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☆ Fact Check: Image of officer smiling while pepper spraying Jan. 6 protester is altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An altered image of a police officer who is smiling while releasing pepper spray on a protester during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been shared in online posts that suggest the protest was a setup. Images of officers using pepper spray during clashes with protesters can be seen on Reuters Pictures. Spray pepper spray into the face of a peaceful protester on J6. The photo shows an officer with a patch on his jacket that reads “Metropolitan Police” releasing pepper spray on the man wearing a hat. The officer’s face has been altered in the circulating image, and the original does not show him smiling while releasing pepper spray.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Roberto Schmidt, Read Organizations: U.S . Capitol, Capitol, Reuters Pictures, Facebook, Getty, Metropolitan Police, AFP, Reuters, Thomson

☆ Fact Check: ‘Kidnapped’ billboard in New Jersey miscaptioned as Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A billboard with the word “KIDNAPPED” surrounded by images of faces referring to the people held hostage by Hamas was placed in Lakewood, New Jersey, and not, as suggested in online posts, Melbourne, Australia. A post (archived) on social media sharing a photo of the billboard said: “Try ripping this down assholes. Thank you Melbourne, Australia.” Another post (archived) with identical wording was shared on Facebook. The billboard can be geolocated to a Shell gas station in Lakewood, New Jersey, with poles and structures that match the image shared on social media. The billboard shared on social media was placed in the U.S., not in Australia.

Persons: ”, @bringthemhomelkwd, Read Organizations: Hamas, Facebook, Reuters Pictures, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lakewood , New Jersey, Melbourne, Australia, Israel, Gaza, New York City, Lakewood ., Washington, U.S

☆ Fact Check: Photos do not show mRNA pioneers wearing masks at Nobel Prize ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 2023 Nobel Prize award ceremony will be held on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel. Kariko, from Hungary, and her U.S. colleague Weissman, whose pioneering work paved the way for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, were announced as the Nobel Prize winners on Oct. 2. “Won the Nobel science prize for the mRNA jab yet they wore a mask to collect their award for their vaccine??!!? The photographs of the pair holding the Japan Prize were taken when the COVID-19 pandemic was still active, in April 2022. Photos show Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman with the Japan Prize in April 2022, not the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in October 2023.

Persons: Katalin Kariko, Drew Weissman, Alfred Nobel, Weissman, “, ”, Kariko, Read Organizations: Facebook, Japan, World Health Organization, Reuters Pictures, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Tokyo, Japan

☆ Turkey's Erdogan to meet Azeri's Aliyev as thousands flee Karabakh
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/David Ghahramanyan Acquire Licensing RightsSept 25 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is to meet his ally Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Monday, as thousands of ethnic Armenians began an exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan defeated the breakaway region's fighters last week. Erdogan will pay a one-day visit to Azerbaijan's autonomous Nakhchivan exclave - a strip of Azeri territory nestled between Armenia, Iran and Turkey - to discuss with Aliyev the situation in the Karabakh region, the Turkish president's office said. The Armenians of Karabakh, a territory internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but previously beyond its control, were forced into a ceasefire last week after a 24-hour military operation by the much-larger Azerbaijani military. Erdogan, who backed the Azeris with weaponry in the 2020 conflict, said last week he supported the aims of the Azerbaijan's latest military operation but played no part in it. The Karabakh Armenians are not accepting Azerbaijan's promise to guarantee their rights as the region is integrated.

Persons: David Ghahramanyan, Tayyip Erdogan, Ilham Aliyev, Erdogan, Aliyev, David Babayan, Samvel Shahramanyan, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: Residents, REUTERS, Karabakh, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Stepanakert, Nagorno, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nakhchivan, Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Turkish, Khankendi, United States, Republic of Artsakh, Melbourne

☆ Fact Check-In wake of Maui fires, here’s why some trees survive damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Some posts on social media in the wake of the fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, however, suggested that the fact some trees had remained standing showed proof that the fires were somehow engineered or steered to intentionally burn homes and vehicles, leaving trees unscathed. Reuters photographs and satellite imagery of the Lahaina Banyan Court area produced by Maxar Technologies shows buildings, vehicles and trees damaged following the fires (shorturl.at/bpsTX), (here). Other trees were more heavily damaged, but remained standing, Reuters pictures show (here), (here). Regardless, the fact that some trees could remain standing or were less damaged than cars or buildings during a fire is not abnormal. Trees sometimes survive severe damage during fires due to factors including their water content and the ways a fire spreads.

