Tag Archives: Singapore

Did COVID-19 Vaccines Cause 17 Million Deaths?!

Did researchers discover that COVID-19 vaccines were “causally linked” to 17 million deaths?!

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

Updated @ 2024-01-09 : Refreshed for the revival of this claim on social media
Originally posted @ 2023-10-03

 

Claim : COVID-19 Vaccines Caused 17 Million Deaths!

People are sharing an article by The Epoch Times which claims or suggests that COVID-19 vaccines did not save lives, but instead, resulted in 17 million deaths in 17 countries!

Here is an excerpt of The Epoch Times article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts:

Researchers Find COVID Vaccines Causally Linked to Increased Mortality, Estimate 17 Million Deaths

Recommended : Did FDA + CDC Hide Data On Failing COVID Vaccines?!

 

Truth : COVID-19 Vaccines Did Not Cause 17 Million Deaths!

In this article, I will go through some of their points, and show you what the facts really are!

Fact #1 : It Was A Self-Published Report

First, let’s start by pointing out that the paper in question (PDF download) is not a published scientific report, but a self-published report by Correlation Research in the Public Interest.

As far as we can tell, it has not been submitted to any scientific or medical journal for publication. Even if a scientific report has not been peer-reviewed, it would be available as a pre-print.

Fact #2 : It Has Not Been Peer-Reviewed

There is also no indication that this report has undergone even the basic peer review process. In fact, The Epoch Times confirmed this at the end of their very long article.

It’s important to note the scientific report has not yet been peer-reviewed. Articles that are ultimately accepted by peer review are often revised prior to publication, indicating potential for improvement.

In other words – subject matter experts have yet to inspect their data and findings, never mind verify and authenticate them. Perhaps this should have been mentioned right from the start?

Fact #3 : World Mortality Dataset Covers 103-124 Countries

The World Mortality Dataset (WMD) is a public database maintained by two researchers – Ariel Kaplinsky and Dmitry Kobak, that has been tracking the mortality rates of 103 countries since January 2021. They later expanded their data to cover 124 countries.

It is peculiar that Correlation Research in the Public Interest would focus only on 17 countries, out of 103-124 countries in the World Mortality Dataset. Why not look at ALL countries covered by the WMD data?

Recommended : Did Japan Order Investigation Of COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths?!

Fact #4 : There Was No Causal Link To Vaccines

The World Mortality Dataset is a big and critical tool for tracking all cause mortality for many countries around the world. However, it is ultimately just a database of all-cause mortality.

There is no way it can be used to demonstrate the causality of any particular cause of death. After all, it only tracks all-cause mortality! It doesn’t differentiate between death from a car accident or a fall, from death from COVID-19, or death from a vaccine injury.

Hence, if you go through the long Correlation Research report (180 pages!!), you don’t see an actual causal link between those spikes in deaths, and COVID-19 vaccines (or any other potential cause of death).

Fact #5 : Eurostat Data Shows Vaccination Reduced Excess Mortality

Perhaps the reason why the European countries were left out of this Correlation Research report is because the Eurostat data showed a strong correlation between high COVID-19 vaccination rates and low excess mortality.

In this chart provided by @dobssi, you can see that the 2021 excess mortality is much lower in countries with high vaccination rates, than countries with low vaccination rates.

Interestingly, two of those highly-vaccinated countries are Australia and New Zealand, both of which had low excess mortality rates in 2021.

The Eurostats data appear to show that Australia has only a small spike in excess death, while New Zealand actually had LOWER excess deaths after vaccinating its population. Imagine that…

Recommended : Why Adverse Events of Special Interest Are NOT Side Effects!

Fact #6 : Those Countries Have Seasons

The report claim to look at 17 equatorial and Southern Hemisphere countries because they have “no summer and winter seasons”, so there won’t be “seasonal variations” in their mortality patterns.

But the truth is – countries in equatorial and southern hemispheres have at least two seasons, instead of four seasons typically seen in the Northern Hemisphere.

Take Thailand, for example – a tropical country that evokes images of sandy beaches and warm weather. Well, Thailand actually has three seasons:

  • a wet season that runs from May to October,
  • a cool season that runs from November to February, and
  • a hot season that runs from March May

Its capital, Bangkok, itself experiences wide variations in temperature throughout the year – from as low as 21°C in the winter, to as high as 37°C in the summer.

And how exactly does proximity to the equator affect the SARS-CoV-2 virus or the COVID-19 vaccine??

Fact #7 : Those Countries Have Different Vaccination Rates

It is hard to understand why those 17 countries were chosen out of 103-124 countries in the World Mortality Dataset. Especially when they have different vaccination rates.

Yes, the report states that these countries comprise 9.1% of the global population and 10.3% of all COVID-19 vaccine injections. That gives us the impression that they are all highly-vaccinated countries.

That’s really not the case. These countries have very different vaccination rates, ranging from 44% to 97%!

Country 1 Dose ≥ 2 Doses
Argentina 14% 77%
Australia 2% 95%
Bolivia 60%
Brazil 6% 82%
Chile 2% 90%
Colombia 12% 72%
Ecuador 85%
Malaysia 2% 84%
New Zealand 1% 95%
Paraguay 56%
Peru 6% 83%
Philippines 79%
Singapore 1% 92%
South Africa 46%
Suriname 3% 44%
Thailand 5% 78%
Uruguay 5% 83%

If they did not select those countries for their high vaccination rate, then why choose those countries and not the dozens of other countries located near the equator?

Why not pick large countries like Indonesia or India? Why not pick small countries like Brunei or Maldives? Why pick South Africa when there are many other African countries much closer to the equator?

Did they cherry-pick those countries because their data fitted the narrative, or was it something else?

Recommended : New Study Proves Pfizer mRNA Vaccine Causes Turbo Cancer?!

Fact #8 : World Mortality Dataset Study Identified COVID-19 As Cause

The two researchers who maintained the World Mortality Dataset (WMD) actually published a peer-reviewed study in the eLife journal, on 30 June 2021.

Unlike this Correlation Research report, this was an actual peer-reviewed study, published in a journal and the NIH National Library of Medicine. It was also written by the two people who knows the WMD database best – the very people maintaining and updating it!

Both Ariel Kaplinsky and Dmitry Kobak used their WMD data to look at the impact of COVID-19 on the all-cause mortality from 103 countries, and here was what they found:

We found that in several worst-affected countries (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico) the excess mortality was above 50% of the expected annual mortality (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico) or above 400 excess deaths per 100,000 population (Peru, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia). At the same time, in several other countries (e.g. Australia and New Zealand) mortality during the pandemic was below the usual level, presumably due to social distancing measures decreasing the non-COVID infectious mortality

Summing up the excess mortality estimates across all countries in our dataset gives 4.0 million excess deaths. In contrast, summing up the official COVID-19 death counts gives 2.9 million deaths, corresponding to the global undercount ratio of 1.4.

In other words – many people were likely being killed by COVID-19 infections, which appear to be undercounted by some 40%.

To be clear – their data do not show COVID-19 vaccines causing those deaths, never mind 17 million deaths!

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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 5 Singapore Airlines Pilots Die From COVID-19 Vaccine?!

Did five SIA pilots die suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after Singapore Airlines demanded that they get fully-vaccinated?!

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

 

Claim : Five Singapore Airlines Pilots Died Suddenly From Vaccine In 7 Months!

People are sharing obituary photos of five SIA pilots, suggesting that they died suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after Singapore Airlines demanded that they get fully-vaccinated!

aussie17 : 5th Singapore Airlines Pilot died last week in a span of 7 months.
The airline has apprx 3000 pilots. can someone calculate the odds?

Recommended : Did Study Show COVID-19 Vaccines Can Worsen Cancer?!

 

No Evidence Any SIA Pilots Died From COVID-19 Vaccine!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

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

Fact #1 : Their Cause Of Death Are Unknown

First, let me just confirm that there were indeed five Singapore Airlines pilots who died between the months of May and December 2023, based on their obituaries:

However, none of their obituaries mentioned their individual cause of death. They also do not appear to have any social media accounts, or families posting about their deaths on social media.

Some netizens have claimed that Captains Wee Leong and Colin Tan died suddenly from cardiac arrest, while Captains Fernando Cid and Sebastian Tan died from cancer. It is unknown if any of those causes of death are accurate.

Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the five pilots, publicly announce their individual cause of death, anyone who tells you that they died of this or that cause is likely lying to you.

Recommended : Is Australia Opportunistically Vaccinating People Under Sedation?!

Fact #2 : No Evidence SIA Required Additional Vaccine Doses

In January 2021, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that it hopes to become the world’s first airline to vaccinated all of its crew members against COVID-19. SIA set a deadline of September 1, and managed to vaccinate 99% of its active pilots, cabin crew and frontline ground crew by 19 August 2021.

However, there is no evidence that Singapore Airlines demanded that its pilots and cabin crew get additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of January 2024,  the Singapore Ministry of Health only recommends that senior citizens 60 years and older, medically vulnerable people, and residents of aged care facilities receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose. Even then, that was a “recommendation”, not a requirement.

It is unlikely for Singapore Airlines to mandate additional COVID-19 vaccine doses, when the Singapore Ministry of Health did not recommend it for healthy young or middle-aged adults.

Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the four pilots, confirm it, anyone who tells you that the five SIA pilots received additional COVID-19 vaccine doses is likely lying to you.

Fact #3 : Singapore Airlines Had About 3,000 Pilots In 2022

In May 2022 (last year), SIA Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong announced that Singapore Airlines was looking to recruit 2,000 cabin crew as air travel was picking up.

While he declined to say how many pilots SIA employed in 2022, he said that the number of pilots at SIA Group is still similar to pre-COVID-19 numbers, with just “a very small number” who have left. Pre-pandemic, Singapore Airlines had about 3,200 pilots.

While it may shocking to hear that five SIA pilots died in 2023, it is not really shocking when you factor in the death rate in Singapore, which is 5.8 per 1,000 (2021).

Assuming Singapore Airlines only has 3,000 pilots, it should expect 17 of its pilots to die on a given year, or about 1.5 pilots a month. Five pilots dying in 2023 is therefore exceptionally low.

Recommended : Did Qatar Airways Pilot Die From Vaccine Mid-Flight?!

Fact #4 : Pilots Are At Greater Health Risk

Anti-vaccine activists are holding up pilots as healthier and less likely to die than the general population. But that’s not quite true.

Past studies (example | example) and a recent April 2023 narrative review have shown that airline pilots not only die at a younger age than the general population, they are also at greater risk of suffering from cancers like malignant melanoma, cardiovascular diseases, and cataracts.

So is it

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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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 Singapore Recommend Against Second Booster Dose?!

Did Singapore make a sudden U-turn and recommend against getting the second COVID-19 booster dose?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-12-19 : Refreshed after it went viral again.
Originally posted @ 2022-07-26

 

Claim : Singapore Recommends Against Second Booster Dose!

People are sharing a link to a Channel News Asia article, claiming that the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) are advising people aged 60 to 79 against getting the second booster dose.

They are also claiming that the Singapore government made this sudden U-turn due to adverse effects from the COVID-19 vaccines.

Singapore MOH: Second COVID-19 booster NOT RECOMMENDED for people aged 60 to 79.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/covid-19-vaccine-second-booster-senior-60-79-2641261

With all the adverse effects, Singapore government is making a sudden U-turn. 😳🤔😷

Read more : Can 4th Vaccine Jab Shut Down Our Immune System?!

 

Truth : Singapore Recommends Second Booster For Vulnerable Adults

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by anti-vaccination activists to scare people from protecting themselves against COVID-19, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was An Old Article

First, let me establish some facts about the Channel News Asia article. It’s a genuine news report, in which, Singapore’s Director of Medical Services said that :

The Expert Committee on COVID-19 (EC19V) does not recommend that people aged 60 to 79 years take a second booster shot, but they can take the jab if they wish to.

However, that news is not recent – it was published on 22 April 2022 – more than 3 months before it went viral in July 2022, and more than 1.5 years when it went viral again in December 2023. I will explain below why this is critical.

Fact #2 : There Was No U-Turn

Anti-vaccination activists falsely claimed that this was a U-turn, to mislead you into believing that they did so because of adverse effects from the booster dose.

The truth is – there was no U-turn. The April recommendations actually expanded who can receive the second booster dose.

In March 2022, the Singapore Expert Committee on COVID-19 (EC19V) recommended that only people age 80 years and above should get the second booster dose.

The April 2022 announcement actually expands coverage to senior citizens 60 to 79 years in age, although they do not recommend that they get the second booster dose yet.

Read more : Do mRNA Vaccines Cause Invasion Of Killer Lymphocytes?!

Fact #3 : First Booster Dose Still Provided Good Protection

Anti-vaccination activists are also misleading you on WHY the Singapore MOH said that the second booster dose was not recommended for people aged 60-79.

The CNA article itself already stated the reasons clearly, but the trouble is – most people don’t even bother to read beyond the headlines.

So here is the truth – the Singapore MOH recommended against the second booster dose for that age group because the effectiveness of the first booster dose for that age group remained high – 80% to 90% at the 120- to 180-day mark.

This affirms the importance then of having up-to-date vaccinations to reduce the risk of getting severe infections and dying from COVID-1.

Fact #4 : It Was A Strategy To Defend Against Next COVID-19 Wave

Singapore had COVID-19 under control in April 2022, and the additional protection from the second booster dose wanes after about 2 months.

So they wanted to delay vaccinating the younger population (under 80 years old) until they face a new wave of more virulent Variants of Concern (VOC).

That was when the second booster dose would be most effective – boosting protection at a time of high viral transmission.

If we need to provide the second booster dose for the younger population, this is more appropriate as a strategy to augment immune protection in a time when we are experiencing a new wave of a highly transmissible or highly virulent novel VOC (variant of concern) rather than at a time where the situation is improving.

Read more : Did Study Show Pfizer Vaccine Altering Liver DNA In 6 Hours?! 

Fact #5 : Singapore Expanded Second Booster To 50+

On 10 June 2022, the EC19V updated their recommendations, offering the second booster dose in Singapore to:

  • all persons aged 50 years and older
  • persons aged 18 years and above who are medically vulnerable too severe COVID-19

This decision came after Singapore got hit with a new wave fuelled by the highly-contagious Omicron variants that started in May and continues to surge even now, at the end of July 2022.

Fact #6 : Second Booster Dose Same As Primary Vaccine

Singapore offers three booster doses – Moderna Spikevax, Pfizer COMIRNATY and Novavax Nuvaxovid.

