AFP-JIJI
Pope Francis called for an end to "brutal" religious persecution, killings and hostage-taking in the Middle East and Nigeria as well as violence against children in his annual Christmas "urbi et orbi" message.
Denouncing conflicts in Ukraine, Libya and elsewhere, and noting last week's deadly attack against schoolchildren in Pakistan, the pontiff also lamented the thousands of victims of the Ebola apidemic in West Africa.
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