took the early initiative and led 17—nil after this jamie george try was converted. leicester fought back in front of a crowd of more than 23,000 at welford road — mathew tait‘s try helped reduce the deficit to seven points at half time. but the visitors pulled away after the break, thanks to the boot of england fly—half 0wen farrell. 29—17 it finished to saracens, with farrell having kicked 19 points. serena williams is set for a busy christmas — she's expected to make a return to competitve action on saturday at an exhibition match in abu dhabi, four months after giving birth. the 23 times grand slam champion will play the french open winnerjelena 0stapenko, as part of her preparation to defend her australian open title. the last time she played was in melbourne last january, when she won the title while eight weeks pregnant. sheffield wednesday and middlesbrough are both looking for new managers after the two teams met at hillsbrough yesterday. wednesday confirmed that carlos carval—ee—al has left carlos carvalho has left the club after yesterday's 2—1

defeat, they're currently 15th in the championship. wednesday released a statement earlier saying: carvalho had been in charge for two and a half years. middlesbrough parted company with monk only a few hours after they'd beaten wednesday yesterday. monk leaves just six months after he was appointed with the club ninth in the league. southampton‘s charlie austin has been charged with violent conduct by the football association after yesterday's 1—1 draw against huddersfield. this challenge on huddersfield goalkeeperjonas lossl left him with a suspected broken nose. the incident wasn't seen by the match officials but was caught on camera. austin could now face a three match ban. it looks very ugly from my point of view. i was a striker when i wasn't a striker, with the quality we have seen here in the premier league, but i know exactly, he was so early on

the ball but you don't touch him, but to be fair it looks nasty and ugly. but to be fair it looks nasty and ugly, this is something that usually should not happen. ugly, this is something that usually should not happen. to cricket now, and even though the ashes have already been regained by australia, there's been plenty of verbal sparring ahead of the fourth test on boxing day. both england and australia will be without key bowlers in melbourne. england's craig 0verton because of a rib injury. australia's mitchel stark with a heel problem. the morale in the group is still really high, you know, no—one‘s, there is no biggering, there's no separation within the group. it is good we have stuck together. that is important whether you are winning or losing, everyone is working hard to win this test match. you wouldn't expect anything different from the group. we have an honest bunch of players that are willing to do whatever it takes to get a couple of wins out here, we have put in a hell ofa wins out here, we have put in a hell

of a lot of hard work, we haven't got much for it, we are hoping we can come away with something and show some pride, as i said. i think definitely, the country definitely want a 5—0, for us it is about winning the first session on boxing day, from there to win the game and move forward to sidment for us we game and move forward to sidment for us we have to concentrate on the negotiations game, 5—0 is a big picture. fourth test begins on boxing day. all the all the sport for now. you can find out more on the bbc sport website. i will have more for you in the next hour. see you then. don't expect any snow this christmas. we are fairly confident of that. it is going to be mild and breezy, wet too, for some of us, even breezy, wet too, for some of us, eve n very breezy, wet too, for some of us, even very wet. it has been raining heavily across north—west of the uk. this is where the air is coming from, all the way from the south, with that a lot of cloud and a

weather front to the north of us, ahead of this weather front, look at that mild air, notjust across the uk, but across much of europe and into southern scandinavia as well. this is what the evening looks like, temperatures will be into double figures across the uk, the temperatures starting to drop in the far north of scotland there as the weather front moves there. so let us look at the evening hour, still mild, very mild south—westerlies across the uk, rain for northern ireland, much of western scotland, the lake district too, a very wet period on the way here, through the early hours of christmas day you can see that swoop southwards into western parts so it will be raining in the tips of cornwall, windy too, during the course of the afternoon, some rain getting into western wales, but across much of the midlands and into yorkshire as well it is cloudy and damp with a bit of brightness as well. rain will have moved through the heaviest of the rain across, through belfast there, bit of snow for the southern uplands, you will notice the temperatures are lower across scotland, they are done to three degrees for example in lerwick, that

isa hint degrees for example in lerwick, that is a hint of things to come. there is a hint of things to come. there is colder weather on the way so this is colder weather on the way so this is christmas day during the course of the over anyone and then as we head into boxing day, —— evening. notice snow in the highlands of scotland. the southern uplands too, so scotland. the southern uplands too, so that colder air starts to push in to the uk, not quite reaching us, it will take time. here is boxing day, early hours of the morning, a weather front pulls away, we are in between weather systems, so that means it starts off bright for many of us, but wintry showers will follow, carried on the northerly winds in scotland. notice that the temperatures now are into single figures right across the uk, so boxing day things will turn colder. boxing day things will turn colder. boxing day things will turn colder. boxing day evening the temperatures will drop rapidly, another weather front will drop rapidly, another weather fro nt m oves will drop rapidly, another weather front moves or swoops will drop rapidly, another weather front moves oi’ swoops across southern front moves or swoops across southern parts of the uk, there is a hint of snow there across the welsh mountains, maybe the cotswolds the chilterns as well. here is the summary chilterns as well. here is the summary for chris knacks a word christmas day itself it is going to be mild. —— christmas day. this is bbc news. the headlines at six:

north korea condemns the latest round of un sanctions and vows to strengthen its nuclear deterrent. rescuers are searching for victims of a tropical storm in the southern philippines — more than 200 people have died in mudslides and flash floods. two men have been killed and four people injured following a multiple vehicle crash on the mao in 0xfordshire — the motorway has now reopened. be the best — plans to scrap the army's slogan and crest for being too elitist have been ditched. also: britain's political leaders use their annual christmas messages to praise those who help others. theresa may thanks the armed forces and emergency services.