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/3mlvxblpk3k2eAircraft tracking has become a powerful tool for journalism. In our Stage Talks podcast, @gillianbrockell.com demonstrates how flight data and open tools can be used to trace government flights, identify ICE aircraft, and verify aviation activity. Listen: rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2829188 https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/282918815 May 2026 18:23 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvxblpk3k2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mlsy66z5rc2tJoin us live in one hour as we discuss flight tracking techniques https://discord.gg/bellingcat?event=1502314212075110481 [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 May 2026 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlsy66z5rc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mlskprxr3k2ySatellite imagery shows that at least 46 towns and villages in southern Lebanon have been heavily damaged or, in some cases, entirely flattened by the Israeli Defence Forces. Bellingcat’s interactive map reveals the scale of the destruction: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/05/14/satellite-imagery-shows-ongoing-demolitions-across-southern-lebanon/?utm_source=bluesky14 May 2026 10:00 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlskprxr3k2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mlnmd2sqks2xSince the beginning of 2026, at least four landslides have reportedly killed hundreds of people at the Rubaya mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a major global source of coltan. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2026/05/12/congos-coltan-belt-verifying-deadly-landslides-at-mines-under-m23-control/?utm_source=bluesky12 May 2026 10:46 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnmd2sqks2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mllivmsxc22vBellingcat and Cerosetenta have uncovered online links between the first South American branch of the far-right Active Club movement in Colombia and a mainstream political figure who ran in recent elections for the country's largest right-wing political party. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/05/11/active-club-colombia-politics/?utm_source=bluesky11 May 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mllivmsxc22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mldx6gwjjk2mWhat can flight data tell us about deportation flights, and where are the limits of public information? On Thursday @gillianbrockell.com guides us through the aviation data, public records, and open-source techniques used to follow immigration operations in the skies. https://discord.gg/bellingcat?event=150231421207511048108 May 2026 14:33 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldx6gwjjk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mlbesq3m6s2kAmid peace negotiations between Iran and the US, documentation of the war’s impact is ongoing. These efforts have been complicated by internet restrictions and limited access to commercial satellite imagery. Bellingcat's tool helps estimate the scale of the damage. https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/04/07/tool-damage-assessment-destruction-sentinel-satellite-imagery-iran-us-gulf/07 May 2026 13:59 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbesq3m6s2khttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkzk7sgvl22iDid you know there’s around 100 000 flights worldwide every day? Flight tracking can be a very useful tool for open source investigations. Want to learn how? Check out this month’s Bellingcat Open Source Challenge: challenge.bellingcat.com04 May 2026 11:15 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkzk7sgvl22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mksbfzz4ws2dWe examined China’s leading social platforms and how they operate in our latest Stage Talk episode. Researcher Chu Yang also shared tips for accessing the platforms from abroad and tracking trends across China and the diaspora. Search 'Stage Talks with Bellingcat': https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2785287/01 May 2026 13:49 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksbfzz4ws2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkpsaegcqk2nCurious how to actually use Chinese social media for research? Join us live in under an hour. https://discord.gg/bellingcat?event=1498252458277863455 [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Apr 2026 14:12 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkpsaegcqk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkktmdi6pk2eAt Bellingcat, we’re not just producing investigations — we also want to empower you to carry out your own. That’s why we build tools to help you dig deeper. You can explore our full suite of open-source tools on GitHub: github.com/bellingcat https://github.com/bellingcat28 Apr 2026 14:53 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkktmdi6pk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkhsqp5fc22pThe Chinese social media landscape can feel unfamiliar and harder to access for research—especially on a foreign device. On Thursday’s Stage Talk, Chu Yang joins us to explore how these platforms work and how to navigate them from the outside. Join us live: https://discord.gg/Qy4DGB6g?event=149825245827786345527 Apr 2026 09:59 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkhsqp5fc22phttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkaz32qgnc2tA former Syrian regime official suspected of leading the notorious Tadamon massacre was arrested Friday. The massacre was first revealed by the Guardian in 2022. “Killing Anna”, a film on the subject – made with Keo Films and Bellingcat Productions – premiered in Copenhagen earlier this year.24 Apr 2026 17:04 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkaz32qgnc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mkapvwigo22iNew: Bellingcat has identified at least 80 police stations and law enforcement or Basij paramilitary group infrastructure which were damaged or destroyed in the first three weeks of the United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/24/make-iran-ungovernable-tracking-efforts-to-destroy-irans-police-infrastructure/?utm_source=bluesky24 Apr 2026 14:20 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkapvwigo22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mk6623tl322iLast week we revealed Indian companies had shipped more than 320 million synthetic opioid pills to West Africa over the past three years – where the opioids had not been approved by regulators. Not read the investigation yet? You can find all of the data here: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/04/17/painkiller-pipeline-300-million-tapentadol-pills-sent-from-india-to-west-africa/?utm_source=bluesky23 Apr 2026 13:55 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6623tl322ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mk3omdslek27On Earth Day: environmental investigations can be tough and take time, skills and persistence —but they are possible, and they matter. Here are some tools and resources our team has used in investigations to track wildlife trade, wildfires, and oil spills… 🧵22 Apr 2026 14:13 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3omdslek27https://bsky.app/profile/bellingcat.com/post/3mjzbluduqs2yBellingcat researcher @conplnk.bsky.social spoke to the Newstalk Daily team about our research into the Kinahan cartel and the impact the arrest of Daniel Kinahan may have: https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/newstalk-daily/what-happens-to-the-kinahan-cartel-now [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Apr 2026 15:15 +0000at://did:plc:sb54dpdfefflykmf5bcfvr7t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzbluduqs2yhttps://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/3mj2ugowiss22