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All English Fact Checks
False: "Ovnis desenterrados en Rusia". La imagen en Facebook no es de ovnis siendo desenterrados en Rusia.Una búsqueda inversa de imágenes nos llevó a una publicación en Facebook de una página de una revista sobre aeronaves llamada Vuelo Vertical. Vuelo Vertical le dijo a PolitiFact que la imagen se trata de un trasplante de un árbol y no de ovnis. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: “Justin Trudeau is being investigated by the (Royal Canadian Mounted Police).” Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not under investigation for obstruction of justice. (Source: PolitiFact)
Pants-Fire: “El Titanic no se hundió en 1912 sino que fue el Olympic, otro transatlántico casi idéntico el que se hundió”. El Olympic y el Titanic eran cruceros transatlánticos de la compañía White Star Line.Cada crucero tiene un número de identificación de construcción en varias partes para identificarlo; el Titanic usaba el número 401, mientras que el Olympic usaba el 400. El video dice que el crucero fue hundido para obtener el dinero de su póliza de seguro, pero la póliza no aseguraba el valor entero de la construcción ($7.5 millones) sino sólo $5 millones. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: Video shows visuals of French police beating up protesters including women during the 2023 riots A set of several old and unrelated videos of French police using excessive force and beating up protesters including women is being shared as a police crackdown during the recent riots in the country.Widespread riots broke out in France last week after a 17-year-old boy of Algeri (Source: BOOM Live)
Miscorrected: This is the result of a gas explosion in Paris last month MiscorrectedDoes this video actually show damage to a Paris building from a gas explosion last month, as a Twitter Community Note suggests? No, that's not true: This video shows the collapse of a pharmacy building in the town of Montargis, France. The fire had been set by vandals (Source: Lead Stories)
False: Video of Batman was filmed during a riot in France Online posts claim videos of people dressed as the comic superhero Batman were taken during recent protests in France, triggered by an act of police violence. This is false; the clips circulating online were shot in the US and predate the unrest in Europe. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: A video shows animals on the loose during the 2023 riots in France A video montage with millions of views purports to show lions, gorillas and other animals running wild in Paris, France, amid unrest over the fatal shooting by police of a Black teenager. This is false; the clips in the compilation are all outdated and unrelated to the riots, with only some taking place in France. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
FactChecking Haley’s...: FactChecking Haley’s Claim on China, U.S. Farmland and Military Installations Foreign investors own about 40 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of that, Chinese investors own 383,935 acres, or about 1% of foreign-held acres. In a July 2 interview, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Hal (Source: FactCheck.org)
The number of staff...: The number of staff who quit the NHS citing work-life balance stood at 27,546 in 2022. On 1 July the Observer reported that more than 27,000 NHS staff in England have quit the health service for work-life balance reasons. The paper said: "The number of staff who quit the NHS citing work-life balance stood at 27,546 in 2022…" But this is not quite right. The latest (Source: Full Fact)
Mostly False: the risk of cancer can be reduced with Batana oil Can home remedies reduce the risk of cancer?Not really. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that Batana oil can reduce the risk of cancer from hot drink consumption. Batana oil is primarily used for cosmetic purposes, and its effects on cancer risk have not been (Source: Thip Media)
False: Video shows zoo animals roaming Paris streets during unrest Clips of zoo animals roaming city streets predate Paris protests | Fact checkShow Caption Hide Caption AP Top Stories July 1st Hundreds gathered in Nanterre for the funeral of the 17-year-old whose killing by French police triggered unrest. APThe claim: Video shows zoo animals roaming Paris streets during unrestA July 4 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of several lions walking along a street near a line of slowed vehicles. The post also includes several videos of large animals walking and running in urban environments. A recent tweet posted by the Paris zoo indicates all of its animals are safe. But a Parisian zoo official said no animals have been released in the city. (Source: USA Today)
False: Video shows the National Library of France on fire Video shows burning post office in Philippines, not French library | Fact checkShow Caption Hide Caption Residents of Paris suburb support mayor after riots Crowds across France showed solidarity at town halls targeted in rioting following police shooting. (July 3) APThe claim: Video shows the National Library of France on fireA July 4 Instagram video shows a large building on fire. Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunksOur rating: FalseThe video shows the Central Post Office in Manila, Philippines, burning in May 2023. Video shows post office in Philippines, not French libraryThe fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy of Algerian and Moroccan descent by police in a Paris suburb on June 27 has prompted riots across France. "The Post Office Fire SITG further concludes that the incident is accidental in nature," reads the bureau's statement. (Source: USA Today)
