Pope’s Christmas Eve message: God loves ‘even the worst of us’

Opposition leader and former president Mikheil Saakashvili says charges against him for his role in suppressing a 2007 protest are "trumped up." Amnesty International called his arrest "political revenge."

Barbados declared hit singer Rihanna a national hero at its republican celebrations in her hometown of Bridgetown. Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the 33-year-old would be conferred with the honor of National Hero of Barbados to cheers. Rihanna was called up before the crowds to be congratulated by Mottley.

After 11 months it was closed to traffic, the Toyota-Murtala Mohammed Airport Road link bridge has opened to traffic. Repair works commenced on the damaged bridge after six months of closure and it was meant to open to traffic by the end of September but the government further delayed reopening to carry out additional work.

Philippine Senator Christopher "Bong" Go was President Rodrigo Duterte's choice for the presidency. For now, the withdrawal leaves Duterte's administration without a candidate.

In a big day for LGBT residents of Botswana, an attempt to overturn the decriminalisation of homosexuality has failed in court. Also, South Africa's government says it is being punished as it tries to get countries to walk back some of their Covid-19 travel restrictions. And the China-Africa summit kicks off in Dakar, where participants are discussing trade, conflict and the coronavirus pandemic.