To Eliot Higgins, founder of the open source investigations website bellingcat. Welcome to hardtalk, with me, stephen sackur. What is the truth behind the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight mh17 or the poisoning of the former russian spy Sergei Skripal, or the recent assassination of a Chechen Rebel fighter in berlin. My guest today thinks he can piece together truths from the World Wide Web. He is Eliot Higgins, the founder of investigative website bellingcat. In an age beset by fake news, has he really found a way to distinguish fact from fiction . Eliot higgins, welcome to hardtalk. I want to start if i may with a self definition. Would you describe yourself as a journalist or a data analyst or some sort of online detective . I like online detective. We do acts ofjournalism and some of the work we are doing but really, the way we work with bellingcat uses open source investigation on a whole range of topics that go beyond journalism. I find it very difficult to define what we
Of the papers is at 9. 30 five this mornings reviewers are the sunday times rosamund urwin, and john crowley from first draft, which tackles online mis information. Us media are reporting the military has conducted an operation against the leader of the so called Islamic State group. The white house says President Trump will make a statement later today. There are reports he will announce Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi was killed during a us led raid yesterday. The is leader has been described as the worlds most wanted man. In 2011 the us officially designated him a terrorist and offered a reward of ten Million Dollars for information leading to his capture or death. He emerged in 2010 as the leader of alqaeda in iraq, one of the groups that merged with is, and rose to prominence during the attempted merger with the al nusra front in syria. A night time strike on the highest of targets. This unverified footage is said to show commanders attacking the hideout of Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the leader o
45 people, including three children, had been on the vessel, which set off from the tunisian city of sfax last thursday. Four survivors originally from the ivory coast and guinea gave their accounts to coastguards after being brought ashore. The three men and a woman had initially been rescued by a cargo ship. These pictures show Rescue Workers helping migrants in trouble around the lampedusa coast at the weekend, one of several rescues in recent days. 0ur rome correspondent, sofia bettiza, has been following the story. This is another tragedy in the mediterranean sea. Only four people survived, the three men and a woman from guinea and the ivory coast. They said they were on board a ship with 45 people in total, including three children. They described it as a very small metal boat about seven metres long. They said that after a few hours at sea, the boat capsized and sank, apparently because of a big wave. It threw everybody into the water and they said that only 15 people were weari
Top diplomat Antony Blinken on a surprise visit to kyiv. Also tonight. At least two french Prison Officers are killed in an ambush on a Prison Van Near Normandy in france. The prisoner was being taken from court to a prison and escaped after the attack. More protests rock the Georgian Capital Tblisi after its Parliament Passes a controverisal law that opponents say will stifle dissent and curtail the countrys attempts tojoin the eu. And trump on trial his former lawyer Michael Cohen resumes testimony in new york saying he lied out of loyalty and to protect the former president. Well bring you the latest, live from new york. We start with news from the surprise visit from Antony Blinken. Americas top diplomat Antony Blinken, says the war with russia is at a critical moment. The us Secretary Of State made the comment during talks with ukraines president zelensky in kyiv, also promising americas unwavering support in the fight. Mr blinken, was speaking after a new russian offensive in th
Checkpoint west of hebron, came from jordan and were headed to the gaza strip, where Tens Of Thousands of palestinians face food and aid shortages. The white house has condemned the attack, describing the looting of aid convoys as a total outrage. Meanwhile, there are reports of clashes around the Southern City of rafah, an area where many people had taken refuge from fighting elsewhere in gaza. Thousands of people have fled the camp israel has advised them to go to the al mawasi area, near the coast, and to khan younis. Aid agencies say there is almost no infrastructure there to support them. Theres also been heavy fighting injabalia, in the north of gaza. Israel says it has returned to the area to counter any attempts by hamas to re establish its military capabilities in the area. The White House National security Adviserjake Sullivan said the us is still working with israel to avoid a Major Military operation in rafah. We still believe it would be a mistake to launch a Major Militar