this is bbc news, our latest headlines. the government has approved controversial plans to build a third runway at heathrow airport. campaigners say the move will damage the environment, but the transport secretary says expansion will benefit the economy. the expansion of heathrow will bring real benefits across the country, including a boost of up to £74 billion to passengers and the wider economy. providing better connections to growing world markets and increasing flights to more long—haul destinations. the grenfell fire inquiry has heard how the london fire brigade received more calls about how to survive the blaze on the night, than from the whole of the rest of london, in the previous decade. the fashion designer kate spade, has been found dead at her flat new york. it's being reported that the 55 year old, had taken her own life. and the disgraced hollywood film producer harvey weinsteen, has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges, in court in new york.

in a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news... after newspapers across the north of england joined forces to call on the prime minister to ‘get a grip‘ with the delays and cancellations on the rail network, we'll be speaking to the editor of one of the papers. we'll have the latest on the death of the fashion designer kate spade who was found dead in her new york department earlier today. and at 10:40 this evening the guestsjoining me on the papers are kate andrews, who's director of news at the institute of economic affairs, and john rentoul, chief political commentator for the independent. that's all ahead on bbc news. now on bbc news it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm katherine downes, here's what's coming up for you on tonight's programme.

i will bring you all the news from the england world cup media day as the england world cup media day as the squad faced the press here at saint georges park. after scans show loris karius may have had concussion during the champions league final, we'll ask whether football is doing enough to combat the dangers of head injuries. and making a return to the court, andy murray says he's almost ready for his come—back: i started training a few days ago andi i started training a few days ago and i am hoping to make my comeback during the grass court season. hello and welcome to sportsday.

good evening. no andy murray at the french open, but we'll bring you the latest from roland garros too. first though with nine days to go til the start of the world cup, england's squad are making their final preparations at st george's park before travelling to russia a week today. our reporterjo currie is there — and its a bit like speed dating? yeah, that is right. that is probably the best way to describe it. all 23 members of the squad were available. they all have their own desk dotted around this hall here and it was a free for all. that was pressed from the uk and around the world, television and radio and online and you had 45 minutes to try to speak to as many players as you code and despite it being something different, the players and the press seemed a very relaxed. all the

players got to talk to the press and eve ryo ne players got to talk to the press and everyone seemed players got to talk to the press and everyone seemed to enjoy it. players got to talk to the press and everyone seemed to enjoy itm looks chaotic, but you got to speak to some of the players, what did they have to say? yes, at times it felt like a media scrum but the player that the uk—based press wa nted player that the uk—based press wanted to talk to was raheem sterling. he hit the headlines with that controversial gun tattoo but he said despite the fact he has come in for a lot of criticism and he has had quite a difficult week, he does not feel he has been singled out by the press. when you see a gun on someone powers—macro latecomer you think are they doing. i know there have been pictures before. why doesn't then get reported about? something that started pre—season and once the season get started, you forget about it and move on to football. it is one of those, i do

not take it personally. i do not feel i have been picked on. i see there are reasons. i am feel i have been picked on. i see there are reasons. lam happy feel i have been picked on. i see there are reasons. i am happy to represent england. away from that, he says being given the iconic number 10 jersey is not only a huge honour, but he says he thinks it will make him a better player and perform better in russia. another player who we spoke to is the man who will lead england out in russia, harry kane, and he was asked who he looked up to and whose style will they try and emulate and russia. his a nswer they try and emulate and russia. his answer was david beckham. he led by example. he gave 120%, passionate on and off the pitch, a great role model and that is what i like to do. there are kids watching, a lot of people watching around the world, first and foremost, i will do

everything on the pitch and off the pitch it is important you are good example. huge boost forjordan pickford. he says despite the fact that the england squad will have the fewest ca ps that the england squad will have the fewest caps and the younger squad in russia, he says that will not affect them. everyone is talking about inexperience, but we have been experienced through the groups and the majority of the lads i have knowing them playing for england and we have experience in ourselves already. i feel we we have experience in ourselves already. ifeel we have we have experience in ourselves already. i feel we have the qualities and the ability. the ability in here is that another level. that is it from here. we will hear from gareth southgate tomorrow because on thursday night, england play their final warm up match against costa rica. next tuesday, the players fly out to russia for

