Category Archives: Photography + Videography Articles + News

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Did Pentagon Just Get Hit By A Large Explosion?!

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Was the Pentagon just hit by a large explosion?! Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Pentagon Was Just Hit By A Large Explosion!

A photo of an explosion at the Pentagon has gone viral on social media, with multiple “blue check” Twitter accounts, an Indian media outlet and Russian state media sharing it!

RT : Reports of an explosion near the Pentagon in Washington DC

Bloomberg Feed : Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C. – Initial Report

⚠️BREAKING – Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The #Pentagon Complex in #Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Truth : Pentagon Was Not Hit By A Large Explosion!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created using AI technology, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Was No Pentagon Explosion

First, let me just confirmed that there was no explosion at the Pentagon yesterday or today. The Pentagon did not come under attack, as many people have claimed.

For one thing – no legitimate media outlet has reported on such an explosion. No, propaganda outlets like Russia Today (RT) do not count.

This incident has shown just how unreliable RT really is – it was the only state media agency to post the fake photo. RT deleted the photo hours later, but did not appear to apologise for the “mistake”.

Furthermore, police and fire officials in Arlington, Virgina, have confirmed that the viral photo is fake, and that there was no incident at the Pentagon. No explosion. No fire. No smoke.

@PFPAOfficial and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon.

There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.

Fact #2 : That Is Not The Pentagon

Anyone who has seen the facade / side profile of the Pentagon will immediately realise that the photo does not show the famous building.

The fake building looks like like a university than the Pentagon, which has a flat, sloping roof without a triangular Gable roof.

The facade of the Pentagon is also almost flat and uniform, with uniform, same-sized windows throughout.

Fact #3 : The Photo Was AI Generated

The viral photo appears to be created using an AI image generator. If you look closely at the photo, you will see many discrepancies that suggest it was AI-generated:

The facade of the building is distorted, with some windows merging together.
The fence suddenly turns into crowd barriers, both of which have distortions with holes too.
The lamp post appears to be distorted and cut off from its base, literally floating sideways.

Not shown below, but the concrete walkway also gradually fades into grass, which is another sign it was AI-generated.

Fact #4 : Twitter Blue + Gold Accounts Helped Spread Fake Photo!

It is important to point out that while this viral photo tricked many people into thinking it was real, it was the new Twitter Blue and Twitter Gold accounts that helped it go viral.

The photo went viral because multiple Twitter Blue accounts shared the fake photo. Because many people still believe that blue check Twitter accounts are “verified” and therefore trustworthy, they shared it out too.

Elon Musk is responsible for this debacle, by allowing any Tom, Dick and Harry to purchase a blue check to masquerade as a “verified” Twitter account. That was how the fake Bloomberg Feed account was able to trick so many people to share this fake photo.

On top of that, Russian state media – RT (Russia Today) boosted the fake photo by reposting it on its Twitter Gold account, which is a paid and verified account. Even though RT finally deleted the tweet hours later, more than 38,000 people had already viewed the post, and many shared it because they believed RT verified the news.

Fact #5 : Indian News Channel Helped Spread Fake Photo

It also did not help that Republic TV – a right-wing, English language news channel in India, broadcasted a “Live & Breaking” news of the Pentagon explosion using nothing more than that fake photo!

To top it off, they even invited Professor Madhav Nalapat – “an international affairs expert” to opine on the fake explosion!

To be fair – Republic TV relied on RT to verify that news, with a chyron saying, “RT REPORTS EXPLOSION NEAR PENTAGON“. That ought to teach them for relying on Russian state media for facts…

Republic TV claims the Pentagon was just hit by a massive explosion! 😲🤔

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/GndMXdMr4I #TechARP #Pentagon #Explosion #Military #USDOD #UnitedStates #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #AIGenerated #AI #ArtificialIntelligence pic.twitter.com/XaqglBsV3T

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 24, 2023

Fact #6 : This Is Just AI-Generated Fake News!

This is yet another example of fake photos / videos / news created by artificial intelligence. Here are some other examples I fact checked recently:

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

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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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Indian Robot Dancers @ Shanghai Disneyland?!

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Did China create these amazing Indian robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland?!

Watch the viral clip for yourself, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Claim : China Created Indian Robot Dancers At Shanghai Disneyland!

Here is the video that people are sharing on WhatsApp and social media platforms. It is often paired with a short explanation in English.

Watch this dance carefully. Dancing at Disneyland in Shanghai. These two are not human dancers, *But two robots made in China. *The duration of the dance h is only five minutes. But the waiting time to buy tickets to see this dance is 4 hours. Tickets to see this dance cost 499 yuan, which is equivalent to 75 dollars. Robots’ facial expressions are so perfect that it’s hard to distinguish them from real people.

Did China create these amazing Indian robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland?! 😮

Here are the facts : https://t.co/CvhSNWhgNf #TechARP #ShanghaiDisneyland #Disneyland #Disney #China #Wumao #India #Dancer #Dance #Classical #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Robot #Robotics #Fake pic.twitter.com/p5XrLK7GAn

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 19, 2023

They Are NOT Indian Robot Dancers At Shanghai Disneyland!

The agility and grace of these dancers are amazing, but they are NOT Indian robot dancers created by China for Shanghai Disneyland!

The less gullible would point out that it is something you would only expect from human Indian dancers, and they would be right.

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Video From 2017

While this video has only started circulating in April-May 2023, the original video was posted on YouTube in August 2017 – more than 5 years ago!

The original video is called “Vahana Alarippu: Bharatanatyam Dance | Best of Indian Classical Dance”, and is 23 seconds longer than the viral video, with a different audio track.

Fact #2 : Those Are Professional Indian Classical Dancers!

The two dancers are professional Indian classical dancers called Sophia Salingaros and Isha Parupudi.

It is unknown where this dance actually took place. The description did not mention a location. But it is more than certain that this dance did not occur at the Shanghai Disneyland!

Fact #3 : 499 Yuan Was Old Entry Price To Shanghai Disneyland

The fake story claimed that the ticket to watch this performance costs 499 Yuan – about US$73 / £55 / RM303. That would be ridiculously exorbitant for a single show.

In truth, that was the cost of an entry ticket to the Shanghai Disneyland when it first opened in February 2016.

Since 6 June 2018, it has been priced at 399 Yuan (off-peak), 575 Yuan (peak) and 665 Yuan (peak holiday).

In 23 June 2023, Shanghai Disneyland raised prices again, with a Regular ticket at 435 Yuan. Regular Plus ticket at 545 Yuan, Peak ticket at 659 Yuan, and Peak Plus ticket at 769 Yuan.

Fact #4 : Disneyland Does Not Charge Extra To Watch Certain Shows

Anyone who has been to Disneyland knows that the entry fee is pricey. That’s because it covers all rides and shows inside Disneyland.

You only need to pay for food and drinks, and arcade games. Or if you opt to purchase Disney Fastpasses (Fastpass, FastPass+, MaxPass) to bypass long queues at popular rides or shows.

Otherwise, all rides and shows are free to enjoy once you enter Disneyland.

Fact #5 : That Is The Third Fake Video Of Shanghai Disneyland Robot Dancers!

This is actually the third fake video of robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland. It’s absurd how people keep passing off videos of real dancers as robot dancers!

This one circulated earlier, claiming to be of a female robot dancer that handily beats all Japanese made-robots. In truth, the fake news creator took the video clip from the 2018 World Dance Sport Federation Championship in Lithuania…

And this video was taken from a Chinese Ballroom Dance Federation (CBDF) competition

Who Would Create Fake Story About Indian Robot Dancers?

With China’s aggressive foreign stance in recent years, it is not uncommon to see such fake stories and fake videos being created and shared.

Some believe it’s part of a concerted attempt to burnish China’s image overseas. Others believe the many fake stories are being created to drown out the negative coverage of China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative, and their aggressive moves in the South China Sea.

Whatever the reasons may be, it is our duty as global citizens to stop the proliferation of such fake stories.

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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AI Will Let Tom Hanks Appear In Movies After Death!

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Hollywood legend Tom Hanks believes that AI (artificial intelligence) will let him continue appearing in movies long after his death!

Tom Hanks : AI will let me appear in movies after death!

In a recent interview, Tom Hanks says he believes he could continue appearing in movies long after his death, thanks to AI (artificial intelligence).

He said that AI could be used to recreate his image, ensuring that he would continue to appear in movies “from now until kingdom come”. But he admitted that AI posed both artistic and legal challenges to the movie industry.

This [legal ramification] has always been lingering. The first time we did a movie that had a huge amount of our own data locked in a computer – literally what we looked like – was a movie called The Polar Express

We saw this coming, we saw that there was going to be this ability to take zeros and ones from inside a computer and turn it into a face and a character. That has only grown a billion-fold since then and we see it everywhere.

The Polar Express, which was released in 2004, was the first movie to be entirely animated using digital motion capture technology.

Recommended : Did Tom Hanks Just Die Suddenly?!

AI technology is a boon for movie studios, which can now use it to recreate actors after they have died or are no longer capable of acting. For example, the voice of Darth Vader in The Book of Boba Fest and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series was AI-generated from James Earl Jones’ archival voice recordings.

AI is also being used to de-age actors, to allow actors to appear like younger versions of themselves. Most recently, it was used to make 80 year-old Harrison Ford appear much younger in the latest Indiana Jones movie.

However, AI poses a problem for actors because it can be used to create digital versions that are used without their permission, or without compensation to them or their families.

I can tell you that there is discussions going on in all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms in order to come up with the legal ramifications of my face and my voice and everybody else’s being our intellectual property.

Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on and on.

Outside the understanding of AI and deep fake, there’ll be nothing to tell you that it’s not me and me alone. And it’s going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge but it’s also a legal one.

Well, Tom Hanks will soon experience that AI treatment again. In January 2023, it was announced that he and Robin Wright would be de-aged in Robert Zemeckis’ film adaptation of Here – a movie that follows the inhabitants of a single room over the course of several years. The film is set to be released in 2024.

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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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Are Ukrainians Spending Western Money On Parties?!

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Are the Ukrainians are wasting money donated by Western countries on parties in Kyiv?!

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

Claim : Ukrainians Are Spending Western Money On Parties!

People are sharing a series of viral videos posted by RadioGenova, which claim to show Ukrainian nightclub parties, as evidence that Ukrainians are wasting money donated by Western countries on parties in Kyiv!

Meanwhile in Kiev nightclubs… Please donate more money!

Kiev 2023, Boho Yosai and Infinitum nightclubs. Please donate more money. The party must go on!

Infinitum nightclub in Kiev now. Please donate more money. The party must go on!

Are Ukrainians spending donated money on nightclub parties?! 😲🤨

Here are the facts : https://t.co/vI0ZurDQoC #TechARP #Ukraine #Russia #UkraineWar #Nightclub #Propaganda #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Dancing #Entertainment #Nightlife #Party #Controversy #Kyiv #Ukrainian pic.twitter.com/lurc2CfkTI

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 8, 2023

Truth : Ukrainians Are Not Spending Western Money On Parties!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by pro-Russia activists to diminish support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Videos Were Originally Posted In TikTok

There is no evidence that the viral videos were recorded by RadioGenova.

They were originally posted by a TikTok account called kievnight (@Kiev_night), and reposted (stolen? misappropriated?) by RadioGenova on its Twitter account.

Fact #2 : The Videos Were Recorded In 2021

RadioGenova falsely claimed that the videos were just recorded in 2023.

The TikTok account that posted the original videos, kievnight, stated that they were recorded in 2021 – before Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Other videos clearly stated that it was recorded in 2021. For example, this kievnight posted this video on 2 September 2022, but was really recorded on 24 August, 2021 (24 серпня 2021 року).

kievnight also posted this TikTok video showing scenes from Kiev, before and after the Russian invasion.

@kievnight
#kiev 💔

♬ orijinal ses – Kiev_night

Fact #3 : Ukraine Still Has A Curfew

Although parts of Ukraine far from the frontlines are reopening, Ukraine still has a curfew which is stricter closer to the fighting, and more relaxed further away. In the Donetsk region, for example, curfew begins at 9 PM.

In the early days of the war, Kyiv had an early 5 PM curfew, with several nationwide lockdowns that lasted 3 days. But that was gradually loosened as the war improved in Ukraine’s favour.

Restaurants, clubs and bars were allowed to reopen, but had their closing times limited to between 8 PM and 9:30 PM. In March 2023, that was extended to 11 PM, which meant last orders would be around 10 PM, with a closing time of about 10:30 PM.

Night life may be returning in Ukraine, but that does not mean people are partying in the wee hours of the morning.

Fact #4 : Western Funds Are Not Going Into Nightclubs

Russian propaganda has traditionally been crude, and it’s no different from this one. Only simpletons would believe the spiel that these nightclubs and parties are being funded by Western countries.

These Ukrainian nightclubs and parties are private affairs, and have nothing to do with donations and funding provided by Western countries to aid in Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion.

The bulk of Western contributions to Ukraine are coming in the form of military hardware – guns, missiles, rockets, tanks, helicopters, and even fighter jets. None of which would be helpful in getting any party going.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Ukraine War

This is just another example of fake news created about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here are other examples you may have seen on social media:

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
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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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Samsung Galaxy A54 : 50 MP Camera Review!

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Take a look at the 50MP camera of the new Samsung Galaxy A54, and find out just how well it performs!

Samsung Galaxy A54 : 50 MP Main Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the marquee mid-range smartphone for 2023, and it comes with a triple camera system at the back that consists of:

a 50 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture, and
a 5 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture

The 50 MP camera is a “downgrade” in megapixels from the Galaxy A53’s 64 MP camera, but image quality is better because it is built around the Sony IMX766 image sensor used in phones like the realme 9 Pro+ and Xiaomi 12.

The Sony IMX766 is a larger 1/1.56″ sensor, which offers a 25% larger pixel size of 1.0 µm (compared to 0.8 µm). The larger pixel size is important as it means each pixel can receive 25% more light, delivering better images, especially in low-light conditions.

