The BBC has been accused of “brainwashing” children after a Mail on Sunday investigation alleged that its education website promotes “extreme” left-wing positions on migration, Net Zero and inequality to millions of pupils.

BBC Bitesize, a resource promoted by almost every UK state school, encourages children to play an online game called Increasing Immigration. Players are rewarded for selecting policies including “open borders” and an amnesty for illegal migrants.

The website also suggests that people who argue migrants could take jobs from local workers are “prejudiced”, while presenting a series of claims about the economic advantages of migration.

Pupils are also encouraged to campaign for controversial Net Zero policies and join human rights organisations such as Amnesty International. The site praises the Black Lives Matter movement and left-wing activists including Greta Thunberg.

The findings are likely to intensify allegations of political bias at the broadcaster, following a series of controversies that have damaged the BBC’s reputation, including the editing of a speech by Donald Trump.

The investigation comes at a pivotal point for the Corporation, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expected to publish a White Paper on the BBC’s charter renewal before Christmas.

BBC director general Matt Brittin has promised to address concerns about bias by introducing technology to track how frequently particular words and phrases are used.

Danny Cohen, a former controller of BBC television, called last night for an urgent investigation into the findings.

“The BBC needs to explain why its educational website is pushing extreme left-wing ideologies to schoolchildren,” he said. “There is such a lack of balance in so many areas of the BBC’s output that it cannot be seriously defended as coincidental.”

Launched in 1998, BBC Bitesize is one of Britain’s largest education websites. Half of all children aged between four and 16 reportedly use it, with almost 1.7 million pupils accessing the service each week.

BBC executives have described the service as a central part of the broadcaster’s founding “Reithian” mission to “inform, educate and entertain”.

The Mail on Sunday reviewed BBC Bitesize material aimed at pre-GCSE secondary school pupils aged between 11 and 14.

One example examined by the newspaper is Increasing Immigration, a game in which pupils make decisions designed to increase the number of people entering the country.

Every option carries a budget “cost”. After making a choice, players are shown its claimed impact on the economy, public health and the environment.

Instructions for the Roblox-hosted game state: “We don’t have enough people of working age to keep our society running smoothly. We should try to attract migrant workers and incorporate them into our economy.”

In one scenario, pupils are told that “a few” immigrants are living in the country without valid visas or permission. They can choose either to deport them or grant an amnesty. Deportation costs one point in the economy and one in public health, and players are warned: “This can be potentially dangerous for them [the immigrants]. Don’t expect this to be unchallenged!”

By contrast, players who choose an amnesty are told that “this will make them very happy” and receive two points in both the economy and public health categories.

In another scenario, geography pupils are told that allowing people to cross the border easily “could really help grow our economy”. They can select “open borders”, which raises the economy score by three points and public health by two, or reject the policy as “too radical” and receive no points.

Those who opt for open borders receive the optimistic message: ‘I’m excited to see where this goes!’ In contrast, pupils who select ‘too radical’ are told: ‘Perhaps you’re right to be cautious.’

A third example involves ‘poorly-paid, demanding’ jobs available in food processing. Pupils are told hiring locals costs the fictional budget two points, but employing migrants costs one. In this scenario, each option boosts the economy by the same amount, but hiring migrants costs players less.

The BBC this weekend said players are not rewarded for choosing political positions and that points are also awarded for training local people and for closing borders.

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott last night demanded the BBC remove the game from its website. ‘The BBC has crossed a line,’ she said. ‘They have a duty to remain impartial, and yet they are using learning tools as a vehicle to push a Left-wing political agenda onto young children.

‘Advocating open borders encourages illegal small boat crossings. These are the type of toxic resources dressed up as education which should be nowhere near the classroom.’

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Accompanying material for teachers explains the game is set in ‘Southern Europe’, although this is unclear when playing.

Elsewhere on the Bitesize website, learning material is littered with contested claims about the economic benefits of migration.

Citizenship pupils in Northern Ireland are told that while immigrants can put pressure on housing and hospital waiting lists, they also ‘contribute more in tax income that they use in services’ and ‘make a significant contribution to the economy: they fill skills gaps, pay taxes, and spend money’.

