Time for the sport. Premier league chief executive Richard Masters has admitted var needs to improve for the sake of the fans. Masters was speaking at the european leagues general assembly, held today in london and said they want to improve the situation for supporters but gave his backing to the officials in englands top flight. I would say a few words in support of english referees. They do a good job, we know the va are system mystery improve, parts of getting thatis mystery improve, parts of getting that is the rules being upgraded to communicate with fans. All of that is good, and we want to improve the situation forfans. Liverpool Bossjurgen Klopp says his apparent successor arne slot will inherit the best job in the world if he does take over at anfield. Slot has told dutch media he wants to join liverpool, confirming feyenoord are in talks with liverpool and that hes waiting for them to reach an agreement. Klopp says although he isnt involved in the process, he would be pleased for him to take over. I like the way his team play football, i cant say definitely all the things i hear about him as a guy, good guy, some people i know know him, i dont know him yet but some people tell me he is a really good guy and i like that a lot. So good coach, good guy, looking forward to it if he is the solution, i am more than happy, it is not up to me. It sounds all really good. Erik ten hag insists Manchester United will support marcus rashford, after the striker took to social media to highlight some of the abuse he has received. Rashford has scored just eight goals in a0 appearances this season, but the united manager hopes everyone can get behind him. I have a lots of sympathy for him. For the last year, he had a brilliant season, i think the best season in his career, scored 30 goals, so we see what he is capable of, and the season, he didnt give the performances, and then people are very critical, and i think we have to back him. And everyone should vacuum and pushing. The womens six nations will be decided tomorrow in a winner takes all game between england and france in bordeaux. England havent lost in the tournament for 28 games and that was to france back in 2018. But theyll face a french side unbeaten this year, with the ability to stop a sixth successive title for the red roses. We are striving to be the best. The best in our position and number one in the world. Currently thats where we sit in the rankings, but we still have all our own personal goals and squad goals and 2025 is just around the corner. We cannot take our eyes off the ball, another mesh tomorrow in the grandson. Snooker� s World Championship is into the second round judd trump leads tom ford by 11 frames to five, while Stephen Maguire and shaun murphy are currently up against each other. You can follow that one on the bbc iplayer and sport website. Later on, Robert Milkins has work to do against David Gilbert hes 12 4 down. His frustration showed in the earlier session when gilbert missed, milkins had to quickly pick it up and play again. Its the best of 25 frames with a place in the quarter finalsd at stake. Finally to tennis where jack draper has been knocked out of the madrid open this afternoon. Draper was comfortably beaten in straight sets by eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of poland in the second round, in a match that lasted an hour and a quarter. Reigning mens champion Carlos Alcaraz is also through. And thats all the sport for now. It has been an another interesting week in uk politics. Is there an election looping, were waiting for a date. We are less than a week away from local and mirrors and policing Crime Commissioner Elections across england. Joining me now bbc West Midlands political editor, rob mayor and . Susana mendonca . . Political reporter at bbc london. Ifi if i can start with you rob mayor, its actually a very interesting race for mayor in the West Midlands. It is. All happening with the backdrop of permanent city council effectively in bankruptcy, raising council tax by i . The mayor is an overarching tier of government, the conservatives have made a big play on what they describe as a Labour Financial Mismanagement in birmingham. Their candidate has done his best to distance himself from the Conservative Party, he has a lots of green leaf lettuce, not much blue on them, does not call himself a conservative on those leaflets, no pictures of the Prime Minister and he does all right in some opinion polls. Pretty good for a politician. For the labour party, richard parker, several opinion. Him with a very narrow lead in the race, a lead thatis very narrow lead in the race, a lead that is narrowed over the last week or so. That is narrowed over the last week orso. He that is narrowed over the last week or so. He has spoken about changes to the weak bus networks are run in this part of the world. That is his big picture. Of course, all eyes looking to see if a big area of success that the Conservative Party have had with the mirror to hear since 2017 with andy streets and whether they can cling onto that success in this election. We also have candidates from the greens and the lib dems and reform uk as well, who are all pulling around the simeu amount, and an independent candidate who has made a big picture of the situation in gaza, that is about hes going after. Its an interesting race which will hopefully tell us a lot about what happens in the general election. We would watch that next week. And susana mendonca, the london mayor gets a lot of attention and political flack that the issues seem to translate right across the country. What are the issues that the candidates are going on . In london, crime is a big issue because we have london, crime is a big issue because we have seen london, crime is a big issue because we have seen rising knife crime in london we have seen rising knife crime in london. Sadiq khan is vying for a third london. Sadiq khan is vying for a third term london. Sadiq khan is vying for a third term as mayor, then i mayor at 48 years third term as mayor, then i mayor at 48 years and third term as mayor, then i mayor at 48 years and has faced lots of criticism 48 years and has faced lots of criticism about what she would do our own criticism about what she would do our own crime. He has focused on putting our own crime. He has focused on putting more funding into youth services, putting more funding into youth services, but some of the other candidates have said he needs to fix the metropolitan police. They said the metropolitan police. They said the mayor the metropolitan police. They said the mayor needs to stop Making Excuses the mayor needs to stop Making Excuses for these problems. Susan harley. Excuses for these problems. Susan harley. The excuses for these problems. Susan harley, the conservative candidate said she harley, the conservative candidate said she would return to borrower based said she would return to borrower based policing, and another issue coming based policing, and another issue coming up based policing, and another issue coming up is around the charges based coming up is around the charges based by coming up is around the charges based by drivers, the Emission Zone which based by drivers, the Emission Zone which was based by drivers, the Emission Zone which was expanded to the whole of london. Which was expanded to the whole of london, the conservative candidate said she london, the conservative candidate said she would scrap it on day one. She has said she would scrap it on day one. She has also said she would scrap it on day one. She has also suggested that sadiq khan might go down The Roots Of Imposing Khan might go down the roots of imposing some pay per mile scheme, which imposing some pay per mile scheme, which she imposing some pay per mile scheme, which she has denied, not in his manifesto which she has denied, not in his manifesto and he has rooted out but the green manifesto and he has rooted out but the green party candidate, its one issue the green party candidate, its one issue she the green party candidate, its one issue she has talking about, the need issue she has talking about, the need for issue she has talking about, the need for a issue she has talking about, the need for a consultation on how to charge need for a consultation on how to charge people for using the roads and their charge people for using the roads and their vehicles. Another big issue and their vehicles. Another big issue irr and their vehicles. Another big issue in london is affordability because issue in london is affordability because it is expensive to live and rent here~ because it is expensive to live and rent here. All the candidates talking rent here. All the candidates talking about building more homes, no clarity talking about building more homes, no clarity on how that would happen. We always no clarity on how that would happen. We always wonder, rob, what people we always wonder, rob, what people we always wonder, rob, what people we always wonder, rob, what people we always wonder, rob, what local we always wonder, rob, what people local elections and how much National Issues affect peoples choices. The war in gaza has been polarising. Will it affect voting there . ,. , there . Interesting we have this independent there . Interesting we have this independent candidate there . Interesting we have this independent candidate in there . Interesting we have this independent candidate in the i there . Interesting we have this i independent candidate in the West MidlandsMayoral Election which has gotten a Big Social Media following and had some events where he is at a decent number of people there so we could certainly have an impact but i think i would speaking to voters, i have heard more about financial woes that Birmingham City council is going through at the moment, financial problems and council tax raises in double digits. Also could other consul or struggling in the West Midlands and andy street making a big play, saying they could be trusted on the figures why the Labour Market labour party icons and is doing the same, trying to make a big play of sound Financial Management and transport its a big issue here. There are lots of schemes in the pipelines, new stations and Charm Networks being built, but it has been slower than people wouldve liked, and andy street has been called out a few times for not getting the projects done as quickly as they might have done. He says they will be delivered soon. �. , done. He says they will be delivered soon. , ,. , soon. And finally, susana, the london mayor soon. And finally, susana, the london mayor has soon. And finally, susana, the london mayor has boosted soon. And finally, susana, the| london mayor has boosted the fortunes of One Borisjohnson in the past. How much is the personality of the london mayor affect peoples choices . Do we have any pulling information on that . And is there an incumbency advantage for many . Theres an incumbency advantage but the danger theres an incumbency advantage but the danger that if i mayor has been imposed the danger that if i mayor has been imposed for a long time, are people tired imposed fora long time, are people tired of imposed for a long time, are people tired of him imposed for a long time, are people tired of him and looking for something else, that