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WhatsApp Voice Chat : How To Create / Join / Quit It?

Find out how to create, join, or quit the new WhatsApp Voice Chat feature for large groups!

 

WhatsApp Voice Chat : What Is It?

On 14 November 2023, WhatsApp launched a new Voice Chat feature for large groups of 33 to 256 participants.

Previously, both voice and video calls in groups were limited to 32 participants, so larger groups have to manually choose which users to include under that threshold. That changed with the new Voice Chat feature, which allows larger groups of 33 to 128 participants, albeit still far below the maximum limit of 1,024 members for every WhatsApp group.

Unlike voice calls, group members won’t receive any sound notifications of Voice Chats. Instead, when you start a Voice Chat, group members will see a pop-up window in the chat group. Group members can then choose to join the voice chat, or ignore it.

Recommended : No More Free Unlimited WhatsApp Backup On Android!

 

WhatsApp Voice Chat : How To Create And Stop It?

Please note that WhatsApp Voice Chat is only enabled for large groups with 33 to 256 participants. It will not appear in smaller, or much larger groups.

Here is how you can create a new Voice Chat in your group.

Step 1 : Open the WhatsApp group, in which you wish to start a Voice Chat.

Step 2 : Tap on the Voice Chat option on the upper right corner of the group chat. The icon has a blue audio wavelength symbol.

If you don’t see the Voice Chat icon, that likely means your WhatsApp group is too small (32 or fewer participants), or is much too large (257 or more participants).

Step 3 : A Voice Chat pop-up will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap on Start voice chat to initiate the voice chat for the entire group.

That’s it! All members in that WhatsApp group will now see a notification about a Voice Chat, which they can join or simply ignore.

Once you wish to end the Voice Chat, simply tap on the red X icon on the pop-up.

As you can see, it’s easy to create a new Voice Chat, and to stop it once you are done.

If you find this guide useful, please share it with your family and friends!

Recommended : Is WhatsApp Going To Charge Backup Storage Fee?!

 

WhatsApp Voice Chat : How To Join And Quit It?

Here is how you can join and quit Voice Chats in your WhatsApp group.

Step 1 : When someone begins a Voice Chat in your group, you will see a “Voice chat” notification in the chat.

Step 2 : Tap on the Voice chat link (which appears like a message) to join it.

Step 3 : When you wish to exit, simply tap on the red X icon on the Voice Chat pop-up.

Recommended : Is It Dangerous To Exit WhatsApp Exit Scam Groups?!

As you can see, it’s easy to join and quit any Voice Chat in your WhatsApp group.

You can also see how the Voice chat option appears like a message in the group, allowing participants to ignore and continue with their posts, and replies.

If you find this guide useful, please share it with your family and friends!

 

WhatsApp Voice Chat : Some Important Notes

Please take note of these limitations or possible concerns:

  • Voice chats are only available for groups of 33 to 256 people.
  • This feature is only available on your primary device.
  • Group members not in the voice chat can see the profiles of those in the voice chat from the chat header and the Calls tab.
  • Voice chats will end automatically once everyone has left the chat. They’ll also end if no one joins the first or last person in the chat for 60 minutes.

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bill Gates Order Govts To Replace Farmers With AI Bots?!

Did Bill Gates and the WEF just order world governments to replace human farmers with AI smart farming bots?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Ordered Governments To Replace Farmers With AI Bots!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed or suggested that Bill Gates and the WEF just ordered world governments to replace human farmers with AI smart farming bots!

Bill Gates Urges Govt’s To Replace Farmers With AI ‘Smart Farming’ Bots

Recommended : Is Bill Gates recruiting 2M Indians to control Internet using AI?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Order Governments To Replace Farmers With AI Bots!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates + WEF Did Not Order Governments To Replace Farmers

Let me start by pointing out that Bill Gates and/or the World Economic Forum (WEF) did not order world governments to replace farmers with AI smart farming robots.

If that actually happened, it would have been reported worldwide by the mainstream media. It would have also created a firestorm of criticism by right-wing conservatives, human rights activists, etc. Yet nothing of the sort happened – that’s because it’s all made up.

Frankly, the idea is ludicrous. There are no AI-controlled smart farming robots that can replace all farmers!

Needless to say, The People’s Voice article offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim that Bill Gates and/or the WEF ordered world governments to replace human farmers with AI-controlled smart farming robots!

Fact #2 : India Did Not Use Bill Gates’ AI Smart Farming Technology

The People’s Voice article claimed that Bill Gates praised India’s experiments with his AI-driven “smart farming” technology in his March 2024 Gates Notes on his trip to India. That’s utter nonsense.

Bill Gates only spoke about India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and how it allowed Indian government agriculture experts send advice and real-time updates to 6.5 million farmers using phones. As a result – farmers were losing 90% less of their crops to pests than they used to!

Smart faming: I got to see India’s DPI in action when I toured an agricultural monitoring center in Bhubaneswar. At this facility, government agriculture experts send advice and real-time updates to 6.5 million farmers via phone. Since this center opened, local farmers are losing 90 percent less of their crops to pests than they used to.

To be clear – Bill Gates did not develop India’s DPI, or its smart farming concept.

Recommended : Did Bill Gates Say India’s Digital ID Must Be Mandatory In US?!

Fact #3 : Bill Gates Did Not Even Mention AI

On top of that, Bill Gates did not even mention AI or Artificial Intelligence even once in his post on his trip to India!

So why would any claim that he wants world governments to “follow India’s lead in embracing” his “AI-driven smart farming” technology???

Fact #4 : Farmers are Already Using Robots

While the article suggests a dystopian future where a single person can use a fleet of drones to manage an entire farm, the truth is – it is the future, and it is a better future for all.

For one thing – most people would prefer not to work in 3D (dirty, dangerous, and difficult) jobs like farming, resulting a shortage of labour in the agriculture industry. That’s why many farmers in the developed world already use robots, drones, and other smart systems to help them manage their farms with minimal manpower!

Such technologies also help empower independent farmers. By improving the farm’s production while reducing its costs, it helps them remain in business, and fend off large agro businesses.

Fact #5 : Bill Gates Screenshot Is Fake

The cover image used by The People’s Voice article and video has a screenshot which purportedly shows Bill Gates posting on X (formerly Twitter) that:

AI is superior to humans in every conceivable way.

That is most definitely a fake screenshot, because there is no such post on X by Bill Gates.

If he actually posted that AI is (already) superior to humans in every conceivable way, it would have been reported by the worldwide media. But of course, that didn’t happen, because he never posted it.

Yet again, and unsurprisingly, The People’s Voice article provided no evidence that such a post ever existed!

Recommended : Will Microsoft Disable Your Computer If You Share Fake News?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Insider Reveal WEF Global Famine False Flag Op?!

Did an insider just reveal that the WEF is planning a global famine false flag operation?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Insider Reveals WEF Global Famine False Flag Op!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed or suggested that an insider just revealed that the WEF is planning a global famine false flag operation!

WEF Insider Reveals The ‘New 9/11’ Will Be a ‘Global Famine’

Recommended : Did EU Legalise Child Porn As WEF Pedophilia Agenda?!

 

Truth : There Is No WEF Global Famine False Flag Op!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was An EU Simulation

Let me start by pointing out that there was no WEF global famine false flag operation. In fact, it did not even involve the World Economic Forum (WEF)!

It was just a “war game”, in which European Union and government officials, food security experts, industry representatives and a few journalists simulated “what might happen, and help design policies aimed at prevention and response”.

Just because someone runs a war game on food security (like CNA in December 2015), it doesn’t mean they are planning to launch a false flag operation. It merely means they want to simulate the situation, so they can see what policies / decisions work, and what won’t.

Fact #2 : War Games Are Common

War games aren’t even extraordinary – governments, militaries, think tanks, and even corporations often run such simulations to simulate “worst case scenarios”, so they can create contingency and/or mitigation plans to deal with such “potential problems”.

In fact, the Peace Corps even created a Food Security Game for kids to learn how food insecurity affects populations in different ways!

Fact #3 : EU Global Famine War Game Was Publicly Reported

The People’s Voice article appears to suggest that a WEF insider revealed the dastardly plan to create a global famine. That’s utter nonsense – this global famine war game was publicly reported by Bloomberg, and was even reposted on Yahoo, and many other websites!

Unsurprisingly, The People’s Voice article offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim that an insider revealed the WEF plan to launch a global famine false flag operation!

Recommended : Did America sign WEF treaty to ration meat, electricity + gas?!

Fact #4 : WEF Was Not Mentioned In Bloomberg Report

The People’s Voice article appears to be based on a Yahoo reposting of the Bloomberg report on the EU food security war-game.

If you read the Yahoo / Bloomberg article, you will see that the World Economic Forum (WEF) was not even mentioned once. Neither were Klaus Schwab or Bill Gates mentioned in that report.

So why would anyone tie the WEF, Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates to the EU global famine war-game? Is it possible that they were “name dropped” to trigger conspiracists, and go viral???

Fact #5 : WEF Screenshot Is Fake

The cover image used by The People’s Voice article and video has a screenshot which purportedly shows the World Economic Forum (WEF) posting on X (formerly Twitter) that:

The coming cyber attack will allow a New World Order to emerge.

That is most definitely a fake screenshot, because there is no such post on X by the World Economic Forum. And it’s a really silly creation too – why would the WEF reveal its nefarious cyber attack plan publicly?

Yet again, The People’s Voice article provided no evidence that such a post ever existed! In fact, it would not need some “WEF insider” to spill the beans when the WEF itself already publicly revealed its cyber attack plan!

Recommended : Is WEF Planning Cyber Attack To Disrupt 2024 Election?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Leaked AstraZeneca audio show pandemic was preplanned?!

Did leaked AstraZeneca audio show that the COVID-19 pandemic was preplanned years in advance?! Let’s take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Leaked AstraZeneca Audio Show Pandemic Was Preplanned!

People are sharing a video which shows Sasha Latypova and Clayton Morris discussing how leaked audio of an AstraZeneca meeting show that the COVID-19 pandemic was preplanned years in advance!

Chief Nerd : 👀 Sasha Latypova Has New Evidence Showing the COVID Countermeasures Were ‘Preset Years Before’ the Pandemic Occurred

“The audio is from an internal meeting in AstraZeneca…VP Mark Esser says we started working with the Dept. of Defense Pandemic Preparedness Program in 2017. He also mentions that they were approached by Dept. of Defense…with a proposal that they would be working on something like this with the DoD to develop vaccines and therapeutics within 60 days of the DoD identifying a pathogenic virus that can cause global pandemics.”

Redacted : BREAKING! They PLANNED the whole thing years in advance. | Redacted w Natali and Clayton Morris

Here is an abridged transcript of the video between Clayton Morris (CM) and Sasha Latypova (SL):

CM : What really happened here?

SL : Well, the truth turns out this [COVID-19 pandemic] was all preset way… years before. From this leaked audio, but it’s not the only source, this is just the confirmatory evidence that I obtained.

Recommended : Sasha Latypova Vax Claims On Epoch TV Fact Checked!

 

Claim : Leaked AstraZeneca Audio Show Pandemic Was Preplanned!

This is yet another example of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Sasha Latypova Did Not Work For Big Pharma

In the video, Clayton Morris referred to Sasha Latypova’s years of work in the pharmaceutical industry:

Before we get to the tape, you’ve worked, obviously, in the pharmaceutical industry with a lot of clients for many, many years, so you know this intimately.

However, there is no indication that Sasha Latypova ever worked in the pharmaceutical industry, never mind Big Pharma. According to her own LinkedIn profile, she only appears to have worked in the medical device industry, and then only in the management capacity:

1997 – 1999 : Graduated with MBA from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

March 2006 – October 2016 : Co-Founder and Executive VP of iCardiac Technologies, Inc.

December 2014 to present : Co-Founder, Executive VP and Director of Clerio Vision, Inc.

