he is the evidence to the inquiry. he is the independent chair of the working group until that compensation scheme in 2015 was halted. this is bbc news. hello, i'm chetan pathak with your latest sports news. we start with news that athletics will become the first sport to introduce prize money at the olympics in paris this summer. the governing body, world athletics, is breaking 128 years of olympic tradition, becoming the first international sport to give athletes money for winning a gold medal at the games. $50,000 will be the prize for those that win on the track or field. this in contrast to the international olympic committee, which does not award prize money. 0ur reporter, matt graveling, has been following the story for us. basically, they are the first

federation to say, gold medallists are going to get money winning a gold—medal at the olympic games and it will start as early as 107 days' time in paris for this year's summer 0lympics. time in paris for this year's summer olympics. the world athletics have ring—fenced to $1; million of the money they get from the international 0lympics committee as a prize fund, and this will go to the athletes. they also committed forfour the athletes. they also committed for four years' time, the athletes. they also committed forfour years' time, when it travels to los angeles to give a price for the silver and bronze place positions. in response to this, the international olympic committee says it's up to each international federation and national 0lympic committee to determine how best to serve their athletes. the president of world athletics, sebastian coe, has called the decision a "pivotal moment". this isjust a recognition that the athletes are the stars of the show. we increased the prize money in our own championships a few years ago,

and i just wanted the athletes to recognise that we don't sit here hermetically sealed, assuming their performance as an olympic games doesn't have a, you know, a beneficiary knock on, for the growth of our own sport. two more matches to come in the european champions league on wednesday as the quarter finals continue, atletico madrid are at home to borussia dortmund, whilst paris st germain face barcelona. barca boss xavi will step down from his role at the end of the season, and ahead of this game, his opposite number at psg, luis enrique, who played alongside xavi at barcelona and later coached him — believes he represents the values of barcelona better than xavi does. translation: it is not an opinion, look at the — translation: it is not an opinion, look at the data _ translation: it is not an opinion, look at the data in _ translation: it is not an opinion, look at the data in terms _ translation: it is not an opinion, look at the data in terms of - translation: it is not an opinion, look at the data in terms of ball - look at the data in terms of ball possession, chances on goal under the highest pressure stop look at the highest pressure stop look at the titles, — the highest pressure stop look at the titles, the trophies. without a

doubt, _ the titles, the trophies. without a doubt, me~ — the titles, the trophies. without a doubt, me. obviously, there are others_ doubt, me. obviously, there are others who— doubt, me. obviously, there are others who think differently, but without — others who think differently, but without a — others who think differently, but without a doubt, it's me. england and aston villa forward rachel daly has retired from international football. the 32—year—old, who has 84 caps, started all of england's games at euro 2022 when they won their first major trophy. in a statement on social media she's said... tyson fury says he's feeling confident that may the 18th will be his night — as he edges closer to his undisputed world title fight against oleksandr usyk in riyadh. fury�*s currently at an intense training camp ahead of his career—defining fight next month. actually, i'm having a fantastic training camp, i've got a good team

around me and evan is going to plan. no complaints. working very hard. got my dad encamp this time, so i've got my secret weapon over there as well. i have got time at your in and all of the boys and girls encamp. i have a full circus camp. can't do any more, really. and that's all the sport for now. five people have admitted stealing more than £50 million in what prosecutors say is the biggest case of benefit fraud seen in england and wales. all of them are bulgarian nationals based in north london. they're due to be sentenced next month. here's our social affairs correspondent, michael buchanan. this is some of the almost £54 million stolen from the welfare system. two of the camp treating taxpayer money like confetti, celebrating the role in one of britain's biggest benefit fraud operations. investigators found £750,000 in cash in one of the

gangs homes. £750,000 in cash in one of the gang's homeo— £750,000 in cash in one of the unan's homes, , ., , ,., gang's homes. this was a sustained attack on a — gang's homes. this was a sustained attack on a system _ gang's homes. this was a sustained attack on a system that _ gang's homes. this was a sustained attack on a system that is _ gang's homes. this was a sustained attack on a system that is supposed to protect the most vulnerable in our society. to protect the most vulnerable in oursociety. but, instead, this to protect the most vulnerable in our society. but, instead, this gang usedit our society. but, instead, this gang used it as a cash machine to fund their lavish lifestyles. the used it as a cash machine to fund their lavish lifestyles.— their lavish lifestyles. the group of three women _ their lavish lifestyles. the group of three women and _ their lavish lifestyles. the group of three women and two - their lavish lifestyles. the group of three women and two men i their lavish lifestyles. the group| of three women and two men are their lavish lifestyles. the group - of three women and two men are all bulgarian nationals. they operated out of the wood green area of north london for a 4.5 year period before their arrest in 2021. the gang made thousands of fraudulent claims for universal credit, forging documents like tenancy agreements to support either real or stolen ids. if a claim was rejected, they would simply reapply, sometimes repeatedly until it was granted. stealing so much money for so many years raises serious questions for the government. when universal credit was introduced, the government said it was designed to reduce fraud in the welfare system, which simply

didn't happen, fraud increased and billions of pounds were lost annually. the department for work and pensions said the gang used a sophisticated combination of legitimate and fake documents to make it appear that they were eligible for benefits when they were eligible for benefits when they were eligible for benefits when they were not. the gang are all due to be sentenced next month. prosecutors will attempt to confiscate as much money and assets as they can. there are concerns that the triathlon event could be delayed and the swim leg could even be cancelled because of poor water quality in the river seine in paris. that's despite more than one billion euros being spent trying to improve it. our paris correspondent hugh schofield told me about efforts to tackle pollution levels in the river: the big picture is that the river has been cleaned up extensively in the last few decades. it is far

