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All English Fact Checks

False: Ugandan officials caught burying empty coffin of Covid-19 victim A video viewed thousands of times has been shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows Ugandan officials putting an empty coffin, intended for a Covid-19 victim, into the ground. The claim is false; part of the corpse’s head can be seen at one point in the blurry recording, while the dead man’s daughter confirmed to AFP Fact Check that her father’s body was in the coffin when he was buried. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Video: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal intimidating people of Gujarat An old clip of Indian opposition politician Arvind Kejriwal has been misleadingly edited to make it appear as if he is threatening voters in the western state of Gujarat. The clip was repeatedly shared on Facebook and Twitter ahead of state polls in Gujarat where Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party is aiming to oust the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The clip was in fact taken from a 2016 speech in which Kejriwal made allegations about how a BJP official would run the state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Duke, UNC and ECU are "transitioning toddlers" An article from an American conservative group claims three major health care providers in the state of North Carolina are "transitioning toddlers." This is false; the university networks mentioned in the story offer mental health services for children with gender dysphoria, but their policies don't allow transition surgery on minors. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Peter Obi says there are 100 Nigerian players in the American NBA Nigerian opposition presidential candidate Peter Obi promised to make youth development a focus if he wins the election scheduled for next February. During an interview, Obi said the country already has the pool of young talent it needs to progress, claiming Nigerians make up about two-thirds of the players in the American National Basketball Association (NBA) league. But the claim is false; there are only five Nigerians listed by the NBA for the 2021-2022 season. Five more are listed as having ties to Nigeria through their parents. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Five million people are suspected to have been harmed by Covid-19 vaccines The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends Covid-19 vaccines amid carefully monitoring the safety of the jabs, but posts claim its database shows more than five million people have been harmed by the shots. This is false; the figure includes all reported adverse events following vaccination -- including those that are unverified or detail minor reactions -- and are not necessarily caused by the injections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows Covid-19 victims in body bags Footage of a person moving inside a body bag is circulating in social media posts that claim it shows an actor pretending to be a Covid-19 victim as part of a scheme to fool the public about the severity of the pandemic. The claim is false; the video is from a news report on protesters who staged a stunt against climate policy in Austria on February 4, 2022. The demonstrators told AFP the protest was not related to the pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of boar left in Indian mosque by Hindus in April 2019 Two photographs have been shared hundreds of time in April 2019 Facebook posts which claim that they show a boar that has been left inside an Indian mosque by the Hindu community. The claim is false; the images actually show a 2018 incident in Malaysia when a wild boar got into a mosque and injured worshipers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Ottawa protest in January 2022 Facebook users shared a photo of a crowd hundreds of thousands strong, alongside a claim it showed a 2022 anti-vaccine mandate protest in Ottawa, Canada. This is false; the photo was taken during an anti-government protest in Moscow in 1991. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: London's Tower Bridge was lit up to celebrate Marcos Jr's election victory A photo of a bridge in the British capital London has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim it was illuminated in the campaign colours of Ferdinand Marcos Jr and his running mate Sara Duterte after they won the 2022 Philippine presidential election. But the local authority that manages the bridge told AFP the claim is false. The photo previously circulated in reports about a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence in 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Photo shows pilots in New York holding a protest against chemtrails. A photo has circulated in social media posts that claim it shows pilots in New York holding protest signs about "chemtrails", a conspiracy theory about white streaks left in the sky by planes. However, the image has been doctored; the original picture shows pilots in 2011 brandishing signs about a controversial merger between two airlines. The doctored photo has circulated online for years in satirical articles. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Trump calls Kenya ‘corrupt’ and Nigeria ‘the devil’ on Twitter A screenshot of a tweet, in which former US president Donald Trump allegedly calls Kenya "corrupt" and Nigeria "the devil", has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in Nigeria. But the claim is false: AFP Fact Check found that the tweet was posted on an impostor account not affiliated with Trump. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: 'Radioactive' vaccine stolen from German medical institute Facebook posts claim tests on a stolen sample of an unspecified vaccine showed it is radioactive enough to cause “disease and genetic damage,” and speculates that it could contain radium. This is false; the German institute from which the sample was purportedly stolen said it does not store vaccines, and medical experts said radium is not an ingredient in any approved shots. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The University of the Philippines was shut down by Marcos Jr. A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in social media posts that claim the state-run University of the Philippines was "closed down" following an order by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The claim, however, is misleading. The university's vice president of public affairs told AFP that no such order had been issued as of July 27, and the university was still operating. A Manila-based legal expert told AFP that the president does not have the authority to close the university. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Chris Rock apologies following Oscars joke are legitimate Alleged statements from Chris Rock apologizing for a joke he made about Jada Pinkett Smith during the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony are circulating on social media. But the apologies for the remark – which prompted a now-famous slap from actor Will Smith – do not appear on Rock's social media accounts, and his publicist said the statements are fake. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: People in Victoria, Australia prohibited from growing their own food Social media posts shared thousands of times claim a proposed law in the Australian state of Victoria will ban people from growing their own food. However, this is false. The bill, which aims to support the agricultural sector, contains no such provision, while Victoria's agricultural department refuted the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video shows migrants at the US-Mexico border in May 2023 Social media users are claiming a video shows migrants scaling a fence at the United States border with Mexico in May 2023 as the US government prepares to lift pandemic-era immigration restrictions. This is false; the footage shows people entering the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco in March 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The video shows a gas explosion in China in 2021 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube alongside a claim it shows a gas explosion in China’s northwestern Hubei province in June 2021. The claim is false: the video actually shows an explosion at a port in Lebanon's capital Beirut in August 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Robinsons Supermarket raffles off groceries on unofficial Facebook pages Facebook posts shared tens of thousands of times have falsely promoted a grocery package giveaway from Robinsons Supermarket, a chain based in the Philippines. A representative for the grocery chain told AFP the posts -- which ask users to register their contact details on a spurious link -- are "all scams". The photos of the grocery packages were originally published in unrelated articles by organisations in the United States and the United Kingdom. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Burger King is offering vouchers for free products for Facebook users Facebook posts claim to offer vouchers for free items at Burger King. But the online content is false; the fast-food chain told AFP the pages making the offers are not affiliated with the company, and that legitimate offers can only be found on the company's website, through its app, or in restaurants. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows police abusing students returning to school in Myanmar in 2021 A video has been viewed millions of times in multiple posts on Facebook that claim it shows Myanmar police beating up students at a school. This video was shared online after Myanmar students planned to stage a nationwide boycott of schools, which reopened in June 2021 for the first time since the military seized power. The video, however, has been shared in a misleading context: the clip shows a scuffle between students and police outside a Myanmar courtroom in March 2020, almost one year before the military coup. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: War in Nigerian state ahead of election A group of men filmed lying on the ground, surrounded by a vocal crowd, was shared by a popular Nigerian rights activist, claiming to show war in Nigeria’s Edo state ahead of a governorship poll on September 19, 2020. However, the footage was taken in 2019 right before the country’s general elections and is unrelated to this weekend’s state polls. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A photo of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Kim Jong Un? A photo which has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un eating at popular Filipino fast food restaurant Jollibee. A reverse image search found the two men in the photograph are actually impersonators of the two world leaders. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows aftermath of Beirut blast in August 2020 An image of charred cars has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows the Lebanese capital of Beirut following a massive explosion at a warehouse in August 2020. The claim is false; the photo shows cars damaged by an explosion in China’s northern city of Tianjin in August 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Daily basic wage in the Philippines increased to 820 pesos A video with millions of views on Facebook and TikTok claims the Philippine government has approved legislation to hike the national minimum wage at the start of incoming president Ferdinand Marcos Jr's term. However, the government agency that sets minimum wages said the claim was false. As of May 31, no credible reports indicated the agency had increased the daily minimum wage to 820 pesos ($16), as the video claims. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Calling this number will get you food aid in the US Posts shared thousands of times on Facebook claim to provide an emergency food stamp hotline. This is false; the phone number is not for the US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for food stamps, and instead is a disconnected number formerly belonging to rapper Mike Jones. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show 2022 Thingyan New Year festival in Mandalay, Myanmar Two aerial photos of a crowded street have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim they show the new year water festival in coup-hit Myanmar's second city of Mandalay. The photos circulated online after Myanmar marked the normally boisterous event with silence and boycotts, as fighting between the military and opponents of the coup raged across the country. In fact, the photos show people in Mandalay celebrating the festival in 2017, not 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows flood in Pakistan A video that shows cars being washed away by floodwaters has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts which claim it shows adverse weather in Pakistan on December 2, 2020. The claim is false; the footage shows a tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Indian soldiers waving Indian flag near China-controlled Kailsh mountain range An image that appears to show a group of soldiers waving an Indian flag below Mount Kailash, a holy peak in Tibet, has been shared in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that claim the Indian army has taken a swathe of the mountain range that was previously under China’s control. The claim is false: the image is digitally created using an unrelated photo of Indian soldiers and a generic photo of Mount Kailash. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: NATO airstrikes in Libya claimed the lives of 500,000 people in 2011 Social media posts circulating globally have falsely claimed air strikes during NATO's 2011 military campaign in Libya that led to the toppling of strongman Moamer Kadhafi resulted in more than half a million civilian casualties. While the United Nations and rights groups say the NATO air strikes led to civilian deaths, the number is far lower than the half a million alleged by the posts. A UN investigation found NATO air strikes killed 60 civilians and separate reports by rights organisations indicate there were dozens of civilian deaths. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: An image of a genuine “5D medical bed?” An image of “5D medical beds” has been shared in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim that the technology will soon make “3D hospitals” obsolete. The claim is misleading: the image attached to these posts is a 3D model render which was originally posted on a stock image site. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Polio vaccine linked to hand foot and mouth disease Memes shared thousands of times in North America claim there is a connection between the polio vaccine and severe outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). This is false; the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the polio vaccines available in North America are inactivated, meaning people who receive this vaccine do not 'shed' or give off the virus and cannot infect others. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Mustafa Hussein, 14-year-old grandson of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein An image of a teenage boy has been shared thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows the 14-year-old grandson of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Mustafa Hussein, who "shot dead 14 US soldiers" during a gunfight that also killed his father and uncle. However, this is false. American photographer Steve McCurry, who took the photo, says it shows an Afghan fighter. According to the US military commander in Iraq at the time, four US soldiers were wounded in the July 2003 raid, which killed Mustafa, his father and uncle. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Pfizer adds vaccine ingredient to address heart problems Social media posts and an online article say pharmaceutical giant Pfizer added an ingredient used to stabilize heart attack victims to its Covid-19 vaccine for children, linking the move to reports of rare side effects from the shots. This is misleading; Pfizer's new formula containing tromethamine will be used for both children and adults, and the ingredient's purpose is to ease and prolong vaccine storage, the company and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh's sister Prakash Kaur died in March 2021. A photo of Prakash Kaur, the younger sister of Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh, been shared in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim that Kaur died in March 2021. The claim is false; Kaur in fact died in September 2014 in Canada. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Mater Dei school banned students from rising three-fingered salute Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that a school in Thailand has banned students from raising the three-finger salute, a symbol widely used in the ongoing nationwide anti-government protests. The claim is misleading; in response to the posts, the school issued a statement denying the claim; the school headmaster told AFP the school has made no announcement about the salute to date; and students say they have not been told of such a ban. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: IPSOS polls on popularity of Kenya's presidential aspirants Posts claiming that the survey company IPSOS has released a poll on the popularity of presidential aspirants in Kenya ahead of the 2022 general election have been shared widely on social media. However, the claims are false -- IPSOS confirmed that the company has released no such poll, calling the figures “fake”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Four photos claim villages burned down in Kani Four photos have been shared thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim they show homes in Myanmar burned down by the military. The posts are misleading; the photos have circulated in news reports since 2017 about Rohingya villages burned down by the military. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video showing busy traffic junction in Kenya's Kisii town A video showing motorbikes and vehicles zipping across a busy intersection has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook with the claim that it depicts Kisii, a town in Kenya. The claim is false; the footage, which has been sped up, was actually filmed in a Vietnamese city. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Praying at a Muslim shrine can cure Covid-19 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple social media posts that shows the leader of a Pakistan extremist party encouraging people to pray at a notable Muslim shrine in the city of Lahore so they can be “healed” from Covid-19. The claim is misleading: there is no credible evidence that prayer can cure Covid-19. International health experts have previously warned against mass gatherings over fears they could exacerbate the spread of Covid-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Protesters call for Taiwan leader's resignation weeks before elections A video has been viewed hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and YouTube posts that claim it shows a protest calling for the resignation of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen between November and December 2019. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since at least December 2016 in reports about an anti-gay marriage protest in Taiwan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Crying child on the road is not a trap used to rape and kill A notice has resurfaced in South Africa, with more than 1,700 shares on Facebook, purporting to be an urgent notice from the South African Police Service advising people on how to help a crying child on the road. The police service say this is fake and there have been no reports of people being lured into gang rapes or murders this way. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: US authorities found 39 missing children in a double-wide trailer in Georgia Social media posts shared more than a million times claim US authorities found 39 missing children in a double-wide trailer in Georgia. This is false; a spokesman for the US Marshals Service said 39 youngsters were found in different locations in seven states, including Georgia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo of man in Australia who 'won’t stand for Anzac Day, will stand for welfare payment' A photo of an angry man has been shared hundreds of times on Australian Facebook pages in 2019 in a meme that claims he "won’t stand for Anzac Day, will stand for a welfare payment". The image is being used in a misleading context; it was actually taken in 2006 by the Associated Press news agency and shows a Kashmiri activist at a demonstration in Indian-administered Kashmir. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Dominion servers were seized in Germany Claims that Dominion Voting had servers confiscated in Germany by the US military gained traction online as Donald Trump and his supporters continued to try and blame the election technology company for fraud in the vote. This is false; German authorities, the company and the US Army denied that any such operation took place. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of fire razing Sudan oil pipeline in April 2023 As deadly clashes erupted in Sudan between the army and paramilitary troops in April 2023, images emerged online alongside a claim that they show fire razing an oil pipeline in Port Sudan. But this is false: AFP Fact Check found the photos were old and unrelated to the unrest in the country. There were no reports of a fire affecting the pipeline as of April 20, 2023. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows funeral procession of Congress politician Ahmed Patel, who died of COVOD-19. A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts which claim it shows a large funeral procession in Gujarat for an Indian politician who died after contracting Covid-19. The claim is false; the video actually shows a procession for an Indian politician in the Indian state of Maharashtra after he was shot dead in November 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Vitamin K shot for newborns is dangerous Misleading claims about the purported dangers of a vitamin K shot being given to babies are circulating across social media. But the injection of the essential vitamin, which aids in clotting, has been tested for safety, and is recommended by pediatricians in the United States and Canada as the best way to prevent potentially deadly bleeding in newborns and infants. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu in Saudi Arabia An image has been shared on Twitter with claims that it shows Nigeria’s president-elect Bola Tinubu and outgoing leader Muhammadu Buhari in Saudi Arabia on April 12, 2023. But while both men announced separately they were indeed heading to Saudi Arabia this month, the claim is nonetheless false: the picture was taken in 2019 in Nigeria’s capital Abuja when Buhari met Tinubu to break the fast during Ramadan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Social media posts show leaked copy of Pakistan medical college entrace exam Several photos have been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts which claim they show leaked copies of an entrance exam for a medical college in Pakistan. The posts also feature a photo of a handcuffed man alongside a claim he was detained for his involvement in the leak. The claim is misleading; Pakistani authorities denied the exam paper was leaked and said several people were arrested for allegedly selling fake test sheets; the structure of the purported test seen in the posts does not correspond with the structure of sample tests on the Pakistan Medical Commission's website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Wife of Pfizer CEO died of complications from Covid-19 vaccine An online article said Myriam Bourla, wife of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, died of complications arising from a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false, the pharmaceutical company and the hospital mentioned in the article told AFP, and Myriam Bourla attended a public event after the article erroneously announced her death. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Donald Trump allowed back on Facebook and Instagram Posts on social media claim Donald Trump has been permitted to once again use the Facebook and Instagram accounts he relied on when US president. This is false; the company announced on June 4, 2021 that Trump is subject to at least a two-year ban from both platforms. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of US attack on Iran after military base strike A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in Facebook and YouTube posts which claim it shows a US attack on the Iranian capital on January 8, 2020. The claim is false; the video was actually published by the Associated Press news agency in December 1998 and shows a joint US-British military offensive in Iraq. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows snow in Pakistani city of Karachi A photo of a snow-covered street has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter in November 2020 that claim it was taken in the Pakistani city of Karachi. The claim is false; the photo was actually taken by an Afghan photographer in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul; weather data for Karachi shows there has been no snowfall in the city in November 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hong Kong police officers express opposition to Chief Executive Carrie Lam A photo shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts published in October 2019 purports to show a Hong Kong police hat and several warrant cards alongside a message against Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. The posts claim the photo shows the city's police force has distanced itself from Lam. The claim is false; the image has been doctored from a photo which has circulated in media reports since at least July 2019; the original photo showed a message purportedly written by police officers expressing opposition to Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This screenshot of Australian breakfast TV show Today Extra suggests Australians could be fined for talking about COVID-19 conspiracy theories Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim that “Aussies will be fined if they are found to be talking about conspiracies to do with [COVID-19]”. The posts included a screenshot of a segment from an Australian breakfast television show as evidence for the claim. But the claim is false; an Australian legal expert said as of August 18, 2020, he was not aware of any legislation that banned discussions of COVID-19 conspiracy theories; the Attorney General's Department also said it was not aware of any legislation banning such discussions; the television show pictured in the posts, Nine Network’s Today Extra, said it had been reporting the results of a viewer poll about conspiracy theorists, rather than a piece of legislation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Video shows Americans cheering Biden's fall on plane stairs A video viewed tens of thousands of times on Twitter purports to show Americans bursting into cheers in reaction to footage of US President Joe Biden tripping on the stairs while boarding Air Force One on March 19, 2021. Many social media users appear to have believed the video was genuine, although it originates from a meme showing football fans celebrating England's win against Wales at the UEFA European Championship in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows victim of attack on mosque in Pakistan Following a suicide attack on a mosque in northwestern Pakistan in March 2022, an image of an injured child was shared hundreds of times in social media posts that claimed it shows a victim of the bombing. However, the photo has been shared in a misleading context; it is actually an AFP photo of a child injured in Syria after an air strike in January 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pastor Busoga of Uganda stepping on people Various social media posts have claimed to show a Ugandan pastor walking on top of worshippers because he considers himself too holy to step on the ground. The image actually shows people celebrating the return of William Gabula Nadiope, a traditional ruler in Uganda, after his studies in London. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

No, These Images Are Re-Enactments Of Torture Methods Used Against Falun Gong Practitioners: These photos show Muslim women tortured in China Three images published on Facebook and claiming to show Chinese Muslim women tortured in detention camps have been shared hundreds of times in Nigeria. However, the claims are misleading; the images are victim reenactments of torture methods described by members of Falun Gong, a religious group banned in China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Taliban attacking Panjshir Valley As fighting intensified between Taliban fighters and Afghan resistance forces, a video viewed more than one million times emerged online alongside a claim it shows Taliban forces attacking Afghanistan's Panjshir province. The claim is false: the footage shows French troops and has circulated online since at least 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh has been invited to US President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration as a chief guest. Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts claim that former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been invited to be “chief guest” at US President-elect Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony. The claim is false; Singh’s office denied receiving any such invitation from the US authorities; inauguration ceremonies of US presidents and vice presidents usually have US officials and local dignitaries. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: BLM issued rules for white protesters An article shared on Facebook claims Black Lives Matter issued rules for white people who join protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd. This is false; Black Lives Matter says it did not issue any such directives, and the supposed rules first appeared in posts that made no mention of the organization. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hong Kong school letters show students "beaten to death" at MTR Photos of letters from Hong Kong schools announcing the deaths of two students have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts which claim the students were "beaten to death" at a subway station in Kowloon on August 31, 2019. The claim is false; staff at the two schools told AFP that the student deaths were not related to events at Prince Edward subway station on August 31; one of the students died before the incident; the Hong Kong government, Hong Kong police; the Hospital Authority, and Hong Kong's rail operator MTR have all separately stated there were no fatalities during the police arrests at the subway station. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Nigerian president’s chopper A photo has been shared in multiple social media posts alongside a claim that it shows the helicopter of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari after it was pelted with stones by a mob in Kano state. But the claim is false: the image shows a helicopter being attacked in Kenya in April 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: HK pro-democratic protesters arrested in London for the 831 anniversary A video has been repeatedly shared on Facebook alongside a claim it shows British police violently arresting Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters in a London subway in August 2021. But the claim is false: the video has circulated online since October 2020 in posts about law enforcement officers arresting football fans in the Romanian capital of Bucharest. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of fire at petrochemical plant in Malaysia in February 2022 A video has been viewed millions of times after it was shared in social media posts that claim it shows a blaze at a petrochemical plant in Malaysia's southern state of Johor in February 2022. But while Malaysian media reported a fire in Johor on February 24, the video has been shared in a false context. The video in the posts has circulated in reports about a petrochemical explosion in China's eastern Shandong province in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

This Image Was Doctored And The Eu Has Issued No Recent Statements On Ethiopia: Guardian article on EU urging Ethiopian government to release all political prisoners An image purporting to be from a page on The Guardian website in Britain has been widely shared in Ethiopia with claims that it shows a news story about the European Union (EU) ordering the release of all political prisoners, including jailed opposition leader Jawar Mohammed. The claim is false: the article image and the report itself were fabricated while an EU spokesman denied the organisation had issued a recent statement about Ethiopia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Posts compare Manila Bay images before and during Rodrigo Duterte presidency A photo collage has been shared thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows a trash-filled beach in the Philippine capital Manila purportedly before Rodrigo Duterte was elected president -- and the same beach after he ordered a cleanup during his term. But these posts are misleading: the trash-filled beach photo is miscaptioned as taken during the presidency of former leader Benigno Aquino III; both images in the photo collage have circulated in news reports since 2020 during Duterte’s term as president. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Taiwan cancels visa-free entry for Filipinos after tourists caught stealing Several Facebook posts have falsely claimed recent cases of theft involving Philippine nationals in Taiwan prompted the self-ruled island to cancel its visa-free scheme for Filipinos in 2023. But the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office told AFP there is no truth to the claim, and the posts share an old news report about Filipino pickpockets caught in Taiwan in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Symbol of the novel coronavirus and image of Bill Gates found on $10 Australian note Photos of Australian $10 banknotes have been shared multiple times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that the note features images representing coronavirus and the billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates. The claim is false; the Reserve Bank of Australia said the images on the notes instead show a tree native to Australia and Australian writer Mary Gilmore. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows Myanmar military vehicles attacked by Arakan Army rebels A video has been viewed tens of thousands times in multiple Facebook posts which claim it shows an attack on Myanmar’s military vehicles by the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group in Rakhine State, western Myanmar. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since 2016 in reports about a Turkish military convoy hit by a roadside bomb in southeast Turkey. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Taliban in Kabul after takeover A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that claim it shows a crowd welcoming Taliban fighters in the Afghan capital Kabul. The claim is false: the video was filmed after the Taliban seized Afghanistan's second-largest city, Kandahar. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A foreign newspaper calls Indonesian president "a liar" A Facebook post that has been shared hundreds of times contains a photo that it claims shows the front page of a foreign newspaper with a headline that calls Indonesian president Joko Widodo “a liar”. But the claim is false; the newspaper in the photo is the Independent Observer, an English-language Indonesian newspaper based in Cibinong, a town near the capital Jakarta. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Manila's mayor cried and asked for Duterte's forgiveness in live address A video has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook and YouTube posts that claim it shows Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso crying and asking for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's forgiveness during an online broadcast. The claim is misleading; the footage does not show Domagoso crying. He was in fact thanking Duterte for sending cash handouts to the capital to help during the pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows former Philippine senator Trillanes asking about running for president An image has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that purports to show former Philippine opposition senator Antonio Trillanes holding a card asking for public support if he decides to run for president in 2022. The claim is false; the image has been digitally altered from a photo that shows Trillanes addressing Reddit users during an online interview in 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Vaccinated people won't get Covid-19 US President Joe Biden claimed during a CNN town hall that vaccinated people will not get Covid-19. This is false; despite the high efficacy of the shots, infections still occur among the fully vaccinated population, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of children during the French occupation of Congo An image of two white children sitting between a black child inside a cage has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim it was taken during the French occupation of Congo in 1955. The claim is false; the image was taken during Belgian colonial rule in Congo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows mother of infant abandoned in train Social media posts in Sri Lanka have shared a photo of a woman who participated in protests against former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, falsely claiming she is the mother of a baby abandoned at a train toilet. But local police have actually identified another woman as the mother, while the activist shown in the photo denounced the posts for "unduly targeting" her. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: This image shows Bangkok governor's father in the 1979 massacre in Thailand A photo of a Thai police officer pointing a gun during a brutal student massacre in 1976 has been shared thousands of times in posts that claim he was the father of the recently elected governor of Bangkok. This is misleading: although the governor-elect's father took part in crackdown operations on the protests, records show that the man in the photo was not his father. Thai experts also told AFP the man in the photo was not the governor-elect's father. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: More than 500,000 South Korean national honourees are from one province Multiple Facebook posts shared repeatedly in October 2021 claim more than 500,000 South Korean national honourees -- people who have made a sacrifice or contribution to the country -- are from one province. The posts also claim that national honourees make up 60 to 70 percent of the country's public servants. The claims are false: the numbers cited by the posts exceed the official government data. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show goat droppings in Taiwanese drinks Images shared thousands of times on Facebook claim that a popular Asian drink is made with goat droppings. This is false; the photo of the goat in the post has been digitally altered. Bubble tea contains tapioca pearls, otherwise known as boba. They have no relationship with animal faeces. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo of stranger performing CPR on infant in Florida A photo has been shared thousands of times on Facebook in Nigeria alongside a claim that it shows a stranger performing life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an infant in the United States. But the claim is misleading: the photographer who captured the dramatic moment in Miami, Florida in 2014, told AFP Fact Check that the woman in the image was the child’s aunt. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Documents show 1,200 Pfizer vaccine deaths over 90-day period Online articles shared on social media claim a document released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed more than 1,200 deaths related to Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine in a 90-day period. But the pharmaceutical giant says the document does not indicate the fatalities are linked to vaccination, and it concludes the shots are safe -- a finding supported by US health authorities as well as clinical research. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Nigerians scrambling for food amid virus lockdown A video shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram purports to show hundreds of Nigerians scrambling for food amid a lockdown prompted by the novel coronavirus. However, the footage has been circulating on social media since at least March 2019, months before the start of the pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Trump meeting with National Guard in Washington, D.C. A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media claims to show President Donald Trump on a surprise visit to National Guard troops in Washington, where they were deployed after a January 6, 2021 riot by his supporters. This is false; a reverse image search shows the video is from Afghanistan, where Trump met soldiers in 2019, and there is no evidence that he visited the National Guard in the US capital this year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Face shields, Covid-19 tests, vaccine cards are required on election day Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok posts circulating ahead of the Philippines' polls on May 9 claim voters are required to present proof of Covid vaccination or a negative coronavirus test in order to vote. This is false: voters only need to wear a face mask to vote, according to the country's elections agency Comelec. The video featured in the posts -- watched over a million times -- shows an erroneous news report aired on local broadcaster TV5 that was later corrected. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows man’s head hitting concrete during arrest by Australian police A video showing a police officer violently arresting a man has been viewed thousands of times online in posts that claim it was filmed in Australia. But the video has been shared in a false context: it shows a police officer detaining a man in Canada. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine vice president lies about bringing the media to her typhoon relief ops Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter claim that Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo lied when she said she was not joined by journalists at her relief operation after Typhoon Vamco hit the Philippines in November 2020. The posts include two photos they claim show a director and cameramen filming Robredo at the typhoon relief event. The claims were promoted by an imposter AFP Fact Check Twitter account. But the claims are false: the photos were actually taken in 2018 during Robredo’s visit to a town in Cebu. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of opposition supporters confronting Kenyan police As anti-government rallies were staged in Kenya on March 20, 2023, a video of rival groups clashing on a dusty field emerged on social media alongside claims it showed opposition supporters battling police in the capital Nairobi. But this claim is false: the footage shows two youth gangs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fighting after a football tournament in 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: A video of Shane Warne's son speaking about 'truth' behind father's death Following the sudden death of Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne in Thailand, a video was viewed hundreds of thousands of times in social media posts that claimed it shows the late sportsman's son suggesting his father's death was related to the Covid-19 vaccine. However, the posts are misleading. The video actually shows a former Australian far-right leader speaking about Warne's death. Thai authorities have stated that Warne died of natural causes. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Wickremesinghe engaging in religious ritual for re-election in 2020? A photo showing former Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe pouring water into a pond has been shared multiple times in Facebook posts that claim it shows him performing a ritual for re-election in 2020. The posts circulated online after after the incumbent minister of health was mocked for performing a ritual that sought divine intervention to eradicate the novel coronavirus from Sri Lanka. However, the claim is false: the photo has circulated online since 2018 in reports about Wickremesinghe pouring blessed water into a pond in Maha Viharaya, a buddhist temple in Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura, as part of a re-opening ceremony. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows seven babies born to one mother in Bangladesh Bengali-language Facebook posts have repeatedly shared images of seven babies alongside the claim that a single woman gave birth to them in a hospital in southeastern Bangladesh. But this claim is false -- a representative for the hospital told AFP the babies were born to seven different mothers. Local media also reported that the babies were born to seven mothers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Chlorine dioxide eradicates Covid-19 Facebook posts in Thailand tout chlorine dioxide as a Covid-19 treatment, claiming it "eradicates" that disease. The claim is misleading; there is insufficient scientific evidence that chlorine dioxide is effective in treating Covid-19 and health experts warned it should not be consumed by humans. Thai health authorities said chlorine dioxide has not been approved as a Covid-19 treatment in the kingdom as of January 13. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of recent conflict in Ataye, Ethiopia As Ethiopia’s northwestern Amhara region witnessed protests against government plans to dismantle regional forces, an image emerged on social media alongside a claim that it showed smoke that recently rose above the town of Ataye. But the claim is false: the photo is more than two years old and shows clashes in the region in 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nepal was declared a Hindu state Multiple Facebook posts in May 2021 claim that Nepal has been officially declared a "Hindu state". The claim is false: no such official announcement has been made by the Nepali authorities; the country’s constitution still describes it as a secular state not a Hindu state; the images used in the misleading posts have circulated online for years. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: False quotes and media company logos combine to mislead voters in Kenya As Kenya prepares for general elections in August, social media platforms are awash with slick graphics promoting false and misleading quotes purportedly uttered by politicians. The inclusion of logos belonging to local media organisations helps to give the posts a semblance of credibility. However, AFP Fact Check found they are fabricated pieces of content created with one purpose in mind – to deceive voters. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: There is a recent concert performing Jit Phumisak songs An old video of an orchestra performing a song by Thai anti-dictatorship philosopher and composer Jit Phumisak has surfaced online ahead of the Southeast Asian country's general election on May 14. Social media users appeared to believe the footage was filmed recently and warned it would fan "hatred against the institution" ahead of the polls. However, an organiser of the concert confirmed it shows a performance in 2009. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Amber alert went off during closing arguments in Depp v Heard trial The judge presiding over the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial said mobile phone alarms that interrupted the closing arguments were an "Amber alert" warning of a child in danger, a claim that immediately started trending on Twitter. But the ringing was actually a warning sent by the National Weather Service in Fairfax County, Virginia where the trial was held. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Indonesia's anti-corruption agency summoning the president's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka A video has been viewed millions of times on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim that it shows Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, has been summoned by the anti-corruption agency over a food aid graft case. The claim is false; the video shows the press briefing of the agency’s deputy chairman, who does not announce a summoning for Gibran. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigeria’s Lagos not among top 5 states in fiscal performance The candidate for governor in Nigeria’s Lagos state, Olajide Adediran, has accused the incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu of frittering away the state’s resources. In a TV interview, he alleged that the state did not rank among the top five in fiscal performance despite leading in internally generated revenue. However, this claim is false: an annual ranking puts the state in third position for 2022 and fourth the year before. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows tomb of Prophet Mohammed A photo has been shared thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed. The claim is false: the image shows a model of the tomb from the Dar Al-Madinah Museum in Medina, Saudi Arabia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A photo shows migrants approaching the US border in May 2023 Social media users are claiming a picture shows people approaching the US border with Mexico in May 2023 before pandemic-era immigration restrictions are lifted. This is false; the photo depicts Central American migrants heading toward the United States in October 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows security at the US Capitol during a BLM protest Social media posts claim a photo shows security at the US Capitol during a Black Lives Matter protest, with some contrasting it with the failure of police to stop supporters of US President Donald Trump from storming the building where Congress meets. But the image shows members of the National Guard at the Lincoln Memorial, not the US Capitol, seven months before. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: No evidence to support claim that Nigerian governor’s adviser was attacked in Lagos A post shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook claims that Joe Igbokwe, adviser to the governor of Lagos state in Nigeria, was recently attacked and his cars set ablaze. The claim is misleading; Igbokwe, whose home in Anambra state was set on fire last year, denied being the victim of a recent attack in Lagos. Police also rejected the claim as false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian electoral body to probe Bola Tinubu over US drug cash A press release attributed to Nigeria’s electoral authority claims that the ruling party's presidential candidate Bola Tinubu is being investigated over a US drug case from 1993. The statement circulated in Facebook posts with pictures of court documents as alleged evidence. Some online users speculated Tinubu faced disqualification from the election as a result. But these claims are false: although the US court documents are genuine, the press release is fake and the country’s electoral commission has denied launching a probe. In any case, Nigerian law only bans contenders from running if they have been convicted of criminal offences in the decade preceding the election. A Nigerian TV station was fined and forced to apologise after it ran a news piece about the press release as being real. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bill Gates abruptly ended an interview after being grilled about Covid vaccines American philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates did not abruptly end an interview after being asked about his advocacy of Covid-19 vaccines, contrary to a video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media. Several details indicate the footage has been manipulated using artificial intelligence. The dialogue does not feature in the original interview with Gates conducted by an Australian broadcaster. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Russian and Indonesian missiles destroyed Darwin, Australia Video posts with tens of thousands of views on YouTube and Facebook falsely claim that "Indonesian and Russian missiles have destroyed the northern Australian city of Darwin". There is no evidence this incident ever happened and AFP has previously debunked similar misinformation about a purported armed conflict involving Indonesia and Australia. The video featured in the false posts shows unrelated clips that have circulated in reports about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a fire in the Russian capital Moscow and a military exercise in Lithuania. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: White House employees are exempt from government vaccine mandate Social media posts claim US government workers and pharmaceutical company staff are exempt from Covid-19 vaccination requirements. But President Joe Biden did issue an executive order directing federal employees to get vaccinated, while pharmaceutical firms are also telling their staff to get the shots. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows Israeli police raid at Al-Aqsa mosque in April 2023 A photo of men lying on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs has been shared repeatedly in social media posts misleadingly claiming it shows a police raid at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque in April 2023. However, the photo has previously circulated in reports about a similar incident at the mosque one year before. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Facebook posts predicted Will Smith slapping Chris Rock years before it happened Facebook posts claim to have predicted that Will Smith would slap Chris Rock years before the actor did so at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony. But the edit histories of the posts show they were changed to reference the altercation only after it took place. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Data show Covid-19 vaccines reduce lifespans by up to 24 years Public health authorities say Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness and death, but articles and social media posts claim data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Cleveland Clinic show the shots reduce life expectancy by up to 24 years. This is false; experts told AFP there are no statistics or research to support the allegations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Chinese soldiers joining Russian army to fight in Ukraine A photo of several people wearing military uniforms with Chinese and Russian flags has been shared hundreds of times in social media posts that claim it shows Chinese soldiers joining the Russian army to fight in Ukraine. This is false. AFP traced the photo to the website of a military-themed amusement park in Russia. The photographer who took pictures of the event said the people in the photo were "tourists". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Video shows world's first artificial womb facility A video of what appears to be an "artificial womb facility" that allows parents to choose their babies' characteristics has misled social media users in various countries, who seemed to believe it showed genuine technology. The video has garnered more than one million views. However, the original video's creator told AFP that his footage is an animation and does not show a real or planned facility. Scientists said the animation is "pure science fiction". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Joe Biden and Barack Obama tweet "Free Bobi Wine" A Facebook post shared more than a hundred times claims to show tweets from US president-elect Joe Biden and former president Barack Obama calling for the release of Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine who was detained on November 18, 2020. However, the tweets are fake; AFP Fact Check found that neither leader has commented on Uganda's political situation on their official Twitter accounts. Wine was freed on bail on November 20, 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Money discarded on the streets of Italy during Covid-19 pandemic Two photos showing notes scattered on a street have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim they were taken in Italy during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The posts claim Italians have thrown money out of their homes in a symbolic gesture to highlight that money is futile during the pandemic. The claim is false; the photos have circulated online since at least March 2019 in reports about two separate incidents in Venezuela. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ablution water can destroy novel coronavirus Multiple media reports and social media posts claim that water used in an Islamic ablution ritual can kill the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; health experts warn that water alone cannot kill the virus and recommend that people wash their hands with soap and water for effective protection. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of ‘Gorilla Glue girl’ scraping off her hair A picture showing an exposed scalp has been shared thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside claims that it shows Tessica Brown – better known on social media as “Gorilla Glue girl” – after scraping off her hair which she had applied to her head with glue spray. Brown’s beauty mishap went viral on social media but the image being associated with her is old and unrelated. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Rabbinical Court rules Covid vaccine 'forbidden' for children, others Online articles and social media posts claim a "rabbinical court" that is part of Israel's legal system ruled against Covid-19 vaccination for young people and children in a binding decision for observant Jews. But leading rabbinical authorities in both Israel and the United States have endorsed vaccination, and experts say the ruling did not come from a widely recognized Jewish legal authority. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image shows three of four clinical trial volunteers who have developed Bell's Palsy after receiving doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine An image has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter and Facebook alongside a claim it shows three of four clinical trial volunteers who have developed Bell's palsy after receiving doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is misleading; this image has circulated online since at least January 2020, some three months before Pfizer-BioNTech began clinical trials of their vaccine in late April. While a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document states that four participants developed Bell's palsy during the trials, investigators found "no clear basis upon which to conclude a causal relationship" between the vaccine and the condition. