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☆ Stephen Colbert, who recirculated rumors that a royal affair was linked to Kate Middleton's public absence, said he jokes about 'what everybody is talking about'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Late-night host Stephen Colbert wished Kate Middleton well in her battle with cancer Monday night. Colbert's remarks came after he amplified unsubstantiated theories about Kate's public absence. Colbert said he made jokes about Kate's absence because "everybody" was talking about it. AdvertisementStephen Colbert offered his "well wishes" to Kate Middleton while she undergoes treatment for cancer, two weeks after he lent credence to conspiracy theories about her public absence. Colbert, 59, responded to Kate's cancer diagnosis on Monday night's episode of "The Late Show."

Persons: Stephen Colbert, Kate Middleton, Colbert's, Colbert, —, Prince William, Sarah Rose Hanbury Organizations: Service, Business

☆ A viral $16 McDonald’s meal won’t go away, and that’s a problem for Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Take the $16 McDonald’s meal that struck a nerve on TikTok late last year. Of course, fast food prices have gone up along with everything else in the past few years, but not by as much as the TikTok video suggests. Because the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants in the United States are independently owned, prices vary from region to region. The social media megaphoneIn an era before TikTok or YouTube, a $16 burger moment would have lasted a few seconds. The real beefPerhaps the more significant economic takeaway from the viral McDonald’s meal is not that the meal actually cost $16 but that the man paid for it.

Persons: CNN Business ’, ”, …, there’d, Joe Biden’s, , —, Biden, Topher Olive, Olive, pollsters Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, New York Post, Democratic, Mac, CBS News, CNN, White, Office, Digital Strategy, Washington Post, Consumer Locations: New York, Idaho, America, United States, Darien , Connecticut

NEW YORK (AP) — In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.”Authentic cuisine. “We see in 2023 a kind of crisis of authenticity,” he said ahead of Monday's announcement of this year's word. Merriam-Webster added the word to its online dictionary in September and it's been among the top lookups since, Sokolowski said. DOPPELGANGER: Sokolowski calls this “a word lover's word.” Merriam-Webster defines it as a “double,” an “alter ego” or a “ghostly counterpart.” It derives from German folklore. Interest in the word surrounded Naomi Klein's latest book, “Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World,” released this year.

Persons: deepfakes, Elon Musk, Webster, Peter Sokolowski, “, ”, Sokolowski, OpenAI, Taylor Swift, Prince Harry, Musk, ” Sokolowski, ” There's, there's, EGOT, Viola Davis, Merriam, it's, Israel ”, Lookups, ” Merriam, Naomi Klein's, Naomi Wolf, King Charles III, Ryan Reynolds, Mike Johnson, recirculated, Donald Trump Organizations: Merriam, Associated Press, Twitter, Pixar, Titan, Covenant School, U.S, Rep, D.C Locations: Dubai, Israel, Gaza, Nashville , Tennessee, Louisiana, New York , Florida, Georgia, Washington

☆ Simone Biles says it ‘broke my heart’ to see footage of a Black girl ignored in gymnastics ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles said it “broke my heart” to see a young Black girl passed over for a medal at a gymnastics ceremony in Ireland, footage of which has gone viral. “It broke my heart to see, so I sent her a little video. “A written apology provided by the identified individual has since been issued to the competitor and her family,” the statement said. From Pakistan to Ethiopia they can see this was wrong but Gymnastics Ireland still can’t accept it and say sorry.”At the time of writing, footage of the incident has been viewed more than 40 million times on X. “What happened on the day should not have happened and for that we are deeply sorry.

Persons: Simone Biles, “, ” Biles, ” Organizations: CNN, Gymnastics Ireland, Irish Independent Locations: Ireland, Pakistan, Ethiopia

☆ Fact Check-Video does not show Wagner mercenaries landing in Niger
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A years-old video of a plane landing is being shared on social media to falsely claim it’s proof of Wagner mercenary fighters arriving in Niger in 2023. Authorities in Niger have officially confirmed the presence of Wagner fighters in the country” (here). Reuters did not independently verify the location of the 2006 video, though the deserted area around the runway coupled with buildings close by is markedly similar to the topography around Khartoum International Airport. Reuters’ reporting on the coup in Niger can be found (here). The video dates to at least 2006, thus is unrelated to Wagner and the 2023 coup in Niger.

