Inter Milan down ten-man Roma, Juventus win Turin derby

Inter Milan edged Roma 1-0 to snatch top spot in Serie A while Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado hit an injury-time winner to give champions Juventus a 2-1 win over city rivals Torino 2-1.

Chilean defender Gary Medel scored the only goal of the game at the San Siro on the half-hour mark with a long-range drive which beat Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Roma, who had been top at the start of the day after five successive wins, had chances to salvage a point but were denied by a string of fine saves from Samir Handanovic in the Inter goal. Roma's misery was compounded by a red card for Bosnia and Herzegovina star Miralem Pjanic after 73 minutes.

In the Turin derby, Paul Pogba put Juventus in front after 19 minutes but Cesare Bovo looked to have saved a point for Torino early in the second period. However, substitute Cuadrado, on loan from Chelsea, grabbed the winning goal which lifted Juventus into tenth spot, nine points behind Inter. Juventus went into the match sitting in 12th place, with coach Massimiliano Allegri coming under intense pressure following some poor recent results.

"We had 12 points after ten rounds, so tension was only natural," Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. "The team reacted well, obviously we have to improve a lot, but this was a small step forward."

For their part, the visitors -- who won the last time these sides met back in May -- were buoyed by the fact they entered the clash above Juve in the table for the first time since 1993. However, Torino boss Giampiero Ventura had a lengthy injury list to contend with, missing Danilo Avelar, Alexander Farnerud, Alessandro Gazzi, Pontus Jansson, Joel Obi, Nikola Maksimovic and Josef Martinez.

Allegri took the bold decision to drop Cuadrado to the bench and hand a start to Hernanes, though the former would enter the game early in the first half following an injury to Sami Khedira. Elsewhere for the hosts, Andrea Barzagli slid into central defence to cover for Giorgio Chiellini, with the latter suspended following his red card in the midweek loss to Sassuolo.

Just before the 20-minute mark, Juventus were in front. Paulo Dybala allowed a pass from Cuadrado to run beyond him to Pogba, and the French midfielder fired a first time effort beyond Daniele Padelli into the back of the net. It was a well-taken goal that saw Pogba begin to put his recent poor form behind him, and the strike marked Juve's earliest goal of the season thus far, while providing the ideal way for the 22-year-old to mark his 100th Serie A appearance for the club.

Juventus dominated the rest of the of the first half, although Leonardo Bonucci had to be alert to block a good effort from Fabio Quagliarella just before the break, the former Juve striker having previously narrowly missed with an earlier attempt.

Torino returned for the second 45 minutes in much more determined fashion, earning a free-kick on the edge of the box shortly after the restart which helped pull them level. Bovo saw his initial effort blocked, before following up with a left-footed shot that Juve goalkeeper Gigi Buffon was powerless to prevent.

Minutes later, the captain made a fine save from a Kamil Glik header, while both Pogba and Hernanes had long range shots for Juve which failed to find the target.

The game appeared to be petering out into a draw after Bonucci turned a free-kick onto the crossbar and Claudio Marchisio saw his effort blocked from the rebound, but there was late drama to follow. Pogba stole into the Torino area deep into injury time, and Cuadrado bundled the ball home on the goal line to clinch all three points.

Bundesliga : Borussia Dortmund Gain Ground Over FC Bayern Munich With 3-1 Win At Werder Bremen

Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg both made inroads into Bayern Munich's advantage at the top of the Bundesliga with wins on Saturday.

Dortmund moved to within five points of the Bavarians thanks to a 3-1 win at Werder Bremen, with Marco Reus - twice - and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on target for Thomas Tuchel's men.

Anthony Ujah scored a consolation for the northern side, who had won their previous two games.

Wolfsburg beat Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday evening's big match to move above Schalke, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Ingolstadt, and into third position.

Nicklas Bendtner and Julian Draxler scored for the Wolves, but the Werkself had plenty to complain about in their 2-1 defeat, with Javier Hernandez netting their consolation.

With Bayern held to a 1-1 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night, the battle for the Bundesliga title was at least made a little more interesting with the chasers making some much needed ground.

Borussia Monchengladbach sent a reminder to all three sides not to forget about them with a 4-1 win at Hertha Berlin.

Caretaker-coach Andre Schubert celebrated the best ever start to life as Gladbach's coach with a sixth straight win.

Oscar Wendt and Raffael set the Foals on their way to victory before Granit Xhaka added a third.