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Kenyan 'slaves' made to carry white tourists in Mara North Conservancy A Facebook post claims Kenyans working at the Mara North private wildlife park have been made to carry white tourists in sedan chairs. The photo shows a group of men carrying two people in chairs, with the words “Slavery at the Mara” printed over it. But the picture was actually taken in Uganda, where elderly and disabled tourists visiting wildlife parks can pay to be carried. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows catalytic converter thief in Goderich, Canada Messages claiming to show photos of a "catalytic converter thief" have been shared into Facebook buy and sell groups in a number of US and Canadian cities. But some of these posts have lifted images from news reports about thefts in unrelated locations in North America and follow the same pattern as other schemes designed to obtain users' personal information. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Romana Didulo is head of state and commander-in-chief of the “Republic of Canada” Online videos claim that a person named Romana Didulo has been appointed head of state and commander-in-chief of the “Republic of Canada.” This is false; Canada remains a constitutional monarchy headed by Queen Elizabeth II -- who cannot be removed unless Canadian legislators agree -- and the monarch’s representative in Ottawa holds ceremonial command of the military. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Indian soldiers resting next to a tank An image shared hundreds of times on Facebook purports to show Indian soldiers resting next to an armoured vehicle. However, the uniformed men are not Indian Army soldiers; they are Israeli soldiers. The photograph was taken five years ago in Gaza and published by international news agency Reuters. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Image shows actual skin tones of the lightest man and the darkest man on earth An Instagram post liked more than one million times features photos of two Black people it describes as the world's darkest and lightest men. But the images were taken for a magazine photo shoot and both models' skin tones were enhanced with makeup. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Old hoax resurfaces online in South Korea warning of ‘fake CNN report and North Korean phising email’ Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook, Naver Blog and KakaoTalk in December 2020 claim that South Korean police issued a warning about a North Korea-linked phishing email and a fake CNN report with malicious codes. The claim is false; South Korea’s Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said the posts, which have circulated online since at least 2016, said it did not issue the purported warning. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Israeli soldier arrests child during Gaza fighting in June 2021 A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple Instagram, Facebook and Twitter posts that claim it shows an Israeli soldier arresting a Palestinian child in Gaza in June 2021. The video has been shared in a misleading context: it shows an incident in 2015 in a West Bank village, not Gaza. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ghana leads Africa in COVID-19 testing per million people Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo claimed in a speech that his country had administered more COVID-19 tests per million people than any other country in Africa. However, the claim is false; AFP has found from available statistics that Ghana comes behind South Africa and at least two other African countries. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Multiple countries announced they were leaving the WHO As false rumours swirled that proposed changes to the World Health Organization would give it control over member states' national health care decisions, social media posts claimed that seven countries, including China, India and Russia, announced they would leave the agency. But the global health agency – which has been a frequent target of misinformation – told AFP that none of its current members have expressed an intention to withdraw as of June 14. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: An image of U.S. President Joe Biden sleeping at Oval Office desk? An image purporting to show US President Joe Biden sleeping at his desk in the White House’s Oval Office has been shared on Facebook and Twitter. The image, however, has been manipulated; a photo of Biden appearing to fall asleep during a budget speech in 2011 has been digitally inserted onto a photo of him signing executive orders on January 20, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows church torched in Kenya An image has been widely shared on Facebook in Kenya alongside a claim that it shows a church burnt down by bandits in Laikipia county in Kenya. But the claim is false: the photo shows a Catholic church razed in 2016 in Tanzania. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows HK department store promotes boycott a pro-government business? An image has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook posts that purport to show a message urging shoppers to boycott a "pro-China" company displayed on a billboard outside a department store in Hong Kong. However, the image has been doctored; the original photo shows an advertisement for a cosmetics brand and the store said they never ran the message. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Lightning storm during Taal eruption in the Philippines Two photos showing lightning storms have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in January 2020 alongside a claim they were taken during a recent volcano eruption in the Philippines. But the photo on the left in the Facebook post has been shared in a misleading context; it was taken by a photographer during the eruption of the Calbuco volcano in Chile in 2015. The other photo in the misleading post shows the Taal volcano eruption in the Philippines in January 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The US CDC has reduced its COVID-19 death toll Posts on social media claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised down its death toll for COVID-19. This is false; the CDC says it has not cut its statistics on fatalities from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and that its websites include two sets of figures -- one lower than the other -- based on different sources. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows vandalism in Comilla mosque in 2021 A photo has been shared thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows a mosque in Bangladesh that was "vandalised by Hindus" in a spate of religious unrest in October 2021. The posts are misleading; the picture has circulated in reports from 2016 about a mosque that was targeted in the city of Cumilla, although there have been no official reports on the identity of the vandals. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Government-funded food pyramid says Lucky Charms is healthier than steak Podcast host Joe Rogan claims a "government-funded food pyramid" declared Lucky Charms cereal is healthier than steak. This is misleading; the chart is not an official recommendation, but a visualization created by independent researchers using data from a Tufts University project. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of billboard at a metro station in poll bound Uttar Pradesh Posts circulating online during elections in India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh have shared an image alongside a claim the opposition Bahujan Samaj Party erected a billboard at a metro station in the state capital promoting women's rights. This is false. Although the BSP has advocated for women's rights, the image has been digitally altered. Representatives for the metro station and the party separately told AFP no such campaign billboard had been erected in the metro station. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Turkish leader Erdogan declares support for Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto An image that has been shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to show Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declaring his support for Indonesian presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno. The claim is false, the image has been doctored from an original photo of Uno on a plane. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: Photo shows mugshot of US Senator Raphael Warnock As the state of Georgia prepares for a US Senate runoff election, social media posts are sharing an image that purportedly shows Raphael Warnock's mugshot. But a forensic analysis from a misinformation tracking firm indicates the photo of the Democratic incumbent is altered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tennessee executive order allows creation of Covid-19 internment camps Online articles and social media posts claim an order by the governor of the US state of Tennessee allows National Guard troops to "kidnap" people and take them to Covid-19 "internment camps." This is false; the order allows National Guard members to assist medical workers in a health care system strained by rising case numbers, but makes no mention of abductions, and the governor's office has said the claim is inaccurate. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Burmese military helicopter shot down by rebels A 2021 video of a helicopter crash landing has been viewed thousands of times in social media posts falsely claiming it shows Myanmar's anti-junta forces shooting down a Burmese military helicopter in February 2023. The video was shared after local reports that the fighters had shot down a military plane in Myanmar. But the clip has circulated in media reports since at least November 2021 about an Indian air force helicopter that crash-landed in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Philippine health department issues 'Omicron Alert' graphic As Covid-19 ripped through the Philippines, social media posts purported to share an official government health warning about the Omicron variant. The posts are misleading; the health department said it had not issued the warning, which makes a string of baseless claims about the virus. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images of Ethiopian chopper shot down by Tigrayans A Facebook post shared hundreds of times purports to show the moment an Ethiopian military helicopter was shot down by Tigrayan rebels on November 11, 2021. This is false; the first three photos of the hit chopper were taken in Syria, while the final image of a rocket has been on the internet since at least September 15, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Niger prime minister rebukes Kenyan president over ‘vote theft’ Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga recently renewed calls for his supporters to reject William Ruto’s election as president in 2022. A video has now surfaced online alongside a claim that it shows Niger’s Prime Minister Mahamadou Ouhoumoudou accusing Ruto of vote theft in last year's ballot. But the claim is false: an English voiceover was added to the clip and does not translate what Mahamadou said in French at a summit on food security in Dakar. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan says it is not essential for Muslims to accept Prophet Mohammad is the last prophet of Allah A video clip of an interview of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been viewed millions of times in Facebook posts alongside a claim he said it is not essential for Muslims to accept Prophet Mohammad as the last prophet of Allah. The claim is false: Khan's comments were taken from a longer interview in which he said Muslims must accept Prophet Mohammad as the last prophet of Allah to be considered part of the Islamic faith. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: New Zealand's government requests censorship of social media comments on Radio New Zealand's pages Facebook posts claim New Zealand ordered public broadcaster Radio New Zealand to remove comments critical of government policy from its social media platforms. The claim is false: New Zealand’s government and RNZ both told AFP the claims were fabricated and there had been no such request. Posts critical of Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government can still be seen on the broadcaster’s social media channels as of May 5, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows US soldiers greeting Trump supporters gathering for a January 6, 2021 rally in Washington DC A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter that claim it shows US soldiers greeting Trump supporters as they gathered for the "Save America" rally in Washington DC in early January 2021. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since at least 2013 in reports about a US marine who salutes veterans on Memorial Day. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Influenza vaccines contain coronaviruses A claim popularized by discredited researcher Judy Mikovits in the viral “Plandemic” video -- that influenza vaccines contain coronaviruses -- has spread online. But experts say it is false, and coronaviruses are not among the ingredients approved for use in US flu vaccines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Live footage of war in Ukraine A video viewed more than 300,000 times on Facebook has been shared alongside claims that it shows Russian and Ukrainian soldiers fighting in February 2022. This is false; the video, which has been online since at least 2019, shows troops of the French Foreign Legion in battle, although it remains unclear where the footage was filmed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows employee of gym linked to Hong Kong Covid-19 cluster in 2021 Following the detection of a Covid-19 infection cluster in Hong Kong linked to a gym, multiple Facebook and online forum posts have shared a photo that they claim shows an employee at the gym and a club member engaging in indelicate behaviour. The claim is false: the photo has circulated online since 2016 in posts about a fitness instructor and his wife in Thailand. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Sikhs trample on Indian flag during farmers protests on Delhi-Haryana border in 2020 A photo of a man trampling on the Indian flag has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows Sikh farmers desecrating the flag during protests in India over new agriculture laws. The claim, however, is false; this photo has circulated online since at least 2013 in reports about a protest in the UK. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ghanaians must wear wedding clothes to divorce An image shared on Twitter thousands of times purports to show that couples who want to get divorced in Ghana are required to wear their wedding day attire in order to complete the procedure. In fact, it’s a doctored photo of three couples seen praying in 2009, ahead of a group wedding in a camp for internally displaced people in Uganda. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of playground slide shaped like human genitals was taken in Germany An image of a playground slide shaped like human genitals has circulated on social media in Nigeria and elsewhere with claims that it was taken at a children’s play park in Dresden, Germany. However, this is false: the equipment was used as a movie prop in Canada and removed after filming. Dresden officials also denied putting up the adult-themed slide. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Justin Trudeau banned voting rights for seniors over 85 because they don't care about climate change A Facebook post shared 3,000 times claims Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused seniors of stalling efforts against climate change. This is false; the post is inspired by a now-deleted report based on a satirical article void of facts, its author told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Filipino beauty queen Venus Raj 'supporting Marcos Jr' A video viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media purports to show a Filipino celebrity from Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo's home region endorsing the presidential bid of Robredo's rival Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. However, the video had been digitally doctored to add false references to Marcos Jr. The creators of the original video and the management team for the celebrity denounced the posts as a "hoax". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Unproven: Karine Jean-Pierre was in a drunk-driving accident in March 2023 A narrative shared across blogs and social media alleges that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was involved in a drunk-driving accident that has since been covered up. This is unproven; police in Washington confirmed they have received no report of any such incident, pictures used to illustrate the online claim are entirely unrelated, and the White House told AFP the story is false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Bath & Body Works products harmful to pregnant women Social media posts claim personal care products from retailer Bath & Body Works pose a danger to unborn babies, linking to a safety warning as evidence, and say a consumer advice non-profit can be paid for favorable ratings. But the company says such warnings are intended for industrial settings, not individual consumers, and the non-profit says it does not take such payments. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a Taiwan market in 2020 A video has been viewed hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walking through a market in Taiwan in 2020. The video was shared following heightened speculation about Kim's health. But the claim in the posts is false; the video has circulated online since at least December 2018; the clip has circulated in reports about a Kim Jong Un impersonator; a spokesperson for Kim Jong Un impersonator Utane Luangsangthong told AFP the video showed him at a market in Hong Kong. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Culprit for the fire is the Burmese military and General Min Aung Hlaing A video of a large fire ripping through shacks in a refugee camp has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim that the blaze was started by the Myanmar military. The video has been shared in a misleading context: it has circulated in reports about a fire that destroyed part of a Rohingya refugee camp in southeastern Bangladesh in March 2021. The fire was an accident that "originated from a cooking stove", a fire service spokesman told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: A licence is required to ride bicycles in Germany Social media posts in South Korea claim that Germany requires cyclists to hold a licence, which children across the country receive after taking part in training at school. The posts also claim that a cyclist's driver's licence can be suspended if they are caught cycling while drunk. The claims are misleading: cyclists in Germany do not need a licence and while cycling training is offered in many schools, pupils receive a certificate rather than a licence. A person’s driver's licence can be annulled if they are caught cycling while under the influence of alcohol. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This photo shows Turkish president refusing to shake hands with French president A photo has been shared repeatedly in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter in November 2020 that claim it shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refusing to shake hands with French President Emmanuel Macron. The posts circulated online as tensions between the two countries soared in a row over the freedom to mock religion. The claim is misleading; the photo shows the two leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York in 2018, two years before the current diplomatic standoff; other photos taken at the same event show the two leaders shaking hands. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Manipulated: An image shows an alligator in a flooded Florida home after Hurricane Ian Social media posts claim an image shows an alligator in a flooded Florida house following Hurricane Ian's devastation of the US state. This is false; the image was manipulated using a years-old photo of a massive saltwater crocodile from Australia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Maharashtra, Delhi chiefs failed to install oxygen plants despite central government’s funding. As India's coronavirus disaster deepened, Facebook and Twitter posts, including a tweet from a top Bollywood actress, accused the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Delhi states of failing to build sufficient oxygen plants despite being given funding in January 2021. But the claim lacks important context: although the oxygen plants mentioned in the posts were indeed not constructed in time, the funding had actually been allocated to the Central Medical Supply Store, part of India's Ministry of Health; official documents show the state governments were not involved. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Money paid by Vaccine Injury Compensation Program means vaccines are unsafe Social media posts claim vaccines are not safe, pointing to $4.4 billion paid out by the United States. But US health authorities say testing ensures vaccines are safe and effective, and most government compensation results from settled claims in which it was not concluded the vaccine caused the alleged injury. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Joe Biden's "Mayo for Sam" chant was a reference to missiles Tweets claim US President Joe Biden used a short phrase to deliver a coded message about surface-to-air missiles during a speech in Ireland. This is false; the chant is a rallying cry for fans of County Mayo, a Gaelic football club that has not won the coveted Sam Maguire Cup in more than 70 years. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Photo shows pro-government gathering in Bangkok A photo has been shared more than one thousand times on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows a pro-government event at a park in Thailand's capital Bangkok. The photo was shared as satire; it actually shows people gathering for a Pokemon GO event in Taiwan in October 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: WHO says bubonic plague in China is likely to trigger epidemic; CDC says bubonic plague can be spread via cough droplets Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared thousands of times claim the World Health Organization (WHO) has said a case of bubonic plague detected in China in early July 2020 is likely to trigger a "severe epidemic". The posts include an additional claim that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said bubonic plague can be spread through cough droplets. The claims are misleading; the WHO has said the bubonic plague case is not high-risk and is “being well managed”; the CDC states bubonic plague is usually caused by flea bites. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Joe Biden waved at the void and talked to inanimate objects at a rally A video viewed thousands of times on Twitter is claimed to show a "lost" Joe Biden waving at the "void" and talking to "inanimate objects" at a rally ahead of the US midterm elections. This is false; other footage from the event shows the president saluting a small group of construction workers behind him during his speech. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A photo shows migrants coming toward the United States in May 2023 Social media users are claiming a photo shows a crowd of people approaching the US border with Mexico before the May 2023 expiration of pandemic-era immigration restrictions in the former country. This is false; the picture was taken in southern Mexico in June 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Stink beans cure all kinds of cancer and treat muscle pains A claim has been shared thousands of times on Facebook that stink beans are a "proven cure for all kinds of cancer" and a remedy for various muscle pains. The claim is false: the stated health benefits of consuming stink beans have not been clinically proven, medical experts told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: These photos show gold bars confiscated from an underground safe in the Vatican City. Five photos have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts in February 2021 alongside they show gold bars "confiscated" from an underground safe in Vatican City. The claim is false: the photos have circulated online in articles about gold bars in various countries since at least 2010. As of March 3, 2021, there have been no credible reports of gold bars being seized from Vatican City in February 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Indonesian students falling sick after Covid-19 vaccination A video viewed hundreds of thousands of times on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube purports to show hundreds of children falling sick after receiving Covid-19 vaccines in Indonesia. The claim is false; the footage actually shows students who fell ill following a diphtheria jab in 2018; the audio in the video has been edited to include Indonesian President Joko Widodo's remarks about Covid-19 vaccines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images of children caged by human traffickers? A post purporting to show children kept in cages by human traffickers has been shared thousands of times on Facebook. The claim is false; the images come from a campaign in the United States called “No Kids In Cages”, protesting against family separation among immigrants. Activists behind the campaign used mannequins as models. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Genuine weather forecast shows successive tropical cyclones hitting the Philippines in November 2020 A photo has been shared repeatedly on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a series of tropical cyclones set to hit the Philippines immediately after Typhoon Vamco made landfall in November 2020. The claim is false: the photo has been digitally altered to indicate additional weather pressure areas; as of November 24, the Philippine weather agency has not forecast a tropical cyclone or weather disturbance following Typhoon Vamco. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a giant garbage mountain in China A video of a landfill site in Indonesia has been viewed thousands of times in posts that falsely claim it was filmed in China, a major producer of plastic. The Instagram user who originally filmed the video told AFP that he shot it at a landfill in Indonesia. Images tagged at the site on Google Maps also correspond with the video. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Image shows genuine Time Magazine cover featuring President Yoon Suk Yeol A satirical Time magazine cover story describing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol as "The Doormat" who is working to "make his country dependant on the United States and Japan" has been shared repeatedly on social media. The image, however, was first posted on a satirical website that labelled it a fake cover. A Time spokesperson told AFP the magazine it did not publish the purported cover, while AFP found no trace of such an image on the magazine's website as of May 4. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows the Muslim call to prayer recited in a cathedral in Spain A video has been watched thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube with a claim that it shows a man reciting the Muslim call to prayer in a cathedral in Spain. The claim is false: the call to prayer was in fact performed during a concert at Eton College in England in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, has given birth to a baby girl Clickbait headlines on several Pakistani news articles published in November 2020 claim that British film producer Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, has given birth to a baby girl. The articles were shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts. The claim is false; the misleading posts link to an Instagram post by Goldsmith in which she announced the birth of her niece in April 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Pregnant woman denied job interview in South Africa An article being shared on Facebook claims to be about a South African woman who was denied an interview because she was pregnant and later got her revenge by inheriting millions. The claim is misleading as it is based on an American woman who does claim discrimination but does not become a millionaire. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows protest in Cuba in 2021 Facebook posts claim a photo of tens of thousands of people marching down a wide city avenue shows ongoing anti-government protests in Cuba. This is false; the photo was taken in 2013 during a May Day parade in Havana that was organized by the Caribbean country's authorities. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Estcourt prison on fire in protest for Jacob Zuma Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim that protesters have set alight the prison where South Africa’s former head of state Jacob Zuma is currently incarcerated. The claims are false, according to a spokesman for correctional facilities. Furthermore, the video being shared in the posts show a fire at a different prison. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Cats trained by Ukrainian army to detect laser beams from Russian snipers A tweet spread as a screenshot online says the Ukrainian army is using cats to locate Russian snipers via lasers attached to their rifles. But there is no evidence to corroborate the claim, a military expert dismissed it as "complete garbage," and the author of the post acknowledged it was intended as a joke. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Winning lottery numbers on Thai submarine An image has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a submarine with winning numbers for a Thai lottery draw inscribed on its side. The claim is false; the image has been doctored from a photo of a Singapore Navy submarine to include the lottery numbers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pakistan Super League cricket matches will resume on March 11, 2021 Multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter claim that the Pakistan Super League 6 cricket tournament, which was postponed after seven players tested positive for Covid-19, will resume on March 11, 2021. The claim is false: as of March 9, 2021, the Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet announced any date to resume the tournament, but said that the remaining matches will be held before the end of the year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: South Korea destroyed Covid-19 vaccines after failing to maintain storage temperature. Three images have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts in February 2021 alongside a claim that South Korean health authorities destroyed a batch of Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines after they were exposed to colder temperatures than is recommended. The claim is false: two images show South Korean health authorities conducting drills for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. The third image originates from a Korean media report about officials seizing a batch of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines after they were briefly exposed to unsuitable temperatures. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the vaccines were not destroyed and would still be used for the inoculations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Thai police hit Thai protester's car As anti-government protests were staged across Thailand, a video was viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows Thai police officers hitting a protester's car. The video has been shared in a misleading context: the footage has circulated online since 2013 in reports about a Thai protest against an amnesty bill. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Marijuana bill features hidden gun control policy Facebook posts claim that recently signed New York state legislation legalizing recreational marijuana includes a back-door policy barring cannabis users from purchasing guns. This is false; there was no mention of firearms in the bill, and although federal law prohibits marijuana use by gun owners, experts say this restriction is unlikely to impact firearm owners in the state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

There Is No Evidence Of The Police Raid And The Photo Is Old: Zambia police surround home of opposition leader to arrest him over gas attacks Multiple Facebook posts in Zambia have spread panic about a wave of gas attacks by gangs. While the government blames the online rumours for sparking riots and lynchings, the issue has also sowed wider political discord. AFP has looked at how the misinformation started and debunked some of the claims. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thalidomide for pregnant women was approved by the US FDA Social media posts claim the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug thalidomide, which caused serious birth defects in the 1950s and 1960s. But the regulatory agency did not do so at the time, procedures have been tightened in the last 60 years, and a recently approved Covid-19 vaccine was subject to clinical trials and independent review. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows police officers arrested in SA in 2022 2019 arrests (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows a “FIGHT TO WIN” banner China erected in Ladakh in June 2020 A photo has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts which claim it shows a banner displaying the words "FIGHT TO WIN" erected by China in the Indian territory of Ladakh. The photo circulated online in June 2020 as tensions rose in Ladakh, which is situated close to the India-China border. The claim is false; the photo has circulated in reports since October 2012 about a banner installed by the Indian Army in Ladakh. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Footage of Boko Haram forcefully converting victims to Islam in Nigeria's Niger state Nigeria’s ex-aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode tweeted a video of a crowd, claiming that the footage captured members of Nigerian Islamist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa forcefully converting people to Islam in Nigeria’s northern Niger state. This is false; the social media user who originally posted the video clarified that the footage shows a religious event in Ivory Coast. AFP Fact Check confirmed the occurrence of this event with a local journalist in Ivory Coast. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A Covid-19 vaccination centre at Jakarta's Istora GBK is open to all A claim circulating on Facebook says that a Covid-19 vaccination centre in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta is open to everyone with an Indonesian ID card. The claim is false: the programme is only open for the elderly and employees of state-run companies who are registered as Jakarta residents. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: [Video shows rebels in Myanmar shooting down military aircrafts] A video has been viewed more than a hundred thousand times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a prominent rebel group in eastern Myanmar shooting down military aircraft in March 2021. The claim is false: the clip, which has circulated online since April 2020, shows footage from a video game. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This video shows Poland announcing war mobilisation in support of Ukraine Multiple social media posts in China have shared a video alongside a claim it shows the Polish president declaring military mobilisation in support of Ukraine. Although Poland sent weapons aid to Ukraine after Russia's invasion, misleading Chinese-language subtitles have been added to the clip to suggest it was sending troops to war. The Polish defence ministry dismissed the claim. As of May 26, AFP found no official reports that Poland was sending troops to Ukraine. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Did a TIME magazine cover say former Philippine president Marcos had been acquitted of all corruption cases? An image shared hundreds of times on Facebook purports to show a TIME magazine cover featuring late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos headlined: “The only president with the most projects ever built… and acquitted from all graft and corruption cases." A search of the TIME magazine archive shows that this is a doctored image and the original cover featuring Marcos did not describe him in this way. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows people chanting against Imran Khan in Lahore in May 2022 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple social posts that claim it shows a crowd telling former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan to go away when he was giving a speech in May 2022. The video, however, has been edited to add anti-Khan chants. The audio matches protesters' chants in a video of a rally against Khan in the Pakistani city of Lahore in March 2022, weeks before he was deposed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Football players pay tribute to the late Thai king in October 2021 A video is circulating in Facebook posts claiming it shows players from English football club Sheffield Wednesday paying tribute to Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the fifth anniversary of his death on October 13, 2021. The posts are misleading; the footage is from 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The term "hangover" originates from a Victorian era practice of sleeping over a rope A claim that the word “hangover” is derived from the historic practice frequented by British sailors during the reign of Queen Victoria, who bought “access to bend over a rope” after a heavy night of drinking has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. However, this claim is false; sn expert called the claim “nonsense” and said the term is a derivative of an earlier word meaning “after-effect”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: US Treasury official blackmailing unvaccinated Americans with shortages (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Yes votes disappeared from totals during Gavin Newsom recall election Reports claim more than 300,000 votes mysteriously disappeared from ballot totals during live coverage of California's election to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. But the sudden drop in votes was to correct a human error in calculations that had already been broadcast on air, including on CNN, the polling firm explained. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Unproven: Masks cause speech and language delays in small children Social media posts claim that mask use impairs children's speech development. But experts say that while more research is needed on the topic, preliminary data does not support this conclusion. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Gameof Thrones actress Bella Ramsey breakdancing A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and YouTube which claim it shows Game of Thrones actress Bella Ramsey breakdancing. The claim is false; the video shows a young Russian dancer called Liza Petrikova. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This video shows the moment a Boeing 747 Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed near Addis Ababa on Sunday, March 10, 2019 A video which has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook purports to show the moment a Boeing 737 MAX 8 Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed near Addis Ababa on Sunday, March 10, 2019, killing 157 people on board. But the video is old; it actually shows the moment a US cargo plane crashed near Bagram airfield in Afghanistan in 2013. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: MMR vaccine causes autism An article shared 72,000 times on Facebook says courts have admitted that “vaccines do in fact cause autism”. The claim is false; a US court did award compensation to children who fell ill after vaccinations, but from brain injury and not from autism. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of Thai prime minister as a young man? Three photos of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha have been shared in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim they are pictures of him as a young man. The claim is false; the photos have been digitally manipulated from Prayuth’s recent photos. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Sri Lanka is the first South Asian nation to receive Pfizer vaccines After Sri Lanka received its first batch of Pfizer vaccines, multiple posts shared among Sri Lankan Facebook users claim Sri Lanka was the first South Asian nation to receive the American-made Covid-19 jabs. The claim, however, is misleading: both the Maldives and Bhutan in South Asia received Pfizer vaccines through a global vaccine sharing facility before Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was the first country in South Asia to purchase a contingent of Pfizer vaccines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows subway construction in the Philippines in 2021 A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Twitter and Facebook in January 2021 alongside a claim it shows a subway construction project in the Philippine capital Manila. The claim is false: the photo, which has circulated online since at least October 2015, in fact shows a subway tunnel construction in Moscow. The Philippine transport department told AFP that the Manila subway construction project is still in its early stages. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Whistleblower from Dominion claims fraud took place in 2020 election Facebook posts claim a whistleblower revealed that millions of votes were changed to favor President Joe Biden by election technology company Dominion, with some attributing the information to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. This is false; Dominion says there is “no truth” to the claim, while US federal investigators have not found any credible cases of such fraud in the 2020 election. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Iqrar ul Hassan arrested in connection to Minar-e-Pakistan incident A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple social media posts in October 2021 alongside a claim that a Pakistani investigative journalist was arrested in connection with a harassment case that caused widespread outrage. The video has been shared in a misleading context: it has previously circulated in reports about the journalist being arrested over an unrelated incident in 2016. There have been no official reports that the journalist was arrested in October 2021 over the harassment case. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Wearing a mask is dangerous to one's health A Facebook post shared thousands of times in Canada and the United States lists alleged risks associated with the use of face masks that are aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, including decreased oxygen intake and increased “toxic inhalation.” But experts say the claims in the post, and others making similar assertions, are false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows violent crackdown on Beijing students protesting Covid curbs A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple social media posts alongside the claim it shows a violent police crackdown on students protesting a Covid-19 lockdown at a university in Beijing. While there were reports of student protests against pandemic restrictions in the Chinese capital, the video was shared in a false context. It shows clips of May Day protests that turned violent in Paris. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Traffic jam on Chennai highway Tamil Nadu after Pongal festival An image has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook posts that claim that it shows a massive traffic jam in southern India after a regional harvest festival. The claim is false; the photo was actually taken in 2015 by the Reuters news agency and shows a giant tailback on an expressway in Beijing, China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine contains dangerous graphene oxide A video featuring a US pundit who claims the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is dangerous because it contains the nanoparticle graphene oxide has been watched more than a million times on social media. But the claims are based on a study whose methodology experts have questioned, Pfizer said the substance is not used in the manufacturing of its shot, and researchers told AFP there is no evidence graphene oxide is used in any vaccines currently on the market. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Heart Keep was developed by the Philippine Heart Center Facebook posts advertising a heart supplement in the Philippines falsely claim it was developed by a specialist heart hospital and endorsed by a prominent Filipino cardiologist. The posts link to a purported interview with cardiologist Rody Sy on a website that has been mocked up to appear as though it belongs to the Philippine Heart Center. But both the hospital and Dr Sy separately said they were not affiliated with the product, which the archipelago nation's food and drug regulator warned against using in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Pakistan soldiers hoisting flag at captured Indian post. Kashmir A video which has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook claims to show Pakistani soldiers hoisting their country’s flag over a captured Indian post. The claim is false; the video is from a 2017 military operation in a northwestern Pakistani tribal district. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: White House press secretary Jen Psaki's Covid-19 case shows shots ineffective Social media posts claim that because White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was fully vaccinated when she tested positive for Covid-19, shots against the disease do not work. But US health authorities say that while the vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness and death, breakthrough cases among some individuals who have received the shots will still occur. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows political opposition rally in Pakistan in December 2020 A photo of an enormous crowd has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a major political opposition rally in the Pakistani city of Lahore on December 13, 2020. The claim is false; the photo actually shows a rally in Lahore by the current Pakistani ruling party in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Nigerian official bailing Peter Obi out of UK detention Nigeria's Labour Party recently put out a statement saying that opposition leader Peter Obi had a "routine immigration engagement" at a London airport, and denied rumours that the United Kingdom had apologised for detaining him. Following this, a photo showing Obi with a top Nigerian government official and a purported UK immigration officer emerged on social media alongside a claim that the Nigerian official facilitated Obi's release from a purported detention. But the claim is false: the photo was digitally altered, and the official was not in London at the time. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows pro-Biafra protesters confronting Nigerian army An image of heavily-armed soldiers facing a group of men with their hands in the air has been shared multiple times on Facebook, alongside claims it shows the Nigerian army shooting at protesters calling for a separate state. But this is false: the picture is from a 2014 protest in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Exxon is offering discounted gift cards for gasoline Amid soaring US gasoline prices, Facebook posts claim ExxonMobil is offering gift cards to people who fill out a form online. This is false; a company representative told AFP it is not giving out such cards, and the posts link to an imposter website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Doctored newspaper front pages spread disinformation as Kenya elections draw near Made-up cheating scandal (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Biosensors to be injected into people through Covid-19 vaccines A video has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook that claims a biosensor made by US digital health company Profusa is set to be injected into people through Covid-19 vaccines. The claim is misleading: Profusa and the UK health products regulator both separately told AFP the biosensor was being developed for a UK-based study and would not be used in Covid-19 vaccines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Governor Abdullahi Ganduje re-elected in Nigeria's Kano state A post shared by thousands of Facebook users claims that Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Nigeria’s northern Kano state, has won re-election. This is false; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the election was inconclusive due to various problems which forced officials to declare more than 100,000 votes invalid. Some areas are due to hold a repeat of the gubernatorial election on March 23. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows bodies Muslims who died of COVID-19 in New York A video has been shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter in April 2020 alongside a claim it shows corpses in body bags at an apartment that is home to a New York-based Islamic group. The posts claim the victims died in the apartment after contracting the novel coronavirus because they ignored social distancing rules. The claims are misleading; the footage in fact shows body bags at an Islamic funeral home in New York during the coronavirus pandemic; a spokesperson for the mortuary told AFP that the deceased were people of many faiths. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Rocco Galati won a case against forced immunization in Canada Social media posts claim a Canadian lawyer won a case against “forced immunization” and the result now has the force of federal law. This is false; vaccination is not mandatory at the federal level in Canada, provinces that require proof of immunization for school attendance allow exemptions, and two vaccine-related cases in which the attorney is involved remain unresolved. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Addis Ababa mayor in a spat with pop star A rift in Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian church led to a Facebook post claiming Addis Ababa mayor Adanech Abiebie had given Ethiopian pop star Teddy Afro an earful for his criticism of the split in the church. The post also contained a link, purportedly to a video showing her rebuking Afro. But this is false: the mayor’s office rejected the claim as “propaganda” while the link in the post leads to an article with no mention of Adanech. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indonesian man fainting after receiving Covid-19 vaccine A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times after being posted on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok alongside a claim that it shows a man fainting after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province. The claim is false: the footage actually shows a vaccine simulation exercise in East Nusa Tenggara province; a government official said that the exercise included "a simulation on how to handle a person who suddenly faints". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai assaulted over controversial interview of Rhea Chakaraborty in 2020? A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows an Indian journalist assaulted after a controversial interview with a Bollywood actress implicated in her former partner’s suicide in August 2020. The claim, however is false: this video shows the journalist being stopped by guards during an event with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ferdinand Marcos Sr built La Consolacion College in Manila As Ferdinand Marcos Jr cranked up his campaign for the Philippine presidential election, a video viewed millions of times on social media claimed his late father, a former dictator, established a prestigious college in the capital Manila. In fact, La Consolacion College was founded in 1902, more than one decade before Ferdinand Marcos Sr was born. The video was taken from a satirical TV show. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows woman demonstrating against rise in rape cases in India. A photo has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows a woman demonstrating against a rise in rape cases in India. The claim is false; photo has circulated since at least 2015 in reports about a performance artist in Sri Lanka. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: Photo shows Donald and Melania Trump at an event with Stormy Daniels A picture shared on social media purports to show former US president Donald Trump, his pregnant wife Melania Trump and adult film star Stormy Daniels at an event together. This is false; a reverse image search indicates the photo is altered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Muslim woman protesting against burqa in Sri Lanka A photo that purports to show a burqa-clad woman holding a placard voicing support for a burqa ban has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook in Sri Lanka. But the photo has been doctored to include a manipulated placard; the original image shows an anti-citizenship law protester in India in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A world court has ordered all nations to stop Covid-19 vaccinations. Social media users in Thailand falsely claim that the International Court of Justice has ordered all countries to stop administering Covid-19 vaccines over health concerns. The court does not have the power to tell countries to cease vaccinations, legal experts said, and has not handled any cases involving Covid-19 vaccination, as of November 29. Health authorities say the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination far outweigh the risks. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of a June 2021 car accident in China's Xuchang city A video has been viewed thousands of times in Twitter and YouTube posts purporting to show a car crash in the central Chinese city of Xuchang in June 2021 that allegedly killed six people. The claim is false: the video actually shows an accident in which one woman died in Xinxiang in June 2018. There are no credible reports of the purported car accident in Xuchang city in June 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Medicine prices sharply increase under new Pakistan government An image that has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show that the price of the antibiotic Cefaclor has risen by nearly 80 percent in Pakistan under the country's new government. The claim is false; the image used is misleading and shows two different amounts of the medicine sold in very similar bottles. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Images of boat capsize occurred Mymensingh in September in 2021? Two photos have been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim about a fatal boat accident in a northern district in Bangladesh in September 2021. The claim is misleading: the photos have circulated online since August 2020 in reports about a fatal boat accident in a different Bangladeshi district. AFP found no credible news reports of the purported boat accident in Bangladesh in September 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Facebook login requesting vaccination ID An image shared in multiple social media posts appears to show Facebook requesting vaccination ID for login. The posts have circulated since the tech giant announced it was changing its name to Meta in October 2021. This is false; AFP confirmed that as of the date of this publication, the image does not show a real Facebook login screen. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said the image is fake. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

