2017 the year in sport, in half an hours time. Good morning, and welcome to bbc news. Merry christmas. The queen will pay tribute to the cities of manchester and london in her Christmas Day broadcast for the way in which they dealt with this years terrorist attacks. Shes at her estate at sandringham with other members of the royal family, including prince harry and his fiancee, Meghan Markle. 0ur royal correspondent, nicholas witchell, reports. The queen recorded this years broadcast a few days ago at buckingham palace. Its main theme is the importance of home, a place she describes as a source of warmth and love. Looking back over the events of 2017, she praises the cities of london and manchester. The queen visited the victims of the bombing at the manchester arena, in which 22 people died as they left a concert. In her broadcast, she will talk about the powerful identities of manchester and london, which, she said, had shone through in the face of appalling attacks. 0n the table beside her in the broadcast, alongside pictures of Prince George and princess charlotte, are two photographs of her and her husband, one of which was taken on their wedding day in 1947. This year, they have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. And the duke of edinburgh retired from his separate programme of engagements. The queen will praise her husband for his support, and, as she puts it, for his unique sense of humour. The queen was absent from last years Church Service at sandringham due to a heavy cold. But there is expected to be a full turnout of the family at church this morning. Among the group attending church will be prince harry and his fiancee, Meghan Markle, who are both spending christmas on the sandringham estate. It will be the first time someone who is yet to marry into the royal family will have joined their christmas celebrations. Her presence a reminder of one of the events to which the family, can look forward in 2018. Joining me now from among the crowds at the sandringham estate in norfolk is our royal correspondent, daniela relph. You can see the crowds, the queue behind as actually stretches out behind as actually stretches out behind the camera, beyond where you can see. I can see it going round the corner on the sandringham estate. A big turnout. Many people we re estate. A big turnout. Many people were here from 5am to make sure that they got a good fonte the point so that when they opened those gates and get into the area in front of the church, they get to see the royal family a bit later on. It will bea royal family a bit later on. It will be a full turnout. We are expected to see all of the senior royals, including the prince of wales and the duke and duchess of cambridge. I think you are going to find that the person that many people here today wa nt to person that many people here today want to see is Meghan Markle, prince harrys fiance. She will be here for the first time. A slight break with royal protocol. Normally you have to be married before you get invited to christmas at sandringham, but an exception has been made for Meghan Markle this year and she will be here. A bit earlier, i talked to people here. A lot of them are americans who live locally who say that they wa nt to want to see meghan. Very excited to see meghan, of course, and curious as well. Itsjust see meghan, of course, and curious as well. Its just a tradition, really. This is my fourth year here. What about Meghan Markle today . Yes, that will be special, wont it . Are you looking forward to seeing her . Definitely do you think she will be a good addition to the royal family . Yes, im sure she will. This is my first time, im very excited to see the queen, the duke and duchess. This is our way of celebrating christmas, coming to see the queen, mary Merry Christmas. We are hoping to get some pictures. You have the added bonus of Meghan Markle today, are you excited . Have the added bonus of Meghan Markle today, are you excited . |j wanted markle today, are you excited . wanted to see the queen more. Its really the queen that we wanted to see the day. In terms of timings, the crowd should get theirfirst in terms of timings, the crowd should get their first glimpse of the younger members of the royal family at about 10 45am as they make the walk from the main house at sandringham up to the church. The queen is usually driven here just before 11am. A little daunting having dinner with the royal family your first year. But it is a sign of how readily they have accepted her into the royal family . Very much so. You would imagine it is daunting enough to have christmas with a new family anyway, let alone the royal family. Yesterday she will have had the experience of exchanging gifts, which the royal family do on Christmas Eve, a nod to their german ancestry. There will be a big lunch after church, and watching the queens christmas message. She is getting the full, traditional royal Family Experience here today this morning at sandringham. She seems, so morning at sandringham. She seems, so far, as far as we can tell, have handled all of this scrutiny and attention very well and with great confidence. It is a break with protocol today, her being here. That is largely down to the fact that she is largely down to the fact that she is american, she has moved to the uk, her immediate family are in car phone you and the queen felt it was 0k to make an exception for Meghan Markle this time around. Merry christmas to you, daniela. We will back to you throughout the morning. We will be back to you. Pope francis has used his Christmas Eve mass to urge the world not to ignore the plight of millions of migrants. The pontiff compared them to mary and joseph, recounting the biblical story of how they had to travel from nazareth to bethlehem but found no place to stay. Meanwhile, services have taken place across the uk and further afield. 