Tag Archives: UAE

Do you now need ETA to travel to the UK?!

Do you now need ETA – Electronic Travel Authorisation – to travel to the UK?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-09-12
Originally posted @ 2023-09-02

Claim : You now need ETA to travel to the UK!

A video clip called New UK travel requirements has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media. It warns that people who travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023, must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

This has led some people who already booked their flights to the UK to panic, as they were not aware of such requirements.

Truth : UK is rolling out ETA over time

Here is what you need to know about the UK ETA programme, and what countries are affected.

UK ETA video is genuine

First, I would like to point out that the video is genuine, and was originally posted by the UK Home Office on 9 March 2023.

It appears to have been edited and shared by Homely Stay UK on WhatsApp and social media, where it was shared without context, leading to mass panic.

UK will soon require ETA for non-visa travellers

The warning is, of course, true – the United Kingdom will soon require non-visa travellers to apply and pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The ETA scheme is part of the UK’s plan to fully digitise its borders by 2025. But note that the ETA only applies to travellers who currently do NOT require a visa to travel to the UK.

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon be a requirement for people who do not need a visa to come to the UK. It will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it will be electronically linked to your passport.

You’ll need an ETA to:

come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
come to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
transit through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control

Once it is fully implemented, these travellers will not require an ETA to travel to the UK:

a British or Irish passport
permission to live, work, or study in the UK
a visa to enter the UK

Only Qatar was affected in November 2023

What the video does not reveal is that only travellers from Qatar must have an ETA to travel to the UK from 15 November 2023 onwards.

No other country is affected by this 15 November 2023 deadline, only Qatar. So stop panicking!

If you’re from another country : You do not need to apply for an ETA now. More nationalities will be added to the scheme later.

Even if you are a resident of Qatar, there is no need to panic – you can only apply for an ETA from 25 October 2023 onwards.

UK will roll-out ETA through 2024-2025

The United Kingdom will slowly roll out its ETA programme throughout 2024-2025.

From 22 February 2024 onwards, travellers from these six countries in the Middle East will need an ETA to travel to the UK:

Bahrain
Jordan
Kuwait
Oman
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

Even travellers from these countries do not need to apply until 1 February 2024 onwards.

All non-visa travellers from all other countries will need an ETA by 2025. On 10 September 2024, the UK government finally revealed its schedule for 83 new countries to apply for ETA in 2025.

How much does UK ETA cost?

Each traveller will require his or her own ETA, including children and babies. Each ETA will cost £10 per applicant.

How long does each ETA last?

Your ETA will last for 2 years, and can use it to make multiple visits to the UK. However, you should know that having an ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.

In addition, the ETA is not transferrable to a new / renewed passport. If your passport expires in less than 2 years, you will need to get a new ETA for your new / renewed passport.

How to apply for UK ETA?

You can apply for your UK ETA through the UK government ETA application portal, or using the UK ETA mobile app which you can download from the App Store and Google Play Store.

You will need to take and upload a photo of the passport you will use to travel to the UK, and scan your face. You will also need to take and upload a photo of yourself, and answer some questions.

You will then have to pay for your UK ETA application using a credit card, a debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Please note that you will need to complete your UK ETA application within 20 minutes, or it will time out and you will need to start the whole process over again.

You will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but there may be delays if the UK government needs to make further checks

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Did UAE freeze French fighter jet deal over Pavel Durov arrest?!

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Did the UAE freeze a French fighter jet deal after France arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov?! Take a look at the viral claims and video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : UAE froze French fighter jet deal over Pavel Durov arrest!

People are sharing news reports and/or an Al Jazeera video, which purportedly claim that the UAE just froze its contract to purchase 80 fighter jets from France, over its arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

Firstpost : #FPWorld: Following the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended the deal with France for 80 warplanes, according to a report.

Financial Express : UAE cancels $20 billion Rafale deal with France despite Telegram CEO’s release

Kim Dotcom : The French Govt just lost $17 billion over the arrest of Pavel Durov. The UAE froze a deal to purchase 80 Rafale fighter jets and says that the arrest of Pavel Durov is outrageous. Pavel is a citizen of the UAE and a close friend of the Deputy Prime Minister Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Chuck Callesto : SHOCK REPORT: ⚠️United Arab Emirates government look to have FROZEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS worth of contracts with France after the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov..

