LONDON: The BBC named a former Google executive with no television or journalism experience as its next director-general on Wednesday (Mar 25).

The long-expected appointment of Matt Brittin to the high-profile role comes as the under-fire British broadcaster faces drastic shifts in the media landscape and a US$10 billion lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump.

Brittin, 57, said he was honoured to be appointed at a "moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity".

"Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast-changing world," he added.

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The British-born executive was president for over a decade of Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa division, which earns around a third of its revenue. He had previously worked as a consultant for McKinsey.

Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC board, said Brittin "brings to the BBC deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly complex organisation through transformation".

He "is an outstanding leader and has the skills needed to navigate the organisation through the many changes taking place in the media market", Shah added.

Brittin's name has been circulating in the UK media for weeks, after the current director-general, Tim Davie, resigned in November over the editing of a documentary about Trump.

The Times wrote that appointing a tech executive with no broadcasting experience "has raised some eyebrows".

"While his experience in the world of big tech could be an advantage, Mr Brittin will have to quickly demonstrate a commitment to public service broadcasting," opposition lawmaker Caroline Dinenage told the daily.

A columnist at the right-wing Daily Telegraph wrote that Brittin was "just what the BBC doesn't need: a new Lefty boss".

Davie, who has held the BBC post since 2020, will step down on Apr 2, and Brittin will take on the challenging role on May 18.

The BBC had described it as one of "the most important, high-profile public posts in the UK".

Brittin stepped down from Google last year after 18 years saying he wanted a break.

"DR WHO" FAN

Last year, he became a fellow of the Royal Television Society, which hands out prestigious awards.

In his acceptance speech, he admitted to "imposter syndrome".

He voiced admiration for the British television industry, which he had "been trying to get into for a very long time", saying his favourite shows included cult BBC sci-fi series "Doctor Who".

Brittin updated his LinkedIn profile on Wednesday after the appointment was announced, saying "Got a job" and "Gap year: completed".

He grew up in southern England and was educated at the University of Cambridge, but he has said his late father grew up in a small shop in London with "BBC wireless (radio) for news and entertainment".

He represented Great Britain at the Olympics as a rower after competing in the university Boat Race against Oxford as a student.

Early in his career, he worked at Trinity Mirror newspaper group, now called Reach, in non-journalistic roles.

Last year, he was made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to technology and digital skills.

"UNDER PRESSURE"

The BBC said earlier this month it had formally asked a US federal court in Florida to dismiss Trump's lawsuit over the editing of a speech he gave to supporters ahead of the US Capitol riot in 2021 in a BBC documentary.

The film was "never aired in Florida - or the US" or available to stream there on any platform, a BBC spokesperson said.

Brittin takes up the job at a politically sensitive time for the BBC, which is due to renegotiate the Royal Charter that outlines the corporation's governance. Its current charter will end next year.

A sizeable proportion of the BBC's income comes from the licence fee, which is payable by all UK households with a television, or whose occupants watch live screening online.

But the BBC lost more than £1.1 billion in revenues last year as fewer homes felt the need to apply for one, a parliamentary committee report said in November.

It also found that while the BBC remained "a trusted institution", it was "under pressure", struggling to retain its foothold in an evolving media landscape and among younger people.

SYDNEY: On Mar 11, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced he saw “no possibility” of the country’s men’s national football team taking part in the World Cup scheduled for June and July in North America.

That prognosis came in the wake of the United States and Israel's military attacks on Iran, which have triggered a crisis across the Middle East.

Never before has a World Cup host nation been at war with one of the countries participating in the tournament.

The failure to find a diplomatic solution to longstanding multilateral tensions has not only impacted the supply of oil and trade routes, it has complicated one of the world’s largest sporting events.

PRIZING PEACE, ENACTING WAR

In 2025, Gianni Infantino, president of football's governing body FIFA, announced the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize”.

FIFA, he said, intended to recognise “the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations”.

In January, US President Donald Trump was deemed the most worthy recipient of this accolade.