False: WHO did not link mother’s COVID shots to newborn heart problems The World Health Organization has not released any statement saying that vaccination against COVID is linked to babies being born with heart problems, contrary to social media posts claiming the WHO “admitted” that the vaccine leads to “severe heart defects” in neonates. Some soc (Source: Reuters)
False: 2022 World Cup final match ball not being investigated by FIFA, Interpol or ICC The match ball used in the 2022 men’s FIFA World Cup final is not being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Interpol or FIFA, contrary to posts saying otherwise online. All three organisations confirmed to Reuters that no such probe is taking place. Numerous F (Source: Reuters)
Miscaptioned: Video clip of group waving Algerian flags at Paris monument not connected to 2023 France riots A video clip showing individuals waving Algerian flags while gathered around Monument à la République in Paris was filmed in March 2019 when they were protesting the late Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term as Algerian president. The clip is not connected to riots across (Source: Reuters)
Miscaptioned: Video shows wax figure of Pope John Paul II on display at Mexican school A video from 2011 of a waxwork of Pope John Paul II being exhibited at a Mexican school is being shared online alongside a false claim that the figure is the late pontiff’s actual remains being exhumed in 2023. One Facebook user uploaded the footage (here) alongside the caption: (Source: Reuters)
False: "Ovni estrellado en el Caribe". El video muestra una imagen ficticia de la nave de la película, "La guerra de las Galaxias" ("Star Wars"), conocida como el Halcón Milenario. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: "Bibles banned in California moves one step closer to evil reality." A 2018 video is being recirculated to misleadingly suggest that California’s legislature recently moved to outlaw the Bible. A 2018 California bill, which did not become law, would not have banned the Bible. (Source: PolitiFact)
Miscaptioned: Video shows Manila Post Office fire, not Marseille library damaged in riots A video clip of a fire that torched the Manila Central Post Office in May 2023 is circulating with the false claim that it shows a library that was damaged by vandalism in Marseille, France in July. The clip shows smoke and flames billowing from a large, pillared building within (Source: Reuters)
False: A senior World Economic Forum (WEF) official has called for the Bible to be rewritten using artificial intelligence (AI). The claim that a top WEF official has called for the Bible to be rewritten using AI is false. The person who made the comments in question is author and historian Yuval Noah Harari. Mr Harari has spoken at WEF events but is not a WEF employee or adviser. Additionally, Mr Harari did not say the Bible should be rewritten. He said AI can create new ideas and “can even write a new Bible”. (Source: Australian Associated Press - AAP)
False: Weight loss is associated with blood type Chinese-language social media posts that falsely claim people with different blood types should lose weight with different diets have been shared thousands of times. However, dietitians have told AFP the claim lacked scientific evidence and following it could lead to negative health impacts. People looking to shed weight should seek advice from accredited dietitians, who can provide tailored recommendations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: Muslim man assaulted for offering namaz prayer at public place in China A video of a man being assaulted in a room has been shared thousands of times in social media posts that falsely claim the victim belonged to China's minority Muslim Uyghur community and had been attacked for praying in public. The clip -- which has been shared repeatedly alongside various false claims -- is in fact from an incident involving a monetary dispute at a loan company in Thailand in 2020, not China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Synthetic Media: 1883 ‘photograph’ of bigfoot or sasquatch is AI-generated An image generated using artificial intelligence showing a man standing next to a tall hairy creature was falsely shared on social media as photographic proof that the bigfoot or sasquatch is real. “BIGFOOT OR SASQUATCH This photograph, taken in 1883 this year on Okey Mountain, C (Source: Reuters)
Miscaptioned: Video of people in Batman costumes jumping off van was filmed in Florida, not France A video of people dressed as comic book superhero Batman jumping out the back of a van was filmed at Florida State University but has been falsely linked online to unrest in France following the fatal police shooting of a teenager on June 27. “An entire truck filled with BATMANS (Source: Reuters)
