Did Russian President Vladimir Putin kneel before Chinese President Xi Jinping, to kiss his hand?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Vladimir Putin Was Forced To Kneel Before Xi Jinping!
People are claiming on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, that Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced to kneel before Chinese President Xi Jinping, and kiss his hand!
…Slava Ukraini…braveness of Ukraine soldiers has led the cruest current dictator Putin to kneel before China Xi jinping…Putin can’t believe the strongness of Ukrainians… Slava Ukraini
#putin gives #xi a kiss and kneels
We all wonder does Putin need to go on his knees in order to get Weapons from China?
Back in the old day Leaders often Visited Leaders and needed to kneel down while requesting support. #leaders #china #russia #Criminals
#Russian propaganda loved to spread the slogan “Russians won’t kneel.”
Truth : Vladimir Putin Did Not Kneel Before Xi Jinping!
This is yet an example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by pro-Ukrainian groups to mock Russia and China, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported This
No legitimate Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese or international media outlet reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced to, or voluntarily chose to, kneel before Xi Jinping during the Chinese President’s state visit to Russia.
The very act of a Russian head of state kneeling before his Chinese counterpart would have caused massive outrage in Russia, and shock in Ukraine, the West and even in China.
Yet no legitimate media outlet reported on it? That’s because it never happened.
Fact #2 : Photo Appears To Be AI-Generated
A closer examination of the photo shows several artifacts that suggest that it was AI-generated.
The man on the left appears to lack thumbs, and his two hands appear to melt together.
The nose and left ear on Xi Jinping’s head appears to be misplaced.
Vladimir Putin’s head is overly large in proportion to his body, and his ear is strangely misplaced.
Vladimir Putin’s legs appear to be distorted with the right leg appearing much larger than the left leg.
Vladimir Putin’s right knee mysteriously appears behind the heel of his left leg.
Based on those anomalies, this photo is very likely generated by a text-to-image generator.
Fact #3 : Photo Originated In A Ukrainian Telegram Group
This viral photo of Vladimir Putin kneeling before Xi Jinping to kiss his hand appears to have originated in a Ukrainian Telegram group called УНИАН – новости Украины (UNIAN – news of Ukraine).
Fact #4 : OP Indicated The Photo Was Edited / Generated
The person who originally posted the photo in the Ukrainian Telegram group, indicated that it was Photoshopped.
Хейтеры скажут, что фотошоп, но мы-то знаем, что х*йло давно хотел облобызать нефритовый стержень товарища Си 😅
Haters will say it’s photoshopped, but we know that x*ylo wanted to kiss Comrade Xi’s jade rod for a long time 😅
Fact #5 : Background Do Not Match Actual Meeting Room
The furniture and walls in the viral photo also do not appear to match the official photos of the room where Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met.
Instead of a dark green and white columns, the actual meeting room has a light green wall with gold trims and white columns.
The chairs in the viral photo are dark brown with beige cushions, while the real chairs are white, with off-white cushions. The actual table is also white, while the table in the viral photo is dark brown.
Fact #6 : This Is Just Ukraine War Fake News
This is yet another example of fake news created around the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and here are other examples:
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The viral photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister and his wife is FAKE!
Here is what you need to know about that viral photo!
Updated @ 2023-03-20 : Updated with some additional details First published @ 2022-05-20
Claim : This Is Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel + His Wife!
People have been sharing this viral photo since 2019, but it is going viral again in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups.
Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel arriving for a function with his wife, Gauthier Destenay.
卢森堡总理和他妖艳的妻子，留着胡子穿 着鱼尾裙，很fashion，你觉得呢？
The Prime Minister of Luxembourg and his coquettish wife, with beards and fishtail skirts, are very fashionable, what do you think?
卢森堡首相贝泰尔携”夫人”昨天抵京，开始对华访问。这是全球首个首相同性恋, 可拭目以待！！
Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel arrived in Beijing yesterday with his “Madame” and started his visit to China.This is the world’s first gay prime ministerCan wait and see!!
Truth : Viral Photo Of Luxembourg PM + His Wife Is FAKE!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS designed to disparage the LGBT community and/or European / NATO leaders.
The very fact that this claim was resurrected from 2019, after Europe heavily sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine, tells us that this is hardly coincidental.
It then went viral again in March 2023, right after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In any case, here are the reasons why this is NOT a photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, or his wife.
Fact #1 : Xavier Bettel Is Married To Gauthier Destenay
Xavier Bettel is Luxembourg’s first openly gay Prime Minister, and he married his partner, Gauthier Destenay, a Belgian architect.
Bettel and Destenay had been civil partners since 2010, but was able to marry each other on 15 May 2015 – a year after the Luxembourg Parliament approved same-sex marriage.
Here are real photos of Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel (right) with his partner, at their town hall wedding.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, right, puts his hand around the shoulder of his partner Gauthier Destenay after their marriage at the town hall in Luxembourg, on Friday, May 15, 2015. The marriage comes one year after the parliament approved legislation to turn Luxembourg into an increasing number of countries allowing for same-sex marriages. Bettel and Destenay have been civil partners since 2010. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Fact #2 : That Was Photo Of Conchita Wurst + Andre Karsai
The viral photo is actually of famous Austrian singer and drag queen, Conchita Wurst, and her business manager and the executive director of her company, Andre Karsai.
Conchita is actually the drag queen persona of Thomas Neuwirth, with a fictional backstory – Conchita was born in the mountains of Colombia, and married to French burlesque dancer Jacques Patriaque (Neuwirth’s actual friend)
He says this Conchita Wurst persona is similar to Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce alter-ego, and uses it as a way to protect his private life.
Neuwirth is gay but not a trans woman. He uses the he/him pronouns when referring to himself, but uses she/her to describe his Conchita Wurst character.
Conchita Wurst is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She also had a cameo in the 2020 movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Here is an interesting fact about the character’s name. Conchita is a Spanish slang word for vagina, while Wurst is a German slang word for penis. So Conchita Wurst literally means vagina penis!
In 2019, Neuwirth introduced a new mononymous persona called WURST, which would allow for a “more masculine expression”.
Fact #3 : That Photo Was Taken At 2019 Vienna Opera Ball
The viral photo was taken at the Vienna Opera Ball that took place 28 February, 2019, by Jeff Mangione of Kurier magazine. Here is Conchita Wurst with the Austrian Minister of Justice, Dr. Josef Moser.
And this was her Instagram post at Wiener Opernball 2019 :
Fact #4 : Luxembourg PM Bettel Visited China Twice
As Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Bettel paid two official visits to China :
11-14 June 2017 : Bettel visited China together with two ministers.
27-28 March 2019 : Bettel visited China to witness the signing of several bilateral agreements, and to speak at the Boao Forum for Asia.
There is no evidence that his partner, Destenay, ever accompanied him on his trips to China.
Just in case Chinese netizens are “confused”, let me be clear – that viral photo was not taken in China during Bettel’s official visit.
Here is an actual picture from Bettel’s official visit to China in 2017.
This photo is being circulated in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups, as a way to both disparage LGBTQ people and EU / NATO leaders during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Russia just destroy NATO jet fighters and helicopters that were sent to help Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2023-02-27 : Added more details Originally posted @ 2022-05-22
Claim : Russia Just Destroyed NATO Jets + Helicopters In Ukraine!
People are sharing a video created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), which claim to be evidence of NATO jet fighters and helicopters being shot down by Russia while trying to help Ukraine.
The video has an overlay that says, “Only China has the privilege to watch the live video, not even the western countries and the world.“, and it is accompanied by this message :
☝️Nato sent their jet fighter & Helicopter to help Ukraine, as soon as they entered the border, they were attacked by the Russian missile. not a single one escaped. only the Chinese media reported that news, non in the West.
☝️Nato 战机jet fighter & Helicopter 去幇助鸟克兰一进入边畍就被俄羅斯飞彈打的一个都跑不掉, 只有中國媒體才能報導西方沒有。
Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy NATO Jets + Helicopters In Ukraine!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and spread by pro-CCP and pro-Russian netizens and groups.
Fact #1 : That Video Was From A Video Game
The viral video does not show actual combat in Ukraine. It is really nothing more than a compilation of two gameplay videos from the game, ArmA 3.
ArmA 3, which is also known as ArmA III or Armed Assault 3, is an open-world, military tactical shooter game by Bohemia Interactive.
The first half of the video was cropped from an ArmA 3 video called “Combat Helicopter shot down by Missile – 4 Tanks Blown Up – Milsim – ArmA 3” – from 0:11 to 2:08, cutting off just before the videos says “Subscribe for more!“.
Ironically, the original ArmA 3 gameplay videos that the viral fake video used are hosted on YouTube, which is blocked in China.
So the overlay claiming that “only China has the privilege to watch the live video” is not only false, it is a sad reminder of the censorship in China.
The truth is – only people in China have the “privilege” of being lied to using a fake video that is easily available to the rest of the world.
Fact #3 : That Was A Russian Helicopter
We can’t tell what anti-aircraft missiles were fired at the beginning of the video, but we can easily see that they were fired at a Russian helicopter.
Anyone who watched a Rambo movie or two would easily recognise the distinctive shape of the Soviet Union’s “flying tank” – the Mil Mi-24 helicopter, which is also known as Mi-25 or Mi-35. Whatever may be the case, that was not a Western helicopter!
At around the 1:44 mark in the fake video, you can see that the soldier and the missile launcher that destroyed one of the tanks.
That is the M220 launcher for the American TOW BGM-71E anti-tank missile, not a Russian missile launcher.
In other words – the video does not show Russian forces destroying NATO tanks and helicopters. It actually shows US forces in the ArmA 3 game shooting down Russian tanks and helicopters.
Here is a comparison of the screenshot (left) and the frontal aspect of the same TOW missile launcher in the ArmA 3 game.
NATO Allied Land Command confirmed that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.
While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
So the claim that NATO sent jets and helicopters to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion is false.
Fact #7 : NATO Refused To Send Aircraft Into Ukraine
NATO also repeatedly refused to create a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine, despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleading for one.
That’s partly because the anti-aircraft missiles NATO countries supplied have successfully prevented Russia from achieving any kind of air superiority in Ukraine.
NATO has also publicly stated that they want to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia, which could lead to a continent-wide conflict.
That is also why they refused to send Ukraine jet fighters to replace those destroyed by Russian attacks.
The claim that NATO is sending jet fighters and helicopters to help Ukraine is bullshit.
Please watch out for similar fake news created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛)!
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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.
Did an American man harass Chinese female tourists, telling them to go back to China?!
Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2023-02-19 : Added more details Originally posted @ 2022-06-10
Claim : This American Harassed Chinese Female Tourists!
People are sharing a video of a man harassing two Asian females, as evidence of anti-Asian racism in the United States. The video shows a man recording himself berating two Asian females on a beach, saying :
Go! Go! Take your dress and go from this country.
I hate Chinese. Fuck China. China, fuck you.
Translated from Turkish : You people made corona[virus] a thing, and now the economy is shit
Originally spread in June 2022 targeting Americans, it’s being shared again in February 2023, with messages targeting Turkey and/or Europe:
Chinese ladies were asked to leave the beach in Europe….they were not welcome there. Better be careful and alert while travelling in Europe… the situation might turn violent if you confronted the “white”. Safer to travel in Thailand East Asia.
The INTERNMENT CAMPS are coming…. should HOSTILITIES breakout with CHINA.
It’s time for CHINA to stop putting their TOURISM MONEY into the hands of these UNGRATEFUL COUNTRIES.
CHINA Chinese ladies were asked to leave the beach in EUROPE….as they were not welcome there.
Truth : He Is Not An American Harassing Chinese Female Tourists!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens.
After investigating this video, here are the facts that I was able to ascertain…
Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Cyprus
First, let me point out that this video wasn’t recorded in the United States. It was recorded at the Nissi Bay Beach in Cyprus.
In fact, I geolocated the precise location to a few metres south of the Petra Snack Bar, at the Nissi Beach Resort.
On the left is a screenshot at 0:15 of the video clip; and on the right is a picture of the Petra Snack Bar taken in October 2019 by Matthias Schelker, at almost the same position!
You can see the same white Petra Snack Bar signboard, and stairs leading up to the cafe; as well as the red Life Guard shack.
Another man who was standing nearby (seen here in the left screenshot) told him off, “No, no”, to which the man responded, “What the fuck, no?”
The man in the video is not American. Even though he asked the ladies to “go from this country“, he’s not even a citizen of Cyprus!
He’s actually a Turkish citizen called Taner Tolga Tarlacı, who is living in Cyprus because he was sentenced to 18-20 years of jail in Turkey for a variety of small crimes.
Allegedly, he learned about the arrest warrant on a ferry from Cyprus to Turkey, and literally jumped off the ship and swam back to Cyprus to avoid arrest!
Fact #3 : Taner Creates Controversial Videos
Taner is actually a minor Turkish celebrity, after participating in Turkish Got Talent and Survivor Turkey (Survivor Türkiye). Since then, he has been creating controversial or crazy videos… and even porn!
He is notable for bizarre antics, so much so, he allegedly got his own TV show cancelled when he chased his guests with a fire extinguisher on its first episode!
So it is possible he recorded the video to “go viral”, which is why he made sure he figured prominently in it.
For small-timers like Taner Tolga Tarlaci, bad publicity probably is better than no publicity at all. Such controversies help keep him in public light.
When Taner told the Asian ladies to leave the beach, you can hear the lady who was standing up say, “Yeah, okay” in what sounds like an American accent. She could possibly be Chinese American!
In any case, there is no way to know if the ladies are Chinese citizens as alleged. They could be Japanese or Korean, or people of Chinese ethnicity from other countries like the United States.
Fact #5 : The Video Was Allegedly Taken In 2020
According to several netizens, the video was allegedly taken early in the COVID-19 pandemic, circa 2020.
I am bringing this up because people are claiming that this is a new video in various websites, social media and even WhatsApp.
This video first came to our attention after going viral in June 2022, and has gone viral again in February 2023.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Russia just destroy four Bradley Fighting Vehicles in Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Russia Just Destroyed 4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine!
People are sharing a video of Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov claiming that Russian forces destroyed four Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV) in Ukraine!
Here is the accompanying message, which I machine-translated into English.
💥 За сутки боевых действий на данном направлении противник потерял 11 танков, 17 боевых машин пехоты, в том числе четыре БМП «Брэдли» производства США, 10 других боевых бронированных машин, 5 пикапов с крупнокалиберными пулеметами и более 150 военнослужащих.
💥 During the day of hostilities in this direction, the enemy lost 11 tanks, 17 infantry fighting vehicles, including four US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 10 other armored combat vehicles, 5 pickup trucks with heavy machine guns and more than 150 military personnel.
Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy 4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS spread by pro-Russian netizens and groups.
Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded On 4 September 2022
The video is genuine, but it isn’t new. It was actually posted on the official Russian Ministry of Defence’s Telegram group on 4 September 2022.
In that longer video, Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov was giving a report on the state of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
⚡️ Сводка Министерства обороны Российской Федерации о ходе проведения специальной военной операции на территории Украины (04.09.2022 г.)
⚡️ Report of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine (04.09.2022)
Fact #2 : Bradley Fighting Vehicle Donation Only Announced In January 2023
President Joe Biden only announced that the US government would be sending Ukraine about 50 Bradley M2A2 ODS Fighting Vehicles on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.
That’s exactly four months after Russia claimed to have destroyed four of them!
Fact #3 : There Are Still No Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine
Even today, it is impossible for Russian military forces to have destroyed four Bradley Fighting Vehicles in Ukraine, because the Ukrainian army still does not not have any!
Yes, President Biden announced a new $2.8 billion weapons package on January 4, 2023 that would include about 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, but those vehicles will take months to deliver.
As Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder announced on January 5, 2023 – the Bradley Fighting Vehicles have not been delivered to Ukraine.
You will see when Bradleys arrive on the battlefield. Let Ukraine announce it.
Fact #4 : Ukrainians Need To Train On Bradley Fighting Vehicles First!
Logistically, the US Army has about 4,000 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and can easily deliver the 50 vehicles to Ukraine in weeks, if not days.
However, Bradley Fighting Vehicles are complex vehicles, and it will take several weeks for each vehicle and maintenance crew to learn how to use and maintain them. And that is expedited training.
In fact, the Ukrainians will only start training on the Bradley M2 vehicles this week in Germany, as announced by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder in a briefing last week.
Training will mostly start next week in Germany. We expect this training to last weeks, not months.
Regardless of when the US government sends the Bradley M2 vehicles to Ukraine, they will only appear on the battlefield after there are trained Ukrainian crews.
This is nothing more than old but official Russian propaganda that is being used by pro-CCP and pro-Russia netizens and groups to promote the perception that the United States is wasting resources in Ukraine.
Be wary of such claims, because there are plenty spreading on WhatsApp, Telegram and social media platforms. Here is a selection of similar Russian propaganda that I fact checked in the past:
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
In this guide, I will share with you how to turn on two-step verification in Telegram.
Step 1 : Open Telegram.
Step 2 : Go to Options > Settings > Privacy and Security.