As far as I can tell – Sasha Latypova does not have any medical training, or experience with viruses or vaccines. It also looks like she never worked for any of the Big Pharma companies. How does that translate into working in the pharmaceutical industry for “many, many years”???

Fact #2 : 2017 Pandemic Prevention Program Did Not Target COVID-19

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense initiated its Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3) in 2017 (archive), aiming to develop “an integrated technology platform” to “halt the spread of any viral disease outbreak within 60 days“.

Its initial program outline specifically pointed out that the goal of the P3 platform was to cut the time to develop countermeasures to a viral outbreak from years to just “weeks”, using DNA- and RNA-based technologies.

Nowhere in its program description did it once refer to COVID-19, or the SARS-CoV-2. That’s because the novel coronavirus would not appear until the end of 2019, and the world informed on 31 December 2019.

In other words – the DARPA P3 program is not evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic was preplanned years in advance. It is called “being prepared for a future disaster”. Just because you build a bomb shelter does not mean you are planning to launch a war!

Recommended : Did US Intentionally Release COVID Virus In Wuhan?!

Fact #3 : AstraZeneca Audio Does Not Show Pandemic Was Preplanned

Sasha Latypova actually shared the leaked AstraZeneca audio on 7 February 2024, but it didn’t go viral… because it was a “nothingburger”.

Anyone who listens to the leaked audio, or reads the transcript below will quickly realise that it does not show that the COVID-19 pandemic was pre-planned years in advance by the US Department of Defense, or Big Pharma companies like AstraZeneca.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sasha-Latypova-Clayton-Morris-evidence-DOD-AstraZeneca-vaccine.mp3?_=1

Here is a transcript of the audio, which is very long:

Mark (the introducer) : … [Mark] Esser who has been the architect of the long-acting antibody against Covid-19. Mark, back to you.

In short, the leaked AstraZeneca audio does not show any pre-planning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It only gives us an inside look at how pharmaceutical teams can now quickly develop products like neutralising antibodies, and vaccines, against a novel (new) virus.

Fact #4 : AstraZeneca Audio Showed How It Developed Evusheld

The truth is – the leaked audio actually detailed how AstraZeneca quickly developed Evusheld (AZD7442) – its combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab – two long-acting antibodies (LAAB) against COVID-19.

Even so, it did not take AstraZeneca 60 days to develop and ship Evusheld, as envisioned by the P3 project.  In the end, it took AstraZeneca almost two years to get Evusheld approved by the FDA. Its development started in February 2020, and Evusheld only received its FDA EUA on 8 December 2021.

To be clear – that’s still very fast, and demonstrates the effectiveness of DARPA’s Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3). Again, it does not show that DARPA or AstraZeneca planned the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2017.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Samsung Takes Over TRX MRT Interchange Station!

Samsung just took over the TRX MRT interchange station, which is now called the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Samsung Galaxy MRT Station!

 

Samsung Takes Over TRX MRT Interchange Station!

On 29 February 2024, Samsung Malaysia officially took over the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Samsung Galaxy MRT Station – Malaysia’s largest underground interchange station. This brand takeover integrates Samsung into the network of 29 stations on the MRT Kajang and Putrajaya lines, on which over 220,00 daily riders make their daily commute.

The TRX Samsung Galaxy Station is the largest interchange station between the TRX station and Putrajaya Line and directly serves The Exchange TRX, a world-class experiential lifestyle destination that sits at the heart of Tun Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur’s international financial district.

The new Samsung-branded TRX MRT station was officiated that day by Denny Kim (President of Samsung Malaysia), Elaine Soh (Chief Marketing Officer), Kevin Kim Tae Hoon (Business Director of Mobile eXperience) from Samsung Malaysia. Joining together with Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim (Chief Executive Officer), En Shahrul Fadli Omar (Chief Financial Officer) and Schrene Goh (Chief Commercial Officer) from Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review : Tech ARP Editor’s Choice!

The TRX MRT Station is a key station within the MRT network, as it has been designed to anchor the TRX International Financial District as well Kuala Lumpur’s latest major retail destination, offering great commercial value in advertising and marketing.

We are pleased to welcome the globally renowned Samsung Galaxy as our Station Naming Rights and Station Domination Advertising partner at this station, now named TRX Samsung Galaxy MRT Station. Commuters accessing the station will now be greeted by Samsung Galaxy’s striking visuals and catchy advertisement adorning the space.

– Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim, CEO, MRT Corp.

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra : All 4 Colours Compared!

The station’s direct connection to Malaysia’s newest and vibrant lifestyle hub ensures a seamless experience for both travellers and shoppers. The collaboration with MRT Corporation represents our shared vision for a more connected future, aimed at enhancing the convenience and accessibility for everyone

– Denny Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia

 

Free RM5 TNG Credit At TRX Samsung Experience Store!

As a special treat, Samsung Galaxy users will be able to redeem free RM5 TNG credit (while stocks last!) from the Samsung Experience Store at The Exchange TRX, with their Samsung Members app.

You can use the RM5 TNG credit to purchase the RM5 MyCity Pass to get unlimited rides on the MRT for a whole day!

If you have not experience the convenience of using the MRT to get to The Exchange TRX mall, give it a try, and grab the free RM5 TNG credit from the Samsung Experience Store while you are there!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Apple Cancels Project Titan Autonomous Electric Car!

Apple just cancelled Project Titan – its long-running effort to build an autonomous electric car! Here is what we know so far…

 

Apple Cancels Project Titan Autonomous Electric Car!

Apple has finally decided to pull the plug on Project Titan – its long-running and highly-secret effort to build an electric car or autonomous vehicle.

All work on the project has stopped, and Apple is likely to cut hundreds of people from the team. There are about 1,400 employees currently working on Project Titan.

Only some employees will be shifted to its generative AI projects under John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president of Machine Learning and AI Strategy. All other employees will have 90 days to find a reassignment to other roles in Apple, or be let go.

On Tuesday, 27 February 2024, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, and the vice president in charge of Project Titan, Kevin Lynch, announced the news to the team in a short meeting that lasted just 12 minutes. They did not take questions, according to an employee who was there.

According to this employee, who remains anonymous, the announcement was abrupt but the decision was not. It appears to be a long time coming, with constantly shifting priorities within Apple.

Recommended : Did Tesla Cars Catch Fire + Explode After Accident?!

Apple first started working on its Project Titan car project in 2014, oscillating its focus between making an all-electric car to compete with Tesla, and developing a fully autonomous vehicle more like Waymo. The project’s leadership would repeatedly change its focus, under pressure from top executives and the Apple board.

Unfortunately, the team is apparently still years away from producing a viable vehicle, whether it is just an electric car, or a fully-autonomous vehicle, despite reportedly spending up to $1 billion annually.

In response to Apple’s decision to kill off its electric car, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted emojis of a salute and a cigarette on X (formerly known as Twitter).

 

5 Reasons Why Apple Cancelled Project Titan Electric Car

After spending a decade and many billions of dollars on Project Titan, the decision could not have been easy. Here are the five reasons Apple scraped its electric car project, according to Bloomberg:

  • The strategy for Apple electric was constantly changing with no consistent plan nor approach.
  • There was a revolving door of leadership.
  • The electric car was still years away from being commercially viable, which concerned Apple.
  • Self-driving technology is tricky and challenging.
  • The electric vehicle market has been stagnating due to poor charging infrastructure, which soured Apple’s optimism.

While Apple’s electric car dreams has now ended, it doesn’t mean that all of its efforts have gone to waste. It is likely that the company will salvage and repurpose (maybe even licence out) the technologies its team developed.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is IJN Discharging All Civil Servants + Pensioners Due To Cost?!

Is IJN (Institut Jantung Negara) discharging all civil servants and pensioners, following an MOH directive due to government cost-cutting measures?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-02-27 : Added new section on KKM’s response to these claims
Originally posted @ 2024-02-26

 

Claim : IJN Discharging All Civil Servants + Pensioners Due To Cost!

A letter posted by CodeBlue has gone viral, in which a pensioner claimed that the National Heart Institute (IJN) is discharging all civil servants and pensioners, following a Ministry of Health (KKM) directive due to government cost-cutting measures.

Here is the anonymous pensioner’s letter (archive), which is rather long. So feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

At a recent visit to our National Heart Centre (Institut Jantung Negara, IJN), I was shocked to be informed that I was being discharged. This happened despite 25 years of my receiving extensive care at IJN with many admissions and multiple procedures.

Recommended : KKM Refutes IJN Discharging Pensioner For Cost Reasons Claim!

 

No Evidence IJN Discharging All Civil Servants + Pensioners Due To Cost!

Fact #1 : It Was A Personal Opinion

Let me start by pointing out the disclaimer at the very bottom of the article, which states that the letter was published as a “personal opinion”.

This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.

Fact #2 : Letter Did Not Provide Any Evidence

I think it is also important to point out that the letter appears to be published “as-is“, without any additional context or verification. Unfortunately, the letter itself does not provide any evidence on its own.

Was the pensioner really discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) because of cost-cutting measures, or because he was deemed well enough to be transferred back to the referring hospital?

Is this a new KKM policy, or was it already in effect for some time? Did the other hospital really not have the necessary medicine he needed? Were the substitutes the pensioner received not the proper ones? Were his fear of allergic reaction to those substitute drugs well-founded?

It is simply impossible to tell, without knowing his full history, and what exactly he is talking about. He didn’t even mention what drugs he was on, and what substitutes he received! But let’s see what we can find out, shall we?

Recommended : Did Scientists Call For Global mRNA Vaccine Moratorium?!

Fact #3 : IJN Is Still Treating Government Patients

From what I can determine, the National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara / IJN) is not discharging all civil servants and pensioners due to new cost-cutting measures. In fact, it is still treating civil servants and pensioners, because it is fully-owned by the government, under the Minister of Finance Incorporated.

In fact, IJN clarified this on 5 August 2023, when similar accusations by “Concern [sic] Pensioners” went viral on WhatsApp and social media, claiming that IJN has been privatised, and refuses to treat retired civil servants, and was instead transferring them to other hospitals.

As IJN clarified, while it operates privately under the Malaysian Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998, under the purview of the Health Ministry, its primary mission is to provide exceptional medical services to all Malaysians, including government employees, retirees, and citizens.

However, the Public Service Department (JPA) requires all civil servants and retirees (and their dependents) to get a referral from a doctor or cardiologist from public or private clinics / hospitals, before they can seek treatment at IJN because it is a cardiac tertiary hospital.

Patients with government GL may refer to the JPA circular Appendix SR. 2.1.1 (G) provided in the official MyPPSM portal or refer to their human resources on the process, as every government agency has its own terms and requirements on their employee’s eligibility and coverage when seeking treatment at our centre.

Back in August 2023, IJN said that about 84.7% of its patients came from the public sector – government employees, pensioners, and their dependents. Only 14.9% are private, paying patients, while just 0.4% were foreign patients.

Recommended : Did France Pass “Article Pfizer” Law To Ban mRNA Criticism?!

Fact #4 : KKM Issued IJN Follow-Up Circular In 2002

Interestingly, it appears that this Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) policy started in October 2002 – more than 21 years ago!

That was when the Office of the Director General of Health in Malaysia issued circular no. 12/2002, called (translated) Guidelines for Follow-Up Treatment at the National Heart Institute for Government-Dependent Patients (PDF).

