you're watching bbc news. the headlines. the queen pays tribute to "unsung heroes" who do "small acts of goodness" in her christmas message. i often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things. volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours. but she's forced to miss the christmas day church service at sandringham because of a heavy cold. 11 bodies have been recovered from the black sea after a russian military plane crashes, killing all 92 people on board. chile lifts a tsunami alert after a powerful earthquake strikes off the coast. also in the next hour, in his christmas day sermon the archbishop of canterbury says the last year has left the world "awash with division and fear". pope francis calls for a new effort for peace between israel and the palestinians, at his christmas mass from the vatican. coming up on bbc news we look back

at the incredible british successes at the incredible british successes at the incredible british successes at the rio olympic and paralympic games. that is gold rush in rio. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the queen has missed her annual christmas day visit to church because of a heavy cold. other members of the royal family, including the duke of edinburgh, attended the service at sandringham without her. in her traditional christmas broadcast, the queen focussed on the theme of "inspiration". our royal correspondent, nicholas witchell, reports. christmas day service at sandringham

church, this year, without the queen. other members of the family including the duke of edinburgh attended, but the queen remained at sandringham house, continuing to recover from what buckingham palace has described as a heavy cold. after the service the family appeared to be relaxed. the queen's absence is understood to have been precautionary. there is no sense of due concern. also absent from sandringham this year, the duke and duchess of cambridge and their children, george and charlotte. they attended church at bucklebury, berkshire, where they spent the day with the family of the duchess, the middletons. inspiration was the theme of this year was my christmas broadcast by the queen, which was recorded at buckingham palace some days ago. she cited achievements of olympic and paralympic athletes and said that she also drew inspiration from daily life. i often draw

strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things. volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours. unsung heroes who quiet dedication them special. she recalled this had been the year of her 90th birthday and pay tribute to the inspiring work of charities with which she has been associated. she said much more could be achieved globally by acting with others. it's understandable that we sometimes think the world's problems are such that we can do little to help. on our own, we cannot end walls or wipe injustice. but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine. her own life, she said, had been guided by the inspiring message of christianity. the example of the

small things with great love, whoever does them, and what ever they themselves believe. it was broadcast by a monarch who, although in usually indisposed this christmas, shows little sign of yielding to the passage of years. for the queen this year that has been that significant 90th birthday and some lightening of the workload, but there is no expectation whatsoever that she will step away from the core duties of her role as monarch and head of state. the appearance, nonappearance at sandringham church, the first time for many years that she has not appeared at that service, no sense of anju concern. i think we can take from the demeanour of the family including the duke of edinburgh, who

also had this heavy cold, that they all looked very relaxed and certainly, buckingham palace officials indicating that there is in no way any cause for alarm. it was a protective move, giving that she is the age that she is, it was felt better that she should remain indoors and not go out to church, although it will have disappointed many people who made the journey to go to sandringham. not only did they not see the queen, they didn't see prince william did duchess of cambridge or george or charlotte, who, coincidentally this year, spent today with the family in berks. —— with the middleton family in berks. ii bodies have been recovered after a russian military plane with more than 90 people on board crashed into the black sea. the plane was carrying 64 members of the renowned red army choir and was heading from sochi to latakia in syria. russian president vladimir putin has declared a day of mourning tomorrow. from moscow, steve rosenberg sent this report.

this is one of the final images of the tupolev—isii jet. it was taken by a journalist before he boarded the plane. the flight would end in tragedy. the aircraft crashed into the black sea. the russians scrambled helicopters and ships but the search became a recovery operation. there were no survivors. the plane had taken off from a military airfield near moscow. it flew south, stopping in sochi to refuel. the final destination was syria, and russia's airbase near latakia, but minutes after leaving sochi, it crashed. president putin offered condolences to the families of the victims and offered them his full support. on board were more than 60 members of the russian army's famous song and dance ensemble, once known as the red army choir. they had been due to give a concert at the russian airbase in syria. also killed in the crash was a

prominent humanitarian and medic, known to millions of russians as dr lisa. most civilian airlines have stopped using the tupolev—isii, once the workhorse of the russian aviation industry. in 2010, a tupolev—isii carrying the polish president crashed in russia, while trying to land. the following year, a similar plane caught fire in siberia before take—off. throughout the day, muscovites brought flowers to the headquarters of the red army choir. this disaster has left russia stunned and silent. the kremlin has promised a thorough investigation into this tragedy and monday has been declared a day of national mourning. olga ivshina of the bbc russian service told me more about the reaction in russia. this is a deep shock for most

