Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray to win fifth Australian Open title

Novak Djokovic proved too strong for Andy Murray as he won a fifth Australian Open title in a punishing final.

The Serb, ranked number one, came through 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0 in three hours and 39 minutes.

It was a third win over British number one Murray in a Melbourne final and brought him an eighth Grand Slam title.

Murray, 27, has now won two of the eight Grand Slam finals he has played in, having lost all four in Australia.

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Murray will 'try to go one better' in 2016

"I would like to congratulate Novak - it is a fantastic record and thoroughly deserved," said Murray.

"It is probably my most consistent Grand Slam throughout my career but I just haven't been able to win."

Murray, who underwent back surgery towards the end of 2013 and was playing in his first Grand Slam final since winning Wimbledon earlier that year, added: "I'm closer than I was a few months ago.

"I'll try to come back next year and have a slightly different outcome in the final."

The Scot, who will return to fourth in the world rankings on Monday, had chances in each of the first three sets of the final but ultimately could not cope with the Serb's pinpoint returning and brilliant defence.

Djokovic, a week younger than his opponent, did look vulnerable at times, hurting his hand in a fall and appearing to struggle with an ankle problem early in the second set.

There were some concerned looks to coach Boris Becker in the stands. He stumbled on more than one occasion and required some energy-boosting fluids at a break down in the third set.

Murray later admitted he had been "distracted" by the Serb's apparent physical issues and, just as at the US Open last September, he could not keep pace with Djokovic in the closing stages.

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Australian Open: Novak Djokovic 'honoured' to win in Melbourne

Djokovic had made a blistering start, racing into a 4-1 lead and going 20 minutes before he offered up a first unforced error.

It was to Murray's credit that he twice hauled back breaks to force a tie-break, but a double-fault at 4-2 and a loose volley at 5-5 simply gave Djokovic too many chances.

The four-time champion clinched it when Murray netted a return, before suffering an awkward fall chasing a net cord early in the second that required treatment to his hand.

Murray moved into a 2-0 lead but saw the advantage wiped out when a rejuvenated Djokovic strung together 13 straight points.

Again, Murray fought back, a forehand into the corner making it 4-4, and three break points were saved at 5-5 on the way to a second tie-break.

This time the Scot would not relinquish an advantage, winning a gripping rally to lead 5-2 and converting his third set point.

When Djokovic netted a forehand to drop serve at the start of the third set, Murray appeared to have finally gained the initiative after two-and-a-half hours.

It proved to be his last moment to savour, however. Increasingly frustrated by a resurgent opponent, his second serve slipped from being vulnerable to a liability.

Djokovic was now winning 75% of those points, with Murray screaming "how many times" as his advantage fell away.

The Serb saw off one final moment of danger at break point in game seven, gesturing to coach Becker to become more animated, but he required no assistance.

Murray was a rapidly fading force, double faulting to drop serve at 5-3, and winning just 11 points in a fourth set that disappeared in under half an hour.

Djokovic celebrated by throwing his racquet into the crowd, while a furious Murray smashed his in despair.

"I'm honoured to be standing here as a champion for a fifth time," said the Serb after collecting the trophy from Australia's Roy Emerson, the only man to win six titles.

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Philippe Mexes: Milan defender sent off amid Serie A brawl

Has there been an angrier footballer anywhere in Europe this season?

AC Milan defender Philippe Mexes was sent off on Saturday during his team's 3-1 defeat at Lazio after grabbing Lazio captain Stefano Mauri by the throat.

The pair were separated but Frenchman Mexes went back for more, first trying to head-butt Mauri before grabbing him from behind.

"I have to apologise to the club, the coach and my family," Mexes said afterwards. "It was the wrong reaction and I am sorry because I left the team with 10 men and I will be suspended.

"Unfortunately I made a mistake. In my career I have had these reactions. These things should not happen out on a football pitch.

"I have children and this is not the sort of example that a father should set."

Mexes' dismissal came on the same day as Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo's red card for kicking and slapping Cordoba player Edimar.

French defender Mexes was sent off for grabbing Lazio captain Mauri by the throat

Mexes confronted Mauri immediately after the referee had sent him off

AC Milan's Riccardo Montolivo (right) struggles to pull Mexes away from Mauri

Mexes initially grabbed Mauri by the throat before grabbing him from behind

AC Milan's players tried to restrain Mexes but struggled to contain the angry defender

Mexes was sent off in stoppage time of the 3-1 defeat

Mexes saw red during a game which resulted in a third loss for AC Milan in five league games

After being pulled away from Mauri, he then grabbed the throat of Lazio's Lorik Can
a

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The kick-off party hosted by Amber Rose held at Oceanview with a good turn out of pop stars.

