Lighthouse Reports
@lighthousereports.com
Radically collaborative journalism. Working with the world’s leading media on deeply reported, public interest investigations. http://bit.ly/LHR-newsletter
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Lighthouse Reports
@lighthousereports.com
· Sep 11
Syria’s Stolen Children
Under the Assad regime, hundreds of Syrian children were hidden in orphanages to extort their parents. Families still have few answers from the new government or the international charity that kept it...
www.lighthousereports.com
When Assad’s security state collapsed, locked doors opened, spilling decades of secrets.
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Exposed: Big Food’s 239 lawsuits against life-saving policies
Our investigation, #BigFood vs The People reveals how food giants use tobacco-style legal tactics to challenge public health regulations around the world.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Our investigation, #BigFood vs The People reveals how food giants use tobacco-style legal tactics to challenge public health regulations around the world.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
July 22, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Exposed: Big Food’s 239 lawsuits against life-saving policies
Our investigation, #BigFood vs The People reveals how food giants use tobacco-style legal tactics to challenge public health regulations around the world.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Our investigation, #BigFood vs The People reveals how food giants use tobacco-style legal tactics to challenge public health regulations around the world.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Britain will use AI to assess ages of asylum seekers in a world-first, with other countries likely to follow suit
But our investigation, based on a leaked report and our own algorithmic audit, finds the technology is deeply unreliable
But our investigation, based on a leaked report and our own algorithmic audit, finds the technology is deeply unreliable
Asylum by Algorithm
The UK has turned to AI to determine the age of asylum seekers, and other countries are likely to follow suit. Our investigation finds the technology is deeply unreliable.
www.lighthousereports.com
June 18, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Britain will use AI to assess ages of asylum seekers in a world-first, with other countries likely to follow suit
But our investigation, based on a leaked report and our own algorithmic audit, finds the technology is deeply unreliable
But our investigation, based on a leaked report and our own algorithmic audit, finds the technology is deeply unreliable
“People are looking to their own backyards a bit more. The whole point of local news is that you can make local politics decipherable and comprehensible to people on the street and you can make them feel like they know what's actually going on.”, Lothian-McLean, Mill Media
Lessons from Local News w/ M. Lothian-McLean, J. Mori & P. Prasanna
From the UK to India and the Brazilian Amazon, we spoke with journalists who are making it work.
www.lighthousereports.com
June 15, 2026 at 8:51 AM
“People are looking to their own backyards a bit more. The whole point of local news is that you can make local politics decipherable and comprehensible to people on the street and you can make them feel like they know what's actually going on.”, Lothian-McLean, Mill Media
Most European citizens will likely never have heard of VFS Global. But across much of Africa, Asia + the Middle East, the visa giant has become notorious
Our investigation finds VFS has made huge profits by exploiting people with 'weak' passports
Our investigation finds VFS has made huge profits by exploiting people with 'weak' passports
The Visa Empire: Borders as a Business
Outsourcing giant VFS Global has made huge profits by exploiting people around the world whose ‘weak’ passports require them to apply for visas to travel
www.lighthousereports.com
May 29, 2026 at 10:06 AM
Most European citizens will likely never have heard of VFS Global. But across much of Africa, Asia + the Middle East, the visa giant has become notorious
Our investigation finds VFS has made huge profits by exploiting people with 'weak' passports
Our investigation finds VFS has made huge profits by exploiting people with 'weak' passports
Every year, bad diets kill millions of people and cost trillions of $. The world’s largest food companies say they want to be part of the solution. But behind closed doors, companies lobby governments to derail public health laws.
Big Food vs The People - Colombia
Lifting the veil on the unhealthy food lobby in Colombia
www.lighthousereports.com
May 28, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Every year, bad diets kill millions of people and cost trillions of $. The world’s largest food companies say they want to be part of the solution. But behind closed doors, companies lobby governments to derail public health laws.
