the focus has been on the players that are here, it is important that we make the most of this situation. with the amount of players that have pulled out, it gives other players an opportunity to be here. we're really looking forward to the game. it will be a tough test for us, and with the amount of pull—outs we have had this window, historically it has been like that in the past. november has always been a challenging window. like you said, the culture and environment that gareth and steve and the rest of the staff created has made it a positive environment. the players that are here fully deserve to be here and are ready for the game. also in the nations league, belgium face italy on thursday while israel have an away fixture against france. the aviva stadium will host finland, who hope to avenge their 2—1 defeat last month against the republic of ireland. plenty of other matches to bring you as well, and of course, live text coverage will be available on

the bbc sport app and website. now, it's excitement in the boxing world because former world heavyweight champion mike tyson will face jake paul on friday. in the final press conference before tonight's weigh—in, youtuber—turned—fighter jake paul, dominated the microphone, while tyson was a man of few words. the fear of losing is too much fighting than dying. what could you lose if you lose this fight? thank you. i'm not going to lose. cheering you said that in the last minute... i am not going to lose, did you hear what i said? and the eagerly—awaited rematch between katie taylor and amanda serrano is the co—main event. they go head to head for the undisputed super lightweight title. in 2022, the pair fought at a sold—out madison square garden, with taylor winning the fight by split decision.

she aims to repeat that fate tomorrow night. i'm going to go in there and fight and beat her again. i have put my body through the trenches in these last three months, and i am proud to be here and a legend in the sport, and it is an amazing opportunity that we both have and i can't wait to step in there and showcase what i can do again and get another win. over in turin, alexander zverev claimed a second victory at the season ending atp finals. the german made it two from two in the group stages with a 7—6, 6—3 win against norway's caspur ruud. up next, he faces a tough test in carlos alcaraz. in the other group, australia's alex de minaur is currently on court against us open finalist taylor fritz. and after being postponed yesterday due to severe weather warnings, the billiejean king cup has kicked off in malaga today. ana bogdan secured the first

win of the day for romania, with a straights sets victory overjapan�*s nao hibino. japan have levelled the tie at one all after ena shibahara claimed the second singles. a deciding doubles will determine who goes through. and that's all the sport for now. back to you, geeta. police in south africa's north west province say the body of a miner has been recovered from a shaft where thousands of illegal miners are thought to be underground and reluctant to come to the surface. local people have helped seven to leave since wednesday after hundreds were brought out in early november. the authorities have defiantly said they will not send help, such as food or water, to those underground, and have described them as "criminals". let's speak to our southern africa correspondent, nomsa maseko, whojoins us from johannesburg. just tell us a bit more about what has happened here? from

what has happened here? from what we understand, _ what has happened here? from what we understand, so - what has happened here? from what we understand, so far - what we understand, so far today, one body, decomposing body of an alleged alleged minor has been brought to the surface and it is because of volunteers who live in that community he used ropes and seat belts to try and retrieve that body. we understand that it took at least an hour to try and retrieve that body and then they were able to bring out five more earlier today as well. and only one of those was rushed to the hospital because they needed urgent medical attention. they were described to have been frail and quite pale because there was no water and any food that has been brought to them because the police and the army have cut off those supplies to try and force them to come out. and then the other four were arrested on the scene by the police and they will be charged

with illegal mining.— with illegal mining. nomsa maseko, — with illegal mining. nomsa maseko, so _ with illegal mining. nomsa maseko, so we _ with illegal mining. nomsa maseko, so we are - with illegal mining. nomsa| maseko, so we are warning with illegal mining. nomsa - maseko, so we are warning -- maseko, so we are warning —— sorry, we are running out of time but thank you very much that update. the prison officers' association has called the threat of corruption in the uk's jails as �*very real�* after the number of officers sacked for misconduct rose by more than a third. there have been several high profile cases which have seen prison officers convicted of having sexual relationships with inmates, or selling them smuggled—in drugs and phones. let's speak to former justice secretary david gauke, who is now leading a sentencing review to tackle prison overcrowding. thank you forjoining us. just tell us a bit more about what your plans are?— tell us a bit more about what your plans are? the government has asked _ your plans are? the government has asked me — your plans are? the government has asked me to _ your plans are? the government has asked me to lead _ your plans are? the government has asked me to lead a - your plans are? the government has asked me to lead a panel. has asked me to lead a panel thatis has asked me to lead a panel that is looking at sentencing policy. this is in the context of the fact that we have essentially run out of prison places in this country. the prison population has grown very rapidly over the last 13

years. it has essentially doubled over that time period. we now have the highest incarceration rate in western europe and current forecast suggests that the prison population is going to grow by 4.5 population is going to grow by 11.5 thousand a year for the next four years. that is frankly unsustainable. we cannot build prisons fast enough to cope with that increase in the prison population. what is driving this increase has been a change in approach of sentencing policy. we have seen sentences get progressively longer over recent years. we have now come to a point where we need to look seriously at that, look at ways in which we can address sentencing policy to ensure that we can have a sustainable prison population and in particular, look at ways in which we can continue to protect the public from criminals, but improve rehabilitation to get better value for the taxpayer. it is

