. >> you're watching bbc nusms the headlines this hour -- pope benedict xvi has let the world's romanatholics into the christmas season with a special mass. west. african leaders threaten force against gbagbo if he doesn't step down as the ivory coast president. in britain the queen and oop members of the royal family are spending christmas day at sandringham in norfolk. prince william won't be there as he is on duty with the rescue squad. kate middleton, whom he is to marry next year, is spending christmas with her family. >> the -- prince william will be absent this year. he's on call this christmas with his search and rescue squadron at r.a.f. valley on anglesea. and zara philips is thought to be spending christmas with her fiance in gloucester shie. kate middleton is spend s christmas for the probably the last time at her family's. next year, of course, she will be spending it with the royal family. the -- >> in the parks of towns and cities and on village greens up and down the country, countless thousands of people every week give up their time every week to participate in sport