an investigation into what happened. we condemn the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. if proven, this will be further evidence of the barbarism of the syrian regime. russian investigators say the man who carried out the st petersburg metro attack was a suicide bomber from kyrgystan. the blast between two metro stations killed 1a people, another 49 are still in hospital. in a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news... and we'll have the latest from paris where all eleven candidates

in the french presidential election are taking part in the second of three television debates. that's all ahead on bbc news. now on bbc news it's time for sportsday. hello, i'm olly foster, these are are our sportsday headlines tonight: sunderland say they still back david moyes after his threat to slap a reporter and insist that they took appropriate action at the time. but there are more calls for the fa to send out a strong message. there are four matches in the premier legaue tonight as manchester united try to keep in touch with the top four. and the republic of ireland's women have threatened to go on strike, saying they have been treated like fifth class citizens. good evening, later in the programme we will also get the latest

on the ice hockey row, that will have a big impact on next year's winter olympics. we're going to start with that david moyes story, just as we did last night, because we have heard from his club sunderland. they say they fully support their manager despite last month's exchange in which he threatened to slap a bbc reporter after disagreeing with her line of questioning in a tv interview. they say they dealt with the matter appropriately. the fa are still investigating the matter and in the last the fa are still investigating the matter. here's our sports news correspondent richard conway. they say swift action, as they call it, meant it was dealt with with utmost seriousness from the outset,

and was resolved to satisfaction, they say that was their priority. they conclude the statement by saying the appropriate action they believe has been taken and therefore they continue to back david moyes as their manager. this isn't the end of their manager. this isn't the end of the matter as much as sunderland and david moyes wish that was the case. the football association will right to david moyes asking for his observations, for his side of the story effectively, they must then decide if rule breaches have taken place and what, if any, action they will take. in the last hour the chief executive of women's aid has urged the governing body to strand —— send out a strong message. she said the ingrained sexism at the heart of david moyes‘ remarks represents something much darker. to

matters on the pitch... tonight, sunderland are at leicester city, eight points away from safety at the foot of the table. it's looking much better for the foxes though, under new manager craig shakespeare they've got a 100% record, winning all four premier league games, to move away from the relegation zone. sunderland are fighting for their lives, we have been in that situation before. you slowly run out of games, so you situation before. you slowly run out of games, so you are situation before. you slowly run out of games, so you are aware there dangerous opposition. they proved when they went to crystal palace and scored four they are capable side. i think any team withjermaine defoe in it to make sure you not only keep him quiet but you are aware of his goal threat. we are aware of the opposition and respect the opposition and respect the opposition but we are a good place at moment. here are all tonight's fixtures: a win for burnley against stoke would see them move eight points clear of the bottom three. watford are at home to west brom. and let's get the latest from manchester united from our senior football reporter ian dennis as they face everton. welcome to old trafford ahead of

manchester united against everton andi manchester united against everton and i have beenjoined by mark lawrenson. we have just and i have beenjoined by mark lawrenson. we havejust been hearing aboutjose mourinho and maybe he might start to prioritise the europa league instead of the premier league, does that place extra emphasis on getting three points tonight? yes, i was here on saturday and there's no doubt west brom did a job on them. i think he said the other week, looking up the rest of the fixtures before the saturday game he said probably europa league might be the best way, to be honest it will change from game to game. they have home tonight, sunderland at the weekend, and elect. it is what it is. at least he has stopped saying they have so many games, they have that because they are so successful. when the games do come thick and fast, nine games in the

space of 30 days in april for united, what is it like as a player? great, you don't train, happy days, and if you are progressing it means you are winning. you come back preseason training in late june and earlyjuly, and preseason training in late june and early july, and if preseason training in late june and earlyjuly, and if someone says to you by the way when it comes to april you will have loads of games, not because we have had a bad winter and the games have been postponed but because you keep winning, that's what you are in the game for. would you concede manchester united's best hopes next season is through the europa league? yes, i would concede that. as for everton and ross barkley there has been a lot of scrutiny on him, how would you rate his progress? at the start of the season was averaged to middling, then he had a really good spell. he is young, still learning. the problem with ross barkley is he has got to understand if you play number

ten in football, you have got to be involved in everything. he was lucky to stay on the pitch at anfield at the weekend. thank you, i hope you canjoin us on the weekend. thank you, i hope you can join us on five live, the weekend. thank you, i hope you canjoin us on five live, our build—up starts at seven o'clock. liverpool play bournemouth tomorrow without sadio mane nad he could d without sadio mane and he could miss the rest of the season after picking up a knee injury in last saturday's merseyside derby. the senagalese international was forced off after scoring the opener in the win over everton. liverpool's worst run of the season coincided with the last time mane was absent for a long period, when he was playing at the africa cup of nations injanuary. klopp's team managed just one win in seven matches. tottenham have lost harry winks for the rest of the season. he damaged ankle ligaments during their win against burnley on saturday. this has been winks' breakthrough season, the 21—year—old midfielder has made 33 appearances in all competitions. the republic of ireland women's football team have threatened to go on strike.

