and reflects on his cancer treatment. i offer special, heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family. pope francis uses his traditional christmas message to call for peace in ukraine and gaza — and describes the humanitarian situations there "extremely grave". officials in kazakhstan say 38 passengers died in the crash landing of an azerbaijan airlines flight. and these are live pictures from hawaii — as one of the world's most active volcanoes erupts again. hello, i'm sarah campbell. king charles has given his

annual christmas day speech, where he paid tribute to the doctors and nurses for the care they've provided to him and the princess of wales during their cancer treatment this year. he called for unity after the summer riots in the uk and made a plea for peace in the middle east, central europe and africa. this year's christmas broadcast was delivered in the fitzrovia chapel in london, the first time a venue outside a royal residence had been used for over a decade. let's first hear what he said about his treatment. i offer special heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who this year have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and the anxieties of illness and have helped provide the strength, care, and comfort we have needed. i am deeply grateful to all of those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement.

as conflicts rage throughout europe, africa and the middle east, the king acknowledged the work of humanitarian organisations helping those most in need around the world. on this christmas day we cannot help but think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict in the middle east, in central europe, in africa and elsewhere, pose a daily threat to so many people's lives and livelihoods. we also think of the humanitarian organisations working tirelessly to bring vital relief. and here in the uk, the king praised the efforts of those who had sought to build bridges between communities after the summer riots, following the stabbings southport in which three girls were killed. (tx sot i felt a deep sense of pride here in the united kingdom when, in response to anger and lawlessness in several towns this summer, communities came together. not to repeat these

behaviours but to repair, to repair notjust buildings but relationships. and, most importantly, to repair trust by listening and, through understanding, deciding how to act for the good of all. earlier the royalfamily attended the traditional christmas service at church in sandringham. king charles was accompanied by the prince and princess of wales — and their children — and other senior royals. prince andrew did not attend, after it was confirmed earlier this week that he would not be joining the family at sandringham. let's speak to the royal commentator, kelly swaby. thank you forjoining us. it has been such an extraordinary year, i cannot remember one like it and i have been

covering the royals for well over a decade. what do you make of this speech? there was a lot of this speech? there was a lot of expectation that he would mention his health concerns, which he did, but overall the message was one of overall positivity. message was one of overall positivity-— message was one of overall positivity. yes so as you say we all expected _ positivity. yes so as you say we all expected him - positivity. yes so as you say we all expected him to - positivity. yes so as you say i we all expected him to address his cancer diagnosis but he spent a lot less time talking about his self than any of us were expecting. we expected a large part of the speech to be about his diagnosis but it wasn't, it was about community spirit, but it was one of community spirit, coming together, it very much ties in with the christmas spirit as a whole so it was as to be expected but there were some surprises in there.— surprises in there. there were some very _ surprises in there. there were some very direct _ surprises in there. there were some very direct comments, i some very direct comments, weren't there, you sometimes had to read between the lines to get the messages from

christmas messages, but it was very clear is about community, about the southport riots, he was talking about the conflict going on around the world, potentially difficult issues. with the late queen's christmas messages you had to read between the lines but king charles is a lot more direct. we have always known him to be quite to the point, he's always got involved in things that he perhaps shouldn't have done but he saw has been outspoken in his christmas message ties in with him being as he is a person he did mention the conflict in the middle east thatis conflict in the middle east that is a direct message to gaza, and conflict in general. it tied in with him going to the d—day commemorations over normandy this year. that was very much a direct reference to something that is controversial, it can divide people's opinions was a battle of the southport riots, again, it would have been not a very wise choice not to have mentioned it, it is one of the

most important thing to happen this year, he was very much involved in the aftermath of the 2011 riots in tottenham. he went to community sentence. so he has experienced it before so he has experienced it before so he is in the value of community spirit after things like that have happened. so, it was very direct, but i think it's very charles. direct, but i think it's very charlee— charles. what about the location? _ charles. what about the location? is _ charles. what about the location? is the - charles. what about the location? is the first - charles. what about the l location? is the first time charles. what about the . location? is the first time it has been filmed outside of one of the main royal residences since 2006. i of the main royal residences since 2006.— of the main royal residences since 2006. i absolutely loved the location, _ since 2006. i absolutely loved the location, to _ since 2006. i absolutely loved the location, to be _ since 2006. i absolutely loved the location, to be honest. - since 2006. i absolutely loved the location, to be honest. i. the location, to be honest. i really liked the fact that the three christmas broadcasts have that he has done have all been different locations. the first ones at the case where the late queen is buried, last year at buckingham palace. an issue at the chapel, a direct reference to the health issues that he and the princess wells have been through this year. i like the idea of taking the christmas message out of a

