Are put in to bat on an overcast first morning of the third test against sri lanka. They already hold an unassailable 2 0 series lead. Good afternoon, and welcome to the Bbc News at one. The Prison Population in england and wales has hit a record high for the second week in a row. The latest figures show there are now more than 88,500 inmates. Thats a rise of almost 1,200 in five weeks. Around half of those are cases linked to this summers riots. In a few days time, the governments temporary early Release Scheme will begin, and some offenders will be able to leave jail at an earlier point in their sentences. Lets speak now to our Uk Correspondent daniel sandford. Daniel, what are these high numbers doing to the Prison System . Last week, i was sitting here talking to your audience about the Prison Population hitting an all time high. This week its even higher, and essentially what happened is on the 30th Ofjuly when the rioting Started this summer, the Prison Population has been rising week after week after week, going up by almost 1205 weeks, just under half of those cases are linked to the summer riots. It is putting a lot of stress on an already very stressed Prison System. This week the bbc was filming in Pentonville Prison In London to witness the problem is that this is causing. Assaults on staff, distressed prisoners, people being held for months ahead of their trials, Gang Wars Outside Of Prison is spilling to inside. This is what the former Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick had to say about the Prison System in england and wales at the moment.. system in england and wales at the moment.. moment. The few prisons i have been into more recently, moment. The few prisons i have been into more recently, for moment. The few prisons i have been into more recently, for the moment. The few prisons i have been into more recently, for the first into more recently, for the first time into more recently, for the first time i into more recently, for the first time i have into more recently, for the first time i have felt i needed to be concerned about my own Security And Safety concerned about my own Security And Safety i concerned about my own Security And Safety. I think that just concerned about my own Security And Safety. I think thatjust brings home safety. I think thatjust brings home that for staff working in these places. Home that for staff working in these places. We home that for staff working in these places, we know are salt levels on staff have places, we know are salt levels on staff have gone through the roof. Prisons staff have gone through the roof. Prisons are not just chaotic and ineffective, they are frightening places ineffective, they are frightening places too and that is not acceptable either for the staff who work there or for the prisoners held there work there or for the prisoners held there. 0 work there or for the prisoners held there... there. On tuesday the government will be releasing there. On tuesday the government will be releasing up there. On tuesday the government will be releasing up to there. On tuesday the government will be releasing up to 2000 will be releasing up to 2000 prisoners early at the 40 stage of their Prison Sentence instead of the 50 stage. For example, if someone had beenjailed forfour 50 stage. For example, if someone had been jailed for four years, 50 stage. For example, if someone had beenjailed forfour years, they will come out at one year eight months instead of two years. That was announced before this summers riots, designed to give the Prison System some Breathing Space, but that Breathing Space will be considerably less now. Ministers have even been looking at the possibility of sending prisons prisoners to be held in estonia although there are no plans to announce that plan at the moment. Daniel, thank you. And you can see more of that Special Report inside Pentonville Prison later in the programme. As we were hearing there, the riots in england and Northern Ireland just over a month ago were a key factor in the rise of the Prison Population to that record high. In the past half an hour, a nine yearjail sentence, the biggest so far, has been handed out following disorder at an Asylum Hotel in rotherham. Jess lane reports. Rioters Starting fires and forcing their way into this Holiday Inn express last month. Get back Police Officers were attacked and injured in the violence at the hotel in manvers, near rotherham, which had been housing more than 200 asylum seekers. Today, 27 year old Thomas Birley from rotherham has been sent to prison after pleading guilty to arson with intent to endanger to prison for nine years after pleading guilty to arson with intent to endanger life, Violent Disorder, and possession of an offensive weapon. The court was shown in this video of him wearing a hood and mask, and a fire in this bin which was later pushed through the door. He was also accused of Throwing Items at the police and squaring up to officers with riot shields. This is the second sentencing in three days following the disorder which took place at the hotel in rotherham. Craden mckenzie from barnsley was sent to prison for three years. The Unemployed Labourer was one of the first people to enter the Holiday Inn. This video was shown in court of mckenzie walking through the hotel as terrified staff hid in the kitchen. Missiles the court Heard Mckenzie was also in a crowd attacking a group of Riot Police with Fire Extinguishers and other weapons, and it and other weapons, amid shouts of, Burn It Down nearly five weeks after the violent scenes in rotherham and around the country, people who were involved are still being told they will be found and punished. Jessica lane, Bbc News. 0ur North of England Correspondent Danny savage is at Sheffield Crown Court where Thomas Birley was sentenced. Danny, we saw him pushing the lighted bin towards the hotel and this is one of the most serious cases in the riots. What has the judge had to say this morning . Yes. Judge had to say this morning . Yes, it was the most judge had to say this morning . Yes, it was the most serious judge had to say this morning . 