Persons: Albert Simeoni, ”, Erica Fischer, Fischer, Christopher Baird, ” Baird, Katie Kamelamela, James Urban, Niamh Nic Daeid, Nic Daeid, Read Organizations: Reuters, Facebook, Maxar Technologies, Fire Protection Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Department of Wood Science, Engineering, Oregon State University, “, JB, University of Hawaii, West Texas, M University, Conservatory, Akaka Foundation, Tropical Forests, HOW, Fire Protection, Leverhulme Research, Forensic Science, University of Dundee Locations: Maui, Instagram, Lahaina Banyan, Oregon, Colorado, Manoa, Hawaii

☆ Fact Check-Footage of Zelenskiy with ‘robot soldier’ is edited
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walking alongside a robot has been digitally altered. “New ‘Robot Royal Force’ type-c Robot arrived to Ukraine,” reads a Facebook post sharing the edited version (here). The TikTok user did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment. Zelenskiy visited Britain and spoke alongside Sunak at an army camp in Dorset on Feb. 8, 2023, Reuters reported (here). Video of Zelenskiy walking alongside a robot soldier is edited.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Rishi Sunak, ”, “, Zelenskiy, Sunak, Read Organizations: AFP, YouTube, British, Royal Force, Twitter, Reuters Locations: Lulworth , Dorset, Britain, “, Ukraine, Dorset

☆ Fact Check-Video of destroyed site in Ukraine shared online as France riots
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video clip showing the aftermath of an attack on a shopping center in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2022 has circulated online with the false claim that it stems from the riots in France in June and July 2023. The accompanying clip shows destroyed cars and wrecked buildings. Similar footage can be seen in a Reuters report of damage from shelling of a Kyiv shopping center on March 21, 2022 (here). The attack killed at least eight people, obliterated one structure and left burned-out cars in the shopping center car park, according to the report. The clip shows a shopping center destroyed in Kyiv, Ukraine, not in France.

Persons: Read Organizations: Reuters Pictures, Google, Reuters Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, France

☆ Fact Check-Video of New York protest against India’s Modi predates June 2023 visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video circulating online of a cardboard cutout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a New York protest dates to October 2019 and is not linked to his U.S. visit in June 2023, contrary to some claims. U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Modi for an official state visit to the White House on June 22 (here). U.S. rights groups planned protests over what they call India's deteriorating human rights record (here). It has been circulating online since at least October 2019 (here). The video has been circulating online since October 2019.

Persons: Narendra Modi, ”, Joe Biden, Modi, Read Organizations: Indian PM, Facebook, White House, Reuters Locations: New York, Queens

☆ Fact Check-Image shows crowd at Copacabana beach in Brazil, not China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image of Copacabana beach in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro jammed with pilgrims during Pope Francis’ visit in July 2013 has resurfaced with the false claim that it shows a crowded beach in China. “Beach in China, if you lose your child, I guess, you just have to make another one,” reads a tweet sharing the image (here) (archive.is/zXFRs). Additional Reuters pictures of the Rio beach during the pope’s visit can be seen (here), (here), (here). The same image circulated in 2018 falsely described as depicting overpopulation in China, according to AFP (here). Image shows Copacabana beach in Brazil in 2013, not a beach in China.

Persons: Pope Francis ’, Pope Francis, ”, Read Organizations: Facebook, Reuters, AFP Locations: Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, China, “, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Rio, Brazil

☆ Fact Check-New Canadian passport design represents seasons, not Pride flag
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Editor’s note: This article contains profanity)The new Canadian passport design does not include a rainbow Pride flag. On May 10, Canada unveiled its new passport design with upgraded security features, according to Reuters reporting (here). A tweet said: “These new Canadian Passports are an absolute DISGRACE They removed Terry Fox and Vimy Ridge for a f*cking PRIDE FLAG?? Most pride flags show six or more colors, as seen in Reuters pictures (here), (here), (here), not four like the new Canadian passport design. The new Canadian passport design does not feature a Pride flag, and the colors on the inside cover represent the four seasons.

