you're watching the context on bbc news. a death row prisoner in alabama is due to become the first person in the us to be executed using the controversial nitrogen gas method. sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here's gavin ra mjaun. we start with breaking news this evening. french rugby union side racing 92 have confirmed owen farrell willjoin the club from saracens. it means while he plays in france, farrell won't be able to play for england due to the rfu's rules about fielding overseas players. the saracens club captain has been with them for 15 years — there'd been widespread speculation about his future in the premiership, since the former england captain announced in november he was taking a breakfrom the international game, to prioritise his mental wellbeing. the french club announced the news on social media. farrelljoins on a two—year deal starting this summer having made more than 200 appearances for saracens in all competitions, winning six premiership titles

and three european champions cups. there was plenty of drama on day nine of the australian open. sixth seed alexander zverev had to win a fifth set tie—break in his match against britain's cameron norrie to make the quarter—finals. the german will face number two seed carlos alcaraz who lost just eight games as he beat miomir kecmanovic of serbia in straight sets. it is great to find this level, to play this level in the matches, on the court, i am feeling better and better every day, i'm feeling better every match that i am playing, coming into the quarterfinal with a lot of confidence. a shock at the africa cup of nations on the cards, as the hosts ivory coast could be heading out following their 4—0 hammering at the hands of equatorial guinea. emilio nsue�*s double helped them to a famous win that saw them top group a and qualify for the knockouts. ivory coast need other results elsewhere to go their way. earlier, nigeria had to rely on an own goal to beat

guinea—bissau 1—0 to seal second. crucial matches happening on group b where it's wide open still. egypt have to beat group—winners cape verde to be sure of their spot in the knockouts. currently 1—0. ghana or mozambique could take advantage if egypt slip up. tajikistan have qualified for the knockout stage so the asian cup for the first time, leaving the chance of progressing for china out of their hands. it had looked like lebanon would be the team to get the automatic second—place qualification spot when they took the lead against tajikistan just after half—time with this goal from basselljradi. but they lost a man to a red card, and the ten men couldn't hang on to the lead. parviz umarbaev put his side level with around ten minutes of normal time to go. and in stoppage time, nuriddin khamrokulov got the winner that made sure of their progress in second place behind the hosts, qatar.

china's position was precarious going into theirfinal group game against qatar. and when hassan al—haydos volleyed the qataris in front midway through the second half, their worst fears were realised. it finshed 0—0, and after two goalless draws in their opening it finshed 1—0, and after two goalless draws in their opening games, china's chances of finishing in one of the best third—placed spots look unlikely. qatar top the group. one game in the premier league to bring you — brighton and wolves are in action, following their winter breaks. brighton hoping to make it unbeaten in four in the league, but face a wolves side who've won their last three. currently 0—0 at the amex, in the first half there. 38—year—old james milner is making his 633rd premier league appearance — to go past ryan giggs into second in the all—time list, behind gareth barry. brighton could go seventh with a win. we're into the closing stages of the italian super final between napoli and inter. the match taking place in riyadh, 0—0 the score there. in a match between the serie a

champions and coppa italia holders. and just one match in la liga on monday — struggling granada hosting atletico madrid. in the first half there — it's 0—0 — the home side with just two wins this season. atletico with hopes to break into the top four, jumping above atletic bilbao with victory. and that's all the sport for now. a death row prisoner in alabama is due to become the first person in the us to be executed using nitrogen gas, a method which the united nations has called cruel and inhumane. this will be the state's second attempt to execute kenneth eugene smith, who was convicted in 1989 of murdering a preacher�*s wife in a hired killing. despite growing calls for a stay of execution, the state authorities say they will press ahead with the death sentence. our correspondent tom bateman reports from atmore in southern alabama.

hidden in the alabama woods — the jail meant to strike fear into every convict. for here, more than 160 inmates await execution. but it is the fate of one, kenneth smith, sparking an outcry from campaigners and a legal battle going down to the wire. this prison was already among the top in the us for carrying out executions. but what is planned for thursday will put it in a new league — the first in history to gas an inmate to death using nitrogen. and that, warn experts, could cause convulsions, brain damage, but not death or other catastrophic mishaps. smith has already been subjected to one failed execution by lethal injection. how are you, esther? good, thanks. his supporters say trying again with an untested method breaks the law on cruel and unusual punishment. this veteran campaigner against capital punishment remains in daily contact with smith.

