Corporation says broadcasting of N-word by Tourette syndrome campaigner was ‘serious mistake’ as anger at error risesThe BBC is to undertake a fast-track investigation into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/24/bbc-apologises-to-staff-over-n-word-inclusion-as-bafta-announces-comprehensive-review">how a racial slur broadcast</a> during its coverage of the Bafta film awards was not edited out, amid rising anger inside the corporation over the error.Tim Davie, the outgoing director general, has now instructed the corporation’s complaints unit to investigate what the BBC describes as a “serious mistake”. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/25/bbc-to-conduct-fast-track-investigation-into-broadcasting-of-racial-slur-from-baftas">Continue reading...</a>

Corporation says broadcasting of N-word by Tourette syndrome campaigner was ‘serious mistake’ as anger at error rises

BBC to conduct fast-track investigation into broadcasting of racial slur from Baftas

Former Northern Ireland correspondent Vincent Kearney subjected to ‘unprecedented’ surveillance, says lawyerPolice and MI5 subjected a BBC journalist to a “long and consistent campaign of unlawful interference” by obtaining communications data from his mobile phone, a tribunal has heard.The surveillance was targeted at Vincent Kearney, who was the BBC’s Northern Ireland home affairs correspondent, and occurred over an eight-year period as authorities sought to identify his sources. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/25/police-mi5-interference-ex-bbc-journalist-vincent-kearney-tribunal">Continue reading...</a>

Former Northern Ireland correspondent Vincent Kearney subjected to ‘unprecedented’ surveillance, says lawyer

Police and MI5 waged campaign of illegal interference against BBC journalist, tribunal told

Committee to Protect Journalists report says Israel also to blame for 81% of ‘intentionally targeted’ journalist killings <ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2025/sep/01/israel-gaza-war-media-palestinian-journalists-killed-cpj">The deadly toll on journalists in the Gaza war</a></li></ul>A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed in the course of their work in 2025, two-thirds of them by Israeli forces, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).It was the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2024/dec/23/palestine-journalists-killed">second consecutive year</a> in which killings of members of the press reached unprecedented levels, and the second year running in which Israel was responsible for roughly two-thirds of the total, the New York-based independent organisation, which documents attacks on journalists worldwide, said in its annual report published on Wednesday. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/25/record-number-journalists-killed-2025-israel-gaza-war">Continue reading...</a>

Committee to Protect Journalists report says Israel also to blame for 81% of ‘intentionally targeted’ journalist killings

Israel responsible for two-thirds of record 129 press killings in 2025, says CPJ

<ul><li>Terrestrial channels seeking more legislative protection</li><li>Number of Labour MPs are understood to be supportive</li></ul>Public service broadcasters are making renewed attempts to persuade the government to expand the list of televised sport’s free-to-air “crown jewels”.A call from the then BBC director of sport, Barbara Slater, to add the Six Nations Championship <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/21/bbc-admits-it-may-not-be-able-to-afford-to-keep-six-nations-rugby">to the group A list of events</a> that must be offered to terrestrial channels was rejected three years ago, but a group of Labour MPs is understood to be working with broadcasters to force a change of policy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/25/mps-back-uk-tv-broadcasters-in-push-to-expand-sport-free-to-air-crown-jewels">Continue reading...</a>

Terrestrial channels seeking more legislative protection

MPs back UK broadcasters in push to expand sport’s free-to-air ‘crown jewels’

<ul><li>Goalhanger’s Tony Pastor says Serie A has ‘disappeared’</li><li>‘You have to embrace this idea of fragmentation’</li></ul>Football “has eaten almost every sport worldwide” thanks to its dominance of TV and digital markets, according to the head of the leading podcast production company Goalhanger.Tony Pastor, CEO of the studio behind the Rest is Football among other podcasts, said that broadcasters were struggling to get value for money for sports rights and that competitions should “embrace fragmentation” to reach audiences where they are. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/feb/25/football-digital-dominance-goalhanger-podcast-chief-tony-pastor">Continue reading...</a>

Goalhanger’s Tony Pastor says Serie A has ‘disappeared’

Football ‘has eaten almost every sport’ due to digital dominance, says podcast chief

In 1963, my friend George Bennett, who has died aged 91, saw an advertisement for a talks writer in the African section of what was then called BBC External Services and is now the World Service. This began his 26-year career in broadcasting to Africa, the last 13 of which he served as head of the BBC’s output to Africa in English, Swahili, Hausa and Somali.George had many skills. Probably the best of all was his ability to find talented people to make interesting radio programmes. Production staff in the African Service in the 1970s and early 80s were unimpressed by the way that the Bush House newsroom reported on Africa. As a result, its two English language daily news programmes, Focus on Africa and Network Africa, began to recruit their own team of stringers. This practice transformed the output. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/25/george-bennett-obituary">Continue reading...</a>

In 1963, my friend George Bennett, who has died aged 91, saw an advertisement for a talks writer in the African section of what was then called BBC Exter...

