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Yesterday — 6 November 2025BBC | Top Stories

Crime fixer caught by BBC offering to erase £60k fines on migrant workers

6 November 2025 at 06:00
Watch: BBC News go undercover to film "Shaxawan"

A man at the centre of an organised crime network has been secretly filmed telling BBC undercover reporters how he can help to erase fines of up to £60,000 for employing illegal workers.

The self-described "accountant" is among a group of Kurdish men, first exposed in a BBC investigation on Tuesday, who enable migrants to work illegally in mini-marts, by registering the businesses in their own name.

The man, who goes by the name of Shaxawan, told the two journalists that he and his associates could help migrants - including asylum seekers - to set up businesses illegally and "confuse" immigration enforcement.

Operating from a solicitor's office in Huddersfield, he said he had "customers in every city".

In Companies House listings, Shaxawan is named as Kardos Mateen, a British resident in his 30s, and has been the director of 18 businesses across the north of England.

When later confronted by us, with details of his claims, he denied any wrongdoing.

Trading Standards confirmed it has found illegal cigarettes being sold in many businesses registered under the name Kardos Mateen, and the BBC was sold counterfeit tobacco in four mini-marts where he was listed as the director.

The BBC News two-part investigation has revealed the sophistication and scale of criminal networks profiting from undocumented working on UK High Streets. Loose regulation of Britian's labour market is acting as a pull factor for those entering the UK illegally, the government has acknowledged.

Shaxawan made several claims to our reporters:

  • He could set up a company and provide bank cards and a card machine to accept payments from customers for one of our undercover reporters, believing him to be an asylum seeker
  • His network could "confuse" Immigration Enforcement teams which "won't have the time" to check details
  • Fake directors would be paid to register mini-marts in their own names, while illegal workers, including asylum seekers, would actually run the businesses
  • In separate deals, other people referred to as "ghost names" would be paid to put their names to large fines for illegal working
  • An "English woman" in the network would help reduce hefty fines to "zero" and deal with other issues like electricity, gas and bailiffs

Our reporters also spoke to a paralegal, with Shaxawan present, who offered to "make documents", including "business agreements", to avoid fines.

'I'll make sure you have no issues'

It took months to set up the first meeting with Shaxawan.

He pulled up at a busy Manchester retail park in a white 4x4 BMW, in the belief he was meeting an asylum seeker who was looking to run a mini-mart and sell illegal cigarettes.

In fact, he was meeting Saman (not his real name), a Kurdish journalist working undercover for the BBC.

In a cafe, Shaxawan freely shared details of what he and his associates were able to offer: "We are a group. Each of us provides a service and works together," he said.

He explained how he worked with an "English woman who dealt with electricity, gas and bailiffs". And when Immigration Enforcement issues a fine, he added, "she makes it zero".

"I will… set up your company, provide the [card] machine, get you electricity, speak to your landlord," Shaxawan assured him. "I'll make sure you have no issues."

Undercover footage of Shaxawan in a cafe looking at his mobile phone.
Shaxawan told our reporter he could help him set-up a mini-mart illegally

He told Saman that he should register a mini-mart business in the name of someone else - what is sometimes known as a "ghost director". This would cost £400 per month, and getting access to a business bank card would require a one-off payment of £140, he said.

The ghost director would be the one to "take the risk" if the shop was raided by law enforcement and fines issued, he explained.

"That's why you're paying," he said.

To show he was genuine and to provide reassurance, Shaxawan called someone he said could act as ghost director.

Saman explained to the man on the phone that he did not have asylum status.

"Don't worry" came the reply. "As Mr Shaxawan says, send the money at the end of the month."

ID documents sent to Saman by phone swiftly after his meeting with Shaxawan, revealed that the potential ghost director was a 28-year-old from Iran called Bryar Mohammed Zada.

Mr Zada has racked up company directorships for 20 car washes and mini-marts from Newcastle upon Tyne to Essex in the past 12 months, according to Companies House records.

Undercover journalists found illegal cigarettes being sold at four of Mr Zada's businesses.

Mr Zada did not respond to the BBC's questions.

Saman later called Shaxawan asking for a second meeting, and Shaxawan suggested they meet at RKS Solicitors in Huddersfield.

The firm is registered with the Law Society and has branches in Dewsbury and Sheffield.

The meeting was arranged on the premise Saman needed help to deal with an illegal working fine which had been given to a family member.

There is no mention of the names "Shaxawan" or "Mateen" on the firm's website.

But Saman had called Shaxawan when he was outside the solicitors, and Shaxawan opened the front door, and welcomed him in.

He led our reporter upstairs to an office, where he outlined how Saman's family member could avoid the fine, transferring company details to someone else for a fee.

RKS Solicitors told the BBC it had no connection to any alleged immigration or fine-related misconduct.

Fines turned to 'zero'

We later got our second undercover reporter, "Ali", who is also Kurdish, to investigate further by calling the same RKS Solicitors branch - but without mentioning Shaxawan.

Posing as a Kurdish mini-mart owner, he told the woman who answered the phone that he had received a £60,000 fine from Immigration Enforcement for employing two people without the right to work.

He was given an appointment with Zohaib Hussain, who is listed on RKS's website as a paralegal - someone who can advise on legal matters but is not a qualified solicitor and works under supervision.

As Ali was arriving for his appointment with Mr Hussain at the RKS offices, he came across Shaxawan outside. On the street, Shaxawan repeated the claim he had made to Saman - that he could make fines go to "zero" with no comeback from authorities.

Shaxawan again referred to the "English woman" he mentioned in the earlier meeting, and said she could make sure that fines for illegal working were reassigned to other people, as if they were the culpable business owner.

Shaxawan said these would be Hungarians who "live nearby". They would be paid between £2,000-£3,000 and their names would be used to assume liability for the fines.

He did not give any more details, but an immigration lawyer we spoke to suggested this could work much like receiving a speeding fine, and giving the name of someone else on the paperwork as the person who was driving - and therefore liable to pay the penalty.

Shaxawan said the overall cost to Ali would be about £4,600 per illegal worker. He said he had done this successfully in "Manchester, Birmingham, Blackpool and Leeds", with the process usually taking about four weeks.

He added Ali's company would then need to be closed, reopened and re-registered under a new name.

Ali was then let into the RKS branch, and Shaxawan came inside too. Inside an office, Shaxawan showed him documents on his phone detailing the people he claimed to have helped before.

Shaxawan claimed the scam would confuse Immigration Enforcement officers who would not have time to check the details.

Ali was then introduced to the paralegal, Zohaib Hussain. Shaxawan stayed in the room throughout the meeting.

Watch: Undercover filming of alleged negotiation to fix a fine

Speaking quickly and in a hushed tone, Mr Hussain fired questions at our reporter about his cover story - the mini-mart and the immigration fine.

"How many illegal workers? So how much is the fine? How many times did they catch you?"

Then, with a chuckle, he asked what was sold in the mini-mart: "Do you sell vapes? Legal or illegal? Bit of both as well?"

When Ali said his mini-mart was registered under someone else's name, Mr Hussain said: "Very clever then, already very clever."

The first step, Mr Hussain said, would be to deal with the fine.

If Ali was not let off the fine, he continued, "we will look at certain other things that we have to do as precautions".

"Sometimes we might have to make documents," said Mr Hussain, such as "business agreements".

Ali then asked if the fine would be transferred to someone else's name. Mr Hussain said that would be "the last resort."

Before the meeting ended, Mr Hussain warned that the immigration authorities would want to jump on the fine straight away - making a cutting-motion across his throat.

He said his charges would be £3,500 and he "would look after us". He then asked Ali to share any future Immigration Enforcement letters with Shaxawan.

Bryony Rest is wearing a dark blazer over a green patterned top with white and dark shapes, seated indoors in front of large windows with horizontal blinds. The background is softly lit with natural light coming through the windows.
Immigration lawyer Bryony Rest says it was likely "fraud and immigration offences" were taking place

We showed our undercover filming and translations to senior immigration lawyer Bryony Rest, who told us Hussain was "clearly offering to falsify documents".

There were "likely fraud and immigration offences" taking place, she said, and she would expect law enforcement to investigate.

When we later contacted Mr Hussain for comment he replied by email saying he denied "all allegations, insinuations, and claims" we had put to him.

"For clarity, the individual named in your correspondence, Mr Shaxawan Jawad, is not associated with me in any capacity; professional, personal, or otherwise."

In a statement to the BBC, RKS Solicitors said the company was carrying out an internal review and "the individual concerned" had been suspended pending further investigation.

"We are already informing" the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), it added.

"Mr Hussain is employed as a paralegal under strict supervision… The individual is not authorised or instructed to provide immigration and tax advice."

The firm did not comment on Shaxawan Jawad. It said it did not condone unlawful conduct and was committed to the "highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and public service".

Shaxawan, otherwise known as Kardos Mateen, told us by email that he categorically denied "every allegation, insinuation and claim made" in our reporting, and said that he was "not employed by, associated with, or acting on behalf of RKS Solicitors in any capacity".

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood, said the Home Office would investigate the BBC's findings.

"Illegal working and linked organised criminality creates an incentive for people to come here illegally. We will not stand for it," she said.

Additional reporting Phill Edwards and Kirstie Brewer

Celebrity Traitors final briefly uploaded 24 hours early outside UK

6 November 2025 at 20:16
BBC Picture of Claudia Winkleman in The Celebrity TraitorsBBC
The final of the show is being broadcast on Thursday evening in the UK

Note: This article does not contain spoilers related to the final episode

The final of BBC One's The Celebrity Traitors was uploaded in error by overseas broadcasters before it was due to be shown in the UK on Thursday, the BBC has confirmed.

It is understood the final was seen by a few hundred people who subscribe to streaming service Crave in Canada; they were able to watch it for a couple of hours before it was removed.

The episode being uploaded was not a BBC mistake, and a spokesperson for the corporation urged those who believe they know the outcome of the show to "avoid sharing potential spoilers".

''We kindly ask anyone who thinks they know the outcome of The Celebrity Traitors to keep whatever they believe they know to themselves," the statement said.

"Please avoid sharing potential spoilers so that the millions of fans who have been faithfully following every twist and turn of the series can enjoy the final this evening.''

The Celebrity Traitors is currently the most-watched TV show of the year, with an average of 12.6m people across the first four episodes.

Fans of the show have been waiting to see whether traitors Cat Burns and Alan Carr will win the £100,000 prize for charity or whether faithfuls Joe Marler, Nick Mohammed and David Olosuga will be triumphant.

Thursday evening's final episode is extended to 70 minutes on BBC One, with an extended edition of The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked set to air on BBC Two after the final.

Host Ed Gamble will be joined by the cast and Claudia Winkleman as they react to the show's outcome.

Record referrals to Prevent anti-terror programme

6 November 2025 at 19:09
BBC Breaking NewsBBC

A record number of referrals were made to the government's anti-terror programme Prevent in the year to March 2025, according to new data.

A total of 8,778 referrals were made - up 27% from 6,922 the previous year.

The majority referrals were made for individuals who had "no identified ideology" - at 56%.

This was followed by extreme right-wing ideology at 21%, and then Islamist extremism at 10%.

Children aged 11-15 represented the largest proportion of referrals where the individual's age was known, at 36%.

Prevent is the government's scheme to divert people from terrorism.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Are Christians being persecuted in Nigeria as Trump claims?

6 November 2025 at 17:27
Getty Images A close-up of Donald Trump speaks to journalists aboard Air Force One en route to South Korea on October 29, 2025 in Japan. He is wearing a dark suit, resting his hand on a door frame and looking into the distance.Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh threat to target Nigeria if the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".

In a video released on Truth Social he pledged to "do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about" and "go into that now-disgraced country guns-a-blazing". But the White House's interest in this subject did not come out of the blue.

For months, campaigners and politicians in Washington have been alleging that Islamist militants were systematically targeting Christians in Nigeria.

But the BBC has found that some of the data being relied on to come to this conclusion are difficult to verify.

In September, popular television host and comedian Bill Maher upped the ante describing what was happening as a "genocide" .

Referring to the Boko Haram group, he said "they have killed over 100,000 since 2009, they've burned 18,000 churches".

Similar figures have also been gaining traction on social media.

The government in Abuja has pushed back on these claims describing them as "a gross misrepresentation of reality".

It did not deny that there was deadly violence in the country. But officials said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".

Other groups monitoring political violence in Nigeria say the number of Christians who have been killed is far lower, and say most victims of the jihadist groups are Muslims.

Nigerian security analyst Christian Ani said that while Christians had been attacked as part of a broader strategy of creating terror, it was not possible to justify claims that Christians were deliberately being targeted.

And Nigeria is facing various security crises across the country, not just violence by jihadist groups, and these have different causes so should not be confused.

The country's 220 million people are roughly evenly split between followers of the two religions, with Muslims in the majority in the north, where most attacks take place.

What are US politicians saying?

Prominent Texas Senator Ted Cruz has been campaigning on the issue for some time and, highlighting similar figures to Maher on 7 October, he wrote on X that "since 2009, over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been massacred, and over 18,000 churches and 2,000 Christian schools have been destroyed".

