the syrian government has been condemned during an emergency un debate after a gas attack killed more than 70 people. this bears all the hallmarks of the assad regime and the use of chemical weapons is a war crime. one of president trump's closest advisers — his chief strategist, steve bannon — has been removed from his position on the national security council. labour's ruling body is to review ken livingstone‘s status in the party following his comments about hitler and zionism and his suspension for another year. the european parliament has set out its priorities for the brexit negotiations, saying the uk would have to agree to honour any financial obligations to the eu. the duke and duchess of cambridge and prince harry have attended a special service at westminster abbey for the victims of the westminster terror attack. ina

in a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what other is coming up. as president assad is accused of carrying out war crimes at a un emergency debate on the syrian gas attack, we'll be talking to a founding member of a group, which has compiled a 20—page indictment against the dictator. we'll be hearing from a labour party member who gave evidence at the yesterday's hearing at which ken livingstone avoided expulsion for his comments that adolf hitler supported zionism. and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of hard talk we will have a special programme looking back at the highs and lows of the show. there can't have been any lows! now it is time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm hugh woozencroft. our main headlines this evening... umbrellas at the ready in augusta as players and fans are cleared from the course due to severe thunderstorms. will antonio conte and chelsea beat

rejoicing tonight? there is a key match for them in the premier league as they host manchester city. and after 43 years in the sport, olympic champion nick skelton calls time on his showjumping career. and with the grand national just three days away, we look back at an event 20 years ago today when 60,000 spectators at aintree‘s famous race were evacuated because of a bomb scare. we'll bring you all the latest around the grounds ahead of a key night of premier league action in a few minutes but first let's head to augusta, where the final preparations have begun ahead of the sist masters. bbc sport's hazel irvine is waiting for us to set the scene on the eve of the year's first golf major.

hazel, over to you. thank you, good evening. the quest for the first men's major of the season for the first men's major of the season has been in hibernation for seven months but it is time to wake up seven months but it is time to wake up and smell the azaleas because the masters is just around the corner. kevin brown is normally itching to get out there but even his enthusiasm has been dampened by these huge thunderstorms. play was suspended this morning because of heavy rain will stop they did begin the traditional par—3 contest but only in the last few minutes the officials called in the players and the contest has been caught off officially. —— called off. the fun is over before the series business begins tomorrow and i respect the weather might still have a part to play in the next two days particularly. the rain makes the

course play a bit longer but softer so course play a bit longer but softer so it takes something out of the greens and they are a bit more yielding. the breeze on thursday will be a major factor that could get up to a0 mph and with those pins in the corners, a strong breeze is merciless. it could be time for the strong men and there is nobody stronger than dustin johnson strong men and there is nobody stronger than dustinjohnson but the big question is who can stop him. explain how dominant he has been. he won his first major last year at the us open and gained a lot of confidence. he has won his last three pga tour events. we have the perfect game here, top six the last two times he has played here and he will be the man to beat. he is the favourite. a beautiful driver and that has been the key. he has studied to hit the fade and has gained a lot more control with his driver —— started to hit. gained a lot more control with his

driver -- started to hit. no number one or favourite has won here saint tiger woods in 2005. —— since tiger woods. this is the third go at landing this fabled grand slam for rory mcilroy. he is increasing his ability here but what is the missing piece of the puzzle? i don't think there is one he has the ideal game for the course, he hit the high draw, his short game has come on well and his putting has improved. he is slightly below the radar as well but has confidence. we have the rookie challenge ofjon rahm of spain and ii englishmen which is a record. in 1988 when spain and 11 englishmen which is a record. in 1988 when sandy lyle won, the first british winner, inspired a run of four british wind in a row, two for sir nick faldo and one for ian woosnam, will that galvanise the

belief? it will certainly be a big factor. players likejustin rose might come into the hunt. there are ten players with one parameter, and ten players with one parameter, and ten in the top 60 in the world is special. —— and one amateur player. we looking forward to it. we will assess more of the possibilities this evening in our preview 11:50pm —— at 11:15pm. the rain may be coming but i can think of worst places to sit amongst the raindrops! lucky you! there's an important night ahead at stamford bridge where the premier league leaders, chelsea, mightjust be looking over their shoulders after that shock defeat by crystal palace on saturday. defeat to manchester city tonight and a win for spurs at swansea would see their lead at the top reduced to just four points. it is not easy to prepare the game but we tried to exploit two days to prepare the game in the right way. but for sure we are facing a great team.

chelsea deserve where they are, they won an amount of points and win a lot of games in a row and they deserve to be there. it is another game, you have to take points as much as possible to be there and after we will see. so it could be a pivotal 90 minutes for both clubs this evening, phil neville is the summariser for radio 5live's full commentary at stamford bridge later. i think tonight is a massive game for both teams, you could not single out chelsea or man city for who needs the point is the most. if city have aspirations of catching them, and obviously chelsea because the way they slipped up against crystal palace. they will be wanting to get back to winning ways tonight because they will not want to give encouragement to the chasing pack and spurs in particular who are playing swansea. you would have thought they would win. the tension and nervousness if city go in front, this is a vital game and just as important for chelsea as it is for man city. spurs will be helpful to

close the gaps to just four point if results go their way. they need to beat relegation—threatened swansea city if there's a chance of that happening. match of the day commentator steve wilson is at the liberty stadium for us. this liberty stadium is the stage for a game that directly influences the top and bottom of the league. the visitors, tottenham hotspur come they need to put pressure on chelsea, the only team above them. swa nsea chelsea, the only team above them. swansea need to keep answering the questions are being put to them by the clubs below them, most of all hull city who are only one point behind. swansea have had a good week, opening a new training ground and the american owners are in town but they have never beaten tottenham in the premier league and they were beaten 5—0 at white hart lane earlier this season. it does not mean to say that is how it will go tonight. what a period it's been for arsene wenger and arsenal. with a debate over his future ongoing, there have been protests inside and out of the emirates stadium, with more expected this evening. and after four straight defeats, there's pressure too on his counterpart this evening, slaven bilic.