In October 2025, the RSF seized El Fasher, killing thousands in days in one of the deadliest massacres of Sudan’s civil war. For a new documentary, Lighthouse and @aljazeera.com Fault lines traveled to Uganda to hear survivors’ stories.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
No Exit from El Fasher
“No Exit from El Fasher” is an intimate look at the survival of civilians who lived through an unimaginable monthslong siege and final dayslong assault on the Sudanese city of El Fasher in North Darfu...
www.lighthousereports.com
May 14, 2026 at 7:53 PM
In October 2025, the RSF seized El Fasher, killing thousands in days in one of the deadliest massacres of Sudan’s civil war. For a new documentary, Lighthouse and @aljazeera.com Fault lines traveled to Uganda to hear survivors’ stories.
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
“When readers don't like a story or they have a problem with it, or they're just sort of skeptical, they tend to click on the byline. The most important innovation in this new bio was our ethics statement. So even just stating it up front had a huge impact.”, Ed Lee, former NYT Trust Editor.
How can the media win back our trust?
Trust in traditional media is in crisis. This is what media leaders are doing about it.
www.lighthousereports.com
May 6, 2026 at 3:28 PM
“When readers don't like a story or they have a problem with it, or they're just sort of skeptical, they tend to click on the byline. The most important innovation in this new bio was our ethics statement. So even just stating it up front had a huge impact.”, Ed Lee, former NYT Trust Editor.
“There are a lot of things we don't see because they have not been submitted or that we might not be able to appreciate because people have not known how to articulate the value of their work.” Patrick Boehler, founder of Gazzetta.
Rethinking journalism awards
Everyone loves to win awards. But what does it mean to reward good journalism?
www.lighthousereports.com
April 17, 2026 at 7:52 AM
“There are a lot of things we don't see because they have not been submitted or that we might not be able to appreciate because people have not known how to articulate the value of their work.” Patrick Boehler, founder of Gazzetta.
“We’re like memory workers. It’s a way to rehumanize those who were killed and also to stop, pay attention and give an event its full meaning.” Sabrina Slipchencko, Digital Reporter, Lighthouse Reports.
How to report on Sudan
Using OSINT and on-the-ground reporting to uncover atrocities in Sudan
www.lighthousereports.com
February 18, 2026 at 10:49 AM
“We’re like memory workers. It’s a way to rehumanize those who were killed and also to stop, pay attention and give an event its full meaning.” Sabrina Slipchencko, Digital Reporter, Lighthouse Reports.
Lobbyists for the Tony Blair Institute privately urged the EU to support and join Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, an initiative which started life as a council to oversee Gaza & sprawled since into a rival to the UN
February 16, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Lobbyists for the Tony Blair Institute privately urged the EU to support and join Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, an initiative which started life as a council to oversee Gaza & sprawled since into a rival to the UN
It's not often we get to report on hopeful news
Alaa Hamoudi won in the EU's top court against Frontex! This opens doors for many survivors of Frontex pushbacks.
@bdeeb.bsky.social tells how he reported on Alaa's case back in 2020 with @bellingcat.com. And how this evidence ended up in court.
Alaa Hamoudi won in the EU's top court against Frontex! This opens doors for many survivors of Frontex pushbacks.
@bdeeb.bsky.social tells how he reported on Alaa's case back in 2020 with @bellingcat.com. And how this evidence ended up in court.
February 9, 2026 at 11:12 AM
It's not often we get to report on hopeful news
Alaa Hamoudi won in the EU's top court against Frontex! This opens doors for many survivors of Frontex pushbacks.
@bdeeb.bsky.social tells how he reported on Alaa's case back in 2020 with @bellingcat.com. And how this evidence ended up in court.
Alaa Hamoudi won in the EU's top court against Frontex! This opens doors for many survivors of Frontex pushbacks.
@bdeeb.bsky.social tells how he reported on Alaa's case back in 2020 with @bellingcat.com. And how this evidence ended up in court.
“And it ended up me being in this place. And I was with a fake name, with a fake haircut, and funny looking glasses and a camera in my watch, walking around all these Nazis and neo-Nazis.”
December 12, 2025 at 1:12 PM
“And it ended up me being in this place. And I was with a fake name, with a fake haircut, and funny looking glasses and a camera in my watch, walking around all these Nazis and neo-Nazis.”
