he pulls out of his pre—tournament press conference open. hello and welcome to the program, lots to get through. but we start with cricket, where there's not long to go now until the battle for the famous ashes urn is reignited — the tantilising test match series between england and australia gets underway at on friday — but the hosts have concerns over their captain. let's hear more now from our sports correspondent, who's been at edgbaston in birmingham for us. fudges the significance of ben stokes to england and when we see in practice when we watch and bowl and we look at his strapped knee, cross our fingers and hope he comes 0k. actually, he seems to today. his availability as an all—rounder is a big thing for england, most significant of all to the whole series is a

change of mentality that he has brought with his captaincy. as explained here.— brought with his captaincy. as explained here. what we have done is taken _ explained here. what we have done is taken a _ explained here. what we have done is taken a group - explained here. what we have done is taken a group of - done is taken a group of players who are obviously very good at what they do but i think what we have been able to do is just let them think what we have been able to do isjust let them go out think what we have been able to do is just let them go out and be free and i think they have even got to a point, even now, where they are better than they thought they were, and that is also a mindset change and allowing people to go out and be who they are on their feet old and off the field. 50. old and off the field. so, example. _ old and off the field. so, example, when - old and off the field. so, example, when ben - old and off the field. 50, example, when ben stokes sends moeen ali a text and he replies lol and then agrees to come out of retirement for england, yeah! for ben stokes! the fact that it is the _ yeah! for ben stokes! the fact that it is the ashes _ yeah! for ben stokes! the fact that it is the ashes in - yeah! for ben stokes! the fact that it is the ashes in such - yeah! for ben stokes! the fact that it is the ashes in such a i that it is the ashes in such a big series and exciting cricket the guys are been playing, i think this is a kind of era i would have loved while i was

playing. would have loved while i was .la in._ ., , would have loved while i was -la inc. . , ., would have loved while i was - in. ., , ., playing. ultimately, would you have done _ playing. ultimately, would you have done this _ playing. ultimately, would you have done this or— playing. ultimately, would you have done this or any - playing. ultimately, would you have done this or any other - have done this or any other captain?— have done this or any other| captain?_ they captain? probably not. they train today _ captain? probably not. they train today with _ captain? probably not. they train today with the - captain? probably not. they i train today with the confidence which expresses itself in all sorts of ways are notably certain types of dress code... but they are recently crowned world test champions after the victory against india at the oval and they will of course try to exploit perceived weaknesses in the english team and moeen ali accepts, well, that could be him. the people came in. _ that could be him. the people came in, would _ that could be him. the people came in, would have - that could be him. the people came in, would have been - came in, would have been attacked but i am not expecting to defend me and things like that. yeah, i'm expecting them to come after me which could be dangerous because ben stokes likes having the field. lats dangerous because ben stokes likes having the field.— likes having the field. lots of factors or _ likes having the field. lots of factors or come _ likes having the field. lots of factors or come into - likes having the field. lots of factors or come into play - likes having the field. lots of factors or come into play for| factors or come into play for the test match for the series are notably the weather, if it is hot and dry, you need a spin bowler. moeen ali is back but

emboldened this time by a sense that this english team to try and fail is no failure at all. at least it's easy to say that right now! after lionel messi's move to the mls, the future of another one of paris saint germain�*s starforwards is now unclear. on what's been a topsy turvy day of transfer turbulence surrounding kylian mbappe. initially it looked as though he would be leaving psg after telling the club he wouldn't be extending his contract beyond 202a. however, it later emerged that mbappe did want to stay, for now, but according to a letter from his camp next season would be his last at the club. now to los angeles, where golf is preparing for it's next major of the season — the us open. but the tournament has been overshadowed by news off the course, of the planned merger between saudi arabia's public investment fund and the pga and dp world tours.

the announcement hasn't been well received by many of the players who remained loyal to the pga tour instead of taking lucrative offers to join the liv series. it gets to a point where you want to have faith in management. and i want to have faith that this is the best thing for all of us, but it is clear that that is not the consensus, right? the general feeling is that a lot of people feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management.— feel a bit of betrayal from management. feel a bit of betrayal from manauement. ., ., management. for me right now it is what will _ management. for me right now it is what will happen, _ management. for me right now it is what will happen, i _ management. for me right now it is what will happen, i don't - is what will happen, i don't know. _ is what will happen, i don't know, but we want to know the why answer. what is the purpose behind _ why answer. what is the purpose behind it — why answer. what is the purpose behind it i — why answer. what is the purpose behind it. ithink why answer. what is the purpose behind it. i think there are so many— behind it. i think there are so many different parties involved that there are too many answers to really— that there are too many answers to really put it into one underlying umbrella. | to really put it into one underlying umbrella. i 'ust don't underlying umbrella. i 'ust don-t mi underlying umbrella. i 'ust don't know what is i underlying umbrella. ijust don't know what is going l underlying umbrella. ijust. don't know what is going on! i don't — don't know what is going on! i don't think_ don't know what is going on! i don't think anyone _ don't know what is going on! i don't think anyone knows - don't know what is going on! ii don't think anyone knows what is going — don't think anyone knows what is going on! _ don't think anyone knows what is going on! i_ don't think anyone knows what is going on! i was _ don't think anyone knows what is going on! i was signing - don't think anyone knows what is going on! i was signing with|