0ur religious editor, martin bashir, reports. At westminster cathedral, Cardinal Vincent nicholls, leader the Roman Catholic church in england and wales, framed his christmas message as a statement of concern for the way we tend to communicate with each other. He said we often prefer conflict to dialogue, hostility instead of a willingness to listen. Its a manifestation of a kind of radical individualism, and while the individual is hugely important, we have to know that we are also built to belong to each other. We are built to have relationships, and to work and find our best through relationships. He went on to say that as we gaze into a nativity scene at christmas, we find one who can free us from the choking effects of disagreement and strife. Christ himself. And at the very beginning of the christmas narrative here in bethlehem, in a land defined by walls of separation, a renewed call for reconciliation. Here in manger square, a Midnight Service has been held at the church of the nativity, where the archbishop ofjerusalem said that whilejesus was born in a town under roman occupation, he was identified as the prince of peace. Martin bashir, bbc news, in bethlehem. Almost 200,000 people are currently serving as part of the uk armed forces. For many on foreign deployments, it means christmas away from loved ones. Yesterday, bbc news visited one military base in iraq as troops prepare to spend today farfrom home. Dan johnson reports. Im not going to pretend that its not difficult to be in iraq over christmas. Of all the families apart this christmas, these are amongst the furthest away, for the longest amount of time. This is my first christmas away from home in the army, and to be honest, im here with the lads, im here with my guys, here with my friends, so, yeah, its not with the family but its quite good. As you see, its a good atmosphere. Its good fun. After 21 years service, you get used to being away from home. It gets harder when youve got a wife and child at home. Obviously you wont get to see your daughter open her presents on Christmas Day. Some improvisation helps give a feel of christmas in the desert. But, of course, not everything can be replicated. Theyve done quite well, doing it with old tyres. What will i miss most. A good christmas dinner i think would be the one, mums cooking. Its a reminder that british troops are still serving in iraq, rebuilding the country, and others around the world. Work that doesnt stop for christmas. Dan johnson, bbc news. Londons euston station has been turned into a shelter for the homeless on Christmas Day. Rail workers and Charity Staff are to serve food to rough sleepers. Caroline davies is there for us. Good morning, caroline. Good morning, and welcome to a rather empty euston station. This is not what it normally looks like on monday morning. You can see all of the shutters shot up for the festive period. Imagine if you joined up here on a normal monday and saw the departure board, that would be a disappointment. But it is not a normal monday, its Christmas Day. Things are looking festive here. All of the decorations are up. These banqueting tables are going to be hosting Homeless People for Christmas Day. Its all the idea of network rail. Im joined by one of the people from the team behind it. Steve, can you tell me about where this idea came from . Good morning. Im one of four individuals in network rail, its a Great Company to work for, they encourage us to do new things, do innovation, push the boundaries in terms of what we can do. We thought about what we could do. We thought about what we could do with some of our assets and how we can use do with some of our assets and how we can use them do with some of our assets and how we can use them more. Do with some of our assets and how we can use them more. This is one of the things we are doing. understand you have had donations from 45 Different Companies and groups. Can you tell us about them . We have had donations from around 45 Different Companies, really Great Companies that have got behind this. It demonstrates the kind of wealth and generosity and the feeling that there is in the public about doing something great. And theres one particular thing, this is one of the letters from one of the primary schoolchildren that has wrote one of out schoolchildren that has wrote one of our guests that are coming today. This letter is one of 200 that each of those primary schoolchildren from a north London School have done for us. A north London School have done for us. We will be giving each one of the guests that we have one of these letters when they come in. And some goody bags with thermal hats in, i understand. What are they going to have for christmas lunch . We have a four course banquet. 