christmas celebrations have been �*called off�* in bethlehem, in solidarity with the people of gaza. the usual tree has been replaced by a nativity scene in the rubble. �*jesus�*s message drowned out by futile logic of war�* says pope francis as he appeals for middle—east peace in christmas eve mass. now on bbc news — year in review, sport. 2023 was a remarkable year for sport. up here, an historic treble.

down under, a women's world cup. england and australia couldn't be separated in the ashes, whilst cricket, rugby union and netball all had world cups of their own. golf came togetherfor the solheim and ryder cups. but the start of this sporting year was, for some, less a beginning and more a resumption. football had onlyjust returned after its unprecedented winter world cup break. also resuming, returning, the australian open once more welcomed novak djokovic, a year on from his deportation over his covid vaccination status. still no vax for novak but here he was, back and unbeatable. his was a 22nd grand slam title. for irina sabalenka, a first. saudi arabia's bid to become a major player in global sport was laid bare. cristiano ronaldo becoming a figurehead for the fledgling football league. before the end of the year, they had all but been awarded a world cup. there was shock, too, injanuary,

after buffalo bills�* damar hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during an nfl game. the world watched on, as he would eventually make a recovery. here, rugby union's six nations, well, that was all about ireland. it is time for the six nations, and no better place to start than in cardiff. james lowe, all the way! a cruel knife to the heart of wales. the number one side on the planet against the reigning grand slam champions. oh, my goodness! breathtaking! absolutely breathtaking! thunderous six nations spectacle. all eyes on ross byrne as he gets us under way in rome. _ the quest for the slam is still alive. _ and it has been many, many a long year since both scotland and ireland met at this stage of the championship with so much to play for. a slam on the line for ireland, pride on the line for england.

bundee aki for robbie henshaw! the start of the celebrations in dublin. a fourth grand slam for ireland. england's men never really got going in that tournament. but the women were once again unbeatable, a grand slam in front of a world record crowd, the fifth six nations title in a row. their cricketing counterparts could not quite emulate their success. they reached the semifinals of the t20 world cup in south africa, beaten by the hosts, who were in turn beaten to the trophy by australia. down under, in february, st helens were pulling off an almighty shock, beating nrl champions penrith in rugby league's world club challenge. lebronjames became the nba's all—time leading points scorer. at old trafford, manchester united's proposed takeover became one of the more protracted sagas of the year. the club did win the efl cup. celtic won the scottish equivalent before rangers won it back. whilst arsenal claimed

the women's league cup. by april, protests were very much part of the sporting landscape. the start of the grand national was delayed as more than 100 were arrested at aintree. derek fox, aboard corach rambler, came home first. fewer than half finished as arguments over animal welfare continue. a protest too on the table at sheffield. i've never seen anything like this. the world snooker championship this time a target. the headlines, though, were eventually written by luca brecel. and we are under way! the london marathon returned to its traditional spring setting. more runners than ever before, and faster. course records in the men's and wheelchair events. another historic occasion for women's football. there were more than 77,000 at wembley for the women's fa cup final, a world record for a women's domestic game. sam kerr helping chelsea

to the first half of their double. the second followed just days later. chelsea are wsl champions! a domestic double for them. in scotland, celtic�*s men went one better with a treble. having already won the league cup, they took the scottish premiership with four games to spare, leaving them clear to focus on victory in the cup final against inverness caley thistle. celtic, the treble winners! whilst here, at manchester city, something very special indeed was happening. it had been a long time in the making, but pep guardiola's side finally achieved their dream. the first part, a fifth premier league title in six years. manchester city are champions of england again! their dominance of the domestic game without question. still, to underline it, they went to wembley to prove their point against their nearest rivals. city and united face off in the endgame.

and there is a good try! 0h, incredible! it is the fastest that has ever been scored in an fa cup final. gundogan, he got it, and he's got another one! manchester city have done the double! one to go. city's continental challenge would come soon enough but byjune, they weren't the only brits abroad. 20,000 west ham fans were in prague for a europa conference league final against fiorentina. it was at times ugly, always dramatic, and ultimately, a triumph. it feels the best feeling i think i've ever had watching a football match. no words can describe how awesome this is feeling. i think i'm dreaming. ijust can't believe _ west ham have won something! inspiration perhaps for istanbuljust days later, the champions league final. city! manchester city beating