is going on! i was signing with the pif — is going on! i was signing with the pif or— is going on! i was signing with the pif or not, _ is going on! i was signing with the pif or not, |_ is going on! i was signing with the pif or not, i have - is going on! i was signing with the pif or not, i have no- is going on! i was signing with the pif or not, i have no idea. even — the pif or not, i have no idea. even though— the pif or not, i have no idea. even though it _ the pif or not, i have no idea. even though it is _ the pif or not, i have no idea. even though it is confusing, . the pif or not, i have no idea. even though it is confusing, it| even though it is confusing, it is clear— even though it is confusing, it is clear that _ even though it is confusing, it is clear that nobody _ even though it is confusing, it is clear that nobody knows . even though it is confusing, it. is clear that nobody knows what is clear that nobody knows what is going — is clear that nobody knows what is going on_ is clear that nobody knows what is going on apart _ is clear that nobody knows what is going on apart from - is clear that nobody knows what is going on apart from about. is going on apart from about four— is going on apart from about four heapte _ is going on apart from about four heapte in _ is going on apart from about four people in the _ is going on apart from about four people in the world. - is going on apart from about four people in the world. izi four people in the world. months ago liv golf came four people in the world.- months ago liv golf came on four people in the world- months ago liv golf came on the scene and i2 months ago liv golf came on the scene and 12 months on everything has changed. iain carter explains. there are a lot of questions that have to be answered and explained in a lot of buildup around the open concerning a future that is frankly very uncertain for both the pg tour and the dp world tour and the liv golf which is funded by saudi arabia's public investment fund which have gone into business with the dp world tour and pg tour. rory mcilroy felt it is too big of a

distraction and cancelled his pretournament news conference, clearly all talked out and does not want to be asked about that and equally he is in different form on the final day in canada last week. form on the final day in canada last week-— last week. just as it did 12 months — last week. just as it did 12 months ago. _ last week. just as it did 12 months ago, it _ last week. just as it did 12 months ago, it is - last week. just as it did 12 months ago, it is hoped l last week. just as it did 12 i months ago, it is hoped that the golf on the course takes their headlines over the next few days and who should we be looking out for?— looking out for? certainly worked last _ looking out for? certainly worked last year - looking out for? certainly worked last year with - looking out for? certainly worked last year with a l worked last year with a thrilling victory for matt fitzpatrick. you have to be looking at the real heavyweights. it looks fantastic test of golf over the coming four days and you have the likes of brooks koepka in fantastic form having finished second in the masters and i just come from a news conference in which she looked really confident. jon rahm cannot be ignored and he looked fantastic in california and also won the masters. and

patrick, localfor him, look for ball strikers hitting the ball well and scheffler and a few others and it will be a heavyweight battle among the leading players in the world. aphiwe dyantyi says he is excited to be back after signing for durban based south africa side the sharks shortly before the end of a four—year doping ban. dyantyi was named the world rugby breakthrough player of the year in 2018 but tested positive for multiple anabolic steroids the following year. he's always denied any wrongdoing. the winger will be eligible to play for the sharks from august. and, finally, if you're a denver nuggets fan, you may be forgiven if you're still celebrating nearly 2a hours on from winning their first nba title. they beat the miami heat 94—89 to take an unassailable 4—1 lead in the series. yet again, nikola jokic starred for the nuggets —

with 28 points and was named the finals most valuable player — adding to the two overall mvps he won in 2021 and 2022. dan ogunshakin reports. 47 years for the denver nuggets. congratulations! you are the 2023 nba champions. history made in denver. the nuggets named nba champions for the first time. the city had waited and waited for the day and a celebration that followed reflected that longing. taste and a celebration that followed reflected that longing.- reflected that longing. we did it! go, nuggets! _ reflected that longing. we did it! go, nuggets! 0h, - reflected that longing. we did it! go, nuggets! oh, my- reflected that longing. we did it! go, nuggets! oh, my god! j it! go, nuggets! oh, my god! this is incredible! for it! go, nuggets! oh, my god! this is incredible!— this is incredible! for many ears, this is incredible! for many years. the _ this is incredible! for many years, the franchise - this is incredible! for many years, the franchise had - this is incredible! for many l years, the franchise had been marked aligned but this proved to be the motivating force that them to the very top. it is to be the motivating force that them to the very top.- them to the very top. it is a aood them to the very top. it is a good feeling _ them to the very top. it is a good feeling when - them to the very top. it is a good feeling when you - them to the very top. it is a | good feeling when you know them to the very top. it is a - good feeling when you know that you did something that nobody believes and it was just asked. just the organisation and the nuggets believed enough in every player believed in each other and i think that was the most important thing. heb. other and i think that was the most important thing. nba stars ast and most important thing. nba stars past and present _ most important thing. nba stars past and present hailed - most important thing. nba stars past and present hailed the - past and present hailed the nuggets is the best game of basketball but there will be no