No, The Us Department Of Defense Did Not Announce An Airstrike On Ethiopia (As Of March 25, 2021): US Department of Defense announce airstrikes on Ethiopia A Facebook post alleging that the US Department of Defense had announced an imminent airstrike on Ethiopia has been shared hundreds of times in the East African country since early March 2021. The post cites The Washington Post, an American newspaper, as its source and also claims that the strike order came from the Oval Office. This is false; the US Department of Defense has made no such announcement. Furthermore, The Washington Post denied being the source of these claims. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video shows Turkey and “Arab [countries]” are “ready to invade France, which has insulted Islam” A video has been viewed more than one million times in multiple Facebook and YouTube posts alongside a claim it shows Turkey and “Arab [countries]” are “ready to crush France” after French President Emmanuel Macron “insulted Islam”. The claim is false; the two Indonesian news reports quoted in the video and the original clips do not state Turkey or any Arab countries plan to “crush France”; as of November 20, 2020, there have been no credible reports about such plans. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Variety of apples grown in Australia are named after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi Online posts shared hundreds of times claim that Modi apples, a red-skinned variety of the fruit developed in Italy in the 1990s, are named after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The claim is false; their name was inspired by Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Kamala Harris celebrating Juneteenth A photo gallery shared on Facebook claims to show US Vice President Kamala Harris celebrating Juneteenth with white women while being served by Black staff. This is misleading; the images do not depict an event to remember the end of slavery in Texas but are instead from a bipartisan dinner for female senators that Harris hosted days earlier. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe and ineffective A Telegram post from an Australian anti-vaccine campaigner falsely claims that a decision by government advisers not to recommend a fourth Covid-19 shot to under-30s is proof that the jabs "were never safe or effective". Scientists say the benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the risks, but that it was not currently advisable to give an extra shot to healthy young people who already had three doses, given their low chances of falling seriously ill with Covid-19 and a rare risk of heart inflammation linked to the jabs. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Russia’s vacuum bomb attack on Ukraine in 2022 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows Russia attacking Ukraine with a vacuum bomb in 2022. The claim, however, is false. Although Russia has been accused of using such weapons in Ukraine, the video in fact is a digital creation of a visual effects artist. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigeria gave Ghana seven days to rebuild the demolished High Commission building Facebook posts shared more than a thousand times claim a Nigerian official threatened to invade Ghana after one of Abuja’s embassy buildings there was bulldozed. The claim is false; both Nigerian and Ghanaian authorities blamed the demolition on armed men with no government ties. Ghana has also denied receiving an ultimatum from Nigeria to rebuild the structure. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: France and Australia suspends Covid-19 vaccine rollout? A video of far-right broadcaster Alex Jones claiming that Australia and France have suspended Covid-19 vaccination campaigns because the jab “does not work” has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook in February 2021. The claim is misleading: as of February 11, 2021, Australia has not started its coronavirus vaccination campaign, while France has vaccinated more than 1.9 million people in its ongoing Covid-19 vaccination programme. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Denmark has stopped vaccination programme all together in April 2022 A claim that Denmark has entirely shut down its Covid-19 vaccination programme has been shared thousands of times in social media posts in April 2022. However, the claim is misleading; the Danish Health Authority says that the voluntary vaccination programme has only been paused for the time being and has not been discontinued entirely. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows an ethnic rebel camp in Myanmar being burned down (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of black protesters in Melbourne, Australia. A photo has been shared hundreds of times in a Facebook post published in May 2019 alongside a claim it shows black protesters in Melbourne, Australia. The claim is false; the photo was actually taken by the European Pressphoto Agency and shows a group of protesters in Italy in 2010. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A diamond rattlesnake found in US suburb Facebook accounts in Zimbabwe have circulated alarming posts about a rattlesnake purportedly on the loose in various US counties. But the images used in the claims either show unrelated events or stock photos. AFP Fact Check recently debunked a slew of posts, also from Zimbabwe, using similar panic-spreading content about two violent criminals terrorising locals in America. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Indian politicians sitting in front of liquor shop An image that appears to show Indian opposition leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann sitting in front of a liquor store has been shared thousands of times in social media posts. The image -- which some social media users appeared to believe was genuine -- circulated weeks before state elections in Punjab which the politicians' party is fielding candidates for. However, the image has been doctored to change the backdrop -- the original photo shows the two politicians sitting in a field. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Design of the upcoming Jewar Airport in Noida, India An image that shows an airport terminal has been shared multiple times in social media posts and news reports about the construction of a new airport in India's Uttar Pradesh state. The airport project is a major infrastructural push for Narendra Modi's government before the upcoming elections in the state in 2022. But the image has been shared in a misleading context; it was previously published on the websites of firms listed online as designers of a new terminal for the Incheon airport in South Korea. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Inifinix giving out phones for pandemic support AFP Fact Check has debunked multiple posts shared millions of times on Facebook in Africa falsely claiming to give out jobs, cash and phones. We round them up and explain how to avoid becoming a victim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Secretary of Pope Francis holds “blessing ceremony” for US President Trump during COVID-19 pandemic A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts which claim it shows the secretary of Pope Francis holding a “blessing ceremony” for US President Trump at the White House during the COVID-19 pandemic. This claim is false; the video was first published online in September 2017 and shows Trump at the White House with Robert Jeffress, the pastor of the First Baptist Dallas Church and a member of the president’s evangelical advisory board. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of confrontation about ballots during recent South Africa election A video showing a confrontation about the handling of South African election ballot boxes is being shared on social media in the wake of local elections, leading users to believe it shows recent events. However, the posts are misleading; the video has been online since 2019 when the country held general elections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of protesters during EFF-led national shutdown on March 20, 2023 South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led nationwide protests on March 20, 2023. During the demonstrations, social media posts carried images of crowds purported to be part of the rallies. However, some images were either old or unrelated to the event. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows oppression of women in Afghanistan by Taliban A photo of women chained together has been shared in social media posts claiming it was taken under Taliban rule. The posts surfaced after the group took over Afghanistan in August, causing widespread concerns over human rights, particularly the treatment of women. The claim is false; the photo shows Shia Muslim women in Lebanon taking part in an annual event to commemorate the death of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Photo shows a Russian Soyuz rocket stolen by a Ukrainian farmer in 2022 Multiple social media posts purport to show a photo of a Ukrainian farmer stealing a Russian rocket. However, the image has been doctored. The original photo was taken by NASA in 2018 and shows a rocket towed by a train, not a tractor. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: World Health Organization issues guidelines on COVID-19 lockdown A post has been shared multiple times on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter by India-based users alongside a claim that the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines on COVID-19 lockdown. This claim is false; both the WHO and Indian officials clarified that the "protocol" is fake. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: South Korean President was reading script at press conference. A photo of South Korean President Moon Jae-in sitting in front of a teleprompter while holding a press conference has been shared repeatedly on Facebook in January 2021 alongside a claim it shows he was reading from a script. The claim is misleading: the image has been doctored from a photo that was taken in January 2020. South Korea’s Presidential Blue House told AFP that the prompters were used to display questions from journalists to the president. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Bill Gates' foundation tested a polio vaccine in India that left at least 490,000 children paralyzed Social media posts and online articles shared tens of thousands of times claim that the foundation of billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates tested a polio vaccine in India that left at least 490,000 children paralyzed. The claim is misleading; official statistics show only a tiny number of cases in which the oral polio vaccine directly resulted in Indian children contracting the disease. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: United States FDA approves remdesivir as COVID-19 treatment Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared hundreds of times claim the antiviral medicine remdesivir has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. The claim is misleading; as of May 12, 2020, the FDA has only authorised the emergency use of remdesivir, an experimental drug, in treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals; as of May 12, 2020, there is no FDA-approved product available to treat COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Papua New Guinea has not followed regulatory guidelines when approving the Covid-19 vaccine A Facebook post written by the former chairman of Papua New Guinea’s Institute of Medical Research claims vaccines being rolled out for health workers in the country have bypassed the appropriate regulatory authorities and are being rolled out “for monetary gains”. The claims are misleading: experts told AFP that the vaccine has passed necessary regulation and is provided free of charge, while institutions linked to the professor have distanced themselves from his remarks and endorsed the vaccine roll-out. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Photo Out Of Context: Photo shows 2021 protest against vaccine passports in Paris Instagram posts about opposition to "mandatory vaccination" feature a photo of a large crowd in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. But the photo predates the Covid-19 pandemic, and was taken during anti-government protests in France in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A photo shows a crocodile swimming around during the Henan flood in July 2021. Shortly after torrential rains triggered flooding in north-central China on July 20, 2021, social media posts shared a photo purporting to show a crocodile swimming into a house in Henan city. The claim is false: the photo has been digitally altered to include an image of a crocodile. The original photo circulated online several months before the Henan floods in posts about flooding in the Philippines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: the Burmese pair convicted of Koh Tao murders pardoned by the Thai King Multiple Burmese-language posts claim that Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn has pardoned two Burmese migrant workers who were convicted in 2015 of murdering two British tourists on a southern Thai island. The posts -- shared thousands of times -- circulated following news reports that the king would give a royal pardon to tens of thousands of the kingdom's inmates. However, the claim is false. Thai prison authorities told AFP the Burmese pair -- Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun -- remain in prison as of August 31, 2022. A spokesperson for the pair's legal team said the claim was "a totally untrue rumour". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows a dragon skeleton discovered in China An image of what appears to be the skeleton of a large serpent-like creature has been shared repeatedly in Korean-language online posts that claim it shows the remains of a dragon discovered in China. This is false: the image shows a sculpture of a sea serpent on display at a beach in the Atlantic coast of France. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Philippine senator apologised to President Duterte after public spat A video has been viewed more than one hundred thousand times in Facebook posts that claim it shows Philippine Senator Richard Gordon "apologising" to President Rodrigo Duterte after a public quarrel. But the posts are misleading. The video actually shows Gordon apologising to another senator after interrupting him during a legislative hearing. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Woman in road safety movement in Bangladesh is not a student Two images of a Bengali woman have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim she is "not a student" yet has "infiltrated" a road safety campaign staged by students in Bangladesh. The claim is misleading; the woman seen in the photo supplied documentation to AFP which proves she is a student. The principal of her college also confirmed she is a student there. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Dr Manila Crocodile Scar Removal Serum is FDA-approved. Experts say no single product can "remove all types of scars", contradicting false posts selling a brand of skin serum that have been repeatedly shared online in the Philippines. The Philippine Food and Drug Administration has also warned against the purchase and consumption of the product, "Dr. Manila Crocodile Scar Removal Serum", saying it has not been tested for safety. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: These images show Maharashtra state police abusing journalist Arnab Goswami. An image has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts in November 2020 on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows an Indian television journalist being assaulted by police in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The claim is false; the image was published in media reports about police beating an alleged thief in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in January 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Dubai Sheikhs celebrate India's win over Pakistan in Asia Cup cricket tournament Social media posts in India share footage that they claim shows a Dubai sheikh celebrating India's win against Pakistan in a match at the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament in August 2022. However, the video actually shows the president of a Kuwaiti football club cheering after his team triumphed in the Kuwait Emir Cup in September 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show brothers reunited amid Israel-Palestinian conflict? As deadly fighting escalated between Israel and Palestinian militants, photos of two boys hugging surfaced on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim they show Palestinian brothers reunited after their house was hit by an Israeli air strike. However, the claim is false; the photos show two Syrian boys mourning the loss of their brother who was killed in Aleppo City in August 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Mayawati collaborating with BJP to defeat SP As hundreds of millions of Indians voted in state elections, politicians purported to show a newspaper report that opposition leader Mayawati announced she would back the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the polls. The posts are misleading; the newspaper clipping is not from 2022 but October 2020, when Mayawati rallied behind the BJP ahead of elections after a row with members of her party. A spokesman said the party had not allied with the BJP in the 2022 vote. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: These masks protect against the novel coronavirus A video advertisement on Facebook encourages people to buy face masks to protect against the novel coronavirus. The ad is misleading; US government health authorities do not recommend the general public wear masks for that purpose, and the video uses footage of a doctor who is speaking about unrelated topics to claim medical professionals approve of the product. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ingredients in vitamin K shot are poisonous for newborns Pediatric specialists in Canada and the United States recommend giving a single shot of vitamin K to infants just after birth to protect against potentially deadly bleeding. A video shared across social media warns parents to refuse the injection, claiming its ingredients are poisonous -- but experts say the supplement is essential and that all additives included in the jab are safe. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show troops at Nairobi airport during strike Dramatic photos purporting to show the Kenyan military being deployed at Nairobi’s international airport during a strike are circulating on social media. Members of the Kenya Defence Forces were indeed deployed to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday to help screen passengers -- but the photos date back to 2015 and show elite police during a security drill at the airport. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Report claims Antrim's quickly-corrected election night vote tally glitch was intentional election fraud A report that is part of a lawsuit against Antrim County, Michigan claims the county’s quickly-corrected election night vote tally glitch was not due to human error, as the state said, but rather intentional election fraud. This is false; Michigan’s secretary of state called the claims “baseless,” and the company that provided the vote tabulation machines denied the allegations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: 'Magnesium Salt Spray' treats a range of vaginal diseases Doctors specialising in diseases of the female reproductive system say a product called "Magnesium Salt Spray" -- repeatedly advertised on Facebook in the Philippines -- cannot effectively treat vaginal conditions as the posts claim. The archipelago's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the product had not been evaluated for safety and could pose health risks. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: Image shows genuine headline from The Conversation While health authorities consistently say the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination outweigh the risks, an image shared on social media appears to show an article from The Conversation questioning why unvaccinated individuals failed to warn others about the safety of the shots. But the photo is altered; the nonprofit outlet did not publish the piece, which originated on an apparent satire website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows deadly border clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in mid-June 2020 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Weibo which claim it shows a clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the border between the two countries in mid-June. The posts claim “20 Indian people died” and “60 Chinese died”. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since at least late May 2020; media reports of a clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Himalayan frontier on June 16 stated that at least 20 Indian soldiers died, but did not mention any Chinese casualties. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show dire conditions in Nigeria’s Borno state Kashim Shettima, the vice-presidential candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), recently claimed at a business gathering that he and main nominee Bola Tinubu had better economic track records than their rivals. Opposition supporters responded by sharing photos purportedly showing Borno, where Shettima was governor for eight years, in a disastrous state. But the images of makeshift huts in arid bush were shared in a false context: they were taken in drought-stricken Somalia and not in Nigeria. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This video has circulated in reports about a woman arrested for pouring soup on a stranger in Singapore A video that shows police detaining a woman on a street has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and online forums alongside a claim she was arrested for not wearing a mask during the coronavirus pandemic in Singapore. The video, however, has been shared in a misleading context; it has circulated online in reports since October 2020 about a woman who was arrested for allegedly assaulting a stranger in Singapore. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: News graphic shows genuine quote by Philippine politician Vico Sotto about electing the right leaders and criticising Duterte An image has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that purports to show remarks by a Filipino politician in which he appears to criticise Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The claim is false; the image has been digitally altered to add a fabricated quote. The original image showed a graphic published by local news organisation Inquirer. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Covid-19 is bacterial, not viral A post shared on Facebook in South Africa claims Italian doctors discovered that Covid-19 is not caused by a virus but a bacterium. The post also claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) has banned autopsies on people who die from Covid-19 and that the disease is exacerbated by 5G technology and can be cured by taking aspirin. But Italy’s health ministry previously told AFP Fact Check this is a “hoax” and available health research confirms the claims are false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Russell Crowe was offered an envelope for donation to Buddhism As Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe visited Thailand to shoot a film, an image circulated on social media that purported to show him holding a donation envelope for Buddhist monks. But the image -- which was first shared on a satirical website -- has been doctored. The original photo in fact shows Crowe holding a pass for the Bangkok skytrain. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Aung San Suu Kyi as a young woman? Photos of Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi have been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim they show her in her youth. The claim is false; the photos have been manipulated from recent photos of Aung San Suu Kyi. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hushpuppi launders $400K from US prison Screenshots of a purported court document have circulated online in Nigeria with claims that it implicates Instagram celebrity Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, in a $400,000 money laundering scheme carried out from inside a US prison. Abbas is currently standing trial in the US where he pleaded guilty to internet fraud. However, the claim is false: the screenshots have been digitally altered using documents laying out previous charges against Abbas. US officials have also dismissed the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: French police drop handcuffs in protest against lockdown? Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts circulating in April 2021 share a video they claim shows French police throwing their handcuffs to the ground to protest coronavirus lockdowns. The claim is false: the footage actually shows officers protesting a perceived lack of support from the government over police brutality complaints in June 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Footage of bodies from Indonesian plane crash in 2021 A video has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube alongside a claim that it shows belongings and human remains from the recent crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182. The claim is false: the video circulated in 2018 and shows the aftermath of the crash of Indonesia’s Lion Air flight JT 610. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show suspect in killing of Filipina worker Jullebee Ranara in Kuwait TikTok and Facebook posts viewed tens of thousands of times have shared images that they falsely claim show the suspect in the killing of a Filipino worker in Kuwait in late January. The photos actually show an Iranian protester executed in early January following a trial that was criticised as "unfair" by the United Nations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows assassination attempt against Ferdinand Marcos Jr in 2022 A news report about a bullet hole found at the office of Philippine presidential front runner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr has been viewed millions of times in social media posts that link the clip to an alleged assassination attempt against him in 2022. The video has been shared in a misleading context; the report was aired by local broadcaster GMA News in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian election staffer caught thumbprinting ballots in 2023 Social media users have alleged that a Nigerian election commission official was caught on film rigging ballots for the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC) during presidential polls in February 2023. Since the APC’s Bola Tinubu was declared the winner, rival parties have vowed to challenge the results over alleged voting irregularities. But the claims are false: the video shared in the misleading posts has been circulating online since at least 2015 and resurfaced again during the 2019 elections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Helicopter crash at Sri Lankan wedding kills bride and groom. A video of a non-fatal helicopter crash at a wedding in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo has recirculated online in Sri Lanka alongside a misleading claim that the bride and groom were killed in the accident. Comments from some users suggested they mistakenly believed the crash happened in the island nation. At the time of the crash in 2018, local media cited the Sao Paulo Fire Department as saying that three people suffered minor injuries and the bride escaped unharmed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows controversial Thai general’s uniform overloaded with medals? A purported image of General Apirat Kongsompong, former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and a controversial public figure in Thailand, shaking hands with the chief of staff of the U.S. Army has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that it shows Gen Apirat in a uniform covered by multiple medals. The claim is false; the image has been doctored to include more medals on Gen Apirat’s uniform. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows the aftermath of vaccine trials on Africans A purported image of children with limb deformities has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts published in 2020 alongside a claim it shows the aftermath of vaccine trials on Africans. The claim is false; the photo, taken in 1998 in the West African country Sierra Leone, actually shows unvaccinated children who contracted polio. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Ventilators in photo were stuck in a New York warehouse Facebook posts featuring a photo of ventilators in the US state of New York claim the devices are “stuck in a warehouse.” This is misleading; New York is stockpiling supplies because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, but emergency response staff say those in the photo were sent to hospitals within 24 hours of their receipt. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: An image predicts life in 2022 An illustration of people driving single-occupancy vehicles has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram alongside a claim it was created by an Italian artist in 1962 to show what he imagined the world would look like in 2022. The claim is false; the image shows an illustration by the Italian artist of a futuristic vehicle he imagined could improve traffic in big cities. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Report shows ICC practices selective justice in Philippine drug war probe Social media users in the Philippines have shared a screenshot of a BBC news report in posts that accuse the International Criminal Court (ICC) of "practicing selective justice". The news report states the ICC rejected a probe on alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan in 2019. It circulated online in the Philippines after an ICC tribunal authorised an investigation on President Rodrigo Duterte's war on illegal drugs. But the report is old and has been shared in a misleading context. The ICC overturned its ruling on Afghanistan in 2020, prompting an investigation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Facebook will automatically delete accounts that post critical comments on the profile of Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi Multiple Facebook posts and an online article shared thousands of times claim Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to automatically delete accounts that post critical comments on the profile of Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The claim is false; on June 25, 2020, Facebook said no accounts will be automatically deleted for posting criticism on Aung San Suu Kyi's profile; as of June 29, there has been no official announcement from the social media company of the purported policy. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Queen Elizabeth's thank you message to Indian PM displayed on London billboard An image has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim it shows a UK billboard displaying a message from Queen Elizabeth II thanking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing Britain with Covid-19 vaccines. The claim is false: the image has been digitally manipulated to include a fabricated quote from the Queen, who has not made any such statement as of March 30, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Data show Arctic sea ice is not declining A Facebook post says satellite images showing Arctic sea ice in May at two points over a 33-year timespan are evidence the ice is not shrinking due to human-caused climate change. But the head of the organization that produced the data said it had been misinterpreted: The broader overall trend of declining sea ice is widely documented. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Philippine lawmakers supporting mandatory military service An image that appears to show three opposition politicians in the Philippines holding placards in support of mandatory military training has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook and YouTube posts that criticise them for making an apparent U-turn. The claim circulated online after Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said she wanted to reinstate mandatory military service for Filipinos aged 18 years old. The image, however, has been doctored. The pictured lawmakers told AFP they continue to oppose calls to reinstate mandatory military training in the archipelago. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of recent flash floods in Indonesia Footage has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok alongside a claim that it shows flash floods in Indonesia's Sukabumi regency. The claim is false; the footage has circulated online since 2011 in a video about a tsunami hitting the city of Natori in Japan’s Miyagi prefecture in March that year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Sri Lanka recorded the highest global Covid-19 fatality rate on August 8 A claim has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that Sri Lanka "surpassed all other nations and ranked first" in Covid-19 death rates on August 8, 2021. But these posts are misleading: they show incomplete data from a database of global Covid-19 trends. The full database in fact shows at least 20 other countries had higher virus death rates on August 8. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: No one will be safe in Biden's America US President Donald Trump misrepresented his record in office as well as the policies that his Democratic opponent Joe Biden has pledged to pursue if elected, capping a Republican National Convention that has been riddled with inaccurate claims. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: 6 genuine tips on Covid-19 vaccine side effect prevention Facebook posts shared thousands of times have listed purported tips for how people should prepare to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The claims are misleading: many of the purported tips have not been proven to prevent Covid-19 vaccine side effects, according to health experts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: U.S. Department of State warns of upcoming terror attack in Sri Lanka in May 2021 After the US issued a new travel advisory for Sri Lanka on May 24, 2021, multiple Facebook and YouTube posts claimed the new US warning had flagged a “potential terror attack over the next few days”. The claim is misleading: the updated advisory was actually issued in response to a surge of Covid-19 infections in Sri Lanka. There is no change in the terrorist threat level in Sri Lanka as of May 25, 2021, according to the US Embassy in Colombo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Nasir el-Rufai says Buhari knows who is behind Zamfara killings Thousands of Facebook users have been sharing videos which appears to show Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Nigeria’s Kaduna state, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari knows who is behind a recent surge of violence in Zamfara state. But the videos posted recently are misleading: they show an interview with El-Rufai filmed in 2013, before Buhari was president. El-Rufai is not talking about Buhari in the video, and he’s not talking about Zamfara either. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Tasuku Honjo, a Japanese Nobel Prize-winning scientist, says he has been subjected to “false accusations and misinformation” over remarks that novel coronavirus was "manufactured in China" Multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and on various websites have shared a purported quote about the novel coronavirus from Japanese physician Tasuku Honjo, the 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The posts, shared thousands of times, quote Dr Honjo as stating that the virus is “not natural” and was “manufactured in China”, as well as stating he previously worked at a laboratory in Chinese city of Wuhan for four years. The claim is misleading; Dr Honjo said he never made the purported comments, dismissing the posts as “misinformation”; his biography on the Kyoto University website shows he has never held a position at a laboratory in China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: NASA admits that climate change occurs because of changes in Earth’s solar orbit An article shared half a million times claims that the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) admitted that changes to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun are responsible for climate change rather than human activity. This is false: NASA has explicitly stated that "scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the 'greenhouse effect.'" (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Rare picture of the Venusian surface taken by Venera 13 An image has been shared widely on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter alongside a claim it shows "the only clear photo ever taken from the surface of Venus by Soviet spacecraft Venera 13". The claim is misleading: the image was originally created by an American researcher who told AFP he enhanced a monochrome image of Venus taken by Venera 13. The image was subsequently colourised by other internet users, he said. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Snapple cap says Trump lost the election A photo of a Snapple bottle cap featuring one of the beverage company’s signature “Real Facts” telling drinkers that former president Donald Trump lost the 2020 election circulated on social media in early May 2021. But the image was likely altered as Snapple said its products do not mention any such “fact.” (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Genuine news report states former Philippine senator Mar Roxas arrested for drug possession A video that claims former Philippine Senator Mar Roxas was arrested for illegal drug possession has been viewed thousands of times in multiple YouTube and Facebook posts. The claim, however, is false; the video is a hoax news report and police denied the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Supreme Court justice Marvic Leonen removed from participating in Philippine VP poll case A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube and in multiple online posts which claim it shows that a Philippine Supreme Court justice has been "removed" from participating in a vice presidential poll dispute case. The claim is misleading; on November 17, 2020, the court denied the motion to inhibit the Supreme Court justice from participating in the case; the video in the misleading posts quotes a news report that in fact only states motions have been filed asking the court to compel the Supreme Court justice not to participate in the poll case. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows medical price gouging under current Pakistani government An image of two boxes of the same muscle relaxant with wildly different price tags has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook. The posts claim the image is evidence of price gouging under the current government in Pakistan. The claim is misleading; both boxes show a manufacture date that predates the current government; the pharmaceutical company which produces the drug seen in the image said the higher price tag had been doctored. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show “Ngao”, mythical creatures in Myanmar Five photos have been shared multiple times on Facebook, YouTube and in blog posts alongside a claim they show mythical creatures in Myanmar. The claim is false; the photos actually show sculptures made by a French artist in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ukrainian girl confronting a Russian soldier West Bank photos (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ole Lenku named chair of Kenya’s Council of Governors As Kenya’s newly-elected governors were busy at an orientation retreat, posts started circulating on social media claiming that Joseph Ole Lenku from Kajiado county had been “elected” chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG). But the claim is false: it was in fact Kirinyaga county’s Anne Waiguru who was chosen by consensus to become the council’s new chairperson. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Former Pakistani PM’s late mother was an MP Posts circulating online claim that former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s late mother Shamim Akhtar was made a lawmaker aged 91 but did not attend any assembly sessions, despite taking a salary and benefits. The claim is false; provincial legislature membership records show that Sharif’s mother never served as a lawmaker in Pakistan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Baseball legend Hank Aaron’s death is related to his Moderna Covid-19 vaccination Social media posts and an online article link Atlanta baseball legend Hank Aaron’s death to his Moderna Covid-19 vaccination, with some posts seeking to raise fears among Black people about the safety of vaccines against the disease. But the vaccines have been tested for safety, and a medical examiner as well as Morehouse School of Medicine, where Aaron was vaccinated, said his death was unrelated to the immunization. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos showing people killed by mosquito pills Zimbabweans have been the target of malicious claims on social media amid a climate of hostility in South Africa towards foreigners. Images have recently circulated with claims that a family in South Africa died after taking lethal tablets sold to them as a mosquito repellant by Zimbabweans. This is false; there is no link between the images of the pills and of the people on the floor, who were tear-gassed in Chad. South African police also denied the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Crows flock to Wuhan, China, after coronavirus outbreak A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube published in February 2020 alongside a claim that it shows a murder of crows in the sky over the Chinese city of Wuhan following the novel coronavirus outbreak. The video has been shared in a misleading context; it shows scores of crows in the Chinese city of Xining, more than 1,000 miles northwest of Wuhan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows Rafale fighter jet performing stunts in air A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim it shows a real Dassault Rafale fighter jet, a French-made aircraft model. India recently procured 36 Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France, the first batch of which arrived in India on July 29, 2020. The claim is false; the video, filmed in 2016, shows a remote-controlled miniature aircraft built by a US-based toy manufacturing company. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows police clash during Shanghai’s Covid-19 lockdown in 2022 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in Chinese-language social media posts alongside a claim it shows residents of China's largest city Shanghai clashing with the police during a coronavirus lockdown in 2022. Although Shanghai residents have scuffled with the police after the megacity became the heart of China's biggest virus outbreak since Wuhan, the video was actually filmed in the eastern Chinese city of Bengbu. The clip corresponds to reports circulating since 2021 about a drink-driving incident. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Footage shows China Eastern plane crash Footage described as a jetliner's last moments before it plummeted in southern China was viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Twitter. But the images are not from a fatal China Eastern Airlines crash of March 21, 2022; they are, in fact, a computer-generated simulation of an Ethiopian Airlines accident three years ago. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: One volcanic eruption equals a century worth of CO2 emissions A tweet claims the carbon dioxide released by a recent volcanic eruption in Indonesia is equal to the amount emitted from all other sources over a century. This is false; experts told AFP the emissions from large volcanic eruptions are dwarfed by those from human activities and that in rare cases, eruptions can temporarily cool the surrounding atmosphere as was observed in the Philippines in 1991. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo of Iran launching missiles at US troops in Iraq A photo of military vehicles firing an artillery barrage has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a Tagalog-language caption warning Filipinos about Iran’s attack on US military bases in Iraq. The photo has been shared in a misleading context; it is actually an Associated Press photo that was taken in 2000 of a Russian military campaign in Chechnya. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Reheating cooked rice after refrigerating reduces the amount of sugar Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook claim dieters should refrigerate and reheat cooked rice in order to reduce its sugar content. This is misleading. Nutritional experts told AFP there was no evidence that this method can reduce the sugar content in rice, and said dieters should instead control the amount of rice they eat. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows anti-Biden chant at University of Pennsylvania commencement A video shared online appears to show Joe Biden watching his granddaughter's graduation from the University of Pennsylvania as hecklers chant at the US president. But the clip's audio has been manipulated; the original commencement footage does not feature the expletive-laden jeers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows man diving into flooded street in Karachi, Pakistan A video that shows a man diving off a building into a flooded street has been viewed more than two millions times on Facebook alongside a claim that he performed the stunt in the Pakistani city of Karachi. The claim is false; the footage in fact shows a man diving in the Indian city of Indore, which experienced major flooding in August 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Photo shows Chinese people hired to protest against former South Korean president Facebook posts circulating in South Korea appear to show a photo of protesters holding Korean-language signs in the wrong order. The posts mock the demonstrators in the photo and claim they are Chinese people "hired" to protest former South Korean president Park Geun-hye. However, the photo has been doctored; the original picture was taken in 2015 and shows activists holding signs in the correct order to show an anti-Park message. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Videos show Putin sending warning to Nigeria Videos shared on Facebook claim to show Russian President Vladimir Putin warning Nigeria to stay out of the war in Ukraine or risk entering into its own conflict. But this is false: AFP Fact Check found that the clips use false subtitle translations. One video is from 2020 and shows Putin addressing Russians about the novel coronavirus. In another, he does address Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine but makes no mention of Nigeria. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Houses of Rohingyas being dismantled in Indian-administered Kashmir A video has been shared in multiple Facebook and Instagram posts that claim it shows the illegally-built houses of Rohingya Muslims being dismantled by authorities in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The claim is false: the video shows the demolition of illegal constructions by local Kashmiris in Srinagar city, where no Rohingya live, according to local authorities and an AFP correspondent. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Anti-lockdown protest in London in March 2021 An aerial image of a large protest has been shared on Facebook and Instagram alongside a claim that it shows an anti-lockdown demonstration in the UK capital of London in March 2021. The claim is false; the photo in fact shows an anti-Brexit protest in March 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Union leader slams Sri Lankan government for buying Covid-19 vaccines A photo collage has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows a news report where a union leader purportedly criticised the government for procuring Covid-19 vaccines instead of paying teachers' salaries. But the claim is false: the photos in the collage have been doctored to add fabricated remarks into an original report that aired before the wide availability of Covid-19 vaccines in the country. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

No Evidence: Tentacled object or organism found in Moderna vaccine An American osteopath warns against taking Covid-19 shots, claiming an experiment she conducted revealed a tentacled "object or organism" in Moderna's vaccine. But experts say the experiment was not conducted under appropriate conditions and that its results cannot be verified, and that the doctor's claim that Johnson & Johnson's shot contains graphene is false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The CDC created and patented the coronavirus from Wuhan Facebook posts claim that the coronavirus spreading in China was created by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015, offering a real patent as proof. This is false; the CDC did register a patent, but in an effort to combat a different strain than the one that caused the outbreak that started in the city of Wuhan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: US Military arrested Dr Deborah Birx Online articles claim the US military arrested former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx for lying to the American public about the efficacy of face masks during the pandemic. This is false; the Department of Defense says it has no knowledge of Birx’s arrest, and that the military does not have the authority to detain her. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Genuine GMA News report about mother of flight attendant Christine Dacera gunned down in 2021 Multiple blogs have shared a video report that claims the mother of flight attendant Christine Dacera, whose death triggered a high-profile crime investigation in the Philippines, was gunned down in January 2021. The claim is false; the video in fact shows an unrelated news report aired by local media organisation GMA News in January 2019; the blogs that posted the video are imposter sites. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: New York Attorney General announces Trump’s charges were dropped A doctored video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in social media posts that falsely claim it shows Alvin Bragg, the US prosecutor in Donald Trump's fraud case, announcing the New York district attorney's office has dropped all charges against the former president. Comments from some social media users indicated they were misled by the claim, while others appeared to understand it was false. The video was in fact digitally altered from old footage published a year ago that had nothing to do with Trump's case. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Homeopathy medicine Aspidosperma can be used instead of oxygen when treating Covid-19 patients Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram claim that a homeopathy medicine could substitute for oxygen therapy when treating severely ill Covid-19 patients. The posts circulated online in India as it faced a shortage of medical oxygen while coronavirus cases soared. The claim is false, according to health experts. The World Health Organization (WHO) also said it would not recommend the homeopathy medicine as an alternative to oxygen as of May 4, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Mass protest forces Romanian government to close all vaccination centres Footage of a huge protest has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter alongside a claim the demonstration forced the Romanian government to close all vaccination centres. The claim is false. The footage actually shows an anti-corruption rally in Romania in 2017. The Romanian government closed some of its Covid-19 vaccination centres in September 2021 — but hundreds remain open as of September 23, 2021, officials told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: US police violently rounding up people on a beach A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows US police officers rounding up people on a beach in the city of Miami. The claim is false; the video has circulated in reports about a clash between police and people on a beach in Brazil over a football game. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows authentic media release announcing extension of Sydney lockdown An image shared repeatedly on Facebook purports to show an official notice from Australia's New South Wales Ministry of Health announcing that a lockdown in greater Sydney will be extended until December 2021. The image, however, has been doctored from a July 14 announcement extending the lockdown to July 30, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows supporters of Indian prime minister cheering exit poll results in the UK A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that claim it shows supporters of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrating in Britain after exit polls predicted victory for the party in 2019 elections. The claim is false; the clip has been doctored from an original video that shows UK football fans watching a match during the Euro 2016 tournament. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows python that swallowed Indonesian woman A photo of a snake is circulating in Facebook posts that falsely link it to reports that a python swallowed a woman whole in Indonesia. While local media genuinely reported that a woman was eaten by a python in Indonesia's Jambi province, the photo shows a snake that died after it swallowed a porcupine at a game park in South Africa in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows top Nigerian politician voting against his party An image of a former chairman of Nigeria’s ruling political party has been shared hundreds of times on social media claiming to show him voting for a rival in a recent state election. But the claim is false; the reverse side of the ballot paper in the image has been doctored, with a thumbprint digitally placed next to an opposition party’s logo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows a victim of 2023 earthquake in Turkey An old photo of an elderly man crying in front of a destroyed building has been shared in posts misleadingly linking it to the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023. The photo has actually appeared in news reports since November 1999 about a powerful quake that jolted the northwestern part of Turkey that year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: China Airlines is acquiring Garuda Indonesia Facebook posts and blog posts share a screenshot of an article that claims Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has been acquired by Taiwan's national carrier China Airlines. The claim is misleading; a Garuda Indonesia executive said the company was not in discussions regarding acquisition by any other airline companies or third parties. Garuda Indonesia is a codeshare partner of China Airlines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Photo shows South Korean president holding a Japanese flag An image has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that purports to show South Korean President Moon Jae-in holding the Japanese national flag and wearing a Japanese anime T-shirt at a public event. The image, however, has been doctored. The original photo, taken during a marathon event in 2015, shows Moon holding the South Korean national flag and wearing a T-shirt with a different design. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Android users are being automatically signed up to the COVIDSafe app via Google’s new Exposure Notifications API Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook state Android users in Australia have been automatically signed up to COVIDSafe, the government's COVID-19 contact tracing app, through an application programming interface (API) operated by Google. The claim is false; a cybersecurity expert said the API is “not an app”, and that the use of it is optional; the Australian government said the COVIDSafe app is available for voluntary download and cannot operate without being downloaded. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Mixed: South Korean protesters bombed with purple dye and arrested the following week A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that South Korean police "shoot" staining purple dye on protestors to mark them for arrest. The claim is misleading; a police spokesperson said that “no such dye has been used”; a criminal justice expert also told AFP the practice was phased out in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Myanmar army attacks KNU's central office in Kawthoolei. Mutiple Facebook posts in Myanmar are sharing photos of two explosions, which they claim show a "junta attack" on the headquarters of a prominent rebel group in March 2022. While AFP could not verify if such an attack took place, the photos were taken years ago and have circulated in posts and reports about events in other countries. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: "Outbreak map" of COVID-19 in the US A post shared thousands of times on Facebook claims to show a map comparing the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and Canada. This claim is misleading according to the map’s creators because it is comparing cumulative cases between countries with very different populations and population densities. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Plastic rice pulled from shelves at FairPrice supermarkets in Singapore Multiple Facebook posts claim Singaporean supermarket chain FairPrice agreed to withdraw packets of its own brand jasmine fragrant rice from the shelves after confirming they contained plastic. The claim is false; the supermarket has said that the rice had passed food safety checks; the jasmine rice mentioned in the misleading posts is still available on the FairPrice website; Singapore’s food agency said it has not found fake rice in the city state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Indonesian President Jokowi to give bonus for winning the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup As Indonesia geared up to play Thailand in the AFF Suzuki Cup final's second leg in January 2022, social media posts shared a video that they claimed showed Indonesian President Joko Widodo promising the football team a 12 billion rupiah ($840,000) bonus if they won the Southeast Asian championship. The video has been shared in a misleading context; it actually shows the president speaking ahead of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup final, which Indonesia lost. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows firework display in Seoul A video has been viewed millions of times in Facebook posts which claim it shows footage from the Seoul International Fireworks Festival, an event that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The claim is false: the video has been digitally created using a 3D simulation tool. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indian National Congress party's Priyanka Gandhi wearing cross A photo of Indian National Congress party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside claims it shows her wearing a cross necklace. The claim is false; the photo has been doctored from an original AFP image which shows Gandhi wearing a leaf-shaped pendant at a rally in February 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misrepresented: A video shows Florida children in a flooded school during Hurricane Ian A video viewed millions of times on social media claims to show children in a flooding school as Hurricane Ian battered the US state of Florida. This is false; the clip depicts elementary school students in Houston, Texas during Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019, and most Florida school districts were closed during Ian. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: mRNA vaccines are harmful A video shared on Facebook in which an American doctor makes several claims about mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 has been viewed nearly 900 times in Ethiopia. But the doctor’s claims are false, experts told AFP Fact Check. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that use mRNA technology are considered safe, and millions of doses have been administered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Eating fruit on an empty stomach will cure cancer Social media posts circulating in Indonesia claim that eating fruit on an empty stomach will "cure cancer". The claim has circulated online in the Southeast Asian nation since at least 2013. It also recently recirculated in French-speaking African countries. But experts told AFP there is no scientific evidence to support the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Photo Out Of Context: Footage of gas in plastic bag is from 2021 US shortage With southeastern areas of the United States suffering gas shortages, social media posts purportedly show drivers using unorthodox methods to stockpile fuel. Some of the images, which include people using plastic bags for storage, are real but old, and one is from Mexico, not the US. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: There is graphene in Gardasil's HPV vaccine The Gardasil 9 vaccine is effective at preventing certain ailments that result from human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, but a video with tens of thousands of views on social media claims the jab contains graphene oxide and poses serious health risks. This is false; manufacturer Merck and regulators in North America and Europe say there is no such substance in the shot. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows police fleeing attack on headquarters in southeast Nigeria A picture of two policemen who appear to be running away from trouble has been shared dozens of times on Facebook, alongside a claim that it shows Nigerian officers fleeing gunmen who attacked their headquarters in southeastern Nigeria. This is false; the picture has been manipulated to create this impression. The actual image was taken in the country’s capital Abuja in 2017 during a clash between police and protesters. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows Russian jet flying under a bridge in 1965 An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Chinese social media posts and articles online alongside a claim it shows the moment a Russian pilot navigated a plane under a bridge in 1965. The claim is misleading; the image is not a real photograph; it is actually a photo collage created to represent a historic event on display at a museum in Russia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Shine to Prophet Mohammad in a forest mountain cave A photograph posted on Facebook and shared thousands of times purports to show a shrine to the Prophet Mohammad in a mountain cave. Other versions of the image which have been shared tens of thousands of times show statues of the Hindu god Shiva or the Buddha in the same location. The photographs are all doctored versions of an original image of a cave in China’s Tianmen mountains, where there is no statue or shrine. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows snow taken by microscope A photo has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter that claim it shows an image of snow under a microscope. The claim is false: the image has been manipulated from a photo of an artwork by artist Rogan Brown. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Graphic aired on RSBN proves election fraud in Pennsylvania Republican Doug Mastriano, who conceded to his Democratic challenger Josh Shapiro in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race, shared an image on Twitter featuring incorrect vote counts, implying fraud occurred during in the 2022 midterms. This is false; the broadcaster that aired the graphic said a data entry error was behind the discrepancy, and there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Daily consumption of Marijuana can cure 39 diseases As Thailand relaxed cannabis laws in June 2022, Facebook posts circulated with a claim that taking "one to two drops of marijuana daily can cure 39 diseases", including Alzheimer's, diabetes and high blood pressure. However, the posts are misleading; there is no evidence that cannabis or its derivatives can cure these ailments, but they can be used to alleviate certain conditions, according to health experts. They told AFP the use of cannabis for medical purposes should be monitored by a healthcare provider. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Africa's oldest tortoise A picture that has racked up thousands of shares on Facebook and Twitter claims to show the oldest tortoise in Africa who recently died aged 344. But the picture actually shows a giant Galapagos tortoise, nowhere near as old, in an Australian zoo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: 983,387 net job loss in Canada A meme shared thousands of times claims that the policies of Justin Trudeau's government created 6,613 jobs and that immigration contributed to a net job loss of 983,387 since 2015. This is false. The 6,613 figure comes from an article about one government jobs creation program and Statistics Canada data shows employment rose by more than one million between 2015 and 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: 'Dangerous' epidurals cause chronic back pain A photo has been shared repeatedly in multiple posts on Facebook which claim epidural injections compulsorily administered during childbirth are “one of the worst and dangerous injections in the world”, resulting in chronic back pain. The posts also claim that some mothers have "no choice" about whether they receive an epidural injection. The claim is misleading; doctors say such serious complications from epidurals are “extremely rare”, and the injections are optional. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Indian Olympian Bajrang Puni wrestling in a local arena A video has been shared repeatedly in social media posts that claim it shows Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia, who won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, showing off his skills in an amateur match. This is false. It actually shows another Indian wrestler, Mosam Ali, competing in the Indian state of Punjab in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of a road in the Philippines A Facebook post which has been shared tens of thousands of times contains a photo which it claims shows a road on the Bicol Peninsula southeast of Manila. The claim is false; the photograph actually shows a section of the Ledo-Burma Road, also known as the Stilwell Road, in southeast China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Israel has no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter claim Israel has no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, as it has already developed a "cure". The claim is false; official World Health Organization (WHO) data and Israeli media reports state at least 298 people have been confirmed to have contracted the disease as of March 16; Israel has implemented travel restrictions and closed businesses in response to the spread of COVID-19. Various countries have been working develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and WHO guidance currently states there is no "cure" for the virus to date. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: IPCC found little to no evidence that climate was worse than before An online article claims a major international report on climate change found little to no evidence that global warming causes adverse events or has a negative impact on the environment. But the report shows that there has been a clear intensification of the planet's warming and the toll it has taken on humans and ecosystems. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: US Senator John Fetterman was replaced with a body double Social media users are sharing a photo they say shows a body double that replaced US Senator John Fetterman after he admitted himself to the hospital in February 2023 for clinical depression. This is false; the picture cited as evidence is almost one year old, and the claims ignore the fact that camera lenses and lighting can change how a person looks. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Doctors discovered that milk supplement Glufarelin cures diabetes Facebook pages designed to appear as if they are from the state-run Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have shared fabricated news graphics alongside false claims that Filipino doctors discovered a milk product that can "cure diabetes". But endocrinologists say there is currently no cure for the disease, and the Philippine food and drug agency earlier warned against consuming the product. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows US helicopter crashes on its side in South China Sea in April 2023 As the United States and the Philippines kicked off their largest-ever joint military exercise in the South China Sea in April 2023, an old video of a helicopter crashing into the sea was viewed tens of thousands of times in Chinese-language posts with a false claim that it shows a US military aircraft accident in the disputed waters. As of May 6, 2023, there have been no reports of such an incident. The clip in fact shows a December 1999 disaster off the coast of San Diego in the US state of California (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Muslims thrashed by army for chanting anti-India slogans in Kashmir A video has been viewed hundreds of times on social media with a false claim that it shows several Muslim men beaten by soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir for chanting anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans. The video has in fact circulated in local media reports about police beating protesters in Delhi in 2020, when clashes broke out over a contentious citizenship law. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: African migrant assaults priest in France Towards the end of 2020, a Catholic priest in Guyana was struck on the head by a man while leading mass. However, a video of the incident has resurfaced on Twitter after an American conspiracist shared the clip and claimed it showed an African migrant attacking a priest in France. The claim is false; the incident occurred in Guyana in 2020 and at the time, Bishop Francis Alleyne told AFP Fact Check the man who hit him was known locally and "mentally ill”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Algeria’s goalkeeper training for the AFCON game against Kenya A Facebook post, claiming to show Algeria's goalkeeper performing an impressive feat of gymnastics ahead of last Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) game against Kenya, has been making the rounds online. In fact, it doesn’t show Algeria’s goalkeeper at all -- it’s a doctored version of a photo of Ivory Coast player Boubacar Barry, and it was taken during training for the World Cup in Brazil back in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show a pro-government rally in Ethiopia in 2021 Two images of large crowds have been shared on social media alongside a claim that they show a pro-government rally held in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on November 7, 2021 -- a gathering intended to show solidarity with the government in its fight against rebels threatening to capture the city. But the claim is misleading: one of the pictures, though taken in Addis Ababa, shows a different pro-government demonstration in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pakistani PM resigns, calls fresh election over by-polls defeat A video of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been viewed more than five million times on Facebook in July 2022 alongside the false claim that he resigned and called fresh elections. The posts circulated online after Sharif's party was defeated in by-elections in Punjab, the country's most populous province. But as of July 21, Sharif has not resigned. The video is actually from May 2022, when Sharif addressed the nation after becoming prime minister. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: “How To Hit A Woman So No One Knows,” was searched on Google 163 million times in 2020 Social media posts claim that the words “How To Hit A Woman So No One Knows” were searched on Google 163 million times in 2020, during the pandemic. This is false; the claim is based on a study whose author admitted to using flawed methodology that produced inaccurate results. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Indonesian President Joko Widodo congratulating Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for receiving 'international hero' title A photo has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, congratulating Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for receiving an "international hero" award. The claim is false: the photo actually shows an event in 2018 during which Jokowi gave Anies’ grandfather — the late Muslim intellectual AR Baswedan — a "national hero" title. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: 52 percent of votes for John Fetterman came by mail, indicating fraud Social media users claim more than half of the votes for John Fetterman in Pennsylvania's US Senate race came from mail-in ballots, indicating the Democratic Party committed fraud during the 2022 midterm elections. This is false; the figures in the posts are incorrect, and there is no evidence that absentee voting has contributed to widespread fraud in the battleground state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hong Kong protesters start fire in Pacific Place mall, Hong Kong A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in the 24 hours since it was published on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a fire started by Hong Kong protesters at a high-end shopping mall on Hong Kong island. The claim is false; the footage actually shows a fire at a shopping mall in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Video of photographer scared by explosions during Afghan president speech A video viewed more than five million times on Facebook and Twitter purports to show a photographer attempting to take photos of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during a swearing-in ceremony for his second term in 2020. The clip appears to show the photographer being startled by explosions that can be heard in the background. The video, however, has been edited to include the photographer. It was created by a filmmaker who regularly posts humorous videos. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Video shows North Korean TV announcing execution of Covid-19 patient A video purporting to show a North Korean news anchor announcing the country had achieved all-out success in fighting Covid-19 by executing a patient has been viewed tens of thousands of times on social media posts. The video is likely satirical: the Chinese subtitles in the video do not match the anchor's actual speech. The news anchor is announcing the launch of a rocket, and the video has circulated online since at least December 2012. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in slept through his turn at the G20 An image that appears to show South Korea's former president Moon Jae-in with his eyes closed has been repeatedly shared in Korean-language social media posts that misleadingly claim Moon fell asleep and missed his turn to speak during a virtual meeting of world leaders. In fact, the image was taken from footage of the 2020 G20 Riyadh virtual summit during a session when Moon was not scheduled to speak. AFP found no credible reports he dozed off and missed a chance to talk during the entire summit. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian union leader receives honourary doctorate Numerous social media posts have circulated a claim that the leader of road transport workers in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos, Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, was honoured with a doctorate degree by the Institute of Corporate and Public Sector Professionals (ICPSP). However, the claim is false: Akinsanya was granted “honourary fellow membership” to the institute, which has no powers to confer degrees in the first place. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Kenyan police arresting Nnamdi Kanu A collage of several images has been shared in multiple social media posts claiming to show Kenyan police officers arresting the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, upon his arrival in the East African nation. However, the claim is false: AFP Fact Check’s investigations revealed all the images but one were unrelated to the arrest of the separatist leader. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Leni Robredo 'handled zero cases' as lawyer Facebook posts shared hundreds of times ahead of the Philippine presidential elections claim the government's law office said top job hopeful Vice President Leni Robredo "handled zero cases" as a lawyer before she entered politics. This is false: the Public Attorney's Office told AFP it did not issue such a statement. A Philippine trial court told AFP Robredo was legal counsel for a homicide case in 2008, and multiple reports state she took on cases for the disadvantaged. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Program, as shown on CNN, offers $50,000 relief to Americans A video posted to Facebook claims Americans can qualify for thousands of dollars via a new relief program, using purported footage from CNN to appear legitimate. But the clip is not from the US news channel, the posts offer no guarantee of economic assistance or a loan, and the National Consumers League called the video "incredibly deceptive." (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Photos show Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo posing outside detention cell of jailed Senator Leila De Lima Photos that purport to show Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo posing outside a detention centre where a senator is being held have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. But the images have been doctored: they originally showed Robredo posing for a housing project; an image of the jailed senator was digitally inserted onto the original pictures. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: China's 'free lunch donation' to Myanmar children Reports circulating on Twitter claim the Chinese embassy in Myanmar donated 1.16 billion yuan ($180 million) to Myanmar's education ministry on November 12 in a bid to increase Chinese influence on Burmese youth. The claim is false; the Chinese embassy in Myanmar said the reports were "totally fabricated", while the tweets feature a photo taken at a vaccine donation event. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video shows a building collapse from the 2023 earthquake in Turkey Social media users are claiming a video of a multi-story building collapsing shows destruction from an earthquake that ripped through Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023. This is false; the video was captured in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and has circulated online since at least January. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Indonesian podcaster Babeh Aldo claims air pollution causing Covid-19 pandemic A video of an Indonesian podcaster who has organised anti-vaccine rallies claiming the Covid-19 pandemic is caused by air pollution has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple social media posts. However, the claim is false; although the Indonesian government has come under fire from residents for toxic levels of air pollution in the capital Jakarta, health experts told AFP Covid-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Lion eats trophy hunter as revenge for killing his sibling A video has been shared widely on social media with claims that it shows trophy hunters posing with a dead lion before they are fatally mauled by the animal’s brothers. However, this is false; the staged video was created by an Australian production company and AFP Fact Check already debunked it more than four years ago. The new claims have also appeared alongside a picture of a dead lion and a trophy hunter, whose purported fate – being eaten alive – was recorded on Instagram Live. This too is false; live streaming on Instagram was only introduced a year after the picture was taken. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows a real car chase scene where a car jumps over a highway road divider to dodge the police A video has circulated in South Korean social media posts that claim it shows a real-life car chase where a vehicle purportedly dodges the police by jumping over a road barrier. The claim is false: the video has been digitally created using 3D graphics software and does not show an actual car chase. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Joe Biden’s tax proposal will take a 40 percent cut of profits from Americans who sell their home Social media posts circulating ahead of the November 3 presidential election claim that Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s tax proposal will take a 40 percent cut of profits from Americans who sell their home. This is misleading; according to Biden’s plan, think tanks and tax experts, the rate would only affect those earning more than $1 million a year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim sitting with Bollywood actors and producer A photo of several prominent Bollywood figures has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that one of the men pictured is Indian organised crime fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. The claim is false; the man circled in the photo is in fact a Bollywood production designer, Wasiq Khan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Students faking injury in JNU clash on Ramnavmi After at least six students were hospitalised following clashes at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, two photos were shared hundreds of times on social media alongside a claim it showed two left-leaning students had faked their injuries. This is false. The doctor who treated the two students at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital told AFP that one student was treated for a severe head injury that required four stitches, while the other was treated after fainting. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Kenyan newspaper exposes poll bribery scandal Whispers that Kenyan election officials colluded with a politician to award a controversial ballot printing deal have surfaced just a month before national polls open in August. Amid the rumours, multiple Facebook posts shared an image of a purported newspaper front page with a headline claiming commissioners in charge of the electoral body were investigated by Interpol and found guilty of receiving $3 million (KSh 354 million) in kickbacks to influence the tender for printing ballot papers. The headline, however, was fabricated. AFP Fact Check confirmed the original front page was digitally altered while Interpol also scotched the claim, saying they have no mandate to act as investigators. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The image shows protests against vaccine passports in France in 2021 An image has been shared in multiple social media posts about protests against so-called vaccine passports in France. The posts, however, are misleading: the image was taken by an AFP photographer at a demonstration in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows woman blackmailed over road accident in China in 2021 A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Twitter and Weibo alongside a claim it shows a young woman who was blackmailed by the family of an elderly person after a fatal traffic accident in Shanghai in 2021. The claim is false: the video has circulated since 2019 in reports about a young woman helping an elderly woman after a traffic accident in China's Anhui province. None of the reports mentioned blackmail was involved. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Italian police arrest man violating coronavirus lockdown A video of police arresting a man has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows police in Italy detaining a man who flouted a national lockdown during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the footage in fact shows police arresting a knife-wielding man in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Buhari sacked CBN governor Godwin Emefiele Post spreading on Facebook and Twitter claim that President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. This is false. Nigeria’s president does not have the power to sack the central bank governor single-handedly. Both a CBN spokesman and the presidency confirmed that Emefiele remains in office. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: Facebook shows photo of Bola Tinubu in hospital The absence of the Nigerian ruling party’s presidential candidate Bola Tinubu from the campaign trail has opened the door to speculation that he is in poor health and receiving treatment in a London hospital. A Facebook account recently shared a photo of an emaciated man in a wheelchair, saying it was Tinubu. But this is false: AFP Fact Check found that the picture has been digitally altered, with Tinubu’s face superimposed on another person’s body. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Vaccinated accounted for 92 percent of UK Covid-19 deaths in 2022 Articles claim public health data indicate fully vaccinated people in England were far more likely to die from Covid-19 in 2022 than those who had not received the shots. But experts told AFP it is misleading to compare the groups due to their different sizes, and the agency that compiled the statistics says they cannot be used to determine vaccine efficacy. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian government lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty in two years Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari alleged his government had lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty in the last two years, in a speech on June 12, 2021. AFP Fact Check studied the available data and found no evidence to support his claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows 50 Cent and Ice Cube wearing Trump 2020 hats Social media users including Donald Trump’s son Eric spread an image of rappers 50 Cent -- who has urged supporters to vote for the president -- and Ice Cube, both wearing Trump 2020 hats. But the image has been doctored; in the original, their hats featured logos for the BIG3 basketball league and the New York Yankees. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Pakistan minister Ahsan Iqbal criticising government in 2023 Social media accounts supporting Pakistan's main opposition party have shared a video of government minister Ahsan Iqbal with a false claim that it shows him criticising his own party's ruling coalition for a nationwide power breakdown in January 2023. The video in fact shows Iqbal two years earlier -- when his party was in the opposition -- speaking about the government led by then-prime minister Imran Khan after a similar power failure. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Biden canceled Operation Talon Facebook posts claim President Joe Biden ended an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) effort that his predecessor Donald Trump began to target sex traffickers who are in the United States illegally. This is false; ICE said the operation was delayed but not eliminated in a decision that did not involve the Biden administration, and there are no records of executive orders about the agency on the White House website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

خطأ: ام إيطالية مصابة بفيروس كورونا تحتضن طفلها A photo has been shared thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows an Italian mother holding her baby for the last time after becoming terminally ill with COVID-19. The claim is false; the photo has circulated in reports about a child who was awaiting a marrow transplant in 1985 in the US. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bill Gates announces $5 billion investment in South Africa An article shared more than 300 times on Facebook claims that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will be investing “another $5 billion in South Africa”. But the headline is clickbait written above text copied from a September 2018 article based on the Gates Foundation’s annual report, which does not mention any figures for investment anywhere in Africa. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of a praying rock at the bottom of the ocean An image shared more than 100,000 times on Facebook is circulating alongside the claim that it shows a rock in the Pacific Ocean shaped like a man who is praying. This is false; the image shows a submerged sculpture, one of many like it, that forms part of a large marine park in Mexico. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indonesian clerics rally to support incumbent president Joko Widodo Two images shared hundreds of times on Facebook purportedly show clerics from Indonesia’s major Muslim organisation Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) preparing for a rally to support the re-election bid of president Joko Widodo, ahead of April 2019 elections. The claim is false; the photos have been taken out of context and actually show NU events with no links to the election. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

May Be Misleading: South Sudan soldier shoots himself without injury Videos of a man shooting himself repeatedly in the mouth with different guns, while remaining unharmed, have been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook. The man, who is wearing what appears to be a South Sudanese military uniform, boasts that he is able to protect the country’s President Salva Kiir thanks to this mysterious power. What’s behind the trick? AFP filmed a demonstration with a forensic ballistics expert to show that the man was firing blanks rather than live ammunition. Another firearms expert called the man’s behaviour “incredibly dangerous”, warning that children could be seriously hurt trying to copy him. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of a Russian cargo flight landing in Myanmar to transport weapons in March 2021 A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim that it shows a Russian cargo flight landing in Myanmar to transport “sophisticated weapons” in March 2021. However, the claim is false. The photo in fact has circulated in reports about a Russian plane landing at Chennai airport in India in September 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: News articles published one day before Dan Andrews’ injury Multiple Facebook posts have shared online news reports about an injury sustained by Australian politician Daniel Andrews that they claim were published one day before the accident on March 9, 2021. The posts suggest the injury may have been staged. But the posts are misleading: the news reports were published on March 9 in Australia. The reports show US timestamps for March 8, as the US timezone is behind Australia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Sheikh Rasheed 'hiding in a hospital' to avoid arrest in 2022 After Pakistan opposition politician Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed accused police of raiding his home and party office, Facebook and Twitter posts shared a photo purportedly showing him hiding from police in hospital. However, the photo was taken in June 2020 when Ahmed was treated for Covid-19. He has appeared in public in August 2022 after claims about him hiding circulated. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Donald Trump held summit with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on March 14, 2021 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on YouTube and Facebook that claim it shows former US President Donald Trump meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a summit in Pyongyang on March 14, 2021. The claim is false: all the images featured in the video have circulated in unrelated news reports and social media posts. As of March 30, 2021, there were no credible reports Trump visited Pyongyang in 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thai king summons Muslim clerics to pray to get rid of Covid-19 A footage has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim that it shows the king of Thailand summoned Muslim clerics to pray to get rid of Covid-19. The claim is false; the video shows Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida presiding over the annual Koran recitation competition in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Graphene oxide found in dissolved Nurofen tablets Videos showing black particles swirling about in a glass of dissolved Nurofen tablets have been shared in a string of social media posts claiming they are graphene oxide. However, the claim is false. The pain relief medication's manufacturer said the particles are black iron oxide, which health authorities and experts say is widely used as a colouring agent in the pharmaceutical industry and is safe for consumption. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: World Bank and IMF established by Philippine nationalist Jose Rizal, former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook claim the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were established by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Filipino nationalist Jose Rizal. The claim is misleading; the World Bank and the IMF were established following the 1944 Bretton Woods conference in the US, five decades after Rizal’s death and two decades before Marcos was elected president; the posts cite comments by a former World Bank staff member who has since been discredited. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canine Carry Outs dog treats recalled A popular post warns internet users of the toxicity of Canine Carry Outs, a type of dog treat, alleging that they have been recalled after the death of a dog. This is false: the US brand has never been subject to a recall, and the hoax continues to circulate despite several rebuttals from the brand and pet health websites. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: A genuine image of Steve Irwin and Tupac together? An image purporting to show “The Crocodile Hunter” star Steve Irwin and American rapper Tupac Shakur posing together has been shared in multiple Facebook posts. However, the image has been doctored; it was created by combining two different photographs. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Video shows elephant seal stranded in Florida streets after Hurricane Ian A clip of an elephant seal supposedly lost in a residential neighborhood gained millions of views on Twitter in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which devastated parts of the US state of Florida. But the video is out of context; it was taken in Chile in 2020, and marine experts say such seals do not live in the Atlantic Ocean. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Nasal dilator named Kovagi can prevent Covid-19 Multiple posts circulating on South Korean social media advertise a nasal dilator that can "prevent and kill" Covid-19. However, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it was planning to investigate the product, which is certified to protect against bacteria, not viruses. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Video Lacks Context: Trump was meandering and disoriented on the South Lawn A video viewed millions of times has been shared alongside claims that President Donald Trump was “meandering” and “disoriented” on the White House South Lawn. But the clip has been misleadingly edited; a longer version shows Trump waiting for his wife Melania before pointing out a puddle to her, after which they walk together toward the presidential helicopter. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video exposes Bill Gates plan of forceful vaccination to depopulate Africa" A YouTube video featuring Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz has been viewed thousands of times in posts that claim it exposes a plan by American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates to forcefully vaccinate and “depopulate Africans” amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. But this is false; Dershowitz was talking about the people of New York while answering questions about the constitutionality of mandatory vaccination under US law. He made no reference to Africans, Gates or depopulation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigeria's Dangote Refinery is recruiting 4,000 staff Widely shared posts on Facebook and Twitter claim that Dangote Refinery, a huge Nigerian petrochemical site under construction by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has begun recruiting more than 4,000 people. This is false. The posts originate from a fake job advert with no links to the Dangote Group. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Japanese medical team in Wuhan to aid virus outbreak A photo of healthcare personnel has been shared thousands of times in multiple social media posts alongside claims that the photo shows a team of one thousand Japanese medical professionals going to provide aid in Wuhan, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak in China. This claim is false; the photo in fact shows a Japanese medical team traveling to Chengdu, China following an earthquake in 2008. The Japanese embassy in Manila also told AFP that reports of a Japanese medical team being sent to Wuhan are "not true." (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Restored photo of Korean independence activist shows evidence of torture A purported “restored photo” of Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun has been shared multiple times online alongside a claim that his moustache in fact a burn scar, proving he was tortured while in Japanese custody for the 1909 killing of Hirobumi Ito, the first governor of Korea under Japanese rule. However, this claim is misleading; AFP found that the “restored photo” was produced by an amateur using a website function, and an expert in photo restoration told AFP that Ahn’s other photos show he did have a moustache. South Korea's state-run Ahn Junggeun Memorial Association also denied the claims, saying that it has "no historical ground", and that the photo had been "manipulated". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Stemona Curtisii Hook plant can cure HIV/AIDS and cancers. Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times falsely claim that consuming the Stemona curtisii Hook plant -- often used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia -- can cure HIV/AIDS, some cancers and various other diseases. Experts told AFP there is no scientific evidence that the plant can cure any of the listed conditions. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: South Korea will restore Japanese colonial governor-general's residence A claim has been shared in multiple social media posts in South Korea that the government is planning to restore the now-demolished residence of the Japanese colonial governor-general, and link to a tabloid article that uses an image of a colonial-era building. However, the claim is missing context: South Korea's culture ministry said its plan involves creating a miniature replica of the governor-general's residence, not restoring it in its entirety. The image shared alongside the claim is also misleading: it shows a building that housed the Japanese colonial government in Seoul from 1926 to 1945 -- not the colonial governor-general's residence. A ministry spokesperson told AFP that their plan is unrelated to this building. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: New California bill will legalize infanticide Online articles claim a California bill would legalize infanticide in the state. But a spokeswoman for the bill's sponsor says it is intended to shield mothers from prosecution following a stillbirth or a neonatal death related to a pregnancy, and legal experts say it is unlikely to be an effective defense for someone who intentionally kills an infant. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Mosaic artwork shows all doctors and nurses killed from Covid-19 A photo mosaic has been shared repeatedly in multiple Sinhala-language Facebook posts alongside a claim it was created using photos of “all doctors and nurses” who have died of COVID-19. The claim is misleading; the image was produced by a Mexico-based newspaper to honour 198 healthcare workers who died in Mexico after being infected with COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The Buffalo shooter had an accomplice who took a hostage Posts shared thousands of times on social media claimed the gunman behind a deadly mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, had an accomplice who took a hostage. But local officials, who continue to investigate the crime, have said they believe the shooter acted alone, and a Twitter account behind the claim was suspended for violating platform policies. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows US protesters breaching security at the White House A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram posts claiming it shows protesters breaking into the White House. The video began circulating online in late May 2020 as protesters demonstrated against racism in Washington and across the country. The claim is false; the footage in fact shows a protest outside the Ohio Statehouse in the state capital Columbus. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: IRS will have more employees than several US agencies Social media posts and conservative politicians claim sweeping economic legislation provides for a new "army" of 87,000 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) auditors to target all US taxpayers -- creating an agency larger than the Pentagon, State Department, Border Patrol and FBI combined. This is misleading; the comparisons are overstated, only a small number of IRS agents carry weapons, and the planned additional tax enforcement measures are aimed at large companies and higher-income Americans. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Sri Lanka has raised minimum age to obtain motorcycle license to 25 years old in December 2020 Multiple Facebook posts shared repeatedly in December 2020 claim the Sri Lankan government raised the eligibility age for motorcycle licenses from 17 to 25. The claim, which states the new policy will come into effect from January 1, 2021, circulated online one day after two young children were killed in a motorcycle accident in a Colombo suburb. Police arrested a 20-year-old man following the accident. The claim in the posts is false; Sri Lanka's Department of Motor Traffic told AFP on December 11, 2020 that no such amendment had been made. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Myanmar state power company staff dancing on the top of poles A video that shows an elaborate dance stunt has been viewed hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows employees of Myanmar's state electricity provider staging an event despite rolling power outages in the country in March. Comments to the posts suggest social media users thought the stunt was staged in Myanmar. But the video was originally shared by a page that regularly posts satirical content. The owner of the video told AFP it shows an event in the Philippines. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Media changed weather map colors to exaggerate climate change Images shared on social media purport to show a German television channel changed the colors of its weather maps to exaggerate the effect of climate change. This is false; the images show different types of maps, one photo is doctored and a broad majority of scientists say climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Transfer of Indian presidential powers took place amid Vedic Hindu rituals An image of former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind and his successor President Droupadi Murmu performing a Hindu ritual has been repeatedly shared alongside the claim it was taken during the presidential transition. However, the claim is misleading. The image predates Murmu's election to the largely ceremonial post by at least two years; it has previously circulated in news reports from 2020 about Kovind's visit to India’s eastern Jharkhand state, which Murmu formerly led as governor. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Woman firing gun in Pakistani city of Karachi A video has been viewed thousands of times in December 2021 alongside a claim it shows a burqa-clad woman firing a gun in Karachi, the largest city in Muslim-majority Pakistan. The video has been shared in a misleading context; it has circulated in reports since November 2020 about a woman firing shots at a shop in Hindu-majority India. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Greta Thunberg deleted a tweet saying the world would end in 2023 Headlines shared on social media say climate activist Greta Thunberg deleted a 2018 tweet that predicted the world would end in five years after the projection failed to come true. This is misleading; the Swedish environmentalist's post -- which has been taken down -- quoted an article on a scientist who described action he said was needed to prevent the melting of ice at the poles. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Drinking vegetable juice, bitter gourd, can cure COVID-19 A post has been shared repeatedly in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp which claims a regional government in India has recommended that the juice of bitter gourd, a vegetable often used in traditional medicine, is an effective treatment for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; Indian authorities dismissed the claim, calling it “absolutely false”; health experts said there is no evidence the vegetable is an effective remedy for COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows India-China border clash in December 2022 A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple social media posts alongside a misleading claim that it shows a border clash between Chinese and Indian soldiers in December 2022. In fact, the clip has circulated in Indian media reports since at least June 2020, purportedly showing another clash between Chinese and Indian troops on their disputed frontier. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo purports to show list of those who recently supported the Myanmar military Facebook posts circulating in Myanmar purport to show a screenshot from state television listing the names of supporters of the military. The posts circulated online after the military seized power in a coup in February 2021. The claim in the posts is false: the screenshot was taken from a 2019 travel documentary and the names listed are people who helped with the production. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows new “automatic corpse disposer” in China After China witnessed a surge in its Covid death toll, a video of a rescue robot was viewed tens of thousands of times in social media posts that falsely claimed it shows an "automatic corpse disposer" in the country. AFP tracked the footage down to fire safety videos from Japan that have circulated online since 2012. The Tokyo Fire Department told AFP it shows a robot designed to assist firefighters that had not been used since 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows black FBI agent arrested during June 2020 US protests A video has been viewed millions of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts in early June 2020 alongside a claim it shows the arrest of a black FBI agent. The posts were published after nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism broke out across the US. The claim is false; US police said the man in the video is not an FBI agent, adding the clip shows an incident in June 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tanzania bans face masks? An article claiming that Tanzania has banned the wearing of face masks to guard against the new coronavirus because they “caused anxiety among Tanzanians” has re-emerged in South Africa after first circulating online in May 2020. According to the piece, which has received thousands of interactions on Facebook, the order was issued by Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli. However, this claim is false; no such order was issued, and a government spokesperson has urged citizens to observe guidelines issued by experts to safeguard against COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Uighur Muslims in detention camps in China Three images purported to show Uighur Muslims in detention camps in China have been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook. The photos have been shared in a misleading context; they were shot, separately, during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018, a demonstration in China's Xinjiang region in 2009, and at a migrant shelter in Thailand in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Professor Saheed Aderinto tweets about Bola Tinubu and his ‘stolen mandate’ Saheed Aderinto, a Nigerian-American professor of history and African diaspora studies at Florida International University, was recently awarded a prestigious prize. Days later, social media posts claimed he had referred to Peter Obi of Nigeria's Labour Party as “president-elect” on Twitter and, in a separate post, told Bola Tinubu, the declared winner of last month’s election, to “return the stolen mandate”. This is false; the tweets attributed to Aderinto came from a parody account. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Climate, weather is being altered by technology such as HAARP, chemtrails Scientists agree that carbon emissions are to blame for global warming, but social media posts claim humans are engineering severe storms and heatwaves. This is false; experts say existing weather modification technology cannot be used to deliberately manipulate the climate. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indian athlete Priya Malik won gold medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020 A photo of an Indian athlete has been shared on Facebook and Twitter — including by Indian celebrities — in posts that claim she won a gold medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. However, the claim is false. The athlete in the image, Priya Malik, actually won a gold medal at the recently concluded Cadet World Wrestling Championships in Hungary in July 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: A CTV article says conspiracy theorists keep getting things right Social media posts claim Canadian broadcaster CTV reported that conspiracy theorists have been increasingly proven correct, and include an image of the purported article as proof. But a spokesman says the company did not publish such an article, and online searches confirm that it does not appear on the news organization's website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: An Instagram post claims that canola oil -- an ingredient in plant-based alternatives to meat -- is toxic. This is false; nutritionists say the oil is not harmful for humans to consume, and it is recognized as safe by US regulators. Canola oil is toxic. An Instagram post claims that canola oil -- an ingredient in plant-based alternatives to meat -- is toxic. This is false; nutritionists say the oil is not harmful for humans to consume, and it is recognized as safe by US regulators. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of Typhoon Hagibis in Japan in 2019 Five images have been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that they show Typhoon Hagibis hitting Japan in October 2019. The claim is false; one of the photos shows storm clouds in the US state of Delaware, and the others show Typhoon Trami, which hit Japan in September 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Leila De Lima was removed from Senate (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canada truckers' convoy entered the Guinness Book of World Records Social media posts claim that a convoy heading to Canada's capital to protest Covid-19 vaccine mandates for truckers set a Guinness World Record for being the longest. This is false; the global authority on record-breaking said the honor is held by a parade that took place in Egypt in 2020, and specific conditions have to be met for an official record attempt to be registered by Guinness. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of a fatal fire survivor in China Two photos of a badly scarred girl have been shared hundreds of times on Twitter and Facebook, alongside a claim they show a survivor of a fatal fire in Karamay, a city in China's northwest region of Xinjiang, in 1994. But the claim is false; the photos actually show a girl who survived an acid attack in Vietnam. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: No banks failed during Donald Trump's administration After the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in March 2023, critics of President Joe Biden claimed no financial institutions failed during Donald Trump's administration. This is false; regulatory documents show at least 16 banks shuttered while Trump was in the White House. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: US income tax is voluntary Social media posts say income tax for Americans is "voluntary" or "optional" and that there is no legal requirement to pay. The claim is false; the need to file a return is enshrined in law and the Internal Revenue Service dismissed the posts as a "frivolous" argument for tax avoidance, noting that people who follow the myth of non-payment may be subject to financial penalties. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Queen Elizabeth praised Rodrigo Duterte for good governance A claim has been shared in multiple YouTube and Facebook posts that Britain's Queen Elizabeth sent a message to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressing admiration for his "good governance". The posts are misleading: the Queen's letter hailed Filipino nurses working in the UK and did not praise Duterte for "good governance". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This post does not show only five British MPs attended UK parliament motion on the Uyghur Muslim genocide in China’s Xinjiang. Social media posts shared hundreds of times claim that a recent UK parliament “vote” on the alleged Uyghur Muslim genocide in China’s Xinjiang was only attended by five British MPs. The claim is misleading: the UK parliament passed a motion, not a vote, on April 22, 2021 declaring that China’s Uyghur Muslims were victims of genocide. Official records show 23 MPs contributed to the debate -- some in-person and some via video call. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show victims of ‘WY’ or yaba drug abuse Several photos have been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim they show users of "yaba", a methamphetamine commonly found in southeast Asia. The claim, however, is misleading; the photos have circulated in reports about health conditions unrelated to drug use. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Doctored Image: Photo shows birds flying over motorcade of late Thai king in 2016? An image that appears to show a flock of birds soaring over the funeral procession of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016 has been shared in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts. This image, however, has been doctored: a separate image of a flock of birds has been inserted into a photo of the late king’s funeral procession. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Statues of Winnie Mandela and Oliver Tambo Multiple social media posts shared pictures of statues purportedly sculpted in the likenesses of South Africa's liberation heroes Oliver Tambo and Winnie Mandela. The posts allege the statues cost taxpayers R15 million ($955,516). But the claim is false; the owner of the guest house where the statues are displayed said they are of his relatives. Furthermore, the South African government denied that it commissioned them. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Migrant labourer being attacked in Tamil Nadu Footage of a brutal assault on a busy road in broad daylight has surfaced in social media posts that falsely claim it shows a gang in India's Tamil Nadu attacking a migrant labourer from the eastern state of Bihar. The clip was shared as reports of violence against Hindi-speaking workers in the mainly Tamil-speaking state sparked panic, despite local officials insisting the rumours were baseless. However, the attack in the video occurred in a different region of India. According to police, the man killed was a local, not a migrant worker. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This is a photo of a traffic jam on a garbage-filled street in northwestern Pakistan. A photo of a traffic jam on a garbage-filled street has been shared thousands of times on Facebook with the claim that it shows a scene from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern Pakistani province bordering Afghanistan. The claim is false; the photo was in fact taken in Lucknow, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Drinking alcohol makes women live longer. Multiple Facebook posts have shared a text screenshot alongside a claim that medical research has found women who drink alcohol live longer and have less chance of suffering from heart attack than those who do not. The claim omits important context: the text screenshot is actually a reference to medical research which surveyed only women who were hospitalised for a heart attack, not healthy women. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Voting with pencil in Australian federal election means they can be erased As Australians geared up to vote in federal elections, Facebook, Twitter and Telegram posts warned them to fill out ballots with a pen rather than a pencil to ensure their vote was counted. However, the Australian Electoral Commission said that ballots marked correctly with either pencils or pens were valid. The Electoral Integrity Project, which focuses on the democratic quality of elections around the globe, said it was confident that ballots marked with a pencil remained secure. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows US President Trump endorsing the son of a late Philippine dictator for president An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook which claim it shows US leader Donald Trump holding a picture of the son of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos alongside this message: "The Next President". The claim is false; the image has been doctored from a photo which shows Trump holding an executive order. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows police dashcam footage of Stetson Bennett's arrest Social media users are claiming a video of police tackling a man to the ground shows the January 29, 2023 arrest of two-time American college football national champion Stetson Bennett for public intoxication in Dallas, Texas. This is false; the clip is from the police dashcam footage of the arrest of another athlete, Baker Mayfield, in 2017, when he was the star quarterback at the University of Oklahoma. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Jailed Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong wrote a letter announcing plans to move the company abroad A letter purportedly written by the de facto chief of Samsung Lee Jae-yong has been circulating online since he was jailed on January 18, 2021. The letter claims he plans to relocate the South Korean tech giant overseas after serving his prison sentence for corruption. The claim is false: Samsung told AFP the letter is fake, while Lee emphasised his continuous support for Samsung’s compliance committee. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Muslims protesting against temple in Kolakata Following reports of violence during a Hindu festival in Bangladesh, Facebook posts shared a video that they claimed shows Muslims disrupting prayers at a Hindu temple in the Indian city of Kolkata. The claim is false; the video was filmed outside a mosque in Bangladesh. Local police told AFP the clip shows a communal incident on October 16. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bees use “acoustic levitation” to fly -- FALSE A claim that bumblebees use “acoustic levitation” to fly has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook. The claim is false; bees use a specific aerodynamic phenomenon called “leading edge vortices” to fly, not “acoustic levitation”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of flooded metro as Typhoon In-Fa hit Shanghai A video viewed thousands of times on Twitter and YouTube purports to show water leaking into Shanghai's metro as Typhoon In-Fa hit eastern China in July 2021. The claim is false: the video has been circulating online since at least August 2019, when Typhoon Lekima pummelled the city. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: CDC attempting to cover up pandemic measures harming children Social media posts claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered child speech development standards to cover up damage caused by mask use and lockdowns. But the agency and experts say the change was underway before the Covid-19 pandemic and is aimed at encouraging caregivers of children who miss milestones to seek help, not an attempt to minimize warning signs. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Trump-Ukraine scandal whistleblower A photo of White House staff members who worked for former US president Barack Obama has been shared thousands of times with the claim that one of the men pictured is the whistleblower whose complaint prompted an impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump. This claim is false; the AFP photo actually shows R. David Edelman, who left his role at the White House two years prior to the whistleblower complaint being filed; Edelman has also refuted the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows aftermath of Afghanistan earthquake in June 2022 A photo of a damaged road has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that struck Afghanistan in June 2022. However, the claim is false; the photo actually shows a road damaged by a major earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in September 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tea can cure or alleviate novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection A post shared repeatedly on WhatsApp and Facebook claims a Chinese doctor has discovered that drinking tea is effective in curing and relieving symptoms of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; health experts say there is insufficient scientific evidence to show that drinking tea is effective in preventing or curing COVID-19 infections; as of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said there is no cure for COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: CNN reports Putin delays invasion until Biden sends weapons to Ukraine An image has been shared hundreds of times on social media alongside a claim it shows a genuine news report by US broadcaster CNN about the Russia-Ukraine crisis. In fact, the image has been digitally altered from a 2017 news report about Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the US presidential election. A CNN spokesperson told AFP that the social media posts had shared a "fake" report. As of February 23, 2022, AFP found no such reports by the broadcaster or any other credible media outlets. