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All English Fact Checks
Misleading: Video of Yazidi women being auctioned by Islamic State group. A clip has been viewed hundreds of times in social media posts that misleadingly claim it shows Kurdish-speaking Yazidi women being auctioned off by the Islamic State group in Syria. While Yazidi women were sold into sexual slavery or as jihadists' "wives", the clip in fact shows a piece of performance art in Iraq. Its director, Aryan Rafiq, told AFP the performance was held in Arbil market in Iraq in March 2023. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Altered Image: Billboards have encouraged Africans to have marriages and children in China Chinese social media platforms have shared a screenshot of a doctored billboard that appears to show a message encouraging African men to marry Chinese women and have many children. Text on the advertisement has been edited to suggest that rape in China would go unpunished. But the original signboard was part of a campaign by aid group Doctors Without Borders Belgium (MSF) in Liberia from at least 2006 which encouraged victims of sexual violence to seek help. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Misleading: Taking non-paracetamol medications for fever will be deadly Facebook posts in Sri Lanka have widely shared misleading medical advice warning that administering any non-paracetamol drugs for fever could "result in death". Medical experts told AFP that while certain non-paracetamol medications could have fatal consequences if administered without a proper diagnosis, this does not imply that administering them after ruling out specific conditions was fatal. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: Video shows funeral of supporters of former Pakistani PM Imran Khan A video of coffins being carried through a crowd of people has been shared thousands of times in posts that falsely claim it shows people mourning those who were killed while protesting against the arrest of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in May 2023. But the video in fact shows mourners at a funeral for Shiite Muslims gunned down in a sectarian attack at a school in northwestern Pakistan. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Recycled Rumor: Commander In Chief Of The Armed Forces Of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyy has disappeared Recycled RumorDid Commander In Chief Of The Armed Forces Of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyy disappear during the battle of Bakhmut in May 2023 or on June 3, 2023, as the country was moving forward with its counteroffensive plans? No, that's not true: The claim reused an already debunke (Source: Lead Stories)
Just Photos: Royal Families Elite Gender Inversion Just PhotosDo photos of members of European royal families prove that they are transgender and part of a purported "Elite Gender Inversion"? No, that's not true: There is no publicly available evidence that the monarchs of various European countries are transgender men or women a (Source: Lead Stories)
False: Image does not show photo captured by the James Webb telescope An image showing dark grey clouds and small specks of light on Jupiter is an illustration created using data from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jupiter mission ‘Juno’, and not a photograph captured by the James Webb Space Telescope as being claim (Source: Reuters)
Misleading: Pregnancy ultrasound does not cause the DNA damage of ‘250 chest x-rays’ Ultrasound examinations during pregnancy are considered safe, with no evidence of harm to fetuses when used correctly, contrary to an online claim of DNA damage based on a 40-year-old test-tube study of mouse cells. The text in one post sharing the claim (here) reads, “A Single E (Source: Reuters)
Altered: Photo of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie altered to exaggerate body size A photograph of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaking at a 2012 public event has been edited to increase the width of his arms and torso, leaving some social media users confused about his actual appearance. Examples of Facebook users sharing the photo as if it were (Source: Reuters)
False: According to a newspaper clipping, an American DNA expert has claimed that Rahul Gandhi is not the son of former PM Rajiv Gandhi. (Archives of several similar claims can be found here, here, and here.)We also received multiple queries on our WhatsApp tipline.What is the truth?: The newspaper clipping is fake. The Quint did not find any such report available in the public domain. (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)
False: These videos show Kuki people armed in Manipur. Three different videos showing several armed people is going viral on social media with a claim that all of them are members of the Kuki tribe in Manipur.The state has seen a series of violent clashes since May, where over 90 people have died.What does the first video show?: It s (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)
Mostly False: https://www.thip.media/health-news-fact-check/fact-check-is-spinach-unhealthy-for-you/47363/ Is consuming spinach increases the risk of kidney stones?Is there an association between the intake of spinach and the presence of kidney stones, joint discomfort, and gastrointestinal issues?Not really. Spinach serves as an excellent reservoir of vitamins, minerals, and antioxid (Source: Thip Media)