The Pfizer and Novavax booster doses have the same dosage as the primary doses, but the Moderna vaccine is offered at half the primary dose.

The first and second booster doses are really the same vaccine as the primary series vaccine, so there is no reason for new adverse effects to develop.

If you experienced no adverse effects with the first two primary doses, there is simply no reason why you should develop new adverse effects with either the first or the second booster doses, if they are of the same vaccine.

Fact #7 : COVID-19 Vaccines Proven Safe + Effective

COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.

In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.

Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.

Even Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!

Read more : Antivax Steve Kirsch Admits He’s Fully-Vaccinated!

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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Malaysia Digital Arrival Card Required For Foreign Visitors!

Foreign visitors are now required to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to arrival in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know…

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Requirement

From 1 December 2023 onwards, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) requires foreign visitors to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to their arrival in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) replaces the physical white arrival card that foreign visitors usually complete before or on arrival in Malaysia.

This new rule applies to all foreign visitors, except:

  • people transiting / transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance,
  • Malaysian Permanent Resident, and
  • Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders

As an added benefit, foreign visitors from 10 countries can register their fingerprint at the immigration country, and will thereafter be able to use the Autogate (Egate) at Malaysian airports and other ports of entry to quickly get through immigration!

  • Australia
  • Brunei
  • Germany
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • New Zealand
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • United States
  • United Kingdom

But please note that the MDAC is not a visa. Neither is it an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that some countries use to pre-register visitors for multiple entries.

Recommended : 2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Steps

For The First Time

All foreign visitors (except those who were explicitly exempted above) will need to register for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for the first time.

  1. Enrol for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at this official link.
  2. Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
    You will be required to fill in these information:
    a) Full name
    b) Passport number
    c) Nationality
    d) Sex
    e) Date of Birth
    f) Date of Passport Expiry
    g) Email address
    h) Mobile Number
    i) Date of Arrival : Must be within 3 days (including date of submission)
    j) Date of Departure
    k) Mode of Travel : Air / Land / Sea
    l) Last Port of Embarkation
  3. On arrival in Malaysia, you will need to enroll and verify your passport manually at the Malaysian Immigration Department counter.
  4. After that manual enrolment, you will be allowed to use the Egate autogate system when you depart Malaysia.

On Subsequent Visits

On subsequent visits, foreign visitors will need to:

  1. Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
  2. Use the Autogate system on arrival and departure

As you can see, the new Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) does more than just eliminate waste and improve efficiency through digital transformation of the physical arrival card. It also streamlines the immigration process for foreign visitors, and allows some of them to breeze through using the Egate system!

But again – please note that you can only submit the MDAC within 3 days of your trip, and this includes the date of submission.

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) : Other Important Things

Here are other things about the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card that may be important:

  1. You can check the status of your MDAC registration information here.
  2. You can check the visit pass record for the latest 3 months here.
  3. You can check your Egate eligibility status here. *

* Please note that Egate eligibility is only open to business and social travellers from these 10 countries, who have an e-Passport, and will only start after you have enrolled your fingerprints (biometric verification) at the immigration counter.

 

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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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China Announces Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

China just announced that citizens from 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!

 

China : Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Spain
  • Malaysia

These six countries will join Singapore, Japan and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.

According to Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning, China has taken this step to help “promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world“.

This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.

Recommended : 2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China appears to be trying out this visa-free travel option to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.

China had the world’s strictest COVID-19 measures, maintaining them long after the rest of the world reopened. Even when the Chinese government decided to reopen its borders, it required inbound travellers to quarantine, which discouraged travel

It was only in March 2023 that China began issuing all types of travel visas again, and in July that it restored the 15-day visa-free travel for Singapore, Japan and Brunei. In August, China finally scrapped all COVID-19 test requirements for inbound travellers.

 

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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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Can Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Cause Liver Damage?!

Did an Australian study show that Bak Kut Teh herbal soup can cause liver damage?!

Take a look at what the study showed, and what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-11-24 : Refreshed after claims went viral again
Originally posted @ 2022-07-15

 

Study : Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Can Cause Liver Damage!

Australian scientists caused a ruckus in 2022 when their study alleged that the Asian herbal soup called Bak Kut Teh can cause liver damage.

The media excitedly jumped on it, with alarming titles to draw attention (and drive traffic?) :

Adelaide Now : Adelaide forensic expert issues safety warning over liver failure soup

ABC : Bak kut teh herbal soup may cause liver damage and interact with medication, study finds

Medical Xpress : Popular Malaysian soup can cause liver damage when mixed with medication

The Epoch Times : University Professor Warns of Risks Caused by Popular Chinese Soup

Says : Australian Researchers Find Bak Kut Teh Can Cause Liver Damage When Taken With Medicine

Recommended : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Radioactive?!

 

Truth : Study Does Not Show Bak Kut Teh Causing Liver Damage!

Despite the alarming titles, there is no need to panic… because the study does NOT show the herbal soup causing any liver damage.

Here is a quick summary for those who just need to know the basics :

  1. It was a laboratory study, which means the results may not translate into actual effect in a living human being.
  2. What we eat is digested and broken down, so our body absorbs the nutrients and not the actual food. Hence, the study does not accurately replicate what happens in our body.
  3. They didn’t test bak kut teh… they only tested four soup bases used to make bak kut teh.
  4. The soup concentrations were unspecified, so it is unknown if the doses are equivalent to what our livers are subjected to after a meal.
  5. They did not test drug interactions, so it is amazing how so many media outlets claimed that the study showed that bak kut teh may interact with medication!

In short, this study does not show that bak kut teh causes liver damage. Neither does it show bak kut teh causing drug interactions of any kind.

I understand Professor Byard’s concerns about the “unknown” contents of these soup base preparations. Certain traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) have been associated with acute liver failure.

However, that isn’t so much a “bak kut teh” problem, but rather a problem with traditional Chinese medicine or Chinese herbal medicine.

For those who are interested in the details, please scroll down to the next section.

 

Why Study Does Not Show Bak Kut Teh Causing Liver Damage

Let’s start with the basics, and work our way through the Australian study.

Fact #1 : Study Was Conducted By Australian Scientists

First, the study was conducted by University of Adelaide and University of Melbourne scientists – Susan M. Britza, Rachael Farrington, Ian F. Musgrave, Craig Aboltins and Roger W. Byard.

It was published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, and you can read the study here.

Fact #2 : It Was A Laboratory Study

It is important to note that this was an in-vitro study – a laboratory study, not a clinical study.

In-vitro studies are important, but they cannot be extrapolated to make any conclusion about what actually happens in a human body.

For example, in-vitro studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin have an inhibitory effect on the SARS-CoV-2 virus; but once tested in actual human beings – they were shown to have no clinical benefit.

In other words – what happens in a test tube, may not happen in an actual human being.

Read more : Did Study Show Pfizer Vaccine Altering Liver DNA In 6 Hours?!

Fact #3 : What We Eat Is Not What Our Body Absorbs

There is one big problem with doing in-vitro tests on food – what we eat is not what our body absorbs.

Food gets digested, and broken down into nutrients that are absorbed in our intestines. Even simple sugar gets broken down into glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, etc.

So soaking liver cells in a bak kut teh soup would most definitely not reflect what our liver cells actually experience after a bak kut teh meal.

In short, this study does not replicate what happens in our liver when we eat bak kut teh.

Fact #4 : There Are Many Types Of Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is not so much a “herbal soup” as it is a pork soup dish. The name “bak kut teh” literally means “meat bone tea” in the Hokkien dialect, but there is no tea in it.

It is usually just a dish of pork ribs simmered for hours in a broth of common herbs and spices like star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dong quai, fennel seeds and garlic.

But there are many variants of bak kut teh. In Malaysia and Singapore where bak kut teh is most popular, there are at least four main “styles” :

  • Teochew style : light in colour, with more pepper and garlic
  • Hokkien style : darker and more fragrant, thanks to a variety of herbs and soy sauce
  • Cantonese style : includes medicinal herbs for a stronger flavoured soup
  • Klang style : a thick and sticky gravy, like a stew

On top of that, there are also chicken and beef versions of bak kut teh. Muslims, for example, love the chicken version, which is colloquially called chi kut teh, chi being short for chicken.

And the Malaysian town of Melaka serves a delicious beef bak kut teh, which is based on a unique black pepper soup with red fermented bean curd.

Fact #5 : They Tested Four Soup Bases

The Australian team were somewhat aware of the wide variety of bak kut teh soup bases. They tested four varieties :

  • Formulation 1 : Dried hawthorn
  • Formulation 2 : Goji berries, ginseng, bark, and dried mushrooms
  • Formulation 3 : Polygonatum odoratum, ligusticum chuanxiong, codonopsis pilosula, cinnamomum cassia, angelica sinensis, illicium verum, piper nigrum, and Eugenia caryophyllata
  • Formulation 4 : Spices, pepper and salt

It is important to note that instead of preparing bak kut teh like you and I would – with meat, vegetables, bean curd slices, etc., the researchers tested soups that were created only using the ingredients listed above.

In short, they did not actually test bak kut teh… they tested soups made from the ingredients above.

Fact #6 : Soup Concentration Was Unspecified

To prepare the four soups for testing, researchers added a sachet of each soup mix to boiling water (of unspecified quantity) for 5 minutes.

The concentration of each soup base was unspecified. They only listed the dilution factor. As such, it is quite impossible to draw any sort of conclusion from the results.

As any toxicologist will tell you – the dose makes the poison. This is why the concentration of any substance is critical in any study. Even water and oxygen – essential to human life to be sure – is toxic at high doses.

Fact #7 : Soups Were Prepared In 5 Minutes

It is important to point out that the soups the researchers used were prepared in just 5 minutes. Bak kut teh is usually prepared by simmering the meat in the soup for hours.

It would have been a good idea to prepare the soup bases like real bak kut teh soup, because boiling the soup for several hours could potentially break down toxins present in its ingredients.

In fact, it would have been better for the researchers to just buy real bak kut teh, instead of resorting to their soup bases prepared in just 5 minutes.

Fact #8 : They Tested Using HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells

It is also important to note that the researchers tested the soup bases by adding them to HepG2 cell cultures, not normal liver cells.

HepG2 is a hepatoblastoma (a type of liver cancer) cell line that was obtained from a 15 year-old boy suffering from liver cancer in 1975.

Now, there is nothing wrong with that – HepG2 is commonly used to test cytotoxicity of substances. Still, it must still be pointed out that HepG2 is not the same thing as normal liver cells.

In-vitro studies based on these cells should not be used to draw any conclusion, only used to drive further research.

Differences HepG2 Cells Normal Liver Cells
Cell Size 12-19 µm 15 µm
Cell Shape Polygonal Cube
Nuclei Single large nuclei
with 3-7 nucleoli
Two or more nuclei
Mitochondrial Content Low High
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum Poorly Developed High
No. of Chromosomes 50-60 46
DNA Content 7.5 pg ~6 pg
Genome Stability Unstable Stable

Fact #9 : Spices, Pepper + Salt Did Worst In Their Tests

What I found most interesting in their results was the fact that the most “toxic” soup was Formulation 4, which consisted of nothing more than spices, pepper and salt.

Formulation 4 showed the most significant toxicity to the HepG2 cell line with approximately 83% cell death before dilution (p < 0.0001) and persistent toxicity even with dilution 1:10 (15% ± 3.7, p = 0.023) and 1:1000 (14% ± 3.8, p = 0.024)

Well, that’s gonna worry fans of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which boasts 11 herbs and spices, including pepper and salt!

Jokes aside, this result suggest that common spices, pepper and salt are more toxic to HepG2 liver cells than the more fanciful bak kut teh preparations!

Fact #10 : They Did Not Test Drug Interactions

I’m not sure how this study touches on drug interaction, since they didn’t test the soup bases with common hepatotoxic drugs like paracetamol to see if there is a synergistic effect.

No matter how you slice and dice this study’s results, they tell us nothing about any possible interaction with other herbs / drugs.

Yet so many media outlets made the startling claim that the study showed that bak kut teh may interact with medication! Nowhere in the study does it say that!

It appears that most of these journalists probably did not even bother to read the study, and perhaps only paraphrased what other people were writing.

 

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Grab Delivery Rider Flew To Singapore To Buy Chicken Rice?!

Did a Grab delivery rider really fly from Thailand to buy chicken rice in Singapore?!

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

 

Claim : Grab Delivery Rider Flew To Singapore To Buy Chicken Rice!

A TikTok video, which allegedly shows a Grab delivery rider flying from Thailand to Singapore, simply to buy chicken rice, has racked up millions of views.

The 27-second video was recorded and posted by a Thai TikToker called Thita Vy, with these comments:

อยากกินขนมโตเกียว พี่เขาจะไปซื้อที่ญี่ปุ่นให้มั้ย 🤓 #วาสนาผู้ใด๋น้อ #grab #grabth

I want to eat Tokyo snacks. Will he go buy it in Japan for me? #grab #grabth

She apparently encountered this Grab delivery rider, while flying from Bangkok to Singapore. At first, she thought someone had ordered food delivery at the airport. But the man allegedly told her that he had been asked by a customer in Thailand to buy chicken rice in Singapore!

The viral video shows the man queuing up for the flight with the signature green Grab thermal bag, while holding a passport with his flight ticket. He is then shown stowing the thermal bag in the plane’s overhead compartment.

Recommended : Massive Crack In Second Penang Bridge Fact Check!

 

Truth : That’s Not (Really) A Grab Delivery Rider!

Now, we all know that chicken rice in Malaysia is tastier (and much cheaper!) than chicken rice in Singapore, Heck, everything is tastier and cheaper in Malaysia! 😉

In fact, Malaysian food is so delicious, someone actually sent a helicopter to collect 36 packets of Nasi Ganja from a famous nasi kandar outlet Ipoh in July 2021! But I digress…

Here is what we know so far about this viral story about chicken rice…

Fact #1 : Video Was Allegedly Recorded At DMK

According to the media outlet, 8world, the TikToker alleged that the incident occurred on 12 October 2023, at the Don Mueang International Airport.

That is plausible because the video shows people boarding an AirAsia flight, and AirAsia flies from the Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Changi International Airport (SIN) several times a day.

Fact #2 : The Man Flew From Bangkok To Singapore

The video shows the man holding a Thai passport, as he is waiting to board the AirAsia flight. It then cuts to the Changi International Airport, where the man is seen checking the green Grab thermal bag.

