we've come to the albanian capital, tirana, to meeta man with a very rare story. we're calling him artan, although that's not his real name. he's concerned about reprisals from the gangs. now, he is from this city, but not from the bright lights and the flashy bars of the centre, but from this tirana, an industrial city where people make just a few hundred dollars a month and that's the world he was trying to leave. last month, he paid people—smugglers to make the dangerous and illegal journey across the channel to the uk, but what makes his story interesting is that within five days he was on a deportation flight back home, thousands of pounds in debt. like all albanians, artan was able to travel through europe to the french coast without a visa. that's where he took this footage. he's on his way to meet the people—smugglers he had paid for passage to dover. they were repeatedly threatening us, saying not to film anything and not even to smoke. the money had been agreed in advance via a uk whatsapp number. we paid £3,500 each. what you're about to see and hear is

lipa says she's honoured to receive albanian citizenship in a ceremony hosted by the president in tirana. protests in china against the government's strict covid measures have intensified with some of those taking part openly calling for the country's leader xi jinping to stand down. these recent demonstrations have been prompted by a deadly fire in the western region of xinjiang last week. it's thought rescue efforts were hindered by coronavirus restrictions — a claim the authorities have rejected. many demonstrators have been holding up blank banners as a mark of protest. they gathered in the streets of some of the biggest cities, including shanghai, wuhan and beijing. from there, stephen mcdonell reports. chanting. it's not unusual to see acts of defiance in china, but this was something different. chanting. a crowd of protesters in shanghai chanted, calling for the country's leader xijinping to stand down and for the communist party to give up power. a fire which killed ten residents in xinjiang last week has prompted widespread anger in china. zero covid restrictions have been blame

she's honoured to receive albanian citizenship in a ceremony hosted by the albanian president in tiranallo and welcome to the programme. protests in china against the government's strict covid measures have intensified, with some of those taking part openly calling for the country's leader, xijinping, to stand down. these recent demonstrations have been prompted by a deadly fire in the western region of xinjiang last week, amid suggestions that rescue efforts were hindered by coronavirus restrictions — a claim the authorities have rejected. there were demonstrations, in some of the biggest cities — including shanghai, wuhan and beijing. from there, stephen mcdonell reports it's not unusual to see acts of defiance in china, but this was something different. chanting. a crowd of protesters in shanghai chanted, calling for the country's leader, xijinping, to stand down and for the communist party to give up power. a fire which killed ten residents in xinjiang last week has prompted widespread anger in china. zero—covid restrictions have been blamed for hampering people's escape and slowing

we've come to the albanian capital, tirana, to meeta man with a very rare story.als from the gangs. now, he is from this city, but not from the bright lights and the flashy bars of the centre, but from this tirana, an industrial city where people make just a few hundred dollars a month and that's the world he was trying to leave. last month, he paid people—smugglers to make the dangerous and illegal

we've come to the albanian capital, tirana, to meeta man with a very rare story.trial city where people make just a few hundred dollars a month and that's the world he was trying to leave. last month, he paid people—smugglers to make the dangerous and illegal journey across the channel to the uk, but what makes his story interesting is that within five days he was on a deportation flight back

dua lipa has received albanian citizenship in a ceremony hosted by the albanian president in tirana.e my starlight... # dua lipa is famous all over the world, and her disco—pop songs have won her a clutch of awards, including three grammys, two mtv europe awards, and six brit awards. her family are kosovan—albanians who fled to london in the 1990s and returned briefly in 2008 — but dua lipa has never forgotten her roots. on sunday, she was welcomed to tirana by the president, bajram begaj, who presented her with albanian citizenship and said she had made her country proud. translation: it is - a special pleasure today in the presidency to welcome the greatest artist, dua lipa, and herfamily. i say a great artist — a simple girl whose fame is known all over the world. she has given us the greatest pride. # i wanna stay at home cos i was doing better alone... dua lipa grew up listening to david bowie, bob dylan, radiohead and the police — mainly thanks to her dad, who's also a singer—songwriter. and she was inspired by madonna, gwen stefani, and blondie. but getting her albanian citize

