this is bbc news with the latest headlines. the prime minister's most senior adviser — dominic cummings — says he'll leave downing street before christmas, after the turmoil of recent days. well, he was always someone who would sort of shake things up. he didn't take things as, just because they had been done that way, that they couldn't be done any other way. it is always good, i think, to have people who challenge the system. the yorkshire ripper peter sutcliffe has died at the age of 7a. the serial killer was serving a whole life term for murdering 13 women across yorkshire and north—west england. senior us officials have described last week's election as the most secure in american history. it comes as former president barack obama accuses senior republicans

of undermining democracy. a proposed shake up to university admissions — with the recommendations from university leaders including offers based on actual exam results, rather than predicted grades. and if you want to get in touch about any of today's stories please do. you can tweet me @annita—mcveigh or with #bbcyourquestions. tonight marks a0 years since the launch of children in need — we'll be looking at how the money raised is being used to help people. a happy ending for scotland for a change! the time has come, the time really has come! and coming up this hour. scotland have finally done it, qualifying for a first men's major tournament in 22 years, after a dramatic win over serbia on penalties. more on that at 9:30am.

boris johnson's closest adviser, dominic cummings, is to leave downing street by christmas after 16 stormy months at the heart of government. mr cummings helped drive through brexit last year, and has been at the forefront of the government's push to shake up the civil service. so, who is dominic cummings? in 2015, the former advisor to michael gove ran the pro—brexit vote leave campaign in the eu referendum and was behind the group's "take back control" slogan. after becoming the prime minister's senior adviser in 2019, the "get brexit done" campaign message helped the conservatives win a large majority in the general election. but he made enemies. there were many disparaging comments. he described some tory brexiteer

mps as "useful idiots". sajid javid resigned as chancellor after refusing to comply with mr cummings‘ request to dismiss his special advisers. three months later, he was fighting for his political life in the downing street rose garden, after two opposition party leaders demanded his resignation for travelling to his parents‘ farm during the covid—19lockdown. he survived. but it seems the announcement of his departure was accelerated after the news his close colleague, lee cain, resigned as communications director on wednesday night. dominic cummings insists he always wanted to make himself "largely redundant" by the end of 2020. but a downing street source told the bbc he "jumped because otherwise he would be pushed soon". 0ur political correspondent leila nathoo is at westminster. this was always my plan, that is the

narrative that dominic cummings is putting out there, but it seems plausible this is part of the folate from the infighting i was mentioning in downing street which saw the departure of his close ally. yes, absolutely, he is pointing to a post injanuary absolutely, he is pointing to a post in january where he was famously advertising for what he called weirdos and misfits to join the team and within a year wanting to make himself largely redundant, but i don't think anyone would have read into that post that he was planning on leaving, perhaps taking on a slightly different role or narrowing his focus. six months is a long time in politics but it wasn't that long ago he and the prime minister was doing absolutely everything in order to get him to stay in post despite the pressure on him to resign over his lockdown trip to barnard castle.

clearly things have changed. there has been the clashes and fighting and tensions have exploded into the open resulting in the departure of his long—term ally from the vote leave campaign that successfully won the brexit referendum. it showed a willingness from the prime minister to let one of his closest and most trusted aide goal. it is worth remembering how closely entwined by —— dominic cummings and lee cain have been with borisjohnson. negotiating britain's official departure from the eu. hugely consequential so it is very significant he is thinking of going in the new year. what do you think

this means for the way the government runs? i think this is going to herald a big change of the guide. we have already seen some new people being brought into downing street in the form of the prime minister's press spokesperson who is going to be fronting televised briefings on behalf of the government and she was part of the shift of power in downing street but i think we are going to have to see in the new year what changes this brings because there are plenty of people within the tory party who think it is about time things change in downing street and some highly critical of the way downing street had been working under these advisers saying they had kept power to close and were not listening to the party and would have had a closed shop if you like of criticisms of the handling of the pandemic so a lot of people will see this as a welcome chance for the

prime minister to have a reset, in some of their words. we will have to see exactly which fresh faces arrive in those key positions but certainly with the departure of these aids, although ministers will insist it is ultimately the prime minister who makes decisions, this is what grant shapps had to see it earlier. he was always someone who would sort of shake things up. he didn't take thingsjust as they had been done that way they couldn't be done any other way and it always good to have people who challenge the system and challenge the way things have been done and he was influential in that way. but a lot of people misunderstand — advisers advise, the prime minister and ministers decide. there are many occasions where, you know, advice is given but it is not the path that would be followed. but it is always good, as i say, to have people with fresh, new ideas and he certainly brings a lot of that with him.

