this is bbc news, i'm olly foster live in wembley, where anticipation is building ahead of tonight's european championship final. here are the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. cheering and applause. on the brink of history — england's footballers prepare to take on italy in tonight's final — their biggest match in more than half a century. their resilience and experiences as a team have really prepared them well for this moment. there's excitement too in italy, the four time world cup winners are confident they can beat england, we'll be with the fans there gearing up for the big night. the hopes of millions will be behind

southgates team at wembley — with the queen, prince william and borisjohnson leading the messages of support. i'm ben brown with our other main stories. the uk's vaccine minister says the government is confident that plans to lift a range of covid restrictions will go ahead onjuly 19 in england. but he also said masks are still expected to be worn indoors. the fortification of the vaccination programme has allowed us to cautiously move to step four and the pm will say more about this. the widow of haiti's assassinated president claims he was killed because of his drive for political reform. sir richard branson prepares to venture to the edge of space, on the first passenger flight of his virgin galactic spaceship.

hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world. it's a day full of anticipation for england and italy fans, ahead of the final of euro 2020. more than 60 thousand are expected at wembley stadium in london where the two countries face each other tonight. it's a historic game — for italy it could be the first time they become european champions in decades. for england — a win would be their first ever euros title and a first major tournament victory in 55 years. gareth southgate�*s squad arrived in london after their final training session. the team have received good luck messages from the queen and the prime minister, ahead of what is the biggest game for england since

the world cup final of 1966. our sports correspondent 0lly foster is at wembley. a few hours until kick off but anticipation is building. lots of fans are already there. just under eiuht fans are already there. just under eight hours. _ fans are already there. just under eight hours, incredible, _ fans are already there. just under eight hours, incredible, all- fans are already there. just under eight hours, incredible, all the i fans are already there. just under. eight hours, incredible, all the way through the tournament, the support for england in what has been pretty much a home tournament, remember that this euro is spread far and wide across the continent of europe with 11 host cities and uefa says they will never do it like that again but the two semi—finals have been here at wembley and now the final, and we are expecting about 65,000 fans, the vast majority of course will be england fans who have slowly been turning up the volume for the last four weeks. it is exactly four weeks since england started their tournament and casting

an eye on two wembley way there are flares going off, thousands down there already. there is real belief that there is real belief that this england team can end that long, long wait. italy are confident that they have what it takes. they are adding —— on an incredible winning run and will will get the viewpoint from italy, but england, for decades the nearly men, the nowhere man, these men feel that they now can make history. when the final whistle blows at wembley tonight, the wait could be over. an england team that you can mention in the same breath as the heroes of 1966. for too long, that history has weighed them down. those golden generations expected to emulate what sir alf ramsey achieved with his team. this class of 2021 under gareth southgate is perhaps the best chance yet. they've never been closer. this was our moment, to represent our time. the near misses, and the tournaments that have not gone so well,

are so important for this team. over the last four years, they've knocked down so many barriers, they have come through so many different challenges, different ways to win matches. had to come back from being behind, had to go through extra time, had to go through extra penalty shoot—out. so their resilience and experiences as a team have really prepared them well for this moment. 0n the journey to london yesterday, the players were reminded just what this means to the nation. from the local villages in staffordshire, turning out to line the route as they left their training base, to the welcome they received as they arrived at their hotel. cheering and applause. the players even received a good luck message from tom cruise yesterday — the captain knows that this mission will be all the more possible with home support. to see the fans on the street like they have been, and see the reception that we've had as we pulled into the hotel here, and as we were leaving st george's park, yeah, it hasjust shown us how

big an occasion it is. we know how much it means to the english fans, all over the country, so we're proud to be representing them. we haven't forgotten about italy, a team unbeaten in three years. they were pushed very close in the semi—final by spain, though. they went through on penalties. england will have to up their game again, but the italian manager, roberto mancini, says england will have a huge advantage with home support, and wherever they're watching, english fans might well be a new tune for a new era of english football, and how sweet it promises to be. 0lly foster, bbc news, wembley. those england players are about five miles north of wembley in a luxury hotel and golf resort near watford. 0ur reporter is there. how are they have you spotted them. yes.