Step 3 : Tap on the Two-Step Verification option.
Step 4 : In the Two-Step Verification screen, tap on the Set Password option.
Step 5 : Key in your preferred password, which can be any combination of capital or small letters and numbers.
Step 6 : You will need to key the same password again, to confirm it.
Step 7 : Next, you can create a hint to remind you of your password. This is optional, and you can skip it if you prefer.
But if you key one in, the hint will be displayed whenever you are asked to key in the password in the future.
Step 8 : After that, you will have the option of adding a Recovery Email address, just in case your account is hijacked.
This is optional as well, but I highly recommend you add a recovery email, which is simply the email address you use.
Step 9 : If you entered a Recovery Email address, Telegram will now send you an email with a 6-digit code to verify that email address.
Step 10 : Look for the Telegram verification code email, and key in the 6-digit verification code.
That’s it! You’re done! From now on, you will be required to key in the password whenever you log into a new device.
This will prevent hackers / scammers from taking over your account, even if you accidentally give them the Login code you receive by SMS.
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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.
Watch out for the Telegram screenshot hack and scam! Find out how the Telegram screenshot hack and scam works, and what you can do!
Telegram Screenshot Hack : New Twist To Old Trick
My friend just got hit by the Telegram screenshot hack, and the hacker is now trying to scam everyone on his contact list!
The Telegram screenshot hack is a new twist to an old trick, and here is how they do it…
Step 1 : Identify A Suitable Target
After obtaining a legitimate Telegram account through phishing or other means, the hacker reads through the messages to identify a suitable target – usually a close friend whom you often chat with, and trust.
For the purpose of our example, the hacker stole your friend’s Telegram account and has identified you as a suitable target.
Step 2 : Attempt To Login From Another Device
The hacker installs Telegram in another device and attempts to log into your account. He only needs the your phone number to do that.
The login attempt triggers Telegram to send a Login code to the your registered devices to authenticate the login. Usually, that’s the Telegram app in your smartphone.
Step 3 : Ask For A Screenshot Of Telegram
Traditionally, this is when the hacker will use your friend’s Telegram account to message you and ask for that Login code. However, asking for the Login code may trigger suspicion, so hackers have now come up with a new twist.
Instead of asking you for the Login code, the hacker will use your friend’s Telegram account to ask you to take a screenshot of your Telegram app and send it to him.
What harm is there? After all, many of us take screenshots and share them with family, friends and even on social media!
The problem is – the screenshot will accidentally reveal your Telegram Login code! Take a look at the actual screenshot my friend sent – it clearly shows the Telegram Login code!
Step 4 : Terminate All Other Sessions
The hacker will immediately use the Login code to log into your Telegram account on his device.
Then he will terminate all other sessions from that Telegram account, which means you get logged out from your Telegram app on your own smartphone!
Step 5 : Change Password
To prevent you from logging back in, and terminating his Telegram session, he will change the password.
Step 6 : Scam Your Friends
Now that the hacker gained control of your Telegram account and locked you out of it, he is free to scam your friends.
In this case, my friend’s contacts all started getting pleas to borrow money for some kind of emergency. The hacker will, of course, promise to pay you back quickly.
Your unsuspecting friends may not realise that this is not you that they are talking to, and may end up sending the hacker money.
In this case though, my friend managed to quickly alert us via WhatsApp that his Telegram account was hacked, so we didn’t tall for the scam.
One of his friends toyed with the scammer, and obtained the bank details. That is obviously not my friend’s name or account number!
Telegram Screenshot Hack : How To Prevent It?
Now that you know how the Telegram screenshot hack works, you can pretty much figure out how to prevent it.
Here is my quick summary for those who didn’t go through the whole process above :
Do NOT send anyone your Telegram Login code. Not even anyone claiming to be working for Telegram.
Do NOT send anyone a screenshot of your Telegram app. Even if it’s not a scam, it reveals portions of your chats!
Turn on Two-Step Verification in Telegram. This lets you recover your account, even if you accidentally let someone take over your account.
Telegram Screenshot Hack : How To Recover Your Account?
If you failed to turn on two-step verification, there is still a way to recover your Telegram account after it is stolen by a hacker.
For these steps to work though, you need to have access to your phone number. You must also do this quickly, as the hacker will be alerted to your attempt.
Step 1 : Open Telegram.
Step 2 : Log into your Telegram account using your phone number.
Step 3 : You will be asked if you have the correct number. Click Yes.
Step 4 : Telegram will send a 5-digit code to all your devices with Telegram installed. You won’t receive it since the hacker has already terminated all other sessions.
Step 5 : Click on the option just above the keypad – “Send the code as an SMS“.
Step 6 : You will now receive an SMS with the 5-digit code. Key it in, and you will now have access to your Telegram account.
Step 7 : Go to Options > Settings > Privacy and Security.
Step 8 : Scroll down and tap on Devices.
Step 9 : Tap on the option – Terminate All Other Session – to boot out the hacker.
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.
Can hackers use greeting photos and videos to hack your phone, and steal your data?
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the FACTS really are!
Claim : Greeting Photos + Videos Can Hack Your Phone!
People keep sharing this warning about greeting photos and videos, which claims that they can hack your phone and steal your data.
It’s a long message, so just skip to the next section for the facts!
Hello Family and friends,
Starting tomorrow, Please do not send network pictures. Look at the following article to understand. I’m going to stop too.
Please delete all photos and videos of Good morning, Evening and other greetings and religious messages as soon as possible. Read the following article carefully and you will understand why.
Read all! Please send this message urgently to as many friends as possible to prevent illegal intrusion.
Warning from Olga Nikolaevnas lawyer:
Attention! For those who like to send Good morning! It’s a beautiful day! Good evening!
picture. Please do not send these good messages.
Today, Shanghai China International News sent out SOS to all subscribers and experts – advise: Do not send pictures and videos of good morning, good night, etc.
The report shows that hackers who designed these images, and these images and videos are beautiful, But there is a hidden phishing code, and when everyone sends these messages, hackers use your device to steal personal information, such as bank card information and data, and break into your phone.
It is reported that more than 500,000 victims have been defrauded.
If you want to say hello to others, please write your own greetings and send your own pictures and videos so that you can protect yourself and your family and friends.
Important ! To be safe, please be sure to delete all greetings and pictures on your phone. If someone has sent you such images, remove them from your device immediately. Malicious code takes some time to deploy, so if you take action immediately, there will be no harm done.
Tell all your friends to prevent being hacked.
Say hello in your own words and only send your own created images and videos to greet, which is completely safe for yourself, your family and friends. Please understand what I mean! Everyone has a bank card attached to their mobile phone, and everyones mobile phone has many contacts. This hack creates a threat not only to yourself, but to your phone, friends and acquaintances as well! This is brutal.
This is a new technique used by terrorists to visit your mobile phone SIM card, so that you become their accomplice!!!
* * * Send this message to as many of your relatives and friends as possible to stop any unauthorised intrusions!!!
Truth : Greeting Photos + Videos Cannot Be Hack Your Phone!
Many of us get spammed with Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening photos and videos every day from family and friends.
While they often clog up Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp groups, they really cannot hack your phone. Here are the reasons why Good Morning messages are very irritating, but harmless…
Fact #1 : Shanghai China International News Does Not Exist
The news organisation that was claimed to be the source of this warning – Shanghai China International News – does not exist!
Fact #2 : Greeting Photos + Videos Not Created By Hackers
Hackers (from China or anywhere else) have better things to do than to create these greeting photos and videos.
They are mostly created by websites and social media influencers for people to share and attract new followers.
Fact #3 : No Fraud Involving Greeting Photos / Videos
There has been no known fraud involving Good Morning or Good Night messages, videos or pictures.
Certainly, half a million victims of such a scam would have made front page news. Yet there is not a single report on even one case…. because it never happened.
Fact #4 : Image-Based Malware Is Possible, But…
Digital steganography is a method by which secret messages and other data can be hidden in digital files, like a photo or a video, or even a music file.
It is also possible to embed malicious code within a Good Morning photo, but it won’t be a full-fledged malware that can execute by itself.
At most, it can be used to hide the malware payload from antivirus scanners, which is pretty clever to be honest…
Fact #5 : Image-Based Malware Requires User Action
In January 2019, cybercriminals created an online advertisement with a script that appears innocuous and would pass any malware check.
However, the image itself has an “almost white” rectangle that is recognised by the script, triggering it to redirect the user to the cybercriminals’ website.
Once there, the victim is tricked into installing a Trojan disguised as an Adobe Flash Player update.
Such a clever way to bypass malware checks, but even so, this image-based malware requires user action.
You cannot get infected by the Trojan if you practice good “Internet hygiene” by not downloading or installing anything from unknown websites.
Fact #6 : Malicious Code Executes Immediately
If you accidentally download and trigger malware, it will execute immediately. It won’t wait, as the hoax message claims.
Deleting Good Morning or Good Night photos or videos will free up storage space in your phone, but it won’t prevent any malware from executing.
There is really no reason for malware to wait before it infects your devices. Waiting will only increase the risk of detection.
Whether the malware serves to take over your device, steal your information or encrypt it for ransom, it pays to do it at the first opportunity.
Now that you know the facts, please SHARE this article with your family and friends!
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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.
Did Malaysian technopreneur Chevy Beh die from COVID-19 vaccine Sudden Adult Death Syndrome?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Chevy Beh Died From COVID-19 Vaccine SADS!
Almost immediately after news broke that Malaysian technopreneur Chevy Beh died suddenly, anti-vaccination activists started claiming that he died from vaccine-induced Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS).
Here are just some examples circulating on social media :
The last time I read abt Chevy Beh was when he got a deal for vaccine from KJ (?), and last night I found out that he passed away, and everyone was trying to keep it hush hush. So fishy.. anyway, RIP Chevy..
Rip Dato Chevy Beh (37), 1985-August 2022, Founder of BookDoc
His death is a mystery. As an important person, his death was kept a secret. But many rumours say he died from long-term effects of vaccination.
What is certain is that his family does not want to reveal the true cause of Mr. Chevy’s sudden death.
Certain facts cannot be died :
he was fully vaccinated ✅️
he was confirmed to have died suddenly ✅️
We don’t want to speculate because vaccination is too sacred to be linked to his death.
I have my own mind, my own eyes. If you want to accept the truth, please believe. If you don’t want to accept it, that’s your right.
Refusing to accept that this experimental vaccine can harm you is your right too.
No Evidence Chevy Beh Died From COVID-19 Vaccine SADS!
It’s becoming a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all celebrity deaths or injuries 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… and the current facts that we know so far.
Fact #1 : Cause Of Death For Chevy Beh Was A Lung Infection
First, let me just share a few facts about Chevy Beh’s death :
Chevy Beh died on Tuesday, 23 August 2022
His death was announced by BookDoc on Wednesday, 24 August 2022
In an interview, his sister said that he died of a lung infection
According to Sin Chew Daily, Chevy’s sister, Lovy, confirmed in an interview that he died from a lung infection.
To be clear, Chevy Beh’s cause of death was a lung infection, not COVID-19 vaccine side effects.
Fact #2 : His Family Did Not Blame Vaccine For His Death
While there was no official family statement regarding his death, Chevy Beh’s father – James Beh – posted a comment on the BookDoc announcement, stating:
Chevy my son always aspires to be better than anyone including me
You would expect him to rage against the vaccine, if that was the cause of his son’s death. But that did not happen.
Neither did his sister, Lovy, mention the COVID-19 vaccine as the cause of his death.
Fact #3 : Chevy Beh Was Fully Vaccinated
Chevy Beh was fully-vaccinated on June 5, 2021, and he publicly announced this on Instagram:
Today I can declare that I m fully vaccinated (2 doses) and ready to combat this invisible enemy, covid19!
So we know that he was fully-vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, more than a year ago.
There is currently no evidence he received any booster dose beyond the two AstraZeneca primary vaccine doses he received in June 2021.
Fact #4 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days
Chevy Beh was fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 more than 14 months ago.
He 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.
Fact #5 : He Was Said To Have Collapsed After Playing Polo
Chevy Beh is an accomplished polo player, who formerly captained the England Under-21 team. He also played alongside Prince William and Prince Harry.
His father, James Beh, taught his three sons – Chevy, Joevy and Garvy, and his daughter, Lovy, how to play polo; and eventually established the BP Polo team.
Several sources confirmed to The Peak that Chevy Beh collapsed after playing polo on Saturday, 20 August 2022. He only passed away four days later, on Wednesday, 23 August 2022.
As his sister, Lovy, revealed in an interview – he died from a lung infection, so the polo game itself had nothing to do with his death.
That said, an accident during a polo game was itself initially seen as a possibility, as polo is not an “easy” or “safe” sport, as some may believe.
Polo is actually considered a high-risk sport, as it is a contact sport involving a horse and a rider wielding a long mallet. Falls and collisions, for example, are common and can result in serious injuries.
Chevy Beh himself had a near-death experience falling off his horse while playing polo – an incident he shared on his 36th birthday on October 12, 2021:
People always asked me if I have encounter near death experience from polo. Picture describes a thousand words. I’m grateful that am still alive and celebrating my 36th birthday with my love ones!
#birthday #grateful
Again, we do NOT know if his death was caused by an accident while playing polo, but it is a possibility that cannot yet be discounted.
Fact #6 : Deaths / Injuries From COVID-19 Vaccines Can Be Proven
Despite anti-vaccination activists chalking up celebrity deaths to the vaccine; death or injury from rare vaccine adverse effects like anaphylaxis, myocarditis and VITT can be proven.
Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) from Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines happens within minutes. That’s why people are asked to wait for 15-30 minutes after getting the vaccine. People who get an anaphylactic shock will require an epinephrine shot to quickly relieve it.
Vaccine-induced myocarditis has distinct histopathology findings that are different from typical myocarditis, so a pathologist will be able to determine if the myocarditis was caused by the vaccines or otherwise.
Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) is very specific to the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. It is also easily differentiated by its unique combination of blood clots in large veins of the brains, abdomen and lungs, together with low platelet counts leading to bleeding tendencies.
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 prominent antivaxxer Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!
Fact #8 : Claims Of Celebrities Dying From COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False
This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing celebrity deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
So far, claims of celebrity deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance.
Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next celebrity 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!
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.
Indonesia just banned a number of major websites including Steam, Epic Games, PayPal and Battle.net!
Here is what you need to know!
Indonesia Banned Steam, PayPal, Epic Games + More!
On 30 July 2022, Indonesians woke up to the shocking discovery that a number of gaming platforms like Steam, Epic Games, Origin, Ubisoft and Battle.net are now banned!
Not only were gaming platforms banned, Indonesia also banned major websites and digital services like PayPal and Waze.
Indonesian netizens have started sharing tips on how to bypass this sudden ban – by using VPN, or changing their DNS servers, to bypass what appears to be an IP block.
Why Indonesia Banned Steam, PayPal, Epic Games, Etc!
There was no official announcement by the Indonesian government, but it is likely that Indonesia banned Steam, PayPal, Epic Games and a bunch of other websites and digital platforms because they failed to register as an Electronics System Provider / Penyelenggara Sistem Elektronik (PSE).
On November 24, 2020, the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) imposed a new regulation calling for all local and international digital services to register with them for cybersecurity and user protection purposes.
Failure to comply with that regulation would subject the digital service to being banned / blocked in Indonesia.
Here is a partial list of major websites, platforms and digital services registered with the Indonesian government, and those that have not been registered, or are known to be blocked.
Those on the unregistered list are likely to be blocked, if not already blocked. Interestingly, Telegram is listed as registered, but is currently inaccessible (blocked) in Indonesia.
Registered
Unregistered
Blocked
LINE
WhatsApp
TikTok
Google
Google Classroom
Google Drive
Gmail
Google Cloud
YouTube
Amazon AWS
Facebook
Telegram
Twitter
Instagram
Discord
Zoom
Gojek
Spotify
Shopee
Lazada
Traveloka
Netflix
Disney+ Hotstar
Zenius
Mobile Legends
LinkedIn
Roblox
Vidio
FB Messenger
Wikipedia
Deezer
Waze
Brainly
Notion
Pinterest
SoundCloud
PayPal
EA
Nintendo
Ubisoft
Mangaku
MediaFire
GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket
CloudFlare
MS Azure
Amazon
Reddit
DuckDuckGo
Twitch
IMDb
MS Office
Yahoo
IMDb
Patreon
Epic Games
Steam
Uplay
Battle.net
Origin
On July 15 – just 2 weeks earlier – Kominfo warned that digital service providers will be banned in Indonesia on July 21, 2022 if they refused to register.
The deadline for all PSE registration – both domestic and foreign – was set at July 20, 2022. After that, Kominfo would start banning unregistered apps and services.
At that time, Kominfo reported that many major brands and companies have yet to register with them, like Google (which owns YouTube, Google Drive, Gmail, etc.), Meta (which owns WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook), Twitter, Netflix, PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends.
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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.
Canadian general Trevor Cadieu, who was allegedly captured by Russia, is on the way back to face sexual assault charges in Canada!
Find out what the heck is going on!
