a warning that dog owners are pretending their lockdown pets are strays, in order to get rid of them. the chancellor, rishi sunak, is promising nearly £7 billion to improve transport outside london in england's city regions. it's one of a number of spending pledges to be unveiled in wednesday's government budget. he says a "transport revolution" will bring public services around the country in line with the capital. political leaders in england's city regions have welcomed the chancellor's pledge to improve transport links outside this feels like a breakthrough today. we have put forward a powerful case for a london style public transport system and this is a big downpayment on it. it is not everything we need, so this is the money for the infrastructure, we are also being invited to bid for money for services, more frequent bus services and crucially lower fares and that bid is still in with the government but if we get that, as well, and i hope we will, we have got everything we need to build a london style public transport system on the ground in greater manchester by may 202a. this is not a day for any negativity. it feels like a real breakthrough for levelling up today, the government feels as though it's listening and buying in to the greater manchester vision, so it's a good day. this— 50 it's a good day. this— so it's a good day. is a good this so it's a -ood day. is a -ood first step. this type of this is a good first step. this type of significant investment in transport infrastructure has been so successful_ transport infrastructure has been so successful in london at the south—east over many decades and it is absolutely right that the big city regions outside of london get a similar_ city regions outside of london get a similar slice of the pipe but it is very— similar slice of the pipe but it is very much— similar slice of the pipe but it is very much a first step. it doesn't need _ very much a first step. it doesn't need to— very much a first step. it doesn't need to be — very much a first step. it doesn't need to be a one—off event and it needs_ need to be a one—off event and it needs to — need to be a one—off event and it needs to be — need to be a one—off event and it needs to be followed up in future years _ needs to be followed up in future years and — needs to be followed up in future years and we also need some of the additional_ years and we also need some of the additional support for services, especially local bus services, and equally— especially local bus services, and equally making sure there is the commitment of those long distance transport _ commitment of those long distance transport links, especially northern powerhouse rail and h52. when you think about — powerhouse rail and h52. when you think about the impact of austerity, this needs — think about the impact of austerity, this needs to be part of a long—term process— this needs to be part of a long—term process and — this needs to be part of a long—term process and it can't just this needs to be part of a long—term process and it can'tjust be this needs to be part of a long—term process and it can't just be about a five year— process and it can't just be about a five year sticking plaster, if you tike~ _ five year sticking plaster, if you tike~ it — five year sticking plaster, if you like. it needs to be significant investment, in transport but also all of— investment, in transport but also all of our— investment, in transport but also all of our public services, that are so vitat— all of our public services, that are so vital to— all of our public services, that are so vital to all of our communities. that— so vital to all of our communities. that was— so vital to all of our communities. that was the council at liam robinson from the liverpool city region and before that the mayor of greater manchester andy burnham. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers. our guests joining me tonight are the sunday times education editor, sian griffiths — and the political correspondent from pa, geri scott. a prominent adviser to the government on covid—19, is urging the public to do everything possible to reduce transmission of the virus. professor peter 0penshaw says infection and death rates are currently "unacceptable" — and he's very fearful there could be another "lockdown christmas." figures from the most recent household survey suggest that 1.1 million people in the uk were infected with the virus last week — the highest number since january. but the government maintains that at the moment, there's no need for stricter covid measures. this is what professor 0penshaw told bbc news earlier today. well, i am very fearful that we are going to have another lockdown christmas if we don't act soon. we know that with public health measures, the time to act is immediately. there's no point in delaying. if you do delay, then you need to take even more stringent action later. you know, the immediacy of response is absolutely vital if you're going to get things under control. we all really, really want a wonderfulfamily christmas where we can all get back together. if that's what we want, we need to get these measures in place now in order to get transmission rates right down so we can actually get together and see one another over christmas. take matters into your own hands. don't wait necessarily for government