there is news this morning that his special adviser at the treasury has reached a settlement after she was fired by dominic cummings last year, an adviser to the former chancellor, and it tells us, really, about the culture that there was at that time, a somewhat abrasive culture, many people would have said, and one wonders what the culture will be like going forward. that has certainly been one of the criticisms of the downing street operation, that it had been confrontational with other members, senior members, of the government, other advisers, members of the media, the party at large, so certainly there will be some people who will be relieved to think this could herald a moment where there is a bit of a softening in approach. it will depend on the personalities who come in to replace these key advisers but i think it is also worth saying that dominic

cummings and lee cain will have their supporters still in government who think they will have been highly capable, consequential and their departure will leave a big hole because to some of their supporters they have been visionaries who masterminded the election campaign and got the tories a massive majority in seats they haven't won for yea rs majority in seats they haven't won for years and years, so it is not to underplay the role. it is important not to underplay the role these advisers have had and although the prime minister makes the decisions it isa prime minister makes the decisions it is a very small circle of people who have his ear so there will be doubled hope that whoever comes in will herald a new approach. to sum it will be a natural point of change that the brexit transition period will come to an end and it is a chance for the brexit operation to vacate and be replaced with another tea m vacate and be replaced with another team and there will be appointed within the tory party who think this is absolutely necessary and something that could reset the conservative party. thank you.

someone very well placed to give us insight into what's been going on is guto harri, who was director of communications for borisjohnson when he was mayor of london. good to have you with us today. what is your take on the timing of this news about dominic cummings? the idea that hisjob is done news about dominic cummings? the idea that his job is done and there is nothing left to do in government is nothing left to do in government is preposterous, just like the idea he needed to drive 30 miles in a car to test his eyesight was incredible, it treats the public and his peers at the heart of government, at the tory party, in parliament, all of us, with contempt, but it gives borisjohnson a us, with contempt, but it gives boris johnson a chance us, with contempt, but it gives borisjohnson a chance to visit his government, to pick people who are professional, pragmatic, civilised, who ideally are even charming rather than this aggressive in your face confrontational myopic focus on one narrow goal achieved that all

expense. you said when allegra stratton was appointed as the person to lead the press briefings that she would bring good judgment, intellectual rigour and the right tone to the heart of government but it gives rise to the prime minister in the middle of two factions and the power struggle going on when they should be focusing on the pandemic and the economic crisis. it is not a good look for boris johnson, is it? if he does something about it it is a very good thing and i thought having somebody like allegra stratton would remind him what it is like to have people who are there to govern the country, not runa campaign, are there to govern the country, not run a campaign, and perhaps that was forgotten. dominic cummings has a touch of genius i ran ten and some of the people around him that a greatjob of of the people around him that a great job of running of the people around him that a greatjob of running a campaign but not of running the united kingdom. you need people who reach out to the other side. the us that the political opponents are not enemies,

they are citizens as well. having allegra stratton in the room might remain the prime minister he has to focus on other things. boris johnson has been very close to dominic cummings fora has been very close to dominic cummings for a long time. how much do you think he relies, and you are ideally placed to answer this, on those close to him? notjust to deliver on messaging but as a sounding board for those plans and ideas in the first instance. and in that context do you think he is going to feel initially at least a little bit adrift without dominic cummings? every prime minister needs good people around him and the best prime ministers have very good people around them but they have a tea m people around them but they have a team of people who often disagree with each other. tony blair and john prescott are a good example. the problem with dominic cummings was not just that he

problem with dominic cummings was notjust that he learned to large but that all roads lead to him and he did not allow anyone else to play so he did not allow anyone else to play so it is like having one player on the pitch not scoring any goals or tries depending on your sport but is not passing the ball to anyone else, so not passing the ball to anyone else, so what bodies needs now is a range of people around him with a chief of staff who allows them all to play to their strengths and allows him to play to his strengths because when i worked with him he was not only effective but it was also popular and in the last year there have been questions about both of those things and the leftover team from the vote leave campaign have to take most of the blame for that. thank you. good to get your insight. borisjohnson‘s former director of communications when he was mayor of london. one of the country's most notorious serial killers, peter sutcliffe, known as the yorkshire ripper, has died. sutcliffe who was 7a, had been suffering from covid—i9 and he is said to have refused treatment. he also had a number of underlying health issues including heart

problems and diabetes. he was given 20 life sentences after admitting his crimes in 1981. danny savage reports. he was one of the most prolific killers of the 20th century — peter sutcliffe, the yorkshire ripper. we knew we were dealing with a monster because of what he was doing. he would get behind them and hit them on the back of the head, a real whack. for six years, women across a large part of northern england lived in fear — a serial killer was on the loose. no woman walking alone at night was safe. from 1975, until 1980, 13 women were killed by sutcliffe and he tried to murder several others. went down the path on the back of the house, which we later discovered is where she was found. thankfully it was dark and we were spared discovering mum's body.

richard's mother was the first victim. he was just five years old when she died. it devastated his young life and, for a long time, he wanted revenge against sutcliffe for the murder of his 28—year—old mum. as a young teenager, i can remember with my sister, we planned, or we discussed her contacting him, befriending him, changing her name and then eventually going to visit him and then she was going to attack him. that was the thoughts we had and that is how angry we were back then. this was in halifax, where19—year—old bank clerk josephine whitaker was killed. murder scenes were scattered across yorkshire and manchester. iamjack... the police inquiry was famously led down a blind alley by hoax tapes from the man dubbed wearsidejack. he sent letters and tapes taunting the investigating officers. i have the greatest respect for you, george... it led to the conclusion that

peter sutcliffe was not their man. there was one young detective, who said i interviewed a man today, and he fits the description, the photofit description. he has got bushy hair, a bushy beard and a gap in his teeth and he is a lorry driver. and one of the top table officers said... is he a geordie? no, no. what is his name? he said, peter sutcliffe. now, listen boys, peter sutcliffe... peter sutcliffe is not the yorkshire ripper. so, sutcliffe carried on killing, although he was interviewed on numerous occasions. colleagues at the haulage firm where he worked knew and used to joke about it. he was nicknamed the ripper. he used to answer to that sometimes, so it was rather... it was rather sort of... it is sad now, isn't it? bizarrely, he was finally caught after being linked to a car with stolen numberplates.

