this is bbc news and our latest headlines: a big step on the road to brexit as agreement is reached on the uk's transition period, but the eu's chief negotiator warns there's still work to be done — particularly on the irish border. businesses need not delay investment decisions or rush through contingency plans based on guesses about the future deal, instead they now have certainty about the terms that will apply immediately after our withdrawal. a decisive step remains a step. we're not at the end of the road, there is a lot of work still to be done. outside salisbury forensic teams examine another car following the poisoning of a former russian spy. police say the investigation involving 250 detectives is likely to take many months. itv presenter ant mcpartlin is to step down from his tv commitments after being arrested on suspicion of drink—driving yesterday. this weekend's saturday night takeaway programme that he hosts with co—star declan donnelly is cancelled.

uber suspends its self driving car programme after a woman is hit and killed by one of their cars in the us. investigators say the car was in autonomous mode when the accident happened. share prices in bookmakers rise after a report recommends that the maximum stake for fixed—odds betting terminals should be set at 30 pounds for some games, higher than had been expected. in a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news... as uber suspends its self—driving car programme following a fatal crash, we'll be speaking to an expert on the psychology of technology and its impact on ourfuture. shares in bookmakers have risen on the news that limits to stakes on some fixed odds betting machines have been set higher than expected. we'll be speaking to an expert on gambling addiction to find out if the measure goes far enough.

and at10:1i0, we'll have a look ahead at tomorrow's front pages with polly mackenzie from the think tank demos, and kevin schofield, the editor of politics home. that's all ahead on bbc news. now on bbc news it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday, i'm james pearce. for ireland, as they won rugby union's grand slam. paralympicsgb return home after their seven medal haul at the winter games in pyeongchang, thanks to the visually impaired skiers. britain's most decorated paralympians ever, britain's most decorated pa ralympians ever, how britain's most decorated paralympians ever, how does that sound? it sounds unbelievable! and rory mcilroy wins his first tournament for 18 months and is promoted to favourite for the masters.

welcome to sportsday with me, james pearce. all that to come later in the programme but first we're going to talk fa cup with chris sutton, a premier league winner with blackburn in 1995. no major upsets for the weekend, the teams we would have expected to go into the hat for the semifinal draw. spurs against manchester united, spurs off the back of the win at swa nsea, spurs off the back of the win at swansea, now they have home advantage for their semifinal. is that right? yes, it is right. we knew this was a possibility before the season started so i don't know what everyone is moaning about. do i like it? no, i'm a traditionalist, i would prefer the games to be at a neutral venue but that is by

the by. as a former player, you want to earn the right to go to wembley and i think a lot of fans feel the same way. how much of an advantage will it be for spurs? they didn't just beat united, they humiliated united on that particular day and they will feel buoyed by that and they will feel buoyed by that and they will feel buoyed by that and they will fancy it. it doesn't look like harry kane will be fit for that one so that will be a loss but united seem to be in a bit of bother at the moment as well. so how important is the fa cup orjose mourinho now this season? for a competition which was $7 7 4:7;luid a... l“f ii tiéifiiéséxifirw ..... .. . 77 4:7;luzu 7.0. l“f ii ti256657.77,.7,7,77777 777777 77 7 77 and spurs, they are all united and spurs, they are all really u p united and spurs, they are all really up for winning this trophy. pressure on jose mourinho really up for winning this trophy. pressure onjose mourinho now and he will feel manchester united fans will feel manchester united fans will feel manchester united fans will feel they have to get the fa cup in the bag. after the match he

was very public with his criticism of luke shaw. presumably you side with the player? it wasn'tjust luke shaw, a lot of united players say they lack personality and class but it does seem to be luke shaw is the scapegoat, the one singled out. i don't think he will be at united next season. jose mourinho didn't have to play him, he would have brought on ashley young. play your strongest team. what to do for a dressing room when a player is singled out like luke shaw was? we weren't in the dressing room... what does it do for the harmony of the dressing room? it is part and parcel of professional sport. there does seem to be something in this thing, where we are not party to what goes on in there but it seems likejose

mourinho has an agenda against luke shaw but if you have an agenda don't play him. onto the other semifinal, chelsea love this competition. yes, they have had an important bounce back and questions over whether antonio conte will be there next season. antonio conte will be there next season. it was a much—needed win, and chelsea players are playing for their manager. talking of managers, a new manager, mark hughes for southampton. important for him to start with the wind but when you are fighting relegation as southampton are right now, is it a dangerous distraction to be in an fa cup semifinal? honestly i think it was so semifinal? honestly i think it was so important, mark hughes' first game in charge, playing wigan, they had to get off to a good start with

