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Avery Schmitz

@averyschmitz.bsky.social
11K followers 952 following 60 posts

Open-source reporting @cnn.com Views my own | avery.schmitz@cnn.com

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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Widespread damage in La Guaira, Venezuela, seen in these new satellite photos from @vantortech.bsky.social These neighborhoods are just 10 miles north of central Caracas
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Katherine Pompilio @katherinepomps.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
NEW: I found that at least 97 of the more than 1,500 individuals granted clemency by President Trump for their roles in the January 6 Capitol attack have been arrested for, or convicted of crimes separate from Jan. 6 since their participation in the riot. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
lawfaremedia.org
The Jan. 6 Pardons: How Many Clemency Recipients Have Faced Other Charges?
The real count is much higher than the public knew.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
NEW: The US has conducted at least 25 intelligence-gathering flights off the coast of Cuba since early February, per data from @flightradar24.com Check out my analysis here: www.cnn.com/2026/05/10/a...
cnn.com
US intelligence-gathering flights are surging off Cuba | CNN
The flights are notable not only for their proximity to the island’s coast, but for the suddenness of their appearance and their timing.
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Jake Godin @godin.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Looking around for this with @aric.bsky.social and @gbrumfiel.bsky.social, geolocated at 30.835153, 50.589567 north of Dehdasht (~30 miles north of Behbahan). Rough annotation with matching terrain + building area in the foreground. CC: @geoconfirmed.org Map link: www.google.com/maps/place/3...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
NEW: The US military has assembled a massive collection of weapons systems in the Middle East—including 18x F-35 stealth fighters seen clearly for the first time in imagery from Planet Labs Our latest analysis from me and Annette Choi www.cnn.com/2026/02/20/p...
cnn.com
A look at the military hardware the US has positioned for potential war with Iran | CNN Politics
The US military has assembled a massive collection of weapons systems in the Middle East in the midst of ongoing diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran, flooding ships and aircraft to nearby ...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Data from @globalfishingwatch.org shows oil tankers moving between Barcelona, Venezuela and US Gulf Coast ports since Maduro’s removal @stepozzebon.bsky.social explains how the US is seeking out new ways to cooperate with Venezuela's leadership: www.cnn.com/2026/02/17/a...
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Katie Polglase @katiepolglase.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
New: We reconstructed how Maduro was captured used eyewitness videos & helicopter flight paths and found the operation came down to two critical minutes. edition.cnn.com/2026/01/23/a... @isaacyeephoto.bsky.social @averyschmitz.bsky.social @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social @allegragoodwin.bsky.social
edition.cnn.com
Capturing a president: CNN analysis reveals extraordinary risks taken to seize Maduro | CNN
The audacious US operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro came down to an intense final firefight in which US helicopters were exposed to an extraordinary level of risk as they descende...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
NEW: We reconstructed the US operation to capture Venezuelan President Maduro Visual evidence reveals 2 crucial minutes + an intense firefight when US forces faced extraordinary risk w/ @isaacyeephoto.bsky.social @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social @katiepolglase.bsky.social @allegragoodwin.bsky.social
cnn.com
Capturing a president: CNN analysis reveals extraordinary risks taken to seize Maduro | CNN
The audacious US operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro came down to an intense final firefight in which US helicopters were exposed to an extraordinary level of risk as they descende...
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Natasha Bertrand @natashabertrand.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Great video by @averyschmitz.bsky.social (with some narration help by me 🤭) taking a look at what the US military has built up in the Caribbean.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
NEW: We tracked over 200 US military flights conducted in the Caribbean since mid-August by 83 separate aircraft, including intelligence-gathering planes and tankers used to refuel jets in midair With @natashabertrand.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/10/19/w...
cnn.com
Here’s what the US military has positioned in the Caribbean as Trump pressures Venezuela | CNN
The US military has been steadily massing a large number of troops, naval and air assets in the Caribbean over the last two months, conducting training missions off the coast of Venezuela, reopening a...
