there's a lot of. d.w. dot com the germans. this is the news live from pope francis appeals to the world's conscience this christmas at midnight mass in rome he says faith calls upon the faithful to give immigrants a generous welcome the pontiff also compares the plight of today's not like roots to the biblical figures of mary and joseph who struggled themselves to find shelter

on that journey. also on this program cruz imprisoned former leader better for he modi is granted a pardon on medical grounds but protesters called the move an insult to those killed during his decade in power. and is this the most expensive plastic christmas tree in the world some people in serbia certainly think so we find out why it's branched out into political control the city. of a spring a good to have you with us in rome pope francis has used his christmas eve mass to issue a strong defense of immigrants saying that religious faith obliges believers to welcome my quince addressing a huge audience at some peter's basilica he described the desperation. by those who

flee their own land and compared their plight to that of the biblical figures of mary and joseph. was already known as an outspoken reformer the pope had a clear message he compared mary and joseph journey to bethlehem with the mass migration seen today. the holy couple had arrived he said at a place where there was no room for them to stay. many other footsteps hidden in the steps of joseph and mary. we see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. we see the tracks of millions and you do not choose to go away. driven from the land to leave behind that dia warned us but i received a euro coyote. faith said the pope demands that foreigners be welcomed.

some ten thousand worshippers joined the midnight mass amid the splendor of st peter's basilica. many more followed the service from the square outside where security had been stepped up the eighty one year old pontiff message went down well among the faithful i think that the pope signifies a lot of hope for a lot of people and he has the power to bring a lot of people together. religion and through faith and i hope that. the people would be more forgiving. the words one another whatever their religion is more accepting. so that we will all live in harmony. the pope support for refugees has already put him at odds with politicians later on christmas day francis will deliver his

blessing to the city of rome and the world. at all be. just months ago the iraqi city of mosul was an islamic state stronghold a place drained of its residents as they fled the violence of violence extremists now though with driven out many coming back including mosul christians on sunday hundreds of them attended the first christmas service since the city was liberated . i. i christmas mass in mosul. by year ago it would have been unthinkable back then the city was under the firm grip of the so-called islamic state. but since the militants were driven out in july more and more christians have been returning home. to the us and are met with without peace there is no life after optic tree over

islamic state messages that we missed old cold the peace the first in our hearts until it can be reflected on the outside. it's been six months since the iraqi army drove i ass out of mosul replacing the militants flag with the national flag of iraq. but the city landscape has changed a little since the fighting ended large parts of mosul are still in ruins. and. we had such a nice house not anymore. when we came back everything had been looted even our children's clothes were gone and now it's into. this used to be a christian orphanage before i asked took it either as a command post is that luka he said. her. it's a somber service with tribute paid to those killed under i ask. the first christmas

mass in four years also brings hope of a peaceful future for mosul. thirty we're going to catch up now and some of the other stories making the news around the world at least six people have been killed in a suicide bombing in the afghan capital kabul the blast occurred near an office belonging to the country's national intelligence agency injuring the morning rush hour so-called islamic state has claimed. its ability. to news year has banned planes belonging to the dubai online emirates from landing in its capital tunis officials there say they're responding to moves by the united arab emirates to block to his young women from flying to transiting through the u.a.e. for security reasons the measure has bottomed out to try among two nations. people in the philippines are clearing up the devastation left by tropical storm temby in the storm killed at least two hundred thirty people and displaced tens of thousands

has strengthened to a typhoon over the south china sea that is now heading for vietnam. and the president of guatemala jimmy murat this is his country will be following the u.s. example and moving its embassy in israel to jerusalem to all that was one of only eight nations just saw it with the u.s. in the united nations general assembly vote last week that rejected president donald trump's decision. now the president of peru has pardoned the country's former leader. on medical grounds throughout the one nine hundred ninety s. for him already held an grip on power in peru but was later given a long prison sentence for crimes committed during his tenure the former strongman supporters a cheering his release but others condemning the move. more. hospital bed his son kenji reads out the text of the pardon for quote humanitarian reasons

citing doctors determination that he suffers from incurable and degenerative medical problems. i wasn't but on the streets of lima outrage at the pardon among human rights and left wing activists they say he should remain in jail. where totally opposed to the pardon because fujimori is a war criminal he sterilize women against their will and had union leaders and journalists killed. in that salute indignation we will never forget what has happened and what he has done little to stop that. anger to a current president pedre. he had promised not to pardon for he mari then last week he survived a no confidence vote in congress which is dominated by for him or his supporters. this pardon is illegal the medical report that supposedly backs up this decision is a fraud it's all part of a political deal between the foci mores and kocinski as party we reject decision