In fact, that is why the Galaxy A54 defaults to the 12.5 MP resolution, combining four pixels into a much larger 2 µm “bucket” to collect more light. The 64 MP camera in last year’s Galaxy A53 also does the same thing, combining four pixels in one to deliver 16 MP photos.

This 50 MP camera supports PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), and its lens has a wide f/1.8 aperture for better light intake. If you like to record videos, you will be glad to know that it features VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilisation) and improved OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) offering a wider OIS angle.

In this review, we are going to take a look at the photography capability of Galaxy A54, and show you just how well its 50MP main camera performs!

Samsung Galaxy A54 : 50 MP Camera Review!

The Samsung Galaxy A54’s 50 MP camera takes 12.5 MP photos by default, with a resolution of 4080 x 3060 pixels. Each JPEG photo using the High Efficiency Image File (HEIF) format, each photo is about 2.5 MB to 5 MB in size.

Without HEIF, the file sizes are much larger, so please remember to turn on the HEIF file format to save space.

Open the Camera app
Go to Settings > Advanced picture options
Turn on High efficiency pictures.

As this photo sample shows, the 50 MP main camera of the Samsung Galaxy A54 offers a nice bokeh, thanks to its wide f/1.8 aperture.

However, that wide aperture presents a problem too – a narrow depth of field, as this sample photo of star anise shows.

If multiple objects are present at different distances from the camera, only some of them will remain in focus, while the others will be out-of-focus.

That makes for nice portraits, but if you do not tap on the area or subject you want to be in focus, the camera may auto-focus on the wrong area or subject, and you will end up with an out-of-focus shot.

As this shot of pineapples show, only a small area of the right edge of the pineapple on the left is in focus. That’s because I intentionally tapped on that part.

Otherwise, the camera would naturally focus on the nearest part of the pineapple (its centre, which is located to the far left of the photo) and this photo would look really out-of-focus.

In most cases, the colour reproduction is pretty accurate, even if it’s indoors.

But in some cases, you can end up with pretty dull-looking photos under artificial light.

You need to be careful with close-up shots though. This isn’t a macro camera, and so it has trouble focusing if the subject is too close.

The problem is – the Samsung camera app does not warn you if the 50 MP camera cannot focus properly on the subject. It may look like it is focused properly in the camera app, but when you open it up later, you will see that it’s completely out-of-focus.

I definitely recommend you tapping on the subject to “force” the camera app to visibly try to focus. If it fails, you know that you are much too close. It’s also a good habit to tap to focus anyway, as this 50 MP camera has a narrow depth-of-field.

There is no need to worry about the “loss” in resolution from 64 MP to 50 MP. In most cases, you probably won’t even realise that the camera defaults to just 12.5 MP!

Even at 12.5 MP, there is more than enough detail in the photos that the Galaxy A54’s 50MP camera delivers, even if you want to zoom in.

But that does not mean that its 50 MP sensor is pure marketing. You can use it to take 50 MP shots, but you will have to live with significantly larger file sizes.

The full 50 MP resolution isn’t needed for 90% of the photos that most people take, but it is useful for long-distance shots. The Samsung Galaxy A54 does not have a telephoto camera, so taking photos in 50 MP effectively gives you a 4X zoom capability.

For example, if you need to take a faraway shot of a bell tower, you can switch to 50 MP before taking the photo. Then you can zoom into the 50 MP photo you took and crop out a much closer looking shot of that bell tower without using software or digital zoom.

Samsung Galaxy A54 : 50 MP Camera Summary

I’m glad Samsung switched from the 64 MP camera to a 50 MP camera in the Galaxy A54. The “loss” in megapixels is more than made up by the larger and better Sony IMX766 image sensor, with 25% larger pixels.

This improved 50 MP main camera performed well in our tests, generally delivering good photos with accurate colours in most cases. It has a good level of detail, even at 12.5 MP.

The biggest problem I have with it is its minimum focus distance. The camera seems to work best with subjects that are at least 50 cm away, or so. If I get too close to the subject, the shot ends up out-of-focus, especially if I tried to let the camera auto-focus by itself.

This is not readily apparent in the camera app, so you need to tap to focus. That triggers the camera to seek a better focus. That’s when you can see whether it can really focus properly. Even then, I sometimes end up with out-of-focus shots, because I was simply too close to the subject.

For most people, this won’t a problem if you are taking the usual photos – people standing at a distance, landscapes and buildings at a distance, etc. Just keep this in mind if you are taking close shots of products or food, etc.

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A54 smartphone is available in three main colours with a glossy finish :

Awesome Graphite
Awesome Violet
Awesome Lime

The Samsung Galaxy A54 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage, with the option to add a microSD card in the hybrid SIM tray. It is covered by a 2-year warranty, with the following launch prices:

8 GB + 256 GB : RM1,899 / US$449.99 / £499 / A$697 / S$648

Here are online purchase options (we may get commission from your purchase) :

MY : 4 colours | 4 colours | 4 colours | 4 colours
SG : 4 colours | 4 colours | 4 colours | 4 colours
US : Graphite | Violet | Lime
UK : Graphite | Violet | Lime | White
AU : Graphite | Violet

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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 Boston Dynamics Just Create A Fighting Robot?!

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Did Boston Dynamics just introduce a fighting robot that could replace soldiers on the battlefield?!

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

Claim : Boston Dynamics Shows Off A Fighting Robot!

People are sharing a TikTok video which claims to show a Boston Dynamics robot that is capable of fighting, and could replace soldiers on the battlefield!

Gabor Gurbacs : Politicians are focusing on crypto regulation, meanwhile robots and AI building essential skills to take over the planet. Boston Dynamics robots now have martial arts and fighting skills. What could go wrong…

Velina Tchakarova : Why is Boston Dynamics teaching their robots how to fight?

Leo Rezaei : 🥊🥋 Boston Dynamics Robot training to fight?! @BostonDynamics

Did the Boston Dynamics just introduce a fighting robot?! 😲😳

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/xZamawwd7b #TechARP #BostonDynamics #Robot #Robotics #Tech #Technology #Military #Fighting #MartialArts #Boxing #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #AI pic.twitter.com/0v3yxcFG8U

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 1, 2023

Truth : That Is Not A Boston Dynamics Fighting Robot!

This is yet another example of fake TikTok videos, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Boston Dynamics Does Not Have A TikTok Account

First of all, I should just point out that Boston Dynamics does not have a TikTok account. It only has a YouTube channel.

Fact #2 : Fighting Robot Video Was CGI Generated

The @boston_dynamics TikTok account is a parody account called Botsom_Dynamics – a play on the name of the famed American robotics company.

That TikTok channel post robotics-related videos, but a number of obviously computer-generated graphics videos. But even if you didn’t know that, you can see that the video was CGI generated, if you look and listen carefully.

For example, when the robot does a backflip, you can hear its landing thump just before its feet actually hit the ground. There is also an odd “pow” sound effect when the robot makes a punch. Even worse – for all of its explosive moves, the robot does not kick up any dust, or damage the ground or grass in any way.

And if you look carefully, the entire robot actually floats over the ground a second before the video ends. This only appears in the original 11 second-long video which I uploaded above. The viral video clip on Twitter appears to cut out that part, and is much shorter at just 6 seconds.

Fact #3 : That Is Not The Boston Dynamics Atlas Robot

The robot in the viral video looks superficially like the Atlas robot that Boston Dynamics showed off in 2011. But if you look carefully, you will see that it really isn’t the Atlas.

For one thing – Atlas has a prominent Boston Dynamics logo on its front carapace, which is a two-piece design. The real Atlas also has a white webbed frame at the back.

The fake fighting robot has a one-piece front carapace without any logo, and a covered black back. The design of this CGI fighting robot was likely simplified to make it easier and faster to create and render.

Fact #4 : Boston Dynamics Forbid Using Their Robots As Weapons

Finally, I think it is important to note that Boston Dynamics refuses to partner with anyone who wishes to use their robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems, as part of their Ethical Principles.

We will not weaponize our robots

We will not authorize nor partner with those who wish to use our robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems. If our products are being used for harm, we will take appropriate measures to mitigate that misuse.

In addition, Boston Dynamics customers are prohibited from using their robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems. Their Terms and Conditions of Sale specifically prohibits weaponising their robots.

We pledge that we will not weaponize our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics and we will not support others to do so. When possible, we will carefully review our customers’ intended applications to avoid potential weaponization. We also pledge to explore the development of technological features that could mitigate or reduce these risks

Fact #5 : This Is Just Another Fake TikTok Video

This is yet another example of fake videos on TikTok created to generate money through advertising, just like these examples:

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 Irish Parliament Shut Its Doors In Joe Biden’s Face?!

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Did two doormen shut the doors in US President Joe Biden’s face, when he tried to enter the Irish Parliament?!

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

Claim : Irish Parliament Shut Its Doors In Joe Biden’s Face!

People are sharing a TikTok video, which apparently shows Joe Biden being denied entry to the Irish Parliament, literally getting its doors closed in his face!

The video, which was posted by TheLeeShow, has the title Ireland Welcoming The President! and uses the Funny laugh no no no sound effect.

Did Joe Biden get the doors slammed in his face in Ireland?! 😲😳

Here is my FACT CHECK : https://t.co/vRtQIuVG7l #TechARP #JoeBiden #Ireland #Irish #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Fake #FakeNews #MAGA #JoeBidenIreland #BidenIreland #TikTok #Video #Viral #Politics #Politician pic.twitter.com/Pgix9YaLPV

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 17, 2023

Truth : Irish Parliament Did Not Deny Entry To Joe Biden!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by right wing activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral TikTok Video Was Edited

The viral TikTok video was edited from the original footage, in order to make Joe Biden look confused as the two doormen closed the doors in his face.

The TikTok video is only 10 seconds, while the original footage is several minutes long. Crucially, the TikTok video crops out critical parts of the frame, to convey a different narrative.

Fact #2 : Joe Biden Was With Irish Parliament Speakers

The original footage shows President Joe Biden arriving at Leinster House in Dublin, where the Irish Parliament seats. He is met by Seán Ó Fearghaíl, speaker of Irish parliament’s lower chamber, and Jerry Buttimer, speaker of Irish parliament’s upper chamber.

If the Irish Parliament did not want Joe Biden to come, they would not have waited for him to arrive, never mind escort him in!

Fact #3 : Joe Biden Was Not “Confused”

In the original footage, the three men walked up the stairs, stopping for photo opportunities along the way.

Joe Biden can be seen chatting and laughing with them. He appeared to be engaged with both men, and not “confused” as many are claiming.

https://youtu.be/JuiJRj-5SI0

Fact #4 : The Doors Were Temporarily Closed For A Photoshoot

At around 30 seconds of our comparison video above, you can see a lady on the left gesturing to the doormen to shut the door.

The viral TikTok video crucially edited out that lady, making it look like the doormen closed the doors in Joe Biden’s face to deny him entry.

Then the TikTok video ends the video, just as the same lady gestures to the three men to arrange themselves for another photoshoot.

After letting photographers take their shots, the doormen reopened the doors. President Joe Biden is then seen shaking the hands of both speakers of the Irish Parliament, before they head inside.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News About Joe Biden

This is just another example of political fake news created to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples you may have seen on social media:

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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 Secret Service arrest people for protesting Biden?!

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Did the US Secret Service arrest people just because they were protesting as the Joe Biden motorcade passed by?!

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

Claim : Secret Service Arrested People For Protesting Joe Biden Motorcade!

People are sharing a video clip of US Secret Service agents wrestling a protestor to the ground, and arresting her for protesting while a motorcade with President Joe Biden passed by, with accompanying comments like:

The Secret Service arrested protesters who were demonstrating as the Biden motorcade passed by.
Imagine if this happened in China..!

Western media will endlessly report on the brutality of the Chinese police… 😡

Did US Secret Service arrest people for protesting near Joe Biden's motorcade?! 😮

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/2ZnoVxL79P #TechARP #JoeBiden #SecretService #Protest #Arrest #Police #China #Wumao #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Freedom #Politics pic.twitter.com/xfrEgt3GHC

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 3, 2023

Truth : Secret Service Did NOT Arrest People For Protesting Joe Biden Motorcade!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) or pro-CCP netizens and groups, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Taken On June 8, 2022

This video is being shared by pro-CCP netizens in April 2023, it is actually more than two years old.

The video was recorded on June 8, 2022, as President Joe Biden was being driven in a motorcade to the LA Convention Center for the Summit of the Americas.

The video and photos of that incident were published by many news organisations, including CBS News, Fox News, NBC, Daily Mail, New York Post, etc. so this is easily verified by a simple online search.

Fact #2 : Protestor Was Arrested For Approaching Motorcade

The US secret agent did not wrestle the young woman to the ground for protesting President Joe Biden. She was tackled and arrested, because she broke the security cordon and approached the presidential motorcade.

By walking onto the restricted road into the path of the presidential motorcade, she not only risked getting hit by the passing vehicles, she posed a potential security risk to President Joe Biden and other people travelling in that motorcade.

Hence, the Secret Service agent had no choice but to tackle her, and remove her from the restricted roadway. Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi later confirmed this:

Shortly after 5pm, an adult female entered a restricted roadway along a motorcade route on Chick Hearn Ct in Los Angeles.

As the woman approached passing vehicles, a United States Secret Service agent swiftly removed her from the roadway and placed her into custody.

There was no impact to the motorcade movement or our protectees. Our investigation into this incident is ongoing.

Fact #3 : Summit of the Americas Protestors Were Not Arrested

In the United States of America, people have the right to protest. It is enshrined in the First Amendment of its Constitution, which states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The First Amendment not only guarantees freedom of religion and speech, it also guarantees the right to assemble and protest peacefully.

Like many major international events, the 2022 Summit of the Americas saw people from different camps coming out to protest.

One group protested President Joe Biden’s decision to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the event, while the other group were there to counter-protest in agreement with the president.

Fact #4 : She Was Not Protesting President Joe Biden

Ironically, the protestor who was wrestled to the ground was not even protesting the Summit of the Americas. Neither was she protesting against President Joe Biden.