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Natasha Bertrand @natashabertrand.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
The US military has been steadily massing a large number of troops, naval and air assets in the Caribbean over the last two months. Here’s what’s been positioned as Trump pressures Venezuela (and, increasingly, Colombia): www.cnn.com/2025/10/19/w...
cnn.com
Here’s what the US military has positioned in the Caribbean as Trump pressures Venezuela | CNN
The US military has been steadily massing a large number of troops, naval and air assets in the Caribbean over the last two months, conducting training missions off the coast of Venezuela, reopening a...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
NEW: We spent 6 months digging into the cartel networks recruiting Americans as smugglers Uncovering hundreds of recruitment posts and speaking with cartel recruiters + law enforcement about their tactics With Norma Galeana, David Culver, and Evelio Contreras:
cnn.com
Inside the cartel networks recruiting young Americans on social media | CNN
A young mother tells CNN how she was lured into recruiting migrant smugglers in the US after seeing a promise of easy money in her feed.
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Francesca D'Annunzio @francescadnunz.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
NEW: Chihuahua, Mexico's most sprawling state, is building a surveillance system. Once complete, it'll have almost 10K cameras, including some w/ facial recognition capabilities. Authorities offered to share access with US police—including Texas DPS. 🧵 www.texasobserver.org/texas-chihua...
texasobserver.org
Just Beyond the Texas Border, Chihuahua Is Launching a Burgeoning State Surveillance System
The 20-story Torre Centinela looming over Juárez is part of a much larger AI-powered network that won’t stop at the U.S.-Mexico divide.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
NEW: what’s happening at one Iranian nuclear site following US airstrikes
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Thomas Bordeaux @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
235 people were killed in April when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub came crashing down during a packed concert. We found that for years before the collapse, structural issues and warning signs went unaddressed. w/ @stepozzebon.bsky.social and @averyschmitz.bsky.social for CNN youtu.be/H5UpgvxSc1A
youtu.be
CNN analysis explores cause of deadly Dominican nightclub roof collapse
YouTube video by CNN
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
NEW: How structural flaws reduced a Dominican nightclub to rubble Watch our investigation of the Jet Set club collapse which killed over 230 people in April From @stepozzebon.bsky.social, @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social, Anyi Lizardo, Maddie Araujo, and me: youtu.be/H5UpgvxSc1A?...
youtu.be
CNN analysis explores cause of deadly Dominican nightclub roof collapse
YouTube video by CNN
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Amid violence in northwest Syria, some appear to be seeking protection from Russian forces there New satellite images from Maxar show throngs of people and cars crowding an entrance Khmeimim Air Base earlier today--less than 20km from central Latakia 📸: Maxar Technologies
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
NEW: Argentina’s military is deploying to surveil hundreds of Chinese fishing boats off its coast. Here’s why: From me, @isaacyeephoto.bsky.social, @yong.bsky.social and Betiana Fernández Martino
cnn.com
Why Argentina’s military is deploying to surveil hundreds of Chinese fishing boats off its coast | CNN
The Argentine military is ramping up efforts to combat these fishing operations in a region experts warn is on the brink of environmental collapse.
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Evident @evidentmedia.org · 04/03/2025
We are proud to announce the launch of Evident — a nonprofit news organization producing documentary journalism for the public good — here on Bluesky. Evident is building a new kind of newsroom powered by a team of journalists that is covering crucial stories for public good.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 15/02/2025
NEW: Paramilitary forces raid Sudan’s largest refugee camp "Several stray bullets flew over our heads, and a victim fell right in front of me," an eyewitness told us. From me, Aleena Fayaz, and Kaila Nichols:
cnn.com
Paramilitary forces raid Sudan’s largest refugee camp | CNN
Fighters from Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have torched parts of Sudan’s largest refugee camp, firing indiscriminately at people, including women and children, according to open-sou...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
NEW: We identified 18 US military flights gathering intelligence on cartels in Mexico since Jan. 28 These missions show how the Trump admin is quickly shifting national security resources to the border From Katie Bo Lillis, Priscilla Alvarez, @natashabertrand.bsky.social and me
cnn.com
US spy planes hunt for intel on Mexican drug cartels as surveillance flights surge near border | CNN Politics
The US military has significantly increased its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels over the past two weeks, with sophisticated spy planes flying at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and in ...