weapons were found and, in early 1981, he confessed. that led to these extraordinary scenes in dewsbury, as the public turned out to voice their disgust. sutcliffe was jailed for life. anger, hatred and obsession were deemed the motives for his crimes. few, if any, will mourn the passing of a man who destroyed so many lives. danny savage, bbc news, west yorkshire. we are nowjoined by richard mccann, son of wilma mccann, who was murdered by peter sutcliffe. it is important that we focus today on the victims of his horrific crimes. i wonder what your feelings are today on this news. sorry, i am

not celebrating it, put it that way. i feel not celebrating it, put it that way. ifeel some not celebrating it, put it that way. i feel some sense of closure just because while he was alive if we listed the amount of news stories we have had and constant reminders of what he did and we had it in the piecejust what he did and we had it in the piece just there where the police described how the victims were hit, thatis described how the victims were hit, that is the kind of thing we have had to endure for many years, so for me it is the reduction hopefully in press stories, the tabloid press i am talking about, that have really irritated me my entire life, to be fair. it will give me closure but i am not celebrating. i reached out to offer my condolences. people will be amazed that she felt able to do

that. carol sutcliffe reached out to me many years ago when he read about my journey, me many years ago when he read about myjourney, i me many years ago when he read about my journey, i wrote me many years ago when he read about myjourney, i wrote about many years ago, and he reached out to me with compassion, and i think i did the same. i know he did some horrendous things but he was still his brother so things but he was still his brother soi things but he was still his brother so i felt like i wanted to call him. you talked about these crimes being reduced and the tabloid press to sensational headlines. you were just five when your mum was killed, you and your siblings, how did that affect your young lives and how you developed? the main thing i can think about is that feeling of loss and of fear. even though i wasn't exposed to everything that was being spoken about and written about i

certainly knew what was going on and i lived in fear, especially when the first person to die, incidentally the first apparent innocent victim died and she baby—sat for us and lived seven houses away from where we left i thought he must have been watching all the houses and i thought he was going to kill me. that was the impact on me as a young child and the shame of it all, especially because of the way some of the women were described, including my mum, embarrassment and shame, and it has stuck with me for many years and it is only more recently i have created a life for myself and i have my own family and what was fantastic for me personally about this morning was it was my young son, ellis, who broke the news to me, so for the first time ever i

heard about something from a family member and not a phone call from the media. the mirror once called me at half past 11 at night to tell me last year he had had a heart attack, they woke me up. so it was nice for me to be my son to tell me because one of his friends had text ten. me to be my son to tell me because one of his friends had text tenm is really interesting listening to this and you're describing the terror and fear that you felt as a very young child and how that must have affected you psychologically as you grew up, but you managed eventually to leave all of that behind. how do you think you have been able to do that?” behind. how do you think you have been able to do that? i have just been able to do that? i have just been on a long personaljourney of personal development i suppose. i guess to lie about my mum. ijoined the army and i told them my mum died ina car the army and i told them my mum died in a car accident because i was too ashamed of it all because i know that a lot of society and to some

degree the media and the police looked down at some of the victims and regrettably now i wanted to distance myself from who i was on to my mum was. i think the big change for me was when i eventually found the courage and 2004 to write my book and ironically after my sister sonia stabbed her boyfriend and i thought i have to tell the world what we have all been through and i could see that relationship between what she had done, she did not kill him, and what had happened to us, and does not getting that support and does not getting that support and therapy so i thought i had to do something and it was writing that book and seeing who i was, the liberation and the response from the public, this positive response from the public help to me and i realised it wasn't something i should be ashamed of and i wasjust like everybody else. that was the start of that journey of everybody else. that was the start of thatjourney of coming to terms

with it. that was the turning point and that sort of support, the understanding, that wasn't there at the time your mother was murdered, when you publish the book and certainly now, hopefully you are surrounded by that understanding and surrounded by that understanding and surrounded by that support and that helps you at times like this. surrounded by that support and that helps you at times like thism has. for the last 16 years that has been there and because of some of the work i did. it is they are all the work i did. it is they are all the time. 0ften, the work i did. it is they are all the time. often, i havejust had a message from somebody, i will hear from people, i often get asked to share my story at events and suchlike, resilience and suchlike, andi suchlike, resilience and suchlike, and i get stories, is ten years ago somebody helped my story and he was helped by him hearing how i dealt with my adversity, shall we say, and every one of those messages i get means that my mum's death wasn't in vain, some good did come out of it.

