📰 Bellingcat · 10
NetherlandsSuper-Potent Synthetic Opioids Spread Across US Amid Fentanyl Crackdown
The article recounts the tragic death of Ashley Delgado, a 29-year-old woman from Cleveland, Ohio, who succumbed to an overdose involving potent synthetic opioids called nitazenes, specifically protonitazene and metonitazene. The piece highlights her journey from aspiring medical professional to someone battling opioid addiction, detailing her progression from prescription opioids to fentanyl. It emphasizes the growing danger posed by these less-known synthetic opioids amid ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.
Heading Off: New Technique Helps Track Grain Smuggling Expansion to Libya
A Russian bulk carrier, Grumant, was tracked using satellite imagery and AIS data to show it departed from the occupied Ukrainian port of Feodosia with grain and arrived in Libya. This marks the second known instance of Russian ships transporting grain from occupied Ukraine to Libya. Previously, the Damas Wave delivered grain to Misrata under the UN-recognized Government of National Unity. Bellingcat used a new method involving heading data from AIS information to verify the ship's route. Five other ships linked to smuggling Ukrainian grain have been sanctioned by the EU, and one by the U.S.
Tracing Digital Links Between Viory and Ruptly
Bellingcat investigated potential connections between Viory, a video news agency based in the Global South, and Ruptly, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned media outlet Russia Today. The report identified several digital links, such as shared IP addresses, a security certificate linked to Ruptly used by Viory, and data sharing between the two entities. Both organizations denied any connection.
The ‘Lost’ Villages of Myanmar’s Rakhine
The article discusses the destruction and violence in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, focusing on the 2024 attacks by the Arakan Army (AA) on Rohingya communities. Survivors describe scenes of mass killings and burning of villages. Human Rights Watch reports that the AA may have killed at least 170 Rohingya people in the attack on Htan Shauk Khan village, which they refer to as a 'massacre.' The article notes that both the AA and the military junta have committed abuses against civilians, with the junta's forced conscription of Rohingya exacerbating the violence.
Banned Russian Submunitions Found After Mali’s Military Announces Airstrikes
Unexploded Russian-made cluster munition bomblets, specifically ShOAB-0.5 submunitions, were discovered in the village of Tadjmart in northern Mali. These findings occurred despite Mali being a state party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which prohibits the use of such weapons. The deployment of these munitions was initially reported by Radio France International, but without visual evidence. Social media footage analyzed by Bellingcat and Jeune Afrique confirmed the presence of the bomblets. The location of the discovery aligns with airstrikes conducted by the Malian Armed Force
Satellite Imagery Shows Ongoing Demolitions Across Southern Lebanon
Satellite imagery analyzed by Bellingcat indicates significant destruction across 46 out of 54 towns and villages within the IDF's 'Yellow Line' in southern Lebanon. This damage appears to have occurred primarily in recent weeks, according to the report. The analysis uses PlanetScope satellite images from March 2 and May 8, 2026, highlighting the extent of damage since the start of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Locations are color-coded based on the level and timing of damage.
DRC’s Coltan Belt: Verifying Deadly Landslides at Mines Under M23 Control
Since the start of 2026, at least four landslides have occurred at the Rubaya mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reportedly killing hundreds of people. The mines, a significant global source of coltan used in electronics, are currently controlled by the Rwandan-backed group M23. Access to the area is limited, making it difficult to confirm casualty numbers. Bellingcat investigated using open-source methods, confirming multiple incidents where villages were affected by landslides. The DRC government attributed the first landslide to 'rampant and illegal mining' by Rwandan-backed M
Unearthing a Colombian Politician’s Connections to Neo-Nazi Active Club Group
An investigation by Bellingcat and Colombian media outlet Cerosetenta reveals that Colombian politician Jorge Rodriguez, a candidate from the right-wing party Centro Democratico, was involved in a February 26, 2026 incident where individuals painted over graffiti in Bogota. One of the graffiti pieces had the message 'Creole Nazis will not pass,' referring to Nazi sympathizers in Latin America. The video showed men painting over this graffiti with Rodriguez's logo. Although most faces were pixelated, one individual's tattoo bore similarities to Javier 'Orlik' Ruiz, a known member of the neo-Naz
“Make Iran Ungovernable” – Tracking Efforts To Destroy Iran’s Police Infrastructure
Bellingcat has identified at least 80 police stations or infrastructure related to law enforcement agencies and the Basij paramilitary group that have been damaged or destroyed in the first three weeks of the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. The article cites experts stating that both countries aim to degrade Iran’s repressive capacity. It notes that combined, the US and Israel have conducted thousands of strikes during the 2026 war in Iran, targeting IRGC sites, navy vessels, and weapons manufacturers. Satellite imagery and other evidence show damage to police stations in Tehran,北
Mining China’s ‘Little Red Book’ for Open Source Gold
The article discusses the challenges of conducting open-source research in China due to its digital restrictions, including blocked international platforms like Facebook, Google, and YouTube. Despite these limitations, Chinese apps with billions of users provide valuable information for investigative journalism. The article highlights how censorship patterns can reveal sensitive topics, citing a 2020 BuzzFeed News investigation that used Baidu Maps to identify detention camps in Xinjiang. It also notes that Chinese diaspora communities' online activity can lead to global news stories.