:00:00. > :00:00.Gales and torrential rain are spreading across northern
:00:07. > :00:11.England and Wales, leaving hundreds of communities at risk of flooding.
:00:12. > :00:14.The Army's helping shore up defences in Cumbria,
:00:15. > :00:18.heavy rain's expected well into Boxing Day.
:00:19. > :00:20.The Queen in her Christmas address, said the world confronted moments
:00:21. > :00:22.of darkness this year, but she spoke of Christ's
:00:23. > :00:28.Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short
:00:29. > :00:35.life, Christ's unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence,
:00:36. > :00:40.but simply that we should love one another.
:00:41. > :00:50.# When you are weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes,
:00:51. > :00:52.And a charity single by NHS staff, beats Justin Bieber to be
:00:53. > :01:18.Torrential rain is sweeping across parts of northern England,
:01:19. > :01:21.Wales and Scotland, with a storm surge expected overnight.
:01:22. > :01:24.More than 100 flood alerts are in force, with many communities
:01:25. > :01:29.Up to five inches of rain is forecast for parts of north-west
:01:30. > :01:32.England well into Boxing Day, with some rivers in Cumbria
:01:33. > :01:36.threatening to burst their banks for the fourth time this month.
:01:37. > :01:39.The Government's emergency committee met today and the Army has been sent
:01:40. > :01:42.in to help strengthen flood defences.
:01:43. > :01:47.From the village of Braithwaite in Cumbria, Claire Fallon reports.
:01:48. > :01:52.To take on the forces of nature they drafted in the Armed Forces.
:01:53. > :01:57.100 soldiers and two miles of metal barriers sent to the areas most
:01:58. > :02:06.With 80mph winds forecast and torrential downpours expected
:02:07. > :02:10.in Cumbria, as well as Lancashire and Yorkshire, thousands of people
:02:11. > :02:14.in communities across the North are bracing themselves
:02:15. > :02:20.for the possibility of water forcing its way into their homes again.
:02:21. > :02:22.This is important because this is people's lives.
:02:23. > :02:25.This is their homes, this is where they have always lived
:02:26. > :02:28.and therefore it is everything to them, and in order to get out
:02:29. > :02:31.and do this it gives them that reassurance that we are here,
:02:32. > :02:36.being proactive in order to help them.
:02:37. > :02:41.which we've already had for two years.
:02:42. > :02:46.When water poured into Joanna and Alice Bell's home three weeks
:02:47. > :02:51.ago, it happened so quickly the only way out was through the windows.
:02:52. > :02:55.It was maybe like a foot or something up here
:02:56. > :02:58.when we got my mum to come over here for safety,
:02:59. > :03:00.and then the next thing I heard somebody shout,
:03:01. > :03:07.I can't bear the thought of getting flooded again tonight.
:03:08. > :03:10.That is just an awful thought, like, thinking if anything
:03:11. > :03:15.With the barriers up and the sandbags being put in place,
:03:16. > :03:17.people here and in other flood-affected areas will be hoping
:03:18. > :03:21.all of this does what it is meant to do because the rain we have had
:03:22. > :03:24.today is nothing compared to what is expected overnight
:03:25. > :03:33.Until then all people can do is watch and wait.
:03:34. > :03:41.The Queen in her Christmas Day broadcast said the world had
:03:42. > :03:44.confronted moments of darkness in the past year,
:03:45. > :03:47.but that the Gospels provided a message of hope.
:03:48. > :03:49.She spoke of the plight of those forced to flee their homes
:03:50. > :03:51.as refugees and the Christian message that we should
:03:52. > :03:57.Here's our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell.
:03:58. > :04:02.On a damp day the Queen departed promptly after the service,
:04:03. > :04:05.leaving younger members of the family to spend a few moments
:04:06. > :04:20.In her Christmas broadcast the Queen looked back at 2015.
:04:21. > :04:23.There was much to be thankful for, she said, but though she did not
:04:24. > :04:27.identify any particular incidents, there had also been tragedy.
:04:28. > :04:30.It is true that the world has had to confront moments
:04:31. > :04:37.But the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope often read
:04:38. > :04:44."The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has
:04:45. > :04:50.70 years after the end of the Second World War,
:04:51. > :04:53.she paid tribute to those who had served.
:04:54. > :04:56.The strong Christian theme continued when she spoke about people
:04:57. > :05:02.Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short
:05:03. > :05:08.life, Christ's unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence,
:05:09. > :05:13.but simply that we should love one another.
:05:14. > :05:16.On a personal note there was a reference to the birth in May
:05:17. > :05:19.of another great-grandchild, Princess Charlotte.
:05:20. > :05:23.One of the joys of living a long life is watching one's children,
:05:24. > :05:28.then grandchildren, then great-grandchildren help decorate
:05:29. > :05:32.the Christmas tree and this year my family has a new member
:05:33. > :05:40.And she looked ahead to next year and a significant personal landmark.
