Would be made in her case. Earlier this week her family said that her case had been marked as eligible for early release. Emma north reports. There had been hopes of her release by christmas, but the husband of Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe says he is trying to keep a level head while his wifes fate looks as uncertain as ever. So far there hasnt been any substance and obviously she isnt home for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, boxing day, and it could be that we are in for a much longer haul. So i am not yet gearing up to escalate and do more. I am still hoping and keeping my fingers crossed. Mrs zagari ratcliffe, who turns 39 years old on boxing day, is being held in iran on spying charges, which she denies. Her daughter gabriella, who is now three, is being raised in iran. These latest pictures show her wearing a dress her mother knitted for her in prison. Mrs zagari ratcliffes lawyer has reportedly told her to ignore any reports in the iranian media either of fresh charges or of an early release. And of course we had a second court case that was mooted before but the foreign secretary went over to iran and it fell away. So only last week the court case disappeared and was cancelled formally by the court and it has been revived. So it is really hard to know what is going on and it is hard not to get too up or too down. Mrs ratcliffes case was taken up by borisjohnson during a visit to tehran. The foreign secretary apologised for a gaffe which appeared to contradict claims she was on holiday. The Foreign Office delegation reportedly left iran sensing that both sides wanted to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the iranian judiciary is expected to speak later, leaving mrs zagari ratcliffes family here in london experiencing a difficult but familiar mixture of bewilderment and hope. Now on bbc news, our world Richard Conway spends time with the Syrian National team in football on the frontline. They are the unlikely sporting heroes in a country ripped apart by conflict. Syria is in the midst of a bloody civil war. But the National Football team is trying to send a message it hopes can transcend political and religious differences. Im following the team as they compete for a place in footballs biggest tournament the world cup. Even some of those who fled syria in fear of their lives see the team as a symbol of national pride. The team has defied the odds by beating some of asias biggest and best. Now theyre on the road again, competing for so much more than just football glory. Its friday afternoon in damascus and the weekend is under way. Prayers in the morning. And like so many places around the world, football in the afternoon. Its here i meet tarek jabban, assistant coach of syrias National Team. Im joining him as he watches a low key fixture in syrias premier league. Which is also attempting to carry on despite the conflict. Syrian football fans have much to cheer about right now. Their National Side has performed beyond expectations as they try to qualify for next years world cup in russia. Economic sanctions mean the country, and therefore football, has little money. What cash there is comes from the Assad Government, keen to use football to give the impression of a united, functioning state. The players need somebody to support them. Ourfederation, our government. Now our equipment, our condition is not what we want. Syrian government officials are keen to show us that football is flourishing. Lets go meet the man. We can learn more about this. Its half time, and tarek introduces me to his boss, the head coach of the National Football team, and the man responsible for their recent good results. You beat china i o. You drew with south korea. Theres a real opportunity for syria to go to a world cup. Do the players now believe . Do they have the belief in their hearts that they can qualify for the world cup . Syrias president , bashar al assad, wants the perception to be that his country is returning to normal, and sport helps with that aim. But regardless of his intentions, it is clear that sport, football coming back to syria, provides a chance for people to forget about their worries, at least for 90 minutes. After six years of war, more games are being played and fans are slowly returning. But football is only possible in government held areas. And not in large swathes of this country outside the regimes control. This season is interesting, because all Syrian People want to come back for stadiums, want to support teams. Its 2 2 at the moment. Lets see if anyone can get a late winner. The first time on this field two teams score four goals, because all games on this field finishing i o. Cheering and applause. Theres another one. 32. All games in this field finish 1 0, 0 0. Its first time maybe five goals. Maybe because youre coming. It is the bbcs fault. We should come every week what looks like normal life does go on in president assads damascus. Youd be forgiven for times for thinking there is no war. Thats how syrias leader wants it. Here on the east side of damascus, were at a football field thats been hit in the past by mortar fire. Very few of the National Team play in syria, but five star players are here training with their local club side. For a variety of reasons theyve stayed in syria, their career choices complicated by the war. Every so often you can hear the sound of an aerial artillery shell going off somewhere in the distance. Were very close here to one of the front lines, even as we are in the centre of damascus. The players are not fussed, they havent raised an eyebrow. This is the sound