Persons: Wagner, Mohamed Bazoum, Read Organizations: West African, ECOWAS, Wagner PMC, Authorities, Facebook, Reuters, YouTube, Khartoum International, Google, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Niger, Khartoum, Sudan

☆ Fact Check-Lightning footage predates Tropical Storm Hilary
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An altered clip of lightning and thunder shared in June has been recirculated by users online saying it shows footage of Tropical Storm Hilary in August. The posts include a video of bright strikes of lightning as seen from a car lot. However, the clip was shared since at least June 22, two months prior to Storm Hilary in August. The same clip can be seen on the user’s YouTube page in a June 22 video with an identical caption (here). The lightning footage has been shared since at least June and predates Storm Hilary.

Persons: Hilary, Storm Hilary, Tsarov, ”, Read Organizations: Reuters Locations: Baja California, U.S, Southern California

☆ Fact Check-John Kerry did not say US farmers should ‘go extinct’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry did not say that farms, farmers or farming should be abolished during remarks at a climate summit in May, as suggested in social media posts that recirculated a misleading article headline claiming Kerry said U.S. farmers should become extinct. On May 10, the final day of the summit, Kerry said that cutting greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture was necessary to combat climate change, Reuters reported at the time (here). However, there is no record of Kerry having made a statement suggesting farmers should be eliminated and a State Department spokesperson said the claim is false. He does not say farmers should “go extinct”. John Kerry did not say, “it’s time for U.S. farmers to go extinct” at a climate summit in May.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Joe Biden, Kerry’s, “ John Kerry, ‘, Read Organizations: Reuters, Republican, State Department, Agriculture Innovation, Climate Summit, U.S . Farmers, People’s Locations: Washington

☆ Fact Check-Drag performer did not expose genitals to children in 2019 Minnesota event
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A 2019 photo of a drag performer has recirculated with the false impression that they flashed their genitals to children at a library, but unedited photos show the performer was clothed. The original photo shows a drag performer who goes by the name Sasha Sota during an event called Stories Together with Drag Performers at Ridgedale Library, part of the Hennepin County Libraries, in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The event drew criticism by conservative outlets at the time (here), (here), (here). Stories Together with Drag Performers was a program by Hennepin County Libraries that partnered with drag performers to read aloud to children, as covered by local news outlet MPR News (here). The drag performer pictured did not flash their genitals to children at a library event.

Persons: Sasha Sota, Joshua Yetman, Yetman, Read Organizations: Ridgedale, Hennepin County Libraries, Twitter, Reuters Locations: Hennepin, Minnetonka , Minnesota, Hennepin County

☆ Engineers modeled the disastrous flood that would follow a key dam in Ukraine being destroyed. The reality is even worse, they say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Engineers predicted what would happen if Ukraine's Kakhovka Nova dam was breached. The dam was breached for real on Tuesday, and the reality is worse than predicted, one said. Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for destroying the dam. In the wake of the news, animated maps created in October last year by Swedish engineers Dämningsverket have widely recirculated on social media. He told Insider: "The real dam break looks worse than the scenario I modeled because of higher water levels in the reservoir than what I had anticipated."

Persons: —, Dämningsverket, Henrik Ölander, Hjalmarsson, I'm, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Engineers, Service, New Civil, New York Times Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kherson —

☆ Disney rocks DeSantis ahead of expected White House bid announcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Disney did not specifically blame DeSantis for the move, partly citing “changing business conditions.” But the message was clear. In keeping with his bruising political persona, DeSantis reacted defiantly to Disney’s announcement that it would halt the office project. “Ron DeSantis’ failed war on Disney has done little for his limping shadow campaign and now is doing even less for Florida’s economy,” the Trump campaign said in a statement. Another possible GOP primary candidate, former Vice President Mike Pence, also leveraged the Disney announcement to jab DeSantis. Given his political exposure on Disney and the combative political image that is central to his White House hopes, DeSantis probably has no option but to further escalate the showdown.