She was just a pro-choice activist who was incensed by a leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision on abortion rights. She was heard screaming, “An abortion ban will not stop abortions – only safe ones.”

The Biden Administration is pro-choice, and is in favour of abortion rights. So the claim that she was protesting President Joe Biden is nonsense.

Even if she was protesting Joe Biden, she would not have been arrested if she did not breach the security cordon surrounding the presidential motorcade.

Fact #5 : China Often Arrests Protestors

It is extremely hypocritical for pro-CCP netizens to share this fake news, because China often arrests people who protest. Even something as innocuous as putting up a protest banner can get you arrested.

Take for example, the famous Bridge Man. On Thursday, 13 October 2022, a man was quickly arrested after he strung banners across a bridge in Beijing that accused President Xi Jinping of being a dictator.

Needless to say, people who actually participate in a protest are quickly arrested by Chinese police, as the photo below shows – that man was arrested for protesting COVID-19 restrictions in Shanghai on 27 November 2022.

Even online dissent is firmly and quickly quashed. Anything remotely sensitive is quickly censored, and the user’s account either suspended or deleted. People who make controversial comments are also often called up by the police, and may be arrested for making them.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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Was TikTok CEO Denied Recess In US Hearing?!

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Was TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi denied recess, and asked to stay back by the arrogant US Congress?!

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

Claim : TikTok CEO Denied Recess At US Congress Hearing!

People are sharing a video of TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi looking puzzled at being denied a recess during the US congressional hearing. Instead, he asked to stay back and reflect on his answers by the arrogant US Congress!

The video has the title, “Everyone take a break instead of Mr. Chow“, and here is a transcript of the video:

We’re going to take recess for an hour. Everyone except for you, Mr. Cho [sic] will take recess.

You will stay here and reflect on your answers, and hopefully when we return after the break, you will give the proper answers in a civilized and engaging manner.

Thank you.

The video is being actively shared in pro-CCP groups and by pro-CCP netizens, with comments like:

The whole of American government scared of one man and his intellect

Like Cikgu punish student. No recess

Like teacher punishing a student. No recess

Did the arrogant US congress ask everyone to take a break except for TikTok CEO?! 😱

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/fGaty4yIQh #TechARP #TikTok #Congress #Wumao #UnitedStates #China #SocialMedia #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Business #Video #Viral pic.twitter.com/PXQOjkSYOO

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 2, 2023

Truth : TikTok CEO Was Not Denied Recess At US Congress Hearing!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) or pro-CCP netizens and groups, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : TikTok CEO Is Chew Shou Zi

First, let me just clarify that TikTok CEO’s name is Chew Shou Zi. So he goes by Mr. Chew, not Mr. Chow or Mr. Cho.

Fact #2 : The Video Has Fake Voice-Over

The viral video has a fake voice-over, and was created by TikTok creator, Barney Please, who describes his work:

cringe satire, parody, sketch life hacks and vo (voice over) please fr (for real)

In the TikTok video he created, he did not label it as parody, but mentioned that the “original sound” was created by him.

His channel is full of fake voice-overs involving TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi, and other famous people like:

Donald Trump : A quick question, Future President Trump, does your Wi-Fi connect to your TikTok? Does it connect to Twitter?

If you watch them, you will see that the voice overs are all… of his voice! He may like to do voice-overs, but he apparently cannot mimic other people’s voice.

Fact #3 : US Congressional Hearing Never Had An Hour-Long Recess

The US Congressional hearing on potential Chinese influence over TikTok was held on Thursday, 23 March 2023, and lasted more than 5 hours. The entire hearing on TikTok can actually be seen on C-SPAN.

The C-SPAN transcript for that TikTok hearing shows that there never was an hour-long recess. Only a 10-minute break just after the first 2 hours of the hearing. At 2:07:52 of the video:

We will now take a brief recess and resume in ten minutes. The Committee stands in recess.

At that point, the C-SPAN video shows people getting up to take a break, or talk privately to each other.

Almost four hours into the hearing, the Committee called for another recess for the third vote:

Gentle lady yields back. Committee stands in recess and we will reconvene immediately following the third vote being called.

Again, the C-SPAN video shows people in the room getting up and walking away, or milling about in the room.

Fact #4 : TikTok CEO Was Never Denied Recess

Just to be clear, TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi was never denied the right to go on a recess with everyone else in the US congressional hearing.

This was made clear in the full C-SPAN video and transcript of the US congressional hearing on TikTok.

If Chew Shou Zi was denied recess, it would be breached decorum and would have been reported widely by the Chinese media, if not the Western media.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet in China reported on such a faux pas? Not even CGTN, Global Times, Xinhua, etc. That’s because it never happened.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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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Did Morgan Freeman Just Call Joe Biden A Fool?!

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Did Morgan Freeman just call Joe Biden a fool for talking about chocolate chip ice-cream after the Nashville school shooting?!

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

Claim : Morgan Freeman Called Joe Biden A Fool Over Ice-Cream!

People are sharing a TikTok video with the title “Children are killed and this FOOL is talking about chocolate chip ice cream!!!!!”, which shows Morgan Freeman calling US President Joe Biden a fool.

Here is a transcript of the video, but feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

It’s your friend, Morgan, and I’ve had it up to here. You tell me what the hell is going on.

Children are killed in this school, and this fool comes in talking about chocolate chip ice-cream.

What the hell is going on? I’m Doctor Jill Biden’s husband. We all know that, fool.

Enough already. Get this guy out of there. Two years is enough.

Everything costs more, everything is going down the drain, we are being laughed at around the world, and this fool talking about his ice-cream. Get him out!

Did Morgan Freeman just call Joe Biden a FOOL for talking about ice-cream after children were killed in Nashville?! 😮

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/oamddfjtCu #TechARP #MorganFreeman #JoeBiden #Celebrity #Celebrities #Politics #Politician #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck pic.twitter.com/f4KmYOFZor

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 1, 2023

Truth : Morgan Freeman Did NOT Call Joe Biden A Fool Over Ice-Cream!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to go viral on TikTok, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was A Deep Fake Video

The viral video is not real. It is a deep fake video created by a TikTok user called The Man of Many Voices who described himself as a “celebrity voice impressionist”.

In his now deleted account, The Man of Many Voices posted many similar deep fake videos of Morgan Freeman and other celebrities:

Clint Eastwood – Clint wants to know if you think it’s fair Trump got indicted.
Morgan Freeman – Debacle! Congress was embarrassing to watch!!
Morgan Freeman – Worst Halftime show ever!

It appears that only his recent Morgan Freeman video has gone viral, with other TikTok users reposting it in their accounts. It then spread to Twitter and YouTube, and other social media platforms.

Fact #2 : Joe Biden Did Speak About Ice-Cream

US President Joe Biden did speak about chocolate chip ice-cream, but not while addressing the Nashville school shooting.

On March 27, 2023, President Biden had a cheerful and buoyant meet and greet with women business leaders at the Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Summit at the White House, just before he gave a speech to them.

Hence, he started his speech with a joke about chocolate chip ice-cream:

Thank you. My name is Joe Biden. I’m Dr. Jill Biden’s husband. And I eat Jeni’s Ice Cream, chocolate chip. I came down because I heard there was chocolate chip ice cream.

By the way, I have a whole refrigerator full upstairs. You think I’m kidding, I’m not.

Did Joe Biden talk about ice-cream after children were killed in Nashville?! 😮

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/oamddfjtCu #TechARP #JoeBiden #Celebrity #Celebrities #Politics #Politician #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #FoxNews #Nashville #UnitedStates #Death #Tragedy pic.twitter.com/lg14Ca3LKu

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 1, 2023

Fact #3 : Joe Biden Addressed The Shooting Later In His Speech

Many social media users mocked Joe Biden for making those ice-cream remarks because the Fox News video clip above was intentionally cut to remove context.

President Biden actually addressed the shooting (which occurred just hours earlier) two minutes into his speech.

As usual, Fox News did not help matters by placing the chyron, “Biden Addresses Deadly Nashville School Shooting” even though the President was not doing that (at that time).

In fact, Fox News cut away from Joe Biden’s speech, only to return to it when he started commenting on the Nashville school shooting two minutes into his speech.

Fact #4 : White House Addressed The Shooting Before His Speech

Before President Biden appeared at the women’s business summit, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had already addressed the Nashville school shooting as the first order of business at that morning’s White House press conference.

She expressed “the President’s appreciation for the first responders, and prayers for all the families affected by this shooting“.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Another Example Of Political Fake News

This is just another example of political fake news created to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples you may have seen on social media:

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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Does Viral Video Show France Pension Riot Damage?!

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Does this viral video show the massive damage caused by riots over the 2023 pension reforms in France?!

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

Claim : Viral Video Shows Pension Riot Damage In France!

People are sharing a video which purportedly shows the massive damage caused by riots over the 2023 pension reforms in France!

Wide Awake Media : The streets of Ukraine look like a complete warzone.

Actually no, it’s France.

#BeMoreFrench #FranceProtests #FrenchProtests #MacronDemission

This is not Ukraine …it is France. Looking like a warzone

France looks more of a war zone than Ukraine.

No green screen trickery here 👊.

Have a look at Ukraine…I mean France!

Truth : Viral Video Does NOT Show Pension Riot Damage In France!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS shared on WhatsApp, Telegram and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Video

First, let me just point out that the viral video clip was recorded in Paris, but is not new.

The original video was recorded on Saturday, 24 December 2022, and is therefore unrelated to the 2023 protests over pension reforms in France.

It appears to have been recorded and posted by Rémy Buisine, a French journalist.

Fact #2 : The Riot Occurred After Attack On Kurdish Cultural Center

The riot captured in the video video occurred one day after a man opened fired at the Ahmet-Kaya centre – a Kurdish cultural centre on Rue d’Enghien in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. The gunman also fired at a hairdresser’s and a restaurant on that street. One woman and two men were killed, and at least three other people were seriously injured.

The gunman was a 69 year-old retired train driver who has been described as a “white supremacist” who had recently been released from detention while awaiting trial for a sabre attack on two Sudanese refugees at a refugee camp in Paris a year ago.

In response, the Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F) called for people to gather at the Republic Square for a protest. Protesters later clashed with riot police near the scene of the shootings.

Does this video show damage caused by protest over 2023 pension reforms in France?! 🤔

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/MytKlffRwk #TechARP #France #Paris #Pension #Protest #Riot #Police #Viral #Video #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Propaganda #Macron pic.twitter.com/5Ja3GKEavG

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) March 28, 2023

Fact #3 : This Riot Was Much Smaller Than 2023 Pension Reform Protests

This December 2022 riot appears to be very violent, with several cars overturned and at least one car on fire. However, it was a short-lived riot, and involved only hundreds of Kurds near the location of the shooting in Paris.

The 2023 pension reform protests are much larger, involving over a million strikers and demonstrators all over France, and has been ongoing since January 19. While they set fire to garbage and damaged some storefronts, there appears to be less violence and damage.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Another Example Of Pro-Russia Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of fake news created to mock France for its support of Ukraine, and mislead people about the carnage Russia is wreaking in its invasion of Ukraine.

Here is just the latest dozen the other Russian and Chinese propaganda articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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 Pope Francis Suddenly Become A Fashion Icon?!

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Did Pope Francis recently become a fashion icon, sporting trendy sunglasses and puffer coats?!

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

Claim : Pope Francis Is Now A Fashion Icon!

People are sharing photos of Pope Francis sporting trendy sunglasses and puffer coats, suggesting that he has now eschewed his simple clothes for the latest fashion!

Pope Francis was spotted sporting an all white fashion ensemble

Is he trolling?

Ian Miles Cheong : The Pope is a fashion icon. Respect the drip.

🚨 VEJA: Papa Francisco divide opiniões entre cristãos após aparecer com look fashion. Serviu?

🚨 WATCH: Pope Francis divides opinions among Christians after appearing with a fashionable look. Did it work?

Pope giving us a holy fashion sense 🥰🥰

Truth : Fashion Photos Of Pope Francis Were AI-Generated!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created on TikTok, and shared on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Photo Was Generated Using Midjourney

The first photo of Pope Francis sporting a fashionable white puffer coat appeared to have been created by trippy_art_special using Midjourney – a text-to-image generator powered by artificial intelligence.

Tripy_art_special posted four Pope Francis fashion photos in the Midjourney Reddit on Friday, 24 March 2023, with the title “The Pope Drip“, but only the first one went viral and was reposted in Twitter, where many people believed it was real, with some calling him “The Dope Pope“.

It then became an inspiration for other people to create their version of Pope Francis looking “dope”, creating the perception that Pope Francis ditched his simple clothes for the latest fashion.

It is unknown if the other photos were also created using Midjourney, or other AI image generators like DALL-E or Stable Diffusion.

Fact #2 : The Photos Have Anomalies

The viral photos of Pope Francis looking fashionable are amazingly realistic, but Midjourney and other text-to-image generators still have trouble with hands and fingers.

If you look at the first viral photo above, you can see that his right hand appears to have most of its fingers cut off, and yet, is implausibly holding onto some kind of object.

The right hand appears normal at first glance, but if you look closely, you will see something odd. Just under the sleeve, the thumb and three fingers are visible, with rings on the middle and ring (fourth) fingers. Yet, those two fingers mysteriously merge and become a single finger a short distance below the rings!

Fact #3 : Pope Francis Is Famous For Dressing Plain

Unlike many of his predecessors, Pope Francis is notable for dressing plain and simple, dispensing with excess adornment.

Instead of silk, Pope Francis opts for simpler and cheaper material like wool. He also wears a simple white cassock, and simple black leather shoes made by a friend, Carlos Samaria in Buenos Aires.

He sports a basic black watch with a white dial, reportedly a Swatch that only costs about $56, and simple glasses. Even the cross he wears is the same iron cross he wore since his anointment as auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992.

Pope Francis also chose to “reuse” a modest papal ring in gold-plated silver that was made decades ago, instead of a new papal ring made in gold specifically for him.

Hence, it is rather peculiar why so many people actually believe that Pope Francis is now a fashion icon with expensive taste!

