A video of a muddy graveyard has been shared thousands of times on Facebook alongside the claim that it shows exposed and empty burial plots in a Thailand cemetery. This, according to the claim, is evidence of what Christians refer to as the rapture, a
Poynter→ How I became a ‘pinhead’ to former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly — a news literacy lesson
The “PBS NewsHour” segment on the News Literacy Project had just aired. “How was it?” my colleague asked me. “Great for us,” I responded. “But I think PBS is going to have a problem with Fox.” Little did I know that what was about to un
Snopes→ Georgia Man Receives Final Paycheck in Oil Covered Pennies
Andreas Flaten said he was shocked to see his final payment after leaving his job: 90,000 oil or grease covered pennies, at the end of his driveway.
Logically→ West Bengal is among the top 4 States in India for the cumulative coverage of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Bengal stands in 5th place among all states after administering 48,66,734 doses of the COVID vaccine as of March 29, 2021.
Logically→ There is no pure drinking water in the Gangasagar area.
According to a study, severe arsenic contamination in the Ganga River Bhasin poses a challenge for clean drinking water in the Gangasagar area.
AFP Fact Check→ The US Department of Defense did not announce an airstrike on Ethiopia
A Facebook post alleging that the US Department of Defense had announced an imminent airstrike on Ethiopia has been shared hundreds of times in the East African country since early March 2021. The post cites The Washington Post, an American newspaper,
Logically→ The Netherlands has closed more than 23 of its prisons since 2004.
The Dutch government has closed more than 23 prisons as the number of prisoners halved in a decade.
Snopes→ Stuck Ship in Egypt’s Suez Canal Imperils Shipping Worldwide
In a sign of the global turmoil the blockage has caused, the ship's Japanese owner even offered a written apology for the incident as well.
Snopes→ AstraZeneca Confirms Strong Vaccine Protection After US Rift
Even before the latest spat, experts had expressed concern that missteps in the vaccine's rollout could undermine confidence in the shot, which is crucial to global efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic since it is cheap, easy to store and a pillar o
The Dispatch→ The Morning Dispatch: Suez Stoppage Stretches On
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Poynter→ Factually: Tech CEOs (again) asked to explain themselves
Factually is a newsletter about fact-checking and misinformation from Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network. Sign up here to receive it on your email every Thursday. Tech CEOs are back in the hot seat As the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Goog
The Dispatch→ Ron Johnson Is the Same as He Ever Was
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Logically→ The TMC administration reserved 50% seats for women in Municipalities and Panchayats in West Bengal.
Women reservation in West Bengal panchayats and municipalities was increased to 50% in the year 2016 under the TMC administration.
The Dispatch→ Hong Kong Isn’t an Endgame for China. It’s a Starting Point.
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Logically→ A priest outside a Chennai temple was distributing DMK pamphlets.
A person dressed in priestly attire was handing out DMK pamphlets outside a Chennai temple. There is confirmation that he does not work there.
AFP Fact Check→ Video shows human remains in a 13th century church ossuary in Milan, not Vatican City
A video showing human skulls and bones stored in a church has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook, alongside the claim that it depicts “human skulls in the Vatican”. This is misleading; while ossuaries exist in Vatican City, the footage show
Poynter→ Gun violence spiked during pandemic, even as the deadliest mass shootings waned
A week after a gunman shot and killed eight people in Georgia, a gunman opened fire in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, killing 10 people, including a police officer. After a year of social distancing and closures from the COVID-19 pandemic, the t
AFP Fact Check→ Facebook posts touting pineapple drinks misrepresent research on potential Covid-19 treatment
A screenshot of a news report detailing research on a potential Covid-19 treatment that involves pineapple plants has been shared on Facebook alongside photos of pineapple drinks. The posts, however, are misleading: the research noted in the news repor
Washington Post→ Ted Cruz’s misleading memories of his 2013 gun proposal
Cruz’s amendment would not have prevented any of the failures at the Air Force that allowed a mass shooter to purchase guns.