title in the mile high city without their serbian superstar nikola jokic. this was a post—season performance for ages. never in history had led the play—offs in play—offs, assist and rebounds. drafted a lowly 41st in 2015, nikola jokic has risen to become the dominant fourth, the star who brightens all in his orbit and now an nba champion and finals mvp. ., ., ., ~ , mvp. you said after the lakers win, ou mvp. you said after the lakers win. you said _ mvp. you said after the lakers win, you said you were - win, you said you were surprised you do not feel more. i'm curious what you are feeling right now and if you're looking forward to a parade? when is the parade? thursday. no. i when is the parade? thursday. no- i need _ when is the parade? thursday. no. i need to _ when is the parade? thursday. no. i need to go _ when is the parade? thursday. no. i need to go home! - when is the parade? thursday. no. i need to go home! back. when is the parade? thursday. j no. i need to go home! back in his native _ no. i need to go home! back in his native serbia, _ no. i need to go home! back in his native serbia, they - no. i need to go home! back in his native serbia, they watched into the early hours of the morning, ready for his crowning moment. it morning, ready for his crowning moment. ., , morning, ready for his crowning moment. . , ., ., moment. it was in another masterclass. _ moment. it was in another

masterclass. amazing! - moment. it was in another masterclass. amazing! i. moment. it was in another i masterclass. amazing! i hear moment. it was in another - masterclass. amazing! i hear is homecoming — masterclass. amazing! i hear is homecoming awaits _ masterclass. amazing! i hear is homecoming awaits for - masterclass. amazing! i hear is homecoming awaits for the i masterclass. amazing! i hear is| homecoming awaits for the man they call the jake carter as denver had the last laugh. —— thejoker. you can get all the latest sports news at our website but from me and the rest of the team at the bbc sport centre, goodbye. hello there. a number of places saw the temperature reach 30 celsius on tuesday. we saw 31 celsius in porthmadog in northwest wales, making it the warmest day there so far for wales. next few days, high pressure will continue to bring a lot of dry, sunny, warm weather, but we are losing the humidity, so we'll be a little bit fresher, more comfortable, certainly cooler and fresher during the overnight periods. now, high pressure sitting towards scandinavia will bring a fine day for wednesday. light onshore breezes

affecting eastern england — that will bring temperatures down somewhat. could just see an isolated shower, western scotland, perhaps northern ireland, but most places will be dry and we'll see those temperatures reaching the mid to upper 20 celsius. but always cooler along north sea coast , 20—22 or 23 degrees there. as we head through wednesday night, see a little bit of mist and fog develop once again. most places will be dry, any showers fading away and temperatures ranging from around 19—14 degrees. again, humidity will be lower, so a more comfortable night for sleeping. so, for thursday, then, we start off a little bit of mist and fog here and there. otherwise, it's another dry, sunny day with a little bit of fairweather cloud into the afternoon. again, just a chance of an isolated shower developing across some western areas. most places, though, will remain dry. and again, with that onshore breeze, it's much cooler along north sea coasts — 21 degrees there. it's the mid to high 20s. elsewhere now, we start to see some changes as we push towards the end of the week, this area of low pressure starts to move into western areas. that could bring a few showers, but high pressure continues to bring fine and dry weather for most of the country for friday. we've lost the onshore breeze,

so it will be warmer along north sea coasts. winds will be light across the board. lots of sunshine into the afternoon, but a chance of some showers or thunderstorms pushing into the far west later in the day. but again, those temperatures mid to high 20s for most of us — very pleasantly warm and less humid. as we head into the weekend, though, it does look like this area of low pressure becomes a bit more established across the western side of the country. a few showers could get towards the east as well, but it's always bumping up against that area of high pressure, so it could take its while to reach more southern and eastern areas. but you can see it's an unsettled theme for the weekend and indeed even into next week, but for the best part, it should stay on the warm side.

live from washington, this is bbc news. former president donald trump pleads not guilty to federal charges in a miami courthouse. we'll have full coverage and analysis. the bbc�*s ukraine correspondent is one of the first western jouranlists to reach areas reclaimed from russian control. we've heard outgoing mortar fire and what goes out typically comes back. we've just seen incoming fire just a few hundred metres away. plus, the fab four meets ai. how paul mccartney is using artificial intellligence to finish off a beatles record.