Pope Francis’s penchant for simple, practical clothes has been coined as the “papal athleisure” style, which has been adopted by the cardinals and many Catholics. In a way, Pope Francis is a fashion influencer, even if he never meant to be one!

Fact #4 : This Is Just Another Example Of AI-Generated Imagery

These fashion photos of Pope Francis are funny, but they are really just another example of AI-generated imagery that are becoming extremely common. Take a look at fake news based on AI-generated photos or videos:

With AI image generators like Midjourney, DALL-E and Stable Diffusion making it easy for people to create photorealistic images out of literally nothing, we can expect many more examples coming up.

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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Viral Donald Trump Arrest + Escape Photos Explained!

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The viral Donald Trump arrest and prison escape photos are hilarious, and were based on a famous movie!

Take a look for yourself, and learn about the story behind these viral photos!

Donald Trump Arrest Photos Go Viral!

Over the last two days, photos purporting to show police officers trying to arrest Donald Trump have gone viral, with comments like:

Donald Trump has been arrested downtown Washington DC

These photos of Donald Trump getting arrested are too much 💀💀

BREAKING: Donald Trump was just arrested by New York law enforcement.

Breaking News Trump has been arrested after a brief struggle with Police reports say

Viral Donald Trump Arrest + Escape Photos Explained!

The truth is these viral Donald Trump arrest photos are fake, and were generated by artificial intelligence, and is really based on a famous Hollywood movie!

Fact #1 : They Were Generated Using Artificial Intelligence

First, let me just confirmed that all those viral photos of police officers trying to arrest Donald Trump are fake, and were generated by artificial intelligence.

They were created by Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins using the text-to-image generator, Midjourney, which works like other AI image generators – DALL-E and Stable Diffusion.

Eliot Higgins specifically pointed out in his tweets that they were not real, and that he created them:

Making pictures of Trump getting arrested while waiting for Trump’s arrest.

This blew up etc, so donate to Bellingcat so we can catch bad guys and make scenes like this real

Meanwhile, in AI Trump world:

Fact #2 : The Photos Have Anomalies

If you look closely, many of those Donald Trump arrest photos have graphical anomalies that will tell you that they were generated by AI. Just take a look at this one iconic photo:

Donald Trump’s head is abnormally large, with misplaced hair, and half an ear that is misplaced under his jawline.
The police officer’s hand is missing a finger.
Donald Trump appears to be wearing a belt with a baton attached!
Not highlighted here, but the caps of the police officers have nonsensical text.

Based on those anomalies alone, this photo was very likely created using a text-to-image generator.

Fact #3 : Eliot Higgins Got Banned From Midjourney

After Eliot Higgins shared his work on Twitter, he apparently got banned from Midjourney.

Apparently doing a viral thread about Donald Trump using Midjourney images is enough to get you banned from Midjourney, oops.

Fact #4 : The Photo Story Was Based On Shawshank Redemption

While most people only shared the photos of Donald Trump getting arrested, Eliot Higgins actually posted about 50 photos, all of which tell a story he called “Trumpshank Redemption“, because it was based on the legendary 1994 movie, Shawshank Redemption!

At least I still have ChatGPT 4, so here’s the Trumpshank Redemption for those of you who have stuck around this long.

Here was a mini-script he wrote for TrumpShank Redemption, interleaved with some of what I felt were his best AI-generated prison photos.

INT. TRUMPSHANK PRISON – NIGHT

A dark, imposing prison stands tall in the night. The year is 1994. A bus arrives, carrying a group of prisoners, including DONALD TRUMP, a wealthy businessman convicted for tax fraud and various other crimes. The prisoners are led by the cruel WARDEN NORTON and his sadistic chief guard, CAPTAIN HADLEY.

INT. PRISON – DAY

Trump arrives at his cell, meeting his cellmate, ELLIS “RED” REDDING, an inmate who has already served a long time at Trumpshank.

RED (voiceover)

Donald Trump. The man who had everything, now in a place where he has nothing.

INT. PRISON MESS HALL – DAY

Trump and Red sit together, eating the dismal prison food.

TRUMP

RED (smirks)

This isn’t a hotel, Donald. It’s a prison.

INT. PRISON YARD – DAY

You know, Red, I could make this place great again. It just needs a few improvements, some gold-plated walls, a luxury golf course.

Trump and Red continue their conversation, surrounded by a group of other inmates.

TRUMP

Red, I need you to get me some things. You’re the guy who can get things, right?

RED (chuckles)

I’ve been known to locate certain items from time to time. What do you need?

TRUMP

I need a chisel, a rock hammer, and a large poster of Ivanka Trump.

RED

(raising an eyebrow)

A poster of your daughter? That’s… unusual.

TRUMP

Trust me, Red. I have a plan. A tremendous plan.

INT. PRISON LIBRARY – DAY

Trump works as an assistant librarian under the watchful eye of the old, wise inmate, BROOKS. He uses his business acumen to expand the library and improve the educational opportunities for the inmates.

TRUMP (voiceover)

I knew that to make Trumpshank great again, I needed to start with the library. Knowledge is power, after all.

INT. PRISON CELL – NIGHT

Trump carefully chips away at the wall behind his Ivanka poster with his rock hammer.

INT. PRISON – MONTHS LATER

Warden Norton discovers that Trump has been using his position in the library to help launder money for the prison staff.

NORTON (angry)

You think you can outsmart me, Trump? You’re in here for a reason.

TRUMP (smirking)

Warden, I’m a businessman. I know how to make a deal. You let me continue, and we both benefit. It’s a win-win.

NORTON (grudgingly)

You better keep your end of the bargain, Trump. Or else.

INT. PRISON YARD – DAY

Trump confides in Red about his plan.

TRUMP

I’ve been digging a tunnel, Red. I’m going to escape, and when I do, I’ll expose Norton and Hadley for their corruption.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Unlike in Shawshank Redemption though, Eliot has Donald Trump running straight for the nearest McDonald’s (Minonad – another AI screw-up LOL) in Trumpshank Redemption. Donald Trump is well-known for his love of McDonald’s burgers.

But honestly, Eliot jumped the shark when he had Donald Trump actually “run”. The former US President infamously started his campaign going down an escalator, and had to slowly walk down a ramp as President.

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Did Vladimir Putin Kneel Before Xi Jinping?!

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Did Russian President Vladimir Putin kneel before Chinese President Xi Jinping, to kiss his hand?!

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

Claim : Vladimir Putin Was Forced To Kneel Before Xi Jinping!

People are claiming on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, that Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced to kneel before Chinese President Xi Jinping, and kiss his hand!

…Slava Ukraini…braveness of Ukraine soldiers has led the cruest current dictator Putin to kneel before China Xi jinping…Putin can’t believe the strongness of Ukrainians… Slava Ukraini

#putin gives #xi a kiss and kneels

We all wonder does Putin need to go on his knees in order to get Weapons from China?

Back in the old day Leaders often Visited Leaders and needed to kneel down while requesting support.
#leaders #china #russia #Criminals

#Russian propaganda loved to spread the slogan “Russians won’t kneel.”

#XiJinping #putin
#UkraineRussianWar

Truth : Vladimir Putin Did Not Kneel Before Xi Jinping!

This is yet an example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by pro-Ukrainian groups to mock Russia and China, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported This

No legitimate Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese or international media outlet reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced to, or voluntarily chose to, kneel before Xi Jinping during the Chinese President’s state visit to Russia.

The very act of a Russian head of state kneeling before his Chinese counterpart would have caused massive outrage in Russia, and shock in Ukraine, the West and even in China.

Yet no legitimate media outlet reported on it? That’s because it never happened.

Fact #2 : Photo Appears To Be AI-Generated

A closer examination of the photo shows several artifacts that suggest that it was AI-generated.

The man on the left appears to lack thumbs, and his two hands appear to melt together.
The nose and left ear on Xi Jinping’s head appears to be misplaced.
Vladimir Putin’s head is overly large in proportion to his body, and his ear is strangely misplaced.
Vladimir Putin’s legs appear to be distorted with the right leg appearing much larger than the left leg.
Vladimir Putin’s right knee mysteriously appears behind the heel of his left leg.

Based on those anomalies, this photo is very likely generated by a text-to-image generator.

Fact #3 : Photo Originated In A Ukrainian Telegram Group

This viral photo of Vladimir Putin kneeling before Xi Jinping to kiss his hand appears to have originated in a Ukrainian Telegram group called УНИАН – новости Украины (UNIAN – news of Ukraine).

Fact #4 : OP Indicated The Photo Was Edited / Generated

The person who originally posted the photo in the Ukrainian Telegram group, indicated that it was Photoshopped.

Хейтеры скажут, что фотошоп, но мы-то знаем, что х*йло давно хотел облобызать нефритовый стержень товарища Си 😅

Haters will say it’s photoshopped, but we know that x*ylo wanted to kiss Comrade Xi’s jade rod for a long time 😅

Fact #5 : Background Do Not Match Actual Meeting Room

The furniture and walls in the viral photo also do not appear to match the official photos of the room where Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met.

Instead of a dark green and white columns, the actual meeting room has a light green wall with gold trims and white columns.

The chairs in the viral photo are dark brown with beige cushions, while the real chairs are white, with off-white cushions. The actual table is also white, while the table in the viral photo is dark brown.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Ukraine War Fake News

This is yet another example of fake news created around the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and here are other examples:

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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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Viral Photo Of Luxembourg PM + His Wife Is FAKE!

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The viral photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister and his wife is FAKE!

Here is what you need to know about that viral photo!

Updated @ 2023-03-20 : Updated with some additional details
First published @ 2022-05-20

Claim : This Is Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel + His Wife!

People have been sharing this viral photo since 2019, but it is going viral again in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups.

Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel arriving for a function with his wife, Gauthier Destenay.

卢森堡总理和他妖艳的妻子，留着胡子穿着鱼尾裙，很fashion，你觉得呢？

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg and his coquettish wife, with beards and fishtail skirts, are very fashionable, what do you think?

卢森堡首相贝泰尔携”夫人”昨天抵京，开始对华访问。这是全球首个首相同性恋, 可拭目以待！！

Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel arrived in Beijing yesterday with his “Madame” and started his visit to China. This is the world’s first gay prime minister Can wait and see! !

Truth : Viral Photo Of Luxembourg PM + His Wife Is FAKE!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS designed to disparage the LGBT community and/or European / NATO leaders.

The very fact that this claim was resurrected from 2019, after Europe heavily sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine, tells us that this is hardly coincidental.

It then went viral again in March 2023, right after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In any case, here are the reasons why this is NOT a photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, or his wife.

Fact #1 : Xavier Bettel Is Married To Gauthier Destenay

Xavier Bettel is Luxembourg’s first openly gay Prime Minister, and he married his partner, Gauthier Destenay, a Belgian architect.

Bettel and Destenay had been civil partners since 2010, but was able to marry each other on 15 May 2015 – a year after the Luxembourg Parliament approved same-sex marriage.

Here are real photos of Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel (right) with his partner, at their town hall wedding.

Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, right, puts his hand around the shoulder of his partner Gauthier Destenay after their marriage at the town hall in Luxembourg, on Friday, May 15, 2015. The marriage comes one year after the parliament approved legislation to turn Luxembourg into an increasing number of countries allowing for same-sex marriages. Bettel and Destenay have been civil partners since 2010. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Fact #2 : That Was Photo Of Conchita Wurst + Andre Karsai

The viral photo is actually of famous Austrian singer and drag queen, Conchita Wurst, and her business manager and the executive director of her company, Andre Karsai.

Conchita is actually the drag queen persona of Thomas Neuwirth, with a fictional backstory – Conchita was born in the mountains of Colombia, and married to French burlesque dancer Jacques Patriaque (Neuwirth’s actual friend)

He says this Conchita Wurst persona is similar to Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce alter-ego, and uses it as a way to protect his private life.

Neuwirth is gay but not a trans woman. He uses the he/him pronouns when referring to himself, but uses she/her to describe his Conchita Wurst character.

Conchita Wurst is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She also had a cameo in the 2020 movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

Here is an interesting fact about the character’s name. Conchita is a Spanish slang word for vagina, while Wurst is a German slang word for penis. So Conchita Wurst literally means vagina penis!

In 2019, Neuwirth introduced a new mononymous persona called WURST, which would allow for a “more masculine expression”.

Fact #3 : That Photo Was Taken At 2019 Vienna Opera Ball

The viral photo was taken at the Vienna Opera Ball that took place 28 February, 2019, by Jeff Mangione of Kurier magazine. Here is Conchita Wurst with the Austrian Minister of Justice, Dr. Josef Moser.

And this was her Instagram post at Wiener Opernball 2019 :

Fact #4 : Luxembourg PM Bettel Visited China Twice

As Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Bettel paid two official visits to China :

11-14 June 2017 : Bettel visited China together with two ministers.
27-28 March 2019 : Bettel visited China to witness the signing of several bilateral agreements, and to speak at the Boao Forum for Asia.

There is no evidence that his partner, Destenay, ever accompanied him on his trips to China.

Just in case Chinese netizens are “confused”, let me be clear – that viral photo was not taken in China during Bettel’s official visit.

Here is an actual picture from Bettel’s official visit to China in 2017.

This photo is being circulated in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups, as a way to both disparage LGBTQ people and EU / NATO leaders during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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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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Was BBC Journalist Pretending To Be In Danger?!

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Was BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen caught pretending to be in danger in Ukraine?!

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

Claim : BBC Journalist Was Caught Pretending To Be In Danger!

People are sharing a photo of Jeremy Bowen lying on the ground, claiming that the BBC journalist was caught pretending to be in danger!

So brave this BBC western media reporter bringing us life story.

BBC’s Jeremy Bowen, pretends to be on the frontline, whilst a woman looks on, seemingly bemused, carrying her shopping!

Even the Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United States, Dmitry Polyanskiy shared the viral photo, claiming that:

An illustration of the quality of @BBCWorld’s ‘professional journalism’.

Western media is fighting at NATO’s proxy war with Russia in Ukraine like a rank-and-file soldier, instead of providing objective information to its readers!

