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The Thought Show: Weapons of Mass Deception

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Weapons of Mass Deception

07/06/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - The Thought Show, Weapons of Mass Deception

The online dirty tricks and social media bots rupturing relations in the Middle East.

The online dirty tricks and social media bots rupturing relations in the Middle East; how many wizards live among us, ask fans of Harry Potter; plus, the business of self-help.

It is almost a year since Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and their allies cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar. BBC Arabic journalist Owen Pinnell reveals how allegations of hacked websites, bot armies and other online dirty tricks have fuelled the ongoing tensions between the two sides. 

Fans of Harry Potter have been asking - just how many wizards live among us? We follow a trail of clues in J K Rowling's best-selling books to provide the definitive estimate of the wizarding population.

And why do we believe complete strangers can guide us in improving every aspect of our lives? Mary-Ann Ochota explores whether the self-help industry really makes a difference.

Photo Credit: Reuters

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