Ranganathan opens up about mental health struggle

6 minutes ago Share Save Annabel Rackham and Steven McIntosh Culture reporters Share Save

BBC Ranganathan said he used running, reading and breathing exercises to help centre himself when feeling down

Romesh Ranganathan has said he is in "one of the best places I've ever been in my life", after years of struggling with his mental health. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, the comedian described how he had used running, reading and breathing exercises to help centre himself, after previously having suicidal thoughts. "Recognising it is half the battle," he told host Lauren Laverne. "So sometimes I just go through a dark period and I know that I've got to do something about it." The broadcaster also said he often felt conflicted about how much of his own mental health journey to share publicly, noting: "You’ve got to be careful because it's triggering [for other people]. "The way that I try and tackle that is to talk about it, I'm trying to normalise feeling like that, not that it is normal, but I'm trying to destigmatise it to make the conversation normal," he said.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.

"You would talk about physical illness openly, ideally you would talk about [mental health] openly, and you'd express all those things, but you do also have to be mindful of the fact that people may have been affected by that. "And then if I suddenly say I had thoughts about taking my own life and somebody's lost someone through that or they've had those moments themselves, you have to be sensitive to that. "You don't always get it right," he reflected, "but I think the rewards outweigh the risks."

Romesh Ranganathan chose tracks from Eminem and Kanye West, now known as Ye, on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs

The 47-year-old also said he had learned it was important to make time for activities which he knew would make him feel better. "One of the things I've noticed when it comes to mental health, is you do stuff that works, and it's proven to work for you personally, and then for some reason you just stop doing it," he said. "You go, 'Oh, it's really good if I spend some time reflecting, or if I run, or do a bit of reading, or some breathing exercises, that makes me feel better'. "'Oh, I've done that every day for a week, I'm really feeling better, shall I just stop? Yeah!'" he laughed. "And then a few weeks later, wonder why I feel much worse than I did." The presenter, who first got into comedy in the early 2010s, picked tracks from the likes of Kanye West, Eminem and Huey Lewis and the News for Desert Island Discs, which is broadcast on Sunday.

'My mum is one of my heroes'

Ranganathan, who hosts a weekend show on BBC Radio 2, also spoke about how his family had moved to the UK from Sri Lanka in 1970, before he was born eight years later. "My dad was a bit of a tornado, he came over to England and he'd been so used to the Sri Lankan way of life," he recalled. "He was like a kid in a candy store, people were drinking and going out and he just threw himself into British life, wholly and completely. "And there's a strong argument he should've implemented more boundaries than he did," Ranganathan laughed. "He was the life and soul of the party."

PA Media Ranganathan ran the London Marathon earlier this year

People say coke and fries are helping their migraines - but there's a twist

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Ruth Clegg Health and well-being reporter

It's a condition that affects more than 10 million people in the UK. It can change futures, end careers, and shrink worlds. So when a hack comes along that says it can "cure", or at the very least fend off a migraine, people will try it. While there are medical treatments, there is no cure. Prescription medication can be very effective - but it doesn't always work. For many people there is no simple solution. Some discover their own ways of managing the debilitating pain: sitting in a hot bath while wearing an ice pack and drinking a smoothie, blasting the side of their face with a hairdryer. But now a new hack has suddenly gone viral - the McMigraine Meal. A simple offering of a full-fat coke and a portion of salty fries seems to be doing the trick for hundreds who've been extolling its virtues on TikTok. If there is any science behind these hacks - what do they do to the body?

Nick Cook from Oxfordshire carries "a wallet full of drugs" around in case of a migraine attack. He will "try anything" to make the pain go away, he says. "When you live with the condition, and you're working a five-day week and you need to carry on, you'll give anything a go." At its worst the pain around Nick's eye socket can feel like his eyeball is getting crushed. He says it's the caffeine and sugar in coke that helps him. "If I catch it soon it enough it can sometimes work, when my vision goes fuzzy and I can feel one coming on." He stresses that drinking coke doesn't replace his amitriptyline tablets - the daily pain medication he takes to try to prevent migraines - but it does sometimes help him "last until the end of the day".

