the government has pledged to work with scotland, wales, northern ireland and landowners across the uk to increase the amount of protected land. in england, protected areas currently make up 26% of land, so the government's pledge will increase that amount by just 4% by 2030. but with many of those protected sites in poor condition, it will take much more than that to make the land not just green and pleasant, but healthy and biodiverse. victoria gill, bbc news. good evening, a weatherfront stretched the length of the uk today, northern ireland emerged into the sunshine behind that front during the afternoon. the front is still bringing patchy rain into parts of the south west of england, wales and the north west of england. and it is a damp evening here as we move into the small hours of tuesday. the front trips eastward and a damp conditions will be across east england by the end of the night. the mild night here. elsewhere, clear skies and itchy and i feel elsewhere, clear skies and itchy and ifeel on elsewhere, clear skies and itchy and i feel on tuesday. the elsewhere, clear skies and itchy and ifeel on tuesday. the best elsewhere, clear skies and itchy and i feel on tuesday. the best of the sunshine for the likes of scotland and northern ireland. a while for

things to brighten up across eastern england, cloudy and make it and is the first thing. by the afternoon, a lot of sunshine and temperatures in the mid teens to the north of the uk and close to 20 in the south east. but it is all change from mid week onwards. low pressure from the atla ntic onwards. low pressure from the atlantic comes to take hold and over tuesday into wednesday, the wind picks up and on wednesday day time, quite a lot of rain for northern ireland and the south—west. the frontal system pivots over scotland and the totals could add up. wait for the majority and perhaps eastern england spared for much of the day, the wetter weather not coming in until afternoon or evening from the south. 0nce until afternoon or evening from the south. once we open the door to the areas of low pressure from the atlantic, we have a merry—go—round of low pressure centres at the mercy of low pressure centres at the mercy of until the weekend. they play off against each other, so that always makes putting the detail on the heaviest of the rain and the strongest winds will be somewhat difficult. what i can tell you is for the end of the week, looking

chilly and very unsettled. thursday offers some respite from the wet and windy weather, but it will be chilly and pretty soggy and unsettled to end the week into the weekend. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me. hello. hello and welcome to sportsday — weeks away from collapse. a stark warning to the government from football's most prominent figures as they urge mps to provide a financial bailout. taking the hand out of football. the backlash continues as the penalties mount up in the premier league..

and we'll bring you the latest from the french open where serena williams has launched her campaign for a third title at roland garros. hello and welcome to sportsday. hello and welcome to tonight's programme. it's a hard time to be optimistic about english football at the minute. even before the pandemic, many efl and national league sides were struggling financially. but today, some of the sports most prominent figures have reached out to the government urging them to provide financial support. without it, they say, the very structure of football in this country will collapse. alex gurajani reports. it isa it is a site we will not be seeing

anytime soon. 0ne it is a site we will not be seeing anytime soon. one of the worlds old est football anytime soon. one of the worlds oldest football leagues is at risk because of it. they match going fan keeps because of it. they match going fan kee ps clu bs because of it. they match going fan keeps clubs going up and down the country and wayfair returned to the delayed, the prominent list of supporters are calling for action from the government. in an open letter signed by two former at hmm to the culture secretary and sportsmen is there, the message is clear. in orderfor sportsmen is there, the message is clear. in order for clubs to sustain themselves or by the winter... these clubs survive on just about picking over and getting some money from their owners and they survive on their season—ticket money to the sma and that is all gone. now you could ask why should the government say football? well what they are doing is saving clubs and the community. the financial problems

have been around pre—pandemic. last season, barry fc disappeared after over 125 years while bolting just about hung on. macclesfield town who last year were eradicated from the football league closed their doors at two weeks ago and he may not be the last. there is a huge amount of money concentrated on the pyramid and it should be more evenly distributed. and sadly of course they have been lots of examples of clu bs they have been lots of examples of clubs that have not been well run, we are not just clubs that have not been well run, we are notjust saying the government should bailout the one clu bs. government should bailout the one clubs. football is essential to our national psyche. i can be affect and murano he hits some of business it would be so serious that i think there is a case for the government recognising that and taking action. there is hope that the premier league, one of the richest in the world would be able to help but a rescue package is unlikely to be

agreed to week with top—flight club sleeping for further details. wherever the money comes from the government orfrom wherever the money comes from the government or from within the game itself, it is clear that it needs to come soon. well in a moment we'll hear from former england goalkeeper david james on this and the other major talking point from this weekend's premier league football... handball. in total, there were three controversial penalties in the last two days — a result it seems of the new ‘stricter‘ interpretation of existing rules. that makes it six penalties for handball so far this season. compare that to 19 in the entirety of the last campaign. we've already seen this elsewher in europe — resulting in 57 penalties due to handball in itlay‘s serie a and 48 in the spanish la liga. so is this something we might have to get used in the premier league? patrick gearey has been looking into it. this is going to be another huge

talking point in a weekend of handball decisions, very few people agree with but it is a penalty to newcastle. i think we have lost the product with a pistol 30 can i really do. i do not understand how we have allowed this to come into operation. it is ridiculous and it has got to change and i will go as far to say that pairs managers have to get together and take a stand. far to say that pairs managers have to get together and take a stand! gripping weekend of football but any lingering memories are of handball. this an advertisement that she of his arm allowed newcastle to snatch a point but did not stop their manager. we have got one today and we got away with it but it happened to us, that's for sure and if that had been on the other foot if i gave the penalty every night that it's like hang on a minute, this is ridiculous. some cannonballs are more obvious than others or at least they should be. that is the attraction of the video assistant referee. but replays do not make everything clear. this season it