here's a list. but frankly mori also has a large following supporters celebrated his release at the hospital where he'd been taken on saturday straight from prison. he reportedly has cardiovascular problems it's the most part we are extremely happy just as has been done for the best president peru has ever had the man who gave us pace and defeated terrorism. seen here in file footage was president throughout the one nine hundred ninety s. he's credited with defeating the leftist shining path insurgency and restoring economic stability but he was authoritarian he once suspended the constitution and shut down congress transparency international has ranked him among the world's most corrupt heads of state. for he maurice supporters may now be rejoicing but his release has reopened old wounds and threatens to further destabilize the country.

was there. now if you follow the gulf you'll know that martin kaymer has long been the big name in german golf but that may be about to change he's facing a challenge from a player hardly known in germany shall flee he's ranked twenty fifth in the world he won the u.s. p.g.a. tour championship back in september and experts are saying he could be the next big thing in general golf a tale of two names in the u.s. he's known as zander softly his name is german virtue. so for the technically he's germany's best goal for. his father and coach stephane moved from stepped up to san diego thirty years ago and told him everything except for the language. growing up in a household of a german father is definitely something i learned right away discipline and respect and honesty are things that you know our family values very much and you know he

kind of that's how he brought me up to play golf as well as your sport runs in the show for the family. in stuttgart a local sports hole bears the name of his great grandfather bishop shuffler nicknamed molly he was a professional footballer and athlete in the one nine hundred twenty s. later he became a city councilor and deputy mayor father stefan moved to the u.s. in tragic circumstances he was an aspiring to kathleen hoping to compete at the olympics but lost vision in this left eye after a drunk driver hit him with his car when he was just twenty three. the dove world in your mind. has been always given it destroyed my dream of hope here so i emigrated to the us. while i was studying i lived next to a golf course and i realized it was a great school because the ball doesn't move towards you and i can't tennis for its ability to convene squash out of my tennis and so i tried. to say beyond sort of

what followed was a california dream zanda became a professional golfer and is now faced with a difficult choice compete for germany or the usa at the twenty twenty tokyo olympics so far he hasn't decided to grow up here in the us most of my friends are american of course you know my good friends and my father is german or half at least and it's a tricky situation a situation far more complex than choosing between zander and alexandre. i would. seasonal festivities in serbia have been marred by outrage over this tree it's an extremely expensive artificial christmas tree residents in the capital belgrade have joined protests against the mayor over it accusing him of corruption. oh tanenbaum tanenbaum how green and how ridiculously expensive are your branches

that's what some residents in serbia's capital belgrade are thinking after finding out this eighteen metre high plastic christmas tree cost eighty three thousand euros now far from rock in round the christmas tree on a happy holiday some of demonstrating next to it against what they see as corruption banners take aim at the city's mayor with slogans like eighty three thousand euros shame on you. mayor sydney's a molly says he wasn't aware of the cost and would cancel the deal but opposition groups claim he's involved in questionable use of public funds with a tree costing four times the amount of the one outside new york's rockefeller center. this is not only the most expensive plastic christmas tree in the world it's also an insult to belgrade citizens story forget christmas spirit someone town says instead. the person who bought this christmas tree should be held responsible . but nobody it seems has yet got round to asking what the baubles and bows cost

they could be in for a shock. well whatever the shock it is christmas day across the globe say merry christmas to everyone celebrating centron rudolph by the way still very busy at the moment as they enter the final stretch of their well before they set off on their travels on christmas eve they made a stop in alexandria virginia the engine turning families on the banks of the potomac river at the annual christmas show that before they set off on their worldwide delivery run delivering presents across the world saint nick and by the way i joined by the grinch on a jet ski he overcame his grumpy anti holiday spirit to dazzle the spectators. a quick reminder for you of all top stories at this hour pope francis has delivered a strong defense of migrants at midnight mass in rome it is like in the migration of millions of people fleeing home to the biblical journey of mary and joseph to

bethlehem. and cruz president has granted a magical pardon to exley don't have to feel he modi protesters however have condemned the padrone as an insult to people killed during the film a strong man's decade in power. or not is your world news update for now more from us at the top of the hour now though it's time for the very best of all reporting this weekend well stories that's up next here on to. learn german with d.w. .