our reporter is there. how are they have you spotted them.— our reporter is there. how are they have you spotted them. yes, not too much going — have you spotted them. yes, not too much going on _ have you spotted them. yes, not too much going on here, _ have you spotted them. yes, not too much going on here, the _ have you spotted them. yes, not too much going on here, the team - have you spotted them. yes, not too | much going on here, the team hotel, the players are here, we have not seen them, they are in their own part of the hotel, but it is a working hotel, there are people going about their business and there are a few fans here walking around in their england strips trying to catch a glimpse of the players. it is very relaxed here. gareth southgate likes it at this venue as he wants to keep the team the same throughout the tournament. they were here before the denmark game and we know how that went, it was very successful. in the press conference yesterday, he says that routine is key, although it is a huge game, he wants to focus as if it was just another match. i was in the press conference on to stress the point about three or four times saying that the players wanted to focus on it as just another game. they have the same routine, they have breakfast this morning and they had a walk in the private grounds around the back, but being wary of not

breaching the covid regulations. they have a team meeting at lunch and then they are due to leave here this afternoon around half past five and travel to wembley. it this afternoon around half past five and travel to wembley.— this afternoon around half past five and travel to wembley. it has been amazin: , and travel to wembley. it has been amazing. some _ and travel to wembley. it has been amazing, some of _ and travel to wembley. it has been amazing, some of the _ and travel to wembley. it has been amazing, some of the players - and travel to wembley. it has been amazing, some of the players were quite taken aback from their calm saint georges park base in the middle of the staffordshire countryside, all the villagers came out to line the route and even just arriving at that hotel, yes, they have been in this covid bubble, a competition bubble, trying to block out the outside noise, but they have thrived with that as well. yes. out the outside noise, but they have thrived with that as well.— thrived with that as well. yes. the atmosphere _ thrived with that as well. yes. the atmosphere when _ thrived with that as well. yes. the atmosphere when they _ thrived with that as well. yes. the atmosphere when they left - thrived with that as well. yes. the atmosphere when they left saint l atmosphere when they left saint georges park yesterday took them back, they have been this very tight bubble and lots of the players on the manager said they have not been paying too much attention to social media and brought the gravity of the achievement they have managed to do to get to this final. they even got here, the atmosphere there, a few

hundred fans welcoming them and it is expected that it will be the same when the team bus leaves. there are people coming in and the atmosphere is building slowly as we work towards kick—off. if the atmosphere is anything like it was at st george's park and here, i am sure at wembley will be rocking later. mes. wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank ou. wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank you- i'm _ wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank you. i'm sure _ wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank you. i'm sure there _ wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank you. i'm sure there will- wembley will be rocking later. alex, thank you. i'm sure there will be thousands of fans lining the route from watford down to for that short bus ride a little bit lighter. for now, many thanks indeed. let us get the thoughts of sports writer henry winter. good afternoon. we have been here before. five years ago at the euros, england were perhaps their lowest point, down in nice, they were knocked out by iceland. gareth southgate said when he took over, england were in an absolute mess. they are not in a mess now, they are in a very good place. it is

remarkable _ in a very good place. it is remarkable what - in a very good place. it is remarkable what gareth l in a very good place. it 3 remarkable what gareth southgate has done and he did it through huge preparation behind the scenes at st george's park. he did it through strength of personality, the way he got these fantastic people skills and works with the players. it is interesting, some of the interviews that you have been running on the bbc, one of the first things he says after the game is that he immediately mentioned some of the players who did not play, like conor coady and it may bejordan henderson, players like that and thatjust henderson, players like that and that just shows henderson, players like that and thatjust shows how important henderson, players like that and that just shows how important the whole squad is for him. he keeps on praising them in training, lifting everyone, encouraging everyone. he has got these fantastic people skills and the great managers like sir alex ferguson and pep guardiola and jurgen klopp have these human skills and gareth southgate has those in abundance as well as the technical nous. he those in abundance as well as the technical nous.— technical nous. he says he has sleepless _ technical nous. he says he has sleepless nights _ technical nous. he says he has sleepless nights about - technical nous. he says he has sleepless nights about who - technical nous. he says he has sleepless nights about who to | technical nous. he says he has - sleepless nights about who to leave out, because it been a 26 man squad