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Natasha Bertrand @natashabertrand.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
The US military has significantly increased its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels over the past two weeks, with sophisticated spy planes flying at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and in international airspace around the Baja peninsula. www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/p...
cnn.com
US spy planes hunt for intel on Mexican drug cartels as surveillance flights surge near border | CNN Politics
The US military has significantly increased its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels over the past two weeks, with sophisticated spy planes flying at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and in ...
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Francesca D'Annunzio @francescadnunz.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
NEW: Derek Maltz, Trump's pick to lead the DEA, formerly worked at PenLink, a Nebraska-based tech firm that has sold software that can track phone locations without a warrant to agencies like ICE and Texas DPS. www.texasobserver.org/dea-derek-ma...
texasobserver.org
New DEA Chief’s Background Includes Surveillance Tech and Border Misinformation
Derek Maltz formerly worked at PenLink, a Nebraska-based tech firm that has sold software that can track phone locations without a warrant to agencies like ICE and Texas DPS.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Hey @lemonodor.bsky.social! Can you shoot me a DM?
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 30/01/2025
“If the facts as you just stated are true, then apparently some people are above the law.” From @francescadnunz.bsky.social and @averyschmitz.bsky.social in 2024: Citizen militias are illegal in both Arizona and Texas, but in some cases police appear to be tacitly approving border vigilantism.
texasobserver.org
Border Vigilantes Are Blurring the Lines of Law Enforcement
Armed groups in Arizona and Texas are collaborating with and courting police and immigration agents—with alarming results.
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Jacob Ware @jacobware.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
"LAFD Capt. Erik Scott has one of the most intense jobs in the nation right now: trying to distribute accurate public information during a historically destructive urban fire in America." Misinformation is a growing problem for frontline workers... www.wsj.com/us-news/los-...
wsj.com
Fighting Fires—and the Rumor Mill—as L.A. Burns
‘The worst I’ve ever seen.’ Skyrocketing misinformation is forcing public officials to adopt a new playbook when tragedies hit their communities
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
NEW: Using visual evidence, we pieced together how the Bourbon Street attack unfolded on New Year’s Eve, killing at least 15 people From Caroll Alvarado, Elizabeth Wolfe, and me
cnn.com
A visual timeline of the New Year’s attack that left at least 14 dead in New Orleans | CNN
New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street devolved into a grisly crime scene just hours into the new year as a driver plowed a pickup truck through crowds of holiday revelers, killing at least 14 people and i...
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 27/12/2024
Best of 2024: Citizen militias are illegal in both Arizona and Texas, but in some cases police appear to be tacitly approving border vigilantism. @francescadnunz.bsky.social @azcir.bsky.social & @averyschmitz.bsky.social uncover the alarming collaboration between law enforcement and militias.
texasobserver.org
Border Vigilantes Are Blurring the Lines of Law Enforcement
Armed groups in Arizona and Texas are collaborating with and courting police and immigration agents—with alarming results.
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Eman El-Sherbiny @emansh.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
A lot has been happening in Sudan but very little is talked about, which is a grave mistake given the SAF & RSF often intensify their attacks around December of every year, using the lack of media attention getting closer to the holidays. But one of the dealiest took place just 2 days ago 1/
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Katie Polglase @katiepolglase.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
What was the military strategy behind the takeover of Damascus? We pieced together the videos to find out. @allegragoodwin.bsky.social @averyschmitz.bsky.social @gianlucamezzo.bsky.social @isaacyeephoto.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2024/12/09/w...
cnn.com
How the Assad regime fell so quickly | CNN
What was the military strategy behind the takeover of Damascus? CNN’s Katie Polglase and team analyzed over a hundred videos of the final push to take the Syrian capital, Damascus, finding that it cam...
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Francesca D'Annunzio @francescadnunz.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Rodney Scott, Trump's pick to lead CBP, has a $50,000 consulting contract with the Texas AG's office for the DOJ Rio Grande river buoy lawsuit, I found via public records. His contract ends in August 2025.
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Paweł Wójcik 🦋🇵🇱🇪🇺 @saladinaldronni.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Hey, hi, hello. It's Paweł finally appearing with what he said he would do - creating a substack. First introduction post, a short one, explaining myself a bit. Tommorow a first "meat" post, with a review of recent weeks in Sahel. Consider subscribing? open.substack.com/pub/saladina...
open.substack.com
A start of the Saladinaldronni adventure
Hello everyone!
