Bellingcat is an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists brought together by a passion for open source research. Want to support our charity? bellingcat.com/donate https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjwjfa2dp22yResearching China isn’t easy. With many foreign sites blocked, journalists depend on domestic platforms. Even under tight controls, Chinese apps are the main window into the country. Chu Yang’s latest guide explains how to research Xiaohongshu (Rednote). https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/04/20/xiaohongshu-rednote-open-source-guide/?utm_source=bluesky20 Apr 2026 12:57 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwjfa2dp22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjw4imunyc2nWhat if verification can’t keep up with increasingly sophisticated AI-generated media? Bellingcat researcher @koltai.bsky.social spoke with @bendobrown.bsky.social and Reuters' George Sargent at #ijf26 on the role we can play. Watch back here: https://www.festivaldelgiornalismo.com/programme/2026/have-we-reached-peak-verification [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Apr 2026 09:06 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjw4imunyc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjtz4nssac2kAI-generated content has entered the political sphere. Bellingcat speaks with @tbij.bsky.social reporter @efwebb.bsky.social on a possible first-of-its-kind case—and what it means for tracking AI misuse in politics. Listen by searching 'Stage Talks with Bellingcat': https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2744020/19 Apr 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjtz4nssac2khttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjphn543ts2lBreaking: Kinahan cartel leader Daniel Kinahan has been arrested in Dubai. It follows a Bellingcat investigation last month that traced him to an MMA event in Dubai - providing the first proof that the cartel's leadership was still in hiding in the UAE. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/07/new-footage-shows-wanted-kinahan-cartel-kingpins-post-sanctions/17 Apr 2026 17:37 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjphn543ts2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjozrtfir22fIndia has exported more than 320 million unapproved synthetic opioid pills to West Africa in just three years. Trade data shows over 1,400 shipments of tapentadol — a potent painkiller — were sent to a region already facing an opioid crisis. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/17/painkiller-pipeline-300-million-tapentadol-pills-sent-from-india-to-west-africa/?utm_source=bluesky17 Apr 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjozrtfir22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjml6djzxs2zIn one hour's time we'll be hosting a live discussion on AI's impact on political campaigning. Join the conversation with @efwebb.bsky.social here: https://discord.gg/qS6TJjr6?event=1492121141119029400 [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Apr 2026 14:02 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjml6djzxs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjjfnh64fc2bIn the wake of the Iranian attacks on the UAE, the country’s attorney general warned that publication of images or videos of strikes was illegal. People were also encouraged to report anyone sharing photos or videos of the strikes to authorities. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J04UKor-usY15 Apr 2026 07:45 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjjfnh64fc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjhqdu6z7c2gLast week the @npr.org team interviewed our researcher @godin.bsky.social about the obstacles faced by those looking for open source information on the Iran-Israel-US conflict and why the development of new tools is important within this space: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/10/nx-s1-5775780/us-iran-war-israel-satellite-imagery-planet-vantor-censorship14 Apr 2026 15:51 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjhqdu6z7c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjetqy5my22cHow was an AI-generated rapper used in a far-right political campaign? We're discussing the rise of AI-generated content in politics with @tbij.bsky.social's @efwebb.bsky.social this Thursday at 5pm CEST/11am EDT and how you can investigate it. Join us live: https://discord.gg/qS6TJjr6?event=149212114111902940013 Apr 2026 12:14 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjetqy5my22chttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjeh4t6qjs23Hungary’s election has ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. Days before the vote, we uncovered exposed passwords linked to Hungarian government systems. Here’s what we found: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/09/the-hungarian-government-passwords-exposed-online/?utm_source=bluesky [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Apr 2026 08:28 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjeh4t6qjs23https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mj52q7e3ls2mLooking to develop your investigative skills? Our latest challenges focus exclusively on audio analysis, without visual cues—an increasingly relevant skill in the context of AI-generated audio. Explore the exercises here: challenge.bellingcat.com https://challenge.bellingcat.com10 Apr 2026 09:58 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj52q7e3ls2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mj2ugowiss22Latest: Bellingcat has found close to 800 Hungarian government emails and associated passwords online, which in some cases have exposed confidential data of military personnel and civil servants. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/09/the-hungarian-government-passwords-exposed-online/?utm_source=bluesky09 Apr 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj2ugowiss22https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mixx4t3wcc25Bellingcat is pleased to announce our work has received six Emmy award nominations. The winners will be announced in May. Here's a short thread on the work that we're proud to say has been highlighted 🧵08 Apr 2026 09:10 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mixx4t3wcc25https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3miw2ynt44k2oWith widespread internet blackouts in Iran and new restrictions on certain satellite imagery of the region at the request of the US government, Bellingcat is launching a tool to help estimate the damage in Iran and the wider Gulf region. https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/04/07/tool-damage-assessment-destruction-sentinel-satellite-imagery-iran-us-gulf/?utm_source=bluesky07 Apr 2026 15:14 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3miw2ynt44k2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mitc563h4225A new set of challenges is live today! This month, we’ve removed all visuals, so you can put your open source investigative skills to the test using audio analysis alone… Try the exercises here: challenge.bellingcat.com06 