News Summary: BBC news chief stepping aside

The Associated Press

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: The British Broadcasting Corp.'s news chief and her deputy stepped aside Monday, following an exit by the director of the venerable institution over the weekend.

BACKGROUND: The broadcaster's crisis stems from allegations that the late Jimmy Savile, a BBC entertainment star, was a serial sexual abuser of underage girls, and a BBC news program shelved an investigation on the matter last year. Earlier this month, the same news program wrongly implicated a British politician in sex-abuse claims.

WHAT'S NEXT: Further resignations or suspensions at the BBC are likely as the investigation develops. The broadcaster's scandal may give more weight to politicians' calls for state regulation of the press.