anna collinson, bbc news. the former england, chelsea and juventus striker eni aluko has retired from football. it ends a career that's included five fa cups, three league titles — and 102 caps for england. aluko left italian club juventus in december, after nearly 18 months with the serie a champions and had been tipped to return to the women's super league. time for a look at the weather. here's mel coles. to date offers many areas the chance to draw breath after what has been a storming start to the week and we're seeing some emerging spells of sunshine. it has been quite a lot of cloud around this morning and looking at the atlantic we have this bank of cloud wringing wet and windy

weather on thursday. back to today and we had a lingering band of rain down towards the south—east, heavy and persistent. that is clearing away gradually. through the afternoon we have some showers around for parts of south—west england and wales but the focus gci’oss england and wales but the focus across scotland, some of these wintry of a higher ground. in between something brighter, breezy in the southern half of uk but still blustery in the northern half and feeling fresher down towards the south. tonight we had that developing area of low pressure in the atlantic which will start to make inroads but for many areas it will be a fine end to the date with lengthy clear spells but it east. still some showers spreading into scotla nd still some showers spreading into scotland and they gradually ease as the system starts to edge into northern ireland and eventually western scotland as the night progresses accompanied by a strengthening wind. it is going to get quite chilly in some pockets

with patches of frost in sheltered spots but once again thursday wet and windy conditions rule. this rain accompanied by a strengthening wind especially down the irish sea coasts and heavy rain gradually transferring east with the strength of that wind. behind that brightening up for northern ireland, i had brightening up for northern ireland, ihada brightening up for northern ireland, i had a bit east anglia and down towards the south—east should remain largely dry during daylight hours. beneath the cloud and rain not feeling mild but temperatures are above average for the time of year. so the system clears east overnight and for friday we see the wind slackening and really friday is going to be a clearing update with some showers around, cropping up almost anywhere. lighter win for much of the uk but where we are closer to the low pressure it will still be blustery. some sunshine emerging and just starting to feel a little bit fresher heading through

friday and that is the sign of things to come as as we head into the weekend pressure starts to build. there will be a good deal of dry weather but it will feel colder not only by day but the return of some frosty nights as well. a reminder of our top story... the duchess of sussex's father is prepared to testify against her in her legal battle with the mail on sunday. it is good bite from eve ryo ne sunday. it is good bite from everyone here and we joined the news teams wherever you are. goodbye. good afternoon. you're watching bbc news. i'm ben croucher with your latest from the bbc sport centre. rafa nadal and roger federer have donated over £130,000 to victims of the australian bushfires, during a charity fundraiser in melbourne. they were joined by a "who's who" of the tennis world,

for the rally for relief event. at a packed rod laver arena, teams led by serena williams and caroline wozniacki played a tag—team match. novak djokovic, naomi 0saka, petra kvitova, dominic thiem, coco gauff, nick kyrgios, stefanos tsitsipas, and alexander zverev all took part, raising over £2.5 million. federer then took on nick kyrgios — helped by some coaching from the crowd — in a one—set exhibition match. the australian has been one of the driving forces behind the fund—raiser. it was so emotional. back on when i was in canberra, could not even go outside. it was emotional, and i am just so happy to have roger, rafa, novak, some of the greats to get behind it. it is great to have eve ryo ne behind it. it is great to have everyone here trying to overcome this together. i am always happy to help, to give my time or my money for that matter, and it was a pleasure to be here with nick and

all the other legends of the game and do my fair share. qualifying for the australian 0pen tennis was once again affected by the weather, with air quality rated as "very poor" in melbourne. play was delayed by three hours this morning as a result of ongoing problems due to the bushfires. 0ur tennis correspondent russell fuller is in melbourne, and he told us he was shocked by the air quality when he arrived. it was so apparent as we made our descent into the airport how bad conditions have been over the past 36 to 48 hours. it was like landing at an airport in the uk in november on one of those fog filled mornings, but this was much more disturbing, because itjust wasn't right. it was horribly smoky, the sun was completely obscured by the smoke, and even though the air quality was not as bad as yesterday, they still took the decision to delay the start of qualifying by three hours. it was still deemed unhealthy when play got under way, but the quality was improving, it got better as the afternoon went on. it was horrible for the players playing in the heat

