hell, this is bbc news. the headlines at 6.30pm: theresa may has announced she'll start the process of negotiating britain's exit from the european union an eu spokesman said it was "ready and waiting." we're going to be out there, negotiating hard, delivering what the british people voted for. the fbi has confirmed for the first time that it's investigating links between russia and donald trump's presidential campaign. the president has denied the claims. 95 companies that provide care in the home have cancelled 95 contracts with council saying they cannot provide care at the level they are currently being paid. m&s has become the latest top brand to pull its adverts from google after they appeared next to extremist websites. it means the retailer might have unwittingly helped

fund hate preachers. # we'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when #. and it's a very happy birthday for dame vera lynn, in a moment it will be time for sportsday, but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news. the prime minister, hasrannounggg ! we'll be joined by the mp john redwood, a vocal campaigner for brexit, to ask what he wants from theresa may's negotiations with the eu. possible links between russia and donald trump's white house campaign, our correspondent katty kay will have the latest reaction from washington in tonight's 100 days programme. pit—mac and the five frontrunners in the race to be the next french

president go head—to—head tonight in a television debate - you will a television debate and you will hear the latest from our correspondent in paris —— and also, the five frontrunners. that's all ahead on bbc news. hew et] de; hews, ll 5 77 ""'"’ 7 7 the main headlines this evening... 34—year—old jermain defoe sets his sights on a ‘dream' place england rugby urrionheatifoath at the world cup in 2019. a bbc state of sport investigation finds more than a third of amateur sports people personally know éfifiififii fifiifi 5.55. fififiifi and what is happening with rio's 0lympic legacy? good evening — plenty to come, but we start with football.

the domestic game can breathe for a couple of weeks as we focus on international football, with the target of qualifying starting on wednesday night against germany in dortmund. 34—year—old jermaine defoe returns after he has become a star for sunderland, but - he after he has become a star for sunderland, but- he is worried sunderland, but says he is worried about being sunderland, but says he is worried about“ being in the about sunderland being in the relegation battle and implications that would have for the role. getting into any squad

is based on merit and is based on merit and you have to be playing at that level. in toronto, when i was there, i missed out on the world cup. when i got the phone call edition have to be realism 5' theee h—l_‘—...e3e efe gains 7 europe, and that is probably why i missed out. i would say so, yes. you probably need to be in the premier league. meanwhile scotland have two games at home in the coming week against canada and then slovenia. you fixtures. —— these are the fixtures. some news just you fixtures. —— these are the fixtures. some newsjust in you fixtures. —— these are the fixtures. some news just in the us. manchester city have been charged by the football association with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly failing to ensure their players conduci during nselves in an orderly failing to ensure their players conduci during sunday'51 an orderly failing to ensure their players conduci during sunday's premier irly fashion during sunday's premier draw liverpool. the league draw against liverpool. the draw has been made for this coming draw has been made for this car—fling

draw has been made for this earning women's draw has been made for this semi—fig women's quarterfinals. sunday's women's quarterfinals. tight turnaround. holders arsenal have been away tight turnaround. holders arsenal have been - away to birmingham have been drawn away to birmingham city. last year's runners—up chelsea host sunderland. these are the other fixtures. tributes have been paid today to the derry city captain, ryan mcbride, who has died suddenly at the age of 27. he had played for the team as recently as saturday. this is him scoring earlier in the season in the league of ireland premier division where derry are unbeaten. their fixture tomorrow night against limerick has been postponed as have a number of cup ties. of ryan mcbride and everyone involved with derry city." the cause of death is still unknown. head coach eddiejones has said england are in a much better position than they were just

six months ago. his eemments same as ” "e suffered defeat to ireland. that meant the six nations grand slam eluded them althought they did still win the overall championship. a reporter. more. 48 hours after that ireland performance dashed england's hopes of back—to—back grand slams and a world record, straight victory. the boss eddie jones said he was in fighting mood at twickenham today, suggesting plans were very much in place ahead of the rugby world cup in 2019, despite that first defeat on his watch. straight after the game he took full responsibility for the loss, saying he had not prepared his tea m loss, saying he had not prepared his team well enough, so i asked him to judi s team well enough, so i asked him to exaand on team well enough, so i asked him to % on what| team well enough, so i asked him to g on what went team well enough, so i asked him to sgéggng on what went wrong. team well enough, so i asked him to sgép ande on what went wronglj team well enough, so i asked him to g on what went wrong. i don't expand on what went wrong. i don't think the team were in the right environment to prepare well and i have to take responsible do. i don't think i created the absolute right mindset for the team. i need to look at what i said and what i didn't see and improve on that in the future. is that about playing with the weather, in front of that hostile

crowd 7 weather, in front of that hostile crowd? it seems ireland put in a level of intention and passion...|j don't level of intention and passion...” don't think that is the case. we could have easily scored a try and one might begin. ireland played well, as i said, but i don't think well, as i said, but i don't think we lacked intensity, passion, desire or effort. i disagree very strongly with that. england players have now returned to their clubs as the shifts towards the end of attention shifts towards the end of the season and summer tours. the next assignment for england as a trip to argentina injune, without a host of players who will be with the british and irish lions in new zealand but jones says british and irish lions in new zealand butjones says a handful of england's grand slam winning under 20s will be included for the tour to south america. we have just heard m we have just heard the premiership side leicester tigers have announced are major will leave as head coach after their trip to northampton saints this weekend. he will be replaced by former coach matt 0'connor he will be replaced by former coach matt o'connor who won three titles up matt o'connor who won three titles up to his in