0n have for christmas lunch . We have a four course banquet. On arrival we will welcome the guests with mince pies. Weve got smoked salmon to start, weve got soup, a roast dinner, christmas pudding, the only way to finish. All of the food has been prepared by street kitchens, a great organisation. They feed 1000 people every week on the streets. When we thought of this idea, who else could we get to do the food . They have been cooking for many hours now already. Are fiercely Christmas Day is a fantastic day. But this is only one day per year. Obviously Christmas Day. How are network rail going to keep this spirit going through the rest of the year . We are focused on today to give the 200 guests a really good day today. We have made lots of contacts through during this event. We have made contacts that we never had before. We are using all of those to focus on today, almost 200 people getting a special day that they werent expecting a few days ago. The guests will be arriving from about 11am. The network rail volu nteers from about 11am. The Network Rail Volunteers will be here to wish them a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for that, caroline, and hats off the will of the volunteers down there at euston. Burglars have broken into a home in oxford and stolen food and christmas presents worth about two thousand pounds. Thames Valley Police said childrens toys and clothes were among the items stolen from an address in walton street yesterday. The culprits opened some of the parcels in the street and dropped the paper. Guatemala has said it will follow americas lead in moving its embassy in israel tojerusalem. Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales said he made the decision after speaking to israels prime minister, benjamin netanyahu. Donald trump had threatened to cut aid to nations that voted against the us in a recent un vote on the issue. Ten people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack close to afg hanistans National Intelligence agency in the capital, kabul. The bomber was apparently on foot, and targeted people as they arrived into work. The so called Islamic State group said it carried out the attack. For more, we can speak to our correspondent in kabul, khalil noori. Tell us a little bit about the attack and what the target was . Yes, it was a Suicide Attack thatjust happened right in the morning rush hour time. Happened right in the morning rush hourtime. Hospital happened right in the morning rush hour time. Hospital and security sources say that at least six people, including four civilians and two military Council Security personnel, were culled, and five others are wounded. Police say the suicide bomber, a young boy who was on foot and was trying to reach one of the National Security of afghanistan intelligence facilities. But before he reached the target, he was recognised by police. 0ne but before he reached the target, he was recognised by police. One of the security personnel held him tight, and he was able to blow himself up. This was the Second Attack that has been claimed by so called Islamic State in as many weeks. Doug that suggest they are getting a foot tall in afghanistan does that suggest . As you mentioned, it is the Second Attack by is in the capital in a couple of weeks. Todays attack has happened inside the green zone under tight security measures which the International Forces have headquarters and a number of embassies. More important is the Intelligence Departments are based on the same road. Security sources say that is is defeated in afghanistan, despite all of this, oui afghanistan, despite all of this, our sources say that is fighters are operating in the north of afghanistan and in the eastern provinces like kandahar and provinces like kandahar and provinces bordering with pakistan. 0k, thank you very much. The headlines on bbc news the queen will pay tribute to the people of match in their Christmas Day broadcast. The pope urges the world not to ignore the plight of migrants forced to leave their countries because of violence. Military personnel spend time away from home in iraq and afghanistan. Lawyer plumber was arrested in 0ctober lawyer plumber was arrested in october when she was found with 290 tramadol tablets in her suitcase, the painkiller is legal in the uk, but not in egypt. The family has maintained she wasnt aware the drug was illegal. If found guilty she faces up to 25 years in prison. Surrey police are trying to identify a man who was found unconscious in a ditch yesterday, they have released pictures of his clothing in an attempt to track down his fan. The man who is thought to be in his 20s is in man who is thought to be in his 20s isina man who is thought to be in his 20s is in a serious condition in hospital. It might be deepest winter at home, but englands cricketers will step out into the summer sunshine in australia later today for the first session of the next ashes test. They have already lost the series, but organisers expect a sell out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as they try to