. on this program the catholic church is top cleric in bethlehem calls jerusalem a city of peace and inclusion this as tensions sadness over the us controversial decision to recognize the city as israel's capital. and russian opposition leader alexei enough has held rallies across russia to back his bid to run in next year's election he's considered the strongest potential challenger to president vladimir putin but a court conviction may bar him from running. hello and welcome my name is christopher spring a good to have you with us we begin with breaking news from afghanistan where at least six people have been killed in a blast in the capital kabul officials say it's. suicide bomber blew himself up in a busy square near an office belonging to the national intelligence agency it tack happened during the morning rush hour a so-called islamic state has claimed responsibility earlier this month the group's militants also attacked an intelligence agency training center in a bowl. and we'll bring you more on that story just as soon as we can get it for you turning to other world news in rome pope francis has used his christmas eve mass to issue a strong defense of immigrants saying that religious faith obliges believe is to give welcome to migrants addressing a huge audience at some peter's basilica he described the desperation felt by those who flee their homeland and compared their plight to that of the biblical figures of mary and joseph. already known as an outspoken reforma 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. see. many other footsteps he didn't the steps of joseph and mary. we see the tracks of entire families forced to set down to in our own day. we see the tracks of millions and you do not choose to go away. driven from their land to leave behind that dia warned us but i received a little gaiety. faith said the pope demands that foreigners be welcomed. some ten thousand worshippers joined the midnight mass amid the splenda 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 that he has the power to bring a lot of people together to 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 would 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 will be at all be. well in the meantime there was somewhat more subdued christmas eve celebrations this year in bethlehem in the palestinian west bank town where christians believe jesus was born the top roman catholic cleric in the holy land archbishop yet but the stuff pizza led the christmas service in bethlehem's church of the nativity the festivities were held against the backdrop of simmering anger in the region of the u.s. president donald trump decided to recognize jerusalem as israel's capital as in previous years palestinian president mahmoud abbas also attended the service not too few and during that service for the pits obama touch only briefly on the subject of jerusalem status but he did have a forceful message for the world's politicians. today even more than ever we need from you from all those that can take decisions are your policies serious policy and despite the many disappointments of the past and of the present days be determination do not abandon. but on contrary even more than before let yourself be provoked by the cry of the poor in the flick to. ok time now to catch up with some of the other news from around the world the president of guatemala jimmy morales says this country will be following the u.s. example and moving its embassy in israel to jerusalem to mahler was one of only eight nations to side with the u.s. in a united nations general assembly vote last week that rejected president donald trump's decision. improved supporters have been celebrating a medical pardon granted to the country's former leader alberto for him already serving a twenty five year sentence for human rights abuses for him or he held an iron grip on power in peru throughout the one nine hundred ninety s. he was best known for defeating the so-called shining path to rhythm. spain's king philippe has used his christmas address to call in catalonia his newly elected parliament to avoid further moves toward secession last week catalans gave pro separatist parties another slim majority in the regional assembly back in october the king drew criticism after he condemned what he called unacceptable disloyalty from the separatists for. people in the philippines are clearing up the devastation left by tropical storm tembin the storm killed more than two hundred people and displaced tens of thousands and been has now strengthen to a typhoon over the south china sea it's heading for vietnam. to russia now where opposition leader alexei navalny has held rallies across the country as he bids to run in next year's presidential election he's hoping the show of support will persuade officials to overturn a ban on his candidacy due to a court conviction valley's considered the strongest potential challenger to president vladimir putin who is nevertheless expected to extend his term by another six years. a show of support for alexei navalny the opposition leader needed the endorsement of five hundred people to initiate a presidential bid but far more than that took to the streets on sunday here in new katherine burke and in nineteen other cities across russia. russia needs a new president and new economic policies we need to stop fighting and start working together. at the group and i came here because it's important the election is competitive. you know. because our country is stagnating and we need change. in moscow not only was cheered on by over seven hundred supporters in a marquee on the banks of the great i must watch snowbound he has been banned from running in the actions until twenty twenty eight the election commission says a suspended sentence for food makes him ineligible and valerie says that was politically motivated he's a fierce critic of president