revised figures on net migration show it hit a higher record than previously thought. the first new asthma treatment for 50 years is described as a game changerfor patients. and after the death of baby penguin flop�*s mum, his keepers find a special way to teach him how to walk. and coming up sportsday later in the hour on bbc news, four wickets for shoaib bashir has kept england in touch with new zealand on the opening day of the first test in christchurch. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. former british army soldier daniel khalife has been found guilty of spying for iran. the 23—year—old escaped from prison by hanging underneath a food delivery lorry. he spent three days on the run from police

during a high—profile manhunt. our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford, joins us now. daniel, what happened in court? yes, this is one of several alleged spying and sabotage cases going through the court at the moment linked to iran and russia. khalife became a household name last year when he escaped from wandsworth prison hanging on to the bottom of a catering lorry and it caused huge embarrassment to the ministry of justice prison service but he has now been found guilty by a jury of two much more serious charges, that as a young soldier in the british army, he was sending classified information to iran and collecting the names of special forces soldiers in units like the sas. the jury has found him guilty of both of those charges. they were asked by his lawyers whether in fact he was more scooby doo than 007, a fantasist than someone causing real harm, they decided he was causing real harm.

the only charge he was found not guilty of was perpetrating a bomb hoax at his barracks in staffordshire. thejury hoax at his barracks in staffordshire. the jury decided that device he left on his desk was too unrealistic to be taken seriously. my unrealistic to be taken seriously. my report begins with the day he hit the headlines. this was daniel khalife on the morning of his escape, working in the kitchen at wandsworth prison. 15 minutes later, he was driven out of the jail, clinging to the bottom of this food delivery truck, suspended by a makeshift sling made of kitchen trousers. the driver, unaware of the stowaway underneath, made his way through london's early morning traffic. the lorry, with daniel khalife clinging on underneath, stopped at these lights and a motorist following behind saw him drop to the ground, roll out, stand up, flick his fringe and casually walk off. it was the beginning of a massive nationwide manhunt. by five o'clock that afternoon, daniel khalife was six

miles away in richmond, wearing shorts, checking the cctv cameras in mountain warehouse, before stealing a baseball cap to hide his face. by the next morning, he'd got some cash from an unknown contact, which he used to buy more clothes in marks & spencer, before reading about his escape in the newspapers. the huge publicity meant people started to notice him and call the police. among them, frank noon, who saw him in a cemetery in chiswick. i actually felt a bit sorry for him. i thought, well, as somebody who's most wanted, you don't look that sort of disarming. you don't look that kind of scary or anything. eventually, after three days on the run, daniel khalife was spotted riding a stolen bike along this canal towpath and was arrested by a plain clothes detective who he promptly congratulated. the son of a british—iranian single mother, daniel khalife had joined the army aged 16.

one fellow recruit, who didn't want to be identified, remembered him as an annoying attention seeker. how cocky he was, how arrogant he came across and just how he seemed to want the spotlight. he always wanted to seem like he was the attention point and that no—one else could take it, everyone aware of him as a person and know his name. less than a year afterjoining the army, he was in a north london park collecting £1,500 in a dog poo bag from iranian agents. two years afterjoining, he was in a smart hotel in istanbul. he told his handler he wanted to be trained in iran. i wanted to have some training from you guys and i think the best training for me is inside of iran. i'm one of the most intelligent people. i won an award. i am better than everybody here. lam more intelligent than everybody here. in a message, he said he would work for them for 25—plus years.

he sent the iranians pictures of communication equipment and official strategy documents that he upgraded to secret, but misspelled the word. he contacted mi5 anonymously, saying he wanted to be a double agent, but instead they had him arrested. iran is one of a number of countries |that present a real and present riskj to our national security. so, daniel khalife providing. information to them absolutely compromises our national security. particularly as he's a serving soldier? particularly as he was a serving soldier that had access - to sensitive material. a year after he was first arrested, he left a fake bomb on his desk at his barracks and ran off to live in a van where police found £18,000. when recaptured, he was charged under the terrorism act and the official secrets act, which is why he was being held in wandsworth prison when he escaped. daniel sandford, bbc news, at woolwich crown court. a bbc investigation has led

to gregg wallace stepping away from presenting masterchef, while historical complaints of misconduct are looked into. the show�*s production company says that individuals contacted the bbc about the host. lawyers for mr wallace have said the allegations are entirely false. let's speak to our culture reporter, noor nanji. noor, what more do we know? gregg wallace is one of the most recognisable faces on british tv but in the summer myself and my team started investigating after hearing allegations about him. we should say bbc news is editorially independent from the wider organisation and the claims we have heard of from 13 people across five shows and over a 17 year period from 2005 up to 2022. one of the people making allegations is the veteran broadcaster kirsty wark who is of course best known for presenting bbc newsnight. she said her expense of being on celebrity masterchef in 2011 was overall a

