Did Chinese officials refuse to greet Annalena Baerbock when the German Foreign Minister landed in China for her official visit?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : China snubbed Annalena Baerbock on her official visit!
People are claiming or suggesting that Chinese officials refused to greet Annalena Baerbock when the German Foreign Minister landed in China for her official visit!
WION : German Foreign Minister receives no welcome in China. Watch what happened
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock found herself in a confused situation when she landed in China when no one received her at the airport. A video of the incident has been circulating on social media leaving netizens in splits.
In the video, Annalena Baerbock could be seen descending from the boarding stairs of the aeroplane alone, after her flight landed in China. She looks around and appears confused when she realises that no Chinese officials are there to receive her. The footage has been shared multiple times on X and has already gained thousands of views.
India Herald : German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock Shocked as she received NO WELCOME in China
Aaj News : China snubs Germany as no one receives Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at airport
Development comes after German FM called Chinese President Xi ‘dictator’ last year
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was shocked when she landed in China as no one came to receive her at the airport on Monday, prompting her to leave with her delegation.
Globe Eye News : No one came to greet German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the airport during her visit to China.
King Chelsea Ug : 🇩🇪🇨🇳 German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock didn’t receive a formal welcome from local officials upon arriving in China, and she looked disoriented, unlike a high-ranking official.
Truth : China did not snub Annalena Baerbock on her official visit!
This is yet another example of fake news about Germany and China, and here are the reasons why…
Video was recorded in January 2024
Let me start by pointing out that viral video is genuine, but was not recorded in October 2024. It was recorded on 12 January 2024.
Video was recorded in Malaysia
The video also does not show Annalena Baerbock landing in China. The video shows German Foreign Minister arriving in Kuala Lumpur, on her official visit to Malaysia.
Her plane landed in a different part of the airport
It is true that Annalena Baerbock was not received when she stepped off her plane. However, that only happened because her plane was unexpectedly asked to land at a different part of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The welcoming delegation from the Malaysian government was at a different part of the airport when she stepped off her plane, and she was taken to them instead. Understandably, that’s easier than waiting for the welcoming delegation to shift everything to the new location.
German journalist, Florian Warweg, asked the German Federal Foreign Office (Auswaertiges Amt) about the viral video, and confirmed that the video shows Annalena Baerbock landing in Malaysia, not China. Here is the English translation of his post:
There is currently a video circulating on X & Co which is supposed to show @ABaerbockarriving in China/India. She goes down the stairs and looks around in surprise, as there is no reception committee to be seen anywhere. I asked @AuswaertigesAmtabout this.
Answer: Video shows #Baerbock on arrival in Malaysia. 🇩🇪 Government aircraft had to unexpectedly land in another part of the airport, so the welcoming delegation stood a few meters further away.
Statement sounds understandable, so be careful with the context when sharing this clip 😉
Unfortunately, it appears that some Indian media outlets posted about those unverified claims without first verifying the facts.
Annalena Baerbock does not appear to have visited China in October
In early October, it was reported that Annalena Baerbock would visit China “in the coming days”. The trip was supposed to have been planned for October. However, there has been no announcement by either country on the visit, so it is possible that her trip might have been postponed.
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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 airline pilots accidentally release chemtrails at airports?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Airline pilots accidentally released chemtrails at airports!
People are sharing videos of aircraft spewing white smoke, as evidence that airline pilots accidentally released chemtrails while their aircraft are still parked at airports!
David Wolfe : A pilot accidentally releases the chemtrail vaporizer while still at the airport terminal.
JoshWho #SeekingTheTruth : OOops | A pilot accidentally released the chem tanks while still on the ground at the airport.
😅😂🤣😱👇🤣
Greetings to all who still think chemtrails are ” condensation trails”. #chemtrails #SAI #StratosphericAerosolInjection #Geoengineering #SolarEngineering #DimmingTheSky
Matt Hoy : Ooops!! When you accidentally hit the chemtrail button while still on the ground.
Oh wait, is it condensation or humidity causing it? Oh hold up, all planes do this at certain altitudes 🙄 Silly me.. “Note to self, do not put coffee next to poison the people button” #Chemtrails
Truth : Airline pilots did not release chemtrails at airports!
This appears to be yet another example of fake news created / promoted by believers in the chemtrail conspiracy theory, and here are the reasons why…
This video shows an APU burning oil
This video has been regularly shared as evidence of airline pilots accidentally releasing chemtrails on the ground. However, the belching white smoke isn’t a chemtrail, but rather – burning oil from an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).
This video likely shows a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 777 airliner which had just powered on its APU after maintenance work. Leftover oil in the APU burns off as white smoke from from its tail exhaust port.
Based on my investigation, this video appears to be recorded and posted on YouTube by ブリックガレージ (Brick Garage) on 3 April 2016. It was then reposted by another YouTube channel called 737Aviation on 4 August 2020, with the following caption and description:
Japan Airlines APU Fire
Short video showing APU burning oil. This could happen after heavy maintenance when there are oil leftovers in the APU (same would happen with an engine) and it is first start after works.
While the title said APU fire, and it was technically oil on fire from the APU, the description stated that it can happen with leftover oil in the APU after maintenance.
If you look closely, you can also see airport employees casually walking next to the Boeing 777, which suggests that the description is correct – the APU was just burning off excess oil after it started up for the first time after maintenance.
This video also shows an APU of a Boeing 777 burning excess oil, this time an aircraft belong to United Airlines. In fact, you can see that the excess oil burns out, and the white smoke stops discharging from the tail exhaust port, just before the video ends.
A flight test engineer @mikefly562 said it was “most likely a new (or preserved) APU firing up and that’s the preservation fluid burning up. Fairly typical on new or preserved turbine engines“.
The FSXNOOB YouTube channel, which reposted this video, suggested that the APU might be burning off accumulated fuel vapour:
White smoke from the aircraft’s Auxiliary Power Unit during startup can be due to unburnt fuel vapor. When the engine is shut down, fuel left in the manifolds can coke up in the burners. Then, when you try to start again, the fuel spray might miss the ignitor, leading to the emission of white smoke. This is more common during the start, as combustion is poorer due to low pressure and low airflow in the combustor. However, it’s important to note that persistent white smoke could indicate a more serious issue and should be checked by a professional..
While some fact checkers have suggest that video showed a United Airlines Boeing 757-200’s APU catching fire at the Boston Logan Airport on Tuesday, 16 November 2021, that is not accurate.
First of all, the video is far more recent, and was recorded at Heathrow and posted on TikTok on 10 March 2024. @theheathrowguy who took that video said that the UA airliner had passengers onboard and returned to the terminal after that, so there may have been something wrong with the APU.
I posted because I was there when it happened and no it wasn’t normal as it went back on stand after push WITH passengers inside the plane
Secondly, the video actually shows the tail exhaust port of a Boeing 777, which has a unique wedge-style tail cone, with its APU exhaust port offset to the left side. The Boeing 757, on the other hand, has a “traditional” centred, circular exhaust port.
But the most important thing to know is that this video does not show airline pilots accidentally releasing chemicals. It either shows an APU burning off excess preservation oil, or an APU on fire.
The term “chemtrails” refers to the belief that condensation trails (contrails) left in the sky by high-flying aircraft are actually chemical or biological agents being deliberately spread for various nefarious purposes.
The truth is – chemtrails do not exist. The white trails you see behind airplanes flying at high altitudes are contrails – trails of water vapour from aircraft engines that condenses into ice crystals in the extremely cold air.
In fact, these contrails have been seen since aircraft were able to fly at high altitudes, and were prominent during World War 2, when contrails were often seen during high-altitude bombing missions.
On top of that, it would require many tens of thousands of people in the aviation industry to work in perfect unison to cover up an industry-wide conspiracy to spray people with chemicals or biological agents. In truth – such a conspiracy would have been exposed within hours, if not days.
Unsurprisingly, people promoting the chemtrail conspiracy have never provided any evidence to prove their claims.
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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 Indian company called Nagarjuna Cement mock the September 11 attack in its controversial advertisement?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Nagarjuna Cement mocks September 11 attack in viral video!
People are sharing a video which purportedly shows a controversial advertisement by Nagarjuna Cement mocking the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States.
The viral video shows an airliner flying into a tall building and bouncing off it, instead of exploding. The airplane then reverses and goes around the building, suggesting that the building was simply too hard to take down.
Translated : his cement is impressive, and the airplane head is also very hard 😂 #fyp #viral #recommended #didn’t expect that #India
Circulating on WhatsApp : India Cement advertisement that upset USA. 🤣
印度水泥广告 美国人震怒!
President-Elect Togo : This Indian ad is saying if you used their cement, 9/11 wouldn’t have happened
Remington 870 : Indian commercial showing how strong Indian cement is compared to U.S. that, 9/11 could never happen if built with Indian materials. 9/11 suggest U.S does tofu construction, no other countries building would collapse this easily.
Truth : Nagarjuna Cement did not create video mock September 11 attack!
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on TikTok, YouTube, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…
Nagarjuna Cement did not create that 9/11 attack advertisement
First, let me just point out that Nagarjuna Cement did not create any viral advertisement mocking the September 11 attack on one of the World Trade Center towers.
If that was really the case, it would have been reported widely by media outlets all over the world. Yet, there has been no legitimate news report of any Nagarjuna Cement advertisement mocking the 9/11 attacks.
Nagarjuna Cement refuted claims it created the video
Nagarjuna Cement itself publicly refuted (archive) the claim that it created the video as an advertisement on its account on X (formerly Twitter) on 20 March 2024:
Kind Attn: For the past few days this meme has been circulated on social media platforms.We would like everyone to know that we have nothing to do with this content or the creator and we wish to report the illegal usage of our copyrighted/trademark brand logo and our ad content.
The viral Nagarjuna Cement advertisement mocking the September 11 attack on the Twin Towers was actually created from two separate video clips.
The first 5 seconds was taken from a 3D animation of an airliner bouncing off a World Trade Center tower, with the bonk sound effect, that was created by animator Wraysque and posted on YouTube on 20 February 2024.
When someone mentioned to Wraqsque that the video was being used in the Nagarjuna Cement video, he/she said:
lmao,,, i dont think they ever mentioned my channel on their vid, glad u found my channel, here is a cookie
The second part was taken from the last 13 seconds of an actual Nagarjuna advertisement that was posted on YouTube more than 3 years ago – on 13 May 2021.
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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 UK will require travellers from 83 new countries to register and pay for ETA in 2025! Here is what you need to know…
UK imposes ETA on 83 new countries in 2025!
On Tuesday, 10 September 2024, the UK government expanded the roll-out of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system to 83 new countries in 2025.
The ETA is basically digital permission to travel for visitors who currently do not need a visa for short stays, or do not already have a UK immigration status. You will also need to apply for an ETA if you are only transiting through the UK (even if you are not going through border control).
The United Kingdom launched its ETA system in November 2023, with the pilot phase involving citizens of Qatar. It was then expanded in February 2024 to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan (now cancelled).
The expanded roll-out of the UK’s ETA system in 2025 will be split into two stages involving 49 countries in January, and another 34 European countries in April.
Travellers from the affected countries who do not have a visa will need an ETA to travel to the UK:
for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study,
for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
for a permitted paid engagement
if transiting through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control
How much does UK ETA cost?
Each ETA application will cost £10 (about €12 / US$13 / RM60), and you cannot get a refund after you apply.
Every person travelling to the UK must have an ETA, including babies and children. Each person must apply separately, although you can apply for other people.
How long does UK ETA last?
Every approved UK ETA will last 2 years, and you will be allowed to make multiple visits to the UK during that two-year period, or until the passport it is tied to expires – whichever is sooner.
The UK government says travellers can typically expect to get a decision on their ETA application within 3 working days, although occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.
Applications using the UK ETA app may get a quicker decision, according to the British High Commission.
Once your ETA is approved, you will receive an email confirmation. There is no ETA to print or bring with you. The ETA is linked electronically to the passport you applied with. You must therefore travel to the UK using the same passport.
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 ETA application using a credit card, a debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
Please note that you will need to complete your ETA application within 20 minutes, or it will time out and you will need to start the whole process over again.
UK ETA expands to these 49 countries in January 2025
Citizens of these 49 countries and territories will need to have an ETA to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025 onwards. They will be able to apply and pay for ETA authorisation starting 27 November 2024.
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas)
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macao Special Administrative Region
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Federated States of Micronesia
Nauru
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Samoa
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Taiwan (if you have a passport issued by Taiwan that includes in it the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan)
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
United States
Uruguay
UK ETA expands to European countries in April 2025
Citizens of these 34 European countries will need to have an ETA to travel to the UK without visa from 2 April 2025 onwards. They will be able to apply and pay for ETA authorisation starting 5 March 2025.
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Vatican City
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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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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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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 football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just die suddenly in a tragic car accident?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-08-26 : Added a fact check video and new updates.
Updated @ 2024-03-21 : Added new updates, including a new photo. Originally posted @ 2023-04-18
Claim : Cristiano Ronaldo just died suddenly in tragic car crash!
People are claiming on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and social media that football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just died suddenly in a tragic car accident, with photos of the car accident and his funeral procession!