Alexander Baumjohann pulled one back from the penalty spot but Havard Nordtveit rounded off the win for Gladbach, who will be looking for a similar result when they face Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Augsburg were deprived of a second win of the season as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Mainz, Yoshinori Muto with a hat-trick including a last-minute equaliser.

Cologne and Hoffenheim also shared the spoils in a goalless draw at the Mungersdorferstadion.

All Blacks become first team to retain Rugby World Cup after defeating Australia in the final

New Zealand have become the first team to retain the Rugby World Cup with a superb 34-17 victory over Australia at Twickenham Stadium.

Tries either side of half-time from Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ma'a Nonu gave the All Blacks a 21-3 lead before David Pocock and Tevita Kuridrani replied for Australia to reduce the deficit to four points with 16 minutes left on the clock.

Their hopes of a comeback were dashed,, however, by the retiring Dan Carter, who landed a long-distance drop goal and penalty before Beauden Barrett scored from Ben Smith's clearing kick to seal an unprecedented third Wold Cup for New Zealand.

"We played some damn good rugby there, we lost our momentum in the second half there but kept our composure," said New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, who many expected to announce his retirement after the game. 

"I still don't want it to end.

"I'm still part of this team.

"I want to enjoy the moment

"If you get moments like this, why would you ever call it a day?"

Carter opened the scoring with a penalty in the eighth minute after Pocock was penalised for going off his feet, but in a rare foray into the opposition half for Australia in the opening period, Bernard Foley restored parity just before the quarter-hour mark.

New Zealand were kicked back in front by Carter in the 27th minute after the fly-half was on the receiving end of a high tackle from Sekope Kepu.

The lead was extended nine minutes later when Carter converted a third penalty and on the stroke of half-time New Zealand’s possession and territory finally told as Milner-Skudder went over in the corner after Carter and McCaw had combined well.

Carter converted to give New Zealand a 16-3 half-time lead, which was increased further within two minutes of the restart when Nonu notched his country’s second try.

Australia had reason for encouragement, however, when Smith was sin-binned for lifting Drew Mitchell above the horizontal.

They managed to take advantage with Foley converting Pocock’s try to reduce the gap to 11 and then adding another two points in the 64th minute after Kuridrani had gone over beside the posts.

New Zealand were on the back foot, but Carter put any nerves to bed by landing a drop goal and a penalty from halfway to make the score 27-17 with six minutes on the clock.

Australia threw caution to the wind as the match reached its conclusion but it was their opponents who concluded the scoring in the dying moments as Carter converted Barrett’s try to round off a historic triumph.

Real Madrid beat Las Palmas 3-1

Real Madrid have eased past La Liga newcomers Las Palmas 3-1 to move three points clear of Barcelona at the top of the table on Saturday.

The Canary Islanders were making their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu in 13 years, but couldn't have gotten off to a worst start as Isco and Cristiano Ronaldo put Madrid 2-0 up inside 15 minutes.

Hernan's header briefly gave the visitors hope seven minutes before half-time, yet Madrid restored their two-goal advantage just five minutes later through Jese Rodriguez's fine finish.

Barcelona can move back level on points with Madrid by winning at Getafe later on Saturday.

"We played very well again in the first-half. We started the game sensationally well and then maybe with the advantage our tempo dropped in the second-half," said Madrid boss Rafael Benitez.

"But we controlled the game in the second-half thanks to our good play in the first."

Real were without Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema through injury as coach Rafael Benitez preferred not to risk any of his stars ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's visit in the Champions League on Tuesday.

However, they suffered another injury scare as Luka Modric was replaced at half-time with a hip problem putting his participation in midweek in doubt.

The hosts were never put under any serious pressure, though, as Las Palmas coughed up possession deep inside their own half after four minutes and Casemiro teed up Isco to coolly slot home his first goal of the season.

Ronaldo then added his 13th goal in as many games this campaign with a diving header to meet Marcelo's perfect cross from the left 10 minutes later.

Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was making his first appearance for the Real senior team after rejoining his boyhood club from Espanyol in July and he was forced into action for the first time by Jonathan Viera's low shot which he parried to safety.

There was little Casilla could do seven minutes before half-time, though, as Madrid conceded for the first time at home this season when Hernan was given acres of space to head home Nabil El Zhar's corner via the underside of the crossbar.

Yet, any hope of a close contest was wiped away moments later when Jese skipped past Aythami Artiles before firing into the bottom corner.

Las Palmas started the better in the second period as Willian Jose blasted over with a great chance on the counter-attack before Casilla produced a brilliant save to turn the Brazilian's free-kick behind for a corner.