1913 it was the most serious incident. When many people think back to the unrest over the summer, the pictures from outside that holiday express are those that spring to mind for many people. He was the latest person to be sentenced, but as the judge said today, it was by far the most serious one of its kind to come from that case. The judge spoke for over half an Hour Sentencing Thomas Birley this afternoon. He said. He went on to describe the feelings of people inside the hotel at the time. He said. And after that, he went on to say that Thomas Birley was encouraged by malicious and ignorant posts on social media, that he followed racist accounts, and he was sent in him sentencing him on the basis of it being a racist incident. He was jailed for nine years, the longest sentence handed down for any civil unrest we have heard about in the last couple of months. It was extended for five years as well, he will be on licence five years once he comes out, so effectively a 1k year sentence. He comes out, so effectively a 14 year sentence. He comes out, so effectively a 14 year sentence. And suspended Labour Councillor rickyjones has pleaded not guilty to a charge of encouraging Violent Disorder in connection with comments made at a London Counter protest. He appeared at snaresbrook Crown Court via Video Link this morning. Video had emerged online of mrjones appearing to tell a crowd in walthamstow in North London that far right demonstrators should have their throats cut. The home secretary, yvette cooper, is chairing a meeting to look at ways of tackling criminal gangs who smuggle people across the channel. 12 migrants died On Tuesday when their small boat came apart off the french coast. Now ministers, the national Crime Agency and the Uk Border force are discussing what more can be done to stop the crossings. Our Home Editor Mark easton reports. The government claims the deaths of 12 migrants in the channeljust off the french coast earlier this week is evidence of both the moral imperative in destroying the smuggling gangs, and also that measures to disrupt the criminal networks are having an impact. The Home Office says it suggests the Business Model of the smugglers is under pressure. More people are being crammed into less seaworthy vessels, with intelligence suggesting the gangs have increased their charges, including demanding payment for children. Almost 22,000 migrants have arrived in britain after attempting to cross the channel this year, more than 7,000 since the election. Having scrapped the previous governments rwanda plan, the Labour Administration is under pressure to prove it has a plan to stop the boats. At a meeting of senior government ministers, Intelligence Agencies and Law Enforcement bodies In London today, the Home Office will say 40 small boats and engines were seized in an operation in bulgaria in recent weeks, that there are currently 70 live investigations, including operations targeting gangs in libya, Romania And Southeast asia. Yes get in there meanwhile, plans to house asylum seekers, Including Small Boat Migrants at raf scampton, a former ministry of Defence Site in lincolnshire, have been scrapped. The Home Office says it would have cost 122 million over three years, and no longer represents value for money. Even the civil servants that came to visit the site in february last year said it was not suitable, so they already knew that. With the investment, the history and the heritage that is here, we couldntjust stand by and let that all get ruined. We had to do something about it. However, critics say the government is not moving quickly enough to deal with the small boats crisis. After promising the rapid recruitment of a Border Security Commander to oversee the response two months ago, Downing Street has now said the appointment will be confirmed in the next few weeks. Todays meeting, styled as a landmark operational summit, is an opportunity to demonstrate some progress in the challenge of destroying the smuggling gangs. Mark easton, Bbc News. The uk will send an additional 650 short range missiles to ukraine, as part of a new 162 million package of aid to help it fight against invading russian forces. President zelensky has urged nato allies to provide long range weapons at a Defence Meeting in germany. He says those arms are needed in order to strike targets inside russia. Pope francis has landed in Papua New Guinea on the second stop of a 12 Day Asia pacific tour. The 87 year old was received by a Military Guard of honour and a Brass Band that played the vatican anthem as he arrived in the capital, port moresby. This summer was the earths warmest on record, according to the European Unions climate monitor, copernicus. Despite the uk having its coolest summer since 2015, much of europe experienced hotter than average temperatures over the last three months. The 22nd Ofjuly was the hottest day on record for average global temperatures. At least 17 children have been killed in a fire at a school in central kenya. The blaze Started in a dormitory building. There are fears the Death