Guinea will face Ghana in the AFCON quarterfinals after lots were drawn Thursday.



There was nothing to separate Guinea and Mali after the group stage at the African Cup of Nations so lots had to be drawn to decide which team would progress to the quarterfinals.

President Obama will appear at a public event next week that the Dalai Lama is also attending, a move that is likely to anger Chinese officials.

Obama will address attendees about the importance of religious freedom on Feb. 5 at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. The Dalai Lama, arguably the most visible symbol of Tibet's struggle for independence, has also been invited.

The White House declined to say whether the two leaders will meet at the event, though National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan pointed out that the two leaders have met three times before, most recently last February.

"The President is a strong supporter of the Dalai Lama's teachings and preserving Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions," Meehan said. " As he has done in the past, the President will see many religious leaders at the event, but we don't have any specific meeting with the Dalai Lama to announce."

The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his advocacy for Tibet in the country and around the world. China continues to

Tibetans have continued to advocate for more autonomy and independence from the Chinese government, which continues to rule the region.

 The Dutchman(Louis Van Gaal) wants to keep his No.1 goalkeeper at Old Trafford in the face of keen interest from the Spanish giants, but did leave the door open
Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has admitted that David De Gea could join Real Madrid, but insists he intends to keep the goalkeeper at Old Trafford.

De Gea has enjoyed a fine season for the Red Devils so far, and has attracted serious interest from the Champions League winners.

The Spaniard's influential agent, Jorge Mendes, recently hinted that a summer move could be on the cards by saying "things change every five minutes".

And when asked if Madrid could make their move, Van Gaal said: "In football, everything is possible. We want to keep him."

The Dutchman also responded to questions about his team's recent performances after they managed just three goals in their last four Premier League matches, and he admits fans are not being entertained.

“The last matches, we failed to do that because it’s the goals that are the most important thing and the fans are enjoying the goals the most," he added. "So, when we are not scoring too much, you cannot enjoy the game.

"We have a lot of players who are attractive to see, so I don’t think we are not attractive enough, but we have to score more goals, especially when you see the last games.

"We have to improve in our attacking organization and finishing the chances is always the most important thing because it is only goals that count."

She may have been ill but that didn't stop Serena Williams from claiming a 19th grand slam title Saturday.

The world No. 1 beat second-ranked Maria Sharapova 6-3 7-6 (5) in an absorbing Australian Open final to move into sole possession of second place in grand slams won in the Open Era behind Steffi Graf's 22.

Despite suffering from a fever and cough this week, Williams set the tone by breaking in the first game. She took control of the first set by winning six straight points following a 12-minute rain delay -- organizers then opted to use the roof at Rod Laver Arena -- for a 5-2 lead.

The second set was punctuated with shouts of "come on" from both players but it was ultimately Williams who had reason to celebrate the most.

A gutsy Sharapova saved a match point trailing 5-4 and another at 4-6 in the tiebreak -- each time with forehands down the line -- after saving two match points in the second round.

Another escape act wasn't on the cards, however. When Williams finally had match point on her serve, she delivered her 18th ace.

The pair haven't always gotten along but a warm handshake ensued.

"I wasn't the richest (growing up)," Williams told the crowd. "But I had a rich family in spirit and support. And standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen.

"I went on the courts with a racket and a ball and a hope. That's all I had."

Sharapova -- who was bidding for a sixth major but first outside Roland Garros in seven years -- lost her 16th straight match against the American.

Williams, too, maintained her record of never losing past the quarterfinals in Melbourne, improving to 12-0.

"I have to congratulate Serena on creating history and playing some of her best tennis," Sharapova told the crowd. "It's really an honor playing against her.

"I haven't beaten her in a really long time but I love every time I step on the court to play against her because she's been the best and as a tennis player you want to play against the best.

"I was almost down and out in the second round and I feel like I gave myself a second life in this tournament and gave myself an opportunity. It wasn't quite enough today but I'm proud of my effort and couple of weeks here."

In Sunday's men's final, top-seed Novak Djokovic faces sixth-seed Andy Murray. Like Williams, four-time winner Djokovic has never been beaten at Melbourne Park in a semifinal or final.

Angela Merkel insists she still wants Greece to stay in the eurozone
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out cancelling any of Greece's debt, saying banks and creditors have already made substantial cuts.

But Mrs Merkel told the Die Welt newspaper she still wanted Greece to stay in the eurozone.

Greece's left-wing Syriza party won last weekend's election with a pledge to have half the debt written off.

Its finance minister said the "troika" of global institutions overseeing Greek debt was a "rotten committee".