Kayleigh Watson Kayleigh says one of the few treatments that's ever given her relief is medical Botox

For Kayleigh Webster, a 27-year-old who has had chronic migraines all her life, it's the salt on the chips that might slow down a migraine attack. "It can help," she says cautiously, "but it's certainly not a cure. "Migraine is a complex neurological condition - and it can't be cured by a bit of caffeine, salt and sugar in a fast food meal." Kayleigh's tried cocktails of different medications, putting her feet in hot water, a flannel at the back of the head, acupuncture, cupping - but they've had little effect. One of the few treatments that has given her relief is medical Botox - having dozens of injections in her head, face and neck. It's still not clear how Botox works for migraine, but it's believed to block powerful pain signals being released from the nerves. A migraine - which can last days - is very different to a headache, which tend to be short-lived and can be treated more easily with painkillers like paracetamol. Migraines can cause head pain, neck pain, numbness, blurred vision, and even affect speech and movement.

Kayleigh Webster Kayleigh has a large toolkit of medication, creams and devices which help her manage her migraines

Skulls dating back to 3,000 BC show ancient Egyptians even had trouble with migraines - but despite that long history, their exact cause is still unknown. It's thought pain receptors in the blood vessels and nerve tissue around the brain misfire - sending incorrect signals that something is wrong. But we don't know why some people have an oversensitive nervous system - and why it reacts to some things and not others. Experts say there's not enough research into why only some people - around one in seven - are affected, or what can actually help. Dr Kay Kennis, a GP who specialises in migraines, says while there are elements of the McMigraine meal that can help stave off an attack, these aren't innate to "a McDonald's". "The caffeine in the coke can act as a nerve disruptor, it is a substance that affects nerve activity. For some, that disturbance works in a positive way," Dr Kennis says. "There are some painkillers that people take for migraines that have caffeine - and some do respond well to that - but we don't fully know why."

Getty Images Fizzy drinks containing caffeine can help manage migraines for some people, but caffeine can also be a trigger

But she warns against using caffeinated fizzy drinks like coke as a way of regularly managing migraines. "Too much caffeine can be a trigger too - and you can end up in a worse situation in the long run," Dr Kennis says. Other ingredients in a fast food meal, like the salt on the chips, can affect nerve activity, she explains, but adds the effects of sodium on migraines have not been tested. She also warns that not only is fast food often ultra-processed and not conducive to a healthy diet, it can contain high levels of Tyramine, a natural compound commonly found in many foods, which can actually cause severe migraines.

Eloise Underwood Eloise changed career to manage her condition

For Eloise Underwood none of the quick fixes on social media work. The chronic migraine sufferer has been looking for a "magic cocktail" for seven years - she's seen people recommend putting feet in scorching water (not recommended by experts and potentially dangerous); drinking hot coffee (caffeine can be a trigger); or various vibrating devices which have had little effect. "There are so many videos online that take advantage of the desperation we all feel," Eloise explains. She's left several jobs - often due to lighting and noise in an office environment triggering migraines. She recently stopped working as an interior designer and has now launched a business pressing and framing wedding flowers from her home. She wears loop ear buds to reduce the sharpness of the sounds around her, and limits her social life. "People think a migraine is just a headache - that's just one symptom of it," Eloise says. "For me, a migraine is a whole body experience… "Migraines have completely made my life smaller."

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Prof Peter Goadsby, a neurologist at the NIHR-King's Clinical Research Facility, says research is beginning to produce positive results after years of underfunding. His latest study shows medications known as gepants could block a group of pain receptors in the lead-up to a migraine attack, cutting off the pain before it starts. "Any new treatment is a glimmer of hope," Eloise says. "They do say that nothing will work for everyone - but something will work for someone." Lifestyle changes can also make a difference, Prof Goadsby explains. It might be boring, he says, but basically - "be careful of your brain". "You want to have regularity, avoid the highs and lows. If you can feel the warning signs - yawning, sleepiness, mood change, passing more urine and even craving salt and sugar - listen to your body. "Listen to your body - don't listen to TikTok, that's my advice."

Nick Cook Nick and his partner Katy both experience migraines. Nick wears sunglasses to control the light

'Jets to carry nuclear bombs' and 'Look Who's back'

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A mixture of stories leads the front pages of Sunday's newspapers, with a number of outlets teasing various defence-related threads ahead of Monday's strategic defence review - which will set out the future of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Sunday Telegraph reports that Defence Secretary John Healey will announce that the UK is to "be made 'war-ready' with £1.5bn for bomb factories", and it will also commit to buying 7,000 long-range weapons after warnings that the UK "no longer has a fighting force". Elsewhere, the paper spotlights the Tories accusing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of having "lost control" of the borders after an estimated 1,000 migrants crossed the Channel in a single day on small boats.