and humidity. but all that has been transformed now because the much needed rain has arrived at least in melbourne, in quite spectacular fashion over the last couple of hours. when the air quality drops to satisfactory levels, they will hopefully, unlike yesterday, do the common sense thing and suspend play on the outside courts, and close the roofs on the three main courts. exeter chiefs full—back stuart hogg has been named as the new scotland captain for next month's six nations, replacing stuart mcinally. with 72 caps, he's the most experienced player in gregor townsend's 38 man squad for the championship. after missing out on the world cup, there are also recalls for hquones and rory hutchinson. having scored nine tries in 12 games for gloucester this season, lewis rees zammit has been handed his first international call—up for wales for the six nations. he's one of five uncapped men in wayne pivac‘s squad. there's also a return for scrum half rhys webb. he had previously been ineligible because he played for toulon in france, but after announcing he was leaving and rejoining

0spreys for next season, wales rugby relaxed their rules and immediately picked him. eni aluko says she wants to drive women's football forward in the future after announcing her retirement at the age of 32. she won 102 caps for england, scoring 33 goals, and enjoyed a successful career at clubs like charlton, chelsea, and most recently juventus. aluko said she now wanted to repay the game and hopes to increase investment, opportunities and the profile of women's football. there's live sport right now on the bbc sport website, as kyren wilson faces jack lisowski in the opening round of the masters snooker. you can also watch it on bbc two. katie will have an update on that and the rest of the sport after 2.00.

good afternoon. we look at a number of the main studies this lunchtime, but we begin with summer breaking news that has just come through to us news that has just come through to us from west yorkshire police in the last little while. this concerns a historical murder of a police officer, a man has been arrested in connection with the murder of pc sharon beshenivsky full stop she was shot dead while responding to a robbery at a travel agents in bradford in november 2005. we understand a man was arrested yesterday in solution with pc beshenivsky‘s murder. the arrest took place in pakistan. a71—year—old man was arrested yesterday in pakistan, and has now appeared in court in islamabad in relation to his extradition. he will appear in court again later this month. we had a brief statement from west

yorkshire police, saying they would like to thank the national crime agency in pakistan, who have made us arrest possible. it is a major development in a long—running investigation, and their assistance in this matter cannot be understated. so extradition hearings still to continue. the arrested man is now 71 years old, to the fatal shooting of pc sharon beshenivsky. she died in of the attack in bradford on the 18th of november 2005. any more details in that case, we will bring them to you. the high speed rail link hs2 could "divide and destroy" natural habitats across england, according to a new report by the wildlife trust. after analysing the impact along the proposed route, the trust warns endangered species could become extinct and eco—systems could be destroyed. 0ur transport correspondent tom burridge has spent the morning

at calvertjubilee nature reserve in buckinghamshire, which is on the proposed rail route. the timing of this report is not coincidental. hs2, the new rail line from london, birmingham, leeds, manchester, is effectively on hold. still some work, as really will hear ina still some work, as really will hear in a second, is ongoing in areas around here, but the government commissioned that review, you might remember. it knows the results of that review, it has to make a call in the coming weeks whether or not to de—scope of the projects likely 01’ to de—scope of the projects likely or proceed. but it will have an impact on reserves like this, a beautiful view across the lake. some of the species that call this home, the managerless reserve for the wildlife trust which route to the's report! the balance. how concerned are you about the impact of high speed two, which will run along one end of this reserve, on the species which call this home? we are really concerned about the impact here at calvertjubilee, and the wider area.