positivity. in a semifinal, their next game is against west ham which will be a crucial game, and it will just give them that little bit of confidence. the new manager bounce and he will be looking to get on now. ok, chris, thank you. lots to look forward to over the next few weeks. and the draw for the women's fa cup was made on radio five live this morning. here's how they came out of the hat... the super league leaders chelsea will take on either holders manchester city or sunderland, and durham or everton face the the 14—time winners arsenal or charlton, the lowest ranked side still in the competition. chelsea won 3—0 at liverpool yesterday but that was the only tie that survived the wintry weather. the other games will be played on 25th march. the scotland squad has trained for the first time since alex mcleish began his second spell as manager. they were forced indoors by the extreme weather, as they prepared for friday's friendly against costa rica at hampden park and next tuesday's away game in hungary. alistair lamont was there. a smattering of applause from his

players for alex mcleish‘s open address but the hard work starts now. this is the first four days of training for the scotland squad ahead of the friendly against costa rica on friday. four days in which alex mcleish must shape this squad. mcfadden played under mcleish and outlined his managerial credentials. he was a good man, a good man manager, that is his strength and he knows the game. he has the knowledge and hunger to go and succeed. i enjoyed working under him as a player, he always got the best out of me. he will get the best out of this group of players, no doubt about that. this group of players includes some onset of talent at this level. scott bertolli perhaps

the highest profile of those hoping to be part of the scottish renaissance. —— scott mctominay. -- scott mctominay. i want them to come in with the attitude of, i want to be the man, i want to achieve something for scotland. that is also top of alex mcleish‘s list of priorities. expect experimentation in the upcoming friendlies as he tries to identify the players he can count on when it really matters. now, as promised, we're going to review a memorable six nations — we'll talk to our reporter chrisjones. where did it all go right for ireland? england's but —— players weren't

perhaps quite as well conditioned, but i learned did everything right in terms of the coaching, how well drilled they are, the clarity of their game plan, drilled they are, the clarity of theirgame plan, and drilled they are, the clarity of their game plan, and when you look at the irish squad they have a contrast of experience. world—class players who have won things with clu b players who have won things with club and country, the likes of johnny sexton, rory best, and then some young guys johnny sexton, rory best, and then some young guys have come through who are now so established. but then players like jacob stockdale who smashed records. ireland are in a really good place, now can they kick on and use this as a launch pad for world cup success next year? how does it compare with other irish grand slam winning teams? in my living memory it is right up

there. the team of 2009 did win the slum and bombed at the world cup in 2007 and also in 2011 so the big challenge now for this irish crop, who i think is a slightly better side, the 2018 version, can they keep kicking on and keep improving? you do feel with joe at the helm keep kicking on and keep improving? you do feel withjoe at the helm and his assistant coaches, they certainly have the foundations in place to keep on improving. if they do that, they could be world beaters. let's talk about england, whether they go from here? fifth in table. good question because six months ago everything was rosy in english rugby, the players have made a big impact on the lions tour and they were talking about being the first ever side to win three successive six nations championships. the whole load factors come into play, the players looked jaded, perhaps the arduous

nature of the last couple of years is catching up with them but also there seem to be a lot of currency in theirgame plan there seem to be a lot of currency in their game plan maybe eddiejones has lost his magic touch, he needs to regain that as england go forward. is it a personnel or coaching thing? maybe, mission of the two. england need to go and win, otherwise with a year to go until the world cup they could find themselves in a fix so the next few months could be crucial in the context of the world cup. you spoke about the world cup, spain against belgium ina about the world cup, spain against belgium in a world cup qualifier at the weekend, spain lost which meant romania qualified for the world cup. a romanian referee. the spanish players very unhappy with some of the decisions, what can you say about this match? why should a romanian be refereeing a match of such importance for his country's

rugby? it's not often we will be talking about belgium versus spain world cup qualifier but it's taken on significance because of the fact romania benefited from belgium winning and it was a romanian set of officials, and spain feel highly aggrieved. the governing body say they will investigate, and regardless of whether there was anything untoward happening and we cannot really question at this stage the integrity of an experienced romanian referee cuts itjust doesn't look very good and well in world rug by doesn't look very good and well in world rugby acted to take away the referee in a similar circumstance before, we will see how big deal with this pretty big issue. wales have named justin tipuric in their rugby sevens squad for next