steve bower is in north london to look ahead to this one. welcome to the emirates stadium where both managers are in the spotlight as we wait to hear, soon, according to arsene wenger, if he will remain as arsenal manager. slaven bilic has had a vote of confidence from the west ham owners from its own future. arsene wenger has said it is getting harder and harder to finish in the top four but their cause not been helped by picking upjust their cause not been helped by picking up just points from the last 18. tonight they could be playing their third choice goalkeeper, emilio martinez, because there is a doubt over david 0spina and better checkis doubt over david 0spina and better check is not fit. they are also without laurent koscielny as they look to get back on track —— petr cech. west ham have lost their last four, six points above the relegation zone. they do have michail antonio back after injury. aaron cresswell is out. this is where it all began for slaven bilic

as west ham manager, his first game in charge and he would love a repeat of that 2—0 victory at the beginning of that 2—0 victory at the beginning of last season. also tonight, there's a huge game at the kc stadium where fourth from bottom hull city take on middlesbrough who are two places below them. crystal palace will hope to build on that win at chelsea when they travel to southampton, while it's liverpool versus bournemouth at anfield. in scotland, champions celtic may have wrapped up the title at the weekend but they face partick at home as they aim to stay on course to remain unbeaten this season. rangers are away to kilmarnock, second bottom hamilton are away to motherwll and it's stjohnstone against hearts. britain's 0lympic show jumping champion, nick skelton, has announced his retirement from the sport. skelton captured the public imagination when he won gold in rio, aged 59, with his horse big star. his announcement brings the curtain down on a career which has spanned a3 years. the win in rio was the icing on the cake, i don't think it can get better than that. big star has had a few problems but he is fine

now and in good order. just last week i rode him and jumped him and he felt really good. i think it is time now for him, he is still young at 1a and has a good career at stud. i will be 60 this year so i think now is a good time to stop. it's the most popular race in britain. millions of pounds will be wagered and most of it lost as the grand national takes place at aintree on saturday. but 20 years ago today 60,000 spectators, jockeys and race personnel had to be evacuated with under an hour to go to the big race when two coded bomb threats were received from the provisional ira. what followed was a a grand national which was to go down in history. andy gill takes up the story. it was to be a special day, the 150th running of the crash national —— grand national. it turned out to

bea —— grand national. it turned out to be a sad day for sport. the stands are being evacuated. all 60,000 people were evacuated. they have said you have got to leave your horses. so disappointing for so many people, the time and effort going into it, the biggest race in the world. but the biggest race in the world. but the biggest race in the world was facing its biggest challenge. please evacuate the whole course and make your way to the coach park area. we got two warning messages using recognised code words indicating there could be a bomb at aintree. there was no specific location which made it extra in the difficult. absolute mayhem in to the people standing outside and it's getting cold and dark, the police disconnected the mobile phones. getting cold and dark, the police disconnected the mobile phonesm meantan disconnected the mobile phonesm meant an empty parade ring, an empty weighing room. a great feeling of disappointment, an empty feeling

here at aintree. but the evacuation did something, helping to reconnect the grand national to get the ball home. i think for a while the people in merseyside had fallen out of love with it but that encapsulated how brilliant those people were and are, andi brilliant those people were and are, and i think it abroad the grand national back into the city as part of the infrastructure. —— it brought. and a nice touch from grand national organisers today as they gave terminally ill boy bradley lowery an honorary place on the official racecard for saturday's big race. five year—old bradley was diagnosed with neuroblastoma four years ago and has captured the hearts of sports fans with his bravery. bradley, a sunderland fan, has been mascot at the stadium of light and at other matches, including an england international, and now has been included as the a1st entry on the official racecard at aintree, with his own red and white sunderland colours. his hero, sunderland strikerjermian defoe, is also included in bradley's card. bradley and his family will all be at aintree for his big day. england fast bowler tymal mills

is in action in the first game of the 2017 indian premier league. mills was signed for £1.a million by the royal challengers bangalore and bowled the first delivery of this year's competition. mills had a challenge on his hands trying to contain the likes of yuvraj singh who top scored for sunrisers hyderabad. but the ball after that, mills took his revenge, bowling yuvraj for 62. despite that, sunrisers made 207 from their 20 overs. and that looks like being enough for victory, especially once the dangerous challengers batsman chris gayle was caught on the boundary. they will have to score quickly, they are 126—a from 13 overs. former england cricket captain alastair cook will miss the first county championship match of the new season for essex, because of a hip injury. he's one of the centrally contracted players who were cleared to play for their county but will be unavailable to face lancashire because of the injury which isn't thought to be serious. cook resigned the england captaincy

earlier this year and wants to prove his worth as a batsman. it's kind of a different phase of my career after being captain. hopefully, i love playing cricket andi hopefully, i love playing cricket and i love playing for england, it isa and i love playing for england, it is a huge honour to walk out in front of lots of people at lord's or ed dickson or wherever, the ashes tour afterwards as well —— or edgbaston. i hope to score enough i’u ns edgbaston. i hope to score enough ru ns to edgbaston. i hope to score enough runs to get on the plane. that's all from sportsday. there'll be more sport here on bbc news throughout the evening. you are watching bbc news, the headlines this evening... president trump says the syrian gas attack on children had a big impact on him, describing it as an affront to humanity. 0ne