That is despite a litany of conduct at odds with the award, such as the US partnering Israel in the Gaza conflict, as well as the Trump administration’s “rapid authoritarian shift”, which has brought a substantial decline in civic freedoms at home.

Two months after Trump received his “peace prize”, the US partnered with Israel to provoke war against Iran.

Little wonder some critics have argued Trump’s award ought to be revoked.

WILL IRAN BE WELCOME AT THE WORLD CUP?

After meeting Infantino on Mar 10, Trump provided assurance the Iranian team would be “welcome to compete”.

Soon after, though, Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform there would not be a welcome mat: “I really don’t believe it’s appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

This veiled warning prompted a rebuke from the Iranian team, which insisted “no individual could exclude a country from the World Cup”, and that it was the responsibility of a host nation to provide security guarantees for participants.

The players want to take part, even if their national sports minister feels it is a forlorn hope.

At this stage, scheduled friendly games against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Turkey, intended as preparation for the World Cup, are going ahead.

PITCH PERAMBULATIONS

Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage games in California and Seattle at the World Cup. Competing in the United States is a sticking point for the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), which is responsible for the team.

FFIRI head Mehdi Taj stated: “We will prepare for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup.”

The Iranian hope, therefore, is the team be permitted to play in either Canada or Mexico, which are co-hosting with the US.

Mexico appears willing to play ball. On Mar 17, President Claudia Sheinbaum stated: “The nation stands prepared to host Iran’s group-stage matches should circumstances require.” FIFA though said it was unwilling to move Iran’s matches from the US.

For the Iranians, the ability to take part seems more important than chasing a trophy. Teams that make the final will play at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium and Iran does not wish to play in the US.

Meanwhile, FIFA is privately pondering contingency arrangements should Iran not take part. This includes making Iran’s place in the tournament vacant – which would mean a walkover for opponents – or replacing it with a team from either Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, both of which narrowly missed qualifying via the Asian Football Confederation pathway.

That said, Iraq is already scheduled to play the winner of a match between Bolivia and Suriname for a spot in the World Cup. The UAE lost to Iraq in the relevant Asian Confederation match, yet should Iraq win its intercontinental playoff match, the team from the Emirates might be given a FIFA free kick into the World Cup.

POLITICAL FOOTBALL

FIFA states it is a “politically neutral” body. But this has not stopped it excluding Russia from qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.

FIFA insists it did so for operational reasons: Many countries refused to play against Russia, and if games were scheduled there would be concerns about security.

Privately, Infantino might be relieved Israel did not qualify for the World Cup, as both of these considerations may have come to light in the wake of the Gaza war and more recent attacks against Lebanon and Iran.

The withdrawal (or banning) of a team from the World Cup or qualifying matches has happened on a few occasions.

In 1950, travel costs to South America were a problem for India, Turkey and France, who all withdrew from that tournament, while Scotland declined to participate after losing the British Home Championship to England.

In 1958, Indonesia withdrew from qualifying after refusing to play Israel.

In 1994, Yugoslavia was banned from qualifying matches after the United Nations instituted a sport boycott against Serbia and Montenegro in respect of the Balkan conflict.

In each of these cases there were no follow-up penalties by FIFA.

If Iran withdraws from the World Cup, will FIFA sanction the FFIRI and, by extension, the national men’s team? A yellow card is feasible – a financial penalty. A red card is also possible – such as exclusion from the 2030 World Cup.

However, FIFA has the discretion not to impose any penalty, especially as the circumstances go beyond sport and have no parallel in World Cup history.

Daryl Adair is Associate Professor of Sport Management at University of Technology Sydney. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.

CRISIS WARNING

The woman alleged to have shot up Rihanna's luxury Los Angeles home pleaded not guilty to attempted murder when she appeared in court on Wednesday (Mar 25), as details emerged of a near miss for the global megastar.

The Umbrella singer and her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, were in an Airstream trailer on the sprawling property when 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz is alleged to have opened fire.

Rihanna told police she heard the sound of several rounds hitting the trailer, and opened the curtains to find bullet holes in the windshield directly in front of where she was standing.

