the uk's covid inquiry hears from physiotherapist and experts today, with a focus on the impact of long covid. archaeologists have discovered an ancient mayan city hidden underground in mexico, with pyramids, sports fields, and amphitheatres. let's get more now on the uk government announcing details of its pledge to increase the number of hospital appointments and procedures in england by 40,000 per week. here's our health editor, hugh pym. out on the wards with a story to tell. the chancellor and the health secretary meeting hospital staff to explain some of their spending plans for the nhs in england. the budget, they were told, would provide money to help get more patients treated, and reduce waiting lists. to deliver on the 40,000 additional appointments every single week in our health service, to reduce those waiting times

and waiting lists. and alongside that, the biggest capital budget since 2010 in our national health service, to invest in the new scanners, the diagnostic equipment, the radiography equipment that our nhs desperately needs — alongside the reform to get better productivity and better outcomes for patients. so what are the details? the treasury says £1.8 billion of extra money has been provided to the nhs since the election for more operations and appointments. there'll be 1.57 billion allocated next year for equipment including scanners and radiotherapy machines. the challenge is to bring down the total waiting list of 7.61; million. extra money announced by the westminster government generates more, as well, for scotland, wales, and northern ireland. these are some — but not all — of the government's spending plans for the nhs in england. to find out overall totals for this year and next year and how they compare

with the previous trend, we'll have to wait for the budget speech itself. health experts welcome the new funding, but warn that there are many unanswered questions about future policy — with the government's ten—year nhs plan not published until next spring. if you think about the huge pressures on the national health service now, but also into the future with the ageing population, we're simply not going to manage carrying on the way we have with marginal improvements — or, indeed, significant improvements. there really has to be a massive step change in the way that we do things in the national health service. and really the game—changer here is technology with different working practices, and that should be the focus of reform, and that's what we really need to see the look of — in addition to the money — and that really will only begin to be forthcoming in the spring. some of the new investment will go into surgical hubs — specialist centres for carrying out planned operations. the aim is to get patients treated quickly and more efficiently. but getting back to the 18—week target for waiting times will be a big ask, and today's

announcement is just the start. hugh pym, bbc news. let's speak get some analysis from within the health service with chief executive of the nhs confederation, matthew taylor. he isjoining us on the programme now. thank you for your time on bbc news. based on what we know at the moment, and the kind of outlining that has happened before we hear the full speech tomorrow on the budget, how optimistic are you about the spending plans when it comes to the nhs? this about the spending plans when it comes to the nhs?— about the spending plans when it comes to the nhs? this is an important _ it comes to the nhs? this is an important first _ it comes to the nhs? this is an important first step. _ it comes to the nhs? this is an important first step. it - important first step. it fulfils all well fulfil part of labour's manifesto in relation to people on elective waiting lists. and it's good news. just a few weeks ago there were rumours that the government was going to have to cap the number

of operations that were being funded. so we have taken an important step forward, wes streeting and rachel reeves have clearly recognised the importance of investing in the nhs. but as hugh pym and jennifer dixon said in a report, it is only one strap. it addresses one part of the challenge on the health service, which as those elective waiting list. that is theissue elective waiting list. that is the issue the public say they care most about. but there are all sorts of other challenges in mental health and community services, in primary care, and asjennifer dixon says, in the end, we are going to have to change radically the way in which the health service works. that's an important point. you say it is a step in the right direction, addressing if you of the challenges. what are the other challenges and how would you advise the government to navigate that and address this very critical issue as best as they can? in very critical issue as best as they can?— they can? in terms of the announcement _ they can? in terms of the announcement today, - they can? in terms of the announcement today, i l they can? in terms of the | announcement today, i do they can? in terms of the - announcement today, i do want to say it is important that the government shows they have been listening. if few weeks ago we published a report which says that what wes streeting had

announced in terms of how he was going to increase the number of operations, reduce the waiting list, was not enough on its own. we called for more capital investment, investment in things like the elective herbs that hugh pym mentioned. we are glad to see that investment is part of the announcement. in terms of the other real challenges, the most pressing one is winter. there are already signs of growing risk in terms of winter. and still, this late stage, we hope there will be some kind of help for the health service and for our colleagues in local government in terms of winter. i think the next priority would be primary care. primary care services are the bedrock of the health service, but primary care is overstretched. it's working incredibly hard and see more patients than it ever has before. but there are many areas where we don't have enough gps out there are worries about pharmacies. it's going to be really important to think of primary care because thatis think of primary care because that is the front line of the health service.— that is the front line of the health service. n, ._ ., health service. matthew taylor, we have to _

