Your hourly fact checks

All English Fact Checks

False: No, WEF can't 'hack your dreams' to 'fact-check your subconscious' – bizarre claim misuses two-year-old US beer ad experiment IN SHORT : Is the hard work of fighting disinformation about to get easier with new World Economic Forum tech that can simply insert fact-checks into people's dreams? No, this scenario is a mangled conspiracy theory that reads far too much into a 2021 beer advert. "We can now imp (Source: Africa Check)

Scam: Is Kenyan flour miller UNGA Limited urgently hiring? No, viral job ads on Facebook are fake IN SHORT: Scammers often target those desperate for jobs with fake ads and use names of well-known companies. Kenyans, beware of this job scam. "UNGA LIMITED COMPANY is urgently looking for the following personel, packers, drivers, cashier's, ICT literate, salesman, supervisor, W (Source: Africa Check)

Twenty thousand nurs...: Twenty thousand nurses left the New Zealand health system due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The claim 20,000 nurses left the New Zealand health system due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates is false. At the time the mandate ended, 440 nurses and midwives had been terminated, 67 had resigned and 83 had been stood down as a result of the vaccine requirements. The Nursing Council of New Zealand told AAP FactCheck the number of nurses holding Annual Practising Certificates increased over the pandemic period. (Source: Australian Associated Press - AAP)

False: A Current Affair featured a government-run course on how to invest your money The claim that A Current Affair featured a government-run course on how to invest your money is false. The Facebook video is a real ACA segment about financial literacy that’s been edited to promote a fake investment platform using an alternative voiceover. (Source: Australian Associated Press - AAP)

False: Senior lawyer appears for Sri Lankan comedian who allegedly mocked Buddhism Facebook users have repeatedly shared a false claim that Sri Lanka's former Bar Association president had represented a stand-up comedian who was arrested for controversial comments about Buddhism, the country's majority religion. The lawyer -- well known for defending freedom of speech during protests in Sri Lanka in 2022 -- told AFP he was not the comedian's legal representative. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

No Evidence: No evidence Donald Trump posted derogatory Pride message to Ron DeSantis (Editor’s note: Article contains offensive language in paragraph two) There is no evidence a screenshot of a Truth Social post by former United States President Donald Trump calling fellow Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis a homophobic slur is authentic. A screenshot (Source: Reuters)

False: The majority of AIDS patients died from medication developed when Dr. Anthony Fauci led the nation’s response to the emerging epidemic, not from the virus itself. Social media users are once again sharing the long debunked notion that Fauci, the face of the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, advocated decades earlier for a drug to combat the emerging AIDS epidemic that turned out to be more deadly than the virus itself. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)

Altered Photo: Photo Of Donald Trump On A Golf Course Is Real Altered PhotoIs this photo an accurate depiction of former President Donald Trump on a golf course on June 6, 2023? No, that's not true: The image in this post has been digitally altered to make it appear as if Trump has aged noticeably and gained weight. The actual photo, initia (Source: Lead Stories)

Michigan, 1945: Fluoride Was 'First Used In The Drinking Water Of The Soviet Gulags' Michigan, 1945Did the Soviet Union pioneer water fluoridation? Did it use it on prisoners in the Gulag system to control them? No, that's not true: The United States was the first country in the world to implement this technology, and there is no indication that the Soviet Union  (Source: Lead Stories)

Half-True: “A place like California, they give (immigrants in the country illegally) benefits. They give unemployment checks.” California provides some benefits to people in the country illegally, such as in-state tuition for college and certain health benefits.California residents who are in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for unemployment benefits. A bill that would approve this has been proposed in the state Senate. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar bill last year. (Source: PolitiFact)

Altered Media: Photos of Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson performing a Hindu ritual Images appearing to show Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson dressed as a Hindu holy man have been shared in multiple social media posts in India that falsely claim the former professional wrestler had converted to Hinduism. The images were originally posted by an Indian visual artist who told AFP he created them using the AI tool Midjourney. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Japan is not accepting refugees. A Facebook post incorrectly claims that Japan does not allow asylum applications from refugees as it wants to give priority to its own nationals. The post says: "Japan not taking in refugees; says it must look after its citizens first. Now...THERE'S an idea!" Although Japan has h (Source: Full Fact)

False: Argos is selling PlayStation 5 consoles for below £2. A Facebook post falsely claims that Argos is giving away PlayStation 5 consoles for under £2, but the retailer has confirmed that the offer is not genuine. The post says: "We are offering the P5 for sale at a price of £1.8, which includes models that were previously used in trade (Source: Full Fact)

False: Video of a recent incident from Haldwani, where a Muslim man kept a gas cylinder on railway tracks to hamper operations. The Quint received several queries for this video's verification on its WhatsApp tipline as well.(Archives of more claims on social media can be seen here, here, here, and here.)Is it true?: No. The incident is not recent either. (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)