Apr 2026 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mitc563h4225https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3miopqj2nck2rExplosions are going viral — but the explanations often aren’t. Many explosive effects are routinely misidentified online. Our latest guide explains how to spot misinformation about “mushroom clouds,” “sonic weapons,” and other misidentified blasts. Read it here: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/03/30/explosive-misinformation-a-guide-to-mushroom-clouds-sonic-weapons-and-disintegration/?utm_source=Bluesky04 Apr 2026 17:04 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3miopqj2nck2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3milwygy5b222On this week's Stage Talk @foeke.bsky.social spoke about uncovering wildlife traffickers selling protected animals… on Facebook. Not the dark web. Not hidden forums. In plain sight—using coded language to avoid detection. Learn how by searching 'Stage Talks with Bellingcat': https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2685021 [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Apr 2026 14:36 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3milwygy5b222https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mijlaztwpk2jAs Iranian drones target the UAE, Bellingcat reveals a number of instances where authorities downplayed damage and mischaracterised interceptions. Meanwhile the UAE’s attorney general warned that publication of images or videos of strikes is illegal. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/02/war-uae-iran-infuencer-dubai-conflict-drone-successful-strike-intercept-fire/?utm_source=bluesky02 Apr 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mijlaztwpk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mijfekd7g22gStarting in less than one hour: A live chat with @foeke.bsky.social , the researcher behind a recent Bellingcat investigation into wildlife trafficking on Facebook. We’ll discuss how coded language enabled the trade of protected species in plain sight. Join us here: https://discord.gg/VjQq4VhH?event=1488212338938089492 [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Apr 2026 14:15 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mijfekd7g22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3miivfbxkps2vNot one, but two waves of bombings appear to have struck the area of an elementary school in Minab, Iran. Local media reports 175 people were killed, mostly children. In this video we explain how we analysed footage of the attack on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. youtu.be/yy9pzWul4mA https://youtu.be/yy9pzWul4mA02 Apr 2026 09:29 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3miivfbxkps2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mih6ujzmes2rBellingcat and Josimar Football identified the representative of an Asian bookmaker who used a false name to sign a sponsorship deal with Croatia’s national football team ahead of the FIFA World Cup. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/01/croatian-football-teams-deal-with-gambling-sponsor/?utm_source=bluesky01 Apr 2026 17:13 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mih6ujzmes2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3miezrgpqtc2nBellingcat, with @frontlinepbs.bsky.social, @washingtonpost.com and @evidentmedia.org, investigate the impact of the Israeli and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme, through on-the-ground access and open source analysis. 👇 [contains quote post or other embedded content]31 Mar 2026 20:37 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3miezrgpqtc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mieao2s4ss27Bellingcat found 31 posts with AI-generated imagery shared on social media by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam and West Bengal in December that appeared to meet the United Nations’ definition of hate speech. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/31/india-bjp-hate-speech-ai/?utm_source=bluesky31 Mar 2026 13:07 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mieao2s4ss27https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mie4rrlzb227What work goes into tracking the traffickers? Join us live on Thursday at 11am EDT/5pm CEST as we speak to @foeke.bsky.social , the Bellingcat researcher behind this investigation into the illegal wildlife trade on Facebook. Ask your questions by joining the event here: https://discord.gg/VjQq4VhH?event=1488212338938089492 [contains quote post or other embedded content]31 Mar 2026 11:58 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mie4rrlzb227https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mibsw6yt6k24Videos of explosions have fueled misunderstanding and misinformation in the conflict with Iran, with munition types incorrectly identified amongst claims of “mystery” weapons. What can types of explosions really tell us? Read @easybakeovensz.bsky.social‘s latest: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/03/30/explosive-misinformation-a-guide-to-mushroom-clouds-sonic-weapons-and-disintegration/?utm_source=bluesky30 Mar 2026 13:56 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mibsw6yt6k24https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mibhp53oac2mBellingcat’s analysis of new footage from the Feb. 28 Minab school strike reveals that the area was hit by at least two separate waves of bombing. Read about our findings here: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/27/new-videos-reveal-more-details-about-iran-girls-school-strike/?utm_source=bluesky [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Mar 2026 10:35 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mibhp53oac2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mi335vhl5c2pTwo new videos have emerged showing the deadly strikes that hit an IRGC compound, as well as an adjacent girls’ school, in Minab, Iran. By geolocating and verifying the footage, Bellingcat found two waves of attacks, occurring hours apart. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/27/new-videos-reveal-more-details-about-iran-girls-school-strike/?utm_source=bluesky27 Mar 2026 21:35 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi335vhl5c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mhybgac7ms2gThe US appears to have deployed the Gator Scatterable Mine system over Kafari, a village near Shiraz, in southern Iran overnight. At least two people were killed according to local reports. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/26/us-iran-mines-israel-village-missile-munitions-weapons-war-conflict/?utm_source=bluesky26 Mar 2026 18:49 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhybgac7ms2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mhvhufs3o22qSatellite images from March 24 show the aftermath of a drone strike on the Primorsk Oil Terminal, a key Russian oil export facility. Smoke plumes extended over 100 km from the site, located near the Finnish border, which was hit by Ukraine in the night of March 22–23.25 Mar 2026 16:06 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhvhufs3o22q