newsnight�*s international correspondentjoe inwood met him in the albanian capital of tirana.journey you followed. this tell us a little about the man whose journey you followed.— tell us a little about the man whose journey you followed. this was a man who we are — journey you followed. this was a man who we are not _ journey you followed. this was a man who we are not using _ journey you followed. this was a man who we are not using his _ journey you followed. this was a man who we are not using his real- journey you followed. this was a man who we are not using his real name, | who we are not using his real name, because of fears over safety, and he left the capital here in a few weeks ago, and to understand this issue, thatis ago, and to understand this issue, that is what we've been trying to do over the past week or so in albania, you need to understand that although he came from the capital he did not come from the big city like this, did not come from the wealthy part of albania, this was a man who came from a really poor background, nasty thing we've been trying to un

newsnight�*s international correspondentjoe inwood met him in the albanian capital of tirana.ortation flight. the money had been agreed in advance via a uk whatsapp number. we paid £3,500 each. it was cold, stormy and incredibly scary. it took us almost an hour to get the dinghy going, by which time traffickers had all left. he saw for himself the cooperation between british and french authorities as they made the crossing. a french police boat appeared 20 minutes into ourjourney. they accompanied us from a distance of maybe 200 metres. they stayed for three hours, maybe longer. then we crossed into uk waters and called the british police. the huge rise in the number of albanians arriving on the kent coast has caused furious debate in the uk, with the home secretary controversially calling it an invasion. less often discussed is why people are coming over. to answer that, there is really only one place to start. we're travelling north to a region called kukes, just on the border with kosovo. this is the part of albania where many of the young men and women who've left for the

i was told, tomorrow i morning you will arrive in tirana.d _ never broken the law. presumably you realised you had committed a - never broken the law. presumably you realised you had committed a crime i realised you had committed a crime because you had entered the uk illegally? because you had entered the uk illeuall ? ., , because you had entered the uk illeuall ? . , , . ., illegally? that is understandable and ultimately _ illegally? that is understandable and ultimately that _ illegally? that is understandable and ultimately that is _ illegally? that is understandable and ultimately that is why - illegally? that is understandable and ultimately that is why they l and ultimately that is why they deported us but nevertheless they would hope —— we hoped they might show us some compassion. little would hope -- we hoped they might show us some compassion. little all sides agree — show us some compassion. little all sides agree or— show us some compassion. little all sides agree or in _ show us some compassion. little all sides agree or in th

we head for the albanian capital tirana, to interview prime minister edi rama.after all, counted on the u.s. taking in the afghan refugees. >> i understand them, but time is passing and we don't have the feeling that the u.s. administration is processing them. we have the feeling that are here to stay. anyhow, they cannot stay forever in the hotel and they have to start to build a life. albania, however, is a poor country, with high unemployment. those who can, leave. the afghan refugees are worrie they'll remain stuck in albania. a few months ago, they staged their first protests, and ahaneeta joined them. as you can see, albania is a poor country. we enjoy greater safety here than in afghanistan, but that is all. as refugees, we have no opportunities for education, employment or any other kind of development in this country. jamshid has almost stopped caring. all that matters to him is reuniting with his family. >> i fled from afghanistan where there's a war going on. half of all people there have no perspective, no work, and are poor. given these circumstance

we head for the albanian capital tirana, to interview prime minister edi rama.after all, counted on the u.s. taking in the afghan refugees. >> i understand them, but time is passing and we don't have the feeling that the u.s. administration is processing them. we have the feeling that are here to stay. anyhow, they cannot stay forever in the hotel and they have to start to build a life. albania, however, is a poor country, with high unemployment. those who can, leave. the afghan refugees are worrie they'll remain stuck in albania. a few months ago, they staged their first protests, and ahaneeta joined them. as you can see, albania is a poor country. we enjoy greater safety here than in afghanistan, but that is all. as refugees, we have no opportunities for education, employment or any other kind of development in this country. jamshid has almost stopped caring. all that matters to him is reuniting with his family. >> i fled from afghanistan where there's a war going on. half of all people there have no perspective, no work, and are poor. given these circumstance

