Two Decades Since the Iraq War: A Look Back
Several newspapers report on the 20th anniversary of the United States-led invasion of Iraq.
While The New York Times addresses the debate surrounding the reasons behind the invasion, The Guardian reflects on the aftermath, questioning the reliability of the intelligence that led to the conflict.
The Times of Israel reports on Tony Blair's reflections on the war and its consequences, while The Independent wonders why it has faded from cultural memory.
Top Gear filming cancelled after Flintoff's accident
The BBC has announced that it has stopped production of the latest series of Top Gear after presenter Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff was injured in a serious accident while filming.
The incident occurred while he was driving a car on the show's test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey in December.
Although Freddie received medical attention at the scene, he was still taken to the hospital for further treatment.
Despite assurances of support by the BBC for Flintoff's recovery, the corporation has decided not to resume the series 34.
BAFTA TV nominations announced with BBC shows leading the field
The Bafta TV nominations for 2022 have been announced, with This Is Going To Hurt and The Responder leading the nominations.
The BBC tops the list with a total of 81 nominations across both the TV and craft categories, followed by Channel 4, Netflix and ITV.
The ceremony will be held in April and will include first-time nominations for acting heavyweights such as Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, Daniel Radcliffe and Taron Egerton.
Eurovision’s grand final to be screened in UK cinemas for first time; TikTok named as event partner again
Eurovision fans in the UK can watch the grand final of the competition live in cinemas for the first time on 13 May, after tickets for the in-person event at Liverpool Arena sold out in less than 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, TikTok has been named Eurovision's official entertainment partner again, with the social media platform confirmed to livestream the event, release exclusive performances and behind-the-scenes content.
The news comes amidst increasing security concerns over the app, with the UK Parliament banning TikTok on all government devices and the wider parliamentary network.
Tory MPs seek to bar migrants from hotels; Asylum seekers threatened with removal to Rwanda over complaints
Two articles related to the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers in the UK are discussed.
In the first article from The Telegraph, Tory MPs want to prevent migrants from being housed in hotels after reports that it costs over £6 million daily for housing asylum seekers and Afghan refugees in hotels.
These MPs have proposed an amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill that would prohibit the use of hotels for any migrants held in the UK before their deportation process.
The second article from The Guardian reports a study published by Refugee Action that found asylum seekers in Home Office hotels have faced threats when complaining about poor living conditions, such as being sent to Rwanda, banning them from taking food photos or calling the police.
BBC developing a new historical crime drama as the successor to Peaky Blinders
The BBC is reportedly in the process of developing a high-budget, six-episode historical crime series set in early 20th-century Soho, London.
Based on the non-fiction book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground by Marek Kohn, the show will be produced by Bad Wolf Productions and written by Polly Stenham and Alex Warren.
It will blend historical fact with storytelling invention and focus on the criminal underbelly of old Soho.
Comic Relief 2023: Date and TV Details
Comic Relief's Red Nose Day, scheduled for 2023, is an event aimed at combatting child poverty globally with fundraising events and TV specials.
This year's event will feature a host of celebrities performing and raising money, including Gethin Jones' 24-hour danceathon.
On March 14th, three stars (Emma Willis, Oti Mabuse, and Rylan) will trek across the Scottish highlands to raise funds; it will be broadcast on BBC One at 9 pm tonight.
Gary Lineker cancels Match of the Day Live appearance due to illness
Gary Lineker will not be presenting Match of the Day Live due to illness, according to statements released by BBC Sport.
The football presenter returned to the airwaves on Saturday after making some comments comparing a new UK asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany.
Former England player and presenter Alex Scott will be stepping in to replace Lineker for the FA Cup quarter-final between Brighton & Hove Albion and Grimsby Town.
Battle over plans to create migrant camps in former RAF bases.
Plans to convert former RAF bases at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and Wethersfield in Essex, into camps that could house around 1,500 asylum seekers, have led to community concerns and tense public meetings with officials.
Some councils and activists have threatened to take legal action against the Home Office, arguing that the migrant proposals would conflict with separate preservation and regeneration plans for the base sites.
Gary Lineker tweets about people who "constantly tell fibs" after Boris Johnson's Partygate defence
BBC Football presenter Gary Lineker has tweeted about people who "constantly tell fibs" after Boris Johnson's legal defence over Partygate was published.
The former Prime Minister had insisted in his written evidence to the inquiry that his denials over lockdown parties in No 10 were made "in good faith'' and based on what he "honestly" knew at the time.
Lineker did not make it clear who he was referring to, but Twitter users speculated that the post was about Mr Johnson and his 52-page Partygate defence dossier.
This tweet comes after Lineker was briefly suspended from his Match of the Day duties for three days by Tim Davie, the director-general of the BBC, over a tweet that criticised the government's migration policy.
Derby named as headquarters of Great British Railways
The UK government has confirmed that Derby will be the headquarters of the Great British Railways (GBR) public sector body, which will take over the rail infrastructure, procure passenger services and set most fares and timetables.
The Department for Transport announced that Derby was chosen after winning a public vote and a government assessment process against five other shortlisted locations in the Midlands and northern England.
Gary Lineker returns to BBC after suspension for political tweets
Gary Lineker has returned to the BBC to present live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final after being suspended for a tweet about government asylum seeker policy.
Lineker compared the language used with that of 1930s Germany and was accused of lacking political impartiality.
He was taken off air for a week but returned to host the FA Cup.