of war, something theyve grown up with. Omar al midani is one of the younger players of the National Team. Does this team really believe it can go on and qualify for russia . The training looks familiar. But thats where similarities between the game here and in other countries ends. The difference is not just the conditions, but the hopes and expectations that are placed upon this team. There is no part of life in assad controlled syria untouched by the regime. Every facet of society, especially where there is success, such as with the National Football team, is presented as a sign of a functioning state. But the illusion is easily shattered. We were filming at a market when we heard a very loud explosion nearby. There are reports that a number of people have been killed. We are going now to see if we can find out what has happen, see what damage has been caused. Two devices have detonated. One by the roadside, another by a suicide bomber, targeting mainly shia pilgrims visiting from iraq. All of a sudden, im a war reporter. Our correspondent Richard Conway is at the scene. This is the largest attack to hit damascus in some time. A suicide bomber detonated his device in this commercial district in the centre of damascus, killing at least a0 people, injuring dozens more. Working as a sport correspondent means you simply dont see devastation like this. The number of People Killed rose over time to 7a. The experience is a shocking and a harrowing insight into the painful realities of life in syria. What before had beenjust words about the conflict, war and bombings was now very real in my mind. I had come to syria to find out how football could possibly thrive and matter during a time of war. But right now that question seemed more difficult to answer than ever. This is important. For my life, for us. Tarek has devoted much of his life to syrian football. In this box are the medals that prove it. This is you, with the ca ptains armband 7 but that was before the war. Now many players in the National Team. You are their coach. You have gone from playing with them. Today, the majority of the most talented players look to play abroad. There is a big difference, you understand, before six years, all syrian players in the National Team were in syria. Now we need players to play outside syria. To play inside, the level is not good for the future. Look at that. This is for you and your group. Thats so kind of you. Thank you very much. Tarek is preparing to say goodbye to his family and fly to malaysia. Sanctions in the war mean this team must play its home games on neutral ground. A 14,000 kilometre round trip awaits. The game against uzbekistan is arguably the most important match in syrias history. There is Political Capital for the assad regime in the teams success. But i cant help but wonder if those forced to flee syria will be supporting the team, too. Nearly 5 Million People have sought refuge abroad from the syrian civil war. 80,000 of them are here in the zaatari camp in northern jordan. Just a few kilometres from the syrian border, its a living, breathing testament to the human cost of war. Mohammad al khalaf was a professional footballer with the syrian top flight club, al majd. But when his brother was killed by a shell that hit his house, he, together with his family, escaped over the border to jordan. Like many here, he is angry. Mohammad is beginning to get his football career back on track. And still supports the National Team. Issam al masri is just 22 and considered the best player in camp. The medals he has here are all from playing football inside zaatari. He was a young talent with professional side al shouleh in the city of daraa. But in 2012 he fled with his family. Like mohammad, he is trying to resurrect his career. He coaches the children here in the camp. He admits to me, like many, its hard for him to talk openly. The guarded language used even here, in the refugee camp, makes it clearjust how fearful people are of talking about politics. Still, like mohammad, issam supports the National Side. Life here in camp is tough, but the people here are safe, having escaped from the war. Football is one of the central activities that kids get to enjoy. Its fun, it gives them a sense of purpose. But it also gives them something very precious, having escaped from the conflict. A sense of a normal childhood. What is your Favourite Team . Real madrid. What about england . Manchester united. Juventus. Thats in italy. What about Newcastle United . Thats my team. Show me your name . Ronaldo. You are a mini ronaldo. Who are your favourite syrian players . Al somah. Why does everyone like al somah so much . I had wondered how much these children would know of syrian football. But clearly the players are heroes. Football matters because of the hope it can provide. Even here, amongst those displaced by civil war and who have lost loved ones to the regime, i got a sense of love and pride in their country, that rises above politics, and endures in spite of the suffering. It feels as if the countrys Football Team provides people with a safe focus for those feelings. The historic malaysian resort town of malacca is the venue for syrias crucial match against uzbekistan. Its nowjust days away. Those members of the squad who travelled from syria have been joined by players earning much bigger money in the likes of china, kuwait and saudi arabia. The range of salaries is matched by the range of religions and backgrounds within the squad. I catch up with omar again, and he introduces me to mardik mardikian, one of the few christians to play for the syrian side. Of course, more