rescue some pride. Patrick gearey reports. The ashes gone and still they come. There is a reason the fan are called the barmy army. When they are not watching cricket they are playing it. They have called up mr root, his brother billy who has had to watch joe lose the urn with everyone else he will enjoy the challenge of it. There will be times when he is frustrated. I think it is the sort of thing he will enjoy taking on at the tough challenge like this. Challenge is an understatement. Comment and criticism comes with cricket in australia, in the past week root has had to watch the ashes go and had to listen to his captaincy be described as soft and child like by former australian skipper Ricky Ponting he doesnt spend any time in the dressing room 01 spend any time in the dressing room or round the squad, so i dont think i would go about things as a little boy for sure i have my own way of doing things. It is important you are not trying to be something you are not trying to be something you are not. Boxing day in melbourne is national occasion notjust a sporting one. Australian values of competition mean there will be be no going easy. This is the notorious bay 13, home to the most raucous supporters in cricket. They will remind which ever poor england fielder near to them exactly what the score is in this series and how bad it couldj Paul Getty Museum for them. Words cant hurt england but iu ns them. Words cant hurt england but runs do. Steve smith provides them and the aussie captain will play despite injuring his hand in training. Ashing series can numb as well as inflict pain it has been a good summer so far, win back the urn which was the objective and we have an opportunity to keep winning, that has been my message to the boys, dont worry about 5 0. You have to win this one. Even with the series decided they come to watch practise, more than 90,000 will be here on boxing day to pick over the ashes left overs. 0ysters are an acquired taste for many, but one farmer in france is hoping to change that patenting pre flavoured varieties. The unconventional technique is splitting opinions and taste buds in the french Oyster Capital of marennes. Georgina smyth reports. When it comes to flavour for this farmer the oyster is his oyster. After getting the idea from customers he created a special process of adding a twist to his products, by putting oysters in a tank of sea water laced with extracts like lemon, muscat or ginger. Translation they filter it naturally. It has been designed for the oyster so it filter like the water in which it would normally live in the sea or a tank. The 16 step process was perfected by trial and error, but the risk has paid off. Translation yes it is great. You really taste the oyster, it doesnt mask the flavour. It is good. Still thinking outside the shell, there are plans to add grapefruit, plum and truffle to the menu in the future. Translation i tasted them and i dont like all of them. I like raspberry and muscat, with shallot you expect the taste of vinegar and you expect the taste of vinegar and you really just have you expect the taste of vinegar and you reallyjust have the shallot taste, so it is pretty surprising. The oysters are gaining popularity across the world, with boxes being packaged for as far as hong kong, but the oyster connoisseur concedes local sea foods purists are harder to sway. Translation the french are used to eating normal oyster, they have been doing it for decades and it is hard to change habits that have been round for year, but we are trying. The Award Winning molluscs have proved poll haar in belgium and french customers curious to try them will soon be able to buy them at major supermarkets. Joe mcfadden might have been crowned this years strictly come dancing champion, but today its the turn of former contestants to waltz their way onto the dancefloor for the strictly christmas special. Tim muffett caught up with the dancers and celebrities in rehearsals. Well, they have me doing a viennese waltz with brendan, which is lovely. Its just nice shes finally got a decent partner to dance with, instead of that anton fella. It didnt take long. About 45 seconds. Merry christmas, anton a bit of a royal theme this year, isnt it. Pular in belgium and french customers cuiious pular in belgium and french customers curious to try them will 0011 customers curious to try them will soon be able to buy them at major supermarkets. We appear to have lost that package. On Christmas Day, many will be spending time with family and friends. And the festive celebrations can take many different forms for many different people, as the bbcs tim allman explains. We all know donald trump likes twitter. But for his first christmas as president , he tore himself away from social media to use the telephone instead. He and the first lady taking calls from children wondering what they want from santa. Building blocks . Thats what i always liked, too. As for mr trump, he said america now had prosperity, so he wanted peace. The north american aero Space Defence command, what norad, has been tracking father christmass progress for more than 60 years. You might ask, if you were a bit of a spoilsport, is this a good use of taxpayers money. I think norad