Thousands of people have begun returning to their abandoned homes in northern Gaza after Israeli forces opened the Netzarim corridor, which separates the northern and southern parts of the territory, on Monday, Jan. 27. Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza following more than a year of negotiations. The deal was announced on […] The post Satellite Imagery Shows Schools and Hospitals Destroyed in Northern Gaza appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

A photograph of the advertisement for the two-day concert on Blood & Honour Hungary’s website (Photo: Michael Colborne) The post Neo-Nazis Linked to “Terrorist Activities” to Host Budapest Concert appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

Rwandan-backed rebels M23 are continuing to consolidate their control over Goma after taking control of the city’s international airport and border crossing. Fighting between M23 and the Congolese army reportedly dampened overnight as footage from Goma showed Congolese soldiers surrendering, with M23 celebrating in the streets. It remains unclear exactly how much of the city […] The post M23 Rebels Consolidate Control over Key City in DR Congo appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

This article is the result of a collaboration with German YouTube channel STRG_F. You can watch their documentary here. Warning: This article discusses non-consensual sexually explicit content from the start. The graphic images claim to show Patrizia Schlosser, an investigative reporter from Germany. She’s depicted naked and in chains. “At first I was shocked and […] The post Faking It: Deepfake Porn Site’s Link to Tech Companies appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

This article is the result of a collaboration with Estonian publishing partner Postimees. You can find Postimees’ corresponding piece here. A young woman dressed in a school uniform poses in front of a bag resembling breadcrumbs. A phone number, an email, and two QR codes are listed above her head. At the center of the […] The post The Rise of Nitazenes: Chinese Suppliers Behind Ads for Deadly Opioids Targeting Europe appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

This article, published as part of the Bellingcat Technical Writing Fellowship, is adapted from a more technically-detailed guide on Agnes Cameron’s blog. Satellite imagery has been used extensively in open-source investigative research: from monitoring global deforestation to documenting mass demolitions in Gaza. When we view satellite images on platforms like Google Earth, the world looks […] The post Seeing More With Satellite Imagery Using Band Combinations, Ratios and Indices appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

This article is the result of a joint investigation by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List. The Lloyd’s List version of this piece can be found here. Ukraine has said it is “outraged” after a Russian-flagged vessel surreptitiously exported grain from a port under western sanctions in occupied Crimea to Houthi-controlled Yemen for the second time in a […] The post Ukraine ‘Outraged’ at Yemen Grain Shipment From Occupied Crimea appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

In early October, Bellingcat’s Tech team organised its second ever in-person hackathon, this time in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan with the theme “Visualising Nature’s Stories”.  This student-only hackathon, in collaboration with the University of Central Asia, saw 30 participants from three international universities in Kyrgyzstan put their heads together to brainstorm ways to communicate one of the […] The post Visualising Tree Cutting, Air Pollution and Mudflows in Kyrgyzstan: Bellingcat’s First Hackathon Where Everyone Was A Winner appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

A video of some rocky outcrops in the Libyan desert geolocated by Bellingcat may hold clues about the journey of a missing Colombian who is among several reportedly recruited and sent to Sudan’s civil war, where his fate remains unknown. According to reports by Colombian media and the Wall Street Journal, more than a hundred […] The post Colombian Mercenaries in Transit to Sudan via Libya – What do we Know?  appeared first on bellingcat ..read more

In October two people were sentenced to five years in jail in connection with the killing of opposition member Dido Kakisingi at a march in Kindu, Democratic Republic of Congo.  Kakisingi, a lawyer and youth coordinator of political party Ensemble Pour la République (Ensemble) in the province of Maniema was killed during clashes at a […] The post Retracing the Congolese March Where Dido Kakisingi was Killed appeared first on bellingcat ..read more