☆ Fact Check-Ukrainian coat of arms predates use of trident symbol by far-right nationalists
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Ukrainian coat of arms, a trident, is an official symbol of the country and dates back over a thousand years. The blue shield with a gold trident-like symbol is seen on the Military of Defense of Ukraine site and is currently listed as the country’s official coat of arms (here). FAR-RIGHT NATIONALISTS ADOPTED THE SYMBOLFar-right Ukrainian nationalists during the pre-WW2 era “naturally used symbols that were historically associated with Ukraine,” Mark Pitcavage, senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center on Extremism said, including what is now the Ukrainian coat of arms. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), was founded in 1929 to “liberate Ukraine from Soviet rule and create an independent Ukrainian state,” according to Reuters reporting from 2015 (here). While far-right Ukrainian nationalists have used the trident symbol, the symbol is from a millennium earlier, is on Ukraine’s coat of arms, and is not proof Zelenskiy is connected to extremists.

☆ Fact Check-Galleria Umberto I in Naples built in 1890, not a thousand years prior
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Galleria Umberto I was built between 1887 and 1890 and dedicated to Umberto I, Italy’s king at the time, said Joshua Arthurs, associate professor of history in the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies at the University of Toronto-Scarborough (here). Galleria Umberto I stands between Via Santa Brigida, Via Giuseppe Verdi and Via San Carlo and can be seen on Google Maps (goo.gl/maps/bC1CLDxHmExVokzg7). ARCHITECTURAL FEATURESArchitectural elements seen in Galleria Umberto I could not have been possible a thousand years prior, Arthurs said, and the style is typical of the Renaissance revival in the late 19th century, called “Stile Umbertino,” referring to King Umberto I. MISSING ‘M’Historians interviewed by Reuters could not confirm whether the M was ever missing from the building façade at some point. Galleria Umberto I could not have been built 1,000 years before 1890.

☆ King Charles' Coronation through the eyes of Reuters photographers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Reuters Photographers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Arriving before dawn ready to stand for many hours in crowds and pouring rain, Reuters photographers used ample time and quick instincts to cover the coronation of King Charles III. Below is a selection of some exceptional Reuters pictures taken during this historic event along with the stories behind the shots, directly from the photographers who took them. I was excited as I was in a photo position where I could see King Charles wearing the crown right after exiting Westminster. To make it harder, It was raining and a lot of umbrellas hit me in the face. Camilla raised her hand and started to wave - I was lucky to capture this photo of the newly crowned King and Queen together.”

☆ Fact Check-Video of Kamala Harris rambling her speech at Howard University is digitally created
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A clip with over 1.2 million views on Twitter that seemingly shows U.S. vice president Kamala Harris rambling during a speech by saying “Today is today, and yesterday is today,” was digitally created but has been shared online as if authentic. In the video (here), (tinyurl.com/y3xtjc94), (tinyurl.com/3jaa3h36), Harris appears to say: “Today is today, and yesterday is today yesterday. The footage was taken from an April 25 speech, during an abortion rights rally at Howard University. The vice president’s clothing at the Howard University speech matches the edited video, as do the people standing behind her. Dr. Dominic Lees, associate professor in filmmaking at the University of Reading, said the audio quality shows the video is not authentic.

☆ Fact Check-Altered image appearing to show Hillary Clinton in Guantanamo Bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image appearing to show former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton apprehended by armed forces is digitally altered. The original photograph shows soldiers escorting a detainee in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in January 2002. Some social media users say the altered image appears to show Clinton apprehended by two police officers, walking with their backs to the photographer. It shows police escorting a detainee to their cell at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (here). The original photograph was captured in January 2002 and shows soldiers escorting a detainee to their cell in Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba.

