mark lowen, bbc news, rome. not sure if it is good starling weather over here. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello. we have severe waether the way for the week ahead, today's been fairly quiet. this evening we have thicker cloud bringing wet weather for a while across scotland and northern ireland before it turns showery again. some of that cloud will push into england and wales, a bit of a breeze overnight. shouldn't get too cold, many places temperatures will be just above freezing, there is the risk of a few icy patches here and there. tomorrow we are left with this line of rain in southern scotland. to the north there will be sunshine, showers, wintry over the hills, bright enough start elsewhere, with the odd light shower but it will cloud over from the south—west, getting rain into the south—west, pushing into wales, west country in the afternoon. in the south—west it will turn misty later, temperatures may be making double

figure, elsewhere a chillier five to seven. we have wet weather arriving overnight into tuesday and wednesday across england and wales, that is likely to bring flooding. area most at risk and we have an amber warning from the met office is for the southern pennines and the northern peak district.

forking hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: a warning of mounting pressure on hospitals and staff by the head of nhs england. mass vaccinations begin at another ten centres in england from tomorrow — as the foreign secretary pledges every adult in the uk will be offered a first dose by september. the anti—kremlin activist alexei navalny is detained in moscow, embracing his wife before he was taken away. mr navalny flew back to russia for the first time since he was nearly killed by a nerve agent attack last year. the jailed american music producer phil spector, who helped define the sound of the sixties — and the creator of the �*wall of sound' — has died in prison aged 81. and america is on high alert, in the run—up to the inauguration ofjoe biden.

the national guard are out in force. that is it from me. in about ten minutes' time, yogita limaye will speak to afghanistan's vice president about the country's relationship with the us, and the incoming biden administration. first on bbc news, it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. on the programme this evening: could it live up to expectation? highlights of liverpool against manchester united coming up. rangers' winning streak comes to an end — they're held by motherwell. 36 runs to go. england close in on a win over sri lanka in the first test — but not without a chaotic end to day 4. and 72 players now in quarantine — how do they prepare for the australian open?

hello and welcome to sportsday. good evening — if you've just turned over premier league game of the weekend — what did you think? champions liverpool against the league leaders manchester united didn't live up to the hype, did it? the goalless draw means united stay top, and leaves the door open for manchester city to leapfrog liverpool into third place later. austin halewood reports. the fans may not be there, the atmosphere is not the same, but this event is just as big atmosphere is not the same, but this event isjust as big of atmosphere is not the same, but this event is just as big of an occasion. this year, it means a little bit more. liverpool were almost 30 points ahead last year, but now, united in the team to catch. bruno

fernandes has been one of their standout players all season, and he was inches away from giving his side the lead at anfield. that free kick sliding just outside of the posts. but against this liverpool team, you can't sit back and relax. the break from mo sala, the shot from firming eno, that the skills still at half—time. the game still yet to kick into life until late in the second half, fernandes had the best chance of the game, united onlyjust kept out. moments later, they were in again. the moment they had waited for, the rejuvenated paul popperjust could not take it. alison once again keeping the scores level, and that's how it would finish. the biggest game of the season so far never really out of first gear. ahead of manchester city's game against crystal palace later, tottenham have moved back above pep guardiola's side in to the top 4 with a 3—1 victory at bottom club sheffield united. the pick of spurs goals came from tanguy ndombele with this sublime flick over aaron ramsdale

in the second half. we played, very, very well. we should score more goals in the first hour. we were very dominant, and we should calm the game down. in the second half, a very basic mistake, very basic mistake, again punished with a goal that brought them to life. but we were lucky to materialise an incredible action and go back to two goals' advantage. i keep saying, about the team, the stuff that— i keep saying, about the team, the stuff that we keep talking about i’i l ht stuff that we keep talking about right the way through the season, key moments, like the quality this afternoon — one other piece of premier league news, and mesut ozil has said goodbye to his team mates at arsenal's training ground. he's now on his way to turkey

for a medical, ahead of an expected move to fenerbache. rangers' winning run of 15 successive scottish premiership matches has come to a surprise end, as they were held to a 1—1 draw by stuggling motherwell. jim lumsden reports. bottom against top, with the runaway premiership leaders looking to widen the gap over celtic to 23 points. motherwell took a surprise early lead at ibrox in december before eventually losing, and after 20 minutes today, devante cole put his side ahead. the perfect start to a first half game in charge for new manager graham alexander, but that shocked steven gerard's side into action. they were close to one here. just inches wide!— just inches wide! motherwell then s - ent just inches wide! motherwell then sent the just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest _ just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest of _ just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest of the _ just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest of the first - just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest of the first half - just inches wide! motherwell then spent the rest of the first half on | spent the rest of the first half on the back foot, but held out. after the back foot, but held out. after the break, more of the same followed, with devante, the scorer,

saving his side's bacon. rangers' winning streak of 15 league matches was under threat. on came substitute del the substitute. try as they might, they could not add another, so another precious point for motherwell, who move off the bottom. rangers, still a hefty lead at the top, still unbeaten. chelsea have gone above manchester united at the top of the women's super league on goal difference, after beating them 2—i at kingsmeadow. emma hayes' side took a first half lead after fran kirby hit the post, pernille harder followed up to make it 1—0. united equalised after the break, a great individual goal from lauren james. but a composed finish from fran kirby was the difference between the two sides, inflicting united's first defeat in 15 wsl games. elsewhere in the women's super league: manchester city thrashed aston villa 7—0. player of the match lauren hemp scored two and had a hand in two more.