"British fighter jets to carry nuclear bombs" reads the front page of the Sunday Times, which reports that these airborne weapons will be the "biggest defence expansion since the Cold War". Elsewhere the paper reports on the looming threat of junior doctors organising co-ordinated strikes this winter which they say could bring the NHS to a "standstill". It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting refused to negotiate with the resident doctors, the paper says.

Elon Musk is "Ex" after his last day in office at the White House on Friday, the Observer reports, channelling the name of his social media platform X. The paper reports that a glum-looking Musk is leaving Washington with a "black eye" - which can be seen hidden just below his Doge cap.

"David Cameron behaved like a big man-baby" Sarah Vine, the former wife of Conservative MP Michael Gove, teases on the front page of the Mail. The excerpt, from her forthcoming political memoir, has reportedly left Westminster "quaking in its boots". And an exclusive from the Mail splashes below, which details how a British businessman has been accused of spying for China. The 63-year-old was arrested at the request of the FBI in Serbia and is now awaiting extradition to the US, the paper reports.

"Dye do!" splashes the front page of the Sun on Sunday, showing a dashing Dani Dyer marrying English footballer Jarrod Bowen yesterday. TV star Dyer just recently landed a starring role in the new Strictly Come Dancing series, the paper reports.

"She's Dan it" puns the Daily Mirror, which similarly uses a good portion of its front to congratulate newlyweds Dani Dyer and Jarrod Bowen in their marital bliss. Elsewhere, the paper reports that Boris Johnson's government's failure to "check the viability of PPE for up to two years" has cost the taxpayer £762m. The findings were uncovered as part of a year-long inquiry by Covid counter-fraud commissioner Tom Hayhoe.

It is not all sunshine and daises with the warmer weather over on the front page of the Daily Star, which dedicates nearly the entire front to "Pains in the grass" neighbours who find themselves getting into "bust-ups" over mowing on Sunday mornings. The "crack of dawn" chore has driven a wedge between some, to the point of a "turf war", the paper reports.

The sun is a cause for celebration over on the front page of the Independent, which boasts with a playful picture about the "bliss" of the sunniest spring on record coming to a close. An exclusive about hip and knee surgery being rationed within the NHS in an effort to save costs splashes below the fold. One-third of NHS areas in England are blocking patient access based on their body mass index, the paper reports.

"Look Who's back..." teases the front page of the Sunday Express with a picture of actress Billie Piper, who first appeared on the Doctor Who series as Rose Tyler, a companion to the Doctor, and was as a regular between 2005 and 2006. With the twist ending to this year's series, the paper asks: could Piper be returning to the show, but this time as the Doctor?

It's "Double trouble" over on the front page of the Sunday People, where Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter and Coronation Street's Tina O'Brien turned up at the Soap awards on Saturday night donning nearly identical sparkly dresses. "And the twinner is..." unclear, but the paper reports the "awkward blunder" did no,t devolve into further embarrassment for either party, as the pair arrived 10 minutes apart.

Silent acts of resistance and fear under Russian occupation in Ukraine

1 hour ago Share Save Olga Malchevska BBC News Share Save

BBC A Russian call-up poster urges the local population in occupied Melitopol to "Defend the Motherland, professionally"

A fifth of Ukrainian territory is now under Russian control, and for Ukrainians living under occupation there seems little chance that any future deal to end the war will change that. Three Ukrainians in different Russian-controlled cities have told the BBC of the pressures they face, from being forced to accept a Russian passport to the risks of carrying out small acts of resistance. We are not using their real names for their own safety, and will call them Mavka, Pavlo and Iryna. The potential dangers are the same, whether in Mariupol or Melitopol, seized by Russia in the full-scale invasion in 2022, or in Crimea which was annexed eight years before. Mavka chose to stay in Melitopol when the Russians invaded her city on 25 February 2022, "because it is unfair that someone can just come to my home and take it out". She has lived there since birth, midway between the Crimean peninsula and the regional capital Zaporizhzhia. In recent months she has noticed a ramping up of not only a strict policy of "Russification" in the city, but of an increased militarisation of all spheres of life, including in schools. She has shared pictures of a billboard promoting conscription to young locals, a school notebook with Putin's portrait on it, and photos and a video of pupils wearing Russian military uniforms instead of the school outfits - boys and girls - and performing military education tasks.