☆ Fact Check-No deal between DuckDuckGo and Microsoft to track users online
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Independent experts say that DuckDuckGo blocks known tracking scripts from loading to prevent vulnerable personal identifiers from being exposed, including Microsoft-owned scripts. A separate partnership with Microsoft for advertising on DuckDuckGo’s search results page is limited to ad placements, not tracking users or building profiles, a DuckDuckGo spokesperson said. Users sharing the headline, “Google Lite: DuckDuckGo Signs Secret Deal with Bill Gates to Track Users Online” in April 2023 can be seen (here) and (here). We’re glad this is no longer the case,” the company said in a statement (here)DuckDuckGo’s privacy policy on tracking users can be seen (here). Whether browser privacy protections ever permit user tracking is beyond the scope of this fact check.

☆ This leaked Fyre Festival pitch deck shows how Billy McFarland was able to secure millions for the most overhyped festival in history
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Mark Abadi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A leaked sales deck for 2017's Fyre Festival contains the pitch CEO Billy McFarland gave investors ahead of the failed event. The sales deck contains misleading information about Fyre Festival and has been described as "beyond parody." Fyre Festival was advertised an upscale music festival in the Bahamas, complete with luxury beach villas, gourmet food, private jets, and supermodels and influencers galore. The pitch deck was first reported on in 2017 by Vanity Fair's Nick Bilton — who uploaded the full deck online — and recirculated on LinkedIn. Read on to see some of the most shocking, outlandish, and surreal slides from the Fyre Festival pitch deck.

☆ Diddy still pays Sting '$5,000 a day' for sampling his hit song 'Every Breath You Take' 26 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The mogul, who sampled the smash hit for his 1997 " I'll Be Missing You " tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G., tweeted this week that he's still paying Police frontman Sting $5,000 in royalties each and every day. Sean "Diddy" Combs is still paying the price for sampling The Police's " Every Breath You Take ," and it's not cheap. In 2003, Sting told Rolling Stone that when Elton John heard "I'll Be Missing You" he told him "You're gonna be a millionaire!" DON'T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work & life? Take this survey and tell us how you want to take your money and career to the next level.

☆ Fact Check-Video of Greek journalist fainting on-air predates COVID vaccine rollout
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video showing a Greek journalist collapsing during a broadcast dates to Aug. 17, 2020, more than four months before Greece kicked off its vaccination efforts against COVID-19. The clip, however, has been misleadingly recirculated in 2023 as if linked to the shots. As reported by Reuters (here), the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Greece started on Dec. 27, 2020 with officials and frontline healthcare staff. Reuters has previously debunked social media posts misrepresenting videos of people fainting that are unrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine (here) ( here) (here). Journalist Konstantina Klokotara fainted during an Aug. 17, 2020 broadcast, months before the COVID vaccine rollout began in Greece.

☆ Microsoft is even cutting cloud and AI workers in its plan to lay off 10,000 employees, internal email shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft just did another wave of layoffs this week in its plan to cut 10,000 people from its workforce, and affected units include the company's cloud and artificial intelligence organization, an internal email viewed by Insider shows. In Janauary, Microsoft publicly announced a plan to lay off 10,000 employees through March. An email that was not shared with the public, but viewed by Insider, confirms cuts came to Executive Vice President Scott Guthrie's Cloud+AI organization. The company this week recirculated a guide directing managers on how to communicate with employees, according to an internal email viewed by Insider. In the guide, Microsoft calls for managers to "show empathy and compassion" and to "keep a pulse on team morale."

☆ Fact Check-Clip of cat rescued after a 2020 Turkish earthquake resurfaces
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video showing firefighters rescuing a cat after an earthquake hit the Turkish city of Izmir in 2020 has been widely recirculated following the devastating quake that struck Turkey and neighboring Syria on Feb. 6. Four kittens were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed apartment complex following an earthquake, according to the posts. On Oct. 30, a strong quake struck the western city of Izmir and a Greek island, killing at least 116 people, Reuters reported (here). Reuters coverage of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the death toll of which stood at above 19,000 on Thursday, can be found at (here). This clip shows a cat rescue following an earthquake that struck Turkey on Oct. 30, 2020.