So the video does appear to show the man taking an AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Singapore. It, however, does not show him actually purchasing any chicken rice.

Fact #3 : Grab Labelled Video As Fictional

After the video went viral, Grab came out to refute the video, calling it “fictional”:

We understand that the fictional video was created by a member of the public independently.

Recommended : Did Penang Bridge Get Hit By Tornado This Morning?!

Fact #4 : Man Was Not A Registered Grab Delivery Rider

In addition, a Grab spokesperson said that it does not offer cross-border food delivery services, and the man in the video was not registered with them as “a delivery partner”:

We do not offer such a service, and the person starring as a delivery partner in the video is not registered with Grab.

It is certainly plausible for rich folks to go to extreme measures to get their favourite foods. For example, Macau tycoon Stanley Ho famously sent 88 Musang King (Mao Shan Wang) durians on a private plane from Singapore to Hong Kong. Note – the durians were from Malaysia. 😉

That said, it doesn’t make sense for the man to put on a Grab uniform, or bring the Grab thermal bag… especially if he isn’t actually a Grab delivery rider!

Fact #5 : Grab Does Not Offer Cross-Border Food Deliveries

Grab said that it does not offer cross-border food deliveries. The only cross-border delivery service Grab offers is its 100+ Cities Delivery service, which is in beta testing.

Even that option only allows users to “order and send food and physical gifts from GrabFood and GrabMart merchant-partners that are available in the recipient’s city within an hour”.

In other words – the food and physical gifts must already be present in the recipient’s city. The only thing that is “cross-border” is the ability to order from another country.

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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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PayNow PDF Malware Scam : What You Need To Know!

Is there a new malware scam involving a PayNow PDF?!

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

 

Claim : WhatsApp Block Button Is A Scam!

People are sharing this warning about a new malware scam involving a PayNow PDF. Take a look!

I just received below the latest and new scams Modus Operandi from my Uncle. Forward to warn and share.
======================

The scammers have changed their modus operandi. They don’t ask you to download the app.
My neighbour told me yesterday that her sister (a cancer patient) wanted a part-time helper to clean her house. Hence, she went to Facebook. I called the number and made the request. The advertiser asked whether she had a Paynow, and she said that she had. He directed her to make the partial payment, and he will send the invoice to confirm. (Note: He did not ask her to download an app, as people are getting alerts). When she received the invoice in the PDF format, she did not suspect any foul play and clicked it. The invoice showed the amount paid and the balance to be paid. After that, she went to sleep. The next morning, her phone could not be switched on.
She used her laptop to check her DBS bank account. Her $20K was gone, and her two fixed deposits of $25K, which had not reached the maturity date, were also gone—the total loss was $ 70K.
When she went to the bank and asked why her fixed deposit was also gone, the receptionist told her that digital banking allows you to transfer the amount back to your account to facilitate withdrawals without going to the bank.
Police told her the malware was embedded in the PDF document.
So folks, beware that the scammers are always changing their modus operandi to con your money $$$! 😡😡😡

Recommended : WhatsApp Block Button Scam : What You Need To Know!

 

No Evidence There Is Any PayNow PDF Scam!

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

Fact #1 : No Evidence Of PayNow PDF Scam

First, let me just point out that there is no evidence that anyone was ever scammed by a PayNow PDF invoice.

There has been no actual news report of such a case, never mind multiple cases involving malicious PayNow PDF documents.

Frankly, I don’t know of any PDF malware that can shut down a phone, and transfer money from a bank account, including liquidating fixed deposits!

Fact #2 : PDF Malware Generally Target Computers

PDF documents can contain malware, but malicious PDFs generally target Windows computers. In fact, many aren’t actual PDF documents, but are instead executable files masquerading as PDF files – invoice.pdf.exe, for example.

Malicious PDF documents or executables targeted at Windows computers won’t work on smartphones. The malicious PDF must not only be specifically designed to target smartphones, it must target the right operating system – iOS or Android. A malicious PDF targeting Android won’t work on an Apple iPhone, for instance.

On top of that, many PDF malware actually exploit vulnerabilities in a specific PDF reader – most commonly, the industry-standard Adobe Acrobat Reader. Most smartphones do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, and instead rely on a variety of PDF readers like Samsung Note, OneDrive, Google Drive, Kindle, etc.

Embedded PDF malware that target vulnerabilities in the Adobe Acrobat Reader won’t work with other PDF readers. That’s probably why it’s rare to see PDF malware that target smartphones.

Recommended : Can StopNCII Remove All Nude / Deep Fake Photos?!

Fact #3 : PayNow Scams So Far Involve Phishing

Singapore reported 477 cases of PayNow scams in 2021, with 133 more cases in 2022. However, they were not due to PDF malware. Rather, their victims were deceived into giving scammers their digital banking credentials.

In other words, PayNow scams have so far involved phishing attacks, in which victims are tricked into logging into fake websites, or giving up their Internet banking login details by phone.

In one of these scams, victims received phone calls from people pretending to be bank employees. The callers would ask for the victims’ personal details, such as their Internet banking usernames and passwords, under the pretext that the bank needed them to verify transactions in their accounts.

Fact #4 : Singapore Police Warned About Android Malware

It seems likely that the viral warning is based on a misunderstanding of a Singapore Police Force warning about Android malware withdrawing money through PayNow.

Issued on 17 June 2023, the Singaporean police warned that scammers were tricking victims into installing an Android Package Kit (APK) file through WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Once installed, the malware allows the scammers to remotely access the victims’ devices, and steal their passwords.

The victims are then directed to fake websites that mimic banks like DBS to key in their banking credentials. The login information obtained through this phishing attack then allows the scammers to withdraw their victims’ money through PayNow.

To be clear – this PayNow scam does NOT involve any PDF. It requires the victim to install an APK file – to gain access of your 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) device, and provide bank login information through a fake (phishing) website.

This allows the scammers to log into your bank account using the login info you provided, and authenticate all transfers using your mobile phone.

Recommended : Nurse Lost RM380K After Pressing Instagram ‘Like’ Button?!

Fact #5 : Here Are Some Common Cybersecurity Tips

Here are some simple cybersecurity tips to help you avoid getting scammed online:

  • Never install APK files (for Android) from unknown or untrustworthy sources.
  • Never sideload IPA files (for Apple iOS) from unknown or untrustworthy sources.
  • Always check the entire filename, including its file extension:
    – PDF documents should end with .pdf, and not .pdf.apk or .pdf.ipa or .pdf.exe.
    – Word documents should end with .doc or .docx, and not .doc.apk or .doc.ipa or .doc.exe.
  • Never click on any link to go to any bank website. Always type in the link yourself into a web browser, or better still – use the official app issued by the bank.
  • Never give your bank login details to any person, even if they claim to be a police officer, a bank officer, or even a cybersecurity expert!
  • Never give your 2FA authentication code / TAC or OTP number to any person, even if they claim to be a police officer, a bank officer, or even a cybersecurity expert!

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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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Fact Check : Singapore Advice On Omicron XBB?!

Take a look at the viral advice on the new Omicron XBB variant from Singapore, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Omicron XBB Variant Advice From Singapore!

This message, purportedly advice on the new Omicron XBB variant from Singapore, has gone viral again on WhatsApp, and on social media.

It’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Singapore news!
Everyone is advised to wear a mask because the new COVID-Omicron XBB variant coronavirus is different, deadly and not easily detected properly:-

Symptoms of the novel COVID-Omicron XBB virus are as follows:-

 

Truth : Omicron XBB Variant Advice From Singapore Is Fake News!

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

Fact #1 : XBB Is An Omicron Subvariant

First, let me just clarify a common misconception. XBB is technically not a COVID-19 variant. It is a subvariant of the Omicron variant.

As per WHO definition, XBB is a recombinant subvariant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages. In other words – XBB is a mix of the BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants.

Fact #2 : XBB Is Detected Like Any Other COVID-19 Variant

The viral message falsely claims that XBB is not easily detected.

XBB is nothing more than a subvariant of Omicron. It is just as easily detected by the same PCR or RTK tests, as the original Omicron variant.

Fact #3 : XBB Symptoms Similar To Other Omicron Variants

The viral message falsely claims that XBB infections do not present with cough or fever.

XBB is just one of the many Omicron subvariants that include BA.5, BA.2.75, BJ.1, and BA.4.6. While they have changes to their spike protein, they have similar symptoms to the Omicron variant.

They are just different versions of the Omicron variant, and present with common symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, cold, body aches.

Read more : Was New XBB Variant Just Discovered In Singapore?!

Fact #4 : XBB Is Not 5X More Toxic Than Delta Variant

The term “toxic” is nonsensical when it comes to viruses, and tells us that the writer does not understand basic science, never mind virology.

He/she probably meant “virulent” or “virulence”, which refers to the virus’ ability to cause damage to its host. In any case, that is a false claim.

On 27 October 2022, the WHO Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) reported that there is no “substantial differences in disease severity for XBB infections”.

In other words – XBB infections produce similarly mild disease to Omicron. That is not surprising, because XBB is after all an Omicron subvariant.

The Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which caused havoc in mid 2021, causes more severe disease than any other COVID-19 variants, particularly in people who were not vaccinated.

An April 2022 study published in Nature showed that Omicron variant infections had 2X to 5X fewer fatalities than Delta variant infections.

Read more : Did FDA just admit Pfizer vaccine has Graphene Oxide?!

Fact #5 : XBB Does Not Skip The Nasopharynx

This COVID-19 variant skips the nasopharynx and attacks the lungs directly is an old hoax that keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

You may recall when Delta variant was the hot topic, people claimed that this is the variant that skips the nasopharynx and infects the lungs directly.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is immobile, and travels through droplets and aerosols that we breathe in. It is not a homing missile that goes in search of a particular target.

As the air we breathe passes through the nasopharynx before it reaches the lungs, that is where most of the virus ends up, and that is why we swab the nasopharynx to detect COVID-19.

Read more : Fake COVID-19 Warning Attributed To Dr. Leong Hoe Nam

Fact #6 : Nasal / Nasopharyngeal Swab Test Will Still Pick Up XBB

The false claim that nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests will turn up negative also keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

People too earlier claimed that the nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests would turn up negative for the Delta variant. It was nonsense then, it’s nonsense today.

Nasal or better still, nasopharyngeal swab, to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus still works for the XBB subvariant.

Fact #7 : XBB Wave Is Not Deadlier Than First COVID-19 Wave

While the XBB wave is driving up cases in Singapore, the Ministry of Health there confirmed that the number of severe cases from XBB remained low:

This is very likely due to the resilience built up through vaccination and previous waves of infection. We are monitoring the trajectory closely.

More importantly, there is also no evidence of XBB causing more severe illness. So far, the large majority of patients continue to report mild symptoms such as sore throat or slight fever, especially if they have been vaccinated.

On October 11, for example, Singapore recorded over 11,000 new cases, but only 11 of them needed to be treated in the ICU, and only 50 needed oxygen supplementation.

That was much lower than the 171 ICU cases and 308 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Delta wave, and 54 ICU cases and 232 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Omicron wave.

 

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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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Can SIM swap attack empty bank account without warning?!

Can a SIM swap attack empty your bank account without warning?! Take a look at the viral warnings, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-07 : Added new viral message, and other updates.
Originally posted @ 2022-01-16

 

Claim : SIM Swap Attack Can Empty Bank Account Without Warning!

This message has gone viral on social media and WhatsApp, warning about a new high tech fraud called SIM Swap Fraud that can empty bank accounts without warning.

The message includes a link to a Straits Times report about a young couple who lost $120,000 in a fake text message scam targeting OCBC Bank customers.

Your BANK Account could be Emptied without an Alert!

Dear All, Please let’s be very careful.. There is a new HIGH TECH FRAUD in town called the SIM SWAP FRAUD, and hundreds of persons are already VICTIMS.

Here is a new variant circulating in 2023:

My cousin received a call , asking if he had been vaccinated, if vaccinated to press 1.

If not vaccinated, press 2. As a result, he pressed 1, the phone was blocked and his online bank information/account were all transferred. Please be Alert and Careful and forward to more people to know about this new trick/scam. Forwarded as received.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

 

Truth : SIM Swap Attack Is Real, But Don’t Work Like That

The truth is – SIM swap attacks are real and very dangerous, but they do not work like the viral messages claim.

Here is what you need to know about the viral message, and SIM swap attacks.

Fact #1 : SIM Swap Attacks Are Not New

SIM swap attacks are really not new. Scammers have been using SIM swap attacks since 2015, if not earlier.

Fact #2 : SIM Swap Warnings Are Mostly False

The viral message is correct about the risk of SIM swap attacks, but pretty much wrong about everything else.

In fact, the method by which the SIM swap attack works is completely made up. So the viral message is really FAKE NEWS.

There’s no way your bank account will be emptied without any action on your part. Neither will your bank accounts be emptied because you participate in a COVID-19 vaccination SMS survey.

Fact #3 : No Evidence Of Such Fraud

There is no evidence of SIM swap attacks requiring users to complete the process by responding to an SMS survey about vaccination.

Neither is there any evidence that SIM swap attacks alone can lead to your bank accounts being emptied.

Fact #4 : Straits Times Article Was Not About SIM Swap Attack

One of the viral messages include a link to a Straits Time article to mislead you. That’s because the article was about a phishing attack, not a SIM swap attack.

In that phishing attack, the victim received an SMS  with a link that took him to a fake website that “looked exactly like the OCBC login page“. He then keyed in his bank login details, thus handing over control of his bank account to the scammers.

The victim also ignored automated messages warning him that his “account was being setup on another phone“. That had nothing to do with a SIM swap attack. It was an SMS-based phishing attack.

Recommended : How To Turn On Two-Step Verification In Telegram!

Fact #5 : SIM Swap Attacks Generally Do Not Require Any Action

In most SIM swap attacks, scammers use your personal information, either purchased from other criminals or obtained through earlier phishing attacks or social engineering, to request for a SIM card replacement.

All that does not require any action on your part. In most cases, you only realise you’ve been hit when you lose access to your mobile number.

Fact #6 : SIM Swap Attack May Require Action In Some Cases

The Press 1 claim in the viral message is partially correct, but it only happens in a particular circumstance.

In India, scammers have tricked people by offering a free network upgrade, or to help improve signal quality on their phones :

  1. The scammer will call the victim, claiming to be from their mobile service provider.
  2. The scammer will try to get the victim to reveal his/her 20-digit SIM card number.
  3. The scammer will use the 20-digit SIM number to initiate a SIM swap with the mobile service provider.
  4. The mobile service provider will automatically send an SMS to confirm the swap.
  5. Once the victim confirms the swap, his/her SIM card will stop working.
  6. The scammer now has access to the victim’s mobile number.