Claim : Russia Captured Canadian General Cadieu In Azovstal!
Pro-Russian websites, Chinese netizens and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) have claimed since May 2022 that Russia captured Canadian Lieutenant General Trevor John Cadieu when he tried to escape from the Azovstal metalworks in Mariupol, Ukraine.
General Trevor Cadieu (Trevor John Cadieu), captured by Russian troops while trying to escape from the cellars of Azovstal, was the commander of the Canadian Ground Forces, APA reports citing Mailbd.
Seated in the catacombs under the Mariupol steel plant “Azovstal” nationalists staged a provocation, trying to hide the Canadian general’s attempt to escape. After the capture of a high-ranking foreign soldier by units of the RF Armed Forces, it became clear why so many efforts were made to save him.
A high-ranking mercenary tried to break out of the encirclement at Azovstal several times. It was for this that the West insisted on humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians: among them, foreign specialists had to leave the catacombs.
This Chinese example even claimed that NATO lost 5-6 helicopters and a ship trying to get General Cadieu out of Azovstal.
A lot of rumors that Russia has captured a Canadian general trying to escape thru sewer tunnels. Could be a few more NATO military advisers still in the plant
They have spent losing 5 or 6 helicopters and 1 ship trying to get the VVIP out.
Canadian General Cadieu “Captured” By Russia Is OTW Back!
Despite debunking it several times, both Russian and Chinese supporters continue to push the claims, even after Azovstal fell on 16 May 2022, and General Cadieu was nowhere to be found.
Russian and Chinese propaganda shifted course, claiming that General Cadieu was likely being held by Moscow as a bargaining chip, or being interrogated for his knowledge of Ukrainian and NATO plans to invade Russia.
There are a couple of problems with those claims :
In mid October 2021, Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu was accused of sexual assault that he allegedly committed as a cadet in 1994.
He resigned and left the Canadian armed forces on 5 April 2022, after his appointment to head the Canadian army was derailed by those sexual assault charges.
He only left for Ukraine in April 2022 – weeks after Azovstal was surrounded by Russian forces. So it would have been impossible for him to be captured in Azovstal.
The months-long investigation into those sexual assault charges was completed, and he was formally charged with sexual assault on 15 June 2022.
According to the Ottawa Citizen, General Cadieu was informed of the charges, and he indicated in an email from Ukraine that he was “making arrangements to return to Canada from Ukraine“.
Yet again – Russian and Chinese propaganda have proven to be false.
Not only is former General Trevor Cadieu still not captured by Russian forces, he is arranging to return to Canada to face two sexual assault charges.
No NATO soldiers or generals were caught fighting in Ukraine, because there are no NATO soldiers or officers in Ukraine.
All NATO forces that were helping to train Ukrainian soldiers were pulled out before the Russian invasion began.
Russia is having trouble defeating Ukraine because it has a shitty army, not because thousands of NATO soldiers and officers are fighting with the Ukrainians.
No amount of fake news will change the fact that over 30 thousand Russian soldiers have been killed by the Ukrainians – twice as many Russia lost in their invasion of Afghanistan.
No amount of fake news will also change the fact that Russia lost over 1,500 tanks, and over 3,700 armoured fighting vehicles, as of 3 July 2022.
The Russian “special operation” is bogged down by tenacious Ukrainian defences, with nary a NATO soldier or officer in sight. Just a lot of NATO supplied weapons.
If NATO was truly involved, they would have rolled the piss-poor Russian army back into Russia. Instead, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has now stagnated into a slow artillery siege of the Donbas region.
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites and groups.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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.
However, Malaysians are also too gullible, accepting all warnings on WhatsApp as genuine, without first verifying if they are even true.
Here are the reasons why the MySejahtera reset messages delivered by the 68808 SMS service are not necessarily a scam!
Fact #1 : 68808 Is Used By MySejahtera
Despite what people may tell you – 68808 is an official SMS service number used by MySejahtera.
In fact, MySejahtera uses three SMS service numbers to send you notifications (like your vaccination appointments), as well as your password renewal link :
68808 68088 63001
Fact #2 : 68808 Messages Are Generally Legitimate
Despite what is shared on social media, messages sent through 68808 are genuine. What you need to be wary of are SMS messages sent via other numbers.
Take a look at this example of fake news shared on social media, and some websites. It was touted as an example of fake MySejahtera messages sent by 68808.
The truth is “original” message was sent through 63839, which is not a legitimate MySejahtera SMS service. The “fake” message was sent through 68808, which is a legitimate MySejahtera SMS service.
In this misleading example, you can also see a prior SMS message on vehicle servicing in the 63839 channel. Official MySejahtera SMS channels (68808, 68088 and 63001) will only show messages from MySejahtera, not other services.
Note : The links in both messages appear to be genuine, linking to https://mysejahtera.malaysia.gov.my/.
Fact #3 : MySejahtera Sends Reset Links Via SMS
Despite what social media “experts” may tell you – MySejahtera will send password reset links through SMS, as a verification method.
If you are trying to reset your MySejahtera password (because you forgot it), you will be sent an SMS message with a link to https://mysejahtera.malaysia.gov.my/, as the example above shows.
Fact #4 : SMS Messages Can Be Spoofed
That said, SMS messages can be spoofed to appear to come from the three legitimate MySejahtera channels – 68808, 68088 and 63001.
So you should avoid clicking on MySejahtera password reset links, even from legitimate channels, unless you have specifically asked to reset the MySejahtera password.
Fact #5 : MySejahtera Team Clarified This In April
The MySejahtera team actually refuted these false claims in April 2022. Unfortunately, people still continue to share this fake news.
So please help us fight fake news – share this fact check with your family and friends!
How To Avoid MySejahtera (Or Other) SMS Scam!
So here is what I recommend when it comes to SMS messages, whether they were sent by MySejahtera, banks, etc. :
Always check to make sure they come from legitimate SMS channels. For MySejahtera, that’s 68808, 68088 and 63001.
If you are not sure about an SMS message from the authorities / banks / telcos, please do not hesitate to call them to verify the authenticity of that message.
Never click on a link to log into a website (like your bank). Always use your banking app, or log in manually using a Internet browser on your computer or phone.
Only click on a link in specific circumstances that do not require a login – for example : to verify your request to reset your MySejahtera password.
Do NOT click on any link to confirm that you are resetting a password, or confirm your new SIM card, unless you just requested to performed those actions.
Before you click on a link, always check the link goes to the official website (like https://mysejahtera.malaysia.gov.my/). Never click on a link that goes to suspicious websites.
I hope this article helps you differentiate between fake claims circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups, and proper cybersecurity measures we should take to prevent being scammed of our hard-earned money!
Please help to SHARE this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work! Thank you!
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.
People have been sharing a mugshot of Paul Pelosi – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband – who was arrested for DUI.
Take a look at the viral photo and find out what his real mugshot really looks like!
Claim : This Is The Paul Pelosi Arrest Mugshot
For many American conservatives, the story of Paul Pelosi getting arrested for DUI has not gotten enough media attention. So they have resorted to claiming that he was also arrested for possessing child porn and drugs, or that Nancy Pelosi was with the real culprit, and Paul was covering for her.
More recently, they shared a photo, claiming that it was of Paul Pelosi, with a blackened eye.
Paul Pelosi’s mug shot. Looks like he got a shinner…. #PaulPelosi #PaulPelosiMugShot #MugShots #NancyPelosi
Paul Pelosi’s mug shot. Don’t stop passing this around before it is banned…
The police refused to release it but his mugshot got leaked.
Paul Pelosi : Real vs. Fake Arrest Mugshot Compared!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS that American conservatives are creating to smear politicians across the aisle.
Fact #1 : That Mugshot Was Photo Edited
The Paul Pelosi mugshot that went viral was digitally altered from a photo taken at the Pre-Grammy Gala, taken by Kevork Djansezian on February 14, 2016.
Here is a comparison of the crop of that Pre-Grammy Gala photo (on the left), and the edited photo on the right.
You can see that many parts of the face are similar – ears, nose, mouth, left eye, both eyebrows, and even the wrinkles on his face.
The person who altered the photo made him look heavier, added hair from a different person, as well as a blackened right eye.
Fact #2 : His Real Mugshot Was Released
Perhaps as a response to the fake mugshot being shared online, Paul Pelosi’s real mugshot was released by the Napa County Department of corrections, with this statement :
Napa County Department of Corrections Releases Paul Pelosi Mugshot
(NAPA, California) — On the night of May 28, 2022, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested Paul Pelosi (DOB 4/15/40) for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Driving with a .08% Blood Alcohol Content or Higher. He was booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections and subsequently cite released the following morning.
In Napa County, the decision to release or withhold mugshots or booking photos lies with the Napa County Department of Corrections, not the District Attorney’s Office. In the days after Mr. Pelosi’s arrest, Napa County followed the Department of Corrections’ policy regarding the release of booking photos and mugshots. Mr. Pelosi received the same treatment under that policy that all individuals released from County Jail receive.
No state law specifically requires the release of booking photos or mugshots, but policies regarding this topic can vary by jurisdiction. Napa County updated its policy to reflect current best practices and align with the policies of similar jurisdictions. As such, Napa County is now making available to the media and the public the booking photo of Mr. Pelosi taken at approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 29, 2022, at Napa County Department of Corrections.
This comparison shows you his real mugshot (on the left), and the fake mugshot (on the right).
As you can see, Paul Pelosi did not suffer any facial injuries from his crash.
Fact #3 : Paul Pelosi Was Arrested For DUI
Paul Pelosi was driving home from a dinner party at around 10:15 PM on Saturday night, when he attempted to cross a State Route 29 intersection at Walnut Lane in the Napa County.
His 2021 Porsche was hit by a 48 year-old Jeep driver, Jesus Lopez. Fortunately, neither men were hurt seriously, although both cars were written off in the crash.
After the accident, Paul was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.08%, and arrested on “suspicion of DUI”.
Fact #4 : He Faces Two Misdemeanour Charges
Paul Pelosi’s bail was set at $5,000 for two counts of misdemeanour :
driving under the influence
driving with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher
He is scheduled to appear in court on August 3, 2022; although Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said that she has not decided whether to bring charges.
This is standard protocol for any DUI case that is referred by a law enforcement agency in Napa County.
No decision has been made at this time. Any speculation to the contrary is incorrect.
When a filing decision is made by the Napa County District Attorney, the media and public will be notified.
Fact #5 : A Young Lady Was Not Involved
The claims that Paul Pelosi was with a (very) young lady are also false.
This was confirmed by the accident report, which only shows two drivers involved. There were no passengers in both cars.
Fact #6 : Nancy Pelosi Was Not Involved
To be clear, there were only two people involved in the accident – Paul Pelosi and Jesus Lopez.
Claim that US Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the real driver, but her husband covered for her are false. This was confirmed by her spokesperson, who stated :
The Speaker will not be commenting on this private matter which occurred while she was on the East Coast.
She could not be with her husband as she was in the East Coast to deliver a commencement address to the 2022 graduates and receive an honorary doctorate degree at Brown University in Rhode Island, on Monday, 30 May 2022.
Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this fact check out, and 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.
Was Paul Pelosi – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband – just arrested for child porn and crack cocaine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2022-06-10 : Added Napa County DA’s announcement on charges. Originally posted @ 2022-05-30
Claim : Paul Pelosi Was Arrested For Child Porn + Cocaine!
Within hours of the news breaking that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was arrested in California, Vancouver Times posted a story that claimed he was found to also be in possession of child porn and crack cocaine!
They later updated their story to also claim that Nancy Pelosi would also face charges, and that she was tied to international sex trafficking rings.
Paul Pelosi is in serious trouble and could face many years in prison.
Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, was re-arrested this weekend for possession of child pornography and crack cocaine. The MSM reported on the first arrest, but not the second arrest.
Sources indicate Pelosi paid off the prosecutor’s office to keep the second arrest “off-the-books.”
Paul Pelosi was first arrested late Saturday in Napa County north of San Francisco, according to a sheriff’s office online booking report.
He was caught driving with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher, the report said.
Pelosi was originally released on bail, but was re-arrested after police found child pornography on his phone, as well as crack cocaine and pipes in his car. The child porn and drugs were not found during the initial search.
California Highway Patrol Officer and the FBI stated the investigation is ongoing and both Pelosi and his wife Nancy could be facing more charges. There has long been speculation the Pelosi’s are tied to international sex trafficking rings.
Pelosi’s arrest was first reported by TMZ.
Truth : Paul Pelosi Was Not Arrested For Child Porn Or Cocaine…
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to generate page views and money from gullible people.
Fact #1 : Vancouver Times Is A Fake News Website
Vancouver Times is a “content aggregator” (copy and paste) website that is known for creating fake news to generate more page views and money.
To look legitimate, they copy and paste news from legitimate news organisations. To drive traffic, they create fake news, sometimes masked as “satire”.
To give themselves a veneer of deniability, they label themselves as a “satire website” in their About Us section.
Vancouver Times is the most trusted source for satire on the West Coast. We write satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.
We are not affiliated with the mainstream media (CBC, CTV etc.) in any way, and any similarities between our content and the work of the MSM is purely coincidental.
Fact #2 : They Relabel Fake Stories As Satire
The Satire section in Vancouver Times appears to be a place where their fake stories go to “die”.
It looks like their SOP is to post fake stories as genuine news, to trick people and go viral. They will then shift their fake stories to the Satire section after getting fact checked.
They first posted this fake story about Paul Pelosi under their America section, only moving it to their Satire section after I fact checked it.
Here are some of the fake news that they created recently, that we debunked :
Paul Pelosi was driving home from a dinner party at around 10:15 PM on Saturday night, when his 2021 Porsche was hit by a 48 year-old Jeep driver on Walnut Lane in the Napa County while he was trying to cross a State Route 29 intersection.
After the accident, Paul was arrested on “suspicion of DUI”. He was not arrested for possession of child porn or crack cocaine.
Vancouver Times created that fake claim that the police found child pornography and crack cocaine to drive traffic to their website.
Fact #4 : He Was Granted Bail Within Hours
Paul Pelosi was granted bail within hours, which would not be possible if he was really found to possess child pornography and crack cocaine, as Vancouver Times falsely claimed.
According to Napa County records, this was what happened :
11:44 PM, May 28 : Paul Pelosi was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
4:13 AM, May 29 : Paul Pelosi was booked into jail
7:26 AM, May 29 : Paul Pelosi was released at 7:26 on bail
Fact #5 : He Faces Two Misdemeanour Charges
Paul Pelosi’s bail was set at $5,000 for two counts of misdemeanour :
driving under the influence
driving with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher
As the police booking record shows, there was NO MENTION of child porn or crack cocaine – the possession of which are felonies, not misdemeanours.
Vancouver Times made up those claims, to drive traffic to their fake news article.
Fact #6 : Nancy Pelosi Was Not Involved
US Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not with her husband during the incident, it is nonsensical for Vancouver Times to claim that she could be facing charges herself.
This was confirmed by her spokesperson, who stated :
The Speaker will not be commenting on this private matter which occurred while she was on the East Coast.
She could not be with her husband as she was in the East Coast to deliver a commencement address to the 2022 graduates and receive an honorary doctorate degree at Brown University in Rhode Island, on Monday, 30 May 2022.
Fact #7 : Nancy Pelosi Was Not Tied To Sex Trafficking Rings
Nancy Pelosi was never tied to sex trafficking rings.
That is part of QAnon conspiracy theories about Democrat sex trafficking rings that have been repeatedly debunked.
Fact #8 : Napa County DA Reviewing DUI Charges
On Thursday, June 9, 2022, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced that the Napa County DA’s Office was reviewing the DUI charges.
Haley also said that Paul Pelosi agreed to a court date for early August, although no decision has been made at this time (to charge him for DUI).
If it’s not obvious by now, Paul Pelosi was never arrested and will not be charged for possession of child porn or crack cocaine.
Everything that Vancouver Times publishes should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us fight fake news websites like Vancouver Times – SHARE this fact check out!
And please support our work!
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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.
Did Russia just prove that US biolabs in Ukraine created the COVID-19 virus?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : US Biolabs In Ukraine Created COVID-19 Virus!
People are sharing this message on WhatsApp, claiming that Russia has proven that US biolabs in Ukraine created the COVID-19 virus!
It’s rather long, and we removed the links, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
America and Ukraine must pay for damages & life lost for the creation of Covid19 pandemic
Russia is presenting its case to the world on the U.S. Biolabs in Ukraine— along with China, Brazil, Mexico & India, calling for an immediate investigation. U.S. DS is in a panic state, denying it & does not want an investigation.
The DS U.S. doesn’t want an investigation. 3.2 BILLION people in China, India, Brazil, Mexico & Russia — nearly half of the world’s population are calling for an investigation into the U.S. for bioweapon facilities. UN, US, Nato will be found guilty of these crimes. BIG CHANGES are happening. These entities will be dissolved.
WHO is demanding DS Ukraine to destroy the bio lab evidence because they are also complicit. It’s ALL CONNECTED.