Madrid produced precious little after the break, but Ronaldo should have added to his tally in stoppage time when he failed to beat Javi Varas when clean through on goal and the keeper got quickly back on his feet to also prevent Lucas Vazquez's follow-up effort finding the net

Liverpool win 3-1 to extend Chelsea's misery

Chelsea's head coach Jose Mourinho, second right, talks with his coaching staff after coming back out onto the pitch after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. Liverpool won the match 3-1.

Jose Mourinho's future as Chelsea manager was plunged into further doubt as the troubled English champions crashed to a 3-1 defeat against Liverpool on Saturday.

Mourinho's mounting problems took centre stage on a dramatic day in the Premier League which saw Manchester City stay top after escaping with a late 2-1 win against Norwich.

Arsenal are second, behind City on goal difference, after battering Swansea 3-0, while misfiring Manchester United failed to find the net once again in a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace.

At Stamford Bridge, Mourinho's side took an early lead through Ramires but any hopes that would alleviate the crisis were destroyed by Philippe Coutinho.

The Liverpool forward hit a superb equaliser in first half stoppage-time and punished sloppy Chelsea defending to put Jurgen Klopp's team ahead in the 74th minute.

With Mourinho fuming that Liverpool midfielder Lucas avoided a red card for what looked like a possible second booking at 1-1, his misery was compounded when Christian Benteke scored Liverpool's third seven minutes from full-time.

The Blues have now lost six of their 11 league games and are languishing four points above the relegation zone, prompting more debate about how long Mourinho can survive the axe from owner Roman Abramovich.

Reports before the Liverpool game had suggested that he could be dismissed in the event of another defeat, but, asked if he was worried about his losing his job, Mourinho said simply, "no".

"The fans are not stupid. They know how much myself and the players are trying," added Mourinho, who has repeatedly denied rumours of a dressing room mutiny.

"The fight goes on, but sometimes there are fights very impossible to win.

"I have some players really sad in the dressing room and I am full of respect for them."

At Eastlands, City defender Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring with a bullet header in the 67th minute to notch his first goal since signing from Valencia in August.

Norwich snatched an 83rd minute equaliser when City goalkeeper Joe Hart spilled a corner and Cameron Jerome punished the embarrassing blunder.

But City hit straight back to win it when Norwich defender Russell Martin was sent off for deliberate handball.

Yaya Toure stroked in the resulting 89th minute penalty and there was still time for City to miss a spot-kick in stoppage-time when Aleksandar Kolarov fired wide.

Arsenal remain hot on City's heels as they bounced back from their shock League Cup exit with a stroll at Swansea.

On Sunday, Everton host Sunderland and Southampton face Bournemouth, while managerless Aston Villa travel to Tottenham on Monday.

Al Molinaro, TV character actor Happy Days, dies at 96

Al Molinaro, the loveable character actor with the hangdog face who was known to millions of TV viewers for playing Murray the cop on "The Odd Couple" and malt shop owner Al Delvecchio on "Happy Days," died Friday at Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale, his son Michael Molinaro said.

Molinaro, retired from acting since the 1990s, died of complications of gallstone problems, his son said. He was 96.

The Kenosha, Wisconsin, native was a journeyman performer well into middle age when a comedy improv class led to his breakthrough. Producer Garry Marshall heard about Molinaro and hired him for the part of police Officer Murray Greshler on "The Odd Couple," the TV version of Neil Simon's play about feuding roommates. It starred Tony Randall as photographer Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as sports writer Oscar Madison and featured Molinaro as one of their buddies, a simpleminded policemen who at times seemed as much a threat to his friends as he did to any crooks.

"The Odd Couple" ran from 1970-75 and not only demonstrated Molinaro's knack for goofiness, but exploited his most distinctive feature -- his plus-sized nose. In one defining scene, Murray attempts to enter his friends' apartment, but the door is locked. Murray instead sticks his nose through a peephole.

"Oh, hi Murray," Oscar calls out.

His son Michael said that Molinaro "was good friends till the end with all of the group of people involved in 'The Odd Couple.' "

His next long-running role was that of Al Delvecchio in "Happy Days," the 1974-1984 nostalgic sitcom about 1950s life that starred Ron Howard and Henry Winkler. Molinaro joined the cast in 1976, replacing Pat Morita as the owner of Arnold's Drive-In, and remained until 1982.

In ABC's 1992 "'Happy Days' Reunion Special," Molinaro defended the show from criticism that it sentimentalized the 1950s.