YouTube : Cristiano ronaldo no more || ronaldo death || UR Cristiano || cristiano ronaldo || ronaldo || death
Truth : Cristiano Ronaldo did not die suddenly in tragic car crash!
This is yet another example of fake news created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Cristiano Ronaldo is still alive + well!
Cristiano Ronaldo (born Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro on 5 February 1985) is still very much alive and well, as of Monday, 26 August 2024!
Of course, you will want “proof of life”, don’t you? Well, Ronaldo posted a photo of himself on Monday, 26 August 2024, which showed him at the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where the host nation’s “Team Falcons” won the $7 million prize money.
Obviously, Ronaldo is not only alive, he’s very healthy.
Fact #2 : No legitimate media outlet reported Ronaldo’s death
These social media posts, as well as YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Cristiano Ronald’s death!
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s best footballers and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe!
Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Cristiano Ronaldo died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook / TikTok videos?
There is also the inconvenient fact that there has been no massive outpouring of grief from his millions of fans.
Fact #3 : Viral car crash photo was from 2009
The viral photo of a badly damaged car is genuine, and shows a car in which Cristiano Ronaldo drove and crashed. However, that happened 15 years ago, when the Portuguese footballer was just 23 years old!
At 10:20 am on 8 January 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo crashed his Ferrari sports car into a roadside barrier in a tunnel on the A538 Wilmslow Road near the Manchester airport, on the way to train with the Manchester United team.
The car was badly damaged, with one of the front wheels sheared off and thrown over a hundred metres away. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was not injured, and got out of his car by himself, and later went on to train that morning.
Fact #4 : Cristiano Ronaldo accident and funeral photos are fake!
Because Cristiano Ronaldo never died in a car crash or a hospital, these fake news creator have to resort to using photos from other accidents or funerals.
For example, this photo does not show a screenshot of a news report about Cristiano Ronald’s tragic car accident, in which the other car fled the scene.
The fake news creator simply used a photo from a tragic accident in the Portuguese island of Madeira, where a tour bus swerved off a winding street and tumbled down a hill, killing at least 29 people and injuring dozens of other passengers.
To make it more convincing, the fake news creator added the LIVE and BREAKING NEWS chyrons to the image. Needless to say, Cristiano Ronaldo was not onboard the tour bus. He was never there, never mind injured or killed in that April 2019 tragedy.
In this example, the fake news creator merely added an inset photo of Cristiano Ronaldo with an arrow, a crying emoji and a LIVE chyron, to a photo of the funeral procession of IRA veteran Bobby Storey, which occurred on 30 June 2020.
If you take a closer look, you will see a bagpiper and Argos – a retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. You may also notice that everyone’s white! That’s because the photo was taken in Belfast, not Portugal!
Cristiano Ronaldo is Portuguese. Why on Earth would his funeral be held in Ireland?! And why would his family want a bagpiper at his funeral?!
Fact #5 : Ronaldo death hoax is driven by fake fact check too
This Cristiano Ronaldo death hoax is, ironically, just another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:
News of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the March 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 39-year-old footballer is alive and well.
Rumors of the footballer’s alleged demise gained traction on Sunday after a ‘R.I.P. Cristiano Ronaldo’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the Portuguese footballer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (August 24, 2024), our beloved footballer Cristiano Ronaldo passed away. Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 39-year-old footballer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major Portuguese network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a footballer of Cristiano Ronaldo’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Cristiano Ronaldo Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
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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 football legend Lionel Messi just die suddenly in a tragic car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-08-17 : Updated with new information
Updated @ 2023-09-24 : Added video fact check and comparison! Originally posted @ 2023-04-20
Claim : Lionel Messi died suddenly in a tragic car crash!
People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim that football legend Lionel Messi just died suddenly in a high-speed car accident, with photos of the tragic car crash!
detlokalehotel : Messi died in a car crash #messi #died #in #a #car #crash #rip #rip #ripmessi
#fyp #soccer #messi #dead rest in peace legend👑⚽️🕊️
LIONEL MESSI DIES IN UNBELIEVABLE CAR CRASH
Messi, Xavi and Christiano dead after car accident
#Rip Messie Messie❤️ respect for Messie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⚽️🥅
Messie the best of the world ❤️🇦🇷❤️❤️#Messie
INFO CHOC: Lionel Messi est décédé
SHOCK INFO: Lionel Messi has died
There is even an example in which people claim that Lionel Messi died after Ronaldo fans killed him outside his home:
gavixamp : #messi #death Today marks the 2 year death of footballer Lionel Messi after Ronaldo fans killed him outside his home
Truth : Lionel Messi did not die suddenly in a tragic car crash!
This is yet another example of fake news created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No legitimate media reported Lionel Messi died
These social media posts, as well as YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media outlet has reported on Lionel Messi’s death!
Lionel Messi is one of the world’s best footballer and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe! And his fans would have mourned his death on social media.
Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Lionel Messi died recently from any cause, never mind a tragic car accident. Neither has there been any outpouring of grief from his millions of fans.
So why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / TikTok videos???
Fact #2 : Lionel Messi is still alive and well!
Lionel Messi (born Lionel Andrés Messi on 24 June 1987) is still very much alive and well, as of Saturday, 17 August 2024. He did not die in a tragic car accident. Neither was he killed by Ronaldo fans outside his home.
Of course, you want proof of life, right? What you should be asking is the proof of death when you see social media claims that some celebrity or athlete has died. But I digress…
Well, Lionel Messi himself posted a photo with his family on 12 August 2024. As you can see, not only is he very much still alive, his family looks great!
To convince you that Lionel Messi died (even though he’s still alive), fake news creators had to make use of unrelated car crashes.
In this example, the video claimed that Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, died in this car accident.
The truth is – that is a photo of a Ferrari 599 that crashed in October 2009, on the Great Ocean Road in southern Victoria, Australia. The driver was a 64 year-old man called Carlo Vaccari.
Mr. Vaccari lost control while driving his Ferrari 599 at 80 km/h and ploughed into two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. He was convicted of careless driving, but only fined $3000.
Fact #4 : This car accident photo was posted in 2014
It is unknown when this car accident happened, but this photo was posted by WreckedExotics.com on August 13, 2014.
Apparently, the driver lost control of his Ferrari 458 Italia while trying to overtake another car, and crashed into a trash bin. The driver left the scene of the accident, possibly under the influence of drugs / alcohol.
Even though this incident happened in Madrid, Spain, this photo is old and has nothing to do with Lionel Messi.
This photo does not show Lionel Messi’s fatal car crash. This accident actually occurred at around 9 PM on 1 September 2012, at the E42 highway near Francorchamps in Belgium.
The driver was a 63 year-old man from Saint-Ghislain, and was obviously not Lionel Messi.
Fact #6 : Lionel Messi death hoax is driven by fake fact check too
This Lionel Messi death hoax is, ironically, also fuelled by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in its fake fact check article:
News of footballer Lionel Messi’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 37-year-old footballer is alive and well.
Rumors of the footballer’s alleged demise gained traction on Sunday after a ‘R.I.P. Lionel Messi’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the Argentine footballer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (August 15, 2024), our beloved footballer Lionel Messi passed away. Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 36-year-old footballer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Lionel Messi Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out how to register for the BUDI MADANI diesel fuel subsidy initiative in our step-by-step guide!
BUDI MADANI Registration For Diesel Subsidy
On 22 May 2024, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will cut diesel subsidies in Peninsular Malaysia, with Sabah and Sarawak spared as the use of diesel vehicles is widespread in those states.
Cutting this diesel subsidy is expected to save the government about RM4 billion (about US$850 million a year) – or about 0.2% of its GDP, and help to achieve the goal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) to reduce the debt level so that it does not exceed 60% of the GDP, with a fiscal deficit of between 3.5% and 3% by 2025.
Instead of providing a direct subsidy of diesel fuel, Malaysia has announced a new diesel subsidy scheme called BUDI MADANI, which is much more limited, and targeted.
Step 3 : A notice will pop-up, informing you that your MyKad number is not found in the BUDI MADANI system. You are then given the option to register for an account.
Step 4 : Click on the Daftar Akaun (Register Account) button.
Step 5 : In the BUDI MADANI registration page, you will need to key in these details:
MyKad number
Full name
Email address
Step 6 : Enter a safety phrase that only you will know. Make it something short and easy to remember, like Show me the money!
This safety phrase will appear whenever you log into BUDI MADANI in the future, allowing you to verify that you are not logging into a fake, phishing website.
Step 7 : Key in a password that must be at least 8 digits / characters long, and must consist of a mix of numbers, small and capital letters, and symbols.
Step 8 : Once you are done, click on the Daftar (Register) button.
Step 9 : A pop-up will appear, informing you that you have successfully registered for a BUDI MADANI account. You should immediately receive an email.
You will now need to check your email account (the one you keyed in above), for the BUDI MADANI confirmation email.
Please verify that the email came from budimadani@hasil.gov.my, and that it was sent right after you register for the account.
Once you are sure it is a legitimate email, click on the link inside the confirmation email, to verify your email address and activate your BUDI MADANI account.
Step 10 : Clicking on the link should lead you to the login page. If it does not, simply go to the BUDI MADANI login page again, and key in your MyKad number.
Step 11 : This time, you will be shown your safety phrase. Click Ya (Yes) to confirm that it is the safety phrase you registered, or Tidak (No) if it’s the wrong safety phrase.
Step 12 : Now key in your password, and click on the Log Masuk (Log In) button.
Step 13 : After logging in, you will see the BUDI MADANI screen with two options. Click on Permohonan BUDI Individu (Application for BUDI Individual)
Step 14 : You will need to key in your other personal details:
Tick the Police / Military checkbox and key in your Police / Military number, if you are in the police or military.
Mobile phone number
Bank
Bank account number
Step 15 : You will then need to key in the details of your diesel vehicles (up to 5):
Vehicle number plate number
Vehicle road tax expiry date
Vehicle brand and model
Vehicle class
Step 16 : Once you are done, verify the details and click on the Teruskan (Proceed) button.
Step 17 : You will be presented with a CAPTCHA challenge. Key in the letters you see in the box below, and click on the SAHKAN CAPTCHA (Verify CAPTCHA) button.
Step 18 : You will be presented with a declaration. Click on the checkbox to proceed.
Step 19 : Now click on the Hantar (Send) button to submit your application.
Step 20 : You will receive a notification that your application was successfully submitted. Click on the Keluar (Leave) button to exit, or click on the Cetak Permohonan (Print Application) button to download your application.
You can also click on the Semak Status (Check Status) to see if your application has been approved.
That’s it! You have successfully submitted your BUDI MADANI application for diesel subsidy! Best of luck!
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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.
Malaysia just abolished its diesel fuel subsidy, and will float diesel prices on a monthly basis! Here is what you need to know…
Subsidy Removed : Diesel To Cost RM3.35 On June 10!
On 9 June 2024, Malaysia Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan announced that diesel prices will be floated on a monthly basis, abolishing the diesel fuel subsidy at least in Peninsula Malaysia.
Based on the Automatic Pricing Mechanism formula for the month of May, diesel will be priced at RM3.35 per litre starting midnight on Monday, June 10, 2024.
Currently, Euro 5 diesel (B10) is sold at the subsidised price of RM2.15 per litre, whereas so the new, unsubsidised price of RM3.35 per litre is about 55.8% higher. Those using B7 diesel will pay RM3.55 per litre, up from the current RM2.35 per litre – up by 51%.
While the diesel subsidy will remain in place for Sabah and Sarawak, it will eventually be removed. The Finance Minister II said that the “rationalisation” of the diesel subsidy will be implemented in Sabah and Sarawak later.
Cutting this diesel subsidy is expected to save the government about RM4 billion (about US$850 million a year) – or about 0.2% of its GDP, and help to achieve the goal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) to reduce the debt level so that it does not exceed 60% of the GDP, with a fiscal deficit of between 3.5% and 3% by 2025.
Instead of providing a direct subsidy of diesel fuel, Malaysia has announced a new diesel subsidy scheme called BUDI MADANI, which is much more limited, and targeted.
In addition, the government will continue to provide subsidies for farmers and traders using diesel-powered commercial vehicles, and public transportation. Ten types of public transportation vehicles, including buses and taxis, as well as 23 types of goods transport vehicles, will be subsidised under the Subsidised Diesel Control System (SKDS)
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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.
Malaysia will abolish its diesel fuel subsidy, and replace it with a targeted subsidy scheme called BUDI MADANI. Here is what you need to know…
Updated @ 2024-05-30 : Updated details of BUDI MADANI vs SKDS 2.0 diesel subsidy
Updated @ 2024-05-29 : Added new vehicle limitations for BUDI Individu Originally posted @ 2024-05-28
BUDI MADANI : A Targeted Diesel Subsidy Scheme
On 22 May 2024, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will move to cut diesel subsidies in Peninsular Malaysia, with Sabah and Sarawak spared as the use of diesel vehicles is widespread in those states.
Currently, Euro 5 diesel is sold at the subsidised price of RM2.15 per litre, whereas the unsubsidised price is about RM3.33 per litre – about 55% higher.