great britain's athletes arrived home from the winter paralympics this afternoon, after hitting their medals target and coming home with seven. first through the gates were visually imparied skier menna fitzpatrick and her guide jen keyhoe, who won four medals in all, including gold on the last day of competition. among those there to meet them at heathrow airport was our sports correspondent andy swiss. it's been a whirlwind, and i can't believe we are back in the uk already. does coming home mean it sta rts already. does coming home mean it starts to feel real? yes, it's a moment when you step out of the village environment it starts thinking in and i don't think it will until we actually get home and watch the runs, listen to the commentary and do all of the usual things. if some onset due a few years ago you would be standing here with four medals around your neck, what would you have said to them —— if someone

had said to you a few years ago. you have said to them —— if someone had said to you a few years agolj had said to you a few years ago.|j couldn't go to sochi and i think that motivated me further. she has worked so hard for the last few years i have known her, i am so proud she came back to guide me. helps having a good buddy to work with and we are team, we do this together. one doesn't come without the other and that is one of our real strengths that it is totally us, there is no eye in this team. still to come, stuart broad says there's still a lot of cricket left in his 31—year—old legs. and we will see who made andy murray laugh in the middle of the night. what a weekend it was in the world of golf — rory mcilroy winning the arnold palmer invitational in florida and tiger woods showing he really is returning to form. we can talk now to the former european tour winner andrew murray, now part of bbc radio's golf team.

not the andy murray we have just been seeing! we will see him in a few minutes' time. andrew, that win for rory has silenced a lot of critics, hasn't it? it was fantastic, captivating stuff last night. i have to say, the fact tiger woods is back in the frame as well just tiger woods is back in the frame as welljust added tiger woods is back in the frame as well just added to the fact that it was such a terrific tournament and one that palmer himself sadly missed, missing since his death, would have been wholly proud of the way the guys scored. it was terrific, great golf. two and a half weeks until the masters, that will be talk of the golfing world of course. what chances of rory getting that green jacket? his game is made for augusta, he hit the ball high and long, shapes it right—to—left very easily which is right into the

wheelhouse of augusta's course. everybody wants him to win on the side of the pond of course. he's enormously popular over there as well and the gulf who played yesterday as well to close out that victory was just stunning stuff. five birdies in the last six holes was something palmer himself would have been entirely proud of. an even bigger story would be a tiger woods win at augusta, how seriously should we be taking this return to form? massively now, he was in contention and only one behind with his last three to play, i know rory had five or six to play, but yesterday it could have been slightly different and he might have had the momentum and he might have had the momentum and posted a score. would rory have gone on the run he did? nobody knows but he's very close to winning now. he's proved in the last few weeks his game is in really good shape.

whether he had a blip, he hit it out of bounds yesterday in the last few holes but he's definitely made a massive return and i think probably a bit quicker than he anticipated too. how badly does the sport need him and players like rory playing at the top of their game? we have just been talking about it here, everybody around here was watching it, everybody wants tiger back, we all needed in the golf industry. the golfing public, ithink all needed in the golf industry. the golfing public, i think the figures we re golfing public, i think the figures were enormous last night and american and sky television over here, five times the normal figures somebody told me. we all need tiger back and the fact rory has hit some form with other players as well like jason day, it bodes really well. what i thought was fantastic was the

fa ct what i thought was fantastic was the fact stenson, rose and rory mcilroy we re fact stenson, rose and rory mcilroy were all in the frame, it bodes brilliantly for the ryder cup in september too. the masters starts on the 5th of april and cannot come soon enough. britain's laura davies said she hoped people would stop asking her when she planned to retire, after she finished tied for second at the founders cup in phoenix, arizona. she's 5a now, and she would've become the oldest champion in lpga history if she'd won it but she finished five shots behind inbee park. davies hasn't given up on the challenge yet, though — she says she still feels she can hit the ball as well as most of the best players out there. england bowler stuart broad has told the bbc that he has no plans to retire from international cricket any time soon. england are preparing for the first test against new zealand, which gets under way in the early hours of thursday morning. broad is 31 but he already has set his sights on next year's ashes series.

i have a great hunger to play. i have had it of ashes tour, i have a lot of hunger to get in this england team, stay in the england team and have a lot of success and that includes the next ashes series and that sort of thing. at 31, i have touchwood got quite a lot of cricket left in me. juan martin del potro said he couldn't stop shaking, after he won his first masters title at the 51st attempt and ended roger federer‘s winning run. he saved three match points before clinching the title. the argentine has been dogged by a series of wrist injuries that almost ended his career and he said it was like a dream to come through it all and win a masters tournament.