this is bbc world news. i'm reged ahmad. our top stories: christians in the city of mosul are celebrating christmas for the first time since 2014, after islamic state was driven out of the iraqi city. the russian opposition politician alexei navalny says he's gathered enough support to stand against vladimir putin in next year's presidential election. turkey's government sacks thousands more public employees linked to last year's failed coup and announces plans to hire thousands more to replace them. and midnight mass is taking place at the church of the nativity, in bethlehem against a backdrop of heightened regional tension. hello and welcome to bbc world news. christians in mosul are celebrating their first christmas since the city was taken by islamic state militants in 2014.

is persecuted and drove out christians, while many others of all faiths who stayed were brutally oppressed. iraqi forces retook the city injuly this year. more than ten thousand civilians are thought to have been killed in the battle to retake mosul, according to a recent investigation by the associated press. alan johnston reports. they gathered in mosul‘s cathedral, marking a christmas they will never forget, the first christmas after the war. under the rule of the islamic state militants, this would have been impossible. there could be no christian worship in public. the community was persecuted and many fled. this was a coming together, not just christians. muslims helped to prepare the church for this special service.