THE WORLD'S developed nations were condemned by the Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday for concentrating on the war on terror at the expense of the poor, while in her annual address, the Queen called for tolerance between Britain's different religious groups.

Dr Rowan Williams told a congregation at Canterbury Cathedral that rich countries were "deeply indifferent" to world poverty and should stop being so focussed on fighting the terrorist threat.

Dr Williams said he was worried that the principles of "justice and liberty" for all were being sacrificed in favour of national safety, and that "various forces in our public life in the West" were massaging people's "profound anxieties about security".

The Archbishop went on to say that little progress had been made towards the attainment of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals - which include halving the number of people living in poverty by 2015 - but insisted there are plenty of ideas around that would help the fight against world poverty.

He cited: "The International Finance Facility, a further push on debt reduction, a regime of incentives to encourage pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices and improve distribution systems for needy countries, the development of systematic micro-credit schemes, a new look at agricultural subsidies."

However, he pointed out that "some developed nations" appear "deeply indifferent" to the goals agreed, but added that, given the terror and violence in the world, it was no surprise that security should be a priority.

"It is not a mistake to be concerned about terror, " he said. "We have seen enough this last year, in Iraq and Ossetia, of the nauseating and conscienceless brutality that is around.

"But some of you may remember words used at the end of that worrying and wide-ranging television series in the autumn, The Power Of Nightmare: when a society believes in nothing, the only agenda is fear."

Dr Williams said making justice for all the top priority may mean "facing the prospect that the prosperity of the developed world can't go on expanding indefinitely".

The Queen, speaking at the one time of year when she receives no advice from the government on what to say, said religions had often been in the news as "sources of difference and conflict". However, she said they all bore messages of tolerance and respect.

She highlighted the negative impact the terrorist threat could have on the co-existence of different cultures and heritages in Britain, saying that diversity was "a strength, not a threat".

Her Majesty added that tolerance and fair play were "strong British values", and said that Christmas was "a great religious festival, one of the most important in the Christian year".

She said that as a Christian she particularly valued the parable of the Good Samaritan, with its teaching that everyone is our neighbour, regardless or "race, creed of colour".

The Queen also acknowledged that many challenges still needed to be overcome, and that discrimination still existed. "But there is every reason to be hopeful about the future. I certainly recognise that much has been achieved in my lifetime, " she said.

Fathers 4 Justice, a fathers' rights group famous for its high-profile publicity stunts, attempted to sneak a protester dressed as Santa onto a church roof in the Queen's Sandringham estate.

However, the group's attempts were foiled by police, and eight men were remanded in custody. "It was a bit like Colditz in the end, " said group founder Matthew O'Connor.

"Lots of coppers and Alsatians tucking into some legs for an early Christmas lunch."

ELSEWHERE ITALY: Pope John Paul's Christmas message was based on the yearning for peace all over the world.

However, even as his annual Urbi et Orbi (to the city and world) message was read, government troops in Sudan smashed a fledgling ceasefire and further attacks were announced in Afghanistan.

The Pope, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, asked the infant Jesus to encourage attempts to sustain peace efforts. "Before the crib where you lie helpless, let there be an end to the spread of violence in its many forms, the source of untold suffering, " he said The 84-year-old Pope's message was the shortest it has ever been in his 27 Christmas seasons as Pontiff - a concession to the illness that makes it difficult for him to speak more than a few sentences at a time.

The Urbi et Orbi message was heard by thousands of people in Rome's St Peter's Square and watched by tens of millions on live television in more than 70 countries.

DARFUR: Christmas in Darfur was marked by further tragedy and misery. Rebel leader Hassan Khamis said on Friday that Sudanese troops have launched a fresh offensive against rebels, breaking a ceasefire agreement that is less than a week old.

Four truckloads of Sudanese troops attacked a camp belonging to the National Movement for Reform and Development on Thursday, Khamis said.

Two insurgents were wounded and rebels captured an army truck as well as arms and ammunition, but it was unclear how many government troops were killed or wounded.

Disease and famine have killed 70,000 in Darfur since March, with the UN calling the two-year-old conflict the world's gravest humanitarian disaster. Some 750,000 people have been displaced in the fighting and are living in camps with the barest of resources.

On Christmas Eve, international aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres pledged to continue its humanitarian work in Darfur despite the death of one of its workers, but scores of other agencies have withdrawn from the region due to continuing violence.

AFGHANISTAN: News of further Taliban attacks marred Christmas in Afghanistan.

Governor Khial Mohammed said about 40 Taliban fighters ambushed a government office in the Ata Ghar district of southern Zabul province on Thursday. Outgunned security forces held the rebels off, killing two of them. One soldier was also killed.

In a separate attack, rebels targeted an Afghan military convoy en route from western Herat province to neighbouring Farah, killing a driver and wounding two others.

TAIWAN: French climber, Alain Robert who calls himself "Spiderman", has edged his way to the top of the world's new tallest building, Taipei 101.

Heavy rain meant Robert took four hours to climb the 508m (1667ft) tower, almost double his estimate.

Light rain and strong winds hampered his ascent, which was part of a series of events to mark the opening of the tower.