hello, this is bbc news. the headlines... russia's ambassador to the uk rejects allegations his country has interfered in british politics, or tried to steal coronavirus vaccine research. we have an interview with a former uk ambassador to moscow just we have an interview with a former uk ambassador to moscowjust after 7pm. i don't believe this story at all. there is no sense in it. councils in england now have

new powers to close shops, cancel events and shut outdoor public spaces to manage outbreaks of the virus. the veteran american civil rights leader and long—serving us congressman, john lewis, has died at the age of eighty. eu leaders in brussels go into a second evening of negotiations as they struggle to reach an agreement ona they struggle to reach an agreement on a 750 billion euros economic recovery package aimed at repairing some of the damage caused by the pandemic. the uk government guarantees financial support for holiday makers seeking refunds for trips that that were cancelled because of coronavirus. inafew in a few minutes‘ time willjoin viewers on bbc one with the national and international news. now on bbc news it's time for sportsday.

hello and welcome to sportsday. coming up... another promotion hopeful slips up as brentford hand the championship title to leeds. putting more pressure on england in their push for victory. and another saturday — another qualifying masterclass from lewis hamilton as he claims the 90th pole of his career. hello and welcome to tonight's sportsday. and the celebrations spill into a second day for leeds united fans. after securing promotion

to the premier league yesterday, they've now been crowned champions of the championship after brentford failed to win at stoke earlier. that defeat puts automatic promotion out of their control and leaves leeds untouchable at the top of the table. michael redford reports. since football returned a month ago, there aren't many clubs who have enjoyed it as much as brentford. seven matches, seven wins, automatic promotion now in touching distance. win at struggling stoke, and brentford would have moved into the top two, and be on the verge of reaching the premier league for the first time. an early goal would have settled any nerves. stoke had other ideas. a point would be enough to confirm their championship status for another season. lee gregory's simple finish put them on course for all three. brentford now needed a reaction. josh dasilva came close to providing it. as did emiliano marcondes, but he couldn't find a way past stoke goalkeeper adam davies. neither could ethan pinnock, and time ticked away.

stoke dogged and determined, their safety secured. bre ntford left deflated. defeat means leeds are crowned champions. whether brentford join them in the premier league next season is now out of their hands. here's the rest of today's championship scores. hull city are on the brink of relegation. luton leapt above them into third bottom after a 1—0 win at the tigers. fulham's 5—3 win over sheffield wednesday keeps them in the hunt for a top—two finish. this is how the bottom of the table looks. hull need wigan or sheffield wednesday to be deducted points for financial irregularities if they are to be saved from a return to league one for the first time since 2005. and the top of the table, leeds can't be caught. one of west brom, brentford or fulham will get the second automatic promotion place. swansea could still catch cardiff or nottingham forest for a play—off place.

there's still work to be done, of course. even for the champions, ahead of the final round of fixtures. leeds were back in training today ahead of their game at derby tomorrow. but, maybe they could be forgiven for being in a celebratory mood. defender luke ayling filmed them as they chanted their manager's name as he arrived earlier. # marcelo bielsa # marcelo bielsa # marcelo bielsa #. and they've good reason to praise their manager... the man who's guided leeds back to the top flight after a 16 year wait. joe lynskey looks back on their return to the premier league. in return to the premier league. 2004, leeds united flight in 2004, leeds united left the top flight in tears. the three—time

league champions hoped the drop down would be temporary. instead it took a generation. just three years earlier, leeds were in the champions league last four, but they got their expending what they could not afford. huge debts meant star players had to leave and relegation left a broken club in freefall. soon they dropped further down to league 1. it's been a long way back. for me 110w 1. it's been a long way back. for me now to sit here and look back 60 yea rs now to sit here and look back 60 years ago, i played the last game that they were in the premier league, it makes you realise how long it actually was. —— 16 years ago. the following that leeds united have got, the support base they have got, the premier league is without doubt a better place with leeds united in it. with the revival being led by a south american, leeds came third in last season's championship and marcelo bielsa state to try again. he barely speaks the language but he is part of yorkshire fabric.