we are sitting at a wonderful nature reserve , we are sitting at a wonderful nature reserve, which is home to some really rare species, as you say. they will be directly impacted by the construction of hs2 through loss of habitat. these species are at home and some of the scrum and surrounding vegetation here, and will lose their habitat is a direct result. just to be clear, the wildlife trust is not calling on high speed two to be scrapped, this is more a plea from your organisation to the government to rethink, to pause, and if it is going to proceed with the budget, do it in going to proceed with the budget, do itina going to proceed with the budget, do it in a slightly different way. yeah, as the wildlife trust organisation, we feel this needs to bea organisation, we feel this needs to be a greener project if it goes ahead, in terms of interpreting much more this book mitigation for many of the species which will be lost or may become extinct locally from sites such as this. so we need much more direct kind of conversations with hs2 around that with the local

specialist in this area on a nature conservation. h52 limited say they plan to plant around 7 million entries on the first stretch between london and birmingham to compensate for some of the lost habitat. lindsay, you are from the campaign group stop hs2, we know where you stand on the project. this project has been going on for a long time now, a lot of work has been ongoing in the wider area, what has been the impact on the area so far? a massive impact on the area so far? a massive impact already. even though there has been a review, it has not stopped hsz from taking out lots of nature, wildlife habitats in our local area. they are cleaning a 500 acre site for an infrastructure maintenance depot, and these hedgerows and trees that they are taking are the highways and byways which lead to these beautiful nature reserves. “— which lead to these beautiful nature reserves. —— they are clearing a 500 acre site. these are the roads and railways that nature uses. acre site. these are the roads and railways that nature useslj acre site. these are the roads and railways that nature uses. i have seen railways that nature uses. i have seen them taking out buildings at euston in central london, very different to the work ready, but

they are doing it very slowly, meticulously, to limit the amount of dust, the environmental impact. that is the way construction projects are carried out now, they go to great lengths and great cost to do things as carefully as possible. is that fair? we as a group stopped h52 from taking out lots of trees and hedgerows during nesting season. that was not something they had considered, they were quite prepared to go ahead in march and destroy all the nature when it birds are nesting in these trees. if it was not for local feedback, as they called it, we we re local feedback, as they called it, we were standing in front of the heavy machinery stopping their work, because it isjust not acceptable. no other contractor in the country would be able to do that, but hsz seem would be able to do that, but hsz seem to have carte blanche. lindsey from stop hs2, mark from the wildlife trust, thank you both very much. itjust they have carried out extensive work up and down the route to survey species, to move construction away from the arrest.

they will do a lot more than that in the coming months, assuming the project goes ahead. the brexit party leader nigel farage says an event to celebrate the uk leaving the eu at the end of january has been approved. in a tweet, mr farage said a brexit celebration will take place on parliament square onjanuary 31, describing it as "a big moment in the history of the nation." he has called on the government to fund the cost to allow the famous bells of big ben to ring for the occasion. speaking to lbc, mr farage said the decision makes the uk look like a joke. what was extraordinary yesterday, boris johnson making a joke about we will find some mechanism where you can put a pound in. it is almost as if the government are embarrassed by brexit. they don't want to celebrate the moment. i have put an application in under leave means leave to book parliament square

on the evening, to have some singing, some music, some speeches. i have also applied to have some fireworks, which has been refused point blank. boris got elected on a massive majority on the basis of get brexit done, and he cannot even bring himself as prime minister to say, we are going to fund this, we are going to show the world that we are organised and ready. if at that moment, big ben does not strike, our country looks like a joke. nigel farage speaking on lbc radio. scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon has rejected borisjohnson's refusal for a second scottish independence referendum, and said another vote was firmly in her plans. the snp leader had sent a letter to downing street, requesting to allow the scottish government's to hold a second referendum. speaking at a visit to a factory in glasgow, ms sturgeon said it was "entirely possible" that a independence vote could