Fact #5 : Government-Dependent Patients To Be Discharged After 12 Months

According to the October 2002 guidelines (officially called Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan 12/2002 Garis Panduan Rawatan Susulan di IJN untuk Pesakit Dibiayai Kerajaan), here is the pertinent section that I translated:

i. patients who are not undergoing surgery or invasive treatments in IJN do not require follow-up treatment at IJN, and should be transferred back to the referring hospital after consultation, examination, and treatment.

ii. patients who are waiting to undergo surgery or invasive procedure within 1 year can receive follow-up treatment at IJN until treatment is completed.

iii. the follow-up treatment period for patients who have undergone surgery or invasive procedure at IJN are:

  • 6 to 12 months of follow-up treatment at IJN after surgery / invasive procedure
  • 1 to 2 years of follow-up treatment after last surgery for paediatric patients with “complicated” heart issues that require multiple surgeries

iv. Patients with complications that need to be warded, or require intensive care, by cardiothoracic specialist, or cardiologist, will receive follow-up treatment according to their condition. Such patients will be transferred to their referring KKM hospitals when IJN specialists determine that they no longer need to be treated at IJN.

v. Patients who were referred to KKM hospitals can be referred back to IJN when necessary. The follow-up treatment will depend on the conditions stated above.

Recommended : KJ + Noor Hisham just sued by COVID vaccine victims?!

Fact #6 : Anonymous Letter On CodeBlue Was Criticised

In response to the letter being posted on CodeBlue, Datuk Dr. Christopher K.C. Lee – who was the former National Advisor for Infectious Diseases in the Malaysia Ministry of Health and a member of the Selangor Public Hleaht Advisory Council (SELPHAC), stated that only stabilised patients would be asked to return to cardiologists and doctors at other MOH hospitals for their follow-up. He also pointed out that this would free IJN to attend to other people who need more urgent care.

Only pensioners/civil servants who are stabilized will be asked to return to cardiologists/physicians at MOH for followup. This allows others who really need IJN care the opportunity to do; without clogging up IJN & running up the bill there. Pls see the Big Picture!

In response to a CodeBlue editor pointing out that the “issue is not about stability at the point of discharge, but complexity”, he responded:

Complexity can be subjective. In particularly complex cases, there can be discussions with the MOH cardiologists. However, most cases can be ably managed by the MOH cardiologists & shd be referred back. This has been in practice for a while & helps to keep the system sustainable.

Perhaps the anonymous letter should not have been posted “as-is”, without providing the necessary context as this isn’t a new policy – the circular was already in effect since October 2002.

Fact #7 : KKM Refutes Claims

On 26 February 2024, the Malaysia Health Ministry (KKM) issued a statement, refuting those claims, and clarifying the partnership between IJN and KKM hospitals.

I wrote a separate article on this, which you read for more context: KKM Refutes IJN Discharging Pensioner For Cost Reasons Claim!

 

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KKM Refutes Claim IJN Discharging Pensioner For Cost Reasons!

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) just officially refuted claims by a pensioner that IJN discharged him for cost reasons!

 

Claim : IJN Discharged Pensioner Due To Government Cost Cutting!

Yesterday, a personal letter posted by CodeBlue went viral. In the letter, the anonymous writer who calls himself “Pensioner failed by the government” alleged that the National Heart Institute (IJN) is discharging all civil servants and pensioners, following a Ministry of Health (KKM) directive due to government cost-cutting measures.

In response to the letter, Datuk Dr. Christopher K.C. Lee – who was the former National Advisor for Infectious Diseases in the Malaysia Ministry of Health and a member of the Selangor Public Hleaht Advisory Council (SELPHAC), stated that only stabilised patients would be asked to return to cardiologists and doctors at other MOH hospitals for their follow-up. He also pointed out that this would free IJN to attend to other people who need more urgent care.

Only pensioners/civil servants who are stabilized will be asked to return to cardiologists/physicians at MOH for followup. This allows others who really need IJN care the opportunity to do; without clogging up IJN & running up the bill there. Pls see the Big Picture!

I covered the letter extensively in a separate article, which you can read for more context : Is IJN Discharging All Civil Servants + Pensioners Due To Cost?!

Recommended : Is Red Cross Rejecting COVID Vaccinated Blood?!

 

KKM Refutes IJN Discharging Pensioner For Cost Reasons Claim!

On 26 February 2024, Malaysia Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad posted the official response from the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM), which refutes the claims in the viral anonymous letter posted by CodeBlue.

Here are some salient points:

  1. IJN has been a government-owned private hospital since 1992, but continues to support KKM public hospitals through patient referrals.
  2. KKM itself has 10 hospitals offering cardiology services, and 7 hospitals offering cardiothoracic services.
  3. IJN serves as a referrer centre for patients requiring cardiology and cardiothoracic services, with the government covering treatment costs for civil servants, pensioners, and their dependents.
  4. Patients are only discharged from IJN when their conditions are stable, with a monitoring of at least 6 months to one year for adults, and one to two years for children (as I pointed out earlier).
  5. Stable patients are then referred back to their original MOH hospital for ongoing care.
  6. This policy allows about 4,000 new patients to be referred to IJN annually.

While not mentioned in its official response, I should point out that this policy isn’t new. It was implemented back in October 2002 – more than 21 years ago!

On top of that, patients can always be referred back to IJN if the cardiologist / cardiothoracic surgeon in KKM hospitals are unable to treat them.

You can read more about that in my previous article – Is IJN Discharging All Civil Servants + Pensioners Due To Cost?!

 

Full KKM Response To IJN Discharging Pensioner For Cost Reasons Claim!

Here is the full KKM response to the claims that IJN is discharging all civil servants and pensioners due to cost-cutting measures.

RESPONSE TO MEDIA – CLARIFYING MISCONCEPTIONS: MOH AND IN COLLABORATION FOR OPTIMAL HEALTHCARE ACCESS

26 February 2024

In response to the article published in the CodeBlue on 26 February 2024 titled “IJN discharging all civil servants, pensioners due to government cost-cutting measures – Pensioner failed by the government”, the Ministry of Health (MOH) would like to respectfully refute the misleading accusations made in the article.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bill Gates Vow To Eradicate Memes From The Internet?!

Did Bill Gates just vow to eradicate memes from the Internet?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Vows To Eradicate Memes From The Internet!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed or suggested that Bill Gates just vowed to eradicate memes from the Internet!

Bill Gates Vows To Eradicate Memes From the Internet Forever

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Order Christians To Pray To Satan?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Vow To Eradicate Memes From The Internet!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates Is Not Eradicating Memes From The Internet

Let me start by pointing out that Bill Gates never vowed to eradicate memes from the Internet. Neither did he plan to eradicate memes from the Internet.

In fact, the entire premise is so silly, I cannot believe I have to actually point out that it is impossible to eradicate memes from the Internet. It sounds like it was written by people who are not tech-savvy. It would be far more believable if they claim that Bill Gates wants to eradicate fairies!

The People’s Voice article, unsurprisingly, offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim that Bill Gates vowed, or has actually hatched a plan, to eradicate memes from the Internet.

Fact #2 : GAVI Did Not Write That Article

The source of this nonsensical claim is a new article called “How memes became health disinformation super-spreaders“, which was attributed to GAVI. However, that’s not true.

The article was written by Stephanie Alice Baker, and Michael James Walsh, who published it on The Conversation. It was simply republished by GAVI, under a Creative Commons licence.

Recommended : Did Ice Spice Show Satanic Cross + Gestures At Super Bowl?!

Fact #3 : Article Details How Antivaxxers Use Memes

The article details how anti-vaccine memes started centuries ago, and how some anti-vaccine influencers use men drops to profit financially! You should definitely read it. It’s a very interesting, and educational article, and I salute the authors!

But more importantly for this fact check, the article never once called for memes to be eliminated, or made criminal. This completely contradicts what was written in The People’s Voice article.

Fact #4 : Bill Gates Does Not Own / Run GAVI

Bill Gates does not own or run GAVI. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was just one of its founding partners. GAVI has many stakeholders, including the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, donor countries, and civil society organisations.

Its policies are therefore dictated not by a single person, but a GAVI board that is currently chaired by José Manuel Barros with 28 members, comprising of :

  • 9 independent individuals
  • 5 representatives from donor countries
  • 5 representatives from implementing countries
  • 2 representatives from GAVI – CEO, research and technical health institutes
  • 2 representatives from the vaccine industry
  • 1 representative from civil society organisations
  • 1 representative from WHO
  • 1 representative from UNICEF
  • 1 representative from World Bank
  • 1 representative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Recommended : Did Mel Gibson Call Prince William The Antichrist?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Google Shutting Down Gmail For Good?!

Is Google shutting down Gmail for good by August 2024?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Google Is Shutting Down Gmail For Good!

A post has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), allegedly posted by the SVP of Product at Google, who claimed that he accidentally fired the entire Gmail team, and ordered it shut down after misreading a message from CEO Sundar Pichai!

Chris Bakke : I’m the SVP of Product at Google ($28.8M TC).

Last night, Sundar asked me to “fire the entire Gemini team.”

I misread his message (insanely bad service at my 7br 11bath cabin in Park City) and I accidentally fired the entire Gmail team.

Gmail…Gemini.

Look at that quickly without your glasses when you’re 7 margaritas deep at the fire pit on a Wednesday and you’d make the same error.

I mean you get how that’s confusing right?

Anyway, I’m rolling with the decision.

Gmail’s gone.

A screenshot of a Google notice about sunsetting Gmail was attached to the post, and it suggested that Gmail accounts would become inaccessible after 1 August 2024.

Google is sunsetting Gmail

Dear Gmail User,

We are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail. After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close. As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service. This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails.

Why Gmail is Sunsetting

The decision to sunset Gmail has been made with careful consideration of the evolving digital landscape and our commitment to providing high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our users. In the spirit of progress and adaptation, we are focusing our resources on developing new technologies and platforms that will continue to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact online.

What This Means for You

Email Access: Up until August 1, 2024, you will be able to access and download all your emails. After this date, Gmail accounts will become inaccessible.

Recommended : Is WhatsApp Going To Charge Backup Storage Fee?!

 

Claim : Google Is Not Shutting Down Gmail At All!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Google Is Not Shutting Down Gmail

Let me start by pointing out that Google is not shutting down Gmail. For one thing – no one received the “Google is sunsetting Gmail” email. There is also no announcement on the Google blog.

There is also an absence of legitimate news and tech media reporting on such a shocking announcement. In fact, all you will find are fact check articles like this, telling you that this is just another example of fake news on X.

There is also the fact that the official Gmail account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a terse response:

Gmail is here to stay

To be clear – Google is not shutting down Gmail. This is just satire / shitposting on X.

Google is itself highly-reliant on Gmail services, and would be in deep shit if Gmail goes down for even an hour, never mind shut down forever.

Recommended : WhatsApp : No More Free Unlimited Backup On Android!

Fact #2 : Chris Bakke Isn’t Google Product SVP

I should also point out that Chris Bakke is not the Senior Vice President of Product at Google in charge of Gmail. In fact, he’s currently working at X, not Google!

Chris Bakke was the founder and CEO of Laskie, a tech recruitment company that X (formerly Twitter) purchased in May 2023. He is currently the Product Lead for X, and is known to be a notorious “shitposter” or “trash poster” on the social media platform.

When Austen Allred, another tech founder, tweeted about the acquisition when it was revealed, Elon Musk said he thought it was a good sign:

Austen Allred : Only fitting that Twitter’s first acquisition in the Elon era is a company run by a notorious shitposter.

Elon Musk : I regard that as a good sign 🙂

Elon is probably going to give Chris a bonus for the millions of views and engagement his new “shitpost” has generated on X. Throw some our way, Chris, will ya!

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did McDonald’s Lose Toxic Meat Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver?!

Did McDonald’s just lose its legal battle against Jamie Oliver over its toxic pink slime meat?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : McDonald’s Loses Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver!

People are claiming on social media that McDonald’s just lost its legal battle against British chef Jamie Oliver over its toxic pink slime meat!

Keep it Real : [McDonald’s loses the legal battle with chef Jamie Oliver, who proved that the food they sell is not fit to be ingested because it is highly toxic.

Chef Jamie Oliver has won a battle against the world’s largest junk food chain. Oliver proving how buyers are made.

Recommended : Can You Use Magnet To Detect Heavy Metals In Tea Bags?!