Cutting this diesel subsidy is expected to save the government about RM4 billion (about US$850 million a year) – or about 0.2% of its GDP, and help to achieve the goal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) to reduce the debt level so that it does not exceed 60% of the GDP, with a fiscal deficit of between 3.5% and 3% by 2025.
Instead of providing a direct subsidy of diesel fuel, Malaysia has announced a new diesel subsidy scheme called BUDI MADANI, which is much more limited, and targeted. Here is what you need to know…
On 27 May 2024, the Malaysia Ministry of Finance announcedtwo categories for the BUDI MADANI diesel subsidy scheme, but there now appears to be a total of three categories.
BUDI Individu
BUDI Individu is the category for owners of private diesel vehicles. It offers a fixed cash aid of RM200 per month to qualified applicants who meet these requirements:
Must be a Malaysian citizen
Own a diesel vehicle that is registered with JPJ in Peninsular Malaysia, except luxury vehicles* that are less than 10 years old
Diesel vehicle must have a valid road tax
The annual income of the individual or couple must be RM100,000 and below
* What constitutes a luxury vehicle is currently undefined
Applications for BUDI Individu will be cross-checked with the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) to eliminate owners of luxury diesel vehicles that is less than 10 years old, and high-income individuals (T20).
In addition, the Ministry of Finance just added new limitations – these vehicles do NOT qualify for BUDI Individu:
Diesel motorcycle
Privately-licensed diesel vehicles used by a company or organisation
Vehicles registered for e-hailing use
These vehicle types – caravan, motorhome, tour van, tour bus
BUDI Agri-Komoditi
BUDI Agri-Komoditi is the category for farmers or smallholders. It also offers a fixed cash aid of RM200 per month to qualified applicants who meet these requirements:
Must be registered as a farmer, or a smallholder, with relevant agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM), or the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK).
Must be an active farmer, or smallholder, with annual agricultural sales of between RM50,000 and RM300,000.
MySubsidi Diesel
Finally, the MySubsidi Diesel is a special category for public vehicles and qualified goods transportation, which will be able to obtain subsidised diesel through a “fleet card”.
This includes 10 types of public transport vehicles, and 23 types of goods transport vehicles under the Subsidised Diesel Control System, including buses and taxis.
BUDI Individu and BUDI Agri-Komoditi applicants who are approved before 3 June 2024 will receive their first cash aid by middle of June 2024, and thereafter receive it on a monthly basis.
Those who get approved after 3 June 2024 will receive the first BUDI MADANI payment within two weeks, and thereafter receive it on a monthly basis.
Cash aid through the BUDI MADANI programme will be credited directly into the recipient’s bank account every month. Those who do not have a bank account can claim their BUDI MADANI aid as cash at any Bank Simpanan National (BSN) branch nationwide.
For those whose applications failed, the Ministry of Finance will also open up an Appeals process to allow you to make an appeal.
Diesel Subsidy : Choose SKDS 2.0 / BUDI MADANI
On Thursday, 30 May 2024, Malaysia Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali clarified that people can only opt for one diesel subsidy – either the Subsidised Diesel Control System 2.0 (SKDS 2.0), or the new BUDI MADANI programme, but not both.
He explained that the Subsidised Diesel Control System is targeted at companies, while the BUDI MADANI is for individuals, and small farmers. The SKDS 2.0 programme is also handled by his ministry, whereas BUDI MADANI is being handled by the Finance Ministry instead.
They can only choose one. We observed that there are farmers or households that have small businesses and do not have a company. Hence, we will have to help them through the Budi Madani programme.
Further details on BUDI MADANI will be announced by the Finance Ministry, whereas our ministry handles the SKDS.
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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.
Do Boeing 777 airliners have a fatal flaw, that could result in its fuel tank catching fire and exploding?! Find out what’s going on!
Claim : Boeing 777 Fuel Tank Can Explode From Fatal Flaw!
Boeing is in the hot seat again, after the Daily Mail and the New York Post reported that its 777 airliner has a fatal flaw that could result in its fuel tank catching fire and exploding!
Daily Mail : Exclusive – Revealed: 300 Boeing Planes used by United and American Airlines have potential flaw that could cause ‘fire or explosion’ on jets, according to FAA
The FAA proposed a new airworthiness directive earlier this year to address a potential flaw in Boeing jets, DailyMail.com can reveal.
According to the FAA proposal, the issue involved an electrical fault on the company’s 777 jets that, if left unaddressed, could cause fuel tanks on the planes’ wings to catch fire and explode.
Discovery of the flaw exposes that nearly 300 more Boeing planes are potentially at risk, including jets used by United and American Airlines, according to the notice by the Federal Aviation Administration.
New York Post : FAA reveals flaw in another major Boeing plane that could result in fuel tank exploding
Yet another fleet of Boeing airplanes was found to have a potentially disastrous flaw — one that could set the entire aircraft ablaze.
The aircraft manufacturer discovered that its 777 liner has poor electrical insulation near its fuel tank, according to a proposed rule the Federal Aviation Administration posted in March.
“This condition, if not addressed, could result in an ignition source inside the fuel tank and subsequent fire or explosion,” the Airworthiness Directives note states.
Boeing + FAA Deny 777 Fuel Tanks Can Explode From Fatal Flaw!
After the reports came out, both Boeing and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) pushed back on those claims.
The FAA said that it was not an immediate safety risk, while Boeing said that the regulatory process was being “sensationalised“, and called the Daily Mail’s report as “misleading and reckless“.
It makes incorrect connections and sensationalizes the standard regulatory process that has helped ensure air travel is the safest form of transportation.
This is not an immediate safety of flight issue. There are multiple redundancies designed into modern commercial airplanes to ensure protection for electromagnetic effects.
The 777 fleet has been operating for nearly 30 years, and has safely flown more than 3.9 billion passengers.
It should be noted that Boeing described this problem in a November 2023 alert bulletin. While it was not mandatory, it is likely that many airlines have already taken action, or are planning to fix the flaw, based on that Boeing alert.
The FAA also pointed out that its proposed airworthiness directive was based on the 21 November 2023 alert by Boeing, and would make mandatory what Boeing recommended.
The proposed [airworthiness directive], which the FAA issued in March 2024, would require installing electrical bonding and grounding to a component in the center fuel tank. It would make mandatory service actions that Boeing described in a November 2023 alert bulletin.
I should point out that the flaw is not due to “poor electrical insulation” as the New York Post reported – the word “insulation” isn’t even mentioned once in the FAA notice. Rather, the flaw is due to a lack of an electrical bond to ground a cover plate – like a wire or something similarly conductive to dissipate any accumulated static.
In addition, it was not the FAA that came up with the solution. The FAA notice actually referred to the Boeing service bulletin of 21 November 2023 (PDF), which had detailed instructions on the fix!
Guidance for accomplishing the actions required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777–47A0007, dated November 21, 2023, which is referred to in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777–47A0007 RB, dated November 21, 2023.
The Boeing 777 requirements bulletin also listed a “recommended compliance time” of 42 months – 3.5 years, which suggests that Boeing does not consider it an immediate threat to aircraft safety. The FAA also concurred in its airworthiness directive proposal.
I should also point out that modern airliners like the Boeing 777 come with nitrogen-generating or nitrogen-inerting systems to reduce the risk of fuel tank explosions, after the tragic explosion of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
Boeing uses a Nitrogen Generation System (NGS) in its aircraft, which separates oxygen-rich air from the left engine’s bleed air, which is discharged from the aircraft. The remaining nitrogen-enriched air is pumped into the centre fuel tank.
As more nitrogen-enriched air is pumped into the centre fuel tank, the oxygen level drops from the usual 21% to 12% or less – at which point the oxygen concentration is too low to support combustion, thus mitigating the risk of an explosion.
In fact, the proposed FAA airworthiness directive specifically points to the Boeing 777’s nitrogen enriched air distribution system (NEADS). Ironically, the NEADS cover plate assembly is the potential source of electrostatic discharge.
So Boeing and the FAA would be correct that even though the cover plate assembly lacked “a designed electrical bond for electrostatic discharge“, there is no immediate safety risk, as there are redundancies built in, like the nitrogen-enriched air.
In short – this is hardly the “fatal flaw” that some people are claiming, and it can be easily resolved by simply installing an electrical bond at less than $2,400 per aircraft – mostly in manpower costs.
That said, you will want to eliminate all potential causes of sparking in the fuel tank, no matter how remote, even if there are other protective measures in place. Hopefully, the FAA will soon issue this airworthiness directive to make it mandatory, instead of optional.
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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 Israel and the United States cause the helicopter used by the President of Iran to malfunction and crash?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Israel + US Crashed Iran President’s Helicopter!
Within hours of news breaking that the helicopter carrying the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials crashed, people started sharing a message claiming that Israel and the United States caused the helicopter used by the President of Iran to malfunction and crash!
Reactions to the “purported” crash of the helicopter carrying the Iran President and other top ranking Iranian officials
📍 All the analysts believe that the President and the other ministers are probably dead by now despite rescue efforts underway to find the plane.
📍 Majority of analysts commenting believe that what caused the crash was the use by Israel 🇮🇱 and the US 🇺🇸 of their own systems to disable navigation systems and get the helicopter to malfunction and crash.
📍Relations between US 🇺🇸 and IRĀN 🇮🇷 were lately getting worse. Hezbollah in Lebanon has been using increasingly advanced weaponry against Israel 🇮🇱 and IRĀN 🇮🇷 has been showing signs of continuing with its program of Uranium enrichment despite US 🇺🇸 opposition.
Sharīf as-Sarifī, media anchor in Egypt 🇪🇬 who largely follows the Sissī line (hence why he is allowed to air, from Egypt 🇪🇬, in his YouTube channel) says: So now that the plane carrying Ibrāhīm Ra’isī and other important political personalities has disappeared. The majority thinks this is not due just to bad weather and this was an assassination.
📍Why? Because the plane was followed by two other two. It was just not any other plane.
📌How would that happen? Israel 🇮🇱 has some equipment that allows to mess up the navigation systems of planes and other vehicles, such as those carrying missiles. Now all the analysts are suspecting this is what impacted the plane carrying the Iranian 🇮🇷President and other ministers.
📍 Sharīf also points to the situation in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 with leadership there keen to move to develop its own nuclear enrichment program. Talks of a US-Saudi Nuclear deal is now in the open. This is all in the works and is the backdrop against which one should look at this possible assassination attempt.
📍This US – Saudi Nuclear Deal is restricted by the US, and it is all part of the normalization deal between Saudi 🇸🇦 and Israel 🇮🇱. The condition that the US is putting on the table for Saudi is: NO Saudi citizen should be ever allowed into the nuclear enrichment facilities to be established in Saudi and only US citizens can enter them so as to prevent any Saudi citizen from learning and being able to develop the program himself.
The Russian Foreign Minister is angry with Israel and claims:
“Israel carried out the assassination of the Iranian President under the auspices of the United States of America.”
No Evidence Israel + US Crashed Iran President’s Helicopter!
This appears to be yet another example of fake news circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Unknown If Ebrahim Raisi Was Dead Or Alive At That Time
On Sunday, 19 May 2024, the President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi arrived at the northern border between Iran and Azerbaijan, to inaugurate the Gir Galasi hydroelectric dam with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. After that inauguration, the Iranian delegation left in a convoy of three helicopters to Tabriz.
At approximately 1:30 PM local time, the helicopter carrying the Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, and Supreme Leader Representative in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, crashed shortly after some passengers made an emergency call.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) described the crash as a “hard landing”. Even at 10:30 AM (GMT+8) on Monday 20, it was unknown if anyone was injured or killed in that crash.
An Iranian official told Reuters that rescuers were still struggling to reach the crash site, and that the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were “at risk following the helicopter crash”.
How is it possible for anyone to know that Israel and the United States are responsible for the helicopter crash, when rescuers had not even reached the crash site that day, never mind investigate the cause of the crash at that time???
It was only at approximately 12:30 PM (GMT+8) on 20 May – almost a whole day later, that Iranian state TV confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others were killed in the helicopter crash.
The viral message claimed that Israel and the US brought down the helicopter carrying the Iranian president by [remotely] disabling its navigation system.
If there was an electronic attack on the helicopter, it would have affected the other two helicopters travelling in the same convoy. Yet the other two helicopters landed safely.
In addition, the flight crew and occupants of those two helicopters did not claim or report that there was an attack on the helicopter that crashed.
Fact #3 : Iranian State Media Blamed Bad Weather For Crash
Iranian state media did not blame Israel or the United States for the helicopter crash. Instead, Iranian state media blamed bad weather for crash, and said that the helicopter made a “hard landing” after getting into difficulties while travelling through heavy fog in the mountainous area.
The rain and heavy fog also made it extremely difficult for rescue efforts, with Iranian state TV broadcasting footage of rescuers trying to reach in the rain and fog trying to reach the crash site. Iranian state media quoted a regional army commander as saying:
The area has very cold, rainy, and foggy weather conditions. The rain is gradually turning into snow.
If the Iranians are not even blaming Israel or the United States for the crash, why would anyone claim otherwise???
Fact #4 : No Reputable Analyst Claimed Israel / US Involvement
The viral message claimed that “the majority of analysts” or “all the analysts” believe that the helicopter crash was caused by Israel and the United States. That’s utter nonsense.