Dbanjat10: Olamide, Wizkid, Davido, Phyno, others turn up

Last night, January 31, 2015, kicked off what he has said will be a year-long celebration of his 10th year anniversary as an entertainer in the industry.

The kick-off party hosted by  held at Oceanview Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos. And it was with a good turn out of popular pop stars at the event.

Though they all came late including the host and special guest, they turned up for the DB Records boss regardless. New school acts like Wizkid, Olamide, Phyno, Davido, Oritshemi, Praiz, Seyi Law, Banky W, Seyi shay, Shaydee and a few others turned up for D’banj and it was a swell time for guests.

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WAHOOO!!!Omotola kicks off 20-city world tour by celebrating with Stella Maris students.

Omotola and her team with the MD of Stella Maris Schools, Emeka Anyaene. 

Nollywood star, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde continued the celebration of her 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry by paying a visit to Stella Maris College in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja over the weekend.

The famous Nollywood star also used the event to flag off her tour of 20 cities in the world as part of the programmes outlined for the celebration. The 20th anniversary commenced with a dinner at the Sandralia Hotel, Abuja on Saturday, January 24, 2015.

Omotola disclosed that her coming to the school was an opportunity to encourage members of the younger generation to believe in themselves for a better nation while emphasising the need for Nigerians to value themselves even more.

She also used the occasion to launch her pet project ‘I gat Value’ and also motivated the young pupils by sharing her experience while growing and achieving stardom.

According to her: ‘Starting a career as a young girl of 16, all I wanted was to help my widowed mother provide for our young family. I stumbled on the opportunity to model freely, and by fate, I was invited to a movie casting. Who knew as frightened and vulnerable as I was then, that I was starting the journey of my destiny? 20 years later, not only did I provide for my now late widowed  mother, I also helped train two younger ones and earned myself  a career in Nollywood, an industry that I helped start with practically nothing, but which has gone on to become the 2nd largest English producing and 3rd largest movie industry in the world.’

Fascinated by her story, the students described Omotola as a living legend and a role model to many of them. They celebrated her as a humble wife and great mother who has kept her marriage intact unlike many of her contemporaries. The students urged her to share her secrets of success with them as they want to grow up to be like her.

Representative of the students, Isigwe Chiamaka, in her opening remarks, celebrated the actress’ achievements and thanked her for choosing their school as a flag-off point for her 20-city world tour.

Omotola, who is also a United Nations Peace Ambassador, is married to Matthew Ekeinde and they have 4 children. Her affinity with the college started from being introduced to them while on the set of the compelling film, Ije‎ produced by Chineze Anyaene.

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Mercy Aigbe urges fans to get their PVCs

Mercy Aigbe urges fans to get their PVCs

Mercy Aigbe is urging fans to pick up their PVC so they can vote. Photo: Instagram

Popular Yoruba Nollywood actress and producer, Mercy Aigbe has urged all her fans and people of voting age in the country to make sure they collect their Permanent Voters Card(PVC) and turn out to vote for change in presidential election on February 14.

The beautiful actress made the plea as she posted a picture of herself displaying her PVC on social media with the caption: ‘And today, I made sure I got my Permanent Voters Card!’

Without exactly making any direct reference to who she will vote for among the two main candidates of the election which is just about two weeks away, Mercy hinted at her preferred candidate for president.

The two main challengers in the election are Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP

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D’banjat10: First photos from the all-set venue

WE  serves you first hand pictures from the venue, red carpet and rehearsals by DNMT dance crew ahead of the party tonight.

Not long from now, the much-anticipated 10th anniversary kick-off party to celebrate D’banj‘s 10th anniversary will begin at the Ocean View, Victoria Island, Lagos with Amber Rose as host.

SUCCESS has been at the venue all day and serves you first pictures from the venue, with laid red carpet and ongoing rehearsals by DNMT dance crew ahead of the party kick off the Kokomaster’s 10th anniversary tonight.

See photos below…

   

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Ebola crisis: Liberia delays school re-opening

Liberia's government says teaching will now begin on 16 February

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Liberia has delayed planned re-opening of schools, saying they are not not yet fully prepared to prevent the spread of Ebola.

