Zidane Says Materazzi Insulted His Family

An apology, but no regrets and no detailed explanation on what set him off. That's where French soccer star Zinedine Zidane left things Wednesday during widely broadcast television interviews that attempted to decipher his ugly head-butting of an Italian opponent during the World Cup final.

He did say he was spurred by cruel insults to his mother and sister. But the exact exchange between France's captain and Marco Materazzi remains a mystery. Zidane never was specific about what enraged him. So, for the moment, the words stay between them.

"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," he told the Canal-Plus television network, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he uttered the insults several times.

In his first public comments since Sunday's match, Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans - especially to children. But he said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst that marked the end of his illustrious 18-year professional career.

"I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way," the 34-year-old midfielder said in an interview on TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it."

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Full report here @ AsiaOne.

FIFA to Investigate Zidane's Head Butt

FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into Zinedine Zidane's conduct in the World Cup final, when he was sent off for head-butting Italy's Marco Materazzi.

World soccer's governing body said Tuesday the incident had been spotted by the fourth official without using a monitor, who then alerted referee Horacio Elizondo through their communications system.

"FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into Zidane's conduct to enable it to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident as exactly as possible," FIFA said in a statement.

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time of Sunday's final in Berlin. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy won the game in a penalty shootout.

Full report here @ AsiaOne.

Zidane Sent Off in Extra Time for Headbutt

To the very end of his career, Zinedine Zidane could dictate the flow of play with rare skill and elegant control of the ball. In the World Cup final, Zidane lost control of his temper.

The parting image for the France captain will forever be him rearing back in anger, lowering his head and launching his bald crown into the chest of Italy defender Marco Materazzi after the two exchanged words while walking down the field in extra time Sunday.

The game was tied 1-1 when Zidane was given a red card in the 110th minute. Without their sharpshooting captain, the French couldn't unlock Italy's defense and went on to lose in a shootout, 5-3.

"Zidane being sent off changed everything," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "Even in extra time the Italian team was waiting for only one thing, and that was penalties."

Full Story here @ AsiaOne.

My 2 cents: It's a sad moment for a great player like Zidane to bow out in such a manner. Headbutting a opponent is one way of making history but definitely not the best way... It's a sadder moment for me, my only hope of making some cash off France as the winner is all but lost...

Italy Wins World Cup 2006

Italy are champions for a fourth time. They held their nerve in a penalty shoot-out to score all five kicks as David Trezeguet missed for France. But the match will be perhaps be best remembered for Zinedine Zidane's career ending in disgrace after being dismissed for an off-the-ball incident with Marco Materazzi. He headbutted the Italian defender after a heated discussion on 110 minutes and, after some consultations between officials, was shown the red card.

Full story here @ ESPN SoccerNet

Ukraine wins shoot-out

Ukraine set up a World Cup quarter-final with Italy with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland, who failed to hit the back of the net from the spot after a dull goalless draw in Cologne. Andriy Shevchenko also missed but is team-mates did the damage to send Ukraine through to the last eight at their first attempt.


Full report here @ Soccernet.

Ten-man Italy stun Aussies

A dubious, injury-time penalty scored by Francesco Totti handed ten-man Italy a 1-0 win over Australia in their World Cup second round clash.

Full report @ AsiaOne.

Brazil to win the WORLD CUP again based on NUMEROLOGY?

Joyce sent me something interesting on the World Cup, so thought of sharing with you folks out there. Read on.

Is this just a coincidence?

Look how interesting:

Brazil won the world cup in 1994. Before that, he had won this title for the last time in 1970.

If you add up: 1970 + 1994 = 3964

Argentina won the world cup for the last time in 1986. Before that only in 1978.

And 1978 + 1986 = 3964

Germany, though, won the world cup in 1990. Before that, Germany won in 1974.

Look: 1990 + 1974 = 3964

This could lead us to guess the winner of the World Cup in 2002,
since it should be the winner of the 1962 World Cup
(In fact 3964 - 2002 = 1962).

And Brazil won the world cup in 1962! (And, in fact, Brazil won the 2002 WC)

This numerology seems to work...

And now, who would be the winner of the 2006 world cup?

Let's see, 3964 - 2006 = 1958

And who won in 1958?....

Oh, Brazil did!!!

Smoking ban soon at hawker centres, coffee

COME July 1, the ban on smoking will be extended to hawker centres, coffee shops, and cafes.

The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the National Environment Agency (NEA) made the announcement last year.

The ban will affect some 7,400 food outlets. This number does not include food outlets licensed as restaurants, as the ban is already in force in those establishments.

However, foodshops - which include hawker centres, coffee shops, restaurants and cafes - won't be completely no-go zones for smokers.

Foodshop operators can designate up to 20 per cent of the floor area in their outdoor refreshment areas as a smoking corner if NEA approves it.

Foodshops that have only non air-conditioned indoor refreshment areas can designate up to 10 per cent of their seating area as a smoking corner.

NEA officers will conduct regular inspections on all foodshops to ensure that smokers are smoking only within the designated smoking areas.

More than 1,600 food outlets have applied for smoking corners to date, while almost 200 have opted to go smoke-free.

Full report here @ AsiaOne.

My 2 cents: Yeah! Good news for all non-smokers yah? All those second hand smoke can kill you.

Breast-Feed or Else

"Warning: Public health officials have determined that not breast-feeding may be hazardous to your baby's health.

There is no black-box label like that affixed to cans of infant formula or tucked into the corner of magazine advertisements, at least not yet. But that is the unambiguous message of a controversial government public health campaign encouraging new mothers to breast-feed for six months to protect their babies from colds, flu, ear infections, diarrhea and even obesity. In April, the World Health Organization, setting new international bench marks for children's growth, for the first time referred to breast-feeding as the biological norm."

Full report here @ The New York Times.

Ever wonder how North Korea looks like?

Here's a link to a amazing photo set of a trip to North Korea by a web designer.

My 2 cents: Looks like China in the old days, pretty scary.