now for sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. hello from the bbc sport centre. we're gearing up for a feast of international football this week — including european championship qualifying. wales are one of the sides in action, in a crucial playoff tie with finland. manager rob page said he had no concerns around picking aaron ramsey in the squad, despite cardiff boss erol bulut saying he was unhappy about not being contacted by wales before ramsay's recall. the cardiff city midfielder only returned to training last week after spending the majority of the season on the sidelines with a knee injury. wales could face a playoff final against poland or estonia — for a place in this summer's euros. we're in because of communication. i just my medical team for the i know my physio— for the i know really well. the club doctor is are under 21 is doctor, there's never been a better relationship. i don't know

what the fuss is all about. we just want the player for both cardiff and ourselves. if there's a breakdown in communication between the manager and your medicalteam... liverpool's joe gomez is in contention to make his first england appearance for four years when gareth southgate�*s side face. he suffered one of those serious knocks last time he trained they are. �* , , knocks last time he trained they are. ~ , , are. add be lying ifi said it didn't have _ are. add be lying ifi said it didn't have a _ are. add be lying ifi said it didn't have a psychological| are. add be lying ifi said it- didn't have a psychological toll photo i left at an ambulance quite abruptly. it meant a lot to me. even yesterday just doing abruptly. it meant a lot to me. even yesterdayjust doing the warm—up. it's nice to close that chapter for leave and not getting a chance to come back, it was tough to do. it's meant a lotjust come back, it was tough to do. it's meant a lot just to come back, it was tough to do. it's meant a lotjust to be in the mix. it's given me a new appreciation to be here in a different perspective.

a disgrace. branford striker tony was banned for eight months for 232 breaches of bedding rules while new castles io—month band ends in august he says he's been addicted to gambling his entire adult life believe it's much more of an issue in football than alcohol. and it's a hidden addiction because it's hard for people to spot. mohammed has been cleared by formula i for people to spot. mohammed has been cleared by formula 1 ethics committee of the allegations of interference were made against him interference were made against him in f1 race in saudi arabia and las vegas. the investigation by the sports governing body found no evidence that he had acted improperly. saying allegations were on substantially and strong beyond reasonable doubt was presented to support the termination of the committee. owen farrell says he still happy to

step away from international rugby. the captain made himself unavailable for six nations saying he wants to prioritise his at his family's mental well—being for the next season farrell willjoin 92, which rules out a possible return to play for his country. earlier he spoke about the criticism he received on social media which prompted his decision to step away from the national team. it's never just it's neverjust a specific it's never just a specific want. normally a lot of things that come together to make those decisions. that's the case, the best thing for me for the probably the best thing for my family. there is a change happening next year of the back of it. i've done that because i think would be good for me. ronnie o'sullivan is through to the last 16 of the world open snooker after beating lyu haotian 5—2. he'll now face hossein vafaei tomorrow morning. reigning world champion luca brecel, though, is out.

he lost 5—1 to scott and stephen maguire. that is all the support for now. we will see you then. there was some welcome news for the economy today with inflation falling to its lowest level in nearly two and a half years — according to new figures from the office for national statistics. consumer prices rose by a 3.4% in the year to february, driven by prices rises for food and eating out slowing sharply, but housing and fuel prices continuing to rise. it's down from a 4% increase in january. but it's still short of the bank of england's target of 2%. many economists had predicted the drop, saying it makes it increasingly likely that the bank of england will cut interest rates later in the year. our chief economics correspondent, dharshini david, has this report. who doesn't want to nibble on a few treats, savour the first day of spring? but even the softest of creatures

can come with a fierce bite. as customers at this farm shop in crewe know, lower inflation still means higher prices. in terms of car insurance, i've just had my renewal through and it's actually doubled. sometimes ijust don't even pay for my wi—fi because i can't, so i'll have to go without. counciltax, broadband, phone, . everything's gone up significantly. carving up budgets is still a stretch for many, even if wages have been rising. now, there's been some relief as items like bread, cereal, cakes get cheaper. and that means food inflation has dropped from nearly 20% last march to 5%. prices for restaurant meals, too, are tailing off. it's global wholesale food and energy costs — those factors that triggered the cost of living crisis — pushing inflation up to over ii%, which are also helping to bring it back down, along with the impact of those higher interest rates. and those factors are projected to bring it below the bank of england's 2% target later

