and richest nation. this is bbc news. our main headlines: health experts express optimism as a pill developed to treat severe coronavirus reports positive trial results that could halve the chances of dying. police in the uk have revealed that thousands of british children are now actively involved in criminal gangs and say more than a third of them are girls. the numbers have grown in the last decade, often as a result of grooming or blackmail on social media. for some, their involvement can become life threatening and lead to a range of mental health problems. with this report, here is amanda kirton. in cities across the uk, children are being exploited. thousands of them end upjoining gangs. over a third are girls.
as a result of grooming or blackmail on social media. for some, their involvement can become life threatening and lead to a range of mental health problems. with this report, here is amanda kirton. in cities across the uk, children are being exploited. thousands of them end upjoining gangs. over a third are girls. we hear about the boys in the news. we see them on the streets. but the girls are hidden. aliyah was a gang member. she grew up in a difficult home. so my mum met someone, a friend of a friend. he started coming to my house, and then his friend came. they ask you, can you hold this for me, please? and i ll give you some money.
then i found out i was pregnant, and she is my saviour. i m a mum, i m a mummy, i m a mother. i got the home, a house. iwork. i ve got mummy, i m a mother. i got the home, a house. i work. i ve got a part timejob. and i m happy, and i m in a better place. aliyah and kendra talking to our reporter, amanda kirton. pig farmers say they could have to carry out a cull of tens of thousands of pigs if the government doesn t take urgent action to ease a labour shortage. they say a lack of workers is creating backlogs at meat processing plants around the uk. the national pig association says farms are running out of space to keep their animals. the government says it s working closely with the pig industry to address the shortages. luxmy gopal reports. healthy livestock at risk of going straight to landfill. pigs currently aren t being slaughtered at a fast enough rate and face being culled instead.