UK government asks regulator Ofcom to review Russia Today's broadcast in UK
February 23, 2022, 5:42 pm

UK government asks regulator Ofcom to review Russia Today's broadcast in UK

UK-Westminster-London/Pixabay

The BBC reported, the UK government has asked media watchdog Ofcom to review the Russia Today (RT) news channel's broadcasts in the UK.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries told Ofcom the channel "is demonstrably part of Russia's global disinformation campaign" during the Ukraine crisis.

She said: "It is essential that the UK looks to limit Russia's ability to spread their propaganda at home."

Ofcom said it has "already stepped up our oversight of coverage" of the crisis by broadcasters in the UK.

The Russian foreign ministry said it would take retaliatory steps against British journalists if the UK restricts Russian media.

The Kremlin-backed channel, which is available to millions of homes in the UK, said the UK government was interfering in institutions like Ofcom that were supposedly free from political pressure.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the channel as the "personal propaganda tool" of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and called on Boris Johnson to review its licence.

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The prime minister replied that the culture secretary "has already asked Ofcom to review that matter".

He added: "But what I will say is that we live in a in a democracy, and we live in a country that believes in in free speech. And I think it's important that we should leave it up to Ofcom rather than to politicians to decide which media organisations to ban. That's what Russia does."

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In her letter to the regulator, Ms Dorries said she was concerned that the channel would "look to spread harmful disinformation about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine here in the UK".

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes replied: "Recognising the serious nature of the crisis in Ukraine, we have been keeping the situation under close review and have already stepped up our oversight of coverage of these events by broadcasters in the UK.

"We are expediting complaints in this area as a matter of urgency and we will not hesitate to take swift action where necessary. I am confident that we have the full range of enforcement tools at our disposal and our track record shows that when we find a breach of our rules, we can and do take action."

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On Wednesday, RT deputy editor-in-chief Anna Belkina said: "Always a joy to see Western and particularly British politicians finally drop their hypocritical disguise in favour of open interference in institutions they touted as supposedly totally independent and wholly free from political pressure and interference."

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”