Russians Call for UN Security Council Meeting Over Pentagon-funded Ukraine Biolabs That Involved ‘Coronavirus’ Research
WHO warns Ukraine to destroy dangerous pathogens to prevent spills from bombed labs.
Documents Expose Barack Obama Ordered Construction Of Biolabs In Ukraine To Create Dangerous Pathogens.
US RAN GRUESOME BIOWEAPON RESEARCH IN OVER 25 COUNTRIES.
US BIOLABS IN UKRAINE CONFIRMED.
Hunter Biden Firm Rosemont Seneca Invested in Firm Tied to Ukrainian Biolabs.
CCS’s comments: The world will definitely have to hold the American bastards totally n unreservedly responsible for their sinister n evil inhumane acts which they do to mankind.
The United Nation is formed and controlled by US for their sole n only purpose and not for the well being of the world. UN does not serve any purposes for the human race at all.
Truth : US Biolabs In Ukraine Did NOT Create COVID-19 Virus!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and promoted by pro-Russian and pro-CCP netizens, including the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).
It is really a hodgepodge of different false claims that try to shift the blame for the COVID-19 pandemic from China to the United States, while offering Russia a “legitimate reason” to invade Ukraine.
Fact #1 : UN Members Did Not Call For Investigation
On 11 March 2022, Russia accused the US and Ukraine of plotting to use migratory birds, bats and insects to spread pathogens across Europe.
The Russian permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, however, provided no actual evidence to back up those claims.
The fake news falsely claimed that China, Brazil, Mexico and India called for an immediate investigation. Only China called for “clarification” by the US and Ukraine, in an attempt to support Russia’s claims.
The UN High Representative for Disarmament, Izumi Nakamitsu, said that the United Nations was “not aware of any biological weapons programme” in Ukraine.
The UN Security Council certainly did not call for any investigation. In fact, many UN members publicly said that they are worried that it was a pretext for Russia to use its own biological / chemical weapons.
Fact #2 :US Does Not Have Biological Labs In Ukraine
Igor Kirillov, the Chief of the Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Force, claimed that the US has 30 biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine.
The truth is – they are Ukrainian biological laboratories, some of which receive financial and other support from the US, the European Union and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
This is not unique to Ukraine – biological labs in many countries receive similar support from the US, EU and the WHO.
Fact #3 : Biological Labs Are Essential To All Countries
Biological labs do not conduct biological warfare research, because that is banned in 183 countries under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).
Instead, they are on the forefront of a country’s biosecurity defences, and are absolutely essential in developing tests and cures (including vaccines) for new and emerging diseases, like the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
In fact, both Russia and China have a number of biological labs, including the famous Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is located right at the epicentre of the first COVID-19 outbreak.
It would be hypocritical (and intentionally?) misleading for both Russia and China to demonise biological labs. After all, they are ESSENTIAL to every country’s national security, including their own.
Fact #4 :Biological Threat Reduction Program Is Designed To Reduce Threats
Igor Kirillov’s “evidence” of US biological warfare program in Ukraine centred around the “Biological Threat Reduction” program.
Just in case the name isn’t descriptive enough, the Biological Threat Reduction Program is a US Department of Defense initiative to counter the threat of infectious diseases, whether they are deliberate, accidental or natural.
The program aims to counter biological threats in a partner country, at the source, before the threat can reach the homeland of impact U.S. Armed Forces or allies.
The program also prevents proliferation by cooperating with partner countries to eliminate their biological weapons, associated materials, and production facilities.
In other words, the bioweapon programme that Kirillov was ranting about is designed to identify and prevent or mitigate threats from biological weapons, as well as natural diseases.
I should also point out that whatever Kirillov mentioned was already publicly stated on the US Embassy in Ukraine’s website.
Fact #5 :US Biological Threat Reduction Program Started In Russia
The US Biological Threat Reduction Program actually started in Russia in 1998.
Russia was the program’s original partner country, and the Program spent the first ten years working with former Soviet Union partner countries.
The Russians are fully aware of what the US Biological Threat Reduction Program is all about, so their claims are outright, shameless lies.
This is even more egregious when they personally benefited from the Program for so many years, at the US government’s expense.
Fact #6 :WHO Warned Ukraine About Risk From Russian Bombing
All biological labs have to work with pathogens, which are by nature, dangerous. That is their purpose. A biological lab without pathogens would be like an airport without airplanes.
It is only logical for the WHO to remind Ukraine that they should destroy their samples of pathogens at their biological labs, after Russia invaded them.
Russian bombing could inadvertently or intentionally “free” those pathogens from their laboratory storage facilities, and disperse them into the nearby area.
Not only would that be dangerous for the nearby population, it could serve as a pretext for Russia to use its own biological or chemical weapons to “retaliate”.
Fact #7 :COVID-19 Pandemic Originated In China
China has repeatedly tried to “tai-chi” (shift) the blame for the COVID-19 pandemic to other countries, like the United States, and more recently – Ukraine.
But the truth is – the COVID-19 virus originated in Wuhan, China. The first cases were reported there, not in the United States or in Ukraine.
If the SARS-CoV-2 virus was created in Fort Detrick or the Azovstal laboratory, the cities of Maryland or Mariupol would have been the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, not Wuhan.
Genomic analyses of COVID-19 variants also proved that SARS-CoV-2 did indeed originate in China.
This does not mean China should be blamed for COVID-19. It only means that it is wrong for the Chinese to repeatedly blame other countries for the virus.
This FAKE NEWS is being shared by pro-Russia and pro-CCP netizens.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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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.
Still no official cause of death for RayLiotta. Apparently a heart attack in his sleep. Hey, doesn’t the #Pfizervaccine cause blood clots?
Now @rayliotta
?! When are we going to start looking at the cause of sudden death of the ridiculously high numbers of #Hollywood elite? #VaccineSideEffects #vaccine #COVID #suddendeath hmmm 🤔
Ummmm he just died in his sleep.... yep i bet he was vaccinated 💉💉💉💉
Another vaccine death..... they will cover up #rayliotta 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
When I read about Ray Liotta’s death it made me think of Bob Saget who also died suddenly. Is there a connection that both deaths were vaccine related? The true cause of death will NEVER be disclosed. SAD 😞
No Evidence Ray Liotta Died From COVID-19 Vaccine!
It's becoming a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all celebrity deaths on the COVID-19 vaccine.
So it's no surprise that they would immediately claim that Ray Liotta died from the COVID-19 vaccine.
Here are the reasons why these claims are FAKE NEWS...
Fact #1 : Ray Liotta Died In His Sleep
On 26 May 2022, Raymond Allen Liotta died in his sleep at the age of 67, according to his publicist, Jennifer Allen.
Paramedics rushed to his room, but he was already dead when they arrived 12 minutes later.
Fact #2 : Ray Liotta's Cause Of Death Was Not Vaccine!
Ray's body was transferred to the National Forensic Institute of Santo Domingo for an autopsy, with a toxicology report expected later next week.
Authorities said that there were no signs of foul play, or anything suspicious about his death.
But his publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed on or around June 9, 2022, that the claims that Liotta died from the COVID-19 vaccine are "100% not true". She also stated that :
The family has not released the cause of death yet, but I do know the cause, and (it) has nothing to do with COVID or the vaccine.
Short of a public announcement by his family, that's as good as it gets - confirmation from his own publicist!
Fact #3 : Ray Liotta Was Shooting A Movie
Liotta died in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting a movie called "Dangerous Waters".
By all accounts, he was healthy and well. There was no evidence he was suffering from any side effects of COVID-19, or any vaccination he may have received.
Casas del VXI Hotel in Santo Domingo, where Ray Liotta stayed while filming 'Dangerous Waters' in the Dominican Republic
Fact #4 : His Fiancée Was With Him When He Died
Ray got engaged to former hairstylist, Jacy Nittolo, in December 2020, and she was with him when he died.
In fact, Jacy was the one who called 911 at around 6 AM on that Thursday morning.
This was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Dominican Republic's General Direction of Cinema :
We understand that he was accompanied by his [fiancée] and that the [fiancée] asks that you please respect her grief.
Fact #5 : His Fiancée Did Not Say He Died From Vaccine
His fiancée who was by his side when he died, did not claim that he died from the COVID-19 vaccine.
When she spoke of the tragedy in her Instagram post, she only mentioned the life they shared together :
My life these past couple of years have been nothing but truly magical.
Ray and I share a deep love that I will cherish in my heart forever.
We laughed daily and we were inseparable.
The chemistry was wild in the best way.
He was everything in the world to me and we couldn’t get enough of each other.
The kind of real love that one dreams of.
He was the most beautiful person inside and out that I’ve ever known…and even that is an understatement.
Fact #6 : His COVID-19 Vaccination Status Is Unknown
Claims that Ray Liotta died from side effects of the Pfizer vaccine are not based on any evidence.
In fact, we don't even know if he was vaccinated against COVID-19, much less what vaccine he received!
The Dominican Republic no longer required travellers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination on arrival, since 23 April 2022.
The government also suspended all COVID-19 restrictions since 16 February 2022, after "100% of the tourism sector personnel... have been vaccinated with two doses, and are in the process of being vaccinated with a third dose of the vaccine against COVID-19".
Fact #7 : Ray Liotta Looked Healthy Days Earlier
A woman called Alba spotted Ray walking with his handlers at the BlueMall in Santo Domingo several days before he died, and asked to meet him.
Ray not only embraced her, he agreed to take a selfie with her. He looked happy and healthy in the selfie that Alba shared.
If he was sick from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, he wouldn't even be taking a stroll through a mall, never mind filming in a foreign country!
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 were not only safe, they were effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.
Fact #9 : Vaccine Side Effects Generally Last Only A Few Days
COVID-19 vaccine side effects are generally mild, and last only a few days.
In rare cases, the recipient may suffer from blood clots (AstraZeneca) or myocarditis (Pfizer), but they develop within days of receiving the vaccine, not months later.
If Ray received the COVID-19 vaccine, he would have received all his doses last year. It is quite impossible for Ray's death to be related to any COVID-19 vaccine he may have received months earlier.
Fact #10 : Post-Vaccination Myocarditis Not A Risk For 50+
Claims that Ray Liotta died from a heart condition brought on by the Pfizer vaccine are based on the fact that the mRNA vaccine can cause myocarditis in some recipients.
Those claims are nonsensical, because the post-vaccination myocarditis happens within days of receiving the mRNA vaccine, not months later.
In addition, the risk of developing post-vaccination myocarditis is practically non-existent for his age group - Ray was 65 years old when the Pfizer vaccine was first approved, and 67 years old when he died.
To help you understand that, I created this table to show you the risk of vaccine-induced myocarditis for different age groups.
It clearly shows that even if Ray was indeed vaccinated against COVID-19 using the Pfizer mRNA vaccine, there was no risk of getting vaccine-induced myocarditis.
Note : Baseline refers to the typical number of myocarditis cases expected in the unvaccinated population.
Age Group
Male Rate
(per million doses)
Baseline
(per million doses)
12-17
32.4
2.0
18-24
30.7
1.8
25-29
12.2
1.9
30-39
6.9
1.9
40-49
3.5
1.9
50-64
1.9
1.9
65+
0.61
1.05
Fact #11 : Claims Of Celebrities Dying From COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False
This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing celebrity deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
So far, claims of celebrity deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance.
Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next celebrity death...
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please support our work!
And please 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.
Did hackers just crack the Pfizer and Moderna servers, and publicly released the hidden vaccine death data that they stole?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Hackers Stole, Released Pfizer + Moderna Vaccine Death Data!
People are sharing links to articles that claim that hackers just stole and released vaccine death data from Pfizer and Moderna servers!
Here is an example, which is rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
GOOD NEWS!!!! Hackers broke into all the pharmaceutical companies and stold all the medial data on vaccines thank God!!!! The Great Awaking has lifted off!!! Forward this link everywhere!!!!
**Displays number of deaths and disabilities associated with each batch/lot number = indication of relative toxicity of one batch/lot compared to another
**No one currently knows the reason why some batches/lots are associated with excessive deaths, disabilities and adverse reactions (up to 50 x). Until we do know, it is best to be cautious
**[“Batch-code” = “Lot Number” = the number they write on your vaccination card.]
Here’s the link to the site www.linkremoved.info where you can see live links listed below. Download and save all articals you can incase the site goes down!!!
Check out your batch code (lot number)
Check out your batch code (lot number)
• Moderna Batch Codes
• Pfizer Batch Codes
• Janssen Batch Codes
• Moderna (outside of USA)
• Pfizer (outside of USA)
• Janssen (outside of USA)
Latest Info on Boosters
• Bad Batches of the Month
Variation in Toxicity
• Cumulative Toxicity over Time PDF
• VIDEO : Variation in Toxicity between Batches
• Death by Lottery PDF
• VIDEO : Non-GMP Compliant Batches Associated with Death and Disability
• VIDEO : Team Enigma – Covid Vax Variability
• VIDEO : VAERS reveals super-toxic batches
Do the Batch Codes Code for Toxicity?
• Moderna’s 20A-21A Classification of Toxicity for Covid Vaccines PDF
• Moderna : Alphabetic Labelling of Different Toxicities PDF
• Pfizer : Alphabetic Labelling of Different Toxicities PDF
• VIDEO : Do Pfizer Batch Numbers Code for Toxicity Part 1 ?
• VIDEO : Do Pfizer Batch Numbers Code for Toxicity Part 2 ?
• VIDEO : Do Moderna Batch Numbers Code for Toxicity ?
VAERS Database
• Covid Science Library
• Medical doctors talking about VAERS
• VaersAnalysis.info
Data Source
• All data is sourced from VAERS, a public database of over 700,000 adverse reaction reports for Moderna, Pfizer and Janssen Covid 19 vaccines in the USA. Our intention is to present the VAERS data in an accessible and unadulterated form, that can be easily verified using the links below
• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
• Video Tutorial 1 : Extracting Bad Batch Data from VAERS – Deaths, Disabilities, Hospitalisations
Truth : Hackers Did Not Steal / Release Pfizer + Moderna Vaccine Death Data!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and promoted by disinformation websites like Before It’s News, How Bad Is My Batch, Best News Here, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Pfizer + Moderna Servers Were Not Hacked
Those websites falsely claimed that hackers broke into Pfizer and Moderna servers, and stole their (hidden) vaccine death data.
There is no evidence the Pfizer and Moderna servers were ever hacked, or had any data stolen.
Fact #2 : All Data Are Publicly Available
Despite claiming at the start that the data provided in the website was stolen from Pfizer and Moderna servers, the article ends with a statement that all of the data was really sourced from VAERS.
Data Source • All data is sourced from VAERS, a public database of over 700,000 adverse reaction reports for Moderna, Pfizer and Janssen Covid 19 vaccines in the USA. Our intention is to present the VAERS data in an accessible and unadulterated form, that can be easily verified using the links below
In other words – they falsely claimed that the data was provided by hackers who broke into Pfizer and Moderna servers. The data were all from VAERS, which is publicly available.
Fact #3 : VAERS Data Cannot Be Used As Evidence
Like the British Yellow Card system, VAERS is an open reporting system that lets ANYONE from ANYWHERE file a report, without verification.
Reports may include incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental and unverified information.
The number of reports alone cannot be interpreted or used to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, frequency, or rates of problems associated with vaccines.
But anti-vaccination activists and disinformation websites LOVE to use VAERS, because they can easily manipulate the reports to create a fake narrative.
Fact #4 : Pfizer + Moderna Released Their Data In 2020
Both Pfizer and Moderna submitted data from their COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to health authorities across the world, like the US FDA and EMA in Europe in November 2020.
The release of clinical trial data, which would include post-vaccination adverse events, is necessary for any health authority to approve their vaccines.
The US FDA released the briefing documents Pfizer and Moderna submitted to the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) in December 2020 :
Fact #5 : FDA Started Releasing Pfizer Documents In 2021
On 27 August 2021, a group that called themselves Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency (PHMPT) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the US FDA to gain access to all of their documents related to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The US FDA started releasing the Pfizer documents on 17 November 2021. They were then ordered by US District Judge Mark Pittman to speed up the release of those documents on 6 January 2022.
As of 2 May 2022, the US FDA had already released 238 documents related to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, containing thousands of pages.
Fact #6 : Before It’s News Is Known Fake News Website
Before It’s News is known for creating and spreading fake news – not just misinformation, but also disinformation about everything from MH17 conspiracy theories to anti-vaccination claims.
Everything posted by Before It’s News must be considered FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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.
Was Canadian General Trevor Kadier just arrested while trying to escape the Azovstal factory in Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Canadian General Trevor Kadier Was Arrested At Azovstal!
People are claiming that Canadian General Trevor Kadier was just arrested trying to escape the Azovstal factory in Ukraine!
Here are two examples, with a photo used to prove that he was arrested by Russian forces at Azovstal :
A Canadian high-ranking officer tried to escape from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol.
General Trevor Kadier was arrested by Russian military personnel, media reported. According to information, the general led the First Biolab, where 18 people worked on the creation of a deadly virus.
The general has already been taken to Moscow, media reports.
