of the usual rainfall. danny savage reports from the yorkshire dales. across large parts of britain at the moment there is a lack of water. a dry spring, preceded by low winter rainfall, has left many riverbeds exposed. this wouldn't be an unusual, widespread sight in late summer but it's rare in may. when i had a ride around up there on friday, you get a lot of small ponds and wet holes that are usually there all year round. they're all dried out, they're absolutely bone dry, there's nothing at all in the bottom of them. stuart herd has farmed here all his life. the riverbed drying up is not unheard of but he's noticed the hillside springs aren't right. you can tell that it's been a lot drier because we're actually noticing sheep that have come down to parts of the river where the water is still running, noticing sheep standing on the river bank drinking. whereas ordinarily they would be

spread about up on these fells and drinking out of little springs and streams and things like that, which suggests there isn't as much water up there as what there has been in other times. southern england has seen the driest conditions with just over half the average rainfall since last july. restrictions later in the year. and these pictures were taken in northern england over the last few days, showing rivers many miles apart in a similar condition. but yorkshire water says there shouldn't be widespread alarm. i think nationally it's been very dry. up in yorkshire it's been a dry winter, probably the driest in the last six years, but we have seen recharge, every other month we've seen some rainfall but in the last six weeks we have just seen it dry. a few dry months doesn't make a drought, though. it may be bone dry in some of the headwaters of these river catchments but we're a long way from a water crisis.

a few miles down the valley, the wharf looks a lot more healthy, and reservoir levels are holding up too. a prolonged dry spell may change things but it would have to be for months. danny savage, bbc news, upper wharfedale in north yorkshire. newsnight‘s about to begin over on bbc two in a few moments. evan's in paris. paris is the centre of world attention today. that's how they like it. we're here looking at how politics is changing. are there lessons for britain and the west from the rise of a 39—year—old former banker to the president of france? join me now on bbc two. here on bbc one, it's time for the news where you are. hello and welcome to sportsday. the headlines tonight: chelsea just a win away from the premier league title, while it's all over for middlesbrough, relegated after their 3—0 defeat at stamford bridge. sulley muntari says both fifa and uefa don't care

enough about racism. he walked off during a game in italy after receiving abuse from opposition fans and he's told the bbc he'd do it again. it is not normal. we have to fight it. i'm determined. and maria sharapova is beaten by eugenie bouchard, the woman who called her a ‘cheat‘, in what was labelled a grudge match at the madrid open. in what was labelled a grudge hello again. for chelsea, it's just one more win and they'll be premier league champions. for middlesbrough, well the games have run out. the leaders‘ 3—0 win at stamford bridge tonight has sent their opponents down and taken them to within three points of the title. tim hague watched the action.

it is anything but backs to the wall for chelsea, on the verge of the title as our opponents middlesbrough just wanted to stay in the league. alonso struck the bar. and chelsea continued to look the standout team. diego costa putting them ahead. and alonso‘s resistance paid off. help from the keeper. a second. that meant that middlesbrough would be going down on waste they could produce something special, but it was the hosts who had all of the chances. this was a thumping. it could have been even more. three was how it ended. after a long season,

middlesbrough's relegation confirmed, and as for chelsea, the champions elect, the champions... and we can go to stamford bridge. we will talk about middlesbrough in one moment, but we want to start with chelsea. surely a formality? yes. i think it was almost perfect for them. as indicated, inside two, three minutes, we knew they would score. alonso, in particular, and cesc fabregas was pulling the strings. john terry even came on. and a standing ovation from conte, reciprocated from the supporters. they can win the title on friday night, away to west bromich albion, possibly here at home with watford.