and only 23 being allowed to name, three players who will never get close to the pitch. you have got to feel for them and he is very quick to talk about that and deflect all praise for himself to his coaching staff as well. as well as all those players which he has, which obviously have gone further than so many generations before them. it is remarkable many generations before them. it 3 remarkable and we have travelled around the world covering england and niece was pretty grim and so was bloemfontein. there are so many young squads in them and we were talking to the 19—year—old player having a great tournament and we asked him what was his first memory of watching them and he said, was at the tournament were frank lampard's go went in but did not go in? that was 11 years ago, this is a young squad and when we throw things about your manager missing a penalty at the 1996 we almost have to go on google it. the great thing is that

this crop of players is not weighed down by history, the shirt hangs freely on them and they go out and express themselves. the? freely on them and they go out and express themselves.— freely on them and they go out and express themselves. they have shared history along — express themselves. they have shared history along the _ express themselves. they have shared history along the way. _ express themselves. they have shared history along the way. that _ express themselves. they have shared history along the way. that first - history along the way. that first knock out win against germany, they did not concede a goal until the semifinal. they are breaking new territory. hand on heart, is this a 50-50 territory. hand on heart, is this a 50—50 game? we have to give a lot of respect to italy and this amazing run they are on. i respect to italy and this amazing run they are on.— run they are on. i think it is probably — run they are on. i think it is probably 55-45 _ run they are on. i think it is probably 55-45 in _ run they are on. i think it is probably 55-45 in favour i run they are on. i think it is probably 55-45 in favour of| run they are on. i think it is - probably 55-45 in favour of italy probably 55—45 in favour of italy when you look at the strength across all departments. i do think england will do it that is not a heart ruling head, i have been in this position too many times before. there's something about this england team, there is a momentum there and humility and we have seen the amazing work they have done off the pitch. they have this fantastic

camaraderie and i think it will probably go to extra time, i do not think i could cope with penalties, i think i could cope with penalties, i think there will be an element of pure redemption if southgate could win one penalties, i think they will do it in extra time, because of the attacking quality we have got, like harry kane who has been outstanding and raheem sterling is the player of the tournament. i and raheem sterling is the player of the tournament.— the tournament. i am not sure i could take — the tournament. i am not sure i could take extra _ the tournament. i am not sure i could take extra time, - the tournament. i am not sure i could take extra time, i - the tournament. i am not sure i could take extra time, i don't i the tournament. i am not sure i i could take extra time, i don't even want to think about penalties. many thanks. henry winter, chief football writer from the times. hopefully catch you later. enjoy the game. it is getting more and more packed by the minute here on wembley way, impromptu games of football going on, the flyers are still going off as well. thousands and thousands there. under eight hours, just under eight hours before kick this evening here in north london. many of those thousands will not have tickets as they didn't for the semifinal, just

wanting to be here, on what could be, it is already a momentous day, but what could prove to be an historic day, but italy looking to make their own history as well, they were in a very low place, because they did not qualify for the last world cup in russia in 2018, england honestly exceeding expectations of getting into the semi—finals, they did win the euro is back in 1968 when it was a very different format, they went straight into the semi—finals after qualifying over two years or so. let lot else here from the italian manager. let's hear from italy's manager roberto mancini speaking to the press ahead of the final... translation: | think it | will be a wonderful match in front of a packed house, and i think that's wonderful news for football lovers everywhere. so, i think it will be a great day, it will be a great day to play this match, and we know

