World News from the BBC
Coptic Christians in Egypt are attending services to mark their Christmas Eve, surrounded by heavy security, following an attack last week. Twenty-one people were killed in a New Year bomb attack at a Coptic church in Alexandria, and some of today's worshippers wore black
rather than
their usual festive clothes as a mark of respect. Jon Leyne reports from Cairo.
Worshippers entered the churches for Christmas Eve Mass in a ring of security. Most roads outside churches were blocked off. Metal detectors were
install
ed at the gates, and those arriving were asked to show identity. In some churches, Muslims came to show
solidarity
. Egyptian state TV broadcast a message of national unity. And so far, it seems to have worked. Despite incitement to new attacks on some extremist websites, there have been no reports of trouble, though one small crude explosive device was found and made safe at a church in southern Egypt.
President Obama's special envoy to Sudan has told the BBC he believes Sunday's independence referendum in southern Sudan will take place successfully. Scott Gration said both the north and south of Sudan had pledged not to
destabilise
each other. He said the south had promised President al-Bashir that it would not support rebels from Darfur.
Police in Brazil say they've taken control of three poor districts in the city of Rio de Janeiro from drugs gangs. Two hundred and fifty members of an elite police unit moved into the shanty towns which have been