Martin, who left the Dolphins two weeks ago because of emotional issues stemming from alleged harassment and misconduct.
Source-ESPN/AP
Nick Foles throws 3 TDs as Eagles defeats the Packers
Nick Foles keeps throwing touchdown passes. The Green Bay Packers keep losing quarterbacks.
A week after tying the NFL record by passing for seven TDs, Foles connected for three long touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles pulled away for a 27-13 victory over the injury-ravaged Packers on Sunday.
Foles connected with DeSean Jackson for a 55-yard score in the first half. Touchdown passes to Riley Cooper from 45 and 32 yards highlighted a 17-point second half for the up-tempo Eagles.
Philadelphia handed Green Bay its first back-to-back home losses since 2008, Aaron Rodgers' first season as the starting quarterback. It was the worst home loss for the Packers since falling 38-10 to the New York Jets on Dec. 3, 2006.
The Eagles, the NFL's road warriors, improved to 5-5, with all their victories coming away from Philly.
They won a battle of attrition at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic in final
World number one Rafael Nadal remains on track for a first ATP World Tour Finals title after beating Roger Federer to reach the final.
The Spaniard, 27, won 7-5 6-3 in London to claim his 22nd victory in 32 meetings between the pair.
Nadal has reached the final at the season-ending tournament just once before, losing to Federer in 2010.
He will play Novak Djokovic in Monday's final after the world number two beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3 6-3.
This clash between Nadal and Federer attracted another sell-out crowd of more than 17,000 spectators to the O2 Arena.
Federer might have slipped to seventh in the rankings this year, but a 4-0 record against Nadal indoors gave the Swiss star's followers cause to hope.
The 32-year-old made a better start than he had against Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday but could not convert any of three break points in game six, and the inconsistency that has plagued him in 2013 returned.
Eminem lands seventh UK number one album
Eminem has become the first US artist to have seven consecutive number ones in the UK album chart.
The rapper topped the UK album chart on Sunday with his latest studio record, The Marshall Mathers LP 2.
But his collaboration with Rihanna, The Monster, was knocked off the top of the UK singles chart by Storm Queen's Look Right Through.
It was the first British number one for the US DJ, who remixed the underground track to make it more chart-friendly.
With Monster dropping to second, Little Mix scored the next highest new entry with Move, the first single from their upcoming second album, Salute.
Royals, from 16-year-old New Zealand singer/songwriter Lorde, slipped two places to number four, while One Direction's Story of My Life slid one place to number five.
Britney Spears scored her 23rd UK top 10 single with Work Bitch at number seven.
Ed Sheeran's I See Fire, his first new solo track for two years, went in at number 13. It features on the soundtrack of the second instalment of Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Eminem's number one album is a continuation of his first UK chart number one from 2000, The Marshall Mathers LP.
2012 X Factor winner James Arthur enjoyed a new entry at number two with his self-titled debut album.
Tinie Tempah's Demonstration, Andre Rieu and Johann Strauss Orchestra's Music of the Night and The Overtones's Saturday Night at the Movies were at three, four and five respectively, ensuring this week's top five albums were all new entries.
Katie Holmes Never Said Scientology Played a Part in Divorce
Tom Cruise apparently has backpedaled on his statement about his divorce from Katie Holmes. Cruise, who is fighting against Bauer Publishing in a $50 million lawsuit over its headlines, previously seemed to admit that his religion Scientology contributed to his separation from the former "Dawson's Creek" star.
In a September 9 deposition, Cruise was asked if Holmes left him "in part to protect Suri from Scientology" and he said the question was "offensive." The legal team asked again, "And Ms. Holmes has never indicated in any way that was one of the reasons she left you? ... To protect Suri from Scientology?" to which he answered, "Did she say that? That was one of the assertions, yes. There are many other aspects to the divorce."
The actor, however, amended his remark. As quoted by PEOPLE, in a November 5 court document, the "Oblivion" star said, "Katie has never told me that this [Scientology] was a reason for our divorce."