In an email to the BBC, his office made clear that, unlike Maher, the senator was not calling this a "genocide" but describing "persecution".

But Cruz accused Nigerian officials of "ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists". Trump, echoing these words, has described Nigeria as a "disgraced country", saying the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".

The Nigerian government has denied this, saying it is doing its best to tackle the jihadists. Some officials have also welcomed the prospect of the US helping fight the insurgents, as long as it is not done unilaterally.

The authorities have certainly struggled to contain the violent jihadist groups and criminal networks – most weeks seem to come with stories of fresh attacks or abductions.

Boko Haram – infamous for kidnapping the Chibok girls just over a decade ago - has been active since 2009, but its activities have been concentrated in the north-east, which has a majority Muslim population. Other jihadist groups have also emerged, including the Islamic State West Africa Province but they also operate in the north-east.

The figures for Christian deaths cited by some in the US are alarming, but assessing their accuracy is hard.

Where do their numbers come from?

When it comes to the source of the data, on a podcast in September, Cruz directly referred to a 2023 report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety) - a non-governmental organisation that monitors and tracks human rights abuses across Nigeria. His office also sent the BBC a number of links to online articles on the issue – most of which pointed back to InterSociety.

Maher did not respond to a BBC request for the source of his figures, but given certain similarities to those used by Cruz, it seems likely that he was drawing on InterSociety's work.

For data that could be shaping US policy towards Nigeria, InterSociety's work is opaque.

In its report published in August, which was an amalgamation of previous research and updated numbers for 2025, it said jihadist groups in Nigeria had killed over 100,000 Christians in the 16 years since 2009.

It also notes that 60,000 "moderate Muslims" also died during this period.

InterSociety did not share an itemised list of sources, making it hard to verify the total number of deaths it reports.

In response to this criticism, the organisation has said that "it is almost impossible to reproduce all our reports and their references dating back to 2010. Our easy method is to pick their summary statistics and add them to our fresh discoveries or findings to make up our new reports." But the data sources quoted by InterSociety in its reports do not reflect the figures published.

AFP via Getty Images A woman whose son was abducted hold her head inside the Government Science where gunmen abducted students in Kankara, in northwestern Katsina state, Nigeria December 15, 2020AFP via Getty Images
Many of those killed and abducted by Boko Haram are Muslims

What about those killed in 2025?

Looking at deaths this year alone, InterSociety concluded that between January and August just over 7,000 Christians were killed. This is another figure that has been widely shared on social media, including by Republican Congressman Riley M Moore, who has been a leading voice on this issue in the House of Representatives.

InterSociety includes a list of 70 media reports as some of the sources to its findings on the attacks against Christians in 2025. But in about half of these cases, the original news stories did not mention the religious identity of the victims.

For example, InterSociety quoted an Al Jazeera report of an attack in north-eastern Nigeria, saying that according to the news organisation "not less than 40 farmers mainly Christians were abducted by Boko Haram in Damboa part of Borno State".

But Al Jazeera's report didn't mention that the victims were "mainly Christians", as quoted by InterSociety.

InterSociety told the BBC that it does further analysis to identify their background, without explaining how exactly in this case, but did mention their knowledge of local populations and use of "Christian media reports".

Adding the number of death referenced in these reports cited by InterSociety does not result in the stated total of 7,000.

The BBC added up the number of deaths from the 70 reports and found that the total was around 3,000 deaths. Some of the attacks also appear to be reported more than once.

To explain the shortfall, InterSociety says it also estimates the number of people it believes have died in captivity and includes eyewitness testimonies it cannot make public.

Who is behind the killings?

Included in its list of perpetrators are Islamist militant groups like Boko Haram but also Fulani herders. The Fulanis are a mainly Muslim ethnic group who live across West Africa and have traditionally earned their living by raising cattle and sheep.

The inclusion of the Fulani herders, who InterSociety describes as "jihadists" in all its reports, however, is the source of some controversy in Nigeria over how these killings should be categorised.

While the herders tend to be Muslim, many researchers in this field reject the description of this as a religious conflict, saying it is often about access to land and water.

Fulani herders have come into conflict with both Muslim and Christian communities across Nigeria.

Security analyst Mr Ani argues that "to say that they are jihadists - it's a far stretch. It has nothing to do with that. It has a lot more to do with rogue and criminal elements."

Confidence McHarry, a senior security analyst at Africa-focussed consultancy SBM Intelligence, says the clashes are often due to ethnic tensions and competition over resources.

"It might be ethnic in nature - they're seeking to grab lands, they're seeking to expand territory, but the more they displace communities and the more they attack worship centres, the more these things tend to get looked at in that light."

InterSociety also mention what are known in Nigeria as bandits, saying they are mostly ethnic Fulanis in the north-west of the country, who are involved in kidnapping and have a track record of killing both Christians and Muslims.

Reuters Newspapers with articles reporting U.S. President Donald Trump's message to Nigeria over the treatment of Christians hang at a newspaper stand. Headlines read: Trump threatens war on Nigeria to Save Christians; Stop the killings or face military action, Trump in Tweet threatens military action.Reuters
Nigeria's media has been full of Trump's threats

Who has been campaigning on this?

Concerns about threats facing Nigerian Christians has been discussed by politicians in the United States and by international Christian groups for a long time.

In previous years, it has been raised in the US by the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) – a group proscribed in Nigeria which is fighting for a breakaway state in the mainly Christian south-east.

Intersociety has been accused by the Nigerian military of being linked to Ipob but the NGO has denied any connection.

Another Biafran separatist group has also claimed to have played a key role in promoting the "Christian genocide" narrative in the US Congress.

The Biafra Republic Government in Exile, BRGIE, described it as a "highly orchestrated effort", saying it had hired lobbying firms and met US officials, including Cruz.

The senator declined to comment.

What do other research groups say?

InterSociety's figures are far higher than other sources of data on the number of Christians killed in Nigeria.

Acled, which closely monitors violence in West Africa, has produced very different numbers. The sources for its published findings can be easily traced and checked.

Its senior analyst, Ladd Serwat, did not directly address the InterSociety reports but told the BBC that the figure of 100,000 deaths, touted on social media, would include all acts of political violence in Nigeria, and so it would not be true to say this is the number of Christians who have been killed since 2009.

Acled has found that just under 53,000 civilians - Muslims and Christians - have been reported killed in targeted political violence since 2009.

Looking at just the period from 2020 to September 2025, Acled says that about 21,000 civilians were killed in abductions, attacks, sexual violence and the use of explosives.

It identified 384 incidents where Christians were specifically targeted from 2020 to September 2025, in which 317 people died, meaning they account for just a small proportion of those killed.

For its sources, Acled relies on traditional media, social media where the reports can be verified, rights groups as well as local partners.

What about Trump's figures?

In a Truth Social post last Friday, Trump cited a figure of 3,100 Christians killed. He was referring to a report by Open Doors for deaths for the 12 months from October 2023, a White House official said.

Open Doors is a charity which researches the persecution of Christians worldwide.

In its reporting it says that while 3,100 Christians died, 2,320 Muslims were also killed in that 12-month period.

Open Doors also includes what it calls "Fulani Terror Groups" in its list of perpetrators and says they were responsible for almost a third of Christians killed during those 12 months.

Frans Veerman, senior research fellow at Open Doors, said "what we see now is that Christians are still targeted, but increasingly some Muslims are targeted by Fulani militants".

Analysts say there are many violent attacks on mosques and Muslim communities in the north-west of the country.

"One could say that this is part of the broader insecurity," said Mr McHarry. "The reason why it is not assumed to have a religious dimension is down to the fact that the identities of the people who are carrying out these attacks against Muslims are themselves Muslims."

More BBC stories on Nigeria:

Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News AfricaGetty Images/BBC

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

UK facing long, tough flu season, NHS chiefs warn

6 November 2025 at 19:08
Getty Images Woman with umbrella sneezingGetty Images

The UK is facing a long, drawn-out flu season, the boss of the NHS in England is warning.

Sir Jim Mackey said there is "no doubt" this winter will be one of the toughest the health service has faced.

It comes as flu rates have started climbing early this year, which is causing concern because the winter vaccination campaign has only just got under way and there are lots of vulnerable people yet to get protected.

NHS England is issuing a "flu jab SOS", urging those eligible for the free vaccine to come forward quickly for it.

More than 13 million people have been vaccinated so far this year, but that is still more than 5 million below the number who were jabbed last winter.

Sir Jim said: "There's no doubt this winter will be one of the toughest our staff have ever faced.

"Since stepping into this role, the thought of a long, drawn-out flu season has kept me awake at night. And, unfortunately, it looks like that fear is becoming reality.

"Australia has just endured its worst flu season on record — over 410,000 cases — and all the signs suggest the NHS will face similar challenges in the months ahead. From December through to March, our hospitals will be at capacity."

How to get a flu shot

People aged 65 and over, pregnant women and those with certain long-term health conditions can get a free flu jab on the NHS. Appointments can be booked online, by phoning 119 or at local pharmacies and GPs.

Children aged two to 16 can also get vaccinated with a nasal spray. That's mainly to help stop flu spreading.

Other people can buy a flu vaccine from high street chemist shops and some supermarket pharmacies.

Bad winter predicted

Two of the worst winter flu seasons of the past decade have been seen in the last three years, something partly attributed to the bounce-back of the virus after Covid restrictions were lifted combined with immunity being low.

Last year, nearly 8,000 people died from flu, and in the 2022-23 flu season there were nearly 16,000 deaths.

Flu rates are currently three times higher than normal for this time of year, with the highest rates seen in children and young people. But health officials have warned the virus will start spreading to older groups in the coming weeks.

Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: "With just weeks left to ensure best protection against the worst of the flu season, we are issuing an urgent SOS to the eligible people who have yet to get jabbed this year.

"It is vital that the public use the available appointments we have running next week to stamp out this early wave of flu cases and help shield themselves ahead of winter.

"The vaccine is proven to be safe and help prevent those at risk from getting seriously ill and even hospitalised from flu."

Great Barrier Reef may partially recover from 'grim future' if global warming stays below 2C

6 November 2025 at 10:11
Peter Mumby Coral that has turned white with fish swimming nearbyPeter Mumby
The Great Barrier Reef has suffered mass bleaching events in recent years

The Great Barrier Reef is headed for a "grim future" and will suffer a "rapid coral decline" by 2050 but parts may recover if global warming is kept below 2C, a new study has found.

Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) used modelling to simulate the lifecycles of certain coral species and found that some were better at adapting to warmer oceans and could help new coral grow.

Reefs near cooler-water currents were also more resilient, giving a "glimmer of hope" to the natural wonder, which has suffered severe climate-induced heat stress in recent years.

The study warned that curbing carbon emissions was crucial to allow coral to recover and avoid a "near collapse" of the reef.

Dr Yves-Marie Bozec, who led the research, said the modelling of more than 3,800 individual reefs that make up the Great Barrier Reef looked at their "eco-evolutionary dynamics". This included how corals interact with each other, how they deal with warmer water and corals in naturally cooler areas.

"We ran all of those factors with the most up-to-date climate projections - and the news was not good," he said.

"We forecast a rapid coral decline before the middle of this century regardless of the emissions scenario."

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems, stretching more than 2,300km (1,400 miles) off Australia's north-east coast.

It has suffered four significant marine heatwaves between 2016 and 2022, causing much of its coral to expel the algae which gives them life and colour - a process called bleaching, which is often fatal.

A recent report found that parts of the Great Barrier Reef had suffered the largest annual decline in coral cover since records began nearly 40 years ago.

Dr Bozec said some parts of the reef "may partially recover after 2050, but only if ocean warming is sufficiently slow to allow natural adaptation to keep pace with temperature changes".

"Adaptation may keep pace if global warming does not exceed two degrees by 2100. For that to happen, more action is needed globally to reduce carbon emissions which are driving climate change."

Dr Bozec said: "The window for meaningful action is closing rapidly but it hasn't shut".

Under the Paris agreement, almost 200 nations have pledged to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C and to keep them "well below" 2C above those recorded in pre-industrial times, generally considered to mean the late 19th Century.

Prof Peter Mumby, who also worked on the study, said they found "many reefs could persist under the Paris agreement target of two degrees of warming".

"However, higher emissions leading to faster temperature rises would drive most reefs to a near collapse," he said.

Prof Murphy said reefs in areas "where the water doesn't heat up so dramatically because it is well mixed, fared better than others" and reefs close to populations of corals that can regenerate were also healthier.

Identifying areas of the reef network that are more resilient will mean efforts to protect the reef can focus on "strategic parts" of the ecosystem, he added.

Watch: Can you un-bleach coral? BBC visits remote Australian reef to find out

How caffeine can help you manage headaches and other tips

6 November 2025 at 10:45
Getty Images A woman sits at a table, pressing her palms to her forehead. On the table is a glass of water and some tablets.Getty Images

Headaches are something almost all of us deal with at some point.

They can last from a couple of minutes to days and the pain can be sharp, dull, throbbing or stabbing and sometimes spread beyond your head to your scalp, face or even your neck.