False: Naked woman chasing policemen in Manipur Footage of a confrontation between police officers and a naked protester has surfaced in posts falsely linking it to deadly ethnic violence in India's Manipur state. The video actually shows an election-related protest in Uttar Pradesh state, which erupted after supporters of a candidate accused authorities of vote rigging. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: Nigeria has housing deficit of 70 million units Nigerian opposition leader Peter Obi has claimed that the country had a huge housing deficit, lacking 70 million homes. But AFP Fact Check found this to be false: government-owned Federal Mortgage Bank and other experts say the deficit of housing units in Nigeria is about a third of what Obi claimed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: Senegalese minister beaten in Paris Musician, not minister (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Altered Image: South Korean president at the centre of G7 leaders photo Korean-language social media posts have shared a doctored photo purportedly showing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol standing at the centre of a group picture with G7 heads of state in Hiroshima. The original image actually shows Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hosted the summit, in the middle of the row. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: UK has not advised citizens not to travel to France as of July 6, 2023 The UK foreign office issued guidance for people travelling to France in response to unrest there, but it had not warned UK citizens not to travel to the country at the time of writing, contrary to online posts. Social media accounts sharing copy-and-pasted paragraphs of text abo (Source: Reuters)
False: The video is recent and shows refugees protesting at Republic Square in France. A video of people carrying flags and protesting in front of a statue is going viral on the internet, with users claiming that it is recent and shows refugees protesting at Republic Square in France.What have users said?: People have shared the video with a caption that said, "Thi (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)
False: This image shows the destruction caused in Paris, France during the recent protests. An image showing a crowded, wrecked, smoke-engulfed street near Eiffel Tower in Paris is going viral on social media to claim that it shows the 'destruction caused by rioters' in France.This comes after the country witnessed several days of violent protests after the police alleg (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)
False: No, Malawi's higher education council has not announced successful applicants for public universities for 2022/23 IN SHORT: According to a press release circulating on Facebook, the higher education council has announced selection results for Malawi's public universities. But this is not the case, the statement is fake. A press release posted on Facebook, apparently from Malawi's education m (Source: Africa Check)
False: No, molasses or soursop with baking soda won't cure stage four cancer IN SHORT: Cancer claims millions of lives across the world, according to the World Health Organization. But these combinations of baking soda and molasses or soursop leaf cannot cure the disease, at any stage. Drinking a mix of molasses and baking soda or soursop leaf and baking (Source: Africa Check)
False: Nigeria's Lagos state building authority demolished dilapidated buildings, not entire popular market IN SHORT: Claims are circulating online that traders from the Igbo community in Lagos are being targeted. But these are false and could stoke tensions between different communities in the state. A message posted on Facebook in Nigeria claims that the Lagos state government plans (Source: Africa Check)
False: No evidence court ordered arrest of Nigeria's electoral commission chair over deleted election results IN SHORT: As a Nigerian court hears a challenge to the 25 February 2023 presidential election, there is no evidence that it has ordered the arrest of the head of the country's electoral commission. Months after Nigeria's 2023 general elections, the electoral body , political part (Source: Africa Check)
Scam: Beware of engagement bait scam promising free data to customers of telecoms giant MTN IN SHORT: MTN is not rewarding old SIM card owners with free data. The supposed promotion has been doing the rounds in several African countries. Mobile network operator MTN is rewarding owners of old SIM cards with free data, according to a promotion posted on Facebook. A SIM ca (Source: Africa Check)
Fake: Ignore fake list of 20 shortlisted candidates for Kenya's new ambassadors and heads of mission IN SHORT: An image circulating on social media claims to show 20 new ambassadors and heads of mission. The list is fake. An image purporting to be an official list of shortlisted candidates for ambassadors and heads of mission is making the rounds on Facebook in Kenya. There are (Source: Africa Check)
Scam: Scam alert! Ignore Facebook posts promoting Cash Chain investment platform, offering huge returns in Nigeria IN SHORT: Facebook posts promoting Cash Chain investment and its "wonderful" benefits are out to scam you. Don't fall for promises of large and quick returns. "CASH CHAIN INVESTMENT, IT'S REAL AND Legit...INVEST, MESSAGE THE ADMIN THROUGH THE WHATSAPP BUTTON ON THIS PAGE," reads (Source: Africa Check)
False: Did cars catch fire at Kenya's flagship safari rally? No, video from unrelated event in Botswana IN SHORT: A video on TikTok showed a fire burning several cars, with the claim this happened in Naivasha, Kenya, during the 2023 Safari Rally. But the incident took place at a rally in Botswana, more than 2,500 kilometres away. A video on TikTok shows a fire burning tens of cars (Source: Africa Check)