the players fly out to russia for the tournament and at that point the real fun and games the tournament and at that point the realfun and games begin. the tournament and at that point the real fun and games begin. a successful at afternoon of football speed dating. jo currie at st george's park — and here's a round up of the rest of the headlines in the world—cup build—up. the brazil boss che—che said he wanted his squad's club futures decided before the tournament begins and one of those — fred — has done just that... he's joining manchester united for £a7m pounds from shakhtar donyetsk. united are also expected to complete the signing of porto's teenage defender diogo dalot later this week. some of the world cup teams have been getting send offs from their politicians. french president emmanuel macron met the squad before they depart for russia and warned them that the competition would only be a success if they won it. and a brewery is removing the saudi arabia flag from world cup bunting from hundreds of its pubs after complaints it was inappropriate to display it where alcohol is sold. greene king say they are responding to feedback from some customers in london. well saudi arabia is the latest subject of our countdown to the world cup finals here on sportsday. every day up to kick off we're

taking a look at the issues facing the teams and nations competing in russia. joe lynskey reports on the tournament's rank outsiders. it is safe to say that saudi arabia are unlikely to win, they have no won and matt at the final since 1994 and they have the lowest safer world ranking at the summer tournament. they have given us some memorable moments in their world cup appearances. they made the last 16 of usa 1994, in part thanks to this incredible solo goal. that helped them beat belgium. he was well rewarded for this. the king presented him with a luxury car. there were several controversial political aspects to the kingdom of saudi arabia including questions

about human rights and the ongoing conflict with yemen but football has played a role in tackling some of the gender equality issues in the region. in january, it the gender equality issues in the region. injanuary, it was ruled that women could attend football matches for the first time. previously only men were allowed to watch their club sides and the national team life. a few months earlier, it was announced that saudi arabian women could drive. let us get more on this. we will speak to our guest on the arabian foundation. thank you for talking to us, how much of a step forward is this, saudi arabian women being allowed to attend football matches. well, until recently, women's sport was officially banned by law. saudi women had nowak says to sport facilities or even health clubs. in spite of that, football has been

plagued by a female amateurs, but women had to train and play out of sight of men and society at large —— football has been played by female amateurs. the crown prince is leading a major drive to modernise society and achieve gender equality and that is helping women to engage and that is helping women to engage and be empowered and practice football. has it been important that this has happened before a world cup? do you think the nation of saudi arabia is excited for this world cup? everyone in saudi arabia is excited. we are anticipating the game. football is a big deal in saudi arabia. we hope to make it higher up than the last two additions, which were a great

disappointment. the team has lost all its games. saudi fans are very tough and they are looking for achievements. they are looking for results. they want to see a performance at least that resembles the team in 1994, which produced a golden generation of saudi arabian players. thank you for talking to us and enjoy the world cup. saudi arabia feature in the first match against russia and with uruguay and egypt also in their group, they will be fighting not to be completely overwhelmed but perhaps most importantly, their football team is proving a vehicle for progress off the pitch. there are calls this evening for an urgent review into football's concussion protocols — after liverpool goalkeeper lorius karius was diagnosed with concussion, 5 days after the champions league final. he made two crucial mistakes during the match — conceding two goals

after a collision with real madrid captain sergio ramos. doctors in the us assessed him while he was on holiday in boston. he wasn't assessed during or immediately after the match — peter mccabe is from the brain injury association headway. iam i am shocked, because, in such an important game for something like that to happen without anyone realising seems very strange indeed. we would expect that if there is any kind of suspicion of a head injury, that the game would be stopped immediately and the player would be properly assessed by a medic. for many years, we have been complaining, a few years ago, we have the incident with hugo lloris or he was clearly knocked unconscious, was asked to leave the field by the physio and his manager

and came round and overruled both of them and continue to play. that was shocking. they did introduce some changes but it appears that in europe, they do not have the same regulations and we need to put player safety first and always ensure that they are properly looked after and properly assessed, immediately there is any suspicion ofa immediately there is any suspicion of a head injury. well liverpool football club say they have world class medical care — and the reason karius was not assessed was because he did not alert staff and did not request treatment. doctor ian beasley is former head doctor to england — and west ham and arsenal — and former head of medical services at the fa. should the onus be on the player to request treatment — is that the way it should be? i am not sure that the medics on the pitch side. having sat on the bench