Fact #7 : SIM Swap Attack Does Not Hack Your Phone

The SIM swap attack does not involve any hacking of your phone.

You only lose access to your mobile number. Your phone is not hacked.

Recommended : Can Greeting Photos + Videos Hack Your Phone?!

Fact #8 : SIM Swap Attack Does Not Empty Bank Accounts

Once the scammers successfully gain control of your mobile number, they can use it to intercept one-time passwords (OTP) like TAC numbers.

This allows them to change passwords to your bank accounts, social media accounts, etc. which is why SIM swap attacks are so dangerous and damaging.

However, it does not mean your bank accounts are immediately emptied. For one thing – the scammers need to know your bank login.

That’s why SIM swap victims often have had their bank logins and passwords stolen earlier though phishing attacks. The scammers only need their mobile numbers to receive OTP / TAC numbers to authenticate the transfers.

Fact #9 : SIM Swap Attack Can Be Used To Cheat Friends Too!

Stealing money from your bank account requires extra work, so scammers who do not have your bank login details will resort to cheating your friends.

With access to your phone number, they can easily gain access to your social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as instant messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram).

Once they have control, they can send messages to your friends, pretending to be you. Naturally, they will concoct some story to ask your friends for money.

The idea is to use your (now) stolen accounts to convince your friends that you genuinely need their help. The money that they transfer goes directly to the scammers, or their mules (people who rent their bank accounts to scammers).

Now that you know the facts behind the SIM swap attack or scam, please SHARE this article with your family and friends!

 

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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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Did MMA Prodigy Victoria Lee Die From Vaccine SADS?!

Did rising MMA star Victoria Lee die from vaccine SADS at just 18 years of age?!

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

Updated @ 2023-09-27 : Updated with Victoria Lee’s true cause of death, and other new details
Originally posted @ 2023-01-09

 

Claim : MMA prodigy Victoria Lee died from vaccine SADS!

Right after news broke that Victoria Lee died suddenly, anti-vaccination activists immediately claimed that the 18 year-old rising MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) star was a victim of COVID-19 vaccine sudden adult death syndrome (SADS)!

Hawaiian MMA rising star and ONE Championship atomweight title holder, Victoria Lee has #DiedSuddendly at the age of 18. I’m sure the cause of death is not something safe and effective💉💉💉
#DiedUnexpectedly #suddenlydied #StoptheShotsNow #StoptheShots #mRNA #VaccineDeath

MMA fighter Victoria Lee dies suddenly at 18 – ??? Fake vaccine- gene therapy by #Fauci & the #CCP ?? Another crime against humanity??? Millions will die???

Victoria Lee, rising MMA star in ONE Championship, dead at 18
Another athlete. Too young 18 Too soon WHY? #SADS

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : Victoria Lee Did Not Die From Vaccine SADS!

It’s now a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all athlete deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

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

Fact #1 : Victoria Lee’s Cause Of Death Died On Boxing Day 2022

Victoria Lee (born Victoria Sun-hei Lee on May 17, 2004) was an American mixed martial artist, who was the youngest fighter to ever compete in ONE Championship.

She was the sister of MMA fighters Angela Lee and Christian Lee, and was the current ONE women’s atomweight champion, having successfully defended the title five times since she won it in 2016.

On Saturday, January 7, 2023, Angela Lee announced that her younger sister, Victoria Lee, died almost two weeks earlier – on Monday, December 26, 2022. Victoria Lee was only 18 years old when she died.

On December 26, 2022 our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through…
It is incredibly difficult to say this…
Our Victoria passed away.

She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then.
We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same.

A celebration of her life was held on January 22, 2023, before her burial at the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.

Read more : Angela Lee : STOP conspiracy theories about Victoria!

Fact #2 : Victoria Lee Died By Suicide

While her sister, Angela, did not reveal how she died, she hinted in her Instagram post that Victoria committed suicide. She advised everyone to check on their loved ones, and “keep checking on them” and “tell them how much they mean“.

Please give our family grace and respect during this most difficult time. And please, check on your loved ones. Keep checking on them. Give them hugs and tell them how much they mean to you. You just never know.

While many people naturally understood that as a tacit admission by her sister that Victoria Lee died by suicide, many anti-vaccine activists promoted the idea she not only died from the vaccine, but the family was somehow covering it up.

Her family ended up permanently closed their gym – United MMA Hawaii, possibly to avoid the intense media and public interest over Victoria Lee’s sudden death.

That eventually led to Angela Lee publicly calling for people to stop hiring private investigators, or promote conspiracy theories about her sister’s sudden death.

On 19 September 2023, Angela Lee revealed in an emotional video that her sister, Victoria Lee, committed suicide.

On December 26, 2022, my sister Victoria took her own life.

With that, I hope that everyone will finally lay off her grieving family, and let them have the peace they deserve.

Read more : Angela Lee Confirms Victoria Lee Died From Suicide!

Fact #3 : Victoria Lee Was Set To Defend Her Title

Victoria Lee was the reigning ONE women’s atomweight champion, but has not fought since September 21, 2021 when she defeated Brazilian MMA fighter Victoria Souza in Singapore.

She put MMA fights aside while she focus on graduating from high school, which she accomplished in May 2022.

Before her death, Victoria Lee was slated to defend her title against 24 year-old Zeba Bano from India, for the ONE on Prime Video 6 event in Bangkok on Saturday, January 14, 2023.

It is unknown whether this upcoming match was a catalyst for her suicide. Victoria Lee had a flawless record of 3-0, and had been working hard at the gym to get ready.

Her brother, Christian Lee, recently won the ONE Welterweight World Title on November 20, 2022; and was helping his sister train for the upcoming fight.

Fact #4 : Victoria Lee Was Likely Fully-Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Victoria Lee has never officially revealed her vaccination status, but she was likely fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 before September 21, 2021.

That is because Singapore at that time required all foreign travellers to be fully-vaccinated to enter the country. Therefore, Victoria Lee would have to receive her second dose at least two weeks before flying into Singapore for her September 21, 2021 match against Victoria Souza.

Fact #5 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days

While Victoria Lee was likely fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, it is impossible for the COVID-19 vaccine to cause her death as she would have received her doses at least 15 months ago!

She cannot possibly have died from a vaccine side effect, because they appear within hours or days, not months later.

Mild side effects like injection site pain, fever, muscle ache, headache, lethargy develop within minutes to hours of the vaccination.

Anaphylaxis develops within minutes, while other severe adverse reactions like myocarditis and VITT develop within days.

The spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines also do not stick around for months. If these spike proteins are permanent (as antivaxxers claim), we would have lifelong immunity.

Your own immune system will identify the spike proteins as foreign, and destroy them within a matter of days, although some may last for up to a few weeks. This is part of how vaccines teach your immune system to identify the enemy and destroy it.

Recommended : Did MIT Study Prove Pfizer Vaccine Raised Heart Problems?!

Fact #6 : Claims Of COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries Often Proven False

This is yet another example of anti-vaccine activists abusing sudden deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, most claims of sudden deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false. Here are some examples:

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next athlete tragedy…

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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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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MPH Free Books : Don’t Fall For This Scam!

Is MPH giving away free books on financial planning and stocks?! Find out what’s going on, and warn your family and friends!

Updated @ 2023-09-26 : Added a new version of this scam
Updated @ 2023-08-14 : Added new versions of this scam

Originally posted @ 2023-05-20

 

Watch Out For MPH Free Books Scam!

Scammers are running Facebook advertisements that claim MPH is giving away free books because it has either achieved 500,000 fans, or is shutting down its bookstores!

🎉To celebrate MPH Books breaking 500,000 fans in Malaysia, thank you for your support
👋MPH Books specially prepares best-selling books on financial planning and stocks to give to everyone for free. I hope everyone has to help!
limited quantity available. (Free shipping)

📢📢 Sorry everyone, I have to say goodbye to everyone
Due to the continuous decline in store performance, the store cannot continue to operate normally
👋👋So the head office decided to close the store and give away the remaining financial and stock books in the store to everyone for free. I hope everyone has to help!
📣📣Finally, thank you again for your long-term support and trust. The book donation activity is the only feedback activity we can do at present!
limited quantity available. (free shipping available)

Recommended : PDRM Warning : Watch Out For MyBayar Scam!

 

MPH Free Books Scam : What You Need To Know!

This MPH free book scam is being promoted heavily on Facebook in May 2023, so please alert your family and friend!

Fact #1 : MPH Did Not Close Bookstores In 2023

MPH closed many of its physical stores since June 2020, as it shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns to an online store with a “digitally-driven omnichannel business model”.

MPH has not announced closing down any further bookstores in 2023.

Fact #2 : MPH Reported These Pages / Ads As Fake

MPH is aware of these fake advertisements being run by scam Facebook pages, posting this scam alert on May 9, 2023:

⚠️𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!⁣⚠️⁣⁣

Hey readers, we noticed that irresponsible parties have been impersonating the MPH brand by creating fake pages and ads to confuse and lure our customers to share their data.⁣⁣⁣

Please note that MPH is not associated in any way with these pages and we DO NOT run any free book giveaways nor do we request customers to PM us your personal details.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our followers and customers for updating us about these pages. We sincerely thank YOU for your continuous support!⁣

Stay vigilant & protect yourself from scams!⁣⁣

#fakepagesalert #scammeralert

Recommended : Bantuan Tunai Rakyat Malaysia 2023 Scam Alert!

Fact #3 : MPH Is A Business, Not A Charity

Please do NOT be naive. MPH is a business, not a charity. Just because it hits 500,000 fans in Malaysia, it’s not going to give away its books.

Heck, why should it give away books even if it’s closing down its bookstores? It would be more logical for MPH to offer discounts to clear its books, so it won’t lose so much money.

In fact, MPH itself pointed out in its scam warning – “we DO NOT run any free book giveaways“. Why should they? They are a corporation whose business is not make money, not a charity to give you free books!

Fact #4 : Giveaways Were Not Posted In Official Website / FB Page

If MPH was really giving away free books, it would have posted the offer on:

These scams are being run off fake Facebook pages that are brand new, and have nothing to do with the real MPH:

  • MPH Group Publishing
  • MPH Book
  • MPH English Bookstore

Fact #5 : MPH Does Not Use WhatsApp To Communicate

MPH offers a multitude of contact options by email or telephone number. What it does not have is a WhatsApp account. So when scammers message you to collect your “free books” by messaging a WhatsApp number, be warned!

Please add librarian Gek Tiang’s Whatsapp message ”Pm“ to get free stock books (free shipping) Whatsapp: https://xxxx.xx/601170131707

Recommended : How A University Student Lost RM22K In Online Job Scam!

Fact #6 : Scammers Will Try To Scare You

Scammers will try to scare you into contacting them, by telling you that stock is running out. Just ignore them!

There are only 3 free places left, which have been reserved for you, please add and leave a message as soon as possible Whatsapp : https://xxxx.xx/601170131707

There are many friends who have claimed it, please tell us whether you have added it successfully! If you do not add or reply, it means that you will give up the quota by default and automatically transfer it to the next friend. Thank you for your understanding!

Fact #7 : One Victim Lost RM480K To Investment Scam!

In November 2022, a 60 year-old housewife from Port Dickson fell for a similar “free book” scam, and lost almost RM480,000.

After being offered the free book on Facebook, she was asked to join a WhatsApp group called Family Discussion, where she was asked to convinced to “invest”.

The WhatsApp group administrator instructed her to download an application called Forza, and open a savings account. She was then asked to deposit money into certain bank accounts, and upload the slips using that Forza app as proof.

The lady withdrew her savings and borrowed from her children and friends to invest RM476,100. However, when she wanted to withdraw the interest paid by the company, her account was blocked. The group administrator told her that she would need to deposit an additional RM427,200 to withdraw the interest.

That was when the lady realised she had been scammed, and lodged a police report. By then, it was too late – she had already lost every sen she “invested”.

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

 

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Did Singapore just detect more radioactive food from Japan, after the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power station?!

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

Updated @ 2023-09-04 : Added Singapore Food Agency’s announcement
Originally posted @ 2023-09-03

 

Claim : Singapore Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan!

This message is being actively promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens on WhatsApp and social media:

Singapore said it found radioactive contamination in four samples of vegetables imported from Japan and has extended the ban to food from two more Japanese prefectures.

Singapore’s Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority said radioactive contamination was found in Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley), Nanohana (rapeseed plant), Mizuna (Japanese mustard) and perilla leaf samples.”

More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food – With more countries detecting radioactive contamination in food imported from Japan, efforts to prevent it spreading through the global food chain have gained a new urgency (Wall Street Journal, 8/24/2023)

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

Truth : Singapore Did Not Find NEW Radioactive Food From Japan!

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

Fact #1 : WSJ Podcast Is Genuine But Outdated

First, let me just confirm that the Wall Street Journal podcast and transcript is genuine, and was posted on 24 August 2023, at 6:42 PM (local time).

However, that was just an audio clip and transcript of an old WSJ article (now removed) that was originally posted on 25 March 2011 – more than 12 years ago!

Fact #2 : Podcast Was Released Same Day As Wastewater Release

It is unknown why the Wall Street Journal chose to publish this podcast and transcript from their old 2011 story, but it was released on the same day the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station started releasing its treated wastewater.

If there was any detection of radioactive food from Japan, it would have happened at least a day or two earlier, and would not have anything to do with the release of the treated wastewater from the Fukushima NPS.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Fact #3 : Singapore Food Agency Refuted WSJ Podcast!

On 3 September 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a public announcement (PDF download) to refute the Wall Street Journal podcast which claimed that it found new samples of radioactive vegetables fin Japan.

SFA stated that it had not found any new contaminated vegetables from Japan. Neither did the SGA ban any food products from any Japanese prefectures recently.

The SFA also stated that it monitors all food imports, and will take action if any food imports were found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Clarification on circulating article/podcast regarding import of Japanese food products

In response to media queries regarding a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article/podcast titled “More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food”, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has clarified that it has not found samples of contaminated vegetables from Japan or banned food products from any Japanese prefectures recently. The WSJ podcast has referred to a media release by the former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in 2011. This has since been overtaken by events.