She said she got A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, out of bed and told him they were being shot at as they both ducked to the ground, before rushing inside the property to make sure their three children and staff were safe.

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Police said about 20 rounds had been fired. In addition to the trailer, they hit a patio area and a nursery room wall.

Bullet holes were also found at a neighbouring property, a Los Angeles Police Department crime summary said.

Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott told Los Angeles County Superior Court the gunfire from an assault-style rifle had erupted at a time several people were at home "putting numerous lives at risk" in the Mar 8 incident.

He said Ortiz, who was arrested in a vehicle with a rifle, ammunition and a disguise – a wig – had behaved in a manner that was "extremely dangerous".

Ortiz, who is from Florida, entered not guilty pleas to one count of attempted murder involving Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, along with 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

She also denied two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling and one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle, as well as allegations that she personally and intentionally discharged a rifle.

The defendant was ordered to return to court Apr 8, and is being held in pre-trial detention after failing to pay a US$1.875 million bail.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle also ordered that she not practise as a speech-language pathologist in California, where she has been licensed since 2016, while the criminal case is pending.

Ortiz could face life imprisonment without parole if convicted.

Entertainment news outlet TMZ reported Ortiz has previously been involuntarily committed.

A Facebook page that appears to belong to her includes a number of videos and posts that refer to celebrities including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B. 

One post tags Rihanna, whom she challenged "to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I'm not at". 

In another video, she claims Rihanna wants to kill her.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in May during his first visit to China in eight years, a closely watched trip postponed due to the ongoing Iran war.

Trump's effort to reschedule the trip reflected the Republican president's eagerness to project confidence in a challenging Middle East war and simultaneously to manage a tense relationship between the world's biggest economies.

Initially slated to travel next week, Trump will now visit Beijing on May 14 and 15, he said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday (Mar 25). Trump added that he would host Xi for a reciprocal visit in Washington later this year.

"Our Representatives are finalising preparations for these Historic Visits," Trump said. "I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event."

China’s embassy said it had no information to provide on the announcement of the visit. Beijing normally does not detail Xi's schedule more than a ​few days in ⁠advance.

The long-scheduled trip - and Washington's broader effort to reset relations in the Asia Pacific region - have been repeatedly overtaken by events.

In February, the Supreme Court curtailed the US president's power to impose tariffs, a source of leverage for Trump in negotiations with the US' third-biggest trading partner. Later that month, Trump's joint military operation with Israel against Iran introduced a new point of tension with Beijing, Tehran's main oil buyer.

Trump's last trip to China, in 2017, was the most recent by a US president. Trump's visit in May will be the leaders' first in-person talks since an October meeting in South Korea, where they agreed on a trade truce.

WHITE HOUSE SAYS XI UNDERSTANDS TRUMP'S REASONS FOR DELAY

The two-day trip is set to combine the lavish pomp and circumstance that has become a feature of Trump's trips abroad with hard-nosed diplomacy.

While the two sides could strike goodwill agreements in Beijing on trade in agriculture and airplane parts, they are also expected to discuss areas of deep tension like Taiwan, where little progress is expected.

Trump has dramatically ramped up US arms sales to Taiwan during his second term in office. The moves have angered Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory.

It is also not clear whether the war with Iran, which has shaken the global economy, will be settled by the time of the Xi-Trump meeting.

Trump has sought support from the world's major oil consumers, including China, to help counter Iran's efforts to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's request for assistance so far has largely been rebuffed. China, which imported around 12 million barrels of oil daily during the first two months of ​2026, the most in the world, has ​not directly responded to ⁠his request.

Asked whether the war could wind down in time for the China trip, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that "we've always estimated approximately four to six weeks. So you could do the math on that."

Leavitt also said Trump and Xi spoke about rescheduling the trip and that Xi had understood the reasons for doing so.

"President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now," she said.

LOS ANGELES: Alphabet's Google and Meta were found liable on Wednesday (Mar 25) for designing platforms that are dangerous for teens, in a landmark verdict that could force tech firms to rethink how they defend themselves against safety claims.

