thank goodness, a happy ending. time for a look at the weather here's matt taylor. good evening. even with some cloudy skies today in northern ireland, temperatures are humid i9 skies today in northern ireland, temperatures are humid 19 degrees and that's because we are dragging their all the way from the mid—atlantic. if you follow the air bag you will notice waiting in the wings yet more cloud. if you had a lot of sunshine today, expect more over the next few days which will bring some drizzle in the west, the odd heavier burst later in the night. most will be dry, clear skies across england, wales and eastern scotland, but note the temperatures, double figures. they are creeping up day by day so quite a humid start to tomorrow, especially scotland and northern ireland where there will be further cloud and outbreaks of rain. a lot more cloud to north—west

england and wales tomorrow with patchy drizzle just about possible. the best of the sunshine tomorrow in central eastern parts, 26 degrees, but even the west temperatures in the low 20s. temperatures on wednesday night dropping below 15 degrees for some so it will be a muqqy degrees for some so it will be a muggy start to thursday morning, maybe not a great night to get some sleep in. a deep low towards iceland and that strengthens the south—westerly flow as we going to thursday. a breezy day from north to west, still some rain at times, especially the highlands and islands, but overall it will be a cloudy day with a few glimpses of sunshine here and there, but even with cloud in place temperatures in the low 20s. england and wales, the further south and east you are, still pretty warm in the sunny spells but more sunshine develops as we go into the weekend which will boost temperatures even more. so

much so, some could see temperatures approaching 30 degrees. matt, thank you. that's all from the bbc news at six so it's goodbye from me and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc�*s news teams where you are.

hello, welcome to sportsday. i'm austin halewood. here's what's coming up this evening. england's players will continue to take the knee. that's the message from marcus rashford with the euros just a few days away. i'm in baku as well as prepare for theirfirst game in i'm in baku as well as prepare for their first game in the euros against switzerland on saturday. —— as wales prepare. just days after the suspension of 0llie robinson, another england cricketer is investigated for posting offesive material. the dream run continues. having never passed the second round of a slam before, tamara zidansek is through to her first semifinal. also coming up in the programme: how sport helped gave one international captain the confidence

to manage his stammer. good evening. we're almost there now. football's delayed euro 2020 kicks off in just three days�* time. hopes are high for domestic success with england, scotland and wales all involved. we'll be live at wales�*s training camp in baku shortly. but first, england forward marcus rashford has told the bbc that he and his team—mates will continue to take the knee. there were boos from a small section of fans when they made the anti—racism gesture at the start of their final warm—up game against romania. well, let's go live to england's training base at st george's park. 0ur correspondent natalie pirks is there for us.

naturally, what exactly has rashford had to say today? == naturally, what exactly has rashford had to say today?— had to say today? -- natalie. given that gareth — had to say today? -- natalie. given that gareth southgate _ had to say today? -- natalie. given that gareth southgate said - had to say today? -- natalie. given that gareth southgate said playersl that gareth southgate said players would not be talking about this issue any more, marcus rashford spoke really confidently and strongly on this matter today. remember, he became the youngest black player to captain england on sunday against romania, he scored the only goal of the game, and to sadie squad have been disappointed with how a vocal minority, should we say could have reacted to them taking the knee is an understatement, really, but today i found that rashford was pretty much unequivocal also they will not be quitting, they will carry on, enable carry on taking the need. let's have a little less than what he had to say. we are notjust going to quit because _ we are notjust going to quit because people disagree with it for whatever_ because people disagree with it for whatever reasons, so that's our thought — whatever reasons, so that's our thought process behind it. we are going _ thought process behind it. we are going to _ thought process behind it. we are going to stick added, we believe that it _ going to stick added, we believe that it is — going to stick added, we believe that it is a — going to stick added, we believe that it is a strong and powerful message _ that it is a strong and powerful message. and because we believe that, _ message. and because we believe