Some 200km (125 miles) along the coast of the sea of Azov, and much closer to the Russian border, the city of Mariupol feels as if it has been "cut off" from the outside world, according to Pavlo. This key port and hub of Ukraine's steel industry was captured after a devastating siege and bombardment that lasted almost three months in 2022. Russian citizenship is now obligatory if you want to work or study or have an urgent medical help, Pavlo says. "If someone's child, let's say, refuses to sing the Russian anthem at school in the morning, the FSB [Russia's security service] will visit their parents, they will be 'pencilled in' and then anything can happen."

REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko After more than three years under Russian control, Mariupol feels "cut off" from the outside world, says Pavlo

Pavlo survived the siege despite being shot six times, including to his head. Now that he has recuperated, he feels he cannot leave because of elderly relatives. "Most of those who stayed in Mariupol or returned, did so to help their elderly parents or their sick grandparents, or because of their flat," he tells me over the phone after midnight so no-one will overhear. The biggest preoccupation in Mariupol is holding on to your home, as most of the property damaged in the Russian bombardment has been demolished, and the cost of living and unemployment has surged. "I'd say 95% of all talk in the city is about property: how to claim it back, how to sell it. You'll hear people talk about it while queuing to buy some bread, on your way to a chemist, in the food market, everywhere," he says.

EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Most of the homes in Mariupol damaged in Russia's bombardment have now been demolished

Crimea has been under occupation since Vladimir Putin annexed the peninsula in 2014, when Russia's war in Ukraine began. Iryna decided to remain, also to care for an elderly relative but also because she did not want to leave "her beautiful home". All signs of Ukrainian identity have been banned in public, and Iryna says she cannot speak Ukrainian in public any more, "as you never know who can tell the authorities on you". Children at nursery school in Crimea are told to sing the Russian anthem every morning, even the very youngest. All the teachers are Russian, most of them wives of soldiers who have moved in from Russia. Iryna occasionally puts on her traditional, embroidered vyshyvanka top when she has video calls with friends elsewhere on the peninsula. "It helps us to keep our spirits high, reminding us about our happy life before the occupation".

This leaflet, in a tree in Crimea, shows a Ukrainian woman in a vyshyvanka defiantly saying "Not yours"

But the risks are high, even for wearing a vyshyvanka. "They might not shoot you straight away, but you can simply disappear afterwards, silently," she declares. She speaks of a Ukrainian friend being questioned by police because Russian neighbours, who came to Crimea in 2014, told police he had illegal weapons. "Of course he didn't. Luckily they let him go in the end, but it's so frightening." Iryna complains that she cannot go out on her own even for coffee "because solders can put a gun at you and say something abusive or order you to please them".

Local residents under occupation in Crimea share images of Ukrainian military attacks on Russian targets on the peninsula

Resistance in Ukraine's occupied cities is dangerous, and it often comes in small acts of defiance aimed at reminding residents that they are not alone. In Melitopol, Mavka talks of being part of a secret female resistance movement called Zla Mavka (Angry Mavka) "to let people know that Ukrainians don't agree with the occupation, we didn't call for it, and we will never tolerate it". The network is made up of women and girls in "pretty much all occupied cities", according to Iryna, although she cannot reveal its size or scale because of the potential dangers for its members. Mavka describes her role in running the network's social media accounts, which document life under occupation and acts like placing Ukrainian symbols or leaflets in public places "to remind other Ukrainians that they are not alone", or even riskier practices.

A leaflet on a park bench says the Mavka movement "has the power", quoting the famous words of national poet Taras Shevchenko: "Fight and you will overcome"

"Sometimes we also put a laxative in alcohol and baked goods for the Russian soldiers, as a 'welcome pack'," she says. Punishment for that kind of act, which the BBC is unable to verify, would be severe. Russia's occupation authorities treat the Ukrainian language or anything related to Ukraine as extremist, says Mavka. Ukrainians are well aware of what happened to journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, 27, who disappeared while investigating allegations of torture prisons in eastern Ukraine in 2023. Russian authorities told her family she had died in custody in September 2024. Her body was returned earlier this month, with several organs removed and clear signs of torture.

Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images Viktoriia Roshchyna was held first in Russian-occupied Melitopol before being moved to prison in Russia

Silent disappearance is what Mavka fears most: "When suddenly nobody can find out where you are or what's happened to you." Her network has developed a set of tasks for new joiners to pass to avoid infiltration, and so far they have managed to avoid cyber attacks. For now they are waiting and watching: "We cannot take up arms and fight back against the occupier right now, but we want at least to show that pro-Ukrainian population is here, and it will also be here". She and others in Melitopol are following closely what is happening in Kyiv, "because it is important for us to know whether Kyiv is ready to fight for us. Even small steps matter". "We have a rollercoaster of moods here. Many are worried documents might get signed that, God forbid, leave us under Russian occupation for even longer. Because we know what Russia will do here."