policy. i'm very, very reluctant now to go into crowded spaces because i know that roughly one in 60 people in a crowded space are going to have the virus. and if you can, cycle to work, don't go on public transport and just, you know, i think do everything possible in your control to try to reduce transmission. don't wait for the government to change policy. the sooner we all act, the sooner we can get this transmission rate down and the greater the prospect of having a christmas with our families. a short while ago, i spoke to the epidemiologist professor paul hunter from the university of east anglia. he said the increasing take—up of boosterjabs was beginning to show an effect. it is very difficult at this stage to know exactly what is going to be happening in coming weeks. what we are seeing is some early evidence that, actually, the booster dose might be having a pretty impressive impact. in the over 80 category, we're seeing the speed of the epidemic is slowing quite obviously in the over 80s and also starting in those over 60, so it may well be the case that the booster vaccine is the thing that is going to make the big difference. the other thing we have seen in recent weeks, we have seen significant waves of infection, really, going back to earlyjuly, and these waves have actually not been sustained for very long before we have seen declines. we may already be starting to see the first of that. i think, as you probably gathered, it is difficult to be absolutely certain, but i'm more optimistic than professor 0penshaw, that we will not need to go into that sort of lockdown. but the next couple of weeks will be critical to actually helping us decide one way or the other. it's been estimated that uk households bought more than 3 million pets during lockdowns — but some dog owners are now abandoning their pets as normal life resumes. rescue charities say their shelters are being filled, and owners are pretending their dogs are strays in order to get rid of them more easily. jordan davies reports. this is maggie. she's one and, it's believed, is a fake stray. maggie was brought in as a stray. she was found straying in the taf area. we had some messages from supporters showing screenshots that she was for sale on gumtree the previous day for £500. we don't know what's happened in those 2a hours but we would certainly be concerned that she has not actually got loose from somewhere, that she is a fake stray. maggie's not alone — workers at this rescue centre say they have never seen as many owners pretending their dogs are stray. it's the responsiblity of the local authority to have somewhere safe for strays to go and that is for us. there have been other examples in the last week alone. this is the advert for maggie on gumtree for sale for £500, and this was the day before she was brought into us as a stray. rescue workers say these are desperate times and that places like this are at capacity because people who bought dogs during lockdown now won't or can't look after them. and the pressure on places like this across wales has consequences. workers fear dogs are being put down because there's no space for them in rescue centres, with fake strays taking the space of dogs that are genuinely in need or abandoned. workers here anticipate unprecedented strain on centres like this for years to come. barking the government pledges billions of pounds to improve transport outside london. england's city regions will get the cash, to the delight of metro mayors. it feels like a real breakthrough for levelling up today. the government feels as though it's listening and buying into the greater manchester vision, so it's a good day. but with billions in other pledges in the chancellor's budget next week, where's the money coming from? also tonight... it's claimed the actor alec baldwin was told a gun was safe moments before he fatally shot a crew member on the set of his new film. the world's biggest oil exporter, saudi arabia, says it wants to reach net—zero carbon emissions, by 2060. and england's cricketers begin their t20 world cup campaign by thrashing the champions, the west indies. good evening. the chancellor, rishi sunak, is promising to spend almost £7 billion improving transport outside london in england's city regions. it's one of a number of spending pledges to be unveiled in wednesday's budget. in wednesday's budget. he says a "transport revolution" will bring public services around the country in line with the capital. labour says the government lacks a coherent plan to transform regional economies and tackle the climate crisis. here's our business correspondent, katy austin. whether it's for work or leisure, how easy is it to get about where you live? greater manchester is one area set to receive cash to spend on transport improvements, such as tram upgrades and bus corridors. i think it's going to be a great idea for bolton, and it'll save time on people, like, using buses and trains, direct links straight in, and good for the environment, as well. if there was a convenient tram from preston to manchester, i'd definitely consider it. it'll be for regional authorities to decide exactly how the money is spent. this is not a day for any negativity. it feels like a real breakthrough for levelling up today, the government feels as though it's listening and buying in to the greater