russians because the red army choir a lwa ys russians because the red army choir always receives a warm welcome oliver russia and also on board this plane there was a very famous doctor, a famous humanitarian activist in russia. she was doing a lot to help children who suffer from the war in eastern ukraine. she was also helping hospitals in syria. still she was a humanitarian activist and was loved and adored by many in russia. tsunami alert has been lifted by chilly after the quake off the cars. the quake struck near my credit. there are no reports of substantial damage or casualties. church leaders have used their christmas sermons to reflect on the emotional impact of global events in 2016. the archbishop of canterbury,

justin welby, told his congregation that the end of the year leaves people in a less predictable world. martin bashir reports. entering canterbury cathedral in time—honoured fashion, archbishop justin welby focused his christmas day sermon on the uncertainty and division that has marked both domestic and international politics over the last year. the end of 2016 fines is all in a different kind of world, one that is less predictable and certain, which feels more awash with fear and division. even on to suggest that oui’ division. even on to suggest that our anxiety is a clear sign that placing our trust in material prosperity has failed. the uncertainty of our world, of our feelings, tells us that our values are in the wrong place. in rome,

where additional security was in place following the bowling attack, but francis focused on the plight of children, pleading with all parties to end the conflict in syria. —— following the bell in attack. translation: it is time for weapons to be stored for ever and the international community to actively seeka international community to actively seek a negotiated solution so that civil coexistence can be restored in the country. but francis concluded by appealing for christians to stand as people of compassion and self—sacrifice. —— pope francis. our rome correspondent david willey listened to the pope's message and gave us this update. it is not entirely unexpected that he devoted his message to the city of rome and the problem of world peace.

he lamented the fact that there is so much conflict going on, wherever you look in the world — the middle east, africa, his native latin america. and even he referred to the conflict still going on between north and south korea, the fact that there has been no end to the state of war which has existed for decades between those two countries. he says without peace, there is no future for the world. people have to resolve their conflicts. and then he went on to talk in a much more personal way about all of those who have suffered, not only those who have suffered from violence, he mentioned, he mentioned the berlin terrorist attack, but also the children who have been suffering in syria. the children who have been suffering in other ways as well, brought over from africa across the mediterranean

on these overcrowded boats, many of them losing their lives. and the children who are hungry because they are malnourished. a world war ii bomb that caused the evacuation of 50,000 residents of the german city of augsburg has been defused. this was the biggest evacuation in germany for an unexploded bomb since the end of the war. the british bomb is thought to be the legacy of an allied air raid in 1944 which destroyed the old town. you're watching bbc news. the headlines: the queen has paid tribute to unsung heroes such as carers in volunteers in her christmas message. she was forced to miss church early this morning because of a court. 11 bodies have been recovered from the

black sea after a russian military plane crashed, killing all 92 people on board. there is no longer any threat of a tsunami in southern chilly after a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit off the codes. emergency services say that there have been no fatalities. —— chilly. christmas is a time for family, but if you don't have one it can be difficult. the poet lemn sissay knows exactly how that feels. he was fostered as a baby but when he turned 12 his foster family gave him up. he spent the next five years in and out of children's homes. that's why each year he organises special christmas dinners for young people who've left care. jayne mccubbin went to meet him as he prepared for one of those dinners in hackney. not everyone has someone at christmas. this isn't my... you're better with words. i'm better with words. lemn sissay understands this. author, poet, broadcaster, orphan. there was nobody there. you were on your own? yeah, i was on my own. if i visited a friend's house, i often felt i was the boy with no family who was going to visit families, you know? # jingle bells, jingle all the way.# here in hackney, he's getting ready for one of his care leavers‘ christmas dinners — a project that has grown from one city to five cities in four years. all of the gifts here have been donated by strangers,

and all the parties will all be run by volunteers. do we really not know the words tojingle bells? the only reason we do the christmas dinner is so that those young care leavers go away with a memory that they can look onto next year. that's all christmas is — it's the making of a memory for you to look onto next year. so we all come around the christmas dinner table and we all remember, "we did this last year, and it was incredible". for a lot of care leavers, the memory was a bad one from the year before. we are creating memories. this is his passion, and for the team, that passion is infectious. this is amanda, who is sorting everybody out. am i right? we have 20 volunteers — 60 young people, four hairstylists, artists, musicians, social workers

coming down to do a really amazing christmas day for young people. it's gonna be amazing. this is sabrina, who is the hair woman and stylist, and she is pretty incredible! as a care leaver myself, i know how important it is to give self—esteem and to feel like people care. this incredible man is ryan. ryan is going to be the chef for the evening. when i was 14 i went into temporary foster care for a weekend, and it sort of turned into nearly five years. christmas is about family, and not everyone is lucky enough to have it. the best part of the day was sitting down and having a meal with everyone, getting to know people. messages from previous dinners showjust how much they mean to care leavers. everyone looks happy. i won't ever forget this day! everything was spot on.