“And of course, the more they're talking, the more I'm like, oh, my God, that's really amazing. But at the same time, I need to focus on the discussion and stay in that character.”
Listen to the new #Backlight episode here: www.lighthousereports.com/how-to-becom...
Listen to the new #Backlight episode here: www.lighthousereports.com/how-to-becom...
How to become an undercover reporter
You’ve seen it in movies, but what does undercover reporting actually look like in real life?
www.lighthousereports.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:33 AM
“And of course, the more they're talking, the more I'm like, oh, my God, that's really amazing. But at the same time, I need to focus on the discussion and stay in that character.”
Listen to the new #Backlight episode here: www.lighthousereports.com/how-to-becom...
Listen to the new #Backlight episode here: www.lighthousereports.com/how-to-becom...
Are you an early-career professional who is passionate about investigative journalism? Are you constantly curious about new ways of doing journalism and making it reach critical audiences?
You might just be the fellow we are looking for.
You might just be the fellow we are looking for.
December 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Are you an early-career professional who is passionate about investigative journalism? Are you constantly curious about new ways of doing journalism and making it reach critical audiences?
You might just be the fellow we are looking for.
You might just be the fellow we are looking for.
“The homecoming was but an exceptional experience. I had lost hope that I would be able to to visit Syria again.”
This month on #Backlight, we speak to Syrian journalists Bashar Deeb and Mais Katt about their first investigation in a newly free Syria. Listen to the episode here:
This month on #Backlight, we speak to Syrian journalists Bashar Deeb and Mais Katt about their first investigation in a newly free Syria. Listen to the episode here:
What is the role of accountability journalism in post-Assad Syria?
For the first episode of the season, we speak with Syrian journalists Bashar and Mais about their first investigation in a newly free Syria.
www.lighthousereports.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:29 PM
“The homecoming was but an exceptional experience. I had lost hope that I would be able to to visit Syria again.”
This month on #Backlight, we speak to Syrian journalists Bashar Deeb and Mais Katt about their first investigation in a newly free Syria. Listen to the episode here:
This month on #Backlight, we speak to Syrian journalists Bashar Deeb and Mais Katt about their first investigation in a newly free Syria. Listen to the episode here:
🧵REVEALED: Afghan troops who served alongside US and UK forces continue to be tortured and killed by the Taliban as Western nations weaken protections for their former allies.
Hunted by the Taliban
While the US and others roll back protections for Afghans, new evidence shows the scale of ongoing reprisal killings, belying the Taliban’s claim of an amnesty for former soldiers.
www.lighthousereports.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
🧵REVEALED: Afghan troops who served alongside US and UK forces continue to be tortured and killed by the Taliban as Western nations weaken protections for their former allies.
🧵What’s the biggest lie the surveillance industry tells? That they only sell to legal clients. That there are red lines. But what do these companies say when they think nobody is watching? We went undercover to find out
October 15, 2025 at 8:23 AM
🧵What’s the biggest lie the surveillance industry tells? That they only sell to legal clients. That there are red lines. But what do these companies say when they think nobody is watching? We went undercover to find out
Revealed: How Tony Blair is lobbying on behalf of tech billionaire Larry Ellison
We expose former PM’s unprecedented influence over the UK govt & how this is shaped by the interests of his Institute’s largest donor & one of the world’s richest men www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...
Thread
We expose former PM’s unprecedented influence over the UK govt & how this is shaped by the interests of his Institute’s largest donor & one of the world’s richest men www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...
Thread
Inside the Tony Blair Institute
Who really benefits from the former PM’s tech evangelism?
www.newstatesman.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Revealed: How Tony Blair is lobbying on behalf of tech billionaire Larry Ellison
We expose former PM’s unprecedented influence over the UK govt & how this is shaped by the interests of his Institute’s largest donor & one of the world’s richest men www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...
Thread
We expose former PM’s unprecedented influence over the UK govt & how this is shaped by the interests of his Institute’s largest donor & one of the world’s richest men www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...
