hello. i'm marked wards welcome to sportsday. here is what we have coming up: manchester citibank their game in hand with a win over brentford. the real deal. bappe on the move to madrid as the le liga giants get the world's most wanted man. yorkshire chairman colin graze explains why he's never personally apologised to rafiq for the abuse he suffered at the club.

thanks forjoining us on sports day. we begin in the premier league. manchester city are second, one point off the top of the table after beating brent ford 1—0 at home. who else than this man scoring a vital win 19 minutes from time as manchester city eventually broke brentford'sry sees tans to close within a point of the summit. it was harlin�*s 22nd strike. he's scored against every premier league opponent. more imimportantly, secured a victory that takes city above arsenal to second spot, one behind liverpool. mist opportunity last game against chelsea. we make the second half to get a better result, but so far the team is there. we are closer but at the end now, the real part of the

season. united, liverpool, arsenal. tough games, tough period. we are there. i arsenal. tough games, tough period. we are there.- period. we are there. i think we were _ period. we are there. i think we were perfect. _ period. we are there. i think we were perfect. we - period. we are there. i think we were perfect. we were i period. we are there. i think i we were perfect. we were just unluckx — we were perfect. we were just unlucky. the player to deserve so much — unlucky. the player to deserve so much praise for a top defensive performance. ithink until_ defensive performance. ithink until the — defensive performance. ithink until the goal, we gave two chances _ until the goal, we gave two chances away. a header and an off the — chances away. a header and an off the line. we were good defensively. we need to be against _ defensively. we need to be against the best in the world. that's— against the best in the world. that'sjim _ against the best in the world. that'sjim ratcliff's against the best in the world. that's jim ratcliff's deal to that'sjim ratcliff's deal to by a 27.7% stake in manchester united. it's completed. the british billionaire's investment worth around $1.6 billion us. the grazerfamily who owned united since 2005 will retain a majority stake. ratcliffe's ineos group will

take control of operations. the deal from christmas eve includes $ $300 million for future investment in the club's 0ld future investment in the club's old trafford stadium. there were two matches in the champions league round of 16. the first leg took place on tuesday. the stand—out tie at the event were between series a winners. a playerformally of stoke and west ham scored. and dejong's penalty rescued a draw for psv and dortmund was ahead in the second halve, the second leg is in dortmund in march. we're not in a transfer window, but one of the most anticipated

deal has been reached — mbappe. we explain why the time is right. he's 25. he's given a lot of years — seven — to psg and i think he feels it's time to obviously, sporting wise, make a step forward and i think going to real madrid, competitors for everything, winners of the champions league as well. unique club in the world. one that is close to his heart. you have to say, he admires ronaldo and that white shirt. he he has always said that, more ronaldo than the white shirt bit but it is certainly something he feels he has to do to be closer to win the balon d'0r, the award he doesn't get at psg. i think he was upset he hasn't in last three years been closer to winning it. with real madrid he will have the opportunity to do

so. also, a contract that finished at psg meant he had to decide — two more years till i'm 27, or i go now? real madrid is a fast train with rodrigo and others, young, but competitive. he feels he could adapt to it well, win more things and real madrid have been there and prepared. real madrid have played cleverly. they sent the message to mbappe, "if you don't come now, we will go to holland next, we won't have the money for you". the stars aligned.— the stars aligned. arguably the bi est the stars aligned. arguably the biggest transfer _ the stars aligned. arguably the biggest transfer in _ the stars aligned. arguably the biggest transfer in world - biggest transfer in world football when it goes through. the ultimate superstar at the home of the galactica is already a world cup golden boot

winner and final hat—trick scorer to boot and yet still only 25. as the former real madrid president explained to the bbc there's more to this than money for one of the world's most coveted players. mainly the glory, the title. they know here his image, his reputation will be broadcast all around the world. i know mbappe in this case is well known. but when they come to real madrid, the image is strengthened, much more. to cricket. the yorkshire chairman colin graves told a parliamentary committee on tuesday he has not spoken to azeem rafiq to apologise to the rayest abuse in the club. rafiq's testimony led to the county filed for half a million us dollarforce failing county filed for half a million us dollar force failing to address systemic use of racist or discriminatory language over

years. it covered graves' initial tenure at the club for some of the period. this is the first time colin graves publicly spoke since re—elected as the yorkshire chairman, following a vote by members earlier this month that effectively approved a financial takeover package by a consortium that graves was heading up. the reason it is controversial is because he formally presided over a period of time during which the county has subsequently admitted, an ecb charge, they failed to address systemic use of racist language. graves has maintained he was never aware of any racist behaviour, but he was criticised by the ecb for suggesting some incidents were banter, as he put it and his return as chairman at yorkshire has been criticised by some who believe it's a backward step. 0ne believe it's a backward step. one of those critics is the