We wish to reiterate that SFA adopts a science-based approach towards assessing food safety risks. Food imported into Singapore is subjected to SFA’s surveillance and monitoring regime, which includes radiation surveillance and enforcement actions will be taken should any food imports be found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

Fact #4 : Singapore AVA Announcement Was From 2011

The announcement by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore was not posted in August 2023, but over 12 years ago – on 24 March 2011 (PDF download).

DETECTION OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS IN FOUR SAMPLES OF VEGETABLES FROM JAPAN – AVA SUSPENDS IMPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM ADDITIONAL TWO PREFECTURES

Radioactive contaminants have been detected in four samples of vegetables from Japan. The contaminated samples were imported from the affected prefectures of Tochigi and Ibaraki, as well as Chiba and Ehime which are outside the affected areas. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) will extend its suspension on the import of all fruits and vegetables to include Chiba and Ehime with immediate effect.

Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority On 24 Mar 2011

Fact #5 : Singapore Did Not Ban Japanese Food Imports

Despite the release of the Fukushima waste water, Singapore has not initiated any new import ban of food from Japan.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that there will be “no immediate ban on seafood from Japan” following the release of the treated Fukushima wastewater.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food!

Fact #6 : Singapore Has Not Detected Radioactive Food From Japan

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that its surveillance of the safety of food from Japan has been satisfactory. It has not detected any radioactive contaminant in food imports from Japan since 2013.

In fact, Singapore lifted pre-export tests and Certificate of Origin requirements on approved food imports from the Fukushima prefecture on May 28, 2021.

Even so, the SFA continues to closely monitor food imports from Japan to ensure that they comply with Singapore’s food safety requirements.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

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

 

Please Support My Work!

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

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

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

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

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

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

Singapore Refutes WSJ Radioactive Japan Food Podcast!

The Singapore Food Agency just refuted a podcast by the Wall Street Journal that it found new radioactive food samples, and extended its ban on food imports from Japan!

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

 

Claim : Singapore Found New Radioactive Food From Japan!

This message (with a link to the WSJ podcast) went viral on WhatsApp and social media:

Singapore said it found radioactive contamination in four samples of vegetables imported from Japan and has extended the ban to food from two more Japanese prefectures.

Singapore’s Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority said radioactive contamination was found in Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley), Nanohana (rapeseed plant), Mizuna (Japanese mustard) and perilla leaf samples.”

More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food – With more countries detecting radioactive contamination in food imported from Japan, efforts to prevent it spreading through the global food chain have gained a new urgency (Wall Street Journal, 8/24/2023)

Recommended : Singapore Just Found More Radioactive Food From Japan?!

 

Singapore Refutes WSJ Radioactive Japan Food Podcast!

The Wall Street Journal podcast and transcript is genuine, and was posted on 24 August 2023, at 6:42 PM (local time). However, that was just an audio clip and transcript of an old WSJ article (now removed) that was originally posted on 25 March 2011 – more than 12 years ago!

It is unknown why the Wall Street Journal chose to publish this podcast and transcript from their old 2011 story, but it was released on the same day the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station started releasing its treated wastewater.

If there was any detection of radioactive food from Japan, it would have happened at least a day or two earlier, and would not have anything to do with the release of the treated wastewater from the Fukushima NPS.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

On 3 September 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a public announcement (PDF download) to refute the Wall Street Journal podcast which claimed that it found new samples of radioactive vegetables fin Japan.

SFA stated that it had not found any new contaminated vegetables from Japan. Neither did the SGA ban any food products from any Japanese prefectures recently.

The SFA also stated that it monitors all food imports, and will take action if any food imports were found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Clarification on circulating article/podcast regarding import of Japanese food products

In response to media queries regarding a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article/podcast titled “More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food”, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has clarified that it has not found samples of contaminated vegetables from Japan or banned food products from any Japanese prefectures recently. The WSJ podcast has referred to a media release by the former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in 2011. This has since been overtaken by events.

We wish to reiterate that SFA adopts a science-based approach towards assessing food safety risks. Food imported into Singapore is subjected to SFA’s surveillance and monitoring regime, which includes radiation surveillance and enforcement actions will be taken should any food imports be found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

The announcement by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore was not posted in August 2023, but over 12 years ago – on 24 March 2011 (PDF download).

DETECTION OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS IN FOUR SAMPLES OF VEGETABLES FROM JAPAN – AVA SUSPENDS IMPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM ADDITIONAL TWO PREFECTURES

Radioactive contaminants have been detected in four samples of vegetables from Japan. The contaminated samples were imported from the affected prefectures of Tochigi and Ibaraki, as well as Chiba and Ehime which are outside the affected areas. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) will extend its suspension on the import of all fruits and vegetables to include Chiba and Ehime with immediate effect.

Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority On 24 Mar 2011

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) had earlier stated that there will be “no immediate ban on seafood from Japan” following the release of the treated Fukushima wastewater.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that its surveillance of the safety of food from Japan has been satisfactory. It has not detected any radioactive contaminant in food imports from Japan since 2013.

In fact, Singapore lifted pre-export tests and Certificate of Origin requirements on approved food imports from the Fukushima prefecture on May 28, 2021.

To be clear, Singapore has not initiated any new import ban of food from Japan.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

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

 

Please Support My Work!

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

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

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

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

 

Recommended Reading

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Tharman Shanmugaratnam Just Announced Global Vaccine Plan?!

Did unelected WEF official Tharman Shanmugaratnam just announce an urgent plan to vaccinate 60% of every country in the world?!

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

 

Claim : Tharman Shanmugaratnam Just Announced Global Vaccine Plan!

People are sharing an article which claims that unelected WEF official Tharman Shanmugaratnam just announced an urgent plan to vaccinate 60% of every country in the world!

Circulating on WhatsApp :

BREAKING: Unelected WEF Official Announces URGENT Plan to VACCINATE 60% of EVERY COUNTRY in the World by 2024

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Tharman stressed the importance of vaccinating the world’s population.

Here is an excerpt from that article, which was published on 25 August 2023. Note the date – this will be important.

Unelected WEF official announces URGENT plan to VACCINATE 60% of EVERY COUNTRY in the world

Recommended : Did Klaus Schwab Ban Vaccinated Pilots @ WEF 2023?!

 

Truth : Tharman Shanmugaratnam Did Not Just Announce Global Vaccine Plan!

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

Fact #1 : There Are No Elections In WEF

I think it is best that I start by pointing out that the World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and think tank.

What this means is that there is no requirement for its officials to be elected. So highlighting that an “unelected WEF official” said or did something is a red herring. It is completely irrelevant to the issue at hand.

Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam was appointed to the WEF Board of Trustees in May 2019. Just because he was appointed, not elected, to the Board of Trustees does not make it nefarious. This is just how things are done at the WEF.

This is no different from how private, or even public-listed companies operate. They do not elect their CEO or officials or staff.

Fact #2 : Tharman Quote Was Two Years Old

It is unknown why the article claims that this is BREAKING news. The quote by Tharman Shanmugaratnam is 2 years old!

The source the article quoted was a 26 August 2021 article by CNA Lifestyle, titled Preparing for the next pandemic requires ‘new way of thinking about international cooperation’: Tharman.

Did the writer misread the date? That seems unlikely since the CNA article was dated 26 August 2021, while the viral article was posted on 25 August 2023.

Recommended : Why Pfizer CEO Ignored Questions On Transmission!

Fact #3 : Tharman Shanmugaratnam Resigned In 2023

Just to be clear – Tharman Shanmugaratnam was still a minister in the Singaporean government when he called for 60% of the world population to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That was stated clearly in the CNA article:

Global health security is “dangerously underfunded” and the World Health Organization (WHO) needs more support to deal with the next pandemic, which could come at any time, said Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday (Aug 25).

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam also did not retire as a Singaporean Minister. He resigned from all positions in the Singaporean government, as well as his membership in the People’s Action Party (PAP) on 7 July 2023, to run for the 2023 Singapore presidential election.

Fact #4 : Tharman Urged 60% Global Vaccination By 2022

Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam did not call for the vaccination of 60% of the world population by 2024. He actually called for that to happen by 2022.

Fact #5 : 60% Vaccination Plan Was Not By WEF

I should also point out that the WEF did not come up the plan to vaccinate 60% of the world’s population by 2022. As quoted in the CNA article, Mr. Tharman said that it was the action plan set out by the WHO, IMF and their multilateral partners:

The first and most urgent priority is to implement the action plan set out by the WHO, IMF and their multilateral partners to vaccinate at least 60 per cent of every country’s population over the next year [2022].

Recommended : Did Interpol Order Arrest Of Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau, Klaus Schwab?!

Fact #6 : Over 70% Vaccinated By March 2023

It is also absurd to panic over the (false) claim that Mr. Tharman wanted to vaccinated 60% of the world’s population by 2024, because that target was already achieved!

As of March 13, 2023, more than 5.55 billion people across the world received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In other words, 72.3% of the world’s population had already received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

That’s why when I was first asked to fact check this article, I was puzzled. That 60% target was already surpassed!

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

Please Support My Work!

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

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

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

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

 

Recommended Reading

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Support Tech ARP!

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

COVID-19 Vaccines Caused Stillbirth Surge In Singapore?!

Did COVID-19 vaccines cause a massive 5-sigma surge in stillbirth in Singapore in 2022?!

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

 

Claim : COVID-19 Vaccines Caused Stillbirth Surge In Singapore!

People are sharing a chart which they claim shows a massive 5-sigma surge in stillbirth in Singapore in 2022 caused by the COVID-19 vaccines!

Jikkyleaks : Gee I wonder what happened here? What could give a 5-sigma increase in stillbirth rate in Singapore for 2022?

#placentagate

Died Suddenly : Stillbirth rate skyrocketing in Singapore for 2022. WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS HAPPENING!?

Alex Berenson : My new Stack, on soaring stillbirths (and falling births) in Singapore, where almost every woman of childbearing age received mRNA shots in 2021

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : COVID-19 Vaccines Did Not Cause Stillbirth Surge In Singapore!

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

Fact #1 : Chart Is From 2022 Singapore Government Report

First, let me start by referring you to the actual report – Report On Registration Of Births And Deaths (PDF download), so you can download read it for yourself.

It is important that you do so, because it will show you how people are trying to mislead you on this issue.

The viral chart can be seen in Page 19 of the report, which shows the “crude stillbirths rate” for the last 10 years.

The report notes that 110 stillbirths were registered in Singapore in 2022, comprising of 54 males, 53 females, and 3 cases with an unknown sex.

Fact #2 : Singapore Expanded Definition Of Stillbirth In 2022

The page with that viral chart has a footnote that said:

5 Please note the revised definition of stillbirths as outlined in explanatory notes 21. 

And this is what Explanatory Notes 21 said:

A stillbirth refers to a child that issues from the child’s mother after the 22 weeks of pregnancy and does not show any sign of life at any time after being completely expelled or extracted from the mother. Stillbirth figures referred to the number of stillbirths registered during the year.

That definition itself has a footnote that explains how the definition of stillbirth was EXPANDED in 2022, to include the period of pregnancy from 22 weeks to 28 weeks.

Before 29 May 2022, a stillbirth refers to a child that issues from the child’s mother after the 28 weeks of  pregnancy and does not show any sign of life at any time after being completely expelled or extracted from the mother.

In other words, Singapore greatly expanded the definition of a stillbirth, which would naturally result in a spike of registered stillbirths.

Prior to 29 May 2022, any stillbirth from pregnancies before 28 weeks of pregnancy would NOT be registered as a stillbirth.

Recommended : Is Pfizer Vaccine Responsible For Leprosy Cases?!

Fact #3 : Stillbirth In Singapore Is Now Automatically Registered

Page 21 of the same report also explains how a stillbirth in Singapore is now automatically registered from 29 May 2022 onwards. The same goes for deaths in Singapore – they are also automatically registered from 29 May 2022 onwards.

Effective from 29 May 2022, a stillbirth in Singapore will be automatically registered once a doctor certifies the stillbirth online. After the doctor has certified the stillbirth online, parents can download the digital stillbirth certificate at My Legacy website. There is no fee for stillbirth registration and issuance of a digital stillbirth certificate.

The automatic registration of stillbirths from 29 May 2022 onwards would naturally increase the reporting of stillbirths in Singapore.

Fact #4 : Singapore Made Reporting Mandatory In July 2021

This really isn’t new. In fact, the Singapore Parliament passed amendments to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, to make it compulsory to report the birth, death and stillbirth of every child.

Part 5 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Bill (Bill No. 13/2021) that passed on July 6, 2021, makes it mandatory for every stillborn child in Singapore to be reported, and those who contravene this requirement is subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.

The bill also details the responsibility of medical practitioners in reporting a stillbirth. Those who fail to comply with this requirement is also subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.

Finally, the bill requires the Singapore Registrar-General to register a stillbirth “as soon as practicable”.

Fact #5 : Singapore Infant Mortality Rate Did Not Change

On Page 18 of the report – one page before the viral stillbirth chart, is the chart on infant mortality rates from 2013 to 2022 in Singapore.

This chart shows that the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births in Singapore did not change for the last 3 years.

Recommended : Stevens-Johnson Syndrome From Vaccine Risk Explained!

This is yet another sign that it was the new reporting requirement that caused the surge in stillbirth in 2022. And of course, more evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines did not impact infant mortality.

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

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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 Donald Trump Praise China In 2024 Campaign Speech?!

Did Donald Trump just praise China in his 2024 presidential campaign speech?! Find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Donald Trump Praised China In 2024 Campaign Speech!

Pro-CCP netizens and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) are sharing this message on WhatsApp and social media, which claims that Donald Trump just praised China in his 2024 presidential campaign speech.

It’s very long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

😂😂😂 Trump put it well as a political speech. He may win the presidency election in 2024, knowing America have many crazy people, especially Republicans in middle of USA!

Recommended : Why Did The West Vote Against UN Anti-Racism Bill?!

 

Truth : Donald Trump Praised China In 2024 Campaign Speech!

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

Fact #1 : This Message First Appeared In Jan. 2022

This viral message does not appear to be new. The first example appeared in a Singapore forum on 19 January 2022, and appears to be a copy and paste of a WhatsApp / social media post.

The message then went viral in August 2023, after the website inf.news reposted it verbatim, with the title Look what Trump thinks of China.

Fact #2 : Trump Only Announced 2024 Presidential Bid In Nov 2022

It is impossible for that speech to be Trump’s presidential campaign speech in January 2022, when Donald Trump only announced his 2024 presidential campaign on 16 November 2022 – 9 months later.