how would you like people to remember your mum? not in the way she was described by the police. i wa nt she was described by the police. i want her to be remembered as the mother of four children, the daughter of her parents, the brother, sister, she was a family women who through no fault of her own was going through adversity and made some bad decisions, some risky decisions, but she paid for those decisions, but she paid for those decisions with her life. one thing before i go, i ask west yorkshire police to once and for all on world kindness day to do what i believe is the right thing and well overdue and thatis the right thing and well overdue and that is to apologise to the families who are still around for the way in which they describe some of the women is innocent, inferring some we re women is innocent, inferring some were not innocent, including my mum, andi were not innocent, including my mum, and i would like them to meet that apology. what would that apology

mean to you and the other families? they were innocent and i guess it would set the record straight. for example my children who go to school and my books are in their school library so their friends, and other books about peter sutcliffe, they are going to read about how the world thought of their grandma. i wa nt world thought of their grandma. i want that putting right or we want to put it right. i wrote to west yorkshire police months ago on behalf of a number of children who lost their mothers to peter sutcliffe and another of us have got together and said we would like that apology and today of all days i would like them to do that. we really appreciate you talking to us today. thank you very much. the bbc is projecting thatjoe biden has won the state of arizona, increasing his already decisive lead

over donald trump in the us election. it means he now has 290 electoral college votes, compared to mr trump's 217. the total required to win is 270. it would be the first time arizona has been won by a democratic candidate since 1996, when bill clinton took it on the way to his second term in office. races in north carolina and georgia have yet to be called, but these results would not affect the overall victory. president trump has repeatedly circulated unfounded claims of fraud and errors and is still refusing to acknowledge that he lost tojoe biden. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. "the most secure election in american history." the verdict from senior us officials. refuting the president's claims that there was widespread voter fraud, a top committee overseen by the department of homeland security has concluded there is no case to answer. "while we know there are many

unfounded claims and opportunities the officials say, "we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections and you should, too." barack obama, who campaigned alongsidejoe biden, his former deputy, has now added his voice to the growing criticism of mr trump over his false claims of election fraud. they appear to be motivated, in part, because the president does not like to lose, and never admits loss. i am more troubled by the fact that other republican officials, who clearly know better, are going along with this, are humouring him in this fashion. it is one more step in delegitimising notjust the incoming biden administration but democracy in general, and that is a dangerous path. senior democrats are urging

the white house to acknowledge joe biden's win, saying the president—elect should be given access to the security briefings that mr trump gets every day. the speaker of the house, nancy pelosi, said the "absurd circus" meant that the coronavirus pandemic was being neglected and the leader of the democrats in the senate had this message for senior republicans. stop denying reality. stop deliberately and recklessly sowing doubt about our democratic process and start focusing on covid. the unease felt at mr trump's continuing denial about the election result has prompted the elders, a group of senior world figures, founded by nelson mandela, to condemn the president's behaviour. the tragedy is that the united states has always been the supporter and strong advocate for democracy and adherence to the will of the people. when the votes are counted,

you accept that and so we do see it as being serious for the united states in the short—term but also very worrying internationally because it is obviously something autocrats and bad leaders are rejoicing in. they're laughing, they are saying, "who talks about democracy? look at the united states!" apart from playing golf last weekend and one official engagement to mark veterans‘ day, donald trump has confined himself to the white house since the election, venting his anger through social media. peter bowes, bbc news. we can speak to the london bureau chief of the new york times. an extraordinary period we are going through. talking about the election infrastructure government coordination council, not the catchiest of names but a very weighty statement from them including officials from the department of homeland security

seeing the presidential election was the most secure in american history so the most secure in american history so with donald trump treating the election was stolen from him but is it going to take for him to acknowledge joe it going to take for him to acknowledgejoe biden it going to take for him to acknowledge joe biden is it going to take for him to acknowledgejoe biden is going to be going into the white house and for other republicans to acknowledge that? in the end it is going to take the calendar to force donald trump to acknowledge reality which is on january the 20th he will be moving his things out of the white house and turning the place over to the next president. i do not think there will be any shred of proof or die declaration that will change his strategy so he can shape a narrative that he didn't actually lose, that the process was rigged against him, so the process was rigged against him, so much of this is about how he positions himself for life after the presidency and the way he presents what just happened to

presidency and the way he presents whatjust happened to him that the calendar is the calendar, he will be leaving on january the 20th calendar is the calendar, he will be leaving onjanuary the 20th and that is when he will bow to reality. so you think he wants to go out fighting, does not want to acknowledge your conceited joe biden and that will give them a platform for whatever he plans to do next? that is right, my view is this is less about a genuine struggle to stay in office for a second term. i think even donald trump recognises the reality of the numbers. there are simply too many states he would have to reverse to ever pull something like that off. but what is important to him is that he got more than 70 million votes and remains the most powerful figure than 70 million votes and remains the most powerfulfigure in the republican party. he wants to maintain that status. he wants to lay the groundwork for a post—presidency that could include a career as a media mogul, there is talk of him starting a rival news network to fox. there are lots of reasons why donald trump wants a narrative shaped around the idea he did not lose, that in fact, the