Zlatti71. : The UAE has frozen a contract to purchase 80 fighter jets from France: Durov’s arrest has angered the sheikhs.

– The United Arab Emirates took drastic measures by freezing a contract to purchase 80 French fighter jets following the arrest of Pavel Durov.

– The creator of Telegram, who is personally acquainted with the son of the UAE Prime Minister, found himself at the center of an international scandal that has infuriated the sheikhs to the limit.

– Experts believe that by its actions, France has made a serious mistake, provoking the anger of influential allies. Now, Paris is paying for its rashness, and the future of the deal, as well as the trust of the UAE, hangs by a thread.

Suppressed News. : BREAKING: The UAE has frozen a contract to purchase 80 fighter jets from France worth at-least $10B as a response to Telegram Owner Pavel Durov’s arrest as it has angered the sheikhs.

Mete Sohtaoğlu : 📹📸 #UAE- The United Arab Emirates has frozen its contract to purchase 80 Rafale fighter jets from France worth a staggering €17 billion over the arrest of Telegram owner Pavel Durov

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Truth : UAE did not freeze French fighter jet deal over Pavel Durov arrest!

This appears to be yet another example of Russian propaganda, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No evidence UAE froze French fighter jet deal

Let me start by pointing out that there is no evidence that the United Arab Emirates froze its 2021 deal to purchase 80 Rafale F4 fighter jets.

If that actually happened, it would have been announced by the UAE authorities, and condemned by the French government. As a public-listed company, Dassault would also have to issue a statement on such a shocking development. It would also have resulted in widespread coverage by the mainstream media.

Yet, none of that happened. This fake news appears to have proliferated mainly through Telegram, and X (formerly Twitter).

Fact #2 : Al Jazeera video is fake

The viral Al Jazeera video, which claims that the UAE has frozen its contract to purchase 80 fighter jets from France, is fake. Al Jazeera never created, nor posted, this video.

The last time Al Jazeera ever posted about any arms deal between the UAE and France, was on 4 December 2021, when it reported on the UAE and France signing an arms deal involving 80 Rafael fighter jets and 12 military helicopters.

To be clear – Al Jazeera never made or posted the viral video below, or its contents:

The UAE has frozen the contract actions for the purchase of 80 fighter aircraft from France. This comes after the arrest of businessman Pavel Durov in Paris.

It is known that the UAE Prime Minister vetoed the continuation of action on the contract. Experts believe that the contract freeze is directly related to the arrest of UAE citizen Pavel Durov.

Pavel Durov had direct contact with the son of Emirati Prime Minister Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Thanks to the influence of Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Pavel Durov was granted UAE citizenship in 2021.

80 Rafale F4 fighter aircraft were due for delivery in 2027. The estimated value of the contract is about $10 billion. Amid the scandal surrounding Pavel Durov, the contract has been frozen. That could be a serious image blow for the French military-industrial complex.

Political analyst Marwan Bishara is sure that such a decision by the UAE is a consequence of a political mistake by the French government.

“Detaining a businessman who assets are based in the UAE on far-fetched charges that cast a shadow over the entire UAE is a sure way to spoil diplomatic relations between France and the UAE.”

Marwan Bishara emphasises that the UAE leadership has not been notified of France’s intentions regarding their citizen.

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https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Fake-Al-Jazeera-video-that-UAE-froze-French-fighter-jet-contract-over-Pavel-Durova-arrest-small-with-overlay.mp4?_=1

Fact #2 : Fake Al Jazeera report started in Telegram

Ironically, this fake Al Jazeera report appears to have originated in Telegram. According to Maria Dubovikova (archive) who traced this hoax, here is the timeline on 27 August 2024 (Moscow Time):

20:29 : Russian Telegram group Condottiero posted (translated) – “The UAE unilaterally suspended the contract for the purchase of 80 French fighter jets due to Durov’s arrest. Additionally, the Sheikhs are considering a complete blockade of trade operations with France, including in the defense sector.”

20:35 : Russian Telegram group Topaz posted (translated) – “The United Arab Emirates have frozen the contract to purchase 80 fighter jets from France following the arrest of Pavel Durov. They are also considering the possibility of a complete blockade of military-technical cooperation with France.”