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: COVID-19 vaccine A six-minute clip from the film titled “Plandemic: Indoctornation” seeks to raise fears about the vaccines that could help address the COVID-19 pandemic, and it makes misleading claims about the vaccines currently in clinical trials. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canada adopts Chinese-style social credit system Social media posts claim Canada will implement a corporate social credit system similar to that used in China. But Ottawa says the webpage cited as evidence in the posts is meant to inform companies about regulations in China, and does not relate to a Canadian policy. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nobel Laureate asks Nigerian president-elect to step down A social media post circulating in Nigeria claims that Nobel Prize-winning author Wole Soyinka asked Nigerian president-elect Bola Tinubu to step down within two days and return the certificate issued by the electoral commission declaring him as the winning candidate. Some posts also claimed that Soyinka told Tinubu to hand over the presidential certificate to Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate who came in third place during the February election. But these posts are misleading: During an April interview with a local TV station, Soyinka said he had spoken with Tinubu before the election, and at that time had asked him to step down and allow for the “infusion of fresh blood into the system”. At no point during the interview did he ask Tinubu to return his presidential certificate nor to give it to Obi. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hijab girl from Karnataka Social media posts circulating in Hindu-majority India claim to show a photo of a Muslim student who was filmed admonishing a group of Hindu men after they harassed her outside her college in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The posts -- which claimed to show the same woman without a headscarf -- circulated online after a hijab ban at local colleges in the state sparked protests. In fact, AFP found the photo shared in the posts shows a different woman. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misrepresented: Video shows a weatherman's dire warning about Hurricane Ian hitting Florida A video viewed nearly one million times on Twitter appears to show a weatherman issuing a doomsday warning for Floridians ahead of Hurricane Ian. But the video is being misrepresented online; in reality, it shows former Fox News host Shepard Smith urging people to evacuate as the United States braced for a different hurricane in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows people swept away by hightides in India A video that appears to show at least two people being swept away by a wave at a beach has been shared repeatedly in posts that claim it was filmed in India. This is false. The clip has circulated in news reports about members of a family that were swept away by waves near Oman's Al Mughsail beach. Authorities in the sultanate said at least three people were found dead and two were declared missing following the accident, local media reported. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thousands in reward for reporting pit bull owners in South Africa Calls to ban the domestic pet ownership of pit bulls in South Africa have grown louder after a number of deadly attacks related to the breed. As a petition to ban the animals gathered pace, social media posts claim cash rewards are on offer for anyone reporting the owner of a pit bull. However, animal welfare activists, officials and a foundation supporting the ban have dismissed the claim as false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Woman wears multiple masks after Professor Yuen urge two-masks wearing? A photo of a woman wearing multiple surgical masks is circulating in social media alongside a claim it was taken after a Hong Kong health expert made comments in January 2022 recommending wearing two masks to increase protection against the Omicron Covid-19 variant. The photo has been shared in a misleading context: it has circulated online since at least May 2019, more than two years before the expert gave his double-mask recommendation in 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows situation in Ecuador during coronavirus pandemic A photo showing dozens of people lying on the ground has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows the situation in Ecuador during the coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the photo in fact shows an environmental protest outside a train station in Germany. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show a Baphomet book club for children Social media posts in multiple languages have shared several photos with a false claim that they show children taking part in a satanic ceremony to worship an occult deity called Baphomet. Some posts have also linked the images to SatanCon, a real event created by an organisation called The Satanic Temple. However, the images' creator has told AFP they were in fact created using artificial intelligence (AI) software and the ceremony "never happened". Organisers of SatanCon also denied the pictures were linked to the event. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Potassium chloride in Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is dangerous Contact us E-mail (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Digitally-Altered: Kanye West said he is moving to South Africa Claims that American rap star Kanye West has announced he is moving to South Africa with his “new wife” have gone viral after a video was published on TikTok purportedly showing him making the announcement. This is false: the clip is a doctored version of his 2018 interview with Jimmy Kimmel and was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Scotiabank branches closed to implement digital bank accounts Social media users are sharing a photo of a flyer that appears to say Scotiabank locations temporarily closed in March 2023 to implement "digital banking accounts," claiming this is part of a plan to eliminate cash. But the company told AFP the image is not authentic and that no branches were closed -- and the Bank of Canada said it has no plans to end the use of bank notes. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Photo shows Taliban with leashed woman Facebook posts about the impact of Taliban rule in Afghanistan feature an image of a man holding a leash connected to a woman's hands. But while the Taliban has carried out abuses against women, the photo is from a protest in London against the Islamic State group. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: President Buhari married Sadiya Umar Farouq on Oct 11 A viral story that has spread in Nigeria claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari was set to get married to the minister of humanitarian affairs on Friday October 11 at the central mosque in the capital Abuja. While some Nigerians reacted to the rumours as a joke, others appeared to treat them more seriously. They came on the back of speculation in the local media about the absence of the president’s wife Aisha Buhari from Nigeria. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Rwandan president Paul Kagame deports 18 Chinese nationals? Posts claiming that Rwandan President Paul Kagame ordered the deportation of Chinese nationals for mistreating Rwandan workers have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. However, there is no public record of such an order, and representatives of both the Rwandan and Chinese governments said this never happened. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows snake that disrupted Kenya's Odinga rally Two photos have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that they show a snake that caused a stampede in Nairobi at the final campaign rally of Raila Odinga, one of the two frontrunners in Kenya's presidential election taking place on August 9, 2022. But this is false: the images were taken at separate and unrelated events in 2014 and 2020. There were no reports of a stampede during the rally. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows a political rally for Asaduddin Owaisi in India A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows a large rally for an Indian Muslim politician during the pandemic. The claim is false: the photo shows an Islamic procession in Bangladesh in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Solar, wind power drive up electricity prices A video clip from testimony before a US congressional committee features claims that solar and wind power drives up the price of electricity due to the cost of installing backup energy sources. This is misleading; experts told AFP data shows no clear link between prices paid by consumers and the share of renewables in the electric grid, and the cost of backups can be mitigated. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Canada approved euthanizing depressed children Canada legalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) for adults in 2016, but social media posts claim Ottawa recently approved the euthanasia of children suffering from depression without their parents' consent. This is misleading; MAID eligibility criteria are being reviewed and an association of physicians suggested expanding access to some minors, but no such law has passed -- and the government said it has "no immediate plans" to alter the minimum age requirement of 18. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh in July 2022 Following attacks on Hindus in southwestern Bangladesh in July 2022, a photo was shared repeatedly in Facebook posts alongside a claim that more attacks would happen in the Muslim-majority country in the future. The photo, however, has been shared in a false context. It has actually circulated in local media reports since March 2021, when protests erupted in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh. AFP geolocated the photo to the city of Brahmanbaria in eastern Bangladesh. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: 9,000 migrants illegally passed through the United States border in 2020 under President Donald Trump, while more than 100,000 have entered the country unlawfully under President Joe Biden in 2021 Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim only 9,000 migrants illegally passed through the United States border in 2020 during the administration of former president Donald Trump, while more than 100,000 have entered the country unlawfully under President Joe Biden in 2021. This is false; US Customs and Border Protection recorded more 2020 apprehensions than stated, and less in 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ethiopian PM vows to bring opposition ‘to its knees’ in speech A post claims that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a recent speech that he would "bring the opposition to its knees in northern Ethiopia" to ensure the security of the Oromo ethnic group. However, this is false: a review of the address shows that it does not contain these statements. Instead, Abiy spoke about the armed conflict in the East Wollega zone in the Oromia region and called for a peaceful resolution. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nancy Pelosi was arrested by the US Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps An article claims the US Navy's Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps arrested House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on charges of "treason and seditious conspiracy." But the military branch says the allegation is false, and the website that originated the rumor regularly publishes made-up stories under the guise of satire. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: It shows the last picture of victims burnt and killed in 2021 in Myanmar. An image has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows the "last photo" of dozens of people killed in a Christmas Eve attack in Myanmar which a rebel group and a monitor blamed on the military junta. In fact, the news outlet that originally published the photo told AFP it shows Myanmar refugees who were relocated to a Thai camp on Christmas Day. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Wisconsin counted more votes than it has voters Social media posts shared thousands of times accused Wisconsin of election fraud, shortly before projections showed Joe Biden winning the key battleground state. But the claim is false; the posts use old data that do not match official figures from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows police detaining female protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir after Article 370 was scrapped. A video that shows female protesters being dragged into a police bus has been viewed millions of times and shared hundreds of thousands of times in August 2019 social media posts that claim it is live footage filmed after India's government abolished the special autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir state. The claim is false; the footage was taken during a 2017 protest by teachers in the north Indian state of Haryana. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine television mourns the death of host and comedian Jose Manalo A claim that Philippine television host and comedian Jose Manalo is dead has been shared in multiple Facebook, YouTube and blog posts since April 1, 2021. The claim is false: Manalo is “alive, well and kicking” according to his management team, and has appeared in live episodes of his television show after the hoax circulated. The posts that shared the false claim also contain a doctored news report. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows livestock killed in Balochistan floods in 2022 A video has been viewed thousands of times in social media posts claiming it shows livestock that drowned in Pakistan after the South Asian nation was battered by monsoon rains in July 2022. However, the video has been shared in a false context; it has circulated since 2020 in reports about livestock killed in floods in northern Saudi Arabia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show 2023 Kenya protest suspects After violent anti-government protests in Nairobi, Kenyan police took to social media to announce they were looking for suspects who partook in the rallies organised by the opposition on March 20, 2023. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) posted a series of images on Twitter purporting to show individuals suspected of causing mayhem during the demonstrations. But AFP Fact Check found that some of the photos were old and unrelated. The DCI has since issued a public apology for the use of the images. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows flooding in Thailand in 2011 An image has been shared tens of thousands of times on Twitter and Facebook alongside a claim it shows flooding in Thailand's capital Bangkok in September 2021. However, the image has been shared in a misleading context. It has circulated online in posts about flooding in Thailand since 2011. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of a passport proving US President Barack Obama was born in Kenya Far-right radio host Stew Peters claimed photos of an old passport prove Barack Obama was born in Kenya, reviving a years-old conspiracy theory that he was born outside the United States and ineligible for the White House. This is false; the pictures, posted by the former US president's half-brother Malik Obama, show a British passport that belonged to their father. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso filming movie during pandemic A photo shared on Facebook and YouTube purports to show a Philippine mayor "shooting a film" during the Covid-19 pandemic. The claim is false; the photo was in fact taken in July 2019, months before the pandemic started, when Francisco Domagoso took a tour of the city to check street operations shortly after his election. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Pfizer is not part of Operation Warp Speed News of promising results from a coronavirus vaccine developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer sparked misinformation about the company’s role in the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed, an effort to deliver a Covid-19 shot nationwide. While Pfizer benefited from the government's vaccine fund, this was to supply and distribute the vaccine, not to develop it. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Warm water can cure illnesses Facebook posts have been shared tens of thousands of times by users in Thailand alongside the false claim that drinking warm water on an empty stomach in the morning will help cure various conditions such as heart disease and epilepsy, while drinking cold water is "harmful to health". However, health experts told AFP the habit, while beneficial, is not a cure for the medical conditions and diseases listed in the post. They also said cold water was not dangerous. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows aftermath of attack on Olumide Oworu Social media users have claimed that a photo shows the bloodied face of Nigerian Labour Party member Olumide Oworu after he was attacked on the purported orders of a rival days before a state election in Lagos. But the claim is false: the image shows Oworu, who is also an actor, wearing make-up on a movie set. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Liberal Party of Canada plans to tax capital gains on home sales Dozens of social media posts claim that the Liberal Party of Canada plans to tax the sales of primary residences by up to 50 percent if reelected, while including a photo of a policy proposal from a Liberal MP as alleged proof. This is misleading; the document, while real, is a town hall report that never became part of the official policy. The Liberal plan, revealed last week, focuses on loans for first-time buyers not capital gains taxes on owners. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Covid-19 vaccines have been recalled for causing more than 40,000 deaths Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. But a widely circulated video on social media claims the shots have been recalled due to more than 40,000 deaths worldwide. This is false; neither public health agencies nor manufacturers have recalled Covid-19 vaccines authorized in the US, and verified deaths resulting from the shots are exceptionally rare. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: CDC chief admits most Covid deaths were people with comorbidities Social media posts and online articles say US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky admitted in a television interview that most Covid-19 deaths were among people with other illnesses, sparking claims that the threat posed by the disease has been exaggerated. But Walensky's remarks were edited for time by ABC News, and the full version shows she was speaking about the results of a study involving people vaccinated against Covid-19, not all deaths that it has caused. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show forced Covid-19 vaccinations in Peru A collage of three photos has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows Peruvian authorities administering "forced" vaccinations. The images circulated online in November 2020, as countries around the world raced to procure Covid-19 vaccines. The claim is false; the photos show doctors, accompanied by military personnel, vaccinating people against diphtheria in Peru. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: False claim circulates on Facebook in Myanmar that chewing betel quid can prevent Covid-19 infection Multiple Facebook posts shared tens of thousands of times claim that chewing betel quids can prevent infection from the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease Covid-19. The claim is false, health experts say; representatives for Myanmar’s Ministry of Health and Sport and the European Food Safety Authority both separately told AFP that the claim was not true. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Hurricane Shaheen in Oman A video of a gathering storm looming over a coastal city is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows Hurricane Shaheen, a deadly cyclone that recently caused widespread damage in Oman. The claims are false; the clip was created with animation software and a composite image back in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Forest fires are caused by poor management, not by climate change Social media posts claim that wildfires raging through California are due to poor land management, not climate change, echoing comments from US President Donald Trump. The claims are false; while land management is a factor, global warming has left California hotter, drier and more prone to wildfires, according to government-approved research and academics. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Former South Korean prime minister held up threatening message towards an ex-president Korean-language social media posts have repeatedly shared an image that appears to show former South Korean prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn holding a sign that says former president Moon Jae-in could face jail time and execution. The image, however, has been doctored to add the message. The original image shows Hwang holding a sign that says Moon's party won the 2020 general election because of voter fraud -- a claim that South Korea's Supreme Court subsequently said was baseless. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: London bus comparison during current and former Pakistan governments Social media posts shared thousands of times criticise Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for having a picture of himself printed on the side of a London bus. They contrast this with an illustration of Pakistan's founder that purportedly featured on a bus during the tenure of his predecessor Imran Khan. However, while Sharif's image genuinely appeared on London buses after he came to power in April 2022, the picture of Pakistan's founder was taken during a publicity campaign in 2017, before Khan took office. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Tennessee Republican proposal would legalize child marriage Social media posts claim legislation proposed by a Tennessee Republican lawmaker would legalize child marriage by eliminating an age requirement. This is misleading; an initial version of a bill on common-law unions omitted such a requirement, but it was subsequently changed to include one, and the amended measure has been referred to committee for further review. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hun Sen diagnosed with novel coronavirus A photo of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has been shared repeatedly in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, and on Line Messenger alongside a claim he was hospitalised after contracting the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the photo was taken in 2017 when the Prime Minister was being treated for an unrelated health condition at a Singaporean hospital -- at least two years before the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Images of Russia’s new Satan 2 missile that can destroy everything on earth Images of three different missile systems have been shared widely on Facebook alongside a claim that Russia recently unveiled a new weapon that could eradicate every living being on Earth. But this is false: the weapons featured in the posts are old and do not show the fearsome new RS-28 Sarmat, also known as Satan 2, which will only enter service towards the end of 2022, according to experts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Musicians reciting God's names during COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts which claim it shows musicians from various religious backgrounds reciting the names of God in Islam during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the video shows a choir singing at a concert in Turkey in 2011. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Dominion Voting Systems employee in a Georgia county improperly stored and transferred ballot data A tweet shared more than 27,000 times claims that a video shows a Dominion Voting Systems employee in a Georgia county improperly storing and transferring ballot data, adding to so far-unproven fraud claims about the 2020 presidential election. This is false; a county representative and Georgia’s voting system implementation manager said that the Dominion employee was following standard procedure, and the company denied fraud allegations on Twitter. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows praying Muslims being forcibly removed from a road in France A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube that falsely claim it shows praying Muslims being forcibly removed from a road in France. In fact, the clip shows climate activists from French protest group Dernière Rénovation being removed during a sit-in demonstration in Paris. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Muslims beating Hindu leader in Bangladesh A video has been viewed thousands of times in posts alongside a claim it shows a Muslim mob assaulting a Hindu leader in Bangladesh for not attending a Ramadan dinner. However, the clip has been shared in a misleading context: it has previously circulated in reports about an incident in the north Indian state of Haryana. Local police told AFP that four people were arrested following the Haryana attack, which they said was not related to communal tensions. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The Michigan State University shooter was a white man named Lynn Dee Walker Social media users are claiming that the shooter at Michigan State University's campus on February 13, 2023 was a man named "Lynn Dee Walker" who wrote a threatening Facebook post before opening fire. This is false; the person whose image has been shared online is not the gunman identified by authorities and the supposed Facebook post appears to be a digital fabrication. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a South Korean mountainside covered in solar panels installed by Moon Jae-in Footage of rolling hills covered in solar panels has circulated in social media posts falsely claiming it shows a mountain in South Korea. The posts accused former South Korean president Moon Jae-in, who pushed for investment in solar energy while he was leader, of spoiling the countryside. While South Korea has various hillside solar panels, the image shows a solar farm in China's southeastern Fujian province. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A sculpture of Jakarta’s ex-governor Ahok at Madame Tussauds? Multiple Facebook posts that have been shared hundreds of times contain a picture they claim shows a wax sculpture of an Indonesian politician on display at the Madame Tussauds museum in Hong Kong. The image actually depicts an action figure of the politician which has been sold online since at least 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows boats in the Suez Canal after it was blocked by a container Aerial footage showing dozens of ships floating in the sea has been shared tens of thousands of times on Twitter, Facebook and Weibo, alongside a claim it shows vessels waiting to cross Egypt’s Suez Canal after a massive container ship blocked the key trade route in March 2021. The claim is false: the video was in fact taken in Bangladesh in February 2021, weeks before the Suez Canal ship became stuck. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Students forced to come to school to welcome Thai PM during pandemic visit A photo of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha posing with schoolchildren has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim the children were forced to attend school for his visit, despite Covid-19 rules that they should study at home. The claim is misleading: the school told AFP that its students had never switched to online classes during the pandemic because local virus infection rates were low. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Positive results with tap water show rapid Covid tests inaccurate Videos shared on social media show rapid Covid-19 tests giving positive results when exposed to water, suggesting that the kits are inaccurate. But the manufacturers and scientists say the tests were not designed to be used with water, and health officials say they are an important tool to identify cases of the disease. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Police shoot vandals at railway station A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and YouTube uploaded which claim it shows that "foreign police" would shoot and kill people who vandalise subway stations. The posts, written in traditional Chinese, were uploaded after months of protests in Hong Kong, during which some subway stations have been vandalised. But the video is being used in a misleading context; the footage actually shows German anti-terror police conducting a drill in Nuremberg in October 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Positive test for COVID-19 same as having had a common cold? Widely shared social media posts claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that positive COVID-19 results simply mean people have previously contracted a cold. In reality, the claim is a misinterpretation of a paragraph discussing antibody tests on the CDC's website. Health experts say ongoing COVID-19 infections are detected with viral tests, not an analysis of antibodies. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Volodymyr Zelensky performed a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" Online posts claim a video shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky singing the song "Imagine" by John Lennon. This is false; the clip shows an American singer's cover of the 1971 hit. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tamil Tigers flags spotted at protest site against President Rajapaksa An image has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows Sri Lankan anti-government protesters waving flags bearing the symbol of the Tamil Tigers, separatist rebels who waged a decades-long civil war against the island nation’s government. The image, however, has been doctored to add the Tamil Tigers symbol to the flags. The original image shows demonstrators at a May Day rally waving flags featuring a labour union's logo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a hacked drone show at the Tokyo Olympics A video has been repeatedly shared on social media alongside a claim it shows drones spelling out the words "Trump Won" at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics. The posts claim the drones were "hacked". The video, however, has been doctored. The drone show at the opening ceremony did not include any such message about former US President Donald Trump. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: First photo of Ram temple being constructed in India’s Ayodhya A photo of a building covered in scaffolding has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts that claim the image is the first photo of a new Ram temple being constructed at a flashpoint religious site in the north Indian city of Ayodhya. The claim is false: the photo actually shows a different temple which is being constructed in the north Indian city of Varanasi. According to the Ram temple board in Ayodhya, construction of the planned new building has yet to begin as of November 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Acupuncture slimming earrings can make you lose weight drastically Posts viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook advertise "slimming earrings," claimed to press on acupuncture points to trigger dramatic weight loss. But experts dismiss the product as scientifically unfounded, and health agencies recommend individuals focus on exercise and a balanced diet. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pelosi thanked “Millions of Babies for Sacrificing Their Lives For Women’s Rights” An image circulating on Facebook claims US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanked “millions of babies for sacrificing their lives for women’s rights”. The claim prompted anger among social media users who appeared to believe Pelosi genuinely made the comments when talking about abortion. But the claim is false: the purported Pelosi quote originated on a satirical website; there is no record of Pelosi making any such statement. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Indonesian President Joko Widodo visiting injured activist Ade Armando A picture has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows Indonesian President Joko Widodo visiting an activist in hospital after he was attacked at a protest in Jakarta in April 2022. But this is false: the picture has been doctored and it actually shows the president visiting his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was hospitalised in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows disorderly Covid-19 vaccination queues in Nanning, China A video of an overcrowded street has been viewed thousands of times in Twitter posts that claim it shows disorderly Covid-19 vaccination queues in the southern Chinese city of Nanning. The claim is false: the video was filmed in the Chinese city of Guangzhou where local authorities rushed to conduct mass testing to curb an uptick in Covid-19 infections in May 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Meng Wanzhou taking off electronic ankle bracelet A photo of Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou has been shared hundreds of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows her removing her electronic ankle bracelet before returning to China. The posts circulated after a Canadian court halted extradition proceedings against Meng and relaxed her bail conditions, enabling her to return home. But the image has been shared in a false context: it has circulated in reports since May 2020 about Meng's appearance at a court in British Columbia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has a net worth of $91 million Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that Daniel Andrews, the premier of the Australian state of Victoria, has a net worth of $91 million. This claim is misleading; there is no evidence of such a figure being disclosed; the register of financial interests of Victorian politicians does not support the claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: WHO says child's presence at school is enough consent for vaccination Facebook posts claiming the World Health Organization says a “child’s presence in school counts as ‘informed consent’ for vaccination” have been shared repeatedly in New Zealand. The posts are misleading: New Zealand's Ministry of Health says written parental consent is required before children under the age of 16 are vaccinated; the screenshot shared in the misleading Facebook posts shows one section of a 2014 WHO report which has been taken out of context; the WHO says it does not recommend specific vaccination consent procedures. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Mayor Sara Duterte, former senator Bongbong Marcos, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and others laugh at Leni Robredo’s speech on TV After Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo announced she would run for the top job in the 2022 presidential election, Facebook posts shared a photo of politicians laughing as they appeared to watch her speaking live on television. However, the picture has been doctored; the original photo shows politicians having dinner with with no television visible. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: India sells SA ineffective Covid vaccine Numerous posts on social media claim that an Indian company has sold South Africa “a less effective” Covid-19 vaccine nearing expiry and which the Swiss have since banned. The claims are misleading; the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca had already been ordered by South Africa’s government before a recent study by a local university questioned their efficacy against a new coronavirus variant, while Switzerland has only suspended approval of the drug pending the outcome of more research. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Crowd chants "Modi" at Congress rally in India A Facebook post which has been shared hundreds of times contains a video that it claims shows a crowd at an Indian National Congress party rally chanting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name. But the claim is false; the misleading clip has been edited from footage posted online by the Congress party in 2017 which actually shows the crowd chanting support for Indian National Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Putin orders destruction of all Covid-19 vaccines in Russia A fabricated article from a notorious false news website claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the destruction of Covid-19 vaccines is fuelling anti-vaccine sentiment on social media. There is no evidence the Russian government sought to destroy vaccine stocks and the health department continues to promote the country's flagship Sputnik V jab. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The US is supporting anti-coup fighters in Myanmar An image is circulating in Facebook posts that claim it shows US weapons seized from anti-junta fighters in Myanmar. The picture was shared by a pro-military accounts as resistance groups sprung up across the country in response to the military's deadly crackdown on dissent. The posts are misleading; the image circulated in reports about the Taliban seizing US-made weapons in Afghanistan in August 2021. The US State Department denied supplying arms to anti-coup fighters in Myanmar. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Trump invoked Insurrection Act of 1807 Online articles and social media posts claim that President Donald Trump invoked the Insurrection Act on January 10, 2021, allowing the US military to ensure law and order. This is false; there has been no official announcement that the Act was invoked, and though the National Guard was deployed during the deadly storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, its presence was not the result of presidential action, and was only in support of local police. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a flock of birds on the highway before an earthquake in Turkey Social media posts claim a video shows a flock of birds over a freeway before an earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023. This is false; the video was shot in the US state of Texas and published online in January 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows woman in Indian-administered Kashmir A photo of a woman struggling against security guards is circulating in social media posts about allegations that surfaced in January 2022 of atrocities by India's army in Indian-administered Kashmir. The photo has been shared in a misleading context; it shows a Palestinian woman resisting Israeli border police in the West Bank in 2010. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Monkeypox and shingles are the same disease, caused by vaccine After the World Health Organization (WHO) reported outbreaks of monkeypox in countries where the disease is not endemic, multiple social media posts claimed that the virus is the same as shingles and therefore a "side effect" of the Covid-19 vaccine. However, health experts told AFP that the virus causing shingles and the one causing Covid are completely unrelated. Furthermore, Australia's vaccine regulator told AFP there is currently insufficient evidence that Covid vaccines "trigger" shingles. The posts shared a stock image of shingles that was erroneously used to illustrate monkeypox. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Buhari dead Multiple posts shared thousands of times on social media claim that Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has died and secretly been buried. The claim follows Buhari’s delayed response to the recent shooting of peaceful protesters at an anti-police brutality rally in Lagos. AFP Fact Check has repeatedly debunked claims of Buhari’s death and, once more, found pictures used to support the claim show unrelated events. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows attempted robbery at clinic in Malaysia A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows an armed robbery attempt at a clinic in Malaysia. The claim is false: the CCTV footage shows gunmen attempting to rob a mattress store in Brazil in June 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine police officer Jonel Nuezca, charged in double murder case, freed in January 2020 Multiple blog posts have shared a video they claim shows a Filipino police officer was "released" after being charged with double murder in December 2020. The claim is false: the video in fact shows a news report about an unrelated case. Police in the Philippine province of Tarlac, where the killings happened, told AFP on January 8, 2021, that the arrested officer remained in custody. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canada is building confinement camps After an Ontario politician condemned the Canadian federal government’s Covid-19 quarantine sites as “internment camps,” social media posts suggested that these sites would eventually be used to jail Canadians. This is false; the sites are facilities rented by the federal government for travellers who have no alternative for mandatory quarantine, Health Canada told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque calls poor people a 'burden' in coronavirus vaccination efforts A photo repeatedly shared on Facebook purports to show a news graphic containing genuine remarks by a Philippine presidential spokesperson that poor people are a “burden” on the government's coronavirus vaccination efforts. The claim is false: the purported graphic has been doctored to add the fabricated remarks about the poor. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Hindu God displayed on billboards in New York’s Times Square An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows a Hindu God displayed on billboards in New York’s Times Square "this morning". The claim is false; the photo has been digitally manipulated to include an image of a Hindu God. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canada is mandating psychiatric medication for unvaccinated patients More than 80 percent of Canadians have been vaccinated against Covid-19, but social media posts claim that Canada will mandate psychiatric medication for people refusing the jab. This is false; the posts misinterprets guidance from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) that encourages physicians to discuss medication or therapy with patients who display anxious and avoidant behaviors -- including debilitating fear of needles -- rather than exempting them from vaccination. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Texas shooter Mauricio Garcia Social media users claim two mugshots show Mauricio Garcia, the 33-year-old man authorities say killed eight people at an outlet mall in the US state of Texas. This is false; the Dallas County Sheriff's Department told AFP the pictures show a different person with the same name as the gunman who was killed at the scene by police. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Coughing vigorously can stop heart attack. Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook claim that coughing vigorously can avert the onset of a heart attack. A similar claim, shared on South Korean social platforms Daum Cafe and Naver Blog, advises people to "keep coughing every two seconds" if they think they are having a heart attack. The claim is false, according to international health experts, who warned the practice could delay life-saving treatment in a health emergency. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Social media ban during Sri Lankan election Multiple Facebook posts claim that Sri Lanka’s Elections Commission has announced a three-day social media ban around the country’s November 16, 2019 election. After the posts many people, including local politicians, expressed concern online over the purported ban. But the Facebook posts are misleading; the Election Commission chairman has said reports of a social media ban were a "lie"; all major social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, were freely available in Sri Lanka on election day, AFP found; many Sri Lankans, including top presidential candidates, were posting on social media on polling day. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows train carrying Chinese military equipment for “attack” on Taiwan in 2020 A video has been shared thousands of times on Facebook in August and September 2020 alongside a claim that it shows a train loaded with military equipment heading towards China’s southeastern Fujian province for an “attack” on Taiwan. The claim is misleading; this video has circulated online since at least 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian state passes Sharia law to gain votes A state in southwest Nigeria has been drawn into the controversy surrounding a decision by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to field two Muslim candidates in next year’s presidential elections. Two news blogs have claimed that Lagos state, where APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a governor for eight years, passed a bill introducing Sharia law in return for votes in Nigeria’s Muslim majority north. This is false. The state senate denied the existence of the purported bill which does not appear in any public legislative record – a prerequisite for the passage of any new laws. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows a shaman curing a COVID-19 patient in Malaysia A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim it shows a shaman curing a novel coronavirus patient in Malaysia. The claim is false; the video has circulated online in posts about a hospital in Indonesia since at least October 2018, more than one year before COVID-19 was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows US consulate staff in China's Chengdu after forced closure in July 2020 A photo has been shared in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Weibo alongside a claim it shows staff from the US consulate in China’s Chengdu "cheering for China" after Beijing closed its premises on July 24, 2020. The claim is false; a similar image of the same group of people was published in an online report in February 2020; the report stated the photo shows a gathering of United Airlines staff after its flights were suspended to parts of China due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows three Indonesian MPs arrested for allegedly accepting bribes from murder suspect Ferdy Sambo A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows the Indonesian anti-corruption agency arresting three lawmakers for accepting bribes from a high-ranking police officer, now a suspect in a murder case. But the claim is false. The footage comprises several unrelated clips. The anticorruption agency has not announced any such arrests. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Move Forward Party candidate in lingerie False posts in Thailand have passed off photos of a freelance model wearing lingerie as images of a young politician from the Move Forward Party. Rukchanok Srinork -- whose party would claim victory in national elections in May 2023 -- said she had filed a complaint with the police. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Japanese children are healthier due to absence of mandatory immunization An article shared thousands of times on Facebook claims that Japan “has the healthiest children on the planet” because vaccination is not mandatory in their country. This is false. Children in Japan are particularly healthy by international standards, but they are also one of the most vaccinated populations in the world. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows parents of suspect in killing of Jullebee Ranara A video of a couple pleading that their son be spared from execution has been circulating in Facebook and TikTok posts that falsely claim they are the parents of the suspect in the killing of a Filipino worker in Kuwait. But the clip, viewed tens of thousands of times, shows the parents of a man executed in Iran in connection with the country's protest movement following a trial condemned as "unfair" by the United Nations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Elizabeth Warren said getting an abortion is the same as getting tonsils out Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren likened having an abortion to a tonsillectomy. This is misleading; she said abortion procedures are safer than getting your tonsils out. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show cash seized from Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu Ahead of Nigeria’s presidential ballot on February 25, images have appeared on social media with claims that they show trucks filled with cash belonging to the ruling party's candidate Bola Tinubu. The post, shared more than 14,000 times, alleges authorities seized the money while it was being transported to a bank in Lagos. But this is false: the photos are from old and unrelated events. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Real plane burnt to ashes in Dhaka airport? A video of what appears to be a plane engulfed by flames has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows an accident at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport that serves the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. However, the video has been shared in a misleading context. Major media outlets reported that the footage was taken during an emergency fire drill that used a dummy plane. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows a “Spanish Dancer Jellyfish” An image has been shared thousands of times on social media alongside a claim it shows a "Spanish Dancer Jellyfish". The claim is false; the image was created digitally and uploaded to a website in 2012. Spanish Dancers are not a type of jellyfish, but a large sea slug. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Rohingya refugees attacking BJP workers in India A video has been viewed tens of thousands times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which claim it shows Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis in India harassing workers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at a rally in the eastern state of Bengal. The claim is false; the footage was first published online in 2017 and shows a protest in Gujarat over a BJP motorbike rally during state assembly elections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Mostly False: Salk Institute said vaccines cause illnesses; UBC said lockdowns have no benefit A tweet from a member of the Ontario provincial parliament that claims to offer major pandemic-related findings, including Covid-19 vaccines causing harm and lockdowns being useless, has been shared thousands of times on social media. But the tweet misrepresents recent official remarks, and neither the Salk Institute nor the University of British Columbia released reports as the politician claimed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows anti-Lula protest in Brazil after 2022 election Supporters of Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro have blocked roads and held protests following his election loss to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but a video claiming to show a massive demonstration is being shared in a false context on social media. The footage was shot during an Independence Day event in support of Bolsonaro in September, weeks before the election. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: HPV vaccine Gardasil causes “cervical cancer epidemic” and autoimmune diseases, according to Australian government data A claim the HPV vaccine Gardasil is the cause of a purported surge in cervical cancer and autoimmune disease cases in Australia has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The posts cite Australian government data, and say findings show “a cancer epidemic in Gardasil girls”. The claim, however, is false; experts say Australian cervical cancer statistics do not show an “epidemic” of cervical cancer; recent studies show Gardasil is not linked to any post-vaccine deaths or autoimmune diseases. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Quebec is exempt from carbon tax Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim Quebec is exempt from carbon pricing. This is misleading, the province is exempt from Canada’s federal carbon tax because it puts a price on pollution through a cap-and-trade system that was in place years prior to the implementation of the federal levy in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows dogs sitting on hospital beds in Pakistan A photo that shows stray dogs sitting on hospital beds has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that claim it was taken in a hospital in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh. The claim is false: the photo actually shows a hospital in India; the original image has been doctored to include the name of the Pakistani hospital and portraits of ruling party stalwarts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: US forced nationals to resign over semiconductor work in China Following newly implemented US export control measures to limit China's access to high-end semiconductors with military uses, a claim has circulated in multiple social media posts saying that the US government has forced "all Americans" working in China to resign or renounce their US citizenship. The claim is misleading: experts told AFP that while there was a "large wave of resignations" after the new rules came into force, the regulations do not entirely prohibit US citizens and companies from working in China. The new measures only specifically restrict US citizens and companies from working with Chinese companies or in China on certain types of semiconductors. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh disrespected by Sonia Gandhi during a photo op A video has been shared thousands of times in Facebook and Twitter posts claiming it shows former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh while he was still in office being “sidelined'' during a photo op. The claim is misleading; the incident happened in 2017, three years after Singh left office, when he and India’s opposition party leader Sonia Gandhi met then-Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: CDC gives contradictory mask advice for fires, Covid-19 Social media posts claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contradicted itself by advising people to wear cloth masks against the novel coronavirus while also saying masks do not stop smoke inhalation during a wildfire. These claims are misleading; the agency explained that a mask is recommended to contain respiratory droplets, which are larger than smoke particles. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Swastikas seen on buildings in Polish capital (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Bananas from Somalia contain the "Helicobacter worms" A video is circulating in social media posts around the world warning it shows a "Helicobacter worm" in bananas imported from Somalia. The claim is misleading; experts told AFP the footage did not show a worm, while authorities in various countries have urged the public to ignore such warnings. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: News report says Israeli pilot arrested in Pakistan An image shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to show a Jerusalem-based newspaper reporting the arrest of an Israeli pilot in Pakistan. The claim is false; the photo in the post shows an Israeli Air Force pilot who died in a helicopter crash six years ago. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image shows mismatch between Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit and boot print left on the Moon, therefore Moon landing was a hoax An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts that purports to show a comparison between the boot tread of a spacesuit worn by US astronaut Neil Armstrong for his 1969 mission to the Moon and a boot print he apparently left on the Moon’s surface. The posts suggest the boot’s tread does not “match up” with the boot print, indicating the Moon landing may have been a “hoax”. The claim is false: the image shows Armstrong’s preserved spacesuit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, but an expert said Armstrong and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin wore overshoes while on the Moon’s surface. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Ruth Bader Ginsburg was nominated or confirmed in a US election year Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was nominated and confirmed within 43 days of an election. This is false; Ginsburg was nominated, confirmed and sworn in during 1993, which was not a federal election year in the US. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: A photo shows Ben Affleck wearing a shirt saying "Keep America Trumpless" In numerous Facebook groups critical of former US president Donald Trump, social media accounts are sharing an image that purports to show actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck wearing a t-shirt that says, "Keep America Trumpless." But the image is not authentic; it has been digitally edited in what appears to be an effort to sell merchandise featuring the same design. The original photo shows Affleck wearing a plain t-shirt in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show weapons seized in Debre Sina, Ethiopia Images of a weapons stockpile have been shared on Facebook in Ethiopia alongside a claim that the arms cache was recently seized in Debre Sina, Ethiopia. But the claim is false: these are old photos of a rebel from the former Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) sitting next to a pile of weapons in Addis Ababa in 1991 following the Ethiopian Civil War that ended in the same year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image showing Yadav's sweets shop in Lal Chowk, Kashmir An image has been shared thousands of times in social media posts in 2021 that purports to show a shop in Kashmir owned by non-Kashmiris after India stripped the region's special status in 2019. The claim is false: no such shop exists in Srinagar, the city cited in the posts, according to the head of the local trade body. The image has circulated online with different shop names since at least 2019, often in response to satirical posts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thai activists look healthy despite being on hunger strike False Facebook posts have repeatedly shared a photo with the claim it shows two Thai protesters looking healthy despite being on hunger strike for the abolition of the kingdom's tough royal insult laws. But the photo actually shows two different women -- not youth activists Tantawan "Tawan" Tuatulanon and Orawan "Bam" Phupong whose deteriorating health had been acknowledged by a Thai court. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tinubu claims Nigeria was producing “400,000” barrels of oil a day in 2015 The presidential candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, recently told a gathering of supporters that the country was producing “400,000” barrels of oil a day with global prices at their “worst” when President Muhammadu Buhari took office in May 2015. But this is false; official records and OPEC data show that Nigeria was producing more than quadruple the amount when Buhari took over from Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, 2015. Market prices were falling but also nowhere near historic lows. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Under Quebec Bill 15, parents are no longer their children's main caregiver Social media posts claim a recently passed reform of the law governing child welfare in the Canadian province of Quebec eliminated parental primacy, increasing government power to make decisions regarding children. This is misleading; the government says the measure sought to clarify that the child's best interest should be considered above all else, and experts say the language defining when child protective services should take action remains unchanged. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has banned communal Friday prayers A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on YouTube and Facebook alongside a claim that it shows Indonesia's Religious Affairs Minister banned communal Friday prayers. The claim is false, according to the Religious Affairs Ministry. The video shared on YouTube and Facebook in fact shows scenes at a mosque captured in March 2020, months before Yaqut was appointed as religious affairs minister. The letter shown in the video is a regional directive issued by an official in the Indonesian city of Kupang, not Yaqut. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The IRS donated to Katie Hobbs's campaign for Arizona governor Social media users claim Katie Hobbs, Arizona's secretary of state and a Democratic candidate for governor, received a donation from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is misleading; the agency cannot contribute to political campaigns, and a spokesperson for Hobbs told AFP the figure cited online is a payroll tax refund. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Biden exporting US strategic oil as gas prices remain at record highs Social media posts say President Joe Biden's administration is sending millions of barrels from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to other countries, implying that this contributes to higher prices for American consumers. This is misleading; industry analysts note that different types of crude oil from the reserve are sold to meet the demands of specific refineries and regions, and that the release eases price pressures regardless of where the oil is consumed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Facebook posts claim the video shows the Sriwijaya Air flight that crashed into the sea on January 9, 2021. A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim it shows footage of the Sriwijaya Air flight that crashed into the sea on January 9, 2021. The claim is false: the clip has circulated in reports about an Ethiopian Airlines flight which crashed into the Indian Ocean in 1996 after it was hijacked. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Explainer: Photo proof of fake moon landing. A photo shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit shows three men in spacesuits without their helmets on. The posts present the image as evidence the moon landings did not take place. But the photo is being used out of context; it was taken at a US space centre in 1972 during an astronaut training session and was labelled as such by NASA; it was not published as a photograph taken “on the moon”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Boxer-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao took only three months to finish his bachelor’s degree Social media posts in the Philippines claim boxer-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao earned his university diploma in only three months, suggesting his degree was fraudulently conferred. The posts are misleading: an official from the University of Makati, where Pacquiao obtained a political science degree, said he finished the diploma in 16 months and that his government experience counted as academic credit. The misleading posts also misrepresent images related to Pacquiao's university attendance. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of the crashed Sriwijaya Air plane being lifted from sea A video has been viewed millions of times on TikTok and YouTube in posts which claim it shows the wreckage of a Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed in the Java Sea in January 2021. The claim is false: the video actually shows a decommissioned plane that was deliberately sunk in 2019 in Turkey for diving tourism. The clip, originally captured in 2019, has been played backwards in the misleading posts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: WFP vehicles used to transport Tigray rebels An image has been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows trucks belonging to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) seized by Tigray rebels in northern Ethiopia and used to transport militants and their weapons. But the claim is false: the photo shows WFP trucks delivering food aid in Tigray’s capital Mekelle in July 2021. The UN agency confirmed that none of its vehicles had been seized by rebels. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows Odinga asking youth to heckle Ruto A video of Kenyan presidential hopeful Raila Odinga addressing a campaign rally has been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows the veteran politician encouraging young people to heckle his rival Deputy President William Ruto during Madaraka Day celebrations. But the claim is misleading: in the clip, where Odinga speaks in Swahili, he does not ask his supporters to heckle Ruto, but rather to turn up in large numbers at the celebrations led by President Uhuru Kenyatta. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: A banner claims people from Leni Robredo’s hometown are ashamed of her. A photo doing the rounds on Facebook and Twitter in the Philippines appears to show a billboard with a message that people in the hometown of Vice President Leni Robredo are "ashamed" of her. The picture was shared as speculation grew around her potential run in the 2022 presidential election. In fact, the text in the photo has been digitally altered. The original image shows a billboard honouring Robredo's late husband. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Azerbaijani police arresting residents during 2020 military conflict A video has been viewed thousands of times on Twitter and Weibo in October 2020 alongside a claim it shows police in Azerbaijan arresting people during the country’s military conflict with Armenia in 2020. The claim is false; the video has circulated since at least 2019 in reports about anti-government protests in Azerbaijan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows a fire at Kan Thar Yar hospital, which is linked to Myanmar’s military chief, in Yangon in March 2021. A photo of a burning building has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows a fire at Kan Thar Yar hospital, which is linked to Myanmar’s military chief, in Yangon in March 2021. The claim, however, is false: the photo in fact shows a fire at a shopping mall in the Philippines in May, 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Photo of Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe's associate with monk As Sri Lanka elected its new President Ranil Wickremesinghe in July, a photo was shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows one of his close associates rallying support for his election by meeting with a controversial monk. Wickremesinghe is known for political manoeuvring that has seen him outwit opponents to ascend to the presidency in the island nation. But the photo predates his election by at least four years. The Sri Lankan journalist who took the photo told AFP it shows an unrelated meeting held in November 2017 after attacks on Muslim minorities in a southern Sri Lankan village. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Former Indian cricketer MS Dhoni on a tractor shows his support for farmers protest An image showing former Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni standing on a tractor has circulated online in social media posts that claim that he is supports a tractor rally organised by protesting Indian farmers in January 2021. The claim is false: the photo is actually from June 2020 when Dhoni bought a new tractor, months before Indian farmers began their agitation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A diesel generator is powering an electric vehicle charger Social media posts share a photo to claim that an electric vehicle (EV) charging station is powered by a diesel generator, suggesting that electric cars are no better for the environment than their internal combustion engine counterparts. This is false; the charging station, which is located in Texas, is not powered by the generator, and electric cars generally have a smaller carbon footprint than those powered by gasoline. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Emmanuel Macron got assassinated in the Netherlands in April 2023. A video of a person being tackled to the ground has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple Chinese-language social media posts that falsely claim it shows the "assassination of French President Emmanuel Macron" when he visited the Netherlands on April 12, 2023. The video in fact shows police tackling a protester as he ran towards the French leader. A spokesman for the Amsterdam police told AFP two protesters were arrested for disturbing public order and making threats. On April 17, Macron gave a speech that was broadcast live and there have been no recent reports that he was the target of an assassination attempt. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Letter in support of the Hong Kong Police from the Western Australia Police Force. A photo of a letter has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Weibo which claim it is "a letter of support written by Western Australia Police to Hong Kong Police". The claim is false; the Western Australia Police Force told AFP that the letter was not an official statement of support and that it had been issued without their knowledge or consent; the police badge shown on the letter is out of date. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Countries were purchasing Covid-19 test kits in 2018 Facebook posts feature images of tables from a World Bank-linked website alongside the claim that they prove countries were purchasing Covid-19 test kits in 2018. The claim is false; the tables actually list the imports and exports of medical devices that existed in 2018 and which were classified as “Covid-19 products” in April 2020 because of their use fighting the pandemic, according to the World Bank. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thailand has the highest new Covid-19 cases on June 28 As Thailand grappled with its worst-ever Covid-19 wave, Facebook and Twitter posts shared hundreds of times claimed that the kingdom ranked highest in the world for new coronavirus cases on June 28, 2021. The claim is false; at least three other countries, including Brazil, India, and the United States had more new Covid-19 cases than Thailand on that day, according to the data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Genuine graphic issued by the UK’s NHS about the coronavirus pandemic A graphic has been shared repeatedly in multiple posts on Instagram and Facebook in September 2020 that purports to show advice published by the UK’s health authority, the National Health Service (NHS), stating Covid-19 does not exist. The claim is false; the NHS said it did not issue the graphic; the purported information listed in the graphic directly contradicts current UK health service advice about the coronavirus pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of tank on Toronto street in April 2020 As a special task force assembled earlier this month to help in the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, a photo of a tank on Toronto’s Dundas Square surfaced on social media. However, the photo was taken in 2016 during a festival and no tanks were used to move troops throughout the Greater Toronto Area, army representatives told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: An advertisement from the World Economic Forum Fictional footage from a British TV thriller has been viewed tens of thousands of times in social media posts that claim it is a World Economic Forum (WEF) advert in which a man suggests he should kill a woman's son to prevent carbon emissions generated over his lifetime from impacting the planet. But the claim is false; the WEF told AFP it did not produce or post the video, while the production company of the programme also said it had not authorised the footage for such use. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Drinking cold water in hot weather can cause a stroke Misleading advice on staying cool in hot weather has surfaced on Facebook in the Philippines, with an unfounded warning that wetting the skin and drinking cold water following exposure to heat "can lead to a stroke". Doctors have said that while drinking cold water causes blood vessels to constrict, it is not enough to trigger a stroke. There is no danger in consuming cold water or wetting the skin to cool down, especially when a person begins to experience a heat-related illness, they said. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: This picture shows Nazi soldiers during World War II about to shoot a baby A black and white image shared since 2014 purports to show two Nazi soldiers in the moment before they shot a baby. The photo was not in fact taken during World War II, but shows a scene from the 2011 movie “Auschwitz” that has been turned into a black and white image. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: New York Times claims 250 million people attended AAP's Gujarat rally Facebook and Twitter posts shared hundreds of times in India have criticised the New York Times for purportedly publishing a report that says a record 250 million people attended a rally for the political opposition Aam Aadmi Party in the western state of Gujarat in April. However, the screenshot featured in the posts shows a fabricated New York Times report. A representative for Aam Aadmi Party told AFP its Gujarat rally was attended by "around 35,000 to 40,000 people" -- not 250 million as the posts claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a US rally in support of ousted Pakistan PM Imran Khan Footage of massive crowds rallying in the streets has been viewed more than 1.5 million times in Facebook posts that claim it shows people gathered in the United States to support Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan after he was booted from office in April 2022. However, the video was filmed in Senegal two months earlier, when football fans welcomed the national team after they won the Africa Cup of Nations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows man arrested for Cumilla violence in Bangladesh A photo of a man was shared in multiple Facebook posts claiming he was arrested for his alleged role in disrespecting the Koran at a religious event in Cumilla, a southern district of Bangladesh, on October 13, 2021. The claim is false: police said the man was wrongly identified online as a suspect in the case. He was in fact arrested over alleged vandalism at a temple in the southern district of Chattagram on October 11, a police spokesman told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows protesting Indian farmers preparing for tractor rally on January 26, 2021 Footage of a man driving a tractor upright has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim it shows protesting Indian farmers preparing for a tractor rally on January 26, 2021. The claim is false: the video has circulated online since at least February 2020, before the farmers' protests began. It shows a man performing a stunt at a local competition. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Palestinians covered in makeup in an effort to make “Israel look bad” As deadly clashes escalated between Israel and Hamas, a video surfaced online accusing Palestinians of applying fake blood to “make the world feel sorry for them”. The video is a hoax: the footage in fact shows a training exercise from 2017, in which make-up artists painted wounds on Gaza residents to train medics. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image of a storm in South Carolina An Instagram post that purports to show a dramatic storm in the United States has been liked hundreds of times. However, the claim is false; the image’s creator told AFP Fact Check he produced the digital artwork using stock pictures. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Chinese military expert dines in US during ongoing diplomatic feud in 2020 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Twitter in August 2020 alongside a claim that it shows Chinese military expert Zhang Zhaozhong dining with his family in the United States during ongoing tensions between the two countries. The claim, however, is false; the video in fact shows Zhang dining in Beijing in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bill Gates lists lessons from the fight against the novel coronavirus in an open letter An "open letter” purportedly written by US billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates about the novel coronavirus pandemic has been shared in English and Chinese on Facebook, Twitter and various websites. The Chinese-language posts state the letter was translated from its original publication in British newspaper The Sun. But the letter is fake; Gates’ philanthropic organisation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, clarified on Weibo that the letter presents “false information” and urged netizens to stop sharing it. The Sun has reportedly removed the letter from its website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Senatorial frontrunner Robin Padilla is doling out cash to all Filipinos Facebook and blog posts shared thousands of times claim Filipino actor-turned-politician Robin Padilla, who leads the senate count in the May 2022 elections, has pledged to hand out financial aid to all citizens. However, the claim was shared on an imposter social media page. Padilla said he was not doling out cash and AFP did not find any record of handout announcements on his official channels, as of May 17. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show Ukranian children armed and ready to face Russian attacks A series of photos of children wearing military fatigues and brandishing weapons is circulating in multiple posts online which claim they are Ukrainian children training to fight after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In fact, the pictures were taken in 2015 and 2017 at a youth paramilitary camp on the outskirts of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Covid patients should not shower. Posts falsely claiming showers worsen Covid symptoms have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Chinese social media, with doctors among the users sharing the claim. Medical experts told AFP the claim has no scientific basis, and people with Covid who can take care of themselves can continue to shower normally. Guidelines from the World Health Organization for people recovering from Covid-19 infections cover aspects of life such as exercise and returning to work, but do not mention anything about showers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: UN has removed cannabis from the list of narcotics Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that the United Nations has voted to remove cannabis from “the list of narcotics drugs”. The claim is misleading; a UN body did vote to remove cannabis from the list of most dangerous drugs, but as of December 2020, it remains listed among over 130 of internationally controlled narcotics. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: CCTV cameras installed at Sydney Mardi Gras link to social credit system A TikTok user has shared "oversimplified" claims about a crowd monitoring system used at Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, misleadingly linking it to a "social credit system", surveillance experts in Australia say. The user's video -- viewed more than 850,000 times -- suggested people who looked "angry" at the parade would "get a bad score" and trigger a police response. However, a surveillance researcher and a digital rights group told AFP there was no evidence Australia was building a social credit system. The company that provided the event's monitoring system said it was used to prevent crowd crushes, while a spokesperson for the parade said the suggestion that police deployment was based on the crowd's mood was "made up". Police said just four people were arrested at the event for offences including assaulting police officers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows design for Babri hospital to be built by Muslim body in Ayodhya An image of a building design has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim it shows a design for a hospital set to be built by a Muslim body in India on land that was designated for a mosque. The claim is false; the image shows an illustration of a medical centre at an American university; the Muslim body cited in the social media posts said the claim was “fake news”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Duterte announced to remove and jail his health secretary A video has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announcing he would jail his health secretary due to mistakes during the pandemic. The claim is false: the video does not mention Duterte would fire or jail the health official. The government has made no such announcement as of August 23, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows a fatal fire at a Liberian Koranic boarding school A photo has been shared on blogs and other social media in Indonesia claiming to show a deadly fire at a Koranic school in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. The claim is false: the image is of a fire at an Islamic boarding school in the Indonesian city of Jayapura. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

The Us Embassy In Ethiopia Did Not Suggest That Opposition Leader Will Soon Be Released From Prison: US embassy says Ethiopia opposition leader will be released soon A post alleging that the US embassy in Ethiopia has expressed hope about the imminent release of jailed opposition leader Jawar Mohammed has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. But this is false: the US embassy in Addis Ababa has refuted the claim and there is no official indication that Jawar will be freed soon. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows China-shaped cloud filmed in May 2021 A video of a China-shaped cloud has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook alongside a claim it was captured in the Chinese city of Ningbo on May 25, 2021. The claim is false: the video has circulated online since at least 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Ukrainian first lady on holiday in Israel Several Facebook posts showing Russian TV presenter Elena Lenina have been shared alongside a false claim they show Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska on vacation in Israel, as Russia's military continues to launch attacks on her country. The photo of Lenina was first leaked in 2016, and she posted an image of similar false posts on Instagram in October 2022 alongside a clarification. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The US military, including National Guard members deputized on behalf of the US Marshals Service, was set to indict and detain a majority of Congress on January 25, 2021 An article claims the US military, including National Guard members deputized on behalf of the US Marshals Service, was set to indict and detain a majority of Congress on January 25, 2021. But Congress is functioning normally, and the US Marshals Service as well as the offices of top Congressional leaders said the claim is false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Facebook posts claim that it shows Myanmar actor Ko Pauk urging people to vote for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the upcoming general elections in Myanmar. An image has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows a Myanmar actor urging people to vote for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the upcoming general elections in Myanmar. The claim is false; the photo has been doctored to include a manipulated placard; the original photo published by the actor on his Facebook page in March 2020 shows a placard that asks people to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows scene during the 1918-20 influenza pandemic A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it was taken during the “Spanish flu” pandemic between 1918 and 1920. The claim is misleading; the photo has circulated in reports about fashion in 1913, about five years before the 1918 influenza pandemic; a spokesman for German photo agency Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo told AFP the photo shows “nose veil” fashion in 1913 after the Balkan war. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Harry Styles kissed Ted Cruz at Venice Film Festival A photo has been shared thousands of times in Burmese-language Facebook posts alongside a claim it shows British pop star Harry Styles kissing US senator Ted Cruz. In fact, the photo shows Styles kissing American actor Nick Kroll at the Venice Film Festival. The claim originally emerged in satirical English-language posts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Danish official dies during AstraZeneca vaccine press conference A video has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook and Instagram alongside a claim that it shows a health official who died at a press conference where Denmark announced it would suspend AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccinations. The claim is false: the head of the Danish Medicines Agency Tanja Erichsen later tweeted that she had recovered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Extinction Rebellion member charged with bushfire arson An image of a purported news article claiming to report that a member of Extinction Rebellion was charged for lighting a bushfire outside Sydney has been shared in multiple Facebook posts. However, the claim is false; the image was doctored and Australian police say they have no record of anyone being charged for the bushfire, which fire authorities say was caused by lightning. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows crash site of China Eastern plane in Guangxi After a China Eastern Airlines passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed into a mountainside in the southern Chinese region of Guangxi on March 21, 2022, a video circulated in news reports and social media posts that claimed it shows smoke billowing from the crashed airliner. But a government spokesperson in eastern China's Shanghang county -- about 500 miles from the crash site -- said the video actually shows a hillside fire that broke out one day before the China Eastern jet tragedy. A man from Shanghang county separately told AFP the video contains bystanders discussing a fire caused by a "careless" tomb sweeper, and shared evidence that it circulated before the jet crash. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Explainer: Wombats shepherding animals to their burrows during Australian bushfires Photos of wombats have been shared hundreds of thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit posts alongside a claim that the marsupials shepherd animals into their burrows in a bid to protect them from bushfires in Australia. The fires have killed as many as one billion animals in Australia since September 2019. The claim is misleading; experts say animals have long taken refuge in wombats’ burrows, but they are not invited by the marsupials. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Museveni’s son threatens Buganda Kingdom Facebook posts shared multiple times have used a purported screenshot of a tweet to claim that Muhoozi Kainerugaba — a son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and a high-ranking military officer — had threatened to “crush” the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda. But the Facebook posts are false; there is no evidence Kainerugaba made such remarks on Twitter. AFP Fact Check further established the tweet was fabricated, while a Ugandan defence official dismissed the posts as “fake news”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Safety helpline for women in India travelling alone at night An image shared thousands of times on Facebook appears to give advice to women in India taking taxis at night. It contains a phone number that purportedly allows the vehicle they are in to be tracked remotely. The claim is false; a helpline with that number was set up by Mumbai police in 2014, but the service was discontinued in 2017 and is not currently active. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: FDA no longer authorizes monovalent Covid-19 vaccines The US Food and Drug Administration's decision to focus on bivalent Covid-19 vaccines has revived claims that the older monovalent doses are dangerous. This is false; the agency and independent experts say both of the shots are safe and effective, but that the updated version adds protection against newer strains of the virus. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Letter of agreement for promotion campaign between JVP and ad agency Facebook posts in Sri Lanka purport to show a letter from advertising firm Ogilvy offering its services to a political party ahead of the presidential election due in 2024. However, the posts are missing context; both the party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Ogilvy said the letter was a hoax. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: This photo shows NIS director Park Jie-won hugging a whistleblower A photo has been repeatedly shared on Facebook in South Korea that purports to show the country's intelligence chief Park Jie-won embracing Cho Sung-eun, an alleged whistleblower in an ongoing political scandal. The image, however, has been doctored. The original photograph shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in embracing a supporter during a free hug event held in May 2017; images of Park and Cho's faces have been inserted into the photo. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Shoppers in Pakistan flee from police during COVID-19 lockdown A video of people climbing down a building has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp alongside a claim it shows shoppers attempting to flee a shop after police discovered it had flouted Pakistan’s coronavirus lockdown. The claim is false; the footage has circulated online since at least 2015 in reports about a police raid on a brothel in Pakistan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Childhood vaccination causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Social media posts make a series of inaccurate claims linking childhood vaccination and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But medical experts say vaccines do not cause babies to suddenly die, and that evidence indicates there are lower rates of SIDS in children who receive the recommended shots. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Rajiv Gandhi performing Islamic prayer at mother's funeral A photo of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his son Rahul performing an Islamic prayer at a funeral has been shared in multiple Facebook posts with the claim it was taken at the funeral of Indira Gandhi, also a former Indian prime minister and mother of Rajiv. The claim, however, is false: the scene in the image does not match footage of Indira Gandhi's funeral, and the picture has circulated in posts about the Gandhis attending the funeral of an independence activist. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Disneyland has banned screaming on its rides Facebook posts shared more than 150,000 times claim that California theme park Disneyland banned screaming on its rides. This is false; a Walt Disney Company spokesperson said it does not have such a policy, and there is no mention of it on the park’s official website, which lists mask-wearing and other measures to help combat Covid-19 when it reopens. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of female fighter from Arakan Army(AA) killed in Myanmar A photo of a dead woman has been shared thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows a female fighter in the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group in Myanmar's Rakhine State. The claim is false: the photo has circulated online in reports about clashes between the Philippine Army and New Peoples’ Army (NPA) rebels; the Philippine Army told AFP the photo shows “an unidentified female NPA member” who was killed in a clash. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bangladesh police are searching for AA members in Rohingya refugee camp After a Rohingya man was killed when mortar shells fired from Myanmar landed across the border in Bangladesh, a photo surfaced in Facebook posts claiming it showed Bangladeshi forces hunting down Myanmar rebel groups in "retaliation" for his death. However, police and an activist said that law enforcement had not launched any special operation following the killing. The posts share an unrelated photo taken in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Covid-19 vaccines killed thousands of people, harm unvaccinated, cause male sexual dyfunction Sherri Tenpenny, an American physician named among the biggest “profiteers” from anti-vaccination misinformation, appears on a YouTube channel sharing misleading claims about coronavirus shots. In a video viewed almost 100,000 times, she said they cause deaths, “transmit” side effects to the unvaccinated, and cause infertility risks. All of these claims are scientifically inaccurate, multiple experts have stated. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows a flooded Peshawar BRT station in northwest Pakistan A video of water cascading down a flight of stairs has been viewed thousands of times in tweets and Facebook posts that claim it shows a flooded bus station in Peshawar, in northwestern Pakistan. This is false. The video has circulated in news reports about Hurricane Ida hitting New York City in September 2021. The footage shows signage and machines that are used in the New York subway system. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Crowd protesting attack on Igbos in Lagos Posts circulating with a video on social media in Nigeria claim the footage shows a group protesting an alleged attack on ethnic Igbos in Lagos after the presidential election in February. But the claim is false: the video was filmed at a demonstration in January after a tribunal sacked a governor in Osun state, not Lagos. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hitting inner side of elbow can cure heart attack A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media recommends treating someone suffering from a heart attack by hitting the inner side of their elbows. Experts strongly reject the method, saying it “lacks any scientific evidence” and “endangers lives” by potentially delaying people from contacting emergency services in the event of such a situation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: US gas prices are far higher than in other major oil-producing countries Social media posts say gasoline prices in the United States are vastly higher than in other major oil-producing countries, with some blaming the difference on President Joe Biden, politicians in general, or the "deep state." But prices vary widely around the world due to factors such as taxes, and experts pointed to national subsidies in many countries on the list as a reason for the lower costs at the pump. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Map shows CO2 makes the planet greener Carbon dioxide (CO2) contributes to global warming, but social media posts claim an image showing an increase in vegetation over time suggests the greenhouse gas is actually beneficial to the planet. This is misleading; the map is more than five years old, research shows the "greening" trend may end and experts say rising temperatures can harm plants. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Vandalism at Galle mosque linked to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's new regime A video and several photographs purported to show a broken stained glass window at a southern Sri Lankan mosque have been viewed thousands of times in various Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp posts that claim the damage was linked to the nation's new regime. The claim is misleading; local police and a trustee of the mosque told AFP they believed the incident was likely caused by an intoxicated individual, rather than politically motivated. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Photo Out Of Context: Photo shows August 26, 2021 explosion near Kabul airport Social media posts about a deadly attack outside Kabul airport on August 26, 2021 feature a photo of a cloud of dust rising near the tarmac. But the image is an AFP photo from 10 days earlier, and the photographer who took it said the dust was from a helicopter, not an explosion. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows long, clean beach along Manila Bay after government makeover An image purporting to show a long, pristine beach has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim it shows Manila Bay in the Philippines after a government makeover. The claim is false; the image has been doctored from a photo taken in September 2020 of a small artificial beach that was opened by the government along the harbour in Manila Bay. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This is a portal for Nigeria’s Covid-19 survival fund A website shared thousands of times on Facebook is inviting Nigerians to apply for financial help from a Covid-19 survival fund provided by the government of Africa’s most populous country. But AFP Fact Check found the site is a fraudulent version of the official state aid portal, which features the government’s web domain “gov.ng”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: MV Ever Given has been used for human trafficking QAnon-linked social media posts seek to tie the Clintons to a ship that blocked the Suez Canal, saying the vessel has been used for human trafficking. The Clinton Foundation, however, says it has no ships, while an international maritime safety agency and an anti-trafficking group told AFP there is no information to support the claims, which the shipping line dismissed as baseless. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tulsi Gabbard venmoed Nancy Pelosi $600.01 forcing IRS to audit Pelosi Social media posts claim former US representative Tulsi Gabbard sent Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi $600.01 via the payment app Venmo, triggering a tax audit. This, however, comes from an account linked to a satirical website that boasts of its role in spreading "fake news." (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: First snowfall in Botswana Posts on Twitter and Facebook have shared various pictures of wet and slushy roads claiming the images capture the first snow ever to fall in Botswana. However, this is misleading; the images actually show the aftermath of a hailstorm, which is a common occurrence – and has previously sparked false claims – in Botswana, according to the country’s meteorological service. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Taps bugle melody comes from a captain grieving his son A Facebook post shared more than 20,000 times credits “Taps,” a melody played at military funerals in the US, to “Union Captain Robert Elli” said to have composed it as an homage to his dead son. This is false; General Daniel Butterfield came up with the music, “Taps,” an adaptation from an existing bugle call “Tattoo,” while his brigade was camped in Confederate territory. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows flood victims rescued after Typhoon Vamco hit the Philippines A video of a flood rescue operation has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple Twitter and Facebook posts alongside a claim that it was filmed in the Philippines shortly after Typhoon Vamco hit the country. The claim is false; the video in fact shows a rescue operation in Guatemala following Storm Eta in early November 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Man in Batman costume spotted at Capitol Hill protest in January 2021 A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media purports to show “Batman” at a pro-Trump protest at the US Capitol in Washington DC on January 6, 2021. The claim is false; the video has circulated in reports since May 2020 about a protester at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Philadelphia, following the death of George Floyd. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The Canada Pension Plan is being renamed Federal Benefit Payment A message shared thousands of times on social media claims that the Canada Pension Plan was renamed as the "Federal Benefit Payment," sparking outrage from seniors. But this claim is false; the program was not renamed and the message, which contains factual inaccuracies, has been circulating for years. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canada blocked access to Guns.com Social media posts claim the Canadian government blocked access to US-based website Guns.com as part of new legislation before Parliament, sharing screenshots showing access was denied as evidence. This is false; the firearms website said the error message was due to a security test that affected Canadian IP addresses, and the bill in question has not been approved, nor does it aim to restrict access to individual websites. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: IMF report says South Korean economy won’t recover from Covid until 2026 Multiple posts shared repeatedly on social media claim the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned South Korea’s economy will not recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic until at least 2026. The claim is misleading: the posts have misrepresented an IMF report published in April 2021 that focused on government fiscal expenditures, not economic recovery. Separately, the IMF projected that South Korea’s economy will show signs of recovery from 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: Photos show William Ruto’s motorcade stoned at political rally Facebook posts with photos claiming to show violent scenes from last week’s political rally held by Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto are circulating online in Kenya. But the images are shared in a misleading context. Although Ruto’s recent visit to Kenya’s Nyanza region was met with anger, at least two of the photos are old and unrelated to his presidential campaign. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern talking about Hinduism A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter that claim it shows New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking about Hinduism. The claim, however, is false; the footage in fact shows US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard speaking at a Hindu festival. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: News broadcaster admiring China's response to deadly flooding in Henan A Chinese broadcaster has been attacked on social media after posts shared thousands of times claimed she said China "responded very well" to devastating floods which killed dozens of people in central China's Henan province. However, the claim is false; she was in fact speaking before the Henan floods struck in July 2021, and was referring to torrential rainfall in North China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Charcoal can be used to cleanse fruit and vegetables Multiple Facebook posts in Thailand shared thousands of times claim that soaking fruit and vegetables in water with charcoal can help remove toxins. This is misleading: Thai health authorities said it did not recommend the proposed washing method as there was "no guarantee" it could remove all unwanted toxins. A Thai health expert separately told AFP that the technique was "not recommended" as it may not remove all toxins. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Typhoon Rai as it slams Southern Leyte, Philippines A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows Typhoon Rai -- the strongest to hit the Philippines this year -- wreaking havoc in the central province of Southern Leyte. The posts circulated online as the typhoon tore across the archipelago, leaving at least one person dead. But the clip has been shared in a false context: it has appeared in news reports since November 2020 during Typhoon Goni, which destroyed tens of thousands of homes and killed at least 20 people. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hong Kong protester cuts off police finger with pliers Two photos have been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter which claim they show a protester cutting off a policeman’s finger with pliers during a protest in Hong Kong on July 14, 2019. The claim is false; the photos are keyframes from a video which show the protester holding a baton after he grabbed it from a police officer. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of mail dumped on the side of the road contains 2020 ballots cast for US President Trump A tweet shared thousands of times claims an image of mail dumped on the side of the road shows ballots cast for US President Trump, feeding into concerns that mail-in ballots are not a safe way to vote in the 2020 presidential election. This is false; the image is from 2018, when Trump was not up for re-election, and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General said the mail pictured was safely delivered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows German farmers protesting in 2021 in support of Indian farmers An image has been shared in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim it shows a tractor protest organised by German farmers in Berlin in February 2021 to support Indian farmers protesting against new agricultural laws. The claim is false: the photo, taken by Associated Press news agency, shows demonstrations in Berlin in November 2019, a year before Indian farmers' protests began. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Mount Sinabung’s eruption in Indonesia A video has been viewed hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows CCTV footage of Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupting in 2019. The claim is false; the video is a simulation video of an undersea volcanic eruption shown at a museum in New Zealand. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients are non-infectious. Facebook posts circulating in South Korea claim that asymptomatic Covid-19 carriers are non-infectious as they have lower viral loads. The claim is false: people who are infected with Covid-19 but never develop any symptoms of the disease can still transmit it to others, according to health experts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows protest against Covid restrictions in Germany A video has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows a protest against the German government's "medical tyranny" in December 2021. The claim circulated online after Germany imposed sweeping curbs on people not vaccinated against Covid-19. However, the claim is false: the video shows German farmers protesting in Berlin in November 2019 over new agricultural rules. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Real image of Italy A photo of what appears to be a heart-shaped city has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that it can be found in Italy. However, the posts are misleading: the photo was created in homage to Valentine’s Day and shows a mirrored image of the city of Venice. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper displays photo of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma An image that appears to show a photo of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma being projected on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Instagram posts. The image, however, has been digitally manipulated; the original photo does not show Sharma being projected onto the building. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Images of recent military attack in Mindat in western Myanmar’s Chin State Four images have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts in May 2021 alongside a caption about a military attack in western Myanmar’s Chin State. The images circulated online after the military seized control of the town. The posts, however, are misleading: none of the images relate to the military attack in western Myanmar. They have all circulated online in various contexts prior to the military attack reported in May 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bola Tinubu's daughter warned him not to rig Nigerian election A day before Nigeria’s electoral commission declared Bola Tinubu the winner of the presidential race, a Facebook page published a video with claims that it showed his daughter warning him not to rig the election. But this claim is false: the woman in the video is not Tinubu’s daughter – she is Nigerian activist Adetoun Onajobi. AFP Fact Check debunked another claim about Onajobi and the video before the election. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Burqa-clad man from far-right RSS arrested in India's Karnataka state. A video of a man in Muslim dress has been shared hundreds of times in social media posts that falsely claim he is a far-right Hindu nationalist who disguised himself and pelted police with stones in the southern Indian state of Karnataka in May 2023. But the video -- which has circulated online since at least August 2020 -- actually shows an incident in which several people were arrested for smuggling alcohol in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, according to police and local reports. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows Thai police apologising to parents of killed drug suspect A video has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook and YouTube in August 2021 alongside a claim it shows a Thai police officer apologising to a drug suspect's parents after he died in custody. The claim is misleading: the video has circulated in reports since January 2021 about the same police officer apologising to a couple about an unrelated case involving a missing car. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Unvaccinated voters will be barred from South Korea's next presidential election A screenshot of a news report has been shared multiple times on Facebook alongside a claim that proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required for South Koreans voting in the country's upcoming presidential election in March 2022. The claim, however, is misleading; a spokesperson for South Korea's national election commission told AFP the claim is "baseless", while confirming unvaccinated people will be allowed to vote in the upcoming presidential election. The screenshot shared in the misleading posts was taken from a Korean news report that fact-checked a similar claim circulating online. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indian leader Modi named world's 'best prime minister' by UNESCO A photo of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been shared thousands of times on Facebook alongside claims he has been declared “best prime minister of the world” by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The claim is false; Modi has never been given that title by UNESCO as the organisation does not have such an award. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Nigerian presidential candidate draws crowds in Gombe An image of thousands of people wearing red caps and occupying an entire street has been circulated on social media with a claim that it shows supporters of Nigeria’s opposition presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso during a recent rally in the country’s northern Gombe state. The claim is misleading; although the photo does show Kwankwaso’s supporters, AFP Fact Check found that it was taken in Nigeria’s capital Abuja in 2018 when the politician declared his intention to run for president at a rally. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows a woman with Syphilis circa 1890 before the invention of penicillin. A photo has been shared repeatedly on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit alongside a claim it shows a 19th century woman suffering from syphilis. The claim is false: the photo shows a woman afflicted with tuberculosis of the skin in 1895, according to a US archivist who acquired the original image. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Muslim soldiers beat up fellow Muslims in Sudan Graphic footage of an attack in Ethiopia has surfaced in Facebook posts falsely linking it to fighting that has gripped neighbouring Sudan since April. The video circulated in Hindu-majority India, where posts said that the perpetrators were Muslims. However, the clip shows an assault in June 2022 in Gambella in western Ethiopia, where a rights watchdog accused security forces of carrying out "door to door executions" of civilians. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show bubonic plague outbreak in China in July 2020 Six photos have been shared more than a hundred times in multiple Facebook posts about the detection of bubonic plague in China in July 2020. The photos have been shared in a misleading context; all six have circulated in online reports that are unrelated to recent plague cases in China. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: People practising yoga in Saudi Arabia Multiple Facebook posts have shared photos of people practising yoga alongside a claim these were taken in Saudi Arabia. But this claim is false: the photos were in fact shot in the United Arab Emirates and India -- not Saudi Arabia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Lithium mining machinery uses 12 gallons of diesel of a minute Facebook posts claim that machinery used to mine lithium for electric car batteries guzzles 12 gallons of diesel fuel a minute and that France abandoned electric vehicles in favor of petroleum-powered cars. But an industry body said mining haul trucks on average consume less than one gallon a minute, and official data show the number of battery-powered electric cars in France has soared in recent years. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The amount of glaciers on earth has not changed since the birth of Al Gore in 1948 Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim there has been no decline in the number of glaciers on Earth since former US vice president Al Gore was born in 1948. The claim, however, is false: experts told AFP that the posts use incorrect statistics. The world's glacier ice volume has steadily declined since at least 1950, they said. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of mob setting fire to voting machines in India's 2019 election A video of electronic voting machines being set on fire has been viewed tens of thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim the machines were attacked by people angered by vote tampering in the first phase of India's 2019 election. The claim is false; the video actually shows an incident during a 2017 by-election in the city of Srinagar. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The real photo of Tipu Sultan, an 18th-century Muslim Indian ruler Multiple Facebook posts have shared a photo collage showing a coloured painting and a black-and-white picture, alongside a claim the latter is the real photo of Tipu Sultan, an 18th-century Muslim Indian ruler. The claim, however, is false. The black-and-white picture shows an African slave trader who lived in the 19th century. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Saudi Arabia's crown prince cancelled his meeting with South Korean president Facebook posts claim Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman cancelled a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in during a visit to the Middle East in January 2022. The posts mock Moon and claim the prince ditched plans to see him but maintained a meeting with the Thai prime minister. The claim is false; news reports and photos show Moon met the prince in Riyadh on January 18, 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Yusuf Buhari, the son of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, is the fourth richest son of any sitting president in the world Posts shared thousands of times claim that US business magazine Forbes will list or has listed Yusuf Buhari, the son of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, as the fourth richest son of any sitting president in the world, allegedly worth $2.3 billion. But Forbes released no such report and a spokesman said they do not list the richest children of sitting presidents. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The photo does not show Buddhist monk-shaped cloud in Taiwan during Covid-19 crisis in 2021. Social media posts circulating online in Taiwan purport to show a Buddhist monk-shaped cloud appearing as the island faced a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in May 2021. The claim is misleading: the photo has circulated online since at least September 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows spontaneous combustion of assassin attempting to kill Catholic priest A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook in July 2020 alongside a claim it shows an assassination attempt on a Catholic priest. The claim is false; the video has circulated in reports since June 2020 about an explosion during a parade in Mexico. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Anthony Fauci is married to Ghislaine Maxwell's sister Social media posts claim that top US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci is married to Christine Maxwell, whose sister Ghislaine faces sex trafficking charges related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This is false; Fauci’s wife is Christine Grady, who bears a slight physical resemblance to Maxwell but is a different person. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of elephant towing plane at Ubon Ratchathani International Airport A photo has been shared thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows an elephant towing an aeroplane at Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani International Airport in 1960. This is false. A spokesperson for Thai Airways told AFP the photo was part of an advertising campaign for the airline in 1968, adding that the pictured elephant did not tow the plane. A Thai aviation expert separately said elephants have never been used to tow aeroplanes in the kingdom. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Photos show Ukrainian nuclear power plant on fire after Russian attack Two photos have been shared in a report that links them to a fire at a Ukrainian nuclear power plant following a Russian attack in March 2022. However, the images -- viewed thousands of times -- have been shared in a misleading context. Both photos predate the Russian attack: one image has circulated in reports since 2011 about an oil refinery fire in Japan, while the other has circulated in reports since January 2022 about a Russian military drill. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows helicopter operated by the Royal Thai Army After a fire at a plastics factory in Thailand injured dozens, a photo surfaced in Facebook posts purporting to show a Royal Thai Army helicopter and questioning why the chopper was not deployed to quell the blaze. The claim is misleading; the photo actually shows a helitanker during an exercise in the United States in 2020. Meanwhile, a second photo in the posts genuinely shows a Thai helicopter. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends wake of police killing victims Sonya and Frank Gregorio A video circulating online purports to show Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attending a wake for a mother and her son who were killed by a police officer in the northern Philippines in December 2020. The clip has been viewed more than a hundred thousand times on YouTube and shared in multiple Facebook and blog posts. The claim is false: the video contains a doctored photo of the wake that has been manipulated to include an image of Duterte. The president did not visit the wake, a spokesperson for his office told AFP on January 22, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Dr. Cynthia Maung will represent Myanmar at ASEAN summit in October 2021. Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim Burmese doctor Cynthia Maung was invited to represent Myanmar at an ASEAN summit after junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was banned. The claim is false: a spokesperson for Maung said the reports were "fake news". There have been no official reports that a representative for Myanmar appeared at the summit. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Images of civilians suffering during war in Ukraine Facebook posts asking for prayers for victims of the war in Ukraine, accompanied by photographs of suffering civilians, have been shared dozens of times in Kenya and Tanzania. But these posts are misleading; the pictures actually show victims of the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows dead fish after China's military drills around Taiwan in 2022 Footage appearing to show dead fish that have washed up on a beach has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media alongside the misleading claim it was filmed after China staged military drills around Taiwan in August 2022. The video, however, has previously circulated online since at least November 2021, when there were multiple Chinese-language reports about dead fish washing up on a beach in China's Huizhou city. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Ryan Reynolds posed with a shirt criticizing Canadian Conservative Party An image of actor Ryan Reynolds holding a t-shirt with a message criticizing Canada's Conservative Party is being shared in posts on Facebook. The image is doctored; the original photo is of American musician George Strait holding a country-themed t-shirt. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: UV wands are endorsed by the CDC and a doctor A widely-viewed ad on Facebook urged people to buy ultraviolet light wands to protect themselves during the coronavirus pandemic. But experts say that although UV light can be used against the virus, it can also damage unprotected eyes and skin, while the ad linked to a webpage that falsely claimed endorsement from US health authorities and a doctor. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Tweets by Zambia opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema Screenshots of two different tweets purportedly sent by Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema have been circulating on social media ahead of the national elections on August 12. The attributions to Hichilema are false; the original tweets were lifted from Hichilema’s Twitter timeline and digitally altered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Road from Eldoret to Mosoriot in Kenya A photo has been shared hundreds of times on social media in Kenya alongside a claim that it shows a road connecting two towns in Kenya’s Rift Valley province. However, the claim is false: the image features a winding tree-lined road that cuts through the Flinders Chase National Park in South Australia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Hurricanes are being controlled and weaponized A TikTok video viewed more than 12,000 times claims hurricanes can be controlled and used as weapons. This is false; the clip cites two abandoned patent applications for proposed methods to avert disasters, and experts say no such technology exists. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Photo: Photo shows South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol standing at a centre of a NATO leaders' group photo Korean-language social media posts have repeatedly shared a doctored image of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol apparently standing at the centre of a group photo of NATO heads of state at the Madrid summit in June 2022. The posts suggested NATO purposefully placed Yoon in the centre to celebrate him "as a key global leader". Yoon, however, has replaced NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the manipulated photo. Yoon was separately photographed at the summit with four other Indo-Pacific leaders who attended as observers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows attack on Hindu households in Bagerhat in April 2022 A video has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows Hindu homes targeted by arsonists in Muslim-majority Bangladesh's southern Bagerhat district. While a Hindu man's house was genuinely attacked in Bagerhat on April 11 over a controversial social media post, the footage shows an accidental fire in Chattagram district that happened weeks before. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images show Karnataka hijab row protests Facebook posts sharing photos of women wearing headscarves in the colours of the Indian flag claim they are Muslim students rallying against a hijab ban in schools in southern India. The posts circulated as nationwide protests over the ban swept the Hindu-majority country in early 2022. In fact, the photos have circulated in news reports since 2017 about Indian independence day celebrations. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: UNHCR says refugees in Malaysia are resisting COVID-19 tests A claim that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated “migrants and illegals” in Malaysia were resisting test for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, over fears of arrest has been shared in multiple posts on Facebook. The claim is false; UNHCR officials in Malaysia said the alleged statement is fake and condemned the erroneous claim for stoking “unnecessary fear and distrust”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Genepil, the last queen of Mongolia Social media posts shared hundreds of times claim a portrait of a lavishly dressed woman is Queen Genepil, the last queen consort of Mongolia. However, the claim is false; historians and archivists told AFP there was no evidence the photo showed Genepil. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows Afghanistan woman stoned to death in November 2021 A graphic video that shows a woman stoned to death in Afghanistan has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Twitter alongside a claim it was filmed in November 2021. The clip circulated online almost three months after the Taliban seized power of the country following a nearly 20-year insurgency. But the video has been shared in a misleading context; it shows a woman who was stoned to death in Afghanistan in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Nigeria destroyed one million Covid-19 vaccine doses A video has been shared repeatedly in Korean-language social media posts that claim it shows Nigerian authorities destroying one million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Some posts praised Africa's most populous country for being "wiser" than South Korea and other Western countries. But the video has been shared in a misleading context: the footage has circulated in news reports since December 2021 about Nigeria disposing of one million expired AstraZeneca vaccine doses. Nigeria has pledged to inoculate more than half of its population by the end of 2022 -- but its vaccine rollout has so far been slow. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Wearing a face mask compromises our immune system Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared tens of thousands of times claim that wearing a face mask compromises a person's immune system. The claim is misleading; wearing a face mask does not negatively impact the immune system, according to health experts; as of July 2020, international health authorities and governments around the world recommended wearing face masks as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Clip taken in East Palestine, Ohio shows toxic tap water Social media users claim a video of brown tap water was taken in East Palestine, Ohio following the February 2023 derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals. This is false; the footage was taken in the US state of Oregon and is unrelated to the accident. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Drinking iced water could make one gain belly fat Facebook and Twitter posts have long warned that drinking iced water can increase fat in the stomach. The claim is false; health experts said there was no connection between drinking iced water and fat formation. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Former leader of the Indian National Congress Sonia Gandhi sat on the lap of former Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. A photo shared hundreds of times on Facebook purports to show the former president of the Indian National Congress Party Sonia Gandhi sitting on the lap of the former Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The claim is false; the photo has been doctored from an AFP photo of Gandhi’s meeting with Gayoom in New Delhi in 2005, during which they sat on separate seats. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Covid-19 precautions for immunized people could mean vaccines are not effective Fox News host Tucker Carlson asks in a video viewed more than 450,000 times on Facebook why people immunized against Covid-19 need to observe measures such as mask use if vaccines are effective. But the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes clear that precautions remain necessary because it is not yet known how well the shots protect against variants or prevent people from spreading Covid-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Canadian children with COVID-19 symptoms will be quarantined separately from a parent Facebook posts shared thousands of times in Canada claim that parliament has passed a law that would allow the government to quarantine a child who showed COVID-19 symptoms at school separately from a parent. This is false; Canada’s legislature has not passed any such law during the pandemic, and an expert said such legislation, federal or provincial, would easily be struck down as unconstitutional in the courts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Video: Obama overwhelmed by crowds chanting "Fuck Joe Biden" A video shared on social media appears to show Barack Obama losing control of a rally, as a profane slogan directed at President Joe Biden is seemingly chanted by the crowd. But the clip was manipulated to add the audio insulting Biden, and the former US president was responding to a protester challenging him about Russia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows exorcism at NATO meeting A video has been viewed more than one million times on social media alongside a claim it shows an exorcism at a NATO meeting. This is false. The footage shows a dance performance at a Belgium university in 2017. Both the university and the theatre group told AFP that the performance had nothing to do with NATO. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Picture shows real banner at an opposition party protest in Sri Lanka An image has been shared repeatedly by Sri Lankan Facebook users that shows opposition party members protesting against deforestation. The photo purports to show some protesters holding a banner that contains profanity. The banner, however, has been digitally altered to include an expletive. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Corona virus infects chicken in Sri Lanka Several photos have been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim they show poultry in Sri Lanka that was infected by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; Sri Lankan authorities said the coronavirus has not been discovered in poultry; the photos were taken from various unrelated reports online and show chickens sickened with other diseases. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Graphic claims that certain countries require government-issued press credentials A graphic shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook in Hong Kong contains a claim that government-issued press credentials are required in China, the UK, the US and Singapore. The posts, which circulated during Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests, suggest the territory should also make it mandatory for journalists to obtain government-issued press passes. The claim is misleading; among the countries listed in the graphic, only China requires journalists to have government-issued press passes. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: [Hoax circulates online that Aung San Suu Kyi plagiarised a historic Russian poem] -- Expensive poem -- (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Starbucks CEO critical quote on traditional marriage Social media users claim Starbucks interim chief executive, Howard Schultz, said people should not buy the chain's coffee if they support "traditional marriage." But there is no evidence Schultz ever said this, and the company said the quote is made-up. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Hong Kong police arresting protesters after July 1st rally. A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which claim it shows Hong Kong police arresting protesters one day after a demonstration in the city on 1 July, 2019. The claim is false; the video corresponded with local media reports about the arrest of three people over an incident that is not related to the protest; police told AFP that three people were arrested in connection with a case of suspected illegal imprisonment and rape; a local councillor also told AFP the arrests were made in a case of domestic violence and false imprisonment which was not connected to the July 1 protest. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A Pakistani girl named Tara Baloch achieved an IQ test score of 162. A screenshot that claims a Pakistani girl achieved a score of 162 in an IQ test administered by the world's largest high IQ society has been shared thousands of times in social media posts. The posts also claim this child has an IQ higher than those of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. However, the claim is false: the child is Iranian, not Pakistani, and there are no records of Einstein and Hawking having taken IQ tests. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: These photo show a Hindu woman who was killed after marrying a Muslim man. Two photos — one of a young woman and one of a female corpse — have been shared in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter that claim they show a Hindu woman who was killed after marrying a Muslim man. The photos were published alongside an image of an invitation to an interfaith wedding. The claim is false; these are old photos that show an actress and the body of a Muslim girl who was reportedly murdered in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photograph shows slaves in Libya A photograph shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to show victims of “modern day slavery” in Libya. AFP spoke to the photographer who took the picture, who said it actually shows Eritreans tortured in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Cats nearing death urinate around the house to be remembered Feline behavioural experts have rejected a claim shared thousands of times in Thai-language posts that cats approaching death will urinate around the house in order to leave their scent, ensuring their owners remember them. They told AFP that although cats might urinate outside their litter box due to health or age-related issues, there is no scientific evidence to support the posts' claim. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Clarence Thomas ignoring two people who offered to shake his hand in 2021y 2021 A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter and Facebook that claim it shows US Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas ignoring two people who offered to shake hands with him at an event in early January 2021. The claim is false; the original video was published by UK newspaper The Guardian in October 2019. According to the report, the clip shows a pallbearer snubbing US Senator Mitch McConnell at a memorial for former senior Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows a lightning phenomenon in Venezuela A photo has been shared hundreds of times on multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter which claim it shows “Catatumbo lightning”, an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs in Venezuela. The claim is false. The photo was actually taken in Greece; the photographer who took the image has said it is "a sum of 70 consequent lightning photos”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: WHO recruiting on Facebook A post circulating on Facebook claims the World Health Organization (WHO) is recruiting via a job portal called the Recruitment Trust. But this is false: the UN agency has confirmed it only hires people through its official careers website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of policewoman raped in Punjab in north India Three photos showing the body of a dead policewoman and her identity card have been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram alongside a claim that she was raped before she was killed. The claim, however, is false: according to Punjab police, the policewoman died in a road accident on October 1, 2020; the official police complaint does not mention rape or murder. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: South Carolina truckers headed for anti-vaccine mandate rally Supporters of Canada's "Freedom Convoy 2022," an anti-vaccine mandate protest on wheels, shared a video of a trucker convoy from South Carolina claiming it showed US sympathizers also heading to the rally in Ottawa. This is false; the video was taken in August 2021 in South Carolina during a Special Olympics fundraiser, the man who shot the clip told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Nigeria bans children under 18 from buying SIM cards News articles in Nigeria claim that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has banned the sale of SIM cards to children younger than 18. This is misleading: the NCC is indeed considering the move, as reflected in one of its draft regulations, but the policy is yet to come into effect. An NCC spokesperson confirmed this to AFP Fact Check. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Indian soldier injured in Kashmir attack A photo purporting to show an Indian soldier who was injured in a deadly suicide attack in Indian administered-Kashmir has been shared thousands of times on Facebook and other social media platforms. The photo is of a Russian soldier and was taken during the 2004 Beslan school siege. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern smoking crack A video circulating on social media appears to show New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern smoking crack cocaine. However, the video is fake and was posted on a YouTube channel that uses artificial intelligence to make deepfakes of Kiwi politicians and celebrities. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows rescue workers on the scene after a military plane crash that killed 12 people in Myanmar on June 10, 2021. A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows rescue efforts after a Myanmar military plane crash on June 10, 2021. The claim is false: the clip in fact shows the aftermath of a Myanmar military passenger plane crash that killed five military officers in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: These are not photographs of mentally ill people in Indonesia being taken in a trial run to vote in elections A Facebook post features several photos it claims depict a simulation of mentally-ill people being escorted to polling stations so they can vote in Indonesia’s upcoming presidential election. The pictures are from past media articles about the mentally ill, and they have no links to voting or the April elections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Arrested Pakistani man sitting with Pakistani PM at his wedding An image circulating on Facebook and Twitter purports to show Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan at his wedding in 2018 pictured sitting next to a Pakistani businessman arrested over an alleged assault. The image, however, has been doctored to include the arrested man's face. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Narendra Modi's portrait on Gujarat man's home during Arvind Kejriwal visit A picture was shared thousands of times in posts claiming it shows a portrait of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi displayed at the home of a family that opposition politician Arvind Kejriwal visited while campaigning in Gujarat in September 2022. Posts mocked Kejriwal for visiting people who apparently backed his rival. However, the image has been doctored. The portrait actually showed a different person, not Modi. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos do not show explosion on Sino-Myanmar pipeline​. Four photos have been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim they show an explosion at the Sino-Myanmar gas pipeline. The posts circulated online in March 2021 after Beijing expressed concern over the security of the twin pipelines project following the Myanmar military coup. The photos, however, have been shared in a false context: none of them show an explosion at the Sino-Myanmar pipeline. As of April 19, 2021, there have been no credible reports of a gas pipeline explosion in Myanmar following the military coup. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows woman killed in Myanmar anti-coup protests in 2021 A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and online forum posts alongside a claim it shows a Rohingya woman killed during anti-coup protests in Myanmar in 2021. The claim is false: the photo has circulated since at least 2017 in online posts unrelated to the recent coup in Myanmar. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Videos show Taiwan leader's Covid-19 vaccine did not have a needle A video of Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen receiving her Covid-19 shot at a Taipei hospital has been viewed thousands of times in multiple social media posts alongside a claim there was no needle in the jab. The claim is false: the needle can be seen in other footage taken during Tsai's vaccination. The hospital told AFP that Tsai was vaccinated with a pre-filled syringe which has an undetachable needle. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows flooding at Hyderabad airport in India in 2020 A video of a flooded runway has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram alongside a claim it shows an airport in the south Indian city of Hyderabad after the city experienced heavy rains in October 2020. The claim is false; this clip has circulated in reports since 2017 about flooding at Mexico City International Airport in August that year. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows chair made by a serial killer from human remains Two photos of a "creepy" chair have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim it was created by a notorious American serial killer from actual human remains. But the claim is false. The photos show a chair that was created by an Australia-based special effects artist using latex. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Marcos Jr's son responds to Duterte criticism of his father After outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte slammed presidential hopeful Ferdinand Marcos Jr as a "weak leader", a viral video purported to show Marcos Jr's son expressing dismay over the remarks. The clip has been taken out of context; it shows Sandro Marcos talking about a local political rival with a similar nickname to Duterte in an interview in which he did not mention the president. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: UAE bans three-month tourist visas for Nigerians Widely-shared articles and social media posts have claimed the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has placed a ban on issuing three-month tourist visas for Nigerian passport holders, following the arrest of five Nigerians in the country in connection with a robbery. But travellers need not worry: UAE authorities have confirmed that the visa policy has not changed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Chechen man fights with Russian policeman who insulted Islam A video of two men fighting has been viewed tens of thousands of times in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts claiming it shows a fight between a Chechen man and a Russian police officer who insulted Islam. The claim is false; the video circulated in news reports about a fight between a man and the security guard of a café in the Moscow region. Russian police officers heard in the video do not mention Islam. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Timberland founder was notorious slave owner A Facebook post claims the founder of Timberland was a slave owner who would hang his slaves from a tree on his Mississippi property, which later became the symbol for the popular boot company. This is false; Timberland boots were created in the 1970s by a Russian immigrant who bought a shoe company in Massachusetts, the company's history shows. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Taliban hanging a man from a helicopter US Republican politicians shared a video of a man hanging from a fixed line below a helicopter in Afghanistan, claiming it shows the Taliban executing him. This is false; footage shows he was affixed by a body harness, not a ligature around his neck, and journalists say he is a Taliban member who was attempting to attach the group's flag to a pole. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows annual book donation festival in Toronto An image showing a street laden with illuminated books has been shared in multiple Facebook posts in March 2021 alongside a claim it shows an annual book exchange festival in Toronto, Canada. The claim is misleading: the image actually shows an art installation staged in Toronto in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The video shows flooding after the Three Gorges Dam in China was opened Dramatic footage of water torrenting over a seawall and into the road has been shared in Facebook posts claiming it shows flooding after China's giant Three Gorges Dam was allegedly opened after overflowing in August 2021. The claim is false; the video shows a tsunami in Japan in March 2011, and AFP found no reports of flooding from the Three Gorges Dam in August 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Images of a young Sonia Gandhi A montage of photographs of a woman lounging on the beach in a bikini has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside claims it shows a young Sonia Gandhi, former president of the Indian National Congress party. The claims are false, the woman in the photos is film star Ursula Andress. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Russia has required its male citizens to have more than one wife A claim that the Russian government has required polygamy for its male citizens has been shared in multiple posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This claim is false: polygamy is not allowed under Russian law. The misleading posts appear to be based on a Russian politician’s proposal to allow polygamy that has not been enacted into law as of April 23, 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Maduro says France should open its borders to Africans Various online reports have quoted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro as saying France should open its borders to African immigrants because it is “responsible for the misery” in Africa. But the comments aren’t real; they originally came from a parody article. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Advertisement from the American Postal Workers Union says fascism will not stop the mail An image retweeted more than 100,000 times appears to show an advertisement from the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) saying that fascism will not stop the mail and calling on people to “save” the post office ahead of the presidential election, when mail-in voting will be key. The claim is false; an APWU spokesman said the image is not from the union, and a San Francisco-based graphic designer said she created it. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: R. Kelly was released from prison in June 2021 Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim American singer R. Kelly was released from prison in June 2021. This is false; prison records and Kelly’s lawyer say he remains behind bars awaiting trial on sex-related charges, and the posts use a two-year-old picture of Kelly leaving a detention center. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Fossil fuels do not come from the “transformed remains of long dead organisms” and “fossil fuels” is a term coined by John D Rockefeller John D. Rockefeller claim (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Did a dog lift its leg to urinate against Raila Odinga’s campaign vehicle Facebook posts claiming to show a dog urinating against a vehicle bearing the face of Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga have been shared more than a hundred times. The claim is false; the image is a composite of two separate and unrelated pictures. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Unproven: Footage shows ballot fraud in Maricopa County, Arizona Footage of supposed "mules" stuffing ballots into drop boxes in Maricopa County, Arizona has circulated online alongside allegations of wrongdoing in the 2022 US midterm elections. This is misleading; there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the state, where residents are legally allowed to return several votes at once. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Iran’s missile strike on US base in Iraq A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube which claim it shows Iran firing rockets at a US base in Iraq. The claim is false; the clip is from a military themed video game called ARMA 3. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo published by NASA shows surface of the Sun A photo has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim it shows “the most clear picture of the Sun's surface” captured by US space agency NASA. The claim is false: the photo is an edited image that was taken by an independent photographer. NASA told AFP that the photo was "not a NASA image". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Oklahoma hospitals are overwhelmed by ivermectin overdoses Online articles and social media posts claim that overdose cases from people using anti-parasitic drug ivermectin against Covid-19 are overwhelming hospitals in Oklahoma, citing remarks by a doctor in the US state. But hospitals at which the doctor has worked rejected the claim, and the Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information said it has received limited calls about problems related to the drug. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: World Health Organization expelled from Russia and Moscow offices closed Social media posts shared hundreds of times in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States falsely claim Russia has expelled the World Health Organization (WHO) from the country and closed the agency's offices in the capital Moscow. A WHO spokesperson told AFP the health agency "continues to operate" in Russia. As of August 9, AFP did not find any official reports indicating the WHO was expelled from Russia. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Federal Medicare program pays for seniors' groceries and full health coverage Facebook posts advertise a "Medicare Flex Card" that seniors can use to pay for expenses such as groceries. But the cards are not provided through Medicare -- the US insurance program for people 65 and older -- and experts say that such ads should be approached with caution, warning that some exaggerate eligibility and benefits. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows crowd shouting opponent’s Kamal Nath name at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's rally A video of an Indian state chief addressing a public rally has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim it shows the crowd shouting support for his opponent. The claim is false; the audio in the video has been manipulated to include chants for an opposition politician from the Indian National Congress party. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Captured Indian Air Force officer dancing with Pakistan soldiers A video that has been viewed tens of thousands of times on social media purports to show an Indian fighter pilot who was shot down, captured and then released by Pakistan, dancing with Pakistani soldiers while in captivity. The claim is false; the footage was posted online before the Indian pilot was captured; the pilot does not appear in the video. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Foreign-born parents preclude Kamala Harris from becoming president Social media posts shared thousands of times claim that Senator Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's running mate, could not become president because her parents hailed from abroad. This is false; she was born in the United States, making her constitutionally eligible to be both vice president and president. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: New Zealand children learning about Islam after Christchurch mosque shootings Multiple posts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter have shared a video that they claim shows New Zealand children at a mosque learning about Islam after the March 15, 2019 Christchurch shootings. The claim is false; the footage has circulated online since at least 2016 and shows Dutch children visiting a mosque in Holland. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo identifies man with pro-Trump hat as Nashville bomber Social media posts sharing a photo of a man with a “Trump 2020” hat claim he is the “Tennessee Christmas bomber.” This is false; the photo does not match the one released by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of Anthony Quinn Warner, identified by authorities as the person allegedly responsible for the explosion in Nashville. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: NSW passed a new law to ask employers pay for Covid-19 vaccine side effects Multiple social media posts have falsely claimed the state government of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia passed a law requiring employers who put in place vaccine mandates to compensate staff for any adverse reaction. The posts go on to say affected staff will continue to receive compensation "for the rest of their lives". While a similarly worded proposal was filed by a state lawmaker in 2021, parliamentary records show the bill was voted down and did not become law. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: NASA warned asteroid will crash with Earth in six months Social media posts in Thailand have shared a claim that US space agency NASA warned an asteroid is on path to hit Earth and cannot be stopped by nuclear weapons. The claim is false: the posts misrepresented as real a NASA simulation exercise involving a fictitious asteroid. A NASA report found no known asteroids pose a significant risk to Earth over the next 100 years. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Safaricom’s cash giveaway for thanksgiving festival A post shared on Facebook claims that African telecommunications company Safaricom is offering a cash prize of 10,000 Ethiopian birr (about $190) in a promotion to mark the Irreecha festival – an annual thanksgiving ceremony in Ethiopia. The post contains a link purported to lead to a site with information about how to participate in the giveaway. But the claim is false: Safaricom told AFP Fact Check that it is not running such a promotion. The post was published on an impostor account and the link leads to an unrelated website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Very few people attended a Move Forward Party rally in Krabi province. A photo showing only around two dozen people at a political rally has been misleadingly shared in posts that mock Thailand's second largest opposition party for what appears to be a poorly attended event. But the photo -- which surfaced on social media weeks before Thai voters head to the polls -- only captures a snippet of a rally for the leftist Move Forward Party in southern Krabi province in April. Local police and multiple news reports say hundreds more people trickled in after the event was delayed by rain. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Magnetic bracelet helps with weight loss Facebook posts claim that wearing a magnetic bracelet will lead to dramatic weight loss. But experts dismiss the claim as scientifically unfounded, and consumer advocates warn against purchasing such products. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image of Bhavani dam in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh Politicians from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have shared a photo of a dam in posts celebrating the inauguration of a major dam project in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The posts -- which were subsequently shared hundreds of times -- are misleading; the photo shows a different dam built in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows Jawaharlal Nehru trying to kiss a woman A photo has been shared thousands of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, trying to kiss a woman. The claim is false; the photo actually shows an actor playing Nehru in the 2013 play ‘Drawing the Line’. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: New York Times used private school photo for story on Delhi public schools Multiple posts shared hundreds of times in India claim The New York Times misleadingly used a photo of an Indian private school in a front-page story about improvements in the South Asian nation's public schools. The posts go on to claim that the newspaper was paid to publish the story. These claims are false. In fact, the newspaper used a photo from a New Delhi-based public school. A spokesperson for the paper said the article was not a paid-for advertorial and instead reflects its "impartial" and "on-the-ground reporting". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: "Baalenciaga" spelling in ad campaign is evidence of demon worship As Balenciaga is criticized for ad campaigns that some say condoned child exploitation, social media users claim the Latin translation of a modified spelling of the luxury fashion house is evidence of demon worship. But the reading is inaccurate, according to dictionaries and an expert. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Nigerian government buys WhatsApp Posts circulating widely on Facebook in Nigeria claim that the Nigerian government has purchased the instant messaging service WhatsApp for 3 billion naira ($7.3 million) and plans to use it to spy on citizens. This is false; Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company, told AFP Fact Check that the Nigerian government has not purchased the messaging platform. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Pakistan Army shelling Indian security posts in Kashmir in August 2019 A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which claim it shows the Pakistani Army destroying the Indian military’s checkpoints in the disputed Kashmir region on August 6, 2019. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since 2017 in reports about a military operation along the Line of Control (LoC) - the de facto border that divides disputed areas in Kashmir between India and Pakistan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Novel coronavirus is just the common cold Conservative US radio host Rush Limbaugh compared the novel coronavirus to “a common cold," prompting debate over the virus’ lethality. This is misleading; the strain discovered in late 2019 differs from and is more deadly than the human coronaviruses that can cause a cold, health experts say. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Cold weather-related heart issues are cover for vaccine problems Social media posts claim an article warning about an increased risk of heart issues during cold weather is part of a conspiracy to cover up rare cardiovascular illness caused by Covid-19 vaccines. But several studies have shown that falling temperatures can cause stress on the heart, and health authorities and experts say people who remain unvaccinated are at greater risk of contracting the virus and suffering related heart complications. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Rocks delivered to Abidjan port instead of cars An image of a gigantic rock in a shipping container has been shared thousands of times in social media posts claiming that it was delivered to a port in Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan instead of two vehicles that were ordered online from Dubai. The claim is false: the image shows the minister of mining in Malawi during the interception of a Chinese-bound shipment of quartz rock from the capital Lilongwe. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Gummy candy Yupi is made from pork gelatine A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in posts circulating in Muslim-majority Indonesia that claim it shows pork gelatine was used in an Indonesian confectionery brand. Consuming pork products is forbidden in Islam. But the claim is false: the confectionery brand has a halal certificate from the Indonesian Ulema Council, the top Islamic authority in the Southeast Asian archipelago. The posts actually shared footage from a Belgian broadcaster's documentary that does not refer to the Indonesian brand. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Anambra state has the lowest unemployment rate in Nigeria Nigeria’s former central bank governor, Professor Charles Soludo, claimed that Anambra state in southern Nigeria has the lowest unemployment rate in the country and attributed this to his party — the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). But the claim is misleading: the politician cited outdated statistics. The latest available data show that other states have lower unemployment figures. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Kenya's first lady hands out free business funds A Facebook page registered in the name of Kenya’s first lady Margaret Kenyatta claims to be giving business funding to Kenyans, no strings attached. However, AFP Fact Check found that the page is a scam, and a presidential spokeswoman confirmed that the first lady was not offering the advertised financial aid. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: The video does not show detained Myanmar president handcuffed after military coup in 2021 A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows Myanmar’s President Win Myint after he was detained in a military coup on February 1, 2021. The claim is false: the video shows Win Myint being driven in a car after he was elected president in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: A livestream camera malfunction in Nevada led to election fraud Live footage of ballot counting in Nevada's second most-populous county cut out the night of November 9, 2022, prompting a wave of claims on social media that the incident was a cover-up for fraud in the US midterm elections. These allegations are unproven; Washoe County said it did not tally or report any votes while the livestream was down, and that it confirmed no one entered the ballot room or registrar's office during that time. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo shows the Chinese pirate queen Ching Shih A black-and-white photo of a woman has been shared thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows the Chinese pirate queen Ching Shih, who was active in the early 19th century. However, the claim is false. The photo actually shows an indigenous Ainu woman who lived in the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and it was likely taken in the early 20th century, experts told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Frozen waterfall caused by recent Texas storm A photo showing a frozen waterfall inside a house has been shared on social media with claims that it was taken in Texas during the recent devastating winter storm. This is false; the image has been on the internet since 2018, more than two years before unusually cold weather wreaked havoc in the southern United States. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Huge crowd at Malaysia's IOI City Mall due to air conditioner promotion Pictures of a long queue and a man appearing to receive medical attention have been shared hundreds of times in Facebook posts that claim they show people at the IOI City Mall in Malaysia's Selangor state lining up to take advantage of a sale on air conditioners. The posts claim people can skip the long lines by visiting a website instead where they can provide personal information. The claims are false. IOI City Mall told AFP that no such event had taken place on its premises. The queue photo was shot at a mall in Vietnam in 2015, and the photo of the man was taken at a football ticket sale event in Indonesia in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A boy rescued from Chambal river flood in India. Footage of men on a boat rushing to save a drowning boy is circulating in posts claiming it shows a dramatic rescue on India's Chambal river. The posts, which racked up tens of thousands of views, circulated as heavy rain sparked deadly flooding in India in August 2022. However, the video was actually filmed in Bangladesh and has circulated online since August 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video of a raid on illegal workers in Indonesia just before national elections? A video clip that has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook purports to show a raid on illegal Chinese workers carried out by the Indonesian government a few months before April’s presidential election. The video does show a raid on illegal workers, but the footage is four years old and has no connection to the polls. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Irish government poster warns sudden death is among side effects of Covid-19 vaccines An image has been shared repeatedly in social media posts around the world that purports to show a poster from an Irish health agency listing "vaccine side effects" that include "sudden death". The image is a hoax; the Irish health agency says it did not issue the poster. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows tsunami caused by the earthquake in Turkey in February 2023 Footage of massive waves crashing onto a beach is circulating in social media posts that falsely claim it shows a "tsunami" triggered by a devastating earthquake that struck near the Turkish-Syrian border on February 6. The clip has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in the posts, but it actually shows waves that lashed a beach in South Africa in March 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Human remains do not match Brian Laundrie's DNA Social media posts claim that human remains found in a Florida nature reserve were not a DNA match for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of slain road tripper Gabby Petito. But local authorities say dental records confirmed the remains were Laundrie's, and that a DNA analysis has not yet been performed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photos show new bridge linking Cebu and Bohol in the Philippines Facebook posts shared thousands of times contain multiple photos of bridges alongside references to a planned infrastructure project connecting two Philippine towns including the phrases "open bridge" and "we can now roam around". The posts are using the photos in a misleading context; none of them were taken in the Philippines and construction of the planned Philippine bridge has not yet begun. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Fireworks display at Taiwan's tallest building for Diwali A video has been shared on social media alongside a claim that it shows a fireworks display to celebrate Diwali at Taiwan's tallest building, Taipei 101. The claim is false: the video shows a New Year's fireworks display at the skyscraper on December 31, 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Kamala Harris called young voters "stupid" A short video clip of Kamala Harris shared with the claim that she called young voters “stupid” has spread on social media after the California senator was chosen as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee. The claim is misleading; in the full 2014 speech, it is clear that Harris was discussing the “bad decisions” made by 18-24 year olds to highlight efforts needed to reduce recidivism among young offenders. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: An ice rink in Adelaide, South Australia, will be turned into a morgue for COVID-19 victims A claim that 500 body bags were delivered to an ice skating rink outside the Australian city of Adelaide has been shared widely on Facebook during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; South Australian health authorities said the claim is a “myth” and a spokesperson for the local ice rink said “the rumour is completely false”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Delhi school-fee refund is only for Muslim students In Hindu-majority India, social media posts have been shared hundreds of times claiming a government circular says “only Muslim students” are entitled to a fee refund in New Delhi's private schools. This is misleading: the text of the circular states the scheme applies to minorities studying in private schools. The city’s minority commission and a researcher told AFP that private school students from many different groups -- not just Muslims -- are eligible for the programme. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Texas school shooting was staged 'false flag' event (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Boy buried alive in church foundation walls Thousands of Facebook users have shared photos which purportedly show a 12-year-old boy who was buried alive behind the walls of a church. In fact, the boy was not buried alive -- the pictures show a boy who fell into a gap between a house and a wall in Ondo State, Nigeria, back in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video shows a wind turbine exploding during a storm Social media posts share a video that purportedly shows a wind turbine shattering in heavy winds during a storm. This is false; the clip is a years-old digital creation from a US-based artist. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Instagram page showing antifa symbol belongs to Illinois shooting suspect Social media posts and online articles share a purported screenshot of an Instagram profile said to belong to the man accused of killing seven and injuring dozens in a mass shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois, in an effort to link him to far-left ideology. This is false; an archived version of the suspect's Instagram profile does not resemble the image circulated online, and no clear motive has emerged in the killing spree. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

No Evidence: COVID-19 was in US in November 2019 US-based Facebook users claim in posts shared tens of thousands of times that the novel coronavirus was infecting people as early as November 2019. But experts say evidence does not indicate the virus was spreading within the United States at that point, and health authorities put the first case of infection in the country in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows lava stream from Mount Semeru's eruption in Indonesia in 2021 A video has been viewed millions of times in social media posts that claim it shows a stream of lava from the eruption of Mount Semeru volcano in Indonesia in December 2021. The claim is false: the video actually shows a lava flow from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, according to scientists. The video corresponds to similar footage of Kilauea from 2017. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Drinking lemon and bitter kola enhances manhood Study on rats (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: An image shows an explosion at the Pentagon on May 22, 2023 Social media users are claiming an image shows a fiery explosion outside the Pentagon on May 22, 2023. This is false; the Defense Department confirmed to AFP that there was no such attack, and the picture of the supposed blast appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence technology. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows US troops parachuting into Ukraine A video of soldiers jumping out of a plane with parachutes has been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook in South Africa alongside a claim that it shows US paratroopers joining the war in Ukraine. But this is false: the footage, which has been viewed millions of times, has been online since at least 2016 and features US soldiers performing parachute drills at the Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows the US dumping bodies of Covid-19 victims A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple Chinese social media posts alongside a claim it shows bodies of Covid-19 victims being dumped into a shipping container in the US. The posts circulated online as the US recorded thousands of daily Covid-19 deaths. But the video has been shared in a false context: it actually shows a scene from a fictional American television drama. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