they have a lot of quality. so, we will see how the game pans out. if england have made it to the final, it shows that they are a great side. it could be a light night in rome if it goes to extra time, let us had there now and speak to our europe correspondent lucy williamson. huge anticipation i am guessing for this italy team, they have not lost in over three years. are they taking it in their stride, do they think they will win this one? it is in their stride, do they think they will win this one?— in their stride, do they think they will win this one? it is funny, when ou ask will win this one? it is funny, when you ask people _ will win this one? it is funny, when you ask people here _ will win this one? it is funny, when you ask people here whether- will win this one? it is funny, when you ask people here whether they l you ask people here whether they think italy is going to win, there are very few people that will actually go out on a limb and say yes, they think it is italy's game. i thought that was because they might be a little scared of the england side this time, but i was put stride by a couple here a short while ago who said that it is

because they are superstitious here in italy. you can see, the fans have turned up already, they secretly think that they're going to win but they are not quite ready to it but they are not quite ready to it but they do not want to jinx it and you also heard from roberto mancini, he has been emphasising that england are a strong side at the moment, he knows there are pressure on the italian team, they did not qualify for the world cup last time around and he has been telling his players to reallyjust enjoy the match and have fun. lucy williamson, thank you. you talk about superstition, john luca vialli, one of the assistant coaches, the former italian great striker missed the bus for one of their matches and now, before the spring game the boss pretended to miss him, close the doors and he ran and got back on, it was orchestrated and got back on, it was orchestrated and i think they will do that again. the italians are being very

superstitious but the italians fancy their chances as well. that. that's all for now at wembley back to the studio. thank you. to haiti now... the widow of the country's assassinated president has accused his political enemies of hiring mercenaries to kill him, in order to stop a plan to introduce constitutional reform and better living conditions. she urged the people of haiti to continue fighting — and promised to be by their side. the killing has thrown the country into deepening political turmoil ? with haiti asking both the un and the us to send military support. rich preston reports. four days after the assassination of the president there is still anxiety and confusion in haiti. for the president there is still anxiety and confusion in haiti.— and confusion in haiti. for three ears and confusion in haiti. for three years there _ and confusion in haiti. for three years there has _ and confusion in haiti. for three years there has been _ and confusion in haiti. for three years there has been in - and confusion in haiti. for three| years there has been in security, the police have done nothing. they are not working for the people,

otherwise they would not be so many deaths. . , otherwise they would not be so many deaths. ., , , deaths. haiti is the poorest country- — haiti is the poorest country in the americas. the first lady says her husband planned to change the constitution to improve the lives of ordinary people. speaking in creole, she described wednesday's attack. translation: in the blink of an eye, the mercenaries entered my home and riddled my husband with bullets, without even giving him a chance to say a word. we cannot let the country lose its way. we cannot let his blood have been spilled in vain. but his proposed constitutional changes made him enemies. many said he just wanted to extend his time in office. speaking to bbc world news, the election minister said that he had been focusing his efforts on two main areas. been focusing his efforts on two main areas— been focusing his efforts on two main areas. ., , ., ' . , main areas. one was to effectively challenre main areas. one was to effectively challenge the _ main areas. one was to effectively challenge the constitution - main areas. one was to effectively challenge the constitution is - challenge the constitution is because the institutions are bringing a lot of instability, the second was fighting against corruption, particularly those in

the energy sector, construction, other big areas. the haitian government says 28 foreign mercenaries were involved in the attack and that most of them have been arrested or killed. we ta ke we take that the plan was to assassinate the president and then the people would go onto the and other mercenaries might have been in the country to destroy key infrastructure.— the country to destroy key infrastructure. there are two potential— infrastructure. there are two potential prime _ infrastructure. there are two potential prime ministers - infrastructure. there are two | potential prime ministers line claims to be the rightful leader of the country. for now, the minister of elections is asking for international help to maintain calm on the streets. brute international help to maintain calm on the streets.— on the streets. we still believe that haiti would _ on the streets. we still believe that haiti would need - on the streets. we still believe that haiti would need some - on the streets. we still believe. that haiti would need some kind on the streets. we still believe - that haiti would need some kind of assistance, human resources and materials for the poorest to be able to help stabilise the country and for the security of the elections that will be coming on september the