Fact #3 : That Was Not A Donald Trump Speech

Anyone who has ever seen Donald Trump speak would immediately know that he never speaks like that in any speech. Even without looking up the speech online, it is already obvious that the viral Donald Trump speech praising China is fake.

But a quick check online confirmed that that speech was never written or uttered by Donald Trump, whether in 2022, or in 2023.

Recommended : Did Woman Smash Bottles Of Alcohol In Lawless US?!

Fact #4 : There Is A Lot Of Odd Phrasing

There is a lot of odd phrasing in the fake Donald Trump speech that suggest that it was really written by a Chinese native, and not a Chinese person who grew up in the US, Singapore, or even Malaysia.

I am your next president, please support me, we will be honorable and independent, whoever has the money will do business with whom, and we will live a good life.

The Chinese people are rich in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. New York, which is about to catch up with ours, is going to get divorced and scrambled.

What’s even more annoying is that basically no terrorist activities dare to carry out in China.

Fact #5 : Donald Trump Would Never Call America Bad

Regardless of what we may think of Donald Trump, he would never call America bad. He is, after all, running to be US President again!

Vote for me, only I can save this bad America!

It would be incredibly stupid to call America bad. In fact, it would have been a political scandal, with his Republican rivals and the Democrats criticising him for being unpatriotic.

Fact #6 : Donald Trump Started Trade War With China

It is also rather absurd to claim that Donald Trump would praise China, when he was the one who initiated a trade war with China.

As US President, Donald Trump ordered the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to investigate Chinese economic practices in August 2017.

When the USTR report was released in March 2018, Trump ordered the imposition of tariffs on Chinese products, filed a WTO case against China, and imposed restrictions on Chinese investments in US high-tech sectors.

Recommended : Did Texas Mall Killer Target Only Chinese People?!

Fact #7 : This Is Shameless Chinese Propaganda

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

All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false… in every instance. So please watch out for such false claims. Here are other recent examples:

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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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The First 11 Tesla Supercharger Locations In Malaysia!

As well as announcing that the Model Y is now available for order in Malaysia, Tesla also listed 11 Supercharger locations!

 

Tesla Supercharger : What Is It?

The Tesla Supercharger is a fast-charging station for Tesla and compatible electric vehicles, that delivers up to 250 kW of high-voltage direct current power. Think of the Supercharger as an electric “refuelling” station for your Tesla car.

Tesla Superchargers allow you to quickly recharge your electric vehicle – a 15 minute recharge can add up to 261 km / 200 miles of range. Not as fast as refuelling an internal combustion engine vehicle at the petrol station, but much faster than charging at home!

While some Tesla cars come with free supercharging for life, most models have annual or one-time credits. Then users are billed by the energy consumed. On top of that, an idle fee may be charged if you leave your car plugged into the Supercharge after charging is complete.

Globally, there are over 45,000 Supercharger stations, making it the largest fast charging network in the world. But there are currently none in Malaysia…

Recommended : Tesla Model Y : Price + Options In Malaysia Revealed!

 

Tesla Lists 11 Supercharger Locations In Malaysia!

On Friday, 14 July 2023, Tesla started opening the order book for three Tesla Model Y trims in Malaysia, with delivery estimated to take place only in early 2024.

While Tesla did not announce it, its website now lists 11 Supercharger locations that it plans to install in Malaysia.

Penang

  • Perai, near the intersection between the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE) and Jalan Permatang Pauh

Perak

  • Ipoh, along the PLUS North-South Highway, near Jalan Tambun

Kuala Lumpur

  • Bukit Tunku, along Jalan Kuching, near Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar (formerly Mahameru)
  • Along Jalan Sultan Ismail, next to the Klang River
  • Bukit Bintang, near the Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan intersection
  • Cheras, on the MEX Highway, near Jalan Cheras.
  • Bukit Jalil, near the Lebuhraya Bukit Jail and Jalan Barat intersection at Technology Park Malaysia.

Selangor

  • Petaling Jaya – near the intersection between the KESAS and LDP highways in Puchong
  • Dengkil, along the ELITE highway

Negeri Sembilan

  • Along the PLUS North-South Highway, near Jalan Rantau-Pedas

Johor

  • Iskandar Puteri, along the Second Link Expressway, near the Tanjung Pelepas Highway

Please note that these locations are subject to change, and their target opening dates have not been announced. However, it is highly likely that all eleven locations will go “live” by the time the first Tesla Model Y cars are delivered to their owners.

While Tesla has only revealed 11 locations so far, you can count on it to add more over time. After all, Singapore already has ten Supercharger stations!

In addition, these 11 Tesla Superchargers only cover the West coast of Peninsular Malaysia, with zero coverage on the East coast, and none in Sabah and Sarawak.

 

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Avanade + Accenture: 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Avanade and Accenture have just been named 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year, for the 18th time!

 

Avanade + Accenture: 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Avanade and Accenture have been named 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year. This is the 18th time that Avanade and Accenture received the Global SI Partner of the Year recognition from Microsoft.

In total, Avanade and Accenture received close to 120 Partner of the Year awards across various technology and country categories throughout their history, for helping clients transform their employee and customer experiences by creating and delivering leading-edge solutions using Microsoft solutions.

Both companies were also recognised with 17 other awards including Malaysia Partner of the Year and Singapore Partner of the Year.

  • Dynamics 365 Sales & Marketing Partner of the Year
  • Low Code Application Development Partner of the Year
  • Automotive, Mobility and Transportation Partner of the Year
  • Customer Experience Partner of the Year
  • Malaysia Country Partner of the Year
  • Singapore Country Partner of the Year
  • Germany Country Partner of the Year
  • Greece Country Partner of the Year
  • France Country Partner of the Year
  • Portugal Country Partner of the Year
  • UK Country Partner of the Year
  • Denmark: Azure Core: Cloud Infrastructure Partner of The Year
  • Finland: GSI Growth Champion Partner of The Year
  • Asia Pacific: Azure Data & AI Partner of the Year
  • Asia Pacific: Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year
  • Singapore: Financial Services Industry Partner of The Year
  • Japan: Energy and Resources Partner of the Year

The companies were also named finalists in the following five categories: Retail & Consumer Goods Partner of the Year; Dynamics 365 Finance Partner of the Year; Dynamics 365 Services Partner of the Year; Security Compliance Partner of the Year; Business Intelligence Partner of the Year

The unique partnership between Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft truly enables us to do what matters for our clients – building more resilience in a world of continuous change, empowering employees to embrace new ways of working, strengthening customer experience and now, guiding them on their journey to an ‘AI-first’ world.

Being recognized as Microsoft’s Global SI Partner of The Year for the 18th time is a remarkable achievement that is only possible because of our people all over the world who, every day, bring unrivalled expertise, experience and insights to help our clients solve their toughest business challenges.

– Avanade CEO Pam Maynard

Recommended : Microsoft : No More Windows 10 Updates, EOL In 2025!

 

Avanade + Accenture Collaborates With Microsoft On AI

Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft recently announced an expansion of their close collaboration to help organizations adopt the disruptive power of generative AI, accelerated by the cloud, to fundamentally transform their businesses.

By tapping into the new Accenture Center for Advanced AI, with its deep focus on generative AI and large language models, and the new Avanade AI Organizational Readiness Framework, the companies can help their clients take advantage of generative AI for safe and responsible innovation at scale.

Over the past year, we’ve expanded our partnership with Microsoft by helping more clients transform their organizations through the adoption of data and AI, cloud, metaverse, sustainability and other technologies.

Together with Avanade, we take great pride in helping clients accelerate change to achieve new growth and value, and we look forward to an exciting journey forward with Microsoft.

– Chris Howarth, Senior Managing Director and Accenture Microsoft Business Group Lead

Combined, Avanade and Accenture now have more than 65,000 professionals dedicated to delivering Microsoft technologies.

 

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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 four SIA pilots die suddenly from vaccine in May?!

Did four SIA pilots die suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after Singapore Airlines demanded they get the fourth dose?!

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

 

Claim : Four SIA Pilots Died Suddenly From Vaccine In May!

People are sharing obituary photos of four SIA pilots, claiming that they died suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects in May 2023, after Singapore Airlines demanded that they get the fourth dose!

4 SIA captains died within a week after the airline demanded they take the FOURTH jab. Criminal…. 😱😓🫣💉
This is very serious considering 4 pilots passed away and they looked young and healthy. Chances are that they vaccineted at almost the same time.
This is very serious without the slightest doubt. Considering the spike in overall death in Singapore in the month of May 2023!
Ong Ye Kung and Iswaran care to shed some light???
The public want to know the reasons…. 4th jab at the same time as demanded by SIA?
Don’t just be obvious. Period…

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

No Evidence SIA Pilots Died From Vaccine In May!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

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

Fact #1 : Their Cause Of Death Are Unknown

First, let me just confirm that there are indeed at least four SIA pilots who died in the month of May 2023, based on their obituaries:

However, none of their obituaries mentioned their individual cause of death. They also do not appear to have any social media accounts, or families posting about their deaths on social media.

Random netizens are claiming that Captains Wee Leong and Colin Tan died suddenly from cardiac arrest, while Captains Fernando Cid and Sebastian Tan died from cancer. It is unknown if any of those causes of death are accurate.

Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the four pilots, publicly announce their individual cause of death, anyone who tells you that the four SIA pilots died of this or that cause is likely lying to you.

Fact #2 : No Evidence SIA Requires 4th COVID-19 Vaccine Dose

In January 2021, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that it hopes to become the world’s first airline to vaccinated all of its crew members against COVID-19.

SIA set a deadline of September 1, and managed to vaccinate 99% of its active pilots, cabin crew and frontline ground crew by 19 August 2021.

However, there is no evidence that Singapore Airlines recently demanded that its pilots and cabin crew get the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose, which would be their second booster dose.

As of 31 May 2023,  the Singapore Ministry of Health only recommends that senior citizens and medically vulnerable people receive the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose. Even then, it is a “recommendation”, not a requirement.

It is unlikely for Singapore Airlines to mandate a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose, when the Singapore Ministry of Health does not recommend it for healthy young or middle-aged adults.

Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the four pilots, confirm it, anyone who tells you that the four SIA pilots received the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose is likely lying to you.

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

Fact #3 : SIA Had Approximately 3,000 Pilots In 2022

In May 2022 (last year), SIA Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong announced that Singapore Airlines was looking to recruit 2,000 cabin crew as air travel was picking up.

While he declined to say how many pilots SIA employed in 2022, he said that the number of pilots at SIA Group is still similar to pre-COVID-19 numbers, with just “a very small number” who have left. Pre-pandemic, Singapore Airlines had about 3,200 pilots.

While it may shocking to hear that four SIA pilots died in the same month, it is not really shocking when you factor in the death rate in Singapore, which is 5.8 per 1,000 (2021).

Assuming Singapore Airlines only has 3,000 pilots, it should expect 17 of its pilots to die on a given year, or about 1.5 pilots a month. In addition to these four pilots, a fifth pilot died in December. So five SIA pilots dying in 2023 is exceptionally low.

Fact #4 : COVID-19 Vaccines Do Not Cause Cancer

There is no such thing as “turbo cancer”, and there is no evidence that any COVID-19 vaccine can cause cause, or make cancer go “turbo”.

Even if, hypothetically, COVID-19 vaccines are carcinogenic (which is not the case), it will take many years before vaccinated people can conceivably develop cancer of any kind.

It is simply not possible for anyone to develop cancer right after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Needless to say – no COVID-19 vaccine has been found to cause cancer of any kind.

Recommended : Did CDC Say COVID Vaccines Cause AIDS + Cancer?!

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong getting his COVID-19 vaccination

Fact #5 : COVID-19 Vaccines Do Not Cause Cardiac Arrest

As of March 2023, over 13 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, and their safety and efficacy have been closely monitored in the last 2.5 years. While mRNA vaccines have been shown to cause myocarditis in some children and young adults, none of the vaccines have been shown to cause cardiac arrest.

The truth is – sudden cardiac arrest is relatively common in young healthy adults, even athletes. The United States alone records over half a million cases of sudden cardiac arrest cases every year – an incidence of about 130 per 100,000 individuals per year.

Many people have undiagnosed heart conditions that may not produce noticeable symptoms in daily life, but could result in sudden cardiac arrest at any time. The risk of developing sudden cardiac arrest also increases during stressful or strenuous activities, which is why many countries mandate the provision of Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices in public facilities like malls, sporting centres, gyms, schools, parks, etc.

Singapore has installed AEDs in public places for many years now, because people have been suffering sudden cardiac arrests long before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented. This was what the Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugan wrote in July 2019:

Many buildings in Singapore are already equipped with AEDs such as schools, community centres, sports stadiums, bus interchanges, MRT stations, Singapore Armed Forces camps and Home Team facilities. Several commercial and office buildings have also installed AEDs.

Under the Save-A-Life (“SAL”) initiative, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has installed AEDs at the lift lobbies of HDB blocks in all 89 constituencies, with one AED for every two HDB blocks. SCDF is looking to expand its SAL initiative beyond HDB estates to condominiums.

The SCDF is also working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Heart Foundation (“SHF”) to encourage more public and private establishments to install AEDs and register their publicly-accessible AEDs with the SHF, in order to build a national registry of publicly-accessible AEDs.

In short, COVID-19 vaccines do NOT cause cardiac arrests, no matter what anti-vaccination activists may claim. But COVID-19 vaccines also cannot prevent people from getting cardiac arrests, or dying from them.

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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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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Do Paracetamol Tablets Contain Machupo Virus?!

Do P-500 Paracetamol / Acetaminophen tablets contain the dangerous Machupo virus?!

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

 

Claim : P-500 Paracetamol Contains Machupo Virus!

People are sharing a post and photo on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the P-500 or P / 500 or Aeknil paracetamol tablets contain the dangerous Machupo virus!

URGENT WARNING!

Be careful not to take the paracetamol that comes written P / 500. It is a new, very white and shiny paracetamol, doctors advise that it contains “Machupo” virus, considered one of the most dangerous viruses in the world, with a high mortality rate. Please share this message, with all people on your contact list as well as family, and save a life or lives ….I’ve done my part, now it’s your turn … remember that God helps those who help others & themselves!

Forward as received.

Recommended : Does Panadol / Tylenol Stay In Our Body For 5 Years?

 

Truth : Paracetamol Tablets Do Not Contain Machupo Virus

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to scare people about the safety of medications, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Paracetamol = Acetaminophen

First, let me just point out that paracetamol is known as acetaminophen in the United States, Canada, Japan, Venezuela and Columbia.