"In the industry, they used to consider us like a bubble-gum show," he said. "But I think they overlooked one thing. To the public in America, 'Happy Days' was an important show, and I think it was and I think it still is."

Molinaro built on his "Happy Days" success for years after he left the show. He brought the character of Al to "Joanie Loves Chachi," a short-lived "Happy Days" spinoff that aired from 1982-83. In 1987, he and Anson Williams, who played Potsie on "Happy Days," started Big Al's, a Midwestern diner chain.

He brought Al back for a brief appearance in "Buddy Holly," a 1995 music video for the group Weezer that was directed by Spike Jonze.

Molinaro played a grandfather in "The Family Man" sitcom that aired from 1990-1991, and continued to make guest appearances on other series through the early '90s. He also filmed commercials, notably for On-Cor frozen dinners.

Molinaro came to acting late in life. He had a brief teenage stint as a clarinet player with a band, then worked at a variety of jobs after graduating high school. He moved to California in the early 1950s on casual advice from a friend who suggested he pursue acting.

"I said, 'I'll do that,'" Molinaro told the Kenosha News in a 2004 interview. "I get on the Greyhound bus and I'm in Hollywood."

His first TV job was in production, when he talked an independent TV station manager into hiring him. Then it was on to TV commercials and ads, including a Los Angeles billboard that featured him in a chef's cap. The producers of "Get Smart" spotted it and hired Molinaro to play Agent 44 for a few episodes in 1969. That was followed by guest roles in such sitcoms as "Green Acres," "That Girl" and "Bewitched."

"I spent 20 years here before I got anything going, and from that I got lucky," he said.

Molinaro had a son, Michael, from his first marriage. He and his second wife, Betty Farrell, married in 1981.

Update: 224 Feared Dead as Russian Airliner Crashes in Egypt's Sinai

An Airbus A321 operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia. Picture from the airline's website

A Russian airliner carrying 224 passengers and crew crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on Saturday, the Egyptian civil aviation authority said, and a security officer who arrived at the scene said most of the passengers appeared to have died.

The Airbus A 321, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia (Metrojet) with registration number KGL-9268, was flying from the Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia when it went down in a desolate mountainous area of central Sinai soon after daybreak, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

The security officer at the scene told Reuters by telephone that search and rescue teams heard voices in a section of the plane.

"I now see a tragic scene. A lot of dead on the ground and many who died whilst strapped to their seats," the officer, who requested anonymity, said.
"The plane split into two, a small part on the tail end that burned and a larger part that crashed into a rock. We have extracted at least 100 bodies and the rest are still inside."
Sinai is the scene of an insurgency by militants who support Islamic State. The rebels have killed hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police and have also attacked Western targets in recent months.
Russia launched air raids against Syrian opposition groups including Islamic State on Sept. 30. But Egyptian security sources said there was no indication that the Airbus jet had been shot down or blown up.
The A321 is a 185-seat medium-haul jet in service since 1994, with over 1,100 in operation worldwide. It is a highly automated aircraft relying on computers to help pilots stay within safe flying limits.
Saturday's crash is the second fatal accident involving this variant of the A320 jetliner family, according to data from the Flight Safety Foundation.
Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail was heading to the crash site with several cabinet ministers on a private jet, the Tourism Ministry said.
The aircraft took off at 5:51 a.m. Cairo time and disappeared from radar screens 23 minutes later, Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement. It was at an altitude of 9,400 meter when it vanished from radar screens.
After delays caused by poor weather conditions, Egyptian search and rescue teams located the site of the crash in the Hassana area 35 kilometers south of the Sinai Mediterranean coastal city of Al Arish, the Civil Aviation Ministry statement said.

Brandon Borrello brace leadsBrisban Roar past Adelaide United

Brisbane Roar notched their third win of the season with a clinical 3-0 win over Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Brandon Borrello and Jamie Maclaren again shared the goals in consigning Guillermo Amor’s side to a fourth straight match without victory.

Adelaide enjoyed a trio of first-half opportunities but their toothless run in front of goal continued, with Maclaren and Borrello sealing three points late in proceedings.

GOALS

1-0 Brandon Borrello (9’) – After netting a match-winning brace against Central Coast Mariners a fortnight ago, Borrello needed fewer than 10 minutes to pick up where he left off at Suncorp Stadium. The explosive young winger this time profited from fine lead-up play between Matt McKay and Thomas Broich as he side-footed home the latter’s squared volley at the far post.