☆ Fact Check-Footage of tanks at a German train station has been online since at least April 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Following reports on January 25 that Germany would supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, posts on social media recirculated a months-old clip of tanks at a German train station and inaccurately said it showed the tanks being sent to Ukraine. According to the report, Defense Minister Boris Pistorious said that Germany’s tanks would probably be ready in three to four months. The video showing tanks lined up at train station, however, dates back to at least April 2022. Back in April 2022, German outlets reported on König’s clarification of the clip (archive.is/EfKbT), (here). This clip showing tanks at a trains station in Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany, dates back to April 2022.

☆ Fact Check-Old hoax about an alien figure hidden on the dollar bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

There is no evidence that increasing the contrast on an image of a U.S. dollar bill reveals a hidden alien figure, contrary to an old hoax that is recirculating online. This is what happens when you increase the contrast on a dollar bill.” (here)Comments on the post include, “It’s all hidden in plain sight,” “WTF Democratic Party” and “Not surprised. An image of an authentic dollar bill is available ( here ) on the website of the U.S. Currency Education Program. An image comparing the authentic dollar bill and the first panel of the altered image that is being shared can be seen ( imgur.com/a/CsURL19 ). An image of a U.S. dollar bill has been altered to make it appear to show an alien figure.

☆ How a maverick Brazil lawmaker helped Lula beat Bolsonaro's propaganda machine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - To bring down far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Andre Janones had to fight fire with fire. Janones also raised eyebrows among some in Lula's Workers Party (PT) for his vulgar attacks on Bolsonaro and his allies. One senior Lula aide defended the role of Janones, saying he could tread where the official campaign did not dare. He was the most prominent Lula ally to drop the gloves in a bruising run-off race that took even Bolsonaro's campaign by surprise. Despite his hell-raising, Janones has not lost sight of digital media as a public service.

☆ Fact Check-Hoax about serial killer posing as taxi driver in New York City resurfaces
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A fabricated report that is several years old about a New York City taxi driver who is a serial killer has recirculated on social media. An example can be seen (here) with the text: “*** Warning *** This is a man with Taxi number (2465RB) in NY Who drives around taking People to kill. A Google search on the story or on the license plate number produces no credible results to support the claims about a New York City serial killer taxi driver (bit.ly/3Sl6ZBE), (bit.ly/3ShD25K). The story has been debunked by fact checkers Snopes (here) in 2018 and PolitiFact (here) in 2022. There is no evidence of a serial killer posing as a taxi driver in New York City.

☆ Democratic Rep. who signed withdrawn letter on Ukraine said nobody told them it was getting released: CNN
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A controversial letter went out without those who signed it knowing, per a Rep. who spoke to CNN. 30 progressive Democrats signed a letter urging diplomacy with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Unnamed aides to other members of Congress told CNN the same thing. In withdrawing the letter, Jayapal said it "was drafted several months ago, but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting." The anonymous member who said that Jayapal's office did not check back with signatories before the letter's release told CNN that the "timing is terrible."

☆ People are urging Adidas to cut ties with Kanye West after his antisemitic comments
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Morgan Sung | Morgan Sung Is A Trends Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Adidas is facing increased pressure from people online to cut ties with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, after he made a string of antisemitic comments. Ye announced last month that he had terminated his collaboration with Gap over disagreements over the distribution of Yeezy Gap. But several people online pointed out that Gap appears to continue to market the Yeezy Gap collection. Gap told CNN last month that it will continue to sell its existing merchandise from Yeezy Gap in its stores and on its website. It said it will also continue to sell forthcoming collections from Yeezy Gap in the fall and into the first half of 2023.

☆ Fact Check-Falsehoods about how monkeypox is transmitted resurface online
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Popular Instagram posts in mid-October have recirculated false claims that monkeypox can only be transmitted by sexual relations among men. It is transmitted through droplets and close contact with an infected person, as well as through contaminated objects. The peak of new U.S. monkeypox cases so far was registered during July and August of this year, according to the CDC. Monkeypox is not exclusively transmitted in sexual relations between men. The virus can be transmitted through close contact with an infected person, droplets, and contaminated objects.

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