You may better know them by their trade names – Panadol is the GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) trade name for paracetamol, while Tylenol is the trade name owned by McNeil, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, for the same drug – acetaminophen.

Many people now call all forms of paracetamol / acetaminophen “Panadol” or “Tylenol”, whether it comes from GSK or McNeil or another company. In other words :

Paracetamol = Panadol = Tylenol = Acetaminophen

Fact #2 : Paracetamol / Acetaminophen Do Not Contain Machupo Virus

To be clear – paracetamol or acetaminophen tablets do not contain the Machupo virus.

This was confirmed by many health authorities like the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) [pdf download]:

Seperti kebanyakan virus yang lain, virus ini tidak boleh hidup dalam persekitaran yang kering seperti tablet paracetamol.

Like many other viruses, this virus cannot live in a dry environment like paracetamol tablets.

The Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) also confirmed that this is fake news:

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) would like to inform members of the public that an “alert” that is circulating on social media regarding the transmission of “Machupo” virus through paracetamol tablets is a hoax. Its content is untrue.

HSA assures the public that the content of the hoax “alert” is inaccurate and is not a cause for concern. Anyone who receives the hoax “alert” should not forward it to others as the information is untrue.

Recommended : Can You Take Painkillers Before / After COVID-19 Vaccination?

Fact #3 : Machupo Virus Only Documented In South America

The Machupo virus is the informal name for Machupo mammarenavirus, an RNA virus of the Arenaviridae family that causes Bolivian haemorrhagic fever (BHF) – also known as black typhus or Ordog Fever.

First identified in 1963, the Machupo virus is deadly with a mortality rate of between 5% to 30%, with an average case-fatality rate of 22%.

However, the Machupo virus has only been documented in South America, mostly in Bolivia, where it is endemic in the regions of Mamoré and Iténez.

Fact #4 : Machupo Virus Is Transmitted By Infected Rodents

The Machupo virus is transmitted through infected rodents, specifically the large vesper mouse (Calomys callosus) that is indigenous to northern Bolivia. That’s why its spread is limited mainly to Bolivia.

In addition, the virus spreads through the saliva, faeces, and urine of infected rodents. Therefore, it is unlikely to spread through sealed packages of any medication, unless the contents were contaminated during production or packaging.

Fact #5 : This Is Old Fake News

Finally, this fake news isn’t even new. It was been circulating since mid-2017. It just keeps resurrecting and going “viral” every few years on WhatsApp and social media platforms.

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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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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Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : Does It Work?!

Elbow pit slapping has been recommended for treating and preventing heart attack for many years now, but does it really work?

 

Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : What Is It?

The elbow pit slapping method is based on traditional Chinese medicine belief that there are three acupressure (meridian) points around the left arm, that affects the heart and lungs.

The idea is that slapping the left elbow pit, until it turns red, will restore qi (energy) and blood circulation to the heart and lungs.

It also claims that slapping the left elbow pit on a daily basis can prevent heart disease, and reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Recommended : Does Steaming Food Cause Cancer From Chlorine?!

 

Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : The Evidence?

People are sharing this message together with a video showing a man who apparently had a heart attack while watching a movie in a cinema.

A sudden heart attack in a Singapore theater. The Singapore doctor & helpers slapped their hands on the patient’s arms and he recovered after about 2 minutes.

A Chinese sinseh (traditional doctor) can be seen in the video reviving the man by slapping his elbow pit for 2 minutes.

The video is being shared as evidence that the elbow pit slapping method really works in reviving patients suffering from a heart attack.

Recommended : Young Athletes At High Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Arrest!

 

Truth : Elbow Pit Slapping Does NOT Work For Heart Attack!

Fact #1 : Slapping Elbow Pit Does Not Treat / Prevent Heart Attack

The truth is slapping the elbow pit will not revive someone with a heart attack. Neither can slapping your elbow pit on a daily basis help prevent heart disease, or a heart attack.

There is simply no scientific basis, never mind actual fact, behind such claims. It is DANGEROUS to teach people to do this.

People who use this method, instead of calling for medical assistance, will likely cause more harm, even death.

Do NOT play doctor! If you encounter someone suffering from a heart attack, you should quickly call for an ambulance, and perform CPR!

Fact #2 : It Has Been Debunked By Taiwanese Doctors

As our fact check video above shows, the Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare asked doctors to publicly debunk this elbow pit slapping method.

They pointed out that believing such fake stories could result in poor outcomes for the victims, because proper treatment would likely be delayed.

Recommended : Did More Die From Vaccine Than Virus In Taiwan?!

Fact #3 : Video Likely Not Recorded In Singapore

The incident in the viral video very likely did not happen in Singapore.

A careful listening of the voices will reveal that they are speaking Mandarin with a Mainland Chinese accent. So the video was most likely recorded in China.

Fact #4 : It Appears To Be Video Of A TCM Seminar

A careful examination of the video will show that while they appear to be in a mini theatre, they don’t appear to be watching a movie.

A purple podium with Chinese characters can be seen on the left side of the screen, and the staff appears to be wearing purple uniforms – one is even wearing an orange sash.

It is likely that this may be some kind of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) seminar being held in a cinema.

Fact #5 : The Man Doesn’t Look Like He Had A Heart Attack

The man did not appear to be suffering from a heart attack. Instead of clutching his chest in pain and breaking out in cold sweat, he was just unconscious.

And when they revived him, he appeared disorientated, shook his head and got up several times. He also appeared to be breathing normally.

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Ethylene Oxide Found In Mi Sedaap Noodles Too!

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) just announced that the carcinogenic ethylene oxide was also found in Mi Sedaap instant noodles! Here is what you need to know…

 

KKM Orders Recall Of Two Ah Lai + Indomie Instant Noodles

On Monday, 24 April 2023, the Taipei Department of Health announced that found the presence of carcinogenic ethylene oxide in “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” from Malaysia, and “Indomie : Special Chicken Flavour” noodles from Indonesia.

Both instant noodles were ordered to be taken off the shelves, and its importers fined between NT$60,000 (US$1,960) and NT$200 million (US$6.5 million).

On 26 April, the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) announced that its tests of Ah Lai White Curry Noodles samples showed that they comply with local legislation. However, to “ensure the continuous food safety control”, the Ministry ordered the voluntary recall of all “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” batches that expire on 25 August 2023.

KKM also ordered the voluntary recall of all Indomie : Special Chicken Flavour noodles, and incoming batches will be tested before release at entry points into Malaysia.

Read more : Toxic Ethylene Oxide Found In Two Instant Noodles!

 

KKM : Ethylene Oxide Found In Mi Sedaap Noodles Too!

KKM also informed the public that after all Mi Sedaap instant noodles produced in Indonesia were withdrawn in 2022 because they were found to contain ethylene oxide, its Food Safety and Quality Department had been conducting continuous monitoring of food sold in Malaysia, whether produced locally, or imported.

KKM shared that in its surveillance of 36 samples of instant noodles of various brands from 2022 until today, 11 samples of Mi Sedaap instant noodles were found to contain ethylene oxide, and enforcement action was taken, which may include issuing compounds, court action, as well as product recalls.

Last year, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) also ordered a recall of two Mi Sedaap instant noodles flavours – Korean Spicy Chicken and Korean Spicy Soup, with expiry dates of March 17 2023 and May 21 2023, due to the presence of ethylene oxide.

Those two products, fortunately, did not appear to have been imported into Malaysia, according to KKM.

Recommended : Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Recall Over Toxins!

 

The Risk Of Ethylene Oxide In Instant Noodles

At room temperature, ethylene oxide is a flammable colourless gas, with a sweet odour. It is often used as a pesticide and sterilising agent, but is considered a health risk if remnants remain on the food products.

The US EPA considers ethylene oxide to be carcinogenic to humans by the “inhalation route”, with exposure linked to an increased risk of lymphoid cancer, and breast cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylene oxide as a Class 1 carcinogen. Due to its carcinogenic properties, the EU sets the limit for ethylene oxide very low, at just 0.02 mg/kg.

Over the years, ethylene oxide has been detected in instant noodles from different brands, which is why regular tests are important to make sure they remain below acceptable limits.

 

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Was TikTok CEO Denied Recess In US Hearing?!

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

Recommended : Did Morgan Freeman Just Call Joe Biden A Fool?!

 

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.

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

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.

Recommended : TikTok Leak : China Repeatedly Accessed Private User Data!

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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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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Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Recall Over Toxins!

Two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen powder have been recalled over high levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic!

 

SFA Orders Recall Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder!

On March 29 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ordered the recall of two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen powder, after it detected excessive levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic.

This is of utmost concern, as the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder was marketed as a natural herbal blend for young children transiting from liquid to solid feed. According to Eu Yan Sang, it is a preparation of brown rice powder, Chinese yam, lotus seeds, Poria (China root), Barley and Euryale Seeds.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has detected aflatoxin B1 and arsenic in samples of Eu Yan Sang’s Brown Rice Si Shen powder at levels exceeding the maximum limit stated in the Singapore Food Regulations.

SFA has directed the manufacturer, Eu Yan Sang (Singapore) Pte Ltd, to recall two affected batches of the product.

Arsenic is a heavy metal found naturally in the earth’s crust and in the environment. Aflatoxins can occur in foods, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest under warm and humid conditions. Long term intake of aflatoxins can cause cancer and liver damage, while long term intake of arsenic can cause cancer and skin changes. Hence, exposure through food, especially those meant for young children, should be kept as low as possible.

Consumers who have purchased the implicated products are advised not to feed it to their children. Those whose children have consumed the implicated products and have concerns about their children’s health should seek medical advice. Consumers may contact their point of purchase for enquiries.

Recommended : Are Rohingyas using chemicals to freshen old vegetables to sell?!

 

Only Two Batches Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Were Recalled

I need to point out that only two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder were recalled over excessive levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic.

Product name: Eu Yan Sang’s Brown Rice Si Shen powder

Batch No: 120
Expiry date: 13 May 2024

Batch No: 121
Expiry date: 17 May 2024

Country of origin: Singapore

Those who have these two batches should stop consuming them, and contact Eu Yan Sang , or the store they purchased it from, for a refund.

Recommended : Does Steaming Food Cause Cancer From Chlorine?!

 

Danger Of Aflatoxin + Arsenic In Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder

SFA did not reveal the detected levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic in those two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder, only that they exceeded the maximum limit set in the Singapore Food Regulations.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by some types of moulds that can contaminate crops before and after harvest. Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent toxin and is regarded as a Class 1 carcinogen, which means it can cause cancer if consumed over an extended amount of time.

Arsenic is a heavy metal that is naturally present in rice, and therefore, all products made with rice. Long-term intake of high levels of arsenic may lead to cancer and other health problems.

 

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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.

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New JobStreet Study : 2023 Remains Jobseekers’ Market In Asia!

A new JobStreet study just revealed that 2023 will remain the jobseekers’ market in Asia! Here is what you need to know.

 

New JobStreet Study : 2023 Remains Jobseekers’ Market In Asia!

On 1 March 2023, SEEK, the parent company of JobStreet and JobsDB – Asia’s leading online employment marketplaces, released a new study on the jobseekers’ market in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, together with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Network, a global alliance of recruitment websites.

The study, which surveyed 97,324 respondents in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, delivered these key findings:

  • 34% of talents are actively looking for a new job
  • their top 3 motivations for seeking for a new job are:
    – 49% are looking for a more interesting position, or higher seniority
    – 30% feel they lack opportunities for upward career progress
    – 27% are unsatisfied with their current salary and benefits
  • 54% are not actively looking for a job, but would consider a job opportunity with better financial compensation
  • 74% of talents in the region are approached multiple times per year for new job opportunities
  • 36% of talents are approached about new job opportunities every month
  • 70% of talents believe they have strong negotiation power
  • IT talents are the most coveted in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore, being frequently approached with job opportunities

You can download the full report here.

Despite the waves of layoffs by tech companies in the region and around the world, the demand for tech talent still remains based on the reports’ findings. This is consistent with SEEK’s observation of a 29% YoY (2021 vs 2022) increase in job ads for tech roles in the region, based on data from our JobStreet and JobsDB platforms.
– Peter Bithos, CEO of SEEK Asia

 

2023 JobStreet Study Findings : Top Talent Priorities

The 2023 study by JobStreet parent company, SEEK and the Boston Consulting Group, also gave us a look at what are the top priorities for talents in the Southeast Asia and Hong Kong region:

Most respondents (71%) desire, above all, a stable job with a good work-life balance. This preference is dominant across job roles, countries, and age groups.

  • 22% say that unattractive financial compensation is a deal breaker
  • 17% say that poor work-life balance is a deal breaker
  • amount of time off, and job security tie as deal breakers in third place

People’s expectations towards work have changed radically in the past few years. Most jobseekers don’t want to live to work anymore – they want to work to live. Employers must understand that while a high salary may be a way to raise the attention of in-demand talent, money is not enough to retain them on the long run. A culture that supports work-life balance, allows for flexibility, and emphasises good workplace relationships is equally important.
– Sagar Goel, Partner and Associate Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Jobseekers are also interested in a better recruiting process:

  • 67% want a smooth and timely process, as 49% will refuse even an attractive job offer if they face a negative experience
  • recruitment platforms like JobStreet and JobsDB are the top channel used when applying for a job.
  • Advanced digital tools are not favoured, even among the young generation. Many prefer personal interactions during the recruitment process – only 24% were comfortable participating in an AI-led automated interview.

 

2023 JobStreet Study Findings : The Malaysian Context

The study also looked at the Malaysian context for jobseekers in 2023:

  • Malaysia’s labour market remains positive, with 30.9K new jobs
  • Talents in Malaysia have lower job opportunities than the global average. However, 69% of respondents feel they have a strong negotiation power over employers.
  • 1 in 3 employees are willing to try different careers by reselling to new professions – this is approximately 5% higher than the regional average
  • top 3 more coveted talents in Malaysia (based on the percentage of respondents who are approached most frequently with job opportunities) are:
    – Information Technology
    – Digitisation, data science, and artificial intelligence
    – Education, such as teachers and trainers
  • 61% of Malaysians expressed their preference for hybrid working models, which is 7% higher than the global average.

 

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Is Omicron XBB 5X More Virulent Than Delta Variant?!

Is the Omicron XBB variant 5X more virulent than the Delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus?!

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

 

Claim : Omicron XBB Is 5X More Virulent Than Delta Variant!

This message has gone viral on WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook particularly in India, claiming that the Omicron XBB variant is 5X more virulent than the Delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus!

