Investigations: Prison Labour Program Endangered Hundreds

Hundreds of federal prisoners being paid pennies an hour in a U.S. jailhouse labour program were put at risk from toxic chemicals, according to this ABC News report, citing a two-year Justice Department probe.

TAGS: prison, investigations, investigative journalism, Justice Department, labour

Investigations: Afghan Gas Pipeline Could be Explosive, Report Says

A proposed new high-volume natural-gas pipeline through Afghanistan's most unstable region is the subject of this interesting new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The $7.6-billion pipeline, scheduled to commence construction in 2010, will potentially unleash further instability and divert international attention from basic tasks of helping Afghanistan get back on its feet, the report says.

TAGS: Mideast, Canada, investigations, investigative journalism

Investigations: Pharma Paying Off MDs, Cozies Up to FDA, Book Finds

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and medical professionals have unhealthily close ties to drug firms, says this fascinating Boston Globe item on the new book Side Effects: A Prosecutor, a Whistleblower, and a Bestselling Antidepressant on Trial.

TAGS: pharmaceutical, investigations, investigative journalism, drugs

Investigations: U.S. Okayed Mass Killings in Korea, Report Says

The U.S. sanctioned mass executions of political prisoners in 1950 during the Korean War, according to this eye-popping AP report.

TAGS: human rights, investigative journalism, investigations, U.S. military

The Biz: ProPublica's Debut Effort Misfires?

The debate over ProPublica's nonprofit investigative journalism model continues in this interesting thought-piece on the organization's debut story on mismanagement of U.S. information warfare efforts at the Al-Hurra network. Will ProPublica's model really fill a missing void or merely subsidize big, already-rich news organizations?

TAGS: ProPublica, future of journalism, nonprofit journalism, the biz