thinks it is. The weather is going to be awesome, and even if it is kind of a little rough, it is santa. So he can move an out and he can make sure that all of the boys and girls that have been so amazing this year will get their guests. And as long as they are in bed after 9pm and before midnight, i think theyll be good to go. Before setting off, he decided to do a spot of water skiing in the us state of virginia, as you do. Some seemed impressed, others perhaps less so. So, santa claus is a busy man, i guess. Very, very busy. And somehow he managed to come down here, i dont know how. When you think of christmas, you invariably think of radishes well, they do here in the mexican state of oaxaca. For more than a century, they have helped this festival, where artists scott, well, radishes. Whom ever thought of it i think must have an incredible, fantastic vision to create such imaginative, beautiful, creative, artistic, beautiful. In central romania, they welcome christmas with a light show. The ski slopes illuminated by torches. These are just a few of the countless ways to celebrate this festive time. Tim altman, bbc news. Youve heard of recycyling, but these days, the new buzzword is upcycling transforming rubbish into objects of desire. A nonprofit workshop in austria, supported by the city government, is working with the long term unemployed to make furniture, ornaments and jewellery out of old household appliances. Bethany bell reports from vienna. It is beautiful but it is actually all made from rubbish. The process sta rts all made from rubbish. The process starts here at this workshop, workers remove Hazardous Substances from old come pugh fors and appliance, the left overs are sent eitherfor appliance, the left overs are sent either for recycling or upstairs, appliance, the left overs are sent eitherfor recycling or upstairs, to the trash design team. What we do is that we collect specific kinds of garbage that means electric and electronic equipment. We make design objects and jewellery, and we offer the old garbage an opportunity to get reused, or to get up cycled. They turn Vinyl Records into clocks, and dead keyboards into rings. The glass from washing machine doors become sandblasted bowl, complete with patterns. And it is notjust about transforming trash. Lives are changed here too. Many of the people who work here are the long term unemployed. Suzanne says she has been given a new chance. Translation it is cool. Ifind it really super, you make something new out of old stuffs but it hurts me when i had to cut up old records, an old abba album became a notebook. Some of the Christmas Markets are getting in on the actment trash design is season offer alongside the ginnier bred and mulled wine. The workshop has its own stalls where products are on sale, often for pretty prices. These items have come a long way from the citys rubbish dumps to the magnificent surroundings of one of austrias old royal palaces and when it comes to christmas presents this year, the designers are hoping that it will be up cycling all the way. Bethany bell. Bbc news, vienna. Let us find out what the weather is let us find out what the weather is doing. A very Merry Christmas to you. It is one of those for northern around western pars of the british isle f you are near that weather front its a combination of really wet and windy weather for a good pa rt wet and windy weather for a good part of Christmas Day. That front moving very very slowly ever further towards the east, ahead of it, still as mild and cloudy as it has been, to the north the first signs of really cold air which once this weather front has moved its way out towards the north sea, generating the o gust round 60mph on the south coast before it economies the scene, the cold air floods down to greet us as get up and into boxing day itself. Look at those temperature, a wee bit of ice first up in the northern half of britain. Not a widespread problem, the day is one of sunshine, at last, at last but there will be shower, wintry in the northern half of scotland, later you will lose your sunshine as a new weather system bringing more wind and rain into the south west. A very good morning and happy christmas. This is bbc news. Our latest headlines the queen will pay tribute to how the people of manchester and london dealt with this years terror attacks, in her Christmas Day broadcast. She will say the cities powerful identities have shone through in the face of appalling attacks. The pope urges the world not to ignore the plight of migrants forced to leave their countries because of violence. Also christmas away from home for nearly 200,000 British Armed forces personnel, including in afghanistan and iraq. Euston station is opening as a shelter today to serve a christmas dinner to hundreds of Homeless People in the capital. Volunteers from Homelessness Charities sent among those, street kitchen, and network rail, will serve the meal. Now on bbc news, its been another memorable year in sport from the world athletics championships and lions tour of new zealand to anthonyjoshuas rise to the top of world boxing. Alex gulrajani and Jessica Creighton take us on a trip through the years sporting highlights, in review 2017 the year in sport