False: This image shows Hollywood actor Tom Cruise with his stunt doubles. An image showing three look-alikes of Hollywood actor Tom Cruise posing together for a photograph is going viral on social media.The claim: Users are sharing it to claim that the image shows Cruise with his 'identical stunt doubles' at the wrap party of Hollywood movie, Mission:  (Source: WebQoof - The Quint)

Half True: A Facebook page named JK Update posted a video on June 4 and wrote, Vishvas News conducted an investigation and determined that the CCTV footage of a train accident that occurred in Hyderabad in 2019 is now being falsely shared as footage of the Odisha train accident. The viral post has been proven to be misleading.New Delhi (Vishvas News): Since (Source: Vishvasnews)

Mcontext: No evidence South Africa's governing party will 'load shed' essential social grants in 2024 IN SHORT : South Africa's temporary Covid relief grant benefits about 10 million people, but will end in March 2024. But this doesn't mean all social grants, for old people, children, the disabled and more, will be withdrawn. "The ANC will start load shedding social grants on 1 M (Source: Africa Check)

Scam: Kenyans, don't fall for scam Facebook page promising huge rewards for joining the Illuminati The Facebook page Freemason in Kenya promises huge cash rewards to people in Kenya willing to join the Illuminati. The idea of the Illuminati is a popular conspiracy theory, referred to by Vox news as "shadowy cabals that supposedly control the world". UK-based broadcaster BBC ha (Source: Africa Check)

Scam: Is Nokia running a 'hot' phone giveaway to Facebook users in Nigeria and South Africa? No, ignore fake account IN SHORT: A Facebook page that claims to be running a phone giveaway by Nokia is a scam and not affiliated to the Nokia brand. The page uses a tactic called engagement bait to persuade people to engage with its posts to boost its visibility. A Facebook page called N0kia Fellow Ph (Source: Africa Check)

Scam: Beware of Facebook page impersonating Kenyan government programme and offering loans IN SHORT: More and more Facebook pages falsely claim to offer loans to people in Kenya. Many even use the name of the government's Inua Jamii programme, but be careful of these scams. The Facebook page Inua Kenya Loans is offering mobile loans to Facebook users in Kenya. It claim (Source: Africa Check)

Satire: Claims that Donald Trump won’t pay his lawyers originated as satire Claims that former U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to pay his lawyers until they convince the Department of Justice (DOJ) to drop a rumored indictment against him originated as satire, although some social media users were apparently duped into thinking they are real. A t (Source: Reuters)

Altered: Photo of ‘trans kids are sexy’ T-shirt at Pride parade is altered A photograph showing a Pride parade participant in a plain white T-shirt and waving rainbow-coloured props has been digitally altered to add a printed graphic on his shirt that reads “trans kids are sexy.” Examples of posts on Facebook and Twitter can be seen (here) and (here) (h (Source: Reuters)

False: A four-year-old called Jack Graham, pictured in a photo with a fawn, has gone missing and is believed to be in need of medical attention. A hoax appeal shared on Facebook claims that a four-year-old child called Jack Graham, pictured in the post with a fawn, has gone missing and is believed to be in need of medical attention. Full Fact has spotted versions of these posts in social media groups in the UK, including  (Source: Full Fact)

Satire: Claims DeSantis was angered by his family watching ‘Frozen’ stem from satire Claims online that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis became “furious” after his wife admitted their daughter watches Disney’s “Frozen” every day originated as satire, although some social media users were apparently duped into thinking they are real. A tweet originally published by t (Source: Reuters)

Miscaptioned: Image shows fire at Moscow oil refinery, predates Russia's war in Ukraine An image from 2018 of a fire at an oil refinery owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft is being reshared online to falsely suggest it shows a blaze in 2023 at a Moscow factory that makes fighter jet engines. “The Chernyshev factory in Moscow, which produces engines for MiG-29 fighter jet (Source: Reuters)

False: Group with ties to Mark Zuckerberg has taken control of the 2024 election Post misconstrues grant given to an Illinois county ahead of 2024 election | Fact checkShow Caption Hide Caption Diverse GOP primary field seeks to widen appeal Race has emerged as a central issue in the 2024 presidential election as the Republican Party fields one of its most racially diverse primary slates in history. There is no evidence the nonprofit has taken control of the election process in the county. Pete Duncan, the county’s clerk and recorder, said the nonprofit has no say in how the county runs the 2024 election. “CTCL (Center for Tech and Civic Life) will not run in person or mail voting in Macoupin County as a result of the grant,” the statement says. The article also misrepresents the link between the Center for Tech and Civic Life and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. (Source: USA Today)