Dr Xand van Tulleken, who hosts the BBC's What's Up Docs wellness podcast, knows the feeling all too well and says he gets headaches once a month or every six weeks and it "feels like someone's drilling into my eyeball".

While it's easy to panic about what might be behind a bad headache, Dr Katy Munro, a GP and expert at the National Migraine Centre, says it's rarely something serious.

"It's natural to worry that something is seriously wrong, but the chances of that are actually very small," she explains.

She advises that if it's your "first or worst headache, get it checked out by a doctor," but if you're getting a pattern of milder, recurring headaches, there are a few simple things you can try at home as well as seeing your GP.

1. How big was the impact on your day?

Dr Xand says understanding your own headaches can be surprisingly helpful as they often don't have a single cause so keeping a diary can help you spot patterns and triggers.

For some people, weather such as thunder and lightning could trigger it, while for others it might be sensitivity to light.

"The worst time for me is when we're driving in the autumn and the sun is low and the sun is flickering through the trees...it really aggravates," says Dr Munro.

It's worth noting down things like:

  • What you were doing when the headache started
  • What you ate or drank
  • How well you slept
  • The weather
  • For women, track your menstrual cycle, as headaches can be linked to hormonal changes

But, Dr Munro cautions that you shouldn't overdo it.

"I made the mistake of making mine very detailed, which was depressing. Instead keep it simple and maybe write a number from one to 10 to summarise the impact it had on your day.

"It's also useful to track how many crystal-clear days you have, not just the bad ones.

Your doctor can then review it to help identify patterns.

2. Use caffeine wisely

You might think that caffeine is something you should instantly avoid if you have a headache but Dr Munro says the truth is more nuanced.

In small, careful doses, it can make painkillers more effective if you are not having too much caffeine on a daily basis.

"Caffeine is a co-analgesic which means it can boost the effect of a painkiller," Dr Munro explains, but avoid it in the afternoon and evening as it can disrupt your sleep.

It's worth also thinking about your caffeine consumption more broadly - consuming lots of it every day can cause a caffeine overuse headache and if you suddenly stop, you might get a withdrawal headache.

3. Don't skip meals

What you eat and when may make a difference if you're suffering from headaches.

Dr Munro recommends following a diet similar to the Mediterranean one that is rich in protein, healthy fats and complex carbs which can help stabilise your energy levels.

You should avoid quick-release sugary snacks and definitely don't skip meals as that can be a common trigger.

Dr Munro says she found her headaches were helped by cutting out dairy and gluten, though that's not universal.

"I also found eating regularly and taking lunch to work made a difference," she says.

As well as thinking about food, Dr Munro says regular exercise, good sleep, stress management and staying hydrated can also help reduce headaches.

You should drink enough during the day so your pee is a pale clear colour and you don't feel thirsty.

4. Avoid painkillers with codeine

"There are lots of things, like painkillers or anti-nausea tablets, you can buy over the counter that may be helpful to manage headaches" says Dr Munro.

She cautions that you should avoid "anything containing codeine" as it can make some headaches occur more frequently and can worsen symptoms like nausea.

"Painkillers can work extremely well but it does depend on how severe your headache is.

"If they're becoming more frequent or intense, your GP can help you find a more suitable medication."

Make sure you don't regularly take painkillers on more than two days a week as this will reduce your risk of rebound headaches.

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."
Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."

Quiz: How much do you know about this season of Traitors?

6 November 2025 at 10:25

The first series of The Celebrity Traitors is in full swing.

The Traitors have begun their murder spree, as the faithfuls endeavour to uncover them.

Many of us like to think we could handle the pressure of being a Traitor, but which celebrity Traitor are you?

Spoiler alert: the quiz will reveal who the celebrity traitors are.

Enjoyed this quiz? Try testing your memory with our latest weekly quiz, or have a go at something from the archives.

Why the battle still rages over land ownership in Scotland

6 November 2025 at 14:21
Getty Images A deer next to Loch Quoich on the Knoydart PeninsulaGetty Images
New land reform legislation has been approved by the Scottish Parliament

The question "who owns Scotland?" stirs up strong emotions.

This is not just about land. It deals with people, profit - and where power lies.

Scotland is unusual because it has one of the most concentrated patterns of land ownership anywhere in the western world.

Land reformers calculate that 421 individuals, corporations, asset management groups and foreign trusts own more than 40% of all the nation's rural land.

"It's shocking," said Dr Josh Doble, the director of policy and advocacy at Community Land Scotland.

"We are an international anomaly."

Getty Images The village of Inverie on the Knoydart Peninsula. There are a handful of houses on the banks of a loch, with mountains and blue skies in the background.Getty Images
The Knoydart peninsula can only be reached by boat or a two-day hike

Lawmakers have been grappling with this issue for a long time but the pace of change has picked up since devolution in 1999.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill is the Scottish government's latest wide-ranging and controversial attempt to tackle the issue.

It aims to make community buy-outs easier, to provide tenants with more information about the management of their land, and to give ministers the power to break up some large estates at the point of sale.

SNP ministers say the law gives a voice to the voiceless, handing communities a greater say over their futures.

Opponents have called it an unworkable and unprecedented assault on private property rights. There has even been talk of "class war".

Sarah-Jane Laing of Scottish Land and Estates, which represents many large landowners, says the provisions within the act are being "driven by ideology".

She claims the Scottish government "want to see fragmentation and break up of estates as an end in itself" - an aim Ms Laing describes as "really damaging for people, jobs and nature".

Stephanie Harris inside the Old Forge pub, which has stone walls, wooden beams ands fairy lights. She has tied-back brown hair and is wearing a grey cardigan, brown top and khaki snood.
Stephanie Harris said Knoydart had gone from strength to strength

The debate has its roots in the profit-driven clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries when landowners drove people from their estates to make way for sheep and cattle.

They know all about that in Knoydart in the west Highlands, a rugged peninsula accessible only by boat or a two-day hike.

In the 1850s, hundreds of Highlanders were violently evicted from Knoydart. Many were forced to emigrate to Canada.

It was one of the events which led to a public inquiry into conditions in the Highlands and, in 1886, to Scotland's first major land reform.

The Crofters Holdings Act was enacted by William Gladstone's Liberal government and granted security of tenure to small-scale tenant farmers known as crofters.

These days Knoydart is under community ownership. In 1999 locals bought up much of the land where they lived and worked and they now say the area is thriving.

Getty Images A group of people sit at a table on an area of grass outside the Old Forge, a single story white building. Getty Images
The Old Forge in Inverie is the most remote pub on the British mainland

The peninsula is home to Great Britain's most remote pub, The Old Forge in Inverie, which is run by Stephanie Harris.

She told us that Knoydart had gone from strength to strength over the past 25 years.

"There's lots more people live here, there's lots of kids here now, there's more private businesses and community enterprises going," she explained.

"There's a lot more opportunities and the fact people still want to come here I think is showing that it's working."

Davie Newton was instrumental in much of that change, building and renovating a pub, shop, village hall and more while also helping to run the Knoydart Foundation which manages the land.

He said community ownership had led to the planting of 600,000 trees, the revitalisation of a hydro-electric scheme and the building of many new homes.

"As the community makes decisions over its own future, it gains confidence by making decisions and getting them right, it gains experience by making decisions and getting them wrong," he said.

The new Land Reform Bill aims to make it easier for other communities to follow in Knoydart's footsteps.

A view of a loch and mountains in Knoydart, with tree stumps and yellow flowers in the foreground.
Local residents say there are now more opportunities in Knoydart

But clauses which will hand ministers powers to force the break-up of some big estates are deplored by many landowners and their representatives.

Sarah-Jane Laing said it was not true to say that "big is bad" when it comes to Scottish estates.

"It's almost impossible to deliver some of the peatland restoration, the river restoration - alongside building houses, bringing forward renewables, creating businesses - unless you have scale of ownership," she said.

Scotland's biggest private landowner is the Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen who is well known for his interest in "rewilding".

Ms Laing met us at a more modest but still fairly large landholding – Preston Hall Farm in Midlothian to demonstrate her point – that big can in fact be good.

The 650-hectare estate is home to a range of enterprises, from coffee roasters to picture framers to a pottery studio.

"It's the variety of things that are going on which makes it exciting to manage and run," said the landowner, Will Callander.

"To be blunt, we are not making big sums of money. We're not sitting here driving fast cars and living the high life.

"We live here, we work here, and we want to be surrounded by fun, exciting, happy people."

Dr Josh Doble standing in a garden with trees in the background. He is wearing a light blue waterproof jacket and has light brown curly hair and a beard.
Dr Josh Doble of Community Land Scotland wants more radical reform

Mr Callander has concerns about the latest land reform legislation which has already generated some talk of legal action to challenge some of its provisions.

"Certainty is what we need," he said.

The new bill was supported by Labour and the Liberal Democrats but the Conservatives voted against, calling it unworkable and devastating.

The Scottish Greens abstained, saying it fell far short of what Scotland needed – and accusing the SNP of failing to stand up to landed elites.

Many land reform campaigners agree with the call for more radical reform.

Dr Josh Doble said Scotland had a rural housing crisis, growing inequality, depleted biodiversity and limited economic opportunities for local people.

"All of that stems back to the fact that we have a very small number of people who control what happens in those areas," he argued.

"If we had a much more democratic and equitable way in which land was shared amongst people, we would start to address those issues in an actually meaningful way."

Like many claims in this debate, that is hotly disputed.

Hundreds of years after they began, battles over land reform look set to rage on in 21st century Scotland.

Philippines declares state of calamity as typhoon death toll rises to 114

6 November 2025 at 14:49
Watch: Filipino families assess damage after Typhoon Kalmaegi

The death toll from flooding caused by one of the strongest typhoons this year in the central Philippines has risen to at least 114, authorities said on Thursday.

Typhoon Kalmaegi has flooded entire towns on Cebu, the region's most populous island, where 71 deaths were reported. Another 127 are missing and 82 injured, officials said.

Cebu provincial authorities reported an additional 28 deaths, which were not included in the tally released by the national civil defence office, according to AFP news agency.

Kalmaegi left the Philippines on Thursday morning and is currently moving toward central Vietnam, where residents are still reeling from floods that have already killed dozens of people.

Most of the deaths were due to drowning, reports said. The storm sent torrents of muddy water down hillsides and into towns and cities.

Damage to Cebu's residential areas was extensive, with many small buildings swept away and a thick carpet of mud left by the retreating floodwaters.

Local officials described the havoc wrought by the storm as "unprecedented".

Residents returning to their destroyed homes are reeling from the deadly floods earlier this week.

Jel-an Moira Servas, a business owner who lives in Mandaue city, told the BBC that she found herself waist-deep in water within minutes when her house became flooded. She quickly evacuated with her family, bringing only light items like food and electronics.

"Right now, the rain has completely stopped and the sun is out, but our houses are still filled with mud, and everything inside is in shambles," she said. "We don't even know where to start cleaning. I can't even look at it without crying."

Getty Images Residents survey what is salvageable in the debris of destroyed homes as countless houses have been reduced to rubble due to flooding caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi, in Biasong, Cebu Province, PhilippinesGetty Images

The national disaster agency said more than 400,000 people had been displaced by the disaster in Cebu, home to 2.5 million people.

The official death toll also includes six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed on Mindanao island, south of Cebu, after it was deployed to assist in relief efforts on Tuesday.

Carlos Jose Lañas, a volunteer rescuer, told the BBC that despite preparing for the worst case, they were caught off-guard by the extent of the flooding.

"This is the worst flood I've ever experienced," the 19-year-old said. "Almost all the rivers here in Cebu overflowed. Even emergency responders did not expect this kind of scenario."

"The rescue operation was too overwhelming for the emergency responders around Cebu, because there were a lot of people asking for help."

Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, is the 20th tropical cyclone this year to hit the Philippines, a country prone to powerful storms.

It comes barely a month after back-to-back typhoons killed over a dozen people and wrought damage to infrastructure and crops.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, struck in late September, followed swiftly by Typhoon Bualoi, known locally as Opong.

In the months before, an extraordinarily wet monsoon season caused widespread flooding, sparking anger and protests over unfinished and sub-standard flood control systems that have been blamed on corruption.

Typhoon Kalmaegi left the Philippines at 00:30 local time (16:30pm GMT) on Thursday morning.

It has since strengthened, with maximum sustained winds increasing from 150 km/h to 155 km/h.

It is expected to make landfall in central Vietnam on Friday morning, according to forecasts. More than 50 flights there have been cancelled or rescheduled.

Vietnam has already been battling with a week of flooding and record rains that burst riverbanks and flooded some of the country's most popular tourist spots.

Thailand is also bracing for the storm's impact, with local officials warning of possible flash floods, landslides and river overflows caused by Kalmaegi.

EV drivers could face new tax in Budget

6 November 2025 at 15:50
Getty Images A young woman with her phone in her hand, about to plug an electrical charger into her car - she is wearing an orange jacket and has her blonde hair tied back into a pony tail, and is standing next to the car with the door opened Getty Images

Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) could be facing a new tax in next month's Budget.