☆ Fact Check-Flag on Joe Biden’s limousine en route to Dublin Castle was Irish, not Italian
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In livestream footage uploaded by RTE News via Twitter, the orange of the Irish flag can be seen as the motorcade entered the Dublin Castle complex (timestamp: 30.51s) (here). A spokesperson for the White House also told Reuters that the flag on Biden’s limousine was Irish. A Reuters livestream shows an Irish flag attached to Biden’s vehicle earlier that day when the U.S. President visited Leinster House to address Irish politicians (timestamp: 15.21s and 15.36s) (bit.ly/3UDuSYf). Other photos captured throughout the visit taken in Ireland and showing an Irish flag attached to Biden’s vehicle can be seen on Reuters Pictures (here), (here). An Irish flag was attached to Biden’s vehicle in Dublin on April 13, not an Italian flag.

☆ Fact Check-Photo of gunmaker Smith & Wesson T-shirt does not feature a Proud Boys logo
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gunmaker Smith & Wesson shared a photo on social media featuring a T-shirt with a logo for Perceeption Brand, a tactical apparel company, but users online are sharing the photo alongside claims that it shows the logo for the far-right group, the Proud Boys. Smith & Wesson shared the image on its social media accounts with a caption that mentions Perceeption Brand as the apparel maker. The Perceeption Brand logo uses a different font, which can be seen on apparel on its website (here) and (here). Smith & Wesson and Perceeption Brand did not immediately respond for comment. Smith & Wesson shared a photo with an apparel brand’s logo, not a Proud Boys logo.

☆ Fact Check-Apparel company clarifies T-shirt photo shared by gunmaker Smith & Wesson is unaffiliated with Proud Boys
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Yes, that’s a Proud Boys shirt/endorsement in the photo. Smith & Wesson shared the image on its social media accounts with a caption that mentions Perceeption Brand as the apparel maker (here) and (here). Perceeption Brand in an Instagram statement on March 2 said, “PB stands for Perceeption Brand. Smith & Wesson and Perceeption Brand did not respond to requests for comment. Smith & Wesson shared a photo with a “PB” logo that, according to the apparel company Perceeption Brand, is not affiliated with the Proud Boys logo.

☆ Fact Check-Image of Joe Biden eating ice cream in Ukraine is digitally altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A photograph of U.S. President Joe Biden eating an ice cream during a visit to Ohio in 2021 has been digitally altered to include a Ukrainian street food joint in the background. The images that compose this digital montage can be found on Reuters Pictures (here) and the Foursquare profile of the fast food joint in Kyiv (archive.ph/D7rR5). The photo of Biden shows him eating ice-cream during a visit to Ohio on May 27, 2021, per the Reuters caption. The food establishment Kyivska Perepichka, viewable on Google Maps (goo.gl/maps/6mVjmHvYHrnQxWS37), serves traditional street food item Perepichka, a sausage wrapped in deep fried dough, as explained by Taste Atlas (www.tasteatlas.com/perepichka). An image of U.S. President Biden was digitally altered to add a photo of a street food joint in Kyiv.

☆ Fact Check-Image does not show Joe Biden’s pants on backwards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Pictures of Joe Biden’s visit to Puerto Rico in October 2022 show the president was wearing his pants correctly, despite posts on social media claiming otherwise. A search through Reuters Pictures returned a similar image to the one used in the meme, in which Biden is also wearing a blue shirt, beige pants and dark glasses. This higher definition photograph shows he was wearing his pants correctly, as a belt buckle and zip can be seen (bit.ly/3RVpdLy). President Joe Biden walks with First Lady Jill Biden and Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi at Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, October 3, 2022.”A photograph from the same day shared by the White House (here) also shows Biden was wearing his clothes properly. Joe Biden did not wear his pants backwards during a visit to Puerto Rico.

☆ Reuters pictures of the year 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Top NewsReuters pictures of the year 2022PostedRussia's war against Ukraine, Argentina wins the World Cup, extreme weather around the globe and more of our best photography from 2022. Produced by David Lucas

☆ In pictures: Morocco advance as Spain flop in shootout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Reuters photographers witnessed 2022's most important events, from the horrors of war in Ukraine and other armed conflicts to unprecedented natural disasters and from the flight of refugees and migrants to protests around the globe. Below is a selection of some exceptional Reuters pictures taken in 2022 along with the stories behind the shots, directly from the photographers who took them.

☆ Pictures of the year: How Ukraine withstood Russia's assault
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

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