health service. matthew taylor, we have to leave _ health service. matthew taylor, we have to leave it _ health service. matthew taylor, we have to leave it there. - we have to leave it there. thank you very much forjoining us on the programme with that perspective. the covid inquiry has been continuing with public hearings, with evidence from doctors and patients groups this week. this part of the inquiry is focusing on healthcare systems across the uk — and how medical staff and patients were affected. today we will be hearing from experts in long covid. with me is our health reporterjim reed. long covid is an incredibly important issue for many people around the country. the latest statistics from april showed that roughly 2 million people in england and scotland say they are dealing with suffering with the long—term symptoms of covid, defined as symptoms that go on for longer than four weeks after your infection. big focus on that over the next couple of days. today we are hearing from nicola ritchie, a mental health psychotherapist, who works in the nhs and has

been dealing with the symptoms of long covid herself. this afternoon, two experts, chris breitling and rachel evans, both professors of health at leicester university, going into some of the details on how it long covid is dealt in the health service.— it long covid is dealt in the health service. what have we heard about _ health service. what have we heard about the _ health service. what have we heard about the overall- heard about the overall objective of having this in the first place?— first place? this inquiry will no on first place? this inquiry will go on for — first place? this inquiry will go on for at _ first place? this inquiry will go on for at least _ first place? this inquiry will go on for at least another l go on for at least another three years. this just looks at the nhs impact and the impact on health systems and runs until november. we've heard about subjects like the pressure on intensive care, the mental health impact on doctors and others working on the front line, and towards the end of this week it will be really important, because it will shift times likely. a look on the impact on dealing with problems that are not covid, the big increase in nhs waiting lists, how was this generated

ijy lists, how was this generated by covid and how are we going to get over that in the nhs and prevent that happening and if future pandemic? the prevent that happening and if future pandemic?— future pandemic? the overall intention is _ future pandemic? the overall intention is to _ future pandemic? the overall intention is to try _ future pandemic? the overall intention is to try to - future pandemic? the overall intention is to try to figure i intention is to try to figure out how to ensure we are not in a similar situation, or if we are, we are able to deal with it better?— it better? exactly, part of this is looking _ it better? exactly, part of this is looking at - it better? exactly, part of this is looking at what - it better? exactly, part of. this is looking at what went right and what went wrong in the last pandemic. a lot of this is saying, should this happen again, and pretty much every scientific expert out there think there will be another pandemic at some point in the future, how can this country be better prepared. irate country be better prepared. we will leave it there. thank you very much for giving you a —— giving us a sense of the overall story. super—strength synthetic opioid drugs, linked to hundreds of deaths, have been found in samples of fake medicines sold online. some are being marketed to treat anxiety, allergies, and sleeping problems. they're called nitazenes. the bbc has spoken to one mother about the loss of her 23—year—old son, who was found dead next to fake anti—anxiety pills, as navtej johal reports.

singing. watching alex perform and hearing him sing was, i'd say, one of the biggest joys ever in my life. i feel like alex's love for music was... like for many people, it was an escape from the struggles of daily life. alex harpum dreamed of becoming an opera singer. injuly last year, he'd just finished his degree at a prestigious music school. he was 23 years old. and then there was a knock on the door at 2:30 in the morning. i went downstairs and saw a policeman there. alex had been found dead in his student flat. in his bedroom, police found anti—anxiety medication he'd taken that turned out to be fake. they believe he bought

it from a drug dealer. tests later revealed the pills contained nitazenes — super—strength synthetic opioids. i feel like half of me has gone that will never come back. um... yeah, i miss him, all day, every day. alex was my best friend. on a practical level, there's no—one else i can talk to now that really gets me. i'll never recover from it, truly. it's not known why alex bought the pills. he was always having trouble sleeping, and this had got worse with his adhd medication. and, um... my hunch is he probably bought them to calm himself down and try and get some sleep, i think. but that's a theory.

alex is one of hundreds of people in the past year whose deaths have been linked to nitazenes. many of them have been heroin users, but bbc research can reveal nitazenes have now also been found in fake medicines sold as being able to treat conditions like anxiety or insomnia. we've analysed results from the national drug testing service wedinos, and found 130 instances in the 12 months to september where people tried to buy medication found to have been contaminated by nitazenes. experts say some people are seeking out prescription medicines illegally because they want to self—medicate. so they look the same, same packaging. - the colour will be the same. and there's always been a market forl those types of drugs. people might buy them - deliberately because they want to feel the effects of those - drugs, or they might be seeking them out because, for example, they developed a dependence i through a doctor's prescription. - the united nations says it's concerned that the contamination of these medicines by dealers

could be deliberate, and mirrors the start of the us opioid crisis. there is a lesson to learn from north america, where the expansion of the opioid crisis was driven by populations typically not consuming heroin, but consuming prescription medicines. so here in europe we are not yet in that situation. but these could be the early signs. the national crime agency says nitazenes are being created in illicit labs in china and entering the uk in the post. 15 synthetic opioids were banned in march, and last month the government proposed legislation to ban more. but experts believe this latest development means urgent action is needed. alex's family want to see more drug testing, and are warning that anyone can be affected by nitazenes. i think there are a lot of parents out there that assume that their kids would never do anything like this, and maybe seeing alex's profile, who he was, what he was doing in life, itjust perhaps makes

