Pope Benedict XVI has called for peace in the Middle East and stability in Africa in his Christmas Day message.Speaking from St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the Pope said the people of Zimbabwe were "trapped... in a political and social crisis".
He also decried instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and Somalia.
Earlier, in his Midnight Mass, the pontiff called for an end to "hatred and violence" in the Middle East.
Addressing a huge congregation, he appealed for a new understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
Most of the world's 2.1 billion Christians mark Christmas this week.
Others, chiefly from among the 200 million Orthodox Christians who use the Julian Calendar for their feast days, celebrate the Nativity on 7 January.
At the end of his Urbi et Orbi (Latin for "To the City and the World") speech, the Pope issued Christmas greetings in 64 languages. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer
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(Source: BBC)