in the spring. that's what analysts expect. but crucially, inflation in services, which covers the likes of hotel stays, rents and water bills and insurance premiums, that remains at 6.1%. that concerns the bank of england. it wants to be confident that not only is overall inflation returning to target, but that it will stay there before they cut rates. in the meantime, making the sums add up is still challenging for many. labour highlights that some people are still getting worse off. the chancellor himself acknowledges there's further to go. the plan to bring inflation down, it was over 11% when rishi sunak became prime minister, nowjust 3.4%. that plan is working, but we do need to stick to it and see it right the way through. relief can't come too soon for this taxi firm. they put plans to expand on hold after insurance premiums for their drivers soared.

i could not believe it. it really, yeah, itjust knocked me back so much. and it's kind of scary as well. when�*s it going to stop? yet many businesses are cutting back on price rises, fearing customers won't swallow them. we're moving towards lower inflation, but that last morsel, getting it down and keeping it down, can be the toughest. good speaks of the senior adviser and on the monetary policy on the bank of england. thank you for being here live on the program. your assessment of these figures? inflation is coming down. and crucially falling faster than the bank of england had been expecting. we saw that in the second half of last year as well. inflation in the first quarter likely to gain beneath their forecast that i think will get

back to the 2% that we publish in the middle of may. inflation and the rest of the year is likely to be below the 2% target. as those inflation figures come through i think the bank of england will start to cut interest rates for the knot quickly, we're not going back to super low interest rates that we had before the pandemic for the i think interest rates will start to come down perhaps injune of this year. i'll come back to interest rates with up we saw in the pc chancellor referencing when inflation was double digits for them at that stage the government said they weren't responsible for that, it was external forces. responsible for that, it was externalforces. so responsible for that, it was external forces. so the fact that inflation has fallen to the levels we see today, is that because of what the government is doing or is that because of what the bank of england is doing? {iii that because of what the bank of england is doing?— england is doing? of course the government _ england is doing? of course the government has _ england is doing? of course the government has had _ england is doing? of course the government has had very - england is doing? of course the government has had very little l england is doing? of course the l government has had very little to england is doing? of course the - government has had very little to do with theirs. the big rise in inflation was largely due to global shocks from food, energy and trading

goods prices that pushed up inflation in many countries including the uk. the government was not responsible for that. inflation is come down because the global shocks of faded and the bank of england has rated inc. two interest rates. the government is not responsible for any of that either. the bank of england is into independent for that the government has been a bystander to this without the bank of england job is to get inflation back to 2% target. they are well on their way to achieving that. not quite there yet but probably in the next couple of months. ., . ~' probably in the next couple of months. ., ., ~ ., , months. you talked about interest rates. months. you talked about interest rates- what _ months. you talked about interest rates. what is _ months. you talked about interest rates. what is your _ months. you talked about interest rates. what is your best _ months. you talked about interest rates. what is your best guess? i months. you talked about interest l rates. what is your best guess? you talked about perhaps cuts but are we likely to see a succession of cuts now? i likely to see a succession of cuts now? ~ , , now? i think we will see interest rates come _ now? i think we will see interest rates come down _ now? i think we will see interest rates come down quite - now? i think we will see interest | rates come down quite gradually. remember, we had a whole series of interest rate increases with them every time the bank of england monetary policy committee met between late 2021 in late 2023 they

raised interest rates. i think when interest rates start to come down it won't be at every meeting. maybe every other. perhaps the rate cuts by the end of the year. so interest rates and english are at possibly four and a half percent. that's a little lower than now, at five and a quarter. it substantially higher than they were three or four years ago when many people got used to having interest rates close to zero. we have to leave it. thank you for joining us live on bbc news. there's a warning today that the shortage of teachers in england has reached a "critical state". the independent national foundation for education research says teaching is struggling to compete with other graduate jobs. the government says it's offering bursaries of up to £30,000 to attract the "brightest and the best" in subject areas where there are shortages.