The verdict could mark a turning point in the global backlash against their platforms' perceived mental health harms to kids and teens, more than two decades after the emergence of social media.

The jury found Meta liable for US$4.2 million in damages and Google for US$1.8 million, small amounts for two of the world's most valuable companies. Meta said in January it expects its capital spending for 2026 to be between US$115 billion and US$135 billion. Alphabet said the same month it expects to spend between US$175 billion and US$185 billion in 2026.

The case involves a 20-year-old woman, a minor when the case began who is known in court by her first name Kaley. She said she became addicted to Google's YouTube and Meta's Instagram at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design. The jury found Google and Meta were negligent in the design of both apps and failed to warn about their dangers.

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"Today’s verdict is a referendum - from a jury, to an entire industry - that accountability has arrived," the plaintiff's lead counsel said in a statement.

Shares of Meta were up nearly 1 per cent and Alphabet shares were slightly lower, little changed after the verdict.

Meta disagrees with the verdict and its lawyers are "evaluating our legal options," a company spokesperson said. Google plans to appeal, said company spokesperson José Castañeda.

The plaintiff in the Los Angeles proceeding focused on platform design rather than content, making it harder for the companies to avert liability.

The verdict is a "setback" for Meta and Google, said Gil Luria, a technology sector analyst at investment firm DA Davidson.

"This process will likely get dragged out through future cases and appeals, but eventually may cause these companies to put in consumer safeguards that may dampen growth," he said.

Snap and TikTok were also defendants in the trial. Both settled with the plaintiff before it began. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

MOUNTING CRITICISM

Large technology companies in the US have faced mounting criticism in the last decade over child and teen safety. The debate has now shifted to courts and state governments. The US Congress has declined to pass comprehensive legislation regulating social media.

At least 20 states enacted laws last year on social media usage and children, according to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization that tracks state laws.

The legislation includes bills that regulate the use of cellphones in schools and require users to verify their ages to open a social media account. NetChoice, a trade association backed by tech companies such as Meta and Google, is seeking to invalidate age verification requirements in court.

A separate social media addiction case brought by several states and school districts against technology companies is expected to go to trial this summer in federal court in Oakland, California.

Another state trial is slated to begin in Los Angeles in July, said Matthew Bergman, one of the attorneys leading the cases for the plaintiffs. It will involve Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat.

Separately, a New Mexico jury on Tuesday found Meta violated state law in a lawsuit brought by the state's attorney general, who accused the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and of enabling child sexual exploitation on those platforms.

LONDON: Hundreds of British teenagers will trial social media bans and time limits on apps as part of consultations over new measures to keep children safe online, the government announced Wednesday (Mar 25).

The pilot comes as the government seeks views from parents on whether to follow Australia and issue a blanket ban on social media for children under 16.

Three hundred youngsters aged 13 to 17 will try out different restrictions on social media use over six weeks to gauge the impact on their schoolwork, sleep and family life.

Some will have their social media apps disabled entirely, while others will have no access to them overnight, said the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

A third group will have a one-hour-per-day cap on the most popular apps for teenagers, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The results will be compared to a fourth set of children who will continue to receive unlimited access.

"We are determined to give young people the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future," said technology minister Liz Kendall.

"These pilots will give us the evidence we need to take the next steps, informed by the experiences of families themselves."

Australia in December became the first nation to prohibit people under the age of 16 from using immensely popular and profitable social media platforms.

Several other countries are considering similar bans, including France where lawmakers in January passed a bill that would prohibit use by under-15s, which still needs final approval.

The British government has launched a consultation on a potential Australia-style ban, which will also look at measures including age restrictions and banning addictive features like scrolling.

Earlier this month, British MPs struck down proposals by the upper House of Lords chamber to ban social media for under-16s while it awaits the outcome of the consultation, due to close on May 26.

British public figures including actor Hugh Grant have urged the government to back a prohibition, saying parents alone cannot counter social media harms.

But some experts warn restrictions could be easily circumvented and would rather that tech platforms focus on making their sites safer.

Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not ruled out a ban.