26. whether that will come is unclear. rich preston, bbc news. tomorrow the british prime minister borisjohnson is expected to announce whether the final easing of restrictions in england will go ahead on monday 19th july. politicians have been touring the tv studios ahead of the announcement. 0ur political correspondent jonathan blake said there are still concerns from some about the move from mandatory mask wearing to an expectation. the government says the progress of the vaccination programme now means that it is safe and the right time to lift those remaining restrictions, but not without some debate about the way in which they are going about it and the guidance that will be issued in place of those legal curbs on people's freedoms and not without also a degree of caution as the vaccines minister nadhim zahawi outlined this morning. the fortification of the vaccination programme has allowed us

to cautiously move to step four and the pm will say more about this. the guidelines will be very clear on things like mask wearing. there is an expectation for people to wear masks indoors and crowded places, on public transport. there is both a personal responsibility and a corporate responsibility, so rather than govern by diktat, what we are saying is we move to step four cautiously, all the border controls and the stringent border controls continuing... you are moving from must to please? no, we are moving from must to you are expected to wear a mask in indoor spaces, on crowded trains and elsewhere,. that will help the whole country. i think it is worth highlighting the language that nadhim zahawi was using there, people will be expected to wear face coverings in certain situations, whether public transport, or indoors in crowded places. if you look back at what the prime minister said in his news conference at the beginning of last week, he said that while the legal

requirement for face coverings would go, guidance would suggest where you might choose to do so. ministers have sort of talked around this in varying degrees of caution and the chancellor rishi sunak was asked a couple of weeks back about it and he said he would be taking his mask off as soon as it was legally possible to do so and then the health secretary, sajid javid, in his interview with the sunday telegraph today saying that it would be the responsible thing for people to wear masks in the right situation. so, depending on how you read the language, it is a bit of a shift in emphasis, although one government source i spoke to played this down as any kind of a significant change in policy. for labour, though, the requirement to wear masks should remain and they are saying that that is one thing the government should not be doing onjuly the 19th, as the shadow education secretary kate green outlined a little earlier on. removing mandatory mask wearing in public places, we think, is a mistake. we think more could be done to make sure that the public spaces

are properly ventilated and, of course, as we have said all the way through this crisis, people who do need to go home to self—isolate need, if they are on low incomes, to be financially supported to do that. so, to make this unlocking works safely or as safely as it possibly can, the government should be doing more to keep mitigations in place and i'm afraid it does not seem to be doing that. so, we will have to see how people adapt and how the government's messaging perhaps adapts around the wearing of face coverings in public when it is no longer a legal requirement to do so. one other important issue to highlight this morning, the health secretary, sajid javid, talking about the potential rise in waiting lists for hospitals in england, currently about 5.5 million, saying it could go up to 13 million later on this year and he says that he will make that his priority to bring those numbers down, but it demonstrates the huge challenge the nhs is facing, not only dealing with coronavirus still, but the massive backlog of treatments that has built up during the pandemic.

jonathan blake there, our political correspondent. experts have warned that it is to catch two covid variants at the same time — after a 90—year—old woman became sick with both the alpha and beta types first identified in the uk and south africa. the woman, who died in march 2021 in belgium, had not been vaccinated. her doctors suspect she contracted the infections from two different people. researchers believe it is the first documented case of its kind and, although rare, similar dual infections may be happening. sir richard branson is preparing to fly to the edge of space today. the businessman and his virgin galactic crew will take off from new mexico — it was originally scheduled for 2pm uk time but has been delayed by an hour and a half because of the weather. it comes just nine days before another high profile entrepreneur — the amazon founderjeff bezos — is planning his own space launch. tim allman has more. billionaire entrepreneurs heading into space

