Truth or Fake

In a 19-minute address to the nation from the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump defended his war in Iran, now entering its second month, presenting the operation as a success “nearing completion.” But the President also stretched the truth on several points, including certain battlefield victories and the state of the US economy. Among the most striking claims was that the United States had toppled Iran's government and achieved “regime change” following the deaths of senior officials, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Internet users have been sharing a video online that they claim “proves” Israeli Jews are stealing land in Morocco – supposedly reclaiming property from before they emigrated. The footage shows clashes in a crowded scene, but it’s difficult to determine exactly what is happening or where it was filmed. Our fact-checking team at FRANCE 24 Observers investigated these claims and found that the images are being shared out of context. Vedika Bahl breaks down the facts in this edition of Truth or Fake.

FBI Director Kash Patel has been the subject of social media buzz this week after his private emails were reportedly hacked by an Iranian-linked group. At the same time, a viral Bollywood dance video has been falsely tied to the incident, despite having no connection to Patel, as Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

American military reinforcements continue to arrive in the Middle East, as uncertainty persists over the possibility of US boots on the ground in Iran. Amid these tensions, a surge of misinformation has spread online about US forces, as Vedika Bahl explains.

As Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz fuels global energy anxiety, viral posts are claiming that major economies are on the brink of an unprecedented crisis. From footage of endless car queues in the UK to alarming graphics about Australia and Taiwan’s dwindling reserves, social media is awash with warnings of an imminent blackout. FRANCE 24's Maya-Anaïs Yataghène dives into the data to separate fact from fiction in this latest edition of Truth or Fake.

In the wake of the Confederation of African Football's recent decision to strip Senegal of its AFCON title and declare Morocco the winners, some online users are claiming that the AFCON trophy has been hidden away in a military base in Senegal. But as FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hughes explains, this rumour is not true, and the footage some internet users have been using to make the false claim has been taken out of its original context.

Over the weekend, thousands of people in Toulouse – France's fourth-largest city – were exposed to a misleading campaign targeting Francois Piquemal, the far-left France Unbowed party's candidate for mayor, ahead of Sunday's municipal elections. It happened in the middle of France’s electoral silence period, raising suspicions of foreign interference. Emerald Maxwell explains in this edition of Truth or Fake.