Are there 15 million...: Are there 15 million undocumented immigrants living in South Africa? No, another ActionSA party member repeats old, incorrect claim "With an estimated minimum of 15million illegal immigrants in South Africa, according to SA Home affairs (probably a lot more) that makes up between 20% to 25% of our population," reads a tweet by a member of South African political party ActionSA , Marcia Barron. Her post, dated (Source: Africa Check)
False: Image shows 101-year-old woman with her great-granddaughter, not her baby A photograph of an elderly woman on a bed holding her great-granddaughter in her arms has been falsely shared online as an image showing a 101-year-old with her 17th baby. A Facebook post that reads, “101-year-old woman suddenly welcomed her 17th child” appears to have been taken (Source: Reuters)
False: Mark Zuckerberg responded to a tweet from Elon Musk about cheating by posting, "Speaking of cheating, you had an affair with Sergey Brin's wife last year." About this rating On July 6, 2023, a screenshot of a tweet was shared on Twitter that appeared to show Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg lashing out at Twitter owner Elon Musk.According to the screenshot, after Musk had tweeted a remark mentioning the word "cheating," Zuckerberg responded (Source: Snopes)
False: The Biden administration formally filed to overturn the First Amendment (July 6) APThe claim: The Biden administration formally filed to overturn the First AmendmentA July 6 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) from conservative commentator Tim Pool shows him discussing an appeal filed by the Biden administration in a court case addressing social media censorship. "Biden Admin Formally Files To OVERTURN 1st Amendment, Democrats Seek Authority To CENSOR Americans," reads the caption of the post. Biden administration can't overturn First AmendmentRepublican attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration and federal agencies in May 2022 that took issue with how government officials coordinated with social media companies to moderate content. But contrary to the post’s claim, legal experts said the appeal by the Biden administration isn't an attempt to overturn First Amendment. The current administration and future administrations could continue to engage in this same type of outreach and coordination with private social media platforms. (Source: USA Today)
All German Fact Checks
Falscher Kontext: Ein Video zeige, wie im Zuge der Ausschreitungen in Frankreich Menschen in Batman-Kostümen aus einem Transporter gestürmt seien. Ein Polizist schoss am 27. Juni im Pariser Vorort Nanterre bei einer Verkehrskontrolle auf den 17-jährigen Nahel M. Der Jugendliche starb nach Angaben der Staatsanwaltschaft noch vor Ort, wie derDeutschlandfunkberichtete. Seit dem tödlichen Schuss kam es im Großraum Paris und in (Source: Correctiv)
Falscher Kontext: Videos zeigten ein Nashorn, ein Zebra und Löwen, die bei den aktuellen Ausschreitungen in Frankreich auf den Straßen seien. Am 27. Juni tötete ein Polizist den 17-jährigen Nahel M. bei einer Verkehrskontrolle im Pariser Vorort Nanterre. Seit dem tödlichen Schuss kam es im Großraum Paris und in weiteren Städten Frankreichs zu gewalttätigen Ausschreitungen. Wie so oft bei großen Nachrichtenlagen vermisc (Source: Correctiv)
Falscher Kontext: Ein Video zeige, wie in Frankreich im Zuge der Ausschreitungen nach dem Tod von Nahel M. die Alcazar-Bibliothek in Marseille in Brand gesetzt wurde. Tagelang kam es in Paris und anderen französischen Städten zu Ausschreitungen, nachdem ein17-Jährigeram 27. Juni 2023 durch den Schuss eines Polizisten starb. Bilder, die dieMedienveröffentlichten, zeigen Straßenkämpfe mit Feuerwerkskörpern, geplünderten Geschäfte und ausgebrannt (Source: Correctiv)
Frei Erfunden: Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock habe gesagt: „Jeder fünfte Wählende wählt jetzt die AfD. Wir müssen dafür sorgen, dass das nur jeder Dritte ist.“ Die AfD ist im Umfragehoch. Das bestätigendie aktuellen Ergebnissemehrerer Institute für Trend- und Wahlforschung. Zwischen 17 und 20,5 Prozent würden die AfD wählen, wenn am nächsten Sonntag Bundestagswahl wäre (Stand Ende Juni). Damit steht die als rechtsextremistischer Verdach (Source: Correctiv)
Falscher Kontext: Ein Video zeige, wie in Frankreich im Zuge der Ausschreitungen nach dem Tod von Nahel M. Autos aus einem Parkhaus gestürzt seien. Tagelang kam es in Paris und anderen französischen Städten zu Ausschreitungen, nachdem ein17-Jährigerdurch den Schuss eines Polizisten starb. Bilder, die dieMedienveröffentlichten, zeigen Straßenkämpfen mit Feuerwerkskörpern, geplünderten Geschäfte und ausgebrannten Autos. Doch i (Source: Correctiv)
Größtenteils Falsch: 78 Prozent unserer Luft sei Stickstoff, 21 Prozent Sauerstoff, 1 Prozent seien Edelgase und Spurengas wie Kohlendioxid. Der CO2-Anteil betrage 0,04 Prozent. Vom jährlichen CO2-Ausstoß produziere die Natur selbst 96 Prozent und lediglich 4 Prozent seien menschengemacht. 4 Prozent von 0,04 Prozent würden 0,0016 Prozent menschengemachtes CO2 ergeben. Der Anteil Deutschlands daran sei 1,76 Prozent. Deutschland beeinflusse vom weltweiten CO2-Anteil in der Luft 0,000028 Prozent. Als der fraktionslose Abgeordnete Robert Farle am 27. April imBundestagspricht, nennt er die Klimaschutzpolitik der Bundesregierung einen „Irrsinn“. Denn Deutschland habe einen sehr kleinen Anteil am weltweiten CO2-Ausstoß. Wie klein dieser sei, rechnet er seinen Kolleginnen und (Source: Correctiv)