Anti-Burnham fake news on Makerfield Facebook accounts has surged, report finds β UK politics live
Nearly one in six pieces of news shared in local Facebook groups during the campaign is false, Social Market Foundation report findsGood morning. Andy Burnham seems to be on course to win the Makerfield byelection on Thursday. But, if he does win, it will be despite a huge increase in the amount of hostile, fake news about him circulating on local Facebook groups. This has been documented in a report out today by the Social Market Foundation thinktank that has important implications not just for Makerfield, but for how politics functions today in a social media environment awash with lies.In its report, the SMF says:Nearly 1 in 6 pieces of news shared in local Facebook groups during the campaign is false, with misinformation heavily targeting Labour and its candidate Andy Burnham, a new study has found.The Social Market Foundation analysed over 1,800 posts across four local Facebook groups β representing different towns and settlements within the constituency with 66,000 members across them in total β and found that the share of news posts classified as misinformation jumped from 4% before the by-election was called to 16% during the campaign, a four-fold increase. Continue reading...
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Guterres calls for stepping up diplomatic efforts to end US-Iran conflict
β’ UN Secretary-General AntΓ³nio Guterres has called for increased diplomatic efforts and restraint to end the escalating conflict between the US and Iran. β’ The conflict has spread across ten nations, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE, leading to attacks on vital infrastructure.
Read original Β· news.un.org
UN NewsIran says diplomatic efforts ongoing via mediators amid fighting with US | US-Israel war on Iran News
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Read original Β· independent.co.uk
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Read original Β· cbsnews.comWorld Peace Forum praises Pakistanβs regional diplomacy as Mushahid urges new Global South-led World Order
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Read original Β· nation.com.pkIran-Backed Houthis Expand Conflict With Red Sea Blockade - The New York Times
β’ Iran-backed Houthi rebels have expanded their conflict by implementing a blockade on Saudi ships in the Red Sea. β’ This escalation follows a series of military actions, including the U.S. launching strikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive night.
Read original Β· nytimes.comConflict in Yemen and the Red Sea
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Read original Β· cfr.orgGlobal Research Daily: The News Behind the News - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for Research on Globalization
β’ In an article published July 20, 2026, author Ellen Brown explores the "AI Abundance Paradigm" and the societal shift occurring as machines replace human labor. β’ The piece examines how the transition from a scarcity-based economy to one of abundance alters human behavior, moving away from competition and fear of loss.
Read original Β· globalresearch.caDaily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
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Read original Β· press.un.orgUSA-Iran on the Edge: West Asia Faces Its Greatest Test
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Read original Β· tfipost.com
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β’ Governments are increasingly utilizing social media influencers as unofficial ambassadors to shape global public opinion and project soft power. β’ States provide these creators with privileged access, official tours, and interviews with senior officials to cover geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran, as well as China's global ambitions.
Read original Β· frontline.thehindu.com