George Bennett obituary

Officers say flood of low-quality reports is draining resources and slowing cases amid New Mexico lawsuit<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/meta">Meta</a>’s use of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/artificialintelligenceai">artificial intelligence</a> software to moderate its social media platforms is generating large volumes of useless reports about cases of child sexual abuse, which are draining resources and hindering investigations, said officers from the US Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce.“We get a lot of tips from Meta that are just kind of junk,” Benjamin Zwiebel, a special agent with the ICAC taskforce in New Mexico, said last week during his testimony in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/02/meta-trial-new-mexico-social-media">state’s trial against Meta. The state’s attorney general </a>alleges the company’s platforms are putting profits over child safety. Meta disputes these allegations, citing changes it has introduced on its platforms, such as teen accounts with default protections. The ICAC taskforce is a nationwide network of law enforcement agencies coordinated with the US Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute online child exploitation and abuse cases. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/25/meta-ai-junk-child-abuse-tips-doj">Continue reading...</a>

Officers say flood of low-quality reports is draining resources and slowing cases amid New Mexico lawsuit

Meta’s AI sending ‘junk’ tips to DoJ, US child abuse investigators say

Court itself to search devices for documents related to national security inquiry as newspaper calls ruling ‘victory’A federal judge has prohibited the justice department from searching electronic devices it seized from a Washington Post reporter, ruling that the court will search the devices for documents related to a national security investigation itself.In his ruling, magistrate judge William Porter criticized the Trump administration for omitting relevant case law in its application for a search warrant to seize the devices in the first place, but acknowledged “the possibility that classified national security information may be among the seized material” complicated the matter. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/24/judge-blocks-washington-post-reporter-search-devices-doj">Continue reading...</a>

Court itself to search devices for documents related to national security inquiry as newspaper calls ruling ‘victory’

Judge blocks DoJ from searching Washington Post reporter’s seized devices

Streaming giants will be subject to same Ofcom scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBCNetflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ are to come under “enhanced regulation” by the UK media regulator, Ofcom, making the streaming giants subject to the same scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV.Under the new regulatory regime, which will also apply to public service broadcaster (PSB) video-on-demand services such as ITVX and Channel 4, the platforms will have to adhere to regulations relating to accurate and impartial news and protecting audiences from harmful and offensive material. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/24/netflix-disney-prime-video-uk-regulator-ofcom">Continue reading...</a>

Streaming giants will be subject to same Ofcom scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBC

Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video to come under stricter regulation in UK

By failing to remove John Davidson’s tic from the broadcast, editors let down both black and disabled peopleI attended the Bafta awards on Sunday. And I arrived early enough to hear the Tourette syndrome (TS) campaigner John Davidson, on whom the biographical film <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/09/i-swear-review-john-davidson-tourette-syndrome">I Swear</a> is based, be introduced. He stood up to wave and take in the applause, and we were told that due to his TS, we might expect to hear involuntary vocal outbursts, known as tics, and that we should understand that the Baftas are an inclusive space in which all people are welcome.Perhaps half the people were listening, others would have been on their phones or engaged in mild chatter. But the tics were instantly audible. When the host, Alan Cumming, was on stage we heard “boring” and there was laughter. When the outgoing chair of Bafta, Sara Putt, was speaking, we heard “shut the fuck up” and there was a mix of knowing silence and confusion. But, as you all now know, it was when Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award that the tics transmuted from things that would be read as benignly antisocial to more outright offensive, as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/24/the-dust-has-not-yet-settled-on-the-baftas-n-word-row-this-is-why">we heard the N-word</a>. There were gasps and whispers of “did he just say … ?”Jason Okundaye is an assistant Opinion editor at the GuardianDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters"> letters</a> section, please <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:guardian.letters@theguardian.com?body=Please%20include%20your%20name,%20full%20postal%20address%20and%20phone%20number%20with%20your%20letter%20below.%20Letters%20are%20usually%20published%20with%20the%20author%27s%20name%20and%20city/town/village.%20The%20rest%20of%20the%20information%20is%20for%20verification%20only%20and%20to%20contact%20you%20where%20necessary.">click here</a>. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/25/baftas-bbc-n-word-john-davidson-black-disabled-people">Continue reading...</a>