 

Truth : McDonald’s Did Not Lose Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Was No McDonald’s – Jamie Oliver Lawsuit

Let me start by pointing out that there was no legal battle between McDonald’s and Jamie Oliver. McDonald’s did not sue Jamie Oliver, and Jamie Oliver also did not sue McDonald’s.

Fact #2 : Jamie Oliver Did Not Target McDonald’s

Jamie Oliver did not actually target McDonald’s. So there is really no reason for McDonald’s or Jamie Oliver to sue one another.

In the episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution that aired on 12 April 2011, Jamie Oliver spoke out against Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), which he derisively referred to as “pink slime”.

Fact #3 : Jamie Oliver Did Not “Discover” Pink Slime

While much has been made about Jamie Oliver’s “battle” against pink slime, he did not create that term, and he wasn’t even amongst the first to speak out against LFTB, which has been sold since 2001.

The term “pink slime” was reportedly coined by USDA microbiologist Gerald Zirstein in a 2002 email to his colleagues. He was, arguably, also the first to criticise LFTB.

I do not consider the stuff to be ground beef, and I consider allowing it in ground beef to be a form of fraudulent labeling.

Michael Moss from The New York Times posted not one article, but at least two articles on the safety of LFTB – on 3 October 2009, and then on 30 December 2009,.

Two years later, ABC News would air a series of reports on LFTB in March 2011. It was only after the extensive coverage by ABC News that Jamie Oliver actually featured LFTB on his show.

Recommended : Is Seafood In Europe Highly Radioactive According To IAEA?!

Fact #4 : LFTB Is Ammonia-Treated Beef Paste

Despite its gross sounding name and look, LFTB is simply meat that has been separated from the fat in beef trimmings, and treated with ammonia to kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli.

The LFTB technology basically recovers meat that would otherwise be wasted and thrown away. Think of LFTB as low-fat beef paste. Regular ground beef consists of about 30% fat, while LFTB only has about 5% fat.

Fact #5 : McDonald’s Stopped Using LFTB In 2011

McDonald’s announced on 31 January 2012, that it stopped adding Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) to its burgers since the beginning of 2011, and that it was no longer available in its products since August 2011:

At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers. This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world.

In other words – McDonald’s made the decision to stop using LFTB in its burgers in early 2011 – months before ABC News or Jamie Oliver covered LFTB. It was only in August 2011 that all of its LFTB-based products were cleared out of its supply chain.

Fact #7 : Ammonia In LFTB Isn’t Toxic

Even though McDonald’s no longer uses “pink slime” in their burgers, I should point out that the amount of ammonia used in LFTB isn’t dangerous.

The amount of ammonia present in Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) is actually comparable to ammonia levels present in existing foods:

Food Ammonia Level
American Cheese 813 ppm
Unblended LFTB 400-500 ppm
Ketchup 411 ppm
Onions 342 ppm
Blended Beef Patty
with 15% LFTB
200 ppm
Ground Beef 101 ppm

Ammonium hydroxide isn’t just used to treat LFTB meat trimmings, it is also used to produce a wide variety of foods like cheese, puddings, chocolate, and even as a leavening agent in bread. In fact, the ammonium hydroxide is classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) by the US FDA, when used in appropriate concentrations.

Fact #8 : LFTB Uses Ammonium Hydroxide Gas

In his viral video, Jamie Oliver is seen showing a front loading washing machine filled with meat, with ammonia-based cleaning products in the background. He then pours from a bottle marked with “Ammonia” and a skull and crossbones symbol into a large tub filled with pieces of beef.

That is not an accurate reflection of how LFTB products are made, because the ammonium hydroxide used in the LFTB process is gaseous, not liquid. In addition, the LFTB process only uses the ammonium hydroxide gas to increase the pH of the separated meat trimmings, from 5.7 to 9.6 (source).

If there ever is a lawsuit over that Jamie Oliver video, he would be hard-pressed to explain how that demonstration accurately replicates how LFTB meat is really produced.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Canada Going To Arrest Citizens Who Promote Fossil Fuels?!

Did the Canadian government announce plans to arrest citizens who promote fossil fuels?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Canada To Begin Arresting Citizens Who Promote Fossil Fuels!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that the Canadian government just announced plans to arrest citizens who promote fossil fuels!

Canada To Begin Arresting Citizens Who Promote Fossil Fuels

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

 

Truth : Canada Is Not Arresting Citizens Who Promote Fossil Fuels!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Canada Is Not Arresting Citizens Who Promote Fossil Fuels

Let me start by simply pointing out that the Canadian government did not announce any plans to arrest, imprison, or fine citizens who promote fossil fuels.

There is no such announcement, or law that was recently passed that would give rise to such a claim, and The People’s Voice article offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim.

Fact #2 : C-372 Was A Private Parliament Member’s Bill

The People’s Voice article referred to Bill C-372 (An Act respecting fossil fuel advertising), which is a private member’s bill introduced by Charlie Angus, a Member of Parliament from the New Democratic Party (NDP).

A private member’s bill (projet de loi émanant d’un député) is introduced by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. In other words – this bill was not being introduced by the Canadian government, as suggested or claimed in The People’s Voice article.

Fact #3 : C-372 Has Not Been Passed

In Canada, any member of parliament can submit a private member’s bill like C-372, but most of these bills are not even voted on, much less passed. In fact, the vast majority of private bills that do become law, were passed for the purpose of changing the name of the riding (jurisdiction) represented by the MP introducing the bill.

More importantly – C-372 remains a bill, which is a proposed law. It has not been passed, so it is wrong for anyone to claim that the Canadian government plans to “imprison and fine citizens” who “promote fossil fuels”, as claimed by The People’s Voice article.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

Fact #4 : C-372 Does Not Criminalise Free Speech

The People’s Voice article claimed or suggested that the C-372 bill will “criminalise any speech that promotes fossil fuels – even the statements being made are true and accurate“.

It’s actually stated in the Application section of the C-372 bill (which you can read here), that the Act would not apply to:

5 This Act does not apply in respect of:

(a) a literary, dramatic, musical, cinematographic, scientific, educational or artistic work, production or performance that uses or depicts fossil fuels, fossil fuel-related brand elements or the production of fossil fuels, whatever the mode or form of its expression, if no consideration is given, directly or indirectly, by a producer, a retailer or an entity that has as one of its purposes to promote fossil fuels for that use or depiction in the work, production or performance;

(b) an opinion, commentary or report in respect of fossil fuels, fossil fuel-related brand elements or the production of fossil fuels if no consideration is given, directly or indirectly, by a producer, a retailer or an entity that has as one of its purposes to promote fossil fuels for the reference to the fossil fuels, fossil fuel-related brand elements or the production of fossil fuels in that opinion, commentary or report; or

(c) the name of an entity or the name under which the entity carries on business.

In other words, even if it is passed and becomes law, the C-372 bill will not criminalise free speech, including making statements that are true and accurate about fossil fuels.

Fact #5 : C-372 Was Not Introduced By Justin Trudeau

The People’s Voice article used a photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as its cover image. Just in case there is any confusion – Justin Trudeau did not introduce C-372, nor did he express any support for that private bill.

Here is a photo of Charlie Angus, who obviously looks very different from Justin Trudeau. They are also from completely different political parties. Charlie Angus is from the New Democratic Party, while Justin Trudeau leads the Liberal Party of Canada.

Why would anyone use a photo of Justin Trudeau as a cover image for an article about a private bill introduced by a completely different Member of Parliament???

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bill Gates Order Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News?!

Did Bill Gates order governments to blacklist citizens who share fake news / misinformation?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Orders Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that Bill Gates just ordered governments to blacklist citizens who share misinformation / fake news!

Bill Gates Orders Govt’s To Blacklist Citizens Who Share ‘Non-Mainstream’ Content Online

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Order Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates Did Not Order Any Blacklist

Let me start by pointing out that there is no evidence Bill Gates ordered any government to blacklist their citizens who spread fake news / misinformation. There was no announcement, no document or press release, not even a leaked video or audio of Bill Gates ordering a blacklist of people who post or share fake news / misinformation.

As usual, The People’s Voice offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim.

Fact #2 : Satya Nadella Is Microsoft CEO, Not Bill Gates

Interestingly, The People’s Voice article used a photo of Bill Gates, even though he handed over day-to-day operations at Microsoft more than 15 years ago. He also stepped down as Microsoft Chairman, when Satya Nadella was appointed as CEO in February 2014.

For people who are unaware, Satya Nadella is both CEO and Chairman of Microsoft. It is Nadella who decides what Microsoft does, not Bill Gates.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

Fact #3 : Satya Nadella Never Ordered Any Blacklist Either

Satya Nadella never ordered any governments to blacklist citizens who share fake news / misinformation either.

In his interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, he only said that the technology is there to tackle disinformation and misinformation, and the problem is deciding on the policy:

Then the question, again, comes back to: How do we build consensus between parties, candidates, and the norms around what is acceptable or not acceptable?

As the interview clearly shows, Satya Nadella isn’t dictating what is considered acceptable, or not acceptable. Why would anyone claim otherwise?

Fact #4 : Bill Gates X Post Is Fake

The People’s Voice article and video used a cover photo which appears to feature a screenshot of a post by Bill Gates on X (formerly Twitter), in which he appears to say, “Wanna share fake news? No internet for you!

That is definitely a fake screenshot, because Bill Gates never posted that on his X account. In fact, Bill lGates appears to have stopped posting on X after 7 October 2023.

As usual, The People’s Voice article and video offered no evidence, or a link, to prove that Bill Gates ever posted it.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Bill Gates recruiting 2M Indians to control Internet using AI?!

Is Bill Gates planning to recruit and train two million Indians to control the Internet using AI?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates To Recruit Indians To Control Internet Using AI!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which suggests that Bill Gates announced plans to recruit and train two million Indians to control the Internet using AI (artificial intelligence)!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Bill Gates Recruiting 2 Million Strong Army To ‘Seize Control of Internet’ Using AI

Recommended : Did FAA Admit Pilot EKGs Not Normal After Vaccines?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Is Not Recruiting Indians To Control Internet Using AI!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates Did Not Announce Plans To Recruit 2 Million Indians

Let me start by pointing out that Bill Gates did not announce any plans to recruit and train two million Indians to use artificial intelligence (AI) to control the Internet.

The People’s Voice offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim, and there is no report by any legitimate media outlet that Bill Gates announced any such plan.

Fact #2 : Microsoft Isn’t Recruiting 2 Million Indians Either!

The People’s Voice article claimed that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the plan by Bill Gates to recruit and train two million Indians to use artificial intelligence to control the Internet. That is also not true.

Satya Nadella only announced that Microsoft will support India’s goal of a self-sufficient AI workforce, by training 2 million people through its ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA initiative. However, Microsoft is not recruiting those two million Indians to work for them.

Under this initiative, Microsoft will collaborate with the Indian Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, as well as state governments in India, to offer fundamental and advanced AI training to students and job seekers in rural areas.

Microsoft will also offer comprehensive AI technical training to young women through instructors at higher education institutions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, so they can obtain certifications in cloud, AI and cybersecurity.

Fact #3 : Satya Nadella Is Microsoft CEO, Not Bill Gates

As its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, it is Satya Nadella who decides what Microsoft does, not Bill Gates.

For people who are unaware, Bill Gates handed over day-to-day operations at Microsoft more than 15 years ago. He also stepped down as Microsoft Chairman, when Satya Nadella was appointed as CEO in February 2014 – 10 years ago!

If Microsoft decides to hire 2 million Indians to “take over the world” like Pinky and the Brain, that would be Satya Nadella’s decision, not Bill Gates.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is FAA Planning To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry?!

Is the FAA planning to eliminate white men from the aviation industry?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : FAA Plans To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims or suggests that the FAA just admitted its plan is to eliminate white men from the aviation industry, while fast tracking disabled minorities into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

FAA Admits Plan Is To ‘Eliminate White Men’ From Aviation Industry

Recommended : Did FAA Admit Pilot EKGs Not Normal After Vaccines?!