..from his sister. "good evening, hon. hope you have been doing well." she sees his as a crucial test case against suffocation by the state. he suffers from ptsd from the terribly attempted botched execution. and now one's going towards something which might even be worse. smith was convicted in 1989 of murdering the wife of an alabama preacher who paid him and another man $1,000 each. thejury recommended life injail, but the judge overruled them and sentenced smith to death. on phone: sorry. sorry about that. i wasjust... go ahead, kenny.

i reached smith on the phone, but he said he was too unwell to do an interview. he wrote later, saying he was suffering panic attacks and felt he was being tortured. alabama's governor, who can halt an execution, wouldn't talk to us. in a statement, the attorney general�*s office said it would proceed with the execution on thursday. i like alabama and i tell you, it's good people. and one local lawmaker who voted for the use of nitrogen gas rejects the un's criticism. i don't know about degrading. i don't know about inhumane. i think we're improving. but this one's suffocation. yeah, i know. and i don't remember exactly how the victim died, but i think it may be even better than what the process was that he did to the victim. i don't know that. and i don't know that's a good way to die. is that what it's about for you, though, is it? that sounds like retribution. no, i don't think so. capital punishment in america has been in steady decline for years now. but on alabama's death row, they fear this execution could create a lethal

new turning point. tom bateman, bbc news, atmore, alabama. let's speak to drjoel zivot. he is an associate professor of the department of anaesthesiology at emory university in the us. thank you very much for being with us, could you just pick up on the last point that tom was making there in his report, that actually the death sentencing in america is declining. why is that? i death sentencing in america is declining. why is that?- death sentencing in america is declining. why is that? i think that the death sentence _ declining. why is that? i think that the death sentence is _ declining. why is that? i think that the death sentence is declining - the death sentence is declining around the country, but in the few places that remain, it seems that the result is increasing. i'd like to thank that the reason why it's declining around the country is because, you know, people have recognised that the death penalty doesn't do what they claim it does. some effect on crime, or create some

sort of resolution for survivors, you know, afterwards it doesn't seem to do any of those things. it's racist, it's classist, it really is a poorform racist, it's classist, it really is a poor form of racist, it's classist, it really is a poorform of punishment, and arguably it's torture. but alabama seesit arguably it's torture. but alabama sees it differently and of course, their pattern has been to fail and doubled down each time. the their pattern has been to fail and doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because _ doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because i _ doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because i am _ doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because i am aware - doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because i am aware that - doubled down each time. the reason i asked is because i am aware that the l asked is because i am aware that the companies who make some of the lethal injections coming on political and public pressure, i wonder if that's why the reason nitrogen gas has become the preferred method for alabama. i think that, you know, in the case of kenneth smith, of course, the state failed to execute him with lethal injection. so even alabama might be hard pressed to claim that all they need is a second try of the same technique. so they've moved to something different. i think also

that lethal injection around the country has been struggling because of lack of pharmaceutical supply, pharmaceutical companies are not wanting their drug to be used in this way. there has been a series of technical glitches, and my own research has shown that in almost 80% of presidents executed with lethal injection, they get pulmonary oedema instead of falling off to sleep and dying, they are actually drowning in their own blood. so those states that wish to continue with execution are searching for another method, and i think that they think they've found it with nitrogen gas. they think they've found it with nitrogen gem-— they think they've found it with nitrogen gee— they think they've found it with nitrouen as. , ., ., ,~' nitrogen gas. there is another risk here as well- _ nitrogen gas. there is another risk here as well. i _ nitrogen gas. there is another risk here as well. i think _ nitrogen gas. there is another risk here as well. i think his _ nitrogen gas. there is another risk here as well. i think his spiritual . here as well. i think his spiritual adviser will be with him when he's executed. what is the problem with nitrogen gas if you've got other people in the room? so nitrogen gas if you've got other people in the room? so nitrogen gas is odorless and _ people in the room? so nitrogen gas is odorless and colourless _ people in the room? so nitrogen gas is odorless and colourless and - is odorless and colourless and non—noxious to breathe, so you don't know that it's there. the system that they have in place requires

