Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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How can journalists build an informed society?
Trump's rhetoric against the press and the rise of social media are just some of the factors that contribute to the crisis that the industry finds itself in — but professional journalism can and must survive, argues OWEN SPENCER-THOMAS
Trump’s attacks on the press are part of a wider loss of trust in the mainstream media
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
Special report by PEOPLE’S WORLD
NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
JOURNALISTS play a crucial role as watchdogs in modern society. We uncover truth and hold the powerful to account. Our job is to report news and information, the lifeblood of democracy.
Yet, mainstream journalism faces a growing crisis. Misinformation and hate speech are destabilising democracies — and funding for mainstream journalism is collapsing. It is an extremely difficult time to be a journalist.
This was particularly evident when armed supporters of President Trump stormed the Capitol building on January 6. Some reporters at the scene have said they were afraid to admit they were journalists. Among the graffiti daubed on the wall were the words “kill journalists” — yet another reminder of the desperate need to protect reliable, truthful journalism.
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![[Pic: Andrew Wiard]](https://morningstaronline.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/desktop/public/2026-01/19860503_a_wiard_0003.jpg.webp?itok=mR5zV0nE)
The once beating heart of British journalism was undone by technological change, union battles and Murdoch’s 1986 Wapping coup – leaving London the only major capital without a press club, says TIM GOPSILL
ANSELM ELDERGILL examines the difficulties surrounding freedom of expression