and india captain virat kohli faces questions over his on—pitch behaviour as new zealand complete a 2—0 test series whitewash. welcome to the programme thank you forjoining us. we start with the impact of the coronavirus on sporting events around the world with olympic chiefs meeting on tuesday and wednesday in switzerland to discuss the effect of the virus on preparations for the summer games in tokyo. meanwhile organisers of rugby union's six nations tournament met on monday to address the outbreak, after ireland's upcoming match against italy was postponed. they've decided that for now all other matches will go ahead as planned. our sports correspondent alex capstick was in paris where talks were held earlier.

the french team have been practising ahead of their game against scotland in edinburgh where they hope to preserve their unbeaten record in this year's tournament. in a statement released earlier today saying that as it stands that this match and all other fixtures will go ahead as planned. now members of the six nations council have been meeting here in paris to discuss the ramifications of the coronavirus crisis. they're going to take advice from health experts and governments. borisjohnson has led a high—level meeting in london in which he said he expected the disease to spread, but they had a plan in which more details would be revealed in the next days and weeks. there still is a decision to make about what to do about the postponed match between italy and ireland in dublin. so far thatis italy and ireland in dublin. so far that is the only game to have been called off in this year because my competition. but of course they could change. that's the six nations — but what about one of the most famous meetings in the horse racing calendar, the cheltenham festival? the racecourse has reiterated on monday that the event,

which is set to start next week, is going ahead as scheduled. our reporter laura scott has more. cheltenham is the biggest four days in the racing calendar, and horses like these are having their final preparations. but the looming large over the racing industry is the threat of coronavirus which threatens to derail the whole festival. and for trainers like nikki, there is a palpable concern about what could be decided over the coming days. it is frightening because it is the combination of a whole years work goes into four days. it is the biggest and financially for the industry, the most important four days in that whole year. some sports have been held behind closed doors in recent weeks, including racing in hong kong. that doesn't seem likely to happen in cheltenham and henderson says if it is called off, then it must be rescheduled.

obviously if it isn't on, then we have a whole lot of very horses bursting to go with nowhere to go. and it would make our life difficult but we could live with that as long as we knew there was going to be another date on the horizon where we can have the festival. stables like these need showpiece fixtures and there is undoubtably a sense of uncertainty about what might happen with the festival. at the moment however, it is still all systems go. we have to prepare these horses every day as if it is going to start next tuesday. let's hope it does. arsenal are into the quarter finals of the fa cup after beating portsmouth by two 2—0 to put their europa league exit behind them a young arsenal team got the job done against the league one side. taking the lead in first half stoppage time, thanks to sokratis‘ finish. edward nketiah bundled in the second six minutes into the second half to put the is—time winners

into the last eight. coach mikel arteta was positive afterwards, even if their european defeat still lingers. it doesn't make up for disappointment, the her is still there. but we have to move on, we have to move on today —— the hurt is still there. we were the best in the evening to put the energy that this game required, and they responded really well. now, despite a terrible start to the t20 world cup, the defending champions have turned their form around to secure ellyse perry who went off injured in their win over new zealand. jo currie has more.

the rest of australia's batting order performed with beth moody, making 60 as australia set new zealand the target of 156 for victory. new zealand gave it all, they took it all the way down to the final over. in the end, they didn't quite have enough with australia eventually claiming a four run victory. the only worry for australia was witnessing elise perry limping off the field in what looked to bea limping off the field in what looked to be a hamstring problem. so we do know that australia, the defending champions, or through to the semifinals along with india, england and south africa. there is still a final round of games to go here in sydney. once those are done and dusted, we will know who plays who in the semi finals. the final takes place in melbourne on eight march. india captain virat kohli criticised his team and skirted around questions about his on pitch behaviour as new zealand completed a 2—0 whitewash in christchirch by winning the second test

within three days. india had another nightmare with the bat, out for just 124 with cheteshwar pujara's 2a enough to make him top scorer. the hosts wrapped up a seven—wicket win with ease. virat kohli managed just 38 runs in total across both tests — and afterwards faced questions that he'd sworn at his opposite number kane williamson and at the crowd. what do you think? what make at the big question. i'm asking you the answer. you need to find out exactly what happened, then come with a better question. you can't come here with half questions and have details. i won't have it. also if you want to create controversy, this is not the right place to be. i spoke with the manager and he had no issues about what happened.