Currently, no reputable analyst has made such claims. In fact, the viral message did not even name a single analyst who made such a claim!
Fact #5 : Viral Photos Show Trident Pier In Gaza!
To make the fake message more convincing, it comes with two photos, purportedly of US Army equipment used to attack the helicopter carrying the President of Iran. That’s just utter nonsense.
For one thing – the photos were taken at the Trident pier the US military built to provide aid to the Gaza Strip – over a thousand kilometres away!
In addition, it only shows point defences protecting the pier, specifically a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system with a 20mm Gatling gun, and the M-LIDS system which targets drones and other UAVs.
These point defence systems are very short-ranged, and cannot attack helicopters flying over a thousand kilometres away!
Fact #6 : Russia Did Not Blame Israel + US For Iran Helicopter Crash
Finally, the viral message falsely claimed that Russian Foreign Minister said that “Israel carried out the assassination of the Iranian President under the auspices of the United States of America.”
That’s not true. Sergey Lavrov has not commented on the Iranian president’s helicopter crash, never mind blame Israel and the United States for it.
Only Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has commented on the helicopter crash, stating:
We are closely following the reports about the passengers of the third helicopter, which carried top-ranking Iranian officials, including President Raisi.
We sincerely hope that they are alive and their lives are out of danger. Russia is ready to offer all necessary help in the search for the missing helicopter and the investigation of the accident.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did a leaked Airbnb email reveal large-scale government plans to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Leaked Airbnb Email Reveal June 6 Lockdown Plan!
People are claiming or suggesting that a leaked Airbnb email revealed large-scale government plans to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown!
It is being reported that AirBnB is anticipatiing a large-scale government event that will bring about reinstated lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024, this is coming from a email.
But ofcourse this is not news to any of you if you have been following this channel over the last few months.
As I have along with “The Judges” forewarned everyone that this will indeed happen. The good news is that just like the last lockdown I expect many to be rounded up and sent straight to Gitmo.
I do not know about any of you but my routine from the last lockdown didn’t change in the slightest. We all know that we are watching the last hand of cards being played from the Cabal.
Atleast we have a date now and can plan accordingly.
Patrick Webb / The General : BREAKING: AirBnB is expecting large-scale government actions and lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024, according to a newly obtained email.
Shade Level 100.
Santa Surfing : Airbnb is prepping for “Major Disruptive Events” beginning June 6, 2024. 😳💥
Have you all check out Q markers for the first week of June??They’re BIG! 🔥💥✨💫
JayJay : AIRBNB’S LEAKED EMAIL: LOCKDOWN’S LOOMING JUNE 6, 2024 – SUMMER OF LOVE? HOW WOULD AIRBNB KNOW THIS BEFORE THE FBI AND THE PUBLIC?
Airbnb has updated its Major Disruptive Events policy, anticipating large-scale government actions and lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024.
This update has sparked a wide range of reactions among users, from curiosity and concern to humorous speculation and skepticism.
The reasons behind Airbnb’s anticipation remain unclear, but the policy change indicates a proactive approach to potential disruptions affecting their services globally.
Truth : Airbnb Email Did Not Reveal June 6 Lockdown Plan!
This appears to be another example of fake news circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Airbnb Email Did Not Reveal Any Lockdown Plan!
Let me start by quickly pointing out that the viral claims, and the viral screenshot of the leaked AirbnB email, do not reveal any government plan to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown!
The email itself only states that AirbnB was revising its Major Disruptive Events Policy from June 6, 2024 onwards. The email only mentions that the policy will now apply to foreseeable weather events too!
We’re updating our Extenuating Circumstances Policy and changing its name to make it easier to understand.
The revised Major Disruptive Events Policy will apply to all trips and Experiences taking place on or after June 6, 2024, regardless of when they were booked.
What’s changing in the policy?
Foreseeable weather events at the reservation’s location are explicitly eligible for coverage it they result in another covered event, such as a government travel restriction or large scale utility outage.
The policy will only apply to events in the place where the reservation is located. Events that impact a quest’s ability to travel to the reservation are no longer covered.
Your continued use of the Airbnb Platform from June 6, 2024 constitutes acceptance of the updated Major Disruptive Events Policy.
While the email mentioned “government travel restriction”, it was in reference to “weather events”. The email most definitely did not mention a lockdown.
Fact #2 : AirBnb Announced Update In March 2024
The Airbnb email was not “leaked” as claimed, but appears to have been sent to all AirBnb hosts, to alert them of this change. In fact, Airbnb publicly announced its policy update on 28 March 2024!
So, there is nothing secret about what was in the email, and the policy changes were already publicly revealed almost a month earlier!
If you read the March 28 Airbnb policy update announcement, you will see that it did not mention anything new about lockdowns.
Here is a summary of what Airbnb changed in its Major Disruptive Events Policy from 6 June 2024 onwards:
The policy will explicitly apply to foreseeable weather events, like a hurricane during hurricane season.
Coverage is limited to large-scale events at the destination location only.
Mid-trip cancellations for such events can be made with guests receiving a refund, without fees or related consequences for hosts.
Hosts are reminded that they’re obligated to cancel reservations if their hosting is uninhabitable, or no longer consistent with what was originally booked by their guests, and they can do so without cancellation fees and related consequences.
As you can see, none of the changes to Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy even suggest that there is a nefarious government plan to restrict travel, and initiate another lockdown!
Why on Earth would anyone make such a claim??? Unsurprisingly, none of them provided any evidence to back up their claims – the email they shared isn’t even proof of that!
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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 the Dali unmanned when it hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Dali Was Unmanned When It Hit Francis Scott Key Bridge!
On 27 March 2024, Real Raw News posted an article (archive) which claimed that the Dali was unmanned when it hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore!
As usual, the article is long, rambling and confusing, so here is an excerpt. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
White Hats Suggest Dali Unmanned at Time of Collision
White Hat sources told Real Raw News that the 100,000-ton Dali, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, may have been unmanned when it collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland early Tuesday morning, causing a total structural collapse of the 1.2-mile bridge.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., the Dali was departing Baltimore Harbor when it smashed into a support pylon; the span crumbled like a Tinkertoy, sending mangled metal and overnight construction workers 150′ below into icy waters. Two were rescued, with the other six presumed dead.
Officials claim the Dali issued a distress/mayday call, saying the vessel had lost propulsion moments before the disastrous collision. They attributed the distress call to giving authorities enough time to close the bridge and prevent additional vehicles and people from plunging into the frigid Patapsco River.
Shortly after the ‘accident’ Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the Dali’s management company, reported that the ship’s 22 crewmembers, ostensibly persons specialized in piloting enormous boats in and out of port, were safe and accounted for.
RRN’s sources, however, suggest that Synergy and public officials have misrepresented facts surrounding the incident.
At 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), which routinely monitors Deep State chatter, overheard a telephone conversation fragment between a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) official and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. On it, an anxious Buttigieg shrieks at the NTSB investigator: “Unmanned? No bridge crew? That’s not a possibility, so don’t spread it around. In fact, forget you mentioned it.”
“It’s not only possible but probable. No crew was taken off the Dali,” the NTSB guy replied.
“Heed what I said,” Buttigieg said. “Rumors get people in trouble, and by people, I mean you.”
Truth : Dali Was Manned When It Hit Francis Scott Key Bridge!
The truth is – this is just another fake story created by Real Raw News, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : The Dali Was Manned When It Hit Bridge
This is really silly, but it has to be said – the Mali was manned when it hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
In addition to its 22-man crew, there were also 2 local pilots onboard the Dali, who issued the Mayday call that likely saved many lives, minutes before it hit the bridge.
Not only did the crew of the Dali attempt to restart its engine (evidenced by the black smoke it produced), they also dropped its port anchor to try and shift its heading.
Unsurprisingly, the Real Raw News article offered no evidence to back up its claim, just rambling nonsense.
Fact #2 : One Sailor Left The Dali
Most of the crew onboard the Dali, as well as the two local pilots, are still onboard, as of 29 March 2024. One Dali crew member was injured in the collision, and had to be taken off the ship to receive stitches. So the claim that no crew was taken off the Dali is false.
The authorities do not plan to allow the crew members of the Dali to leave the ship. Unless there are safety concerns, the crew “will most likely disembark when the boat is moved or taken out of the water.”
In addition to the Dali, there are seven other ships trapped in the harbour. Their crews are also remaining onboard, and will only be transported to land if they need medical attention.
All ship crews need shore passes from the US Customs and Border Protection to leave their ships, and come ashore in the United States. They cannot simply disembark as they wish.
There is also no reason for crews to disembark as these ships have enough provisions for weeks of travel. The Dali crew, for example, only requested for WiFi connectivity and new SIM cards, so they can communicate with their family back home.
Fact #4 : Real Raw News Is A Fake News Website
Real Raw News is a fake news website that capitalises on making shocking but fake stories to generate page views and money.
To protect himself from legal repercussions, the owner and writer, Michael Baxter (real name – Michael Tuffin), claims that his articles are “humour, parody, and satire“.
That disclaimer, which is not clearly mentioned in his articles, lets him keep creating fake news to go viral, and generate money.
A March 2018 screenshot of Michael Tuffin, who goes by the pseudonym Michael Baxter
His articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from his website. Here are some of his fake stories that I debunked earlier:
Everything posted by Real Raw News should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
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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.
Take a look at the conspiracy theories surrounding the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, after it was hit by a ship, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-03-28 : Added new conspiracies, and updated information Originally posted @ 2024-03-27
Baltimore Bridge Collapse Conspiracies… So Far!
Right after news broke that the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being hit by a massive container ship, some people immediately began suggesting there was more to the tragedy than meets the eyes…
Lara Logan : Welcome to the world of cyber terrorism. Acc to intel sources: The Baltimore bridge collapse was a 9/11 style attack but they won’t admit it and we cannot see it because it was a CYBER ATTACK.
Lauren Witzke : You know things are getting bad when you can’t tell the difference between DEI incompetency and terrorism.
Paul A. Szypula : Video of the cargo ship crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge sped up eight times. That makes it look to me like they intentionally hit the bridge. What do you see?
Paul A. Szypula :Do you think our government would ever tell us if this attack was intentional?
Michael Roberts : #FrancesScottKeyBridge explosion. Dozens of cars fell into the water after the collapse in Baltimore.
cackenbools U/G-t : Alternate angle on Francis Scott Key bridge shows a large explosion 👀
MJTruthUltra : 🚨 Lara Logan Sounds the Alarm on the Baltimore Bridge Collapse
“We are in an undeclared war & Intelligence Agencies are Telling me it was an Act Cyber Terrorism”
• Why is the Biden Administration telling the country when his own Intelligence Agencies are telling him it is?
• Those who are on the inside, critical infrastructure, DHS, and Intel agencies know are telling Lara this was a cyber attack on the critical infrastructure of the US
• The I-94 corridor on the eastern seaboard is literally what connects the North and South
• This was a brilliant strategic attack on one of the most important supply chain in America
• Everything that you need for the economy to move has been shut down for 4-5 years— Bridge was built specifically to move hazardous material – fuel, diesel, propane gas, nitrogen, highly flammable materials, chemicals and oversized cargo that cannot fit in the tunnels – that supply chain now crippled.
• They strategically targeted these load-bearing pylons.
• This is called death by 1,000 cuts — They are “bringing the US to its knees step by step from within.”
• 100% Lara says someone hacked into the GPS System and re-royed the ship. —— they did it at night because most of the crew is asleep.
• One of the Intel Analysts she spoke to said this….
“They have figured out how to bring us down. As long as you stay away from the teeth of the US military, you can pick the US apart. We are arrogant and ignorant – lethal combination. Obama said they would fundamentally change America and they did. We are in a free-fall ride on a roller coaster right now – no brakes – just picking up speed.”
• She called out Anons for dismissing the seriousness of the bridge collapse… —— Just to be clear, I think she’s speaking about a few specific individuals with big followings who’s trying to downplay it. Not anons imo.
@laralogannailed it and she I believe is spot on with her assessment. This was a strategic move attacking our infrastructure.
This is yet another example of fake news created or promoted by conspiracy theorists and conspiracists, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Baltimore Bridge Collapsed After Being Hit By Ship
Let me start by simply pointing out that the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed on March 26, 2024, after being hit by a massive cargo container ship.
This Baltimore bridge did not collapse after an explosion. Neither was its collapse caused by a planned demolition in a false flag operation.
The viral video showing the bridge collapsing after an explosion is actually a video showing the partial collapse of the Crimean Bridge after being hit by a truck bomb on 8 October 2022. It has nothing to do with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Fact #2 : Baltimore Bridge Opened In 1977
Constructed over a period of five years at an estimated cost of US$110 million, the Francis Scott Key Bridge opened in 1977. It is a 4-lane steel bridge that spanned 2.6 km across the Patapsco River, where its namesake wrote the Star-Spangled Banner in 1814 after witnessing the British defeat at the Battle of Baltimore, and the British bombing of Fort McHenry.
After the bridge collapsed, other ships could no longer leave the Port of Baltimore. Over 40 ships remain trapped inside the Baltimore port, while another 30 ships that planned to make port are no longer able to do so.
