Methodology

Our reporting is built to make the evidence visible and the limits of that evidence clear. We pursue consequential facts with aggressive curiosity and draw conclusions with restraint. These standards guide the work; they are not a claim of infallibility.

Primary and secondary evidence

We prefer original records: judgments, audits, contracts, accounts, legislation, transcripts, regulatory filings, official correspondence and data. Secondary reporting can establish context and identify leads, but an important factual claim should be traced to the strongest available source. We link directly to records whenever access, privacy and safety permit.

Fact, inference and allegation

A fact is something the available evidence directly establishes. An inference is a conclusion drawn from established facts and should be identified as such. An allegation is a claim not independently established. Where the record is incomplete, we say what remains unresolved instead of filling the gap with certainty.

Anonymous sources

Anonymity is not granted merely for convenience. We consider whether a source faces a credible risk, whether the information has significant public value, and whether it can be independently corroborated. Readers should receive as much information as possible about why anonymity was necessary and how a source was positioned to know.

Requests for comment

People and organizations facing material criticism receive a fair opportunity to respond before publication whenever possible. We describe the substance of the questions, provide a reasonable deadline and accurately represent the response—including credible explanations that complicate our reporting.

Corrections and updates

We correct substantive factual errors promptly and append a note explaining what changed. Clarifications, new documents and later developments may be labelled as updates. Quietly changing the record is not an acceptable substitute for transparency.

Conflicts of interest

Writers and editors must disclose financial, political, personal or professional interests that could reasonably call their independence into question. A significant conflict may require recusal or publication of a disclosure.

Document preservation

Links disappear and public systems change. When lawful and appropriate, we retain working copies, record retrieval dates and provide archive links. Preservation never overrides legal restrictions, source safety or personal privacy.

Evidence labels

Confirmed means directly established by strong primary evidence. Supported means strongly supported but involving interpretation or an incomplete record. Alleged identifies a claim not independently established. Unresolved marks an important unanswered question or evidentiary gap.