False: Rahul Gandhi said he is a Muslim The viral claim stating that Rahul Gandhi declared himself and his ancestors as Muslims is false. The breaking plates in question have been edited.New Delhi (Vishvas News) – A viral post circulating on social media claims that Rahul Gandhi said, "My ancestors were Muslims, I am a (Source: Vishvasnews)
Missing Context: King Charles inherited £650 million tax free. Claims about King Charles III's inheritance have been shared multiple times on both Facebook and Twitter , but they require context. The posts say: "Just a quick reminder King Charles inherited £650m tax free, gets £350 million a year tax free from the tax payer and has an estate (Source: Full Fact)
Missing Context: King Charles gets £350 million a year tax free from the taxpayer. Claims about King Charles III's inheritance have been shared multiple times on both Facebook and Twitter , but they require context. The posts say: "Just a quick reminder King Charles inherited £650m tax free, gets £350 million a year tax free from the tax payer and has an estate (Source: Full Fact)
Missing Context: King Charles inherited an estate worth £22 billion. Claims about King Charles III's inheritance have been shared multiple times on both Facebook and Twitter , but they require context. The posts say: "Just a quick reminder King Charles inherited £650m tax free, gets £350 million a year tax free from the tax payer and has an estate (Source: Full Fact)
Missing Context: The coronation cost £250 million of 'our money'. Claims about King Charles III's inheritance have been shared multiple times on both Facebook and Twitter , but they require context. The posts say: "Just a quick reminder King Charles inherited £650m tax free, gets £350 million a year tax free from the tax payer and has an estate (Source: Full Fact)
Missing Context: CCTV footage posted on social media shows the recent breaching of the Nova Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine. Following the recent breaching of the Nova Kakhovka Dam, near Kherson in Ukraine, a video showing an attack on the dam has been shared hundreds of times on social media . The CCTV footage, which has also been shared a number of times on Facebook , shows the dam at night, before t (Source: Full Fact)
False: Article 61 of Magna Carta gives people the power to legally overthrow a tyrannical government. A post on Facebook suggests that "Article 61" of Magna Carta means the government can be overthrown "legally" if it is believed to be "tyrannical". The post includes a picture with text which says: "The constitution actually says you can legally overthrow your government if they (Source: Full Fact)
False: GMO will cause men to grow breasts and women to develop testicles A Kenyan government decision to allow imports of genetically modified maize to help combat its food crisis has sparked disinformation, with leading politicians spreading unsubstantiated claims about the health risks of the crops. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
The asylum initial d...: The asylum initial decision backlog is down by 17,000. "The asylum initial decision backlog is down by 17,000 and we are on track to abolish all legacy cases by the end of this year." Suella Braverman MP, 5 June 2023 . In Parliament on Monday, home secretary Suella Braverman claimed that "the asylum initial decision backlog is down b (Source: Full Fact)
Fake: Fake: Kakhovka Dam Explosion Captured on Video The video currently being circulated online has nothing to do with the June 2023 terrorist attack on the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam. The video dates from November 2022, when Russian troops retreating from the Kherson region severely damaged the Kakhovka dam. A video i (Source: StopFake)
False: Having "biological boys … in their locker rooms” is a reason why “a third of our teenage girls seriously contemplated suicide last year." Teen girls are experiencing rising rates of suicidal ideation. There is no research that suggests that this is being caused by the presence of trans athletes in locker rooms. •Research suggests that the causes include feelings of isolation or loneliness, feeling like a burden on others, difficulty navigating parental and family relationships and pressures from constant exposure to social media. The number of high school girls who have considered suicide vastly outnumbers trans girl athletes. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: Video shows cows at a farm in Italy that were killed by COVID-19 vaccines. The nearly two-minute video clip circulating on social media is from 2022 and is unrelated to vaccines. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)
False: Italy’s prime minister has launched “Family Pride Month” to promote “traditional families” as a counterpoint to events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. AsLGBTQ+ pride celebrationsand demonstrations kick off in some parts of the world in June, social media users are claiming that Italy’s conservative government has come up with its own counterprogramming. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)
Labeled Satire: A picture that shows a short line at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York City was captured on June 5, 2023. About this rating On June 5, 2023, Apple unveiled Vision Pro, the company's first virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headset. The announcement took place at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California. Shortly after the news broke, t (Source: Snopes)
