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A fired-up Serena Williams shot down last year's finalist Dominika Cibulkova Wednesday to set up an Australian Open semi-final with teen Madison Keys, as defending men's champion Stan Wawrinka crushed Japanese hopes. Unlike her earlier sluggish matches, Serena was in the zone from the off against the dangerous Slovak, a steely look in her eyes as she walked onto Rod Laver Arena soon after fellow American Keys knocked out her sister Venus. The unseeded Keys, 19, is the tournament surprise package, fighting hard to beat a resurgent Venus 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 and end any chance of the sisters meeting in a Grand Slam semi for the first time since Wimbledon 2000.

The head of Nigeria's electoral commission said on Tuesday the country will hold a presidential election as scheduled on Feb. 14, rejecting a call from one of the president's advisors to delay them. "We remain committed to implementing the timetable," commission head Attahiru Jega told a news conference. President Goodluck Jonathan's National Security Advisor Sambo Dasuki said last week that Nigeria should delay the election to allow more time for permanent voter cards (PVCs) to be distributed. How Nigeria, which has Africa's biggest economy, conducts the polls will be closely watched by investors and foreign powers since past ones were marred by thuggery and ballot box stuffing.

BOSTON (AP) — New Englanders savaged by a blizzard packing knee-high snowfall and hurricane-force winds are digging out as New Yorkers and others spared its full fury question whether forecasts were overblown.