Truth : BBC Journalist Was Not Caught Pretending To Be In Danger!

This is yet another example of Chinese and Russian propaganda, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Photo Is Screenshot From Video

First, let me just point out that the viral photo is actually a screenshot from a BBC News video, recorded on 6 March 2023.

It was part of BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen’s report on the Battle of Irpin, during which the city was wracked by fierce street fighting and artillery shelling.

Fact #2 : Jeremy Bowen Was Taking Cover From Artillery Shelling

If you watch the BBC News video in its entirety, you can see Jeremy Bowen and his crew accompanying the woman in question, as well as other civilians, as they try to leave the city of Irpin.

Even in the short clip that I posted below, you can see the group suddenly falling to the ground, as shells pounded nearby.

The screenshot occurred as Jeremy Bowen laid on the ground while reporting on the shelling. The woman and other people can be seen crouching, only getting up to move on when the shelling stopped.

While that screenshot made it look like Jeremy Bowen was pretending to be in danger, the truth is – he was in danger, as were the people he was accompanying. A woman and two children were killed by Russian mortar fire that same day, as they tried to flee the city.

Was BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen caught pretending to be in danger in Ukraine?!

Here are the facts : https://t.co/ezMSDQa7KJ #TechARP #BBC #JeremyBowen #Journalist #News #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Ukraine #UkraineWar #Russia #China #Propaganda #Fake #FakeNews #Wumao pic.twitter.com/82GbYCWo6f

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) March 11, 2023

Fact #3 : This Is Just Another Example Of Pro-Russia Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Russian and Chinese propaganda created to mislead people about the carnage Russia has been wreaking in its invasion of Ukraine.

Here is just the latest dozen the other Russian and Chinese propaganda articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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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Was Joan Rivers Killed For Insulting The Obamas?!

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Was comedian Joan Rivers killed for revealing that Barack Obama is gay, and Michelle Obama is a transgender woman?!

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

Claim : Joan Rivers Killed For Insulting The Obamas

People are sharing a video of Joan Rivers saying that Barack Obama is gay, and Michelle Obama is a transgender woman, as evidence the comedian was killed for insulting them!

WeLoveTrump : Joan Rivers “Died Suddenly” After Making This Comment About Michelle Obama…

Well since Michael Obama is trending, it’s time to pull out this little nugget. (Joan Rivers died during plastic surgery shortly after this interview).

Don’t forget just after outing Michelle Obama as a transgender, Joan Rivers went in for a “routine” surgery and died.

Truth : Joan Rivers Was NOT Killed For Insulting The Obamas

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to disparage Barack and Michelle Obama by misogynists and Republicans of the MAGA, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Joan Rivers Made Comments On July 1, 2014

First, let me just establish some context about Joan Rivers’ comments on the Obamas.

On Monday, June 30, 2014, Joan Rivers officiated an impromptu gay wedding between two of her fans at a bookstore in New York City.

The next day, a reporter approached her on the street, and asked her about officiating that gay wedding, before asking whether the US will ever see a gay president:

Reporter : Do you think that the United States will see the first gay president or the first woman president?

Joan Rivers : Well, we already have it with Obama, so let’s just calm down. You know Michelle is a tranny.

Reporter : I’m sorry, she’s a what?

Joan Rivers : A transgender. We all know. It’s OK.

Reporter : Oh my gosh!

The viral video wrongly claims that she made the comment on July 4, 2014. She made it on July 1 – the day after she officiated the impromptu gay wedding.

It was only reported on July 3 by The Hollywood Reporter, before being picked up by mainstream media on July 4.

Was Joan Rivers killed after calling Barack Obama a gay man, and Michelle Obama a transgender woman?! 🤔

Here are the facts : https://t.co/jYNUXwHsRW #TechARP #JoanRivers #BarackObama #MichelleObama #LGBTQ #Transgender #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #MAGA #Fake #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/SiGOrFR0Ty

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) March 2, 2023

Fact #2 : Joan Rivers Called It A Compliment

After the story was picked up by CNN, her representative released this statement that Joan Rivers appears to have written:

I think it’s a compliment. She’s so attractive, tall, with a beautiful body, great face, does great makeup. Take a look and go back to La Cage Au Follies (sic). The most gorgeous women are transgender.

Stop it already … and if you want to talk about ‘politically correct,’ I think this is a ‘politically incorrect’ attack on me because I’m old, Jewish, a woman and a ‘hetty’ – a heteosexual …

And I plan to sue the reporter who, when he turned off his camera, tried to touch me inappropriately on the ass – luckily he hit my ankle.

Read the book … if you think that’s silly, wait to (sic) you see what I say about FDR and Eleanor!

Fact #3 : Joan Rivers Died A Week After Her Endoscopy

On August 28, 2014, Joan Rivers visited her personal throat doctor, Dr. Gwen Korovin, at Yorkville Endoscopy for an appointment to check out her sore throat and hoarseness of voice.

A gastroenterologist, Dr. Lawrence Cohen, who was the medical director of the clinic at that time, performed a laryngoscopy and saw something of concern with her vocal cords.

Dr. Gwen Korovin then started a second laryngoscopy to view Joan Rivers’ vocal cords, even though she was not certified by Yorkville Endoscopy, and only authorised to observe Cohen. It was during that procedure that her vocal cords began to swell, cutting off oxygen to her lungs and leading to a cardiac arrest.

At 9:40 AM, someone at the Yorkville Endoscopy dialled 911, reporting a patient in cardiac arrest. 5 minutes later, the New York Fire Department response team arrived at the clinic, and found that CPR was already being performed on Joan Rivers with a defibrillator attached and a breathing tube inserted into her windpipe.

The firefighters took over the CPR efforts, until an ambulance from Mount Sinai Hospital arrived at the clinic two minutes later at 9:47 AM. The ambulance crew joined in the CPR efforts, as a second NYFD unit with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) arrived with a supervisor.

By 9:50 AM, ten rescue workers were on site, trying to revive her. She was rushed to the Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died a week later, on September 4, 2014.

Fact #4 : Joan Rivers Autopsy Revealed Her True Cause Of Death

The claim that she was killed by the Obamas was dispelled with the release of her autopsy results and cause of death on Thursday, October 16, 2014.

According to the New York Medical Examiner, Joan Rivers died from a complication of the [endoscopic] procedure she underwent, causing “anoxic encephalopathy due to hypoxic arrest” that occurred “during laryngoscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with propofol sedation for evaluation of voice changes and gastroesophageal reflux disease.”

The classification of a death as a therapeutic complication means that the death resulted from a predictable complication of medical therapy.

In other words, Joan Rivers suffered from laryngospasm – a spasm of her vocal cords that blocked air from reaching her lungs, resulting in a loss of oxygen supply to her brain.

Even if the Obamas wanted to kill Joan Rivers, it would be quite impossible for them to trigger laryngospasm during a procedure with multiple medical personnel in the room.

Fact #5 : Michelle Obama Isn’t Transgender

The claims that Michelle Obama is a transgender woman who was born a man is not only false, it’s absurdly ridiculous, because… she suffered a miscarriage and later gave birth to two girls – Malia Obama and Sasha Obama.

For those who are wondering – transgender women cannot give birth, or suffer miscarriages, as they were born men, and lack both ovaries and uterus.

Viral photos showing Michelle Obama with a penis bulge were also proven to have been edited to falsely show that she was a transgender woman.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity / Politician News

This is yet another example of fake news about celebrities and/or politicians created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

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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 Car Smash Into McD Restaurant Diners?!

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Did a car smash into diners at a McD restaurant near a Shell station at Jalan Cheras?!

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

Claim : Car Smashed Into McD Restaurant Diners At Jalan Cheras!

People are sharing a shocking video of a car suddenly accelerating and smashing into diners, with the accompany message claiming that it happened at a McD restaurant at Jalan Cheras.

Tdy happen 9am at McD Shell Jln Cheras.

Truth : Car Did Not Smash Into McD Restaurant Diners At Jalan Cheras!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Accident Occurred In Guatemala, Not Malaysia!

The accident captured in the viral video did not happen at the McD restaurant at Shell Jalan Cheras. It occurred in the town of El Naranjo, Guatemala, on February 10, 2023.

The fake news creator used this footage, probably because it’s new, which makes it difficult for people to fact check.

Fact #2 : It Was Not An McD Restaurant

The driver, 40 year-old Jacqueline Arévalo Rivas, who was accompanied by her friend, 35 year-old María José Alejandra Argueta, appeared to be waiting to refuel at a nearby petrol station.

After a motorcycle left, her car suddenly accelerated right into diners at an adjoining restaurant-bar. The full CCTV footage (see below) would show that the car continued deep into the restaurant, smashing into six friends who were seated inside.

Five of women were injured in the accident, two of them in serious condition. The video also clearly shows that it was not a McD restaurant.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Guatemala-car-crash-into-diners-at-restaurant-bar.mp4?_=1

Fact #3 : The Driver Was Charged With Culpable Injuries + Property Damage

The driver was charged with culpable injuries and property damage, with investigators looking to see if her car’s automatic gearbox somehow failed. They also carried out toxicology tests to determine if the driver was under the influence of any drugs.

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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 Michael J. Fox Die Suddenly From COVID-19?!

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Did Michael J. Fox just die suddenly in a hospital from COVID-19 pneumonia?!

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

Claim : Michael J. Fox Died Suddenly From COVID-19!

People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming that Michael J. Fox died in a hospital from COVID-19 pneumonia, with titles like :

5 minutes ago : Hollywood reports sad news about actor Michael J. Fox, before a tearful farewell.

Michael J. Fox Passed Away Expected Soon Extremely Unlikely To Survive. Doctors Given Up.

Michael J. Fox Wife Tracy Is Currently On His Deathbed And Family Asking For Prayers

We are saddened to announce the critical health condition of actor Michael J. Fox

R.I.P. Michael J. Fox

Sad News, Michael J. Fox Passed Away Expected Soon Family Prepared To Say Goodbye!

Truth : Michael J. Fox Did Not Die From COVID-19!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Michael J. Fox Is Still Alive + Well!

Michael J. Fox (born Michael Andrew Fox on June 9, 1961) is very much alive and well. He last tweeted on January 26, and shared an Instagram photo on February 15.

He also appeared at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday, January 20, at the premiere of a new documentary about his life, career and work as a public advocate for Parkinson’s research.

As many of us know, Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 – a fact which he disclosed only in 1998. Despite his worsening symptoms, he continued to act until he was forced to retire in 2020.

But the most recent sighting of Fox was on February 19, 2023, when Lea Thompson posted a photo of her Back to the Future co-stars – Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox, and Thomas F. Wilson , taken at Fan Expo Portland.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death.

Even though Michael J. Fox has been out of the limelight since his 2020 retirement, he is still a celebrity, and the media regularly reports on his activities.

Just a week ago, TODAY wrote an article on his twin daughter’s birthday, based on nothing more than an Instagram photo he posted on February 15, 2023!

If Michael J. Fox really did die, whether from COVID-19 pneumonia or a car accident, the worldwide media would have reported on it.

No legitimate media outlet reported that Michael J. Fox died in a hospital from any cause. Only a bunch of small-time YouTube and Facebook channels.

Fact #3 : COVID-19 Patient Photos Were Not Of Michael J. Fox

The fake video creators used photos of COVID-19 patients to convey the perception that Michael J. Fox died from COVID-19 pneumonia.

This photo, for example, does not show Michael J. Fox being intubated for COVID-19 pneumonia, but is a stock photograph by Kiryl Lis, called “Intubated adult white man under ventilator lying in coma in intensive care department. Patient in critical state.”

This photo is a screenshot from a CBS8 video showing a COVID-19 patient being transported in a hospital. It appears to have been recorded on September 23, 2021.

Again, that is not Michael J. Fox on that hospital bed. The screenshot was just misappropriated to make you believe that’s him.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 200 MP Camera Review!

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Take a look at the camera performance of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and find out why it’s such an awesome smartphone for photographers!

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : 200 MP Camera FTW!

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is their flagship smartphone for the year 2023, and it boasts the best cameras money can buy.

Headlining its top-of-the-line quad-camera system is a new Adaptive Pixel camera, which is built around the 200 MP ISOCELL HP2 (S5KHP2) sensor, and improved optically-stabilised lens with a larger f/1.7 aperture.

You can seamlessly switch to its ultra-wide camera, with a 12 MP sensor and a f/2.2 aperture; or optically zoom up to 10X with its dual telephoto and periscope cameras.

In this review, we are going to take a look at the photography capability of Galaxy S23 Ultra, and show you just how well its cameras perform!

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : 200 MP Camera Review!

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a super-high resolution 200 MP main camera, built around a new ISOCELL HP2 sensor used in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera will be able to combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel for much better low-light performance.

Video capabilities also got an upgrade, thanks to this new sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30 frames per second, instead of just 24 fps previously.

It also boasts better Adaptive VDIS capability, and improved optical image stabilisation (OIS), delivering silky smooth videos by doubling the angle to ±3°, from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera‘s ±1.5°.

Here are six shots I took in Singapore, using the 200 MP main camera, and the 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera.

They are 4000 x 3000 pixels in size, with a JPEG file size of between 4 MB and 8 MB – it all depends on the amount of detail in the picture. To save space, I definitely recommend that you enable HEIF – the High Efficiency Image Format.

By default, the 200 MP camera takes 12 MP photos, combining sixteen pixels into one super-large pixel. Coupled with the improved lens and wider aperture, the final photos are not only much brighter, but have significantly lower noise.

Here are six night shots to show you just how bright the Galaxy S23 Ultra photos are, taken at night handheld without flash.

Here are six shots to show you the incredible amount of detail you can capture at just 12 MP. If you need greater detail, you can always increase the resolution to the full 200 MP, but frankly – these pictures should show you that you don’t really need to.

Of course, the 200 MP capability is not there for marketing purposes. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can truly take 200 MP photos, with a resolution of 16,320 pixels x 12,240 pixels, with each file at about 13-15 MB!

