US conspiracy theories industry: America has a history of leveraging celebrities, cultural icons for political ends
In 2020, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe investigated the possibility that the CIA had a hand in writing Wind of Change, an enormously popular song by a West German band called the Scorpions that became an anthem for independence movements in the USSR. The Scorpions deny the theory.
US presidential election fever in overdrive as ‘Blank Space’ singer Taylor Swift conspiracy theorists get psyops all wrong
If there is a psyop going on, it’s being run by those crying wolf. Black propaganda can be effective, but it is notoriously hard to do right, Linebarger writes, as it “needs to be written so as to fit in with what the enemy is reading, listening to, or talking about in his home country.”
Two friends imprisoned for over 40 years cleared of 1987 New Year’s killing in Times Square
Christie Keenan, an assistant district attorney, questioned the credibility of the recanted witness statements. In a 2020 ruling, Antignani denied their motion, finding the men had “failed to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that it is highly probable that they are innocent.”
Hamas considering ceasefire as Israel turns focus of Gaza attack to Rafah as death toll tops 27,000
There was brief elation in Gaza on Thursday after remarks by a Qatari spokesman at Johns Hopkins University in Washington sparked ceasefire hopes – and a drop in the price of crude oil. But Qatari officials in the capital Doha and Taher Al-Nono, media adviser to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, said the group had not responded yet.
US approves strikes against Iranian targets in Iraq, Syria to revenge killing of America soldiers
Violence has erupted in several Middle East countries where Iran’s “axis of resistance” of allied armed groups operate, since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to attacks by Hamas militants on October 7.
South Africa: Israel is violating UN court orders to prevent deaths, destruction and acts of genocide in Gaza
Pandor said there was a danger of the world doing nothing to stop the civilian casualties in Gaza and said similar inaction contributed to the horrific death toll in the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, when more than 800,000 people were slaughtered in the East African country.
From witch trials in to fears of the Illuminati in 1800s, America was a nation of conspiracy theorists
The middle of the 19th century also saw thousands of Americans join new religious movements during the Second Great Awakening. One popular group, the Millerites, was founded by William Miller, a veteran of the War of 1812 who used numeric clues in the Bible to calculate the ending of the world: October 22, 1844.
Chinese hackers determined to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure, FBI director warns
China has called those accusations groundless even as multiple criminal indictments have laid out detailed evidence.
Biden plan to strike back at Iran for killing of three US soldiers in Jordan considered risky in an election year
On Tuesday, one of the major Iran-backed militia groups, Kataib Hezbollah, announced in a statement “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces” in Iraq, referring to US troops. The group, which US officials consider a top suspect in the Jordan attack, said the suspension was to “prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.”
Biden or Trump: To the Chinese, an American cat whether black or white is a bad cat
In China’s social media, many commentators appear to be favouring Trump, whom they see not only as a businessman up for a deal but also a disruptive force that undermines American democracy and US global leadership to the benefit of Beijing. Trump’s policies and remarks as president earned him the nickname of Chuan Jianguo or “Trump, the (Chinese) nation builder,” an implication that he was helping Beijing.
