The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "speculators" ...
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Excessive Speculation Distorts Commodity Markets, Harms Consumers
The topic of our series was excessive financial speculation in commodity markets. Throughout one year, I worked on a series of labor-intensive investigative pieces showing how the influx of financial speculators in the futures market had distorted the price of crude oil, coffee, cotton and other commodities.
Tags: fiancial speculation; commodity markets; crude oil; commodities
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Excessive Speculation Distorts Commodity Markets, Harms Consumers
The topic of our series was excessive financial speculation in commodity markets. Throughout one year, I worked on a series of labor-intensive investigative pieces showing how the influx of financial speculators in the futures market had distorted the price of crude oil, coffee, cotton and other commodities.
Tags: fiancial speculation; commodity markets; crude oil; commodities
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State of Play
With little to no public disclosure, the corporation that runs lotteries for the four Canadian Atlantic provinces embarked on a speculative -- and potentially risky -- hunt for new business oportunities online and overseas.
Tags: lottery; Canadian Atlantic; Lottery Uprising
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Speculators bear brunt of foreclosures
"Sun analysis of RealtyTrac data found that new foreclosure filings in Southern Nevada have skyrocketed in the past six months. Further analysis found that 74 percent of all single family homes in foreclosures during the past six months were own by investors who did not live in the homes."
Tags: realty; foreclosures; home; investors; family; Nevada; mortgages;
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Wal-Mart Investigative Coverage
Wal-Mart was exposed for trying to influence public opinion, mostly the state and local politics. One couple, Jim and Laura, were compensated by Wal-Mart as they took a trip across the nation and visited each store on their way from Georgia to Las Vegas. Wal-Mart gave the couple free gas money and food as they talked to its employees at each store and discovered that all the workers were happy with their work and have a love for Wal-Mart. But there was a speculation that the couple's trip was put together by the people at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Arkansas.
Tags: RV; vacation; Wal-Mart; blog; Writing on the Wall; Jonathan Rees; Sam Walton
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7.0 - Utah's Big One
The state of Utah has 700 earthquakes a year, and "scientists say Utah has a one-in-five chance of suffering such a large quake within the next 50 years." This story examines the possible effects on Salt Lake City and the surrounding area if an earthquake "measuring 7.0 on the richter scale" were to hit. The death toll is estimated at 6,500, with 90,000 more injured, while damage to buildings and infrastructure would be so severe that "it would overwhelm emergency responders."
Tags: Disasters; earthquake; speculation; projected deaths, damage from disasters
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The Final Hours of Miguel Contreras
Labor leader and Los Angeles power-broker Miguel Contreras was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Los Angeles, the week before the 2005 mayoral election. No autopsy was performed, and doctors were pressured to sign a death certificate. The article outlines political power bases in Los Angeles, and speculates how various issues would have had different results if Contreras had lived.
Tags: organ harvesting; autopsy; botanica; 911 tape; labor leader; coroner; Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; LAPD; United Farmworkers; UFW; Centinela Freeman Memorial Hospital; Daniel Freeman Hospital
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The Speculators
Reporters investigated a small group of politically connected investors who are shaping the growth and character of one of the biggest land booms in the country. Because of their connections they operate unfettered by restrictions or requirements. If the deals go bad, the speculators face few consequences and quickly re-emerge unscathed while they continue to play fast and loose with other peoples' money.
Tags: land development; speculation industry; land owners; FOIA
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Probing into the Wealth of Public Servants
The Korean Broadcasting System investigative team researched the land holding and tax records of hundreds of high-ranking South Korean government officials and found numerous instances of tax evasion and speculative real estate purchases by officials. The investigation led to changes in South Korean law regarding declaration of properties of public servants.
Tags: South Korea; tax evasion; tax records; land records; real estate; real estate speculation; public officials
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Property Tax Records
This two-part investigation found the process of tax sales unfairly favored speculators over those who were in jeopardy of losing property due to some owed money. Once a speculator bought a lien, he or she was sent notices of taxes owed on the property even though the owner was still responsible for paying. A few number of speculators bought the majority of liens on tax sale and also were likely to end up owning the property, though the system was supposed to be open.
Tags: tax; property tax; lien sale; foreclosure; real estate; speculator