inter milan by a single goal to complete an historic treble. and not even the manchester weather could spoil that homecoming party. it is just unbelievable. even now, it doesn't seem real. the best time to be alive, the best time to be a city fan. living the dream. love it! away from football, and in rather drier surrounds, more records. novak djokovic winning his 23rd grand slam singles title in the paris springtime. back here, saracens�* comeback was complete, crowned premiership champions at twickenham. just down the road, a dazzling moment in the gold cup. frankie dettori riding courage mon ami to victory in the jockey�*s final royal ascot meeting. the start of the sporting summer, though, was dominated by one of the oldest and fiercest international rivalries. the ashes was ultimately dampened by this manchester weather. still, it was quite a summer. well, here we go, the ashes

is about to begin. what an atmosphere already here at edgbaston. all the talk over the last few weeks, it is all gone, now. there you go. bazball�*s off and running! oh, my word! day one of the ashes, - brilliant hundred from joe root. 0h, here we go! ben stokes does the unexpected. and listen to khawaja celebrate that. - oh, it�*s over! the aussies, incredible victory here at edgbaston! well, what a game of cricket. well, what a special occasion, the lords ashes test match. there it is. steve smith reaches his 32nd test century. jonny bairstow has come out of his ground. - carey has thrown the ball at the stumps. l well, that is an -

astonishing dismissal. even in the long room, members engaging with the australians as they walked off. you have to think about the whole spirit of the game and, would i actually want to win a test match like that? and when i think about that, it is a no. i thought it was totally fair. that's the rules. you know, you leavej it up to the umpires. the crowd, wound up by that bairstow dismissal. stokes for a hundred! well, that is absolutely incredible. that is the one! stump out of the ground. australia win to go 2—0 up. highly charged atmosphere before the start of this third test match. it is now or never for england. two down in the series. got him! listen to the crowd! goes high. it goes long! it is a maximum!

mark wood! the ashes are alive! a fantastic game of test match cricket. j it is a wonderful ground here now at old trafford. the sun isjust starting to shine. calls of, "catch it!" and he has got him! stuart broad! he joins an elite club. will the time be a factor? here at the oval on test five, the clouds are around. there is a bit of green grass. stuart broad, who hasjust announced his retirement, this will be his last match for england. i it has been such an incredible ridel and a pretty long run, to be honest. just listen to this reaction. a legend of the game. walking away from the playing side i of the game with the memories i have got and how much i'm enjoying it makes me feel pretty special. i there you go, stuart broad with a six! that is what the crowd

wanted, brilliant. he has done it, the fairy tale ending he was hoping for! stuart broad! one of the greatest series, if not the greatest series of all time. for the women, a different ashes format, the same drama, the same outcome. please welcome - australia and england! beaumont brings up a double century. eight wickets for ash gardener, and that is the match! they pick up four points in this multiformat series. and australia have won the game. and england will now need to win every single game in the rest of this women�*s ashes if they are to get that trophy back. england have won this game! the ashes series is still alive.

england have won the game! they are still in the ashes! australia have lost a bilateral series for the first time in six years! blue skies over bristol, | england looking to keep their women's ashes series alive. england have won! england have beaten australia again! england, two wins away from regaining the women�*s ashes for the first time in close to a decade. and she has bowled her! australia retain the ashes! the series can still be drawn at taunton on tuesday but england�*s dreams of winning it for the first time in almost a decade have gone. in the air, should be a catch and it is! - england have won! england win the 0d! series. the women's ashes is drawn. it is an extraordinary achievement. this has been the best ashes series for women. australia retaining

both ashes trophies. a rivalry that was also played out at netball�*s world cup in south africa. australia would eventually take that trophy home, too, beating england in the final. they have done it! the tour de france was won byjonas vingegaard, again. demi vollering won the women�*s event. at hoylake, a genuine surprise. just a quiet brilliance. brian harman, without a win on tour in six years, now the open champion. the women�*s event was won by another american, lilia vu, her second major victory of the year. with the paris olympics and paralympics just a year away, the city readied itself by hosting the para world athletics championships. ten gold medals for great britain including a 13th and 14th title for hannah cockroft. whilst back home, the event that perhaps more than any other signifies the british summer. a quiet corner in south—west

london is now staring. terrific vibe everywhere, lovely summer scene, isn't it? wolverhampton's boy wonder is the wimbledon champion! i neal skupski, overcome by the enormity of this achievement. hewett and reid secure a fifth doubles title together. vondrousova is the unseeded champion! the new king of centre court, carlos alcaraz of spain! the end ofjuly saw the start of perhaps the biggest sporting event of the year, although the much anticipated women�*s world cup began on a sombre note. a deadly shooting in host city auckland just hours before the opening match. the tournament ended with one of the year�*s most controversial

sporting moments but in between, it was, thankfully, the football that wrote the headlines. it is a belter of an opening match to kick us off. and it is wilkinson! that was sensational. the roar around stadium australia. steph catley scores! welcome to the fifa women�*s world cup! come on! england�*s attempt to lift the biggest prize of all starts here in queensland. stanway with a second chance. england make a winning start, just. they made hard work of haiti. by close of play, one of these two nations could be through. it is lauren james! 0h! that is absolutely sensational! sarina wiegman�*s side know that a point will win them the group, come what may. collected by alessia russo! what a start for england!