 

Truth : FAA Does Not Plan To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : FAA Is A US Federal Government Agency

Let me just start by pointing out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a US federal government agency. It only has powers over civil aviation in the United States, and its surrounding international waters.

The FAA has no power or authority over civil aviation in the rest of the world.

It is therefore impossible for the FAA to “completely eliminate white men from the aviation industry“, even if it really wanted to do that (which it doesn’t).

Fact #2 : Video Does Not Show FAA Plan To Eliminate White Men

Nothing posted by Matt Walsh, Infowars, or The People’s Voice, show the FAA admitting to any plan to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.

The leaked video only shows what appears to be an FAA internal meeting on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures that the aviation industry can adopt to make flight operations more inclusive and representative of the population.

In fact, FAA Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Angela McCullough is seen stating talking about potentially developing “partnerships” with university or trade schools to encourage a more diverse flight operations team.

Are there opportunities for any partnerships with universities or trade schools which specialised… we kinda talked about from ramp to cockpit. There are some things we would want to look at.

Unfortunately, the video ended abruptly at that point, which makes me wonder – could the video be missing context about what Angela McCullough was saying in that meeting?

But even without the rest of the video, you can see that Angela never once said that she or the FAA planned to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.

In fact, Matt Walsh himself did not even claim that the FAA plans to eliminate all white men from the aviation industry. So why would anyone make that claim based on his posts???

Recommended : Pfizer Vaccine Causes Autism? Rats Are Not Mini Humans!

Fact #3 : There’s Nothing Wrong With Retraining People

It is uncertain what Angela McCullough meant by “from ramp to cockpit”, but it could simply mean offering people working in aviation ramp operations the opportunity to train and become pilots.

There is nothing wrong with retraining people for a different job, if that’s what the industry needs, and if they are interested and capable in the new job.

People can, and do, learn new skills to change jobs and even industries. As long as they are qualified for those new jobs, what exactly is wrong with that?

Only fools would believe that the FAA will ever let baggage handlers become airline pilots without training or passing qualification tests.

Fact #4 : Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Illness

Matt Walsh appears to suggest or claim that being transgender is an “overt mental illness”. That’s just not true.

Being transgender was once considered a psychological problem that can be treated. However, the American Psychiatric Association revised its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2012, to remove being transgender as a mental disorder.

With the release of DSM-5 in 2013, being transgender itself is no longer a mental disorder. Some transgender people are now diagnosed with “gender dysphoria”, if they face emotional stress related to their gender identity.

All psychiatric diagnoses occur within a cultural context. We know there is a whole community of people out there who are not seeking medical attention and live between the two binary categories. We wanted to send the message that the therapist’s job isn’t to pathologize.
– Jack Drescher, a member of the APA subcommittee responsible for the change

Just because someone disagrees with the American Psychiatric Association’s definition, does not mean that the aviation industry is embracing “overt mental illness”.

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Suddenly Become A Fashion Icon?!

Fact #5 : Photo Shows Historic Female Pilots

The People’s Voice article used a photo of two young black female pilots (above). On of the off-chance that it was chosen to convey the perception that unqualified female minority pilots may soon begin putting your lives at risk, let me just say that it couldn’t be further from the truth.

The two female pilots are Captain Tara Wright, and First Officer Mallory Cave. They made made history on 13 May 2018, as the first African-American female flight crew to fly an Alaska Airlines flight from San Francisco to Portland.

Not only are they both fully-qualified pilots, Captain Wright was also the first-ever African-American female pilot to fly for US Airways, before becoming its first African-American female pilot to be promoted to Captain in 2017.

Captain Wright is only the 7th African-American woman to ever become a captain in any major airline, which points to the lack of diversity and representation in the aviation industry.

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Biden hired Bill Gates to flood Internet with AI censorship bots?!

Did Joe Biden hire Bill Gates and other billionaire technocrats to flood the Internet with AI censorship bots, ahead of the 2024 election?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Biden Hires Bill Gates To Flood Internet With AI Censorship Bots!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims or suggests US President Joe Biden hired Bill Gates and other billionaire technocrats to flood the Internet with AI censorship bots ahead of the 2024 election!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Biden Hires Bill Gates To Flood the Internet With ‘AI-Censorship Bots’

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

 

Biden Did Not Hire Bill Gates To Flood Internet With AI Censorship Bots!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates Doesn’t Even Have An AI Program!

Let me start by simply pointing out that it is impossible for Joe Biden to hire Bill Gates to floor the Internet with AI censorship bots, because Bill Gates doesn’t even have an AI program!

Bill Gates is a big proponent of artificial intelligence, and has made a number of investments in AI companies like Inflection AI and LikeWise. However, he does not actually own or run those AI companies.

As far as anyone can tell – Bill Gates does not have the power or resources to “flood the Internet with AI censorship bots”.

The People’s Voice certainly offered no evidence that Joe Biden hired Bill Gates, or any other billionaire, to flood the Internet with AI censorship bots.

Fact #2 : Report Doesn’t Even Mention Bill Gates!

The People’s Voice article is based on an “Interim Staff Report” (PDF) by the GOP Representative Jim Jordan’s Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Government under the House Judiciary Committee.

While the report mentions a number of tech luminaries like Elon Musk and Marc Andreesen, it does not even mention Bill Gates once as a person of interest in the issue!

So why on Earth would anyone claim that US President Joe Biden hired Bill Gates, when he was not even mentioned in the report as a person of interest?!

Bill Gates’ name only appeared in the notes on Page 10 as part of a title of an article written by Jonathan Turley.

Recommended : Was Oprah Just Exposed In Jeffrey Epstein Client List?!

Fact #3 : Report Doesn’t Claim AI Tools Were Deployed

Even though the Jim Jordan report claims or suggests that the National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding the development of AI tools, it doesn’t even claim that they were deployed, or ready to deploy, for the 2024 US presidential election.

So why would anyone claim that Bill Gates or any tech billionaire was hired by Joe Biden to use these AI tools, which are still under development, to censor people during the 2024 Presidential election???

Fact #4 : Report Doesn’t Claim Joe Biden Was Involved

Notably, the Jim Jordan report also does not directly claim that the Biden White House is involved in the NSF funding of those AI censorship tools.

It only said that senior White House officials berated social media companies into changing their content moderation policies.

Fact #5 : NSF Convergence Accelerator Was Launched Under Trump!

It would be quite impossible for anyone to blame Joe Biden for the development of these AI tools, because NSF Convergence Accelerator was established in 2019 – during the Trump Administration!

While the report focused on Track F, which launched in March 2021, the earlier Track B and Track D on AI technologies were initiated in 2019 and 2020 during the Trump Administration.

Recommended : E. Jean Caroll Admits Lying To Help Biden Destroy Trump?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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CNY 2024 : No Highway Tolls + Speed Limit Reduction!

The Malaysian government just announced two days of toll-free travel and a speed limit reduction for the CNY 2024 holidays!

 

CNY 2024 : No Highway Tolls On February 8-9!

On Wednesday, 7 February 2024, the Ministry of Works announced that there will be no highway tolls from February 8 to 9, in conjunction with Chinese New Year 2024!

In a short public announcement, the Ministry announced that the toll-free travel would apply to all Class 1 private vehicles for two days, from 12:01 AM on Thursday, February 8, to 11:59 PM on Friday, February 9, on exiting the toll booths.

This toll-free travel will extend to all highways, except at the toll plazas at the national borders:

  • the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
  • the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza

The expected financial implication of these two days of toll-free travel is estimated to be about RM42.99 million.

Recommended : Motorists Can Renew Licence + Road Tax Via MyJPJ App!
Recommended : 2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

 

CNY 2024 : Speed Limit Reduction For 6 Days!

In conjunction with the CNY holidays, the Ministry of Works also ordered a reduction in all speed limits on all roads.

For 6 days from 8 to 13 February 2024, the speed limit will be reduced from 90 km/h to 80 km/h, on all federal roads.

This speed reduction are amongst the moves made to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents during the CNY 2024 festivities.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did America sign WEF treaty to ration meat, electricity + gas?!

Did American leaders just sign a WEF treaty to ration meat, electricity and gas in America, to combat climate change?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : American Leaders Signed WEF Treaty To Ration Meat, Electricity + Gas!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that American leaders just signed a WEF treaty to ration meat, electricity and gas in America, to combat climate change!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

American Leaders Sign WEF Treaty To Ration Meat, Electricity and Gas

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Klaus Schwab For Genocide?!

 

Truth : American Leaders Did Not Sign Any WEF Treaty To Ration Anything!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : America Did Not Sign Any WEF Treaty

Let me start by simply pointing out that America did not sign any WEF treaty, because there is no such thing.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and has no power over governments. It can lobby governments, but it cannot decide on their policies. It certainly did not create a treaty rationing meat, electricity or gas.

The WEF Head of Media Engagement, Vann Zopf described this claim as “fake”, and said that there is no such treaty by the World Economic Forum.

As usual, The People’s Voice offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim. Perhaps that’s why the article is so long and rambling – so it’s hard for you to make any sense of it at all!

Fact #2 : C40 Cities Group Is Run By Mayors

Interestingly, The People’s Voice article used a photo of US President Joe Biden, even though he has absolutely nothing to do with the C40 Cities group, which only involves those participating cities and their mayors.

Needless to say, the screenshot of Joe Biden allegedly posting on X (formerly Twitter) that “I’m fiercely loyal to @wef – our global government” is a complete fabrication.

Not only does Joe Biden have a grey (not blue) check mark, he never posted that tweet. If he did, it would have gone viral. Naturally, The People’s Voice offered no evidence that Joe Biden ever posted that tweet.

Fact #3 : C40 Cities Group Was Not Created By US Cities

The People’s Voice article claimed or suggested that US cities formed a coalition called the “C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group”. That’s not true.

According to the C40 Cities website, its genesis goes way back to 2005, when the Mayor of London at that time, Ken Livingstone convened representatives from 18 megacities to create the C20. Then in 2006, the C40 Steering Committee invited a further 22 mayors to join from the Global South, to create the C40 group.

Ultimately, the C40 Cities group comprises of cities from all over the world, as the official list and map shows.

Recommended : Was Oprah Just Exposed In Jeffrey Epstein Client List?!

Fact #4 : There Are No Mandatory C40 Cities Rules

The People’s Voice article also claimed that C40 Cities have pledged that their residents will comply with mandatory rules to reduce meat and dairy consumption to zero, limit purchase of new clothing items, eliminate car ownership, and allow every person only one short-haul return flight every 3 years.

That’s utter nonsense that’s based on the 2019 report by the University of Leeds, Arup and the C40 Cities organisation, called “The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5°C World“.

If you just skim through the entire report here, you can quickly see that there is no mandatory requirement. That’s because it’s just an analytical report that imagines what could happen if people did this or that. Nothing more.

As a C40 Cities spokesperson pointed out, it was just a report that provided “an analysis of consumption-based emissions in C40 cities“, and it was “not a plan for cities to adopt“.

The report calculates, for example, that if residents of C40 cities changed their eating habits to reach a “progressive target” of consuming 16 kg of meat, and 90 kg of dairy per person per year, then greenhouse-gas emissions from meat and dairy could be cut by 51% between 2017 and 2050 (pages 78-79).

Similarly, the report calculates that reducing car ownership, and increasing vehicle lifespans could cut emissions by 23% (pages 84-86). It never advocated banning private cars.

Why on Earth would people just make this up? Did they read the report? Or did their poor command of the English language led them to misunderstand what it said?

Fact #5 : C40 Cities Has Nothing To Do With WEF

The People’s Voice article claimed or suggested that the C40 Cities is somehow related to the WEF (World Economic Forum).

That is simply not true. The C40 Cities group is not affiliated with the WEF, and receives no funding from the World Economic Forum.