In social networks, they suggest testing new medications on the Canadian general as punishment.
Everything happened after the messages that on metallurgical plant was foreign general in contact with Zelensky.
Earlier, information appeared in the Western media that General Trevor Kadier was accused of sexual harassment and harassment in Canada, and is now on the territory of Ukraine.
Canadian General Trevor Kadier was arrested as he tried to leave the AzovStal factory.
Canadian General Trevor Kadier, who was in the territory of Mariupol, was arrested while trying to leave the territory of the surrounded AzovStal metallurgical plant. Earlier, the civilians who left the enterprise confirmed the information that a certain general of the mercenaries was on the territory of the plant, however, evidence of the capture of the general appeared only now.
According to the 360 TV channel, the general, while in Ukraine, could manage one of the biological laboratories.
“Canadian General Trevor Kadier was arrested while trying to escape from Azovstal territory to Mariupol. Messages about it appeared in the media and social networks. According to numerous reports, the general was in charge of biolaboratory No. 1, where 18 people worked with deadly viruses. Kadia was taken to Moscow, where he will be tried,” reports the 360 television channel.
No Evidence Canadian General Trevor Kadier Was Arrested At Azovstal!
Bearing in mind that it is impossible to prove that something does not exist (Russell’s teapot), I can safely say that there is NO EVIDENCE that Canadian general Trevor Kadier was arrested at Azovstal.
In fact, here are the reasons why it is virtually impossible for Russia to have captured General Trevor Kadier at all…
Fact #1 : There Is No General Trevor Kadier
There is no Canadian general called Trevor Kadier.
There is, however, a Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu, who retired from the Canadian Armed Forces on 5 April 2022.
Fact #2 : That Is Photo Of Ukrainian Soldier
The photo that has gone viral does not show General Trevor Cadieu, but a Ukrainian soldier who appears to be much younger.
The photo is actually a screenshot of a video that shows Ukrainian soldiers who were arrested by Donetsk People’s Republic forces.
Fact #3 : Photo Was Taken In Donetsk Months Ago
The video was recorded on 24 February 2022, at a village in the Donetsk Oblast called Petrovsky, not at Azovstal.
That was almost two months before Russian forces took control of most of the city on 21 April 2022, and almost 3 months before Ukrainian forces at Azovstal started surrendering on 16 May 2022.
Fact #4 : Cadieu Volunteered In Ukraine As A Private Citizen
After his retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), several defence sources say that Cadieu travelled to Ukraine to volunteer against the Russian invasion.
This was in his personal capacity, as he had already retired from the CAF, and was now a private citizen, as Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier explained in a statement :
There has been no CAF support, material or otherwise, given to Cadieu since his departure as it pertains to his personal endeavours.
As he is now a private citizen, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on his personal plans.
Fact #5 : Russia Surrounded Mariupol Since 2 March 2022
While no one really knows where Cadieu is right now, it would be quite impossible for him to enter Mariupol, after his retirement on 5 April 2022.
That’s because Mariupol was amongst the first Ukrainian cities to be attacked by Russian forces that completely surrounded it three weeks into the war.
There was no way for Ukrainian civilians and soldiers to leave Mariupol, and no way for anyone to get into the city after it was completely surrounded on 2 March 2022.
By the time Cadieu resigned, the Russians had already captured most of Mariupol, except the massive Azovstal steel plant. It would literally take a miracle for Cadieu to get into the Azovstal plant.
Even if it was possible to smuggle him into Mariupol in early April, it would also be illogical to insert Cadieu into a besieged city where he can do little good.
Cadieu is a retired general whose days of firing guns from the trenches are long past. In fact, he would be more of an impediment in the defence of the Azovstal steel plant.
He would be far more useful strategising Ukraine’s defence, or acting as a military liaison with the Canadian government.
Fact #7 : There Are No NATO Forces In Ukraine
NATO Allied Land Command also confirmed that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.
While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
So the claim that NATO officers were also captured is false. If any NATO officer was captured, again – you can be sure that the Russians would have paraded them on TV.
Fact #8 : Russians Would Have Paraded Captured Cadieu
If Russian forces did indeed capture Cadieu, they would have paraded him on Russian TV, just like they did with two British volunteers they captured – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin.
Yet the Russians did no such thing. In fact, the only “sources” of these claims are no-name blogs in Russia and China, as well as WhatsApp and Telegram groups, and random people on Twitter and Facebook.
There is simply no evidence of Cadieu being captured by Russian forces. Not even a picture.
Official Russian news agency, TASS, reported on 28 April 2022 that Cadieu “may be holed up” in the Azovstal steel plant.
Their source was Eduard Basurin, the spokesman for the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), who gave no evidence for his claim.
In fact, Basurin appeared to be making up that claim based on the Canadian Defense Ministry announcing that Cadieu had resigned.
Information appeared now and then that one of former Canadian army generals may be holed up there [in the Azovstal steel complex].
He first seemed to get out of sight and then the Canadian Defense Ministry issued a statement that this general gave a notice that he was resigning from the army and moving to Ukraine. Perhaps, it [the UN] is trying to rescue him.
As I pointed out earlier, it would be impossible for Cadieu to be present in Azovstal, unless he went AWOL from the Canadian Armed Forces and entered Mariupol before 17 March 2022.
Also, there were several ceasefires during which civilians managed to escape. Cadieu was not amongst them.
More importantly, Basurin confirmed that Russian forces did not capture Cadieu.
Fact #10 : All Captured NATO Officer Claims Proven False
This fake story is part of the false NATO forces narrative that have proven to be false at every instance :
IMHO, Russia is pushing this narrative to shift the blame for losing thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles, and almost 30,000 soldiers to the much smaller Ukrainian army.
It could not have been the Ukrainian army that did this to the much vaunted Russian army. It must have been NATO!
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites and groups.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article 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.
Did the US government pay for COVID-19 research in Ukraine, before the coronavirus even existed?!
Take a look at the viral claim and find out if it’s evidence the US created COVID-19!
Claim : US Paid For COVID-19 Research Before It Even Existed!
The Expose UK is claiming that the US government paid for COVID-19 research in Ukraine, 3 months before the coronavirus even existed!
People have been sharing that claim on social media, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Here are excerpts from The Expose :
The world first started to hear about a novel coronavirus in early January 2020, with reports of an alleged new pneumonia like illness spreading across Wuhan, China. However, the world did not actually know of Covid-19 until February 2020, because it was not until the 11th of that month that the World Health Organisation officially named the novel coronavirus disease as Covid-19.
So with this being the official truth, why does United States Government data show that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awarded a contract on the 12th November 2019 to Labyrinth Global Health INC. for ‘COVID-19 Research’, at least one month before the alleged emergence of the novel coronavirus, and three months before it was officially dubbed Covid-19?
The shocking findings however, do not end there. The contract awarded in November 2019 for ‘COVID-19 Research’ was not only instructed to take place in Ukraine, it was in fact part of a much larger contract for a ‘Biological threat reduction program in Ukraine’
Perhaps explaining why Labyrinth Global Health has been collaborating with Peter Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance, and Ernest Wolfe’s Metabiota since its formation in 2017.
Truth : US Did Not Pay For COVID-19 Research Before It Existed!
This is yet more FAKE NEWS from the notorious fake news website, The Expose, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : The Expose Is Notorious Fake News Website
The Expose is notorious for creating and propagating fake news on everything from COVID-19 to vaccines and the Ukraine war.
I investigated several articles they wrote, and they were all found to be completely false, or intentionally misleading.
Fact #3 : COVID-19 Name Was Announced On 11 February 2020
The WHO only issued the official names for the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease it caused (COVID-19) on 11 February 2020.
Before COVID-19, the naming conventions were completely different. The preceding disease caused by SARS-CoV-1 was known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and not COVID-02 (because it started in 2002)
So how is it possible for the US Department of Defense or their contractor, Black & Veatch to issue a subcontract to Labyrinth Global Health for “COVID-19 Research”?
That is only possible if the subcontract was modified after the COVID-19 name was established on 11 February 2020.
Fact #4 : DOD Subcontract Was Modified Twice In 2020
The contract that The Expose was talking about exists, but it is interesting that they did not include a direct link, but here it is, so you can check it out yourself. I also included a screenshot below.
It was a $369,511 subcontract given to Labyrinth Global Health Incorporated, by Black & Veatch Special Projects Corporation that started on 12 November 2019.
The US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) had contracted with Black & Veatch to support Ukraine’s biological detection and diagnostic capabilities by providing them with equipment, supplies and training.
After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they modified the contract twice to provide COVID-19 support to Ukraine – in April and June of 2020. The modification dates were merely not listed in the USASpending.gov page.
The DTRA explained it all in an email to Lead Stories :
No, DOD did not award a contract in 2019 for COVID-19 research. In this case, DTRA’s contractor modified a task order in 10 June 2020 to assist Ukraine in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, many months after the pandemic had begun. However, the date in the database reflects the original date the Master Servicing Agreement was entered into the system.
Information from USASpending.gov reflects data from a Master Servicing Agreement, or MSA, which can be modified by the DOD over time to better address emerging issues through its ongoing contracts. Contractors frequently sign additional sub-awards through task orders. These task orders, too, can be modified or amended. The date of each modification is not reflected on the USASpending.gov page, which stays as the date the original MSA was entered into the system, but the description is updated to reflect the latest changes in the task order.
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) contracted with Black & Vea[t]ch to continue to support Ukraine’s peaceful and safe biological detection and diagnostic capabilities and to reduce biological threats, whether they are naturally-occurring, accidental, or intentional, through the provision of equipment, supplies, and training.
Black & Vea[t]ch signed the MSA with DTRA on 2 October, 2019, to modify DTRA’s requested non-COVID training support, which was submitted to the procurement system on 12 November 2019. After the pandemic began, the MSA was modified to provide additional COVID-19 pandemic-related support to Ukraine on 25 April 2020 and again on 12 June 2020.
The task order directed the servicing contractor to provide high-level subject matter expert mentorship support on COVID-19 Laboratory Diagnosis, Biological Safety and Laboratory Emergency Response in Ukraine.
To make it easier for you to understand, here is a simplified timeline of what actually happened :
2019
October 2 : DTRA signed the Master Servicing Agreement (MSA) with Black & Veatch for training support to Ukraine
November 12 : The MSA was submitted to the system on 12 November 2019 (as shown in the screenshot below).
December 31 : China publicly announced novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.
2020
February 11 : WHO issued official names of SARS-CoV-2 for the virus, and COVID-19 for the disease.
March 3 : First case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine.
April 25 : MSA was modified to provide COVID-19 pandemic support to Ukraine. *
June 12 : MSA was modified again, to provide COVID-19 pandemic support to Ukraine. *
* The modified task order directed the servicing contractor, Labyrinth Global Health Inc., to provide “high-level subject matter expert mentorship support” on “laboratory diagnosis, biological safety and laboratory emergency response” in Ukraine.
As you can see, there is no discrepancy in the timeline. The changes in the task order occurred only after COVID-19 spread to Ukraine in March 2020.
Everything posted by The Expose must be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this article out, and supporting 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.
Did Russian forces just capture former US special ops commander, Admiral Eric Olson in Azovstal, Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Russia Captured US Admiral Eric Olson In Azovstal!
People are sharing pictures of US Admiral Eric Olson, purportedly showing him being captured by Russian soldiers in the Azovstal steelworks in Ukraine.
Here is a sample of claims that are circulating with these pictures :
US Admiral Eric Olson (Highly decorated special ops commander) born in #Tacoma , Wa USA captured in #Azovstal #Mariupol #BREAKING
Over the past 24 hours, more than 250 militant soldiers barricaded in the Azovstal factory in Mariupol have laid down their arms and surrendered. This was announced by Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenko .
US Admiral, Eric Olson, highly decorated and Commander of Special Operations, was captured in Azovstal, Mariupol. Is this the reason why Austin insisted heavily with Shoigu by phoning him at length this Friday? Certainly yes.
NATO mercenaries were arrested during these operations according to various sources, including US General Eric Olson, British Lieutenant Colonel John Bailey and four NATO instructors . Previously other high-ranking NATO personnel had been captured on the Ukrainian front by Russian troops.
According to RT, the first stage of the surrender was completed on Monday. 264 soldiers left Azovstal. 53 wounded soldiers were received in a hospital in Novoazovsk and 211 soldiers in Yelenovka, localities of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
About 2,200 people were trapped in the basements of the huge Azovstal complex. The site covers eleven square kilometers and its underground sections are designed to withstand nuclear attack.
No Evidence Russia Captured US Admiral Eric Olson In Azovstal!
Bearing in mind that it is impossible to prove that something does not exist (Russell’s teapot), I can safely say that there is NO EVIDENCE that Russian forces actually captured US Admiral Eric Olson in Azovstal.
In fact, here are the reasons why it is virtually impossible for Russia to have captured him in the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Ukraine.
Fact #1 : Admiral Olson Retired More Than A Decade Ago
Admiral Eric Thor Olson retired as the eight commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) on August 22, 2011.
He has an impressive military record, graduating as a Navy SEAL in 1974 before working his way up to becoming the first SEAL to ever be appointed Admiral, and the first naval officer to head USSOCOM.
However, his days of picking up a gun to fight in the tunnels beneath the Azovstal steelworks is long past. It would be absurd to claim that he took up arms to defend Azovstal.
Born on 24 January 1952, he is just over 70 years old, and had already retired from active duty for more than a decade. He is currently the President and Managing Member of ETO Group, LLC.
Fact #2 : Photo Does Not Show Admiral Olson
The photo that has gone viral does not show Admiral Eric Olson amongst 264 Ukrainian soldiers who were evacuated on Monday, 16 May 2022.
Fact #3 : Photo Was Taken In Luhansk One Month Earlier
The photo was taken in Luhansk, not Azovstal. Luhansk is about 300 km away from the Azovstal steel plant.
Even if this is a photo of captured NATO officers (it’s not), they would have been held in Donetsk, which is much closer at 113 km.
Maishev also took the photo on 14 April 2022 – more than a month before the first batch of Ukrainian soldiers were evacuated from Azovstal.
Fact #4 : Russia Surrounded Mariupol Since 2 March 2022
While no one really knows where Admiral Eric Olson is right now, it would be quite impossible for him to enter Mariupol as it was one of the first Ukrainian cities to be attacked by Russian forces.
Even if he was “consulting” the Ukrainians, he would have been evacuated in the first few days of the Russian invasion, if not earlier.
Mariupol was completely surrounded by 2 March 2022 – 7 days after Russia invaded Ukraine, making it impossible for anyone to leave, or get into the city.
Fact #5 : Russians Would Have Paraded Olson
If Russian forces did indeed capture Admiral Olson, they would have paraded him on Russian TV, just like they did with two British volunteers they captured – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin.
Yet the Russians did no such thing. In fact, the only “sources” of these claims are a French blog, and random people on Twitter, Telegram and WhatsApp.
There is simply no evidence of Admiral Olson being captured by Russian forces. Never mind a video clip, they don’t even have an actual photo.
NATO Allied Land Command told BBC reporter Alistair Coleman that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.
While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
So the claim that NATO officers were also captured is false. If any NATO officer was captured, again – you can be sure that the Russians would have paraded them on TV.
Fact #7 : Russia Never Captured Any NATO Officer
I should also point out that Russian authorities did not claim to have captured any NATO officer in Ukraine.
Such extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and so far, there is ZERO evidence any NATO officer is present in Ukraine, never mind captured by Russian forces.
In fact, this fake story is part of the false NATO forces narrative that have proven to be false at every instance :
IMHO, Russia is pushing this narrative to shift the blame for losing thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles, and almost 30,000 soldiers to the much smaller Ukrainian army.
It could not have been the Ukrainian army that did this to the much vaunted Russian army. It must have been NATO!
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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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.
Did Polish presenter Ida Nowakowska give a Nazi salute to Ukraine at Eurovision 2022?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Polish Presenter Gave Nazi Salute To Ukraine @ Eurovision!
People are sharing a video clip or screenshots that appears to show Polish presenter Ida Nowakowska giving a Nazi salute after announcing that Ukraine won 12 points from Poland!
The video clip is being shared on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram with messages like this :
🇵🇱Poland’s representative at Eurovision made a Nazi gesture and shouted the Nazi salute at the end of his political speech
Ukraine wins Eurovision then they throw a Sig Heil Nazi salute on global television Yes this really happened. I keep telling you all UKRAINE HAS A HUGE NAZI PROBLEM Last year over 100,000 soccer (football) fans in Kiev did the Sig Heil and waved Nazi flags Keep being brainwashed
Truth : Polish Presenter Did NOT Give Nazi Salute To Ukraine @ Eurovision!
The truth is – this is yet more FAKE NEWS created by Russia or pro-Russia netizens, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Invasion Of Poland Started World War 2
First, let me point out that it was the invasion of Poland by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on 1 September 1939 that started World War 2.
Approximately 6 million Polish citizens – over 20% of its population – died during the occupation by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, including 3 million Jews.
So it would be ridiculous for a Polish presenter to give a Nazi salute.