Toll could rise further, with more than a dozen other pupils taken to hospital with severe burns. Were joined now by our Africa Correspondent Barbara Plett Usher whos at the scene. Barbara, what more do we know . As barbara, what more do we know . Is you said, 17 barbara, what more do we know . Sis you said, 17 boys dead, 14 injured and possibly the Death Toll to rise. As well as that, many children will be traumatised by the experience which was pretty awful, and we understand that families have been told to bring their children here, told to bring their children here, to the mount kenya hospital, where the International Committee Of The Red Cross will be setting up a Trauma Centre for the children. What they have been through, it was overnight at around 11 oclock at night. The fire Started in The Boys dormitory, 156 boys were sleeping there between the ages of nine and 19. Some tried to escape the fire by crawling under their beds. Firefighters came but were delayed because of muddy roads, and neighbours from around the area also pitched in, so many people in The End were involved in trying to rescue The Boys. But as we said, some of them didnt make it, and families now are still looking for some of those children. They are not entirely clear where the engine might be and not entirely clear whether their children are among the dead because the bodies were burned beyond recognition. Fires in kenyan Boarding Schools are actually fairly common. You have sometimes students Starting them in protest because of heavy workloads or poor living conditions. We dont know if that is what caused this. There will be an investigation into what Started this, but the most immediate concern for the parents is that horrible task of trying to find out exactly what happened to their children, and then mourning their loss and burying them. 2,. Then mourning their loss and burying them.. then mourning their loss and burying them. ~ i. them. Barbara, thank you. A powerful them. Barbara, thank you. A powerful sedative them. Barbara, thank you. A powerful sedative that l them. Barbara, thank you. I a powerful sedative that has them. Barbara, thank you. A powerful sedative that has such a strong effect on users that it has become known as a Zombie Drug is set to be banned under new rules aimed at tackling the problem of Synthetic Opioids. Its normally used in Vet Surgeries and highly addictive, its just one of more than 20 dangerous substances expected to be re categorised under new legislation. 0ur Correspondent Graham satchell reports. 0n the streets of philadelphia, the Paralysing Effect of the animal sedative xylem zine. It is known as the Zombie Drug for good reason, it lowers the Heart And Breathing rate leaving people seemingly lifeless. Its used in combination with heroin, Fentanyl And Nitazene as a cheap means of stretching out each dose. It has spread rapidly across the states, leading to a significant rise in the number of Drug Overdose deaths. In this Country Weve seen similar images from the use of the synthetic cannabinoid spice, but the use of xylazine is also on the rise here. We now have over 30 deaths reported to the programme. Home we now have over 30 deaths reported to the programme. We now have over 30 deaths reported to the programme. Now we are looking for it, we to the programme. Now we are looking for it. We are to the programme. Now we are looking for it, we are seeing to the programme. Now we are looking for it, we are seeing it to the programme. Now we are looking for it, we are seeing it appearing for it, we are seeing it appearing in many more cases. Now the government is banning the drug, along with 21 other dangerous substances. Xylazine will become a class c drug, resulting in a Prison Sentence of up to 14 years for anyone caught producing or supplying it. Were really clear with our safer Streets Mission that weve got to deal with this kind of problem that we are seeing on some of our streets, and also weve got to make sure that those who are exploiting vulnerable people are held to account. The head of the national Crime Agency has said theres never been a more dangerous time to take drugs, as the number of deaths linked to tranquillisers and Synthetic Opioids continues to rise. Graham satchell, Bbc News. The time is 1. 16pm. Our top story this afternoon. The longest Jail Term so the longestJail Term so far for those involved in this summers riots as Thomas Birley sentenced to nine Years Injail riots as Thomas Birley sentenced to nine years in jail for riots as Thomas Birley sentenced to nine Years Injailfor Arson Riots as Thomas Birley sentenced to nine years in jail for arson at an Asylum Hotel. And a new count of the uks endangered puffins brings good news their numbers are up, despite the threat of bird flu. Coming up on Bbc News, plenty for the Home Crowd at Flushing Meadows to get excited about as american Jessica Pegula makes it through to the final of the Us Open. She will take on Irina Sabalenka in tomorrows final. The Childrens Commissioner for england has called for mandatory Background Checks for private tutors after Bbc News found that more than 90 of them have been convicted of Sex Offences against children over the last 20 years. Currently, theres no legal duty for private tutors to have a criminal records check. 30 of Secondary School Pupils in the uk are thought to have used them. Angus crawford has more. I guess i kind of assumed there was some sort of protection in place. Imagine finding out the man who tutored your daughter for years had also abused her. Do you remember when your daughter told you what had been ha