Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe arrived home from a weeks-long holiday looking sprightly, quashing rumours that he had a heart attack.

The crowd is silent, expectant. All eyes are on the stage, on me. I take a breath and say it:

An investigation of alleged child sex abuse by French soldiers in the Central African Republic has begun, Paris prosecutors said.

Premier League

"I don’t feel any pressure inside the club or outside.”

Soccer: The Equatorial Guinea football federation has been fined $100,000 (€88 million) and ordered to pay for the treatment of Ghana supporters injured by flying missiles during Thursday’s African Nations Cup semi-final at the Estadio de Malabo.

The Equatorial Guinea football federation has been fined $100,000 (€87,000) and ordered to pay for the treatment of Ghana supporters who were injured by flying missiles during

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Crowd trouble marred Ghana’s African Nations Cup semi-final win over hosts Equatorial Guinea in Malabo as Ghana fans were forced to flee the stands after being pelted with bottles.

Ghana 3 Equatorial Guinea 0

Dr Congo 1 Ivory Coast 3

A referee who gave a controversial penalty deep in stoppage time in the African Nations Cup quarter-final between Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia has been banned for six months, CAF have said.

Having conquered the GAA world, sportswear company O’Neills have set their sights a little further afield — in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Africa Cup of Nations preview

Wilfried Bony is targeting Champions League glory with Manchester City after completing his move from Swansea yesterday.

TODAY

Liverpool defender Kolo Toure will join his brother Manchester City’s Yaya in the Ivory Coast squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

About 120m girls worldwide have been forced to have sex, according to a United Nations report.

About 120 million girls worldwide have been forced to have sex, according to a United Nations report.

A Spanish missionary priest who tested positive for the Ebola virus is in stable condition at a Madrid hospital after being evacuated from Liberia.

A Spanish missionary priest who tested positive for the Ebola virus has landed in Spain on a flight from Liberia.

Spain must trust in their philosophy but trust their youth to enact it

The spread of polio to countries previously considered free of the crippling disease represents a global health emergency, the World Health Organisation has said.

Have you ever wondered which country has the largest amount of gold reserves or how Ireland's youth unemployment rate compares with the rest of the world?

A small tingle of pride ran across my neck when I heard the news.

Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla may have been expecting the question, but he was still hesitant with his answer.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is set to be sidelined for up to two months with a hamstring injury he sustained during Sunday’s match with Real Betis.

Irish oil exploration company Tullow Oil has discovered the first natural gas find off Kenya, adding to Tullow’s recent first inland oil discovery in March.

Old habits die hard.

THIS has been an extremely difficult tournament to cover. Anybody who’s attempted to move from one venue to another is already feeling the effects of a night spent huddled on an airport floor, or squashed into a packed train for an overnight journey. Little wonder there are swathes of empty seats at stadiums for the first time at a European Championship since 1996.

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has warned Newcastle they could lose star striker Demba Ba for a pittance if they do not tie him to a new deal.

There have been four direct free-kicks scored in this Cup of Nations.

Chelsea enjoyed a fitness boost today ahead of their Barclays Premier League game at Everton when John Obi Mikel returned to full training after seven weeks on the sidelines.

What this tournament has shown, more than anything else, is the value of cohesion, of having a well-drilled side that knows its plan.

Angola 0 Ivory Coast 2

THIS has been the tournament that restored the glee to the Cup of Nations.

The smallest nation ever to host an African Nations Cup caused one of its biggest shocks last night, as Equatorial Guinea dumped Senegal out of the competition with a dramatic 2-1 victory in Bata.

JOHN MENSAH scored, then saw red as 10-man Ghana held on to beat Botswana in their African Nations Cup Group D opener.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA is not a football nation. Or at least, that’s what everybody said before the start of the 28th Cup of Nations, which the tiny former Spanish colony is co-hosting with Gabon.

THE Libyan squad had a few decisions to make.

Chelsea have failed in their bid to have Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou available for tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round tie against Portsmouth.

EGYPT, winners of the last three tournaments, will not be there when the African Cup of Nations begins in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in a fortnight. Neither will Cameroon, who won in 2000 and 2002.

MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini has raised the possibility of the world’s richest club not being able to fill their bench for Sunday’s mouthwatering FA Cup tie with Manchester United.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson insisted there was no need for panic after seeing his title-chasers humbled at Newcastle.

GORDON TAYLOR believes the punishment meted out to Luis Suarez for racially abusing Patrice Evra sends a warning that racism in the game will not be tolerated.