Nik Sunil Williams

The Guardian view on the BBC World Service: this is London calling | Editorial Editorial: With just seven weeks before its funding runs out, the UK’s greatest cultural asset and most trusted international news organisation must be supported

Such a grotesque and wanton act of self-sabotage.

At a time of media capture, consolidation and collapse, the World Service represents the last vestige of British soft power but also a valuable source of public interest info

To let it die is to give up

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

This isn't a purely philosophical or semantic argument about what "British" means.

Once you accept different tiers of British citizenship you gain a way to formally discriminate.

USSR documents famously had a "5th line" denoting ethnicity. Stalin's nationalist repressions used this as their basis.

Can now binge their videos with abandon (even more than I do already!)

Absolute kudos to @weratedogs.com to use their platform to surface this vital issue.

They could stay silent but haven't

Photo of the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London

At the Royal Courts of Justice today to monitor the first test of England and Wales' first (and only) Anti-SLAPP powers in an application brought by @danneidle.bsky.social

This is a huge story and must be treated as such.

We allow too much side-stepping of accountability, with journalists often expected to bear the brunt of forcing the issue.

Journalists and their sources must be protected - if they are not, the situation is pretty dire

BBC Persian journalists say Iran monitoring them and targeting their families Reporters say relatives in Iran have been questioned and persecuted in an effort to curb coverage of unrest

They have been told they are being monitored by the Iranian state, despite being in exile.

Their families are interrogated and threatened with asset seizures.

Extraordinary pressure being put on BBC Persian service journalists:

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

A damning demonstration of how far #HongKong has fallen from democracy, the rule of law and a commitment to human rights

A joyous retort to #Farage's bigoted arseholery in Partick

Minnesota reporters recount ICE actions, community solidarity: ‘I know it’s going to be dangerous’ - Committee to Protect Journalists As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations have intensified in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul areas as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Operation…

#UnitedStates 🇺🇸 @pressfreedom.bsky.social shares accounts from Minnesota journalists reporting on ICE actions, highlighting the dangers they face, the pressure on local reporting, and the importance of community support to keep informing the public.

the $75 million Jeff Bezos set on fire for that Melania propaganda piece could have funded most independent newsrooms for literally decades

A staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."

I mean thank god that #Bezos spent his money wisely, paying off the First Lady for the #Melania hagiography

tut tut

If it does not mention karaoke this is nothing more than a hagiography!

Congrats @simonxix.com and @sluginkpress.bsky.social and Kevin!

Homeland Security is targeting Americans with this secretive legal weapon Under Trump, the Department of Homeland Security has weaponized administrative subpoenas to attack free speech, according to privacy and civil rights groups.

Your regular reminder - anyone who claims #Trump gives a shit about free expression or the 1st amendment is either too dumb or lazy to interrogate the assertion or is in on the grift/power grab

www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

What makes a traitor? Interviews with Ukrainians who fought for Russia reveal how they became Putin’s soldiers—and the agonising duty of those tasked with upholding their r...

In a POW camp near Lviv is a Ukrainian man who fought for Russia. Did he choose to fight, or was he forced? Jen Stout investigates.

Amazing, just let me know when works best for you and safe travels - transnational moves are always unnecessarily testing!

This is very exciting! Fancy a coffee next time I am down south?

Editors unite to demand Parliament takes action on SLAPPs Editors from national newspapers including The Guardian and The Times demand action on SLAPPs in next King's Speech.

Really striking going through Epstein disclosures just how often British defamation lawyers are referred to: Schillings; Paul Tweed; oblique suggestions to sue to silence

Why? Because our libel laws let rich and powerful buy silence

Why I signed this last week pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/an...

To be clear, though - one reason Orbán doesn't do this is because his authoritarian regime is consolidated to a degree that Trump's is not.

The Londoner is being sued by a holiday let grifter. We’re going to fight him in court Mysterious emails, incessant demands and a fake lawyer — an editor’s note about a serious threat we’re facing

“An unfortunate reality is that all across the UK it’s too easy for local journalists and their sources to be targeted by legal threats.” Index’s @nikwilliams.bsky.social on the impact legal threats can have on local outlets like @londonermag.bsky.social ⬇️
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...

This isn’t about convicting Don Lemon. It’s unlikely that will happen. It’s about intimidating journalists & making them censure themselves out of fear of consequences. It’s about eroding the free press because the administration can’t afford the criticism.

The Londoner is being sued by a holiday let grifter. We’re going to fight him in court Mysterious emails, incessant demands and a fake lawyer — an editor’s note about a serious threat we’re facing

We're being sued....

www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...

Editors unite to demand Parliament takes action on SLAPPs Editors from national newspapers including The Guardian and The Times demand action on SLAPPs in next King's Speech.

❌ Wealth should not be able to be used to silence legitimate scrutiny. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) have been used to intimidate journalists and others for far too long.

👍 We strongly support calls for universal anti-SLAPP legislation.

pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/an...

We will have to wait until May when the King's Speech is expected to see whether the Government has heeded our call.

Let your MP know that this issue is important to you and ask them to call on the Government to put aside parliamentary time for stamping out #SLAPPs

Today's the 5th anniversary of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, which I co-chair.

I wasn't there at the start, @skcoughtrie.bsky.social & @jessicanimhainin.bsky.social were, but the work of the coalition is needed now more than ever

SLAPPs are a society-wide problem and we need a society-wide remedy

Here are the voices of two people who know only too well what is at stake and the emotional and financial turmoil of facing these sorts of abusive legal threats. But we know what needs to happen - an early dismissal mechanism and a way by which costs can be cut so everyone can defend themselves

Including anti-SLAPP protections in the King's Speech will move us a step closer to ensuring a level playing field when it comes to the justice system. Without this, targets - be they reporters, campaigners or survivors - will be forced into silence as they cannot afford to mount a defence

Over 120 editors, lawyers, academics, journalists, publishers and civil society representatives call on the Government to give parliamentary time to stamp out SLAPPs. - UK Anti-Slapp Coalition On 28 January 2026, 127 representatives called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to include anti-SLAPP provisions in the next King’s Speech.

Today 127 editors, lawyers, journalists, writers, publishers, associations and civil society bodies came together to tell Keir Starmer to make time to protect #freespeech and stamp out #SLAPPs.

antislapp.uk/2026/01/28/m...