the headlines: theresa may has said britain is braced for a defining moment as it prepares to leave the european union. this will be a defining moment for our whole country as we begin to forge a new relationship with europe and a new role for ourselves in the world. aid agencies are warning that time is running out to save more than 20 million people who are facing famine gci’oss million people who are facing famine across africa and the middle east. a crew member from a crashed irish coastguard helicopter who died after being pulled from the sea is named as captain dara fitzpatrick. the search continues for three people who are missing. a state of emergency has been declared in areas of america, including new york and pennsylvania. 100,000 people without power. ina in a moment, it will be time for

sportsday, but first, a look at what else is coming up on bbc news. we will speak to broadcast magazine in ten minutes about why david abrahams, the channel 4 chief executive, has decided to resign. we have an exclusive interview with professor kelly and his children at 7pm after his interview became a viral hit online. scotla nd viral hit online. scotland could get another independence vote, but would european partners welcome them to the fold in a post—brexit britain? find out in 100 days at 7pm. and the political editor of the mirrorand and the political editor of the mirror and the broadcasterjulia hartley brewer willjoin me for the papers. that's all i have. right now, sportsday. hello.

i'm 0lly foster. these are our sportsday headlines tonight: another champion day at cheltenham for nicky henderson — the trainer is off to a flyer at the festival. it's a special night for the champions, but it could also be leicester's last european match for while. and eligible for the open again as muirfield 0pens its membership to women for the first time. good evening. we'll be heading live to leicester shortly ahead of that champions league tie but the cheltenham festival is underway, and making the headlines on the opening day of national hunt's most famous

meeting, as he has done so many times down the years, is the trainer nicky henderson. andy swiss is at the course for us. no—one has trained more festival winners and he set another record today. that's right. what a day for nicky henderson. hard to believe it was way back in 1985 that he first won the champion hurdle with see you then. period 32 years later going for what would have been a record sixth champion hurdle title. he did it in some style. 5—1, it was a commanding display, finishing ahead of my tent 0r yours, also trained by nicky henderson. what a day for him.

a record sixth champion hurdle. not surprisingly, afterwards, he was delighted with his achievement. bit surreal, really, because i was brought up and passionate about the national hunt racing. the howard about the red —— you heard about the legends, people, horses. you never understood that this was where we would finish up. i can remember 1984. it is been an extraordinary journey, but we loved it, otherwise we wouldn't be here. yes, a sixth champion hurdle for nicky henderson, some record. and it was some dave henson, because he recorded another win in another big race, the arkle challenge trophy novice race. it was an emphatic win. ahead of

cloudy dream in second. andy, great horses get statues at cheltenham. arkle and best mate have been immortalised in bronze and so too a jockey today. that's right. a statue of a p mccoy was unveiled by the man himself. that was only two years ago he rode his swansong here at the festival. he got a warm reception, unsurprisingly, from the fans today. t20- unsurprisingly, from the fans today. t20— time champion jockey, unsurprisingly, from the fans today. t20— time championjockey, 31 winners at cheltenham. it is some

record. —— the 20— time champion jockey. although he is back as a pundit, you suspect he would rather be riding winners than talking about them. i'm sure that's true. three more great days' racing to go. leicester's defence of that improbable premier league title has been a difficult one, but they haven't disgraced themselves in europe this season. they still have hopes of reaching the champions league quarterfinals, but will need something special tonight against sevilla to overturn a 2—1 deficit from the first leg. our sports correspondent joe wilson is at the the king power stadium. joe, that first match in spain was three weeks ago, much happened since then? you could say the very soul of this

clu b you could say the very soul of this club has been laid bare, debated and dissected, and with it the very ethics of modern football. granary linacre —— gary lineker was brought to tears. whether the players were motivated by that, whether they like the new manager more, or that their legacy is a pub grabs, possibly a combination of all three, leicester have started winning games again, and those two victories have changed the whole feeling and energy around this club and the city again. whatever the means, that has been the end result, and so, centrestage, dare we say, we have a man whose football career as a player was based around walsall. he has been in the background throughout his coaching in managerial career, but tonight at leicester craig shakespeare has the opportunity to ta ke shakespeare has the opportunity to take leicester city into new territory in europe. i guess he is

