Donald Trump is set to sue the BBC for $1 billion for "overwhelming financial and reputational harm" from a Panorama documentary that distorted a 2021 speech ahead of the Capitol Hill riots.
The US President is threatening legal action against the publicly funded British broadcaster having condemned the BBC's "attempt to step on the scales of a presidential election".
BBC chairman Samir Shah apologised on Monday for editorial failures after its flagship Panorama programme last year broadcast a "doctored" version of his speech. The US is demanding a "full and fair retraction", an apology and compensation.
His lawyers set a deadline of Friday for the BBC to respond: "President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (one billion dollars) in damages. The BBC is on notice."
A leaked memo on failing BBC standards led to the resignation of two senior executives over the weekend. “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action,” Mr Shah wrote. The BBC's own committee had found the programme at fault, he added.
"The conclusion of that deliberation is that we accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action," he said. "The BBC would like to apologise for that error of judgment."
Mr Shah added that the BBC had initially left it to the programme editors to handle the problem. “The points raised in the review were relayed to the Panorama team, including the decision-making on this edit. With hindsight, it would have been better to take more formal action.”
Asked if the US leader was planning to sue, Mr Shah acknowledged the possibility. "I do not know that yet, but he's a litigious fellow, so we should be prepared for all outcomes," he said.
Executives resign
BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness announced they would be stepping down after a week of pressure over perceived false reporting, leaving the corporation in crisis.
Mr Shah has said he regrets the departure of Ms Turness and Mr Davie. Mr Trump welcomed the resignations and described the editing of his speech as a "terrible thing for democracy".
A torrid week for the national broadcaster began with the publication of a dossier, leaked to The Telegraph newspaper, accusing the BBC of failures in its coverage of issues including Gaza and the Trump speech. The memo was written by former journalist Michael Prescott, who pinpointed the failings of the renowned Panorama news investigation programme.
In accusations of a basic failure of journalism, its editors were shown to have spliced Mr Trump’s speech from January 6, 2021. Viewers were misled by the appearance that Mr Trump told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell”.
Mr Shah disputed some of the reporting of Mr Prescott's account. "Mr Prescott’s memo is his personal account of the meetings at which he was present," the BBC chairman told culture committee chairwoman Caroline Dinenage. "It does not present a full picture of the discussions, decisions and actions that were taken. I would like to assure you and the committee that I am absolutely clear that the BBC must champion impartiality."
Starmer's dilemma
In the "age of disinformation, the argument for a robust and impartial British news service is stronger and more important than ever”, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesman said.
But the “most important thing is when mistakes are made they must be corrected quickly” and that “accountability is vital to maintain trust”. The BBC “must maintain the high standards for which it is rightly known internationally", he added.
As the UK's most globally respected news brand, the BBC's turmoil is deeply damaging and the fall-out can be expected to be felt for months. It forms part of a series of alleged bias allegations facing the broadcaster, including some over its coverage of the Gaza conflict.
Ms Turness said she stood by the journalistic standards of her team as she arrived at Broadcasting House in London on Monday. She said the BBC "is not institutionally biased", before adding: "That's why it's the world's most trusted news provider."
She said she resigned because “the buck stops with me" and added that it had been the privilege of her career to serve as news chief, working with "our brilliant team of journalists". Ms Turness emphasised that "our journalists are not corrupt and I will stand by their journalism".
The UK's Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has been urged to lead the process of renewing the BBC constitution in the coming year and said the government would help it to transition into a new era that “secures its role at the heart of national life for decades to come”.
The corporation’s reputation has suffered from a series of failings in recent times, not least over its reporting of conflict in the Middle East. It was criticised after it pulled the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, which subsequently won awards.
Another documentary featuring the son of a Hamas official, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, was disavowed by BBC management. Allegations of bias by BBC Arabic against Israel and the live-streaming of the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan leading chants against the Israeli military at the Glastonbury music festival increased pressure on the organisation.
Kemi Badenoch, the UK's main opposition Conservative Party leader, called for “top-to-bottom” reform of the BBC, while the far-right Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “We cannot have the BBC being seen to be our main national news broadcaster if it cannot perform in a straightforward, simple, unbiased way.”
Media turmoil
The British newspaper The Times has also faced questions over its editorial standards in recent months. There was controversy after it published an apparent interview with former New York mayor Bill de Blasio about the policies of Zohran Mamdani, the city’s new mayor.
But it transpired the paper's senior journalist in the US had interviewed the wrong man, Bill DeBlasio, a Long Island wine importer. The story was withdrawn after the other Mr de Blasio complained.
The BBC's main terrestrial broadcasting rival ITV last week announced preliminary discussions with Sky for a buyout of its TV business, including the ITN news operation. Since 2018, Sky has been owned by Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal. That tie-up is also likely to face regulatory scrutiny because the combination would take up more than two thirds of television advertising.
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
ABU DHABI T10: DAY TWO
Bangla Tigers v Deccan Gladiators (3.30pm)
Delhi Bulls v Karnataka Tuskers (5.45pm)
Northern Warriors v Qalandars (8.00pm)
Mobile phone packages comparison
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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