If she really did so, you can be assured that it would have been extensively covered in the world’s media.
You won’t see anyone mention this because it never happened.
Fact #2 : Ida Nowakowska Was Giving A Victory Sign
The screenshots that appear to show Ida Nowakowska giving the Nazi Seig Heil salute were intentionally chosen to mislead you.
If you watch the video clip, you will see that she was really giving a victory sign, while saying, Slava Ukraini!
This is no different from what countless people do when celebrating a victory, like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Conclusion – Nowakowska was giving a victory salute to Ukraine, not a Nazi salute.
Fact #3 : There Are Neo-Nazis All Over The World
The truth is – many countries have neo-Nazis. That includes Ukraine. However, what is untrue are the claims that Ukraine is full of Nazis. Very few people in Ukraine are Nazis, or neo-Nazis.
It is true that some Ukrainian football fans unfurled a Nazi flag and did the Sieg Heil salute in Kiev during Euro 2012. However, they were a small but highly-visible minority.
Ukraine has a neo-Nazi political party called Svoboda, but it only garnered 2.15% of the popular vote in the 2019 election results.
Even the neo-Nazi Azov battalion was small, even after it was absorbed into the Ukrainian National Guard and expanded into a regiment. Only 10% to 20% of its members identify themselves as Nazis.
Not even Russia, which suffered greatly in World War 2, is spared from neo-Nazi influence. On 12 April 2022, Artem Severiukhin – a 15-year old Russian karting champion gave a Nazi salute at the European Championship in Portugal.
Many pro-Russian and pro-CCP netizens are sharing the video and false claim on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article 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.
Truth : Kalush Orchestra Did NOT Give Nazi Salute At Eurovision 2022!
The truth is – this is yet more FAKE NEWS created by Russia or pro-Russia netizens, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Vast Majority Of Ukrainians Are Not Nazis
First, let me address the Russian disinformation campaign that attempts to paint Ukraine as a country of Nazis.
Ukraine was one of the countries in the Soviet Union that was invaded and conquered by Nazi Germany when they launched Operation Barbarossa.
It was estimated that about 5.2 million Ukrainian civilians lost their lives in World War 2, some of which were relatives of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy is also Jewish, which makes Russia’s claim even more preposterous – over a million Ukrainian Jews were murdered during the German occupation.
Yes, Ukraine has a neo-Nazi political party called Svoboda, but it only garnered 2.15% of the popular vote in the 2019 election results.
Even the neo-Nazi Azov battalion was small, even after it was absorbed into the Ukrainian National Guard and expanded into a regiment. Only 10% to 20% of its members identify themselves as Nazis.
Ultimately – the vast majority of Ukrainians are not Nazis, despite what Russia claims.
Fact #2 : Oleg Psiuk Was Waving, Not Giving Nazi Salute
While the camera angle appears to show Oleg Psiuk hold up his hand, he was not giving a Nazi salute.
A video from a different angle showed that his arm was bent at the elbow, and his fingers were splayed out.
Conclusion – Psiuk was waving to the crowd, not giving a Nazi salute.
Many pro-Russian and pro-CCP netizens are sharing the video and false claim on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Was captured Canadian general Trevor Cadieu helping NATO run their Biolab No. 1 in Azovstal, Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Captured Canadian General Cadieu Was In Charge In NATO Biolab!
The Expose and pro-Russian websites are claiming that captured Canadian general Trevor Cadieu was in charge of a NATO biological warfare lab under the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine.
The article is very long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Russian armed forces arrested disgraced Canadian General Trevor Cadieu in Mariupol. Russian sources often refer to Trevor Cadieu as Trevor Kadier or Trevor Cadier. At the beginning of this month, Russians said they captured Cadieu at the Azovstal iron and steel factory during the Siege of Mariupol. He is currently in Moscow awaiting trial.
Cadieu was apparently not on a mission for his government but was in charge of a bio laboratory, Biolab No.1, with 18 staff working under his command.
Biolab No.1 is reportedly managed by US company Metabiota. The company Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, and Christopher Heinz, John Kerry’s son-in-law, had organised subcontracting arrangements for Ukrainian research laboratories through their firm Rosemont Capital, on behalf of the Pentagon’s Defence Threat Reduction Agency (“DTRA”).
Who Is Trevor Cadieu?
Trevor John Cadieu is a Canadian military officer who reached the rank of lieutenant general but retired after allegations of sexual misconduct. He then travelled to Ukraine, to join the fight against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Cadieu left the Canadian military on 5 April and travelled to Ukraine shortly after with the intention to volunteer for that country’s military against Russian forces, multiple defence sources confirmed to Global News.
On 21 April, the Canadian Department of National Defence confirmed that lieutenant-general Trevor Cadieu retired on April 5 after more than 30 years in uniform, even as military police continued their investigation into his conduct.
Cadieu, in a statement to CBC, portrayed his decision to retire from the Canadian military as being for the best. “I have opted to release [from the Canadian military] and am exploring other opportunities to contribute to the greater good,” he noted.
Senior Canadian military leaders were briefed about Cadieu’s decision to travel to Ukraine, according to Ottawa Citizen’s sources.
Defence Department spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said Cadieu’s release from the military followed proper procedures, “as he is now a private citizen, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on his personal plans.”
“There has been no CAF [Canadian Armed Forces] support, material or otherwise, given to Cadieu since his departure as it pertains to his personal endeavours,” Le Bouthillier said.
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service released a statement noting that the “member’s release has no bearing on investigative work, nor does their personal travel. As the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”
Cadieu’s LinkedIn page is still showing he is employed by CAF.
The Arrest of Trevor Cadieu
Russian online newspaper Vzglyad reported that Russian troops arrested Cadieu on 1 May while he was trying to escape from Azovstal. It was first reported on Russian TV channel 360° however we were unable to find the original report and John Goss confirms the same on his blog: “[this] report appears now to have disappeared.”
It is alleged that the West and Kiev authorities came up with the idea of civilian humanitarian corridors from Azovstal to enable the “evacuation” of Cadieu, New Eastern Outlook (“NEO”) wrote. Confirmation of this can be found in a report by the Azerbaijan Press Agency which stated: “[Cadieu] tried to break out of the encirclement at Azovstal several times. It was for this that the West insisted on humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians: among them, foreign specialists had to leave the catacombs.”
NEO continued:
“[This plan] involved French President Macron and his Turkish counterpart Erdogan, as well as the UN Secretary-General. The idea was that under the guise of ‘refugees’, Cadieu, [along] with a number of other senior NATO officials, could leave the Russian-controlled war zone in Donbass and avoid not only shameful captivity but also a show trial by Moscow. It is noticeable that, according to reports circulating, Cadieu was in charge of Azovstal’s underground bunkers, including Biolab No.1, where 18 people worked with deadly viruses.”
Reports of Cadieu’s arrest seem to be based on the initial 360° channel report and internet leaks, John Goss wrote, Svetlana Nikolaevna gave the most thorough account but was unable to reveal her source, only saying that it was from somebody on the front line and that no official statement had been made.
No Evidence Canadian General Cadieu Was In Charge Of Any Biolab!
This is yet more FAKE NEWS from the notorious fake news website, The Expose, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : A Person’s Name Does Not Change With Travel
A noteworthy element of most fake news is that they are based on “secret” sources that are often fake, or made-up (non-existent).
One of the hallmark of such fake sources is they often get the name of the persons wrong. The Expose tries to pass it off as a translation thing, but that’s just plain stupid.
Trevor Cadieu’s name remains Trevor Cadieu no matter where he is in the world. Just like how Vladimir Putin is called Vladimir Putin all around the world.
Claiming that the Russians call the general “Trevor Kadier” or “Trevor Cadier” is as asinine as claiming that Americans call the Russian President “Vlad Pootin“.
Fact #2 : Trevor Cadieu Did Not Update His LinkedIn Profile
The Expose presented Cadieu’s LinkedIn profile as evidence that he is still employed by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), even though Cadieu and CAF has publicly and separately announced his retirement.
What The Expose (intentionally?) left out is that Trevor Cadieu last used his LinkedIn account more than 3 years ago, when he Liked someone’s comment.
For the benefit of the writer, Rhoda Wilson, the LinkedIn user must manually update his/her employment record before the change is reflected.
It does NOT magically get updated by itself. And before you ask, Rhoda, no – the CAF cannot do it for him.
Fact #3 : No Evidence Cadieu Was Arrested In Azovstal
Cadieu left for Ukraine sometime after retiring from the CAF, to volunteer against the Russian invasion.
To date, there has been no evidence he was arrested by Russian forces while trying to escape from Azovstal on 1 May 2022.
The source for The Expose’s sensational claim does not exist. The writer, Rhoda Wilson, claimed that the 360° report had “disappeared”, even though there was no evidence it even existed in the first place!
The Expose based their sensational claim on two sentences in a Russian propaganda website called Vzglyad. Now, I don’t call Vzglyad a propaganda website out of bias.
Its own former editor-in-chief, Alexander Shmelev admitted it, “it was through us that the toughest propaganda materials passed, as a result of which the word “Vzglyad” itself became negative in blogs and social networks“.
He also shared that articles posted on the Vzglyad website were supervised by Alexei Chesnakov, the deputy head of the internal policy department of the Russian President.
Finally, Vzglyad was placed under the control of the Russian presidency, first through the Institute for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (ISEPI) and then the Expert Institute for Social Research.
Fact #5 : Cadieu Was Promoted To Head Canadian Army
Trevor Cadieu is a Lieutenant-General who was originally slated to take command of the Canadian army in September 2021.
His appointment was suspended amidst “historical allegations” of sexual misconduct, but Cadieu was the top-ranking officer in the Canadian army until his retirement.
It is absurd to claim that he actually heads a small NATO biological lab under the Azovstal steel plant. Think about how stupid it sounds.
Why on Earth would Cadieu go from running the Canadian army of over 100,000 soldiers to managing just 18 scientists in an underground bunker??
Fact #6 : Russia Surrounded Mariupol Since 2 March 2022
While no one really knows where Cadieu is right now, it would be quite impossible for him to enter Mariupol after his retirement on 5 April 2022.
That’s because Mariupol was amongst the first Ukrainian cities to be attacked by Russian forces that completely surrounded it three weeks into the war.
There was no way for Ukrainian civilians and soldiers to leave Mariupol, and no way for anyone to get into the city after it was completely surrounded on 2 March 2022.
By the time Cadieu resigned, the Russians had already captured most of Mariupol, except the massive Azovstal steel plant. It would literally take a miracle for Cadieu to get into the Azovstal plant.
How Russian forces besieged Mariupol. Credit : BBC
Fact #7 : Cadieu Would Be Useless In Azovstal
Even if it was possible to smuggle him into the Azovstal steel plant in early April, it would be illogical to do so.
What can he do? Pick up a gun and shoot at Russian soldiers like Rambo in the movies?
Take over a biological lab under a steel plant that was being bombarded on a daily basis?
Oh wait – maybe his job was to run into Azovstal, so he can try to escape and get caught by the Russians??
Fact #8 : Civilian Were Evacuated During Several Ceasefires
There were several ceasefires during which small numbers of civilians managed to escape. Cadieu was not amongst them.
It would have been easy for the Russians to pick Cadieu out from the Ukrainian civilians they allowed to leave.
After all, every one of those civilians who were evacuated from the Azovstal bunkers were thoroughly vetted by Russian forces.
Fact #9 : Russians Would Have Paraded Captured Cadieu
If Russian forces did indeed capture Cadieu, they would have paraded him on Russian TV, just like they did with two British volunteers they captured – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin.
Yet the Russians did no such thing. In fact, the only “sources” of these claims are no-name blogs in Russia, China and Azerbaijan, as well as WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
There is simply no evidence of Cadieu being captured by Russian forces, not even a picture.
Heck, Putin didn’t even mention any captured NATO officer during his May 9 speech, even though it would have greatly helped him prove his narrative that Russia was really fighting against NATO.
Fact #10 : DPR Rep Confirmed Cadieu Not Arrested
Official Russian news agency, TASS, reported on 28 April 2022 that Cadieu “may be holed up” in the Azovstal steel plant.
Their source was Eduard Basurin, the spokesman for the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), who gave no evidence for his claim.
In fact, Basurin appeared to be making up that claim based on the Canadian Defense Ministry announcing that Cadieu had resigned.
Information appeared now and then that one of former Canadian army generals may be holed up there [in the Azovstal steel complex].
He first seemed to get out of sight and then the Canadian Defense Ministry issued a statement that this general gave a notice that he was resigning from the army and moving to Ukraine. Perhaps, it [the UN] is trying to rescue him.
As I pointed out earlier, it would be impossible for Cadieu to be present in Azovstal, unless he went AWOL from the Canadian Armed Forces and entered Mariupol before 17 March 2022.
More importantly, Basurin confirmed that Russian forces did not capture Cadieu.
Fact #11 : No Evidence Of NATO Facility Under Azovstal
There is no evidence that any NATO facility called PIT-404, pit_40 or Biolab 1 exists, or ever existed.
These claims were created out of thin air by Russian conspiracy theorists… and a board game called Blackout: Journey into Darkness.
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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.
Was the Ukrainian Azov Battalion caught executing civilians and dumping them in mass graves?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Azov Battalion Caught Executing Civilians In Viral Video!
People are sharing a video showing a few soldiers executing blindfolded civilians with their hands tied behind their backs, and dumping their bodies into a mass grave.
The video is accompanied by this message, which claims that it shows the Ukrainian Azov battalion executing innocent civilians :
🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦UKRAINE.. Bloody, cruel and brutal, the Ukrainian Azov Battalion killed civilians dump them in mass graves. 🤦🏻♂️Russia & the World must destroy the Ukrainian Azov battalion. 👊🏼
Suddenly, US, UK, EU, NATO, international human rights organizations have all keeping quiet and disappeared. 😠 😡 🤬 🤬 🤬
Truth : Azov Battalion Did Not Execute Those Civilians In Viral Video!
This is yet another example of pro-Russia FAKE NEWS, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Syria In 2013
Anyone who watched the video would have immediately realised that neither the soldiers nor the civilians look like Ukrainians.
That’s because the video was not recorded in Ukraine in 2022, but in Tadamon, Syria on 16 April 2013 – 9 years ago!
The video was recently leaked to the Guardian by a Syrian militia recruit, who stole it from a laptop belonging to the Syrian government.
Fact #2 : al-Assad Government Committed That Atrocity
The video actually shows Syrian soldiers kicking civilians who were blindfolded and tied up into a pit filled with tyres, before shooting them.
In the end, at least 41 men lay dead in that mass grave in the Damascus suburb of Tadamon, Syria.
After the Guardian broke the story and released the video on 27 April 2022, the US State Department strongly condemned the Tadamon massacre on 29 April 2022 :
We strongly condemn the atrocities depicted in a recently released video, which appears to show blindfolded, unarmed civilians being shot point-blank by an Assad regime official before falling into a mass grave in Tadamon, Syria, during a 2013 massacre that reportedly killed hundreds of Syrian civilians. The video, which suggests additional evidence of war crimes committed by the Assad regime, is yet another harrowing example of the horrors that the Syrian people have endured for more than a decade.
Credit : The Guardian
Fact #3 : Killer Was Identified As Syrian Major Youssuf
That war crime was eventually traced to Branch 227 of the Syrian military intelligence service under the al-Assad regime, by a Syrian activist who called herself “Anna Sh”.
Amjad (Amgd) Youssuf – a major in Branch 227 – admitted to Anna Sh that he was the man seen in the video executing those civilians.
I killed a lot. I took revenge.
Fact #4 : Russia Actively Supports al-Assad Government
I should point out that the Russian government not only provides the al-Assad government with military support, they actively provide air support to the Syrian military, which includes launching airstrikes on Syrian civilians.
The Russian government has also notably declined to condemn the al-Assad government for their role in executing Syrian civilians in the Tadamon massacre.
It is likely that the creator of this fake news is attempting to cover up Russian complicity in that atrocity, by falsely pinning the recently-leaked video on the Azov battalion.
Fact #5 : Russians Were Caught Executing Civilians
This is not the first time fake news was created to cover up the fact that Russian forces were caught executing Ukrainian civilians, the most notable of which was the Bucha massacre.
After the Ukrainians evicted Russian forces from the town of Bucha, they found bodies of civilians who appeared to have been executed in cold blood and left on the road.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Russian Ministry of Defense immediately claimed that the footage of the bodies was “staged” by Ukrainians who placed them there after Russian forces left Bucha.
Unfortunately for the Russians, satellite photos taken weeks before their withdrawal showed that the Russians executed those civilians while they were in full control of the town.
A satellite image from Maxar showed that the bodies were already there as early as 11 March, with this clearer picture taken on 19 March. The Russians only left Bucha on 30 March.
Russian forces was also caught on satellite creating massive graves at Bucha, which were later found to contain bodies of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians.
So it is likely that they left these bodies on the streets of Bucha as a warning to the town residents, much like how Nazis in World War 2 would sometimes hang bodies in the streets of the towns they conquered.