gender clinics are facing a ten year backlog forfirst gender clinics are facing a ten year backlog for first appointments. last year ruling that waiting times to access gender care to death and suicide in england. nhs england have confirmed they will now begin a review into the standard of care at aduu review into the standard of care at adult gender clinics in the coming weeks. this report. a warning, it contains testimony some viewers might find distressing. it is difficult to _ might find distressing. it is difficult to sum _ might find distressing. it is difficult to sum up - might find distressing. it 3 difficult to sum up allison. she is a wonderful person.— a wonderful person. alice was 20 ears old a wonderful person. alice was 20 years old when — a wonderful person. alice was 20 years old when she _ a wonderful person. alice was 20 years old when she was - a wonderful person. alice was 20 years old when she was found - a wonderful person. alice was 20 l years old when she was found dead a wonderful person. alice was 20 - years old when she was found dead in brighton. she been on a waiting list for over three years at the time of her death. fin for over three years at the time of her death. for over three years at the time of her death-— her death. on the morning of the 26th of may _ her death. on the morning of the 26th of may a _ her death. on the morning of the 26th of may a policeman - her death. on the morning of the 26th of may a policeman came i her death. on the morning of the | 26th of may a policeman came and knocked on our door. until this that

a body had been found and there is reason to believe that it was alice. i think a lot of the time she put on a brave face. she tried her very hardest to live. the a brave face. she tried her very hardest to live.— a brave face. she tried her very hardest to live. the clinic where alice was referred _ hardest to live. the clinic where alice was referred was - hardest to live. the clinic where alice was referred was the - hardest to live. the clinic where alice was referred was the tim l alice was referred was the tim skarke adult clinic. they are currently seeing patients from december 2018. alice wasn't referred into the december of 2019, which means if she were alive today would still have not received her first appointment. what does that tell you about access to gender care in this country? about access to gender care in this count ? ~ ., about access to gender care in this count ? ~ . , , ., country? what he tells me is that there is no _ country? what he tells me is that there is no care _ country? what he tells me is that there is no care for _ country? what he tells me is that there is no care for trans - country? what he tells me is that there is no care for trans people. | there is no care for trans people. whether you need heart surgery or asthma medication or your diabetes drugs and being told well, you can't have them for another 20 years. it's a death sentence. literally. that have them for another 20 years. it's a death sentence. literally.- a death sentence. literally. at an inruest a death sentence. literally. at an inquest the _ a death sentence. literally. at an inquest the coroner _ a death sentence. literally. at an inquest the coroner ruled - a death sentence. literally. at an inquest the coroner ruled waiting times were a contributing factor in allison's death. the tavistock trust

where alice was referred said... him him we asked every gender i guess 50 clinic in uk how long someone would wait for herfirst clinic in uk how long someone would wait for her first appointment if referred today. the majority of clinics would only give us data on how long patients currently being seen had waited that figure varied across each nation for that with wails avenue in the shortest wait time atjust ia months while patients in england waited on average seven years. further analysis of data by the bbc based on clinics current waiting list and the amount of first appointments available in 2023 showed on average it would take ten years to clear the current backlog of patients, provided they were no changes to service positions or the size of waiting list. doctor mike sure is the lead clinician at a gender clinic in the north of england. he is also the lead for the british medical association. we

is also the lead for the british medical association. we need to think about _ medical association. we need to think about training _ medical association. we need to think about training of _ medical association. we need to think about training of staff - medical association. we need to think about training of staff so . think about training of staff so having that on the curriculum, having that on the curriculum, having a pathway that most people from that interest and awareness into thinking about gender inclusion. d0 into thinking about gender inclusion.— into thinking about gender inclusion. ~ , , . inclusion. do you think public health and — inclusion. do you think public health and social _ inclusion. do you think public health and social care - inclusion. do you think public health and social care and - inclusion. do you think public. health and social care and nhs england have a clear plan to deal with these waiting list? i england have a clear plan to deal with these waiting list?— with these waiting list? i don't think it's in — with these waiting list? i don't think it's in a _ with these waiting list? i don't think it's in a clear, _ with these waiting list? i don't think it's in a clear, coherent, | think it's in a clear, coherent, joint up form. i think there are elements of planning. so i would hope to see that being brought together. in hope to see that being brought touether. ., hope to see that being brought touether. . , ., hope to see that being brought touether. . , . ,, hope to see that being brought touether. . , ., ,, ., together. in a statement nhs england said dave--- — the department of health and social