Geography pupils in Wales, meanwhile, are told that migrants pump a ‘staggering amount of money’ into the economy.

The website does not, however, make clear that the economic impact of migrants varies greatly depending on their skills and the type of visa they have been issued.

Those on skilled worker visas do contribute more in tax than they use in services but care workers and the immigrant relatives of British citizens have a negative fiscal impact, Oxford University’s respected Migration Observatory has found.

The Northern Ireland study material also states: ‘Some people may think that migrants take jobs from local people. This view likely arises from prejudice.’

Another part of the website lists twice as many benefits for migration compared to disadvantages.

BBC Bitesize also appears to be advocating a world without borders. A video for Welsh geography students states: ‘As technology evolves… the question remains: can we learn to live with globalisation? And with it, fulfil the promise of a truly borderless world.’

Former BBC boss Mr Cohen added: ‘Parents ought to be deeply concerned that the BBC is encouraging children to conform to extreme ideas such as open borders. It is yet another unacceptable failure of the BBC’s requirement to ensure impartiality.’

A video on the website also describes the contentious Net Zero policy as an ‘important goal’ and suggests that pupils could ‘petition your local government to act’. Another video, for students in Wales, states: ‘For us to reach Net Zero in Wales, we’ll have to do things differently. We may need to fly less, eat less meat or stick to sustainably farmed meat.’

But mainstream politicians have rejected that idea. Sir Keir Starmer last year said tackling climate change ‘does not mean telling people how to run their lives’.

BBC Bitesize material also hails a string of Left-wing and progressive ‘political’ icons, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and 1980s campaign group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners.

A video asks if pupils joined Ms Thunberg’s school protests, when pupils skipped Friday classes to campaign against climate change.

Elsewhere it says that a statue to US anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass in Belfast is a ‘reminder that anti-racism movements such as Black Lives Matter in Belfast and across Ireland are one with the movements of the rest of the world’.’

The website also says Black Lives Matter ‘campaigns for freedom, justice and equality’. It does not, however, acknowledge how the movement in the UK became highly contentious after it was hijacked by far-Left activists who want to tear down capitalism and abolish the police.

In another video about reducing inequality, the presenter states that ‘the world becomes a fairer place when we take every cause as our own’ and, over footage of a Pride flag, says ‘I will always be an ally to those shouting for equality’.

It also shows demonstrations featuring placards emblazoned with ‘Black Muslim Lives Matter’ and ‘Refugees Welcome’.

In a different section about slavery, Bitesize tells pupils to ‘join and campaign’ with groups such as Amnesty International.

The UK arm of the charity was widely criticised earlier this year after describing gender-critical organisations and a woman’s refuge backed by J. K. Rowling as ‘anti-rights’ groups. It later withdrew the report and referred itself to the Charity Commission.

Alex Burghart, Shadow Cabinet Office Secretary, said: ‘The BBC was set up to inform, educate and entertain –- not misinform, re-educate and brainwash.’ And former Tory Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP said: ‘The mask has slipped and the BBC has yet again betrayed its rampant Left-wing political agenda. The state broadcaster brainwashing children using a homework game is like something from a North Korean re-education camp.’

A BBC spokesman said: ‘BBC Bitesize works with educational consultants to develop resources that help young people explore and understand a wide range of topics, aligned to the respective curriculums across the UK.

‘While we don’t accept the characterisation of Bitesize in this story, we regularly review content to ensure it remains relevant and to ensure it meets the BBC’s editorial standards and will review these examples in that context.’

Director-general Matt Brittin warned in July that the BBC faced a ‘moment of real jeopardy’ after the number of households paying the licence fee fell by more than 500,000 in the past year.

Additional reporting: Gabriel Millard-Clothier

A-list celebrities brought high glamour to Los Angeles on Saturday as they gathered for the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala.

Taylor Swift was set to perform during the star-studded evening, while Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and Halloween director John Carpenter were recognized as this year’s honorees.