Pro-Russian netizens are incessantly harping about the right-wing, neo-Nazi Azov battalion, as if they are the Ukrainian version of Nazi Germany’s Waffen-SS.
The truth is – the Azov battalion has always been few in numbers, with a disproportionate reputation to its size.
The Azov battalion was formed as a volunteer group in May 2014, by members of the right-wing Patriot of Ukraine and neo-Nazi Social National Assembly (SNA) political parties, to fight against pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk.
With only about 500 members, the Azov battalion helped the Ukrainian armed forces recapture the city of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists.
After that success, they were integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard, and reorganised as a regiment on 11 November 2014 with about 2,500 members.
Not only does the Azov regiment constitute a very small proportion of the Ukrainian National Guard, only about 10% to 20% of its members identify themselves as Nazis, according to Andriy Diachenko, the Azov Brigade spokesperson.
According to Anton Shekhovtsov, a Vienna-based Ukrainian expert on Russia’s connections to Europe’s far-right :
Azov’s history is rooted in a volunteer battalion formed by the leadership of a neo-Nazi group. But it is certain that Azov has depoliticised itself. Its history linked to the far-right movement is pretty irrelevant today.
Many pro-Russian and pro-CCP netizens are sharing the video and fake message on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
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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.
Is Hunter Biden trapped in the bunkers under the Azovstal steel plant, together with several NATO generals?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Hunter Biden Is Trapped In Azovstal With NATO Generals!
People are sharing an article by a Singaporean blogger Chua Chin Leng, who calls himself redbean and claims that Hunter Biden is trapped in the Azovstal bunkers together with several NATO generals.
His article is long and rambling, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Mariupol is a top secret American facility in Ukraine, housing bioweapon labs and all the top brass of Nato, planning and command HQ for Nato troops to attack Russia. It once housed something like 6,000 secretive soldiers in it.
Trump actually knew about this and was trying to expose it to bring down Biden and his son, who is the key member and owner of this project and facility. Trump could not say it out himself but needed the investigators to expose it against Biden.
There are many top military, scientific and political personalities inside this top secret fortress underground, now turning into a mouse trap with all the mice in it and in the hands of Putin. This is the biggest and most valuable catch of the Russians and a trump card that Putin can use to skin the Americans slowly.
The Americans are so desperate to want the top brass in the mouse trap out and are bringing everyone of importance to talk to Putin. The UN Sec Gen Gutteres has gone to see Putin for their release. Austin, Blinken and even Pelosi, have been to Kiev to get Zelensky to put in more effort and tag this as top priority item.
Zelensky now has offered to exchange all Russian POWs for the top brass in the Steel Plant. Rumours are speculating that the big fish could be Biden’s son, Canada’s top army general, top bioweapons scientists, top Nato generals etc etc that are so important that they risked several helicopters to bring them out but all got shot down. Not to forget, the top brass of the neo Nazi anti Jew Azov regiment.
The revelation of the identities of the big fish inside the Mariupol mouse trap would be so embarrassing to the Americans and AngloSaxon and Nato countries that all the people inside are as good as persona non grata. They have disowned them and did not want to have anything to do with them as this would confirm their crimes and ill intent against Russia, an act of war. Sneaky Canada quickly announced that the general had retired on 5 Apr, no longer the top Canadian general in service.
As the American and AngloSaxon tribes are panicking, Putin is sitting comfortably in Moscow enjoying the show. Putin is in no hurry to release the mice in his mouse trap. The presence of American and AngloSaxon top brass in a deadly war machine on the border of Russia with an evil intent to attack Russia is unacceptable and unforgiveable. The evilness of the AngloSaxon tribe would be exposed to the whole world, of their savage instinct and intent to break up Russia and terminate the Russians.
Putin now would have more reasons to want to nuke the Americans and Europe. The rest of the world that have not been sucked into this evil AngloSaxon scheme should enjoy watching and stay neutral. What is inside the Mariupol mouse trap could set off WW3. Trump is waiting eagerly for this to be exposed to bring down Biden and his son. Compare to Biden and his son, Trump is like an angel.
Truth : Hunter Biden Is NOT Trapped In Azovstal With NATO Generals!
This is yet another example of pro-Russia FAKE NEWS, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Mariupol Is A City
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) is apparently unaware that Mariupol is a city, not an American facility.
If he was referring to Azovstal, that is a steel manufacturing complex built in Mariupol by the Soviet Union in the 1930s.
Fact #2 : Azovstal Bunkers Were Built By Soviet Union
The bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal plant complex were built during the Cold War by the Soviet Union, to “safeguard the steel plant’s 40,000 workers in the event of a nuclear attack”.
These bunkers are not special. There are plenty of similar bunkers across Ukraine, and other ex-Soviet countries, and of course, Russia.
Fact #3 : Trump Did Not know About Azovstal
If there was truly a top secret American facility housing 6,000 NATO troops under Azovstal, Trump would have known about it while he was President.
But there is ZERO EVIDENCE he even heard of Azovstal or Mariupol, and absolutely NO EVIDENCE that there is such a facility housing NATO troops, or serving as its headquarters.
There is nothing for Trump to “expose” either. If there was any evidence, he would have exposed it all while he was US President, just to prevent Biden from winning the election.
Fact #4 : Mariupol Is Very Close To Russian Territory
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably claimed that the top secret American facility housed 6,000 soldiers, and is the planning and command HQ for NATO troops planning to attack Russia.
It would be idiotic for NATO to establish their headquarters so close to Russian territory and occupied Crimea, well within range of artillery and airstrikes.
In fact, Mariupol was one of the first cities to be attacked in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and completely surrounded after less than 3 weeks.
Fact #5 : Ukraine Is Not Part Of NATO
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) is apparently unaware that Ukraine is not a NATO member. That is precisely why why NATO cannot send its troops to help defend Ukraine.
While NATO has helped Ukraine train its soldiers as a partner nation, it does not have bases or facilities in Ukraine.
Fact #6 : There Are No NATO Troops In Ukraine
NATO has confirmed on several occasions there there are no NATO soldiers or leaders in Ukraine. Even those who were sent to advise or train Ukrainian troops were evacuated when Russia invaded Ukraine.
LANDCOM Deputy Public Affairs Officer, Major Brian Andries, recently confirmed this again :
While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
Fact #7 : There Are No NATO Personnel Trapped In Azovstal
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably claimed that there are “many top military, scientific and political personalities” trapped inside this “top secret fortress“.
He even called it the “biggest and most valuable catch” for the Russians and “a trump card that Putin can use to skin the Americans slowly“.
That’s nothing more than a fantasy that has been circulating amongst the pro-Russia and pro-CCP blogs and groups, with ZERO EVIDENCE.
As of 6 May 2022, there are perhaps 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers and a few hundred civilians trapped in the tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal steelworks.
Fact #8 : There Was Plenty Of Time To Evacuate NATO Personnel
Even if there were NATO personnel in Azovstal (there were not), they would have had 2-3 weeks to escape Mariupol before the Russians surrounded the city.
It would be illogical for Western military, scientific and politicians to stay in Mariupol, never mind hunker down in the Azovstal bunkers. Whatever for?
There were also several occasions in which civilians were allowed to evacuate the city and the Azovstal steelworks. No NATO personnel were spotted amongst them.
Fact #9 : No Helicopters Were Shot Down During Rescue Attempts
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO lost several helicopters trying to rescue Hunter Biden and top NATO generals who were trapped under Azovstal.
The truth is – NATO sent no helicopters to rescue anyone from the Azovstal steel plant. They certainly did not lose any helicopters during the non-existent rescue operation.
Fact #10 : Ukrainian Soldiers Refused To Surrender
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO tried to rescue “the top brass of the neo Nazi anti Jew Azov regiment”.
The truth is the Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the Azovstal steel plant has repeatedly refused to surrender, or leave Mariupol even when it was possible to do so.
The commander and deputy commander of the Azov regiment publicly refused on many occasions to leave Mariupol, stating that as long as they are still there, “Mariupol remains under control of Ukraine”.
Fact #11 : Hunter Biden Is Not In Ukraine
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably and falsely claimed (intentionally?) that Hunter Biden could be one of those trapped in the Azovstal bunkers.
Hunter Biden was publicly seen at the White House Easter Egg Roll on 18 April 2022 – more than 2 weeks before Chuan Chin Leng posted his article.
That would mean Chua Chin Leng is either incredibly ignorant, or he is intentionally trying to mislead you.
Let me be clear – Hunter Biden is not trapped in a bunker under the Azovstal steel plant. He is still in the United States.
There isn’t even a logical reason for Hunter Biden to go to Ukraine, much less Mariupol or the Azovstal steel plant.
Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is seen during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on April 18, 2022. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Fact #12 : Canadian General Cadieu Is Not In Azovstal Either
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) also claimed, without evidence, that Canada’s top army general is also trapped in the Azovstal bunkers.
That is quite impossible because former Lieutenant-General Trevor Cadieu only left for Ukraine after he resigned from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
By the time he was able to leave for Ukraine, the city of Mariupol had already been surrounded by Russian forces for about 3 weeks.
Not only would it be impossible for Cadieu to get into Mariupol, it would be pointless. What use would a general be in the tunnels under Azovstal?
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) also falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO intended to attack Russia from Mariupol.
NATO did not plan to invade Russia. Not even Russia dare to claim that as a reason for invading Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine, ostensibly to “denazify the country”, not because NATO was preparing to invade Russia.
Fact #14 : You Can’t Invade Russia With 6,000 Soldiers
Laughably, Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) claimed that NATO inserted 6,000 soldiers into their Mariupol base to invade Russia.
Think about how ridiculous that is. What could those 6,000 troops do against Russia, which has over a million active duty military personnel?
We should note that Russia deployed no less than 130,000 troops to invade Ukraine, and even they were forced to retreat from Kyiv!
Chua Chin Leng should spend his time drinking red bean soup, and leave geopolitics and the military to people who actually know something about either.
Unfortunately, many pro-Russian and pro-CCP groups are sharing his stupid article on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article 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.
Did China lock down Shanghai, not to fight COVID-19, but to spite US companies over the Ukraine war?
Take a look at the viral article, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : China Locked Down Shanghai To Spite US Over Ukraine War!
People are sharing an article by Kanthan Pillay, which claimed that China locked down Shanghai not to fight COVID-19 but to spite US companies over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It’s a rather long post, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…
Shanghai Lockdown Not Because Of Covid -19!!
Two weeks after Russia’s forces moved into Ukraine, China locked down Shanghai.
Let me hit you with some bullet points:
More than 800 multinational corporations have regional headquarters in Shanghai . Among them, 121 are Fortune Global 500 companies, including Apple, Qualcomm, General Motors, Pepsico.
More than 70 000 foreign companies have offices in Shanghai. More than 24 000 of these are Japanese.
The shutdown of Tesla’s operation in Shanghai because of the lockdown has set the company back with lost production of 40 000 units of electric vehicles. That’s just one car company. Volkswagen and General Motors both have factories in Shanghai.
Ford has a global design center in Shanghai.
Let’s talk about Apple: iPhone supplier Pegatron has its major factory in Shanghai and another in nearby Kunshan. Both have been shut by the lockdown.
TSMC , the world’s most valuable manufacturer of semiconductors, has a major production facility in Shanghai. (TSMC makes 7-nanometre and 5-nanometre chips used by the Apple A14 and M1 SoC .)
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has a global R&D centre in Shanghai.
To top this off, Shanghai is the world’s biggest container port moving more than 47 million shipping containers per year. Shutting down the city for more than a month means 4 million of those have potentially been impacted.
As can be seen, the simple act of shutting down Shanghai has delivered a body blow to global giants in the US sphere of influence at a time when they are already scrambling to reset their economies after their disastrous sanctions against Russia.
Now I know that correlation does not imply causation.
But it is a fact that Russia and China laid out the parameters for a new world order in February…
And it is a fact that their respective actions over the next weeks have brought the economies of the western powers to a grinding halt…
“When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true.”
Truth : China Did NOT Lock Down Shanghai To Spite US Over Ukraine War!
I have read many conspiracy theories about China and the Ukraine War, but this has to be one of the stupidest I have read to date.
I cannot believe I have to actually explain why China did not lock down Shanghai just to spite US companies over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But here we go…
Fact #1 : China Has Been Locking Down Cities Since 2020
First, I should point out that China has been locking down cities since the COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan.
This isn’t a new tactic. China locks down entire cities as part of their COVID Zero policy.
In fact, China locked down 4 additional cities in the first two months of 2022, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine :
4 January : Yuzhou, Henan province
11 January : Anyang and Zhengzhou, Henan province
7 February : Baise, Jilin province
It is therefore ridiculous for Kanthan Pillay to claim that China locked down Shanghai to spite US companies.
Fact #2 : Shanghai’s COVID-19 Outbreak Began On 28 February
Ironically, Shanghai’s COVID-19 outbreak began on the same day Russia chose to invade Ukraine – 28 February 2022.
I’m surprised Kanthan Pillay did not suggest that the Chinese introduced the Shanghai outbreak as part of a false flag operation to spite US companies. LOL!
Fact #3 : Shanghai Lockdown Only Started A Month Later
Kanthan Pillay falsely claimed that China locked down Shanghai two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. Why two weeks? Why not immediately?
In any case, Shanghai only adopted “area-separated and batch-separated control” on 28 March 2022 – a month after their COVID-19 outbreak started, and a month after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Only a week later – on 5 April 2022, did Shanghai put the entire city under lockdown.
Fact #4 : Hong Kong Has More Regional HQs Than Shanghai
In his first “bullet point”, Kanthan Pillay said that more than 800 multinational corporations have their regional headquarters in Shanghai.
What he does not point out to you is that Hong Kong has almost twice as many regional headquarters as Shanghai – 1,457 as of 2021.
If the Chinese wanted to “attack” US companies by targeting their regional headquarters, they would do better to lock down Hong Kong.
But wait – Hong Kong is still NOT under lockdown, even with a massive surge of Omicron cases.
Fact #5 : Regional HQ Not As Important As Factories
Kanthan Pillay does not seem to understand that regional headquarters are not as critical to US companies as the factories that produce goods for them.
Many employees of these regional headquarters can conduct their work from home, even hold meetings virtually from anywhere in the world. So using regional headquarters and design centres as examples of Chinese sabotage is stupid.
Factories, on the other hand, cannot produce goods virtually. Hence, factories that produce goods for US companies are far more important than regional HQs and design centres.
Fact #6 : Shanghai Lockdown Affects All Companies
Kanthan Pillay is apparently unaware thatChina’s lockdown of Shanghai is not limited to US citizens or companies.
The Shanghai lockdown affects all residents, whether they are Chinese citizens or foreigners. Similarly, Chinese companies are affected just as badly as their Western counterparts.
Even more importantly – there are far more Chinese companies in Shanghai than Western companies. More Chinese citizens are being employed by Chinese companies in Shanghai, than Western companies.
If China intentionally locked down Shanghai to spite US companies, they would be sacrificing their own economy to do that.
The Chinese are not quite so stupid as to cut off their noses, just to spite their own faces.
Kanthan Pillay also seems to be unaware that the TSMC plant in China is not state of the art, and does not manufacture 7 nm or 5 nm chips as he alleged.
The TSMC Fab 10 foundry in Shanghai was completed around the end of 2004, and produces 8-inch wafers using old 0.25 micron and 0.35 micron processes from the 1990s.
Fact #8 : Shanghai Semiconductor Companies Not Affected By Lockdown
Despite the entire city of Shanghai being under strict lockdown, its semiconductor companies continued to maintain full production.
They managed to achieve this through closed-loop systems, where most employees work on-site while others work remotely from home.
Both TSMC and SMIC say that they are maintaining full production in Shanghai using such closed-loop systems.
Fact #9 : Companies Can Shift To Other Countries
Kanthan Pillay ludicrously believe that China shut down Shanghai to deliver “a body blow to global giants in the US sphere of influence“.
Multinational companies, especially those from the West, can and have shifted to other countries or states, if conditions become unfavourable.
Some have already started shifted production from China to Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
If China did really do this just to spite US companies, it would be one more reason to shift their operations to other countries. It’s not like they can only build factories in China.
Fact #10 : Chinese Sacrifice Will Not Help Russia
What Kanthan Pillay does not explain is WHY on Earth would China sacrifice its own people and economy to help Russia?
And how does crippling Shanghai’s economy help Russia? Sure, Tesla will miss its production target… again, but so what?
These are public-listed companies, not the US government. Whatever happens to these companies won’t have a material effect on the US government, only its shareholders.
Needless to say – it won’t sway Western sanctions on Russia, and it certainly won’t help Russia in any way.
Kanthan Pillay ended his article by claiming that such actions by Russia and China have “brought the economies of the Western powers to a grinding halt“.
I have no idea what he has been smoking, but it must be some fantastic shit, because none of the Western economies are remotely close to collapsing!
In fact, the US Fed just made the biggest interest rate increase in 22 years, announcing a 0.5% interest rate hike to tackle inflation.
Other Western economies are poised to similarly raise their interest rates. They would not be raising interest rates if their economies were collapsing as Pillay alleged.