anthony joshua has confirmed that he will fight kubrat pulev in london injune. the news comes a day after it was confirmed that deontay wilder wants a third fight with wbc heavyweight champion tyson fury. so where does this leave hopes of the all—british unification fight between fury and joshua so many want to see? boxing expert steve bunce has told usjoshua had to fight someone else first. he's stuck, to be perfectly honest with you. he's got plenty of other belts, don't worry about that. but if he wants to keep all the belts intact, if he wants to keep his eyes on the enormous price, the first time ever that to heavyweight champions will fight for all four belts, he's got to keep the belt. to keep the belt, he's got to fight the bulgarian. it is that simple! we've been saying it for 18 months. he's a dangerous fighter, and when he didn't dangerous fighter, and when he didn‘t fight dangerous fighter, and when he didn't fight backjoshua in cardiff 18 months ago, i thought that would be the hardest fight of doctoral puzzlement career. and what pooh

live has got is he has nothing to lose in heavyweight boxing. that's the most interesting you can deliver to the ring on the night. it happened to joshua to the ring on the night. it happened tojoshua last to the ring on the night. it happened to joshua last year, madison square garden, everyone thought it was a walk. andy rees knockjoshua out, thought it was a walk. andy rees knock joshua out, ruined thought it was a walk. andy rees knockjoshua out, ruined all the plans, nothing to lose. that's the danger. he got them back, didn't he? he got them back! many fans hope that the next fight would be joshua and fury. it looks like there will be if another democrat another wilder fury fight. forget in my opinion with the promoters say, forget with the fighters want. my opinion it is may of next year, and it could be in may of next year in las vegas. if it is this year, it is in late, late, late december back in saudl in late, late, late december back in saudi. we have confirmation that joshua is fighting in britain, at tottenham stadium. how much of an advantage will that be forjoshua?

fantastic, so much that he's been holding out, trying to get more money 01’ holding out, trying to get more money or get the fight shifted somewhere else in europe. anthony joshua will walk to the ring, and he might walk to the first, the champion is meant to walk second. the reason he'll do that is because he did that in saudi arabia against rubies and he loved being in that ring with 20,000 people. he was sucking it in, and i think he'll do the same as the new spurs ground in north london. he will walk out to 80 odd thousand people and enjoy every single second of it. the fastest man in history has been getting some parenting practice in. and usain bolt will be hoping that practice makes perfect. he and his partner announced earlier this year that that they're expecting their first child. if this video is anything to go by, then bolt is up it. you can get all the latest sports news at our website — that's bbc.com/sport.

but from me chetan pathak and the rest of the sport today team, goodbye. hello, i know there is still significant flooding around, but isn't it nice to get away from february's relentless grey and, of course, wet and see something brighter and bluer in the sky, as many of us did during monday? there were still some big showers around, no one is suggesting this week was dry. but there is some texture in the sky for the time being, things are a bit quieter than they've been. and we will get a bit of sunshine again in the day ahead, but there will also still be some showers around. the big picture showing a few disturbances moving through the uk with the showers on tuesday. but we are eyeing up another area of low pressure in the atlantic, and this looks like it will bring another spell of rain to many of us during wednesday and thursday, as we will see in a moment. tuesday starts cold and frosty for some of us, icy patches and maybe a few showers. one area of showers clearing away from northeast england, eastern scotland first thing, and another pulling away from northern ireland

and wales during the morning. but then this has to feed across scotland through england. the showers could be heavy and wintry on hills, some hail possible too. behind it, the sun comes back, a lot of that for northern ireland in the afternoon, and increasingly so in wales and western parts of england. now some of us have temperatures in double figures, but most of us will not. and it is breezy, quite blustery, with some of the showers — it's nowhere near as windy as it has been. and with mainly light winds and clear skies on tuesday night, that means there will be a widespread frost around. but look at this cloud and some rain heading in towards south west england, southwest wales, it means the temperature is not going down too far and actually recovering late in the night. that rain is from that area of low pressure i showed you, some uncertainty about how far north it will get on wednesday. but every new forecast, unfortunately, takes it further north, so that does mean a spell of rain heading through much of england and wales towards northern ireland, perhaps even southern scotland as well. not necessarilyjust rain, some hills know especially

into the pennines for a time, as overnight and into thursday, the outbreaks of rain continue through parts of england and wales. then on thursday, we will slowly clear from the east and southeast of england. behind that, it will be turning drier on thursday, brighter too with temperatures pretty much where they are going to be throughout the week. but then there is another area of low pressure aiming at us for friday. —— wet weather. this weather front has to move through, and then that low pressure looks to be coming in for the weekend. so what does that mean over the weekend? it means there will be another spell of rain heading our way, unfortunately, and the winds will start to pick up as well. although the temperatures will recover a few degrees, but it does mean not as much of that sunshine.

a very warm welcome to bbc news. our top stories. the world is now in uncharted territories they help achieve this as the number of deaths from a coronavirus passes 3000. benjamin netanyahu claims victory in israel's third election in a year but can he finally form a government? a boost forjoe biden‘s presidential bid as pete buttigieg and amy klobuchar dorsey may have super tuesday. the bbc has uncovered evidence that police stood by as religious fervour spread the indian capital last week. and we talk to the british author hilary mantel in the final book

in her blockbuster trilogy in