"WE'RE NOT RETRACTING ANYTHING."

Earlier today, from the Guardian:

Mark Whitaker, mounted a robust defence of his staff, insisting the magazine would not make any retraction, that it did nothing "professionally wrong", and that nobody at the title would be disciplined over the report.

Mr Whitaker said the magazine had gone to unusual lengths to ensure the accuracy of the original article, including showing a pre-publication draft to a US official, who chose to neither confirm nor deny the essence of the story.

"We're not retracting anything. We don't know what the ultimate facts are. Everybody did what they were supposed to do. We were dealing with a credible source... we approached officials for comment... we fully disclosed the whole chain of events so the public could reach its own conclusions.

"I don't see what we did professionally wrong in this case."

The source of the story had been reliable in the past, the editor said, and was in a position to know about the report he was describing.

"There are certain sources who will only talk to us on a not-for-attribution basis, particularly when it involves sensitive information, and who would be worried about retribution or other consequences if their identities were known."
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What a difference half a day makes!