BBC News with Jerry Smit
The interim President of the Central African Republic which has been gripped by sectarian violence has declared that a period of anarchy in the country has ended. Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet said he was issuing a warning to militiamen and looters that in his words, the party was over. Paul Wood reports from Bangui.
Streets in the centre of Bangui were thrown with people in things of near normality today. It's clear though that the capital remains anxious after the terrible violence of recent months. For the moments, it is French and African Union soldiers who must keep the peace here, but efforts have been made to recruit enough government troops to put hundreds more men on the streets,that doesn't mean the crisis is yet over, violence can fire up without warning. A French diplomat summed up the situation, we have avoided genocide, he said,at least for the time being.
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer has described the humanitarian situation in Syria as catastrophic. He said after three-day visit that the scale of the crisis with millions of civilians affected was staggering, and the humanitarian response insufficient. Meanwhile, an ICRC spokesman in Damascus repeated a call for aid organizations to be allowed in with medicines and food.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has told the BBC that the international agreement on its country's disputed nuclear programme is the beginning of a long and difficult road. Mr.Zarif said it was also important to boost his people's confidence in the process.
“There is a very serious confidence deficit vis-a-vis the West in Iran. Our people believe that our peaceful nuclear programme has been dealt with in a totally unfounded way.”
Iran has said that United Nations experts will arrive in Tehran on Saturday to begin in forcing the agreements struck in the Swiss city of Geneva in November. Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in return for a limited easing of sanctions.
Detectives in the Brazilian city of Campinas say they are looking at a possibility that police officers may have been responsible for the death of 12 people shot in the space of three hours overnight. From Sau Paulo, here's Gary Duffy.
The gunmen opened fire from passing cars at individuals or groups of men. A source told the BBC the calibre of weapons used in the attacks was the same as that carried by military police. Hours earlier,a police officer trying to resist a robbery at a petrol station was shot dead, and it's thought the murders could have been an active revenge. Several of those who died have police records according to local media reports. The killing sparked a small-scale violent protest in Campinas with 3 buses and a car set on fire. Gary Duffy.
The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has signed into law a draconian bill that criminalizes same-sex marriage, gay clubs or organizations and even indirect displays of affection. Gay sex is already illegal in Nigeria. Officials say Mr.Jonathan approved the law earlier this month, but the news has only just emerged.
Two German diplomats have survived on a attack while on a visit to a town in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A Saudi police spokesmen said that the vehicle of the two diplomats was burned after they came under attack in the town of Awamiya. The town has witnessed several anti-government protests by the Shiite minority over the past two years.
Fighting is continuing in and around the key South Sudenese city of Bor despite the resumption of peace talks between the warring parties. A BBC correspondent who's been in Bor says there's been shelling and that although the situation inside the city seems calmer, civilians are continuing to flee. Peace talks in Ethiopia had hit a practical snag. The usual conference room has been booked by a visiting Japanese delegation, and the talks have been displaced to a night club dance floor.
The Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has won FIFA's Ballon d'Or for 2013, one of the sport's most coveted prizes. Alex Capstick reports.
After 4 years of losing out to Lionel Messi,it was time for Cristiano Ronaldo to receive the coveted prize. It's hard to quibble with the decision, 66 goals with clubs and countries in 2013 was an incredible achievement by the Real Madrid star who is joined on stage at he award ceremony by his young son. But the outcome was not without controversy. The original deadline for the Ballon d'Or on November 15th was extended because organizers claimed an insufficient number of vote had been cast. Others have said the move was designed to help Ronaldo secure more support. The Brazilian Great Pele received an honorary Ballon d'Or.