joyous experience but she said there was one fly in the ointment and that was gregg wallace.— was gregg wallace. there were two occasions in — was gregg wallace. there were two occasions in particular _ was gregg wallace. there were two occasions in particular where - was gregg wallace. there were two occasions in particular where he - occasions in particular where he used _ occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number_ used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it was not as if it was_ a number of people and it was not as if it was anyone engaged with this, it was_ if it was anyone engaged with this, it was completely one—way traffic. but i _ it was completely one—way traffic. but i think— it was completely one—way traffic. but i think people were uncomfortable. and something i really— uncomfortable. and something i really didn't expect to happen. kirsty— really didn't expect to happen. kirsty wark says she raised this with the production company, but the response was his behaviour was essentially an affliction and he gets called up and it happens again, he would be pulled back. 0ther allegations we have heard include gregg wallace talking openly about his sex life taking his top off in front of a juniorfemale his sex life taking his top off in front of a junior female worker and telling a female colleague he was not wearing any boxes under his jeans. perhaps a wider significance

to this story. i discovered gregg wallace was warned by the bbc back in 2018, after a complaint was raised about him on the bbc show impossible celebrity�*s. a former hr investigation took place and on the outcome letter we have seen the bbc concluded aspects of his behaviour were unacceptable and unprofessional. and the subsequent letter which we have also seen, the bbc controller for entertainment commissioning said she held a 90 minute meeting with gregg wallace to make clear how seriously the bbc takes this matter, she also reassured the workers action would be taken to prevent a similar reappearance and to safeguard others in the future. allegations of further incidents have since emerged. we sent a letter to gregg wallace's representatives on tuesday of this week setting out the allegations we have heard. today we heard from the production company of masterchef saying gregg wallace is to step back from presenting masterchef while allegations of

historical misconduct are investigated. banijay uk said this week the bbc received complaints from individuals in relation to historic allegations of misconduct while working with the presenter gregg wallace on one of our shows. it added, gregg wallace is committed to fully co—operating throughout the process. the bbc says it takes any issues raised seriously and it has robust processes in place to deal with them. gregg wallace's lawyers have told us it is entirely false he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature, they also claim the investigation in 2018 found his behaviour was not sexually inappropriate or sexually harassing. gregg wallace will remain on our screens for the time being, the remaining episodes of masterchef in the season will be shown. thank remaining episodes of masterchef in the season will be shown. figures published today show net migration to the uk hit a higher than previously thought record of 906,000 in the year tojune 2023. it then dropped by 20% over the following 12 months. revised estimates from the office

for national statistics suggest it now stands at 728,000. our home editor, mark easton, has been analysing the data. so, today, the office for national statistics gave us its latest estimate of net migration — that's the impact that immigration is having on our population, the difference between people arriving and leaving — and the figure tojune this year was 728,000. that is one of the highest figures ever. we ought to make it clear that 97% of those people coming actually came quite legally — they came on visas issued by the government — workers, students, dependents, those kind of things. but the big shock in today's figures was not actually that number, but this graph. and what this graph shows is what we now think net migration has been for each year going back roughly a decade. and what you can see is the high point there —

that's the year to june last year — was 906,000. but that number has been substantially revised upwards. if we show you this line — that's what we thought actually had been happening. we thought that that high point wasn't 906,000, it was 740,000 — so a difference of 166,000. that's 166,000 people living in the uk who, frankly, we didn't realise were here. give you some idea — that's equivalent to a town the size of gloucester. now, the 0ns says that they think these new figures are more accurate, they say that the numbers coming from ukraine actually were higher — 43,000 higher than they'd originally thought. they've got a better estimate of the number of people who move from short—term visas — not included in these statistics — onto long—term visas, and should be. so, they say these numbers are more accurate. what does it all mean? well, it means the british population is a little bit bigger than we thought, it means a little bit more

pressure on public services. it also means, i think, that the immigration statistics are a little bit less reliable than we'd thought. even today's numbers, the 0ns tell us, could be liable to revision in the future. so, we'll have to be very, very careful with what we say about net migration and the statistics in future, i think. let us also speak to hannah miller, political correspondent. what has to be action being in westminster? where there is agreement between the main parties as these numbers are too high. the labour party described them as the conservatives nas, the conservatives admitted yesterday they got it wrong on immigration, they got it wrong on immigration, they can in some ways point some early successes of some of the policies that they made in government —— the conservatives' mess. labour have continued with

preventing most international students and care workers from bringing family members with them. but they have scrapped the idea of sending those who arrive illegally to rwanda, preferring to crack down, they say, on smuggling gangs by working internationally instead. asylum cases are a relatively small proportion of the number of people who are coming into the country. but the government knows they are politically very challenging. nigel farage has been out this morning describing the numbers as horrendous. it is early days for labour on this. we are not seen the impact of their policies in these numbers today. but they know they need to be seen to deliver in the conservatives didn't.— conservatives didn't. thanks, hannah. the metropolitan police is investigating at least five people who may have assisted or facilitated mohamed al fayed's sexual offences. the force launched a new investigation after 90 alleged victims came forward,