2-0 Jamie Maclaren (79’) – The former Perth Glory poacher exhibited all of his most exciting qualities in sealing all three points for his new side. Released by Matt McKay, Maclaren combined pace, tenacity and composure to shake off Tarek Elrich and sumptuously curl beyond John Hall.

3-0 Brandon Borrello (90’+3) – Matt McKay again supplied the pass to tee-up an attacking teammate, splitting a tired Reds defence. Borrello bettered his first finish with a clinical first-time effort inside Hall’s near post.

TEAMS

Brisbane Roar: Young (gk), Hingert, North, Bowles, Stefanutto (Brown 81’), Corona, Petratos (Lustica 72’), McKay, Borrello, Maclaren (Clut 85’), Broich

Adelaide United: Hall (gk), Marrone (Sanchez 78’), McGowan, Malik, Elrich, Isaias, Jeggo, Carrusca, Dugandzic (Djite 60’), Cirio, Goodwin

Scorers: Borrello 9’, 90+2’ Maclaren 79’

Red Cards: Nil

Yellow Cards: Isaias 13’, Maclaren 33’, Hingert 50’, Elrich 81’

Attendance: 10,707 @ Suncorp Stadium

Fire in Bucharest nightclub kills 27 people 160 injured

Emergency service and police forces gather near a club in Bucharest October 31, 2015, after an explosion at a club during a music concert. (AFP)

At least 27 people were killed and more than 160 injured after a fire ripped through a nightclub in Bucharest late on Friday, in one of the worst accidents to hit the Romanian capital.

The blaze broke out at around 11:00 pm (2100 GMT) at the Colectiv night club, where hundreds of people had gathered for a gig by rock group Goodbye to Gravity.
Hospital sources said the death toll could rise as at least 25 people were in critical condition.

"This is the worst tragedy of its kind" to have ever happened in Bucharest, said the secretary of state for the interior, Raed Arafat.

A meeting of a national emergency committee including representatives from across the government was due to have started at 0500 GMT, according to Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea.

Witnesses quoted by local media described scenes of chaos when fireworks, let off as part of the show, set fire to a pillar and part of the ceiling.

The crowd panicked as thick smoke engulfed the room, leaving people scrambling to escape from the underground club located in a communist-era basement.

"People were fainting, they were fainting because of the smoke. It was total chaos, people were trampled," witness Victor Ionescu told local television station Antena 3.
Many of the wounded were suffering from leg injuries after being trampled in a stampede and smoke inhalation, according to health authorities.

The bassist and singer in Goodbye to Gravity, who were playing a gig to promote their new album, were among those seriously injured, Antena 3 said.

Only one exit open

Another witness, Alain Panduru, said the fire spread in seconds.

"People could not get out of the club because there was only one exit open and the stampede happened immediately," he told online news portal Hotnews.

Several media outlets reported that a second exit was closed when the blaze broke out.
The interior ministry said 27 people had died so far, most of them teenagers and young people, while 162 injured were being treated in several hospitals in the capital.

Police have started an investigation and in the early hours of Saturday morning groups of sombre-faced officers were still sifting through evidence outside the club.

President Klaus Iohannis said he was "shocked" by the incident, adding that he was in "deep pain following the tragedy that took place this evening in the centre of the capital".
"It is a very sad moment for our nation," he said in a post on his Facebook page, expressing his "solidarity and compassion" for the families of the victims.

Oprea branded the incident a "tragedy" and his ministry said several telephone lines have been set up to keep friends and family of those hurt informed. 

Identifying the victims has proved difficult as many were not carrying IDs. Music website Metalhead has published a list of anyone who has been hospitalised and was able to give their name on its Facebook page.

A Facebook page has already been set up calling on Romanians to donate blood.

"A tragedy has happened this evening in Bucharest. There is currently enough blood, but tomorrow we will need all of you," said a statement on the page, encouraging people to head to the city's blood transfusion clinic in the morning. 

Mat Simon back with a vengeance against Mariners

Matt Simon has come back to haunt his old club, scoring two late goals as Sydney FC overcame a 10-man Mariners 3-1 in a pulsating game at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday.

In a controversial and at times feisty clash, Simon came off the bench and drove a knife through the heart of his former employers, scoring twice in the last eight minutes after it looked like it was heading for a draw.

Earlier, the Sky Blues took a lead through Shane Smeltz in the first half but it lasted just a minute before Roy O’Donovan equalised for the home side.

The game then swung three minutes before the break as Nick Fitzgerald was shown a second yellow card and leaving the Mariners with 10-men for the second half.

