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  From the section Africa Jump media player Media player help Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue. Media caption Pope Francis was greeted with loud cheers at a refugee camp in Bangui Pope Francis, speaking during Mass in the Central African Republic (CAR) capital Bangui, has called on fighting factions to lay down their weapons. Instead, he said, they should arm themselves "with justice, love, mercy and authentic peace." Earlier he said he hoped next month's polls in the CAR would open a "new chapter" for the country. CAR has been torn apart by violence between Muslim rebels and Christian militias. It is the pontiff's first visit to a conflict zone and the final stop on his landmark three-nation African tour. Acting President Catherine Samba-Panza has asked him for "forgiveness" for the country's recent religious violence. Image copyright AFP Image caption Cheers sounded in the streets ...

COP21: Rallies call for Paris climate change action Image copyright EPA Image caption The protest in Rio de Janeiro involved plenty of mud Hundreds of thousands of people have marched worldwide to demand action to stop climate change, the day before a UN summit starts in Paris. One campaign group says more than 570,000 protesters took part in marches on all the main continents. Activists want action at the Paris talks to limit the rise in the average global temperature to 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels. In Paris itself, more than 200 demonstrators were arrested after clashes. The day's events   In pictures: How eco-activists are mocking brands and leaders Why do two degrees matter? Earlier, a human chain was formed by hundreds linking arms in the French capital along the route of a march that was called off after the 13 November attacks that killed 130 people. A gap in the chain was left in front of the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people were killed. ...

Says PDP candidate is ‘Bush Man’ Former Governor Timpre Sylva hits Governor Seriake Dickson in the battle for Bayelsa State. The governorship election in the state holds only six days away. Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the poll, says Dickson, flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will fall at the election. The APC candidate spoke in an interview. Excerpts: By Samuel Oyadongha,  Yenagoa T here is the  question being asked by many, including your opponent, and that is, what did you forget in the Government House since 2011 when the court annulled your tenure? Anybody that asks that question is ignorant. I left Bayelsa State Government House unwillingly and all Bayelsans know the circumstances under which I left, and, since then, no other opportunity has presented itself for me to re-contest for that office. This is the first opportunity and so I don’t know why anybody will ask me if I forgot anything. Actually, the even...

President Muhammadu Buhari was believed to have left Malta where he participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for Paris, France Sunday evening to join about 150 other world leaders for the Conference of Parties 21 (COP21) on climate change. The president is expected present Nigeria’s statement at the opening session today before participating in the launching of the International Solar Alliance same day, an initiative of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. President Buhari meets Queen Elizabeh II during the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta The alliance which is code-named the International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (InSPA) comprised all African nations located within the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. On Tuesday, the President would also participate in the summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic which would dwell on Boko Haram and other i...

N-Delta wanted resource control, now we want resource ownership — Annkio Briggs Annkio  Briggs, an activist, is the converner of Niger Delta Self-Determination Movement. Briggs, in this piece, speaks on why she is calling for self-determination for her people. By Olalekan Bilesanmi You  said the Niger Delta wants self-determination and yet you said you want compensation. Can you be fighting for freedom and asking for compensation at the same time? I don’t see the difficulty in what we asking for. Nigeria is being governed according to the 1999 Constitution and whatever we are doing, within the law, is based  on that Constitution. What we are demanding for, which the same Constitution guarantees, is our right to demand for those things. In terms of the compensation for the destruction of our livelihood, the Nigerian government, in partnership with  oil companies, is responsible. The state governments are not part of this business, it is the Federal Govern...