for more years than i care to remember, you cannot always see everything that happens and even on their camera that you saw on the television, i think it was difficult to see that sergio ramos did what he did to the goalkeeper. the referee went to the goalkeeper and it looked to me that he told him what happened and he did not stop the game. it is ha rd and he did not stop the game. it is hard for the medics. at half—time, the medics would go to every player and ask if they were 0k. the medics would go to every player and ask if they were ok. that is the normal routine. what happened in the dressing room, none of us can say. the other thing is, concussion can develop over time. it does not necessarily happen in a few minutes. it works in rugby, a player gets hit, they are all desperate to stay on the pitch but there are people spotting to say you have taken a knock to the head and you need an assessment, why can that not happen

in football? i think it should. i know at the last euros, there was a discussion about whether there should be spotters in the crowd reflecting on what happened in the world cup in 2014 when there were a couple of incidents, including one in the final, so i agree. i think there should be spotters, especially in big games were the world is watching and wanting us to do the right thing. karius coming in for even more stick tonight — saying its just an excuse, but as a doctor — how much of an impairment could that have been for him? i think there is no doubt that what they said in boston is spot on. there can affect your performance and we all know as well, if you get

and we all know as well, if you get a concussion or an injury, you're more likely to get another injury in the same game and within a few weeks of that. we know that this can happen. i think it is very easy to blame. who knows exactly what happened and how it affected him. i don't think we will ever know and to blame anyone, i think it is silly from my view. thank you so much for joining us this evening. the french open is into its second week — we'll update you on the quarter final action in a moment. but for british fans, its the third grand slam at which andy murray has been notable by his abscence. he hasn't played since wimbledon last year — and is hoping to return from hip surgery in time for this year's tournament. he has hinted that he is almost ready to make his come—back: i have been getting close to a year now which is a lot longer than me or my team expected at the beginning. i

am getting closer to playing again, i have started training a few days ago andi i have started training a few days ago and i am hoping to make my comeback during the grass court season. well andy murray is due to release a statement about his plans for the grass court season in the next few hours — here's our tennis correspondent russell fuller from paris. andy murray says he is not quite ready to return but does say he is aiming to play in the coming weeks, which does not give too much away. the next event that murray could feature in is at queen's club. the question is, does he have long enough to get himself into the shape required? he has not played now for nearly a year, he had hip surgery and geta nearly a year, he had hip surgery and get a return to the practice courts for about three weeks from late march but the problem flared up again and it is only in last few days he has been able to get back on the practice courts. it does seem difficult to make a case for him

being truly competitive during this grass court season. perhaps of greater significance is how that hep response when his trusty up his intensity and play practice out against other atp players. that might give us a better indication of his prospects in the longer term. we urge you to hear from andy murray later. meanwhile — at the french open — twelve time grand slam winner novak djokovic has been beaten by the unseeded italian marco cecchinato in a thrilling quarterfinal. cecchinato , who only won his first atp title at the hungarian open this year tore into the former world number one and took the first two sets 6—3, 7—6. cecchinato then seemed to run out of steam losing the next set 6—1 but as djokovic looked to level the match the italian won an incredible 4th set tie—break 11—9 on his fourth match point. the battle between two of tennis‘s newest stars was set to be the tie of the day — but 3 five setters last week had clearly taken their toll on world number three alexander zverev — and he dropped away in straight sets

— so dominic thiem goes through to face checkinato. and it'll be a repeat of last year's us open final in the womens draw as american sloane stephens beat daria kasatkina — so she's through to the semi finals, where she'll play her compatriot madison keys whom she beat to win the title at flushing meadows. let's quickly round up the rest of today's sports news for you: ellie simmonds is back on the british para—swimming team after her spell out of the sport following her success at the rio paralympics. simmonds is part of the gb team for the european championships in dublin in august. she isjoined by fellow paralympic gold medallists bethany firth, 0llie hynd, ellie robinson and hannah russell in the 24—strong squad. england goalkeeper mary earps has joined german side wolfsburg from reading. earps has signed a 12—month contract with the side that finished runners—up in last season's champions league. floyd mayweather is top of the forbes sports rich list, announced today, after earning over £200m pounds according

to the forbes rankings of the top 100 earning athletes. lionel messi is second, while the highest british sportsman is lewis hamilton in 12th. for the first time, there are no women among the top 100 earners. for a few years now, beards have been enjoying a fashion moment — no self—respecting hipster would be seen without one. but for amateur boxers — beards have long been banned. fighters have been required to be clean shaven so facial cuts could clearly be seen — but sikh and muslim groups have been campaigning to the governing body to change the rules, which they have agreed to do, as ian williams has been finding out. to bea to be a boxer you have to be light on your feet and you need