my great privilege to lead this review and i have an outstanding panel working alongside me. and we are looking to report in the spring. looking to report in the s-urin. �* , ., looking to report in the s-urin. �* ., looking to report in the s-urin.�* ., , , spring. and you have suggested in the past. _ spring. and you have suggested in the past, for _ spring. and you have suggested in the past, for example, - spring. and you have suggested in the past, for example, jail. in the past, for example, jail terms of less than six months should be scrapped, that would reduce a lot of the women who are imprisoned because they tend to serve those shorter sentences. and you have also talked about technology being used to create tougher non—custodial sentences. how would that work? non-custodial sentences. how would that work?— non-custodial sentences. how would that work? you are right to say that _ would that work? you are right to say that when _ would that work? you are right to say that when i _ would that work? you are right to say that when i was - would that work? you are right to say that when i was just - would that work? you are right to say that when i was just a i to say that when i was just a secretary, i was looking to end the use of short sentences. there has actually been something of a decline in their use in recent years but we are going to look at whether we can going to look at whether we can go further. but yes, you are right to highlight the issue of technology and then write jurisdictions, netherlands, sweden, for example that you make very good use of technology. we do make use of it in this country, but for

example tagging, drink and drug monitoring, whether we can make better use of that, essentially there are some people who at there are some people who at the moment is going to prison for relatively short period of time, whether it be better too, recommendations, which we aim to publish in the sp better too, for example, ensure that they time, whether it be better too, for example, ensure that they were at home, constrain the were at home, constrain the liberties through other means liberties through other means or indeed people who serve some or indeed people who serve some time in prison but then perhaps time in prison but then perhaps spend some of their sentence spend some of their sentence again, at home under some form again, at home under some form home detention curfew where home detention curfew where there are significant there are significant restrictions. in the light of restrictions. in the light of changing technology, there may changing technology, there may well be opportunities. so we well be opportunities. so we want to look at that and today, want to look at that and today, we have issued a call for we have issued a call for evidence and we are asking for evidence and we are asking for people who have got ideas, people who have got ideas, proposals, evidence to come proposals, evidence to come forward and submit their forward and submit their thoughts during the evidence thoughts during the evidence period. the next eight weeks. period. the next eight weeks. we can take into account those we can take into account those faults as we drive our faults as we drive our

recommendations, which we aim recommendations, which we aim to publish in the spring. to publish in the spring. mitt; to publish in the spring. why is it the case _ to publish in the spring. why is it the case that _ to publish in the spring. why is it the case that in - to publish in the spring. why is it the case that in the - is it the case that in the past, it is the women offenders who have been serving shorter sentences? obviously, the public are going to want to know fundamentally that

public are going to want to know fu-ally that l public are going to want to know fu_t i again. a former justice secretary _ again. a former justice secretary under - again. a former justice secretary under the . secretary under the conservatives, thank you very much being with us. —— david gauke. we have got very much more coming up at the top of the hour. more on the developments in the united states, where there is a lot of attention of donald trump's 90 is looking for an appointment in his administration when he comes in injanuary. this is bbc news. hello. rest of thursday and into friday, it's more of the same. thick clouds, some sunnier moments too. we've had mist and murk across northern parts of england and northern ireland, but the high pressure, which has been around for such a long time now, will be replaced by a big low and screaming winds from the north. so this time next week is going to feel very different across the uk. so here's the forecast, then, for the end of the afternoon — some clearer, sunnier breaks here and there, of course, before the sun sets.

and then we've got some clear spells overnight across eastern scotland, central and southern parts of england, wales too. where the skies clear for any lengthy period of time, temperatures could dip to, say, two or three degrees, but with the south—westerly breeze here in northern ireland and western scotland, as a weather front approaches, it'll be a little bit milder in the morning. so, stronger winds and some damp weather for northern and western scotland. but to the south we've got some sunshine for places like birmingham, hull, norwich and london. temperatures will be around ten celsius. now, the weekend sees the onset of the cold weather. it is going to be a gradual process. the colder winds will first reach scotland, northern england, and it will be quite chilly along the north sea coast as well. so here's the weather map for saturday, shows that big low across scandinavia, sending those stronger winds from the north and that arctic air spreading across the country. it's a weak weather front, so not an awful lot of rain, just cloud, and i think patchy rain, middle of the afternoon, across central and southern parts of england and wales. to the north it's brighter with some late sunshine and with showers increasingly

turning wintry. and then we've got that stronger wind from the north. look at that. five degrees in aberdeen. chilly winds and again showers becoming wintry across the scottish hills, but temporarily. look at this damp, really unpleasant weather spreading into central parts of the uk. and then the following nights will be really chilly. widespread frosts are expected north or south, away from the coasts, and then this cold arctic air establishes itself across the uk during next week. so, we're all in for some colder weather. is it going to snow? well, it does look as though parts of scotland, especially the hills and the mountains, will get some snow, the pennines, possibly too. in the south, it's more likely to be rain, but the winds will be quite unpleasant, so a really messy picture on the way.

live from london. this is bbc news. republicans win total control of congress and donald trump sparks controversy with his latest key appointments. among those chosen, the controversial far—right congressman, matt gaetz, as his attorney—general. we'll talk live on the programme to the former republican congressman and presidential candidate, joe walsh. the other main headlines: a turkish man suspected of being a �*major supplier�* of boats for people smuggling

across the english channel has been arrested in amsterdam. dealing drugs and asking inmates for sex — why a record number of prison staff have been sacked for misconduct. we have a special report. and scientists have discovered the largest single known piece of coral in the southwest pacific ocean. hello, i�*m matthew amroliwala. the us republican party has retained its majority in the house of representatives, giving donald trump a clean sweep of both chambers of congress. but there�*s been shock in washington after more of mr trump�*s picks for his new cabinet became public. mike gaetz is the president elect�*s choice for attorney general. he�*s been facing accusations of sexual misconduct and drug use. a report on that was due to be published in the next two days. tulsi gabbard has been put forward as the administration�*s

new intelligence chief.