that they have in place requires that kenneth smith wear a mask, the mask of course can become dislodged and further, by the nature of the pattern of ventilation, when kenneth smith exhales, his carbon dioxide which he needs to do otherwise it will be extremely uncomfortable if it accumulates in the mask. he will also be exhaling nitrogen gas which is an art. there will be some nitrogen gas in that room. the state of alabama, and so they've done something quite where they've asked reverend hood to sign a waiver acknowledging that he himself is at risk. now, there is nothing in the law that allows the state to injure or kill anyone other then connects smith in the context of kenneth smith's execution. what they're asking for is of acknowledgement. i

think their lack of understanding, their lack of preparation, and their disregard even for the safety of others who would be witnessing this execution. ., �* ., execution. you've written to the un about the degrading _ execution. you've written to the un about the degrading treatment - execution. you've written to the un about the degrading treatment he's| about the degrading treatment he's been through. you mentioned also that they've tried to execute him before, so what has his condition being since that process failed? according to reports and by his own accounting, of course, his experience has been terrifying. he has ptsd, he climbs. he has pain from being positioned. iwant has ptsd, he climbs. he has pain from being positioned. i want to make a point here, too, that there is this i think tendency sometimes to look at prisoners and decide whether or not they've undergone a character transformation while they've been in prison. i think that they've been in prison. i think that the public official of course believes that kenneth smith has

undergone no such transformation. the point is, actually, that it is moot whether kenneth smith is a good person or a bad person. he is owed the full protection of the lot to the full protection of the lot to the extent that that is available, and any kind of idea to paint him as and any kind of idea to paint him as a particular person is not material. we'll also say that kenneth smith by some reports now has actually had some reports now has actually had some issues with nausea and vomiting that has been so far difficult to control. the state has said it's going to proceed whether kenneth smith is vomiting or not, and they have advised him that perhaps he mightjust not have his last meal so close to his execution, because that could of course make him vomit. now, a prisoner actually is owed health care and a prisoner can be frankly too sick to be executed. so if kenneth smith is in fact ill now in some way that would collide with the mechanism of execution, then that's another reason that this execution will should frankly be delayed until

kenneth smith's condition can be approved. kenneth smith's condition can be a- roved. ., ~' ,, , kenneth smith's condition can be a- roved. ., ~ ,, , . approved. thank you very much indeed for cominu approved. thank you very much indeed for coming on — approved. thank you very much indeed for coming on the _ approved. thank you very much indeed for coming on the programme. - around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. bbc news — bringing you different stories from across the uk. - farmoor reservoir outside oxford should have far more water at this time of year, but locals who enjoy walking, fishing and boating here have seen levels drop significantly in the past two weeks, just as nearby roads, some homes and vast areas of agricultural land have been inundated. after the recent heavy rainfall and with so much of the south still dealing with the after—effects of flooding, it may seem surprising that major reservoirs like this one aren't full to the brim. but as you can see, we're still way below capacity. thames water was unable to give us an interview but confirmed it paused pumping water into the reservoir when recent storms raised the volume of dirt and debris being carried by the rivers that feed farmoor.