royal met residents, it adds more... going to different locations throughout the uk, are really making a lot more intimate than it has been in previous years where it has just been at buckingham palace. in terms of the location, absolutely loved it. the symbolism as well, because that chapel also has links to george v. chapel also has links to george v, his great—grandfather, so it has a lot of royal links. very wise choice.— has a lot of royal links. very wise choice. will have to leave it there, wise choice. will have to leave it there. good _ wise choice. will have to leave it there, good to _ wise choice. will have to leave it there, good to you. - pope francis has delivered his traditional christmas day blessing. speaking from the central balcony of st. peter's basilica to thousands of people in the square below, he delivered his traditional christmas day "urbi et orbi" — an address to the city and the world. in his speech, the pope called for talks between ukraine and russia to end the war that followed moscow's full—scale invasion over two years ago, and he also renewed his call for a ceasefire in the israel—gaza war and the release of the remaining israeli hostages held by hamas. translation: in the middle east

and contemplating the crib - of bethlehem, i think of the christian communities in israel and palestine and particularly to the dear community of gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely grave. may there be a ceasefire. may the hostages be released and aid be given to the people worn out by hunger and by war. in the middle east, hamas and israel have blamed each other for delays in the latest attempt at a ceasefire deal. hamas accused the israeli government on wednesday of imposing "new conditions" that it said were delaying the agreement while israel's prime minister said that the group is going back on understandings that have already been reached. despite rounds of indirect talks, israel and hamas have agreed just once on a truce. it lasted for one week at the end of last year.

shaimaa khalil is injerusalem. hello to you. just looking at dispatches earlier this week, palestinian negotiators told the bbc that talks were 90% complete bar a few issue so what seems to have broken down? it's really interesting because you hear the pope's message and you hear the pope's message and you hear the pope's message and you hear his prayers and his thoughts of the christian communities in israel, in palestine, and especially in gaza, praying for a ceasefire, praying that the hostages go back home and you think these prayers are so needed because in reality, the families of those waiting for their loved ones are going to have to wait longer now. because the ceasefire negotiations have yet again been delayed. we have been hearing from both hamas and israel about essentially

accusations and counter accusations. emmas said that israel has set more conditions when it comes to the ceasefire, when it comes to the ceasefire, when it comes to the exchange of prisoners, when it comes to the return of the displaced in gaza. these three issues are very thorny, complicated, very technical in the way that they would be conducted and negotiators on both sides would have worked weeks and weeks and months and months on of them. what hamas is now saying is that this has delayed the negotiations further. the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has said that the hamas negotiators renege on a things that they agreed on before, that they agreed on before, that they agreed on before, that they were lying, that they were hampering the talks. spare a thought for the people in gaza who are desperate for a ceasefire, for this violence and relentless shelling to stop but also for aid, badly needed

aid, to come in. yet again, the un and other agencies have said that gaza specific areas are on the fringe of a famine. but spare a thought for their families in israel waiting for word on when their loved ones might come back home. that, told a few days ago, in a notable change of tone from the israeli government, from the prime minister's office, that israel negotiators have come back from qatar after significant negotiations, palestinian negotiators telling the bbc that its 90% there bar a few issues, that has now changed and they say that the talks are continuing but it does feel like it's back to the drawing board. one more issue i want to add, one model element, one of the real crucial sticking points is israeli forces presence in the philadelphia rider, a crucial strip of land which is a buffer zone between gaza and egypt. today, the israeli defence minister was there and he had a message saying that the

security in gaza is going to be “p security in gaza is going to be up to the idf, up to the israeli forces, there will be no hamas presence there. when you hear that you know that the negotiations are still far off. just tell us about the impact on the regents of you have been travelling around, you happen to bethlehem, a town whose name is so synonymous with christmas, but again this year, very little sign of celebration. it very little sign of celebration.- very little sign of celebration. , , celebration. it is interesting because i — celebration. it is interesting because i was _ celebration. it is interesting because i was in _ celebration. it is interesting because i was in bethlehem celebration. it is interesting - because i was in bethlehem last year when christmas was cancelled for the first time out of respect and deep sorrow, of course, because of the war in gaza and you go back this year and i was speaking to people that i was speaking to last year and they say that this year feels worst because the hope is fading on when this is going to end a soppy feel that the people in bethlehem are torn, on the one hand they feel that the city is a shadow of itself, no celebrations, no famous christmas tree, no tourists, no pilgrims and a lot of local businesses are struggling to make ends meet and yet they feel that they

cannot celebrate. one local woman said had how —— how can we celebrate when i buy citizens are being killed in gaza. you walk around and feel like people are trying to keep the christmas spirit and this is where the whole world looks too, to bethlehem. this is where the christmas ceremonies happen of course, and they were quite muted and it does feel like a shadow of its former self. . ~ , ., like a shadow of its former self. . ~' , ., , like a shadow of its former self. . ~ ,, , . officials in kazakhstan say 38 people have been killed after a crash landing of an azerbaijan airlines flight. the plane went down outside the city of aktau as it was was flying from the capital, baku, to grozny in chechnya. jonathan josephs reports. this dramatic amateur footage captures the moments just before the crash. the azerbaijan airlines plane seems to be descending with some speed, and at a steep angle. experts suggest the pilots were struggling for control as they approached aktau. they had been diverted because of bad weather at the original destination of grozny, in southern russia.