system was rigged. that is a message that plays very well with his pace and presumably some percentage of those people will continue to believe that and believe in him, even after he has gone from the white house. which brings us to the much broader and more fundamental question beyond individuals and personalities, and this is what barack obama personalities, and this is what ba rack obama was personalities, and this is what barack obama was alluding to when he talks about the claims of fraud delegitimising democracy. how much of the danger is that, do you believe, with everything that is going on, with these repeated claims without evidence from donald trump and many of his supporters that somehow the election was stolen from him? i do think it is a real danger andi him? i do think it is a real danger and i think that barack obama was right to cast it the way he did which is it is notjust about donald trump and his inability to accept defeat. it is the fact that large segments of the republican establishment have lined up behind the president in making these

spurious claims. i think that is the real danger. you saw mike pompeo, the secretary of state, the other day, joking that there would be a transition to a second trump term. he claims later it was not a serious comment but to hear the american secretary of state suggest that the outcome of this election was in doubt i think is a truly frightening thing for the signal it sends, not just to americans but the rest of the world. i think republicans need to think very carefully about the long—term damage they are doing to a process that they themselves depend upon. this is notjust about republicans and democrats. it is the entire democratic system. marc, thank you very much for those thoughts, the london bureau chief of the new york times, there. just to add that china is now among the countries congratulating joe biden on his victory. tough coronavirus restrictions have been extended in northern ireland for a further week. the current measures were due to expire at midnight tonight — with ministers under pressure to make a decision. under a compromise deal reached

by the stormont executive, some businesses will re—open next friday. i am joined now by dr gabriel scally, who is president of epidemiology and public health at the royal society of medicine, and formerly the director of public health for belfast. thank you forjoining us. are you supportive fundamentally of this extension by another week of the measures in northern ireland? well, iam measures in northern ireland? well, i am supportive of the extension of the measures. the advice that they received really was to extend them for another two weeks. you have to understand the situation northern ireland is in. the second wave has been terrible in northern ireland. they have had the highest level of cases across britain and ireland and their death profile, certainly the deaths in hospital, is getting really quite close to the first wave. they have not happily had very many deaths in care homes. —— they

have not had, happily, very many deaths in care homes. but the pressure is real and to have lifted the restrictions tonight when the level of cases is still twice what it was at the beginning of october but would have been a terrible mistake. put bluntly, you are saying that science simply doesn'tjustify, would not have justified lifting restrictions tonight, and from the sounds of things, you don't think it really justifies them sounds of things, you don't think it reallyjustifies them being extended only for a week? well, it is going to be very difficult because it is not quite clear how they are going to get the levels down. itjust isn't working. it is notjust a matter of the restrictions. the real questions in northern ireland about their testing and tracing, we know serious difficulties with it in england but that we know, what we don't know is how well it is doing in northern ireland because they don't produce the data. it is not a transparent system at all in terms of the data or the briefings about it. and then there are the very

serious political divisions and the extraordinarily complex way in which decision—making takes place, which is why we have had this brinkmanship, right up to the last moment, but what should happen. you refer of course to all of the parties except one, the dup, the majority party in the stormont assembly, wanting this extension to continue for a bit longer but are compromised was reached. do you accept in any way, shape or form at this stage because you sound very critical of what the dup were saying, do you accept that they are trying to balance other aspects of life and the economy with the pandemic? well, they are the biggest party in the assembly executive without doubt but they don't hold the majority of the seats in that executive. sorry, yes, i misspoke, absolutely. but the fundamental point is, do you believe that the

dup is involved in a very tricky balancing act? well, it is one of their own making because they seem to be putting a lot more attention to be putting a lot more attention to the interests of business than they are to the health of the population. they feel particularly strongly, which is an unusual position for the dup, about republicans and restaurant owners. they are not traditionally known for their advocacy of pubs and restau ra nts. their advocacy of pubs and restaurants. but they are taking theseissues restaurants. but they are taking these issues extraordinarily seriously and it is leading them to entirely disregard, if they had their way, the views of their chief medical officer and their chief scientist. you have got to understand the island of ireland dynamics come here, because the level of deaths and cases now in the north, in the second wave, they have had four micro times the rate of death in the north than in the republic of ireland and substantially more cases and there are real concerns around border economies where some of the

incidents is highest, that there is spill—over between the north and the republic of ireland. those are quite complex issues sitting there in the back. 0k. thank you forjoining us. the situation with regards to the pandemic indoor not —— northern ireland, there. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's mike bushell. as you might expect, i'm a bit disappointed northern ireland are not through to the euros but scotland, what a win, what drama? i feel for you, so close. we will come in to what happened in belfast. but wow, scotland, now they play england on friday the 21st ofjune next year, echoes of euro 96 at wembley. on a night of high drama in the euro 2020 play—off finals, it was one in, one out for the home nations. scotland qualified for their first major tournament in men's football since the 1998 world cup, after beating serbia on penalties. but it was a night of heartbreak

for nothern ireland, who lost 2—1 in extra time to slovakia. patrick gearey looks back on a roller—coaster of a night. 22 years of frustration and consternation. marshall has saved! 22 years forgotten in a second. the wait since ‘98, the hope and pain, all condensed into one match. but finally, scotland's men are back at a major tournament. scottish fans in their living rooms will have seen too much over the past two decades to think this would be easy. and yet, when ryan christie scored, it was the least they deserved. but they failed to finish serbia off. fate had been tempted, and fate has form with scotland. 89 minutes, luka jovic. it's in! all sorts of demons and doubts raised in belgrade. in extra time, scotland wobbled, holding on for the bell. keeper david marshall saved them. and on that crucial tenth kick of the shoot—out, he turned back history. a night of champagne spray for scotland began