The fallout from Trump's war on Harvard will long outlast his presidency

1 hour ago Share Save Anthony Zurcher • @awzurcher Senior North America reporter Share Save

BBC

Donald Trump has had a busy seven days. On Monday, he threatened to redirect $3bn in Harvard research funding to vocational schools. On Tuesday, the White House sent a letter to federal agencies, instructing them to review the approximately $100m in contracts the government has awarded Harvard and "find alternative vendors" where possible. On Wednesday, he had more to say on the matter still. "Harvard's got to behave themselves," he told reporters gathered in the Oval Office. "Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect, and all they're doing is getting in deeper and deeper and deeper." When combined with other administration attempts – freezing more than $3bn in research grants and suspending foreign students from enrolling in Harvard – Trump's directives represent a frontal attack on one of America's most prestigious, and wealthy, institutions of higher education. Even if court challenges overrule some of these actions – some have already been put on hold – the impact is being felt across the landscape of American higher education. "They're doing multiple things every single day, some of those things are sneaking through," says Greg Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors. "But more importantly, they're changing the culture. They're changing people."

Getty Images 'If this can happen to Harvard it can happen to any US university,' says a student

At Harvard's commencement ceremonies on Thursday, students said there was a "palpable concern" on campus. "People sort of knew Trump was trying some of these moves but [they were] shocked when it happens," admits one graduate, a British national who requested anonymity because he was concerned public comments could threaten his US work visa. "It feels like the nuclear option." "If this can happen to Harvard it can happen to any university in the country," he adds. But the repercussions of this apparent Harvard-Trump fight run far deeper than the management of a single Ivy League university. Could the measures Trump is taking mark, as some suggest, the latest, albeit most ambitious, step by conservatives to erode some of the traditional pillars of support for the Democratic Party? If that is the case, the campus has become a pivotal battle in shaping America's cultural and political landscape.

Accusations of antisemitism and bias

Trump and his administration have offered various explanations for their actions, including a perceived lack of conservatives among the ranks of Harvard's professors, along with suggestions of admitting too many foreign students and financial links to China. But according to the White House, the most immediate cause has been the university's apparent failure to address antisemitism on campus, in the wake of anti-Israel protests at universities across the US since the start of the Gaza war. In December 2023, three prominent university presidents - including the then-president of Harvard, Claudine Gay - struggled to answer whether calling for the "genocide of Jews" violated their student conduct codes on bullying and harassment, sparking a firestorm of criticism. Dr Gay, who was asked the question at a congressional hearing about antisemitism on US college campuses, answered that it depended on the context. She later apologised, telling the student newspaper: "When words amplify distress and pain, I don't know how you could feel anything but regret."

Getty Images Former president of Harvard, Claudine Gay

On the campaign trail last year, Trump promised to cut off federal funding and government accreditation for colleges that he said were engaging in "antisemitic propaganda". Once Trump returned to the White House in January, he began following through on this. Several universities - including Columbia, which saw some of the most high profile protests - agreed to sweeping changes in campus security rules and closer supervision of its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies departments. In April, Harvard released the results of a university task force review (commissioned before Trump's election) of antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice on its own campus. It found that many Jewish and Muslim students faced bias, exclusion and alienation from the university curriculum and its community. However, the administration's demands go well beyond calls to address antisemitism. In a letter to the university, its "Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism" laid out a laundry list of changes that Harvard must make, including terminating diversity programmes, reforming admissions and hiring, screening foreign students for views hostile to "American values", and expanding and protecting "viewpoint diversity" among students and faculty.

Getty Images Trump promised to cut off federal funding and government accreditation for colleges that he said were engaging in "antisemitic propaganda"

Trump's shock-and-awe strategy of rapid and aggressive pressure has stunned many in higher education, who never imagined the scope of the demands or the force behind them. "It's not about higher education," argues Mr Wolfson. "Higher education is one of the levers they see as critical to transforming our society." But the potential for a long-term transformation could largely depend on whether the majority of American universities choose to accommodate the administration's demands - or whether it stands and fights, as Harvard is trying to do.