The schools - closed in July - had been due to open on Monday, but teaching will now begin on 16 February.

The BBC's Mark Doyle says several schools he has seen are woefully unready to prevent Ebola infection.

He says they are lacking chlorinated water for hand-washing and thermometers to check pupils don't have fever.

Some schools were used as Ebola treatment offices or holding centres, our correspondent adds.

Liberia - alongside with its West African neighbours Sierra Leone and Guinea - has been hardest hit by the outbreak of the deadly virus.

In Liberia alone, more than 3,600 people have been killed.

However, Liberia appears to be beating Ebola, as there now only five confirmed cases across the country.

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US police say:Whitney Houston's daughter 'found unresponsive' in bath

Whitney Houston (l) with Bobbi Kristina Brown in 2011

The daughter of late American singer Whitney Houston has been found unresponsive in a bathtub in a home in Georgia, US police say.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, was found by her husband and a friend, police said. They immediately started resuscitating her until police and medics arrived.

Ms Brown was then taken by ambulance to a hospital in Roswell, near Atlanta.

Whitney Houston was found dead in February 2012, aged 48, in a bath in a hotel in Los Angeles.

A post-mortem examination later concluded she died of accidental drowning due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease.

Ms Brown is the daughter of Whitney Houston and singer Bobby Brown.

Few details about the incident involving Ms Brown were immediately available, and police said they were investigating.

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Suge Knight is arrested in LA over fatal hit-and-run

• tment

Marion "Suge" Knight has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a "fatal traffic incident", the Los Angeles County Sheriff says.

He is being held in West Hollywood on bail of $2m (£1.3m).

The record producer had earlier surrendered to police after he was declared a suspect in a hit-and-run incident where one man died.

Another man was injured and although he is currently in hospital, his condition is not yet known.

Around 15:00 (23:00 GMT) on Thursday, a man fitting Knight's description drove to a burger shop and began arguing with two people, said Lt John Corina of the LA County Sheriff's Department.

The driver then backed into one of the victims, before running them both over.

The Death Row Records founder is said to have left the scene in a red Ford pickup truck, the police said.

Knight, 49, was involved in an earlier fight with the pair at a different location, Lt Corina added.

One of the victims died in hospital, according to the Sheriff's Department statement - while the condition of the second victim, who was also taken to the hospital, has yet to be confirmed.

A lawyer for the rap music legend seemed to confirm Knight had been driving at the time, but claimed it was an accident and he was running away from attackers.

"He was in the process of being physically assaulted by two men and in an effort to escape he unfortunately hit two (other) individuals," James Blatt said.

"He was in his car trying to escape."

Knight founded Death Row Records in the 1990s, but later declared bankruptcy and the company was auctioned off.

He helped launch the careers of artists including Dr Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.

Last August he was shot six times at a nightclub in Los Angeles. No arrests have been made.

In November, he pleaded not guilty to a robbery charge filed after a celebrity photographer accused him of stealing her camera in Beverly Hills.

He could face up to 30 years in prison because of previous convictions.

The music boss has previously been convicted of armed robbery and assault with a gun.

He has also served time for violating probation.

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Tens of thousands of people have massed in central Madrid for a rally organised by radical Spanish leftists Podemos.

Tens of thousands of people have massed in central Madrid for a rally organised by radical Spanish leftists Podemos.

The "March for Change" is one of the party's first outdoor mass rallies, as it looks to build on the recent victory of its close allies Syriza in Greece.

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias told the crowd a "wind of change" was starting to blow through Europe.

Podemos has surged ahead in opinion polls, and has vowed to write off part of Spain's debt if it comes to power.

The BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid says that there has been an impressive turnout and a carnival atmosphere at the rally.

Several of Madrid's main avenues became a sea of people and purple, the party's colour, he says, after its supporters travelled from all over Spain.

'We dream'

Marching from Madrid city hall to the central Puerta del Sol square, protesters shouted "Si, Podemos!", meaning "Yes, we can".

Broadcaster TVE reported that hundreds of thousands were at the demonstration, but there was no official tally.

"The wind of change is starting to blow in Europe," Mr Iglesias said, addressing supporters in Greek and Spanish at the start of the rally.

Pablo Iglesias (C) said people with serious dreams could change things

The Podemos march takes place amid public anger over spending cuts and allegations of political corruption

The party is hoping to build on Syriza's recent successes in Greece

"We dream but we take our dream seriously. More has been done in Greece in six days than many governments did in years."

