the. place. this is due to me to use life for berlin where it all began christmas has come here to the historic city of atlanta where thousands of pilgrims have flocked to the bustling west bank city the place christians revere as the birthplace of jesus also coming up syrian airstrikes decimated a town in edler province again while the assad regime's latest offensive against the country's last major rebel stronghold is taking a heavy toll 5 children are among the dead in a russian attack you when wars children are bearing the brunt of it intensifying

violence and no midnight mass at local down in paris for the 1st time in over 2 centuries christmas services will not be held at the landmark cathedral because of renovation work to repair damage from this year's devastating fire. many many that. preserve the apparent a period. where you catch up with visitors from around the world and one of germany's famous christmas markets. close. thank you so much for your company to our viewers in the united states on p.b.s. and our viewers around the world a very warm. come across continents and cultures christians around the world

prepare to celebrate christmas or thousands of pilgrims have gathered in bethlehem worshippers from around the world have packed manger square in the center of the a bustling west bank town where christians believe jesus was born while the traditional midnight mass is held in the church of the nativities a catholic priest will later preside over christmas eve festivities well earlier in the day the head of the catholic church in the region travel to bethlehem from jerusalem. the catholic archbishop here but tista pizza set off from jerusalem with his convoy around noon and it's really an honor guard accompanied him to bethlehem just under 10 kilometers away. once a year and just for the sick asian the wall separating israel from bethlehem and the palestinian territories is opened the conflict in the middle east subsides at least temporarily for christmas. business for us the school sort of break the whole

that is still living maybe not in the big institution but in the smaller ones the little ones or the slightest palestinian christians counts take part in the annual christmas procession that leads to manger square outside the church of the nativity one of the oldest christian structures that was built above once believed to be the 1st place of jesus the procession drowns tens of thousands of tourists and pilgrims from around the world. would sit with a good story we were really impressed by people's warm food on the friendly atmosphere here at the square dance and the feeling of their bloodline but not like going to learn but i guess that spirit is the same for poland bs and. march bishop pizza bamma will celebrate midnight mass deceiving in the church of the nativity christmas eve where the festivities originated. or earlier journalist sami sokol

interest them give us a snapshot of the year christmas celebrations underway in bethlehem. we've seen a record number of tourists and pilgrims visiting both bethlehem and jerusalem this year and what has added to the festive atmosphere is the fact that the pope francis has given a relic this size a fragment of wood that has been in rome for nearly 1400 years and this is believed to have been part of the major part of the creed where jesus christ lay so it was received you with great. ness and the belief here is that it will draw more tourists to this of the city on the. israeli authorities have prevented yet again gazans some leaving and visiting the west bank visiting beslan and visiting jerusalem and even though last year they gave it to mission for

700 palestinian christians to leave the gaza strip and visit this year the number was only 300 so the disappointment in gaza was very high amidst very strong condemnations from the various churches. semi's like all of their reporting from jerusalem well in his christmas address the german president about their steinmeier says germans should overcome their differences and respect each other as equals steinmeyer also noted how political debates have become more prominent while president steinmeyer told germans we live in highly political times and added i really don't think we can complain about a lack of freedom of speech far from it we haven't had this many arguments in years and you can see and watch the german president's the christmas address in its entirety on ditto you news on christmas day. next we turn our attention to syria

where there has been no end to the misery inflicted on civilians in the besieged province of idlib the last major rebel on clay facing the latest regime offensive russian airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 8 people 5 of them children sheltering in a school in the province the united nations is warning that children are now bearing the brunt of serious increasingly violent conflict. multitool now men in egypt has become a ghost town people living here have fled the government offensive against rebels. shaab people are fed up fled to live in the alief trees this is a vegetable market there's no one here i don't see how anyone other than journalists taking pictures of me and. most of those fleeing are heading north towards the turkish border. and they did not we run away from the

rockets out of the barrel and the explosive shells. we were asking for allows mercy and for the united nations to see what happened to us because of bashar al assad and the russian army. they are killing us. with heavy shelling. and a strikes. syrian troops have been pushing into it live. and identified syrian colonel sayed the offensive is to clear the province of terrorism it was added to have saw i left the syrian army cares about civilians lives what that. the military calls upon them to leave the areas where the terrorists are not. that they should go to the areas under the control of the syrian army has come to save them from terrorists and terrorism and i've been. more than 40000 people have

been displaced by the finance in recent weeks. whereas i know about some of the other stories making news around the world. a courts in turkey has ordered a prominent businessman osman kovalchuk to remain in prison on charges that he attempted to overthrow the government is accused of backing the gazey park protests against the then prime minister which a thai barito on european court of human rights says called for his release saying there is no reasonable suspicion that he committed a crime. at least $28.00 bus passengers are dead after their vehicle plunged off a cliff on the in the news an island of sumatra rescuers are still searching for any survivors trapped inside the bus which veered off the road into a 150 metre ravine. police in new zealand say they're suspending the search operation for the bodies of 2 people still missing after a volcano erupted earlier this month police said crews had done all they could to