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Yale Humanitarian Research Lab @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
🚨 Special Report: Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp attacked by RSF @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social confirms munition impacts, conflict-related damage to structures in Zamzam IDP camp attacked between 1-3 December. Civilians appear to be fleeing. 🛰️: Maxar medicine.yale.edu/lab/khoshnoo...
Title: Zamzam IDP Camp
Subtitle: Conflict-related Damage observed between 01-03 December 2024
Copyright: 01 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus; 03 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus, Analysis by Yale HRL.
Text: Analysis of satellite imagery collected between 01 and 03 December 2024 of Zamzam IDP Camp shows the damage from likely shelling to structures within the camp.
Title: Zamzam IDP Camp
Subtitle: Smoke observed between 01-03 December 2024
Copyright: 01 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus; 03 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus, Analysis by Yale HRL.
Text: Analysis of satellite imagery collected between 01 and 03 December 2024 of Zamzam IDP Camp shows smoke from a likely munition impact to the berm of an IDP compound.
Title: Zamzam IDP Camp
Subtitle: Munition Impact observed between 01-03 December 2024
Copyright: 01 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus; 03 December 2024 © 2024 Maxar, USG-Plus, Analysis by Yale HRL.
Text: Analysis of satellite imagery collected between 01 and 03 December 2024 of Zamzam IDP Camp shows a munition impact crater outside an IDP compound.
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Yale Humanitarian Research Lab @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Putin-controlled aircraft deported Ukrainian children, U.S.-backed research alleges // from @reuters.com www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
Putin-controlled aircraft deported Ukrainian children, U.S.-backed research alleges
Russian presidential aircraft and funds were used in a program that took children from occupied Ukrainian territories, stripped them of Ukrainian identity and placed them with Russian families, according to a report by Yale's School of Public Health.
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Yale Humanitarian Research Lab @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
REPORT: Russia engaged in systematic, intentional, widespread coerced adoption and fostering of children from Ukraine. HRL identifies 314 children placed with Russian citizens or in institutions where they were later listed for adoption and/or guardianship hub.conflictobservatory.org/portal/apps/...
By April 2022, Andrei Vorobyëv–Governor of the Moscow region, pictured centrally–had initiated a pilot project to place children from Ukraine with citizens of Russia. Maria Levova-Belova is in the foreground. The are escorting children from Ukraine off a flight to Moscow. Children's faces are blurred to protect their identities. Source: https://kremlin.ru
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Katie Polglase @katiepolglase.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
We looked into the surprise rebel attack in Aleppo, Syria: how it happened and what the videos tell us. OSINT work by @allegragoodwin.bsky.social @isaacyeephoto.bsky.social @averyschmitz.bsky.social + filming by Alex Platt + editing by Oscar Featherstone www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/w...
cnn.com
CNN pieces together how rebel forces took over Aleppo | CNN
In just over 72 hours last week, a coalition of Syrian armed rebel groups operating under the banner of Deterrence of Aggression captured the city of Aleppo in a surprise attack, dealing a significant...
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Allegra Goodwin @allegragoodwin.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Crucial new @hrw.org report finds US munitions were used in the Israeli attack which killed three journalists at the Hasbaya Village Club Resort in Hasbaya in southern Lebanon on October 25. @hrw.org describes the strike as an “apparent war crime” www.hrw.org/news/2024/11...
hrw.org
Lebanon: US Arms Used in Israeli Strike on Journalists
An Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on October 25, 2024, that killed three journalists and injured four others was most likely a deliberate attack on civilians and an apparent war crime, Human Rights Watc...
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thebaldgeek @thebaldgeek.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Just updated the website users guide. The search improvements today are HUGE. Could not have done any of them without the help of a very kind and talented programmer. (And really patient as well!) community.airframes....
community.airframes.io
Website overview tbg.airframes.io
Massive shoutout and huge heaps of THANK-YOU to airframes.io for hosting my site! Post updated 24th Nov 2024. Updated the Site Search page section. Starting with the home page: Quick overview of site health. tbg has email alerts for zeros, so no need to ‘report’ any odd or zero numbers that you see. (But any numbers you see and don’t understand, be sure and ask about). The home page tables are just there to help you understand the data ‘freshness’ on the rest of the site. Of course if...
