this is bbc news. the headlines: the world health organization has warned against "vaccine nationalism" after the european union announced it would bring in export controls on vaccines produced within the bloc. the eu introduced the measure amid a row with vaccine manufacturers over delivery shortfalls. the uk government has confirmed that it's formally applying to join a trade agreement which represents around 15% of all international trade. the cptpp brings together australia, new zealand, japan and canada, as well as a number of pacific rim countries, including malaysia and vietnam. protesters marching against a controversial security bill have clashed with french police in paris. it's part of an ongoing campaign against proposed laws to increase security forces�* surveillance tools and restrict rights on circulating images of police officers in the media.

borisjohnson has published an open letter to parents, saying he is "in awe" of how they are coping. the prime minister also promises "hundreds of millions of pounds" will be spent on a national education catch—up programme after the pandemic. it's been confirmed that schools in england won't start re opening until 8 march at the earliest. our education editor branwen jeffreys reports. it's tough for millions of parents right now, trying to help children learn at home. schools in england are mainly closed until march. today, borisjohnson said he couldn't thank parents enough. he said they are buying time for vaccination and that's saving lives. only a few children are still learning in school. parents and teachers are worried about lost learning. there is a promise in the letter of hundreds of millions of pounds for catch—up, but it's going to be a big job. one of the schools i have responsibility for —

fantastic place — serves a very deprived community. only 30% of those families have access to broadband in that area. only 30%. this is digital poverty in a really extreme way and it means that many children, despite the very best efforts of schools and teachers, still cannot connect with that learning. this warehouse is getting laptops to kids — more than 800,000 so far — but not every child will have somewhere quiet to work or parents able to give them lots of time, leading to fears that children could pay a heavy price in this pandemic. branwen jefferies, bbc news. now on bbc news, from civil war to the pandemic, 2020 was a deadly year for the syrian province of idlib. our world follows two syrian doctors brought face—to—face with life and death. even before coronavirus, 2020 got off to a deadly start

in the syrian province of idlib. but life continued for the millions of syrians trapped in the territory. as doctors, mohammed and zeina worked on the frontline of the humanitarian crisis. as coronavirus sweeps across the devastated region, where a third of the population live in refugee camps, the couple have to make a choice — to care for their patients or protect their growing family. with their first child expected just as the outbreak —— with their third child expected just as the outbreak reaches its peak, it is a choice that will force the family apart, ..and for longer than any of them expected. coughs.

mohammed and his family of four live in idlib, a province in the north—west corner of syria.

explosion. sirens wail. it is the only territory still held by anti—government rebels and the start of 2020 saw some of the bloodiest violence as president bashar al—assad tried to regain control. hospitals were bombed, hundreds of civilians killed and a million people forced from their homes. as doctors, both mohammed and his wife zeina were on the front lines of the crisis. a ceasefire is announced at the start of march. six days later, the world health organization declared coronavirus a global pandemic.

mohammed is appointed head of the coronavirus response team and, with zeina's help, starts preparing the refugee camps for a possible outbreak. with a third of idlib�*s population living in these cramped conditions, with little access to clean water, mohammed fears the virus could spread quickly.

surrounded by government forces and with little movement in and out of the territory, idlib manages to avoid an early outbreak. but another test result has come back positive.

but coronavirus does eventually come to idlib in earlyjuly,

when zeina is six months pregnant — and the first her test results come back negative. but with the outbreak spreading among hospital staff, she is becoming anxious about the health of her baby. within weeks, mohammed's fears have come true — the virus has spread to idlib�*s refugee camps where a million people live in close proximity.

with few health facilities, mohammed is sent to assess any suspected cases. officially, he has found 33 positive cases in the camps, but mohammed knows that most of them are going undetected. and with the syrian currency in free—fall following the introduction of new us sanctions injune, even those who want to take the virus seriously can barely afford to do so.