city are fourth in the table. third placed arsenal came from behind to draw at reading, in their first match after a four—week long layoff due to positive coronovirus tests. vivienne miedema with the equaliser. and england midfielder izzy christiansen scored twice as everton beat bristol city 4—0, their first win in six wsl games. it's been a fascinating day's cricket between england and sri lanka on the fourth day of the first test in galle. it looked like england would coast towards a straight—forward victory, but there's been a sting in the tail, asjoe wilson reports. what stood in galle between england and directory? first, sri lanka's batting was the story of the morning. reminding made it to 100. now, it's a given moment, not as big as the ball squeeze through safely to the boundary. those four runs

took sri lanka into the lead. five wickets down. there is england's bowler. there is sri lanka's dressing room. was there much turning? hang on. short catch from butler. asa as a wrangle was the eighth to fall. the match with england's grasp. not finished yet. angelo matthews experienced, defiant and scoring. while he remained, sri lanka's lead increased. leach lead him to the edge. his fifth wicket, and sri lanka were all out. now england just needed 7a to win. hold your nerve, when the test. oh, dear. 3—1. next, crawley caught 12—2. still, there was the captain. oh no, there was not. joe root in a scrambling, tangling —— for a not. joe root in a scrambling, tangling —— fora run not. joe root in a scrambling, tangling —— for a run which he did not make. check the mood. faces of stone. there is in tatters. what is coming next? well, the umpire saw

bad light. england remainjust three down, just 36 to win. the end is close. we knew at the wicket was doing. it was obviously big spin, and with that new ball against the sri lankan spinners, it was always going to be a tricky period. but i think we have consolidated pretty well. johnny and dan played really nicely, and i think the way dan has played has really been great to see, and i think we can come back and get the remaining runs tomorrow. they certainly hope so! staying with cricket... india fought back on day three of the fourth test against australia. shardul thakur made 67 and washington sundar 62 before india were bowled out for 366. australia lead by 5a runs. one of the team's competing alongside sir ben ainslie in the qualification races for the america's cup in march had real trouble earlier. the american magic boat

was caught by a strong gust of wind and capsized. thankfully all the crew were ok. the british boat has now won four out of four races. two—time championjohn higgins leads debutant yan bingtao by five frames to three after the first session of the masters snooker final in milton keynes. coverage continues tonight on bbc2 from 7. there are now 72 tennis players confined to their hotel rooms ahead of next month's australian open following a positive coronavirus test result on a third charter flight bound for melbourne. although some players have expressed their frustration at the confinement, there's concern from the thousands of australians who have not been able to return home because of travel restrictions. adam wild reports. tennis training in hotel quarantine. this is how many of the world's greatest players are having to prepare for the first grand slam of

the year. everyone arriving into australia has to isolate in hotels for 1h days. that includes all 1200 players and coaches. they were, though, given special dispensation to leave for five hours' training a day. but after three flights arrived with someone who tested positive, all 72 players abroad are now forbidden to leave their rooms at all. , ., . , forbidden to leave their rooms at all. , ., ., , ., forbidden to leave their rooms at all. ., , ., ., ., all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing _ all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing to _ all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing to do _ all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing to do the - all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing to do the best - all. this tournament is going ahead, we are continuing to do the best we| we are continuing to do the best we can possibly do to make sure those players have what is not a great situation, one that is somewhat acceptable. situation, one that is somewhat acceptable-— acceptable. this is britain's heather watson _ acceptable. this is britain's heather watson running . acceptable. this is britain's' heather watson running five kilometres in a bedroom she is now stuck in for the next fortnight, after someone tested positive on her flight from abu dhabi. others took to complain. the fact these players are here at all has been questioned by the many thousands of australian citizens stranded around the world, unable to

return home due to the strict restrictions. i return home due to the strict restrictions.— return home due to the strict restrictions. ~ ., , ., , restrictions. i think many are very ha - restrictions. i think many are very happy that _ restrictions. i think many are very happy that the — restrictions. i think many are very happy that the tennis _ restrictions. i think many are very happy that the tennis is _ restrictions. i think many are very happy that the tennis is going - restrictions. i think many are very i happy that the tennis is going ahead in australia, but the fact that they are being let in ahead of other australians that have been trying desperately to come home, you know, 8000 are considered on the vulnerable list, and yet we are welcoming thousands of foreign tennis players in. despite the controversy, the tournament is scheduled to begin on time. playersjust have tournament is scheduled to begin on time. players just have to train as best as they can. some inventive stuff happening there. remember, the snooker is over on bbc two from 7pm. and there is one more premier league for you this evening, manchester city against crystal palace. that's all from sportsday. and now, time for afghanistan and the us. thanks for watching.

2,500 us troops were due to have pulled out of afghanistan this week — the beginning of the end of america's war in the country. it's part of a deal signed between the trump administration and the taliban in february last year — according to which it's been agreed that all foreign forces will leave afghanistan this spring. peace talks are taking place between the afghan government and the taliban, but it's unclear if and when they might result in a resolution. all this comes against the backdrop of a significant surge in violence. dozens of afghans are being killed every day. the conflict has resulted in acute poverty and hunger. there are fears that, once all international forces leave, the taliban might be back in power in the country. i met afghanistan's vice president, amrullah saleh, and began by asking him if this was the right time for us troops to be leaving.

we believe the mission is not accomplished, but if they decide to leave, we respect their decision.