care said two two nhs trust executives and told the bbc that demand far out ran investment in their services. that was further hampered by great difficulty recruiting staff. they tell us that without significant ring fenced funding and dedicated pathways to get clinicians into crucial roles waiting list will remain excessively long. legislation banning the next generation from being able to buy cigarettes is being introduced in parliament. the bill will raise the legal smoking age in the uk by one year, every year, meaning anyone turning 15 this year, or younger, will never legally be able to buy cigarettes. it also aims to tackle youth vaping, with new powers to restrict vape flavours and packaging intentionally marketed at children. vaughan gething has been formally nominated as the new first minister of wales by the welsh parliament. he narrowly won the welsh labour leadership to succeed mark drakeford, who has stepped down from the post after

more than five years. he is the first politician from an ethnic minority background in the role and the only black leader of a national government in europe. after the vote, he set out his vision for wales. i believe the wales of today, and the future, will be owned by all those decent people who recognise that our parliament and our government should look like our country, people who recognise that our hope and ambition for the future relies on unleashing the talent of all of us, a wales that recognises that we can celebrate our differences and take pride in all those things that draw us together and make us who we're. us together and make us who we are. that is the wales that i want to lead, a wales full of hope, ambition and unity. let's get back to the store we brought you a short while ago. we know the draught in american

football is one of the big counter sporting events. today ng cricket the 100 competition had the auction of top players it's a competition that perhaps the purest are a bit snobby about with its fireworks and bands. the action packed but the most runs waiting has proved popular with younger, newer audiences. a quick look at who the players most sought after are in the draught in the men's game keen to get to the west indies nicholas pooran. australia's meg lanning, the peak interest of teams there picking 1st. tim is the other cricket autonomy. he explained how this draught actually works. it’s he explained how this draught actually works.— he explained how this draught actually works. it's been in one because most _ actually works. it's been in one because most teams _ actually works. it's been in one because most teams already i actually works. it's been in one - because most teams already signed most players for the coming season. each team has four or five spots free for these new players they are signing. a bit like american sports,

sort of a snake draught with the team who gets first picked in the first round will then get last pick in the second round and so want to make it fairfor them and the make it fair for them and the first pick in the men's game by the superchargers whose coach the hero of the ashes in 2005 now doing his first full—time coaching job in cricket. first full-time coaching “0b in cricket. ., , cricket. how competitive does he net? do cricket. how competitive does he get? do you _ cricket. how competitive does he get? do you tend _ cricket. how competitive does he get? do you tend to _ cricket. how competitive does he get? do you tend to have - cricket. how competitive does he get? do you tend to have most i cricket. how competitive does he | get? do you tend to have most of cricket. how competitive does he - get? do you tend to have most of the teams after the same players? yes. in the teams after the same players? yes. in the indian — teams after the same players? yes. in the indian premier _ teams after the same players? jazz in the indian premier league there is an auction now so you can bid as much as you like to try and get players for them here it's like you have a slot so you are first round, hundred and £25,000 in the men's draw. whoever�*s got first picked they can choose that player. when you have your pic you have a free hand there is no competition, you don't worry about another team. that's a different structure between this and say the ipl where you have

bidding wars between very, very rich owners in india. when you get amazing bids on players. the crown is leading the way in this year's nominations for the bafta television awards which have just been released. our entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba has more. many critics might not have loved the final series of the crown, but it leads the way at the baftas with eight nominations. i don't want to go scouring and searching through the newspapers page after page for negative coverage of diana. i want positive coverage of mrs parker—bowles to be glaringly, screamingly obvious! dominic west is recognised for playing prince charles... have i made myself clear? ..lesley manville for princess margaret... you know the princess of wales. ..and salim daw, who plays mohamed al—fayed, is also nominated... we met years ago. yeah, we met. ..alongside elizabeth debicki, who plays princess diana.