The festivities began with celebrities making their entrances on the glittering red carpet, among them Karlie Kloss and Brittany Snow.

However, while guests showcased their carefully chosen outfits for photographers, several looks failed to make the desired impression in the red carpet fashion stakes.

Charlize Theron, 51, made a dramatic statement in an unconventional dress, while fellow attendees including Pamela Anderson, 59, opted for ensembles that proved equally divisive.

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Theron’s sleeveless black dress combined a variety of patterns with sheer cutout detailing across the front.

Shimmering fabric framed the upper sides before giving way to a see-through skirt with a short train at the back. Matching sparkly material appeared along the hem, while a slim leather belt cinched her waist.

Further patterned detailing around the hips added another distinctive element to the unconventional design.

Theron finished the look with black open-toed heels and minimal silver jewelry as she stopped for a brief photo session.

The Anderson alum chose an off-white blouse that was left partially unbuttoned at the neckline.

She tucked the shirt into a pastel mint-green skirt, which flowed into a long train and featured a bow at the waist.

Anderson added a neon-green clutch to the outfit, while her blonde hair was styled in voluminous curls.

Obsession star Inde Navarrette was also included among the evening’s worst-dressed stars on the glamorous red carpet.

The actress donned a nude-colored dress that contained a corset bodice as well as black, shiny circular details that covered most of the fabric. 

The ensemble contained a balloon of material around her upper thighs before falling down into another layer of fabric that stopped just below her ankles. 

Navarrette completed the outfit by slipping into a pair of closed-toed, black pumps and carried a black clutch in her hand. 

Her dark locks were styled into a sleek chignon while a dazzling silver necklace and matching earrings were added to accessorize the one-of-a-kind dress for the evening. 

Naomi Ackie made a grand arrival to the event wearing a strapless, vibrant purple gown that was loose-fitting around the bodice and midriff. 

An additional layer of the material flowed down into a full skirt and a short train behind her. 

The Blink Twice actress opted for minimal accessories and added a pair of mini silver earrings while her hair was swept back into an updo. 

Ackie gave a glimpse at the billowing back portion of the dress before heading inside the main venue. 

Cole Escola wore a black satin ensemble that contained dramatic caped fabric and an oversized bow embellishment around the neckline. 

The comedian added a pair of dangly green earrings to the look, as well as a dramatic smoky eyeshadow and bold red tint to their lips. 

Laura Linney stepped onto the red carpet in a fitted brown dress that contained a folded fringe of material around arms and neckline. 

The Ozark actress also donned a pair of closed-toed, black heels and chose to not add flashy pieces of jewelry to the overall ensemble. 

Awkwafina stepped onto the red carpet in a plain blue dress with structured shoulders and a small slit on the left side. 

The actress slipped into a pair of open-toed, light blue heels and added a thin blue necklace as well as small earrings for a finishing touch. 

Rhea Seehorn opted for a pair of fuzzy black bottoms as well as a flowy white top that fell down behind her into a small train. 

The Pluribus actress layered the unique outfit with a black blazer and added a pair of mini earrings for a final touch.  

Janelle Monae arrived wearing a figure-hugging, mermaid-style gown that was made of shiny blue and black material. 

A large butterfly embellishment with sparkling wings was added around the upper chest area. 

The singer additionally opted for a pair of opera-length gloves that matched the hues of the dress. Monae offered a few dramatic poses for the cameras as she strutted onto the red carpet. 

Sarah Paulson was also in attendance and landed on the worst dressed list in a gold-embellished sequin dress that had a cutout on the front. 

While the hem stopped above her ankles, additional material fell down behind her into a long train. 

Paulson added long, dangly earrings to accessorize the outfit and also opted for smoky shadow around her eyes in a dramatic flare. 

Zoey Deutch was also spotted at the event in a long-sleeved, white dress that had colorful embellishments scattered onto the fabric. 

She added a few rings on each of her hands, while her locks were parted in the middle and fell down in light waves.

Jodie Turner-Smith also landed on the worst dressed list as she donned a pale blue and brown-striped pencil skirt and matching belted top. 