with disinfectant in belfast. it kills germs, but not spirit. northern ireland rules allowed some fans to watch them face slovakia, but that wasn't an entirely pleasant experience whenjuraj kucka put the slovakians ahead. and there they stayed all the way into the final five minutes, when paddy mcnair saw a gap and forced an own goal. and it's gone in! this is how 2020 does wild celebrations, and it seemed that energy might power northern ireland all the way to the euros. kyle lafferty so nearly got them there. but in the second half of extra time, they gave michal duris just enough to aim at — just enough to break their hearts. the closer you get, the harder it can be to face. patrick geary, bbc news. what a contrast there, the northern ireland seat and i'm sure that the scotla nd ireland seat and i'm sure that the scotland elevations will continue across the country today. what about the man who led them there, steve

clark? unbelievable, unbelievable, the character of the players, to... we were setting up nicely for a difficult scottish last game scenario, weren't we? 1—0 up going into the last minute of the game and conceding from a set play. it would have been easy to crumble and take the disappointment and not finish the game properly but they dug in in extra time. they kept believing and they get their reward when we got it to penalty kicks. they kept their nerve again. two big games, twice that group of players have held their nerve. and they were perfect penalties as well. a historic night too at wembley, as england beat the republic of ireland 3—0 in a friendly. harry maguire captained the side, and opened the scoring. jadon sancho and dominic calvert—lewin then sealed england's first victory over the republic since 1985. and it was a big night for teenagerjude bellingham. he came on to become england's third youngest player, aged 17 years and 136 days old. elsewhere wales v usa was goalless. after a seven—month delay,

the masters finally got under way at augusta yesterday — but due to a delay because of bad weather, around half the field including the likes of rory mcilroy are yet to complete their first round. one man who did is england's paul casey, he leads the way on 7—under. after the rain cleared, casey was one of a number to take advantage. this approach to the 11th green, his second hole of the day, brought him an eagle. lee westwood is also well placed at 4—under, the same score as defending champion tiger woods. this approach on the par—316th showing he's not going to let go, of the green jacket easily. so, three shots behind casey, with the tournament being played behind closed doors. no fan no fans at all and tiger said that was a bit confusing because you did not know where the ball had landed always. back to the studio. despite the chancellor pledging billions to help those impacted financially by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, millions of people are still finding

themselves falling through the gaps and are unable to access any support. with me is our business presenter sima kotecha. yes, throughout the pandemic, we have heard from people who feel they have heard from people who feel they have been left behind and not supported by the government, that they simply don't have enough cash in their pockets. that is because some of them have not qualified for government support. they have not made the threshold of having started thejob by made the threshold of having started the job by previous state. and someone the job by previous state. and someone who has experienced this difficulty is tim smith who joins me now. he is a chef who has been made redundant and does not qualify for furlough. for you, life redundant and does not qualify for furlough. foryou, life has redundant and does not qualify for furlough. for you, life has been pretty tough, hasn't it, tell me about that? yes, it has been pretty bad. i started my newjob on the 8th of march at the beginning of the year, that was before borisjohnson said pubs, clubs and restaurants should close down before lockdown and any of the chance a's schemes

but because i was paid after march the 19th, i missed the cut—off date of the scheme which meant i was ineligible for furlough, despite my employer wanting to do so. she retained me anyway, my employer but the only option open to me was universal credit. i signed up to universal credit. i signed up to universal credit, as the chancellor said. igot universal credit, as the chancellor said. i got nothing in april, and the reason i got nothing was because my new employer paid me for the 12 days i had worked in march. so straightaway at the beginning of lockdown, i took a pretty big financial hit and it did not get any better from there, if i'm honest. and this has had a big impact on your mental health, hasn't it, tim? what would you say to the argument that the government simply cannot save everyone, there is no money tree. i have heard that argument is a lot but he would not say it to an nhs worker trying to save life and

frankly i have had more support from excluded uk with regards to helping with my mental health and i have from the government. —— than i have. there are so many solutions to fix all this. like i there are so many solutions to fix allthis. like i say, my employer retained me and i went back to work when the hospitality industry reopened injuly. when the hospitality industry reopened in july. my when the hospitality industry reopened injuly. my hmrc account shows that i worked for the same employer in march, returned injuly, i worked for them in 2018 and that isjust me as i worked for them in 2018 and that is just me as a i worked for them in 2018 and that isjust me as a new starter, there are people at the beginning of the year who had theirjob taken away because of lockdown, and they were excluded. there are so many of us, there's myself, a new starter, newly self—employed people or otherwise limited companies, directors, which i have only ever worked for limited companies, me, i have only everand £23,000 per year, companies, me, i have only everand £23,000 peryear, i'm companies, me, i have only everand £23,000 per year, i'm an average worker and i can't take this financial hit. universal credit for me, from may untiljune, i got £417

