An investigation by The New York Times reveals that “the federal government has awarded more than $107 billion in contract payments, grants and other benefits over the past decade to foreign and multinational American companies while they were doing business in Iran, despite Washington’s efforts to discourage investment there.”
Archive for the ‘International’ Category
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Kingpin of illegal wildlife trade turns focus to tigers
March 2nd, 2010 
Beth An investigation by Bryan Christy for National Geographic reveals that Anson Wong of Malaysia, “the Pablo Escobar of Illegal Wildlife Trade” is out of U.S. prison and has plans to specialize in a new tiger operation with help from his government.
Claims by China-based stem cell broker misleading
February 5th, 2010 Beth In a pair of reports, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Mark Johnson and Meg Kissinger examined the overblown medical claims and misleading marketing strategies of China-based Beike Biotechnology, one of many overseas operations marketing experimental stem cell treatments to desperate American families.
When Drugs Stop Working series
January 6th, 2010 Beth A five day series by Martha Mendoza and Margie Mason of The Associated Press explores the global issue of drug resistance, looking at where and how it has emerged and what can be done.
Human Trafficking in America series
December 14th, 2009 Beth A series by The Kansas City Star explores the problem of human trafficking, and how the U.S. is failing in its promise to end trafficking and other human rights abuses. Their investigation “found that, in spite of all the rhetoric from the Bush and Obama administrations, the United States is failing to find and help tens of thousands of human trafficking victims in America.”
Puerto Rican refinery had history of problems, neglect
November 13th, 2009 Beth Mc Nelly Torres, a freelance journalist, and Omaya Sosa Pascual, of El Centro Periodistico Investigativo de Puerto Rico, report decades of environmental violations, financial distress and neglect behind the company that owns the refinery where the Oct. 23 deadly explosion took place in Puerto Rico.
International adoptions fraught with problems
October 15th, 2009 Beth David Shaffer of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minn.) presented a detailed look at how foreign adoptions often lead to nothing but heartbreak for everyone involved, from the birth mother to the adoptive parent. The two-day series also exposed a glaring loophole in a newly implemented treaty aimed at cutting down on corruption in the international baby trade.
Tobacco and terrorism
July 7th, 2009 Beth In its latest series of articles, The Center for Public Integrity’s International Consortium of Investigative Journalists looks at illegal cigarette trade in China, Paraguay and Ukraine. The articles show how China has emerged as the epicenter for the global cigarette counterfeiting business, while Paraguay and Ukraine have fostered billion-dollar black markets. The series also looks at how terrorist cells are turning to the illegal tobacco trade for funding.
Planet Aid charity may be mishandling funds
May 20th, 2009 Beth Tisha Thompson of WTTG-Washington, DC spent six-months linking the fast-growing charity “Planet Aid” to an alleged cult-leader wanted by European authorities for embezzlement and tax fraud. The charity’s brought in $30 million in 2007 through the sale of donated items, but there is little evidence the money went to help the poor.
Use of Tasers by Canadian police under scrutiny
April 10th, 2009 Beth A report by David McKie of CBC News looks at the use of tasers by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). “Mounties shocked at least 16 suspects with a Taser five or more times, according to analysis done by CBC/Radio-Canada and The Canadian Press of RCMP reports released through access to information requests. Ten of the cases topped five stuns.“