Unproven: Disney and Apple are partnering to launch a headset that will include a virtual Disney World. About this rating Disney and Apple are partnering to include Disney content in the Apple Vision Pro. While images related to Disney World were teased in a promotional video for the partnership, no further details were given about whether or how the park would be included in the A (Source: Snopes)
False: Israeli Ministry of Health data shows that “zero healthy people” under the age of 50 have died of COVID-19 in the country. A report obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request seeking details about COVID-19 deaths is fueling false social media posts suggesting that no “healthy young people” died of COVID-19 in the country. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)
False: Mexican TV reported that Javelin missiles sent to Ukraine reached a cartel Social media users are claiming Mexican TV reported that anti-tank missile systems the United States sent to Ukraine ended up in the hands of a Mexican cartel. This is false; the claims are based on a mistranslation of the segment, which showed a man sporting apparent gang insignia carrying the same type of military-grade weapon used in Ukraine -- but did not say the artillery was diverted from Kyiv. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
Miscaptioned: A video that went viral the morning of June 6, 2023, showed the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine being blown up hours earlier. About this rating Although the footage was authentic and depicted the in-question dam, it wasn't captured in June 2023. The video was first shared online in November 2022. On the morning of June 6, 2023, video footage surfacedsupposedly showing a real event that occurred hours ea (Source: Snopes)
Misleading: False claim of COVID vaccine link to AIDS-related illnesses recirculates There is no evidence of a “338x” rise in AIDS-associated illnesses such as herpes infections or specific cancers in the United States, contrary to online posts resurfacing a debunked narrative that COVID-19 vaccines cause an AIDS-like weakening of the immune system. Reuters has p (Source: Reuters)
Labeled Satire: ABC canceled "The View" and removed the talk show from its 2024 programming lineup. About this rating On May 28, 2023, thedunning-kruger-times.com website reported, "Canceled: ABC Removes 'The View' From Its 2024 Roster: 'Nobody Watches Anymore.'" However, this was not a true story. Dunning-kruger-times.com is associated with America's Last Line of Defense, a ne (Source: Snopes)
False: Black Lives Matter is 'officially bankrupt' Black Lives Matter organization has $30 million in assets, not bankrupt | Fact checkShow Caption Hide Caption Adidas withdraws opposition to Black Lives Matter's three-stripe logo design NBC News reports that Adidas submitted a request to block the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation from using three yellow stripes in its logo. Cover Media - Shareable, Cover Media - ShareableThe claim: Black Lives Matter is 'officially bankrupt'A May 24 Facebook video (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of a tweet from conservative commentator Benny Johnson. Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunksOur rating: FalseThere is no evidence the nonprofit Black Lives Matter is bankrupt. A recent tax filing from the organization shows it lost money in the last fiscal year, but still had $30 million in assets. "From that perspective, they've got a $30 million net asset balance, so they're pretty far away from bankruptcy." (Source: USA Today)
Mostly-True: The average amount of assistance for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is $6 a day. Average daily benefits for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, are $7.58 per person, recent data from the Congressional Budget Office shows. However, that figure factors in emergency pandemic-era allotments, which ended in February. When subtracting the emergency allotments, the daily SNAP benefit is about $6 per day, according to think tanks. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was “caught on tape saying he discarded 2.5 million mail-in ballots in Texas.” In 2020, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton mounted a successful legal challenge to block election officials from sending mail-in ballot applications to 2.4 million registered voters in Harris County, the state’s most populous county.Paxton did not discard mail-in ballots. Every legally cast ballot was counted. (Source: PolitiFact)
False: In August 2020, Ben Shapiro tweeted, “You know how much this endless parade of jokes about me and my wife bothers me? Not one bit. My wife and I both know there are much more important things in a marriage than sexual satisfaction.” About this rating A tweet purportedly written by conservative media personality Ben Shapiro in August 2020 reads, "You know how much this endless parade of jokes about me and my wife bothers me? Not one bit. My wife and I both know there are much more important things in a marria (Source: Snopes)
True: Video and pictures authentically show a flooded Novo Kakhovka Administrative District following the failure of the Novo Kakhovka Dam on June 6, 2023. About this rating In the early hours of June 6, 2023, a portion of the Novo Kakhovka Dam in Russian-Occupied Ukraine collapsed. Several nearby residents reported hearing a blast at some point between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., as reported by The Guardian: While there is still a lot of co (Source: Snopes)