campaigners argue the company has, at least in part, made the situation worse for itself. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. - you're live with bbc news. storm isha has wreaked havoc across the uk, leaving two people dead in scotland and northern ireland, while thousands of homes are still without power. there were gusts of up to 99 mph, disrupting the journeys of many road, rail and air travellers. storm isha has now left the uk, but another storm, jocelyn, is on the way. all we'll be hearing about isha's impact on different parts of the uk from our reporters in north lanarkshire and in cumbria, but first with the latest from belfast, sara girvin has this report. storm isha battered northern ireland with winds reaching 80mph, bringing tragic consequences. a motorist in his 60s died after his vehicle collided with a fallen tree

in limavady county, londonderry this evening. 17,000 people in northern ireland are still without electricity. at the peak of the storm, 53,000 homes had no power. in the republic of ireland, 155,000 remained without electricity. for some, the outage was much more than an inconvenience. as a disabled person, i rely on electricity to live. it's life—saving and life—maintaining. i lost power last night, just when i was getting into bed, about half 11, and it didn't come back on today until about 1:00. and that obviously puts my life at rest, as well as millions at risk, as well as millions of other disabled people across the united kingdom. mikaela was able to rely on her generator, but says other disabled people may not be as lucky. we can put a man on the moon. why can we not ensure disabled people have access to power to keep them alive? strong winds brought down trees

across northern ireland. there have been more than 1,000 reports of incidents like this one where trees hit power lines and a car here in county down. as the cleanup operation continues, there are warnings it may be a few days until power is fully restored. sara girvin, bbc news, belfast. there was travel disruption across there was travel disruption across the country, trains were delayed. gradually restarted around lunchtime, but cancelled again from tomorrow evening due to more bad weather. ~ ., ~ ., , �* weather. who knows when we'll get there. therefore _ weather. who knows when we'll get there. therefore the _ weather. who knows when we'll get there. therefore the operation, - weather. who knows when we'll get there. therefore the operation, so l there. therefore the operation, so it's been a — there. therefore the operation, so it's been a hassle _ there. therefore the operation, so it's been a hassle for— there. therefore the operation, so it's been a hassle for us. - there. therefore the operation, so it's been a hassle for us. many - there. therefore the operation, so l it's been a hassle for us. many woke u . it's been a hassle for us. many woke

u- this it's been a hassle for us. many woke no this morning _ it's been a hassle for us. many woke up this morning to _ it's been a hassle for us. many woke up this morning to the damage - it's been a hassle for us. many woke l up this morning to the damage caused by storm isha. including the drivers of these cars in north lythgoe. an 84—year—old man died in grinch mouth, after a car he was a passenger and hit a fallen tree. here in north lanarkshire there were gusts of 84 mph. today, conditions are still challenging. the roof was ripped off this summer house in five. �* , ., , ripped off this summer house in five. �*, ., , . ripped off this summer house in five. ,., ripped off this summer house in five. , .. , five. it's a big beautiful cabin but no one can _ five. it's a big beautiful cabin but no one can live _ five. it's a big beautiful cabin but no one can live here. _ five. it's a big beautiful cabin but no one can live here. thousands| five. it's a big beautiful cabin but. no one can live here. thousands of --eole no one can live here. thousands of people have _ no one can live here. thousands of people have been _ no one can live here. thousands of people have been without - no one can live here. thousands of people have been without power, i no one can live here. thousands of i people have been without power, and repairs are being carried out and supplies being restored. alexander mackenzie, bbc news. in north yorkshire the river broke its banks. a few miles further north we were escorted to the summit of

the closed a 66 what normal should be a busy cross—country your root root, it's lunchtime now and the worst of the weather has passed but it's still blowing a gale appear on the top of the pen ions. this lorry is still rocking in the wind, this is still rocking in the wind, this is one of several vehicles that got blown over here last night. it took until early afternoon for the damaged lorries to be safely recovered and for the road to reopen. head west, and this was the erie's sound of the flood warning siren in appleby last night. the water peaked without severe flooding but the electricity did not come back on until this afternoon. irate but the electricity did not come back on until this afternoon. we are feelin: back on until this afternoon. we are feeling lucky. _ back on until this afternoon. we are feeling lucky, really, _ back on until this afternoon. we are feeling lucky, really, that— back on until this afternoon. we are feeling lucky, really, that we - feeling lucky, really, that we haven't been flooded. and the road flooded down there i don't think it's got to as many houses so i think we just count ourselves lucky really because of that.— think we just count ourselves lucky really because of that. elsewhere a driver in belton _ really because of that. elsewhere a driver in belton and _ really because of that. elsewhere a driver in belton and lincolnshire i driver in belton and lincolnshire had a lucky escape when the roof was

