time for a look at the weather. here's sarah keith—lucas. a bit of spring sunshine. of us. this is the picture in east sussex. a little bit hazy if you have blue skies. for most, sky is a little bit more like this, the picture in cumbria. a lot of cloud and for the rest of the day producing showery outbreaks of rain drifting east, but quite mild. particularly in the south and south—east. we could see 17 degrees this afternoon, down to the fact the winds are coming from the fact the winds are coming from the south—westerly direction, so we have the warmer air mass and weather fronts continuing to produce rain particularly across parts of central scotland, quite persistent here, and northern ireland. heavy showers across parts of england and wales. temperatures, 16, possibly i7 across parts of england and wales. temperatures, 16, possibly 17 in the east of england. typically single figures in central scotland with more persistent rainfall. this evening, still got the rain in central scotland, northern ireland and northern england seen a few showers, further south in england and wales and clearer spells and still scattered heavy downpours as well. not a cold night, frost free across the board, 5—11 to start friday morning. tomorrow, not dissimilar to today, quite a lot of cloud, sunny spells and scattered showers crossing their way towards the east. improvement for parts of northern ireland and western scotland, drying up compared to today. still pretty soggy for eastern scotland and a real contrast and temperature, 7 degrees in aberdeen, up to 15 for london and norwich. turning chilly friday night, likely to see frosty conditions to start the weekend, —3 possibly even colder in more rules spots in scotland. —— rural spots in scotland. more cloud will drift its way in from the west, bringing blustery showers to northern ireland, wales and south—west england. further north and east, likely stay dry through the day. a bit of a contrast still, eight in aberdeen, 13 for london. second half of the weekend, we will see another area of low pressure towards the north—west of the uk, more weather fronts crossing their way to the east, likely to start sunday with rain in the east, probably easing the way, so not a bad day. some sunny spells, still a few showers around on sunday, but more widely temperatures not too bad, in the teens. thanks, sarah. and that's bbc news at 0ne. now it's time to join our colleagues for the news where you are, goodbye. hello, and welcome to sportsday this thursday afternoon with me, chetan pathak. coming up on the programme... who can stop willie mullins�* domination at cheltenham? we'll be there on the third day of the festival. salah ready to start as liverpool look to go strong again in the europa league. butjust how strong is the field at the players championship with some of the best missing? we'll have the latest from tpc sawgrass in florida. welcome along, thank you forjoining us. it's the third day of the cheltenham festival. so far it has been dominated by one man. willie mullins has become the first to train 100 winners at the event. can the magic continue later? he has three horses running in today's big race, the stayers hurdle which gets under way at 3:30. our sports news correspondent laura scott is there for us. we knew that the mullins stable would be a force at the festival but has their dominanace exceeded expectations? i think it has. willie mullins has enjoyed extraordinary success here in recent years. the irish trainers have dominated. he has already had six winners injust have dominated. he has already had six winners in just two days of the festival, and last night notched up his 100th cheltenham festival winner in the last race of the day. it was written by his son, patrick mullins. i spoke to him a few minutes ago, and he said it was unbelievable to have achieved 100 festival winners. he did not think it be possible for anyone to do it, let alone himself. he deflected all of the credit to his team, his owners, the agents who scout the horses. he didn't accept any of the credit for himself. he said he literallyjust stands here, and it is a well oiled machine. i think he is doing himself a disservice. he is clearly extremely talented and getting his horses to peak at the big moments. his dominance isjuxtaposed peak at the big moments. his dominance is juxtaposed with the poor performances of nicky henderson's horses. he is the best british trainer at the cheltenham festival and its history, and it —— he has had up over time. he said you cannot ignore the performances of all our horses this week, and the thing to be crazy to chance some of the younger horses in these big races, and is waiting for his team to get back to normal. the presbytery cup, which is what they call it here, with the british and irish runners, it is currently standing at 10—3 irish runners, it is currently standing at10—3 in irish runners, it is currently standing at 10—3 in favour of the irish. today, saint patrick's thursday, it is all about the irish contingent here, and there could be more success to come. i’m contingent here, and there could be more success to come.— contingent here, and there could be more success to come. i'm sure he'll be lookin: more success to come. i'm sure he'll be looking for— more success to come. i'm sure he'll be looking for more _ more success to come. i'm sure he'll be looking for more success - more success to come. i'm sure he'll be looking for more success in - more success to come. i'm sure he'll be looking for more success in the i be looking for more success in the stayers hurdle, one of two big races today. who should we be looking out for? it today. who should we be looking out for? , ., , today. who should we be looking out for? , . , ._ today. who should we be looking out for? , . , ., for? it is a funny day today, because _ for? it is a funny day today, because there _ for? it is a funny day today, because there are _ for? it is a funny day today, because there are two - for? it is a funny day today, l because there are two feature for? it is a funny day today, - because there are two feature races, whereas on the other days it is all geared around one. we have the ryanair chase in the 2:50pm, and the favourite for that is rachel blackmore's course, which won last year and is the firm favourite once again. then in the stayers hurdle at 3:30pm, the favourite is trained by gordon elliott. willie mullins�*s is the second favourite, so they could be more joy for the second favourite, so they could be morejoy for him on this day, geared around the irish, but it has been a british winner already today in the first race. grey donning for dan skelton, which is good news for the british trainers. that is dan skelton�*s third win of the festival, so he is having a brilliant week. we will leave it there, thank you so much. liverpool have one foot firmly in the last eight of the europa league. they take a very healthy 5—1 advantage into their second leg against sparta prague at anfield tonight. to