This Video Shows A Total Solar Eclipse In Chile In 2019, Not The Recent Conjunction Between Jupiter And Saturn: Video shows "Star of Bethlehem" A video showing people on a beach looking up at a light in the sky has been shared on social networks alongside claims it captured the recent conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn, a planetary alignment dubbed by some as the “Star of Bethlehem”. But these claims are false; the footage was taken in 2019 and shows a total solar eclipse that was seen in Chile and elsewhere in South America. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: American taxpayers did not pay for President Trump's salary A claim shared thousands of times on social media suggests Donald Trump was not paid during his presidential term while President Joe Biden is. The claim is misleading; while in office Trump did receive a salary funded by American taxpayers but he chose to donate it to various government agencies. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows 74-year-old woman dancing with grandson A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter, Facebook and Weibo which claim it shows a 74-year-old woman dancing with her grandson. The claim is false; the video is a clip from a Chinese dance television programme that shows a 26-year-old Chinese ballet dancer with her dance partner. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: EU praises Nigeria president for rescue of kidnapped children After Nigeria secured the release of hundreds of schoolboys abducted by Boko Haram in December 2020, the president’s aide tweeted a quote from an alleged statement by “the EU Human Rights Forum” praising the government's swift rescue response. The story was widely covered by leading Nigerian media which reported that the EU had issued the statement. However, AFP Fact Check has found no public trace of an EU-linked organisation or the spokesman quoted in the statement. The European Commission also confirmed that neither existed. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of Indonesian crew praying on submarine KRI Nanggala 402 before sinking An image has been shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and news reports alongside a claim that it shows Indonesian sailors praying on a submarine before it sank in April 2021. The claim is false: the image has circulated in reports since at least July 2020. The photo was taken at a different submarine, the administrator of the Instagram account who posted the image says. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Cyclone Jobo in Tanzania A video has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in Kenya alongside a claim that it shows Cyclone Jobo in Tanzania in April 2021. The claim is false: the footage actually shows Cyclone Kenneth hitting Mozambique in southern Africa in April 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan gets grand welcome at Qatar World Cup 2022 An old video of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan greeted by adoring fans has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times online with the false claim it shows him at the Qatar World Cup. The video actually shows him opening an Indian jewellery chain in Qatar in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Quote on fear misattributed to Hermann Goering A post shared several thousand times on Facebook claims that the Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering said during the Nuremberg trials that "the only thing a government needs to turn people into slaves is fear." However, there is no trace of the statement in trial records, and a similar remark found in a book by a psychologist who collected Nazi testimonies related to war, not fear. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Videos shows French President Emmanuel Macron being slapped in 2022 Videos show a man slapping French President Emmanuel Macron in 2021, but social media posts falsely claim they were shot in November 2022. The incident took place in June 2021 during a visit to southeastern France ahead of the presidential elections. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of May 2019 IS attack on Egypt churches Three photographs have been shared in multiple Facebook posts uploaded May 2, 2019 which claim they show an Islamic State group attack on a Catholic church in Cairo, Egypt “a few moments ago” which left 43 people dead. The claims are false; the images are actually photographs taken by the European Pressphoto Agency which show a 2017 Islamic State group attack on churches in Egypt. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Walmart CEO said company will close if theft continues Social media users claim Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon said the corporation would shutter if theft continues at its stores. This is misleading; while the head of the US retail giant addressed record shoplifting in a television interview, he did not warn of a potential companywide closure, which analysts say is unlikely. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Supporters cheer for Bongbong Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte at start of 2022 election campaign As the presidential candidates in the Philippines hit the hustings for the three-month campaign, a video clip was viewed tens of thousands of times in posts that claim it shows a Philippine arena packed full of supporters for presidential frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte. Although the pair did attract a large crowd at a rally in early February to kick off their campaign, the video has been shared in a false context. The footage actually shows the inauguration of a church-owned arena that was attended by late president Benigno Aquino III in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a robot in a mall in China monitoring mask-wearing A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in social media posts claiming it shows a few "pandemic robots" enforcing mask-wearing rules in a shopping mall. But the claim is false: the video actually shows computer-generated imagery created by a visual artist. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of anti-Maduro protest A video of protests calling for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation was shared thousands of times on social media. Although several thousand people did march in the streets of Caracas on January 23, 2019, one of the most widely shared videos supposedly depicting these protests was actually shot in 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Indian soldier shooting stone-throwing protester in Kashmir A graphic video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in posts that claim it shows a man shot by the Indian military in India's part of the disputed Kashmir region. However, the claim is false. The footage shows a coca farmer who was injured while handling dynamite at a protest in the Bolivian capital La Paz in August 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Text of the speech the South Korean president was to give at US Congress. Korean-language text has been shared repeatedly in social media posts that falsely claim it is the speech that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was going to give at a joint session of the US Congress on April 27, 2023. The supposed speech stresses the importance of the countries' alliance and criticises Yoon's predecessor for "openly supporting North Korea". But the text, which began circulating days before the English-language speech was delivered, is a fabrication and Yoon's actual speech was significantly different. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: South Korean president overshadowed by first lady in all official photos. Social media posts shared in South Korea have misleadingly suggested that President Yoon Suk Yeol was overshadowed by his wife in "all the photos" released by the presidential office of their recent visits to the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland and within South Korea. But a review of all the official photos from these events found Yoon appeared in most of them. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Image of gospel preacher executed in Syria Facebook posts sharing an image of a smiling man with a noose around his neck claim that he was sentenced to death in Syria for “preaching the gospel”. The claim is false; the image shows an Iranian man moments before he was executed in 2007 for assassinating a local judge. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: FIFA will keep Pele's feet in a museum As the world mourned the death of football legend Pelé, Facebook posts falsely claimed that FIFA would display his feet in a museum, attributing the information to Brazilian news outlet TNT Sports Brasil. FIFA rejected the claim, while TNT Sports Brasil said it was not the source of information. Pelé was buried on January 3 in Santos, the Brazilian city where he played for most of his career. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Graphic by Dainik Bhaskar shows UK PM Rishi Sunak praising former Indian PM Social media users have repeatedly shared a purported media graphic from an Indian newspaper that has been digitally altered to make the false claim that it shows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak making a complimentary remark about Manmohan Singh, a former Indian leader. A senior editor at the publication told AFP the image had been edited and it had never published such a graphic or report. AFP found no official reports indicating Sunak made the remark in public. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image shows a deaf kid with orange backpack in Thailand? A photo of a child with an orange backpack has circulated for years in Facebook posts in Thailand that claim it shows a deaf child donning the bag as part of a road safety initiative in the kingdom. However, the photo shows a campaign in China to raise awareness of deaf children among drivers. Thailand has not introduced such a measure as of August 4, 2022, although it does have a similar campaign offering black school bags with fluorescent tabs to deaf children. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: UK’s Oxfordshire County Council approves climate lockdown for 2024 After Oxfordshire County Council in southeast England approved a £6.5 million ($7.93 million) trial to reduce traffic congestion, false posts wrongly suggested that councillors had approved a "climate lockdown" for 2024. The council's spokesperson said that residents would be free to move around the city and no lockdown had been ordered. A campaigner who backed the trial told AFP the scheme aims to help to reduce congestion, while an Oxfordshire councillor who opposed the trial said the social media posts were "untrue". (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: UberBus coming to South Africa Multiple posts have resurfaced on social media implying that rideshare company Uber is introducing UberBus to South Africa. The claims are misleading; the company has made no such announcements and again denied plans to launch the service in the country. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Pakistan parliament member dancing to Bollywood song A video of a man dancing at an event has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in posts circulating in India that claim he is a Pakistani politician. The claim is false; the footage shows a Pakistani choreographer dancing to a Bollywood song at a wedding in January 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Fire at Rochester, New York's City Blue Imaging linked to ballot fraud cover-up Social media posts claim that City Blue Imaging misprinted ballots, linking a Christmas Eve fire there to an alleged effort to cover up fraud in the 2020 election. This is false; the Rochester, New York company says ballot printing is not a service it offers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thgis photo shows people in Kerala formed India’s ruling party flag to welcome Yogi Adityanath in Feb 2021. A photo of thousands of people forming the lotus flag of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it shows supporters welcoming a minister visiting the southern state of Kerala in February 2021. The claim is false; the photo shows BJP fans forming the flag in 2015 to mark the party's 35th anniversary. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts which claim it shows the helicopter crash that killed US basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people on January 26, 2020. The claim is false; the video has circulated in media reports about a helicopter crash at an airshow in Russia in 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Martha's Vineyard is a sanctuary city and migrants have been deported Online posts claim the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, is a designated "sanctuary" for undocumented migrants, and that a group flown there by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has since been "deported." This is misleading; at least three towns on Martha's Vineyard have passed sanctuary policies, but the entire island has not declared itself as such -- and the migrants have been relocated to the nearby Joint Base Cape Cod. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows Indian athletes participated in a farmers' protest A photo of three Indian wrestlers who won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in August was shared thousands of times on social media alongside the claim it was taken at a farmers' protest against controversial agriculture laws introduced in 2020. Whilst one of the wrestlers had expressed public support for the protests, the photo was shared in a misleading context. It corresponds to news reports about a ceremony to welcome back athletes who had participated in the Tokyo Olympics. A farmers' union leader who was present at the ceremony told AFP that it had nothing to do with the protests. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Demonstration during G7 was Satanic ritual Images of people dressed as mimes and black birds depict a satanic ritual on the margins of the G7 summit in England, online posts claim. This is false; both groups were part of demonstrations organized by environmental activists who had no formal connection with the leaders’ meeting and had nothing to do with devil worship, a G7 spokesman and a protest organizer said. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows Leni Robredo admitting election offence. A video of Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, who is running for president in 2022, has circulated on social media alongside a claim that she violated election rules by accepting campaign donations into her personal bank account. However, the claim is misleading. The footage has been taken from a 2016 interview in which Robredo discussed donations that had been made legally during her bid for the vice presidency. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows traffic light swept away by flooding in south India A video of a traffic light being swept away along a flooded street has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it was captured in the Indian city of Hyderabad in 2020. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since May 2018 in reports about flooding in the Chinese city of Yulin. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Report submitted to VAERS provides evidence of dangers of Covid-19 vaccination for breastfeeding mothers Multiple online posts have shared a report they claim is “evidence” that Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 jabs are dangerous for breastfeeding mothers. The posts are misleading: they cite a spurious report about a breastfeeding mother who was allegedly vaccinated in March 2020, two months before Pfizer-BioNTech started clinical trials for its Covid-19 jabs. As of early May 2021, health authorities said it was safe for breastfeeding mothers to get vaccinated against Covid-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Jay-Z and Beyoncé bought DMX's master recordings The death of US rapper Earl Simmons, commonly known as DMX, was followed by claims that Jay-Z and Beyoncé are purchasing his musical masters -- the original recording and licensing of a song -- for $10 million. This is false according to a representative of DMX and family members. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: ANZ is stopping people from withdrawing cash After major Australian bank ANZ said it would end over-the-counter cash withdrawals in some branches, misleading posts started claiming the move was a ploy to prevent the public from accessing cash to force them to shift to digital currency. But a spokesman for the bank said withdrawals can still be done through ATMs for branches that no longer handle cash at the counter. While Australia has been considering digital currency, finance experts told AFP the bank's decision was likely due to an overall decline in the public's use of physical cash. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Wind and solar are less than one percent of Australian electricity sources As Australia faced a mounting energy crisis, Facebook users shared a claim that wind and solar make up less than two percent of the country’s energy mix. However, the claim -- which circulated hundreds of times -- is misleading. An energy scholar told AFP that the figures cited in the claim are just a snapshot taken at a specific time and do not accurately reflect Australia’s energy mix. Figures from the Australian Energy Market Operator indicate that around 18 percent of the country’s power was supplied by wind and solar sources over the previous 12 months. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indonesian President Joko Widodo has been appointed new UN secretary-general YouTube videos with tens of thousands of views falsely claim that Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, has been appointed United Nations Secretary-General by the incumbent Antonio Guterres. There are no official reports to support this claim. The top role is not appointed by the current secretary-general, but by the UN's 193 member states on the recommendation of the Security Council. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: News report on warning to South Africa’s ANC by Putin A purported screengrab posted on Facebook in South Africa and shared hundreds of times purports to show a news item published by local media house News24 according to which Russian President Vladimir Putin told the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to stop meddling in its affairs. But this is false; News24 denied the report belonged to them while the Russian embassy in South Africa dismissed the claim of a warning from Putin. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: CCTV footage shows flight attendant Christine Dacena violently attacked in the Philippines on New Year’s Eve 2020 A video has been viewed more than one million times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows CCTV footage of a violent attack on a flight attendant in the Philippines on December 31, 2020, shortly before she died. The claim is false; the video has circulated in reports since 2016 about a Chinese woman being assaulted at a hotel in Beijing. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Putin in South Africa in March 2023 After the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant last month for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a video re-emerged on social media claiming to show him arriving in South Africa for an official visit. But this is false: the video was filmed in July 2018 ahead of the 10th summit of the BRICS group, which South Africa hosted. AFP Fact Check previously debunked a similar claim about the video a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Video shows Volvo CEO hit at auto braking system demonstration A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media alongside a claim that it shows Volvo’s chief executive being run over by a self-braking car. The claim is misleading; while the video shows a genuine incident in 2015, during which a car smashed into staff at a car dealership in the Dominican Republic, the man hit was not the CEO of Volvo. The automaker told AFP that the car was not equipped with a pedestrian detection system. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Mass anti-junta protest at Myanmar's Shwedagon Pagoda A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows an anti-junta protest at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Buddhist Myanmar's most revered holy site, in October 2021. In fact, the image has been doctored from a photo of a protest by railway workers in Myanmar in February 2021. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Thai opposition party leader’s military draft documents are fake? An image has been shared hundreds of times in Twitter and Facebook posts that claim that the military conscription documents for the leader of Thai opposition party Future Forward were “faked”. The claim is false; the image of the politician's purported documents is actually a stock image previously used on Wikipedia; the Future Forward leader denied the claim on Twitter; the Royal Thai Army said the Future Forward leader had taken all the “necessary steps” to complete his military service in 2001. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Message shared on your feed will prevent Facebook from accessing user data Reports circulating around the world claim Facebook's parent company Meta has adopted a new policy to allow the platform unrestricted access to user content, including deleted messages. The claim is false; Facebook and a cyber security expert said the rumours were baseless. AFP previously debunked a similar chain message that circulated in 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Photo shows hangings at Nuremberg Trials A photograph has been shared in multiple Facebook and Instagram posts that claim it shows a public hanging in “Nuremberg, Germany” where “members of the media” were purportedly executed. The posts are misleading: the photograph has in fact circulated in reports that state it shows a public hanging in Kiev, Ukraine -- not in Nuremberg, Germany. Only one member of the media was executed as part of the Nuremberg trials, according to an expert. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Protest in Colombia on November 21, 2019 An aerial video showing a crowd of people singing during a demonstration has been shared by prominent US Senator Marco Rubio with the claim that it shows a demonstration in Venezuela on November 16, 2019. The same video was also shared thousands of times in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French with the claim that it showed a demonstration in Colombia. Both claims are false. The video was recorded during a protest in Venezuela on January 23, 2019 when opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president of the country. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A video shows eggs being destroyed in the United States, causing a shortage Social media posts suggest a video viewed millions of times online shows the mass destruction of eggs in the United States amid a shortage. This is false; the clip comes from an Argentinian company that was ordered to get rid of the eggs while testing for avian influenza. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Kenya’s president speaks after Ruto wins 2022 poll A TikTok account claims to show a video of Kenya's leader criticising the recent election after his backed candidate Raila Odinga lost in a narrow race against rival contender William Ruto. But this is false: the clip, which received thousands of shares, is from 2017. It shows President Uhuru Kenyatta slamming the judiciary for annulling his election victory and ordering a re-run, which he won. By August 30, 2022, Kenyatta was yet to publicly talk about the results of the latest ballot. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Chaos during a protest outside Indonesian parliament in Jakarta in April 2022 A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in Facebook and TikTok posts that claim it shows chaos at a protest against rumoured plans to extend the presidential term limit, which was held outside the Indonesian parliament building in Jakarta on April 11, 2022. The claim is false; the footage shows a demonstration in the same location back in September 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Kashmir separatist leader Yasin Malik dies in Indian jail A Pakistani media report, citing the BBC, claimed that Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik died in an Indian jail. Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared the news. But the report is false; the BBC denied publishing any such news; Indian jail authorities and Malik’s lawyer told AFP that Malik was alive. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Unproven: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had a burner Twitter account called "zaza demon" US conservative influencers and politicians are amplifying claims that Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was caught using an alternative Twitter account to threaten people who disagree with her. This is unsubstantiated; there is no evidence the now-deleted, anime-themed page belonged to the New York Democrat, who has denied any connection to it. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Vice President Sara Duterte's statement to public school teachers Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in the Philippines purport to contain advice for public school teachers from Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on how to handle inadequate classroom resources. The daughter of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte became head of the archipelago's education department after she was sworn in last month. But AFP found identical advice in Tagalog-language was shared by a Filipino Facebook user six years before Duterte's appointment as education chief. The original post was also edited to insert an image of Duterte standing at a pulpit at an event in early July 2022, during which she made no such comments. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Local resident burnt migrant’s shop in southern India's Tamil Nadu Facebook posts have shared footage of a man setting a shop on fire, falsely claiming he targeted a store in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu belonging to a migrant from Bihar state. The clip surfaced as reports of violence against Hindi-speaking workers in the mainly Tamil-speaking state sparked panic, despite local officials insisting the rumours were baseless. The fire actually occurred in Kerala state and police told AFP it was unrelated to migrant workers. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: South Korean lawmakers giving themselves 20 million won pay rise in 2022 Multiple Facebook posts circulating in early January 2022 criticise South Korean lawmakers for apparently approving a pay rise for themselves of about 13 percent. However, this claim is misleading. Weeks before the posts circulated online, the South Korean government approved a plan that would increase government workers' salaries by 1.4 percent. A spokesperson for South Korea's parliament told AFP that lawmakers' pay rise would not be higher than the figure stated in the plan. An expert on South Korean public administration told AFP a 13 percent hike in lawmakers' salaries was unlikely. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Kyiv, Ukraine is a mecca for big pharmaceutical companies A video that shows dozens of listings for pharmaceutical companies with offices in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been viewed tens of thousands of times on social media. The posts alluded to unproven claims -- promoted by Russian state media -- that US-funded labs in war-torn Ukraine are developing biological weapons. But the video has been shared in a misleading context; while the companies shown in the video all have offices in Kyiv, most are headquartered elsewhere and also have other global offices. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Multiple posts claim that consuming dried butterfly pea flowers causes liver cancer. Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times in Myanmar claim that consuming dried butterfly pea flowers causes liver cancer. The claim is misleading; health experts and government regulators in Myanmar say butterfly pea flowers are not carcinogenic; the doctor cited in the posts denied issuing such statements. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Prize of maize flour has risen to 353 Kenyan shillings The increase in the cost of living in Kenya has led to a spate of online falsehoods, with supporters of the government and the opposition squaring off by sharing misleading posts about food prices. One claim purported to show that the price of a 2-kilogram packet of maize flour had risen to 353 Kenyan shillings ($2.58), while another alleged that its price had actually decreased to 154 Kenyan shillings ($1.21). Both assertions are misleading: they referred to specific promotions, with the more expensive offer including a large bottle of a popular soda brand. AFP Fact Check found that maize flour is retailing at an average of 190 Kenyan shillings ($1.50) in Nairobi’s major supermarkets. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Showering at night causes water in lungs A claim that showering at night will cause water to enter lungs has been shared tens thousands of times on Facebook. The claim is false; showering at night does not cause water to enter ones' lungs, medical experts say. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video showing Pakistani immigrants drowning off Libya. After a spate of deadly shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, Facebook posts shared footage of a boat overturned by a massive wave that they falsely claimed showed 28 boys from Pakistan drowning off the coast of Libya. The video, which racked up hundreds of thousands of views, actually shows the US coast guard rescuing a suspected boat thief off the coast of Oregon. Nobody died in the incident. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Obama warns against Covid vaccines No proof of quote (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: "We won" the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election The US state of Arizona has certified Democrat Katie Hobbs's victory in the 2022 governor's election, but Republican Kari Lake still claims she won. This is false; official results showed Hobbs received more votes, and there is no evidence widespread fraud affected that outcome. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image of Chinese military vehicles across Taiwan Strait in 2021 A photo of military vehicles at a railway station in China is circulating on social media in November 2021 as tensions escalate between Beijing and Taiwan. However, the posts are misleading; the picture -- which the posts portray as recent -- has circulated online since at least October 2020. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Joe Biden wants to take people's guns away A Facebook post by the National Rifle Association claims that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden responded “Bingo!” when asked if he would “take away guns.” This is misleading; he was specifically referring to assault weapons, and said there is “no legal way” to take those that people already own. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: Korean newscaster bursts out laughing while reporting China motorcycle ban A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter, Facebook and Weibo that claim it shows a Korean news presenter laughing about a motorcycle ban in China. The video, however, appears to have originated as satire: it has been doctored from a Korean television commercial that has circulated online since at least 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Forbes says half of the world’s 10 richest pastors are Nigerians Multiple social media posts claim that American business magazine Forbes had ranked five Nigerians among the 10 richest pastors globally. But Forbes told AFP Fact Check it has not published such a list. The claim is a misinterpretation of an old ranking published on a now-defunct website. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Floods in West Pokot A video of cattle being swept away by floods has been shared a hundred times on Facebook, with a claim that it took place in West Pokot County in Kenya. However, the claim is false; the video shows floods in Mexico’s Nayarit state. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Atiku Abubakar makes misleading claims on Arise TV Nigeria is bracing for a general election next year to determine leaders for key offices in the country, including President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor. Among the contenders for the top job is ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, who made a series of claims during an interview with local broadcaster Arise Television. AFP Fact Check reviewed the interview and found some claims to be either misleading or false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Federal student debts cost $60 billion more to service than it brings in A tweet claims student loans annually cost the US government $60 billion to service and that canceling them would save at least that much money. This is false; experts say the loans did cost the government billions in 2020 when payments were suspended during the pandemic, but that the program is usually close to breaking even and canceling all debts would cost much more -- over $1 trillion. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Information from a Philippine hospital shows correlation between COVID-19 and grocery shopping A claim that data from a hospital in the Philippines shows a correlation between grocery shopping and COVID-19 has been shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook and Twitter. This is misleading; the hospital refuted the claim, saying "no such observed trend" had been found among its COVID-19 patients. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video of Chinese rocket landing in Indian Ocean Footage of what appears to be a space rocket crashing to Earth is circulating in multiple social media posts alongside a claim that it shows debris from a Chinese rocket that made an uncontrolled landing into the Indian Ocean. However, the claim is false; the video clip predates the Chinese rocket’s recent re-entry to Earth and actually captures a SpaceX prototype rocket owned by billionaire Elon Musk that crashed in Washington last February. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: South Korean flu vaccines are made in China Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter in October 2020 claim that more than 40 South Koreans have died after receiving a flu vaccine that was imported from China. The posts suggest that all flu vaccines recently administered in South Korea have been imported from China. The claim is misleading: South Korea did launch an investigation in October 2020 into the deaths of 72 people who died shortly after receiving flu shots as part of the country’s nationwide vaccine programme, but health authorities told AFP none of the flu vaccines available locally were made in China; as of October 29, South Korea’s Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that of the 72 deaths recorded, 71 were not believed to be linked to flu shots and a further probe had been ordered into the remaining one death. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Vaccinated people are not allowed to drive or buy cars in Germany Facebook, Twitter and Telegram posts circulating in various languages falsely claim that German authorities have banned vaccinated people from buying or driving a car. The German insurers' federation and the country's biggest motoring association rejected the claims, while the transport ministry said it had not changed legislation for vaccinated drivers and had no plans to do so. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This photo shows South Korean president holding pro-North Korea placard A photo of South Korean President Moon Jae-in shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts purports to show him holding a placard that criticises the United States and promotes Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. The image, however, has been doctored. The original photo, published in October 2015, shows that Moon was holding a placard opposing plans to introduce state-authored history textbooks. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Getting a Covid-19 vaccination will cause death or other illnesses. As Pakistan battled a fourth coronavirus wave, a screenshot of an Urdu-language newspaper article warned about the "dangerous consequences" of Covid-19 vaccines. The article -- which was shared thousands of times on Facebook -- makes a string of misleading claims about the jabs. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: A photo shows Dr Mehmet Oz kissing Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Social media users are sharing an image that appears to show Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor running for US Senate in Pennsylvania, kissing former president Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But the image has been digitally manipulated; the original photo shows Oz, known for his television role as "Dr Oz," kneeling to kiss his own star at the landmark. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Billionaire called helicopter to save him from traffic You may have seen viral posts on Nigerian social media this week claiming that a helicopter came to the Benin-Ore part of the Lagos-Benin road to pick up a billionaire who was stuck in traffic. Another version says the chopper came in to pick up the girlfriend of a Nigerian “big boy”. But the company operating the helicopter has dismissed claims that it was simply picking up a VIP annoyed by the gridlock -- its chief operating officer says it was performing an evacuation for a person in need of urgent medical care. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: World Health Organization meeting cancelled after Geneva airport explosion Claims that a planned World Health Organization (WHO) meeting in May 2022 was cancelled after "massive explosions" at Geneva Airport in Switzerland have been shared in several social media posts. However, the claim is false. Although flights to and from Geneva were disrupted following a fire next to the airport, the WHO meeting went ahead as scheduled. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Face masks don't protect from COVID-19 A viral video shared on multiple social media platforms shows a woman outside a US store making several misleading claims about the use of face masks including that they do not protect from COVID-19 and that their use makes you sick. Research backed by leading academic institutions and international health bodies recommends they be used along with other measures to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: Photo shows a real two-leg camel An image has been shared hundreds of times in Bengali-language Facebook posts that claim it shows a real two-legged camel in a desert. The same image has circulated online since at least March 2018 alongside a claim it shows a camel in Saudi Arabia that survived a land mine explosion. The claim is false: the image has been digitally altered from a photo of a four-legged camel taken in Pakistan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Caterpillar bite killed people in India Social media posts warn of a colourful caterpillar whose sting purportedly killed two people after it infested farmland in India. The claim is false; the posts show photos of a man and a boy fatally struck by lightning, not stung by a caterpillar. An entomologist said that while human contact with the creature could result in painful skin irritation, there had been no reports of it killing people. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Dubai's Burj Khalifa lit up with Sri Lankan flag colors to celebrate Sri Lanka's 2020 Independence day A photo of the Burj Khalifa lit up in the colours of the Sri Lankan flag has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside claims that flag was displayed to commemorate Sri Lanka’s 72nd Independence Day in February 2020. This claim is misleading; the photo actually shows the Sri Lankan flag projected on Dubai's iconic skyscraper in April 2019. The flag was displayed following the Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo on April 21, 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Trump administration bans student visas for Nigerians Posts on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and multiple blogs in Nigeria claim that the Trump administration has placed a ban on visas for Nigerians seeking to study in the United States. This is false; the US embassy in Abuja has called on Nigerians to disregard the claim, which it described as “fake news”. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Partly False: VigiAccess data proves Covid-19 vaccines are not safe A South African political party claims in widely shared Facebook posts that Covid-19 jabs are unsafe, based on reported side effects experienced by vaccinated people. But AFP Fact Check found the basic research used as evidence in the claim comes from a database that clearly explains how reported reactions to various drugs do not necessarily equate to actual side effects. Vaccines have scientifically been proven to be safe and outweigh any potential risks. The political party also promotes ivermectin as a Covid-19 drug but regulators say there is inadequate proof to show it is a viable treatment for the disease. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: Quezon City in the Philippines requires face shields in public areas As Covid-19 cases surged in the Philippines in January, Facebook posts shared copies of a local ordinance alongside claims the most populous city in the country has made it mandatory for the public to wear plastic shields on top of face masks "within the city area". But these posts are inaccurate, according to the Quezon City government that issued the ordinance.As of January 13, face shields are only required in "high risk" areas like hospitals, a spokesperson for the city told AFP. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: COVID-19 means 'certificate of vaccination identity', leading to a mass vaccination effort which, alongside the rollout of 5G, weakens the immune system Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times by Filipino Facebook users make several false claims about a future vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The posts also make claims about a link between a potential vaccine and the rollout of 5G technology. The claims are all false, according to health experts. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Images show Yeti Airlines flight 691 crashing in Nepal Images of old plane crashes have resurfaced online with misleading context after a plane with 72 people crashed near Pokhara, Nepal. The images that have been shared online actually show plane crashes in Guam in 1997, Afghanistan in 2013 and in Nepal's capital Kathmandu in 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows US soldier wiping saliva on train in Wuhan A video has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim it shows a US soldier spreading the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, by wiping his saliva on a subway train handrail in the Chinese city of Wuhan in October 2019. The claim is false; the video circulated in reports in March 2020 about an incident on a subway in Belgium; the Belgian transport body said the man in the video had been arrested over the incident. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Front cover of US magazine features cartoon of Rahul Gandhi A Facebook post shared hundreds of times claims the front page of a US magazine featured a cartoon of Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. The claim is false; the image carried in the post has been doctored. The original cartoon, drawn in 2012 by David Horsey for the Los Angeles Times, is about corporate donations in American politics. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Four people in Thailand have died from consumption of animal meat that are infected with lumpy skin disease virus. Facebook posts shared thousands of times warn that four people have died in Thailand after eating meat infected with lumpy skin disease, a viral infection in cattle. The claim is false. Thai authorities told AFP the reports were baseless, and the disease is not transmissible from animals to humans. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar criticising Maryam Nawaz False posts viewed hundreds of thousands of times have shared a video they claim shows a Pakistani soap opera writer criticising politician Maryam Nawaz -- niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif -- after she tweeted a controversial remark about a Pakistani journalist who was shot dead by police in Kenya in 2022. However, the video shows a speech that the writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar gave in 2020 where he spoke against a female academic and women's rights activists. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Barack Obama’s message ahead of 2022 election in Kenya A video of former US president Barack Obama shared alongside a claim that he is encouraging Kenyans to remain peaceful ahead of the 2022 general election has been viewed multiple times on TikTok. The claim is false; the video is nine years old, and it shows Obama addressing the people of Kenya before the election in 2013. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows Sri Lankans dancing to welcome IMF officials to the country As Sri Lanka battles an unprecedented economic crisis, a video was shared thousands of times in social media posts that falsely claim it shows airport employees welcoming officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with a dance performance. The video in fact shows a "flash mob" organised by airport staff to mark the start of a low-cost airline's flights into Sri Lanka in 2019. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Portrait shows China’s Emperor Qianlong, seen in the middle A black-and-white portrait of three men was shared in multiple social media posts alongside a claim that the man in the middle is Emperor Qianlong, who ruled China for much of the 18th century, during the Qing Dynasty. The claim is false; the photo in fact shows Chinese men in the late 19th century, according to a UK museum that published the original. The first known photograph including a human was taken in the 1830s, decades after the death of Emperor Qianlong. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: “Virus removal card” that can prevent infection from Covid-19. Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook purport to show a “virus removal card” that can prevent infection from Covid-19 when worn around the neck. The claim is false: scientists told AFP that the cards are not effective in protecting the wearer from Covid-19. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered: USA Today report says Neuralink testing has killed more than 3,000 monkeys Social media users are sharing a photo of a supposed USA Today article reporting that Neuralink, a biotechnology firm owned by Elon Musk, conducted animal testing that resulted in the death of more than 3,000 monkeys. But the newspaper did not publish such a story, and its parent company confirmed the screenshot is fake. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Study found gas stoves cause increased risks of cardiovascular events An altered screenshot appearing to show a tweet by US television station KOB 4 about research that shows homes with gas stoves have an "increased risk of cardiovascular events" has been shared hundreds of times on social media. A spokesperson for KOB 4 told AFP their original tweet about links between gas stoves and asthma had been manipulated. A health expert also told AFP that no published study associated gas stove cooking with a risk to heart health. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: This video shows US tanks captured by the Taliban A video has been shared multiple times on social media with a claim it shows US-made tanks and other military vehicles that have been seized by the Taliban in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The claim, however, is false: experts told AFP the vehicles are not American, and were made in the Soviet Union; and the location in the video resembles a "tank cemetery" in Kandahar where many discarded Soviet weapons are stored. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Muslim man mixing toilet cleaner in gol gappa water A video has been viewed thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows a "jihadi" mixing toilet cleaner into the flavoured water that fills a popular Indian street snack. The claim is false. The video's creator told AFP that it was scripted and aimed to "make people aware" of the food safety issue. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Users in South Korea can get discount on their phone bill by dialing without the first three digits. Korean-language Facebook posts circulating in May 2021 purport to share a tip about how people can obtain a discount on their mobile phone bills. The claim is false: the South Korean government and domestic telecommunications operators said the purported tip was not genuine. South Korean media outlets previously debunked the claim after it first circulated in 2014. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Photo Out Of Context: Justin Trudeau wore a kilt at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow A Facebook post claims that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore a kilt at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. This is false; images of Trudeau at the summit show him in a suit, and the photo used to illustrate the post was taken in Canada in August 2015, before the Liberal Party leader won the premiership. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos show Indonesian comedians declaring support for Prabowo Subianto A Facebook post shared thousands of times features three photos it claims show two popular Indonesian comedians, Entis Sutisna -- known as Sule -- and Andre Taulany, demonstrating their support for opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto. The post is misleading: the main image has been doctored, while the other two photos are screenshots of momentary gestures made while the comedians hosted President Joko Widodo on their TV talk show. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Fans gathered at Beijing police station where pop star Kris Wu is detained A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in Twitter, Weibo and Facebook posts, alongside a claim it shows fans of Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu singing outside a police station in Beijing where he was detained in 2021. The claim is false: the video has circulated since 2019 in social media posts about Wu attending a public event, and was filmed in Guangzhou city -- not in Beijing. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows fight at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim it shows a fight at a resort in Singapore. The claim is false; the video actually shows a group of people fighting at a hotel in Florida. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Australian man accused of New Zealand mosque shootings beaten in prison A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands times on Facebook and YouTube in posts claiming it shows prisoners beating the alleged New Zealand mosque gunman after he was arrested. The claims are false; the video is of an accused terrorist being beaten in a Canadian prison 2015. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Egrets are all females and enjoy sound of thunder to get pregnant Multiple Burmese-language blog posts shared thousands of times on Facebook in Myanmar claim that egrets, a type of heron, are all females which "get pregnant" by "enjoying the sound of thunder". This is false. Ornithologists told AFP that there are both male and female birds within the species, and they copulate in order to fertilise eggs. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Saudi minister was spooked by fireworks at Chinese embassy in Riyadh A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in August 2022 in posts that claim it shows Saudi Arabia's defence minister fleeing from fireworks ignited outside the Chinese embassy in the capital Riyadh. This is false. The video actually shows a mock military drill in 2019 in Kuwait. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A photo shows a woman at the January 6, 2021 US Capitol attack Donald Trump Jr and others on social media are sharing a photo of an elderly, grinning woman with an American flag, exploiting her image to suggest that the crowd that broke into the US Capitol two years ago was tame and nonviolent. But the picture has been misrepresented; AFP confirmed the woman was not a participant in the chaos in Washington, but a protester more than 1,000 miles away at a peaceful rally that same day in the state of Kansas. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Satire: A Ugandan official threatened a Kenyan journalist A social media post claims that a video shows a Ugandan government minister threatening a Kenyan journalist during a live CNN interview. But the claim is false: the person who originally posted the video is a content creator who “specialises in satire”. The comedian altered a CNN clip from 2021 in which a journalist interviewed a Ugandan minister – who did not make any threats against him. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: A new species of coral in the Galapagos An image of what appears to be a striped form of sea life has been shared on Facebook thousands of times alongside a claim that it shows a new species of coral discovered near the Galapagos Islands. But the claim is false: the picture is actually a 3D fractal artwork created by a Spanish artist. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: The video shows the first Hindu temple in Saudi Arabia A video has been shared repeatedly on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim it shows the first Hindu temple in Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia. But the clip has been shared in a misleading context; it actually shows an animation of a Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates that was still under construction as of May 10, 2022. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: New Zealand town to remove trout statue due to 'offended vegan' An image of a purported news article by New Zealand media site Newshub has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook. The purported article states a rural New Zealand town is set to remove a statue of a trout after an “offended vegan” threatened to pull it down. The claim is misleading; Newshub said it did not publish the hoax article seen in the screenshot; in response to the hoax, the local authority in New Zealand where the statue is located said it had no plans to remove it. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photos of Chinese men carrying guns after attack in Pakistan in July 2021 Two photos have been shared in social media posts that claim they show Chinese workers carrying assault rifles "after [a] bus blast" in Pakistan killed several people in July 2021. But this claim is false: both images predate the bus blast and have circulated online since at least March 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Video shows a fireworks show in Japan in 2022 A video with millions of views is circulating in social media posts that claim it shows an elaborate fireworks display in Japan for New Year's 2022 celebrations. In reality, the footage was created in at least 2014 using animation software. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Missing Context: New Zealand opposition leader Judith Collins praises Trump Multiple Facebook posts shared in January 2021 purport to show a quote from New Zealand’s opposition leader Judith Collins, suggesting it shows she heaped praise on former US President Donald Trump. The posts, however, misquote Collins. Her original remarks were made during a debate in September 2020, in reference to Trump’s policies in the Middle East, not his general performance as US president. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Was Sunita Williams the first Indian astronaut? Did she convert to Islam after going to the moon? A Facebook post which has been shared hundreds of thousands of times claims Sunita Williams was the first Indian astronaut and that she converted to Islam after going to the moon. The claim is false: Williams is American with Indian heritage, she went to the International Space Station not the moon, and she has spoken publicly about taking Hindu god Ganesha into space. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Food plant fires are planned to create shortages Social media posts about a series of "suspicious" fires and other accidents affecting US food processing plants have suggested that there is a conspiracy to create food shortages. But the number of incidents is not unusual, experts say, and despite rising food prices the fires would have a minimal impact on the food supply chain which is under strain because of other factors. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Australian state to implement cashless society in 2022 Social media posts circulating in September 2021 claim the Australian state of New South Wales announced plans to establish a "cashless society by 2022" in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19. However, the claim is false. The posts share a fake press release and a government spokesperson told AFP that the reports were baseless. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Eagle catches Israeli drone flying over Gaza A picture has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that it shows an eagle catching an Israeli surveillance drone flying over Gaza. The claim is false: the picture has circulated online in reports about an eagle catching a drone during a police exercise in the Netherlands in March 2016. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: CNN reported Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest was due to Covid-19 vaccination Social media users are sharing an image that appears to show a CNN report connecting American football player Damar Hamlin's on-field collapse to a Covid-19 booster shot. But the headline has been altered; the US news outlet told AFP it published no such story, and no doctor affiliated with Hamlin has publicly blamed vaccination for his cardiac arrest. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: People in China have stopped going to hospitals for COVID-19 treatment because they have learned to “kill” the novel coronavirus with heat Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared hundreds of times in June 2020 claim that people in China have stopped going to hospitals for COVID-19 treatment and instead "kill the virus with heat" through "steam inhalation"; "hot gargles" and "hot tea". The claims are false; as of July 1, 2020, Chinese media continues to report on the hospitalisation of COVID-19 patients; experts warn the purported remedies for COVID-19 cited in the misleading posts do not cure the virus and are potentially harmful to human health. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Image of ongoing fuel crisis in the UK circulate in Kenya Images of vehicles in the United Kingdom queuing at petrol stations are circulating in Kenya as proof that fuel scarcity in the East African nation is not unique. Tweets sharing the claim downplay the Kenyan government’s role in the crisis, noting that the same scene is playing out in the UK. However, the pictures used as proof are old and the UK is not experiencing fuel shortages like Kenya. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt's cellulitis linked to AstraZeneca vaccine A claim that Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt has suffered cellulitis caused by an AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter. The claim is false: according to medical experts, cellulitis is a skin infection that may occur when bacteria enter the skin; Hunt suffered from cellulitis on his leg, not his arm where the vaccine was administered. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Photo of VIP jail cell for former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak A picture of a prison cell has been shared thousands of times in social media posts in Malaysia that insinuate it shows a "VIP prison" that will house the country’s former prime minister Najib Razak. It circulated after Malaysia's top court upheld a prison sentence for the former leader in August 2022. However, the photo actually shows a prison cell in Switzerland and the Malaysian Prison Department told a local news portal that Najib will not be receiving "VIP" treatment. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Only 200 people attended the Seoul Queer Culture Festival Two photos appearing to show sparse crowds in a square and a crowded street were shared repeatedly in Korean-language social media posts that claim only "200 people joined the Pride parade in Seoul, while 150,000 were at a nearby anti-parade rally" on July 16. However, the claim is misleading. Both events were attended by tens of thousands of people, according to police estimates. The journalist who took the photo of the smaller crowd at the festival told AFP that it was taken prior to the start of the event. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Philippine social welfare agency offers students 6,500 pesos 'scholarships' Facebook posts shared tens of thousands of times in the Philippines in August claim "all students" were eligible for cash handouts of 6,500 pesos ($116) through a government scholarship programme. The posts circulated online as the archipelago prepared to fully reopen all schools for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The claim, however, is false. The message was shared on imposter accounts for the Philippine social welfare agency, which has not offered universal cash handouts to students. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Miscaptioned: A photo shows King Charles III's jacket misbuttoned after the queen died Social media users are claiming a photo shows King Charles III wearing a misbuttoned suit jacket one day after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. But the posts are miscaptioned; the image was taken in The Gambia in November 2018. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Videos show Antifa at the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot A former US political candidate shared videos purporting to show far-left activists involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. This is false; one clip depicts a comedian, not an anti-fascist leader, while another appears to have been manipulated to darken the clothing of the Donald Trump supporters who first breached the building. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Altered Image: Photo shows Chinese character on model's clothes An image has circulated in social media posts that claim a designer was duped during a trip to China into putting the Chinese character for "demolition" on an outfit shown at Paris Fashion Week. The posts are misleading: the photo has been doctored to include the Chinese character on an outfit shown by London-based label KTZ at London Fashion Week in 2015. The designer referred to in the posts is fictitious. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

All German Fact Checks

Frei Erfunden: Coca-Cola verschenke auf Facebook Hunderte von Mini-Kühlschränken, die das Unternehmen aufgrund kleinerer Kratzer und Beschädigungen nicht verkaufen könne. Gefälschte Seiten verbreiten immer wieder angebliche Gewinnspiele im Namen von großen Unternehmen auf Facebook. Mal verschenken sieGutscheine, malGeschenktütenoder garganze Häuser. Aktuell kursiert aufmehrerenProfileneine angebliche Verlosung von Coca-Cola. Die gefälschten Seiten (Source: Correctiv)