Benedict Garman
@benedictgarman.com
Investigative journalist, currently with BBC Verify.
This is beginning to feel routine www.npr.org/2026/01/16/n...
Justice Department opens investigation into Minnesota governor and Minneapolis mayor
Federal prosecutors are investigating Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. In response to the news, Frey said in a social media post: "I will not be intimidated."
www.npr.org
January 17, 2026 at 6:44 AM
This is beginning to feel routine www.npr.org/2026/01/16/n...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Israel is moving the yellow blocks that mark its control line further into Gaza. We mapped more than 220. In at least 16 cases the IDF placed them then came back and moved them deeper again. Some are around half a km beyond the mapped line. W/ @emmapengelly.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel moves Yellow Line deeper into Gaza, satellite images show
Israel placed and later moved control markers in three areas, with placed deeper inside Gaza than maps suggested.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 7:10 AM
Israel is moving the yellow blocks that mark its control line further into Gaza. We mapped more than 220. In at least 16 cases the IDF placed them then came back and moved them deeper again. Some are around half a km beyond the mapped line. W/ @emmapengelly.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Once upon a time, a President of the United States saying "fuck you" and raising his middle finger to an American factory worker would be front page news around the world. Now it's a "colour lede" on a business analysis. www.ft.com/content/36ab...
January 16, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Once upon a time, a President of the United States saying "fuck you" and raising his middle finger to an American factory worker would be front page news around the world. Now it's a "colour lede" on a business analysis. www.ft.com/content/36ab...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Detailed work by @benedictgarman.com & Emma examining the “yellow line” boundary in Gaza www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel moves Yellow Line deeper into Gaza, satellite images show
Israel placed and later moved control markers in three areas, with some placed deeper inside Gaza than maps suggested.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Detailed work by @benedictgarman.com & Emma examining the “yellow line” boundary in Gaza www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel is moving the yellow blocks that mark its control line further into Gaza. We mapped more than 220. In at least 16 cases the IDF placed them then came back and moved them deeper again. Some are around half a km beyond the mapped line. W/ @emmapengelly.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel moves Yellow Line deeper into Gaza, satellite images show
Israel placed and later moved control markers in three areas, with placed deeper inside Gaza than maps suggested.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 7:10 AM
Israel is moving the yellow blocks that mark its control line further into Gaza. We mapped more than 220. In at least 16 cases the IDF placed them then came back and moved them deeper again. Some are around half a km beyond the mapped line. W/ @emmapengelly.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This should be the default for everyone. It's crazy that it isn't.
"I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it's because I approved and signed off on it", McConaughey said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it's because I approved and signed off on it", McConaughey said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Matthew McConaughey trademarks iconic phrase to stop AI misuse
The Oscar-winning actor has trademarked several phrases, including
www.bbc.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 12:08 AM
This should be the default for everyone. It's crazy that it isn't.
"I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it's because I approved and signed off on it", McConaughey said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it's because I approved and signed off on it", McConaughey said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Could really do with a new series of The West Wing Weekly about now. What you cooking up guys? @hrishikesh.co @joshuamalina.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Could really do with a new series of The West Wing Weekly about now. What you cooking up guys? @hrishikesh.co @joshuamalina.bsky.social
Reposted by Benedict Garman
This photo by Mostafa Bassim shows an ICE agent scanning someone's face with a mobile app, quite possibly Mobile Fortify as first reported by @404media.co. This is the first image I've seen of the app's UI in action.
If you look closely, you can also see an interesting wristband on the agent.
If you look closely, you can also see an interesting wristband on the agent.
January 15, 2026 at 9:17 PM
This photo by Mostafa Bassim shows an ICE agent scanning someone's face with a mobile app, quite possibly Mobile Fortify as first reported by @404media.co. This is the first image I've seen of the app's UI in action.
If you look closely, you can also see an interesting wristband on the agent.
If you look closely, you can also see an interesting wristband on the agent.
This graphic from BBC piece today on Iran highlights something that often seems to go unmentioned in (increasingly fevered) discussions about the rate of China's economic and technological progress: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
January 15, 2026 at 9:03 AM
This graphic from BBC piece today on Iran highlights something that often seems to go unmentioned in (increasingly fevered) discussions about the rate of China's economic and technological progress: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Yes, immigration agents not only took Arnoldo's phone, the 10th grader had to use Find My Phone to locate it — in a vending machine for used electronics, close to an ICE detention center.
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
January 14, 2026 at 12:47 AM
Yes, immigration agents not only took Arnoldo's phone, the 10th grader had to use Find My Phone to locate it — in a vending machine for used electronics, close to an ICE detention center.
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
if you put this in a script even erin brockovitch would be like “too on the nose, dial it back”
January 12, 2026 at 7:01 PM
if you put this in a script even erin brockovitch would be like “too on the nose, dial it back”
Everything about these LLMs is "alarming" and "dangerous". Meanwhile, ChatGPT Health is steaming ahead... www.theverge.com/news/860356/...
Google pulls AI overviews for some medical searches
Google pulls “alarming” and “dangerous” AI overviews for some medical searches.
www.theverge.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Everything about these LLMs is "alarming" and "dangerous". Meanwhile, ChatGPT Health is steaming ahead... www.theverge.com/news/860356/...