people think twice and think, actually, my child could could be doing this. navteonhal, bbc news. let's speak to martin raithelhuber — an expert on illicit synthetic drugs — from the united nations office on drugs and crime. thank you very much for your time on bbc news. put this in perspective once again. how worrying and rampant is this? we have received reports from a number of countries in europe which have also seen fake pharmaceuticals on the market which contain nitazenes. this

is particularly worrying because people buying and consuming these products, they are usually not expecting nitazenes to be present in those products. nitazenes actually have no known medical use. they were originally researched as a pain medication, but this research was abandoned because they were found unsuitable for the purpose. found unsuitable for the purpose-— found unsuitable for the --urose. ~ . , , ., purpose. what is being done, and what _ purpose. what is being done, and what can _ purpose. what is being done, and what can be _ purpose. what is being done, and what can be done - purpose. what is being done, and what can be done to - purpose. what is being done, and what can be done to try l purpose. what is being done, | and what can be done to try to keep this in check, martin? we ro ose keep this in check, martin? we prepose a _ keep this in check, martin? - propose a range of measures for governments, early warning, raising awareness, that is certainly an important element of it. there are other elements which are equally important, thatis which are equally important, that is to inform emergency response services, first responders that people suffering an overdose, that it could be from opioids, and there is an antidote, a very effective one, naloxone, that can reverse the effects of a synthetic opioid like

nitazenes, and can be a life—saver. we also need to adapt legislation at international and national level to allow law enforcement to stop nitazenes from coming in and seize and destroy them when they find them. just in and seize and destroy them when they find them.- when they find them. just to exand when they find them. just to expand a — when they find them. just to expand a little _ when they find them. just to expand a little more - when they find them. just to i expand a little more for people being confronted with this afresh. what are the big health hazards, if you can expand, what are the risks they pose? nitazenes are highly potent and toxic synthetic opioids, which means apart from the psychoactive effects, and their effects as painkillers, they also have an effect on the body, they are depressing breathing, they are slowing down breeding to the extent that a person could stop breathing, and that could have fatal consequences. —— slowing down breathing. fatal consequences. -- slowing down breathing.— fatal consequences. -- slowing down breathing. you mentioned there is need _ down breathing. you mentioned there is need for— down breathing. you mentioned there is need for legislation - there is need for legislation of the international level. do you see any challenges in doing that, and how soon does this need to be addressed? the

united nations _ need to be addressed? tue: united nations has need to be addressed? tte: united nations has already placed a number of nitazenes under international control in recent years. this process is ongoing. in march, member states will convene again here in vienna and discuss placing additional nitazenes under international control. we will leave it there _ international control. we will leave it there for _ international control. we will leave it there for now. - international control. we will| leave it there for now. martin raithelhuber, thank you for your time and helping understand this new threat, from the perspective of the united nations office on drugs and crime. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

a huge maya city has been discovered centuries after it disappeared underjungle canopy in mexico. archaeologists found pyramids, sports fields, and amphitheatres in the southeastern state of campeche. the discovery is down to new technology, including a type of laser survey that maps structures buried under vegetation. georgina rannard reports.

deep in the central american jungle, the trees are hiding treasures. radar fired from a plane peers through the canopy to search for ruins. this is in guatemala, but archaeologists have now discovered another huge city — this time in mexico. they're calling it valeriana. now, we don't have any pictures of valeriana — that's because no—one's been there for hundreds of years — so we thought we'd show you what it might have looked like, here in this virtual studio. this is a mayan pyramid temple, similar to the ones that would have been found in the city. people worshipped here, brought riches like jade masks, and even buried the dead. in total, the team found almost 7,000 buildings in an area of the jungle about the size of edinburgh. up to 50,000 people may have lived in this area at its peak in the ninth century. alongside houses, the archaeologists found evidence of amphitheatres, plazas, and even a sports field for an ancient ballgame.

it would have been a very colourful, very lush, and i think very striking environment to move through. things like palaces and temple pyramids — all of those would have been covered in lime plaster and then painted red, pink and yellow and black. there would have been clusters of buildings where people mostly spend their time making ceramics, or mostly spend their time shaping stone tools. this part of the world, there's some evidence for marketplaces. it took centuries, but war, climate change, and the spanish invasion caused the collapse of the mayans. but their descendants still live in campeche today, and at the new site — just 15 minutes from a busy road — their ancient relatives lie beneath their feet. georgina rannard, bbc news.

rodrihas rodri has won football's most prestigious prize. the 28—year—old helped spain to victory at the european championships in the summer and played an important role in helping city win a fourth consecutive premier league title. it was the first time anyone from the manchester club has won that award. it was a clean sweep for spain,