search the area 19 people were killed by the eruption or died later from their injuries sustained while visiting the volcano. demonstrators in hong kong have clashed with police in christmas eve protests riot police could be seen firing tear gas as protests swept through a major shopping district. to this block to streets and smashed shop windows the anti-government protests and on call are now in their 7th month and use the phoebe kong has sent us this update from the territory. a festive lie has descended into question hong kong a tear gas return to the streets lots of protesters turn out for demonstrations at shopping malls across the city tonight but the riot police tom into the shopping centers are quickly to disperse crowds because they accuse them of attending

illegal assemblies the rounds of the rounds of tear gas rubber bullets and other kinds of protest house of worship throughout the night some protesters even they flew past show bombs and other objects at police vehicles some even found allies branch in order to express their anger to us police crackdown on one of the fundraisers in recent days so how can people definitely have no silence night on christmas eve many of the shops were closed at his peak and the may be more precious as more protests are planned on upcoming holidays. if you recall in their reporting from hong kong meanwhile in north korea pyongyang has warned of an unspecified christmas gift for the united states where u.s. president gul trump says he's not worried about what it might be north korea's neighbors are less optimistic they suspect a new weapons test the leaders of china japan and south korea have a meeting in the chinese city of chengdu in an effort to get the u.s.

and north korea talking again. they called it the 3 kingdoms the leaders of china japan and south korea met for talks but the only dissenting view gender for some it was not at the table. north korea's kim jong il after the latest tests at the launch site earlier this month regional powers are concerned appearing young is about to undo efforts to ease tensions. we agreed that peace on the korean peninsula was in the common interest of the 3 countries we also agreed to make efforts together to help promote north korea u.s. dialogue for denuclearization and peace. the possibility of north korea turning into serious nuclear threat has become more tangible after february summit between kin and u.s. president on the trump fails to deliver any results. the coming threat of a north korean attack has forced to pan and south korea to overcome their own

bilateral tensions over their colonial history. i am willing to improve this important relationship between japan and south korea by all means today i would like to have a frank discussion. china north korea's only ally supports the call for peace on the korean peninsula beijing is interested in easing tensions in the region also for you cannot make reasons china's premier used the opportunity to promote a new free trade zone between the 3 countries. the prospect of more diplomatic and economic unity in east asia is cause for optimism but the dawn of a new era depends on substantial chief minutes after the talks. are at let's bring you up to speed with some of the other stories making news around the world prince philip the husband of britain's queen elizabeth has been released from the hospital in london he spent 4 nights in the hospital after receiving treatment for what was

described as a pre existing condition the 98 year old then flew to a center room in the eastern england to spend christmas with the rest of the royal family. australia's prime minister scott morrison says the volunteer fire firefighters rather from the public sector will be compensated with paid legal firefighters have been battling wildfires for months now weather forecasters say very hot conditions are set to continue and the flames could burn for several weeks more well if people have been donating christmas gifts to those made homeless by the fires. to the central american states of honduras which is in shock after 2 deadly prison riots in just 2 days well the death toll has reached almost 40 and clashes between the gangs authorities have declared a state of emergency but that has failed to stop the violence and may even have

provoked more. despair written on their faces relatives gather at the morgue and to go seek out the one juror says capital their loved ones died in one of the most violent places in the most crime ridden country on earth one dear says giles on the tourist but even by those standards the past few days have been grim indeed. only if the family is the mourning today by the country is in mourning. after a weekend of violence many are also outraged that the authorities found he had to prevent the massacres the prisons was supposedly high security. when the government to create emergency measures last wake it did side to stop the killing there but instead more violence followed. the will of my brother's death hurts he had already served 10 years in

a maximum security jail why did he have to die. the authorities are defending their policies they say gangs are trying to stop them cleaning up the prisons and since the massacres they've promised to the ploy even more troops to the country's high security jails to fight the mafia's influence they. call the scales was planned on behalf of all ghanaians to crime get the money so by having to avoid us implementing our reforms there's a plan if you can assume. but it's not clear if getting even tougher will stop the killings or rather fuel further anger and violence the united nations is calling for an investigation into these massacres it says the state must guarantee the human rights of prisoners especially their right to life. we'd like to take you now to mexico or to tell you about

a very special orchestra rosie collins grew up in poverty but she wanted to give her children opportunities she could not have dreamt of take a look at how she went about doing that. it's the moment just before the performance when excitement replaces nerves and the audience waits expectantly. this is rosie collins favorite moment but her journey here has been anything but easy. demo sick out but i mean for me is that music saved me because before i had big problems with my family he. rosie collins grew up in extreme poverty in a mountainous area near mexico's via de bravo her family looks back on difficult times her father is a former alcoholic instead of money he'd bring home booze and anger. very

mild and my mother cried my children to. stay with us that say but instead i'd go drinking he's. determined to give her children a chance rosie's mother enrolled her 3 children in a new orchestra without being able to pay a cent and that decision would change her life. this is the man who can bring out a passion for music in children prospero riots isn't interested in fame wealth or professional musicians. i mean i'm not interested in the best child i'm interested in all children's prosperity rex defiance sana philharmonic an orchestra for poor children funded by donations none of its musicians have money for lessons or instruments instead they have passion and self discipline.