controversial than religious differences are political ones. The side has long been multi faith. But for this important match, a first. Firas al khatib, one of the greatest syrian footballers of this generation, left syria and criticised the assad regime. As a result hes not played for five years, but hes returning to the squad for this match. Beyond funding, the extent to which the Assad Government is involved in team affairs is unknown. The mix of faiths and now politics within the squad certainly sends a message that the regime wants heard. Syria can come together, at least for football. But many former players havent returned. Before the war Mohamad Al Ibrahim represented syria 31 times. The conflict forced him to pursue his career abroad. But so far has not, for what he describes as personal reasons. Politics is probably not on the minds of the National Team players as they arrive at the stadium for their game against uzbekistan. Right now theyre dealing with another p. Pressure. With their past performances and all this talk of their success, expectation rises amongst their fans. There are about 100 syria fans in the stadium. The countrys footballing ambitions now rest on the shoulders of these 11 players. Its a close game. At half time its goalless. In a sports club in damascus, the tension is palpable. As fans watch the game head towards the final minutes. A win here is absolutely crucial to syrias world cup hopes. Then, in the final minutes, returning star Firas Al Khatib is fouled, and wins a penalty. Omar kharbin scores. And syria have a famous victory. Its meaning to those in damascus is clear. So too here in malaysia. Coach, lovely to meet you. Good luck in south korea. This team operates under unique circumstances. They have a real belief they are playing for the Syrian People. The achievements really do seem to transcend both sport and politics. It demonstrates the power of sport, and how even amidst the horrors of a civil war that has ripped syria apart, it can matter so much to so many. Hello there. The forecast through the Christmas Period is looking a little bit mixed. For some of us, its going to be a decent day for sitting in front of the fire and eating lots of chocolates. For others, it is staying drier and brighter. This is Christmas Eve in leicestershire. Beautiful scenes there. As we head through Christmas Day, things are looking quite mild, quite breezy and there is some rain on the cards. Not all of us are going to be seeing it. But theres a weather front on Christmas Day bringing some rain across northern ireland, northern england, southern scotland too. Further south across england and wales, just a few spots of drizzle, but actually, many places dry if somewhat windy. Weve got these strong south westerly winds blowing. That area of rain will work into western parts of wales and the south west of england later on in the afternoon. But before it gets there, central and Eastern England seeing a good deal of dry, cloudy, mild weather. One or two light showers. But also, some brighter spells breaking through that cloud too. Further north, more rain into the north west of england, northern ireland, southern scotland too. And youll notice the white colours indicating perhaps a little bit of sleet or snow on top of the highest ground. Turning colder, though, from the north of scotland and thats a sign of things to come later on through the christmas break. Christmas day evening, that band of rain gets going, strengthening. So heavy rain and really squally winds moving eastwards across all of the country, followed by clearer skies with a cold northerly breeze and some wintry showers. Potentially a bit of sleet and snow over the Higher Ground of southern scotland and the pennines too. Could be some icy stretches around first thing boxing day. If you have travel plans, do take note. And also some frost around too. But then some sunshine developing quite widely during boxing day. Still, some wintry sleet and snow showers across parts of scotland. And then more wet and windy weather works into the south west of england later on in the afternoon. Temperatures around four to eight degrees. Temperatures around 4 8 degrees, so feeling significantly cooler than it has done of late. Into boxing day evening, this rain starts to push eastwards across southern parts of england and wales too, bringing a spell of very heavy rain and also some strong winds. Theres that potential as it meets that colder air, that we can see a bit of sleet and snow on the Northern Edge of this low pressure system. Mainly it will be falling as rain as it works its way gradually eastwards. Wednesday we will start off with that rain and perhaps a bit of wintriness. That clears away from the south east. Many places having a largely dry day, sunny spells, one or two showers. Cooler, though, with temperatures around 2 to 6 degrees. Have a happy christmas. This is bbc news. Im gavin grey. Our top stories pope francis pleads for migrants during Christmas Eve mass at the vatican. So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps ofjoseph and mary. We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. After devastating large areas in the south of philippines, Tropical Storm tembin is heading to vietnam. The king of spain renews his call for unity amid the ongoing fallout from catalonias independence referendum. The russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny says hes gathered enough support to stand against Vladimir Putin in next years president ial election. From trump taking christmas calls to waterskiing santas, we look at how celebrations are shaping up around the world