An across-the-board war

While Harvard has been the most prominent target of the administration's ire, and the most visible in its resistance, it is just one of many high-profile American universities that has received funding cuts or been subject of investigations. Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania have reported that the administration has suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in their research grants. The Department of Education has launched investigations of 10 universities for alleged antisemitism - and warned dozens of others that they could face similar inquiries. It is also investigating 52 universities for illegal race-based programmes. To some, this all amounts to an across-the-board war on elite higher education by the Trump administration in an effort to reshape universities in a more conservative-friendly image. To others, this is no bad thing. "Universities are not about the pursuit of knowledge, they're about the forceful pushing of a left-wing world view," Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, said in a Fox News interview last month. "We're here to shake it up."

Getty Images Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, believes universities have been pushing a "left-wing world view"

Many on the right have long viewed American college campuses as hotbeds of liberal indoctrination, whether it has taken the form of left-wing anti-war radicalism in the 1960s, "political correctness" of the 1990s, Occupy Wall Street anti-capitalism of the 2000s or the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-Israel demonstrations in recent years. Polling has illustrated a certain divide in beliefs between those who have and haven't attended college. In a recent survey by the polling company Civiqs, non-college graduates were split on the job Trump is doing in office, with 49% disapproving and 47% approving. College graduates, on the other hand, had a significantly different view, as 58% disapproved of Trump's performance in office versus only 38% who approved. "I think a lot of this blowback is from the sense that they have become the universities of blue [Democratic] America, and that this is the consequence," says Rick Hess, senior fellow and director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Universities 'brought this on themselves'

In recent years, according to Mr Hess, American higher education has become more closely tied to the government and more reliant on government funding. He says that the new Trump team has simply adopted levers of control over higher education employed by recent Democratic administrations – including civil rights investigations, federal anti-discrimination laws and control over funding. "In classic Trump form," he added, "it's absolutely the case that these levers have been turned up to 11." And there are fewer procedural and legal safeguards than there were under the Joe Biden and Barack Obama presidencies. "It's both an evolution and a revolution," says Mr Hess. But it is one, he argues, that universities have brought on themselves by being overtly political during Trump's first term and making elite school the face of American higher education. "The price for collecting billions a year in tax dollars is that institutions should both honour the promises they make, such as enforcing civil rights law, and hew to a mission in which they explicitly serve the whole nation," says Mr Hess.

Withholding federal funding from universities may be a new challenge for higher education, but to some this is just the latest in a long effort by conservatives to undercut key traditional pillars of liberal power. Through a combination of legislation and court rules, the influence of labour unions – which had provided the Democratic Party with volunteer personnel and funds – had diminished long before Trump succeeded in winning over white working-class voters in his three presidential runs. State-level lawsuit reforms have also curtailed the vast sums that trial lawyers could contribute to Democratic coffers. And ongoing efforts to shrink the government workforce – which reached a peak with Elon Musk's Doge reductions – have eroded another traditionally Democratic bloc. However, Mr Wolfson fears that something greater could be lost if some of the Trump administration's measures are enforced. "The fact that we have multiracial, multicultural, multinational universities is a boon to our universities," he says. "It creates really diverse communities, really diverse intellectual thought."

How the Ivy Leagues fought back

Harvard - perhaps best known for its renowned law school - has turned the courts into its principle tool to resist Trump's pressure. On Thursday, a federal judge indefinitely suspended the administration's attempts to prohibit foreign students from receiving visas to attend the university. The university has also sued to prevent the Trump administration from terminating more than $2.2bn in federal grants, although that case is pending. "The trade-off put to Harvard and other universities is clear," Harvard wrote in its complaint filed with a Massachusetts federal court. "Allow the government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardise the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions."

AFP via Getty Images Opinion polls suggest a majority of the general population support American universities and don't approve of the proposed funding cuts

Harvard's president, Alan Garber, has also defended his university, saying that Harvard would be "firm" in its commitments to education and truth, during an interview with NPR. "Harvard is a very old institution, much older than the country," he continued. "As long as there has been a United States of America, Harvard has thought that its role is to serve the nation." Trump, meanwhile, has shared strong words of his own. "Harvard wants to fight," he said on Wednesday. "They want to show how smart they are, and they're getting their ass kicked."

