In this extraordinary series of articles, Jeremy Page not only connected the dots behind the mysterious death of a British businessman, but provided startling glimpses into the life of one of China’s leading Communist Party bosses before he was fired in disgrace, as well as a look at the privileged lifestyles enjoyed by at least some corrupt politicians in today’s China.
The stories are notable for depth of reporting, an even presentation of the evidence, and a balanced tone. Nevertheless, taken together, they form a damning case that the wife of Chongqing party leader Bo Xilai may have poisoned businessman and family adviser Neil Heywood, a crime for which she was ultimately convicted. Aside from exposing the political scandal of the year in China, Page interprets the events in light of the power struggles taking place in the country just prior to its once-in-a-decade transfer of leadership.
The Journal’s coverage of the European sovereign-debt crisis demonstrated that it’s possible to write about complicated subjects in a compelling way. From a moving account of Greece’s rising suicide rate to a novelistic reconstruction of how Europe’s leaders dithered, Journal reporters combined insight, anecdotal and evocative writing in a nuanced, three-dimensional series that explained how a mountain of debt threatened to sink a continent.
Clifford Levy and Ellen Barry broke through the veil of secrecy and fear that shrouds Russia’s legal system in this series of superbly reported pieces about victims of injustice in a country still struggling with a legacy of heavy-handed law enforcement dating back to the czars. Their stories of beatings, chicanery and intimidation, sickening in their details, opened eyes and led at least one company, Microsoft, to change the way it does business in the country. “Above the Law” soared.
This series of pieces about how the Obama administration searched for a new strategy in Afghanistan included strong on-the-ground reporting, smart analysis and a great scoop in obtaining an advance copy of Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s assessment of the war.
In “Iraq: The Inheritors” Sudarsan Raghavan profiles a cross section of Iraqis whose lives have been reshaped by war and who, ultimately, will be poised to help remake their country. He examines how the brutal tactics of the Fallujah police chief — a former insurgent whose brother’s head was sawn off with a razor blade — have stabilized the city.
That India’s economy is growing exponentially is well known. What The Wall Street Journal staff writers analyze is the impact of that growth story. Sudden strong demand for educated workers is breaking ancient caste barriers.
They said it couldn’t be done — trace a gallon of gas sold in America to the oil producing countries from which it came. Paul Salopek thought otherwise. Learning that refineries kept “crude slates,” he convinced Marathon Oil to share the confidential list of crude deliveries at its Illinois refinery.
Best newspaper or wire service interpretation of international affairs AWARD YEAR: 2005 AWARD NAME: The Bob Considine Award 2005 RECIPIENT: Dana Priest AFFILIATION: The Washington Post HONORED WORK: “The CIA’s Secret War” Priest disclosed that the CIA maintained secret “black-site” prisons throughout Eastern Europe and elsewhere. She brought to light CIA wrongdoing, including the death…
Best newspaper or wire service interpretation of international affairs AWARD YEAR: 2004 AWARD NAME: The Bob Considine Award 2004 RECIPIENT: Philip P. Pan AFFILIATION: The Washington Post HONORED WORK: “China: Confronting the System” In an exhaustively reported series, Pan focuses on the inner workings of the largest authoritarian system in the world and highlights the…
Best newspaper or wire service interpretation of international affairs YEAR: 2003 AWARD NAME: The Bob Considine Award 2003 RECIPIENT: Joby Warrick AFFILIATION: The Washington Post HONORED WORK: Weapons Proliferation and the Gray Zone Joby Warrick’s chilling series of articles reveals in grim detail the extent of the illicit global trade in nuclear and biological weapons.…