Reports that Starlink being jammed in Iran, deepening internet blackout www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
‘Kill Switch’—Iran Shuts Down Starlink Internet For First Time
No way out — Iran's blackout just got worse.
www.forbes.com
January 11, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Reports that Starlink being jammed in Iran, deepening internet blackout www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Indonesia and Malaysia said they were blocking access to Grok, the AI chatbot created by Elon Musk, this weekend amid mounting outrage over the bot producing sexualized images of real people.
Malaysia and Indonesia Block Access to Grok Because of Sexually Explicit Content
Grok, the chatbot created by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, has produced a flood of explicit images featuring real people in recent weeks.
trib.al
January 11, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Indonesia and Malaysia said they were blocking access to Grok, the AI chatbot created by Elon Musk, this weekend amid mounting outrage over the bot producing sexualized images of real people.
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Some Grok users, mostly men, began to demand to see bruising on the bodies of the women, and for blood to be added to the images. Requests to show women tied up and gagged were instantly granted.
‘Add blood, forced smile’:
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘Add blood, forced smile’:
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘Add blood, forced smile’: how Grok’s nudification tool went viral
The ‘put her in a bikini’ trend rapidly evolved into hundreds of thousands of requests to strip clothes from photos of women, horrifying those targeted
www.theguardian.com
January 11, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Some Grok users, mostly men, began to demand to see bruising on the bodies of the women, and for blood to be added to the images. Requests to show women tied up and gagged were instantly granted.
‘Add blood, forced smile’:
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘Add blood, forced smile’:
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Surely if Grok was a product of any other company other than Elon's it would have been shut down by now and its creators prosecuted. Via @wired.com www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
January 11, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Surely if Grok was a product of any other company other than Elon's it would have been shut down by now and its creators prosecuted. Via @wired.com www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
"8 out of 10 respondents are dissatisfied with the US president. Many say they are concerned that world politics is increasingly governed by 'law of the jungle.' 69 percent are worried about security in Europe, and 62% about the relationship between Germany and the US." DW
www.dw.com/en/germany-t...
www.dw.com/en/germany-t...
Germany: Trust in the United States is eroding – DW – 01/09/2026
In the monthly ARD Deutschlandtrend poll, Germans polled expressed little confidence that 2026 will be a peaceful and prosperous year. The reputation of the US is at an all-time low.
www.dw.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:23 AM
"8 out of 10 respondents are dissatisfied with the US president. Many say they are concerned that world politics is increasingly governed by 'law of the jungle.' 69 percent are worried about security in Europe, and 62% about the relationship between Germany and the US." DW
www.dw.com/en/germany-t...
www.dw.com/en/germany-t...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
Videos Show How ICE Vehicle Stops Can Escalate to Shootings
A WSJ visual investigation found that the Minneapolis ICE killing is one of 13 incidents where federal immigration agents have used deadly force against civilians in vehicles since July.
www.wsj.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:44 PM
WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Latest: We’ve updated our tracker with more dead from the Dec. 30 boat strikes in the Eastern Pacific. The U.S. military has acknowledged that 8 people were seen jumping overboard during the attack, and are presumed dead following an unsuccessful Coast Guard search.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Tracking U.S. Military Killings in Boat Attacks
In four months, the Trump administration has killed scores of people it accused of smuggling drugs aboard boats. Here are the acknowledged strikes so far.
www.nytimes.com
January 10, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Latest: We’ve updated our tracker with more dead from the Dec. 30 boat strikes in the Eastern Pacific. The U.S. military has acknowledged that 8 people were seen jumping overboard during the attack, and are presumed dead following an unsuccessful Coast Guard search.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
I'm late to it, but I thought this piece by @vermontgmg.bsky.social was an entertaining and interesting read: www.wired.com/story/3-keys...
The 3 Keys to Understanding Trump’s Retro Coup in Venezuela
This weekend’s invasion was both a throwback to the last century and a new, uniquely Trumpian nightmare—one that’s just beginning.
www.wired.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm late to it, but I thought this piece by @vermontgmg.bsky.social was an entertaining and interesting read: www.wired.com/story/3-keys...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
'Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.' 1/2
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:18 AM
'Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.' 1/2
Reposted by Benedict Garman
New footage from the ICE agent's phone who shot at Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has emerged, posted by AlphaNews on X. We've placed that footage in a synced timeline with the other currently available footage.
January 9, 2026 at 9:23 PM
New footage from the ICE agent's phone who shot at Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has emerged, posted by AlphaNews on X. We've placed that footage in a synced timeline with the other currently available footage.
How it went down in Venezuela www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
'The explosions keep going' - how air strikes paved the way for US Maduro raid - BBC News
Footage shows how Trump’s troops used devastating strikes to infiltrate Venezuela
www.bbc.co.uk
January 10, 2026 at 8:31 AM
How it went down in Venezuela www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
Reposted by Benedict Garman
🧵In my expert opinion as a researcher of vehicle ramming attacks, what has been publicly described in the video evidence does not support the claim that Renee Nicole Good was attempting a deliberate ramming attack when she was shot in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. 1/7
January 8, 2026 at 9:13 PM
🧵In my expert opinion as a researcher of vehicle ramming attacks, what has been publicly described in the video evidence does not support the claim that Renee Nicole Good was attempting a deliberate ramming attack when she was shot in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. 1/7
Reposted by Benedict Garman
Star Tribune identifies ICE agent who fatally shot woman in Minneapolis
www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...
www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...
January 8, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Star Tribune identifies ICE agent who fatally shot woman in Minneapolis
www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...
www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...