adopted the international guidance on handball. that means that he is penalised for making his body outline bigger even though he was close, similar logic applied to bid a against crystal policy. deep down they will be saint not again, not another handball. and once they look at that monitor the thinking on now, no, no. but once the par recommends a review they know they made the decision wrong but they're not seeing it as they should have done. they are coming from their management. once handball was a question was an intention the penalty against ashley young in the 20 18th fa cup penalty against ashley young in the 2018th fa cup final the official decided he had not meant to handle, the demand was for consistency to speu the demand was for consistency to spell out what handball was. what we are trying to do if they are trying to clone every referee to be the same and this is why referees are

paid they are documents. do we believe that body shape is being made later to deliberately stop the ball from making progress defend their wives. 0ne ball from making progress defend their wives. one thing for sure it has not made things simpler. players, coaches, fans, and referees may have to leave with a law that is largely out of their hands. well david james used to do his best to stop penalties and is part of a campaign to try to promote sustainable grass roots football. he told me... i asked and the importance of ensuring the financial stability of the clubs at the lowest level. ensuring the financial stability of the clubs at the lowest levellj think on a global picture if you like, it's up to everybody to do their best and clubs themselves whether it's from the government, or

the premier league you could argue that everybody could and should insta ntly try that everybody could and should instantly try and help grassroots football because when it comes to the national game, if it was not for grassroots we would not have the players that we have now and obviously any interference with the normal process would affect the potential of recruiting players going forward. obviously we are seeing problems with the efm and the lower league clubs and national league clubs and we have been hearing from prominent figures today and the fa wrote a letter to the government urging them to provide a cash bailout. would you agree with that sentiment or wait is this money need to come from? it is interesting that everybody is asking the government for money which is understandable and the unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves. even my game because you're talking about a professional game and any bailout that's been put baby premier

league it's restricted just for the professional game. if i want to be cynical i would argue that a lot of the clubs that are in trouble before the clubs that are in trouble before the pandemic might see themselves in a better position because of the pandemic ironically and as i said it's up to every individual to try and do their best and that includes clu bs and do their best and that includes clubs looking after the financial state of play. the idea that one in 10%, 40,000 grassroots football clu bs 10%, 40,000 grassroots football clubs could go into extinction in the next 12 months is very scary for the next 12 months is very scary for the community fabric. while we have you here. this weekend i will say one way to you. handball. there's been a lot of talk about this are busy with the past couple of days. what is your opinion on it? what do you make of this? i think the idea that any individual incidents is open to subjective opinion as it a lwa ys open to subjective opinion as it always has been but i think what is nice in the current climate is that in the premier league the referees

are able to go to a monitor, to make are able to go to a monitor, to make a decision for themselves, and then if you are not happy we can actually blame the referee on the pitch at the time for that decision rather than blaming the dar group who are ina than blaming the dar group who are in a report —— remote support a cabin somewhere in the country so they will always be subjective nature towards the decisions made andi nature towards the decisions made and i think depending on what side you support would influence whether it's a right or wrong decision by the fact that the referee on the match day at the match is making that decision finally is refreshing. let's get back to the action then. it's half time at craven cottage — where fulham are hosting aston villa for the first of two premier league fixtures tonight. jack grealish it is 22-0 both it is 22—0 both of the goals there. both coming in the first 15 minutes. you can follow that much on bbc sport website of course. still to come this evening,

two sides that have made flawless starts to this season, winning their opening two games, so something's got to give tonight for either arsenal or liverpool. that one is at anfield. former england midfielder michael thomas — who played for both clubs — says... arsenal are the one, in the top six isaid coming arsenal are the one, in the top six i said coming down for the top six. however they go about their business is really astonishing. they are little dark horses. as you said before they have gone back to the old ways, don't say anything about players and all of a sudden it's great, that's what it should be. the pressure is on liverpool, they are great already, but to be the greatest tea m great already, but to be the greatest team to impact the back

they have to do it this season. if you look at liverpool nowadays is a great time for them to make a big distance between themselves and then city by winning tonight. so they will be ready to roll tonight, i'm telling you. front foot always. all week on bbc news, we're highlighting racism in football through the stories of people working in the game. today, we'll be hearing from aston villa and england defender anita asante. her career has taken her around the world and she's been speaking about her experiences as a black woman. just to warn you that some of the following account may prove distressing. i have definitely had experiences where i have had players from different parts of the world that have not always understood that negative connotations of some of the language they use. music and saying certain words in a song, people

aren't always self—aware of the impact of their behaviour or their words. the lack of recognition that actually that might make me feel more uncomfortable because i am the only one. when we talk about communism and mainstream advertising and marketing, sponsors, brands, when you don't see images of yourself that are referenced as part of their beauty norms, that can have a negative mental impact on how you see yourself. for me it always made me challenge or i guess to some degree have some challenges in my own confidence because you see it everywhere around the in terms of this reference to blackness and how black you are being a negative thing, a negative stereotype. kind of does not allow you to sort of ta ke of does not allow you to sort of take up that space. this point and media and all of that is intertwined and when you read or hear stereotyping of any form related to black female athletes are