the squad its biggest challenge and the squad have not_ its biggest challenge and the squad have not played competitive football since november.— since november. obviously with covid, what _ since november. obviously with covid, what has _ since november. obviously with covid, what has impacted - since november. obviously with covid, what has impacted a - since november. obviously with covid, what has impacted a lot i since november. obviously with l covid, what has impacted a lot of people _ covid, what has impacted a lot of peorfle in— covid, what has impacted a lot of pe0ple in a — covid, what has impacted a lot of pe0ple in a lot _ covid, what has impacted a lot of people in a lot of— covid, what has impacted a lot of people in a lot of different - covid, what has impacted a lot of people in a lot of different ways i people in a lot of different ways and obviously— people in a lot of different ways and obviously it _ people in a lot of different ways and obviously it is— people in a lot of different ways and obviously it is not— people in a lot of different ways and obviously it is not ideal- people in a lot of different waysi and obviously it is not ideal that people in a lot of different ways l and obviously it is not ideal that a vast majority _ and obviously it is not ideal that a vast majority of _ and obviously it is not ideal that a vast majority of the _ and obviously it is not ideal that a vast majority of the girls - and obviously it is not ideal that a vast majority of the girls who - and obviously it is not ideal that al vast majority of the girls who were already _ vast majority of the girls who were already out — vast majority of the girls who were already out of— vast majority of the girls who were already out of season _ vast majority of the girls who were already out of season have - vast majority of the girls who were . already out of season have struggled to find _ already out of season have struggled to find a _ already out of season have struggled to find a way— already out of season have struggled to find a way to — already out of season have struggled to find a way to play _ already out of season have struggled to find a way to play competitive - to find a way to play competitive matches — to find a way to play competitive matches but _ to find a way to play competitive matches but we _ to find a way to play competitive matches but we fear— to find a way to play competitive matches but we fear nobody- to find a way to play competitive matches but we fear nobody and to find a way to play competitive . matches but we fear nobody and we are going _ matches but we fear nobody and we are going to — matches but we fear nobody and we are going to go— matches but we fear nobody and we are going to go in— matches but we fear nobody and we are going to go in and _ matches but we fear nobody and we are going to go in and give - matches but we fear nobody and we are going to go in and give it - are going to go in and give it absolutely— are going to go in and give it absolutely everything - are going to go in and give it absolutely everything in - are going to go in and give it. absolutely everything in these are going to go in and give it - absolutely everything in these two games _ absolutely everything in these two names. �* , ., absolutely everything in these two names. g , ., z: absolutely everything in these two names. , ., 11, ., , absolutely everything in these two names. , ., z: , ., absolutely everything in these two lames- , ., f, , ., , ., ., games. just over 20 years on from their lowest — games. just over 20 years on from their lowest point, _ games. just over 20 years on from their lowest point, this _ games. just over 20 years on from their lowest point, this team - games. just over 20 years on from their lowest point, this team is - games. just over 20 years on from | their lowest point, this team is now just two matches away from the biggest high. lydia campbell, bbc news. let's take a look at some of the other sports news stories making the headlines today. the french open has been postponed by a week in the hope that more spectators will be permitted to attend. france is in a third nationwide lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases. the french tennis federation said postponing was the "best solution". sarah hunter will play her first england game for 13 months when they face italy on saturday in the women's six nations.

hunter comes straight back into the side and will reclaim the captaincy as one of ten changes to the side that beat scotland last weekend. and sachin tendulkar has been released from hospital. the india cricket legend is still suffering from covid—19. he says he will remain isolated while continuing to rest and recuperate. all 18 counties playing on the opening day of the 2021 county championship season. defending champions essex host worcestershire in the county championship, and it was a start to forget for england's highest test run scorer, alastair cook — he was caught lbw forjust 15 runs. but an unbeaten 84 from their captain tom westley steered their recovery. essex were 206—3 when bad light stopped play. some of england's top cricketers will be playing in the dynamic indian premier league which gets under way tomorrow. jofra archer, ben stokes

and jos buttler among them. however, the pandemic has cast it's shadow, no crowds will be watching on with cases surging again in india. earlier i spoke to the deputy editor of ndtv, rica roy and began by asking her if the league had no choice in the matter? each team bubble and the 18th some there is 70—80 people kept and tested every day. so they are able to conduct the tournament. we have heard of covid cases in the bronchus team among players, those cases had to be isolated on top of that, if they have to get a crack, there would be another trouble. they wanted to avoid that and make it a tv only format and because it is a tv only format and because it is a tv only format and because it is a tv only format and there is night