The key point is this – this bridge was built 47 years ago under Republican president Gerald Ford, and opened under Democratic president Jimmy Carter. There was no DEI at that time, and its design and construction had nothing to do with the present Biden Administration, including current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The Dali is a massive Singapore-flagged container ship that is 289 meters long, and holds up to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) cargo containers. At the time it hit the bridge, it was carrying 4,679 TEU containers of cargo.
It was just leaving the Port of Baltimore just after midnight when it lost power. Not only were the crew blinded in the dark, none of its electronics worked and there was no propulsion, so they were unable to control the ship.
As the crew tried unsuccessfully to restart its engine, a local pilot onboard the vessel ordered the ship to be steered to port (left), and the anchor to be dropped. While the crew managed to restore electrical power using an emergency generator, they were not able to restart its engines.
With the ship floating adrift, the two local pilots onboard issued a mayday call at 1:30 AM to warn authorities that a collision was imminent, which allowed them to stop traffic from going over the bridge. A Maryland Transportation Authority official was recorded saying at that time:
There’s a ship approaching that has lost their steering. Until you’ve got that under control, we’ve got to stop all traffic.
According to NTSB investigator in charge, Marcel Muise, the recovered voyage data recorder (VDR) helped them establish the timeline of events:
12:39 AM : Dali departs Seagirt Marine Terminal
1:07 AM : Dali enters Fort McHenry Channel
1:24 AM : Numerous alarms were recorded on audio at the ship’s bridge, and data recording stopped (due to power loss) before resuming shortly from a redundant power source.
1:26 AM : The pilots onboard Dali made a high frequency radio call for tugboats to assist the Dali.
1:27 AM : The pilot dropped the port anchor and made another radio call reporting that the Dali lost all power, and was approaching the bridge.
1:29 AM : The Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s support pylon, causing it to collapse.
The video below, which is being shared on WhatsApp, does not accurately reflect the truth – the ship never regained the use of its engines, but it clearly shows when the ship lost power, and when it restored electrical power.
There is no evidence that this accident was a planned attack, a cyberattack or a false flag operation.
For one thing – the Dali is owned by Singapore-based Grace Ocean, and managed by Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group, and it was chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk to carry cargo. It is highly unlikely that those Singaporean and Danish companies would be involved in a planned attack.
On top of that, there were two local pilots onboard the Dali. If it was a planned attack, they would be complicit in a plot that would have involved dozens of people and intricate planning… for the “terrifying” purpose of collapsing a single bridge. Hardly makes for a great movie plot, don’t you think?
The Baltimore Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a press statement, that “There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time.”
United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron also dismissed those claims in a public statement, saying “There is no evidence at this time to suggest that today’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has any ties to terrorism.”
Fact #5 : Dali Was Inspected Twice Last Year
Dali was involved in a July 2016 accident, in which it hit a quay as it tried to exit the North Sea container terminal at the port of Antwerp in Belgium. That incident, which damaged several meters of its hull, was blamed on the ship’s master, and the local pilot onboard.
The Dali was inspected twice last year. According to Equasis, an inspection that was carried out in June 2023 in San Antonio, Chile, found that the Dali had “propulsion and auxiliary machinery” deficiencies. The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before the vessel departed the port.
In September 2023, the Dali underwent another inspection, this time by the US Coast Guard in New York, but that inspection did not find any deficiencies at that time. However, that does not mean that the Dali did not suffer engine failure before colliding into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Until investigations into the Dali are complete, anyone who claims that the collision was intentional is likely lying to you.
Fact #6 : Loss Of Power May Be Caused By Dirty Fuel
The loss of power experienced by the Dali is common in the maritime industry (source) – as many as 600 cases each year according to FuelTrust, although most occur in open water. They are often associated with poorly mixed fuel, or changing from high-sulphur to low-sulphur fuels when entering coastal emission control areas (ECAs).
In fact, shipping experts think “dirty fuel” may be the reason for Dali to lose power before smashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge (source).
That power loss could have been caused by dirty fuel clogging filters that leadto the ship’s main generator.
While inside a port, as the Dali was before the collision, ships typically run on a relatively light diesel fuel. That also could have been contaminated. Common contaminants include water, dirt and algae. He definitely could have had dirty fuel
– Gerald Scoggins, a veteran chief engineer in the oil and gas industry and the CEO of the Houston company Deepwater Producers
Ian Ralby, the CEO of I.R. Consilium, a maritime and resource security consultancy, also said heavy marine fuel loaded onto ships in port is mixed with what is called cutter stock, and is prone to being loaded with contaminants and is not closely regulated. Such dirty fuel could have “gummed up all of the fuel lines on the ship.”
Fact #7 : Baltimore Bridge Was In Fair Condition
According to a press aide for Pete Buttigieg (source), the Francis Scott Key Bridge was last inspected in May 2023, and “found to be in satisfactory condition with an overall rating of fair”. Such inspections are supposed to occur every 24 months
Previously, Federal Highway Administration records show the bridge was last inspected in May 2021. Back then, inspectors rated its condition as “fair” with a rating of 6 (satisfactory) out of a maximum of 9, on three parameters.
To be clear – these inspections were being carried out on the bridge every 2 years, regardless of who happens to be the Transportation Secretary at that time.
Fact #8 : Baltimore Bridge Location + Design Was Problematic
In light of the accident, experts are highlighting the problems with the location of the bridge’s piers and its design.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a steel truss suspension bridge with three centre spans held up by piers. Engineering experts that 11 News spoke to questioned why those piers were built so close to the shipping channel. They also pointed out that the bridge piers were not built to handle such ship collisions.
The way that it collapsed, I think that was surprising to some people, in particular, because one of the piers was hit, but all three of the spans collapsed. That’s a function of the continuity of the bridge.
So, there is a lot of load-sharing that goes on among those three spans, and so, if two of them are damaged or destroyed, as was the case here, by their support, direct support being removed, then the third span is going to be severely impacted and collapsed as well.
– Rachel Sangree, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering
In other words – the Francis Scott Key Bridge did not collapse due to controlled demolition. Its three spans collapsed after the pier was hit due to its suspension design.
Fact #9 : Baltimore Bridge Lacked Pier Protection
Roberto Leon, a Virginia Tech engineering professor, also highlighted the fact that the piers lacked protection:
The only way the post can resist it is by bending. But it cannot absorb anywhere near the energy that this humongous ship is bringing. So it’s going to break.
If a bridge pier without adequate protection is hit by a ship of this size, there is very little that the bridge could do.
After the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Maryland discussed installing pier guards, but decided against it as it was too expensive.
I think they would have been effective in all this. They would have reduced the impact, or at least prevented the ship impacting directly the piers because the way it went, it looked almost effortlessly the same. The vessel hit the pier and it just went and there was no hesitation. The bridge couldn’t handle it at all. So, I think the fenders, the bumpers would help.
– Abieyuwa Aghayere, a civil engineering professor at Drexel University
Just to be clear – this decision was made more than 20 years ago, and had nothing to do with the current Biden Administration, or current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
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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 Malaysia Airlines free flight scam, and find out why you really cannot get 6 months of free flights for just RM8.80!
Malaysia Airlines Free Flight Scam : What Is It?!
Many people are seeing advertisements on Facebook promoting a Malaysia Airlines Enrich card, which claims to offer 6 months of free flights for just RM8.80!
Malaysia Airlines Free Flight Scam : What You Must Know!
This is yet another scam circulating on Facebook, and here are reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Laws Requiring Malaysia Airlines To Sell Cheap Tickets
First, let me just point out that there is no law requiring Malaysia Airlines to sell flight tickets at such ridiculous prices.
Think about it – you can’t even get a taxi ride for RM8.80 these days, and you expect to travel for free on Malaysia Airlines for 6 months???
Even when AirAsia promoted its Unlimited Pass for domestic flights at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was priced at RM399 and had a lot of restrictions.
Fact #2 : Malaysia Airlines Called It A Scam
To convince you that it’s genuine, and not a scam, the scammers use alternate accounts to post comments, claiming that they received the card, or they confirmed with Malaysia Airlines that the offer is genuine:
I called the Malaysia Airlines hotline to clarify if this promotion exists or it is the work of scammers. The airline manager has confirmed that this is a limited promotion only for Facebook users. Now I’m waiting for my card 🔥
Well, I called up Malaysia Airlines myself, and the staff member confirmed that it is a scam. She also informed me that they received several calls about this scam.
To be clear – there is no such free flight promotion from Malaysia Airlines.
Fact #3 : Enrich Is Malaysia Airlines’ Loyalty Card
To convince you that it’s a genuine deal, the scammers use alternate accounts to post photos of the Malaysia Airlines Enrich card they allegedly received through this promotion.
The trouble is – Enrich is the frequent flyer program for Malaysia Airlines. It’s free for anyone to sign up for Enrich loyalty program and receive a card like that. There is no need to pay RM8.80 for an Enrich card.
The Blue card you see below is actually the basic tier that everyone gets when they sign up for Enrich. Only after flying multiple flights on MAS will Enrich members be able to upgrade to the Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers.
Fact #4 : Those Are Fake Enrich Cards!
If you look closely at the Enrich cards being shown by these scammers, you will notice a few problems.
None of them have the member’s name, or the membership number! They all state “Name Of Card Holder” and the Member ID is **********, making them fake Enrich cards!
On top of that, the fake Enrich cards state “Card For 6 Free Flight“. Not only is that poor grammar – flights, not flight, it also runs counter to the scam promotion, which claims to offer 6 months of free flights, not just 6 free flights!
Fact #5 : That’s Not The Official Malaysia Airlines Page
The scam is being run out of the Promotion | Malaysia Airlines page on Facebook. It is not the official Malaysia Airlines Facebook page, which is at https://www.facebook.com/malaysiaairlines/.
This fake Malaysia Airlines page is also new, apparently created on 19 March 2024.
If Malaysia Airlines has any promotion on its flights, it would be posted on its official website, or its official Facebook page. Never on a completely new Facebook page.
Fact #6 : Scam Leads To Non-MAS Website
If you click on the scam page to order the fake Malaysia Airlines free flights card, you will be taken to a website using the domain gizmoshp.store, which appears to be a placeholder page with Polish text.
It is likely that the scammers keyed in the wrong URL, or their scam page wasn’t been setup properly. Or the page may have malicious scripts.
In any case, please do NOT click on the order button, or attempt to visit this website.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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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.
Find out how to get the free RM5 TNG eWallet credit through Samsung Malaysia’s Free Galaxy Ride offer!
Free Galaxy Ride : Get Free RM5 TNG Credit!
On 29 February 2024, Samsung Malaysia officially took over the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Samsung Galaxy MRT Station – Malaysia’s largest underground interchange station. This brand takeover integrates Samsung into the network of 29 stations on the MRT Kajang and Putrajaya lines, on which over 220,00 daily riders make their daily commute.
In conjunction with its takeover of the TRX Samsung Galaxy MRT station, Samsung Malaysia is giving Samsung Galaxy users free RM5 TNG credit, which you can then use to purchase the RM5 MyCity Pass to get unlimited rides on the MRT for a whole day!
If you have not experience the convenience of using the MRT to get to The Exchange TRX mall, give it a try, and grab the free RM5 TNG credit from the Samsung Experience Store while you are there!
Free Galaxy Ride : How To Get Free RM5 TNG Credit!
Here is what you need to know about Samsung Malaysia’s Free Galaxy Ride offer.
Location
The Free Galaxy Ride offer is only available at the Samsung Experience Store at The Exchange TRX Mall, from 10 AM to 10 PM daily.
Availability
The Free Galaxy Ride offer is only valid for the first 5,000 Samsung Galaxy users on a first come, first serve basis, from 29 February until 17 March 2024.
Eligibility
The Free Galaxy Ride offer is only applicable to Samsung Members who are Malaysian citizens, and residents of Malaysia, who are 18 years and above (as of 29 February 2024), based on the Malaysian MyKad or passport.
This offer is not applicable to Samsung employees, dealers, or agents, or their families, as well as anyone connected to this Promotion.
How To Get Free RM5 TNG Credit
Please follow these steps to get your free RM5 TNG credit through the Samsung Free Galaxy Ride offer.
Step 1 : Visit the Samsung Experience Store at TRX Mall, and look for the Free Galaxy Ride crew.
Step 3 : Scan the QR code provided by the Samsung crew to redeem a voucher on your Samsung Members app.
Step 4 : Download the redemption voucher from your Samsung Members app, and present it to the event crew.
Step 5 : You will receive a RM5 TNG reload code, which you can then use to top up your TNG eWallet.
Please note that each Samsung Galaxy user is only entitled to one (1) redemption.
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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.
Samsung just took over the TRX MRT interchange station, which is now called the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Samsung Galaxy MRT Station!
Samsung Takes Over TRX MRT Interchange Station!
On 29 February 2024, Samsung Malaysia officially took over the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Samsung Galaxy MRT Station – Malaysia’s largest underground interchange station. This brand takeover integrates Samsung into the network of 29 stations on the MRT Kajang and Putrajaya lines, on which over 220,00 daily riders make their daily commute.