students take turns directing and take on leadership positions they grow in self-confidence and become more engaged in life. today the young musicians are about to experience something special they get to perform in the best location in via their bravo one that this means an absolute surge in the self-confidence. for rosie it's an honor to be here and now for her best moment. when the children experience what they have achieved together being able to spread joy with their work and from an orchestra for the poor. they create wealth for all

. their washington every year still to come. serving up a company show with a big smile or series of the year's most memorable reports to research proper visited the place where she found it kirani it's breaking new ground. the 1st one to take you to paris so where the city's iconic not heard them cathedral will not be holding a christmas mass this year for the 1st time since the french revolution while the french government pledged to rebuild immediately after a fire earlier this year devastated the cathedral while that work will now take years to complete and the building is just too unstable to hold truly just services . to the landmark cathedral of paris still the skeleton of its former self.

the work underway now focuses on stabilizing notre dame and preventing its collapse . the fire that ravaged the churches roof and spire broke out on april 15th. tons of poisonous lead melted during the blaze that spells health hazards and good reason to delay holding christmas festivities inside i think it's incredibly sad that they will be able to celebrate mass especially because it's such a revered monument for catholics probably many many families have that tradition of going every year for christmas services it is quite a break in tradition quite honestly as long as the renovation work is carried out quickly and well it is not the right moment to open at one time i think people are aware of that and can go to other churches. notre dumb has held a christmas mass every year since $803.00 even during the horror of world war 2. the last interruptions to the mass came amid the anti catholic fervor of the french

revolution. this year worshippers are being sent to nearby sites for services including the church of sun so peace. to think that i was ill last christmas and i missed christmas and talked to them thinking that it would go again this year with no profit and. i'm missing that already. in years past thousands of worshippers and tourists gathered inside notre dame daily it's still unclear when they'll be able to congregate inside again. or as the year draws to a close we're bringing you some of our most memorable stories from the past 12 months in iraq reporter teresa tropper visited a cafe staffed by people with down syndrome and autism and she found iranians breaking new ground. this completely in his

element serving couple chinos to the guests in this cafe waiting tables this is 1st ever job and the 40 year old is loving every 2nd of it. i like the cafe it's big and it's nice. that's why i'm so grateful to the owner. that every night when i go to bed i thank. the others who work here have little chance of finding work elsewhere iran's job market is currently in such a bad state that over a 3rd of college educated young iranians are unemployed for people with special needs it's become nearly impossible to find work. for most of those people there's nothing to do once they finish school they just stay at home but we're convinced it's good for them to show people that they have

other abilities not just good for them it's also good for their families they're often sad because they can't do anything but here they can show just what they're capable of. more than 40 people living with down syndrome autism work here regularity everybody pitches in doing what they can brewing coffee waiting tables or entertaining the guests with music. they all get paid for their work except for the cafe owner guy he she runs a deficit every month there are very few government programs to support social projects like this one in the islamic republic more as. we've never received support from any kind of organization it's a completely independent project founded and finance privately or totally self dependent. giving up is not an option because every day she

sees just how much this work means to him ron and the others. says. i used to just be with my father. but father look at me. i finally made it. well i'm famous and go through life with my head raised high c. . with a positive attitude imran and his colleagues have created an atmosphere found nowhere else in the islamic republic. no other can feel a new iran could get away with this level of frivolity in iran and the others making the best out being a little bit different and have transformed coffee down to them into a place that's bursting with positivity.

the place to be now back here in germany christmas markets are mocking the most popular features of this festive season in berlin we're spoilt for choice there are over 70 to pick from and we're trying to people from all around the world and we went to one of brilliance favorite christmas markets to hear what visitors enjoy most. in the center of berlin at the sion diamond marked christmas market there is no shortage of artists in all crafts. there are butchers and bakers. even candlestick makers but the principle offering is an atmosphere. that's hard to find anywhere else. this is our 1st time in determining what i mean by doing that and this is our 1st time experiencing christmas market and it's really nice it's just. it wasn't what i was expecting it's better she said just

cheese. is very it's like merry christmas and we all have these kind of markets you know spain it's unlike anything we have in the states so it's kind of a it's a nice time here it's warm cozy you have warm and hot drinks it's my 1st day here in being in this market just so nice this is the best one. i wonder what's your favorite part about this market to eat everything. i think i love it spit so. if the goal is crowds and merriment then donvan marked has it in abundance where a simple stroll also offers a chance to learn holiday greetings in half a dozen different languages now that. pretty much dad wasn't. much on my merry christmas stocking should reach out to me. most of. the things are in your corner that. fabian's not how. many.

people want to know having a lot of. obama. and our merry christmas from us too you want to remind us where i go of the top story that we're tracking for you this hour thousands of pilgrims and tourists have gathered in bedlam for christmas christians revere the west bank town as the birthplace of jesus a midnight mass will later be held in the church of the nativity. you're watching do that when you go way back at the top of the hour with the world headlines for now thank you so much for your company.

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