Recommended : E. Jean Caroll Admits Lying To Help Biden Destroy Trump?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

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Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Will Microsoft Disable Your Computer If You Share Fake News?!

Is Microsoft planning to disable your computer if you post or share fake news / misinformation?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Microsoft To Disable Your Computer If You Share Fake News!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that Microsoft is planning to disable your computer if you post or share fake news / misinformation!

Microsoft To Disable Computers of Users Who Share ‘Non-Mainstream Content’ Online

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

 

Truth : Microsoft Won’t Disable Your Computer If You Share Fake News!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Microsoft Did Not Announce Plans To Disable Computers

Let me start by pointing out that Microsoft did not announce any plans to disable computers of people who share “non-mainstream” content online, in an attempt to combat “misinformation” in the run-up to the 2024 US Presidential election.

If Microsoft actually announced such plans, it would have been major news covered by news outlets all over the world. It would also have gone viral on social media, with conservative and right-wing personalities criticising those plans.

Microsoft certainly made no such announcement, and The People’s Voice offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim.

Fact #2 : Satya Nadella Is Microsoft CEO, Not Bill Gates

Interestingly, The People’s Voice article used a photo of Bill Gates, even though he handed over day-to-day operations at Microsoft more than 15 years ago. He also stepped down as Microsoft Chairman, when Satya Nadella was appointed as CEO in February 2014.

If Microsoft does indeed plan to disable computers to fight fake news, that decision would have to be approved by its CEO and Chairman, Satya Nadella. Not its former founder, Bill Gates.

How is Bill Gates involved in this “story”? Nothing in the article even remotely suggests that Bill Gates is, in any way, involved in Microsoft affairs, or the non-existent plan to disable computers of people who share fake news / misinformation.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

Fact #3 : Satya Nadella Never Said Anything About Disabling Computers

The People’s Voice article used a video of Lester Holt from NBC News interviewing Satya Nadella as evidence that Microsoft plans to disable computers of people who share misinformation. However, that’s completely nonsensical.

The NBC News video only shows Satya Nadella saying that the tech industry is using technological solutions like watermarking [AI created content], detecting deep fakes, and implementing content IDs, to fight disinformation and misinformation.

This is not the first election where we dealt with disinformation or propaganda campaigns by adversaries and election interference.

We’re doing all the work across the tech industry around watermarking, detecting deep fakes and content IDs. There is going to be enough and more technology quite frankly in order to be able to identify the issues around disinformation and misinformation.

Fact #4 : Microsoft Can’t “Magically” Disable Computers Remotely

Even if Microsoft is so inclined, disabling a computer remotely isn’t like waving a magic wand, or chanting “Abracadabra”!

With the possible exception of specifically hacking into your computer to gain access, or tricking you into installing malware, it is not possible for Microsoft to remotely disable your computer simply because you shared fake news or misinformation.

The People’s Voice article certainly offered no explanation of how Microsoft might conceivably disable your computer remotely… like magic!

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Touch ‘n Go eWallet To Charge 1% Fee For Credit Card Reloads!

TNG Digital just announced a 1% fee for all credit card reloads to the Touch ‘n Go eWallet! Here is what you need to know…

 

Touch ‘n Go eWallet To Charge 1% Fee For Credit Card Reloads!

TNG Digital just announced a 1% fee for all credit card reloads to the Touch ‘n Go eWallet, from 24 February 2024 onwards!

Touch ‘n Go eWallet users will have to switch to DuitNow Transfer, and debit card, for their reloads.

TNG Digital say that it made this move to reduce the high cost of credit card reloads that it has been subsidising all this while, and to curb the cashing out of the credit card reloads to bank accounts.

This move is to curb excessive cashing out of credit card balance to bank accounts and offset the heavy cost of credit card reloads which TNGD has been subsidising since its inception.

Users are encouraged to use bank transfers via DuitNow which has exactly the same process as fund transfer among bank accounts.

– TNG Digital CEO Alan Ni

TNG Digital had earlier reduced the amount of credit card reloads that Touch ‘n Go eWallet users can transfer to their bank accounts. In March 2023, it reduced the amount of transferable credit card reloads to RM1,000 per month.

Upon exceeding that RM1,000 limit, users can choose to further use their credit cards for reloads with a 1% fee. The new February 2024 policy basically removes the free credit card reload for the first RM1,000.

Recommended : Free TNG RFID Bar Code Scam Fact Check!

 

How To Avoid 1% Fee On Touch ‘n Go eWallet Reloads

From 24 February 2024 onwards, the only ways to get free reloads on the Touch ‘n Go eWallet is to use DuitNow Transfer, or your debit card.

Reloading using your debit card is no different from using your credit card, so it should be easy for you to simply switch to your debit card.

Transferring using DuitNow Transfer is, unfortunately, not so straightforward with the Touch ‘n Go eWallet. For those who are not familiar with using DuitNow Transfer, here’s a quick guide:

Look For Your DuitNow Account Number

Step 1 : Open and log into your Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

Step 2 : Click on the Profile button at the upper right corner of the screen.

Step 3 : Under your name, you will see your 12-digit DuitNow account number. Write it down, or click on the copy button to copy it.

Reload Using Your DuitNow Account Number

Step 1 : Log into your preferred bank’s app or website.

Step 2 : Select the Transfers option.

Step 3 : Select the Transfer to other banks option.

Step 4 : Select Touch ‘n Go eWallet or DuitNow Transfer option.

Step 5 : Key in your Touch ‘n Go eWallet DuitNow account number.

Step 6 : Key in the amount you want to transfer, and click the Next or Transfer.

Step 7 : In the transfer summary page, verify the details and click Proceed. If you wish, you can also select “Add as Favourite” to make it easier to transfer more funds in the future.

As you can see, the DuitNow Transfer isn’t as user-friendly as using the credit card, which could put off many users. So a better alternative might be to use your debit card instead. Even so, I foresee many people switch to alternative e-wallets for payments.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did WEF Call For Democratic Elections To Be Banned?!

Did the WEF just call for democratic elections to be banned?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : WEF Calls For Democratic Elections To Be Banned!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed that the WEF just called for democratic elections to be banned, so the elite can decide who runs the world!

Here is an excerpt from the article, which is long and (intentionally?) rambling. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

WEF Calls for Democratic Elections To Be Banned: “The Elite Can Decide Who Runs the World”

Recommended : Did WEF Just Admit Disease X Will Be Leaked In 2025?!

 

Truth : WEF Did Not Call For Democratic Elections To Be Banned!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : WEF Did Not Call For Democratic Elections To Be Banned

Let me start by pointing out that neither Klaus Schwab, or the World Economic Forum (WEF), called for democratic elections to be banned.

The People’s Voice article certainly offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim that WEF founder Klaus Schwab just “declared that it’s time to ban elections worldwide and allow the elite to decide who runs the world.

The World Economic Forum is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and has no power over governments. It can lobby governments, but it cannot decide on their policies, or order them to do anything.

Fact #2 : Video Is From 2017

The People’s Voice article embedded a video called WEF Most Terrifying Moments From Davos, probably as evidence to back up its claims.

Even though that video clip was posted just 10 days ago, it is based on an old video posted by the World Economic Forum from its 2017 annual meeting at Davos, Switzerland.

In short – the video was from the 2017 WEF annual meeting, and has nothing to do with the 2024 WEF annual meeting.

Fact #3 : WEF Labels Claims As “False”

In a statement to the Associated Press (archive), the WEF said that claims made about the video are a “false representation of the actual discussion“, and that it did not call for the replacement of democratic elections:

The World Economic Forum is in no way calling for AI to replace democratic elections. These are false claims to discredit the work that the World Economic Forum does on serious global challenges.

Recommended : Did The WEF Just Declare War On Coffee?!

Fact #4 : Klaus Schwab Was Posing Hypothetical Questions

If you watch the full video, you will see that Klaus Schwab was posing hypothetical questions to Google founder Sergey Brin.

Can you imagine in ten years when we are sitting here, we have an implant in our brains, and I can immediately feel, because you all have implants, I can measure your brainwaves, I can immediately tell you how people react, or I can feel, how people react to your answers. Is it imaginable?

Even 7 years later, those hypothetical questions remain that – hypothetical – we still don’t have implants in our brains, for one thing.

Fact #5 : Democratic Elections Segment Was Edited

The shorter video commentary, as well as other examples on social media, suggest that Klaus Schwab was calling for artificial intelligence to replace democratic elections.

That is likely because they appear to have (intentionally?) cropped out two small parts of what Klaus Schwab said in the democratic elections segment (underlined in bold):

One fear which I have heard is the technology now is, digital technologies mainly have an analytical power. Now we go into a predictive power, and we have seen the first examples in your company.. very much involved into it.

But some say the next step could be to go into prescriptive mode, which means you do not even have to have elections anymore because you can already predict what.. predict and afterwards you can say, why do we need elections, because we know what the results will be. Can you imagine such a world?

By removing those two small parts, Klaus Schwab appeared to be endorsing using technology to replace democratic elections. When in truth, Schwab was asking Sergey Brin if he thought such a hypothetical dystopian future would be possible.

Why would anyone do that?

Recommended : Were Child Sex Workers Flown To Davos For WEF 2024?!

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Bill Gates Invested In BioNTech Because COVID Was Coming?!

Did Bill Gates invest in BioNTech two months before COVID-19 was announced, because he was forewarned, or planned the pandemic?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Invested In BioNTech Because COVID Was Coming!

People are sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter) by PeterSweden (archive), which appears to suggest that Bill Gates invested in BioNTech because COVID-19 was coming. Here is an excerpt:

I recently discovered something very weird. Bill Gates invested a whopping $55 MILLION in BioNTech that made the Pfizer mRNA injection. You will never believe the date that this happened…

This led some people to conclude or suggest that Bill Gates must have been forewarned, or even planned the pandemic himself! For example:

Thunder26 : It’s not a coincidence. It was all planned People who pulled the strings made a fortune out of this “pandemic”

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Invest In BioNTech Because COVID Was Coming!

Let’s take a look at those claims, and find out what the facts really are…

Fact #1 : Investment Was Made By Gates Foundation

Let me start by pointing out that Bill Gates did not invest $55 million in BioNTech. It was the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). You know, the world’s second largest charitable foundation?

While Bill Gates may be its most public face, the BMGF is governed by a board of trustees, with a CEO and five independent experts, and advised by a Scientific Advisory Committee.

Fact #2 : Agreement Was Signed In August 2019

Both BioNTech and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced the investment (here and here) on 4 September 2019. However, the investment agreement between the two parties was signed 5 days earlier, on 30 August 2019, as filed with the SEC.

This may seem like a small point, but a mistake here, a mistake there, and you end up with complete bollocks.

I should also point out that such large investments would have taken weeks, if not months, for both parties to negotiate, and their lawyers and boards to vet and approve.

Fact #3 : Investment Was Limited To HIV + TB Vaccines

The BioNTech press release made it clear that the BMGF investment was a partnership to “develop preclinical vaccine and immunotherapy candidates” for HIV and tuberculosis.

This was not mere PR. There was actually a legal agreement between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and BioNTech SE, restricting what the funds can be used for.

This agreement on the “Strategic Relationship between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and BioNTech SE“, which was also filed with the SEC on 30 August 2019, clearly stated that BioNTech will complete work packages on the Initial HIV SOW (Scope of Work) and the Initial TB Project SOW.

It also stated that “Additional Projects will not be funded by the Foundation Investment except in the limited circumstances following a determination that it is futile to continue with a workplan as set forth in the TB Project Statement of Work or HIV Project Statement of Work.

In other words – the $55 million BMGF investment was limited to the development of HIV and TV vaccines and immunotherapies.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #4 : $55 Million Is Chump Change For BMGF

As the world’s second-largest charitable foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hold some $69 billion worth of assets. On top of that, it has given away some 7 billion dollars to fight disease and poverty.