i mean, don't get me wrong, i'm very proud of my 30 years. i'm the best copper that ever lived. but code 11 — job done. the final series of crime drama happy valley was watched by more than 10 million. it's just behind with seven nominations, including best actress for sarah lancashire and supporting actress for siobhan finneran. always been like that. oh, yeah, but i'm feeling it now. rock on. also with seven nominations is demon 79, an episode of black mirror where a young woman accidentally releases a demon. you're not real. you're not real, you're not real, you're not real. its nominations include best limited drama and best actress for anjana vasan. channel a's dispatches programme, which accused russell brand of multiple sexual assaults, is nominated in the current affairs category. he's denied their allegations. wow! my god, it has been an absolutely brilliant night so far...

among the four nominations for the eurovision song contest are best live event and best entertainment performance for hannah waddingham. we still have one more song to hear. 555 of us now. 202a�*s headline—making drama, mr bates verses the post office, isn't eligible this year, as the nominations cover 2023. but one of the most influential programmes of recent years is already being talked about for next year's baftas. lizo mzimba, bbc news. we had back to west minister. after days of speculation over leaderships and plots in his own party uk prime minister rishi sunak has been addressing backbench mps at the 1922 committee. let's head to west minister and speak to our deputy editorfor kiang. is minister and speak to our deputy editor for kiang. is that meeting still going on and what is the field coming out of it? it still going on and what is the field coming out of it?—

coming out of it? it has 'ust finished. i coming out of it? it has 'ust finished. just i coming out of it? it has 'ust finished. just on i coming out of it? it has 'ust finished. just on the i coming out of it? it hasjust - finished. just on the committee coroner, not farfrom here rishi sunak showed up with a backdrop of very difficult times for him. a lot of his own mps speculating that he should be removed as leader. today he has focused on the economy, the news that inflation has dropped by an unexpectedly large amount of the piece is 202a is going to be the year that the economy bounces back of the mps want to know is are therefore to get a bounce back with my a lot of them are looking at the polls and feeling that they are going to lose their seats there i'll try to work out how they can stop that happening. i would say there's been growing frustration of months a lot of stories that i've been speaking to that others really need to get in line. they need to stop complaining stop talking about leadership is that once said if you keep on trashing your brand how do you go to vote for you is that you should be surprised if you going out there and saying the party is useless that no one wants to get

behind you. i think there's that element. a lot cheering, a lot of clapping in the room. that does happen and it sometimes does show that the prime minister maybe is in trouble. we saw teresa may come out and one of my colleagues said to hurt you must miss all this. she laughed quite loudly for that i think the be helping at the end of this term, ahead of those local elections coming up and made that they can start to turn things around. it was a cry for unity saying that the parties got to come together. they know the voters do not vote for parties that are divided. ~ . not vote for parties that are divided. ~ , ., , , divided. the prime minister has been talkin: to divided. the prime minister has been talking to faisal _ divided. the prime minister has been talking to faisal islam. _ divided. the prime minister has been talking to faisal islam. i _ divided. the prime minister has been talking to faisal islam. i remember l talking to faisal islam. i remember a year ago asking kwasi kwarteng in new york city and just bait still being chancellor when he returned. 0f being chancellor when he returned. of course he never was chancellor having that on that flight. he has the same question of rishi sunak put up the same question of rishi sunak put up does he expect to be prime minister after the local elections, the very fact you are asking questions like that tells its own story, doesn't it? it questions like that tells its own

story, doesn't it?— story, doesn't it? it does. they look at opinion _ story, doesn't it? it does. they look at opinion polls _ story, doesn't it? it does. they look at opinion polls labour- story, doesn't it? it does. they. look at opinion polls labour have been ahead for a very long time. there are lots of tory mps extremely nervous. some privately talk about the election being damaged, limitation is just a the election being damaged, limitation isjust a matter of the election being damaged, limitation is just a matter of keep the defeat down for a very long time. there are lots of tory mps extremely nervous. some privately talk about the election being damaged, limitation isjust a matter of keep the defeat down. others who say once the election campaign starts and we grow expectation in october they feel that labour hasn't been tested that keir starmer has been tested that keir starmer has been tested that keir starmer has been tested as a leader and they'll be a lot more scrutiny on the labour party. they hope at the very least they can narrow that gap. x�*fes. they can narrow that gap. yes. nervousness, _ they can narrow that gap. yes. nervousness, real— they can narrow that gap. yes. | nervousness, real nervousness they can narrow that gap. yes. nervousness, real nervousness that nothing they have done in recent times has moved the needle at all. i think there's definitely concerned about that. the budget which of course cut national insurance as did the previous autumn statement. a a% drop in that doesn't seem to change the polls at all. there is some senior tories that say voters aren't listening at the moment. they were so fed up under what happened and