former yorkshire spinner—turned—whistleblower, rafiq, whose allegations of racism sparked a huge that led to the financial crisis of the county that saw graves return. now, graves apologised for that racism scandal. he said that he regretted what he previously said, but he did face questioning today from mps on the culture, media and sport select committee. he was asked specifically why he had not apologised directly to rafiq. i apologised directly to rafiq. i apologised in my statement to everybody who experienced this. to mr rafiq, i haven't apologised to him personally, no. if i had the opportunity to talk to him, then, fine i would do. he should not have experienced what he experienced.- experienced what he exerienced. ., ., experienced. now, earlier in that committee _ experienced. now, earlier in that committee hearing, - experienced. now, earlier in that committee hearing, we| that committee hearing, we heard from cindy butts, the chair of that landmark independent commission commission into equity in cricket report, that concluded that the game had a serious

problem with discrimination, it was institutionally racist, classist and sexist. she spoke about the fact that the legendary former england all rounder, sir ian botham — lord botham — the chairman of durham county cricket club, criticised the findings of the report, describing it as nonsense and a waste of money. this is what she said about botham's criticism. i she said about botham's criticism.— criticism. i was des disappointed - criticism. i was des disappointed that l criticism. i was des l disappointed that the criticism. i was des - disappointed that the ecb criticism. i was des _ disappointed that the ecb did not call out lord botham. chair of the first class cricket county, his words carry weight. the ecb didn't see fit to come out and say that this is wrong. i think that not only did they stay quiet, they resisted calls from stakeholders and those concerned about mr botham's comments and chose to stay silent. �* , ., comments and chose to stay silent. ~ , ., ., silent. as for the governing bod , silent. as for the governing body. the _ silent. as for the governing body, the chairman - silent. as for the governing body, the chairman of- silent. as for the governing body, the chairman of the i silent. as for the governing i body, the chairman of the ecb said while he disagreed with

lord botham and told him, everyone was entitled to their opinion. he said he stood very much by the governing body's actions when it came to responding to icec report in this quest to make it the most inclusive sport in the country. finally, world athletics plans to introduce a new trial for measuring long jump. a stakoff zone will be used instead of the wooden board where a no—jump is called if the foot crosses the line. the jump will be measured from where the front foot takes takes off to the pit. the the aim is to reduce the nojumps the pit. the the aim is to reduce the no jumps a third of all attempts at the 2023 championships. that many did not count in budapest as athletes overstepped. that's all the time we have. from me and the team at the bbc sports centre, see you soon. bye.

hello. with the ground saturated across most of the uk now, the prospect of more rain is only going to enhance the risk of flooding over the next few days and rain it will be, also accompanied by stronger winds. rainfall totals for two days shows that all of us will see that wetter weather but it sees darker colours, bright greens in the west, that shows the highest totals on the hills, over50mm. the the highest totals on the hills, over 50mm. the weather is linked into this strip of cloud that stretches from the caribbean, bringing up airfrom the mid—atlantic. it is mild air. even after the initial dip in temperatures by the start of wednesday morning it will be milder, but a miserable rush—hourfor many. brightest rush—hour for many. brightest across rush—hourfor many. brightest across 0rkney and shetland. rain through the afternoon. but the second half of the day is much better than the first for

some. northern ireland brightening by lunchtime. brighter across scotland, northern and western england and wales. east anglia, south—east and the channel island also stay wet. it will be mild, on the face of it, 11-13, that be mild, on the face of it, 11—13, that wind will temper the feel. now, that first batch of rain gets out the way, but links into more persistent rain through the channel and ininto thursday a batch of lively down pours from the west. the dividing line between the milder air in dividing line between the milderair in the dividing line between the milder air in the south—east in the night and something colder to the north and west, frost and ice. that colder air will push in add we go to thursday, pushing across all parts of the uk as rain gradually clears eastwards. it will push back to the way february should feel. a mild start for much of england and wales. heavy rain at times. strong winds through the english channel. the rain edges

out, brightersky, showers english channel. the rain edges out, brighter sky, showers a mixture of rain, hail and sleet and snow over the hills with temperatures by tend of the afternoon in mid— to high single figures. cold start to friday compared to what we've been used to. again a day of sunshine and showers. some of you have a better chance of staying dry than over the next few days. when the showers form again, on the heavy side, lively and wintry over the hills just about anywhere. stay with cooler conditions to the weekend. there will be dry, bright weather and scattered showers. take care.

live from washington. this is bbc news. several countries have condemned the us for vetoing the latest un resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. instead the us offered its own draft. two major parties in pakistan agree to form a coalition government, nearly two weeks after a contested vote failed to deliver a clear winner. and, frozen embryos are children. that's the ruling by alabama's supreme court. we'll look at what that means for the state, and beyond. hello, i'm sumi somaskanda. great happy with us. the us is facing widespread condemnation at the un security council in new york, after it vetoed a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. it's the third time washington has blocked the move.

13 out of the 15 council members voted in favour, while britain abstained.