By 11 PM (23:00), a fake video appeared on X, mimicking an Al Jazeera news video with this information. This video was never on the Qatari outlet’s platforms.

The fake news then spread outside of Russian Telegram channels, after being shared by Western opinion leaders like Kim Dotcom, Candace Owens, Chuck Callesto, etc.

Fact #3 : No evidence Marwan Bishara ever mentioned Pavel Durov

I could also find no evidence that Marwan Bishara ever commented on Pavel Durov, or his arrest by French authorities, or any response by the UAE government or leaders.

In fact, Marwan Bishara has not written any opinion piece for Al Jazeera for more than half a year – his last piece was posted on 24 November 2023, and it was about the Gaza war.

Fact #4 : UAE to receive Rafale F4 fighter jets only in 2027

There is also the inconvenient fact that Dassault is only expected to ship its first Rafale F4 fighter jet to the UAE in 2027, which is 3 years away. So there is nothing to freeze, so to speak.

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

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

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Did the pilot of Qatar Airways flight QR579 die suddenly from the COVID-19 vaccine during the flight?!

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

Claim : Qatar Airways Pilot Died From Vaccine Mid-Flight!

Some people are suggesting or claiming that the pilot of Qatar Airways flight QR579 died suddenly mid-flight due to a COVID-19 vaccine injury or SADS!

William Makis MD : BREAKING NEWS: Another PILOT has died inflight!!

Aug.16, 2023 – Quatar Airways QR579 (DEL-DOH) Delhi to Doha, Quatar diverted to Dubai as 51 year old senior pilot collapsed inflight and died!

2nd pilot death & 4th collapse THIS WEEK! #DiedSuddenly #cdnpoli #ableg

Stew Peters : ANOTHER pilot #DiedSuddenly, MID FLIGHT. Qatar Airlines vaxxed all their pilots, evidently.

#PureBloods will rule the world one day soon.

Jack Straw : BREAKING NEWS: Another PILOT has died inflight!!

Aug.16, 2023 – Quatar Airways QR579 (DEL-DOH) Delhi to Doha, Quatar diverted to Dubai as 51 year old senior pilot collapsed inflight and died! 2nd pilot death & 4th collapse THIS WEEK!

No Evidence Qatar Airways Pilot Died From Vaccine Mid-Flight!

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

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

Fact #1 : Qatar Airways Pilot Was Passenger Aboard QR579

First, let me just point out that the pilot who died aboard Qatar Airways flight QR579 was not the senior pilot for that flight. He was aboard the flight as a passenger.

To be clear – Qatar Airways flight QR579 was never in any danger during the tragic incident. It was not one of its two pilots who had a medical emergency and died.

Fact #2 : He Died Onboard Qatar Airways QR579

On August 16, 2023, Qatar Airways flight QR579 took off from Delhi, heading towards Doha. 30 minutes into its flight, the Airbus A350-900 aircraft suddenly turned left and headed for Dubai International Airport (DXB), where it landed 30 minutes later.

Later, it was reported that the aircraft with the registration of A7-ALM diverted to Dubai due to a medical emergency – a senior pilot who was travelling as a passenger, suddenly fell critically ill onboard.

Despite a swift response and medical assistance onboard flight QR579, he could not be saved. He was declared dead on arrive at Dubai International Airport.

Fact #3 : The Pilot Allegedly Died From Cardiac Arrest

The Qatar Airways pilot was a 51 year-old man of Indian origin, who had flown SpiceJet’s inaugural flight in 2005:

The pilot had worked with Alliance Air and spent 17 years in SpiceJet. He had operated SpiceJet’s first flight, Delhi-Ahmedabad, on May 23, 2005. Last year he had joined Qatar Airways where he was flying the Boeing 777.

A colleague who worked with the pilot for several years expressed shock, stating that “He was very fit and his untimely demise has come as a big shock for everyone who knew him“. That quote is being used to claim or suggest that the pilot “must have” died from a COVID-19 vaccine injury of some sort.

There is no evidence that his death has anything to do with COVID-19 vaccines. And certainly, people pushing those claims offered ZERO evidence to back up their “expert opinions”.

Officially, Qatar Airways has not commented on the death of the pilot. But India’s Zee News reported that the pilot was ascertained to have died from cardiac arrest.