make matters worse for the czech side — mohamed salah is ready to start for liverpool for the first time since new year's day. jurgen klopp�*s side are still in the hunt for a quadruple. they're away at manchester united in the quarter finals of the fa cup on sunday, but the liverpool manager isn't looking beyond tonight's game despite his sides four—goal advantage. we have to ignore the result but not the performance. they cost us massive problems in moments, we had to make a few outstanding save. that is in my mind, not how we scored the goals. we need to get rid of that part of the season now. it is not about on and off, it is about keeping the rhythm and keeping going, and don't think about the next game on sunday when the opponent is manchester united. three other british sides play in the europa league this evening. benfica twice came from a goal down to draw 2—2 with rangers in lisbon in last week's first leg, so it's all to play for at ibrox. brighton have a mountain to climb after losing their first leg 4—0 to roma in italy last week, while west ham also have work to do. they're1—0 down to freiburg heading into the second leg at the london stadium. one british side left in the last 16 of the europa conference league. aston villa battled out a goalless draw in the first leg with ajax in amsterdam last week. can they make the breakthrough tonight? lots more previewing all of tonight's games on the bbc sport website. two—time uspga champion justin thomas insists that the players championship, which is under way in florida, still has a really strong field despite many of golf�*s big names being absent because they've joined the saudi backed liv tour. rory mcilroy�*s raised concerns that "fans are losing interest" in watching golf because of the fragmented nature of the sport. but whilst he's lamented the big names missing the players championship, thomas isn't as worried. it has still been the best fielding golf for many previous years. —— field in golf. you can always make the argument that there are other tournaments that are or not. the pga has always been the deepest field in terms of the top 100 players, and i'm not saying that for selfish reasons, it isjust i'm not saying that for selfish reasons, it is just the truth. 0ur golf correspondent ian carter is at tpc sawgrass in florida and joins us now. i know you heard whatjustin thomas said and what rory mcilroy has been saying. you have covered a lot of these events, the players championship in particular. how different doesn't feel that some of the big players missing? it different doesn't feel that some of the big players missing?— the big players missing? it does feel different. _ the big players missing? it does feel different. the _ the big players missing? it does feel different. the build-up - the big players missing? it does feel different. the build-up to l the big players missing? it does l feel different. the build-up to the feel different. the build—up to the tournament has been dominated by the ongoing controversies that surround men's professional golf, and the split that is there following liv golf. the the headliners are missing because they are suspended from the pga tour having gone to the saudi funded league. cameron smith wasn't able to defend his title last year. one thing to say is that now we are under way, one thing to say is that now we are underway, it one thing to say is that now we are under way, it feels like a players championship. it is a glorious day here. some of the big names here, and there are a number of them around the golf course, they are fearing very well. the backdrop kind of falls away now for the next four days, and we are set fair for what should be an absorbing championship. we are seeing some of it now at the moment, ian, trying to keep one eye on that and one eye on you at the moment. rory mcilroy has to be happy with the start he has made? bier? with the start he has made? very much so. with the start he has made? very much s0- he _ with the start he has made? very much so. he talked _ with the start he has made? very much so. he talked in _ with the start he has made? - much so. he talked in the build—up to this championship about the difficulty that he has been having with his approach play. the driving has been trademarked brilliant of late, but approaching the green has been tricky. three fantastic approaches in his first three holes have yielded birdies. now about to embark on his 5th hole. he is sharing the lead with the american package, and has an opponent also 3—under par who has already patted an eagle. 3-under par who has already patted an eaule. . ~ i. afterfinishing 7th in his first formula one start in saudi arabia filling in for the absent carlos sainz, british ferrari driver 0llie bearman is targeting a full—time seat in 2025. team—mate charles leclerc believes it's only a matter of time before the 18—year—old is in f1 but for now, bearman says he's fully focused on his formula 2 season. you are only as good as your last race, so i think in a week's time, two weeks' time, all of this will be forgotten, i will bejudged on my formula to racing. i need to do a great rest of the year in f2, and i'm currently last, having missed the last race weekend, but that is my main focus. i want to do as good as i can in the f2 championship, and see where i get in that. you can get all the latest sports news at from the bbc sport app, orfrom our website — that's bbc.co.uk/sport. from me and the rest of the team at the bbc sport centre, goodbye. hello, you're watching bbc news. let me bring you our breaking news this hour and those pictures again, starship — a powerful rocket owned by elon musk�*s space x company — has taken off from its launch site in south—east texas. elon musk calls this spacex's "most powerful rocket". the launch was closely watched as two previous attempts had technical difficulties. spacex have launched this rocket from its base in texas. at this point we have already passed through— at this point we have already passed through maximum dynamic pressure. cheering _ through maximum dynamic pressure. cheering and applause we are passing supersonic, so we are moving _ we are passing supersonic, so we are moving faster than the speed of sound — moving faster than the speed of sound. we are getting those on—board views_ sound. we are getting those on—board views from _ sound. we are getting those on—board views from the ships cameras. the next _ views from the ships cameras. the next major— views from the ships cameras. the next major milestone will be a hot staging _ next major milestone will be a hot staging manoeuvre. this next major milestone will be a hot staging manoeuvre.— staging manoeuvre. this latest launch by spacex _ staging manoeuvre. this latest launch by spacex happened - staging manoeuvre. this latest launch by spacex happened in| staging manoeuvre. this latest i launch by spacex happened in the past hour or so. the company says this flight test aims to build on what we've learned from the previous