makes westminster as borisjohnson makes his way towards delivering his election promises. it is quite surreal in the last time, it feels like the first day of big school and here we go. it is a bit daunting. the prime minister has started announcing new appointments to the cabinet. it becomes the new welsh secretary while nikki morgan is confirmed as culture secretary. divisions deepen and labour with senior labourfront divisions deepen and labour with senior labour front bencher threatening legal action against a former colleague. in belfast, new talks are under way to restore the devolved government in northern ireland. protests spread across india againsta ireland. protests spread across india against a controversial new citizenship law. stolen from the home of the formula

1 stolen from the home of the formula i owner. ina in a moment it will be sports day but will look at what else is coming up but will look at what else is coming up in bbc news and ten to seven, we will have the postmasters whose lives were ruined by flawed computer systems and have now won a high court victory. not much cause for holiday cheers in the white house with the democratic run house to impeach donald trump set for wednesday. we will have the latest ata wednesday. we will have the latest at a quarter past seven and beyond 100 days. and more stores to be cut at house that is the warning from the sports director. we will find out what is behind the cuts and that is at 20 past eight. that is all a head on bbc news. more now on the breaking news in the past half an hour on the reshuffle. the mp for

south pembrokeshire has become the new welsh secretary and in the past couple of minutes it has been confirmed by downing street that nikki morgan will remain as culture secretary and has been able to stay on in that role having been awarded 110w now on bbc news, it is sports day. hello and welcome to sportsday — i'm jane dougall. standing up for what he believes in, but china refuse to broadcast arsenal's match after ozil criticises their human rights record. meanwhile, his club arsenal remain rudderless, but could another former player steady the ship? and she's been outspoken about her president in the past

taking a knee and her running battles with the president. also coming up in the programme. a clean sweep for stokes — as the all—rounder takes the coveted sports personality of the year trophy. we start with the developing story involving arsenal's mesut ozil and his criticism of china. arsenal have distanced themselves from his comments condeming the country's treatment of uighur muslims. the chinese state broadcaster refused to show arsenal's game against manchester city after ozil used social media to call uighurs "warriors who resist persecution". china's foreign ministry said he had

been "deceived by fake news". our sports editor dan roan is here with more. what more can you tell us? deceived by fa ke what more can you tell us? deceived by fake news, the chinese foreign ministry has also invited him to come to china to see for himself. this dispute really centres on two versions of events. human rights groups, the united nations panels and they've all said that the population, the muslim community within china has been persecuted that they are being detained without trial, and high security prisons. chain vehemently denies the saying that rather they are simply being educated in vocational training centres, they are not being mistreated and this is all because ofan mistreated and this is all because of an attempt to combat extremism and terrorism. that is the central

argument that this has led to. the question now is the fallout. what will be the cost, notjust to him but arsenal and premier league football because china is a key market. the most important overseas market. the most important overseas market for premier league in recent yea rs. market for premier league in recent years. other clubs go there on preseason tours. the television deal in the state run broadcaster has the premier league is worth more than half billion pounds. every premier league club get £7 million as a result of that and so the fact that cctv boa rd result of that and so the fact that cctv board that scheduled broadcasts between them this weekend will cause concern, it is fair to say, and we spoke to professor simon chadwick was a business of sport expert. i feel they misled the situation, but we you do business in china, you're either with them or against

them and by trying to position themselves like this, they're never going to win with that one. so as far as arsenal is concerned. it is a case of hold your breath and if you wa nt to case of hold your breath and if you want to continue doing business in china, do lots of things that influence the market place positively, you represent yourself ina way positively, you represent yourself in a way that appeals to chinese fa ns in a way that appeals to chinese fans and may be in the long term, the damage will be repaired. weston sport clashing with china, it would not be the first time. the houston rockets basketball coach was pro—hong kong protesters which greatly upset the chinese authorities and sponsorship deals we re authorities and sponsorship deals were put at risk and broadcasting deals as well. the nba said in the

aftermath of the dispute that there has been some substantial costs. and the dispute has played out with arsenal in the premier league as well. it just reinforces arsenal in the premier league as well. itjust reinforces this clash that we see more and more in world of sport between clubs seeking new markets overseas and going into areas like the far east in the middle east too. with anthony joshua's fight in saudi arabia being asked difficult questions from collea g u es asked difficult questions from colleagues covering that fight about what he thought about the human rights records of saudi arabia and free speech and freedom of expression. arsenal, on occasion, people referring to his comment against prime minister borisjohnson last week in the run—up to the election. arsenal didn't say anything on that occasion. they saw fit to sign a long—term sponsorship deal with the rwandan government and

effectively they were a tourism slogan on their sleeves and rwanda has a very questionable human rights record as well. they're quite selective to when they choose to be a political and not tolerate comments from their players and that isa comments from their players and that is a problem for arsenal and will be fascinating to see whether they feel the need to clarify their comments or the premier league might interfere as well. —— intervene as well. meanwhile, arsenal's managerial problems continue after a comprehensive defeat yesterday to manchester city at the emirates under the tenure of caretaker boss freddie ljunberg. but there have been reports of a new target for the job. senior arsenal staff were photographed outside former player mikel arteta's house. earlier i spoke to darren lewis from the mirror who said. there is substance to the rumours suggesting that he is a candidate,