With pressure on the chancellor to find tens of billions of pounds in additional revenue, the BBC understands there have been "conversations" within government about the possibility of a new levy on EVs.

A government spokesperson told the BBC: "Fuel duty covers petrol and diesel, but there's no equivalent for electric vehicles. We want a fairer system for all drivers."

The statement follows a report in the Daily Telegraph, that the Budget would include a new pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles.

According to the Telegraph EV drivers could be charged 3p per mile, on top of other road taxes, amounting to an extra £12 on a journey from London to Edinburgh. Drivers of hybrid cars would also be charged, but at a lower rate.

The paper says the idea is that owners would have to estimate, and pay for, their road usage for the year ahead. If, at the end of the year, they had driven fewer miles they would have a credit to carry over, but if they had driven more they would face a top-up charge.

Drivers of petrol and diesel vehicles pay fuel duty, so the transition to electric vehicles leaves a shortfall in government revenues, which are already under significant pressure.

Since April of this year, electric cars stopped being exempt from vehicle excise duty, due to a change made in the 2022 Budget.

"We want a fairer system for all drivers whilst backing the transition to electric vehicles," a government spokesperson told the BBC.

"It is right to seek a tax system that fairly funds roads, infrastructure and public services," they added.

However, the government was still backing the transition away from petrol and diesel, they said, pointing to £4bn in support already given, including grants to cut upfront costs by up to £3,750 per eligible vehicle,

"We will look at further support measures to make owning electric vehicles more convenient and more affordable," they said.

There has been growing concerns about the emerging "tax gap" from more petrol and diesel cars coming off the roads.

That has put pay-per-mile systems in the spotlight, but there has been push back from some quarters.

Edmund King, AA president, said while the government was losing fuel duty revenue, it should "tread carefully unless their actions slow down the transition to EVs".

He added that car sales indicated that the government's own zero emissions target would not be met this year, and that the detail of the proposal was needed "to ascertain whether these new taxes will be equitable or a poll tax on wheels".

Doing these four things could help you manage your headaches better

6 November 2025 at 10:45
Getty Images A woman sits at a table, pressing her palms to her forehead. On the table is a glass of water and some tablets.Getty Images

Headaches are something almost all of us deal with at some point.

They can last from a couple of minutes to days and the pain can be sharp, dull, throbbing or stabbing and sometimes spread beyond your head to your scalp, face or even your neck.

Dr Xand van Tulleken, who hosts the BBC's What's Up Docs wellness podcast, knows the feeling all too well and says he gets headaches once a month or every six weeks and it "feels like someone's drilling into my eyeball".

While it's easy to panic about what might be behind a bad headache, Dr Katy Munro, a GP and expert at the National Migraine Centre, says it's rarely something serious.

"It's natural to worry that something is seriously wrong, but the chances of that are actually very small," she explains.

She advises that if it's your "first or worst headache, get it checked out by a doctor," but if you're getting a pattern of milder, recurring headaches, there are a few simple things you can try at home as well as seeing your GP.

1. How big was the impact on your day?

Dr Xand says understanding your own headaches can be surprisingly helpful as they often don't have a single cause so keeping a diary can help you spot patterns and triggers.

For some people, weather such as thunder and lightning could trigger it, while for others it might be sensitivity to light.

"The worst time for me is when we're driving in the autumn and the sun is low and the sun is flickering through the trees...it really aggravates," says Dr Munro.

It's worth noting down things like:

  • What you were doing when the headache started
  • What you ate or drank
  • How well you slept
  • The weather
  • For women, track your menstrual cycle, as headaches can be linked to hormonal changes

But, Dr Munro cautions that you shouldn't overdo it.

"I made the mistake of making mine very detailed, which was depressing. Instead keep it simple and maybe write a number from one to 10 to summarise the impact it had on your day.

"It's also useful to track how many crystal-clear days you have, not just the bad ones.

Your doctor can then review it to help identify patterns.

2. Use caffeine wisely

You might think that caffeine is something you should instantly avoid if you have a headache but Dr Munro says the truth is more nuanced.

In small, careful doses, it can make painkillers more effective if you are not having too much caffeine on a daily basis.

"Caffeine is a co-analgesic which means it can boost the effect of a painkiller," Dr Munro explains, but avoid it in the afternoon and evening as it can disrupt your sleep.

It's worth also thinking about your caffeine consumption more broadly - consuming lots of it every day can cause a caffeine overuse headache and if you suddenly stop, you might get a withdrawal headache.

3. Don't skip meals

What you eat and when may make a difference if you're suffering from headaches.

Dr Munro recommends following a diet similar to the Mediterranean one that is rich in protein, healthy fats and complex carbs which can help stabilise your energy levels.

You should avoid quick-release sugary snacks and definitely don't skip meals as that can be a common trigger.

Dr Munro says she found her headaches were helped by cutting out dairy and gluten, though that's not universal.

"I also found eating regularly and taking lunch to work made a difference," she says.

As well as thinking about food, Dr Munro says regular exercise, good sleep, stress management and staying hydrated can also help reduce headaches.

You should drink enough during the day so your pee is a pale clear colour and you don't feel thirsty.

4. Avoid painkillers with codeine

"There are lots of things, like painkillers or anti-nausea tablets, you can buy over the counter that may be helpful to manage headaches" says Dr Munro.

She cautions that you should avoid "anything containing codeine" as it can make some headaches occur more frequently and can worsen symptoms like nausea.

"Painkillers can work extremely well but it does depend on how severe your headache is.

"If they're becoming more frequent or intense, your GP can help you find a more suitable medication."

Make sure you don't regularly take painkillers on more than two days a week as this will reduce your risk of rebound headaches.

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."
Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."

Quiz: Are you a Celebrity Traitors superfan?

6 November 2025 at 10:25

The first series of The Celebrity Traitors is in full swing.

The Traitors have begun their murder spree, as the faithfuls endeavour to uncover them.

Many of us like to think we could handle the pressure of being a Traitor, but which celebrity Traitor are you?

Spoiler alert: the quiz will reveal who the celebrity traitors are.

Enjoyed this quiz? Try testing your memory with our latest weekly quiz, or have a go at something from the archives.

ADHD services shutting door to new NHS patients as demand soars, BBC finds

6 November 2025 at 08:04
BBC Image showing the outline of two heads facing opposite directions. One blue head has shapes in the brain organised into a pattern. The other white head has the shapes disorganised and disjointed, against a backing of green scribbly lines - an illustration of what ADHD feels like to people who have it. BBC

Specialist ADHD services for adults are stopping taking on new patients as they struggle to cope with demand, a BBC investigation has shown.

The BBC has identified 15 local areas that have closed waiting lists and another 31 that have introduced tighter criteria, making it more difficult to access support.

Reacting to our investigation, Prof Anita Thapar, chair of NHS England's ADHD taskforce, said the findings were "disturbing", adding there were "enormous risks" for patients.

It comes as she prepares to publish her report into the state of ADHD services on Thursday, which is expected to recommend an overhaul of the way people are supported.

ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - affects the way the brain works and can cause people to act impulsively and become easily distracted.

It is thought to affect 5% of children and 3-4% of adults, although many remain undiagnosed.

Getting a diagnosis and treatment, which can include medication and psychological therapy, can be life-changing, experts say.

But NHS data already shows average waits of eight years once someone is on a waiting list.

And now a BBC investigation has found a significant number of areas are restricting access to those waiting lists.

The BBC received information from 59 services, which accounts for the majority of those providing support in England, after submitting freedom of information requests.

The responses showed:

  • 15 trusts had halted all or part of their referrals - some cover large areas and have closed their waiting lists to just some places
  • In Cheshire, the service for adults has been closed to new patients since 2019
  • Of the remaining trusts, 31 were rationing care by bringing in exclusions, such as by age or severity
  • One trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, is being threatened with legal action for restricting adult assessments to people under 25 only

In some areas, people referred for support by GPs can use something called 'right to choose' to go onto another NHS list or ask for private support, which would provide an alternative option if their local NHS has stopped taking on new referrals.

The BBC investigation also found examples of areas that are innovating. One of those is Surrey where the local service, which has 11,000 adults on its waiting list, is piloting a scheme to train a group of private GPs to carry out assessments and treatment.

'I find daily life hard'

Lady with red hair and greenish-grey eyes, wearing a black top and grey cardigan, looks straight ahead. Behind her in the background is some flowery, yellow wallpaper which is blurred and a wooden door.
Louise has been waiting years for an assessment for ADHD

Louise Nichols, who suspects she has ADHD, is just one of many people affected by the rationing.

Even when she was at primary school she struggled. She was diagnosed with school phobia and ended up being home schooled for a while, and has since found it hard to stay in a job.

The mother-of-one says it is frustrating to see everyone else managing, while she finds daily life hard.

"I need a way of helping me function to the best of my abilities. Whether that's medication or whether that's support," she says.

"I'm hoping to get a part-time job. I want to be part of my community."

The 45-year-old lives in Derbyshire, but as this area does not have its own service, she was on the waiting list with the neighbouring Sheffield trust for two years.

But she was taken off that list in October last year because Sheffield stopped doing assessments for people who live outside their borders, as it's struggling to keep up with demand. There are more than 3,700 people in the county in the same position.

She said it was really disappointing. "I can't understand why a national health service isn't  across the whole nation. "

Patients at risk

Prof Thapar said the problems being encountered by people like Louise were unacceptable and showed the "historic neglect" of ADHD by the NHS.

She called the BBC's findings "disturbing", adding: "There's enormous risks. It's not a trivial condition."

With the right support, she said people with ADHD can thrive, but there were "high, high risks" that without that support, people's conditions can become much more complicated.

This, she said, can include mental health problems, substance misuse, unemployment and getting in trouble with the criminal justice system.

And Dr Jessica Eccles, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said services were having to make difficult decisions because "rising demand was outstripping capacity" in many parts of the country.

"There are unacceptably long waiting lists," she added.

'Diagnosis transformed my life'

A man is smiling and holding a vanilla ice cream in his right hand, looking straight ahead. He is wearing a beige raincoat and a multi-coloured fabric hat with a wide brim.
Sam's life has been transformed by getting his ADHD diagnosis

Patients who have received support say it has transformed their lives.

Sam Stone is an example of that, but he had to battle to get help.

The 33-year-old, who lives near Gloucester, paid for a private diagnosis on his health insurance, but his GP wouldn't accept it and he had to go back on an NHS waiting list to get it confirmed.

He is angry at how complicated the system is. "I almost struggle to think about it as a system, to be honest, because it feels like there's such a cacophony of routes that it almost feels like you're constantly trying to hack the system."

Sam said the diagnosis has been life-changing. He had been on and off anti-depressants since the age of 16, but he is now on medication for his ADHD.

He said it was like having a cloud hanging over him removed.

"It's massive, it's huge," Sam says.

Additional reporting by Elena Bailey and data analysis by Rob England

Miss Universe contestants walk out after organiser berates Miss Mexico

6 November 2025 at 06:19
RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock Fatima Bosch in a sparkly dress and her Miss Mexico sash on stage at the pageantRUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock
Fatima Bosch said Nawat Itsaragrisil was "not respectful" at a pre-pageant ceremony on Tuesday

Several contestants have walked out of a Miss Universe event after an official from host nation Thailand publicly berated Miss Mexico in a tense confrontation.

At a pre-pageant ceremony, Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil told off Fatima Bosch in front of dozens of contestants for failing to post promotional content.

When she objected, Mr Itsaragrisil called security and threatened to disqualify those supporting her. Ms Bosch then left the room and others joined her in solidarity.

Video of the incident, which was live streamed, has been shared online. The Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) has condemned Mr Itsaragrisil's "malicious" behaviour, for which he has since apologised.

The Miss Universe contestants, who are the winners of national pageants in their home countries, attended Tuesday's event in their sashes and gowns.

Some can be heard shouting back at Mr Itsaragrisil in the video, after he raises his voice to reprimand Ms Bosch and repeatedly tells her to stop talking.

As many of them stand to show support, Mr Itsaragrisil says: "If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down. If you step out, the rest of the girls continue."

Despite this, the majority of the women in the video appear standing, with several heading towards the door.

After leaving the event on Tuesday, Ms Bosch told the press the 60-year-old executive was "not respectful" and said he had called her "dumb".

Mr Itsaragrisil has disputed this, claiming his words had been misunderstood.

He is widely reported to have called the 25-year-old a "dumbhead". But at a press conference he later claimed he was saying she had caused "damage".

His conduct prompted a stern rebuke from the MUO, which has sent a delegation of international executives to take over running the competition.

In a video statement, MUO President Raul Rocha said Mr Itsaragrisil had "forgotten the true meaning of what it means to be a genuine host".

He said the Thai official had "humiliated, insulted and showed a lack of respect" to Ms Bosch, and committed the "serious abuse of having called security to intimidate a defenceless woman".

Mr Itsaragrisil's participation in the pageant would be limited "as much as possible" or eliminated entirely, he said, adding the MUO would be taking "legal actions" against him.

"I wish to reiterate that Miss Universe is an empowerment platform for women so that their voices can be heard in the world," Mr Rocha said.

RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock Nawat Itsaragrisil smiles in a tuxedo on the red carpetRUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock
Thai businessman and media personality Nawat Itsaragrisil has apologised for the incident

Among those to walk out on Tuesday was reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark.

"This is about women's rights," she said as she left the event. "This is not how things should be handled. To trash another girl is beyond disrespectful... That's why I'm taking my coat and I'm walking out."

Ms Bosch later said in an interview: "I just want to let my country know, I'm not afraid to make my voice heard. It's here stronger than ever. I have a purpose. I have things to say.

"We're in the 21st century. I'm not a doll to be made up, styled and have my clothes changed," she added.

"I came here to be a voice for all the women and all the girls who fight for causes and to tell my country that I'm completely committed to that."

Video of Mr Itsaragrisil has outraged fans of the pageant, with many heavily criticising his actions and praising Ms Bosch's response.

In a social media video statement, Mr Itsaragrisil said: "If anyone feels bad, uncomfortable, or affected, I apologise to everyone. I especially apologised to the girls who were present, around 75 of them."

The Miss Universe competition has pressed on despite this controversy, with contestants taking part in a welcome event in Bangkok on Wednesday.

The winner will be crowned the new Miss Universe on 21 November.

William announces Earthshot Prize 2025 winners in Rio

6 November 2025 at 09:35
AFP via Getty Images A smiling bearded man in a black velvet jacket touches hands with a smiling blonde woman in a sparkling dress at an awards ceremony.   AFP via Getty Images
Prince William with Kylie Minogue at the awards ceremony

The Prince of Wales has revealed the five winners of this year's environmental Earthshot Prize, calling them an "inspiration that gives us courage".

Prince William said their work was "proof that progress is possible" during Wednesday evening's awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro's Museum of Tomorrow.

Winners include a project for making South America's Atlantic Forest financially viable and a global ocean treaty initiative aimed at conserving marine life.

Brazilian football legend Cafu, Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade and former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel were among the award presenters.

Performances from Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes and Brazilian queen of pop Anitta also got the jubilant mood swinging.

Earthshot Prize supports eco-friendly projects from around the world, and annually awards each of the five winners with a £1m grant to scale up their ideas aimed at repairing the world's climate.

Organisers of the initiative were inspired by former US President John F Kennedy's Moonshot project, which challenged scientists to get astronauts to the Moon and back safely.

Hosted by award-winning Brazilian broadcaster Luciano Huck, the awards ceremony was addressed by Prince William, the Earthshot Prize's president.

"When I founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020, we had a 10-year goal: to make this the decade in which we transformed our world for the better," he told attendees.

"We set out to tackle environmental issues head on and make real, lasting changes that would protect life on Earth."

There are five Earthshots or goals: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-free World; and Fix Our Climate.

The future king has committed himself to it for 10 years, with Rio marking a halfway point for the venture.

This year saw nearly 2,500 nominees submitted from 72 countries. Out of them, 15 finalists were selected, from which the five winners were chosen.

Earthshot Prize 2025 - Full list of winners

  • Protect and Restore Nature: re.green, in Brazil, is making protecting one of the world's most important ecosystems, the Atlantic Forest, financially viable
  • Clean Our Air: The city of Bogotá, has shown how public policy can bring lasting change, through means such as clean air zones and re-greening degraded areas in the Colombian capital
  • Revive Our Oceans: The High Seas Treaty is a global ocean initiative that will set out clear measures to conserve marine life, among other things, and will go into effect from January 2026
  • Build a Waste-Free World: Lagos Fashion Week, in Nigeria, is redefining the industry, with each designer wishing to showcase required to show their commitment to sustainable practice
  • Fix Our Climate: Friendship is dedicated to helping vulnerable communities across Bangladesh for a multiude of things from access to public services, health, education and preparing for natural disasters

Referring to the winners as "innovators", Prince William called the Earthshot Prize a "mission driven by the kind of extraordinary optimism we have felt here tonight".

"There's a great deal we can learn from their determination, their vision for scale, and their unyielding belief that we can create a better world."

The chair of the board of trustees, Christiana Figueres, said they were building a "global legacy".

"These winners are proof that the spirit of collective action born here in Rio continues to grow stronger, more determined, and more urgent than ever.

"Their 2030 aims are deeply ambitious - but their impact to date, their plans in place and their tenacity fuels my optimism."

Earlier in the day, Prince William met the 15 finalists during a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue, where he posed for a photograph on the same spot his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, did 34 years ago.

But much of the prince's five-day visit to Brazil has been focused on climate and the environment.

On Tuesday, he criticised criminals for their involvment in the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest during a speech at the United for Wildlife conference.

He also travelled to the small island of Paqueta, where he met locals, learnt about mangrove conservation and planted tree saplings.

On Thursday, he will be travelling to Belem in the Amazon rainforest, where he is scheduled to give a speech at COP30, the UN's annual climate change meeting.

'Vibe coding' named word of the year by Collins Dictionary

6 November 2025 at 10:22
Getty Images A woman wearing glasses with her hair tied up looks smiling holding a laptop computer in her right hand whilst typing with her left. Programming code appears on the left hand side behind her as a back drop.Getty Images

If you've ever wanted to create your own computer program but never learnt how to code, you might try "vibe coding".

Collins Dictionary's word of the year - which is confusingly made up of two words - is the art of making an app or website by describing it to artificial intelligence (AI) rather than by writing programming code manually.

The term was coined in February by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy, who came up with the name to represent how AI can let some programmers "forget that the code even exists" and "give in to the vibes" while making a computer program.

It was one of 10 words on a shortlist to reflect the mood, language and preoccupations of 2025.

By giving an AI tool a simple description such as "make me a program that schedules my weekly meals", people can use "vibe coding" to make basic apps without any previous programming knowledge.

More complicated tools still require skill, but the practice has opened up creating digital platforms to non-coders.

As many have discovered, it isn't perfect - with no guarantee the code will actually work or be free of bugs.

Alex Beecroft, the Managing Director of Collins, said the term "perfectly captures how language is evolving alongside technology".

'Clankers' and 'broligarchy'

Not all the words necessarily first emerged in 2025 - but Collins decided this was the year they became popular.

For example "clanker", a term used to describe robots in Star Wars games and movies since the mid 2000s, made the list after it went viral on TikTok in July as people shared their frustrations with AI-powered machines.

While "aura farming" - people doing things for the sake of looking cool, often when they know they're being filmed - was first used in January 2024, but became increasingly popular over the course of 2025.

And the portmanteau "broligarchy" took off in 2024 to describe the owners of the world's biggest technology companies and their purported political influence - and was used frequently in 2025 following the appearance of many of the bosses at US President Donald Trump's inauguration.

The other definitions in the shortlist were:

  • Biohacking, the activity of altering the natural processes of one's body in an attempt to improve one's health and longevity
  • Coolcation, a holiday in a place with a cool climate
  • Glaze, to praise or flatter someone excessively or undeservedly
  • Henry, acronym for "high earner, not rich yet", or a person who has not accrued substantial wealth from their high income
  • Micro-retirement, a break taken between periods of employment in order to pursue personal interests
  • Taskmasking, the act of giving a false impression that one is being productive in the workplace
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How caffeine can help you manage headaches and three other tips

6 November 2025 at 10:45
Getty Images A woman sits at a table, pressing her palms to her forehead. On the table is a glass of water and some tablets.Getty Images

Headaches are something almost all of us deal with at some point.

They can last from a couple of minutes to days and the pain can be sharp, dull, throbbing or stabbing and sometimes spread beyond your head to your scalp, face or even your neck.

Dr Xand van Tulleken, who hosts the BBC's What's Up Docs wellness podcast, knows the feeling all too well and says he gets headaches once a month or every six weeks and it "feels like someone's drilling into my eyeball".

While it's easy to panic about what might be behind a bad headache, Dr Katy Munro, a GP and expert at the National Migraine Centre, says it's rarely something serious.

"It's natural to worry that something is seriously wrong, but the chances of that are actually very small," she explains.

She advises that if it's your "first or worst headache, get it checked out by a doctor," but if you're getting a pattern of milder, recurring headaches, there are a few simple things you can try at home as well as seeing your GP.

1. How big was the impact on your day?

Dr Xand says understanding your own headaches can be surprisingly helpful as they often don't have a single cause so keeping a diary can help you spot patterns and triggers.

For some people, weather such as thunder and lightning could trigger it, while for others it might be sensitivity to light.

"The worst time for me is when we're driving in the autumn and the sun is low and the sun is flickering through the trees...it really aggravates," says Dr Munro.

It's worth noting down things like:

  • What you were doing when the headache started
  • What you ate or drank
  • How well you slept
  • The weather
  • For women, track your menstrual cycle, as headaches can be linked to hormonal changes

But, Dr Munro cautions that you shouldn't overdo it.

"I made the mistake of making mine very detailed, which was depressing. Instead keep it simple and maybe write a number from one to 10 to summarise the impact it had on your day.

"It's also useful to track how many crystal-clear days you have, not just the bad ones.

Your doctor can then review it to help identify patterns.

2. Use caffeine wisely

You might think that caffeine is something you should instantly avoid if you have a headache but Dr Munro says the truth is more nuanced.

In small, careful doses, it can make painkillers more effective if you are not having too much caffeine on a daily basis.

"Caffeine is a co-analgesic which means it can boost the effect of a painkiller," Dr Munro explains, but avoid it in the afternoon and evening as it can disrupt your sleep.

It's worth also thinking about your caffeine consumption more broadly - consuming lots of it every day can cause a caffeine overuse headache and if you suddenly stop, you might get a withdrawal headache.

3. Don't skip meals

What you eat and when may make a difference if you're suffering from headaches.

Dr Munro recommends following a diet similar to the Mediterranean one that is rich in protein, healthy fats and complex carbs which can help stabilise your energy levels.

You should avoid quick-release sugary snacks and definitely don't skip meals as that can be a common trigger.

Dr Munro says she found her headaches were helped by cutting out dairy and gluten, though that's not universal.

"I also found eating regularly and taking lunch to work made a difference," she says.

As well as thinking about food, Dr Munro says regular exercise, good sleep, stress management and staying hydrated can also help reduce headaches.

You should drink enough during the day so your pee is a pale clear colour and you don't feel thirsty.

4. Avoid painkillers with codeine

"There are lots of things, like painkillers or anti-nausea tablets, you can buy over the counter that may be helpful to manage headaches" says Dr Munro.

She cautions that you should avoid "anything containing codeine" as it can make some headaches occur more frequently and can worsen symptoms like nausea.

"Painkillers can work extremely well but it does depend on how severe your headache is.

"If they're becoming more frequent or intense, your GP can help you find a more suitable medication."

Make sure you don't regularly take painkillers on more than two days a week as this will reduce your risk of rebound headaches.

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."
Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."

The Papers: 'Not again...' and 'Democratic cheer'

6 November 2025 at 08:57

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror reads: "Not again..."
Several papers lead on the mistaken release of two prisoners from Wandsworth Prison in London. "Not again" is the Daily Mirror's assessment of the mishap, which occurred soon after sex offender Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed from a prison in Essex. The blunders show that prisons are "in chaos", the paper writes.
The headline on the front page of Metro reads: "Lammy grilled over latest jail bungle".
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was "grilled" by MPs at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday over whether he knew of any more inmates that had been wrongly released, Metro leads. The paper reports that Lammy was told about at least one of the prisoners before PMQs, but instead "castigated the state of the criminal justice system inherited from the Conservatives" at the despatch box.
The headline on the front page of Daily Express reads: "'Shocking' release of Algerian sex attack convict".
The government was told to "get a grip on the prison fiasco" following the "shocking" release of the prisoners, the Daily Express writes. A "major manhunt" is under way to find 24-year-old Algerian national Brahim Kaddour-Cherif and 35-year-old William Smith.
The headline on the front page of Daily Mail reads: "Police warn of a Labour soft justice crimewave".
The hunt for the two men comes as police chiefs warn that Labour's "soft-justice" reforms will "unleash a crimewave on the streets", the Daily Mail reports. The "unprecedented intervention" was issued as the government "was left reeling by another day of chaos in the creaking criminal justice system", according to the paper.
The headline on the front page of the i Paper reads: "Manhunt for new missing prisoners as Deputy PM feels heat over blunders".
Lammy is "absolutely outraged" by the mistakes, which he says "expose deeper flaws" about the criminal justice system, the i Paper writes. The former security chief of Wandsworth Prison says: "This is a prison in freefall".
The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "Lammy snared by latest migrant release blunder".
Sex offender Kaddour-Cherif was free for six days before the error was spotted, according to the Times, which reports that Lammy has been "snared" by the latest prison blunder. The paper writes that the mistake happened because of a "complete breakdown in communications", and officials only realised the inmate was missing when he was due to appear in court and could not be found.
The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Lammy under pressure after two more prisoners mistakenly freed".
During PMQs, Lammy "refused multiple times to say whether any more prisoners had been released in error", the Guardian reports. But Kaddour-Cherif's mistaken release was announced almost immediately after the "bruising session" of questioning ended. The paper's front page also features a photo of Zohran Mamdani, the winner of Tuesday's New York City mayoral election.
The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: "China will AI race with America, says Nvidia's chief".
"Democratic cheer" is the headline for the Financial Times, which writes that Mamdani's victory is a "resounding snub to Trump". Elsewhere, the paper features warnings from Nvidia boss Jensen Huang that China "is going to win the AI race" with the US.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: "Pay per mile tax to hit drivers in Budget".
The Daily Telegraph leads on a new pay-per-mile tax for electric vehicle drivers set to be unveiled in the Budget. The paper also reports on whistleblower accusations that the BBC's coverage of transgender issues is subject to "effective censorship" by reporters who refuse to cover gender-critical stories. Asked by BBC News, a BBC spokesperson said: "While we don't comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully. We have taken a number of actions relating to our reporting of sex and gender including updating the news style guide and sharing new guidance, making our Social Affairs Editor responsible for this coverage, and where there have been concerns about particular stories, we have addressed them. We continually review our coverage to reflect developments such as the recent Supreme Court Ruling."
The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "I'm Meghan a movie".
In a Hollywood exclusive, the Sun leads on the "acting return" of the Duchess of Sussex, who this week filmed scenes for the movie Close Personal Friends eight years after announcing her retirement from the screen. A source tells the paper that "this is a massive moment for Meghan".
The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: "Call of duty..."
Finally, the Daily Star reports that British troops based overseas will get free mobile use thanks to a "Remembrance Day tribute" from Vodafone. "Call of duty" is their headline.
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Chris Mason: The justice system is failing - the buck stops with Lammy

6 November 2025 at 04:49
Reuters David Lammy, wearing a suit and maroon tie, with a purple background saying 'together' - he is looking to his side Reuters

It is always perilous for a government when it clearly lacks grip on an issue voters would reasonably expect it to be in control of.