..especially as the ceasefire between the syrian government, explosion. ..especially as the ceasefire between the syrian government, its russian allies, and turkish—backed rebels is starting to fall apart. explosion. zeina and mohammed decide that it's too dangerous for them to have their baby in idlib.

but trapped within the besieged territory, their only other option is to give birth in neighbouring turkey — a country that closed its border with syria in 2015. as a doctor, zeina is allowed in, but the children cannot go with her. zeina makes a risky decision — to leave idlib with her children via an unofficial route. mohammed stays behind to work

on the coronavirus response. it's october, and the number of positive cases in north—west syria has risen tenfold over the last month.

mohammed managed to reach zeina in turkey on the day she gave birth.

but now she's out of the hospital, mohammed has to return to idlib, leaving the family in turkey.

explosion. mohammed has been separated from the family for one week. during that time, dozens of people have been killed in a series of air strikes, including four children. he's on his way to one

of idlib�*s dedicated coronavirus hospitals. it's working at full capacity, and patients are being turned away. the hospitals are also running low on oxygen.

to make matters worse, nearly 1,500 doctors and nurses have tested positive for the virus — 30% of the medical workforce in idlib.

three weeks after giving birth, zeina is trying to get back into syria to look after mohammed. but having entered turkey via an unofficial route, she is repeatedly turned away from the border.

but even with his symptoms, mohammed must continue to work. there are only 70 ventilators across the whole of idlib, and growing competition among the hospitals.

after four attempts, zeina and the children finally make it across the border, but it's not the homecoming mohammed was hoping for.

after ten days in quarantine, mohammed takes another covid test. it's negative.

it's the 1st of december, and one month since mohammed held his youngest child, aleen.

hello. sunday gets off to a cold start, a very cold start in parts of scotland, where temperatures in the coldest spots will be down to minus double figures. frosty, icy in places. for many, though, sunday will stay dry. some sunshine but turning increasingly hazy, but not all will be dry. there's another atlantic weather system heading our way, and that's going to bring in some further outbreaks of rain, sleet and some snow across some western areas, which we'll see in a moment. now, these are the starting temperatures. away from those very cold spots in highland scotland, that's all below freezing, so a widespread frost, icy where we've had wintry showers overnight in the northern isles and where you saw some of saturday's wet weather. a few lingering fog patches in parts of scotland, many, though, a sunny start, some turning hazy. thicker cloud to southwest england, wales and northern ireland, bringing in some outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow. snow mostly on hills, but perhaps some low levels for a time in parts of wales and northern

ireland, and what is going to be another quite cold, raw day out there. that easterly wind not quite as strong across southern parts as it was during saturday. bit of patchy rain and drizzle also pushing into parts of southeast england to end the day and staying damp across southern parts going into monday morning, and wet in northern ireland with further rain, sleet and hill snow around here. a few wintry showers in northern scotland overnight and into monday. it's not going to be as cold at night. so, a wet start in northern ireland, further rain, sleet and hill snow and some of this will push on towards parts of scotland during monday, so the prospect of some snow for some of us here away from the immediate west coast. and plenty of cloud in england and wales, still damp and drizzly in places, especially to the south. some sunny spells in northeast scotland, not quite as cold on monday. a more vigorous weather system coming in monday night and into tuesday, bringing in more wet weather. that means more rain to flood affected areas and some snow as it meets

the colder air as it moves its way northwards. the chance of some significant snow accumulations, disruptive snow in parts of northern england and scotland on tuesday, notjust on the hills. if you haven't got the snow, you've got some rain, that's the case into northern ireland. some showers affecting parts of england and wales, where for some of us, it is turning milder. now, this wet weather system will linger in parts of northern ireland and scotland wednesday and into thursday. more snow across parts of scotland, turning drierfor some of us in england and wales. that's your forecast, bye—bye.

this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: the world health organization says any eu export controls on coronavirus vaccines risks prolonging the pandemic. the uk will try to join a trans—pacific trade agreement with 11 countries as part of its post—brexit plan. police clash with protesters in france as demonstrations continue against a controversial new security law. and up for the cup: fans celebrate in brazil after palmeiras win the copa libertadores.