each month. i am in so much debt just because i got left behind. we just because i got left behind. we just seem to have been ignored. tim, talking about the debt, just tell me how you have been surviving because like you said, you don't have enough money. am i right in saying you have been missing meals as well? yes, because my universal credit payment in april was nothing, all of the funds i had, i had used to move down to cornwall to start the job in the first place so in genuinely —— so in april, i was genuinely eating every other day, rationing my meals. in may when i got the universal credit, i could eat but i was still getting further in debt each month. that took a toll on me to the point where i ended took a toll on me to the point where iended up took a toll on me to the point where i ended up in hospital in cornwall, because i had been having anxiety attacks and panic attacks. that is not something i had ever had before. the whole experience for me was

quite rotten, if i'm honest. yeah... 0h, quite rotten, if i'm honest. yeah... oh, thank you, tim, for being so honest and telling us how you have been coping. we wish you lots of luck in the future. unfortunately, we have heard from so many people like tim who have really been struggling financially but ministers have told us over and over again that they simply can't afford to support everyone. cima thank you forjoining us. a major review has suggested reforms for university admissions, to make them fairerand university admissions, to make them fairer and more transparent. it follows a n fairer and more transparent. it follows an 18 month review involving extensive polling and consultation with students, rules, colleges, recent graduates, employers and education sector groups. the fair admissions review has called for

unconditional offer is to end, where stu d e nts unconditional offer is to end, where students are given an unconditional offer of study if they make the university their first choice. it also recommends universities should only offer places to students after exa m only offer places to students after exam results are known. we'rejoined now by the vice president of gablac universities uk for england and northern the vice chancellor of the university of hertfordshire as well, and hejoins university of hertfordshire as well, and he joins us university of hertfordshire as well, and hejoins us now. thank you for joining us. this follows an 18 month review started obviously before the pandemic but how do you think the exa m pandemic but how do you think the exam scales that we have seen over the last three months days into this review. gosh, we obviously did not know we were going to have this kind of upset to the exam results that we had in the summer when we started the review, so the review was based primarily on trying to improve the transparency and the trust and indeed the understanding of the admissions process as it currently exists. in creating the review, we

decided we would try to protect and prioritise the applicants, the stu d e nts prioritise the applicants, the students who were applying for places. that is how we have, if you like couched the whole review. it was not really influenced terribly much by what happened in the summer. let's talk about timings because lots of universities have previously talked about the length of time between results day and courses starting as a reason to continue with the system of predicted grades, to give them more time to sift through applications and make offers. that timing issue does not go away, does it? no, it doesn't but we have worked very closely with ucas, who have done some modelling for us and on the basis of the modelling they have done, we believe that a system of post—qualification others can be introduced which will still allow students the time, firstly to accept the offers and if they don't get any accepted office, then to go into the clearing process which will allow us to start at

broadly the usual time in september. we think this will allow us to simply tweak the system rather than have any radical reform to the timetables for schools and universities which is of course what we are hoping for. but we are going to go through a further period of consultation and review to make sure that there are no unintended consequences that we have not thought about in that process. of course, the introduction will not be for three years. so there is a good period of time in order to make sure we iron out any problems. and to work on the timescales. 0ver we iron out any problems. and to work on the timescales. over the yea rs, work on the timescales. over the years, people have said the system as it exists, based on predicted offers, benefits students from more affluent backgrounds. do you think this will lead to a much greater levelling up of the system of university admissions? yes, well, the fundamental reason for us undertaking the review at all was to try and make sure that the system

which was in place was as fair as it possibly could be, and of course, we hope that having and making offers based on actual results, rather than predicted results, will be a fairer system, so yes, absolutely, we hope thatis system, so yes, absolutely, we hope that is the case. 0k, professor, good to hear from you today and very interesting proposal that you have taken us through, the universities uk chairman, there. tonight marks 40 years since the launch of children in need, and although the fundraising events might be a bit different this year, the donations are still vital. all this week we've been looking at some of ways the money the cast of bbc 0ne's the goes wrong show have also filmed a special sketch and we can get more on this and speak to two of its stars — henry lewis.

great to have you with us and how have you got involved with the 40th anniversary of children in need? we had a bit of time in our hands and we we re had a bit of time in our hands and we were working on the christmas special in the studio and we asked them if they would like a special and we pre—recorded itjust last week and we are very excited for it to get out and m. can you give us a hint ora to get out and m. can you give us a hint or a little tease about what we can expect from the sketch? of course, a fictional drama society, the one from that goes wrong show are presenting a new scene with lots of covid health and safety restrictions in place and obviously those restrictions start to make the scene unravel a little bit. so hopefully having a laugh, and some of the restrictions —— at some of the restrictions in our life. we need that, don't we, and does a

certain yellow bear get involved? pudsey is not involved, sadly. 0bviously, he will be in the show but not in the sketch, although i do wear a very but not in the sketch, although i do wear a very yellow costume which we will see later. may be a slight homage to pudsey with your outfit in the sketch. how important was watching children in need to you growing up? presumably you watched it when you were younger. how important is it for you to be involved on this occasion? it is amazing, it is a bbc institution, isn't it? i watched it every year as a kid and obviously, it does amazing work and it helps children all across the uk and it is incredible, it is nearly 4000 different local charities and organisations it helps so it is an amazing thing. it is such an amazing, creative thing with so many amazing comedians, performers and singers and people coming together as well. it is an honour to be part of the line up. we

