Latest news with #Sinhala-language
AFP
2 days ago
- Politics
- AFP
Footage of fire in UK falsely linked to Iran-Israel war
"Iran launches counterattacks," reads in part a Sinhala-language Facebook post published on June 22, 2025. "The video below shows the situation in Tel Aviv". It goes on to give details of the attack, which it says came after the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and shares a clip showing firefighters dousing flames that engulfed a building. Image Screenshot of the Facebook post taken on June 24, 2025, with a red X added by AFP US President Donald Trump said on June 21 that the strikes were a "very successful attack", before Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel in retaliation, including Ben Gurion airport, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres (archived link). It also launched missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- the biggest US military facility in the Middle East (archived link). Trump announced on June 24 that Iran and Israel had agreed to a "complete and total ceasefire" (). Iran's health ministry said Israeli strikes have killed at least 610 civilians during the 12-day war, while official figures from Israel said 28 people were killed in strikes across the country (archived link). The false claim also spread elsewhere on Facebook. But the clip is unrelated to the ongoing conflict. AFP has previously debunked a separate false claim that used the same video. A combination of reverse image and keyword searches on Google found a YouTube video uploaded on April 29 with a caption that says, "Huge fire at disused Henley College building in Coventry, Oxfordshire, England" (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the clip shared in false Facebook posts (L) and the video published on YouTube British news outlets BBC and The Sun also published visuals of the blaze that engulfed a disused former school building in Coventry (archived here and here) The West Midlands Fire Service issued a statement on the day, saying no injuries or casualties were reported in the fire (archived link). The West Midlands police announced a day later that two teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the fire (archived ). Google Street View imagery of the area shows that the red college building seen in the false clip is located in Coventry, England, not Israel (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the building in the false video (left) and the same structure on Google Street View highlighted in red by AFP (right) AFP has debunked other false claims linked to the Iran-Israel conflict here.
AFP
4 days ago
- General
- AFP
Video of cabin crew boarding flight predates Air India disaster
"Did they know they were going on their final journey while they wave?" reads Sinhala-language text on a Facebook video shared on June 13, 2025. It shows an Air India flight attendant filming herself and cabin crew members as they wave to camera while walking through an air bridge. Additional superimposed English text on the video says "RIP" and "12 crew members". Image Screenshot of false Facebook post taken June 23, 2025 with a red X added by AFP The video was also shared in similar posts on Facebook and TikTok from Sri Lanka, as well as India and Malaysia. It circulated a day after an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, ploughing into a residential area of India's Ahmedabad city (archived link). All but one of the 242 people on board were killed; as were at least 38 people on the ground (archived link). The video circulating online, however, does not show the Air India cabin crew on board that flight. A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to the same clip posted on Instagram on June 9 by a user who regularly posts about being an Air India flight attendant. The clip, which was also posted on the user's Threads account, is captioned in Hindi, "Motivation before the ULH flight" while superimposed text reads "All the hardworking crew aboard the same flight" (archived link). ULH is the airport code for the airport in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia (). Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared video (left) and the June 9 Instagram video (right) After her video resurfaced online, the user posted a request on June 14 for friends and family to report accounts that were falsely sharing it (archived link). "How will our families feel if they see that we are not alive. How can someone do this without information." reads part of her post. Image Screenshot of the user's Instagram post on June 14, 2025 Moreover, the user commented below the post: "God is very kind. I'm absolutely fine." AFP has previously debunked other misinformation related to the Air India crash.