curfew in many cities now because of rising covid numbers, the ipo hours, people are expected to stay home and watch the league thereby helping the broadcasters in the ratings that are expected to go through the roof once again. —— the macro hours. let’s again. -- the macro hours. let's turn to the _ again. -- the macro hours. let's turn to the cricket _ again. -- the macro hours. let's turn to the cricket itself, - again. -- the macro hours. let's turn to the cricket itself, some l again. -- the macro hours. let's| turn to the cricket itself, some of the top players will be performing. how exciting do you think this season's a is? it how exciting do you think this season's a is?— how exciting do you think this season's a is? it is yet another very exciting — season's a is? it is yet another very exciting season _ season's a is? it is yet another very exciting season ahead. in | very exciting season ahead. in indian contexts, one would say it is going to be an exhibition once again of new india, the young india that everyone talks about with the delhi daredevils, many others that neck then you have someone down with covid who is expected to come back to the team and exhibition of talents in terms of india and then

you look at the international teams, some of them have the best players playing in the ipl. the english have 14 playing in the ipl. the english have 1a of their top round players here. of course one of the players everyone would have loved to watch his job for archer. we don't know how long it will take for him to recover. theyjust hope that he will be... beyond that they will have to take a call on job for archer. there is exciting english talent on display in this season of ipl as well as jason broy who was called in as a replacement for the sunrisers aside, then you have owen morgan captaining the knight riders. there is ben stokes, joss butler. all of them expected to light up this edition of the league. the ipl starts tomorrow in mumbai. let's go to the olympics.

four—time olympic champion simone biles has hinted that she may continue in gymnastics until the paris 2024 games. the american said she would retire after the tokyo olympics, however, two of her coaches are french and may have persuaded her not to rule it out. biles also said she was making every effort to get her family to tokyo, despite no foreign spectators allowed. she also emphasised how important it was to have the vaccine. i have not been one to make it my time, i would like to be vaccinated, i think it is up to athletes to become advocates for that so we can stay safe and healthy. and we can have a good game. and i think it will be really exciting once the time comes, so deftly approve a being vaccinated. ifeel time comes, so deftly approve a being vaccinated. i feel very confident it is going to happen and it is going to be a good game. definitely never competed without my family there and i have showed how my mum is going to get a credential

or the media or something, she is going to be something to be there. i just never not have my family and i think it is going to be really weird but we will have so much support there in spirit. so it will be good. honestly right now my main focus is the olympic games and then afterwards i am not so sure because cecile and laurent are from paris and so they have kind of gives me into coming back but the main goal is the 2021 olympics first tour and then we will have to see. more of simone biles can only be a good thing. let's end with an example of how broadcasting live sport doesn't always go to plan. this is st louis cardinals player tyler o'neill hitting a foul ball in a major league baseball game against the miami marlins. seems fairly ordinary? well, replays showed that the ball in fact smashed one of the cameras behind the batter. it caused a delay in the game as the broken glass had to be cleared up, but nice to see baseball players are also

handy with a dustpan. and i assume the camera has to be replaced but nice to see baseball players are also handy with a dustpan. who paid for the camera equipment that is what i want to know. that's all from sportsday. we'll have more throughout the evening. for now, thanks for watching. goodbye. hello, you are watching bbc news. police in northern ireland say the rioting in west belfast last night was on a scale not seen for years. politicians from all sides have condemned the violence — in which eight officers were injured on both sides of a wall between loyalist and nationalist areas. the northern ireland secretary, brandon lewis, says there's no excuse for violence — and people must resolve their differences through political means. let's speak now to ben lowry who's deputy editor of the news letter a unionist paper and one of northern ireland's main daily newspapers.

good evening to you. ijust wonder how much of a surprise this outbreak of violence has come to you. ldetail. of violence has come to you. well, i'm not of violence has come to you. well, l'm not sure _ of violence has come to you. well, l'm not sure it— of violence has come to you. well, i'm not sure it is _ of violence has come to you. well, i'm not sure it is a _ of violence has come to you. well, i'm not sure it is a surprise. - of violence has come to you. well, i'm not sure it is a surprise. let's i i'm not sure it is a surprise. let's start with one of the first problems. this is happening in areas where quite deprived glorious areas and there is a lot of what sociologists say our needs, people who are not in employment or education or training. and we have heard from across the uk about how the covid has exacerbated inequalities. there is a lot of problems in these areas anyway but there is also in the loyalist areas under cross unionism in northern ireland a long—standing sense that everything is slipping away from them. every thing that irish

republicans and irish nationalists want which is a move towards a united ireland, they are getting, that the british government which prides itself in being a conservative and unionist party it isn't helping and the big manifestation of that which only became apparent injanuary was agreed in 2019 which was the irish sea border that porsche —— boris johnson agreed with the european union that has become a significant trade barrier between northern ireland and the rest of the uk, a fundamental thing for people here who feel british, a fundamental breach and betrayal felt by them. and then a significant large scale funeral of an ira leader lastjune and thousands of people in the streets, a very clear breach of the spirit of social distancing whatever the rules and last week after all these investigations and the prosecutors decided nobody was even going to get a caution. so you throw all these things together and you have a bit of a perfect storm that