While it is likely that the pilot died from sudden cardiac arrest, I would caution that the pilot’s official cause of death remains unknown.

Until and unless his family and/or Qatar Airways or the Dubai authorities reveal his official cause of death, any claim that he died from this or that cause should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Fact #4 : Cardiac Arrest Is Common

While anti-vaccination activists claim that there is a sudden surge of “untimely deaths” from cardiac arrest, it has long been a major cause of death… long before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented.

The United States alone records over half a million cases of sudden cardiac arrest cases every year – an incidence of about 130 per 100,000 individuals per year. Many people have undiagnosed heart conditions that may not produce noticeable symptoms in daily life, but could result in sudden cardiac arrest at any time.

A 2012 study discovered that people in Southern India who died from sudden cardiac arrest were 5-8 years younger compared to people in the western hemisphere.

10% of all deaths in Southern India were caused by sudden cardiac death
almost half were 60 years-old or younger
many were diagnosed with heart disease
over 80% had at least one risk factor for coronary artery disease – hypertension, diabetes, or smoking
they were generally 5-8 years younger than similar cases in the western hemisphere

Fact #5 : Unknown If Qatar Airways Pilot Was Vaccinated

Despite suggestions that the Qatar Airways pilot was fully-vaccinated, there isn’t any actual evidence that he ever received the COVID-19 vaccine. We don’t even know his name, much less his COVID-19 vaccination status!

Qatar Airways also never mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for its pilots or its aircrew. Instead, pilots and aircrew were offered two options – get vaccinated, or undergo a COVID-19 test every few days.

[H]ow did Qatar Airways achieve 100 per cent crew vaccination without threatening dismissal against vaccine-hesitant workers?

Unlike the United States, cabin crew in Qatar weren’t immediately prioritised for the vaccine and supply issues meant that Qatar hasn’t had a surplus of vaccines that are going to waste either.

But when crew did become eligible, they had a simple choice – get vaccinated or have an invasive COVID-19 test every few days to prove your negative status.

That said – the pilot is likely fully-vaccinated. He only joined Qatar Airways in 2022. Previously, he was with SpiceJet. While it is unknown whether SpiceJet has a vaccine mandate for its aircrew, SpiceJet is promoting the fact that its crew members and ground personnel are fully-vaccinated and masked.

Even so, I should point out that COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in India, and the pilot may possibly have left SpiceJet over the vaccination mandate (if there’s one). So it is still possible that the pilot was not vaccinated against COVID-19. We simply do not know his vaccination status for sure. Heck, we don’t even know his name!

Until and unless the pilot’s family (or Qatar Airways) reveals his COVID-19 vaccination status, anyone who tells you that the unnamed pilot was vaccinated or otherwise, is likely lying to you. None of us have any evidence of that.

Fact #6 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days

Even if the Qatar Airways pilot was fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, he would have received his doses more than a year ago! It is quite impossible for him to suffer from vaccine side effects, 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 or weeks.

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

Most claims of sudden deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false. Here is the latest dozen of other false sudden death claims!

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

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

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

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

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Is King of Bahrain Protected By A Robot Bodyguard?!

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Did the King of Bahrain arrive in Dubai with a US$7.4 million robot bodyguard with machine guns and tasers?!

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

Claim : King of Bahrain Is Protected By A Robot Bodyguard!

A video with these messages has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media, claiming to show the King of Bahrain arriving in Dubai with his robot bodyguard!

King of Bahrain arrives in Dubai with his Robot bodyguard of IR 4.0
It can speak 6 languages. It can rescue him literally carry him from mobs. It can physically fight, chase, shoot & armed with an electric teaser, an undisclosed 360 deg camera.
The AI guard cost about US $7.4 M

The king of Bahrain arrives in Dubai with his robot bodyguard. It speaks six languages,able to rescue the king from mobs,it can physically fight,chase and shoot. It is armed with an electric teaser and an undisclosed 360 degree camera system,a set of infrared cameras and three hidden machine guns with enough ammunition to fight up to 1050 men,besides a laser guided sniper machine gun. It also carries medicine and water. This robot cost around US 7.4 million, small change to oil rich Arab nation. An amazing development of the 4th Industrial Revolution!😅

The king of Bahrain arrives in Dubai with his robot bodyguard! The fourth industrial revolution is changing the world. Previously the population of a country determined its global power because of soldiers it could deploy. Now nations will be deploying robots into battle!