AFP
16-06-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Old video shows motorbike falling into a pothole in Sri Lanka, not India
"What is the point of charging so much tax from Indians? Free swimming and adventure with hospital bills," reads part of an Instagram post shared on June 1, 2025. The attached video shows two people riding on a motorcycle unexpectedly plunging into a water-filled pothole, and bystanders rushing to help them. "Thanks to Nitin Gadkari for providing roads better than US standard," adds the post, referring to India's minister for road transportation and highways. Image Screenshot of the false Instagram post, captured on June 15, 2025 The video was also shared alongside similar claims on Facebook and X posts. "Everything is possible if Modi is there", read a comment on one of the post. Another said: "The common people just pay taxes, and that money gets wasted in corruption." India is hit by torrential rains and flash floods every year during the monsoon season, which is vital for agriculture, the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security. But the monsoon also brings destruction in landslides and floods (archived link). According to the BBC, India's biggest cities flood every monsoon season causing roads to collapse, drains to overflow and overwhelming infrastructure (archived link). "Experts blame rapid unplanned urbanisation, poor infrastructure and years of environmental neglect as the root causes of this problem," reads the BBC report. The video circulating online, however, was not filmed in India. Pothole in Sri Lanka A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to longer footage published on the verified Facebook account of Sri Lankan news outlet News First on September 19, 2023 (archived link). Overlaid Sinhala-language text reads, "A water pipe burst, causing a daughter and father to face a horrific accident revealed by CCTV". According to the video report, a man and his daughter were rescued after they fell into a 16-foot-deep water-filled pit while riding a motorcycle in the Gothatuwa area of Colombo. The longer footage shows the pair being lifted out of the hole by bystanders. Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared video (left) and the News First Facebook video (right) The footage was also shared by local Sri Lankan news outlet Lankadeepa on YouTube, and was covered by The Sunday Times newspaper (archived here and here). According to The Sunday Times report, the accident occurred in front of the Water Supply and Drainage Board office in Gothatuwa. Elements of the video also correspond to Google Street View imagery of the area (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the accident footage (top) and Google Street View imagery of where it occurred (bottom), with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP AFP previously debunked another false claims that spread during the monsoon season here.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Old plane crash video falsely linked to India-Pakistan conflict
"Pakistanis rescuing a pilot from an Indian aircraft shot down by a Pakistani military attack," reads part of a Sinhala-language Facebook post shared May 7, 2025. The post includes a reel whose caption says in Urdu: "Take this, Your father Pakistan has destroyed seven Indian planes. A video of shooting down of one plane has surfaced". The video shows a plane engulfed in flames and people tending to someone dressed in military fatigues. An AFP reporter confirmed the people in the video are speaking in Hindi with a rural accent. India launched air strikes on what it called "terrorist camps" in Pakistan on May 7, triggering an immediate response from Islamabad (archived link). The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan denies any involvement in the attack. Pakistan claimed it downed five Indian warplanes, including three French-made Rafale fighter jets, although New Delhi has not confirmed any losses (archived link). The clashes, the worst between the neighbours in decades, were brought to a halt by a ceasefire announced May 10. Similar claims spread elsewhere on Facebook alongside the same video. But the footage predates the violence. A reverse image search and subsequent keyword searches on Google found a Facebook reel published February 7 on the verified Facebook account of Indian media outlet Aaj Tak (archived link). "Another video has emerged related to the crash of an Indian Air Force fighter aircraft (Mirage-2000) near Bahreta Sani village in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh," part of the Hindi-language caption reads. The footage bears the red logo of Aaj Tak, visible in the top right-hand part of the clip shared on Facebook. Business Today published the same video on February 7 (archived link). Other Indian media organisations, including The Times of India and NDTV, reported that a twin-seater Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft from the country's air force crashed in the state of Madhya Pradesh on February 6 (archived links here and here). The Indian Air Force said on X that the pilots ejected before the plane crashed due to a system malfunction (archived link). A police officer from Karera -- a municipality in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh -- also confirmed the plane crash to Bhaskar English and said two pilots were on board the jet when it crashed. The Indian news outlet quoted one of the pilots (archived link). AFP has debunked other misinformation stemming from the conflict between India and Pakistan here.
AFP
26-05-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Old plane crash video falsely linked to India-Pakistan conflict
"Pakistanis rescuing a pilot from an Indian aircraft shot down by a Pakistani military attack," reads part of a Sinhala-language Facebook post shared May 7, 2025. The post includes a ys in Urdu: "Take this, Your father Pakistan has destroyed seven Indian planes. A video of shooting down of one plane has surfaced". The video shows a plane engulfed in flames and people tending to someone dressed in military . An AFP reporter confirmed the people in the video are speaking in with a rural accent. Image Screenshot of a Sinhala-language Facebook post captured May 20, 2025 The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan denies any involvement in the attack. Pakistan claimed it downed five Indian warplanes, including three French-made Rafale fighter jets, although New Delhi has not confirmed any losses (archived link). The clashes, the worst between the neighbours in decades, were brought to a halt by a ceasefire announced May 10. Similar claims spread elsewhere on Facebook alongside the same video. A reverse image search and subsequent keyword searches on Google found a Facebook reel published 7 on the verified Facebook account of Indian media outlet Aaj Tak (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the false Facebook post (L) and the video posted by Aaj Tak The footage bears the red logo of Aaj Tak, visible in the top right-hand part of the clip shared on . Image Screenshot of a Facebook post taken May 20, 2025 Business Today published the same video on February 7 (archived link). Other Indian media organisations, including The Times of India and NDTV, reported that a twin-seater Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft from the country's air force crashed in the state of Madhya on February 6 (archived links here and here). A police officer from Karera -- a municipality in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh -- also confirmed the plane crash to Bhaskar English and said two pilots were on board the jet when it crashed. The Indian news outlet quoted one of the pilots (archived link). AFP has debunked other misinformation stemming from the conflict between India and Pakistan here.