certainly worry for sadiq something else, that certainly worry for sadiq khan and his team. If you look for sadiq khan and his team. If you took at for sadiq khan and his team. If you took at the for sadiq khan and his team. If you look at the polling in london, he has been look at the polling in london, he has been polling far ahead of his opponent has been polling far ahead of his opponent and 24 or 25 points ahead drop this, opponent and 24 or 25 points ahead drop this, but we saw a tightening of the drop this, but we saw a tightening of the polls, the latestjust at 13 points of the polls, the latestjust at 13 points ahead, which is the shortest weve points ahead, which is the shortest weve had points ahead, which is the shortest weve had so far. So some concern in his team weve had so far. So some concern in his team that weve had so far. So some concern in his team that the polls are shortening but the personality does matter shortening but the personality does matter and its a big job in london. Weber matter and its a big job in london. Weber wins matter and its a big job in london. Weber wins in london, there are 13 candidates, weber wins in london, there are 13 candidates, all on our website, but whoever candidates, all on our website, but whoever wins as a £24 billion budget to spend whoever wins as a £24 billion budget to spend on whoever wins as a £24 billion budget to spend on things like policing and transport to spend on things like policing and transport and housing so its a big ob. Transport and housing so its a big job its transport and housing so its a big job. Its also a job people look to because job. Its also a job people look to because london is the capital city, so it has because london is the capital city, so it has that status. Personality matters so it has that status. Personality matters but also policy matters, and as i matters but also policy matters, and as i say, matters but also policy matters, and as i say, there are issues in london around as i say, there are issues in london around crime, as i say, there are issues in london around crime, and particularly knife crime, around crime, and particularly knife crime, which around crime, and particularly knife crime, which people are concerned about, crime, which people are concerned about, and crime, which people are concerned about, and it would be interesting around about, and it would be interesting around the about, and it would be interesting around the us, the Emission Zone, where around the us, the Emission Zone, where chart around the us, the Emission Zone, where chart cards are charged to drive where chart cards are charged to drive around london, whether that resonates. Drive around london, whether that resonates, and sadik khan has said to us resonates, and sadik khan has said to us in resonates, and sadik khan has said to us in a resonates, and sadik khan has said to us in a debate that was held in london. To us in a debate that was held in london, that he will be judged in terms london, that he will be judged in terms of london, that he will be judged in terms of next week in the Transport Poticies terms of next week in the transport olicies. , ~. ,. , terms of next week in the transport olicies. ,. , policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great to policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great to see policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great to see both, policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great to see both, imj policies. Rob mayor and second michael, great to see both, im sure well be talking again in the next week, thank you both. Susana mendonca. Im sure the with seymour when the boats are costs. And theres a whole lot more politics on the bbc website. By typing your postcode you can find a list of candidates standing for the elections in your area. Youll also find details on all candidates running for mayor and police and crime commissioner. Now, two british men have been charged with helping russia after a suspected attack on a ukrainian linked business. They are the first people to be charged under the new National Security act 2023, which was designed to strengthen the uks defences against hostile activity by other states. The Foreign Office has summoned the Russian Ambassador. Lets get the latest with our security correspondent gordon corera. What do we know . The Foreign Office has confirmed what do we know . The Foreign Office has confirmed it what do we know . The Foreign Office has confirmed it has what do we know . The Foreign Office has confirmed it has summoned what do we know . The Foreign Office has confirmed it has summoned the l has confirmed it has summoned the Russian Ambassador today linked to the allegations. A spokesperson here says they do gate remains deeply concerned by allegations of russian orchestrated Malign Activity On Uk soil, as well as the wider reporting pattern of behaviour we are witnessing on the part of the Russian Federation to sponsor such activity under territory of other sovereign states will stop all this refers to the details which emerge today, the allegations that two individuals in the uk, two britons, were assisting the Russian Intelligence Services, and this is linked to i suspected arsenic attack on a business that was linked to ukraine in the uk. Those two individuals, word charged with trying to recruit others for the Russian Intelligence Service and the other charge with receiving money. Interesting because those charges were the first under the new National Security legislation, which has been passed to counter what is often called hostile state activity. And we have seen both