The Telegraph Frontpage 2023 February 20

By Sam Hall Police searching for Nicola Bulley have recovered a body less than a mile away from where she disappeared, as officers face growing questions over their investigation. In this newsletter, we also have reaction to the Baftas, after a big night for All Quiet on the Western Front.

Body found in search for missing dog walker

For twenty-three days, teams of specialist police divers, detectives and search teams have been combing the River Wyre for missing dog walker Nicola Bulley. Helicopters, drones, specialist sonar equipment and agencies from the Coastguard to mountain rescue have all been mobilised in the mammoth effort to find the mother-of-two, 45. But the most significant development in the case so far was made not by specialist forces, but by two walkers enjoying a Sunday morning stroll along a riverbank, report Susie Coen and Ewan Somerville. Lancashire Police were called at 11.36am on Sunday after the man and woman spotted a body in a section of the river less than one mile downstream from where Ms Bulley’s phone was discovered on January 27. Lancashire Police confirmed the discovery and said the process of identification had begun. The death was being treated as unexplained, a spokesman said. Meanwhile, a search expert who was adamant Ms Bulley was not in the river has claimed he never ruled out a body being found in the water. On Sunday night, Ms Bulley’s family were said to be “heartbroken”. Her partner, Paul Ansell, said he had “no words right now, just agony”. It has been more than three weeks since Ms Bulley vanished, leading to one of the most extensive, divisive and controversial missing person investigations in recent years.

Rishi Sunak forced to ‘pause’ Protocol deal Rishi Sunak has been forced to “pause” his Northern Ireland protocol deal amid a backlash from senior Tories and unionists. The Prime Minister had hoped to unveil the plans on Monday before presenting them to the Commons on Tuesday but it is understood the move will be delayed, write Charles Hymas and Dominic Penna. His officials were locked in talks with their Brussels counterparts on Sunday on how to give Northern Ireland politicians a greater say in the application of EU law after senior members of the Democratic Unionist Party warned the deal “would not fly” as long as it accepted the rule of the EU court. Meanwhile, leading Tory Eurosceptics said it would be “madness” to ditch the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill in favour of a new Brexit deal as it was the “best leverage” in any negotiations with the EU.

All Quiet on the Western Front wins best film Bafta It went into the ceremony with the most Bafta nominations and the German-language All Quiet on the Western Front duly delivered, winning not just Best Film but a further six awards, including Best Director – a shock result that saw several big names snubbed. Robbie Collin writes that the film has made Bafta history – and shaken up the Oscar race. Martin McDonagh’s Irish fable The Banshees of Inisherin still won four awards, as did Baz Luhrmann’s eye-popping biopic Elvis – click here to find out who picked up the Leading Actor and Actress awards. In his review of the awards, Michael Hogan writes that attempts to woo younger viewers amid disastrous chat show interludes doomed the new-look Baftas.

Also in the news this morning Roald Dahl | Sir Salman Rushdie has attacked the rewriting of Roald Dahl books as “absurd censorship” at the hands of “bowdlerising sensitivity police”. In new editions of Roald Dahl’s beloved stories, Augustus Gloop is no longer fat, Mrs Twit is no longer fearfully ugly, and the Oompa-Loompas have gone gender-neutral. Find also to read: Absurdity of present “woke” rage: The rewriting of Dahl Why censoring Roald Dahl is a dangerous step Everywhere I Look, I Read ‘Protection’ What about irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text

Defence | PM urged to put UK on war footing as Russia rebuilds forces Obituary | Dickie Davies, face of World of Sport, dies aged 94 Ukraine | Train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters now, Biden urged Royals | King ‘has vowed not to leave Andrew homeless or penniless’ Social media | Sajid Javid: ‘Let bereaved parents access children’s data’

Around the world: Kim Jong-un’s sister threatens US

The powerful sister of Kim Jong-un has told the United States to prepare to defend itself because North Korea is increasing the force of its nuclear weapons, on a day the firing of yet more missiles heightened tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan’s Coast Guard confirmed on Monday morning that North Korea had fired three more ballistic missiles towards Japanese waters. It came after Pyongyang’s military launched its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the weekend. Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader, warned Washington that Pyongyang would react to any “direct or indirect threat”.

US B-1B bombers, South Korea’s F-35A fighter jets and US F-16 fighter jets take flight on Sunday Credit: South Korean Defence Ministry

Comment and analysis

Tim Stanley | The butchering of Roald Dahl is an assault on liberty Puffin the publisher has carried out a sensitivity audit of Roald Dahl’s books, to make them more palatable, I guess, to snobs, bores and maiden aunts. It is a crime against good taste – by which I mean bad taste, which is infinitely more fun. Out go hundreds of references to characters being fat, idiots, hags or male/female (the Oompa-Loompas are gender neutral now), though whatever Greta Miserypants they hired to do this hack job is far from consistent. In Dahl’s classic description of ugliness, “double chin” is excised but “wonky nose and a crooked mouth” stay put. Speaking on behalf of the ugly community, I find all three equally offensive. It’s the childish literalism that gets me. Queer, as in odd, must go; so, too, many references to an object being black, including a tractor and a cloak. A face turns pale, not white because… something to do with critical race theory, no doubt. As for The Witches (the true heroes of that particular book), they no longer deserve to be “put [through] the meat-grinder” and their likely day job has changed from supermarket cashier to scientist. So clodding, so graceless are such edits that it conjures an image of a Victorian prude wandering through the Uffizi, drawing bras on all the nudes. Iain Dale | Corbyn may still block Starmer’s path to Downing Street Letters | Roald Dahl knew better than ‘sensitivity readers’ Roger Bootle | Hunt must cut taxes or risk a brain drain from Britain Telegraph view | Proscribe the IRGC now

Editor’s choice

	Home | What the size of your TV says about you
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	Motoring | Why our cars continue to get bigger

Business news: Ethical investing warning over defence Ethical investing is damaging Britain’s defence industry by using “skin-deep” moral arguments which undermine the value of the sector, a company set up by two former Royal Marines has warned. 4GD, which offers combat training to soldiers using virtual reality and special effects, said the Government must step in and protect defence investing in the face of environmental, social and governance (ESG) rules. Investors including the Church of England and Legal and General have shied away from the defence sector citing ethical concerns, reports Howard Mustoe, although others such as BlackRock have pushed back and increased their exposure to the industry.

Here is a selection of articles we think you’ll be interested in today.

Boris Johnson’s warning to Rishi Sunak over Brexit deal Ian Blackford refuses to say whether Nicola Sturgeon’s husband should remain as SNP chief executive Favourite to replace Nicola Sturgeon must ‘defeat the wokerati’ to lead SNP Leading SNP contender could abandon Nicola Sturgeon’s gender reforms Nicola Sturgeon loyalist who backs her transgender views lined up as continuity candidate