take place this year. look, i will set out, as i said yesterday, before the end of this month, the next steps we will take to make sure that that right to choose our own future is honoured. and, you know, ultimately, this is a question of democracy. people will have different views on whether scotland should or should not be independent, although support for independence is rising, but this is a fundamental point of principle. who decides scotland's future? so the people of scotland are going to get the right to choose our future, of that i have no doubt. the only question, really, is how long it is going to take the westminster establishment to a cce pt and resign themselves to that inevitability. i guess the other point i would take from the tory position here is that they are obviously utterly terrified of scotland's right to choose, because they know, as everybody else knows, that when we get that right to choose, as we will, the overwhelming likelihood is that the people of scotland are going to choose independence, because we have seen over the past three years in particular the price we pay

for not being independent. and could a referendum still happen this year, with everything that's going on, or do you think that's kicked into the long grass for now? it is entirely possible for a referendum to happen this year, and that is very firmly my plan. people in scotland should have that right to choose. the timescale is important, because this year, obviously we are going to have the trade negotiations between the uk and the eu. nobody believes they can be concluded in a year, but it is important that by the end of this year, hopefully we have got greater clarity on that direction, and if scotland can take a decision about which way it wants to go, then we have clarity about the way forward. so that is my plan, i continue to take forward the preparations for that, but fundamentally, this is an issue of democracy. it is perfectly legitimate to disagree on the question of should scotland be independent, but what is not ok is to say that that's not for scotland to decide, that's for boris johnson sitting down in downing street to decide. it ain't, and that position

will not sustain itself. nicola sturgeon there, speaking in glasgow. boris johnson has admitted that the delays many patients are experiencing in the nhs are "unacceptable". at prime minister's questions, the labour leader, jeremy corbyn, said the number of people waiting on trollies in hospitals is at a record high. borisjohnson promised to improve the situation. 0ur chief political correspondent vicki young is at westminster. vicki. i think the main thing mps are talking about is the fact that yet again, prime minister's question started and finished on time. it has got to the stage underjohn bercow where prime minister's questions was lasting for almost an hour instead of half an hour. that is not happening any longer, but they still managed to get lots of questions, as you say, but the nhs, but another independence referendum in scotland, although intriguingly, no questions

about big ben and it bonging for brexit. that was not mentioned this time around. to discuss what happened, i am joined time around. to discuss what happened, iamjoined by time around. to discuss what happened, i am joined by liber‘s —— a labourmp, an happened, i am joined by liber‘s —— a labour mp, an snp mp, and a conservative mp for stop the nhs, something jeremy corbyn wanted to talk about. the prime minister has said they are putting extra money in and going to build more hospitals. he has said he is good to deal with this. yes, but now was not the time for election slogans, now is the time for detail. and already the detail would like it was unravelling in the election. the voters made their choice, and now ourjob is to say, hang on a second, how are you going to do this? are they fantasy nurses we are going to implement? is it going to be real money or are you just talking about double counting? reprint this document announced some lovely figures in my constituency over christmas in terms of what he is to pledge, and then you dig deep

into it, and it is actually really just recycled money, and it does not deal with the problem. i think that isa deal with the problem. i think that is a privately good of questioning, because most people i know, as jeremy said, have some sort of connection with how the nhs are struggling at the moment, it might be because they are waiting longer because something i have spoken about a lot of times in the media and in parliament, which is that the nhs is rolling back on procedures that they will do. so what were routine procedures previously, varicose veins are benign lymphomas, they will not do any more and you have to go private, which cost a few thousand pounds a shot so the skin of things are really serious things that people want to talk about. —— of those kind of things. it is quite right to want to return to some serious discussion rather than the punch and judy stuff in the election. andrew, she wants to come back on that. the prime minister has got into trouble about promises of 50,000 nurses, talking about retaining 20,000 of them. we talked