Protesters are parading in the same streets that over the past six years have seen many other gatherings against financial crisis cutbacks imposed by successive governments.

One marcher, Jose Maria Jacobo, told Reuters news agency that people had to fight back against the political class.

"It is the only way..., to kick out all of those politicians who are taking everything from us. They even try to take our dignity away from us. But that they won't take that from us," he said.

But speaking in Barcelona, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Podemos had no chance of winning elections.

"I don't accept the gloomy Spain which some want to portray because they think that by doing so they will replace those who are governing and have had to face the most difficult crisis in decades. They will not succeed," he said.

Uncompromising message

Many Spaniards are enraged over reports of political corruption and public spending cuts implemented by Mr Rajoy's People's Party and before that by the Socialists.

The two big traditional parties have described the party - less than a year old and whose names translates as "we can" - as populist.

Our correspondent says that since Podemos stormed onto the political scene in last May's European elections, it has moved from strength to strength with its uncompromising message against austerity and corruption.

But both left-wing and right-wing media have criticised Podemos, accusing it of having ties with Venezuela's left-wing leaders and alleging financial misconduct by some of its senior members.

The party's leaders have in response promised to publish their tax returns, with Mr Iglesias remaining defiant.

"In the face of their hatred, we smile," is one of his regular pronouncements, according to the AFP news agency. After the Syriza triumph in the Greek elections he said that "hope had been born".

Spain has now officially come out of recession but nearly one in four workers remains unemployed.

Last year was the first time there has been full-year economic growth in the country since 2008, when a property bubble burst, putting millions of people out of work and pushing the country to the brink of a bail-out.

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No 'Grexit' from euro, EU's Moscovici vows

The euro needs Greece, the EU's economic affairs commissioner told the BBC

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Greece belongs in the eurozone and the single currency depends on there being no "Grexit", the EU economic and financial affairs commissioner says.

Pierre Moscovici told the BBC's Hardtalk "we will do everything" to prevent Greece leaving the eurozone.

But he said the Greek government had to respect previous commitments.

The new finance minister has meanwhile said he will not negotiate bailout terms with the "troika" - the global institutions overseeing Greek debt.

The left-wing Syriza party won last weekend's election on an anti-austerity platform, promising to have half of Greece's debt written off, and to roll back on deep cuts to jobs, pay and pensions.

"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," Mr Moscovici, a former French finance minster, said.

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

He added: "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."

But the commissioner said that while Europe had to respect the will of the Greek people in the election result, the commitments made by the previous Greek government also had to be taken into account.

"We must address these issues in a quiet, peaceful and serene way. This [new] government has to say exactly what it intends to do," Mr Moscovici said.

After meeting with the head of the Eurogroup - the finance ministers of the 19 EU states that have the euro as their currency - the new Greek finance minister said he would not work with the troika - the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Yanis Varoufakis called it "a committee built on rotten foundations".

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis: "We are not prepared to carry on pretending and trying to enforce an unenforceable programme"

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

He said he was instead seeking "fruitful negotiations" with individual troika members and EU nations.

"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 programme.

"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."

'Commission of the last chance'

The head of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said that Greece should stick to its reform commitments.

Mr Dijsselbloem said Greece and the Eurogroup had a "mutual interest in the further recovery of the Greek economy inside the eurozone" and warned against Athens acting unilaterally in its efforts to renegotiate its bailout.

Syriza won the Greek elections pledging to have half of Greece's debt written off

In an interview with the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper on Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she did "not envisage fresh debt cancellation" for Greece as banks and private creditors had already made substantial cuts.

But she said she wanted Greece to "remain permanently part of the euro community".

Greece has endured tough budget cuts in return for its €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout, agreed in 2010 with the troika.

The current programme of loans ends on 28 February. There are still €1.8bn of funds that could be disbursed to Greece if it meets the troika's conditions.

Mr Moscovici also said the rise of anti-EU parties across Europe posed a threat to the union.

"If Europe doesn't deliver on growth and jobs, if Europe is seen as the place for austerity, if Europe is not seen as a hope, as progress but as a constraint, as a punishment, as a pain, then the European project will be not only criticised but rejected.

"This is why this Commission calls itself the Commission of the last chance."

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Nidaa Tounes rejects the notion that it represents a return of the old regime.