Breaching the walls of the ivory tower

Opinion polls show that Trump's political base supports his efforts, and the underlying message. Yet those same polls suggest a majority of the general population support American universities and don't approve of his proposed funding cuts. And opinion aside, the practicality of achieving such a fundamental reordering of America's system of higher education, even with all the tools at the federal government's disposal, is a daunting task. According to Mr Wolfson, however, repairing what he says is the damage being done to academic independence will be equally challenging. A growing number of members of the American Association of University Professors fear the consequences of expressing political views or conducting disfavoured research. "The destruction is real," argues Mr Wolfson. "Even if the courts step in, there will still be a massive undermining of the higher education project in this country due to Trump's reckless, reckless moves." Mr Hess, who has pushed for conservative education reform for years, is less concerned. He believes that Trump's chaotic, scattershot approach - including last week's comments - could end up less effective than a more methodical restructuring of American universities. "This is all an ambitious experiment," Mr Hess said. "Whether it's a strategy that's going to work is very much an open question." One thing seems clear, however. Even if American universities resist - or outlast - Trump's efforts, they are no longer insulated from the scorched-earth warfare of American politics. The walls of the ivory tower have been breached, regardless of whether one believes it is the barbarians - or liberators - at the gate. Top image credit: Getty Images

Bakery tourism: 'There's no limit on how far we'll travel for pastries'

4 hours ago Share Save Megan Davies BBC News Share Save

Jessica Morgan-Helliwell Jessica (right) and her mum Louise say they are pastry pilgrims

Jessica Morgan-Helliwell admits she would rather meet her mates for a pastry than a pint. The 26-year-old is part of a growing number of people flocking to craft or artisan bakeries in pursuit of a flaky croissant. "I do find myself these days more inclined to go for a coffee and a nice walk than going out and feeling a bit hungover the next day. I could be a pastry pilgrim," she said. Jessica and her mum, Louise, from Swansea, think nothing of travelling across the UK and beyond in pursuit of delicious bakes, photos and videos of which they then share online with their followers.

Data suggests they are not alone in their passion for patisserie. The UK's bakery market is one of the largest in the food industry, worth £5.74bn, according to the Federation of Bakers. Open University research suggests the number of small bakeries across the UK is on the rise, with nearly one in five founded since 2020.

Astrid Roussel One bakery said its customers travel from across the world, often after seeing their baked goods on social media

The mother and daughter's love of socialising over pastries and breads runs in the family. "Both my great-grandpa and my great-great-grandpa had their own Italian cafes. My great-great-grandpa's cafe was in Llanelli and was called Sartori's," said Louise, 48. The pair admitted there was "no limit" on how far they would travel to sample a delicacy. Jess said she recently drove more than an hour to one bakery just to buy a sandwich. "We're going to Marrakesh [in Morocco] in a couple of weeks and the first thing that I've looked at is the eateries," she added.

Jessica Morgan-Helliwell Jessica and her mum Louise travel for miles to try different bakeries and other foods

At Pettigrew Bakery in Cardiff, David Le Masurier's team bakes and sells "thousands of pastries a day" to consumers like Jessica and Louise. David said he had "absolutely" seen bakery tourism positively impact his business, with international travellers building food spots into their trips, influenced by online trends and viral dishes. "They have done their research. They've gone onto social media, they've seen images. They've read reviews. They're getting tips off TikTok," he said. "People are literally walking in with their phones, particularly if English isn't their first language, and they're holding up pictures or showing us reels and saying: 'I want this'."

David Le Masurier David runs his bakeries with his husband, Lee, and his operations manager, Alice

Customers pay anything from £3.20 for a plain croissant to £4.50 for "limited edition" bakes - prices which David accepts are outside of the bracket of "everyday products". But he said between the ingredients, paying for his "quality" staff and making a profit, margins were "very small". "Wages have increased quite dramatically just recently and that does translate straight to the prices that we have to pass on to the customer," he said. "Running a food business is incredibly challenging." So what is it about flaky baked goods that makes people part with their hard-earned cash?

The lipstick effect

Food and travel writer Ross Clarke said he believed that even in a cost-of-living crisis, people were inclined to splurge on small luxury items. It is a concept known as the lipstick effect, which suggests that people are more likely to spend on small luxury goods - like lipstick - during economic downturns. "I think people are more inclined to maybe shell out £4.50 for a pain au chocolat if it's something special, because it's that little treat," he said.