King of Bahrain arriving in Dubai with his Robot bodyguard. It speaks 6 languages. It can rescue him literally carry him from mobs. It can physically fight, chase, shoot. Its armed with an electric taser, an undisclosed 360 degrees camera system Secondary to a set of infrared pic.twitter.com/xJNhdD5Euz

— Temba Maseko (@TembaMaseko1) November 27, 2022

Truth : King of Bahrain Is Not Protected By A Robot Bodyguard!

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

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Abu Dhabi, Not Dubai

The video does not show the King of Bahrain arriving in Dubai. It was recorded on 19 February 2019, at the 2019 International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi.

While both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), they are separate emirates. Dubai is about an hour’s drive away from Abu Dhabi.

Fact #2 : That Is Not The King of Bahrain

The man seen in the video walking in front of the robot is not the King of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Fact #3 : Titan Is Adorned With UAE Flags, Not Bahrain

If you look carefully, Titan is adorned with UAE flags, not the flag of Bahrain. That’s because it’s being exhibited in the UAE.

If this was really the robot bodyguard of the King of Bahrain, it would have been adorned with the flag of Bahrain, not the flag of the UAE.

Fact #4 : That Is Titan The Robot

The robot behind him isn’t the man’s bodyguard, never mind the bodyguard of the King of Bahrain. It is called Titan the Robot, and it was made by a British company called Cyberstein, as the world’s first entertainment robot!

The world-famous Titan the Robot is the ultimate family entertainment show and Titan’s comedic antics are adored by children and adults alike.

Titan’s show can also be easily adapted to any situation and works very well as corporate entertainment or for enticing clients to your exhibition stand.

Fact #4 : Titan The Robot Is A Costume With A Person Inside

Titan the Robot isn’t even a real robot, but is really a humanoid robot costume worn by a human actor who moves its appendages, and controls electronic functions like light and sound effects.

Needless to say, Titan does not have any machine guns, or sniper rifles, or tasers hidden inside. Only a human being. In fact, the costume only weighs 60 kg!

Fact #5 : Titan The Robot Is Not For Sale

Cyberstein does not sell Titan because it needs an actor to use the costume, but anyone can book it to perform at family, corporate and international events!

Titan the the Robot is based in the UK, but he is available worldwide and has performed in over 50 countries to date. Titan’s show can be configured for any kind of event and the footfall he creates in shopping malls is legendary.

Cyberstein has never stated how much Titan the Robot costs, but it is ludicrous to claim that a robot costume would cost US$7.4 million.

Fact #6 : Titan The Robot Is Over 18 Years Old!

While the viral posts suggest that this is a new robot bodyguard that the King of Bahrain purchased for an exorbitant price, Titan the Robot is over 18 years old!

Titan made its first appearance at the 2004 Glastonbury Festival on 25-27 June, and was 18 years old when it performed at Britain’s Got Talent.

There is nothing really high-tech about it, being developed in the early 2000s. It certainly does not have any Industrial Revolution 4.0 features!

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

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Did Saudi Ambassador Muhammad al-Qahtani Die From Vaccine?!

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Did the Saudi Ambassador to Egypt, Muhammad al-Qahtani, die from the COVID-19 vaccine while giving a speech?!

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

Claim : Saudi Ambassador Muhammad al-Qahtani Died From Vaccine?!

People are sharing a video which they claim shows the Saudi ambassador Muhammad al-Qahtani collapsing and dying from the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are some of the comments that accompany the viral video :

The #Saudi ambassador, Muhammad al-Qahtani, fell and died during a speech at a conference in the #Egyptian capital, #Cairo, in which he praised president A-Sisi and described him as “the dean of humanity.

Hmm, how may #clotshot’s did he take? #SaudiArabia #BreakingNews

The Saudi ambassador, Muhammad al-Qahtani, fell and died during a speech at a conference in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Sadly doctors confirmed it was caused by Sudden Adult Death Syndrome(SADS), and totally unrelated to all his COVID vaccines.

Truth : Saudi Ambassador al-Qahtani Did Not Die From Vaccine?!

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

Fact #1 : He Was Not Saudi Ambassador To Egypt

First, let me confirm that the man in the video clip – Muhammad al-Qahtani – is NOT the Saudi ambassador to Egypt.