In short – a $55 million investment is chump change. If Bill Gates was forewarned about COVID-19, and somehow knew that BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine technology would be a winner in the upcoming pandemic, he would have invested BILLIONS, not just a paltry $55 million.

Imagine if Bill Gates invested $10 billion into BioNTech, instead of just $55 million. The BMGF would be $100 billion richer, not just 0.55 billion richer. Ah, what a lousy businessman!

Fact #5 : BMGF To Grant Additional $45 Million

The BioNTech press release pointed that the total funding could reach $100 million, but oddly enough – the viral post failed to point that out. Why?

Possibly, that’s because the investment agreement stated that if BioNTech achieved its HIV and tuberculosis project milestones, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would provide additional grants of up to $45 million!

Now, if the BMGF only invested in BioNTech to make money, why would it provide $45 million in grants when it can simply purchase $110 million of equity at one go?

Imagine if Bill Gates invested $110 million into BioNTech instead of just $55 million, he would have earned $1.1 billion, instead of “just $550 million” as claimed by the viral post. Ah, you silly, silly man…

Recommended : Was Bill Gates Destroyed In ABC News Interview?!

Fact #6 : China Only Revealed COVID-19 In December 2019

Finally, the viral post claimed that we first heard about the novel coronavirus that would be known as SARS-CoV-2 in November 2019. That’s not true.

While later reports suggested that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating in Wuhan in October and November, the public was only made aware of the new coronavirus on the very last day of 2019.

On 30 December 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission sent a hard-copy of guidelines on fighting “a possible outbreak of infectious pneumonia” to its affiliate institutions. It was only on 31 December that the Commission publicly announced the pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, which was picked up by the WHO office in China and international news media.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did WEF Just Admit Disease X Will Be Leaked In 2025?!

Did the World Economic Forum (WEF) just admit that Disease X will be unleashed onto the public in 2025?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : WEF Admits Disease X Will Be Leaked In 2025!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that the World Economic Forum (WEF) just declared that Disease X will be unleashed onto the public in the year 2025!

Here is an excerpt from the article, which is ridiculously long and confusing. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

WEF Admits Disease X Will Be Leaked in 2025

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Klaus Schwab For Genocide?!

 

Truth : WEF Did Not Admit Disease X Will Be Leaked In 2025!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : WEF Never Declared Disease X Would Be Unleashed In 2025

This is really silly, but let me start by pointing out that the World Economic Forum (WEF) never admitted or declared that Disease X would be unleashed onto the public in 2025.

If the WEF actually declared this publicly, it would have been international news, covered worldwide by legitimate media outlets. Yet, it has only been mentioned by conspiracy / fake news websites?

That’s because it never happened. The People’s Voice certainly offered no evidence to back up its claims.

Fact #2 : WEF Held A Panel On Disease X

On January 17, 2024, WEF held a panel discussion on Disease X, featuring WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and six other panelists.

If you watch the entire panel discussion, which was called Preparing for Disease X, you will see that no one ever claimed that Disease X would be unleashed or leaked onto the public in the year 2025.

So why are some people claiming that the WEF declared that Disease X would be released in 2025? Do they know something even the panel of health experts don’t know?

Recommended : Did WHO Unveil Global Police Force With Arrest Powers?!

Fact #3 : Disease X Is Just A Placeholder Name

What The People’s Voice article does not tell you is that Disease X does not actually exist. Disease X is merely a placeholder name for a hypothetical, unknown pathogen that could cause a future epidemic.

It is used by healthcare organisations and policy makers as an easy way to label an unknown disease that could potentially emerge in the future.

If a new pathogen emerges, it won’t be called Disease X. Remember when news first broke about a new coronavirus emerging in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019? It wasn’t called Disease X then.

Initially, the WHO called it the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. Then, the disease itself was named as COVID-19, while the virus that causes it was named as SARS-CoV-2.

Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did The WEF Just Declare War On Coffee?!

Did the World Economic Forum (WEF) just declare war on coffee, saying that people should not have more than 2-3 cups per year?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : The WEF Declares War On Coffee!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that the World Economic Forum (WEF) just declared war on coffee, saying that people should not have more than 2-3 cups per year!

WEF Declares War on Coffee: ‘No More Than 2 or 3 Cups Each Per Year’

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Klaus Schwab For Genocide?!

 

Truth : The WEF Did Not Declare War On Coffee!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Hubert Keller Is Not Part Of WEF

First, let me just point out that Hubert Keller is not part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) organisation. He is a senior managing partner at the Lombard Odier Group – an independent Swiss banking group.

On 17 January, 2024, he participated in a panel on “Putting a Price on Nature” during the WEF 2024 meeting, together with:

  • Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai, President of the Board of Directors, Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance
  • Ronald W. Hovsepian, CEO of Indigo Ag, Inc.
  • Nick Studer, President and CEO of Oliver Wyman
  • Marina Silva, Brazil Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  • Gretchen Daily, Bing Professor in Environmental Science, Stanford University

As you can see, none of the panel participants work for the WEF. So it is ridiculous to claim or suggest that Hubert Keller represents the World Economic Forum, or sets its policies.

Fact #2 : Hubert Keller + WEF Did Not Declare War On Coffee

It it also important to note that neither Hubert Keller, nor the WEF, declared war on coffee. Neither did they say that people should drink “no more than 2 or 3 cups each per year”.

Needless to say, The People’s Voice provided no evidence that either Hubert Keller or the WEF declared war on coffee, or say that people should drink “no more than 2 or 3 cups each per year”.

In the video clip (archive) it used as “evidence”, all Hubert Keller did was point out that each tonne (not cup) of coffee emits between 15 and 20 tonnes of CO2, and that the quality of the coffee monocultures being produced is deteriorating rapidly due to climate change.

Not once did Hubert Keller say that people should not drink coffee, or they should limit themselves to just 2-3 cups per year.

Recommended : Did WHO Unveil Global Police Force With Arrest Powers?!

Fact #3 : Hubert Keller Was Promoting Regenerative Farming

What The People’s Voice article does not mention is that Hubert Keller was promoting regenerative food production, as this Lombard Odier article points out:

Many in the finance industry are focussed on voluntary carbon markets, he said, “but at Lombard Odier we are more cautious about carbon markets. Ultimately, big corporations, who are the natural buyers of carbon credits, are going to concentrate on real emissions reductions on the ground. So we have concerns over whether voluntary carbon markets can achieve the scale we need.”

Instead, he said, “We are focussing our attention on regenerative food production. Why? Because 85% of the pressure on Nature stems from our food systems, so it is the development of regenerative food production that will unlock value in Nature’s assets. It will increase the life and resilience of those assets. It will increase the carbon sequestration. And it will create nature-positive commodities at a time when the world is putting a price on the environmental cost of production. Economic systems powered by Nature’s regenerative approach can outcompete today’s economic systems.”

You can watch his full explanation in this WEF 2024 video here, from around the 20:25 minute.

Fact #4 : Hubert Keller Spoke About Improving Coffee Cultivation

Ironically, Hubert Keller was actually speaking about improving coffee cultivation – quite the opposite of declaring war on coffee.

The viral video clip is short, showing Hubert Keller speaking for just 41 seconds. If the video clip is longer, you would actually see Hubert Keller then speaks specifically about improving coffee cultivation.

At around the 26:38 mark of the full video, Hubert Keller suggests that using capital to acquire small coffee farms and transform them using the regenerative agroforestry model, thus improving its production while sequestering carbon and restoring biodiversity, without increasing costs for the consumer.

In short – he was recommending that the coffee industry adopts the regenerative farming method to improve productivity, longevity, and biodiversity, while helping to mitigate climate change.

Recommended : Did George Soros Just Suffer A Stroke At WEF 2024?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Alex Soros Call For Donald Trump To Be Assassinated?!

Did Alex Soros just publicly call for Donald Trump to be assassinated?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Alex Soros Called For Donald Trump To Be Assassinated!

People are claiming or suggesting Alex Soros, who took over the Open Society Foundation from his billionaire father, George Soros, just publicly called for Donald Trump to be assassinated!

The People’s Voice : Alex Soros openly called for the assassination of Donald Trump on Sunday, warning that the chance of Trump becoming president is too risky for the globalists to ignore.

Recommended : Did George Soros Just Suffer A Stroke At WEF 2024?!

 

Truth : Alex Soros Did Not Call For Donald Trump To Be Assassinated!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on X (formerly Twitter) and some websites, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Alex Soros Did Not Call For Trump Assassination

First, let me start by pointing out that Alex Soros never publicly called for Donald Trump to be assassinated. None of those claims are backed up by actual evidence.

There is ZERO evidence Alex Soros ever called for Donald Trump to be assassinated. Neither did The People’s Voice provided any evidence to back up its claim that Alex Soros said that “He’s too dangerous alive“,.

Fact #2 : Alex Soros Only Shared Article On Crime + Inflation

The whole premise behind these claims of a Trump assassination threat is based on a single tweet by Alex Soros, who shared an article by The Atlantic on the leading theories behind the crime and inflation crises.

Alex Soros never mentioned Donald Trump in his tweet. Neither did he attribute the article to Donald Trump, or suggested that it was somehow linked to him.

Last year, the crime and inflation crises largely evaporated. So did the leading theories about what had caused them.

To be clear – Alexander Soros did not write the article posted by The Atlantic. Neither did he select the photos used for that article.

Recommended : Did WEF Order US Election To Be Nullified If Trump Wins?!

Fact #3 : Those Were Stock Images

Right-wing conspiracy theorists are claiming that the bullet hole referred to an assassination attempt, with the hand holding out 47 dollars is a reference to Donald Trump being the future 47th President of the United States.

That’s completely bonkers because the two photos used in The Atlantic article are stock photos from Getty Images that have no relevance to Donald Trump, or assassinations.

The bullet hole photo (source) was taken on 1 July 2023, by New York Daily News, at the scene of a double shooting of an MTA bus in The Bronx, New York. An appropriate photo for an article on crime, don’t you think?

The photo of a hand holding $47 was taken by George Marks in the 1950s (source). I’m sure you will agree that it is an appropriate photo for inflation, and has nothing to do with Donald Trump.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Were Child Sex Workers Flown To Davos For WEF 2024?!

Were thousands of child sex workers flown on private jets to service WEF 2024 attendees in Davos?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Child Sex Workers Flown To Davos For WEF 2024!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that thousands of child sex workers were flown on private jets to service attendees of the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos!

Child Sex Workers ‘Fully Booked’ at Davos, WEF Insider Says

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Klaus Schwab For Genocide?!

 

Truth : Child Sex Workers Were Not Flown To Davos For WEF 2024!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Evidence Of Child Sex Workers At WEF 2024

First, let me just point out that there is absolutely ZERO evidence that any child sex worker was trafficked to Davos for the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF).

The People’s Voice certainly provided no evidence to back up its claims of “thousands of children” being flown to WEF 2024 on private jets for sex work.

Think about it for just a second. Davos isn’t some sealed town owned by the “evil WEF cabal”. It is a town in Switzerland where anyone can visit. There were thousands of people in Davos for WEF 2024, including members of the media from all over the world, as well as conspiracy theorists and cranks looking to record viral video clips (example) of the WEF elite.

Yet no one was able to obtain a single photo or video of any child sex worker in Davos, in the age of ever-present cameras in smartphones, CCTVs, dash cams, etc.?

Fact #2 : Passports Required For Private Jet Passengers

The claim that the elite trafficked children into Davos without passport or identification is ludicrous. Even if they flew in on private jets, they would still need to present their passports for international flights.

Private jets merely offer privacy and convenience. They do not allow passengers to bypass immigration controls.

Fact #3 : Minors Cannot Travel By Themselves

There is also the inconvenient fact that minors are not allowed to travel across borders without being accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Imagine a private flight of multiple minors without their parents landing at any airport. It would have drawn special scrutiny. There is simply no way for child sex workers to be trafficked across borders using private jets.

Recommended : Did WHO Unveil Global Police Force With Arrest Powers?!