healthier than the 1960s when there were three species of fish left in it. now there are more than 30. the specific picture is more worrying, is bid to get the river swivel by the olympics, a commitment that the alan fix organises —— the olympic organisers and president macron made. there have been these findings from an ngo which looks into water quality which are troubling. this ngo found that in a series of readings it took over the winter, the bacteria levels are too high, they are above the norms and it is all scientifically organised above a certain level. the levels were above that level. there are assurances coming from the organisers saying, don't worry, winter water is worse than some water, they're all sorts of things that i get to happen which will continue to clean up the river

in time. they must be worried. there are concerns expressed about the opening ceremony on the river, security, people saying they should be a plan b in case the water isn't clean enough byjuly. i5 be a plan b in case the water isn't clean enough by july._ clean enough by july. is there a plan b, is _ clean enough by july. is there a plan b, is that— clean enough by july. is there a plan b, is that an _ clean enough by july. is there a plan b, is that an alternate - clean enough by july. is there a i plan b, is that an alternate venue for this swimming part of the triathlon? i for this swimming part of the triathlon?— for this swimming part of the triathlon? ~ , triathlon? i think it is... there either three _ triathlon? i think it is... there either three events, _ triathlon? i think it is... there either three events, there - triathlon? i think it is... there either three events, there is l triathlon? i think it is... there either three events, there is a j either three events, there is a triathlon, the swimming marathon and then the power and picked triathlon as well. as i understand it, the full—back plan is they can shift the date, they can move it around. they planned it to take place early in the games. if it looks like that the river is not up to snuff, they will pushit river is not up to snuff, they will push it back later. if that doesn't

work, i don't think there is another plan. that is why there all of these assurances that they have things under control. i think anyone watching is feeling a little that they are not as confident as they look. the italian government has approved the issuing of a series of postage stamps commemorating the former prime minister and media mogul silvio berlusconi. mr berlusconi died last year aged 86, having dominated italian public life in a controversial career spanning decades. he's remembered for his media power, political leadership, as well as his legal troubles, and sex scandals. the stamps will be issued injune, a year after his death. one of germany's largest art museums has sacked a member of staff after he smuggled one of his own paintings in, and put it on display. the 51—year—old man hasn't been named, but he's reported to have worked as a technician at the pinakothek der moderne in munich, and had out—of—hours access to the building. johanna adams is an art curator at bundeskunsthalle gallery in germany. she had a similar experience at her

gallery, when an unexpected painting appeared in their exhibition exploring the themes of immigration. when we found out about that secret immigrant to our exhibition, that small painting, we started a on some social media, asking who the artist was, saying that we were curious to more learned about him or her. so, from then on, it went pretty quick. she answered, emmanouilidis, and she was a young student, not an art student, finally enough a student of the law. so she was more of a hobby artist but engage with the issue that we were dealing with in the

exhibition. ~ ., ., that we were dealing with in the exhibition. a, ., , , stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. it got quite cold last night as the weather briefly calmed down. things will be warming up over the next few days, but we have all of this cloud streaming in from the atlantic. those two weather fronts bringing spells of wine, but the wind direction is changing, we are getting a south—westerly wind which will bring warmer air. today, temper just might be too high because we have cloud and fog over the hills. 14 or 15 is an improvement on yesterday. we will still have the rain, which will be heavier in western scotland for a while, but that second rain band will push southwards overnight, becoming light and patchy. clearer skies will follow towards the north. it will be a lot warmer than it was last night

for many parts of the country. tomorrow sees more sunshine around with early rain in the far north of scotland, which clears, with spots of rain in the english channel and southern parts. across the uk, it will probably be dry in most places. with some sunshine in the sunshine, it will be warmer, back up to 19 or 20 degrees. weatherfronts coming from the atlantic again, turning northwards, bringing more cloud and wet weather as well, so rain pushing into northern ireland and scotland, maybe even northern parts of england. furthersouth, maybe even northern parts of england. further south, after a cloudy start, we should see the cloudy start, we should see the cloud thing and break and some sunshine coming through. we still have those warm south—westerly winds. these are the temperatures we are looking at on friday. compare those with the average for this time of year. bury st edmunds, 20 degrees

on friday, 6 degrees warmer than normal. in aberdeen, a similar story my 6 degrees warmer than normal stop a pleasant day for many areas on thursday and into friday. over the weekend, it will cool down again, the wind direction changing, cooler air will push from the north—west, pressure will be falling as well and we could find more wet weather coming in from the north—west as well. the fine weather will last throughout the weekend across south—eastern areas, but even here it will turn cooler. towards the north and west, an increasing risk of some showers.

live from london, this is bbc news. russia and kazakhstan suffer the worst flooding in almost a century, forcing more than 100,000 people from their homes. we'll be speaking to our russia editor, steve rosenberg, live. muslims in gaza mark the end of ramadan — with fears of an israeli onslaught on rafah. president biden warns benjamin netanyahu he's making a "mistake." i think what he's doing is a mistake. i don't agree with his approach. i think it's outrageous. a landmark review into how england's health service provided gender services to children finds they were let down by treatment that lacked firm evidence. and world athletics announces it will become the first international federation to award prize money at the olympic games.