Crimes committed out on the ocean are notoriously difficult to investigate, yet urgent to expose. Illegal fishing alone generates $23 billion annually — the world's third-largest illicit trade after drugs and arms. Massive extractive industries operate with impunity, rapidly destroying marine ecosystems. This panel offers satellite analysis, vessel tracking, and supply chain reporting tips, as well as step-by-step approaches for tracking illegal activities, identifying perpetrators, and building compelling stories about crimes that happen far from public view.

In an era of increasing digital surveillance and authoritarian crackdowns on press freedom, journalists face unprecedented risks when crossing borders, covering protests, or working in conflict zones. The search and seizure of electronic devices has become a primary tool for intimidation, source exposure, and censorship. Through real-life case studies and hands-on scenarios, this session will offer preventative measures, response protocols during seizure, and demystify what happens to seized devices: how they're unlocked, searched, what data is extracted, and potential worst-case scenarios.

Ayush Krishna Tripathi from India will present the paper "Reinventing Investigative Journalism Leveraging AI, Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning." Ayush's paper critically assesses the significant ethical challenges arising from AI integration and offers actionable recommendations for news organizations to harness AI's power while upholding core journalistic values and ensuring public trust.Hasina Gori from South Africa will present the paper “Invisible Bias: How AI Shapes Gendered Narratives in Investigative Journalism.” Hasina explores the intersection of AI, investigative journalism, and gender, drawing on global and local examples to illustrate the stakes.Mathias Felipe de-Lima-Santos from Macquarie University and Federal University of São Paulo will present the paper "Generative AI in Southeast Asian Media: Navigating Limitations and Possibilities,” co-authored with Amalia Nurul Muthmainnah, Attanan Tachopisalwong, Tan Ling Ling, and Rechelle Ann T. Barraquias. The authors look at how Generative AI is being adopted in the region’s media industry and examines its challenges ranging from linguistic to cultural.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Illegal online gambling generates low-risk revenue for organized crime, a growing channel for money laundering, brazen local government corruption — and yet it remains undercovered by watchdog journalists. Notable trends include the recruitment of intermediaries for money–hiding “mule accounts,” and a boom in illicit betting networks in Asia. In this techniques-focused panel, journalists will share expert tips on how to track the bets, the networks, and the harms, including useful tools, datasets, and source pathways.All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Writing Python scripts to extract data from PDFs is always a challenge: misshapen tables, arbitrary form formatting, tiny text or low-quality scanned texts. This session introduces attendees to Natural PDF, a new Python library for wrangling data that's focused on usability and cramming in as many features as possible, allowing you to write your code just like you'd ask "real-language" questions. Participants will leave with a solid understanding of how to extract data from difficult (and simple) PDFs using Python, and is best for those with at least beginner-level knowledge of Python.

Data journalism is transforming investigative reporting, offering powerful methodologies for uncovering hidden stories. This workshop explores both established and cutting-edge tools that enable journalists to access, analyze, and visualize complex datasets. Learn to enhance your storytelling with compelling data narratives and master techniques that turn raw numbers into impactful investigations that resonate with audiences.

Discover how to harness NotebookLM's powerful video analysis capabilities for investigative journalism. This practical workshop demonstrates how to process extensive video content, identify key patterns, establish meaningful connections across multiple sources, and extract actionable insights for your investigations. Learn to efficiently analyze hours of footage, transcribe content, and uncover hidden narratives that traditional manual review might miss.

Visual storytelling transforms complex investigations into compelling narratives that reach broader audiences. This panel features veteran video journalists sharing techniques for translating document-heavy investigations into engaging visual stories. Learn how to effectively use graphics, animations, and cinematography to explain financial crimes, data patterns, and corruption schemes. Discover strategies for maintaining journalistic rigor while creating accessible content that holds viewers' attention and drives impact.

Chinese infrastructure investments and supply chains in mining, fishing, and manufacturing span the world. But investigating their environmental impact, labor practices, and corruption is increasingly challenging. China's restricted press freedom, growing data opacity, and new laws limiting external access to investment information create significant reporting barriers. This session brings together journalists who have successfully investigated Chinese economic links in their regions, offering practical tools, methodologies, and alternative data sources. The focus is on presenting actionable techniques for remote investigation.

ProPublica (USA) and CORRECTIV (Germany) have pioneered crowdsourcing investigations, developing innovative techniques that transform audiences from passive consumers into active participants in accountability journalism. This session shares proven strategies, helpful tools, and lessons learned from successful crowdsourced projects. Participants will also learn practical newsroom strategies for leveraging audiences to enhance investigations, build community trust, and amplify impact while avoiding common pitfalls.