carter�*s ball in. laurenjames! what a goal! it is a stunner! six for england. centre stage and in the spotlight tonight. it has finished in brisbane! morocco are through to the last 16! look at that! just look at that! and there! has it gone over the line? high drama! it is confirmed! the united states. of america are out! sarina wiegman�*s ever evolving england face their next hurdle at this era—defining women�*s world cup. this is knockout football. it is all or nothing. laurenjames is in trouble, here. it is penalties in brisbane. kelly.

smashes england through! it is another tricky assignment for the lionesses. colombia, the lowest ranked side left in the competition. oh, it is over mary earps and it is all the way in! the goalkeeper has lost it! and it�*s there! lauren hemp! russo! they have turned it around! another setback overcome. spain's first senior women's world cup semifinal. in the way, sweden. carmona. oh, it is off the bar! it's in! spain are world cup finalists. anticipation has been building for this semifinal in both hemispheres. taken down by alessia russo. great play. ella toone! oh, wow! sam kerr on the charge. she goes for it! 0h! how about that?

australia draw level! lauren hemp! what a pass that is! it is russo! and england are heading for the world cup final! history beckons. it is spain against england to compete for the right to be called the world�*s greatest. off the bar! how close can you get? this is dangerous. it isi—0, spain! carmona. jenni hermoso. saved! it is heartbreak for the lionesses. it is really hard to take i but we gave everything. we can hand on heart. say we gave everything. we never gave in and yeah, sometimes, it is hard - to take but it's football—

and we are absolutely heartbroken. it is spain, champions of the world. spain�*s win was undoubtedly extraordinary but almost immediately, talk turned from lifting the trophy to what happened amongst those celebrations. a kiss by the then—spanish football federation president luis rubiales on player jenni hermoso sparked global outrage. he would later be banned from football for three years. managerjorge vilda was sacked amidst the scandal. as the lionesses returned home, heading off was men�*s captain harry kane, his transfer to bayern munich one of the more eye—catching of a summer of spending that included jude bellingham moving to madrid and lionel messi making miami his new home. rugby league�*s challenge cup was returning to its traditional home, leigh winning at wembley. wow! for the first time, the women�*s

final was also held there, st helens the first to lift the trophy. whilst they were enjoying their day in the sun, over in the budapest heat, britain came away from the world athletics championships with two gold medals. world champion josh kerr! josh kerr in the 1500 metres was stunning and katarina johnson—thompson in the heptathlon was simply something else. here we go! august also saw glasgow host the biggest cycling event ever held. britain finished top of both the cycling and para cycling medal tables at the inaugural world championships. at flushing meadow, novak djokovic took the men�*s title. but for once, his record—extending feat was not the headline, as home favourite, teenager coco gauff, secured her first grand slam. daniel dubois left devastated after a controversial heavyweight title defeat to 0leksandr usyk.

whilst golf remains embroiled in acrimony, in september, the sport did enjoy two of its most spectacular events. welcome to the 2023 solheim cup! what a superb day it has been so far for team usa. they have swept the foursomes. she's got an ace! are you kidding me? europe, europe, europe! she has done it! 8-8. needs to find something in answer. cor—whee! to retain the solheim cup on home soil! and that is what it means!

welcome to the marco simone golf club for the first day's play- in the 2023 ryder cup. right at it! what a shot. what a roar! glorious shot from rory mcilroy. every single match won by europe. 0h, he has! it rattles into the back. this is just magnificent. patrick cantlay! he did it! laughter. there is nothing like the ryder cup, is there? there really, really isn't. 0h, he will be so excited if he does, and he has! brilliant stuff. well, that is it. europe are the winners of the ryder cup 2023. team europe! come on, boys!