the leading candidate for the job. suggesting that he is a candidate, the leading candidate for thejob. i do have concerns. as a manager, we know that he is a very effective one, but what his philosophy, which he does at manchester city, what is it that he would bring to the arsenaljob that would make them more effective if that would rescue them from the tailspin there and at them from the tailspin there and at the moment. you just do not know as far, he does not have the managerial background, only number two, this is a hugejob background, only number two, this is a huge job and whether or not he's threatening to do it. arsenal in a tailspin doing very well as number two but for him? this is a huge job to start your managerial career with ina huge to start your managerial career with in a huge appointment for arsenal as well because if they get this wrong and he is not the right fit, this

could set them back years and as a clump, they need someone who's going to get them motivated as we have seen for example at everton. players that want to fight for him and will go into every game willing to work. we do not see that from the body language of the people at arsenal and that he might not be the guy to go in there and turn that around. and the managerial merry—go—round in full swing be seen that they have heavily linked with everton and b mentioned ferguson there. how do you think the fans would feel about him taking over at the park as opposed to duncan ferguson. she is a leading figure and there are some fans out there it everton like the idea of duncan staying in control, especially look at the response he's had from the players so far. that

said, duncan said himself that he doesn't want the role all the time, thatis doesn't want the role all the time, that is something that we, certainly he is some of that he would be able to get him in, there would be very pleased having landed quite a coup. arsenal discovered their fate in the europa league draw earlier today — we'll hear the details of their tie and the other four british teams in the europa league in just a momnet. but the champions league draw also took place in switzerland earlier today. watching out for the four english teams was austin halewood. austin, who got the toughest tie? back to the europa league. well there are lots of really tasty ties to look forward to heading into the new year, jane. i'll tell you about champions liverpool in a moment, but perhaps the toughest — certainly the standout tie — involves manchester city... they're heading here to madrid to face 13—time champions real... they're heading here to madrid to face 13—time champions real. so for pep guardiola and his side a trip to the infamous santiago bernabeu awaits. and unbelievably it'll pit these two against each other for the very first time.

guardiola won the competition twice as the manager of barcelona, while zinedine zidane led real to 3—straight titles, but they've never faced each other competitively before. but despite real madrid's illustrious record in the champions league. city will be confident. the second leg will be in manchester and real did look beatable in the group stage. they drew and lost to paris saint germain and could only draw with club brugge. and, of course, with city so far off liverpool in the premier league, they'll be putting a huge amount of emphasis on europe this season. and the former real madrid and liverpool striker michael owen, thinks city should have enough to beat his old side. city are not in the best of form but there's still a wild to go to find that form to rediscover that, madrid are not quite at the best at the moment, so again, we will see the form of the two teams come february

but it is a very tough round so far and ifi but it is a very tough round so far and if i was on the team, i would try to avoid manchester city, they're very hard to stop. well defending champions liverpool will be just a few miles away across the spanish capital as they take on atletico madrid. the first leg of which will take them back to the stadium where they lifted the title last season — the wanda metrapolitano. another tough tie, but liverpool will be confident, and their midfielder gini said as much on social media. he posted of course, liverpool beat tottenham in that final in spain. but for spurs it's a trip to germany to face rb leipzig, a tough assigment, leipzig are top of the bundesliga right now. the first leg of that tie will be at tottenham. while it's another german team for chelsea, a familiar one at that,

they're heading to munich to face 5—time champions bayern, a tie that's certain to bring back plenty of memories for boss frank lampard. he was, of course, part of the chelsea side that beat bayern in the 2012 final. now although the germans thrashed tottenham 7—2 earlier this year, that really has been there. standout performance of the season. they're struggling in the league — they're only 5th — and they're still yet to appoitment a long—term manager after sacking nicko kovac last month. so, at the halfway stage, who are the favourites to lift the trophy? well, despite liverpool dominating the premier league it's manchester city who are favourites, with liverpool second and barcelona third, and real madrid, jane are down with odds of 20—to—1 — the same as tottenham. lots of british involvment.

all five teams made it through to the last 32. and here are their ties. 2017 winners manchester united face belgian side club bruges. arsenal will play olympiakos while wolves face espanyol. and celtic were drawn against copenhagen while rangers come up against portuguese club braga. so all of the british sides will be fairly happy with those draws. no major banana skins there — however there is some really good quality in the competition this year... that's because the likes of inter milan, sevilla and ajax — semi—finalits in the champions league last year — are all in the competition — so there could be some big ties to come as the competition progresses. of, course you can see the entire draw on the bbc sport website. both competitions resume at the end of feburary — lots to look forward to, jane. chelsea manager emma hayes has apologised for calling