blown onto the road. across northern england rivers are once again very high, with another storm expected, flood defences will be tested in the coming days. denny savage, bbc news, cumbria. i'll talk to the weather centre later about that other storm on its way. 30 years ago, hindu zealots in northern india tore down a 16th century mosque in the city of ayodhya. today, the indian prime minister, narendra modi, consecrated a massive hindu temple on the same site, setting the tone for an election campaign in which religious nationalism will play an influential role. around 4,500 workers have been working around the clock to complete the first stage of the three—storey ram mandir shrine, which is dedicated to one of hinduism s most revered deities lord ram. but the ceremony today will have evoked painful memories for muslims. this was their mosque photographed in 1990 before it was demolished just two years later. rebuilding a temple where hindus believe ram was born was one of nerendra modi's electoral

promises to his supporters. but it has been the subject of a fierce legal battle. it is one of three holy sites in the country that have been a historic point of contention with minority muslims. let's speak to yogita limaye who's in lucknow. take us back to that time if you would. what happened in 1992, and how did we get to this moment today? on the 6th of december 1992, hundreds of thousands of hindu mobs who had gathered toward down the barbary mosque using hammers, using sticks, using spears, using trident�*s. and after that act happened, religious violence was triggered across the country in which more than 2000 people were killed in the financial capital mumbai, where i'm from, 900 people

were killed, two thirds of those were killed, two thirds of those were muslims.— were killed, two thirds of those were muslims. ~ , ~ ., were killed, two thirds of those were muslims. ~ , a, , were muslims. prime minister modi is hoinr to were muslims. prime minister modi is hoping to return _ were muslims. prime minister modi is hoping to return for _ were muslims. prime minister modi is hoping to return for a _ were muslims. prime minister modi is hoping to return for a third _ were muslims. prime minister modi is hoping to return for a third term, - hoping to return for a third term, is he using, or exploiting even, religion for political purposes? well, many would say that actually, prime minister narendra modi's party, the bjp, its support for this temple as part of this aggressive assertion of hinduism is the reason why the party transformed from being one that didn't have too much electoral success just a few decades ago to one that has been seeing as virtually undefeatable now. the inauguration of the temple will be central to the upcoming election. many are expecting that it's the issue that will win prime ministers narendra modi a third time in power. he talked today of a new era. what

did he mean by that?— did he mean by that? well, so he, durin: did he mean by that? well, so he, during that — did he mean by that? well, so he, during that speech _ did he mean by that? well, so he, during that speech he _ did he mean by that? well, so he, during that speech he tried - did he mean by that? well, so he, during that speech he tried to - during that speech he tried to say that this is notjust a date on a calendar, it is a historic new era beginning. and this sort of harks back to what millions of hindus believe. millions of hindus believe at the site at which the temple was inaugurated today, that more than 500 years ago a muslim ruler actually build a mosque over that site. that site, millions of hindus believe, is the birthplace of lord ram. the events of 1992 when this mosque was demolished, it was important to remember there was a very long legal process. in 2019, the supreme court of india handed over that site to hindus. so what he was trying to tell people today is

that hindus have waited centuries for this day to come, you know, a lot of the people we spoke to there. there were of course a lot of celebrities, actors, leaders from the world of business, politicians, religious leaders who had been invited to the actual ceremony but when we were there, we saw hundreds and hundreds of ordinary people as well. we were saying it over the last week, last ten days, a lot of emotion on theirfaces. last week, last ten days, a lot of emotion on their faces. they are two have welled up when they were talking to us and they've been telling us that this is something that they've been dreaming about for a long time and it's finally come true, and you know how much it means to them that this temple has finally been built. when we were speaking to muslims there, you hear another story. muslims there, you hear another sto ., , ., , story. just a minute left, but i wondered _ story. just a minute left, but i wondered in _ story. just a minute left, but i wondered in your _ story. just a minute left, but i wondered in your travels - story. just a minute left, but i l wondered in your travels around story. just a minute left, but i - wondered in your travels around the area today, whether you have seen many muslims?— area today, whether you have seen many muslims? because it was quite restricted, many muslims? because it was quite restricted. we _ many muslims? because it was quite restricted, we haven't _ many muslims? because it was quite restricted, we haven't been - many muslims? because it was quite restricted, we haven't been to - many muslims? because it was quite restricted, we haven't been to the i restricted, we haven't been to the muslim areas today, but we have been

