Pope John Paul has given his first mass of the new year in St Peter's Basilica in Rome with a call for people to learn from the atrocities of the twentieth century.

In remarks to commemorate the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, the Pope said hope for the future was represented by respect for one's fellow man, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In his new year's message, the spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, called for more openness and generosity towards the world's refugees.

He criticised the British news media for what he described as their practice of whipping up fear and hostility towards asylum sekers in Britain, many of whom come from Kosovo and Albania.