Note : It’s rather long, so please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

XBB variant

Let’s pay attention to the following information:

Everyone is advised to wear a mask because the new variant of the COVID-Omicron XBB coronavirus is different, deadly and not easy to detect correctly.

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : Omicron XBB Variant Advice From Singapore Is Fake News!

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

Fact #1 : XBB Is An Omicron Subvariant

First, let me just clarify a common misconception. XBB is technically not a COVID-19 variant. It is a subvariant of the Omicron variant.

As per WHO definition, XBB is a recombinant subvariant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages of the Omicron variant. In other words – XBB is a mix of the BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants of Omicron.

Fact #2 : Omicron XBB Is Detected Like Any Other COVID-19 Variant

The viral message falsely claims that XBB is not easily detected.

XBB is nothing more than a subvariant of Omicron. It is just as easily detected by the same PCR or RTK tests as the original Omicron variant.

Read more : Was New XBB Variant Just Discovered In Singapore?!

Fact #3 : Omicron XBB Symptoms Similar To Other Omicron Variants

The viral message falsely claims that XBB infections do not present with cough or fever.

XBB is just one of the many Omicron subvariants that include BA.5, BA.2.75, BJ.1, and BA.4.6. While they have changes to their spike protein, they have similar symptoms to the Omicron variant.

They are just different versions of the Omicron variant, and present with common symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, cold, body aches.

Fact #4 : Omicron XBB Is Not 5X More Virulent Than Delta Variant

The viral message falsely claims that XBB is 5X more virulent than the Delta variant.

On 27 October 2022, the WHO Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) reported that there is no “substantial differences in disease severity for XBB infections”.

In other words – XBB infections produce similarly mild disease to Omicron. That is not surprising, because XBB is after all an Omicron subvariant.

The Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which caused havoc in mid 2021, causes more severe disease than any other COVID-19 variants, particularly in people who were not vaccinated.

An April 2022 study published in Nature showed that Omicron variant infections had 2X to 5X fewer fatalities than Delta variant infections.

Read more : Fact Check : Singapore Advice On Omicron XBB?!

Fact #5 : Omicron XBB Does Not Skip The Nasopharynx

This COVID-19 variant skips the nasopharynx and attacks the lungs directly is an old hoax that keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

You may recall when Delta variant was the hot topic, people claimed that this is the variant that skips the nasopharynx and infects the lungs directly.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is immobile, and travels through droplets and aerosols that we breathe in. It is not a homing missile that goes in search of a particular target.

As the air we breathe passes through the nasopharynx before it reaches the lungs, that is where most of the virus ends up, and that is why we swab the nasopharynx to detect COVID-19.

Read more : Fake COVID-19 Warning Attributed To Dr. Leong Hoe Nam

Fact #6 : Nasal / Nasopharyngeal Swab Test Will Still Pick Up XBB

The false claim that nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests will turn up negative also keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

People too earlier claimed that the nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests would turn up negative for the Delta variant. It was nonsense then, it’s nonsense today.

Nasal or better still, nasopharyngeal swab, to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus still works for the XBB subvariant.

Fact #7 : Indian Ministry of Health Call This Fake News

As of November 2022, Omicron XBB accounts for 65.6% of COVID-19 cases in India, where this viral message has recently gone viral.

This led to the Indian Ministry of Health posting an official notice, calling it fake and misleading.

#FakeNews

This message is circulating in some Whatsapp groups regarding XBB variant of #COVID19.

The message is #FAKE and #MISLEADING.

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Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Prego Carbonara Sauce Recall In Malaysia + Singapore!

Prego just announced a recall of its Carbonara Mushroom Pasta sauce in Malaysia and Singapore! Here is what you need to know!

 

Prego Carbonara Sauce Recall In Malaysia + Singapore!

On Friday, December 23, 2022, Prego announced a recall of its Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta sauce 665g jars sold in Singapore and Malaysia.

Please note that only selected Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta 665g jars sold in Malaysia and Singapore are affected by this recall:

  • Expiry Date : 17 August 2023
  • Time Code : 22.18 – 23.20
  • Batch Number : 2022081716

Prego is recalling this batch of Carbonara Mushroom Pasta Sauce because it may have “an unpleasant smell, unusual colour, watery appearance and separated layers of liquid“.

Prego warned that this batch of Carbonara Mushroom sauce should not be consumed, and is asking consumers who purchased them to return them for a full refund.

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) also issued a notice, confirming the recall of the Prego Carbonara Pasta Sauce that was produced by Campbell Cheong Chan (M) Sdn. Bhd.

 

Prego Carbonara Sauce Recall Notice

Here is the official recall notice by Prego Malaysia, but note that the recall applies to both Malaysia and Singapore:

We’re very sorry! Unfortunately, our Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta 665g, with an expiry date of 17 August 2023 and, a time code between 22.18 – 23.20 has a manufacturing error. The affected batch may have an unpleasant smell, unusual colour, watery appearance and separated layers of liquid so should not be consumed

As a precaution, we’re asking you to return any jars you may have with this exact expiry date and time code. These products are only available in Malaysia and Singapore. You can return it from where you bought for a full refund. No receipt or proof of purchase is required.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused. Rest assured that all our other Prego products meet high-quality standards and are safe to enjoy!

For more information please call us on 03 7787 6288 or email arn_my_consumers@arnotts.com

Please SHARE this recall notice out!

 

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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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Terraform CEO Do Kwon Found Hiding In Serbia!

South Korean authorities just confirmed that Terraform CEO Do Kwon has been hiding out in Serbia!

Here is what you need to know!

 

Terraform CEO Do Kwon Found Hiding In Serbia!

South Korean authorities just confirmed that Do Kwon is hiding out in Serbia, and will be working with Serbian authorities to detain him.

The 31 year-old Terraform CEO was charged with fraud and breaches of the South Korean capital markets law after his company’s TerraUSD stablecoin and Luna cryptocurrency crashed in May 2022.

He fled Singapore in September to an unknown country, and has been on the run since, even though he denied trying to run away.

I am not ‘on the run’ or anything similar – for any government agency that has shown interest to communicate, we are in full cooperation and we don’t have anything to hide.

According to a 11 December report by Chosun Media, South Korean authorities received a tip-off about Do Kwon’s location in Serbia, and were able to confirm it.

Recently, we obtained intelligence that CEO Kwon was in Serbia, and it was found to be true.

South Korea and Serbia do not have an extradition treaty with each other, but both countries have agreed to requests under the European Convention on Extradition.

 

Terraform CEO Do Kwon : A Quick Refresher!

Do Kwon (born Kwon Do-Hyung on 6 September 1991) is the South Korean co-founder and CEO of Singapore-based Terraform Labs, which created the stable coin TerraUSD and the Luna cryptocurrency.

Both TerraUSD and Luna collapsed in May 2022, wiping out almost $45 billion of its market capitalisation in just one week, while causing hundreds of billions of dollars to be wiped out in the crypto market.

With approximately 200,000 South Korean investors affected by the crash of TerraUSD and Luna, the South Korean government announced that it would pursue criminal charges against Do Kwon. However, Do Kwon moved to Singapore in April – just before the crash.

On September 14, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant against Do Kwon for allegedly committing fraud and violating South Korea’s capital market laws.

Unfortunately, Do Kwon left Singapore around that time, flying to Dubai on the way to an unknown country.

Interpol then issued a Red Notice for Do Kwon on September 26, and the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered him to surrender his passport on 6 October 2022, to which he responded:

Oh, I’m not using it anyway, so it doesn’t, I can’t see how that makes a difference to me.

In addition to Do Kwon, South Korean authorities also issued arrest warrants for five other people, who have not been named, over links to the TerraUSD stablecoin and the Luna cryptocurrency token.

 

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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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Galaxy Watch5 vs. Watch5 Pro : Which To Buy?

Samsung is offering three different Galaxy Watch5 + Watch5 Pro models, so which should YOU buy?

 

Galaxy Watch5 vs. Watch5 Pro : How Different Are They?

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch5 series on August 10, and they have already made waves as their most durable and feature-packed watches yet!

In this article, I will go through their key features, so you can find out which Galaxy Watch5 model is best for you!

Three Sizes, Two Case Types, One Strap Size

Samsung offers three different Galaxy Watch5 models, each with a different case sizes, but fortunately – the same 20 mm strap size.

The size difference between the three models does not “look” significant, but they feel different and have different capabilities.

I highly recommend that you visit a Samsung Experience Store to try out the fit first, because how it feels and looks on your wrist is important.

Specifications Watch5
40mm
Watch5
44mm
Watch5
Pro
Model SM-R900 SM-R910 SM-R920
Body Size 40 mm 44 mm 45 mm
Body Material Armor Aluminum Titanium
Strap Band Width 20 mm
Dimensions 40.4 x 39.3 mm
9.8 mm thick
44.4 x 43.3 mm
9.8 mm thick
45.4 x 45.4 mm
10.5 mm thick
Weight 28.7 grams 33.5 grams 45.6 grams

All Models : Full Load Of Sensors

First, let me point out that regardless of which Galaxy Watch5 model you choose, you can rest assured that you will have access to the full load of sensors, including:

  • an improved BioActive sensor, with an increased surface area and more direct contact with your wrist.
  • accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, light sensor, and geomagnetic sensor

The BioActive Sensor incidentally is a unique Samsung chip that combines 3 sensors – Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart (ECG)  and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, to monitor and track heart rate, blood oxygen level, and even your stress level.

All Models : Same Performance + Connectivity

You will also be glad to know that Samsung did not skimp on the performance in any Galaxy Watch5 model.

All three Galaxy Watch5 models come with Samsung Exynos W920 system-on-chip, built on the 5 nm process technology. It features:

  • two Arm Cortex-A55 processor cores running at 1.18 GHz
  • an Arm Mali-G68 graphics processor
  • 1.5 GB RAM
  • 16 GB internal storage, with 7.5 GB of available storage

All three models also support the same connectivity capabilities – dual-band WiFi-N with Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC with support for Samsung Pay.

They also support all of the main location systems – GPS, Glonass, Beidou and Galileo

All Models : Same Durability

Samsung also did not cheap out on durability. All three Galaxy Watch5 models are similarly tough, boasting a rugged military-grade case that is certified to withstand up to 5 bars of water pressure.

All three models are MIL-STD-810H certified, with dust and water resistance of IP68 and 5ATM. That means you can take them diving at up to 50 metres of depth!

On top of that, the Super AMOLED display of all three Galaxy Watch5 models are protected by Sapphire crystal, which is 1.6 times harder than Gorilla Glass with DX+.

44mm Watch5 | Watch5 Pro : Larger Display

The 44 mm Watch5 model, and the Watch5 Pro come with a larger 1.4-inch display, with a resolution of 450 x 450 pixels.

The 40 mm Watch5 model, on the other hand, comes with a smaller 1.2-inch display, with a resolution of 396 x 396 pixels.

I prefer the larger display, but this is really a personal preference. To really appreciate the difference, I recommend you check out the three models at a Samsung Experience Store.

Galaxy Watch5 Pro : Higher Corrosion Resistance

The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 has an Armor Aluminum case, while the Watch5 Pro has a titanium case. They are both tough and have excellent corrosion resistance.

However, titanium is more corrosion-resistant than aluminium, and is best suited for those who intend to put their watch through the toughest environments.

Galaxy Watch5 Pro : Route Workout + Track Back

As part of its health monitoring capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series can track your sleep, and check your body composition.

But fitness enthusiasts will love the additional Route Workout and Track Back features in the Galaxy Watch5 Pro:

  • The all-new Route workout feature lets you import GPX format workout routes from your smartphone to your watch, syncing your route list.
  • Go the distance, then use Track Back to return right back where you started. Staying on track is easy thanks to voice or vibration-guided turn-by-turn navigation for cyclists and hikers.

All Models : Different Battery Lives, Same Fast Charging

More significant is the difference in battery life between the three Galaxy Watch5 models. They all have different battery sizes, with different battery lives:

Specifications Watch5
40mm
Watch5
44mm
Watch5
Pro
Battery Size 284 mAh 410 mAh 590 mAh
Battery Life Up to 40 hours Up to 80 hours
Charging 10 watt Qi wireless charging

I’m not sure how the Watch5 Small is able to match the battery life of the Watch5 Large, since it has a 30.7% smaller battery. But the smaller display would help, and it is possible that Samsung may have down-clocked its processor.

But there is no doubt that if you want the longest possible battery life in your watch, the Watch5 Pro is what you are looking for, with its rated battery life of up to 80 hours – just over 3 days!

All three models support Qi fast wireless charging, which will allow you to quickly recharge them. The Watch5 only needs 30 minutes to recharge from 0% to 45%.

All Models : Different Colour Options

What is also important to note is that all three models come in different colour options, which I summarised in this table:

Colour Options
Watch5 (40mm) Graphite, Silver, Pink Gold
Watch5 (44mm) Graphite, Silver, Sapphire
Watch5 Pro Grey Titanium, Black Titanium

The Galaxy Watch5 Small and Large models offer a conservative Graphite option, with two “fun” colour options.

The Pro version, on the other hand, is limited to a conservative Black Titanium option, and a cool Grey Titanium colour option.

Again, you need to physically examine these colour options, and try them out on your wrist at a Samsung Experience Store, to decide which looks best on your wrist.

 

Galaxy Watch5 vs. Watch5 Pro : Which To Buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro is geared towards adventurers and fitness enthusiasts, who will love its Route Workout and Track Back features.

Its titanium case will easily handle years of acid rain to salt water immersion, while its long battery life will be helpful for long outdoor excursions and field trips.

So if you are an outdoorsman, or someone who dives or goes on long treks, there is no doubt – get the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.

Both the Small (40mm) and Large (44mm) versions of the Galaxy Watch5 are targeted at “the rest of us” – people who want a digital exercise or healthcare companion.

It will help us monitor our health vitals, and track our exercises; while looking stylish enough to go clubbing with, or to attend black tie dinner parties.

If you don’t do triathlons like IRONMAN, or go into the wilderness, try on both the Small and Large versions of the Galaxy Watch5, and buy the one that feels and looks best on your wrist!

 

Galaxy Watch5 + Watch5 Pro : Where To Buy?

Here are online purchase options where you can buy the Galaxy Watch5 series (prices accurate as of Oct 14):

Malaysia

Singapore

United States

United Kingdom

Australia

  • Galaxy Watch5 (40mm) : $479
  • Galaxy Watch5 Pro : $697 | $697

 

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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