AFP Fact Check→ Facebook posts falsely claim Trump’s name to appear on 2021 pandemic relief cheques
An image of a cheque bearing the name of former US president Donald Trump is circulating in social media posts which claim that relief cheques issued from March 2021 to help Americans struggling during the pandemic will be signed with Trump’s name. T
AFP Fact Check→ This picture shows a dwarf buffalo from Thailand
Facebook posts shared thousands of times purport to show photos of a hybrid breed between a pig and a cow that is being exported from Thailand for the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The claim is false: the picture in fact shows a dwarf
AFP Fact Check→ The video is doctored from a meme circulating online since 2016
A video viewed tens of thousands of times on Twitter purports to show Americans bursting into cheers in reaction to footage of US President Joe Biden tripping on the stairs while boarding Air Force One on March 19, 2021. Many social media users appear
AFP Fact Check→ France did not ban halal slaughter of poultry
Social media posts and online articles claim France will ban the halal slaughter of chicken. This is false; the Ministry of Agriculture said there is no ban, but a November 2020 directive clarified the rules around the religious exemption from European
AFP Fact Check→ This video shows monkeys sliding down electricity cables in India
A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that it shows monkeys sliding on electricity cables outside a hospital in Thailand’s Lopburi province. The claim is false: the video shows monkeys near
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Colorado Suspect Is ‘Islamic Extremist’ — Senators Did NOT Demand ‘Anti-White’ Ban On Cabinet
Is the Colorado shooting suspect an "Islamic extremist"? Did Democratic senators demand a "ban on further cabinet appointments for white people" one day after that mass killing? No, that's not true: There is no publicly available evidence
Snopes→ A First: US Senate Confirms Transgender Doctor for Key Post
Voting mostly along party lines, the U.S. Senate confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation’s assistant secretary of health.
Snopes→ Colorado Supermarket Worker Narrowly Escaped Gunman’s Notice
An employee of the Colorado supermarket where a gunman killed 10 people watched as the assailant opened fire and narrowly escaped his notice while joining with other bystanders in a desperate scramble to get away.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Disneyland Did NOT Announce A ‘No Screaming On Theme Park Rides’ Policy
Did Disneyland announce that there will be a new "no scream" policy on theme park rides and that the park would be enforcing this policy? No, that's not true: While there were recommendations that were published by the California Attracti
Snopes→ Is This Joker Right That ‘COVID’s Over, Baby’?
A man dressed as the Joker declared that "F-ing COVID is over.” To celebrate, he made it rain.
Snopes→ SCAM ALERT: Walmart Is Not Giving Away Vouchers To Celebrate Going Plastic Bag-Free
Though the retail giant has made a commitment to reduce the use of plastic bags, stores around the world still offer them.
Snopes→ Did Boris Johnson Once Liken Gun Control Measures to Compulsory Vasectomies?
As a newspaper columnist in the 1990s, Johnson railed against a crackdown on handguns after the Dunblane massacre in which 16 young school children and their teacher were shot dead.
The Dispatch→ The World as It Is
This week (so far) we have seen a mass shooting, a crisis at the border, a major walkback from President Trump’s favorite lawyer, Sidney Powell, and more. On today’s Dispatch Podcast, Steve, Sarah, Jonah, and David talk about all
Logically→ The Bharatiya Janata Party took away land rights from Jharkhand’s tribes.
After several protests across Jharkhand, the BJP withdrew a bill that would let Jharkhand's government acquire lands of Adivasis in the state.
FactCheck.org→ Arizona Governor Cherry-Picks Illegal Immigration Data to Exaggerate Rise Under Biden
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey exaggerated the rise in people trying to cross the southern border illegally under President Joe Biden, when he said there has been a “460% spike in illegal apprehensions.” As we recently wrote, border apprehensions
Truth or Fiction?→ Online Conspiracy Theorists Swarm ‘HRC’ Suez Canal Boat Jam
Reports of a container ship creating a traffic jam on the Suez Canal in Egypt quickly became grist for online conspiracy theorists, who spun the story into another smear against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As the BBC reported, the Ever G
Snopes→ Is Shrimpgate Guy Married to Actor Who Played Topanga on ‘Boy Meets World’?
What is going on?
Snopes→ Boston Turns Historic Page with 1st Black, 1st Female Mayor
Kim Janey marked her historic elevation as the first woman and first Black person to serve as mayor of the city with a ceremonial swearing-in event.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Protocol Does NOT Require Vice President To Salute Military Personnel
Is Vice President Kamala Harris disrespecting military personnel when she doesn't return their salute as she boards Air Force One? No, that's not true: The vice president is not in the military chain of command. As a civilian, she is not,
Snopes→ Did Cargo Ship ‘Draw’ a Penis Before Getting Stuck in Suez Canal?
Some may classify getting stuck in the Suez Canal as a dick move.
Snopes→ Feds: Oath Keeper Coordinated with Proud Boys Before Riot
For the first time, prosecutors have suggested that the members of the two far-right extremist groups were communicating with each other before coming to Washington.