liz truss and borisjohnson so fed up under what happened and liz truss and boris johnson for so fed up under what happened and liz truss and borisjohnson for not liz truss and boris johnson for not looking at anything. their hope is that comeback general election with people are starting to think about using the prime minister, choosing the governing party that they will start to look at more detail on policy. they really hope i autumn the economy will have started to pick up and people start to feel a bit better. they are begging everything on that.- bit better. they are begging everything on that. vicki young, a lot of it was _ everything on that. vicki young, a lot of it was minister. _ everything on that. vicki young, a lot of it was minister. thank- everything on that. vicki young, a lot of it was minister. thank you l lot of it was minister. thank you for that. that is just about it from today's verified live. we will see you at the same time draw. bye—bye. hello there. we had a real mixture of weather conditions across the uk weather, on wednesday. an area of low pressure brought a lot of cloudy weather, some damp, drizzly conditions into the afternoon for some. and across parts of eastern scotland, even into the early part of the afternoon, temperatures were just around seven degrees. so it felt chilly here. but across southeast england, we had some sunny spells break out in relatively warm air. and so that sent temperatures surging. we had highs up to around 17 degrees celsius, making it one

of the warmer days of the year. now, overnight tonight, a few mist and fog patches are possible across england and wales, but later in the night we'll see some rain move in to scotland and to northern ireland as well. the rain here is associated with a warm front that's set to bring milder weather. to bring milder weather conditions back in across the uk. now might well be turning a bit milder, particularly across northern areas of the country, but it will be a wet and a windy day. now the heaviest rain will be in scotland. the strongest winds for northern scotland with gusts of wind running into the fifties of miles an hour. the rain trickles southwards into northern ireland and northern england through the day. but across wales, the midlands, east anglia and southern england we may well again see the cloud thin and break at times to give some spells of sunshine. we could see temperatures reaching 17 degrees. colder air moves back in on friday. this strap of cloud, a bit of rain is a cold front pushing southwards across england and wales. sunshine follows that feature through, but there will be quite a lot of showers,

heavy ones of that across scotland, northern ireland and the north west of both england and wales. some of the showers will have hail mixed in, temperatures down, but actually quite close to average at ten to 12 degrees. the weekend dominated by low pressure that will be sending in loads of showers across the uk. and saturday is going to be one of those days where most places will see several showers during the day, some of them heavy with hail. and across the northern half of the uk it will be cold enough over the hills to see a bit of sleet mixed in. temperatures a bit below average, but feeling chilly, particularly factoring in the wind. now the same area of low pressure pulls away on sunday, but we'll continue to see a feed of showers affecting northern and eastern scotland and eastern areas of england. bigger gaps between the showers. so of the two days of the weekend, sunday looks like bringing us slightly better weather, if you like. but then into monday, we get some colder air moving in, bumping into a weather system and that could bring a spell of hill snow into parts of scotland.

for two and a half years. tonight the prime minister tells the bbc the economy is improving as he's challenged over rising bills. we have turned a corner after the shocks of the past few years, and we are in a new economic moment. also tonight — the private clinic that treated the princess of wales in january says disciplinary action will be taken if staff did try to access medical records. prince harry's lawyers tell the high court that rupert murdoch must have known about phone hacking in his newspaper group long before publicly denying it.

fenced off — banksy�*s latest mural has been defaced. and coming up on bbc news... he's back for wales after a lengthy knee injury, but will aaron ramsey be fit to start in their euros qualifier against finland tomorrow? good evening. there was some welcome news for the economy today, with a sharper than expected fall in inflation. the rate at which prices go up fell from a% injanuary to 3.a% in february — it's a long way from the peak there of 11% back in october 2022. but inflation is still some way off the bank of england's target rate of 2%. the prime minister says that the uk economy is turning a corner — but as our economics editor faisal isalm has been finding out — many people are still feeling the pinch.