that, why— message. and because we believe that, why would not do that in a massive — that, why would not do that in a massive european tournament if we want to— massive european tournament if we want to spread a message we believe is positive? _ want to spread a message we believe is positive? now is probably the biggest — is positive? now is probably the biggest in the best time to do it. rashford — biggest in the best time to do it. rashford speaking there at the final media day at of the tournament, which is just media day at of the tournament, which isjust a few days away now. was the feeling like in the camp. how confident are they? like in the camp. how confident are the ? ., ~ ., like in the camp. how confident are the ? ., 4' ., . like in the camp. how confident are the ? ., ~ ., ., , they? you know what? the players we soke to they? you know what? the players we spoke to today — they? you know what? the players we spoke to today spoke _ they? you know what? the players we spoke to today spoke really, _ they? you know what? the players we spoke to today spoke really, really - spoke to today spoke really, really well and they seem incredibly confident. they are happy in each other�*s up and it seems those cloud cliques of yesteryear are gone. we heard from ben white, of course, who got the call up most recently and he was telling us how his mum was crying when he got that call from gareth southgate. we also heard from luke shaw, who is only one of three remaining playerfrom luke shaw, who is only one of three remaining player from that disaster and result in 2014. he said then, he did not believe her she being in the england squad as he does now, after all he has been surfaced of it is a sort of don't know what you miss

until it is gone. we spoke to phil foden. he has bleached his hair blonde. he told us he believes the balance of exuberance and experience that the squad has means they could go on and was enacted, but no —— win it. england played... no other team can say that. they were dumped out in human leading fashion in 2016 against iceland. they will want to make sure there is a repeat of that. euro 96 for me is the best effort, when they got to the 70s, when macklin scored that wonderful against scotland. we talked about that will phil foden today, but this time around is really the closer they are ever going to have that nine of —— there ever going to have to that kind of tournament. if england did make the final, only one game boy from wembley, and after russia, expectations this time

around are much, much higher. absolutely. not long to wait to find out how to get on. it all starts on friday. natalie pirks, our correspondent, thank you very much. meanwhile, wales supporters will be desperate for their team to recreate the magic of their last major tournament — when they reached the semi—finals of euro 2016 in france. they face switzerland on saturday in azerbaijan. well, our reporter hywel griffith joins us live now from the team's training camp in baku. just as natalie there with the feeling was like in the england camp. the same question to you. what's it like any wills camp? —— any wills camp? what's it like any wills camp? -- any wills camp?— any wills camp? straight to business _ any wills camp? straight to business. they _ any wills camp? straight to business. they landed - any wills camp? straight to l business. they landed today, any wills camp? straight to - business. they landed today, no any wills camp? straight to _ business. they landed today, no time to take in the sights cub but the mood was pretty relaxed, lots of laughing and joking amongst the players. although they have had to fly 3000 miles to the eastern edge of europe, they are pretty familiar with the set appear in azerbaijan. wales have played several times in

the whole thing games. they were back here in 2019, so they are unfamiliar ground, and although wales were novices in the last turn and five years ago, some of the players like gareth bale and aaron ramsey have been able to share their experience with younger members of the squad, some of them who were fans last summer on for ivan speak to ben cabango, who only had his first cap lastly year, to speak of his experience of 2016. i was iwas in i was in the fans own in cardiff, celebrating the winds and how well we had _ celebrating the winds and how well we had done, but now i am here, it is a surreal— we had done, but now i am here, it is a surreal feeling and i can't went— is a surreal feeling and i can't went to — is a surreal feeling and i can't went to get started. we are going to the stern— went to get started. we are going to the stern and full confidence know we can _ the stern and full confidence know we can achieve big things. the stem and full confidence know we can achieve big things. confident ou can we can achieve big things. confident you can match _ we can achieve big things. confident you can match last _ we can achieve big things. confident you can match last time _ we can achieve big things. confident you can match last time around? - you can match last time around? hopefully we can, but, yeah, wejust have to get up to a good start on saturday and then we can hopefully take us to where we went last euros. they did so well last time around. a

few of that squad remains cub but not many. the rest of them are all pretty young. what's the expectation like from the fans after obviously doing so well last time in france? last time, they played with the freedom and happiness that showed they did not have much weight of expectation on their shoulders. inevitably, having got to the semis in 2016, welsh fans dare to hope, if not expect. it makes a difference so few will be coming here to baku, being told by the walker to travel. as ben cabango and others will be today, they want to make their own memories, to make their own mark, when you look at the makeup of this tournament, really, wales should be able to get up to the group come into the 16. after that, it is very hard to say, so the focus is on saturday and the game against the swiss. if they can get a win and the