matt o'connor who won three titles up to his - in charge in 2013. a poll commissioned by the bbc suggests there is widespread use of performsnceeenhancingrdrdgs a third of more than 1000 sportsmen and women who were questioned said they personalllknedlsomeone drugs was "fast becoming a crisis" as katie gornall reports. fame, glory, money, there are many reasons why professional athletes take performance—enhancing drugs,

and sport is overwhelmed with culprits. the disgraced cyclist lance armstrong has ended years but what might be harder to understand is why amateur athletes would dope. dan stevens is a former amateur cyclist. a few years ago he started taking a number of substances to boost his performance. he was band in 2014 after refusing to take a test. i'd always been a clean athlete and this situation happened with me when i was 39 years old. the real thing for me wasn't really about racing. i didn't do a lot of racing on these substances. the main thing was curiosity, how much of a benefit does this give you? i don't think in the amateur ranks it's about winning. i think you've got a situation where somebody is overweight, needs something they can get on, get in shape and they get in shape. they then get railroaded into doing a marathon or a long bike ride again and they become a healthy individual. it becomes more body conscious and health orientated. a poll carried out for the bbc of amateur sports people in the uk found that half believe the use of performance enhancing substances is widespread in competitive sport. a similar number say those drugs are easily available among those who play sports regularly.

feleie eee? e mg; eee someone who has doped, certainly the figures as regards the prevalence of performance enhancing substances at an amateur level are incredibly alarming. that said, they do confirm what uk anti—doping has long suspected, and also seen through some of our intelligence led testing. this is the front line in the fight to keep sport clean. ajoint operation between police and uk anti—doping, targeting those who supply drugs. lleeeeee 'e'e eee eee'eee eee eeee to use steroids for personal use, doing anything wrong? buthowever the, authorities l athletes at every level, in every sport will always be willing to cut corners. whatever the risks. athletes and figures involved with last year's 0lympic and frustrated by the failure to provide any meaningful post—0lympic legacy in the city. exactly six months after the 2016 games came to an end with companies and public bodies reluctant to run them. 0ur correspondent wyre davies covered the rio games for us, and he's been back to the city to send this report. for five weeks last slamm- sporting world. the greatest show on earth.

exactly six months later, the stage is empty. rio's olympic park, which should by now be operating as a sporting centre of excellence, is eerily quiet. arenas where medals were won and lost our little more than warehouses. venues that should have been almanflea am if! as ee'suaiif ' " as schools are untouched. there is a legacy here. thngames.hadeexpected.e ifeelthst ql‘ffilpifiégmi”" " " "e "e’ was not the number one. we delivered a good games we had a lot of problems, and we still have them and nobody‘s doing anything for change. so this makes me really sad. this is the olympic tennis arena where andy murray won olympic gold medal. for now this is being run olympic park by the brazilian sports ministry because no private company

nor the local authority can afford or want to take on the huge running costs. team brazil mist its own medal targets at rio 2016. there were undoubtably improvements in rio thanks to the games. in public transport, some infrastructure, and be opening up of public spaces. i think that there are still promises that need to be delivered. but i do believe that we still have time to work on those promises and the promise that we need to be faster on is the delivery of the olympic park and improvements in the sports legacy. a brand—new velodrome, built at huge expense barely used, its track already water damaged. a state—of—the—art white—water course, meant to become a public pool after the games, remains closed off. is this rio's real 0lympic legacy? looking ahead to the next olympic games, and the golf course that will host the tournament at tokyo 2020 has voted to allow

women as full members. the decision to change its policy, but only after the ioc said it would find an alternative venue if it didn't. the change mirrors that of muirfield, the scottish course that made a similar announcement earlier last week, in order to be in contention to host the open. act that is all from more —— and thatis act that is all from more —— and that is all from sportsday. i will have more sport for you throughout the evening here on bbc news. 16 minutes to seven and time for the headlines on bbc news... theresa may will start the process of negotiating britain's exit from the european union, triggering article 50, in nine days' time. the fbi confirms for the first time it is investigating possible links between russia and donald trump's presidential campaign. m&s becomes the latest top brand to pull its adverts from google after they appeared next to extremist websites. an update on the market numbers

for you — here's how london's and frankfurt ended the day. a small rise in london, a small fall on the dax. and in the the united states this is how the dow and the nasdaq are getting on. the fbi has confirmed for the first time they are investigating alleged russian interference in last year's us presidential election, including possible links between individuals in the trump campaign and the russian government, and whether there was coordination between the two. earlier the us press secretary sean ‘ responded two. earlier the us press secretary sean - responded to the day's sean spicer responded to the day's briefing and here's what he had to say... following this testimony it say- - - clear nothing has changed. senior is clear nothing has changed. senior 0bama intelligence officials have gone on record to say there is no evidence of a trump and russia

collusion. the director of national said so and we take intelligence said so and we take them at their word. however, some new information came to light at the we believe is newsworthy hearing we believe is newsworthy about the unmasking of americans named ina about the unmasking of americans named in a eggéégggg reports. named in a intelligence reports. directorjames qaumi told the house intelligence committee that —— directorjames comey. said that the 0bama demonstration had access to 0bama demenstratien had access'toi of officials including senior names of officials including senior white house and justice and intelligence eff'e'ee ' white house and justice and intelligence eff'e'ee before ' intelligence officials. before president left intelligence officials. before president- left office intelligence officials. before president - left office michael