The Kanthan Pillay article is nothing more than a meaningless self-masturbatory fantasy.
Unfortunately, it’s being widely shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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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.
Did Russian forces capture Canadian Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu in the cellars of Azovstal, in Mariupol, Ukraine?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Russia Captured Canadian General Cadieu In Azovstal!
Pro-Russian websites, Chinese netizens and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) are claiming that Russia just captured a high-ranking Canadian general.
According to “rumours”, Lieutenant General Trevor John Cadieu was captured while he was trying to escape from the besieged Azovstal metalworks in Mariupol, Ukraine.
General Trevor Cadieu (Trevor John Cadieu), captured by Russian troops while trying to escape from the cellars of Azovstal, was the commander of the Canadian Ground Forces, APA reports citing Mailbd.
Seated in the catacombs under the Mariupol steel plant “Azovstal” nationalists staged a provocation, trying to hide the Canadian general’s attempt to escape. After the capture of a high-ranking foreign soldier by units of the RF Armed Forces, it became clear why so many efforts were made to save him.
A high-ranking mercenary tried to break out of the encirclement at Azovstal several times. It was for this that the West insisted on humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians: among them, foreign specialists had to leave the catacombs.
This Chinese example even claimed that NATO lost 5-6 helicopters and a ship trying to get General Cadieu out of Azovstal.
A lot of rumors that Russia has captured a Canadian general trying to escape thru sewer tunnels. Could be a few more NATO military advisers still in the plant
They have spent losing 5 or 6 helicopters and 1 ship trying to get the VVIP out.
No Evidence Russia Captured Canadian General Cadieu In Azovstal!
Bearing in mind that it is impossible to prove that something does not exist (Russell’s teapot), I can safely say that there is NO EVIDENCE that Russian forces actually captured Canadian general Trevor Cadieu in Azovstal.
In fact, here are the reasons why it is virtually impossible for Russia to have captured him in the Azovstal metalworks in the besieged city of Mariupol.
Fact #1 : Trevor Cadieu Retired From Canadian Armed Forces
Trevor Cadieu was originally slated to take command of the Canadian army in September 2021, but his appointment was suspended amidst “historical allegations” of sexual misconduct at the Royal Military College in 1994.
He then resigned and left the Canadian armed forces on 5 April 2022, stating :
I have opted to release (from the Canadian military) and am exploring other opportunities to contribute to the greater good.
Fact #2 : He Volunteered In Ukraine As A Private Citizen
After his retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), several defence sources say that Cadieu travelled to Ukraine to volunteer against the Russian invasion.
This was in his personal capacity, as he had already retired from the CAF, and was now a private citizen.
Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said, in a statement :
There has been no CAF support, material or otherwise, given to Cadieu since his departure as it pertains to his personal endeavours.
As he is now a private citizen, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on his personal plans.
Warrant Officer Terry Vandenberghe discusses observation and reporting positions with Brigadier-General Trevor Cadieu (right) in Williams Lake, B.C., during Operation LENTUS 17-04 on August 3, 2017. (Photo: Master Corporal Malcolm Byers, Wainwright Garrison Imaging)
Fact #3 : Russia Surrounded Mariupol Since 2 March 2022
While no one really knows where Cadieu is right now, it would be quite impossible for him to enter Mariupol, after his retirement on 5 April 2022.
That’s because Mariupol was amongst the first Ukrainian cities to be attacked by Russian forces that completely surrounded it three weeks into the war.
There was no way for Ukrainian civilians and soldiers to leave Mariupol, and no way for anyone to get into the city after it was completely surrounded on 2 March 2022.
By the time Cadieu resigned, the Russians had already captured most of Mariupol, except the massive Azovstal steel plant. It would literally take a miracle for Cadieu to get into the Azovstal plant.
How Russian forces besieged Mariupol. Credit : BBC
Fact #4 : Cadieu Would Be Useless In Mariupol
Even if it was possible to smuggle him into Mariupol in early April, it would also be illogical to insert Cadieu into a besieged city where he can do little good.
Cadieu is a retired general whose days of firing guns from the trenches are long past. In fact, he would be more of an impediment in the defence of the Azovstal steel plant.
He would be far more useful strategising Ukraine’s defence, or acting as a military liaison with the Canadian government.
Fact #5 : Russians Would Have Paraded Captured Cadieu
If Russian forces did indeed capture Cadieu, they would have paraded him on Russian TV, just like they did with two British volunteers they captured – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin.
Yet the Russians did no such thing. In fact, the only “sources” of these claims are no-name blogs in Russia, China and Azerbaijan, as well as WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
There is simply no evidence of Cadieu being captured by Russian forces, not even a picture.
Fact #6 : DPR Rep Confirmed Cadieu Not Arrested
Official Russian news agency, TASS, reported on 28 April 2022 that Cadieu “may be holed up” in the Azovstal steel plant.
Their source was Eduard Basurin, the spokesman for the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), who gave no evidence for his claim.
In fact, Basurin appeared to be making up that claim based on the Canadian Defense Ministry announcing that Cadieu had resigned.
Information appeared now and then that one of former Canadian army generals may be holed up there [in the Azovstal steel complex].
He first seemed to get out of sight and then the Canadian Defense Ministry issued a statement that this general gave a notice that he was resigning from the army and moving to Ukraine. Perhaps, it [the UN] is trying to rescue him.
As I pointed out earlier, it would be impossible for Cadieu to be present in Azovstal, unless he went AWOL from the Canadian Armed Forces and entered Mariupol before 17 March 2022.
Also, there were several ceasefires during which civilians managed to escape. Cadieu was not amongst them.
More importantly, Basurin confirmed that Russian forces did not capture Cadieu.
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites and groups.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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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.
Did Russian forces just capture US general Roger Cloutier in the besieged Azovstal steel plant?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Russia Captured US General Roger Cloutier In Azovstal!
People are claiming that Russia just captured US general Roger L. Cloutier at the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Ukraine.
This is sometimes mentioned as part of the Azovstal NATO headquarters story, or separately like these examples :
The rumours going around that a US Major General Roger L. Cloutier has been captured by Russian army at Azovstal in Mariupol. It would be within the Russians’ right to execute this officer as nothing more than a common criminal. Not kidding. Legally by all laws.
The Russian army captured the US Major General Roger L. Cloutier Jr., the US Africa Command HQ Chief of Staff in the besieged Ukrainian Azov camp in Mariupol. The Pentagon wanted to contact Putin.
Truth : Russia Did NOT Capture US General Roger Cloutier At All!
The truth is – this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and shared by pro-Russia activists, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).
Fact #1 : Roger Cloutier Is A Lieutenant General
First of all, Roger L. Cloutier holds the rank of a Lieutenant General (O-9), and is a three-star general officer.
He is not a Major General (O-8), which is a two-star general officer rank.
Fact #2 : Roger Cloutier Heads NATO Allied Land Command
Secondly, Lt. General Cloutier is not the Chief of Staff for US Africa Command.
He has been the Command of the NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Izmir, Turkey, for the last 1.5 years – since August 2020.
Fact #3 : General Cloutier Appeared On 14 April 2022
Two weeks after these claims started circulating amongst pro-Russian and pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) groups, Lt. General Cloutier posted a video on 14 April 2022.
It showed him greeting the commander of the NATO Multinational Corps (South East), Major General Dragoş-Dumitru Iacob at the LANDCOM headquarters.
Fact #4 : NATO Confirmed That It’s Fake News
NATO has described the viral news as “completely fake news”, and confirmed that :
LTG Cloutier has NOT been captured and is currently with his command in Izmir.
LANDCOM Deputy Public Affairs Officer, Major Brian Andries also confirmed that his boss is still very much in Turkey :
These rumors are completely false. Our commander is currently commanding NATO Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey, and has not been to Ukraine since the Land Staff Talks we conducted in July of 2021. While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
Fact #5 : There Are No NATO Forces In Ukraine
Allied Land Command told BBC reporter Alistair Coleman that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.
Major Brian Andries from LANDCOM also pointed out that that Cloutier was last in Ukraine in July 2021, and photos from that visit was used to “prove” the fake news :
Photos from this event have been used as proof as recent visit to Ukraine which never occurred. No NATO forces are in Ukraine, let alone a United States Army three-star general.
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article 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.
Was a “dead” Ukrainian man caught waking up on TV, during a live telecast of civilian casualties?!
Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : “Dead” Ukrainian Man Was Caught Waking Up On Live TV!
People are sharing a video which they claimed is evidence of Ukrainian fake news.
It shows a reporter speaking, with rows of civilian casualties of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when one of the “victims” woke up on live TV!
This is a transcript of what the reporter appears to narrate in English in the video :
At least 59 people killed, at least 149 people wounded. Those numbers are going to go up. There’s just no question about that. You have fierce fight in a number of…
Truth : “Dead” Ukrainian Man Was NOT Caught Waking Up On Live TV!
This is yet another example of anti-Ukrainian fake news, created and distributed by the pro-Russia activists, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Chyron Was Faked
The video was edited, with a fake chyron covering up the real chyron :
Fake Chyron : Ukrainian Health Ministry: 57 Dead, 169 Hurt Across Ukraine As Russia Launches Attack
Real Chryon : WIEN: DEMO GEGEN KLIMAPOLITIK
Fact #2 : Voiceover Was Faked
The reporter in the video was Marvin Bergauer of oe24TV, an Austrian TV channel. However, he was speaking in German, not English.
The English voiceover in the fake video was taken from this 24 February 2022 NBC News video. You can hear NBC news correspondent Cal Perry say those same exact words starting at 3:37 of the video.
Fact #3 : Fake Video Shared By Pro-Russia Groups
This fake video was “improved” in these aspects over the original version that was released in Chinese groups.
This version appears to be made by Russian operatives, and was given a boost by Lee Stranahan, a Radio Sputnik host who shared it out on Twitter with the comments “How to lose your job as a crisis actor…”
Twitter only took it down later, after accumulating over 700,000 views, but versions of it continue to be shared on Twitter, TikTok, etc. as well as pro-Russia and pro-China groups on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Fact #4 : Video Was About A Climate Change Protest
The video was actually about a climate change protest in Vienna, as these English translations will tell you :
WIEN: DEMO GEGEN KLIMAPOLITIK = Vienna: Demo against climate policy
Aktuell Klimapolitik Nicht = No to the current climate policy
The “dead bodies” were not crisis actors, but 49 protesters in body bags outside the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. This was what oe24 reporter, Marvin Bergauer, was saying in German :
No greenhouse gas and reduction targets in Austria for 400 days. That is the official title of this event here, this demonstration.
It was organised by Fridays For Future… Here you can also see this protest action, which is somewhat macabre. Forty-nine people are lying here on the ground to represent the climate deaths.
Fact #5 : Video Was Taken Before Russian Invasion Of Ukraine
This video was recorded on 4 February 2022 – 20 days before Russia invaded Ukraine.
You can confirm this in the official oe24TV broadcast page for this protest, as well as this tweet by the Fridays for Future group in Vienna.
Seit 400 Tagen hat Österreich kein wirksames Klimaschutzgesetz.
Und das mit einer Bundesregierung, die sich „Klimaschutz“ groß auf die Fahnen schreibt.
Durch jeden Tag (!), an dem Österreich seine Treibhausgasemissionen nicht senkt, werden 49 Menschen zu Tode kommen.
Fact #6 : Video Was Also Misused By COVID-19 Deniers
This video was also misused earlier by COVID-19 deniers who claimed that these are crisis actors in Germany who pretended to be dead COVID-19 patients.
They were sharing it as evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic was staged or planned, and that people did not actually die from it.
This video was already circulating in the West since 9 February 2022, so it would be really peculiar for Russian disinformation teams to reuse it.
This would suggest that the video is being used by Chinese disinformation efforts unfamiliar to its earlier circulation in the West.
This fake news appears to be part of the disinformation campaign conducted by pro-Russia activists.
It is also being shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and their supporters.
Please help us fight such malicious fake news – SHARE this fact check far and wide!
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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.
Did the Malaysia DG of Health confirm that COVID-19 vaccine recipients are getting myocarditis?
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Did Malaysia Health DG Hisham Admit Risk Of Vaccine Myocarditis?
A Malaysian website called Samudera has been promoting their article on WhatsApp and Telegram, which warns readers that Malaysia DG of Health, Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, admitted that vaccine recipients are getting myocarditis.
This was the message they sent out on Telegram and WhatsApp (with our English translation in italics) :
Confirmed!! DG Hisham Sahkan Kes Radang Jantung Pada Penerima Vaksin
Confirmed!! DG Hisham Confirms Myocarditis In Vaccine Recipients
56% kes Radang Jantung dari penerima Pfizer!!
56% of myocarditis cases from Pfizer recipients!!
Lepas tu KJ nak suruh kita ambil & suntik anak2 kita pula??
And KJ (Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin) asked us to get the vaccine, and inject our kids too?
Anak dia bila nak suntik??
When will he inject his own children??
The message includes links to their article, and Telegram channel, both of which I removed because they are misleading.
For context, here is my English translation of what Samudera wrote in their article :
Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah revealed that 56% of myocarditis detected was related to the Pfizer vaccine, 36% related to Sinovac and 8% related to AstraZeneca.
According to him, at least 25 cases of myocarditis was detected within 3 weeks of receiving the COVID-19 vaccinations.
This admission by the Director-General of Health himself indirectly increases the concerns of some Malaysians towards vaccines, especially those using the mRNA technology.
In addition to warnings by American health authorities, the WHO also reported on the potential relationship between mRNA vaccines and myocarditis.
Truth : Vaccine Myocarditis Risk In Malaysia Less Than 1 In Million!
Samudera intentionally twisted Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah’s words, to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous.
That’s misleading and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Vaccine Myocarditis Risk Less Than 1 In Million!
The results that Samudera quoted is correct, but appears to be intentionally stripped of context.
Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah was speaking about the new SAFECOVAC study, which looked at the risk of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia.
It is true that 25 myocarditis events were observed within 21 days of COVID-19 vaccination, but that was after 33 million doses were administered in Malaysia!
In other words, the vaccine myocarditis risk in Malaysia was less than 1 in a million doses!
Fact #2 : Vaccine Myocarditis Risk Only Slightly Higher With mRNA Vaccines
Samudera curiously ignored the incidence data, and only tells their readers that 56% of vaccine myocarditis cases in Malaysia are related to the Pfizer vaccine.
That’s the wrong way to look at the risk, because it automatically goes up the more you use a particular vaccine, and a majority of vaccine recipients received the Pfizer vaccine.
The correct way is to look at the incidence rate per million doses, which shows that the vaccine myocarditis risk of the Pfizer vaccine is only slightly higher than that of the AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.
Age Groups
Myocarditis Events
(Per Million Doses)
Pfizer
AstraZeneca
Sinovac
Overall
0.9
0.7
0.5
Over 30 Years
1.0
NA
0.6
30 Years + Younger
0.87
NA
0.49
Fact #3 : Myocarditis Risk From COVID-19 Is Much Higher!
What Samudera and other anti-vaccination websites / activists don’t tell you is that – COVID-19 patients suffer from myocarditis too!
In fact, the risk of getting myocarditis from a COVID-19 infection is much, MUCH higher than the risk of getting myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccination.
Using the new SAFECOVAC data, I extrapolated the risk of getting THREE DOSES of COVID-19 vaccines against the risk of a single COVID-19 infection :
Look at the results! If you are worried about myocarditis, you should definitely want to AVOID getting infected with COVID-19.
Myocarditis
Risk
Per Million
People
vs
Sinovac
vs
AstraZeneca
vs
Pfizer
COVID-19
450
+300x
+214x
+167x
3x Pfizer
2.7
+1.8x
+1.3x
Baseline
3x AstraZeneca
2.1
+1.4x
Baseline
-0.2x
3x Sinovac
1.5
Baseline
-0.3x
-0.4x
Fact #4 : Vaccine Myocarditis Generally Mild
Myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccination is generally mild, and patients respond well to medication and rest.
We just need to be cognisant about the symptoms, and seek medical attention when we notice them :
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Feelings of a fast-beating or pounding heart
Fact #5 : CDC Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination
Samudera insinuated that US health authorities are warning people about the dangers of COVID-19 vaccines.
The truth is – the US CDC not only recommends that adults get vaccinated, they also advise that children as young as 5 years old should get vaccinated against COVID-19.
CDC continues to recommend that everyone ages 5 years and older get vaccinated for COVID-19.
The known risks of COVID-19 illness and its related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death, far outweigh the potential risks of having a rare adverse reaction to vaccination, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.
Fact #6 : WHO Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination
Samudera also insinuated that the World Health Organization (WHO) are warning people about the dangers of COVID-19 vaccines.
The truth is – the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) looked at the issue, and acknowledged the clear benefits off the mRNA vaccines in reduce deaths and hospitalisations due to COVID-19 infections.
They also pointed out that “myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination is generally mild and responds to conservative treatment (e.g. rest, treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs etc)“.
Now that you know the facts, please SHARE this fact check, and WARN your family and friends about the fake viral message, and the Samudera website.
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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.