The current Saudi ambassador to Egypt is Osama Naqli, who is very much alive.

In fact, Osama Naqli himself dismissed the false rumour, and also confirmed that the man was not one of Saudi Arabia’s ambassadors, or a Saudi diplomat.

Fact #2 : He Was A Saudi Businessman

The man in the viral video is Saudi businessman Muhammad bin Nasser bin Wazan al-Qahtani, who now resides in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mr. al-Qahtani owns the Al-Salam Holding Company, and was giving a speech at the Arab-African Conference in Cairo on Monday, 8 August 2022, when he collapsed and died.

This is apparently his Twitter account, and this is a video of him.

pic.twitter.com/KoS3wquWlu

— محمد ابن ناصر وزن القحطاني (@mr_00001) July 6, 2022

Fact #3 : His Cause Of Death Is Currently Unknown

Mr. al-Qahtani was taken away to another room to receive medical attention by security guards, but passed away.

His cause of death is currently unknown. That does not mean he died from “a vaccine injury” or “vaccine side effects”. It means – no one knows why he collapsed and died suddenly.

Until an autopsy is performed and his family reveals his cause of death, anyone who claims that Muhammad al-Qahtani died of this or that cause is lying to you.

Fact #4 : He Collapsed Mid-Speech

In the clearest video of the incident, Mr. al-Qahtani was seen praising UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nas a “dean of humanity and a man of peace” before he paused, and collapsed.

Until his sudden collapse, he does not appear to be ill. The video shows him standing and speaking normally, and he even turned several times to gesture at people to the side.

That does not suggest that he was suffering from any debilitating medical conditions like myocarditis, for example.

محمد بن ناصر بن وزن آل مسعود القحطاني
رجل أعمال سعودي مقيم بالإمارات وتم منحه مناصب شرفية كسفير نوايا حسنة وما إلى ذلك
.
"ستكتب شهادتهم ويُسئلون"
اللهم إنا نسألك حسن الخاتمة pic.twitter.com/pOAILVbIUS

— عصام (@DrEsamBaraka) August 9, 2022

Fact #5 : There Are Thousands Of SADS Deaths Every Year

It is possible that Muhammad al-Qahtani may have died from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), also known as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

But that does not mean SADS is caused by COVID-19 vaccines. That would be rather ludicrous as SADS was first documented in 1977 – long before COVID-19 vaccines were invented!

SADS also occurs at a rate of 0.12 to 0.21 per 100,000 people every single year. In other words, approximately 9,000 to 16,000 people die from SADS every single year, before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented.

Despite what anti-vaccination activists may tell you – SADS is not a new vaccine-related syndrome.

SADS is usually caused by an abnormal heart rhythm that leads to a cardiac arrest. That’s why it can be prevented by implanting a cardioverter-defribillator.

The UK Office for National Statistics data on Sudden Adult Deaths from 2016 to 2020 also showed NO INCREASE in SADS cases, demonstrating that COVID-19 vaccines did not increase the prevalence of SADS.

Years	Sudden Adult Death Syndrome Cases
2016	116
2017	63
2018	53
2019	87
2020	115

Fact #6 : Unknown If Muhammad al-Qahtani Was Vaccinated

It is currently unknown if Muhammad al-Qahtani was vaccinated against COVID-19, so it would be wrong for anyone to claim that he died from COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

For all we know – he may not even be vaccinated! The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in both Saudi Arabia or the UAE, despite what anti-vaccination activists may claim.

Fact #7 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days

Even if Muhammad al-Qahtani was vaccinated against COVID-19, he would have received all of his doses many 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.

Fact #8 : COVID-19 Vaccines Proven Safe + Effective

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

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

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

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

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

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WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

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The WHO has convened an emergency meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that has spread to 56 countries!

Here is what you need to know…

WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.

Chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele and Dr. Nicola Low, this emergency WHO meeting on monkeypox is only open to members and advisors of the Emergency Committee.

The findings of this emergency meeting would be conveyed to the Director-General of WHO, on whether the outbreak should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern, and also on potential recommendations on how to address it.

This meeting comes as an NGO called World Health Network (unrelated to WHO) issued a press release describing the current monkeypox outbreak as a “pandemic”, urging “immediate and effective action” from country and global health authorities.