To demonstrate both the 200 MP capability and its ability to take bright photos at night, I took this 200 MP photo at Marina Bay Sands.

From that single photo, I could zoom in to make out individuals within the dome-shaped Apple Store hundreds of metres away – all unbeknownst that they were being captured on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra at night!

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : 200 MP Camera Summary

If you want the best cameras on a smartphone money can buy, you should definitely consider the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Don’t put too much stock into the 200 MP marketing spiel. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is breaking new resolution groups with its 200 MP photography capability. But most of us will probably never use it, except in special circumstances.

What you are really getting is an awesome 12 MP camera with super-large pixels for really great noise-free images, and better low-light photos.

I am especially impressed with its low-light night photography capabilities. The photos I took in Singapore look like they were well-lit by moonlight. That was not the case at all, and it was all the more impressive because I took it handheld.

The photos turned out great – bright, sharp and with much less noise than I dared to hope! There is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has some of the best smartphone cameras I’ve tried this year.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Prices + Pre-Order Offer!

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in four main colours – Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, and Cream.

Sadly, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will be significantly more expensive than last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra!

Here are the official launch prices for the three available storage capacities:

256 GB : RM5,699 (about US$1,336 / £1,083 / A$1,888 / S$1,755)
512 GB : RM6,199 (about US$1,453 / £1,179 / A$2,052 / S$1,910)
1 TB : RM7,199 (about US$1,688 / £1,369 / A$2,388 / S$2,218)

While the increased price may be disappointing, Samsung is offering some great pre-order offers:

you get a free upgrade to the next storage option!
if you buy from the Samsung Online Store, you get an RM400 e-Voucher
you get 30% off Samsung accessories, Samsung Care+, Galaxy tablets, Watch, and Buds earphones!
you get to save up to RM600 more when you trade in!

Here are online purchase options for your convenience:

United States : $1,199 | $1379.99 | $1,495 | $1,495
United Kingdom : £1,249 | £1,399 | £1,399 | £1,399
Malaysia : RM5,699 | RM5,699 | RM5,699 | RM5,699
Singapore : $1,599 | S$2,098 | S$2,098

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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 This American Harass Chinese Female Tourists?!

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Did an American man harass Chinese female tourists, telling them to go back to China?!

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

Updated @ 2023-02-19 : Added more details
Originally posted @ 2022-06-10

Claim : This American Harassed Chinese Female Tourists!

People are sharing a video of a man harassing two Asian females, as evidence of anti-Asian racism in the United States. The video shows a man recording himself berating two Asian females on a beach, saying :

Go! Go! Take your dress and go from this country.

I hate Chinese. Fuck China. China, fuck you.

Translated from Turkish : You people made corona[virus] a thing, and now the economy is shit

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Turkish-man-harasses-Chinese-female-tourists.mp4?_=2

Originally spread in June 2022 targeting Americans, it’s being shared again in February 2023, with messages targeting Turkey and/or Europe:

Chinese ladies were asked to leave the beach in Europe….they were not welcome there.
Better be careful and alert while travelling in Europe… the situation might turn violent if you confronted the “white”. Safer to travel in Thailand East Asia.

The INTERNMENT CAMPS are coming…. should HOSTILITIES breakout with CHINA.

It’s time for CHINA to stop putting their TOURISM MONEY into the hands of these UNGRATEFUL COUNTRIES.

CHINA Chinese ladies were asked to leave the beach in EUROPE….as they were not welcome there.

Truth : He Is Not An American Harassing Chinese Female Tourists!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens.

After investigating this video, here are the facts that I was able to ascertain…

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Cyprus

First, let me point out that this video wasn’t recorded in the United States. It was recorded at the Nissi Bay Beach in Cyprus.

In fact, I geolocated the precise location to a few metres south of the Petra Snack Bar, at the Nissi Beach Resort.

On the left is a screenshot at 0:15 of the video clip; and on the right is a picture of the Petra Snack Bar taken in October 2019 by Matthias Schelker, at almost the same position!

You can see the same white Petra Snack Bar signboard, and stairs leading up to the cafe; as well as the red Life Guard shack.

Another man who was standing nearby (seen here in the left screenshot) told him off, “No, no”, to which the man responded, “What the fuck, no?”

Fact #2 : Man In Video Is Not American

The man in the video is not American. Even though he asked the ladies to “go from this country“, he’s not even a citizen of Cyprus!

He’s actually a Turkish citizen called Taner Tolga Tarlacı, who is living in Cyprus because he was sentenced to 18-20 years of jail in Turkey for a variety of small crimes.

Allegedly, he learned about the arrest warrant on a ferry from Cyprus to Turkey, and literally jumped off the ship and swam back to Cyprus to avoid arrest!

Fact #3 : Taner Creates Controversial Videos

Taner is actually a minor Turkish celebrity, after participating in Turkish Got Talent and Survivor Turkey (Survivor Türkiye). Since then, he has been creating controversial or crazy videos… and even porn!

He is notable for bizarre antics, so much so, he allegedly got his own TV show cancelled when he chased his guests with a fire extinguisher on its first episode!

So it is possible he recorded the video to “go viral”, which is why he made sure he figured prominently in it.

For small-timers like Taner Tolga Tarlaci, bad publicity probably is better than no publicity at all. Such controversies help keep him in public light.

Fact #4 : The Ladies May Not Even Be Chinese!

When Taner told the Asian ladies to leave the beach, you can hear the lady who was standing up say, “Yeah, okay” in what sounds like an American accent. She could possibly be Chinese American!

In any case, there is no way to know if the ladies are Chinese citizens as alleged. They could be Japanese or Korean, or people of Chinese ethnicity from other countries like the United States.

Fact #5 : The Video Was Allegedly Taken In 2020

According to several netizens, the video was allegedly taken early in the COVID-19 pandemic, circa 2020.

I am bringing this up because people are claiming that this is a new video in various websites, social media and even WhatsApp.

This video first came to our attention after going viral in June 2022, and has gone viral again in February 2023.

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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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Roman Charity : Why Woman Breastfed Man In Prison!

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The painting of a young woman breastfeeding an old man in prison has gone viral.

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

Viral Claim About Woman Breastfeeding Old Man In Prison

This photo of a classical painting is being shared on WhatsApp, social media platforms like Facebook, and even Reddit, together with this claim:

This painting of a young woman breastfeeding an old man in a prison cell was sold for 30 million Euros. The painting may look perverse but the story behind is from historical records.

The poor man was sentenced to “death by starvation” for stealing a loaf of bread during the reign of Louis XIV in France. The woman was his only daughter and the only visitor to his cell. She was allowed to visit him daily but was frisked thoroughly such that no food was taken in.

When after 4 months the man still survived with no weight loss, the authorities were perplexed and started spying on her in the cell and to their utter astonishment found her to breastfeed her father to the fullest sharing her baby’s milk. The judges then realizing the compassion and love of the woman for her father, pardoned the father and set him free.

This piece of history brings into focus how deep is a woman’s compassion in our daily lives that men often tend to overlook.

Roman Charity : Why Woman Breastfed Man In Prison!

As inspiring as the story is, this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That’s Roman Charity By Jules Joseph Lefebvre

The photo is of an oil painting on canvas called La Charité romaine (Roman Charity) by French painter, Jules Joseph Lefebvre.

Fact #2 : Roman Charity By Lefebvre Was Never Sold

The La Charité romaine (Roman Charity) painting by Jules Lefebvre was never sold for 30 million Euros.

It was purchased by the French government in 1864 for 1,500 francs, and displayed at the Melun Museum in 1865.

The French government later donated the painting to the Melun City Hall at 16 rue Paul-Doumer, where it can be seen in the wedding hall.

In the photo taken by Stephane Asseline in 2003, you can see the words Donné par l’état (Donated by the state) engraved into the frame.

Fact #3 : Roman Charity Is A Story Of Cimon And Pero

The real Roman Charity story is about Cimon who was convicted of a serious but unspecified crime, and sentenced to die of starvation.

Even though the prison guards were instructed not to provide him with water or food, Cimon surprisingly survived for more than a month. He was weak but not close to dying. The claim that he survived for more than FOUR months though is a tall tale.

One day, the guards reportedly discovered that his daughter Pero (some accounts describe her as his wife) had been breastfeeding her father. She had been allowed to visit her father once a day, and was able to feed him with her breast milk, keeping him alive that way.

What happened after that is not known. Some say that Pero’s love for her father convinced the court to pardon and release Cimon. But others claim that she was given a death penalty for what she did.

Fact #4 : There Are Many Roman Charity Paintings

There are actually many paintings showing a young woman breastfeeding an old man in prison, all variations of the Roman Charity story.

These four examples from Peter Paul Rubens (1612), Jan Janssens (1620-25), Dirck Van Baburen (1623) and Pieter van Mol (1640), all predate the Jules Lefebvre painting by over 200 years.

Arguably, the Jules Lefebvre painting of Roman Charity is more famous because it was the first depiction of Pero with a baby.

The original versions of the tale did not mention that she brought her baby to prison while visiting her father. So it isn’t surprising to see that earlier works only showed Pero and Cimon alone.

Fact #5 : Roman Charity Story Predates King Louis XIV

The story that the old man was sentenced to death by starvation for stealing bread during the reign of King Louis XIV is nonsense.

The story of Roman Charity goes way back to the days of Ancient Rome. It was first told in Factotum ac dictum memorabilium (Nine Books of Memorable Acts and Sayings of the Ancient Romans) by Ancient Roman historian Valerius Maximus.

A painting in the Temple of Pietas not only depicted the scene back then, wall paintings and terracotta statutes excavated in Pompeii suggest that it was common in the first century.

As I pointed out in the Fact #4 above, Western artists had already painted Roman Charity hundreds of years before Jules Lefebvre, or King Louis XIV’s reign from 1643 to 1715.

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.

Recommended Reading

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2023 Turkey Earthquake : Fake Photos + Scam Alert!

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Please watch out for fake photos + videos, as well as donation scams capitalising on the devastating 2023 earthquake in Turkey!

2023 Turkey Earthquake : Fake Photos Alert!

Many people have been sharing photos of the massive earthquake that devastated both Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023.

Unfortunately, quite a number of fake photos on WhatsApp and social media. They also appear in TikTok and YouTube videos. Here are a few notable examples.

Old Man With Bread

This photo of an old man with bread is being shared as a lesson on why we should be humble, respectful and kind.

It took just 17secs to change his status from the owner of 33 buildings to a person who’s surviving on bread and finding shelter where he can.

#TurkeyEarthquake teaches us an important lesson that life is unpredictable and nothing is permanent. Be humble, respectful and kind.

How being humble, respectful and kind could have helped this poor man was not explained. Neither did the people sharing this “lesson” explain why this photo has been circulating since 1999…

Yes, this photo was taken by photographer, Abdurrahman Antakyalı, almost 24 years ago, after the Düzce Earthquake that occurred on 12 November, 1999.

Needless to say, that old man was not a rich man who owned 33 buildings. It is incredible that people who create a fake story about this poor man. If there is a lesson to be learned, it is that everyone should “verify before sharing“!

Dog Looking For Survivor

Many people are sharing photos of dogs looking for survivors, like this example below, which was shared with messages like:

The little heroes will save many lives. Pray for Turkey.

This is incredible! A dog in Turkey was seen digging trying to rescue its owner. When the dog failed to move the heavy debris, he started barking to ask for help while holding one of his owner’s fingers!

Syrian🇸🇾 Turkish🇹🇷 Earthquakes!

Dogs are sensitive to their owner ❤️😊

The truth is – that is one of many stock images of “dogs looking for people in earthquake” available online.

That photo, and similar examples featuring the same dog as well as others dogs were posted by Czech photographer, Jaroslav Noska, on November 2020.

This suggests that the photos were staged for use as stock photos, and not actual photos of a real disaster area, or even real rescue dogs.

Tryon The Rescue Dog

Many people shared this photo of a dirty-looking dog, claiming that it just saved 10 lives in the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.

This dog worked all night last night and saved 10 lives

This dog hero who worked the whole night and saved 10 lives in Turkey.

The truth is – this is Tryon the rescue dog who helped to search for victims of a deadly mudslide near Oso, Washington, in the United States.

This photo was taken by Rick Wilking, a freelance photographer for Reuters, on March 30, 2014. He provided the following caption for this photo:

Tryon the rescue dog waits to go through the decontamination area at the mudslide after searching for victims in Oso, Washington March 30, 2014.

2023 Turkey Earthquake : Donation Scam Alert!

People are not just posting those fake photos to “virtue signal” or increase their popularity, some are using them for donation scams!

Photos of Tryon the rescue dog above, for example, is being used to solicit donations for the people in Syria.

(Need Some reputable or NGO in Syria to pay or food. Shelter, blankets the Earthquake affects from the donations if gathered from this page.

As Sanction Syria from all over the world needs our help. Turkey has been helping by many.

He (Reputable) or NGO must be at the Earthquake affected areas of Syria and make video or come live while giving blankets, food, donation etc. Thanks )

– Those who want to Help/Donate. Message us. Thanks!

Even more egregious is this photo of a firefighter holding a child with a Turkish flag on his sleeve.

Friends, we have launched an aid campaign to reach people who have experienced an #earthquake disaster in Turkey.

#btc B : 1)n3C4GiFCzERTWd6nvCc4hTzvK8Viz88y

#eth: Ox2cff2ad875£68bf4ec5a478e505767c348dd61d

#Suns suns

The trouble is – the photo isn’t real! It was created by Major General Panagiotis Kotridis of the Aegean fire brigade using the AI image generator called Midjourney.

While they are capable of creating really realistic images, such artificial intelligence image generators often leave tell-tale mistakes.

In the viral photo below, you can see that the firefighter has six fingers on his right hand with an abnormally long thumb. His left hand is also missing, with a third “hand?” right next to it.

The BBC investigated further, and found that one of the crypto wallet addresses had been used in scam and spam tweets since 2018, while the other crypto wallet address had been posted on VK – the Russian social media website, together with pornographic content.

