Author: Jalatian Sonya

Photos by Tom Smart, Deseret News

ABC 4 Sports – Six years ago, after helping RSL win the MLS Cup, Yura Movsisyan could not pass up the opportunity and big money to play overseas. But after playing in Europe and Russia, Movsisyan was itching to come back to MLS, and Real Salt Lake was the only team he wanted to play for.

“When I decided to come back to MLS a couple years ago, I told them that I only wanted Salt Lake,” Movsisyan said. “Salt Lake is home for me. I had success in Salt Lake.”

World football’s governing body FIFA has dismissed secretary general Jerome Valcke, the BBC reports.

The Frenchman, 55, is currently suspended from all football activities for his alleged involvement in a scheme to profit from World Cup ticket sales.

FIFA has recommended that he should be banned from football for nine years.

Valcke, who was appointed in 2007, also faces bribery allegations, but denies any wrongdoing.

“The FIFA emergency committee decided, on 9 January 2016, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the position of Fifa secretary general with immediate effect,” said a FIFA statement.

FIFA’s ethics committee said on 7 January it had decided to open “formal adjudicatory proceedings” against Valcke after studying a report submitted by its investigatory chamber.

Valcke, effectively the number two behind president Sepp Blatter, has been accused of being party  to a potential $10m bribe paid to Jack Warner, the former head of the North and Central America football governing body Concacaf, in return for his vote and backing to South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup.

Blatter, the outgoing president of world football’s governing body, and vice-president Michel Platini were both suspended for eight years in December following a FIFA ethics investigation.

Rapper Saint West says he is no longer making music, according to

The Vancouver rapper is quitting the rap business after Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (although we suspect it was more Ye than Kim) decided to give their new son the same name.

In a clip West gave the couple his best wishes, and had some sound advice for their new baby.

He said: ‘Hi I’m Lindon, also known as Saint West. I’d like to announce my official retirement from hip-hop.

‘Congratulations Kanye and Kim, thank you for choosing such a beautiful name. Saint West, may God smile on you.

I’ll always be cheering for you. And try to avoid becoming a rapper.’

The rapper, whose tracks include Day Dreamn (sic) and Handle Business, is said to be going by his real name of Lindon McIntyre from now on.

He has been quiet since 2011 but thanks to the showbiz couple, his name has been making headlines.

Kimye welcomed their second child on December 5. They reportedly decided to give their child the heavenly name because he is a ‘blessing’ after Kim’s difficult pregnancy and birth.

Photo: Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

The actions of the Turkish authorities with regard to the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M bomber were hostile, not just unfriendly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the annual press conference on Thursday.

The presidet said he was indignant at the fact that Turkish authorities complained to NATO instead of providing explanation about the incident.

According to Putin, Turkish people remain Russia’s partners, but it is impossible to come to agreement with the current Turkish leadership.

Vice-President of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov has expressed concern over the downing of the Russian Su-24 jet by Turkey.

“Downing a military jet fighting terrorism means supporting terrorists,” Shermazanov said at a meeting with Russian State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin.

“The downing of an Armenian helicopter by Turkey’s little brother Azerbaijan last year created an impression among the Turkish political leadership that such crimes could go unpunished,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Turkey has not changed over the past 100 years,” Sharmazanov added.

Edward Sharmazanov stressed that “Armenia welcomes the draft bill submitted to the Russian State Duma, which envisages accountability for the denial of the Armenian Genocide, as improper assessment of past crimes bears new ones, including the terrorist acts we are witnessing today.”

Sergey Naryshkin said, in turn, that the downing of the Russian jet was a ‘stab in the back,’ which is peculiar to cowards.

“Definitely, it’s the fault of the Turkish political leadership, not the people. The Turkish leadership will still regret that heavy crime,” he said.

The lead singer of Eagles of Death Metal says he wants to be the first person to play the Bataclan theatre when it reopens, the BBC reports. 

Three gunmen stormed the gig they were playing at the venue in Paris, killing 89 people.

Speaking to Vice, singer Jesse Hughes said he “cannot wait to get back to Paris and play”.

“Our friends went to see rock and roll and died. I want to go back there and live.”

The group have described – in detail – what happened on the night of the attacks.

Hughes says he came face to face with one of the gunmen as he was trying to escape.

“I saw the shooter,” he said. “He turned and brought the gun down on me but the barrel hit the doorframe.”

In an emotional interview, Hughes said: “I want to be the first person to play in the Bataclan when it opens up.”

All band members escaped unhurt.

Guitarist Eden Galindo said he initially thought the gunshots were the PA “cracking” but then realised “pretty quick” that it wasn’t.

“Jesse ran towards me and we went into the corner. We weren’t sure if they were targeting us.”

Hollywood star Charlie Sheen has confirmed he is living with HIV in a US television interview, the BBC reports.

“I am here to admit that I am HIV positive,” he said.

It bring to an end days of intense media speculation. The former star of sitcom Two And A Half Men is appearing on NBC’s Today show.

“I have to put a stop to this onslaught, this barrage of attacks and of sub truths,” he said adding he was diagnosed four years ago.

“I think I release myself from this prison today,” he said, referring to the speculation over his health.

He admitted that his use of drink and drugs was a “bad decision” but said it was “impossible” that he would have passed HIV on to anyone else.

Sheen rose to fame in the 80s with hit films including Platoon and Wall Street and, in 2011, was the highest-paid actor on TV thanks to his sitcom role.

He has frequently struggled with drink and drug abuse.

Photo by Natalia Garnelis/TASS

Russia is not doing anything that could harm Armenia or Azerbaijan in the issue of settlement in the mostly Armenian populated Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno Karabakh, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday, TASS reports.

“We maintain very close contacts on Nagorno Karabakh settlement with our Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues, and we do nothing that could damage the sides,” she said.

Zakharova replied to a journalist’s request to comment on media reports claiming that during his visit to Yerevan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had allegedly urged a return to some areas to Azerbaijan.

“I can confirm that our position on Nagorno Karabakh remains invariable,” she said. Focusing on how the matter was discussed at talks in Yerevan on November 9, she referred reporters to at the news conference after the talks.

“Minister’s commentaries were rather detailed and were made at an open news conference,” she said.

The newly renovated Armenian St. Gevorg Cathedral of Tblisi will be solemnly opened and consecrated on October 31.

On October 30, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; will travel to Tblisi Georgia at the invitation of the Armenian Church Diocese of Georgia.

On October 31, His Holiness will preside over the service of consecration for the newly renovated St. Gevorg Cathedral of Tblisi.

Before that Primate of the Georgian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan will bless the 12 columns of the church. A plaque with the names of the benefactors will be unveiled.

The renovation of the church was initiated by Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan, who was joined by a group of Armenian and Georgian entrepreneurs.