talking, to people from the community over the past week or so and one of the things they've been telling us is that in 1992, we were betrayed. we seen what happened, at least 17 muslims were killed there alone, and of course they are expecting hundreds of thousands of hindus to be visiting this temple in the weeks to come, many of them have been telling us that they want at least their children, the young people from their home, to leave the city for a few weeks until, well they say, will we will settle down. i know it's the early hours of the morning there, we will let you get some rest, thank you very much for coming on the programme this evening. plenty more to come in the programme, i do without hope we you'll stay with us because we have a deep dive into the politics in new hampshire's come of the polls will openin hampshire's come of the polls will open injust over eight hampshire's come of the polls will open in just over eight hours' time. we'll talk about that, stay with us. hello there. all in all, it's shaping up to be a rather stormy few days of weather.

storm isha on sunday night brought us plenty of disruption, damaging gusts of wind, gusts of wind in northumberland of 99 mph and widely across the central belt of scotland, we saw gusts of 70—80 mph. even towards the south of england, odiham and hampshire, east malling and kent saw 70 mph gusts. now, the winds have been easing down today, a day of blustery showers and some sunshine, but it's not long before the next named storm rolls in from the west. that is storm jocelyn, the tenth named storm of the season, again, damaging gusts of wind with already trees and structures weakened by isha. there could possibly be some more disruption. but overnight tonight, it's a fairly quiet night of weather. there will be a lot of clear skies around, they will last longer out towards the east where it's going to feel locally quite chilly into tomorrow morning. temperatures rising along with this milder air, pushing outbreaks of rain into south west england, wales and northern ireland, by the time we get to dawn, thickening cloud here. and there's that deep area of low pressure, storm jocelyn passing to the north of scotland, taking the same sort

of track as storm isha. so again, we could see some damage and some disruption with the worst of the winds on tuesday night. but through tuesday morning, it's a dry early start. towards the east, there'll be heavy rain piling into north west england and through western scotland. the rainfall totals will start to mount up here. there could possibly be some localised flooding. strong gusty winds, particularly towards irish sea coast, a gust of wind here of up to 65 mph. very mild air tied in with this storm. but the area of most concern is northern and western parts of scotland where there's an amber weather warning in force for tuesday night right up until wednesday morning. we could possibly see within the warning area gusts of 75—80 mph, yet again. still blustery on wednesday, the storm clears away into the norwegian sea and we'll see a quieter day of weather on wednesday. the winds taking their time to ease down towards the north and the west. and here there will be some blustery showers, again moving southwards and eastwards. the further south and east you are, the drier your day is likely to be.

there'll be some spells of sunshine, feeling a little cooler again with highs of 7—12 degrees celsius. we look out towards the west again on thursday to find more weather fronts sweeping eastwards, bringing, again, some outbreaks of rain, but not as potent as either of the storms. bye— bye.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. i am today suspending my campaign.

i'm proud to have delivered on 100% of my promises and i will not stop now. it's clear to me that a majority of republican primary voters want to give donald trump another chance. nikki haley, nikki haley, nikki haley... do you know they destroyed all the information, all the evidence, everything, they deleted and destroyed all of it. when you're 80, that's - what happens, you're just not as sharp as you used to be. this is not personal. you all know i voted for him twice. the first in the nation primary in new hampshire. our panel tonight ron christie, former senior advisor to president george w. bush and tim allan, former downing street press secretary under tony blair. also sumi somaskanda. first though, the latest bbc news. a us media outlet is reporting israel has given hamas a proposal via mediators that includes an up to two month pause in fighting.