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Michael Colborne @colborne.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Follow all of us at @bellingcat.com here, past and present!
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Jonathan Collins @joncollins.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
📢 Are you an early career researcher examining online extremism (in its many forms) and want your work featured in a @VOX_Pol blog? Feel free to get in touch! We are dedicating a full month of the blog to your work!
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Nixintel @nixintel.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Here are few interesting #OSINT resources relating to undersea cables. Semantic Net contains location and status information for undersea cables and data centres. www.semanticnet.net
semanticnet.net
SemanticNet: Internet infrastructure data
SemanticNet - Detailed Internet infrastructure data to help untangle the complexity of the Internet’s global architecture. Data, analysis and reports.
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Phil Williams @philinvestigates.com · 15/11/2024
My three-month investigation reveals the plans of out-of-state Christian nationalists to establish roots in a tiny Middle Tennessee county, hoping to eventually expand statewide. That’s Monday on NewsChannel 5 and newschannel5.com.
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
Some really, really good takeaways here 👇 "Start stories at the beginning, not in the middle... Instead of 'Trump vows to impose tariffs,' begin with 'what’s a tariff?'"
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Tyler McBrien @tylermcbrien.com · 13/11/2024
Now on @lawfare.bsky.social: Ben Wittes' personal pledge on what Lawfare will do—and won't do—as we head into the next Trump admin. If our ethos and coverage resonate, we'd appreciate your financial support to keep us afloat these next 4 years and beyond. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
lawfaremedia.org
The Situation: Lawfare’s Role During the Second Trump Administration
Who we are, what we do, and why we’re asking for your support.
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Nicole Grajewski @nicolegrajewski.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
I plan to start posting on Bluesky more now. For those of you who do not know me, my work basically focuses on Russia and Iran - either individually or bilaterally - with an emphasis on nuclear and defense-related matters. I have a forthcoming book on their bilateral ties from Syria to Ukraine.
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Patrick Stotz @patrickstotz.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
Bluesky is really coming to life. If you're new here, check out the starter packs.My crowd: DataViz: bsky.app/starter-pack... Maps: bsky.app/starter-pack... RStats: bsky.app/starter-pack... Earth Observation: bsky.app/starter-pack... Directory of starter packs: blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
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Katie Polglase @katiepolglase.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
Just joined this platform! Excited to connect with fellow journalists/investigators and anyone who wants to chat about story ideas...
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Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
New from 404 Media: got hundreds of internal Secret Service emails where it said tracking peoples' location without a warrant was okay because citizens have clicked 'accept' on app terms of service. This is the data that powers tools like Locate X www.404media.co/fyi-a-warran...
404media.co
'FYI. A Warrant Isn’t Needed': Secret Service Says You Agreed To Be Tracked With Location Data
The Secret Service has used a technology called Locate X which uses location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on phones. Because users agreed to an opaque terms of service page, the Secret ...
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Avery Schmitz @averyschmitz.bsky.social · 09/11/2024
NEW: Russia’s ‘FBI’ was targeting US elections with a barrage of disinformation—just days before Nov. 5 We tracked how this network is carrying out a Russian mercenary’s vision with Clemson's Media Forensics Hub 👇👇 From @gianlucamezzo.bsky.social, Tim Lister, Saskya Vandoorne, and me:
cnn.com
Russian disinformation network with ties to notorious ‘troll factory’ is taking aim at the US election, analysis finds | CNN
An investigation by researchers at Clemson University with CNN has found that a spinoff of the Russian “troll factory” that targeted the 2016 US presidential race now appears to be at the heart of a d...
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Jake Godin @godin.bsky.social · 07/11/2024
There's a Bellingcat starter pack here for OSI-related accounts: bsky.app/starter-pack... Climate reporters: bsky.app/starter-pack... FT data and viz: bsky.app/starter-pack... Wired journalists: bsky.app/starter-pack... Some additional packs in the replies to Eliot here: bsky.app/profile/elio...
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