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped the suburbs around tirana are being drained of people.the community has already left, and many of those living here now are thinking ofjoining them. there are many places like laknas in albania now. majlinda's son crossed to the uk from dunkirk last month. translation: he was a seasonal worker working four months - a yearfor minimal salary in a kitchen. he had more expectations for himself, so he went to find something better. but it comes with sacrifices. we're in debt to pay back the money we borrowed. she says a lot of people from the area have gone. families as well as men. her youngest son, just 14 years old, is already planning his trip. adverts on albanian social media promise passage for around £3,000 from brussels, paris or dunkirk. they often work closely with iraqi kurdish gangs who control most small boat crossings from france. posing as an albanian migrant, we contacted some. within half an hour we had two offers for crossings. it's easy, we're told. only those who didn't claim asylum were sent back, one says. the others didn

empty cafes of crossing because moving to the uk is cheaper in the suburbs of tirana are empty.ents of this area say that they have already left. 70% of people and many of those who remain think of joining them albanian social media ads promise an easy trip for around £3,000 an intermediary will help arrange transport from brussels, paris or dunkirk, we contacted one of them under the guise of albanian clients and within half an hour we had two offers to cross the border with different payment options and advice on how to get asylum in great britain, this scheme is one of the reasons why the british police claim that it is difficult to eliminate the network, as in the business of drugs or weapons, there is a hierarchical structure with a baron at the top, in organized migration crime there is no such thing, we see how close ties develop the networks of these migration flows french officials say albanians act as intermediaries for iraqi kurdish gangs who still control most of the sea crossings from france maslinda's son crossed dunkirk last month without the help of smugglers and

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped, the suburbs around tirana are being drained of peoplecals in this neighbourhood say 70% of the community has already left, and many of those living here now are thinking ofjoining them. there are many places like laknas in albania now. majlinda's son crossed to the uk from dunkirk last month. translation: he was a seasonal worker, working for four months i a yearfor minimal salary in a kitchen. he had more expectations for himself, so he went to find something better. but it comes with sacrifices. we're in debt to pay back the money we borrowed. she says a lot of people from the area have gone. families, as well as men. her youngest son, just 1a years old, is already planning his trip. adverts on albanian social media promise passage for around £3,000 from brussels, paris or dunkirk. they often work closely with iraqi kurdish gangs who control most small boat crossings from france. posing as an albanian migrant, we contacted some. within half an hour we had two offers for crossings. it's easy, we're told. only those who didn't claim asyl

newsnight�*s international correspondentjoe inwood met him in the albanian capital of tirana. of his safety. he left the capital here in a few weeks ago. to understand this issue, that is what we've been trying to do over the past week or so here in albania, you need to understand that although he came from the capital, he did not come from the big city like this, did not come from the wealthy part of albania, this was a man who came from a really poor background, that's a thing we've been trying to understand here, why so many young albanians have been leaving this country and making an illegal and dangerous crossing to the uk. it is a dangerous and illegal journey filmed by a man we're calling artan. we're hiding his identity as he fears reprisals from the people smugglers. we've come to meet him in the albanian capital, tirana, to hear about his journey to the uk and experience as one of the very few to have been sent back so quickly on a deportation flight. the money had been agreed in advance via a uk whatsapp number. we paid £3,500 each. it was cold, stormy and incredibl

let's speak to alice taylor, an editor and journalist who's based in albania's capital, tirana.s a safe country. it is a very good _ given it is a safe country. it is a very good question _ given it is a safe country. it is a very good question and - given it is a safe country. it is a very good question and one - given it is a safe country. it is a | very good question and one that given it is a safe country. it is a - very good question and one that has a very complex answer. it is a safe country. i live here and love living here, but there are many problems here. and we have to consider as well that in europe and in the uk there are a high percentage of asylum requests from albanians that get approved and get granted. i have interviewed people who have been subjected to blood feuds and horrific violence from organised crime. members of the lgbt community who have been hounded out of their local communities. there are valid requests. there is a lot of work that needs to be done on the ground in albania to fix the problems here, but there is also a work that needs to be done in