three points, well, let's see how far they can go. three points, well, let's see how far they can 90-— three points, well, let's see how far they can go. that is the result welsh fans _ far they can go. that is the result welsh fans will _ far they can go. that is the result welsh fans will be _ far they can go. that is the result welsh fans will be looking - far they can go. that is the result welsh fans will be looking for. i welsh fans will be looking for. hywel griffith in baku, thank you. now for a quick look at some of the day's other sports stories. gloucester�*s game at worcester warriors in rugby union's premiership has been cancelled due to a covid outbreak in the gloucester squad. it's the second straight game gloucester have called off. england are through to the semi—finals of the european hockey championships. sam ward completed a hat—trick with a penalty conversion in the last minute, to give england a 3—2 victory over spain. and all—rounder sophia dunkley has been given her first england women's central contract for this season. she made her international debut at the twenty20 world cup three years ago. dunkley�*s one of 17 players to receive a deal, ahead of a busy summer which starts with their first test against india in more than seven years, next wednesday. the england and wales cricket board is investigating reports that a second england player had posted "offensive material" in the past.

wisden said it uncovered a tweet containing a racist term by the un—named player when they were under 16. it comes just days after the bowler 0llie robinson was suspended, pending an investigation into racist and sexist tweets that he posted in 2012 and 2013. joe wilson has more. at edgbaston, a test match begins on thursday. today, there is a new investigation into historical offensive tweets posted by an unnamed england player when he was, we understand, under 16 years of age. 0llie robinson is already serving a suspension after his past tweets were revealed. that punishment was over—the—top, say the government. but what's the atmosphere among the england players? well, to james anderson, via zoom. do you feel personally let down by some of the things your team—mates have tweeted ? i wouldn't say let down, no. i think the tweets coming ten years ago... obviously, i think there was initial shock there at the language that was used — he has definitely changed as a person.

with another case already hanging over the squad, there must be an atmosphere of anxiety, james, amongst all the players, that something you tweeted in the past might now come up? yeah, i guess. i think it's something that, as i said, we need to look at, and if there are any tweets from years ago, we do have to look at that. in the first test match, england's players wore t—shirts — making cricket inclusive is a goal that demands practical action. a few weeks ago, i was at edgbaston�*s indoor school to report on a midnight cricket league organised for young muslims who were observing ramadan. they played cricket after breaking their fast. it was run by a charity supported by the ecb, the governing body. it's the kind of progress cricket would like to display. we don't want it to be windowdressing, we don't want it to be just the appearance of being fair, we want it to be genuinely fair, because i think all anyone is asking

is to be treated with fairness, to have equality, to have justice for all. unforgettable fan experience. this summer, there is a new cricket tournament in england and wales, designed directly to appeal to everybody — but that image and that future must wait while cricket investigates its history. joe wilson, bbc news. now to tennis, and we're racing towards the business end of the french open, with the first of the quarterfinals under way in paris. the unseeded tamara zidansek is through to her first grand slam semifinal, having never been further than the second round of a major before, while all eyes will be on the evening session at rolland garros, as world number two daniil medvedev faces world number five stefanos tsitsipas. well, i'm delighted to say former british number one annabel croft joins me now. thanks very much for speaking to us. let's start with the women straw first. it's really opened up, hasn't

it come over the last week? and tamara zidansek has taken full advantage. tamara zidansek has taken full advantage-— tamara zidansek has taken full advantaae. , ., ., ,, ., ., advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has — advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has had. _ advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has had. as _ advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has had. as you _ advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has had. as you said - advantage. oh, my goodness, what a week she has had. as you said very i week she has had. as you said very inexperienced, had not been past the second round, butjust has a huge forehand weapon in her game, she's got a lot of creativity, a lot of variety, but she said traditionally held it together. there was such a huge opportunity for both of them to make theirfirst grand huge opportunity for both of them to make their first grand slam semifinal and she said she felt that she handled the occasion and little bit better. she was a set and 4—2 up, got tipped back, and managed to get herforehand firing up, got tipped back, and managed to get her forehand firing towards the back end of the match is to point the next up for her is anastasia pavlyuchenkova, her first grand the next up for her is anastasia pavlyuchenkova, herfirst grand slam semi final as well. what a brilliant chance for them both through it through to a final! the - chance for them both through it through to a final! the fact - chance for them both through it through to a final! the fact that | through to a final! the fact that the draw has _ through to a final! the fact that the draw has opened _ through to a final! the fact that the draw has opened a - through to a final! the fact that the draw has opened a pilot - through to a final! the fact that l the draw has opened a pilot has, through to a final! the fact that i the draw has opened a pilot has, a lot of opportunities. and i think people were pleased for pavlyuchenkova. had never managed to get across the line. and today, she

was up against her doubles partner, so