The difference between news, opinion and accusation

News is a verifiable claim, backed by a source the reader can check. If the source is missing or stays anonymous, the item must be presented as unconfirmed.

An opinion is a value judgement, owned by its author, and presented as such — never as an established truth.

An accusation assigns specific responsibility to a person or organisation. It requires a much higher standard of proof than a simple opinion, and we never publish one without that proof.

This movement will never turn a rumour into an accusation, or an opinion into a fact. That is a non-negotiable rule of our editorial policy.