And Sydney made the numerical advantage count to remain the only unbeaten side in the league to stay at the top of the ladder for another week

0-1 Smeltz (34’) - Filip Holosko received the ball from a throw in inside the Mariners box and produced a clever back-heel into the path of Alex Brosque, with the Sydney skipper squaring to an unmarked Smeltz to sweep it home.

1-1 O’Donovan (35’) – Fabio Ferreira carved the Sky Blues apart down the right wing, surging past three players and driving into the box before passing to O’Donovan for a simple tap in.

1-2 Simon (82’) – Holosko was again involved, bursting forward from halfway as the Sky Blues had a two-on-one advantage. The Slovakian unselfishly passed to Simon, who cut inside one defender before blasting into the top corner of the net.

1-3 Simon (88’) – Substitute Mickael Tavares cut a swathe through the Mariners defence down the right flank before crossing to Simon, who planted his header in the corner past a despairing Paul Izzo.

KEY MOMENT

Seven minutes before the break, O’Donovan sprung the Sydney FC offside trap and only had Vedran Janjetovic to beat as he bore down on goal. The Irishman tried to take the ball around the Sky Blues ‘keeper, only to be taken down in the process by the Sky Blues ‘keeper and going to ground. But referee Adam Fielding decided there was no foul, denying the home side a penalty – and likely 2-1 lead - and sparing Janjetovic what would have been a certain red card as a result.

TEAMS

Central Coast Mariners: Izzo, Roux, Poscoliero (Neill 66’), McGing, J. Rose, Montgomery (c), L. Rose (Austin 46’), Caceres (Kalik 76’), Ferreira, Fitzgerald, O’Donovan

Sydney FC: Janjetovic, Ryall, Faty, Jurman, Grant, O’Neill (Hoole 58’), Dimitrijevic (Tavares 46’), Holosko, Naumoff (Simon 58’), Brosque (c), Smeltz

Scorers: Smeltz 34’, O’Donovan 35’, Simon 82’, 88’

Red cards: Fitzgerald 42’

Yellow cards: O’Neill 21’, Holosko 25’, Fitzgerald 40’, Fitzgerald 42’, Poscoliero 45+2’, Grant 60’, Neill 68’

Attendance: 10,030 @ Central Coast Stadium 

THE SYMBOL OF TAJIKISTAN’S FOLLY..THE NATIONAL TEA HOUSE

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Corruption, poverty, cronyism and chronic food shortages are some of the major issues facing Tajikistan on its road to development. Despite this, President Emomalii Rahmon has embarked on a lavish building boom in Dushanbe in recent years, with one notable standout, the ostentatious National Tea House.

Tajikistan is a country that few Australians turn their minds to. Its recent history, since the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of a brutal civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997, has been largely influenced by the nature of its relationship with Afghanistan. Following much of the Pamir Mountain range, the two countries share a 1206 kilometre border. Australia’s national interest in Tajikistan is limited but largely a product of concerns with stability in the region following the end of the International Security Assistance Force’s mission in Afghanistan, drug trafficking and counter-terrorism, including the number of Tajiks travelling to fight or support the Islamic State. However many of Tajikistan’s bigger problems are internal, particularly as a result of high levels of corruption and cronyism.

Dictators love grand legacy monuments: Ceausescu’s People’s Palace, Niyazov’s Arch of Neutrality and Kim Jong-Il’s numerous statues. Such monuments are a hallmark of many a dictator’s vision, usually located in the capital city as a testament to the perceived prestige and success of the country. Many have been built at considerable expense, costing significant portions of GDP in countries suffering from high rates of poverty.

Tajikistan is no exception. In recent years President Emomalii Rahmon has embarked on a lavish building boom in Dushanbe. The monuments have been exceptional in scale – Central Asia’s largest library, the largest flagpole in the world (since overtaken by the Jeddah flagpole in 2014) and the Presidential Palace. Each of these monuments has been built at great expense in what is one of the poorest countries in the world. Tajikistan’s GDP per capita in 2014 was estimated at $US2,700, only slightly higher than Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Tajikistan also depends heavily on remittances from Tajiks working in Russia. Food security is a significant issue. One-third of the population is affected by food insecurity, and more than 30 percent of those households are severely food insecure.

The second largest flagpole in the world, with the new Presidential Palace in the background. 