By failing to remove John Davidson’s tic from the broadcast, editors let down both black and disabled people

I was at the Baftas – and while hearing the N-word was unsettling, all anger should be aimed at the BBC | Jason Okundaye

The ability to conduct polite debate on social media, without amplifying menaces and lies, is a basic qualification for public officeThe impulse to post on social media often overwhelms judgment of what is appropriate to share. Knowing when not to succumb to that urge, exercising due diligence before passing on material that is flatly false or offensive, is an indispensable skill for politicians in the digital age. Or it should be.It is a test failed by Simon Evans, a Reform UK councillor and deputy leader on Lancashire council. Mr Evans <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/24/reform-uk-councillor-shared-facebook-post-saying-labour-mp-should-be-shot">shared a Facebook image</a> of Natalie&nbsp;Fleet, a Labour MP, featuring a fake quote – “I voted against the grooming gang enquiry”. The Bolsover MP has, in reality, campaigned to protect girls from sexual predators. An accompanying comment called for Ms&nbsp;Fleet to be shot. Mr Evans says he did not see the offending remark. He deleted the post and apologised, adding that “this sort of rhetoric has no place in our politics”. Reform UK investigated, concluded that it had been “an honest mistake” and that no further action was required.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters"> letters</a> section, please <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:guardian.letters@theguardian.com?body=Please%20include%20your%20name,%20full%20postal%20address%20and%20phone%20number%20with%20your%20letter%20below.%20Letters%20are%20usually%20published%20with%20the%20author%27s%20name%20and%20city/town/village.%20The%20rest%20of%20the%20information%20is%20for%20verification%20only%20and%20to%20contact%20you%20where%20necessary.">click here</a>. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/25/the-guardian-view-on-violent-online-rhetoric-all-politicians-have-a-duty-to-set-a-civil-tone">Continue reading...</a>

The ability to conduct polite debate on social media, without amplifying menaces and lies, is a basic qualification for public office

The Guardian view on violent online rhetoric: all politicians have a duty to set a civil tone | Editorial

The BBC is under fire over its failure to remove a racial slur shouted by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, from its broadcast of the Bafta awards. Davidson was heard shouting the N-word while two stars of the film Sinners, Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan, were on stage. He said controversy over the incident had left him “distraught” and that he had been assured any offensive words would be edited out. The BBC has apologised for the error and said producers overseeing the coverage did not hear the slur. Lucy Hough is joined by the Guardian’s assistant opinion editor Jason Okundaye – <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/@todayinfocuspodcast">watch on YouTube</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2026/feb/25/bbc-backlash-grows-after-bafta-racial-slur-the-latest">Continue reading...</a>

The BBC is under fire over its failure to remove a racial slur shouted by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, from its broadcast of the Bafta award...

BBC backlash grows after Bafta racial slur - The Latest

A string of documentaries are taking aim at problematic millennial hits such as The Biggest Loser and America’s Next Top Model – but who’s to blame?Caution: the 2000s have become a crime scene. The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/reality-tv">reality television</a> my generation once watched as escapist comfort – built hastily and clumsily, before anyone quite knew the rules – is now being dusted for fingerprints by a younger cohort fluent in the language of harm, certain that cruelty was the point. The past six months have brought a spate of brooding postmortems revisiting The Biggest Loser, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/27/to-catch-a-predator-sundance">To Catch a Predator</a> and America’s Next Top Model – dodgy network TV experiments that monetized humiliation at scale.And while the critiques are frequently justified, they’re also conveniently calibrated for a judgmental media landscape where retrospective outrage doubles as a growth strategy. “Gen Z wants to get in a time machine and fix the errors of 20 years ago,” says Kristen Warner, a Cornell University media studies professor. “There was no roadmap. Reality TV was a wild west, and people were just doing the most outlandish things to keep it going.” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/25/reality-tv-2000s-documentaries">Continue reading...</a>

A string of documentaries are taking aim at problematic millennial hits such as The Biggest Loser and America’s Next Top Model – but who’s to blame?

Reality bites: why the wildest TV shows of the 2000s are haunting us now

End of News Feed

Gushwork has raised $9 million in a seed round led by SIG and Lightspeed. The startup has seen early customer traction from AI search tools like ChatGPT.

Gushwork bets on AI search for customer leads — and early results are emerging

Seattle-based Vercept developed complex agentic tools, including a computer-use agent that could complete tasks inside applications like a person with a laptop would.