The TRX Samsung Galaxy Station is the largest interchange station between the TRX station and Putrajaya Line and directly serves The Exchange TRX, a world-class experiential lifestyle destination that sits at the heart of Tun Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur’s international financial district.
The new Samsung-branded TRX MRT station was officiated that day by Denny Kim (President of Samsung Malaysia), Elaine Soh (Chief Marketing Officer), Kevin Kim Tae Hoon (Business Director of Mobile eXperience) from Samsung Malaysia. Joining together with Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim (Chief Executive Officer), En Shahrul Fadli Omar (Chief Financial Officer) and Schrene Goh (Chief Commercial Officer) from Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).
The TRX MRT Station is a key station within the MRT network, as it has been designed to anchor the TRX International Financial District as well Kuala Lumpur’s latest major retail destination, offering great commercial value in advertising and marketing.
We are pleased to welcome the globally renowned Samsung Galaxy as our Station Naming Rights and Station Domination Advertising partner at this station, now named TRX Samsung Galaxy MRT Station. Commuters accessing the station will now be greeted by Samsung Galaxy’s striking visuals and catchy advertisement adorning the space.
The station’s direct connection to Malaysia’s newest and vibrant lifestyle hub ensures a seamless experience for both travellers and shoppers. The collaboration with MRT Corporation represents our shared vision for a more connected future, aimed at enhancing the convenience and accessibility for everyone
– Denny Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia
Free RM5 TNG Credit At TRX Samsung Experience Store!
As a special treat, Samsung Galaxy users will be able to redeem free RM5 TNG credit (while stocks last!) from the Samsung Experience Store at The Exchange TRX, with their Samsung Members app.
You can use the RM5 TNG credit to purchase the RM5 MyCity Pass to get unlimited rides on the MRT for a whole day!
If you have not experience the convenience of using the MRT to get to The Exchange TRX mall, give it a try, and grab the free RM5 TNG credit from the Samsung Experience Store while you are there!
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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.
Apple just cancelled Project Titan – its long-running effort to build an autonomous electric car! Here is what we know so far…
Apple Cancels Project Titan Autonomous Electric Car!
Apple has finally decided to pull the plug on Project Titan – its long-running and highly-secret effort to build an electric car or autonomous vehicle.
All work on the project has stopped, and Apple is likely to cut hundreds of people from the team. There are about 1,400 employees currently working on Project Titan.
Only some employees will be shifted to its generative AI projects under John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president of Machine Learning and AI Strategy. All other employees will have 90 days to find a reassignment to other roles in Apple, or be let go.
On Tuesday, 27 February 2024, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, and the vice president in charge of Project Titan, Kevin Lynch, announced the news to the team in a short meeting that lasted just 12 minutes. They did not take questions, according to an employee who was there.
According to this employee, who remains anonymous, the announcement was abrupt but the decision was not. It appears to be a long time coming, with constantly shifting priorities within Apple.
Apple first started working on its Project Titan car project in 2014, oscillating its focus between making an all-electric car to compete with Tesla, and developing a fully autonomous vehicle more like Waymo. The project’s leadership would repeatedly change its focus, under pressure from top executives and the Apple board.
Unfortunately, the team is apparently still years away from producing a viable vehicle, whether it is just an electric car, or a fully-autonomous vehicle, despite reportedly spending up to $1 billion annually.
In response to Apple’s decision to kill off its electric car, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted emojis of a salute and a cigarette on X (formerly known as Twitter).
5 Reasons Why Apple Cancelled Project Titan Electric Car
After spending a decade and many billions of dollars on Project Titan, the decision could not have been easy. Here are the five reasons Apple scraped its electric car project, according to Bloomberg:
The strategy for Apple electric was constantly changing with no consistent plan nor approach.
There was a revolving door of leadership.
The electric car was still years away from being commercially viable, which concerned Apple.
Self-driving technology is tricky and challenging.
The electric vehicle market has been stagnating due to poor charging infrastructure, which soured Apple’s optimism.
While Apple’s electric car dreams has now ended, it doesn’t mean that all of its efforts have gone to waste. It is likely that the company will salvage and repurpose (maybe even licence out) the technologies its team developed.
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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 the FAA planning to eliminate white men from the aviation industry?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : FAA Plans To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!
People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims or suggests that the FAA just admitted its plan is to eliminate white men from the aviation industry, while fast tracking disabled minorities into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers!
Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
FAA Admits Plan Is To ‘Eliminate White Men’ From Aviation Industry
A leaked Zoom call recording shows Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials admitting that the plan is to completely eliminate white men from the aviation industry while fast tracking disabled minorities into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers.
The DailyWire’s Matt Walsh obtained the leaked Zoom call from 2022 between senior officials at the FAA’s Flight Program Operations division talking about implementing Diversity Equity and Inclusion measures in the aviation industry.
“The footage begins with FAA acting deputy chief operating officer Angela McCullough saying more workers need to go from ‘ramp to cockpit,’ meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilots,” Walsh declared on X.
Infowars.com reports: McCullough then complains that Flight Operations is “white-male dominated” and tells the managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like.”
But the DEI insanity extends far beyond the pilots. According to Walsh, an “industry-wide embrace of overt mental illness afflicts every aspect of aviation.”
And “billions of dollars in critical grant funding” is going to DEI programs and initiatives rather than other important aspects of the industry.
This comes after the FAA announced a diversity push that would include focusing on hiring people with “severe intellectual” and “psychiatric” disabilities.
Truth : FAA Does Not Plan To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!
This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : FAA Is A US Federal Government Agency
Let me just start by pointing out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a US federal government agency. It only has powers over civil aviation in the United States, and its surrounding international waters.
The FAA has no power or authority over civil aviation in the rest of the world.
It is therefore impossible for the FAA to “completely eliminate white men from the aviation industry“, even if it really wanted to do that (which it doesn’t).
Fact #2 : Video Does Not Show FAA Plan To Eliminate White Men
Nothing posted by Matt Walsh, Infowars, or The People’s Voice, show the FAA admitting to any plan to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.
The leaked video only shows what appears to be an FAA internal meeting on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures that the aviation industry can adopt to make flight operations more inclusive and representative of the population.
In fact, FAA Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Angela McCullough is seen stating talking about potentially developing “partnerships” with university or trade schools to encourage a more diverse flight operations team.
Are there opportunities for any partnerships with universities or trade schools which specialised… we kinda talked about from ramp to cockpit. There are some things we would want to look at.
Unfortunately, the video ended abruptly at that point, which makes me wonder – could the video be missing context about what Angela McCullough was saying in that meeting?
But even without the rest of the video, you can see that Angela never once said that she or the FAA planned to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.
In fact, Matt Walsh himself did not even claim that the FAA plans to eliminate all white men from the aviation industry. So why would anyone make that claim based on his posts???
Fact #3 : There’s Nothing Wrong With Retraining People
It is uncertain what Angela McCullough meant by “from ramp to cockpit”, but it could simply mean offering people working in aviation ramp operations the opportunity to train and become pilots.
There is nothing wrong with retraining people for a different job, if that’s what the industry needs, and if they are interested and capable in the new job.
People can, and do, learn new skills to change jobs and even industries. As long as they are qualified for those new jobs, what exactly is wrong with that?
Only fools would believe that the FAA will ever let baggage handlers become airline pilots without training or passing qualification tests.
Fact #4 : Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Illness
Matt Walsh appears to suggest or claim that being transgender is an “overt mental illness”. That’s just not true.
Being transgender was once considered a psychological problem that can be treated. However, the American Psychiatric Association revised its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2012, to remove being transgender as a mental disorder.
With the release of DSM-5 in 2013, being transgender itself is no longer a mental disorder. Some transgender people are now diagnosed with “gender dysphoria”, if they face emotional stress related to their gender identity.
All psychiatric diagnoses occur within a cultural context. We know there is a whole community of people out there who are not seeking medical attention and live between the two binary categories. We wanted to send the message that the therapist’s job isn’t to pathologize. – Jack Drescher, a member of the APA subcommittee responsible for the change
Just because someone disagrees with the American Psychiatric Association’s definition, does not mean that the aviation industry is embracing “overt mental illness”.
The People’s Voice article used a photo of two young black female pilots (above). On of the off-chance that it was chosen to convey the perception that unqualified female minority pilots may soon begin putting your lives at risk, let me just say that it couldn’t be further from the truth.
The two female pilots are Captain Tara Wright, and First Officer Mallory Cave. They made made history on 13 May 2018, as the first African-American female flight crew to fly an Alaska Airlines flight from San Francisco to Portland.
Not only are they both fully-qualified pilots, Captain Wright was also the first-ever African-American female pilot to fly for US Airways, before becoming its first African-American female pilot to be promoted to Captain in 2017.
Captain Wright is only the 7th African-American woman to ever become a captain in any major airline, which points to the lack of diversity and representation in the aviation industry.
Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News
The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.
Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.
Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:
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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 Malaysian government just announced two days of toll-free travel and a speed limit reduction for the CNY 2024 holidays!
CNY 2024 : No Highway Tolls On February 8-9!
On Wednesday, 7 February 2024, the Ministry of Works announced that there will be no highway tolls from February 8 to 9, in conjunction with Chinese New Year 2024!
In a short public announcement, the Ministry announced that the toll-free travel would apply to all Class 1 private vehicles for two days, from 12:01 AM on Thursday, February 8, to 11:59 PM on Friday, February 9, on exiting the toll booths.
This toll-free travel will extend to all highways, except at the toll plazas at the national borders:
the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza
The expected financial implication of these two days of toll-free travel is estimated to be about RM42.99 million.
In conjunction with the CNY holidays, the Ministry of Works also ordered a reduction in all speed limits on all roads.
For 6 days from 8 to 13 February 2024, the speed limit will be reduced from 90 km/h to 80 km/h, on all federal roads.
This speed reduction are amongst the moves made to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents during the CNY 2024 festivities.
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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 Simon Cowell just die suddenly in a hospital?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-02-12 : Added updated MediaMass claim, and other details Originally posted @ 2023-01-07
Claim : Simon Cowell Just Died Suddenly In Car Crash!
People are sharing YouTube and TikTok videos which claim that Simon Cowell just died suddenly in a tragic car crash or unknown causes, with titles like :
10 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell died suddenly at the hospital
5 minutes ago announced that simon cowell died at the hospital…😳🤐 #viral #viralvideo
5 minutes ago/Simon Cowell passed away, leaving his family with endless pain.
5 Minutes Ago / The UNEXPECTED Death Of Simon Cowell / R.I.P. Legend
(RIP) Very Sad News 2 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell, He has been confirmed as…
5 minutes ago! Millions of people cried over the sudden death of “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell.
5 minutes ago / Terrible devastation about “America’s Got Talent “Simon Cowell, tearful farewell.
3 hours ago/funeral took place/ Simon Cowell’s sudden passing left thousands of fans heartbroken
10 minutes ago in Chicago, Simon Cowell died in a car accident 😭 (Inside AGT) America’s Got Talent
5 minutes ago! Millions of people cried over the sudden death of “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell
Very Sad News, 11 minutes ago in Chicago, “American’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell, he has been confirmed as…
Truth : Simon Cowell Did Not Die Suddenly In Hospital!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death
These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death.
Never mind his wealth, Simon Cowell is a celebrity in his own right. Even if he did not die, the worldwide media would have reported on his car accident or hospitalisation.
No legitimate media outlet reported that Simon Cowell was hospitalised, never mind dying suddenly in a car crash. That’s because it never happened!
Fact #2 : Simon Cowell Is Still Alive + Well!
Simon Cowell – the long-time judge on Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent is still very much alive and well, as of Monday, 12 February 2024.
Of course, you need actual “proof of life”, right? Well, Simon Cowell posted a video of Shadow Ace performing on America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.
As you can see – Simon Cowell is not dead, or in the hospital. He certainly does not look like he’s dying in a hospital!
I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of four examples used in many of these videos.
This photo that shows Simon Cowell on a hospital bed, was edited from a real photo of a kidney transplant patient called Gerhard van Tonder. The photo was taken in October 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Healthcare professionals will immediately notice that Simon Cowell is not intubated despite being mysteriously hooked up to a ventilator!
If you look carefully, you will also notice that Simon Cowell’s head is oddly larger than normal – to superimpose over Gerhard’s head in the real photo.
If you zoom into the fake photo, you can even see a white border around Simon Cowell’s head – a clear sign it was added to the photo.
The photo of this white SUV was taken on July 17, 2019 on Highway 6 near Freelton, Ontario, Canada. The driver was a 38 year-old woman, not Simon Cowell.
This photo was also misappropriated from another car accident, this time in the Selma neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley, on May 9, 2021.
The driver was a 57 year-old woman who died in that accident. Again, not Simon Cowell.
This fake photo is a pretty good edit, albeit showing Simon Cowell smiling with his eyes closed – odd for someone who was dying or has already died.
But it was really a photo of Blake Bargatze, a 24 year-old man, who was being treated at a South Florida hospital for COVID-19 in March 2021.
Bargatze, unfortunately, did not qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine at that time, and got infected. His condition grew worse over time, and he eventually had to be placed on an ECMO machine to let his lungs heal.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and he ended up with a double-lung transplant in June 2021, to save his life.