he has created beautiful football and success. no he has created beautiful football and success. no one he has created beautiful football and success. no one really feels like we know him and yet we see him in morrison in his leeds united track suit. because it's been so long and there has been so much heartbreak and misdirection along the way and they have stuck to it through thick and thin, i think they deserve it now. commentator: 1-0! leeds' reputation is forged in history, they last won in 1992. now some young fans have never seen them at the top. but after 16 years away there in the premier league again and in football, the low points make promotions at a high. —— such a high. well, as leeds move up, norwich city will be back in the championship next season. but they still have to finish out this one. they host burnley in the premier league. it's not going well for them either. in the first half they've

had two men sent off and burnley have gone 1—0 up! chris wood with the goal there just before the break. and the second halfjust getting under way. and still to come tonight — the first of two fa cup semi—finals. holders manchester city are against 13—time champions arsenal, in a match which pits two former colleagues against each other. mikel arteta left hisjob as pep guardiola's assistant to take the arsenaljob last year, and he's fully aware of the threat they pose. i know the strength and the flexibility that they have, the things that they are going to try, but even that way they are difficult to stop. i want to focus on what we want to do, if i worry too much about them it is not the message i want to send to the players, it is what we have to do to try to win the game to give us the best chance to compete against them. for all the 90 minutes, and that is what i will do, and that is a game plan that we always put against any team. as for city manager pep guardiola,

he's been speaking about how special the fa cup is for him. in england when i have my first memories about english football, it was the fa cup finals, not the premier league or championship, so i remember that in spain we can always see the fa cup final, that was the tradition and everything. so it's so nice, and i think we are looking for it, ——looking forward, we are so excited. wa nt want the crickets then, for all the cricket there was today. —— on to the cricket, then. rain prevented any play at old trafford today in the second test between england and west indies. and though england are on top they'll only have tomorrow and monday to try to force a win. henry moeran is there for us. glad to see europe somewhere dry! this is certainly not what england

wa nted this is certainly not what england wanted today. —— you are somewhere dry. they've got to bowl west indies out before they reached 270 in the first innings. that would give them the opportunity to enforce the seldom seen a follow—on and then that would give them the chance of levelling the series. a few questions as to whether england may be batted a little too long yesterday as they hit 469—9, the partnership of ben stokes was productive but slow. and some were saying that with the forecast today, maybe england could have accelerated a little earlier to give them a little bit longer to build the west indies out. we've had news today aboutjofra indies out. we've had news today about jofra archer's indies out. we've had news today aboutjofra archer's punishment, just an official warning and a fine. how are fans receiving this information? i think the narrative around the story has been very interesting, as we have learned more about it, we now know thatjofra archer headed home to his flat in

brighton between the two matches, the first at southampton and this game at old trafford. and lots of talk from england management is that he has learnt his mistake, it was just an error and certainly, he needs to be supported, because he is in this hotel, where i'm staying as well come on site, and he cannot leave his room. it's a difficult time for him, no doubt about it, and the fact that ecb have determined that a fine and a written warning is the punishment he will receive, no questions really will turn asked whether he will be selected for the third test match that starts here at old trafford so he will have thinking to do no doubt about it, and no cricket what out of his hotel window today. hopefully you can leave your hotel room and as well! —— leave your hotel room soon, as well! lewis hamilton was once again in a league of his own has he claimed pole at the hungarian grand prix. he beat team—mate valtteri bottas to lead a mercedes one—two in qualifying —

as the six time world champion bids for a record—equalling eighth victory at one circuit. ben croucher reports. qualifying in f1 is a simple beast. 20 cars turn up at a racetrack to see who's fastest. it's even simpler in 2020 — find out which mercedes that is and by how much. with seven poles before, lewis hamilton is dialled in around the hungaroring, and promptly clocks a lap record for everyone else to catch. indeed, so dominant is the mercedes that their nearest challengers are in a car that was pretty much copied from their 2019 version. racing point were well behind in real terms, is the best for two years. hamilton then went and smashed his lap record again to confirm pole number eight in hungary, and the 90th of his career, as team—mate valtteri bottas couldn't keep up. and hamilton is on pole in hungary once again! get in there, lewis. nice work, mate. you found your mojo, there. he generally finds it here on sundays, too. six wins in the past in a sport where hamilton makes the rather hard look all too simple. so a 90th pole position

for lewis hamilton, and his seventh in hungary. and hamilton admitted himself — modestly — that this requires nothing short of "perfection." i'm thankful to everyone back home, and the guys here that do such an amazing job. and valti doesn't make it easy for me at all, so... it requires absolute perfection when it comes to doing laps and qualifying like that is... ..is one of the things i enjoy most. in moto gp, fabio quartararo claimed pole position for sunday's season—opening spanish grand prix. the frenchman, who rides for yamaha, broke the lap record atjerez to edge out spain's maverick vinales. world champion marc marquez completes the front row while britain's cal crutchlow will line up sixth. just a reminder, justa reminder, much just a reminder, much more on the website, of course. but from the end of the team here at sports day, goodbye for now. —— but from me and

all of the team here.