the kazakh authorities say 150 emergency personnel were sent to the scene. the front half, including the wings and fuel tanks, were engulfed in fire. the force of the impact split the aircraft in two. the rear, despite coming to rest upside down, is mostly intact. some passengers remarkably walked away from what must have been a horrifying experience. translation: at 11.30. information was received about a plane crash three kilometres from the airport. additional emergency resources were sent, and at 12:05 the fire had been extinguished. there were 67 people, including five crew, onboard. many have not survived what should have been been a routine flight of less than 90 minutes. most were were azeri citizens, with others from russia, kazakhstan and kyrgyzstan. the plane was an 11—year—old embraer e190. the brazilian company has

a strong safety record, and says it is preparing to send teams to help with the investigation. it has expressed its sympathies for all those involved, and their loved ones. now the focus will be on trying to recover the flight data recorders, which should give investigators more information as they try to work out what caused this plane to come down. they will also be keen to speak to the survivors, who are coming to terms with their miraculous escape. jonathan josephs, bbc news. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

president zelensky has condemned russia's large—scale missile attacks across ukraine on christmas day as inhmane. he said russia had launched over 70 missiles and 100 drones at ukraine's energy system in what he called a "conscious choice" to launch the attacks at xmas.

ukraine's air force says it downed 59 of the missiles and more than half of the drones. the mayor of kharkiv, in the northeast of the country, said at least three people were injured and that civilian infrastructure had been damaged. in recent months, russia has been intensifying its attacks on ukraine's energy system, and has accelerated its advance across the east of the country. from kyiv, our correspondent will vernon has the latest developments ukrainians woke on this christmas morning to the sounds of sirens and explosions as russia launched a huge barrage of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones, too, at ukrainian cities. and they were targeting the energy infrastructure. ukrainian energy providers say that their repair crews were out fixing the damage but hourly power outages should be expected across the country. half a million people in the kharkiv region in the east were left without power. now, a little bit earlier president zelensky released

a statement, he vowed to restore the grid and thanked those who protect ukraine's skies. he said that russian evil would not break ukraine and would not spoil christmas. these kinds of attacks, happen every day. ukrainian cities are attacked by drones and missiles all the time but this was a particularly large scale attack and, of course, it came on christmas morning. the archbishop of york, stephen cottrell, has focused on the importance of actions over words in his christmas sermon. he will shortly take interim charge of the church of england, which is facing criticism over its handling of abuse scandals. our religion editor, aleem maqbool reports give hope peace and joy as part of his plan. christmas is when the church is at its most prominent in british life, and its most joyous. churches up and down the country are filled with the story of hope defying

darkness, but this year there is a troubled backdrop, and local clergy are hearing the frustration. it is just a magical time for the community. but this month has been really hard to be in the church of england, because of all that is going on. it is an institution that is probably in crisis, really. last month, justin welby resigned as head of the church after a report pointed out his failings in dealing with a prolific child abuser. with no christmas sermon from the archbishop of canterbury, all eyes were on york minster and the archbishop of york, stephen cottrell, but he, too, is now under scrutiny for the handling of a child abuser in his charge, though he says he did everything he could. in his sermon he said that people needed to do more than just talk and needed to act. to put the needs of others first. those that are cold and hungry this christmas.

those who are victims of abuse and exploitation. ijust feel that he's not the right person to give that message at this time. she doesn't want to be identified but one of the abuse victims of the priest that worked for nine years under steven cottrell despite his knowledge of the serious concerns about him says it is now hard to listen to the archbishop preach. ijust feel that he hasn't really thought about how victims would feel in this context, and how he is happy to be the voice of the church moving into christmas, when all i see when i see him, is a man that has let me and many victims down. some bishops chose to directly address the church crisis in their messages but not the archbishop of york. after his service he greeted members of his

congregation. given that the criticism of church leaders, there will be some who heard the archbishop preach in his words about the inadequacies of those who talk a good game but whose words aren't embodied in actions and will do so with some sense of irony this christmas. in the uk, a 39—year—old man has died after being shot by police in worcestershire. officers were called to an address in redditch after concerns were raised about the safety of a man with a knife. west mercia police said a negotiator spent "several hours" dealing with the incident. the force has referred itself to the independent office for police conduct. today might be christmas day, but it is also the first day of the jewish festival of hanukkah. commonly known as christmukkah , it celebrates two festivals of great miracles in both religions, meaning a day of epic celebrations for mixed jewish—christian families.

tamzin kraftman reports. christmukkah, once a joke made byjews in largely christian countries, has become a reality for many across the world. as for the first time in almost 20 years, christmas and hanukkah are falling on the same day. 1531 00:22:14,208 --> 00