GENEVA: The UN Human Rights Council will hold a second urgent debate on Friday (Mar 27) on a deadly strike on an Iranian school, after having condemned Tehran's attacks on its Gulf neighbours.

Council president Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro announced the debate on the "protection of children and educational institutions in international armed conflicts" to the United Nations' top rights body on Wednesday.

The debate, requested by Iran, China and Cuba, explicitly refers to the airstrike on a school in the southern city of Minab on the first day of the war on Feb 28.

A US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting mistake, according to the preliminary findings of a US military investigation reported by The New York Times newspaper.

Iranian diplomat Somayeh Karimdoost described the attack "as a grave breach of international humanitarian law and international human rights law" in an address to the council on Wednesday.

The attack killed 168 children between the ages of seven and 12 and wounded many others, she said.

All three countries requesting the debate expected the matter would get "the urgent and serious consideration it warrants within this council", she added.

The council - which had just concluded a first urgent debate linked to the Middle East war - approved without a vote the holding of a second such debate on Friday.

Wednesday's debate, requested by Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Jordan, focused exclusively on Iran's strikes on countries across the Gulf region and their impact on civilians.

The 47-member council approved by consensus a resolution condemning Iran's "egregious attacks" on its Gulf neighbours, calling for swift "reparation" to all victims of its strikes.

SEOUL: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko began his first official visit to North Korea on Wednesday (Mar 25), with the two countries united by Western sanctions, closeness to Russia and accusations of rights violations.

Belarusian state news agency Belta reported that that the two sides would sign during the two-day visit a treaty of friendship and cooperation.

Both nations have provided Moscow assistance with its war in Ukraine, with Pyongyang dispatching ground troops and weapons and Minsk serving as a launchpad for Russia's invasion in 2022.

Kim Jong Un and Lukashenko met in September in Beijing when they attended a military parade at Tiananmen Square, where the North Korean leader reportedly extended an invitation.

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The visit is intended to "show solidarity" among nations opposed to the Western order, Lee Ho-ryung of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses told AFP.

"Kim will try to use the occasion to raise its diplomatic profile and strengthen solidarity among the so-called anti-Western bloc," she said.

In a letter to Lukashenko earlier this month, Kim said he was "willing to expand and develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation ... to a new, higher stage in line with the demands of the new era", the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The Belarusian leader in return said that "Minsk affirms it has an interest in actively expanding political and economic ties with Pyongyang at all levels".

Belta quoted Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov as saying that in addition to the treaty of friendship and cooperation, the two sides would agree to cooperate in an array of fields from agriculture to information.

"Our greatest interest ... is strengthening truly friendly, partnership relations. We have friends here, and they are waiting for us. Just as we await them in Belarus," Ryzhenkov said.

PRISON CAMPS

North Korea has been under a barrage of Western sanctions, mostly due to its nuclear weapons programme and missiles activity, but also because of its support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have estimated that the North has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia, primarily to the Kursk region, along with artillery shells, missiles and rocket systems.

Around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded, according to estimates from South Korea.

Analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, food and energy supplies from Russia in return. President Vladimir Putin visited in 2024.

This has enabled Pyongyang to lessen dependence on its main long-term backer, China.

International rights organisations accuse the North Korean regime of torture, public executions, prison camps, forced labour and restrictions on the freedom of expression and movement.

CRACKDOWN

Lukashenko meanwhile has moved Minsk deeper into Russia's orbit and come down hard on any dissent inside the country during his three decades in power.

The West had heavily sanctioned Minsk over its role in facilitating the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as a crackdown on protests in 2020.

But US President Donald Trump has sought to build ties with Belarus in his second term, easing sanctions and welcoming it to his "Board of Peace".

Belarus has released dozens of prisoners in recent months, largely due to US efforts, including 250 earlier this month.

But it still holds hundreds of political prisoners in its jails, many of whom were arrested after the 2020 election that saw a landslide victory for Lukashenko seen as a sham by the opposition.

Trump met Kim in his first term and there has been speculation of a re-run when the US president makes his delayed upcoming visit to China.