The secular-leaning Nidaa Tounes party was the most popular choice of voters in the parliamentary election

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For someone who has not been sleeping much, and working punishing hours for months, 27-year old Anis Smaali is in an extraordinarily good mood.

He is running a team of 5,000 election observers for Mourakiboun - a group that monitored Tunisia's parliamentary elections in October and on Sunday will be observing the first freely contested presidential election in the country's history.

"These are the most important elections in the history of Tunisia," he says with a broad smile. "After this we will have a real government with a five-year mandate. Tunisia is showing that a real and sustainable democracy is possible in the Arab world."

Less than four years ago, Mr Smaali was among hundreds of thousands demonstrating outside the Interior Ministry, calling for an end to dictatorship.

Tunisia is leading the way for other Arab countries, says election observer Anis Smaali

The ousting of then President Zine El-Abedine Ben Ali that followed inspired young people across the Arab world.

Long-time leaders were toppled in Libya, Egypt and Yemen amid scenes that might once have seemed unthinkable.

But only Tunisia has managed a successful transition, while other countries that experienced uprisings have reverted to authoritarian rule or descended into violence and chaos, crushing the hopes of young activists.

Astonishing

In Tunisia, the most progressive constitution in the region was adopted earlier this year.

The hope now is that this election period marks the beginning of a second - democratic - Tunisian republic.

Twenty-six candidates are running for president, among them several members of Mr Ben Ali's ousted regime.

Although the presidency is now a mostly ceremonial post, many young Tunisians will see the old guard running for office as a bitter pill to swallow.

But it followed a parliamentary debate on a new electoral law in which politicians decided against a ban on Mr Ben Ali's former colleagues.

A strong nation is a nation that respects all its religious sects, says Ennahda politician Jawahra Ettis

It was an astonishing decision, especially considering that the Islamist Ennahda party - many of whose members had been tortured under the previous regime - voted against a ban.

"We, the children of political prisoners, saw the harshness of the regime on the faces of our fathers and mothers," says Jawahra Ettis, a representative of Ennahda in the outgoing parliament.

As a child, Ms Ettis remembers her father being taken away and tortured. On his release, she saw the marks where cigarettes had been stubbed out on her father's skin.

"It was a shock for me to see him so distorted, but what was even worse was the psychological torture," she says. "We lived in fear for years, but it also motivated me to become politically active."

In 2011, at the age of 26, Ms Ettis became a member of the Tunisian constituent assembly, and was later involved in drafting the new constitution.

"I am so proud of this constitution," she says. "People in the Arab world have to learn to sit down and conduct a dialogue; they have to learn the art of compromise."

"A strong nation is a nation that respects all its religious sects and political groups."

For Ennahda, part of the compromise was to allow members of the Ben Ali regime to run for office.

"We had to rely on the conscience of our people," Ms Ettis says. "If it's the will of the people that the agents of the ex-regime return, we have to accept it."

Frontrunner

Members of Mr Ben Ali's party, the RCD, are also returning to public life as members of other parties.

Nidaa Tounes, the secular-leaning party that won the largest share of seats in last month's parliamentary election, has several ex-regime officials in its ranks.

Its presidential candidate, 88-year-old Beji Caid Essebsi, served as interior minister under Tunisia's first president, Habib Bourguiba, and was later speaker of parliament under Mr Ben Ali.

He is considered a frontrunner in the presidential election.

Nidaa Tounes does not have the seats to govern alone but its supporters hope the party wins the presidency

Nidaa Tounes rejects the notion that it represents a return of the old regime.

"The revolution is our duty and a source of inspiration," says executive committee member Mahmoud Ben Romdhane, arguing that the RCD was "the state party, with 2.5 million members".

Nidaa Tounes won the election but does not have enough seats to govern alone.

The shape of a future government remains unclear. A national unity government that includes Ennahda has been mooted and remains a possibility. But it would be unlikely to go down well at grassroots level.

"We will have to make hard decisions, the answer is not easy," says Mr Ben Romdhane.

His party has a good chance of making it into the presidential run-off expected in late December, and wants to start coalition talks after the result of the presidential election is known.

For Nicole Rowsell, programme director of the National Democratic Institute, the Tunisian commitment to inclusion is at the heart of its successful transition.

"There have been a number of moments when debate came to an impasse or the process stalled entirely," she says.

"But politicians reached out and recommitted - in the end it was hard-nosed political compromise that has brought Tunisia to this milestone."

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