Fact #4 : Simon Cowell Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Simon Cowell death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:
News of television host Simon Cowell’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the February 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the creator of Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor is alive and well.
Rumors of the television host’s alleged demise gained traction on Saturday after a ‘R.I.P. Simon Cowell’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the British television host’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (February 10, 2024), our beloved television host Simon Cowell passed away. Simon Cowell was born on October 7, 1959 in London. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 64-year-old television host was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major British network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a television host of Simon Cowell’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Simon Cowell Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
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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 : Passport Collections Have Not Been Shifted To Shaftsbury PJ!
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on WhatsApp and Telegram, and here are reasons why…
Fact #1 : It’s Shaftsbury Putrajaya, Not PJ
First, let me just point out that there is no Shaftsbury PJ (Petaling Jaya).
The new Malaysia Immigration passport office is located at the Shaftsbury Putrajaya – a 3-story shopping mall located in Presint 1, Putrajaya.
You can even see it in the viral photo above. It’s stated clearly – Pejabat Passport Shaftsbury Putrajaya. Why would anyone falsely claimed that the new passport office is called Shaftsbury PJ???
Fact #2 : Shaftsbury Putrajaya Passport Office Is Small
The Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office is just a new branch office for the Malaysia Immigration Department. It also appears to be rather small in size, as the official Imigresen TV video below shows.
The Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office is not designed to handle all passport collection across Malaysia.
In fact, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in July 2023, that the Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office will cater to people living around the Putrajaya area, such as Serdang, Sungai Besi, Dengkil, Cyberjaya, Bangi, and Cheras.
To be clear – passport collection has not been shifted to this new Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office!
Fact #4 : No Passport Office Can Handle All Collections!
In the first half of 2023 alone, the Immigration Department issued over 1.6 million passports. It would not be possible for a single passport office to handle the collection of all of those passports.
In fact, the Putrajaya headquarters of the Malaysia Immigration Department only processed and issued 68,416 of those 1.6 million passports!
It is also not logical to consolidate passport collection in a single office. Not only will people have to fly or drive from all over Malaysia to Shaftsbury Putrajaya to collect their passports, there would be massive queues of tens of thousands of people!
Fact #5 : Other Passport Offices Are Still Handling Passport Collection
If you go to the Malaysia Immigration Department’s official online passport application page, you can click on the list of available branches for passport collection.
As of 2 February 2024, here is the full list of available Malaysia Immigration Department offices where you can choose to collect your passport from:
Alor Setar
Batu Pahat
Besut
Bintulu
Bukit Kayu Hitam
Cameron Highland
JIM Kuala Kubu Baru
Kajang
Kangar
Kelana Jaya
Kemaman
Kompleks KDN Langkawi
Kota Kinabalu
Kuala Langat
Kuala Lumpur (Jalan Duta)
Kuala Lumpur (Wangsa Maju)
Kuala Selangor
Kuching
Kukup
Kulai
Lahad Datu
Lawas
Limbang
Lumut
Melaka
Mersing
Mini UTC Keramat
Muar
Pejabat Imigresen Kulim
Pejabat Imigresen Kluang Pejabat Imigresen Shaftsbury Putrajaya
Pejabat Imigresen UTC Johor
Pengkalan Hulu (Bukit Berapit)
Port Dickson
Puchong
Pulau Pinang (Seberang Jaya)
Pusat Transforms Bandar Miri, Sarawak
Pusat Transforms Bandar Sibu, Sarawak
Raub
Sandakan
Segamat
Setia Tropika
Shah Alam
Sri Aman
Taiping
Teluk Intan
Temerloh
UTC Kedah
UTC Keningau
UTC Kota Bear, Kelantan
UTC Kota Kinabalu
UTC Kuala Lumpur
UTC Kuching
UTC Labuan
UTC Melaka
UTC Pahang (Kuantan)
UTC Pasir Gudang
UTC Perak
UTC Perlis
UTC Pulau Pinang
UTC Selangor
UTC Sentul
UTC Seremban
UTC Sungai Petani
UTC Tawau
UTC Terengganu
If you scroll through the list, you can see that Shaftsbury Putrajaya is merely one of the many passport offices available for you to select as a collection point.
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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.
Were thousands of child sex workers flown on private jets to service WEF 2024 attendees in Davos?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Child Sex Workers Flown To Davos For WEF 2024!
People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that thousands of child sex workers were flown on private jets to service attendees of the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos!
Child Sex Workers ‘Fully Booked’ at Davos, WEF Insider Says
Thousands of children have been flown into the World Economic Forum under cover of darkness for the global elite’s annual summit in the Swiss alpine report of Davos, according to World Economic Forum insiders who reveal the horrific scale of the elite’s chosen vice.
Dozens of private jets have been turned into child escort carriers to traffic the children across borders and into the vipers’ den, according to sources familiar with the matter.
None of these children have passports and the majority of them do not have any form of identification. Their past is unknown and their future does not bear thinking about.
Demand for sex work skyrockets each year at the meeting of world leaders and business tycoons who jet in from all around the world to rub shoulders with each other.
What the media don’t tell you is that the majority of these sex workers are underage. And many of them are extremely young.
It said over 1,000 private-jet flights arrived and departed airports serving Davos in January and approximately 12 of these were packed with underage children being trafficked.
Truth : Child Sex Workers Were Not Flown To Davos For WEF 2024!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Evidence Of Child Sex Workers At WEF 2024
First, let me just point out that there is absolutely ZERO evidence that any child sex worker was trafficked to Davos for the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF).
The People’s Voice certainly provided no evidence to back up its claims of “thousands of children” being flown to WEF 2024 on private jets for sex work.
Think about it for just a second. Davos isn’t some sealed town owned by the “evil WEF cabal”. It is a town in Switzerland where anyone can visit. There were thousands of people in Davos for WEF 2024, including members of the media from all over the world, as well as conspiracy theorists and cranks looking to record viral video clips (example) of the WEF elite.
Yet no one was able to obtain a single photo or video of any child sex worker in Davos, in the age of ever-present cameras in smartphones, CCTVs, dash cams, etc.?
Fact #2 : Passports Required For Private Jet Passengers
The claim that the elite trafficked children into Davos without passport or identification is ludicrous. Even if they flew in on private jets, they would still need to present their passports for international flights.
Private jets merely offer privacy and convenience. They do not allow passengers to bypass immigration controls.
Fact #3 : Minors Cannot Travel By Themselves
There is also the inconvenient fact that minors are not allowed to travel across borders without being accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Imagine a private flight of multiple minors without their parents landing at any airport. It would have drawn special scrutiny. There is simply no way for child sex workers to be trafficked across borders using private jets.
The People’s Voice cannot even keep its fake story straight. After claiming that “dozens” of private jets were used to “traffic the children across borders”, it then claimed that about a dozen flights were used to transport those child sex workers to Davos.
What the writer may not realise is that private jets are small. Most private jets seat about 8-12 people, but the largest – the Embraer Lineage 1000, can seat up to 18 people.
A dozen Lineage 1000 flights would only carry a total of 216 children. For a thousand children, you would need about a hundred private jets, or at least 56 of the super-large Embraer Lineage 1000 private jets.
Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News
The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.
Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.
Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Truth : Justin Bieber Did Not Die In Car Accident!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death
These YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos have been circulating for days now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Justin Bieber’s death.
Justin Bieber is a megastar, with a beautiful celebrity model wife. If something happened to him, not will it be eagerly reported on by celebrity blogs, the worldwide media would no doubt cover it too.
No legitimate media outlet has reported that Justin Bieber died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites like NewsC60 / Fact Journal Media / NewsC8, or random YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos?
Fact #2 : Justin Bieber Is Still Alive + Well!
Justin Bieber is still very much alive and well, as of Sunday, 14 January, 2024. Of course, you want “proof of life”, don’t you?
Well, Justin Bieber himself posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram on 7 January 2024, to share how excited he is for 2024:
excited for this next year. New beginnings
One of them is a video of him playing golf. Needless to say – he looks very well, f or someone who allegedly got smashed into pieces in a terrible car accident.
This happened many days, weeks and even months after those YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos claimed that he died in a high speed car accident! What a miracle!
Obviously, we can confirm that all those videos and articles about Justin Bieber dying from a tragic car accident are FAKE.
Here is another popular photo used to show Justin Bieber dying in a hospital after his tragic car crash, but that’s not him in that hospital bed.
That is really a photo of doctors and nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center treating a COVID-19 patient, that Victor J. Blue of the New York Times took in April 2020.
Photo credit : Victor J. Blue, New York Times
Fact #4 : Justin Bieber Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Justin Bieber death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which appears to regularly update / change the dates.
News of singer Justin Bieber’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like Beauty and a Beat, Boyfriend or Baby is alive and well.
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Friday (January 12, 2024), our beloved singer Justin Bieber passed away. Justin Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 in Stratford. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 29-year-old singer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major Canadian network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a singer of Justin Bieber’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Justin Bieber Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
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Find out how to renew your Malaysian passport online through the MyOnline Passport service in 2024!
You Must Renew Your Malaysian Passport Online!
MyOnline Passport is a service by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, which allows you to renew your Malaysian passports online.
On 11 May 2022, the Immigration Department stopped allowing most people to walk-in for their passport renewal. Except for a selected group of people, everyone else must renew their passports online.
The MyOnline Passport service was originally designed by the Immigration Department of Malaysia as a convenient, online way for people to renew their Malaysian international passports.
However, it is now the only way to renew your Malaysian passport for most people, from 11 May 2022 onwards. Here is what you need to know about the process.
Only For International Passport Renewals
The first thing you must be aware is that MyOnline Passport can only be used to renew existing international passports issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
You cannot use it to apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen or damaged passport. You also cannot use it to renew special or restricted passports.
To apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen / damaged passport, or renew special or restricted passports, you must walk-in.
Children who are less than 13 years old, special needs individuals, and those performing the Haj, must also walk-in to renew their passports.
Who Can Apply For Online Passport Renewal?
The MyOnline Passport service is only open to applicants 13 years and older, with existing Malaysian e-passports (passport with microchip).
Underaged applicants (13-18 years old) must have the consent of their parent(s) / legal guardian(s) to apply online, and the parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present during the collection of passport.
Can Overseas Citizens Use MyOnline Passport?
This service is also open to Malaysian citizens living overseas, with collection centres in these countries :
If you submit the online application before 3 PM on a working day, you will be able to collect the new passport on the same day.
If you submit the online application after 3 PM on a working day, or anytime during a holiday, you can collect the new passport after 10 AM on the following working day.
Where Do You Collect The Passport?
Applicants can collect their renewed passports from a Passport Recipient and Issuance Office of their choice, from a list in the system.
The collection date and time will be provided, depending on the date and time the application was submitted.
How Much Does It Cost?
The MyOnline Passport service is free. You only need to pay for the standard Malaysian international passport renewal fees :
13 to 59 Years Old : RM200
Above 60 Years Old : RM100
Payment must be made via a credit card or debit card / direct debit (FPX) on the website.
Key in your 12-digit MyKad identity card number (without dash).
Click on the Check button.
If you get the green No restriction result, then you may apply to renew your passport online.
What Is Required To Submit An Application?
Here is what you need to have, before applying for online renewal of your Malaysian international passport.
an existing Malaysia e-passport (passport with microchip) that is not defaced or water-damaged
a digital passport-sized photo with these specifications :
a) background must be white, and without shadows (coloured backgrounds will not be accepted)
b) applicants must wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
c) applicants who wear a scarf or hijab must wear dark-coloured scarf / hijab, and it must not cover the face.
d) uploaded photo must have been taken at a professional photo studio, in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid photos will not be accepted.
e) applications that do not meet these specifications will be put on-hold, resulting in delayed issuance and collection.
f) you may have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport, if your passport photo does not meet the required specifications
a valid credit card / debit card / online bank account to make the required payment
In addition, you must be sure that :
you are able to physically collect the new passport in-person (a representative may not collect for you)
for underaged applicants : both applicant and parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present to collect the new passport
Passport Photo Specifications
Here are the latest specifications for online submission of passport photos (source | source):
Background must be white and without shadows. Coloured backgrounds will not be accepted.
Applicants are required to wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
Applicants may wear dark-coloured scarfs or hijabs but they must not cover the face.
Applicants must not wear glasses, coloured contact lenses, or hair/head accessories. Hair should not cover the face.
Applicants must look directly at the camera, with both eyes open, and the mouth closed.
You must take the photo at a professional photo studio, and upload the soft copy in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid pictures will not be accepted.
If the photo you upload do not meet the specifications, your application will be put on-hold, and you will be asked to resubmit the photo, or get one taken at a passport office.
Finally, when it’s time to collect your renewed passport, please make sure you bring :
your MyKad identification card
your existing Malaysian international passport
the payment receipt issued by the system
for underaged applicants : your parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must bring your Birth Certificate
You cannot send a representative to collect your passport. If you fail to bring the necessary documents, or collect your passport in person, the renewed passport will not be released.
Underage applicants must be accompanied by their parent(s) / legal guardian(s), or their renewed passport will not be released.
You may make multiple passport renewals, but you must submit one application per person.
Please avoid registering from 10:55 PM to 12:30 AM, because that’s when the system undergoes daily maintenance and no payment can be processed during that time.