The stand out example of this in recent years has been the arrival of migrants on small boats.

From Rishi Sunak's promise to "stop the boats" to Sir Keir Starmer's promise to "smash the gangs" both have been found wanting and the problem remains huge.

Now the government confronts another example: a justice system that is palpably, transparently and repeatedly failing – and where measures designed to address the issue of letting prisoners out by accident aren't working.

According to government figures published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in the year to March of this year - a 128% increase on 115 in the previous 12 months.

In other words, it has been a problem for some time, and it is getting worse.

And, context is everything in politics: this row now comes after the mistaken release of perhaps the most high-profile prisoner jailed this year.

Hadush Kebatu, who arrived in the UK on a small boat, was jailed after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Epping in Essex, only to be let out by accident. He has since been deported.

It gave the issue of accidental releases from prison a salience and prominence it hadn't had until then.

Once again, we are seeing ministers use the language we usually see from opposition politicians.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has described the number of people arriving on small boats as "shameful".

Now, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy is saying he is "absolutely outraged" over the mistaken release a week ago of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian sex offender.

Lammy added that his officials have been "working through the night to take him back to prison."

Which brings us to the messy genesis of this saga, at B-Team Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday lunchtime.

With the prime minister at the COP climate summit in Brazil, it was his deputy who was answering questions.

The Conservatives put up the shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, who repeated a question, using a very particular form of words, over and over again.

He wanted to know if an "asylum-seeking offender had been accidentally released from prison".

It was obvious from the Press Gallery that Cartlidge was on to something – because of the apparent precision of his language and his constant repetition of the question.

But Lammy chose to repeatedly duck the question, despite, we later learnt, knowing about the case Cartlidge was referring to.

So why didn't he address it?

It turns out Cartlidge had got his facts wrong - Kaddour-Cherif isn't an asylum seeker. He arrived here legally but then stayed after his visa expired.

And, I understand, Lammy wasn't certain on entering the chamber whether he was an asylum seeker or not.

So setting out what he knew might also have exposed what he didn't.

His team insist "it is incredibly important to know the facts" and they argue it was for the police in the first instance to do that publicly.

Really? It seems reasonable to ask both whether Lammy could or should have known more when he arrived in the chamber and whether he could or should have disclosed more when he was there.

The Conservatives later called for him to return to the Commons to set out what he knew. The former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith suggested he may have misled the Commons. The Liberal Democrats and Reform have been very critical too.

Some also suggest Lammy's manner – shouting "get a grip, man!" at Cartlidge, among other things – was a mistake.

Could he instead have chosen to set out what he did and didn't know about the case at the beginning of the exchanges, before he took any questions?

But it is the bigger picture here that really matters: the justice system is currently repeatedly failing in that most basic of its tasks – who should be in prison and who shouldn't.

The reasons for that are complex – with difficult questions for the courts, individual prisons, the Prison Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

It is not a new problem, but it is a growing one, and one the government doesn't have a grip on. And that, if you are the justice secretary, is a problem.

From gas to groceries, has Trump kept his promise to tackle rising prices?

6 November 2025 at 10:45
Getty Images Donald Trump in a suit gesturing towards grocery itemsGetty Images

President Donald Trump was swept to power for a second time on the back of a central campaign promise to tackle inflation.

The steep rise in the cost of living was top of voters' minds and Trump blamed President Joe Biden.

He also made sweeping promises to bring down prices for Americans "starting on day one".

One year on from his victory, BBC Verify revisits some of the president's claims.

Groceries

"When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One," Trump declared at an August 2024 news conference surrounded by packaged foods, milk, meats and eggs.

Official data - which includes a four-month period when Biden was still president - shows grocery prices rose by 2.7% in the 12 months to September 2025, with some items seeing significantly sharper increases:

  • Coffee: 18.9%
  • Ground beef (minced beef): 12.9%
  • Bananas: 6.9%

Since Trump took office in January, the data also shows that apart from one recorded fall in April, grocery prices have risen each month.

"The president of the United States has very little control over the price of food, especially in the short term," food economics expert Professor David Ortega told BBC Verify.

Trump's tariffs are driving up prices of certain foods, he said - a third of coffee consumed in the US comes from Brazil and therefore has a 50% tariff.

Trump's illegal immigration crackdown may also have had an impact, Ortega adds, especially in farming where as many as 40% of workers are estimated to be undocumented, which is close to a million people.

"As you know, farmers and companies have to raise wages in order to attract more labour. But trying to quantify those impacts in terms of price increase is almost impossible at the moment."

Diane Swonk, the chief economist for KPMG, believes tariff and immigration policy changes have contributed to higher costs.

"There's no question that those shifts are now starting to show up as inflation pressures," she said.

But she adds that other factors, including weather events, have contributed.

"On coffee you had climate issues for a very bad growing season and that was exacerbated by a tariff on Brazil and also Colombia," she said.

Getty Images A woman examines a carton of eggs in a grocery storeGetty Images

A White House official told BBC Verify President Trump did not control weather patterns in South America and coffee prices hikes were a global phenomenon.

Data that tracks the cost of coffee shows prices have risen globally, peaking in February, but are now falling.

The same official said the president was addressing rising beef prices by temporarily increasing imports.

While grocery prices are up overall, not every item has become more expensive.

When Trump succeeded Biden in January, the price of a dozen large eggs was $4.93 (£3.79), rising to a record high of $6.23 (£4.78) in March following bird flu outbreaks.

Since then prices have fallen to $3.49 (£2.68) a dozen.

"President Trump's supply-side policies are taming Joe Biden's inflation crisis," White House Spokesman Kush Desai said.

Other items that have fallen in price over the past 12 months include: butter and margarine (-2%), ice cream (-0.7%) and frozen vegetables (-0.7%).

Electricity

During his campaign, Trump pledged to cut electricity bills sharply.

"Under my administration we will be slashing energy and electricity prices by half within 12 months, at a maximum 18 months," he told a rally in August 2024.

Since he became president, prices have risen.

The latest figures show average residential electricity rates reached 17.62 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour) in August 2025 - up from 15.94 cents per kWh in January 2025, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

A line graph that shows the average retail price of electricity in cost per cents per kilowatt hour, between August 2024 and August 2025. It shows that the price has risen to 17.62 cents per kWh as of August 2025.

"It was technically impossible [to halve prices] at the time he made the promise," according to Professor James Sweeney from the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy.

Electricity prices not only reflect the cost of generation but also the expense of delivering it through "the wires and the transformers and everything else", he explained.

Prof Sweeney attributes the increase to both demand and supply issues.

"We have a surge in demand mostly driven by data centres. People creating images using artificial intelligence are using significant amounts of electricity."

Getty Images A technician working on an immersion cooling system in a data center for cryptocurrency mining, cloud services and AI computingGetty Images
Prof Sweeney says there has been a surge in demand for electricity mostly driven by data centres.

He added that cuts to renewable energy subsidies and tariffs on imported steel - which raise the cost of building new power generators - have also pushed up prices.

Swonk agreed that the AI boom is pushing up prices, especially for those on lower incomes.

"It exacerbates inequality because consumers that have more access to solar panels and renewables tend to be wealthier households," she said.

In response a White House official said that Trump was expanding coal, natural gas and nuclear power, which was "the only viable way to meet the growing energy demand and to lower energy prices".

Cars

At a campaign rally in September 2024, Trump extended his grocery pledge to cars, telling supporters: "We're going to get the prices down… groceries, cars, everything".

However, the average price of a new car topped $50,000 (£38,411) for the first time ever in September, up from $48,283 (£37,092) in January according to Kelley Blue Book, a US vehicle valuation research company.

A line chart showing the average cost of a new vehicle in the US, between September 2024 and September 2025. It shows that the average price reached $50,080 in September 2025 - the first time the cost has topped $50,000.

Car prices typically rise 2-3% a year, explained Erin Keating from Cox Automotive.

"Tariffs, which have been the biggest factor in the automotive industry over the last 12 months, have been nothing but inflationary."

She explained new car prices are increasing by about 4% a year, with tariffs contributing at least one percentage point.

"We really think in 2026 that's going to go higher because most of the manufacturers are holding their fire on raising prices directly due to tariffs, but they're going to have to come in at some point."

Keating did point to tax breaks for people in Trump's spending bill, which she believes may incentivise people to buy new cars.

When asked about the rising price of cars, a White House official told BBC Verify the administration had taken historic regulatory actions to "reverse the left's radical energy scam and save billions annually".

Getty Images US President Donald Trump exits a Tesla Model S vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House in WashingtonGetty Images
A White House official said the administration had taken historic regulatory actions to "save billions annually".

Gasoline

Trump made a specific campaign pledge of "getting gasoline below $2 a gallon".

On the day he entered the White House the average price for a gallon of "regular" gas was $3.125 (£2.33) according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

While a long way short of his pledge to get prices below $2, the price of a gallon of gas has fallen to a national average of $3.079 (£2.36).

In response, a White House official pointed us to a gas price comparison website, which had a slightly lower national average of $2.97 (£2.38) per gallon compared with the AAA's data.

The official added that President Trump has quickly unleashed American energy to make gas affordable again for families across the country.

BBC Verify banner

The justice system is failing - the buck stops with Lammy

6 November 2025 at 04:49
Reuters David Lammy, wearing a suit and maroon tie, with a purple background saying 'together' - he is looking to his side Reuters

It is always perilous for a government when it clearly lacks grip on an issue voters would reasonably expect it to be in control of.

The stand out example of this in recent years has been the arrival of migrants on small boats.

From Rishi Sunak's promise to "stop the boats" to Sir Keir Starmer's promise to "smash the gangs" both have been found wanting and the problem remains huge.

Now the government confronts another example: a justice system that is palpably, transparently and repeatedly failing – and where measures designed to address the issue of letting prisoners out by accident aren't working.

According to government figures published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in the year to March of this year - a 128% increase on 115 in the previous 12 months.

In other words, it has been a problem for some time, and it is getting worse.

And, context is everything in politics: this row now comes after the mistaken release of perhaps the most high-profile prisoner jailed this year.

Hadush Kebatu, who arrived in the UK on a small boat, was jailed after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Epping in Essex, only to be let out by accident. He has since been deported.

It gave the issue of accidental releases from prison a salience and prominence it hadn't had until then.

Once again, we are seeing ministers use the language we usually see from opposition politicians.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has described the number of people arriving on small boats as "shameful".

Now, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy is saying he is "absolutely outraged" over the mistaken release a week ago of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian sex offender.

Lammy added that his officials have been "working through the night to take him back to prison."

Which brings us to the messy genesis of this saga, at B-Team Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday lunchtime.

With the prime minister at the COP climate summit in Brazil, it was his deputy who was answering questions.

The Conservatives put up the shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, who repeated a question, using a very particular form of words, over and over again.

He wanted to know if an "asylum-seeking offender had been accidentally released from prison".

It was obvious from the Press Gallery that Cartlidge was on to something – because of the apparent precision of his language and his constant repetition of the question.

But Lammy chose to repeatedly duck the question, despite, we later learnt, knowing about the case Cartlidge was referring to.

So why didn't he address it?

It turns out Cartlidge had got his facts wrong - Kaddour-Cherif isn't an asylum seeker. He arrived here legally but then stayed after his visa expired.