vladimir putin who is widely expected to win reelection in march. my date's you've lied to me a putin who turned our country into a source of personally enrichment for yourself your family and your friends. i think that is why you should not be president any more you are a bad president you know you don't have good policies and you don't know how to run a country we will defy you in these elections and we are ready to win in the new theatre never only fired his indorsement papers at the election commission on sunday evening if his bid is rejected he has threatened to call for a boycott of the election. now it's christmas day across the globe so merry christmas to everyone celebrating as you gather around your christmas trees indeed our next report focuses on europe's favorite tree for that purpose the north for millions of them growing across northern europe and with a name like northland you probably think it comes from somewhere in scandinavia well in fact the seeds for these trees actually come from farther afield that's also where it's all the name comes from the caucasian. it's a long way up to the tops of the trees and so before alecto and his fellow cone pickers climb the fifty meters they check to make sure it's worth it they see that the tree is full of cones tightly grown luscious green and good space for tinsel. infers a perfect christmas tree it heralds from amber lowry in the depths of the caucasus it's seeds are harvested and used to grow trees in german plantations the seed harvesting takes two to three weeks and the rest of the year electro and many other georgians try and get by with whatever work they can find things . to take would have a job. i'm always here for the harvest i was born and grew up here i love this place and it's always been here that someone is always going to. roughly three quarters of christmas trees in germany are caucasian firs germany's main importer of christmas tree seeds is karl. good pickers can earn around two hundred euros per day. on how to saddam have been here accusations that basically european companies make good money hand at the expense of their work as what do you say to that you know when these in five million may have been a lot of these families can survive a whole year with these two or three weeks of work before so a company. to come that we've never had a problem finding enough harvesters so i really think our wages are acceptable. some wine growing some lumber work there aren't many opportunities to earn money here in northern georgia unemployment in rural areas is at a staggering forty percent which is why georgian hospitality includes a lot of shush like and a pinch of gloom. if. we get factories here that employ people the economic situation in georgia will remain grim this is the typical problem in post soviet countries. all the more reason christmas trees are such an important economic factor no wonder the employees here raise a glass to germany's infatuation with a caucasian for. a job and sulk of the business leader is enjoying a well earned went to break off the one of the most compelling first time office of the season in year is high profile sacking some spectacular goals and huge control the say of the new video referee system in this hotly being a dull moment his look back at the season so far. the comeback of the year so your pint gets replaced the sacked catalogue returned for a fourth stint as coach of byron munich in october seventy two year old trying to steady the ship and buyer now have an eleven point lead at the top of the bundesliga. brasier dortmund also changed coaches after a flying start to underpay top bush dortmund season fell apart as they went eight league games without a win the dutchman was fired in early december and replaced with x. cologne boss. and tossing them if they let him go back alone in a few days later i'm dortmund coach no would have believed such a story if it hadn't have happened when the mother used to vincent came to the ritz it was a kind of. show that had departed cologne with the side rooted to the bottom of the bundesliga having finished an impressive fifth and reached europe last season after top score anthony left for china and wasn't replaced their campaign nosedived with injuries also not helping. the sporting director and coach paid the price and relegation now back. in contrast second place childcare have been one of the positive surprises in the first half of the season thirty two year old coach to many go to tesco has found the perfect mix there's been no magical football just hard work and a huge team spirit as shown by their incredible four all draw at darby rival's dortmund having been down for now. the big talking point this term has been the video review trial rather than limit controversy the system has caused more confusion with the rules over its use unclear referees are in the spotlight more than ever. using video evidence is correct in their view but the way we have implemented it has been a catastrophe both internally and externally and that's what will surely hit the buffers and see what you want to feel like everything in full. ball it's important to keep your eye on the ball quite literally mine's keeper robin said no won't be making that mistake again in this league clubs will hope to have a bit more focus for the second half of the season starting on january twelfth. a quick reminder for you of our top story the moment pope francis has delivered a strong defense of migrants of midnight mass in rome could liken the migration of millions of people fleeing home to the journey of mary and joseph to bethlehem. from us at the top of the next year on documentary on refugees and their struggle to settle in a foreign country. images from an isolated country images from the north korea. any tell me is a toggle for captured fascinating shots of everyday life in a regimented society. the north.