This led to a bit of confusion, as their names and acronyms were similar (WHO vs WHN). To be clear, WHO has not declared a monkeypox pandemic.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Over 4,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 56 Countries!

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..

However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 56 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 4,000 cases!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Spain	918	100	1,018
United Kingdom	793	–	793
Germany	676	–	676
France	330	–	330
Portugal	328	–	328
Canada	223	45	268
United States	173	–	173
Netherlands	167	–	167
Italy	85	–	85
Belgium	77	1	78
Switzerland	52	–	52
Ireland	28	–	28
Ghana	18	–	18
Brazil	11	6	17
Israel	16	–	16
Australia	13	–	13
Denmark	13	–	13
Sweden	13	–	13
UAE	13	–	13
Austria	12	–	12
Poland	12	–	12
Mexico	9	–	9
Slovenia	9	–	9
Hungary	7	–	7
Czech Republic	6	–	6
Uganda	–	6	6
Romania	5	–	5
Argentina	4	–	4
Finland	4	–	4
Malta	4	–	4
Norway	4	–	4
Somalia	–	4	4
Chile	3	–	3
Colombia	3	–	3
Greece	3	–	3
Iceland	3	–	3
Bulgaria	2	–	2
Latvia	2	–	2
Morocco	1	1	2
Bahamas	–	1	1
Cayman Islands	–	1	1
Fiji	–	1	1
Georgia	1	–	1
Gibraltar	1	–	1
Haiti	–	1	1
Libya	–	1	1
Lebanon	1	–	1
Luxembourg	1	–	1
Serbia	1	–	1
Singapore	1	–	1
South Africa	1	–	1
South Korea	1	–	1
Uruguay	–	1	1
Venezuela	1	–	1
Zambia	–	1	1
TOTAL	4,049	170	4,219

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The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!

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Take a look at the scene that got the Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, banned in 14 countries, and likely China too!

Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

Lightyear – the long-awaited Toy Story prequel from Disney-Pixar – has been banned in 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and quite likely China too!

The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that Lightyear was banned from screening in all cinemas for “its violation of the country’s media content standards“.

A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.

That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :

United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain

Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.

Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.

I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.

We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut

The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!

The reasons why Lightyear has been banned in at least 14 countries, and possibly China too, is over a brief kissing scene.

In the first 30 minutes of Lightyear, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) – a female space ranger and a close friend of Buzz Lightyear – shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.

That kiss was part of a scene showing milestones in the couple’s relationship. It also shows the couple’s son, although it is not known if he was adopted or conceived through assisted reproduction.

But it was the brief kiss between two fictional characters that broke the camel’s back for censors in those countries. They demanded that the scene be cut from the film.

Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a controversial scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.

However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.

We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.

Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.

Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.

Lightyear Stars On Why Lightyear Was Banned…

Chris Evans, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in this prequel, labelled such objections as “frustrating”.

It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity.

But it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be.

He also told Variety magazine that he was frustrated that news coverage of the movie would be focused on such an issue :

It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’

The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is.

Taika Waititi, who voices the character of Mo Morrison in the film, added :

We’re hoping for a time when we don’t even have to have this conversation. We can watch a movie and we don’t even have to bat an eyelid.

We don’t have to think ‘Oh wow, weird’. It’s not weird, it’s normal and it should be normalised.

Whenever you have these small steps that studios are making – sometimes they may feel small but also, they are steps – and it’s steps towards normalising humanity and love. I really feel sorry for countries who don’t want this film because of a tiny, weird little thing like that

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

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

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Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

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The Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, has been banned in 14 countries, and quite possibly China too!

Here is what we know so far…

Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

Lightyear – the long-awaited animated feature film from Disney-Pixar – has reportedly been banned in 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that :

The Media Regulatory Office announced that the animated film Lightyear, which is scheduled for release on 16th June, is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards.

A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.

That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :

United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain

Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.

Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.

I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.

Why Lightyear Was Banned In Those Countries…

In Lightyear, the character of Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.

That’s it – a little kiss between two fictional characters. Unfortunately, it was a kiss too far for those countries.

Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a “controversial” scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.

However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.

We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.

Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.

Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.

Lightyear Stars On The Movie Ban By 14+ Countries