The BBC has identified several social media pages linked to operators in Sri Lanka and other countries that were allegedly involved in creating and amplifying AI-generated anti-immigration content targeting UK audiences.

According to the investigation by BBC Panorama and the Top Comment podcast, one of the main pages identified was “Great British People”, which claimed to be based in Yorkshire but was found to be operated by an individual in Sri Lanka.

Another page named “Britain Today”, which shared AI-generated protest and anti-migrant content, was also identified through Meta transparency tools as being based in Sri Lanka, according to the report.

The pages published AI-generated videos portraying a dystopian vision of Britain, including false scenes depicting Sharia law in Parliament, future UK cities in decline, and anti-immigration narratives designed to drive engagement.

The BBC said several interconnected accounts from Sri Lanka, the US, Vietnam, the Maldives and elsewhere were involved in promoting similar content, with some creators admitting they posted material to increase engagement and generate revenue.

The report noted that while some operators appeared motivated by clicks and monetisation, experts warned such content could also contribute to wider influence campaigns and misinformation efforts. (Newswire)

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Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the BBC over its editing of a speech he made to supporters in Washington before they stormed the US Capitol in 2021, requesting up to $10bn in damages.

The US president alleged the broadcaster “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively” edited his 6 January speech before the insurrection, in an episode of Panorama just over a year ago.

In a complaint filed on Monday evening, Trump sought $5bn in damages each on two counts: alleging that the BBC defamed him, and that violated Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The Panorama edit, taken from sections of his speech almost an hour apart, suggested Trump told the crowd: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.”

The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. It has previously acknowledged the editing was an “error of judgment” and apologized to Trump, but insisted there was no legal basis for a defamation claim.

Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and Deborah Turness, the head of BBC News, resigned over the affair last month. They announced their departures at the height of a crisis sparked by allegations of “serious and systemic problems” in the BBC’s coverage of issues including Trump, Gaza and trans issues.

The claims were leveled by Michael Prescott, a PR executive and former independent external adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), in a memo sent to the broadcaster’s board, and eventually leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

Trump has long tried to used legal threats and lawsuits to pressure news companies that produce coverage he does not like. His lawsuit against the BBC takes this campaign global.

It was filed at the US district court for the southern district of Florida – even though BBC iPlayer, the main streaming platform that carries Panorama, and BBC One, the main TV channel that broadcasts it, are not available in the US. The episode never aired in the US.

A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team nevertheless claimed the edits of his speech, which were aired a week before the 2024 presidential election, amounted to a “brazen attempt” to interfere in the contest.

“The BBC has a long pattern of deceiving its audience in coverage of President Trump, all in service of its own leftist political agenda,” the spokesperson said. “President Trump’s powerhouse lawsuit is holding the BBC accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing.”

The Florida court has jurisdiction over this case, Trump’s lawsuit argued, because the BBC is “engaged in substantial and not isolated business activities” in the state. It pointed to the BBC’s website and BritBox, a streaming platform it operates in several markets including the US.

Trump had teased the lawsuit earlier on Monday, telling reporters at the Oval Office: “In a little while, you’ll be seeing I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth. Literally, they put words in my mouth. They had me saying things that I never said coming out.”

Since his re-election last November, Trump has scored several high-profile legal wins against big media firms in the US. ABC, owned by Disney, agreed to pay $15m as part of a settlement over a defamation lawsuit he brought following comments made by the anchor George Stephanopoulos.

In July, Trump also reached a $16m settlement with Paramount, parent of CBS News, over what he claimed was false editing of a pre-election interview with the Democratic candidate for president, Kamala Harris.

While many legal experts viewed the case as easily winnable for Paramount, company leadership viewed it as a distraction – particularly as it sought federal government approval for a merger with Skydance Media.

In Trump’s complaint against the BBC, his legal team writes: “The BBC, faced with overwhelming and justifiable outrage on both sides of the Atlantic, has publicly admitted its staggering breach of journalistic ethics, and apologized, but has made no showing of actual remorse for its wrongdoing nor meaningful institutional changes to prevent future journalistic abuses.

“Accordingly, President Trump brings this action for compensatory and punitive damages for the extensive reputational harm inflicted upon him by the defendants.”

Trump has repeatedly denied responsibility for the insurrection in January 2021, which was aimed at blocking Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s win over Trump in the 2020 US presidential election.

Following his return to office earlier this year, Trump pardoned hundreds of people who had been involved in the attack, including some convicted of violent acts.

On Monday, press freedom campaigners urged the BBC to stand strong and “fight back”.

“You don’t get to call out any alleged journalistic blunder and demand $10bn,” Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press foundation, said. “It’s preposterous for Trump to claim those damages when he won the 2024 election and hasn’t lost a penny because of the BBC’s editing.

“It’s also absurd for him to claim associating him with January 6 is defamatory after he spent years insisting nothing bad happened that day and then pardoned those involved. And it’s similarly outrageous that his claims are based on supposedly damaging implications of his using the word ‘fight’. He sells T-shirts with that word on them.” (The Guardian)

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The BBC weather has forecast heavy rain for Sri Lanka, especially Colombo, in the next few days.

According to BBC Weather’s Louise Lear, a cloud over the Bay of Bengal could develop into a storm this week. 

“The storm is going to drift its way towards steadily westwards. Whether it becomes a storm or not, it will bring some intensified rain across parts of Sri Lanka during the latter stages of Monday and into Tuesday,” Louise Lear said. 

She further said that the rainy weather conditions are moving towards Sri Lanka, with the country heading towards some unsettled spells of heavy rain from time to time. 

Watch : https://www.bbc.com/weather/1248991 (Newswire)

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A recent episode of the BBC documentary series Ambulance has brought to light the harrowing story of a Sri Lankan student living homeless in London while seeking asylum.

The episode, which aired in April, follows emergency medical crew members Hannah and Niall as they respond to a call involving a suicidal individual living in a car park.

The patient, identified only as Nadeera, tells the crew he arrived in the UK to study at a university but became homeless due to financial difficulties.

According to the program, Nadeera is unable to pay for tuition or living expenses and is seeking asylum following the reported shooting death of his uncle in Sri Lanka, who had funded his expenses in the UK.

He expresses frustration at receiving no assistance from UK authorities, stating they are “passing the ball” regarding his asylum and welfare support.

Without access to financial aid or mental health services, Nadeera tells the crew he has been living in a car park.

He says he has no contact with fellow students, who avoid him due to his living situation. He also describes being assaulted by a drug user but declined medical treatment out of fear he would lose his sleeping spot in the car park.

Moved by his account, the ambulance crew makes a safeguarding referral in hopes that social services can intervene. Nadeera expresses deep gratitude, saying they were the first people to listen to him and offer help.

The episode concludes by stating that, despite receiving no formal support while homeless, Nadeera secured a job and permanent housing through the kindness of a stranger after two years. (Newswire)

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The BBC Office in New Delhi, India was on Tuesday (February 14, 2023) raided by the Income Tax Department. 

According to Zee News, the raids were reportedly conducted at BBC’s Office at Kasturba Gandhi Marg. 

As per the latest reports, a team of 60-70 members of the IT department is currently carrying out raids at the BBC Office and the employees have been asked to not use their phones.

Congress, TMC react after BBC Office in Delhi Raided by IT Dept 

Congress reacted to searches at the BBC office by the IT department and called it an “undeclared emergency”.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also took a jibe at the Narendra Modi government and said, “Wow, really? How unexpected.”

The searches at the BBC Office come amid a controversy over a BBC documentary regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Last month, the government issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial documentary. (NewsWire)

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