The troika - the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund - had agreed a €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout with the previous Greek government.

But new Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has refused to work with the troika to renegotiate the bailout terms and has already begun to roll back the austerity measures the creditors had demanded of the previous government.

Meanwhile, EU economic and financial affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici told the BBC's Hardtalk that Greece had to honour its previous commitments, although he said he wanted Greece to remain in the eurozone.

'Blackmail'

Mrs Merkel told the Hamburger Abendblatt: "I do not envisage fresh debt cancellation."

She said: "There has already been voluntary debt forgiveness by private creditors, banks have already slashed billions from Greece's debt."

Greece still has a debt of €315bn - about 175% of gross domestic product - despite some creditors writing down debts in a renegotiation in 2012.
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Greek economy in numbers

    Average wage is €600 (£450: $690) a month
    Unemployment is at 25%, with youth unemployment almost 50%
    Economy has shrunk by 25% since the start of the eurozone crisis
    Country's debt is 175% of GDP
    Borrowed €240bn (£188bn) from the EU, the ECB and the IMF

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Mr Merkel insisted she did not want Greece to leave the eurozone.

She said: "The aim of our policy was and is that Greece remains permanently part of the euro community. Europe will continue to show its solidarity with Greece, as with other countries hard hit by the crisis, if these countries carry out reforms and cost-saving measures."

On Friday, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Greece about its negotiation tactics on writing off debt.

"There's no arguing with us about this, and what's more we are difficult to blackmail," he said.

Finance Minister Varoufakis on Friday refused to work with the troika, saying he would instead talk to individual organisations and EU member states.

He has brought forward to Saturday his planned trip to Paris, where he will meet French counterpart Michel Sapin.

"We are not prepared to carry on pretending and extending, trying to enforce an unenforceable programme which for five years now has steadfastly refused to produce any tangible benefits," Mr Varoufakis told the BBC's Newsnight.

"The disease that we're facing in Greece at the moment is that a problem of insolvency for five years has been dealt with as a problem of liquidity."

Greece's current programme of loans ends on 28 February. A final bailout tranche of €7.2bn still has to be negotiated.

New Greek PM Alexis Tsipras will visit Cyprus, Italy and France next week but has no plans to visit Germany as yet.

Mr Moscovici meanwhile told the BBC the Greek government had to respect previous commitments.

But he added: "We believe that the place of Greece is in the eurozone, the euro needs Greece and that Greece needs and wants to be in the eurozone.

"We feel that it's very important for the stability of the eurozone and for the credibility of the euro that there is no 'Grexit'. This is why we will do everything that is needed to avoid it."






Mr Moscovici says "the place of Greece is in the eurozone"

The full interview with Mr Moscovici can be seen on BBC World News on Monday 2 February at 0430, 0930, 1630 and 2130 GMT.

Disney announced thursday that its newest princess will be Elena of Avalor, a 16-year-old character inspired by "diverse Latin cultures and folklore."

She'll make her debut on Disney Junior's animated show "Sofia the First" next year, which is targeted at children ages 2 to 7. Elena's own eponymous spinoff series is set to premiere in 2016 on Disney Junior, as well as Disney Junior's programming block on the Disney Channel. Aimee Carrero of ABC Family's "Young & Hungry" will voice the role.

"What excites us most is the chance to use distinctive animation and visual design to tell wonderful stories influenced by culture and traditions that are familiar to the worldwide population of Hispanic and Latino families and reflect the interests and aspirations of all children as told through a classic fairy tale," Nancy Kanter, the executive vice president and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, said in the announcement.

In fall 2012, Disney faced harsh criticism after a producer of the "Sofia the First" series announced that the title character was Latina. Disney Junior executives later clarified that the princess' ethnicity had been misrepresented, adding that "all our characters come from fantasy lands that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are meant to specifically represent those real world cultures."

"I am still a little bit in shock. It was a nightmare," she said, describing how hospital workers tried to rescue babies from a nursery as flames engulfed the building.

A nurse and two babies were killed by the blast, Mexico City Health Secretary Armando Ahued Said. At least 73 people were injured, he said, including about 20 newborns.

Officials initially reported a higher death toll, but later said a mix-up between the number of those deceased and those seriously injured led to an incorrect report.

Outside the hospital, frantic family members searched for word of loved ones they feared were inside.

Searching continued Thursday evening at the site, though officials said it appeared everyone had been accounted for.

Reports Came - but not independently confirmed - that the rebels have seized the nearby town of Vuhlehirsk.