compaining about conditions they have to endure in turning out for their country. lets get more from our sports correspondent katie gornall. i remember all those years ago the football association of ireland having to deal with roy —— roy keane complaining, this seems more serious from the women. yes, they made it clear these are issues that have been building for some years. they made complaints about a lack of pay, a lack of proper kit which they say they have to hand back at the end of internationals, forcing them to get changed in public toilets. this morning in dublin, they gathered together for a press conference to talk about some of these grievances publicly, but one of the issues has been that the football association of ireland apparently don't want to deal with the players union, they wa nt to deal with the players union, they want to deal with the players

directly, and the players don't want this, that's why they have held this press c0 nfe re nce this, that's why they have held this press conference this morning. this, that's why they have held this press conference this morninglj think we need to recognise that the women's international team is being treated not as a second—class citizen, as a fifth class citizen. they are the dirt off the fa i's shoe, that's how they see them. —— the fai. we have been given our kit at the airport, open our personal bags, but our kit in, met the girls en route to the final destination in london, for all five had to go and get changed in the toilets, and en route back as well so this highlights the lack of respect. it is not a lot we are looking for, it is not a lot we are looking for, it isjust basics. it took is not a lot we are looking for, it is just basics. it took something is not a lot we are looking for, it isjust basics. it took something to go public, and they have this bargaining chip in that there is an international match coming up next week. yes, they have given the

ultimatum over this. on monday they are playing slovakia and the threat of strike action hangs over this. we have heard a response from the fai. they said they were deeply disappointed because they say they have made repeated offers to discuss pay and compensation to the players. they also said the team has received significant increases in budgeting in recent years, including the appointment of a champions league winning coach, but his first game in charge there is the danger of it not going ahead. i understand the players have indicated that unless the fai engages with their representatives, they won't be playing in the match on monday. the national ice hockey league in the united states have been criticised for refusing to agree

to a deal which would allow its player to take part in next year's winter olympics. the nhl claims the owners of the its 30 clubs don't want to interrupt the season. however it seems to be about the amount of compensation they want. money seems to be at the heart of this? yes, the owners felt sending their players over there, missing three weeks of the season is too detrimental and it is too bad because i would like to think...|j think because i would like to think...” think we are losing you, let's see if we can get you back one more time. can you see any compromise coming about? because in the past the ioc and the international federation have always paid compensation and covered insurance and travel costs. yes, i think there may be a glimmer of hope. in sochi

they didn't decide until the summer time the nhl would play there but the nhl monster made sure the risk and sessions with regards to insurance —— wants to make sure there are concessions with regards to insurance. they don't want players coming back injured, so there's a few things that have to be uncovered but i think between the ioc, the players and the league, there may be an opportunity to make it happen. fingers crossed. danny willett will start the defence of his masters title alongside the american matt kuchar and the australian amateur curtis luck. it's been a tough 12 months for the yorkshireman who became the first englishman in 20 years to wear the greenjacket. we are getting back to a place where we can get into positions, so there

has been some ups and downs but to be masters champion for this 12 months has been amazing. to be able to ta ke months has been amazing. to be able to take the green jacket to places and wear it with pride, and for people to see it and see the expression on their faces when they see one in the flesh is something special to see. see one in the flesh is something specialto see. let's see one in the flesh is something special to see. let's see if he can keep it, that starts on thursday. that's all from sportsday. there'll be more sport here on bbc news throughout the evening. for now, goodbye. the headlines on bbc news: a suspected chemical attack in a rebel—held area of syria kills scores of people most of the dead are civilians including children. there's been widespread international condemnation. in russia the number of people who died in the bomb attack on the st petersburg underground has risen to 14. in northern ireland a man who sexually abused a woman with a learning disability and held her captive for eight years has been jailed.

an update on the market numbers for you — here's how london's and frankfurt ended the day. more now on our main story — a suspected chemical attack in the rebel—held province idlib in north—western syria has killed dozens of people. let's speak to jerry smith who is the un's former head of operations to remove chemical weapons from syria. hejoins me from our studios in central london. good evening to you. from what you have heard and little bits of what we have seen, any idea what was used in this case? some of the video

footage is horrific. i think the key ta keaways footage is horrific. i think the key takeaways from this initial assessment and video that has been available is that there has been poisoning, there has been intoxication, some kind of poison that has got into their bodies and is clearly some distress and injury, andi is clearly some distress and injury, and i think probably death, well definitely the video showing death as well so not very nice at all.l lot of people have died already, 58 the figure, but presumably the effects of such a chemical can go on and more people are probably going to die because of it. yes, it depends what the chemical agent is and that's why it will be one of the first priorities we need to look at is identifying, if it is indeed a chemical agent, which it looks like at the moment, but it depends. clearly some of the video footage