Seattle-based Vercept developed complex agentic tools, including a computer-use agent that could complete tasks inside applications like a person with a ...

Anthropic acquires computer-use AI startup Vercept after Meta poached one of its founders

"The demand for tokens in the world has gone completely exponential," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said about the company's earnings.

Nvidia has another record quarter amid record capex spends

Many hyperscalers have already made public commitments to cover electricity cost increases. 

The White House wants AI companies to cover rate hikes. Most have already said they would.

Under the first year of the Trump administration, the U.S. cyber agency CISA has faced cuts, layoffs, and furloughs, as bipartisan lawmakers and cybersecurity industry sources say the agency is unprepared to handle a crisis.

Under the first year of the Trump administration, the U.S. cyber agency CISA has faced cuts, layoffs, and furloughs, as bipartisan lawmakers and cybersec...

US cybersecurity agency CISA reportedly in dire shape amid Trump cuts and layoffs

Crypto is creeping back into the startup conversation, but at ETHDenver last week, the buzz was as much about Washington as it was about tokens. Policy shifts are rippling through the market as Tether and stablecoins face scrutiny, players like Stripe re-enter the conversation, and startups either find traction or flame out. The hype cycle is over, or at least taking a break. So what comes next?  On [&#8230;]

Crypto is creeping back into the startup conversation, but at ETHDenver last week, the buzz was as much about Washington as it was about tokens. Policy s...

Welcome to the post-hype crypto market

Nearly five years after graduating into an independent Alphabet company, Intrinsic is moving under Google's domain. 

Alphabet-owned robotics software company Intrinsic joins Google

Snapchat is the latest social media platform to launch awards for creators, joining TikTok and Instagram. 

Snapchat announces ‘The Snappys,’ its first-ever creator awards show

A tax accountant saw Elon Musk fans bidding up a Kalshi prediction market and saw a sure bet to make easy money.

An accountant won a big jackpot on Kalshi by betting against DOGE

The former boss of a U.S. hacking tools maker was jailed for selling highly sensitive software exploits to a Russian broker. This is how we first learned of his arrest, reported the story, and some of the unanswered questions we still have. 

The former boss of a U.S. hacking tools maker was jailed for selling highly sensitive software exploits to a Russian broker. This is how we first learned...

Inside the story of the US defense contractor who leaked hacking tools to Russia

The new privacy tech uses different types of pixels to let you block certain apps and notifications from being viewed by others. 

Samsung shows off new display tech that adds a privacy screen to apps and notifications

The wearable incentivizes healthy behavior with points that can be redeemed for health products. 

Wearable startup CUDIS launches a new health ring line with an AI-fueled ‘coach’

Kalshi fined the MrBeast editor, Artem Kaptur, over $20,000.

Kalshi fined a MrBeast editor for insider trading on markets related to the YouTube star

Public backlash over the data center boom is leading to a variety of draconian policies — including bans on new construction. 

The public opposition to AI infrastructure is heating up

Waymo this week will begin mapping and collecting data in Chicago and Charlotte. The move comes as Waymo announces it is currently operating its robotaxis fully autonomously in 10 US cities.  

Waymo this week will begin mapping and collecting data in Chicago and Charlotte. The move comes as Waymo announces it is currently operating its robotaxi...

Waymo to begin testing in Chicago and Charlotte

Gemini on Android will be able to automate tasks involving rideshare requests, or grocery or food delivery, says Google. 

Gemini can now automate some multi-step tasks on Android

COO Brad Lightcap noted that ads can add to the product experience of users if they are done right. He urged to give OpenAI a few months to see how the company fares in rolling out the product.

COO Brad Lightcap noted that ads can add to the product experience of users if they are done right. He urged to give OpenAI a few months to see how the c...

OpenAI COO says ads will be ‘an iterative process’

Peter Steinberger talks about the creation of his viral AI agent OpenClaw and how being more "playful" makes for a better way to learn AI coding. 

OpenClaw creator’s advice to AI builders is to be more playful and allow yourself time to improve

Apply to speak at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 by April 17 for a chance to lead a roundtable or breakout session for 1,000 founders and investors. If you’ve built, backed, or operated inside high-growth startups, your experience could shape how the next wave of founders scales. 

Apply to speak at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 by April 17 for a chance to lead a roundtable or breakout session for 1,000 founders and investors. If y...

Have hard-won scaling lessons to share? Take the stage at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 

General-purpose tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok are not designed for this use, making mental health professionals wary.

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