are a bit like buses, you wait ages and then two come along almost at once. first up, sir richard branson and his unity rocket plane. taking off from a space port in new mexico, the virgin galactic crew should reach a height of 50 miles, or 80 kilometres, above the earth's surface. according to nasa that is where the atmosphere ends, so sir richard will officially become an astronaut. i have always been a dreamer. my mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars. thisjuly, our dream will become a reality. and we're really excited to share that moment with you all. the virgin galactic programme stretches back nearly 20 years and has not always gone so smoothly. in 2014 a pilot was killed during a test flight over the mojave desert. this is only the beginning. soon enoughjeff bezos will take off in his blue 0rigin rocket. some critics say, this

is simply the folly of rich men and question the logic of commercial space travel, when the sky are already full ofjunk, but for others, it is all about reaching for the stars. this is an attempt to regularise access to space. this is about getting economically achievable access to the industrialization of space. it is a really important flight. virgin galactic plan to start commercial services in 2022. they say they could be running 100 flights a year, 12 months later. for sir richard branson this is one small step fora billionaire, one giant leap for mankind. tim allman, bbc news. let us go back to wembley, the big game tonight, italy against england or england against italy and ollie

foster is they are today. it is actually italy _ foster is they are today. it is actually italy against - foster is they are today. it 3 actually italy against england, although it is home from home for england, england will be in the away dressing room for that eight o'clock kick—off and what are we, seven and a half hours until kick off, something like that, and it is incredible, down on wembley way, it is actually 0lympic way, there are a group of fans dancing on top of a london bus, i can see down there. 0thers london bus, i can see down there. others are playing impromptu games of football, flyers have gone off, i have heard my first rousing chorus of football's coming home. that was backin of football's coming home. that was back in 1996 and may made it all the way to penalties and since there may have adopted that song as an anthem, very tongue—in—cheek but one italian journalist asked gareth southgate last night, in his final pre—match news conference, doesn't it come across as a bit arrogant and gareth

southgate had to explain that it was humorous and rather self—deprecating about all these years of hurt. this england generation of players going further than many others before them, looking to emulate sir alf ramsey's world cup winners of 1966, 55 years ago at what was the old wembley with its towers and now we have the new wembley, with its glorious arch behind me and the fans looking to make the most of every minute of what could be a very historic day. minute of what could be a very historic day-— minute of what could be a very historic da . ., ~ , ., , . historic day. thank you very much indeed. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise lear. hello. the forecast for the rest of the day is one of sunny spells and showers. fewer showers in southern and eastern areas, so, for the final day's play at wimbledon, on balance, mostly dry, but there are showers around, and they'll be pretty heavy further north, with some thunder,

torrential downpours, because the winds are light, they'll be slow moving, and then this is looming large for a wetter end to the day across parts of wales and south—west england. but, in the sunshine, feeling pleasant enough and warm with the light winds, but this is on the move come this evening, so, it does look at the moment as if it's going to arrive around kick—off time for the euro finals, and certainly some rain around later in the evening for the fans making their way home. it looks quite wet, actually, across southern areas through the evening and overnight. any heavy thunderstorms further north tending to fizzle out, but they will develop, again, through the day tomorrow. a little bit of mist and fog first thing, as well. in the sunshine, there will be fewer showers in the north and west, away from low pressure it will still feel warm. as ever, there's plenty more on the website. hello this is bbc news. the headlines... 0n the brink of history —

england's footballers prepare to take on italy in tonight's final of euro 2020 — their biggest match in more than half a century. their resilience and experience as a team really prepared them well for this moment. the italians have not had to wait 55 years for a major final — but there's plenty of excitement there too, with fans gearing up for the big night. the uk's vaccine minister says the government is confident that plans to lift a range of covid restrictions will go ahead onjuly 19 in england. but he also said masks are still expected to be worn indoors. the fortification of the vaccination programme has allowed us to cautiously move to step four. and the pm will say more about this. the widow of haiti's assassinated president claims he was killed because of his drive for political reform. sir richard branson prepares to venture to the edge of space,