already, i think that they can start thinking about lifting the trophy. but you could see the energy, and influence, of conte again. one of the chelsea supporters said he does not have to be the special one, the happy one, just the one. and probably the manager about any team would want just now. probably the manager about any team would wantjust now. it was important to win. and we have got to be pleased. it is another step. another step to win the title. that is going to be important to rest, and prepare for west brom. and middlesbrough, down. it has been a

difficult season, the change of manager didn't work. didn't make the grade? i think it is a lot of frustration among the middlesbrough fans, particularly when they think back about the possibility of changing things injanuary. it takes a lot of commitment to get out of the championship, but it almost seems as though they have been playing with the handbrake on. karanka had his conservative ways, agnew came in and it was probably impossible. i am agnew came in and it was probably impossible. iam not agnew came in and it was probably impossible. i am not sure that the supporters have got an awful lot of enthusiasm, for micro one carrying on, but he was the one who had to speak at the end of the scheme. absolutely gutted. we all are. bitterly disappointed, with the

result this evening. and obviously, what that means? we have lost the premier league status, and that is something that we take pride in. i have just left a very silent dressing room. the outstanding performance, it could have been cesc fabregas, but what about the middlesbrough supporters. 500 mile round trip. monday. to see your team relegated? plenty of time to drown the sorrows. ghanaian midfielder sulley muntari sez he'd walk off the pitch "again and again" if he was racially abused. he was sent off after leaving the field during his team pescara's italian league game last month. in a bbc interview muntari, who played in the premier league for portsmouth and sunderland, claims racism is "everywhere and getting worse". he's accused fifa and uefa of not caring enough about it. if they want to fight racism... they

should be the first people to jump. we are under fifa and uefa. they have nothing to say. probably, they have nothing to say. probably, they have run out of internet... that is why they did not comment. but this is a big deal. really a big deal. maria sharapova has been beaten by the most outspoken critic of her return to tennis following a 15 month doping ban. former wimbledon finalist eugenie bouchard had called sharapova a ‘cheater‘, who shouldn't have been given a chance to rebuild her career following a positive test for meldonium. and the canadian won a near three hour epic in the second round of the madrid open. bouchard did shake hands with sharapova at the end of the match and plays world number two angelique kerber next. meanwhile dan evans says fellow

player aljaz bedene shouldn't be considered british. evans made the comments after losing in straight sets to dutchman robin haase at the madrid open. it's a result that sees evans remain fourth in the british rankings, but he doesn't recognise the number 3 — the slovenian—born bedene — who qualified to represent great britain two years ago on residency grounds. that's all from sportsday. coming up in a moment, the papers. hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow.

with me are political commentator, jo phillips, and liam halligan, chief economics commentator at the daily telegraph. good to see you. tomorrow's front pages, starting with. .. the financial times, they lead with theresa may's plans to recommit to the conservatives' immigration target of tens of thousands, which she calls "sustainable levels". the express says mrs may told voters that border controls were "urgently needed to ease pressure on public services and a wage squeeze on the low paid". rising energy bills feature on the telegraph's front page. the daily mail says the prime minister wants to give energy regulator ofgem powers to limit the tariffs paid by seven in ten families. jeremy corbyn wants a national housing initiative aimed at helping younger and less well—off voters, the guardian says.

and the metro says new french president emmanuael macron does not want to ‘punish‘ britain during brxit negotiations because there is a ‘strong mutual interest‘ in maintaining close ties between the two countries. the i says they want to end the border agreement. so let‘s begin... and we are going to start with the front of the metro. he is committed to the european project, and clearly the majority of the french people seem the majority of the french people seem to agree. as a result, he wants a good dealfor the eu. not going to smack us over the head. non! pardon!

speaking latin earlier... yes. he has toned it down a bit since he won. he said we have got this strong mutual interest, this is about the man, supposed to be macron‘s eu sherpa. david davis equivalent. but pushing to keep this economic relationship going, it is the toning down of language, but interesting to see where the battles will come forth. absolutely. he has said throughout the campaign, that brexit was not going to be what the park. he is not going to allow a deal that is potentially going to mean britain

has the benefit outside of the european union, inside? he has got to topped off to some of the electorate, even though he hasjust wofi electorate, even though he hasjust won 60/40. and some of those businesses exporting, want a deal, not political chest beating. the i... talking about, saying the united kingdom border could move from calais. the french passports, thatis from calais. the french passports, that is checked in the united kingdom, and britain's checked at france. that would have implications for lorry drivers, susceptible to people jumping on the vehicles. the isaid people jumping on the vehicles. the i said that is in question. but we

have both looked at the paper. we cannot see the quotations. theresa may was asked about it, she said it was of mutual benefit to both parties. inevitably, this is going to bea parties. inevitably, this is going to be a bone of contention, because you have got such strong feelings, particularly from lorry drivers. but also the french public,