And, I understand, Lammy wasn't certain on entering the chamber whether he was an asylum seeker or not.

So setting out what he knew might also have exposed what he didn't.

His team insist "it is incredibly important to know the facts" and they argue it was for the police in the first instance to do that publicly.

Really? It seems reasonable to ask both whether Lammy could or should have known more when he arrived in the chamber and whether he could or should have disclosed more when he was there.

The Conservatives later called for him to return to the Commons to set out what he knew. The former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith suggested he may have misled the Commons. The Liberal Democrats and Reform have been very critical too.

Some also suggest Lammy's manner – shouting "get a grip, man!" at Cartlidge, among other things – was a mistake.

Could he instead have chosen to set out what he did and didn't know about the case at the beginning of the exchanges, before he took any questions?

But it is the bigger picture here that really matters: the justice system is currently repeatedly failing in that most basic of its tasks – who should be in prison and who shouldn't.

The reasons for that are complex – with difficult questions for the courts, individual prisons, the Prison Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

It is not a new problem, but it is a growing one, and one the government doesn't have a grip on. And that, if you are the justice secretary, is a problem.

Patients left in limbo - how the NHS is closing the door on ADHD cases

6 November 2025 at 08:04
BBC Image showing the outline of two heads facing opposite directions. One blue head has shapes in the brain organised into a pattern. The other white head has the shapes disorganised and disjointed, against a backing of green scribbly lines - an illustration of what ADHD feels like to people who have it. BBC

Specialist ADHD services for adults are stopping taking on new patients as they struggle to cope with demand, a BBC investigation has shown.

The BBC has identified 15 local areas that have closed waiting lists and another 31 that have introduced tighter criteria, making it more difficult to access support.

Reacting to our investigation, Prof Anita Thapar, chair of NHS England's ADHD taskforce, said the findings were "disturbing", adding there were "enormous risks" for patients.

It comes as she prepares to publish her report into the state of ADHD services on Thursday, which is expected to recommend an overhaul of the way people are supported.

ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - affects the way the brain works and can cause people to act impulsively and become easily distracted.

It is thought to affect 5% of children and 3-4% of adults, although many remain undiagnosed.

Getting a diagnosis and treatment, which can include medication and psychological therapy, can be life-changing, experts say.

But NHS data already shows average waits of eight years once someone is on a waiting list.

And now a BBC investigation has found a significant number of areas are restricting access to those waiting lists.

The BBC received information from 59 services, which accounts for the majority of those providing support in England, after submitting freedom of information requests.

The responses showed:

  • 15 trusts had halted all or part of their referrals - some cover large areas and have closed their waiting lists to just some places
  • In Cheshire, the service for adults has been closed to new patients since 2019
  • Of the remaining trusts, 31 were rationing care by bringing in exclusions, such as by age or severity
  • One trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, is being threatened with legal action for restricting adult assessments to people under 25 only

In some areas, people referred for support by GPs can use something called 'right to choose' to go onto another NHS list or ask for private support, which would provide an alternative option if their local NHS has stopped taking on new referrals.

The BBC investigation also found examples of areas that are innovating. One of those is Surrey where the local service, which has 11,000 adults on its waiting list, is piloting a scheme to train a group of private GPs to carry out assessments and treatment.

'I find daily life hard'

Lady with red hair and greenish-grey eyes, wearing a black top and grey cardigan, looks straight ahead. Behind her in the background is some flowery, yellow wallpaper which is blurred and a wooden door.
Louise has been waiting years for an assessment for ADHD

Louise Nichols, who suspects she has ADHD, is just one of many people affected by the rationing.

Even when she was at primary school she struggled. She was diagnosed with school phobia and ended up being home schooled for a while, and has since found it hard to stay in a job.

The mother-of-one says it is frustrating to see everyone else managing, while she finds daily life hard.

"I need a way of helping me function to the best of my abilities. Whether that's medication or whether that's support," she says.

"I'm hoping to get a part-time job. I want to be part of my community."

The 45-year-old lives in Derbyshire, but as this area does not have its own service, she was on the waiting list with the neighbouring Sheffield trust for two years.

But she was taken off that list in October last year because Sheffield stopped doing assessments for people who live outside their borders, as it's struggling to keep up with demand. There are more than 3,700 people in the county in the same position.

She said it was really disappointing. "I can't understand why a national health service isn't  across the whole nation. "

Patients at risk

Prof Thapar said the problems being encountered by people like Louise were unacceptable and showed the "historic neglect" of ADHD by the NHS.

She called the BBC's findings "disturbing", adding: "There's enormous risks. It's not a trivial condition."

With the right support, she said people with ADHD can thrive, but there were "high, high risks" that without that support, people's conditions can become much more complicated.

This, she said, can include mental health problems, substance misuse, unemployment and getting in trouble with the criminal justice system.

And Dr Jessica Eccles, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said services were having to make difficult decisions because "rising demand was outstripping capacity" in many parts of the country.

"There are unacceptably long waiting lists," she added.

'Diagnosis transformed my life'

A man is smiling and holding a vanilla ice cream in his right hand, looking straight ahead. He is wearing a beige raincoat and a multi-coloured fabric hat with a wide brim.
Sam's life has been transformed by getting his ADHD diagnosis

Patients who have received support say it has transformed their lives.

Sam Stone is an example of that, but he had to battle to get help.

The 33-year-old, who lives near Gloucester, paid for a private diagnosis on his health insurance, but his GP wouldn't accept it and he had to go back on an NHS waiting list to get it confirmed.

He is angry at how complicated the system is. "I almost struggle to think about it as a system, to be honest, because it feels like there's such a cacophony of routes that it almost feels like you're constantly trying to hack the system."

Sam said the diagnosis has been life-changing. He had been on and off anti-depressants since the age of 16, but he is now on medication for his ADHD.

He said it was like having a cloud hanging over him removed.

"It's massive, it's huge," Sam says.

Additional reporting by Elena Bailey and data analysis by Rob England

Mexico president to seek charges after being groped on street

6 November 2025 at 05:00
Reuters Sheinbaum seen at a news conference. Her hair is pulled back tightly, and she is wearing earringsReuters

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she will press charges against a man who groped her during a public appearance.

Mobile phone footage of the incident on Tuesday shows Sheinbaum speaking to a group of supporters on a street near the National Palace in Mexico City.

In the video, a man approaches her from behind and attempts to kiss her on the neck and place his hands on her body.

Sheinbaum moved away quickly and a member of her team stepped in, but she was visibly shaken. The offender has been arrested.

"My view is, if I don't file a complaint, what will happen to other Mexican women? If they do this to the president, what will happen to all women in our country?" Sheinbaum said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"I decided to press charges because this is something that I experienced as a woman, but that we as women experience in our country," she said. "I have experienced it before, when I wasn't president, when I was a student."

She added that she had decided to press ahead with bringing charges against the suspect as he had allegedly harassed other women in the crowd.

"A line must be drawn," she said.

Women's rights groups and feminist commentators have said the incident shows the extent of ingrained machismo in Mexican society, where a man believes he has the right to accost even the president if she is a woman.

Femicide is also a huge problem in Mexico, with a staggering 98% of gender-based murders estimated to go unpunished.

Sheinbaum promised to tackle the issue as a candidate, but so far in her administration there has been no discernible improvement in that area of violent crime.

The incident also comes amid discussions about presidential security and the wider safety of politicians.

As president, Sheinbaum has broadly followed the approach of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in having close and regular contact with her supporters on the streets or in campaign events.

On occasion, that has presented security concerns for her team. However, she confirmed in her new conference she had no intention of changing her policy of interacting with her supporters.

The incident also happened just days after the murder of Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan, a municipality in the violent state of Michoacan, at the local Day of the Dead celebrations.

Manzo had called on Sheinbaum for greater federal support in Uruapan in the fight against drug cartels. Around 35 candidates were killed in the lead up to the general election last year in what was considered the bloodiest campaign in modern Mexico.

Since taking office, Sheinbaum has made in-roads in improving the country's dire security situation, particularly clamping down on fentanyl-trafficking – a key issue for her US counterpart, President Trump.

Interest rates expected to be held as Budget looms

6 November 2025 at 08:10
Getty Images Man in shadow walks in from of the Bank of England buildingGetty Images

Policymakers at the Bank of England are widely expected to hold interest rates at 4% following their final meeting before the chancellor's Budget.

Some Bank watchers have suggested that the latest inflation data could strengthen the case for a cut, but most commentators think such a move is more likely in December.

In September, the Bank's governor Andrew Bailey said he still expected further rate cuts, but the pace would be "more uncertain".

The Bank's base rate has an impact on the cost of borrowing for individuals and businesses, and also on returns on savings.

Uncertainty over pace of cuts

The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will make its latest announcement at 12:00 GMT with most analysts predicting a hold.

The Bank of England has reduced its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points every three months since August last year. However, that cycle is widely expected to be broken this time.

Members of the MPC will be closely considering the latest economic data on rising prices, as well as jobs and wages as they cast their vote on interest rates.

The rate of inflation in September was 3.8%, well above the Bank's 2% target, but lower than expected. Within that data, food and drink prices rose at their slowest rate in more than a year.

That has eased some of the squeeze on family finances, and also led to some analysts, including at banking giants Barclays and Goldman Sachs, to predict a cut in interest rates this month to 3.75%.

They expect a split in the vote among the nine-member committee. For the first time, the views of each individual on the MPC will be published alongside the wider decision.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said the market was giving a one in three chance of a rate cut to 3.75%.

"The odds are still firmly in favour of a hold," she said.

All eyes on Budget

Members of the MPC will be fully aware of the potential implications of the Budget which will be delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 26 November.

The case for a cut in interest rates in December could be boosted if the Budget includes substantial tax rises that do not add to inflation.

The chancellor, in a speech on Tuesday, said measures in the Budget "will be focused on getting inflation falling and creating the conditions for interest rate cuts".

However, detail remains thin until the Budget is delivered and more economic data will be published before the Bank's next meeting in December that could sway MPC members' thinking.

"It's possible Rachel Reeves' surprise press conference on Tuesday was partly a cry for help to the Bank of England," AJ Bell's Ms Hewson said.

"By promising to push down on inflation, she might have been signalling that the Bank didn't have to wait until after the Budget to cut rates. Whether they do or not is a finely balanced call."

The Bank's interest rates heavily influence borrowing costs for homeowners - either directly for those on tracker rates, or more indirectly for fixed rates.

In recent days and weeks, many lenders have been cutting the interest rates on their new, fixed deals as they compete for custom, and in anticipation of future central bank rate cuts.

Savers, however, would likely see a fall in the returns they receive if the Bank cuts the benchmark rate on Thursday or in December.

Rachel Springall, from financial information service Moneyfacts, said many savers were feeling "demoralised" as a result of falling returns and still relatively high inflation, which reduces the spending power of their savings.

King handed Nvidia boss a letter warning of AI dangers

6 November 2025 at 07:40
BBC King Charles handing a prize to Jensen Huang - the King is wearing a blue pinstripe suit and has a poppy on his lapel, Jensen Huang is holding the gold medal in its case and is wearing a dark suit and smiling with glasses on - the room they are in is very grand, with gold lining around a big mirror behind them, and red wall paper  BBC

Jensen Huang, the head of the world's most valuable company Nvidia, says King Charles III personally handed him a copy of a speech he delivered in 2023 that included a warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence.

"He said, there's something I want to talk to you about. And he handed me a letter," Huang told the BBC, speaking after receiving the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in a ceremony at St James's Palace.

The letter was a copy of the speech delivered by the King in 2023 at the world's first AI Summit, held at Bletchley Park.

In it the monarch said that the risks of AI needed to be tackled with "a sense of urgency, unity and collective strength".

"It was his speech on AI safety. He obviously cares very deeply about AI safety," Mr Huang said.

Mr Huang said the King wrote in his speech that he believed in the "incredible capability" of the technology to transform the UK and the world.

"But he also wants to remind us that the technology could be used for good and for evil, and so to make sure we do everything we can to advance AI safety."

In the King's address he describes the development of advanced AI as "no less important than the discovery of electricity".

On Wednesday, Jensen Huang received the the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering alongside six other foundational figures in AI, including Professors Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, who have warned that the technology poses an existential threat to humanity.

But US president Donald Trump has urged the AI sector to make rapid rather than cautious advances in the technology, and the AI Safety Summit was rebranded the AI Action Summit earlier this year.

The seven key figures in AI who received an award from the King - back row left to right: Yoshua Bengio; the King; Yan LeCunn; Geoffrey Hinton and front row, left to right: Jensen Huang; Fei-Fei Li; Bill Dally; and John Hopfield
Jensen Huang received the award along six other laureates - in the back row (L-R) Yoshua Bengio; the King; Yan LeCunn; Geoffrey Hinton and front row, (L-R): Jensen Huang; Fei-Fei Li; Bill Dally; and John Hopfield

Senator Howard Lutnick has discouraged the use of the word safety on the grounds that, "It makes us sound like we're afraid".

Mr Huang's company, Nvidia, was valued at $5tn this week. It specialises in advanced computer chips including those which power AI.