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped, the suburbs around tirana are being drained of people neighbourhood say 70% of the community has already left and many of those living here now are thinking ofjoining them. adverts on albanian social media promise easy passage for about £3000, with middlemen on hand to arrange transport from brussels, paris or dunkirk. we contacted some of them, posing as an albanian client. within half an hour we had two offers for crossings, different options for payment, and advice on claiming asylum in the uk. this system is one reason uk police say the networks are hard to break. whereas in drugs, firearms, you would see a hierarchical structure with a kingpin at the top, we don't see that with organised immigration crime. we see close associations, loose networks across that migration route. french officials say that albanians are acting as middlemen for the iraqi kurdish gangs that still control most boat crossings from france. this woman's son crossed from dunkirk last month without the help of fixers or even the money to pay the smugglers. a rel

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped the suburbs around tirana are being drained of people. this neighborhood say 70% of the community has already left, and many of those living here now are thinking ofjoining them. there are many places like laknas in albania now. majlinda's son crossed to the uk from dunkirk last month. translation: he was a seasonal worker working four months a year for minimal salary in a kitchen. he had more expectations for himself, so he went to find something better. but it comes with sacrifices. we're in debt to pay back the money we borrowed. she says a lot of people from the area have gone. families as well as men. her youngest son, just 1a years old, is already planning his trip. adverts on albanian social media promise passage for around £3,000 from brussels, paris or dunkirk. they often work closely with iraqi kurdish gangs who control most small boat crossings from france. posing as an albanian migrant, we contacted some. within half an hour we had two offers for crossings. it's easy, we're told. only those who didn't claim asylum were sent ba

, which _ it is very obvious even from tirana, which is _ it is very obvious even from tirana, whichen from tirana, which is not near london, that it is about_ which is not near london, that it is about failed — which is not near london, that it is about failed policies. it is not about— about failed policies. it is not about albanians or or aliens or gangsters, but it is about failed policies — gangsters, but it is about failed policies on borders and crime. the current policies on borders and crime. tie: current debate about albanians has fuelled the argument about the distinction between economic refugees and political refugees. and it's interesting to note that of the albanians who have so far claimed asylum in the uk, more than half have had their application accepted. that is a bit lower than the broad statistic for all nationalities, which is 76%. it shows about half of albanians are claiming the right to live in the uk. one of the major the government is dealing with right now is the backlog in dealing asylum claims. it is taking about 1k months to process them. that is why t

russian with an albanian were brothers for life the students did not walk around the university of tirana elder brother, and we sent agronomists, engineers and, of course, architects to albania. evening, if called. how are you? then we piled on the albanians, properly built this palace of congresses. today it is an opera house. true, no one goes to the opera and the authorities threaten to arrange a grandiose disco here. national historical museum on a mosaic panel unite the proletarians of all countries are preparing to overfulfill the plan to receive letters of gratitude and a separate apartment, the housing issue here was once solved by the methods of nikita sergeevich khrushchev , in anticipation of communism, they built simply cheaply and without fanfare, five-story buildings, similar to russian ones , still stand in a tyranny, by order of the mayor, dilapidated houses were painted in cheerful colors. these democratic reforms are also quite in the russian style, to be sure, our country, our little things in albanian shops, you can buy old soviet watches, rhodiola cameras, and in addi

on sunday, she was welcomed to tirana by the president, bajram begaj, who presented her with albanianus the greatest pride. # i wanna stay at home cos i was doing better alone... dua lipa grew up listening to david bowie, bob dylan, radiohead and the police — mainly thanks to her dad, who's also a singer—songwriter. and she was inspired by madonna, gwen stefani, and blondie. but getting her albanian citizenship was clearly a precious moment for the singer. translation: it is a great | honour for me and my family to have an opportunity to represent my country and people. this girl is no wallflower — she has frequently spoken out against sexism in the music industry, and is an avid supporter of the lgbtq community. # midnight conversations... # dua lipa has clearly found her potion for success — she's topped the charts all over the world, modelled for several top fashion companies, featured on the cover of numerous magazines, and even designed her own clothes. now, she's officially albanian, too. wendy urquhart, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with stav. hello there. a

a student at the university of tirana, silvia beyka is working as an evening receptionist at a hotel albania yes, the realization of her dream, there are only a couple of courses left, and then a diploma and a long-awaited career in the tourism business. so far, all syria's thoughts are focused on preparing for the surrender of the upcoming session. she, like many other peers, is not interested in the secrets of longevity, especially since the brisk girl unraveled these secrets, as it seems to her. most of the generations of women spent their whole lives sitting at home, the men did the rest. all conditions for longevity were created for women. now everything has changed. now modern albanian women believe that it is better not to live to see their centenary. but they will take place in social terms to live a bright , eventful life. and if you really get into the world book of records, then not under the heading of the most elderly, but under the heading of the most beautiful smart and richest woman on the planet. not a single holiday can do without it, a person is so arranged that he