Lineker received significant support during the suspension from friends and colleagues.
Gary Lineker returns to presenting after impartiality row with BBC
Gary Lineker, a BBC football presenter, was taken off air following a critical tweet about the UK government's asylum policy.
This led to his colleagues walking out in solidarity, resulting in last week's Match of the Day being broadcast without commentary or presenters.
However, Lineker returned to present on Saturday for FA Cup coverage, whilst also addressing the previous week's events.
On Monday, the BBC announced that it would conduct an independent review of its social media guidelines for presenters and freelancers.
Rare shark's head stolen from beach
A rare smalltooth sand tiger shark was found dead on a Hampshire beach on Saturday, its head and tail missing.
TV historian, Dan Snow, who was enlisted to secure and examine the creature, confirmed that the biologist he knew claimed it was an "exceptionally rare visitor to these shores.
" Biologists are asking that the head be returned as "it holds the key to unlocking intricate details of the shark's life."
UK Pensions tax cut 'will keep senior doctors and police officers at work'
The tax-free limit on pension savings has been abolished by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt; the previous cap was £1.07m on pensions savings.
This move is claimed to encourage senior doctors, teachers and police officers to work longer, which will help tackle waiting lists and crime rates.
Senior Cabinet Officer, Oliver Dowden, defended the decision and has suggested that this action will provide positive impacts on the economy.
It is estimated that this could increase the workforce by 15,000 people in the public sector over the next five years.
BBC Urges Staff to Delete TikTok from Corporate Phones
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has advised its employees to remove video-sharing app TikTok from their corporate mobile phones over security and privacy concerns raised by authorities.
The UK government recently banned TikTok from mobile phones used by civil servants and ministers, and the BBC's decision in this regard is in line with the government's move.
The BBC could further update the guidance if the need arises.
Surprisingly, Tiktok has consistently rejected any privacy breach allegations.
BBC Chair Richard Sharp under scrutiny after reportedly helping friend get paid advisory job
Richard Sharp, the chairman of the BBC, is under fire for allegedly putting forward a friend for a paid role advising the corporation on editorial standards and impartiality.
The friend, Caroline Daniel, is a former assistant editor of the Financial Times and was appointed as one of two independent editorial advisers in July 2022.
Sharp, who was appointed BBC chairman in 2021, is already under investigation for his appointment process and has faced criticism for helping former Prime Minister Boris Johnson secure a loan guarantee.
The appointment of Daniel has raised concerns over a possible conflict of interest and undermined the BBC's principles of impartiality and transparency.
BBC under fire for “shaming” female Afghan footballers who fled Taliban
The BBC has faced backlash for calling some of the Afghan women who fled to the UK after Kabul's fall to the Taliban, "false footballers".
The Newsnight report claimed that some of the visa applications of those claiming to be national players or members of a regional team "appear to be false".
The players who had been evacuated expressed their disappointment in the report, saying it puts their lives and the lives of their families at greater risk.
The BBC report has also been criticised for potentially causing further division and inciting anti-migrant protests.
Sports
Gary Lineker will not host Match of the Day this weekend
Richard Coles disappointed by the quiet announcement of his departure from Radio 4
Richard Coles, a member of the clergy and TV personality, has expressed his frustration after the BBC quietly announced his departure from his role as co-host of Saturday Live on Radio 4.
Coles, who has presented the show for 12 years, will present his final show on 25 March following the decision by the BBC to relocate the programme from London to Cardiff.
Coles was given the option to move with the show, but chose to leave.
The news of his departure was only made public a few days before his last show.
BBC developing ‘spiritual successor to Peaky Blinders’ set in London
Six-episode series will reportedly focus on a female protagonist
Metropolitan Police Criticized for Racism and Sexism
The Metropolitan Police is facing criticism from a review report conducted by Baroness Casey on its culture and standing within the organization.
The force has been accused of being racist, sexist, and homophobic, with a significant issue of tolerating wrongdoing.
The review was initiated following the murder of Sarah Everard, who was killed by serving officer Wayne Couzens.
The review report is expected to be published next week.
The UK Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, has said that the Met "clearly (has) got a problem" and suggested that there are wide-held practices of bad behavior among the force.
BBC Journalist Leaves Job to Campaign for Slave Reparations in Caribbean
Laura Trevelyan, a prominent BBC journalist, has quit her job to become a full-time campaigner for financial reparations for the Caribbean from former colonial powers.
She seeks to ensure that the region receives compensation for the damage inflicted by slavery.
Trevelyan's aristocratic family made amends for their role by publicly apologizing for owning more than 1,000 slaves, and she recently joined them to offer £100,000 as reparations, which would be drawn from her BBC pension payout.
Additionally, she plans to work with other families whose ancestors owned enslaved people in the Caribbean to address the consequences of slavery.
Paris Hilton Joins BBC Picket Line
Paris Hilton surprised National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members picketing outside the BBC headquarters in London.
She was on her way to BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour to promote her book, Paris: The Memoir.
Despite being dressed in a dark blue velvet dress and black heels, Hilton stopped to smile and greet the picketing NUJ members, who were protesting proposed cuts to local radio stations.
German environmental group sues Meta over failure to tackle violence, murder threats on Facebook
Environmental Action Germany (DUH) has filed a lawsuit against Meta, parent company of Facebook, for not taking action against groups in which threats of violence were regularly posted, remaining visible for weeks without being taken down.
The case will be heard on March 28 at a regional court in Berlin.