VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis and two other religious leaders sent out an extraordinary Christmas appeal on Wednesday to the leaders of South Sudan to keep their promise to form at least a transitional unity government early next year.

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Thousands of Algerians gathered on Wednesday for the funeral procession of the country's powerful army chief, who fought for independence from France as a young man and this year became the country's de facto leader.

LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia's home affairs minister said on Tuesday that a U.S. ambassador who criticised the jailing of a gay couple for 15 years had "crossed the line," adding that the United States had responded to an official complaint by recalling him.

PRETORIA (Reuters) - The overhaul of South Africa's coaching structure has given the team a major boost as they get ready to take on England in a four-test series which begins on Thursday, captain Faf du Plessis said.

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Burkina Faso insurgents killed 35 mostly female civilians on Tuesday after attacking a military outpost in northern Soum Province, and about 87 militants and local security forces were killed in the clash, authorities said.

GABERONE (Reuters) - Botswana's high court on Tuesday dismissed petitions filed by the main opposition parties against the election result that returned the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to a parliamentary majority.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian activist Omoyele Sowore and former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki left prison Tuesday evening after the attorney general ordered their release on bail, in recognition of court orders.