have managed to get the line sorted to jonathan as have managed to get the line sorted tojonathan as well, your colleague, jonathan, because we were planning to speak to both of you first of all, and i know henry will be relieved not to have to bear the brunt of answering all of these really difficult questions! but jonathan, how excited are you about the sketch and being involved in children in need in its 40th anniversary? yes, i am very excited and pleased to bn now as well! anniversary? yes, i am very excited and pleased to en now as well! good to see you up though it's been terrible i've been unable tojoin in. iam terrible i've been unable tojoin in. i am thrilled. we really can't wait, it is so exciting to be involved. give us your take on the sketch, we have heard from henry but i would love to get your thoughts as well, and how you work and collaborate to come up with sketches like this. of course, henry did a very good job at explaining the sketch so there's not a huge amount to add! yes, it isjust a take on something that we have been going through at the moment, and yes, i really hope everyone enjoys it. in regards to how we make stuff,

interestingly, everything we have been writing in the last six months has all been through zoom and this conversation is a good example of how it throws up the occasional challenge, between how easy and hard it is to communicate. you know, the world we work in is very collaboratively mother three of us who write but with the entire team, it isa who write but with the entire team, it is a huge team effort with everything we make. —— comparatively, with the three of us. we are going through a dark and difficult year, but you know, it is very much a basic human need to laugh and have fun and enjoy ourselves. how important do you think comedy is at a time like this? i think it takes on a really high level of... it becomes quite profound, i think. level of... it becomes quite profound, ithink. like level of... it becomes quite profound, i think. like you say, at the moment, ithink profound, i think. like you say, at the moment, i think we are desperate for a release of some kind and catharsis and i think laughter is a huge part in how we do that all over

the world. it is so important to be able to laugh and there is a brilliant charlie chaplin quotes about love their being one of the key things that preserve your sanity and keeps you going. if ever there was a time that we need that, it is right now. and as well at a time when it is that little bit harder to come together, just watching something and laughing is a really fantastic and important way which we can come together and i think with children in need, it is coming together plus because it also does such fantastic work for communities across the country. henry, do you know what time we can see the sketch tonight? i am not sure exactly, i believe it is quite early in the evening but i don't know the exact time so you will have to watch everything! yes, we have to watch the whole thing! henry and jonathan, glad to speak to you and glad we we re glad to speak to you and glad we were able to get the technical side sorted so we could speak tojonathan as well and really looking forward to the sketch tonight. henry lewis

and jonathan say out from that goes wrong show. this year's children in need programme will be broadcast on bbc one tonight from 7pm. now it's time for a look at the weather. compared to the wet conditions some of you started with the day, lots more sunshine around now. still some downpours to come through the rest of the day, particularly in the north and west, this is where we will see the showers but more cloud and rain waiting in the wings for the weekend. clumps of cloud lining up the weekend. clumps of cloud lining up in the atlantic. this is the window of quieter weather for the afternoon, the area of cloud which brought the rain this morning continues to move off towards the east. clearing kent and shetland last of all as we start lunchtime. long sunny spells in the south and east of the country but even here, one or two isolated showers. the main chance of showers to the north and west, western scotland and northern ireland, showers most frequent and heaviest and with the breeze at its freshest this afternoon here, further south and east, there went no where near as strong as first thing this morning.

temperature is not 1 strong as first thing this morning. temperature is not! million miles away from where they should be this time of year, 10—14. turning cool quite quickly that evening, clear skies delete and half of the country, one or two showers in the west but through the evening and overnight, cloud starts to spill in off the atlantic and the next spell off the atlantic and the next spell of wet weather at times. as you can see the rain is fairly fragmented, coming and going by the end of the night, and temperatures will end up close to double figures as we start the weekend. quite a mild weekend on the weekend. quite a mild weekend on the way but when you are at times, particularly in the south, and rain will feature very largely in the forecast, because we have low pressure moving into the west of the country and weather fronts working their way up on a southerly breeze. rain on and off through the day on saturday, of large amounts of loud and very little sunshine, one or two clips is to the south—east and for the far north—east of scotland, but for most, a fairly cloudy day and outbreaks of rain, the heaviest of which will be through the afternoon across parts of south—west scotland

and northern ireland down into wales and northern ireland down into wales and the western half of england but it will be a day which feels milder and milder. a mild night to come and as we going to sunday, low pressure is still there, revolving around it, more weather fronts so more rain at times. a better chance of seeing some sunshine between the downpours but some downpours on sunday will be on the heavy side, a rumble of thunder and flash of lightning towards the south and west and throughout the weekend, southern counties of england and wales, the strongest wind touching gale force at times, making them feel cooler than the temperatures would suggest. have a good weekend.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines. the prime minister's most senior adviser — dominic cummings — says he'll leave downing street before christmas, after the turmoil of recent days. the yorkshire ripper peter sutcliffe has died at the age of 74. the serial killer was serving a whole life term for murdering 13 women across yorkshire and north—west england. wilma mccann was killed by peter sutcliffe. her son richard wasjust five years old when she died. for me it is the reduction hopefully in press stories, the tabloid press, that really irritated me