has erupted in violence in these parts of belfast and in other loyalist areas.— parts of belfast and in other loyalist areas. parts of belfast and in other lo alist areas. , ., , ., loyalist areas. does that help that the first mr _ loyalist areas. does that help that the first mr arlene _ loyalist areas. does that help that the first mr arlene foster - loyalist areas. does that help that the first mr arlene foster called i loyalist areas. does that help thatj the first mr arlene foster called at one point for the resignation of the head of the police service? is that sort of rhetoric and helpful? —— first minister arlene foster. critics of arlene foster have been very angry about that. stormont was recalled today and she was quite isolated, she seemed hoarse voiced and ill, somewhat ill, may be an element of pressure. and she has come under heavy criticism for that but all of the unionist parties, thatis but all of the unionist parties, that is the biggest unionist party, there is also the ulster unionist party and the tuv have called for the police chief to quit because the prosecutor said and i think one of the ease —— reasons for h not bringing charges in the aftermath of the funeral of an ira leader, they said that the police helped to

organise the funeral had caused the problem. whether or not it is helpful depends on people's perspectives. but there is very serious annoyance at that. we for example as a newspaper, our editorial position has been as he was saying when we introduce us that we are eunice and is not right to focus on the police because there is a much wider culture of appeasement of republicans partly because london is maybe in some respects not interested and in other respects a brexit deal has a lot of other things on his plate. —— that we are unionist. i things on his plate. -- that we are unionist. . r' things on his plate. -- that we are unionist. ., w , , ., unionist. i asked this question because politicians _ unionist. i asked this question because politicians across - unionist. i asked this question because politicians across the | because politicians across the political spectrum are calling for calm, calling for leadership. i'm wondering in what way that political leadership can be shown. how can

people in government try and put a stop to this violence and bring people together? ldetail stop to this violence and bring people together?— people together? well on the secific people together? well on the specific point, _ people together? well on the specific point, arlene - people together? well on the specific point, arlene fosteri people together? well on the i specific point, arlene foster said that she would not meet or talk to the chief constable because she has lost confidence in him and said that unionism and a whole has lost confidence. she did today speak to him i think by a zoom call. but your question is wider than that. i don't think we can get away from the fact that there is a very bad political situation in northern ireland. remember we have a rainbow coalition government here since 1998 part of the peace deal. you have sinn fein who are irish republicans and the dup. i think the easiest way to understand if you are living elsewhere in the uk is imagine a rainbow coalition that involve nigel farage and jeremy corbyn and everyone in between. that is not a recipe, that hasn't been an easy thing over the last 23 years and there have been lots of crises. but certainly brexit and i don't say this by taking a position of

progressive or anti—brexit, but there is no doubt that brexit has been a very source of division of this resulting irish sea border has been a huge issue, and then sinn fein brought down stormont over an energy scandal three years ago but did not come back up until after they got a number of things they wanted including an irish language act and they are now wanting delivery on that and that is a big culture of battle, unionists are very concerned about that. that isn't going to be an easy thing for arlene foster to deliver in the circumstances. it is not easy to see how stormont itself is going to survive all of these tensions at the moment. even if the trouble which everybody will be hoping does die down a little bit. {lilia everybody will be hoping does die down a little bit.— down a little bit. ok, thank you very much _ down a little bit. ok, thank you very much for— down a little bit. ok, thank you very much for your _ down a little bit. ok, thank you very much for your analysis. . down a little bit. ok, thank you i very much for your analysis. that down a little bit. ok, thank you - very much for your analysis. that is ben lowry, the deputy editor of the belfast news letter. let's look at the weather now, here is nick miller. hello, temperatures may have been a little higher today but it is

turning colder again, the return of arctic air and a cold weekend ahead. they are air following this area of cloud softwa re software and send tomorrow night through northern ireland this evening and then across northern england into parts of wales later in the night, it clears up in northern england, northern ireland and scotland and a frosty setting plenty of snow showers in scotland... gusting in the northern isles, 60—70 mph possibly disruptive, for the snow showers coming in. elsewhere in scotland, northern ireland, northern inland, the odd winter shares, plenty of sunnis was, a cloud for wales, across the east anglia were a dye up and start and shall remain... the ease sum in southern england and south wales hold on to double figure temperatures. elsewhere it will be a colder day and the cold we can become.

hello, i'm ros atkins, this is outside source. president biden has been said and got his plan to combat mass shootings in the us. gun got his plan to combat mass shootings in the us. gun violence in this country — shootings in the us. gun violence in this country is _ shootings in the us. gun violence in this country is an _ shootings in the us. gun violence in this country is an epidemic. - shootings in the us. gun violence in this country is an epidemic. let - shootings in the us. gun violence in this country is an epidemic. let me | this country is an epidemic. let me say it again. gun violence in this country is an epidemic. and it is an international embarrassment. applause. the plan includes a crackdown on so—called ghost guns, we take you through what is being proposed. in the trial of derek chauvin come a young alum extra has told the court that george floyd died at the offices held him down like a vice. —— lung x—ray. northern ireland is fair piece at the end of the night of writing and the police had the violence was on a scale not seen for

years. that's calling for peace. this means that we