The actress opted for a pair of matching gloves and added a pointed headpiece which also partially covered her left eye. 

For a final touch, she slipped into a pair of white pumps. 

Eddie Redmayne donned a blue velvet shirt as well as a pair of dark blue, loose-fitting trousers to the event. 

The actor completed the outfit by wearing a pair of dark navy, slip-on shoes and added a black watch to his left wrist.  

The Albanese government appears to believe that directing proceeds from its Defence property sell-off back into the military somehow justifies selling irreplaceable parts of Australia’s history.

It does not. It only determines where the money goes after the loss has occurred.

The proposed sale of Sydney’s Victoria Barracks, along with dozens of other Defence properties, is expected to raise about $1.8 billion.

The government receives that money once, but gives up the assets permanently.

When the money has been spent, the military will still require ongoing funding. The crucial difference is that Australians will no longer own the land.

If the government wants to spend more on defence—or on any other priority—it could reduce expenditure elsewhere and redirect the savings. With government spending at record highs and long-overdue tax reform still needed, there are ways to provide additional military funding without surrendering a single hectare of public property.

Instead, selling something that cannot be replaced appears easier than making the difficult choices.

That does not mean every Defence property must remain in public hands. Some sites may reasonably be sold. Victoria Barracks, however, is not an unremarkable office complex that has outlived its purpose. Established in 1840, with its main barracks completed in 1848, it predates Federation by more than 50 years.

Its sandstone buildings link Australia’s colonial military past with the Army that continues to serve the nation.

The current government is only the temporary custodian of that inheritance. It should not act as though it has been granted permission to sell it off.

The proposal also needs to be described accurately. Published government material refers to sales, with heritage obligations to be negotiated with future owners. No 99-year lease arrangement for Victoria Barracks has been announced.

A lease lasting that long would still warrant close examination. However, a carefully structured lease could preserve public ownership, allowing the property to return to public possession when the term ended.

An outright sale offers no equivalent protection.

Claims that heritage safeguards will protect the site overlook the central issue. Requiring a private owner to retain a sandstone facade is not the same as maintaining public ownership of a place of national significance.

A heritage-listed site also provides no guarantee that the public will continue to access the historically significant property in the future.

The building may survive, but Australians could lose control over—and access to—what happens to it next.

Nor is the issue limited to heritage or military requirements. Land that Defence no longer needs is not automatically land that the public no longer needs.

That distinction should be obvious, but apparently it needs spelling out.

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Victoria Barracks occupies 13 hectares in Paddington. Governments can’t manufacture another equivalent parcel of land in an established inner-city suburb whenever a future need arises.

Across the wider Defence estate, land might be suitable for schools, health facilities, parks, open space or other public infrastructure needed as cities get more congested courtesy of more high-rise developments.

Not every site will suit every purpose, but declaring a property unnecessary for military operations certainly doesn’t settle its value to the community.

As populations grow, those possibilities become more important, not less.

Our cities need to grow upwards as well as outwards. Greater density is unavoidable. But more people living closer together increases the need for public facilities and places where they can get outside.

Selling the land today, then discovering tomorrow that we need some of it back, is exactly the sort of lack of forethought you’d expect from short term minded politicians.

A future government could attempt to repurchase it or compulsorily acquire it, but at what price? After what developments have taken place? And with how many of the original opportunities already lost?

I have a personal reason for finding this thinking so infuriating.

My mother was the last matron of Strickland House nursing home in Sydney’s Vaucluse. I grew up with her working there, with our family living in a separate house on the site. It was 14 acres of prime waterfront land at the heart of which was the magnificent main building, built in 1856.

A state Liberal government (proving this is a bipartisan problem) tried to sell it off. Community pressure helped defeat those ambitions, thankfully. Today the site is publicly accessible, giving access to views and grounds that otherwise would have been denied to all but the super wealthy capable of buying into it.

Just as importantly, the historical Strickland House main building remains in public hands, even if it’s under utilised and rundown in a way that it really shouldn’t be.