about a0 new hospitals, john mcgovern says it is just six. about a0 new hospitals, john mcgovern says it isjust six. it is quite sad that the leader of the labour party could not bring himself to welcome the announcement of the biggest cash boost into the history of the nhs, orwriting biggest cash boost into the history of the nhs, or writing to law enforcement to building 40 new hospitals, recruiting new doctors across the country, delivering on our manifesto to invest in the nhs, making it the best health system in the world. that is what we are planning on doing. and for the leader of the opposition do not welcome that, he says the election is over, yeah it is, we are getting on and delivering on our investment promised to invest in the nhs. give us promised to invest in the nhs. give us the details. just there, you repeated a manifesto lie, and i know it was because he did not mean to, usage said you are recruiting 50,000 more nurses. no comedy pledges that you will have a 50,000 extra nurses, thatis you will have a 50,000 extra nurses, that is the actual dodgy wording, 50,000 recruitment is just that is the actual dodgy wording, 50,000 recruitment isjust not true. you're going to recruit 30,000, you

will retain a 20,000, which, ok, it's an argument, you can set as 50,000 extra, but it will not be 50,000 extra, but it will not be 50,000 more treatment. this is the problem, this is the time for detail, not slogans. the bill will be brought before the house next week when we can have a discussion about this detail, but i think it is time the labour party should welcome thousands of new nurses... let's bring in kirsty, because this is a devolved issue, the nhs, there has been some complaints about how your government in scotland is dealing with the nhs, it has not been handled well either there. we have got the best performing nhs in the uk atany got the best performing nhs in the uk at any of the nations, we have got a brand—new a&e in aberdeen which is the local hospital for both of our constituencies. but focusing ona of our constituencies. but focusing on a couple of things on our ma nifesto on a couple of things on our manifesto in the nhs, the first one was we wanted funding in england to increase by £136 per person, we promised we would pass on the barnett formula consequential. although i welcome the increase in funding, it has not increased by the amount we have asked for it. it

would also be very simple for the conservative government to implement an nhs protection bill, a key part of our manifesto, and we want the uk government to stand up and put into law that the nhs will be protected in the event of a future trade deal. this is something people are worried about on the doorsteps... this is something people are worried about on the doorsteps. .. you're talking about a trade deal with america, may be opening up the nhs to providers in america. yes, a trade deal with anybody, but particularly america. this idea that somehow the nhs is not safe in conservative hands, somehow it would be at risk by are beginning trade negotiations with the united states, is simply scaremongering by the scottish national party and the labour party. what have you got to lose by putting it in a bill?|j think lose by putting it in a bill?” think you should tell that to be people in edinburgh who are waiting now for a four—year delay at sick kids hospital in edinburgh. tell that to people who are going into glasgow royal infirmary, queen elizabeth royal infirmary in glasgow, where people have died. tell that to people in inverness waiting for the medical centre which is yours delayed, and ask them if they think the health service in scotland is performing well. the

answer would be a resounding no. the question which can from your parliamentary leader about the idea of another independence referendum, borisjohnson of another independence referendum, boris johnson singh this of another independence referendum, borisjohnson singh this week you will not hand over those powers. is it not the case now that the snp will be talking about this for the next couple of years, our people in scotla nd next couple of years, our people in scotland actually wanting to hear more about this? don't they want to move on and actuallyjust look at what your government is doing when it comes to public services? —— borisjohnson it comes to public services? —— boris johnson saying it comes to public services? —— borisjohnson saying this week. scotla nd borisjohnson saying this week. scotland should have its right to choose its own future. he also said once ina choose its own future. he also said once in a generation referendum. we had a5% of the vote in scotland, the uk government only got a3%, so if borisjohnson has a mandate for his brexit, we certainly have a mandate for our independence referendum. this is what people are concerned about, they are concerned about scotla nd about, they are concerned about scotland being able to choose our own future in the face of a uk government is refusing to commit to not allowing the nhs to be opened up to the trump trade deal, not proving working standards. we do not have control over workers' rights in scotland, we would like that control