Holmes and Suri, meanwhile, are currently in Cape Town, South Africa. The actress is filming a movie called "The Giver" alongside.
5 Haiti migrants apparently die off remote island
The US Coast Guard says five Haitian migrants have apparently perished in rough waters off a rugged Puerto Rican island.
The Guard says smugglers apparently forced 18 migrants to jump off a boat into churning seas near Mona Island before jetting away. The small island lies in a treacherous passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
Seven men and six women were able to reach land. But the bodies of two migrants have been recovered and three others remain missing and are presumed dead.
Rescue crews ended their search Sunday for the three missing people.
Guard Captain Drew W. Pearson says "all indications are the smugglers took care of themselves and left these five individuals, who were only looking for a better life, to perish."
Source-AP
Disney finalises release date for next Star Wars movie
The Walt Disney Company has announced it will release the next Star Wars film on 18 December 2015.
Disney bought Lucasfilm, the company behind Star Wars, from creator George Lucas last year for $4bn (£2.6bn).
It has committed to making at least three new films in the series, one of the most successful franchises ever.
Disney announced the release date as it reported a better-than-expected 12% jump in net profit for the three months to 28 September.
It made a net profit of $1.39bn during the quarter, up from $1.24bn during the same period last year.
The company also reported that its net income for the financial year to 28 September jumped 8% from a year ago to $6.1bn.
"We're extremely pleased with our results for Fiscal 2013, delivering record revenue, net income and earnings per share for the third year in a row," Robert Iger, chief executive of the firm, said in a statement.
Disney's movie studio business saw a 7% jump in revenues during the fourth quarter.
Revenues rose to $1.5bn during the period, helped mainly by the strong performance of Monsters University, which Disney said "partially offset" the weak showing of The Lone Ranger.
However, operating income at Disney's cable network unit, which includes the ESPN sports channel, fell by 7% to $1.3bn in the last quarter, which the firm said was due to the timing of some ESPN affiliate fee revenues.
Richard Branson's New Year party will be graced by "One Direction"
One Direction have been booked to perform at Richard Branson's New Year's Eve party.
Business mogul Richard is starting his commercial space flights next year and planning to launch them with a huge party at his Necker Island home in the Caribbean, where the 'Best Song Ever' boy band will perform.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "One Direction have been asked to be the main attraction and perform at the party.
"Officially the bash is being thrown to celebrate the start of space flights with Virgin Galactic which are due to be launching by the end of 2014, but it will not be a 'worky' event. Sir Richard wants everyone to let their hair down and have a good time. He has invited guests to stay for a decadent party."
The trip could bring back painful memories for band member Harry Styles, as he was holidaying in the same area last year with girlfriend Taylor Swift when they split up. However, after they had parted he headed to Richard's idyllic tropical resort where he was pictured surrounded by beautiful women in a hot tub.
As well as the band - which also includes Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne - other guests at the New Year's Eve event are expected to be those who have signed up for $250,000 space flights, rumoured to include Ashton Kutcher, Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber, Kate Winslet and Russell Brand.
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MEETING ON NOVEMBER 11TH,2013
THE 12TH SITTING OF THE TENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH 2013 AT THE HON. N.J.S. FRANCIS BUILDING, FRONT STREET, GRAND TURK AT 10:00AM.
SOME FORTY-FIVE QUESTIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE OPPOSITION.
THE PROCEED OF CRIME (AMENDMENT) BILL 2013, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BILL 2013 AND THE COMPANY MANAGEMENT (LICENSING) (AMENDMENT) BILL 2013 WILL BE PRESENTED FOR A SECOND AND THRID READING BY THE ACTING.ATTORNEY GENERAL RHONDALEE BRAITHWAITE KNOWLES.
THE MEETING WILL BE LIVE ON RADIO TURKS & CAICOS.