Ax Sharma, a cybersecurity expert at Sonatype, also pointed out that scammers are creating fake disaster relief accounts on social media to cheat people. One example is @TurkeyRelief on Twitter, which was created in January 2023 with just 31 followers and asked for donations using PayPal.

Scammers are also using TikTok Live to ask for donations, using captions like “Let’s help Turkey”, “Pray for Turkey” and “Donate for earthquake victims” over their videos. According to the BBC, TikTok takes up to 70% of the proceeds of these digital gifts.

So please WATCH OUT for such donation scams, which use real or fake photos / videos to trick people into sending them money.

If you want to help, please donate DIRECTLY to reputable organisations like the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins San Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), OxFam, or the nearest Turkish embassy.

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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 FedEx + Southwest Jets Almost Collide In Video?!

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Did a FedEx cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines jet almost collide in a viral video?!

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

Claim : Video Shows FedEx + Southwest Jets Almost Colliding!

People are sharing a video clip that claims to show a FedEx cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines jet almost colliding!

This is video from the FedEx – Southwest runway incident from last week.

If this doesn’t make you tense up and cringe nothing will. The people on that SouthWest flight have no clue how close to death they came.

Insane.

Real incident at Austin Feb 4, 2023.
Fedex 😱 Southwest Airlines. Near Miss!

Truth : FedEx + Southwest Jet Near Collision Video Is From Game!

This is yet another example of MISINFORMATION circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Fact #1 : FedEx + Southwest Jets Did Almost Collide

First, let me confirm that a FedEx cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines jet did almost collide on Saturday, February 4, 2023.

In that incident, air traffic controllers at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport cleared an arriving FedEx Boeing 767 cargo plane to lane, while simultaneously clearing a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 to take off using the same runway!

Air traffic controllers first cleared the Southwest Airlines jet to take-off from runway 18 Left, when the FedEx jet was 3.2 nautical miles (6 km) away.

When the FedEx jet was 2.19 nautical miles (4 km) from the airport, controllers told the FedEx crew to land on the same 18 Left runway.

The FedEx crew later realised that they were about to overfly the Southwest plane, and quickly aborted their landing while telling the Southwest crew to abort their takeoff.

According to Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the two planes almost collided, with a separation of “less than 100 feet (30 metres)”.

I’m very proud of the FedEx flight crew and that pilot. They saved, in my view, 128 people from a potential catastrophe. It was very close, and we believe less than 100 feet.

The near catastrophe apparently happened because the Austin airport is not equipped with Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE). Air traffic controller could see the FedEx jet on radar, but could not see the Southwest Airlines jet taxiing on the ground.

The ASDE system was important in preventing a runway collision in January 2023, between taxiing and departing aircraft at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport.

BREAKING: FedEx cargo plane narrowly misses crashing into Southwest Airlines plane taxiing on runway at Austin International Airport, Texas pic.twitter.com/2KF0ifokRF

— Intel Point Alert (@IntelPointAlert) February 5, 2023

Fact #2 : That Video Was From A Video Game

While the incident was real, the video isn’t real. The video was created using the 2020 computer game, Microsoft Flight Simulator by Monster21 who posted it on YouTube and TikTok.

On his YouTube channel, Monster21 explicitly pointed out that the video was created on Microsoft Flight Simulator, with the title, “Real incident at Austin on Microsoft Flight Simulator“.

On TikTok though, he posted it with a shorter title of “Real incident at Austin Feb 4th 2023“, but did include a #microsoftflightsimulator2020 hashtag.

Unfortunately, it is being shared as if the video is genuine, just like these other videos created by computer games:

Fact #3 : Video Does Not Accurately Simulate The Event

While the video creator was simulating the close call between the FedEx and Southwest jets based on flight data, it isn’t an accurate depiction.

The video showed that it was a bright and clear day. That’s not accurate because the incident happened at around 6:50 AM. Dawn only broke at 6:55 AM in Austin, Texas on February 4, 2023.

There was also fog at the airport that day. So it would have been rather dark and foggy at the same time, with poor visibility.

That would explain why the FedEx crew did not spot the spot the Southwest jet lining up on the runway much earlier.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FedEx-Southwest-planes-close-call-fake-video.mp4?_=3

Fact #4 : Audio Was Genuine, But Edited

While the video is not real and is just a simulation, the audio recording is genuine albeit edited.

The air traffic control audio recording was made available through Live ATC of Austin-Bergstrom Airport’s traffic control, and began at around 6:47 AM.

The full audio recording lasts just over 6 minutes, but was edited to just over 2 minutes by Haemaker to remove dead spots. As he noted – “It did NOT happen this fast“.

The video used the shorter, edited Haemaker audio recording, so it sounds more dramatic than what really happened in real life. Here is how USA Today explains the audio recording:

The FedEx pilot asks the tower if the plane is confirmed to land, to which the controller responds yes and lets the pilot know about the Southwest flight taking off.

About 30 seconds later, the controller asks the Southwest flight to confirm if it is “on the roll.” To which the pilot immediately responds, “Rolling now.”

After about 20 seconds of silence, the tower says, “Southwest abort. FedEx is on the go.”

There’s no response, and nearly nine seconds later, the tower tells the Southwest flight to turn right when able. Southwest immediately responds by saying, “Negative.”

The tower comes back about 17 seconds later and tells the FedEx pilot to climb and maintain 3,000 feet and turn left, which the pilot confirms upon receiving the instruction.

Near the end of the recording, after the FedEx plane has landed and said it cleared the runway, the tower apologizes to the pilot and thanks them for their professionalism.

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Did Russia Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine?!

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Did Russia just destroy a NATO convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments destined for Ukraine?!

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

Claim : Russia Just Destroyed NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

People are sharing seven short video clips, which claim to show Russian forces quickly destroying a NATO convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments destined for Ukraine?!

The video clips are being shared with this message:

Russia attack arms aid by NATO to Ukraine 🇺🇦

Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Russians, or the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and spread by pro-CCP and pro-Russian netizens and groups.

Fact #1 : That Video Was From A Video Game

The viral video clips do not show any actual combat in Ukraine. They are merely gameplay videos from the computer game, ArmA 3.

ArmA 3, which is also known as ArmA III or Armed Assault 3, is an open-world, military tactical shooter game by Bohemia Interactive.

I’ll admit – this wasn’t easy to confirm, as the viral video clips were small. Hunting down the original video took considerable time and effort, but with a little luck, I found it!

The seven video clips appear to be edited from a YouTube video called Ukrainian soldier Blow up a pontoon bridge with Russian Military Convoy – Arma 3 by USF WARRIOR.

Here is one example of the seven video clips, so you can see how realistic (or not) it looks.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Russia-destroy-NATO-arms-convoy-fake-video-example.mp4?_=4

Fact #2 : That Was An American TOW Missile

In the example video I posted above, you can see the outline of a missile launcher. That is not a Russian missile launcher, but the M220 launcher for the American TOW BGM-71E anti-tank missile.

In other words – the video does not show Russian forces destroying a NATO convoy of tanks and other armoured vehicles. It actually shows Ukrainian forces using American weapons to destroy a Russian convoy in the ArmA 3 game.

Here is a comparison of the screenshot of the viral video (right) and a screenshot of the same TOW missile launcher (left) in the ArmA 3 game.

Interesting fact : the screenshot on the left is actually from another fake ArmA 3 video created but the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Fact #3 : Those Are Russian Mil Mi-17 Helicopters

Understandably, it’s not easy to locate the original video. But even if you are not able to confirm that this was an Arma 3 gameplay video, any military buff or gamer would have quickly realised how ridiculous the claims are.

For example, these are Russian Mil Mi-17 helicopters. Some NATO countries like Czechoslovakia, Lithuania and Latvia used to own and operate them, but they should have long been disposed of.

Fact #4 : Those Are Russian Mil Mi-28N Helicopters

While it may be plausible for NATO countries to source and perhaps supply Ukraine with old Mi-17 helicopters, it would be impossible for them to supply Ukraine with these Russian Mil Mi-28N “Havoc” helicopters!

Only four countries have access to these Havoc helicopters – Russia, Iraq, Algeria and Uganda. NATO countries, even those who were formerly part of the Soviet Union, do not have these helicopters.

So it would be impossible for NATO to provide Ukraine with Mil Mi-28N helicopters.

Fact #5 : Those Are Russian BTR-80 Armoured Personnel Carriers

Those are Russian BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers. Granted, they are rather ubiquitous, with many examples worldwide.

However, the only NATO member with an abundance of these armoured personnel carriers is Turkey, and Turkey has not announced giving Ukraine any BTR-80s.

So if you see BTR-80s in Ukraine, it’s either Ukrainian or Russian vehicles.

Fact #6 : That Is A Russian 76N6 Clam Shell Radar

That is a Russian 76N6 Clam Shell low altitude search and acquisition radar for the Russian SA-10A/B (S-300) Grumble surface-to-air (SAM) missile system.

While the S-300 SAM system is rather ubiquitous as well, only one NATO member has ever donated an S-300 battery to Ukraine, and that’s Slovakia, which donated its only battery in April 2022.

Since then, no other NATO member country has any operational S-300 systems left. So it would be impossible for NATO to supply these radars together with the SAM missile batteries to Ukraine.

Fact #7 : There Are No NATO Forces In Ukraine

NATO Allied Land Command confirmed that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.

While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.

So the claim that NATO sent a convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments to Ukraine. Any military armaments supplied to Ukraine are transported into Ukraine by the Ukrainians, not NATO forces.

Even such convoys would never be close enough to the frontlines for Russian forces to attack.

Fact #8 : This Is Just Another Example of Pro-Russian Propaganda

This is yet another example of pro-Russian propaganda. Here are some other examples I fact checked in the past:

Please watch out for similar fake news created by Russia and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛)!

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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 Xi Jinping Divorce His Wife To Serve China?!

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Did Chinese President Xi Jinping divorce his wife, Zheng Xiaoling who wanted to migrate to the US, so he can serve China instead?!

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

Claim : Xi Jinping Divorced His Wife, Zheng Xiaoling, To Serve China!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are promoting a photo of a beautiful woman called Zheng Xiaoling (鄭曉玲), claiming that she wanted to migrate to the United States.

Instead of following her to the United States, the future Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to divorce her so he can serve China. Here is the viral message in Chinese, as well as our rough translation (thanks Yuh Hui and Chai!):

她叫鄭曉玲。當年因為一心要

出國，執意與選擇留在國內，身為鄉鎮幹部的丈夫離了婚。

現在美國的她，唉！說多了都

是淚….她的前夫叫習近平。

Her name is Zheng Xiaoling.

Years ago, due to her preference to live in the West, she divorced her husband who chose to stay back in China to serve the country.

She is currently now in US and her ex-husband is Xi Jin Ping.

Here is the English version that is also circulating.

Her name is Cheng Siow Ling.

Years ago, due to her preference to live in the West, she divorced her husband who chose to stay back in China to serve the country. His name is Xi Jin Ping.

Xi Jinping Did Not Divorce His Wife, Zheng Xiaoling, To Serve China!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That Is South Korean Actress Choi Jin-sil

The photo that has gone viral in Chinese and pro-CCP groups is not a photo of a woman called Zheng Xiaoling (鄭曉玲), or as some call her, Cheng Siow Ling.

That is a photo of a famous South Korean actress called Choi Jin-sil, who sadly committed suicide on October 2, 2008.

Nicknamed “The Nation’s Actress”, Choi Jin-sil has never migrated to the United States. Instead, she became a TV actress in South Korea in 1998, and moved on to play leading roles in movies like My Love, My Bride (1990) and Jealousy (1982).

Fact #2 : Choi Jin-sil Is Much Younger Than Xi Jinping

Choi Jin-sil was born on December 24, 1968, while Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953 – a 15 year gap.

I mention this because Choi Jin-sil was still in primary / elementary school when Xi Jinping married his first wife in 1979!

In fact, Choi Jin-sil would have been only 11 years old when Xi Jinping married her in 1979! Can you see how ludicrous this viral claim is?

Fact #3 : Choi Jin-sil Married Cho Sung-min

Not only was it impossible for Xi Jinping to have married a preteen Choi Jin-sil, there is no evidence he ever met the Korean actress!

In the year 2000, Choi Jin-sil married Cho Sung-min – a professional baseball player with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. She gave birth to their two children – a son, Hwan-Hee in 2001, and a daughter, Joon-Hee in 2003.

She would divorce Cho in September 2004, and she eventually won sole custody of their two children.

Fact #4 : Xi Jinping’s Ex-Wife Is Ke Lingling

Xi Jinping’s ex-wife is not Zheng Xiaoling, but Ke Lingling (柯玲玲) – the younger daughter of former diplomat Ke Hua. Born in 1951, she is also known as Ke Xiaoming (柯小明).

Their 1979 marriage ended in a divorce in 1982. Xi Jinping would later marry his second wife, Peng Liyuan – a famous singer, five years later in Xiamen, Fujian in 1987.

Fact #5 : Xi Jinping’s Ex-Wife Migrated To The UK

The claim that Xi Jinping refused to migrate to the United States with his former wife is also false.

After marrying Xi Jinping in 1979, Ke Lingling found that their life philosophies differed. She favoured Western values, and wanted to move to the United Kingdom, where her father was serving as the Chinese ambassador.

However, Xi Jinping refused to accompany his wife, as he wanted to pursue a career as a senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official.

They divorced in 1982, after just three years of marriage, and Ke Lingling finally migrated to the UK. She would later claim that the divorce was partly caused by her former husband’s ambition.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here are the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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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Does Video Show F-22 Shooting China Spy Balloon?!

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Does a viral video show a close-up of the F-22 Raptor fighter jet shooting down the spy balloon from China?!

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

Viral Video : Close-Up Of F-22 Shooting Spy Balloon From China!

This video is going viral on WhatsApp and social media platform, claiming to show a close-up of the F-22 Raptor fighter jet shooting down the spy balloon from China.

Screenshots of the video showing the F-22 fighter jet firing a missile at the spy balloon have also been used in some editorials in pro-CCP websites, and even a Falun Gong-affiliated website!