manchester vision, so it's a good day. next week, the chancellor is expected to confirm £5.7 billion for a range of projects in england's big city regions — 1.5 billion more than had been anticipated. it's meant to help bridge the gap between transport provision in the capital and other places. including the west midlands — at this cinema in digbeth in birmingham, staff think better local links would be good for business. it would be a great help — again, notjust for the customers, but for the staff as well, they're coming from all over, and it's an importantjob to them, and it would just make life a lot easier — a lot of the time they're just having to get taxis home or things like that, whereas a tram would be great, you know, reallyjust a simple but a bit of a cheaper solution. just over £1 billion will go towards introducing simpler fares and fasterjourneys on local buses, using london's services as the model. that's part of an existing £3 billion promise. we think that it's not so much of a north—south divide, but there are many areas across the whole country that feel left behind and need levelling up, so areas that have very infrequent bus services, no services in the evenings and at weekends, and these glaring gaps in current provision that need to be addressed. in the lead—up to the chancellor outlining his wider spending plans in a few days' time, we're hearing about lots of these kinds of funding promises. but rishi sunak has also spoken about wanting to put the public finances on a sustainable footing, and we should soon find out more about how he intends to do that. labour has accused the government of lacking a coherent plan and said other projects, like delivering hs2 to leeds, were also critical. but the government says modernising the transport network is central to its levelling up agenda. katy austin, bbc news, in birmingham. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley is in downing street. nope, eardley is in downing street. just shy of 7 billion fo transport, nope, just shy of 7 billion for transport, 500 million to support families in england, probably more pledges as we get to the budget on wednesday. where is all this money coming from?— coming from? well, clive, despite the treasury's _ coming from? well, clive, despite the treasury's intention _ coming from? well, clive, despite the treasury's intention to - coming from? well, clive, despite the treasury's intention to bring . the treasury's intention to bring spending under control after the pandemic, the message from number 11 is there is still money to be spent, particularly when it comes to the government's a big political priorities. the announcement today on transport out outside london was intended to put some meat on the bones of the levelling up agenda. critics have said it was a sound bite so the government will be delighted to hear the reaction of manchester's labour mayor andy burnham but the chancellor has a job to persuade people he has a vision to persuade people he has a vision to deliver borisjohnson's plan for a high delivery, high skills, high wage economy. we have heard ministers talk about in recent days, expect skills to be mentioned a lot over the next few days but there are concerns in there about the economic backdrop to all of this, about how to balance the books, about how to combat inflation and amid concerns that could have a devastating impact on the cost of government borrowing. and, as we know around the country, concerns about the cost of living too. a lot for the chancellor to weigh up. too. a lot for the chancellor to weigh um— too. a lot for the chancellor to weir-hu. ., ., weigh up. indeed, nick, thanks for that. the government's latest coronavirus figures show there were 44,985 new infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period, which means, on average, 47,638 new cases were reported per day in the last week. there were 8,238 people in hospital with covid, as of thursday. 135 deaths were reported, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. on average in the past week, 133 deaths were announced every day. a prominent adviser to the government on covid—19 is urging the public to do everything possible to reduce transmission of the virus. professor peter 0penshaw says infection and death rates are currently "unacceptable," and he's very fearful there could be another "lockdown christmas". the government maintains at the moment there's no need for stricter covid measures in england, and is encouraging all those who are eligible to get their boosterjabs. with the latest, here's yunus mulla. as covid infection rates continue to rise sharply in england and wales, and remain high across the uk, at the heart of the government's plans to deal with covid this winter is getting people vaccinated. at this clinic on the wirral in merseyside, rising infections is a concern, for people like rachel, who has just lost a family member to the virus. i lost my son—in—law last sunday because he didn't have the vaccines. and his life support was turned off last sunday. so it's important that everybody, everybody, gets the first, second and maybe the booster. here, they are also trying to persuade some of the 5 million people across the uk who haven't come forward for their firstjab. we have not vaccinated 15 to 20% of the population. i think that poses a significant risk. although the government focus remains on vaccinations to deal with this pandemic, ministers are under pressure, with growing calls to go further and act sooner, rather than later, in introducing extra measures. 