Histories are to be a part of that period to always catch up with visitors from around the world and one of germanys famous Christmas Markets believe me. Was. The add. On way iraq is great to have your Company Everyone across continents and cultures christians around the world have begun celebrating christmas in the Vatican Pope Francis has arrived in st peters basilica where hes set to lead the traditional Midnight Mass its one of the most important ceremonies in roman catholicism hell continue on Christmas Day with the or b. And or b. Blessing when hes expected to make a plea for world peace well the worshippers have also been celebrating in bethlehem where they believe jesus was born or earlier in the day the head of the Catholic Church in the region traveled to but from jerusalem. The catholic archbishop here but easter pizza bannana set off from jerusalem with his convoy around noon and israeli 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 but us is cool its sort of great the whole the to stay living maybe not in the big institution but in the small ones the little ones in all this is like the Palestinian Christians count to 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 whats believed to be the birthplace of jesus the procession drowns tens of thousands of tourists and pilgrims from around the world. Would sit with a good story were really impressed by peoples warmth and the friendly atmosphere here at the square dance and feeling of the blood like them and not like it if it will. But i guess that spirit is the same for poland being. Part bishop its a bamma well celebrate Midnight Mass this evening in the church of the nativity Christmas Eve where the festivity originated. And earlier journalist the sami soco in jerusalem gave us a snapshot of the christmas celebrations underway and. Weve seen a Record Number of tourists and pilgrims visiting both bethlehem and jerusalem this year and what as added to this 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 with 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 from leaving and visiting the west bank visiting beslan and visiting jerusalem and even though last year they give 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 some reporting there 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 enclave facing the latest regime offensive of russian air strikes 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 bearing the brunt of syrias ongoing violent conflict. Mad till now min in egypt has become a ghost town People Living here have fled the government offensive against rebels. Shaab people are fed up. To live on the olive trees this is a Vegetable Market theres no one here i havent seen anyone other than journalists taking pictures of me and. Most of those fleeing are heading north towards the turkish border. We run away from the rockets out of the barrel and explosive shells. 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 is strikes. Syrian troops have been pushing into it live. And identified syrian colonel sayed the offensive is to clear the province of terrorism. That they do have saw i left the syrian army cares about civilians lives what are. 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 arriving with more than 40000 people have been displaced by the finance in recent weeks. Demonstrators in hong kong have clashed with police in Christmas Eve protests Alright Police have been seen firing tear gas as protests swept through a major shopping district to activists block streets and smashed shop windows well the antigovernment protests in hong kong are now in their 7th month and feed the car has filed this update from hong kong. A festive lie has descended into question in hong kong a tear gas return to the streets lots of protesters turned out for demonstrations at shopping malls across the city tonight but the riot police tom into the Shopping Centers a quickly to disperse crowds because they accused 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 and some protesters even they flew past show bombs and other objects at police because some even found allies h. S. B. C. 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 its peak c. S. M. And the maybe more small protests are planned on upcoming holidays. Meanwhile in north korea pyongyang has warned of an unspecified Christmas Gift for the United States u. S. President donald trump says hes not worried about what it might be meanwhile a north koreas neighbors are less optimistic they suspect a new weapons test all the leaders of china japan and south korea have been meeting in the chinese city of chengdu in an effort to get the u. S. And north korea talking again. They called it a new era of the 3 kingdoms as the leaders of china japan and south korea met for talks but the one leader setting the agenda for summit was not at the table. North Koreas Kim Jong il after the latest tests at a Missile Launch site earlier this month regional powers are concerned appearing young is about to undo efforts to ease tensions. Underpin over 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 a trump failed 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 koreas 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 chinas premier used the opportunity to promote a new free trade zone between the 3 countries. The prospect of more diplomatic and economic unity and east asia is cause for optimism but the dawn of a new era depends on substantial chief minutes after the talks. Back here in europe heiresses iconic not one Cathedral Well not be holding a Christmas Mass this year for the 1st time since the french revolution while the government pledged to rebuild it immediately after a fire earlier this year devastated the landmark and that work will now take years to complete and the building is just too unstable to hold religious services. 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 churchs 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 its incredibly sad that they will be able to celebrate mass especially because its 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. As long as the run of a stroke 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 the church of. Notre dame 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 thinking that it would go again this year with no problems im going on im missing that already. In years past thousands of worshippers and tourists gathered inside notre done daily its still unclear when theyll be able to congregate inside again. While here in germany Christmas Markets are among the most popular features of the Festive Season and in berlin we are spoilt for choice there are over 70 to pick from and they attract people from all around the world and we went to one of berlins favorite Christmas Market. To hear what visitors enjoy the most. In the center of berlin attention diamond marked Christmas Market there is no shortage of artists and all crafts. There are butchers and bakers. Even candlestick maker but the principle offering is an atmosphere. Thats hard to find anywhere else. You see that one 1st i mean did many i mean but it seems and this is the 1st time experiencing Christmas Market its really nice its just. What i was and what i was expecting its better and i she said it just chief. Is very its like Merry Christmas and we all have these things kind of markets in spain its unlike anything we have in the space so its kind of a its a nice time here its warm cozy you have warm and hot drinks its my 1st day hearing anything and this market is so nice this is the best one. And whats your whats your favorite part about this market to eat everything. I think i love it spit so. If the goal is crowds and mary mint then isnt done been 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 out of it wasnt. Very much out of our memories rest stop you know if you really believe. That. Fate is not our. Enemy right. So i dont know how we can move on. To obama. And for all of you out there celebrating a Merry Christmas to you as well and before i let you go all right and all the top story. Were tracking for you this hour the leaders of china japan and south korea have agreed to help east tensions over north Koreas Nuclear program they said peace in the region that was common interest. Youre watching t. V. Every news from berlin with me leyla herat coming up next it could ferguson as your round of business stories and a look at last Minute Christmas Shopping around the world ill see you tomorrow. Where i come from we had to fight for a free press and once born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one to the shadow and if you newspapers when official information has attorneys i have worked all over the streets of many cantrips and their problems are always the same core to social inequality a lack of the freedom of the press and corruption we can afford just a sign