2023 was a tumultuous yearfor rugby union. the crisis in the club game deepening asjersey reds and london irish folded. but september brought brought the start of the world cup. ireland had arrived at the tournament the number one side in the world. victory over defending champions south africa in the group stages raised expectations further. england�*s build—up was dominated by the absence of captain 0wen farrell. the opening games bringing more problems. they would, though, make it through, as would wales. but scotland were out before the quarterfinals. then it was, in truth, where the tournament really caught light. for all of us, i think it is like a dream come true, a childhood dream, getting out to a world cup with your mates, seeing wales play in the quarter final. it would be right up there, you know, it is such an important match for us. but the highest hopes were extinguished. wales knocked out by argentina. before ireland lost a classic

against the all blacks. england were the only home nation to make it to the semifinals, although few gave them too much chance against south africa. i wouldn't put my mortgage on it but why not, yeah. - i think everyone is writing us off too early. i think we are not as bad as everyone is making. to england�*s credit, they got within a point. heroic defeat, but defeat nonetheless. the final was another epic. south africa somehow again finding enough to see off old rivals new zealand. champions for a record fourth time. here in october, manchester and football was in mourning as it said goodbye to an england icon. sir bobby charlton passed away, prompting an outpouring of tributes. just days later, one of the year�*s most shocking sports stories, as ice hockey player adam johnson died following an incident during a match in sheffield.

october was a busy month for rugby league. wigan were once again crowned super league men�*s champions. the cherry and whites are on top. york valkyrie triumphing in the women�*s competition. the domestic season then made way for autumn internationals. england�*s men�*s series clean sweep over tonga the headline act. max verstappen was once again crowned world champion in what was the most one—sided formula 1 season in years. the twists and turns? well, they were saved for antwerp. jake jarman taking gold at the gymnastics world championships. but all the attention was back on simone biles. four gold medals making her the most decorated gymnast the sport has ever seen. november brought the climax of the cricket world cup. defending champions england, by their own admission, were dismal, whilst india�*s dream of lifting the trophy on home soil was dashed in the final by australia. an incredible year for their cricketers. a remarkable year for sport.

and the winner of the 2023 bbc | sports personality of the year is. from nottingham, mary earps! cheering and applause. for me, ifeel like this is, you know, the ultimate all—round sporting accolade. and i think, us as lionesses and obviously, united as well, we have had an incredible couple of years but this is just. yeah, wow. hello. the winds have been howling across northern britain today. and in the south of the country it has been one of the mildest christmas eves on record. temperatures have exceeded 15 celsius. and we may have beaten records, as well, but the met office will verify that in due course. here is the forecast, then, for the night.

still some wet weather out towards the west and the south, winds easing in scotland and northern england. pretty chilly here in the highlands, close to freezing, but look how mild it is elsewhere, 8—12 celsius. now, to sum up christmas day, it is going to be overall cloudy with outbreaks of rain and very mild indeed. if there is any chance of a white christmas, it is going to happen across the scottish highlands. in fact, here in the north, some snow possible around lunchtime, possible also for braemar with temperatures not far off freezing. but by the time you get to edinburgh and glasgow, it is much too mild. showers of rain here. showers and some sunny spells for belfast. cloudy conditions there for the lakes and lancashire. and lunchtime on christmas day is wet across wales, the midlands, and indeed much of the south. breezy, cloudy, with rain at times. if you want an evening walk and dry weather, you might have to wait for a while before that weather front clears away towards the east. how about boxing day? it is looking very promising indeed.

well, there is a lull in the weather. the winds will die down, some sunshine there for belfast, liverpool, for hull. in the south i think some hazy sun. if you want a dry walk, do it quick in the south—west because rain should reach you by the early afternoon, and that is a precursor of a rather large and strong area of low pressure. strong winds and very heavy rain coming our way midweek. in fact, look at all of that rain sweeping across the country. yes, that is snow across the pennines, across the highlands as well. gales in the south and the west. a really unpleasant picture, and of course many of us will be travelling through wednesday and into thursday again. so, bear in mind the weather could turn rough midweek, certainly wednesday, that will last into thursday, as well. heavy rain, snow across the mountains in the north, gales for many of us, and travel disruption is possible. here is the outlook that takes us into 2024, so the 1st of january. and indeed it has a very unsettled one. from me, it is a merry christmas.

live from london, this is bbc news. gaza�*s health ministry says at least 70 people have been killed in an air strike on al—maghazi refugee camp. pope francis appeals for peace in the middle east during a christmas eve mass

at the vatican. manchester united confirm british billionaire sirjim ratcliffe has agreed to buy a 25% stake in the club in a deal worth over 1.5 billion dollars. we start in gaza, where the health ministry says at least 70 people have been killed in an israeli air strike at al maghazi refugee camp in central gaza. the injured were taken to al aqsa hospital in deir al—balah. the health ministry says the strike hit three houses and the death toll is likely to rise given the large number of families living the area. the health ministry says more 20,1100 have been killed since the war began in october. we are hoping to get more from our

correspondent in the next hour.