0ne prominent government adviser has urged people to do what they can to reduce transmission of the virus. do everything possible in your control to try to reduce transmission. don't wait for the government to change policy. the sooner we all act, the sooner we can get this transmission rate down and the greater the prospect of having a christmas with our families. relying on vaccinations may not be enough. average daily hospital admissions in england of people with covid—19 have climbed to their highest level for nearly eight months. combined with the usual winter pressures such as flu, calls for government action may be difficult to ignore. yunus mulla, bbc news, wirral. court documents in america suggest the actor alec baldwin was told a gun was safe moments before he fatally shot a crew member on the set of his new film. the cinematographer, halyna hutchins, died from a wound to the chest. with more, here's our north america correspondent, sophie long. "we miss you." the simple words of a husband and a son whose lives have been changed forever. emergency services: santa fe ems. what's your emergency? in this audio released by the emergency services, you can hear the script supervisor calling for help, describing what happened just moments before. two people accidentally shot on a movie set with a prop gun. we need help immediately. we now know that when alec baldwin was handed the weapon, he was told it was safe. what is called a cold gun. yet the shot, or shots, it released killed cinematographer halyna hutchins and seriously injured directorjoel souza. the person responsible for the safety of all weapons used on the rust set was 24—year—old hannah gutierrez—reed. as the daughter of a legendary hollywood armourer, she had been around guns all her life but, just a month ago, she spoke of her lack of experience in the job. by all means, i'm still learning, but, yeah, dad has taught me everything. i think loading blanks was like the scariest thing to me, because i was like, "oh, i don't know anything about it." there have been unconfirmed reports of complaints about safety standards on the set and that a number of crew walked out hours before the shooting happened. at this stage in the investigation, we don't know if hannah gutierrez—reed was among those who remain. halyna hutchins honed her craft here. one of her teachers said she had a unique perspective of the world. as herfriends, family and industry grieve and search for answers, a candlelit vigil will be held near the film set where she lost her life doing what she loved. sophie long, bbc news, los angeles. ahead of next week's crucial climate summit in glasgow, the environmental activist greta thunberg has called for honesty from world leaders about where they're falling down on combatting climate change. her comments come as saudi arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, says it's aiming to reach net—zero carbon emissions by 2060. greta thunberg has been speaking to our science correspondent, rebecca morelle. it was a video that went viral — greta thunberg's surprise performance of rick astley�*s �*80s hit. it was to launch the climate live concerts taking place ahead of the un climate talks in glasgow. # we're no strangers to love... so what does greta want to tell politicians at cop26? be honest about where you are, how you have been failing, how you are still failing us, how they spend their time. instead of trying to find solutions, they seem to spend their time trying to come up with loopholes. greta thunberg says the climate meetings are all talk but no action. this was her last month... there is no planet b, there is no planet blah. blah blah blah, blah blah blah! you've accused politicians ofjust saying "blah blah blah" — aren't you just saying "blah blah blah" to some extent? yeah. but that's the role of an activist, to organise marches, to have speeches, to organise events. it's not ourjob to be politicians. what's it like being the face of climate activism? i don't think people would recognise me in private if they met me. i appear very angry in the media, but i'm not, i'm too silly in private — too much maybe. so will she ever stop campaigning? after the cop, i don't know — i will go home, go back to school. and of course you can't say this is the point where i will stop being an activist. it's not black and white like that. greta will be busy for a while yet, as she prepares to head to glasgow in the coming days. rebecca morelle, bbc news. now, with all the sport, here's lizzi greenwood—hughes, at the bbc sport centre. thanks, clive. good evening. england's cricketers had the best possible start to the t20 world cup in dubai, thrashing the defending champions west indies by six wickets after bowling them all out for just 55 runs. 0ur correspondent joe wilson reports. the cricketers of west indies and england shared the stance against racism at the t20 world cup. well, they share memories in this competition. the last final when carlos braithwaite's magnificent sixes took the trophy away from england. the best of times, the worst of times, but it motivated england. they are now ranked top of the world in this format and from this moment, we saw why. moeen ali, what a catch! the west indies side was mature. chris gayle, now 42, made 13. success for tymal mills on his england comeback. dwayne bravo, jonny bairstow caught it. the captain's brain beneath the caps. everything eoin morgan thought worked and how west indies obliged. where england's fielders stood was where their batters hit. there. four wickets for adil rashid. 