The current US administration's tariff regime, immigration policies, travel restrictions, and military operations are creating global ripple effects, so watchdog journalists need tools to track Washington's influence worldwide. This essential workshop guides international journalists through US governmental data, revealing funding, programs, and activities, as well as teaches you how to navigate databases showing federal expenditures, diplomatic initiatives, and policy implementations affecting local contexts and regions.

This panel brings together journalists and editors from across South Asia to reflect on recent events in the region and draw parallels from similar instances across the world on how censorship is imposed, how platforms comply, and how journalism becomes collateral damage. The session discusses how journalists can collaborate while reporting on conflicts to look beyond narratives that governments, corporate-controlled media outlets, or compromised big tech are trying to establish.

Our networking sessions are just that: informal meet-ups where you can introduce yourself, talk about your work, brainstorm, and find colleagues to collaborate with. Here is a chance to meet other journalists from around the world who are seeking partners for transnational reporting in a relaxed atmosphere.All sessions are first come, first served. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Securing stable funding for investigative media is increasingly urgent given the instability of international grants. Building audiences willing to financially support accountability reporting offers a challenging but highly effective path to independence and sustainability. This session reveals strategies for successfully converting readers into paying subscribers or members, while maintaining long-term financial commitment through audience engagement, transparency, and value demonstration.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

The rising number of journalists forced into exile can face unique mental and emotional challenges beyond traditional newsroom pressures. This panel examines the psychological impact of forced displacement on journalists and explores strategies for building resilience within exile communities. We'll discuss how media organizations, press freedom groups, and host countries can better support the mental health needs of displaced journalists while preserving their crucial democratic role across borders.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

While AI can pose challenges, it has helped journalists to work with large data troves and find hidden patterns - and its tools are available to both large and small newsrooms. In this practical panel that draws on powerful investigative projects, data experts show how AI tools can be leveraged to comb through everything from court records to images and political speeches to help uncover stories of public interest.

While a growing number of reporters know how to dig into shell companies and hidden assets for “follow-the-money” investigations into fraud and corruption, many struggle with crunching of the numbers they've uncovered. In this workshop, a veteran journalist equips attendees with the ability to compute and work with percentages, rates, currencies, financial indicators, and the kind of mathematics that can be an investigator's friend.

In an era where data drives impactful storytelling, Python offers powerful analysis and visualization capabilities. This workshop demonstrates how AI tools like ChatGPT make coding approachable, empowering journalists to create data-driven stories independently. Designed for journalists without coding experience, the session starts with Python fundamentals and AI coding basics, as participants engage in hands-on Jupyter Notebook exercises. NOTE: Participants are encouraged to have Python (with Jupyter Notebook) installed on their devices and a ChatGPT account set up before attending. While familiarity with Python is helpful, it’s not required.

This practical session equips journalists with tools to investigate climate finance and corporate environmental crimes. Panelists demonstrate how to use stock exchange data and free resources to uncover overlooked stories about banks funding fossil fuel companies, corporate greenwashing practices, and how major corporations harm vulnerable communities. Attendees also learn cost-effective investigation techniques, including methods to track financial flows between investors and polluting industries.

Before the digital age, paper documents held secrets that remain crucial for understanding our history. This panel explores how historical archives can illuminate contemporary investigations through real case studies. Discover how technology can unlock previously impenetrable records, from digitized manuscripts to AI-powered document analysis. Learn practical strategies for navigating archival systems, connecting past events to present stories, and uncovering long-buried truths that reshape our understanding of current events.

Cross-border collaborative journalism can uncover stories that individual newsrooms cannot tackle alone. However, the success of these ambitious projects often hinges on skilled editorial leadership that can navigate complex logistical, cultural, and professional challenges. This panel brings together veteran editors who have led successful cross-border investigations to discuss their insights on team building, project management, and the editorial decision-making processes that transform individual reporting into powerful collective storytelling.

This panel examines the systematic exploitation of migrant workers in Gulf states, from abusive recruitment in home countries to oppressive working conditions and restricted freedoms abroad. Speakers expose labor violations at major multinationals with a deep focus on widespread wage theft — the most common abuse affecting millions of workers. The discussion also analyzes recent Gulf reforms, their driving forces, and persistent gaps in protecting migrant rights.All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.