One of the grandest structures in Dushanbe is the National Tea House which was completed in 2014. Some estimates have put the cost of the building at $US60million or roughly 1% of GDP. However given that large portions of the building were constructed at great expense, such as hand carved wood columns, hand painted ceilings and gold leaf throughout, the total cost could be much higher than that. Cronyism is also a likely factor in contributing to the cost of the National Tea House. Construction companies linked to President Rahmon are involved in many of the new buildings popping up in Dushanbe, and corruption is rife. According to the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Indexfrom Transparency International, Tajikistan is ranked 152 out of 175 countries. In March President Rahmon’s son, Rustam Emomalii, was appointed to head Tajikistan’s anti-corruption agency. Nepotism is unlikely to be a target of the agency.

The National Tea House in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. .

On a recent trip to Tajikistan in July, I was given a guided tour of the National Tea House, one of the few tourists who have been inside. The tour happened by chance. Thinking that visitors were not allowed inside, I took a series of photos of the front of the National Tea House instead. However within a couple of minutes I received a stern talking to from a security guard, closely followed by his conciliatory attempt to solicit a bribe. Not willing to pay the bribe, I walked around the National Tea House and found a small shop whereupon I was approached by someone offering a guided tour. For 25 Somoni or roughly $A5, what followed was an illuminating tour highlighting excess and indulgence in a young, poor country, ruled by a powerful dictator.

The National Tea House was first used for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in September 2014. Features from that meeting are still present and are a permanent part of the building. For example, on the upper floor next to the main meeting hall is a room with flags of the SCO countries inlaid to a wall of mirrors. During the SCO it was used for official presentations by country Presidents. Its ceiling, like many others throughout the building, is all hand painted in colourful and intricate Tajik style designs.

However that room is by no means the most grandiose in the building. That honour probably belongs to the primary meeting room where all Presidents of SCO countries, Rahmon, Putin, Xi, Nazarbayev, Atambayev and Karimov, sat around the table. It is an incredible sight to behold. The large columns outside the central table are adorned with mirrors and marble in shades of blue, white and green. The ceiling is hand carved wood with gold leaf inlay. The centrepiece is a grand chandelier weighing more than 2 tonnes.  At the far end of the room is a mosaic of President Rahmon with his mother, which is a peculiar addition reminding guests of the ‘benevolence’ of the President.

A large mosaic of President Rahmon and his mother adorns the wall the meeting room for leaders in the National Tea House

During the tour I was constantly reminded about which areas were public by my guide. Near the entrance is a bowling alley, billiards hall and a movie theatre, all apparently accessible to the public. However the cost of using the facilities put them out of the range of the average Tajik person. For example, a bowling session cost up to 140 Somoni or roughly $A30. Evidently, the National Tea House is targeted at a select group of people who have the financial capacity to use the facilities.

The National Tea House is undoubtedly a spectacular building which is evocative of similar ostentatious buildings, such as the Palace of Versailles. However, in a country where poverty and food insecurity looms large it is a gross and unnecessary expense. Tajikistan has an obligation under international law to ensure that its commitments under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are upheld. As the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended in its Concluding Observations issued in March 2015, steps need to be taken to address chronic food insecurity, high infant mortality, lack of access to safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation. In the meantime the National Tea House will remain a stark reminder of fiscal waste in Tajikistan and President Rahmon’s overbearing influence.

Fatigued refugees trapped in Slovenia.

Chaos has erupted in a Slovenian border town, as thousands of people pushed through metal barriers and a police cordon, to force their way into Austria, part of an ongoing refugee crisis, which claimed more lives off the waters between Greece and Turkey.

Several people, many holding children in their arms, were seen collapsing amid the melee on Friday afternoon near the Slovenian refugee camp in Sentilj on the border with Austria.

Al Jazeera’s Ivan Corkalo, reporting from Sentilj, said an estimated 3,000 people managed to cross the border into Austria, while around 4,500 more are waiting to cross in the Slovenia side.“They are very tired and desperate, as they tried to push their way through the barriers,” he said, adding that the refugees are expected to stay in the area throughout the night, until authorities in Slovenia and Austria reopen the border.  

Of those who were left behind, around 1,500 men, women and children were camped outside the border’s gate, “huddled in cold weather, with limited supply of food, water and clothing.”

Another 3,000 refugees are staying in makeshift 

NBA.. Spurs down Nets

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge has just 10 points in his second game with Tim Duncan and the Spurs.

San Antonio got big production from its Big Three, tenacious defense from everyone and used a fiery halftime rant from coach Gregg Popovich to get its first win of the seasonto a 102-75 NBA win over Brooklyn.

Patty Mills finished with 11 points, three assists and three rebounds on Friday as San Antonio regrouped after a sluggish opening to the game.

Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 17 points while Kawhi Leonard top scored for the Spurs with 16.