55 all out. completely the new england. their batting however wasn't perfect. akeal hosein's agility to catch liam livingstone. four wickets down, but in just the ninth over, it was done. england looked like world number one. joe wilson, bbc news. england beat northern ireland 4—0 in today's historic women's football international at wembley. it means, they stay top of their world cup qualifying group. northern ireland are third. 0ur correspondentjo currie was watching. this is a landmark day here at wembley. walking into the history books, england women's first ever competitive match at wembley. for semiprofessional northern ireland, an opportunity to test themselves against theirfull—time neighbours. it was lauren hemp who struck first. the woodwork that is. with the goalkeeper jacqueline burns beaten, only the frame of the goal could deny the lionesses an opener. and that set the tone for england's first half. lots of chances created but one way or another, the lionesses couldn't find a breakthrough. a change of ends however brought about a change of fortune for england as substitute beth mead, who had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds, acrobatically turned the ball home. and that lead was doubled shortly afterwards. lauren hemp with the ball in. beth england at the back post to make sure. england now on a roll with mead at it again. this time slamming the ball home for her second of the night. brilliant for england! and she wasn't done yet. as she wrapped up the win and her 14 minute hat—trick with this simple finish. job done for the home side. three wins from three in the qualifying campaign. so, in the end, a night to rememberfor england and in particularfor beth mead. next up the lionesses travel to latvia on tuesday, the same night that northern ireland host austria, aiming to put this defeat behind them. jo currie, bbc news. match of the day and sportscene are on later, so don't listen — if you want to wait for the football results — because they're coming now... top vs bottom lived—up to its billing as chelsea thrashed norwich 7—0 to move two points clear at the top of the premier league. england's mason mount won the matchball after scoring a hat—trick. elsewhere there were wins for manchester city and watford. hearts are the new leaders of the scottish premiership. they drew with dundee to leapfrog rangers who play tomorrow. there was a clean sweep for england's rugby league sides in their one—off internationals against france. the women started things off with a 40—4 victory in perpignan, then afterwards, at the same ground, the men won 30—10. back to you, clive. that's it. from me and the rest of the team, have a very good night. hello, there. sunshine in short supply today, but it was turning milder slowly with this air flow coming up from the south—west. for part two of the weekend, we should see some more sunshine around, making it even milder, but there will be some showery bursts of rain around, too. these weather fronts push into northern ireland and scotland, bringing heavier, persistent rain. here we will see the strongest winds. this weather front will slowly push eastwards during tonight and into tomorrow. but it will be a weakening feature. we continue to drag up this mild air from the south. so, much of england and wales will be dry, cloudy and breezy tonight, very mild, too. for northern ireland, much of scotland and then later in the night, western england and wales will see heavy rain slowly pushing its way eastwards. a much milder night to come, particularly across the eastern side of the country than what we had last night. we start rather breezy, pretty cloudy for sunday. some sunshine around. this weather front out west begins to move eastwards and weakens so it will start to fragment as it reaches central and eastern england, but it won't reach the south—east until after dark. behind the weather front, there will be sunshine and showers, some of them quite heavy for parts of scotland and northern ireland. a breezy day wherever you are. these are mean wind speeds. gusts of wind around the southern and western coasts could reach around 30 or 40mph. another pretty mild day to come, but with more sunshine around, we could see those values reaching around 16c in the mildest spots. it stays unsettled as we move out of sunday into monday. we've got westerly winds across the country, and some weather fronts enhancing showers too. for tuesday, we have lower pressure north of the uk and higher pressure to the south, so quite a north—south divide throughout the day there. for monday, another breezy day. west or south—westerly winds. good spells of sunshine around. most of the showers will be across southern and western areas, one or two getting in towards the east, but it is the eastern side which should tend to see the best of the drier and brighter weather. mild in the south, a bit fresher across the north of the uk.