Thread
Reposted by Lighthouse Reports
La policía francesa provocó decenas de ahogamientos al interceptar violentamente pequeñas embarcaciones que intentaban llegar al territorio de ultramar de Mayotte.
Nueva investigación coordinada por @lighthousereports.com
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Nueva investigación coordinada por @lighthousereports.com
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
“They hit us and watched us drown”
French police cause dozens of drownings with violent tactics against small boats trying to reach overseas territory Mayotte. Similar tactics are being proposed for the Channel.
www.lighthousereports.com
September 16, 2025 at 10:45 AM
La policía francesa provocó decenas de ahogamientos al interceptar violentamente pequeñas embarcaciones que intentaban llegar al territorio de ultramar de Mayotte.
Nueva investigación coordinada por @lighthousereports.com
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Nueva investigación coordinada por @lighthousereports.com
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
REVEALED: French police have caused dozens of drownings by violently intercepting small boats trying to reach overseas territory Mayotte.
Similar tactics are being proposed for the Channel, to try to stop people from reaching the UK.
Similar tactics are being proposed for the Channel, to try to stop people from reaching the UK.
September 16, 2025 at 7:52 AM
REVEALED: French police have caused dozens of drownings by violently intercepting small boats trying to reach overseas territory Mayotte.
Similar tactics are being proposed for the Channel, to try to stop people from reaching the UK.
Similar tactics are being proposed for the Channel, to try to stop people from reaching the UK.
Reposted by Lighthouse Reports
At just a few days old, little Mohammad Ghbeis was detained inside the ICU in Damascus, his first days were marked by detention, not nurture. He was quickly moved from the ICU to an orphanage, and later to SOS Children Villages. All while his mother remained behind bars for 3 years
September 11, 2025 at 1:34 PM
At just a few days old, little Mohammad Ghbeis was detained inside the ICU in Damascus, his first days were marked by detention, not nurture. He was quickly moved from the ICU to an orphanage, and later to SOS Children Villages. All while his mother remained behind bars for 3 years
When Assad’s security state collapsed, locked doors opened, spilling decades of secrets.
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Syria’s Stolen Children
Under the Assad regime, hundreds of Syrian children were hidden in orphanages to extort their parents. Families still have few answers from the new government or the international charity that kept it...
www.lighthousereports.com
September 11, 2025 at 6:26 AM
When Assad’s security state collapsed, locked doors opened, spilling decades of secrets.
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵
www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
A critical EU security database with biometric info on 1.7m people is in chronic disarray, exclusive docs from @lighthousereports.com and @bloomberg.com show www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Cybersecurity Flaws Plagued EU Border Control System, Audit Shows
An information-sharing system used by EU border forces to flag illegal immigrants and suspected criminals in real time was rife with software and security vulnerabilities, according to emails and conf...
www.bloomberg.com
July 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
A critical EU security database with biometric info on 1.7m people is in chronic disarray, exclusive docs from @lighthousereports.com and @bloomberg.com show www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Honoured that our investigation Poison PR won the Environmental Reporting prize at @oneworldmedia.bsky.social last week, and to see key collaborator Cynthia Gichiri shortlisted as Journalist of the Year for her amazing work with Africa Uncensored.
🎥One World Media Awards 2025-Environmental Report Winner🎉
Poison PR exposes how the U.S. pesticide risks globally. It follows two Kenyan farm workers who developed Parkison’s after exposure.
📺Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m11_...
#OWMAwards #Documentary #Pesticides
Poison PR exposes how the U.S. pesticide risks globally. It follows two Kenyan farm workers who developed Parkison’s after exposure.
📺Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m11_...
#OWMAwards #Documentary #Pesticides
Poison PR: The Secret Network Keeping Harmful Herbicides On Sale - Part 1
YouTube video by Africa Uncensored
www.youtube.com
July 2, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Honoured that our investigation Poison PR won the Environmental Reporting prize at @oneworldmedia.bsky.social last week, and to see key collaborator Cynthia Gichiri shortlisted as Journalist of the Year for her amazing work with Africa Uncensored.