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped, the suburbs around tirana are being drained of people 70% of the community has already left and many of those living here now are thinking ofjoining them. adverts on albanian social media promise easy passage for about £3000, with middlemen on hand to arrange transport from brussels, paris or dunkirk. we contacted some of them, posing as an albanian client. within half an hour we had two offers for crossings, different options for payment, and advice on claiming asylum in the uk. this system is one reason uk police say the networks are hard to break. whereas in drugs, firearms, you would see a hierarchical structure with a kingpin at the top, we don't see that with organised immigration crime. we see close associations, loose networks across that migration route. french officials say that albanians are acting as middlemen for the iraqi kurdish gangs that still control most boat crossings from france. this woman's son crossed from dunkirk last month without the help of fixers or even the money to pay the smugglers. a relative in england a

particular question tirana that? a satisfactory manner by the home office . some of it is tied to office. some of it is tied to the fact that many of the albanians coming across claim they are the victims of trafficking and modern slavery. they then enter a tandem system to the asylum system where they have got to be assessed and their stories verified or not their stories verified or not the threshold proving that someone's been trafficked and there's a victim of modern slavery is quite low and those circumstances actually quite a lot . the people who claim to lot. the people who claim to have been trafficked then go on to be granted asylum in the uk as . well, one point of good news as. well, one point of good news . the home office confirming that in recent weeks where we've had bad weather anyway, which the biggest single by parents really isn't it and those crossing the channel so we've not had really for the last couple of weeks anyone crossing the channel but in last month or so looking at the figures the home

newsnight�*s international correspondentjoe inwood met him in the albanian capital of tirana. identity as he fears reprisals from the people smugglers. we've come to meet him in the albanian capital, tirana, to hear about his journey to the uk and experience as one of the very few to have been sent back so quickly on a deportation flight. the money had been agreed in advance via a uk whatsapp number. we paid £3,500 each. it was cold, stormy and incredibly scary. it took us almost an hour to get the dinghy going, by which time traffickers had all left. he saw for himself the cooperation between british and french authorities as they made the crossing. a french police boat appeared 20 minutes into ourjourney. they accompanied us from a distance of maybe 200 metres. they stayed for three hours, maybe longer. then we crossed into uk waters and called the british police. the huge rise in the number of albanians arriving on the kent coast has caused furious debate in the uk, with the home secretary controversially calling it an invasion. less often discussed is why people are coming

the next flight off to tirana?o claim that. they are victims of trafficking , human and modern trafficking, human and modern slavery . and of course, that slavery. and of course, that then us another processing tandem process to asylum in case you know there is a threshold for proof that you have been a victim of trafficking and further down the road in many cases they're granted leave to remain the country. right. okay. and obviously we reporting on that as get the latest one note of encouragement actually on the albanian asylum. so not asylum seekers but albanians coming across on the small boats. the home office confirm me that they've seen proportional that number dropping the other dominant group coming across but the numbers are decreasing. we're told in recent and you know the weather's getting worse as for the winter so thank you very much, mark, for updating us on that complex picture . let's on that complex picture. let's update you now on the situation with the world cup . seems the with the world cup. s

if they don't get them on the next plane to tirana . equally, next plane to tirana.have been trafficked, which is a very significant proportion of coming from albania because . we know from albania because. we know that they're being schooled by the criminal gangs pushing across the channel to say that they're victims of modern slavery , the enter a tandem slavery, the enter a tandem system alongside the asylum system alongside the asylum system where actually to prove that you're a victim of trafficking . the threshold is trafficking. the threshold is quite low and of those individuals end up being allowed to stay . well, the argument from to stay. well, the argument from the camps on the face of it seems to me sense is if you claiming you have been forcibly taken from your home and, sent across the channel, surely would welcome a return . your home. welcome a return. your home. however, the point they make that one can see all the legal barriers with the appeal processes and so on. as we've seen with people claiming asylum . lots of those were housed at ftx that is