Truth : Viral Video Of F-22 Shooting Down Spy Balloon Is From Game!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : F-22 Shoot Down Audio Is Genuine

First, I should point out that the audio in the video is genuine, and accurately depicts the communication between the F-22 pilots and Huntress (NORAD’s Eastern Air Defense Sector Controller) on an open channel that anyone can listen to.

The audio clip was apparently recorded by Ken Harrell, a 68 year-old retiree and aviation hobbyist, who was listening in. This was confirmed by US Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek:

The audio is authentic and depicts communication from the 1st Fighter Wing pilot confirming the aerial target was destroyed. It’s important to clarify this audio is communication between the pilot and air traffic control that can be heard by anyone on the same frequency

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Fake-video-of-F-22-firing-missile-at-Chinese-spy-balloon.mp4?_=5

Fact #2 : Audio Subtitles Are Wrong

However, the subtitles are mangled and at least partly wrong. Here is an abridged transcript of the audio communication between the F-22 pilots and air traffic control (Huntress) during the spy balloon shoot-down.

HUNTRESS : Five miles offshore.

FRANK01 : Frank One is switches hot.

FRANK02 : Frank Two is switches hot.

…..

HUNTRESS : HUNTRESS. Six miles offshore.

FRANK01 : FRANK01. Splash one! TOI 1.

HUNTRESS : HUNTRESS copy. Splash.

EAGLE02 : That is a t-kill. The balloon is completely destroyed.

EAGLE01 : There appears to be metal chaff cloud. It’s definitely metal breaking apart. Screen for an altitude check.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Edited From Game Video!

I traced the viral video to a YouTube channel called Growling Sidewinder, which posted the original video on 6 February 2023.

It appears that someone edited Growling Sidewinder’s video to remove the title sequence at the beginning, and the credit at the end, before sharing it on WhatsApp and social media.

Growling Sidewinder clearly stated that the video used the real audio recording, but the video itself was recreated using Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) – a flight simulation game released in 2008 by Eagle Dynamics and The Fighter Collection.

Last year, I fact checked a viral video purportedly depicting Russian forces shooting down NATO jets and helicopters. In that example, the fake news creator used footage from the video game, ArmA 3 (Armed Assault 3).

Fact #4 : F-22 Fired At A Long Distance

When I watched the video, I immediately knew that it was fake, because it showed the F-22 engaging the Chinese spy balloon at about the same altitude, and at a very short distance.

What many people may not realise is that the F-22 fighter jet fired its AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at a considerable distance away from the spy balloon. This was confirmed by numerous videos recorded by the public from a distance.

In addition, we also know that the F-22 fighter jet was only able to attain an altitude of 58,000 feet, while the Chinese spy balloon was much higher – at about 65,000 feet. The Chinese spy balloon was floating approximately 7,000 feet (2.1 km) above the F-22 fighter jet!

Based on the audio transcript, it took about 7 seconds for the Sidewinder missile, which travels at over Mach 2.5, to hit the spy balloon, roughly placing the F-22 about 6 kilometres away from the balloon when it fired the missile.

Fact #5 : The Spy Balloon Did Not Explode

If you watch the publicly released videos of the AIM-9X missile hitting the spy balloon – and there are many, you would quickly realise that the viral video is fake, because it showed a large explosion.

The actual videos only show black and white smoke when the missile exploded next to the spy balloon’s payload.

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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 Turkey Earthquake Cause Nuclear Plant Explosion?!

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Did the massive Turkey earthquake cause an atomic explosion at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant?!

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

Claim : Turkey Earthquake Caused Nuclear Plant Explosion!

People are sharing a video of a shocking explosion that allegedly happened at a nuclear power plant, after the massive Turkey earthquake.

☢️ Shocking Atomic explosion at a nuclear power plant in Turkey

Atomic explosion at a nuclear power plant in Turkey.

Due to the last earthquake produced in Turkey, the massive explosion of a nuclear power plant is reported. At the moment, more information about the event is unknown or if it has caused fatalities. But judging by the images, it is very possible that there were deaths and injuries in the areas near the explosion. We will keep reporting.

Truth : Turkey Earthquake Did Not Cause Nuclear Plant Explosion!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by a YouTube channel to generate money, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Is Still Under Construction

Turkey does not have any operational nuclear power plants, and only one under construction – the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Büyükeceli, in the Mersin Province.

The first reactor is only scheduled to be completed later in 2023, but it may be delayed by sanctions placed on Rosatom – the Russian company building the nuclear power plant.

Fact #2 : Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Was Undamaged By Earthquake

On Monday, February 6, 2023, a major magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria.

Fortunately, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant was only hit by magnitude 3 tremors, and was not damaged.

Earth tremors of about magnitude 3 were felt here… but our specialists have not revealed any damage to building structures, cranes and equipment.

Nevertheless, we are carrying out extensive diagnostic measures to make sure that construction and installation operations can continue safely.

– Anastasia Zoteeva, Rosatom spokesperson

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concurred, stating that there was “no impact” from the earthquakes in Turkey, and the nuclear power plant under construction was “unaffected“.

As of now, no impact from earthquakes on nuclear safety & security in Türkiye, its Nuclear Regulatory Authority told IAEA; no issues so far related to radiological safety & security of radioactive sources, & the country's under construction nuclear power plant is unaffected.

— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) February 6, 2023

Fact #3 : No Report Of Explosion In Mainstream Media

A nuclear power plant explosion would have been big news, and yet, there is no mention of such an explosion in any media outlet. Not CNN, not BBC, not even RT in Russia or CCTV in China.

That’s because this Turkey nuclear power plant explosion never happened. It’s a hoax. Fake news!

Fact #4 : Photo Was From Stock Photography Website

I traced the cover photo of the Turkey nuclear explosion to a stock photography website called Pixabay.

The YouTube video creator, Hide World, used the photo called “Nuclear Explosion Apocalypse” to trick you into believing that there was a nuclear power plant explosion in Turkey.

The image was created by by CristianIS, and posted to the Pixabay website on March 12, 2020.

Fact #5 : Video Showed 2020 Port of Beirut Explosion

The shocking explosion shown in the video created by Hide World was misappropriated from the 2020 Beirut explosion in Lebanon.

On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut exploded, killing at least 218 people and devastating the port and its surrounding areas.

The video that Hide World used was taken by a witness at a restaurant, and showed the second explosion at the Port of Beirut.

You can see the original video (here) posted by Al Arabiya English on 9 August 2020. If you compare that to the Hide World video (below), you can see that they are exactly the same.

Hide World used the Beirut port explosion from 2.5 years ago, to trick you into believing that it’s a video of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant explosion in Turkey.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/☢️-Shocking-Atomic-explosion-at-a-nuclear-power-plant-in-Turkey.mp4?_=6

Fact #6 : This Is Another Example Of Fake YouTube Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created by YouTubers who want to generate more views to build up their channel, or to generate ad money.

Here are some examples of fake YouTube videos that I fact checked in the past:

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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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Was Joe Biden Caught Groping Girl On Viral Video?!

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Was President Joe Biden caught groping a girl in a viral video clip?!

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

Claim : President Joe Biden Got Caught Groping A Girl On Video!

A short video clip of President Joe Biden has gone viral, with people claiming that he has finally been caught on camera molesting a young girl!

DeAnna Lorraine 🇺🇸 : This man just groped a woman on camera.

#StopTheWEFnow : Uncle Biden strikes again!!! 💥

This sex-crazed old man just can’t keep his hands off pretty girls.

When do people say enough is enough? When do the news networks stop protecting him and report this for what it is?

If Trump did that… #StopTheWEFnow

Moron, wet brains are screaming and kicking their feet about @Santos4Congress lying while running for political office but doing nothing about this bullshit.

WHAT IS THIS? It’s from a live broadcast – so not somehow deb-faked, or photoshopped images. Who is this (under-age) girl that Biden is touching her chest and kissing her????

Truth : President Joe Biden Was Not Groping The Girl!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by right wing activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Taken On October 29, 2022

While many people appear to believe that this incident just happened, the video is almost three months old.

The video was recorded by the Associated Press on Saturday, October 29, 2022, during early voting for the 2022 US midterm elections at a polling center in Delaware.

Fact #2 : Joe Biden Was Placing A Sticker On His Granddaughter

The original video shows President Joe Biden and his 18 year-old granddaughter, Natalie Biden – Beau Biden’s daughter, who was voting for the first time.

After they both cast their votes, they received “I voted stickers”. After Natalie Biden placed hers on her grandfather’s jacket lapel, the President asked her, “Wait, wait, wait, wait, which side do you want on?”

Natalie Biden then indicated she wanted the sticker on the left side of her dress, and President Joe Biden placed it there before giving her a quick kiss on her cheek.

The original video shows President Joe Biden placing the sticker and giving Natalie a kiss in about 2-3 seconds.

Not quite what it appears. We have enough on #QuidProJoe that we don’t need to fake it. pic.twitter.com/yz1vstwdlH

— Scott Adams (@scottadamsshow) January 20, 2023

Fact #3 : Joe Biden Kissed Natalie Biden On Her Cheek

While some people are claiming that Joe Biden kissed the girl on her lips, that’s not true.

For one thing, reporters mentioned back in October 2022 that President Biden kissed Natalie Biden on her cheek.

The president and Natalie Biden placed “I voted” stickers on one another after casting their votes and the elder Biden kissed his granddaughter on the cheek.

But even if you don’t believe them, take a CLOSER LOOK at the video clip. You can see Natalie Biden turn her head as President Biden leaned in to kiss her… on her left cheek.

Fact #4 : Video Was Edited

The viral photo was edited from a very short clip of the original video, to a much which shows President Joe Biden placing a sticker on his granddaughter’s dress, and giving her a quick kiss on her cheek

It appears to be edited with a segment that loops back and forth to make it look like Joe Biden was fondling the girl’s left breast.

If you look at the white bearded man in the background, you can see him move from left to right and back to the left again. In the original video, he only moves to the left once.

The viral video also used a short clip of the song Simon Says by Pharoahe Monch, which suggestively goes, “Girls, rub on your titties (yeahhhh). Fuck it I said, rub on your titties”

Fact #5 : Video Was Apparently Created By Machiavelli Memez

If you look carefully, the video has the watermark of Machiavelli Memez, who posts right wing material on Twitter. The same watermark also adorned the fake photo of President Joe Biden molesting a little girl.

Believe it or not, President Joe Biden was falsely accused of molesting a little girl at a kindergarten just last month, based on a photo with a Machiavelli Memez watermark.

So watch out for any photos or videos with a Machiavelli Memez watermark.

Ultimately – the viral video was edited to make it look like President Joe Biden was groping the girl’s left breast.

In reality – he only placed a sticker on his granddaughter’s dress, before giving her a quick peck on her cheek. His fingers were on the sticker the entire time, and did not linger for more than 2-3 seconds.

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.

Recommended Reading

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Is This President Macron Dancing With His Wife 30 Years Ago?!

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Take a look at the viral video of President Macron with his dancing teacher who became his wife, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Was President Macron With His Dancing Teacher / Wife 30 Years Ago!

People are sharing this video which claims to show a young Emmanuel Macron dancing with his teacher, who would end up becoming his current wife, Brigette Macron.

This is a 30 year old Television clip. This video is interesting not only because of the dance sequence, but because, this young boy is the current president of France, & the Lady dancer, his teacher …. is his current wife …Interesting!!! Isn’t it? 🤷‍🤷‍♀ 🤷‍🤷‍♀ 🤔🤔🤔🤔

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/President-Emmanuel-Macron-and-wife-dancing-fact-check.mp4?_=7

Truth : That Was Not President Macron With His Dancing Teacher / Wife!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Brigitte Did Not Teach Macron Dancing

Brigitte Auzière (born Brigitte Marie-Claude Trogneux on 13 April 1953) first met Emmanuel Macron at the La Providence High School in 1998, when she was a 40 year-old teacher, and he was a 15 year-old student and a classmate of her daughter, Laurence.

She was not his dancing teacher, but taught him literature and was in charge of the theatre class that he attended. Brigitte divorced her husband, André-Louis Auzière, in January 2006 and married Macron in October 2007.

Fact #2 : Brigitte + Emmanuel Macron Never Participated In Dance Contests

As far as I can tell – Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron never participated in any dancing contest.

So it would be quite impossible for them to appear in a dance competition 30 years ago.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Recorded In 2016

The viral video, which people claimed was Emmanuel Macron dancing with his teacher Brigitte, was not recorded 30 years ago.

It was posted on the SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance) YouTube channel on 6 September 2017, but featured on another YouTube channel on 13 July 2016.

Fact #4 : Music Was From 2014

You can also date the video using the music. It was certainly not 30 years old, but a much more recent – Toca Toca (Radio Edit) by Fly Project was published on YouTube on 14 May 2014.

Fact #5 : Viral Video Is Of Jenna Johnson + Jake Monreal

The viral video does not show Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron dancing in a competition.

The two dancers are Jenna Johnson and Jake Monreal, who were competing in “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation” on July 11, 2016.

The YouTube video had the title “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation – Jenna and Jake’s Ballroom Performance“.

In that video, Jenna and Jake performed a Cha Cha routine which was choreographed by Jean Marc Genereux, to “Toca Toca (Radio Edit)“.

Fact #6 : Jenna Johnson Is A Professional Dancer

Jenna Johnson (born April 12, 1994) is an American professional dance and choreographer, who was one of the mentors in that dance competition.

She competed with Jake Monreal in 2016, and made it to the Top 8 before elimination on August 1, 2016. She returned to the show in Season 14 to mentor Kiki Nyemchek, and made it to Top 4.

Fact #7 : Jake Monreal Is A Professional Dancer

Jake Monreal (born September 24, 2003) is now a 19 year-old professional dancer, who began dancing at the age of 10. At that time the video was recorded, he was just 12 years old.

Jake would become a professional dancer for Dancing with the Stars Junior in 2018.

Fact #8 : Just Another Example Of Fake News About Politicians

This is just another example of fake news created about politicians, and shared on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Here are some other examples I fact checked:

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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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