looking forward to it. it will be a special occasion, the atmosphere will be electric. i'm expecting the team to take the momentum from the two results and to take the confidence they have gained from that and really play on the front foot. that's not saying we are going to be open, because we know they have world—class players, but it makes for a very interesting game because of the away goal. took the word out of my mouth — that away goal could be all—important. how do you see the match panning out? do you see the match panning out? do you think savile and their players will be wary that leicester seem to have found themselves of late? will be wary that leicester seem to have found themselves of late ?|j think have found themselves of late?” think so, and if you look back at the last leg, the last 20 minutes seemed to click for leicester and that's when they scored that goal, and that has changed the whole dynamic of this second leg. you could think of that as the last act

of leicester city under claudio ranieri. savile are really experienced european team with an outstanding record in the europa league, but that is the europa league. in domestic competition, their last two games have been disappointing draws. it has left them a little tired, is one theory. leicester in the champions league all season have been able to play the role of underdogs, as they did last season in the premier league. in leicester terms, it is easier to be the hunter than the hunted. u nless be the hunter than the hunted. unless they can bring that spirit here again tonight. live commentary on radio five live. coverage starts from 6:30pm. they are not playing monaco at all,

because manchester city are playing them. the other titan isjill enters —— juventus against porto. some more fall out from last night's fractious fa cup quarterfinal at stamford bridge , manchester united have been charged by the fa for failing to control its players. it relates to this incident about 10 minutes before halftime, when they crowded around the referee michael 0liver following ander herrera's sending off. he was booked twice forfouls on eden hazard. chelsea went on to win the game 1—0. united have got until friday to respond to the charge. the everton striker romelu lukaku has turned down the most he has two years left enrhis current believed to be worth

around £140,000 a week. but lukaku won't sign it. hejoined everton for a club record 28 million from chelsea 3 years ago one other football line, gary rowett is derby county's 5th manager in just over a year. he replaces steve mcclaren, who was sacked by the club for a second time at the weekend. rowett, a former derby player, was sacked by he'll take over immediately. muirfield has voted to allow female members for the first time. the east lothian club was removed as a host venue the sports minister tracy crouch said it sends out a vital message and that is important for organisations to play their part in equality. steeped in tradition

muirfield may be. but its views on women were perceived as less than honourable. in a feat of scottish perseverance, though, the board got the result it wanted at the second attempt. the rules of the club will be changed accordingly with immediate effect. and we look forward to welcoming women as members, who will enjoy and benefit from the traditions and the friendship of this remarkable club. back in may last year, the first ballot fell 14 votes short of the two thirds majority needed to allow women to become members of the honourable company of edinburgh golfers. it shocked even the game's biggest stars. we're in a day and age where it's not right to host the world's biggest golf tournament at a place that doesn't allow women to be members. muirfield was promptly stripped of the right to host the prestigious 0pen — one of golf‘s four major tournaments. it took the thought of losing the claretjug permanently to swing 80% of the voting members

into decisive action. within minutes of today's announcement, the course was put back on the open rota. muirfield has hosted the open 16 times. but as a private club, their stance on women was perfectly legal. with fans now set to return, no longer will tradition embarrass a sport so desperate to appear forward—thinking. some six nations news, scotland'd hooker fraser brown is free to face italy in their final match on saturday after it was ruled that the yellow card for his tackle on england's elliot daly at twickenham was sufficient punishment brown was cited for this tip tackle just 90 seconds into his side's 61—21 defeat at twickenham but a disciplinary panel has ruled out further action. gavin henson will be playing his club rugby in wales again next season.

the 35 year old's leaving bristol to join newport gwent dragons on a two year deal. the dragons will be the tenth club of henson‘s career. the double olympic gold medallist joanna rowsell—shand has announced her retirement from international cycling. she said he'd achieved everything she'd ever wanted to in the sport, including five world titles, four european titles, a commonwealth gold and two 0lympic golds. she said she'd enjoyed a fabulous career and would continue in cycling as a coach. english cities are queuing up to host the 2022 commonwealth games manchester has joined liverpool and birmingham in expressing an interest after durban was stripped of the games yesterday because of financial difficulties. manchester staged a successful games in 2002 with what is now the etihad stadium hosting the track

and field events. the velodrome, home to british cycling, and the aquatics centre are also still operational. their offer to the commonwealth games federation could also see the city provide some of the venues in a multi—city bid. that's all from sportsday. there'll be more sport here on bbc news throughout the evening. u nless unless they get into the quarterfinals? m have ! unless they get into the quarterfinals? m have reaction quarterfinals? will have reaction later for you. quarterfinals? will have reaction laterfor you. for now, from all of us laterfor you. for now, from all of us at the bbc sports centre, goodbye. the headlines: theresa may has told mps that her for mps that her timetable for for more triggering for more brexit negotiations by the end of the month remains on track.