to be there so that we can increase the minimum wage to an actual live in ways that people can actually live on. we cannot make this choices just now, and if this is a union of consent, we are being held in disunion against our will. your party during the election, you said it would allow another independence referendum in scotland. what we must not allow as our country to end up like the mess you have had in spain, where you have dogmatic unionists, to use ourterm, where you have dogmatic unionists, to use our term, who are prosecuting people in catalonia in the courts and divesting elected politicians, but you also have pick arrogant elected politicians in catalonia that insist on a legal referendum that insist on a legal referendum that would do nothing but chaos. —— pick arrogant. you need a sensible way forward, which is what labour offered way forward, which is what labour offe re d la st way forward, which is what labour offered last time, and what we will offered last time, and what we will offer in the future. and that is under the constitutional settlement of this country, if any devolved parliament or assembly is able to get an absolute majority of a party,

which in their manifesto says that the one—day referendum, then we should not go in the way of that. the snp do not have an absolute majority in holyrood, and therefore there is no mandate until such time... we do with the greens. it was not in your manifesto last time that you would have a new referendum, it said last time in your scottish manifesto that you would have a referendum on the of significant things have changed in the uk. such as the uk dragging scotla nd the uk. such as the uk dragging scotland out of the eu against our will. that is a material change of circumstances. the snp's party at the selection was not for another vote on independence, it was to stop brexit. you said no to another independence referendum and lost more than half of your mps. what is clear from the discussion is that only the scottish conservatives are the true unionist party. the labour party will acquiesce to any demand for another referendum.” party will acquiesce to any demand for another referendum. i will have to leave you chatting amongst yourselves. this issue will go on

and on. thank you very much for speaking to us today. thank you very much, vicki young, leave them all talking. much more coming up. we will leave you with a look at the weather. it has been a stormy start to the week, but today many areas can draw breath. we still have low pressure close to the north of the uk, wind is still fairly strong. but hazier to half of the uk. down towards the south—east, there has been a weatherfront, a lingering, gradually working its way down towards the south—east taken with the cloud. a few showers for northern ireland and into western scotland. some of those wintry of a higher ground, and we have had reports of lightning. in between, a good slice of something drier and drier and brighter, and temperature rise, a little down on where they have been recently. it will start to feel a bit

fresher in the south—east of the afternoon goes on. into the evening, and this area of low pressure is winding itself up in the atlantic, to bring another spell of wet and windy weather on thursday. we will start to see signs of that overnight, the rain moving into parts of northern ireland, gradually working its way up into scotland, too. winds are strengthening all the time, and some of this rain could be quite heavy. away from that, clear skies for many areas, particularly the further east you are. in sheltered spots, one or two frost patches possible first thing on thursday morning. thursday all about the wet and windy conditions once again. some of this rain will be quite heavy at times, strengthening winds particularly for irish sea coasts and up into western scotland, and that gradually transfers eastwards as the day goes on. east anglia and down towards the south—east may stay dry during daylight hours. temperature wise irrelevant with the wind and rain, but still above average for the time of year. as we head into thursday night, the weather front clears its way eastwards, and we have still got low pressure close by as we head into friday, but the isobars start to open up, meaning

the winds start to ease for many areas. still windy, though, for the far north of scotland, where we are closest to that area of low pressure, and then really, friday is a clear—up day. a showery regime, but some good spells of sunshine in between. lighter winds for many places, starting to feel a little bit fresher, which is a taste of things to come, because as we head into the weekend, pressure starts to build, settling things down, so it will start to feel a bit colder, not only by day, but we could have some frosts by night.

hello, you're watching afternoon live. i'm simon mccoy. today at 2pm: british airways files a complaint with the european commission over the government bail—out of struggling airline flybe. ba says it's a "blatant misuse of public funds". the government isn't in the market to bail out private companies. what we do on a case—by—case basis is look to see whether a business is viable. in the case of flybe, it is a viable business. the duchess of sussex's father, thomas markle, is prepared to testify against meghan in her legal battle with the mail on sunday. at least 60 people — many of them children — are treated for breathing problems and skin irritation, after a passenger plane dumps fuel over schools in la. coming up on afternoon live, all the sport with katie shanahan.