Mr Huang added that in his view the UK is in a good position to take advantage of what he described as "an industrial revolution that's happening right now."

"It's your opportunity to grasp," he said.

Large US tech firms including Nvidia are investing billions of dollars in building AI infrastructure in the UK, in the form of enormous data centres, which Jensen Huang has called "AI factories".

Crime fixer caught by BBC offering to erase £60K fines on migrant workers

6 November 2025 at 06:00
Watch: BBC News go undercover to film "Shaxawan"

A man at the centre of an organised crime network has been secretly filmed telling BBC undercover reporters how he can help to erase fines of up to £60,000 for employing illegal workers.

The self-described "accountant" is among a group of Kurdish men, first exposed in a BBC investigation on Tuesday, who enable migrants to work illegally in mini-marts, by registering the businesses in their own name.

The man, who goes by the name of Shaxawan, told the two journalists that he and his associates could help migrants - including asylum seekers - to set up businesses illegally and "confuse" immigration enforcement.

Operating from a solicitor's office in Huddersfield, he said he had "customers in every city".

In Companies House listings, Shaxawan is named as Kardos Mateen, a British resident in his 30s, and has been the director of 18 businesses across the north of England.

When later confronted by us, with details of his claims, he denied any wrongdoing.

Trading Standards confirmed it has found illegal cigarettes being sold in many businesses registered under the name Kardos Mateen, and the BBC was sold counterfeit tobacco in four mini-marts where he was listed as the director.

The BBC News two-part investigation has revealed the sophistication and scale of criminal networks profiting from undocumented working on UK High Streets. Loose regulation of Britian's labour market is acting as a pull factor for those entering the UK illegally, the government has acknowledged.

Shaxawan made several claims to our reporters:

  • He could set up a company and provide bank cards and a card machine to accept payments from customers for one of our undercover reporters, believing him to be an asylum seeker
  • His network could "confuse" Immigration Enforcement teams which "won't have the time" to check details
  • Fake directors would be paid to register mini-marts in their own names, while illegal workers, including asylum seekers, would actually run the businesses
  • In separate deals, other people referred to as "ghost names" would be paid to put their names to large fines for illegal working
  • An "English woman" in the network would help reduce hefty fines to "zero" and deal with other issues like electricity, gas and bailiffs

Our reporters also spoke to a paralegal, with Shaxawan present, who offered to "make documents", including "business agreements", to avoid fines.

'I'll make sure you have no issues'

It took months to set up the first meeting with Shaxawan.

He pulled up at a busy Manchester retail park in a white 4x4 BMW, in the belief he was meeting an asylum seeker who was looking to run a mini-mart and sell illegal cigarettes.

In fact, he was meeting Saman (not his real name), a Kurdish journalist working undercover for the BBC.

In a cafe, Shaxawan freely shared details of what he and his associates were able to offer: "We are a group. Each of us provides a service and works together," he said.

He explained how he worked with an "English woman who dealt with electricity, gas and bailiffs". And when Immigration Enforcement issues a fine, he added, "she makes it zero".

"I will… set up your company, provide the [card] machine, get you electricity, speak to your landlord," Shaxawan assured him. "I'll make sure you have no issues."

Undercover footage of Shaxawan in a cafe looking at his mobile phone.
Shaxawan told our reporter he could help him set-up a mini-mart illegally

He told Saman that he should register a mini-mart business in the name of someone else - what is sometimes known as a "ghost director". This would cost £400 per month, and getting access to a business bank card would require a one-off payment of £140, he said.

The ghost director would be the one to "take the risk" if the shop was raided by law enforcement and fines issued, he explained.

"That's why you're paying," he said.

To show he was genuine and to provide reassurance, Shaxawan called someone he said could act as ghost director.

Saman explained to the man on the phone that he did not have asylum status.

"Don't worry" came the reply. "As Mr Shaxawan says, send the money at the end of the month."

ID documents sent to Saman by phone swiftly after his meeting with Shaxawan, revealed that the potential ghost director was a 28-year-old from Iran called Bryar Mohammed Zada.

Mr Zada has racked up company directorships for 20 car washes and mini-marts from Newcastle upon Tyne to Essex in the past 12 months, according to Companies House records.

Undercover journalists found illegal cigarettes being sold at four of Mr Zada's businesses.

Mr Zada did not respond to the BBC's questions.

Saman later called Shaxawan asking for a second meeting, and Shaxawan suggested they meet at RKS Solicitors in Huddersfield.

The firm is registered with the Law Society and has branches in Dewsbury and Sheffield.

The meeting was arranged on the premise Saman needed help to deal with an illegal working fine which had been given to a family member.

There is no mention of the names "Shaxawan" or "Mateen" on the firm's website.

But Saman had called Shaxawan when he was outside the solicitors, and Shaxawan opened the front door, and welcomed him in.

He led our reporter upstairs to an office, where he outlined how Saman's family member could avoid the fine, transferring company details to someone else for a fee.

RKS Solicitors told the BBC it had no connection to any alleged immigration or fine-related misconduct.

Fines turned to 'zero'

We later got our second undercover reporter, "Ali", who is also Kurdish, to investigate further by calling the same RKS Solicitors branch - but without mentioning Shaxawan.

Posing as a Kurdish mini-mart owner, he told the woman who answered the phone that he had received a £60,000 fine from Immigration Enforcement for employing two people without the right to work.

He was given an appointment with Zohaib Hussain, who is listed on RKS's website as a paralegal - someone who can advise on legal matters but is not a qualified solicitor and works under supervision.

As Ali was arriving for his appointment with Mr Hussain at the RKS offices, he came across Shaxawan outside. On the street, Shaxawan repeated the claim he had made to Saman - that he could make fines go to "zero" with no comeback from authorities.

Shaxawan again referred to the "English woman" he mentioned in the earlier meeting, and said she could make sure that fines for illegal working were reassigned to other people, as if they were the culpable business owner.

Shaxawan said these would be Hungarians who "live nearby". They would be paid between £2,000-£3,000 and their names would be used to assume liability for the fines.

He did not give any more details, but an immigration lawyer we spoke to suggested this could work much like receiving a speeding fine, and giving the name of someone else on the paperwork as the person who was driving - and therefore liable to pay the penalty.

Shaxawan said the overall cost to Ali would be about £4,600 per illegal worker. He said he had done this successfully in "Manchester, Birmingham, Blackpool and Leeds", with the process usually taking about four weeks.

He added Ali's company would then need to be closed, reopened and re-registered under a new name.

Ali was then let into the RKS branch, and Shaxawan came inside too. Inside an office, Shaxawan showed him documents on his phone detailing the people he claimed to have helped before.

Shaxawan claimed the scam would confuse Immigration Enforcement officers who would not have time to check the details.

Ali was then introduced to the paralegal, Zohaib Hussain. Shaxawan stayed in the room throughout the meeting.

Watch: Undercover filming of alleged negotiation to fix a fine

Speaking quickly and in a hushed tone, Mr Hussain fired questions at our reporter about his cover story - the mini-mart and the immigration fine.

"How many illegal workers? So how much is the fine? How many times did they catch you?"

Then, with a chuckle, he asked what was sold in the mini-mart: "Do you sell vapes? Legal or illegal? Bit of both as well?"

When Ali said his mini-mart was registered under someone else's name, Mr Hussain said: "Very clever then, already very clever."

The first step, Mr Hussain said, would be to deal with the fine.

If Ali was not let off the fine, he continued, "we will look at certain other things that we have to do as precautions".

"Sometimes we might have to make documents," said Mr Hussain, such as "business agreements".

Ali then asked if the fine would be transferred to someone else's name. Mr Hussain said that would be "the last resort."

Before the meeting ended, Mr Hussain warned that the immigration authorities would want to jump on the fine straight away - making a cutting-motion across his throat.

He said his charges would be £3,500 and he "would look after us". He then asked Ali to share any future Immigration Enforcement letters with Shaxawan.

Bryony Rest is wearing a dark blazer over a green patterned top with white and dark shapes, seated indoors in front of large windows with horizontal blinds. The background is softly lit with natural light coming through the windows.
Immigration lawyer Bryony Rest says it was likely "fraud and immigration offences" were taking place

We showed our undercover filming and translations to senior immigration lawyer Bryony Rest, who told us Hussain was "clearly offering to falsify documents".

There were "likely fraud and immigration offences" taking place, she said, and she would expect law enforcement to investigate.

When we later contacted Mr Hussain for comment he replied by email saying he denied "all allegations, insinuations, and claims" we had put to him.

"For clarity, the individual named in your correspondence, Mr Shaxawan Jawad, is not associated with me in any capacity; professional, personal, or otherwise."

In a statement to the BBC, RKS Solicitors said the company was carrying out an internal review and "the individual concerned" had been suspended pending further investigation.

"We are already informing" the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), it added.

"Mr Hussain is employed as a paralegal under strict supervision… The individual is not authorised or instructed to provide immigration and tax advice."

The firm did not comment on Shaxawan Jawad. It said it did not condone unlawful conduct and was committed to the "highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and public service".

Shaxawan, otherwise known as Kardos Mateen, told us by email that he categorically denied "every allegation, insinuation and claim made" in our reporting, and said that he was "not employed by, associated with, or acting on behalf of RKS Solicitors in any capacity".

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood, said the Home Office would investigate the BBC's findings.

"Illegal working and linked organised criminality creates an incentive for people to come here illegally. We will not stand for it," she said.

Additional reporting Phill Edwards and Kirstie Brewer

Police hunt for two men mistakenly released from prison

6 November 2025 at 06:53
Watch The moment the Commons hears that second imprisoned migrant mistakenly freed from prison

An Algerian man has been mistakenly released from prison in London, police have said.

A Met Police spokesperson said officers were carrying out "urgent enquiries" to locate the 24-year-old man, who was released in error from HMP Wandsworth last Wednesday.

It comes after migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was also released from prison by mistake last month.

The Ethiopian national, who arrived in the UK on a small boat, was jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Epping, Essex.

During Prime Minister's Questions Justice Secretary David Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer, was repeatedly asked whether any other asylum-seeking offender had been accidentally let out of prison since Kebatu was released but refused to answer.

Shortly after PMQs ended, the Met Police released a statement revealing another foreign prisoner had been released by mistake last Wednesday.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 13:00hrs on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday, 29 October.

"The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man.

"Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody."

Reacting to the news, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the BBC's Politics Live programme: "One release in error is one too many, and I understand why people will be concerned about this.

"I would expect the Metropolitan Police to be conducting a manhunt at the moment, frankly, to find this individual, because they shouldn't be at large."

She added: "I suspect that after Prime Minister's Questions, David Lammy will be going straight back to the Ministry of Justice, and asking some very tough questions indeed of his officials about what has happened."

Michelle Mone-linked firm PPE Medpro owes £39m in taxes

6 November 2025 at 03:21
Getty Images Doug Barrowman and Michelle Mone smartly dressed and smiling sheltering under an umbrella. He wears a tweed coat, checked scarf and purple patterned tie. She wears a red beret with feathers, and a white jacket with black and red trim.Getty Images

A company linked to Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman owes £39m in tax on top of the £148m it was ordered to pay the government for breaching a contract to supply PPE.

Documents filed by PPE Medpro's administrator on Tuesday revealed the figure owed to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Last month a court ruled the company breached a contract to supply medical gowns during the Covid pandemic because they did not meet certification requirements for sterility.

HMRC and the administrators declined to comment.

PPE Medpro was put into administration last month, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government would pursue the company "with everything we've got" to recover the cash.

PPE Medpro has £672,774 available to unsecured creditors, far less than the money owed to the DHSC, the administrators' filings show.

They also reveal that the debt to the government is even bigger than previously known.

During the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020, the government scrambled to secure supplies of PPE as the country went into lockdown and hospitals across the country were reporting shortages of clothing and accessories to protect medics from the virus.

In May that year, PPE Medpro was set up by a consortium led by Baroness Mone's husband, Doug Barrowman, and won its first government contract to supply masks through a so-called VIP lane after being recommended by Baroness Mone.

The Department of Health and Social Care sued PPE Medpro and won damages over claims the company breached its contract to supply medical gowns.

Mr Barrowman told the BBC in an interview in 2023 that he was the ultimate beneficial owner of PPE Medpro. The shares are held in the name of an accountant, Arthur Lancaster, according to Companies House documents.

In that same interview he admitted receiving more than £60m in profits from PPE Medpro.

Baroness Mone, best known for founding the lingerie company Ultimo, admitted that millions of pounds from those profits were put into a trust from which she and her children stood to benefit.

An Isle of Man company linked to Mr Barrowman, Angelo (PTC), has a secured debt of £1m to the PPE Medpro, which means it is likely to rank ahead of government creditors when it comes to paying out whatever cash can be recovered from the company.

The administrators' report says it expects there will be enough money to repay this in full.

Filings in the Isle of Man show the beneficial owner of Angelo (PTC) is Knox House Trust, part of Barrowman's Knox group of companies.

Arthur Lancaster and a spokesperson for Doug Barrowman did not respond to requests for comment.

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