Many civilians remain trapped in Debaltseve, while others - including people with shrapnel wounds - have managed to reach the town of Artemivsk.

Russian media say shellfire has killed seven people in the city of Donetsk.

Quoting rebel sources, the reports said shells hit a bus and a cultural centre, known as a House of Culture, where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid.

Mr Mitt Romney, the Republican beaten by President Obama in the US 2012 election, has decided he will not run for president again.

Mr Romney said he had decided it was "best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee".

His statement comes weeks after a surprise announcement saying he was considering another bid.

The decision not to run frees up donors to support other Republican candidates.

Mr Mitt Romney's campaign raised more than $1bn (£666m) in the 2012 election, when he unsuccessfully challenged President Obama.

Romney also lost the 2008 Republican presidential nomination to Senator John McCain.

The Spain striker was charged with violent conduct after an alleged stamp on Emre Can earlier this week and has now been hit with a suspension by the Football Association



Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been banned for three matches by the Football Association after failing with his appeal against a violent conduct charge for a stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can on Tuesday.

Spain international Costa was challenging for the ball by the touchline in the first half of the second-leg League Cup semi-final  at Stamford Bridge when he forcefully stood on Can's shin.

The incident went unpunished during the match, which Chelsea won 1-0 to progress 2-1 on aggregate, as the referee (Michael Oliver) did not see the challenge.

The FA subsequently charged Costa with violent conduct, a decision the player contested.

However, an FA Independent Regulatory Commission has now chosen to uphold the original ruling and handed out a three-match ban.

Here is the statement read by FA towards Diego Costa...
"Diego Costa will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after a charge of violent conduct against him was found proven by an Independent Regulatory Commission on Friday 30 January 2015,"

"The Chelsea forward had denied the charge in relation to an on-field incident involving Liverpool's Emre Can which occurred in the 12th minute of the League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 27 January 2015.

"UnfortunatelyThe incident was not seen by the match officials but caught on video."

The news is a huge blow to Chelsea ahead of Saturday's top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Costa is also set to miss out on the trip to Aston Villa on February 7 and the home match with Everton four days later.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho defended Costa ,He said the coming together with Can was "accidental".

Mourinho also said: "Maybe you [the media] are already influenced by the campaign on the television with certain pundits saying that Costa has crimes - they must be nuts, the guy who says that.

"I have to say that he goes for the ball, he chases it, the opponent [Can] goes to the floor and he puts his foot there when he is looking at the ball... What you call stamps, and Sky calls crimes, I have to say it was accidental."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers took a different view of the incident, and called for the FA to take action.

"These things happen in the game but I think anyone watching it would not like to see what we've seen Diego Costa do," Rodgers told Sky Sports.

"Not just on Martin Skrtel but on Emre Can, a young player who was clearly stamped on. You don't want to see that. There's no need for it."

Costa has proven an instant hit at Stamford Bridge, scoring 17 Premier League goals since joining in a big-money move from Atletico Madrid in the close-season.

However, his on-field behaviour has come under the spotlight due to Costa picking up eight bookings in all competitions, including a caution in a 6-3 win at Everton in August where he squared up to goalkeeper Tim Howard.

The Ebola virus has had an effect on all ways of life in the worst-hit countries Such as:
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Here are some Things people said they missed most about life before Ebola

Sports:
Sierra Leonean King Med Mans:"I miss my favourite game - football - and my team," 

Schools and College:
A university student(Freetown): "I used to spend eight hours taking lectures at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences and four hours a day studying. Now I burn most of my time on social media."

Music:
Mohamed Dainkeh(Sierra Leone):"The most important thing I have missed in this Ebola [outbreak] is my piano lessons/practice.As there is no schooling I have no access to practice nor a teacher to teach me."




Normality:

Ibrahim Jalloh(Sierra Leone):"Ebola has affected my life tremendously even though not directly, the psychological impact of seeing people abandoning corpses on the street, seeing houses empty as a result of Ebola,"Also knowing that if you get sick you cannot have proper (or in some instances no) medical attention is overwhelming. This is our reality as every day passes."

News Came in About 2 hours ago after  a bombing at a Shiite mosque in Pakistan At least 15 people were killed and more than 50 injured Today(30/1/2015), a local official said.

The attack took place just before Friday prayers started in the southern city of Shikarpur in Sindh province, said Sharjeel Mamon, the city's information minister.

The militant group Jundallah claimed responsibly for the attack, the group's spokesman Ahmad Marwat said in a statement.

Pakistan is a majority Sunni country. Shiites make up about 10% to 15% of the country's population, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif condemned the killings and Made an oat to fight terrorism.