Editorial Standards

We publish news and analysis our readers can act on and trust. That means being right before being first, telling readers plainly what we know and don't yet know, and correcting the record quickly and visibly when we get something wrong.

Every story is checked against primary sources — documents, on-the-record statements, and data — before publication. Numbers, quotes, dates, and names are verified independently of the reporter who gathered them wherever a second set of eyes is available.

Where a claim can't be independently verified at publication time, we say so in the story itself rather than presenting it as settled fact.

We name our sources by default. Anonymity is granted only when a source faces real risk for speaking on the record and the information can't reasonably be obtained another way — and only with the sign-off of an editor, not the reporter alone.

• Direct quotes are never altered beyond minor edits for length or clarity, and never in a way that changes meaning.
• Statistics and studies are linked to their original source, not to a secondhand summary.
• Wire copy and syndicated material is clearly labelled as such.

When we get something wrong, we fix it and say so. Factual errors are corrected as soon as they're confirmed, with a dated correction note attached to the article explaining what changed and why. We don't quietly edit a published story to make an error disappear.

Spotted something that looks wrong? Use the "Report an issue" link on any article, or contact the editorial team below.

Editorial decisions — what we cover, how we cover it, and when a story runs — are made by the editorial team alone. Advertisers, sponsors, and business partners have no input into news coverage, and no story is ever delayed or spiked for commercial reasons.

Sponsored or branded content is clearly labelled as such at the top of the piece and is produced separately from newsroom reporting.

We use AI tools the way a newsroom uses any tool: to assist, not to author. AI may help a reporter search records, summarize background material, or transcribe an interview — never to write, edit, or fabricate a quote, a fact, or a source. Every published story has a named human reporter and editor responsible for it.

Any AI-generated image or illustration used in a story is labelled as such in the caption.

Only logged-in, registered readers can comment, and every comment is subject to our Terms & Conditions. We moderate for abuse, harassment, and spam — not for disagreement. Removing a comment doesn't mean we disagree with it; it means it broke a stated rule.

Reporters and editors disclose personal, financial, or professional ties to the subjects they cover, and are reassigned from stories where a conflict can't be adequately disclosed or managed. Staff do not trade in securities of companies they actively cover.

Questions about a specific story, a correction request, or feedback on our standards can go directly to the editorial team via our Contact page. Include the article URL and, for correction requests, the specific claim you believe is wrong and why.