well that albanian girl gets trafficked in tirana ends up in a birmingham girls that are coming over. if she is back, she goes into the hands that criminal go gets albania. the boys what they are actually talking about is returning someone back to her village someone her back to her village , albania, where she was trafficked guys all the people smuggling nigel nelson as a macro view taking a macro on this though presumably , you this though presumably, you don't think there's an issue 500 and there is an issue that migration is an issue 42,000. illegal immigration , what you illegal immigration, what you just said , come on in. don't but just said, come on in. don't but what are you proposing to ? what are you proposing to? change the asylum laws . the change the asylum laws. the problem about the boat the boat crossings is that people are encouraged to go calais because if they make an asylum claim. they've got to do it either at the border or in or in this country . so they've got to get country. so they've got to get to our border or inside the country to make an asylum claim but

well that albanian girl gets trafficked in tirana ends up in a birmingham girls that are coming overif she is back, she goes into the hands that criminal go gets albania. the boys what they are actually talking about is returning someone back to her village someone her back to her village , albania, where she was trafficked guys all the people smuggling nigel nelson as a macro view taking a macro on this though presumably , you this though presumably, you don't think there's an issue 500 and there is an issue that migration is an issue 42,000. illegal immigration , what you illegal immigration, what you just said , come on in. don't but just said, come on in. don't but what are you proposing to ? what are you proposing to? change the asylum laws . the change the asylum laws. the problem about the boat the boat crossings is that people are encouraged to go calais because if they make an asylum claim. they've got to do it either at the border or in or in this country . so they've got to get country. so they've got to get to our border or inside the country to make an asylum claim but g

why are they not on a plane back to tirana? then go on to claim to be victims of trafficking or modern slavery that then has to go into a process a tandem process that looks into whether indeed they have been trafficked. the threshold for proving not though is quite so many of them after get leave to remain while expertly done as there are human security at risk. thank you very much for outlining those figures both when it comes to legal and illegal immigration into the united kingdom, 504,000 more people came the uk than left in the year to june 2022. not comparison, of course, the 390,000 net migration in 2015. so a new record. joining me now , head of public policy at the institute for economic affairs, matthew lash and professor of politics and expert anthony glees . matthew, i will start glees. matthew, i will start with you. can britain with the number of people coming here in terms of net migration above , terms of net migration above, half a million. can we cope ? you half a million. can we cope? you know, i think it's

earlier i spoke to alice taylor, editor and journalist based in the albania's capital tirana.ood question and it has a very complex answer. it is a safe country, i live here, i love living here. there are many problems here. we had to consider as well that in europe and the uk, a high percentage of asylum requests from albanians get approved and granted. i have interviewed people who had been subjected to blood feuds and horrific violence from organised crime. members of the lgbt community who were hounded out of their local communities. they are valid requests. there is a lot of work that needs to be done on the ground on albania to fix the problems here. there is also work that needs to be donein there is also work that needs to be done in the uk to prevent this as well. ifeel throwing done in the uk to prevent this as well. i feel throwing around this rhetoric, like an invasion, which is what we talk about in war, this does absolutely nothing to help any of the problems which are creating this perfect storm situation. it: the problems which are creating this perfect storm s

as the price of crossing to the uk has dropped, the suburbs around tirana are being drained of peopleparis or dunkirk. we contacted some of them, posing as an albanian client. within half an hour, we had two offers for crossings, different options for payment, and advice on claiming asylum in the uk. this system is one reason uk police say the networks are hard to break. whereas in drugs, firearms, you would see a hierarchical structure with a kingpin at the top, we don't see that with organised immigration crime. we see close associations, loose networks across that migration route. french officials say that albanians are acting as middlemen for the iraqi kurdish gangs that still control most boat crossings from france. this woman's son crossed from dunkirk last month without the help of fixers, or even the money to pay the smugglers. a relative in england acted as guarantor, she said, and got her son across. his younger brother — just 14 years old — is already planning his own trip. each successful crossing, an invisible thread that tugs at the minds of albanians back home. lucy wil