Fact #4 : Private Jets Are Small

The People’s Voice cannot even keep its fake story straight. After claiming that “dozens” of private jets were used to “traffic the children across borders”, it then claimed that about a dozen flights were used to transport those child sex workers to Davos.

What the writer may not realise is that private jets are small. Most private jets seat about 8-12 people, but the largest – the Embraer Lineage 1000, can seat up to 18 people.

A dozen Lineage 1000 flights would only carry a total of 216 children. For a thousand children, you would need about a hundred private jets, or at least 56 of the super-large Embraer Lineage 1000 private jets.

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did WEF Order US Election To Be Nullified If Trump Wins?!

Did the WEF just order world leaders to nullify US election results if Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential race?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : WEF Orders US Election To Be Nullified If Trump Wins!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that the World Economic Forum (WEF) just ordered world leaders to nullify the US election results in Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential race!

WEF Orders World Leaders To Nullify U.S. Election Results if Trump Wins

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Klaus Schwab For Genocide?!

 

Truth : WEF Did Not Order US Election To Be Nullified If Trump Wins!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : WEF Cannot Order World Leaders To Do Anything

First, let me just point out that the World Economic Forum is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that focuses on public-private sector collaboration. It has no power over world leaders, beyond its lobbying and influencing efforts.

The WEF may be an influential lobbying organisation, but it cannot order world leaders to do anything.

Fact #2 : US Presidential Elections Cannot Be Nullified

The claim that other world leaders can nullify the US presidential election is so ludicrous, I cannot believe anyone is stupid enough to believe it. If that is even possible, Russia and China would have overturned the 2020 election in Trump’s favour!

The truth is – there is no way any world leader can nullify the US presidential elections. The 2024 US presidential election will be decided by the American people on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, who will elect a president and a vice president for the next four years.

Fact #3 : The Article Provided No Evidence

Despite its title and lede claiming that the WEF has ordered world leaders to nullify the US election results if Donald Trump wins, The People’s Voice provided no evidence to back up those claims.

In fact, the article itself quotes world leaders saying that they will need to prepare for a potential Trump presidency. That sounds like they are resigning themselves to the real possibility that Donald Trump may win the election – the complete opposite of nullifying the election results.

Recommended : Did WHO Unveil Global Police Force With Arrest Powers?!

Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Does Indocafe Instant Coffee Contain Harmful Drugs?!

Was Indocafe instant coffee mix found to contain harmful drugs?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Indocafe Coffee Mix Contains Harmful Drugs!

People are sharing a video clip on WhatsApp, TikTok, and social media, claiming or suggesting that Indocafe instant coffee mix was found to contain harmful drugs!

WhatsApp example #1 : Please viral to all your family and friends in your group

Discovery of sachets in Indocafe 3 in 1 coffeemix from Indonesia, mixed with harmful drugs??

Recommended : Is Food Being Fried With Plastic To Last Longer?!

Here is the rough English translation of the commentary in Indonesia / Bahasa Malaysia:

Here are all the drugs. From Indonesia. New coffee from Indocafe, which I will open now. This is new okay, now we open.  Let’s throw this first okay. Empty. Okay. Let’s open. Let’s see if there are still reddish drugs. Oh my God… Oh my God… There’s a lot.

 

Truth : Indocafe Coffee Mix Does Not Contain Harmful Drugs!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being shared on WhatsApp and online platforms like TikTok and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Many Indocafe Customers Disputed Claim

The video appears to have been posted on TikTok by @dianaz780 on 26 November 2023 (archive).

Many people who commented on the video pointed out that they have never seen such pink-coloured drugs or dangerous substances in their Indocafe coffee mixture, even though some have been drinking it for many years.

Personally, I have also made and drunk this particular Indocafe instant coffee mix, and have never seen such pink-coloured substances before.

Fact #2 : Indocafe Labelled Video As “False”

On the same day, Indocafe advised people on Instagram not to fall for the “hoax”, stating that it has more than 38 years of experience in the industry. Then on 29 November 2023, Indocafe issued a statement (archive) through their lawyer, labelling the video as “false” and “fake news”. Here is the English translation:

In connection with the video currently circulating on social media regarding our product, namely Indocafe Coffeemix, which contains drugs, we hereby deny in the strongest possible terms that this is false and is fake news.

The statement also pointed out that the Indocafe Coffeemix product is monitored by the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM)

Recommended : Can Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Cause Liver Damage?!

Fact #3 : Unknown What Those Pink Substances Are

Unless the person who created that video sends the samples to Indocafe (or an independent laboratory) for testing, it is impossible to know what those pink-coloured pieces really are.

Could the instant coffee mix sachets have been tampered with? Or is it possible that these are counterfeit Indocafe coffee mix sachets?

Fact #4 : Pink Substance May Be Annatto

Assuming the sachets were not contaminated or tampered with, what could those pink pieces be? Short of a laboratory test, it would be quite impossible to know.

That said, the ingredients (archive) of this particular Indocafe Coffeemix 3-in-1 product may offer us a clue:

Sugar, Non-Dairy Creamer [Glucose Syrup, Hardened Vegetable Fat, Sodium Caseinate (contain milk protein), Stabilizer (E452ii, E340ii) and Emulsifier (non-animal origin) (E471), Anti-caking Agent (E554), Colour (160b)], Indocafé Instant Coffee.

The three key components of this coffee mix are sugar, non-diary creamer, and coffee. But one of the components of the non-diary creamer is 160b (E160b), also known as Annatto – orange-red food colouring from the seeds of the Bixa orellana tree.

It is possible that the annatto powder may have clumped together with the other components of the creamer, caking them into large pieces in the presence of excessive moisture.

Recommended : Can Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Cause Liver Damage?!

Fact #5 : Narcotics Are Expensive

While contamination or counterfeiting might be possible, it is absurd to claim, without evidence, that the pink substances are “dangerous drugs”. For one thing – narcotics are expensive. Who would be so stupid enough to put narcotics into cheap instant coffee mix?

Fact #6 : World Population Is Now Over 8 Billion

Claims that these “dangerous drugs” are being used to kill people and depopulate the world is a ridiculous conspiracy fantasy. Anyone who opens a sachet would immediately see the large pink pieces, thus foiling the dastardly plans of an incompetent evil cabal that has hitherto failed to stop the world from expanding to 8 billion people!

A real “Deep State operative” would have blended the poison to mix evenly with the coffee mix. And a real evil depopulation cabal would have done a better job of stopping population growth! This is nothing more than a silly conspiracy theory.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did George Soros Just Suffer A Stroke At WEF 2024?!

Did billionaire financier George Soros just suffer a stroke while speaking at the 2024 World Economic Forum?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : George Soros Just Suffered A Stroke At WEF 2024!

People are sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter), while claiming or suggesting that billionaire financier George Soros just suffered a stroke while speaking at the 2024 World Economic Forum!

DiedSuddenly : Globalist vaxx pusher and tyranny expert George Soros appears to have experienced a stroke on live television while giving his speech at the WEF.

Recommended : Is Hungary Prosecuting George Soros For Holocaust?!

 

Truth : George Soros Did Not Suffer Any Stroke At WEF 2024!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Not Recorded At WEF 2024

First, let me start by pointing out that the video is genuine. However, it was not recorded at the 2024 World Economic Forum.

Rather, it was recorded 11 months earlier, on 16 February 2023, at the TUM (Technical University of Munich) Speaker Series, which was an official side event to the Munich Security Conference.

The video was then uploaded to YouTube in the official TUM Speaker Series channel on 22 March 2023.

Fact #2 : George Soros Did Not Attend WEF 2024

It is peculiar that people would claim that George Soros suffered a stroke at the 2024 World Economic Forum. As far as I can tell – George Soros did not attend the 2024 World Economic Forum at all!

Instead, he was replaced by his son, 38 year-old Alexander Soros, who took over as Open Society Foundations chairman from his father in 2022. Alex Soros spoke on the closing day of the 2024 WEF on Friday, 19 January 2024.

George Soros also skipped the 2023 World Economic Forum, but attended the Munich Security conference a month later, where the viral video was originally recorded.

Recommended : Did George Soros Die Suddenly From Heart Attack?!

Fact #3 : Soros Did Not Suffer A Stroke

While it is really a terrible idea to diagnose anyone by simply watching a video, George Soros does not appear to suffer from a stroke during that speech.

At about 05:10 of the full video, George Soros appears to zone out for about 23 seconds, before recovering and continuing with his speech.

Other than that momentary “freeze”, he did not appear to exhibit any symptoms of a stroke – difficulty speaking, drooping of one side of the face, weakness of one side of the body, etc.

Soros then spoke normally for another 5 minutes or so, before a video montage was shown. At 17:31, he went on to speak non-stop for another 30 minutes. In the full video, he spoke for about 40 minutes in total – pretty impressive for a 92 year old man (at that time).

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Baidu Denies ERNIE Bot Link To Chinese Military Research!

Baidu just denied any link between its ERNIE Bot generative AI service, and a Chinese military AI!

 

SCMP : Baidu ERNIE Bot Linked To Chinese Military!

On 12 January 2024, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a research laboratory under the Strategic Support Force cyberwarfare division of the People’s Liberation Army “forged a physical link” between its AI system, and large language models in China, specifically the Baidu ERNIE Bot, and the iFLYTEK Spark.

According to SCMP, the project was detailed in a peer-reviewed paper published in the December 2023 issue of the Chinese academic journal, Command Control & Simulation. It also reported this as the first time the Chinese military has publicly confirmed its use of commercial large language models.

According to scientists involved in the project, a research laboratory with the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Strategic Support Force, which oversees the Chinese military’s space, cyber, intelligence and electronic warfare, has forged a physical link between its AI system and Baidu’s Ernie and iFlyTek’s Spark, which are large language models similar to ChatGPT.

The military AI can convert vast amounts of sensor data and information reported by frontline units into descriptive language or images and relay them to the commercial models. After they confirm they understand, the military AI automatically generates prompts for deeper exchange on various tasks such as combat simulations. The entire process is completely free of human involvement.

The paper by Sun Yifeng and his team from the PLA’s Information Engineering University, discussed how they fed military AI data on the 2011 US military intervention in Libya to large language models like the Baidu ERNIE Bot, and after several rounds of dialogue, they were able to predict the US military’s combat strategy.

In the paper, Sun’s team discussed one of their experiments that simulated a US military invasion of Libya in 2011. The military AI provided information about the weapons and deployment of both armies to the large language models. After several rounds of dialogue, the models successfully predicted the next move of the US military.

After the publication of that story, Baidu’s shares fell by more than 11.5%, amidst fears that such a direct link to the Chinese military would result in US sanctions, not unlike what happened to HUAWEI.

Recommended : Were Chinese Missiles Really Filled With Water?!

 

Baidu Denies ERNIE Bot Link To Chinese Military Research!

Initially, Baidu only stated that it has no knowledge of the research project:

We have no knowledge of the research project, and if our large language model was used, it would have been the version that is publicly available online

However, after its stock price fell, Baidu issued a stronger denial on 15 January 2024.

Baidu stated that it did not have any “business collaboration” with Sun Yifeng’s team, or the PLA’s Information Engineering University, and stated that if ERNIE Bot was used in that research, it would have been the publicly-available version.

ERNIE Bot is available to and used by the general public.

The academic paper, published by scholars at a Chinese university, described how the authors built prompts and received responses from LLMs, using the functions available to any user interacting with generative AI tools.

Baidu has not engaged in any business collaboration or provided any tailored service to authors of the academic paper or any institutions with which they are affiliated.

Baidu also sated that SCMP has since “clarified and corrected” its report.

The South China Morning Post, the first media outlet that reported on this academic paper, has clarified and corrected its original media report.

SCMP removed its reference to a physical link between Ernie Bot and any Chinese military AI system, amending it t o say that the PLA laboratory tested its AI system system on Baidu Ernie and iFLYTEK Spark.

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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