following a recent bbc documentary. al fayed died last year but never faced any criminal charges. the current owners of harrods say they wholeheartedly support the police investigation. 0ur correspondent ellie price reports. mohamed al—fayed died last year. he never faced any criminal charges. now, more than five people who may have assisted orfacilitated him are being investigated by the met police. while al—fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution, we are determined to bring anyone who is suspected to have played a part in his offending tojustice. this investigation will look at what role those individuals may have played in facilitating or enabling his offending, and what opportunities they had to protect victims from his horrendous abuse. i went back to harrods about a year ago...and i knew if i could walk through and come out the other side, i'd be in a good place to be talking to you. the bbc documentary which uncovered allegations of rape and sexual assault was released two months ago.

since then, more than 90 women have come forward to the police. the timescale for their claims of abuse is between 1977 and 2014, with the youngest victim a 13—year—old. the met police isn'tjust looking at new allegations but also looking back at old ones where no charges were brought against mohamed al fayed. the force says it's already looked at 50,000 pages of evidence from those previous investigations, and it's launched a review about what was missed, and why. 21 alleged victims had already contacted the met in the years before the documentary. earlier this month, the force referred itself to the independent office for police conduct about two cases it investigated in 2008 and 2013. again, no charges were brought. harrods' new owners have been investigating since last year whether any current members of staff were involved. it's declined to give details of whether any action has been taken

against any individual, or when that review might be completed — but it said it wholeheartedly supported the met police's investigation, and had an open, direct and ongoing line of communication with the met for the benefit of the survivors. ellie price, bbc news. the first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years is being described by researchers as a "game—changer". the injection dampens down the part of the immune system that can go into overdrive when both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease flare up. 0ur health correspondent sophie hutchinson explains. every ten seconds someone in the uk has an asthma attack and they can be dangerous. despite that, treatment has barely changed in the last 50 years, until now, thanks to a new trial. it used an existing medication, benralizumab, but in a different way, this time during a flare—up to calm lung inflammation

and patients have said it is a game changer. i and patients have said it is a game chanaer. . ., , , changer. i feel completely different. _ changer. i feel completely different, it _ changer. i feel completely different, it changed - changer. i feel completely different, it changed my l changer. i feel completely i different, it changed my life, changer. i feel completely - different, it changed my life, i can try forever i wanted, i didn't feel i am going to get stuck because i cannot breathe. no, it's made all the difference in my life, completely changed my life. researchers gave patients with asthma and the lung disease or copd injections during a particular type of common flare—up. the results published in the lancet respiratory medicinejournalfound published in the lancet respiratory medicine journal found a failure rate of 74% when taking the current treatment of steroids, but that dropped to 45% with the new therapy benralizumab, significantly reducing hospital admissions and fatalities. it is administered by an injection and if somebody gets a flare—up of their symptoms and they end up in hospital, that injection can be given fair, but there is hope that, actually, it's the sort of thing that can be put into the hands of

primary care gps, or indeed potentially it is something you can give to yourself at home.- give to yourself at home. home treatment _ give to yourself at home. home treatment is — give to yourself at home. home treatment is only _ give to yourself at home. home treatment is only a _ give to yourself at home. home treatment is only a possibility i give to yourself at home. home l treatment is only a possibility for the future at the moment, but those behind the trial believe they have had a real breakthrough. i am really suer had a real breakthrough. i am really suner excited. _ had a real breakthrough. i am really super excited, we _ had a real breakthrough. i am really super excited, we haven't _ had a real breakthrough. i am really super excited, we haven't had - had a real breakthrough. i am really super excited, we haven't had new. super excited, we haven't had new treatments like this, actually, and we are at the british dramatic society meeting today and we know that there is a big buzz about these findings here in the uk and across the world because this will impact everyone who suffers with asthma and with copd. , ., . , everyone who suffers with asthma and with com. , ., . , ,_ everyone who suffers with asthma and with com. , ., . , , ., with copd. researchers say next year a laraer with copd. researchers say next year a larger trial— with copd. researchers say next year a larger trial will— with copd. researchers say next year a larger trialwill begin, _ with copd. researchers say next year a larger trial will begin, aimed - with copd. researchers say next year a larger trial will begin, aimed at - a larger trial will begin, aimed at confirming the success of this treatment. sophie hutchinson, bbc news. the time is 1.19. our top story this afternoon. daniel khalife — the former british soldier who escaped from prison — is found guilty of spying for iran. the government is looking at ways to slash emissions from flights —