amazed by it, amazed by everything. i hope they have one next year as well! and that is totally the plan. all: merry christmas! one year on since their arrival in the uk, the bbc has caught up with a syrian family who were one of the first to be brought over as part of the government's vulnerable persons resettlement programme. the ayo family now lives in coventry, but it's a big change. two of their children have visible scars from a suicide bomb. frankie mccamley reports on how they're settling in to their new home. a year on, and with a new addition to the family, this couple and their two young children were among the first to come to the country under a government scheme to resettle vulnerable refugees. translation: it is a big change for us.

it made us forget our concerns, especially for the little girls. they are much happier now. the uk has been good for us. the only issue is the language, but we are trying to learn. but it is very different from our country. the family have spent the year settling into their new home in coventry. translation: the community is nice, the people are quite nice. we miss home for sure, but what can we do? the children go to school, they are happy. we are happy. they were forced to leave syria after a bomb exploded while out with others celebrating a kurdish spring festival. their nine—year—old and six—year—old were left seriously injured. they were taken to iraq for urgent treatment before being brought to this country. the government pledged to resettle an extra 20,000 refugees last year.

more than 150 people are making this city their new home. the girls are at a school in the local area. it's really fun, and they teach us really well. the teachers are good. it is really good. both still need to undergo surgery, but, for this family, their focus is on their new lives and what the future may bring. staff in a hospital in the american city albuquerque have been making the most of the special deliveries this christmas. new born babies have been keeping warm inside stockings. it's become something of a tradition and volunteers say that some parents still have their stockings even though their children have grown up.

although it seems not everyone this year was equally impressed by their festive outfits. barbara taylor bradford was macbooks are devoured by her fans around the world. we know how attractive family sagas can be and how addictive, and how in the cavendock lock she leaves story of families and their part in the war in europe. it ends just after ve day, when the families have been reshaped by war. welcome. why do you think people are so drawn

to family stories? there is no more dangerous place in the world than being in the middle of a big family. really. because you have got every emotion going. and everyone understands the truth of family difficulties. that is right, they do. people have liked this new series because it's slightly historical. the first book starts in 1913. there is curiosity about what people did in earlier days, did they live like us or are they different? they are trying to make comparisons. i have discovered, recently when i read somebody else's book that went back to ancient rome, after finishing it i said that my husband, i have just read about now, here in london and in new york. human nature

does not change. in the cavendock lock you are dealing at the beginning with the story of world war ii. the time between the last year of peace and ve day. and that isa year of peace and ve day. and that is a period that is beginning to slip away. i was too young to remember that, much, but slip away. i was too young to rememberthat, much, but what slip away. i was too young to remember that, much, but what really struck me was the bravery of the ordinarily english and british men and women, dunkirk, for instance, when the boys were stranded on the beaches and the big ships couldn't get in, the sea was too shallow, and the admiralty broadcast and said anything that sales, get in it and come and get the boys. it is still a story that moves you. i cried when i wrote it. i had to put my own characters into that situation. we're talking about two intertwined families in yorkshire, your roane county. —— your own county. and in a

way people are reading this because they enjoyed the story of a family, downton abbey style, that is remote from their own experience, a different family from those people. why do people find it so fascinating? people want to know about the past, as i said in the beginning. i think it is a bit of escapism. they will do know, what was england like, then? in this book it is 1938 and there was a great deal of talk about why isn't what winston churchill the prime minister and why is neville chamberlain looking for appeasement? and the thing i hadn't realised until i did the research was that hitler really was fascinated by the british aristocracy. and he also thought we had the greatest secret service. and he wanted one the same. and then the