:05:41. > :05:45.I am looking forward to a busy 2016, though I have been warned I may have
:05:46. > :05:49.Happy Birthday sung to me more than once or twice.
:05:50. > :05:52.That, of course, was a reference to the fact that in four
:05:53. > :05:56.months' time the Queen will celebrate her 90th birthday.
:05:57. > :05:59.Yet, despite the passing of the years, 2016 will,
:06:00. > :06:08.Nicholas Witchell, BBC News, at Buckingham Palace.
:06:09. > :06:11.The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has used his
:06:12. > :06:14.Christmas Day sermon to warn that Islamic State extremists have
:06:15. > :06:17.launched an "apocalypse" in the Middle East.
:06:18. > :06:19.He said Christianity could face elimination in the region
:06:20. > :06:25.In Rome, Pope Francis appealed for reconciliation after a year
:06:26. > :06:31.Our Religious Affairs Correspondent, Caroline Wyatt reports.
:06:32. > :06:35.Goodwill and a cheery greeting from the Archbishop
:06:36. > :06:37.of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as he arrived at Canterbury
:06:38. > :06:45.# Oh, come all ye faithful...# But as Christians gathered
:06:46. > :06:48.to celebrate the birth of Christ at services
:06:49. > :06:52.across the world, his message today was a sombre one.
:06:53. > :06:55.The Archbishop focused on the devastation unleashed
:06:56. > :06:58.by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq,
:06:59. > :07:02.saying it used force and indescribable cruelty.
:07:03. > :07:05.He compared it to a modern-day Herod,
:07:06. > :07:09.the biblical King who massacred babies while trying to kill Jesus.
:07:10. > :07:12.They hate difference, whether it is Muslims who think
:07:13. > :07:15.differently, Yazidis or Christians, and because
:07:16. > :07:19.of them the Christians face elimination in the very region
:07:20. > :07:28.That was a message echoed in Rome today.
:07:29. > :07:32.Pope Francis was greeted with enthusiasm by pilgrims on Saint
:07:33. > :07:39.He too called for peace in a world riven by conflict.
:07:40. > :07:41.TRANSLATION: My thoughts also turn
:07:42. > :07:45.to those affected by brutal acts of terrorism,
:07:46. > :07:47.particularly the recent massacres which took place
:07:48. > :07:57.The Pope asked for prayers and strength for all
:07:58. > :08:00.Christians persecuted for their faith, calling them
:08:01. > :08:10.Closer to home in North Yorkshire, the Archbishop of York,
:08:11. > :08:14.John Sentamu, took a Christmas service to those who could not come
:08:15. > :08:18.to his at Kirklevington Grange Prison.
:08:19. > :08:20.There he offered words of hope for those who were in prison,
:08:21. > :08:23.lonely, or feeling lost and abandoned, saying the message
:08:24. > :08:31.of Christmas was one of hope and salvation.
:08:32. > :08:34.The commander of one of Syria's most powerful rebel groups has been
:08:35. > :08:40.Zahroun Alloush, the leader of the Jaysh al-Islam group,
:08:41. > :08:43.was killed when Russian warplanes attacked his headquarters,
:08:44. > :08:50.India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has made a surprise
:08:51. > :08:52.visit to Pakistan to meet the country's leader,
:08:53. > :08:57.It's the first such visit for more than a decade,
:08:58. > :09:03.raising hopes of better relations between the two countries.
:09:04. > :09:05.And finally, a hospital choir from south London has reached
:09:06. > :09:08.the top of the charts, taking the coveted Christmas number
:09:09. > :09:12.The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir fought off stiff competition
:09:13. > :09:17.from the Canadian singer Justin Bieber.
:09:18. > :09:23.I can officially announce that the UK's official Christmas
:09:24. > :09:27.The moment the choir had been waiting for.
:09:28. > :09:38.# When you are weary...# The single was released to raise money
:09:39. > :09:46.and to pay tribute to the National Health Service.
:09:47. > :09:49.That was what it was all about, it was for all of the other people
:09:50. > :09:53.I am really hoping this gives them a lift.
:09:54. > :09:56.I hoped, but I really didn't think it would happen.
:09:57. > :09:59.I mean Justin Bieber is such a big superstar
:10:00. > :10:05.Bieber, last week's number one, had asked his 17 million
:10:06. > :10:08.plus Twitter followers to help the NHS choir to win
:10:09. > :10:14.Christmas number ones are often for charity.
:10:15. > :10:18.Perhaps an additional boost here, it's a celebration of the NHS's much
:10:19. > :10:21.loved work across the entire country.
:10:22. > :10:24.With the new number one being announced on Christmas Day
:10:25. > :10:27.itself, it seems appropriate that this year in particular should
:10:28. > :10:32.see people at all levels of music together with members of the public
:10:33. > :10:35.using the chance to send their own seasonal message.
:10:36. > :10:45.You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.
:10:46. > :11:07.From me and the team, have a very goodnight.
:11:08. > :11:13.Hello, it has been a wet rather than white Christmas across the UK and
:11:14. > :11:15.that is