If You Get An Error Message…
If you get an error message while making payment, please contact your bank for further instructions.
If your photo was rejected, you can upload a new photo, or have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport.
If you get this error message – “Kindly contact the Immigration Department of Malaysia”, it means your online application was unsuccessful for one of these reasons :
The file containing your fingerprint was damaged or deleted. You will be required to go to the passport office to have your fingerprint taken again, to avoid problems at the airport arrival / departure gates.
Your application does not meet with the specifications listed on MyOnline Passport.
The information provided was inaccurate, and/or contradicts the information in the Immigration Department system.
How To Resubmit Photo / Supporting Documents
If you need to resubmit your photo or supporting documents, please use these links :
Please use this link to check your passport renewal status.
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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.
Are Chinese students being harassed by US government, with some having their visas revoked and given a 5-year ban?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Chinese Students Are Being Harassed + Banned From US!
CCP supporters, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), are sharing and promoting a video, which claims that Chinese students trying to enter the United States are being harassed, with some having their visas revoked and given a 5-year ban!
Here is a transcript of what was said, or posted, in the viral video, which may be AI-generated:
Can China-US Student Exchanges Survive Geopolitics?
Chinese reporter : Do you think Chinese students are spies?
US Ambassador to China : Chinese students are welcome in the United States.
But the harsh reality endured by Chinese students is the opposite of welcoming.
The Chinese embassy in the US has exposed a story illustrating how US border control officials systematically harass Chinese students. Extensive checks on every electronic device.
A Yale PHD candidate recently endured an 8-hour interrogation as authorities probed his study connection with the Chinese government. Despite finding no evidence, they revoked his student visa anyway for five years.
And Canada is not better, as the Canadian Federal Court has stretched the definition of espionage out so far that, in its application, a Chinese student has been barred from entering Canada simply because his field of study is microfluids, a promising high-tech field in health.
If you are a Chinese student who studies abroad in a field of innovation, the sad fact is you risk being called a spy.
Don’t be fooled by the rhetoric that you are entering a “free society”. You are entering an anti-China society.
Truth : US Is Blocking Entry To Chinese Students With PLA Links
This appears to be yet another example of propaganda created or promoted by CCP supporters and/or the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Not All Chinese People Live In China
First, let me just point out that there are people of Chinese ethnicity all over the world, many in Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia; as well as Western countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
There are also millions of Chinese people living in the Republic of China – Taiwan, which is not governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that is controlling mainland China.
To be clear – the video is referring only to students from the People’s Republic of China, and not Chinese students from other countries.
Fact #2 : China Still Sends The Most Students To US
I should also point out that, even in 2023, students from China continue to be the largest group of foreign students pursuing education in the United States.
The US State Department granted more than 600,000 international student visas in the 2023 fiscal year, of which 289,526 visas were awarded to students from China (source).
In other words, the statistics belie the claim that the United States isn’t welcoming students from China. The vast majority of students from China do not have any issue entering the United States.
Fact #3 : It Was Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Complaint
Although the video claimed that the Chinese embassy in the US “exposed” the story, I cannot find any evidence of that. Instead, it appears that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin first spoke about it during a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday, 4 January 2024.
That was later posted (archive) on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affair’s official page on X (formerly Twitter). The Chinese Embassy in US then shared the short statement, with a comment the next day – 5 January 2024 (archive):
The US’ interrogation, harassment and deportation of Chinese students goes against both its promise and the shared desire of Chinese and Americans to have more friendly exchanges. We hope the US can ensure the lawful rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars and take… https://t.co/biHxGGLxkw
Fact #4 : Presidential Proclamation 10043 Blocks PLA-Associated Students
What the viral video does not mention is that these few students were interrogated on entry, and then blocked or banned from entering the United States, because they were deemed to be associated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
On 29 May 2020, then President Donald Trump issued Presidential Proclamation 10043 (PDF), which prohibits students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from obtaining F visas, or J visas, if they are associated with the People’s Liberation Army.
It was issued at that time because the US government determined that the PRC was using “some Chinese students, mostly post-graduate students and post-doctorate researchers, to operate as non-traditional collectors of intellectual property“, in particular those who “are or have been associated with the PLA“.
In September 2020, more than 1,000 Chinese students had their visas cancelled by Presidential Proclamation 10043. Regardless of the merits of this Presidential Proclamation, it is limited to a relatively small number of students from China, who have been determined to have some association with the PLA.
Fact #5 : Visas Can Be Revoked At Any Time
Even though these postgraduate students have a valid student visa, it can be revoked at any time, even upon entry into the United States, as stated in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act:
After the issuance of a visa or other documentation to any alien, the consular officer or the Secretary of State may at any time, in his discretion, revoke such visa or other documentation. Notice of such revocation shall be communicated to the Attorney General, and such revocation shall invalidate the visa or other documentation from the date of issuance… There shall be no means of judicial review …
This isn’t a uniquely American law either. Other countries, including China, retain the right to revoke any visas they may have issued, at any time they wish.
Brief Introduction of Visa for China (Mainland Only) 2023-05-14 20:19
In accordance with international law and practice, any sovereign state is entitled to decide on whether or not to allow a foreign citizen to enter or exit from its territory, and whether to issue a visa, decline a visa application or to cancel an issued visa in accordance with its national laws.
Chinese consular officials are entitled to decide on the type, number of entries, validity and duration of each stay of a visa to be issued based on Chinese laws and regulations. Consular officials reserve the right to decline a visa application or revoke an issued visa.
Fact #6 : US Conducts Warrantless Search At Border
Sadly, the US constitutional rights against “unreasonable searches and seizures” stops at the border. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has broad authority to search and seize electronic devices at the border.
That’s because the US Supreme Court has concluded that “routine” border searches are “not subject to any requirement of reasonable suspicion, probably cause, or warrant‘ (source).
This isn’t limited to students from China, or even foreigners as a whole. The power to search electronic devices at the border also extends to US citizens and permanent residents!
Fact #7 : West Has More Freedom Than China
The truth is these visa woes affect only a small percentage of students from China, in particular postgraduate students who have some kind of association with the People’s Liberation Army.
This does not mean that Western countries have less freedom than China – a notably authoritarian country with severe censorship and restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly and religion. Never mind the right to criticise their leaders, people in China don’t even have freedom to access YouTube or Facebook or Instagram!
So it is truly laughable that anyone would use this student visa restriction as “evidence” that Western countries are not a “free society”. Being a “free society” does not mean having an “open border”.
This is just ultimately just another example of CCP propaganda, created / spread by pro-CCP supporters and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛). 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.
Did five SIA pilots die suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after Singapore Airlines demanded that they get fully-vaccinated?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Five Singapore Airlines Pilots Died Suddenly From Vaccine In 7 Months!
People are sharing obituary photos of five SIA pilots, suggesting that they died suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after Singapore Airlines demanded that they get fully-vaccinated!
aussie17 : 5th Singapore Airlines Pilot died last week in a span of 7 months.
The airline has apprx 3000 pilots. can someone calculate the odds?
Jack Straw : 5th Singapore Airlines pilot died last week in a span of 7 months
Why do you think all private jet owners and cabal elites these days only employ unvaccinated pilots?
No Evidence Any SIA Pilots Died From COVID-19 Vaccine!
It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Their Cause Of Death Are Unknown
First, let me just confirm that there were indeed five Singapore Airlines pilots who died between the months of May and December 2023, based on their obituaries:
However, none of their obituaries mentioned their individual cause of death. They also do not appear to have any social media accounts, or families posting about their deaths on social media.
Some netizens have claimed that Captains Wee Leong and Colin Tan died suddenly from cardiac arrest, while Captains Fernando Cid and Sebastian Tan died from cancer. It is unknown if any of those causes of death are accurate.
Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the five pilots, publicly announce their individual cause of death, anyone who tells you that they died of this or that cause is likely lying to you.
Fact #2 : No Evidence SIA Required Additional Vaccine Doses
In January 2021, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that it hopes to become the world’s first airline to vaccinated all of its crew members against COVID-19. SIA set a deadline of September 1, and managed to vaccinate 99% of its active pilots, cabin crew and frontline ground crew by 19 August 2021.
However, there is no evidence that Singapore Airlines demanded that its pilots and cabin crew get additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of January 2024, the Singapore Ministry of Health only recommends that senior citizens 60 years and older, medically vulnerable people, and residents of aged care facilities receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose. Even then, that was a “recommendation”, not a requirement.
It is unlikely for Singapore Airlines to mandate additional COVID-19 vaccine doses, when the Singapore Ministry of Health did not recommend it for healthy young or middle-aged adults.
Until and unless Singapore Airlines, or the families of the four pilots, confirm it, anyone who tells you that the five SIA pilots received additional COVID-19 vaccine doses is likely lying to you.
Fact #3 : Singapore Airlines Had About 3,000 Pilots In 2022
In May 2022 (last year), SIA Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong announced that Singapore Airlines was looking to recruit 2,000 cabin crew as air travel was picking up.
While he declined to say how many pilots SIA employed in 2022, he said that the number of pilots at SIA Group is still similar to pre-COVID-19 numbers, with just “a very small number” who have left. Pre-pandemic, Singapore Airlines had about 3,200 pilots.
While it may shocking to hear that five SIA pilots died in 2023, it is not really shocking when you factor in the death rate in Singapore, which is 5.8 per 1,000 (2021).
Assuming Singapore Airlines only has 3,000 pilots, it should expect 17 of its pilots to die on a given year, or about 1.5 pilots a month. Five pilots dying in 2023 is therefore exceptionally low.
Anti-vaccine activists are holding up pilots as healthier and less likely to die than the general population. But that’s not quite true.
Past studies (example | example) and a recent April 2023 narrative review have shown that airline pilots not only die at a younger age than the general population, they are also at greater risk of suffering from cancers like malignant melanoma, cardiovascular diseases, and cataracts.
So is it
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Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!
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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.
Motorists in Malaysia can soon digitally renew their driving licence and road tax through the MyJPJ app… with a discount too!
Motorists Can Renew Licence + Road Tax Via MyJPJ App!
On Tuesday, 2 January 2024, Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that, effective 1 February 2024, motorists will be able to digitally renew their driving licence and motor vehicle licence (Lesen Kenderaan Motor, or LKM for short), which is colloquially known as the “road tax”.
The digital renewal of driving licence and road tax through the MyJPJ app will be carried out in stages. Initially, this feature will only be available to privately-owned vehicles belonging to Malaysian citizens.
These new features will make it easier for motorists in Malaysia to renew their driving licence and road tax digitally, saving time and costs, as well as reduce traffic and congestion at JPJ counters.
RM5 Discount If You Renew Digital Driving Licence!
On top of that, Anthony Loke also announced that for the year 2024, motorists who opt for the digital driving licence will receive a RM5 discount!
This RM5 discount or rebate applies to those who renew their digital driving licence, from 1 February until 31 December 2024, through:
the JPJ counter,
the mySIKAP portal,
the MyJPJ app, or
JPJ partners like Pos Malaysia or MyEG
However, this initiative to promote the use of digital driving licence is limited to Malaysian citizens. Foreigners, or pass holders, long-term permit holders, or people with MyKAS or MyPR cards will not receive this RM5 discount / rebate.
This initiative is only for Malaysians, and is not extended to to foreign nationals on any pass, long-term permit, MyKAS Card, MyPR Card holders.
– Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke
As nice as this discount is, I should point out that motorists who plan to drive overseas should still request for a physical driving licence. Otherwise, you may face issues with foreign law enforcement officials!
Physical Licence + Road Tax Still Available For Those Who Renew In 2024
Anthony Lok also announced that the physical driving licence and road tax will still be available for motorists who renew them in 2024.
However, JPJ will no longer provide them in their previous plastic forms. Instead, they will be printed on security paper, for those who prefer a physical copy.
As announced earlier, motorists are no longer required to display the road tax sticker on their vehicles. This applies to the new paper road tax.
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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.
The government of Malaysia just announced free highway tolls for two days for Christmas 2023! Here is what you need to know!
Malaysia : Free Highway Tolls For Christmas 2023!
On Thursday, 21 December 2023, Malaysia Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan announced free highway tolls for two days:
Saturday, 23 December 2023
Tuesday, 26 December 2023
The toll-free travel will apply to all types of vehicles travelling on all highways in Malaysia, except the toll plazas at the national borders in Johor:
the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza
The toll-free period will begin at 12:01 AM and end at 11:59 PM on the two days – Saturday, 23 December 2023, and Tuesday, 26 December, 2023.
An estimated 2.1 million vehicles are expected to use the highways during the Christmas 2023 season, with the free toll costing the government RM20 million per day, for a total cost of RM40 million.
It is hoped that this toll waiver will reduce the burden on those who are planning to return to their home towns to visit their families and celebrate Christmas together.
This is in line with the intention of the unity government to help ease the burden of the people across the religious diversity and beliefs
Highway users should take advantage of this opportunity and plan their journeys as best as possible while observing the recommended travel time advisory schedule.
He said that the dates were chosen to avoid traffic congestion, and optimise logistics. He also advised highway users to observe the safety limits, signages, and regulations.
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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.