mitford girls, they were very involved with hitler. and diana mosley, the wife of oswald mosley, was always in berlin. i had forgotten all this, you see. i had read about it years ago. i've talked to diana mosley shortly before she died. this was on tape for the radio. i said, died. this was on tape for the radio. isaid, what died. this was on tape for the radio. i said, what would you say if hitler walked into this room now, and she said, with the big blue eyes, i should say, how very nice to see you. she probably would have! it isa see you. she probably would have! it is a vanished world. i wrote a book called 17 carnations recently and it was about that era. and one ribbentrop was the one who sent 17 carnations to mrs simpson to remember of the 17 times that they

had been intimately together, to put it politely. that really shook me up. i thought she had been entirely faithful to somebody called the prince of wales, but obviously not. you're fascinated what goes on behind the lace curtain. yes, that is where all the happiness, the i0ys. is where all the happiness, the joys, the tragedy, the anger, the envy, the hatred, the greed, any emotion you can name, and it is their and emotion you can name, and it is theirand ourfamily emotion you can name, and it is their and our family where there is only one child, and people find that strange, but i always write sagas and series about the family. they said maybe you wanted a brother and sister. and i said, oh, no, iwas very happy being an only child. you think families are always doomed to have to go through crises of rivalry, jealousy, that it is part

of our journey through rivalry, jealousy, that it is part of ourjourney through the veil of tea rs ? of ourjourney through the veil of tears? i think so. of ourjourney through the veil of tears? ithink so. it is of ourjourney through the veil of tears? i think so. it is what i said before. human nature exists and has existed since we got up on two legs and we were humans. is that what keeps you going? you have written a huge number of books, a marvellously —— marvellously successful writer, selling tens of millions of books around the world, and yet he did not wa nt to around the world, and yet he did not want to stop, you want to keep going. it is what i do. iam want to stop, you want to keep going. it is what i do. i am not a woman who has ever gone out, unless it is birthday or christmas, with the girl friends to celebrate something, i went to work on a newspaper when i was 15 and a half, so... newspaper when i was 15 and a half, so... you have been writing since the age of 15, 16, almost every day. i sold my first short story when i was ten years old. as hemingway said you can only call yourself a writer when you're paid for it. so i was

paid at the age of ten. who bought it? it was a children's magazine who was always asking for contributions, and my mother liked this story and sent it to them. we were not looking for money, but i got ten shillings and sixpence. not bad for a ten—year—old! and sixpence. not bad for a ten-year-old! you find the business of writing, of taking a character and let that character develop and putting characters in different situations, you seem to just find that to be the stuff of life. someone said, how do you explain fiction? we know that nonfiction is usually history or biographies autobiography, how would you describe fiction, barbara? i said autobiography, how would you describe fiction, barbara? isaid it isa describe fiction, barbara? isaid it is a monumental lie that has to have the absolute ring of truth if it is going to succeed. and it is my research, and when you read about

wa i’s research, and when you read about wars and events of the period, that gives it that authenticity, and then i have got to invent characters and lives that never existed. it is like an adventure. is there going to be more of this saga to come? there will be one more book, the fourth book, i am starting in a few weeks. what is the next volume going to be called? secrets of cavendon. the have always been lots of secrets in this family. so somebody gets their hands on one of those books of secrets, and there is a deadly secrets, and there is a deadly secret that he is going to reveal, because he's a bad person. secret that he is going to reveal, because he's a bad personm secret that he is going to reveal, because he's a bad person. it is one thing that every family has, secrets. yes. barbara taylor bradford, thank you. thank you, again. we will cross the newsroom to

speak to tomasz about the weather. never mind the weather, we have not exchanged presents yet. i will be down there in about ten minutes! it is mild. there is a change on the way. it is going to turn quite a bit colder across northern parts of the uk over the next few days. boxing day overall is looking quite sunny for at least the southern two thirds of the country. tonight, this cold front is sweeping south, introducing fresher, crisp air. raging gales at the moment across the northern isles, in excess of 80 miles an hour, and it is thanks to this, storm conor, which is making its

presence felt, and will do into boxing day. clearer air following behind this storm. look at all that lovely sunshine across most of england, wales and northern ireland. it will be breezy by the time we get to about here. gales in scotland with frequent showers, some of them wintry. beyond that, into next week, it looks pretty misty and murky. this is bbc news at 7:30. the queen pays tribute to what she calls "unsung heroes" such as carers and volunteers in her christmas message. i often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things. volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours. the queen missed the christmas day church service at sandringham, as she has a heavy cold. the duke of edinburgh and other royals were at holy communion

on the norfolk estate. meanwhile, in berkshire, the duke and duchess of cambridge are spending christmas with kate's family, the middletons.