False: A photo shows a man at a pride parade in a "trans kids are sexy" shirt An image spreading across platforms purports to show an LGBTQ pride event participant wearing a T-shirt that says "trans kids are sexy." But the photo has been digitally altered; the original shows the person in plain white at a November 2021 parade in the US state of California, and the supposed T-shirt about transgender children is a fake that exploits a child's image. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Italy’s prime minist...: Italy’s prime minister has launched “Family Pride Month” to promote “traditional families” as a counterpoint to events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Anti-gay groups and LGBTQ+ advocates in the southern European nation confirm the government has made no such announcement. A longstanding, conservative event known as “Family Day” was held last month in Rome, but it is not sponsored by the government and is mostly focused on opposing abortion and same-sex marriage. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other right wing politicians have attended that daylong event over the years. But social media users are claiming Italy’s conservative government has come up with a new, monthlong celebration of the traditional concept of marriage between a man and a woman. “Report: Italy PM Giorgia Meloni has decided to counter ‘Pride Month’ by launching ‘Family Pride Month’ which will instead promote traditional family,” wrote one Twitter user in a widespread post. Meloni’s office did not respond to emails seeking comment, but LGBTQ+ advocates, opponents and other experts confirmed there is no truth to the claim. “There has been no such announcement by the government and, as far as we know, there has been no proposal either,” said Jacopo Coghe, a spokesperson forPro Vita & Famiglia, a Rome-based group opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. “Proof that it is fake news can be found in the fact that no Italian media outlet has ever mentioned it.” Vincenzo Branà, a spokesperson forArcigay, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy group based in Bologna, concurred, adding that the group would strongly oppose such an idea if it ever came to fruition. Some posts making the false claim even include video clips from a longstanding anti-abortion march in Rome, noted Gabriele Magni, a political science professor and founding director of the LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.Manifestazione Nazionale per la Vita, or the National Demonstration for Life, was organized in part by theFamily Day Associationand took place May 20. Over the years, Magni said, Meloni and other prominent conservatives have participated in the event, which is akin to the anti-abortion March for Life that takes place annually in Washington, D.C. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)

False: Video shows anti-Modi elements trying to sabotage and cause a rail accident An old video showing a group of young men trying to damage a railway track during violent protests against the Agnipath scheme last year is being shared with a false claim that anti-Modi elements are trying to sabotage the railways and cause an accident before the 2024 general el (Source: BOOM Live)

False: Video shows Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar celebrating state election win at a feast. An old video of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar attending an Iftar party last year has been shared with a false and communal claim that the two are celebrating their Karnataka election win at a Muslim event.BOOM found that the video i (Source: BOOM Live)

All German Fact Checks

Größtenteils Richtig: Im Rahmen der Proteste gegen das Urteil gegen Lina E. habe die Nordwestbahn in einer internen Nachricht dazu aufgerufen, Fahrgäste aufgrund äußerlicher Merkmale der Bundespolizei zu melden – zum Beispiel, wenn sie ein „alternatives Auftreten“ hätten. Diese Beschreibung habe das Unternehmen von der Bundespolizei übernommen. Seit 1. Juni 2023 kursiert ein Screenshot aufTwitter, der eine interne Nachricht der Nordwestbahn zeigen soll. Der Tweet stammt von der Basisgruppe Antifaschismus, vieleNutzerinnenund Nutzer teilten ihn. In der Nachricht heißt es, „links“ orientierte Personen auf dem Weg nach Bre (Source: Correctiv)

Falsch: Raps löse bei Hunden schwere Verbrennungen der Haut aus. Es sind furchtbare Fotos, dieseit Ende April auf Facebook kursieren. Sie zeigen einen verletzten Hund mit geröteter, geschwollener Haut, besonders im Augenbereich. Laut dem Beitrag soll das zeigen, dass Raps „schwere Verbrennungen bei Hunden, Säugetieren und sogar Menschen auslös (Source: Correctiv)

Falscher Kontext: Ein Foto zeige Olaf Scholz grinsend auf dem Wasser während Zivilisten aus den überschwemmten Gebieten von Cherson fliehen müssen. Ausgerechnet an dem Tag, an dem in der Ukraine der Kachowka-Staudamm brach, soll Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz „grinsend“ auf einem Boot sitzen. Ein Foto davon kursiert aufTelegramundTwitter. Dabei steht: „Während Zivilisten aus den überschwemmten Gebieten von Cherson fliehen müssen, (Source: Correctiv)

Falscher Kontext: Ein Video zeige einen Leopard-2-Panzer, der von einem russischen Hubschrauber abgeschossen wird. AufTwitterundTelegramverbreitet sich tausendfach ein Video, das das russische Verteidigungsministerium veröffentlicht haben soll. Die Aufnahmen sollen belegen, dass ein russischer Kampfhubschrauber einen Leopard-2-Panzer auf einem Feld abschießt. Das Video zeigt, wie ein Objekt i (Source: Correctiv)