Elsewhere, Russell Westbrook scored 48 points and Kevin Durant poured in 43 to lead Oklahoma City to a 139-136 away victory over Orlando in a double-overtime thriller.

Westbrook and former NBA MVP Durant combined for nine of the Thunder's 13 points in the second overtime.

"Sometimes, you just have to let the big dogs run," said Durant, who missed 55 games last season with ankle and foot injuries. "That was fun out there tonight. Russell was almost super-human."

The Thunder had erased an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter, then led through most of both overtimes.

Westbrook banked in a 38-foot desperation shot with 0.7 seconds left in regulation to force the first extra period with the score at 117-117.

Durant had knotted the score at 114-114 with a three-pointer after the Magic had led the entire game and opened the final quarter with an 18-point lead.

In the first overtime, Victor Oladipo - with a triple-double of 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists - sank a game-tying three-pointer to force the second extra session.

The Magic came up empty on two attempts to tie the score in the waning seconds of the second overtime.

Detroit also worked overtime to remain unbeaten with a 98-94 victory over Chicago.

The Pistons are 3-0 for the first time since 2008-09.

Marcus Morris scored 26 points and Andre Drummond added 20 plus 20 rebounds for the Pistons while Reggie Jackson - recording his 1000th career assist in the third quarter - chipped in 22 points and seven assists.

The Pistons scored on their first three possessions of overtime.

Jimmy Butler made a three-pointer to cut Detroit's lead to 96-92 but Chicago couldn't pull any closer.

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers were feeling the love - specifically 24 points and 14 rebounds from Kevin Love - in a 102-92 victory over Miami.

Love's back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter gave the Cavs some room after the Heat had trimmed the deficit to three points.

Cavs superstar LeBron James added 29 points against his former team, later praising Love, who has recorded double-doubles in his past two games.

"He showed why he's one of the best power forwards in our league," James said. "We need to continue to ride his coat-tails."

Stephen Curry scored 25 points to lead the NBA champions Golden State to a 112-92 victory over the Houston Rockets in a rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals.

Gold for Japan star at world gymnastics

Japan’s Kohei Uchimura breezed to his record sixth world gymnastics championship title Friday, putting together a series of nearly flawless routines to continue his long run of dominance.

Uchimura posted a total of 92.332, more than 1.6 points better than Cuban teenager Manrique Larduet and Deng Shudi of China. The triumph came two days after Uchimura helped Japan to its first gold medal in the world championships in nearly 40 years.

The 26-year-old Uchimura’s combination of elegance and athleticism makes him a heavy favorite to repeat at the 2016 Olympics.

American Donnell Whittenburg finished eighth after being added to the field when Belarus’ Dzmitry Barkalau withdrew. American teammate Danell Leyva struggled on pommel horse and high bar, fading to 17th.

The usually reserved Uchimura — who said he was disappointed after a high bar flub during team finals made the margin over second-place Britain a little slimmer than anticipated — let loose after his final score was unveiled. He made the “6” sign with his fingers and pointed to the crowd that included his mother, who is still a competitive gymnast back home.

His biggest competition came from the surprising Larduet. He appeared right at home in his debut at a major international event. His powerful tumbling runs made the floor creak underneath him and his aggressive parallel bars display had a youthful enthusiasm that will certainly make him a factor in Rio next summer.

Still, Uchimura remains a man apart. Light on his feet yet still remarkably strong, his precision and difficulty are unmatched. He makes every set appear like just another training workout and his consistency is unrivaled.

Britain’s Max Whitlock, a silver medalist last year, appeared ready to make a push early behind a masterful pommel horse routine only to miss a connection on high bar and go splashing onto the mat. The miscue cost him a shot at the medal stand.

Whittenburg struggled through qualifying and wasn’t pushed into the field until Barkalau pulled out with an injury. The 21-year-old did just fine on short notice, his only real misstep coming on vault — typically one of his strongest events. Whittenburg overcooked his landing and ended up sitting down while trying to save it. Still, he hung around the top 10 all evening and finished with a steady 14.1 on pommels, a weak spot for the rising American star.

Leyva, the bronze medalist in the all-around at the 2012 London Olympics, was fourth in qualifying but never got on track in the finals. He muscled through a rough pommel horse routine and bailed in the middle of his high bar set on his 24th birthday.

Three years after bolding proclaiming he was coming for Uchimura’s spot, Leyva hasn’t made the kind of inroads he expected. Then again, neither has anyone else on arguably the greatest male gymnast of all-time.