Getty Images Food tourism is now a "global phenomenon" says food writer Ross Clarke

Ross said food tourism was a global phenomenon, referring to Iceland's famous ice cream tours, known as ísbíltúr. "Gastro-tourism is booming, also eno-tourism, so wine," he said. "People [are] going places purely for the food or the drink. "What a lovely thing that you can go and support local businesses, hopefully, and eat in the great restaurants and try all of these amazing things. "Wales is probably right up there with places that should push this as a big thing." French-born baker Astrid Roussel, who has lived in Newport, south Wales, for 17 years, said the local food scene had "changed massively" with people willing to pay for "craft" and "quality". "People love to take pictures of pretty flaky pastries," she said. "Yes, £4 for a croissant is good money to pay but it's an affordable luxury."

Astrid Roussel Astrid's Petite Cuisine was a finalist in UK's Best Croissant Competition in 2024

The UK is more likely to experience a hotter-than-normal summer with an increased chance for heatwaves, according to the Met Office.

In its most recent three month outlook, it has predicted that meteorological summer - which runs from 1 June to 31 August - is twice as likely to be hotter than normal in 2025.

The prediction follows an unprecedented spring which was the sunniest, as well as one of the driest and warmest, on record.

'Our love is frowned upon, but we push through': Navigating religion and relationships

Just now Share Save George Sandeman BBC News Share Save

What it's like to be a young British interfaith couple

It was love at first sight for Adarsh Ramchurn. "I couldn't control it," he says of his flourishing affection for Nav Sangha. But their relationship is "frowned upon" by some in their communities, they say, as Adarsh is Hindu and Nav is Sikh. They've been an item for three years and say they receive hateful comments on social media when posting about their life together. They are also abused because Adarsh, 24, has a darker skin tone than Nav, a form of prejudice known as colourism.

"We push through it," says Nav, 22. "There are also people who are very supportive and that are in similar situations." Data compiled by YouGov in January suggests 45% of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK believe there is a God, or believe there are Gods. The next highest figure, 36%, is for the over-65s. BBC News spoke to Nav and Adarsh as well as a Christian from Married At First Sight (MAFS), a Muslim from The Only Way is Essex (Towie), and a former Jehovah's Witness for the Sex After documentary series.

During a discussion between the participants, Nav was asked what the hardest bit about being a Sikh was. "Probably getting the backlash of being with a Hindu," she said. She and Ardash knew their interfaith relationship could be an issue for their parents, so spoke to them early. "I know it's different for every family, there can be difficult dynamics," says Adarsh. "But if you can have the open discussion [about] dating outside of your religion… I'd always say [you should]."

Five people of different faiths discussed the impact of religion for the Sex After series

Something Adarsh's parents were quick to ask him about was marriage. The couple say, if they were to wed, they would probably do a Sikh and a Hindu ceremony. "If we have kids, I feel like it's important that they learn about both religions and faiths," Nav adds. Adarsh agrees and says he's "looking forward to it". Junaid Ahmed's parents were not as accommodating. His fear of being rejected by them took hold at a young age. Junaid knew being gay contravened the Islamic beliefs he and his family shared. "When I did finally come out [aged 18], I did expect the worst and… [it] did happen," he tells us. "They threw me out; they disowned me." He says he doesn't blame his parents for ostracising him. "I genuinely don't - it's made me the person I am today." Junaid, now aged 26 and a star of Towie, says he often gets abuse online from other Muslims because he is open about his sexual orientation, but "that [has] never changed my relationship with God".

Junaid Ahmed says he expected to be disowned by his family when he came out as gay

He says he is grateful for his religious upbringing and still prays everyday. Like Junaid, Martin Riley - who was brought up a Jehovah's Witness - was also ostracised by his family. However, in his case, it was because a few years ago he was expelled from his religion completely, in a process called disfellowshipping. For Riley, as he is known to his friends, this meant being shunned by other members of his congregation - including close friends and family. His first marriage, which lasted 20 years, had broken down a few months before he was expelled. He was a particularly strong believer and, while dating after he was expelled, he abided by the rule of not having sex before marriage. It was only when Riley began dating the woman who is now his wife, that he began seriously considering whether he wanted to continue adhering to the religion that he'd been part of for 40 years. His wife is not a Jehovah's Witness.

Riley was a Jehovah's Witness for 40 years before he was expelled from the religion

"I realised that I did not want to have a future that didn't include her, whether that meant returning to the religion or not." After having sex with her for the first time, which he describes as being, "like in the movies", he recalls: "I was actually surprised by how guiltless I felt about the whole thing." Riley, 48, now considers himself an atheist. Looking back at his expulsion from the religion aged 42, he says: "It was devastating for me, at the time. Now I think it is probably one of the best things to ever happen to me."

Sacha Jones was baptised last year after finding her Christian faith