insert_link World France to try suspects over false Brigitte Macron transgender claim Two women are to be tried this week over false claims that France's first lady Brigitte Macron was transgender, which sparked online rumour-mongering by conspiracy theorists and the far-right. In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named "Jean-Michel". The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 […] today18 June, 2024
insert_link World Can Iran avoid a political crisis after its president’s death? By Ali Mamouri, Deakin University The death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash this week occurred during one of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s most challenging periods. Raisi, a prominent figure in the political elite, held substantial sway over Iran’s domestic policies. He was also central to Iran’s recent moves to improve relations with its rivals in the region. Given his sizeable influence, […] today21 May, 2024
insert_link World Germany begins trial of far right-coup plotters The first high-profile criminal trials get underway today in Germany - as a group faces allegations of preparing to try and violently overthrow the German government. Prosecutors opened their case against individuals tied to the Reichsbürger (Citizens of the Reich) movement. In all, 27 people face charges, including high treason and belonging to a terror organization, but they will be tried in three separate courtrooms in different cities. The plot to overthrow the […] today29 April, 2024
insert_link Health / Medical Announcing Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis should have been simple. But the palace let it get out of hand By Victoria Fielding, University of Adelaide and Saira Ali, University of Adelaide The British royal family is famous for its carefully curated media image. That’s why it was a surprise to see them lose control of the narrative in the wake of what we now know is a serious health crisis befalling Catherine, Princess of Wales (or Kate Middleton as she’s popularly known). It is clear the […] today26 March, 2024
insert_link World How conspiracy theories help to maintain Vladimir Putin’s grip on power in Russia By Gemma Ware, The Conversation As Russians head to the polls on March 15 for the presidential election, conspiracy theories are swirling everywhere. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to a disinformation expert about the central role these theories play in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. As soon as the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in a Siberian penal colony was announced in February, […] today15 March, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces Intelligence doesn’t make you immune to conspiracy theories – it’s more about thinking style The QAnon conspiracy theory has many powerful supporters. I T S/Shutterstock Darel Cookson, Nottingham Trent University Over the last two decades, and in particular over the last five years, there has been a growing scientific interest in conspiracy theories and people who believe in them. Although, some may think belief in such stories is linked to intelligence, research is beginning to show that how people think could be more important. […] today31 January, 2024