The historical significance of Victoria Barracks is infinitely greater. Yet the same impoverished thinking is being applied to its future.

Governments of either persuasion are capable of confusing stewardship with a chance to cash in.

Nor should anyone pretend this is simply another argument about privatising utilities.

There is at least a philosophical case that a private operator, subject to regulation, might deliver a service more efficiently. Whether that promise is fulfilled is another debate, of course.

What real or imagined efficiency is achieved by permanently surrendering ownership of historic public land?

If Defence shouldn’t carry the cost burden of maintaining sites that matter to our national heritage, hand the sites over to other public custodians. 

If the buildings need new uses, explore that. If leases can fund upkeep while preserving public ownership, examine that option too.

Just don’t sell something that you can never get back. Not when it’s finite land.

Venezuelan singer and composer Gus Ormo has been found dead in the swimming pool of his upscale Florida home, amid reports that he may have been restrained with cord.

Ormo, an accomplished pianist celebrated for his romantic music, was discovered face down in the backyard pool of his Weston property near Fort Lauderdale on Friday morning.

His death is now being investigated as suspicious, prompting Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives to open a homicide inquiry.

Deputies were called to the home on Quail Roost Drive shortly after 9 a.m. following an emergency report of a possible drowning.

The initial 911 dispatch indicated that the person in the pool had been “tied up.”

Ormo was pronounced dead at the scene, as investigators began working to determine how he came to be submerged in the pool at his own residence.

Aerial video obtained by WPLG10 appeared to show a lengthy blue cord lying across the patio, with one section reaching into the water.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the cord was connected to Ormo or whether it contributed to his death.

Homicide investigators and crime scene specialists from the Broward Sheriff’s Office have been assigned to the case.

Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Gerdy St. Louis said detectives were examining the circumstances of the death, but officials have not said whether they have determined that a crime took place.

Ormo’s remains were taken to the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination as specialists work to establish the manner in which he died.

The official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

The discovery has unsettled the gated Weston community, where residents said an incident of such a violent and disturbing nature was highly unusual.

Neighbors described Ormo as a private man who generally kept out of the spotlight despite his accomplishments as a musician.

“It’s sad what happened, and it wasn’t something I expected to happen in Weston,” neighbor Bruno Gedikinan told NBC 6.

Another local resident, Mariano Cascata, said he found the circumstances surrounding the pianist’s death difficult to understand.

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“It’s weird to happen. It’s not normal, of course,” he said.

The musician’s devastated family has also been left searching for answers.

His sister, Antonieta Ormo, confirmed his death to CBS News Miami but said relatives had been given little information about what had happened.

The family’s uncertainty comes as investigators attempt to reconstruct the events leading up to the discovery.

It remains unclear who made the emergency call, how long Ormo had been in the water or whether anyone else was at the property when deputies arrived.

Public property records indicate Ormo had owned his Weston residence for several years.

Ormo’s career had been devoted to creating emotional compositions celebrating love, human connection and his Venezuelan heritage.

He had recently been promoting his latest album, AGAPE, an instrumental piano collection that represented an important new chapter in his career.

An October promotional announcement described the release as a ‘milestone in his career,’ highlighting the intensely personal relationship he had developed with music from childhood.

‘Gus Ormo has always been a sensitive person. He recalls how, as a child, he would listen to records and feel music stirring his deepest emotions,’ the announcement read.

His compositions were known for their romantic melodies and expressive piano arrangements, with the musician seeking to communicate feelings that could not always be captured through lyrics.

Discussing his latest project, Ormo explained that he wanted listeners to reconnect with emotions that were too often suppressed in modern life.

‘In a world that makes us experience emotional numbness, the album is an invitation to feel without filters or need for words,’ he said. ‘It’s my way to give back to music all it has given me.’

Earlier this year, Ormo appeared at a red-carpet event in Aventura, Florida, where he spoke enthusiastically about his career and expressed pride in his Venezuelan roots.

He had also written a tribute to his homeland, exploring themes of national reconciliation and unity through music.

He said the composition reflected his enduring connection to Venezuela and his belief that music could help bridge divisions between people.