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The Latest Breaking News from FRANCE 24 Observers

One year on: Misinformation about the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan

One year ago, on August 15, 2021, the Afghan capital of Kabul was surrounded and then captured by the Taliban. As the world watched the takeover unfold, numerous examples of misinformation began circulating online. The FRANCE 24 Observers followed the fake news trail: debunking posts that critiqued the American withdrawal,…

France 24

How to use advanced tools to verify photos and videos online

If you've been brushing up on the FRANCE 24 Observers' verification guide, then you now have the know-how to verify images with a reverse image search or check for edits with some forensic tools. You should also have the basic instincts needed to be wary when scrolling through social media.…

France 24

Ukrainian soldiers are turning consumer drones into formidable weapons of war

Simple photography drones are being put to good use on the battlefield in Ukraine. Videos show soldiers using these drones – the same kind you can buy online for hobby use – to surveil Russian troops and find the best point of attack. Other drones have been refitted to hold…

France 24

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French young women on TikTok show off ‘Christian headscarves’ to share their beliefs

Some girls and young women living in France who are interested in Christianity are turning to TikTok to share their beliefs. In hundreds of videos, some of which have accumulated up to 3 million views, they wear headscarves and veils that they say help them get "closer to God". We…

France 24

Video: 200 kmh in a souped-up Peugeot – the secret world of Iran’s smugglers

They call themselves “shootis”, posting hundreds of Instagram videos of tuned-up engines, zooming past police checkpoints at 200 kmh, and crashing at high speed.

France 24

The secret lives of Iran's smugglers

Smuggling is a huge part of the Iranian economy. All kinds of products change hands illegally in Iran, from contraband items like alcohol and satellite dishes, to washing machines, phones and car parts. However, little is known about these people who operate in the shadows. We're joined by Ershad Alijani…

France 24

No, Russia did not capture a US admiral at Ukraine's Azovstal steel plant

Posts on social media claim that Russian forces captured a US admiral, Eric T. Olson, at the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. The US Department of Defense confirmed to The FRANCE 24 Observers that Eric T. Olson retired in 2011 as an admiral for the US…

France 24

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French inmates fasting for Ramadan share their iftar meals on TikTok

The Islamic month of Ramadan is generally observed with a daily fast from sunrise to sunset as well as a nightly feast where communities come together to pray and break their fast. However, for the thousands of Muslims currently incarcerated in France, the holy month is more difficult. The FRANCE…

France 24

'We are on our way to death': In Saudi Arabia, four Uighurs risk extradition to China

Several NGOs have accused Saudi Arabia of having arbitrarily arrested four Uighurs and of trying to extradite them to China, where their fate is extremely uncertain. The detainees include two men who had travelled to the country to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in November 2020, as well as a…

France 24

Amateur images show Russian military convoys heading to Donbass

Large convoys of military equipment have been filmed in Russia and Belarus in recent days. Amateur videos analysed and verified by the FRANCE 24 Observers team show that some of these military reinforcements are heading for the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, towards the pro-Russian self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and…

France 24

The suspicious Twitter accounts claiming to be run by journalists in Ukraine

The FRANCE 24 Observers team has launched an investigation into three Twitter accounts that claim to be run by journalists on the frontlines in Ukraine. The suspicious accounts were originally spotted by Conspirador Norteño, an account that specialises in studying misinformation on social media. But before that, they were thought…

France 24

These images from Bucha do not show 'fake corpses' staged by the Ukrainian army

Images published on April 3 showed the bodies of more than a dozen civilians who had been killed in Bucha, a town near Kyiv that had been occupied by the Russian army. Some of the bodies had their hands tied and some were shot in the head. Since then, several…

France 24

Ukraine: People accused of looting tied to poles, stripped and beaten

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, videos shared on social networks and in local media outlets have shown disturbing scenes: people tied to poles in the street, sometimes stripped of their clothing and beaten. These incidents have occurred all around the country, often as punishment for people accused…

France 24

How civilians were targeted by heavy bombing in Kharkiv, Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the eastern city of Kharkiv has been the site of severe bombing. While the Russian Ministry of Defence has claimed since February 27 that it is only hitting strategic military targets, amateur images verified and analysed by the FRANCE 24…

France 24

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France 24

Does this video show Ukrainian soldiers shooting at Russian prisoners of war?

A video shared widely online as early as March 27 purports to show, according to its caption on YouTube, Ukrainian soldiers shooting Russian prisoners of war (POW) in their legs. The FRANCE 24 Observers team analysed the video and was able to pinpoint its location. Despite some suggestions that the…

France 24

How the letter 'Z' is being used to intimidate anti-war activists in Russia

People in Russia who support the invasion of Ukraine have adopted the letter "Z" as a pro-war symbol. People have been getting the Z – which appears on Russian military vehicles in Ukraine – printed on posters and T-shirts and sharing Z drawings made by their children online. Someone has…

France 24

No, the infamous Canadian sniper Wali has not been killed in Ukraine

A number of viral posts on social media have claimed that a Canadian sniper, dubbed "the world's deadliest sniper", was killed within hours of arriving in Mariupol, Ukraine, where he had gone to fight. However the man, nicknamed Wali, is still alive and well. He told the FRANCE 24 Observers…

France 24

Truth or Fake 2022: Debunking fake news with high-school students

During French Press Media in Schools Week from March 21 to 26, the FRANCE 24 Observers team when to meet a class of students from the Paul Valéry high school in Paris. We answered their questions about disinformation and exchanged tips on how to sort the real from the fake.…

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France 24

Ukraine: Russian troops flying Soviet flag, symbol of ‘re-establishing Russian domination’

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, thousands of images showing Russian soldiers and vehicles have emerged online. Some of these images shocked viewers when they saw the flag of the Soviet Union waving on some Russian military equipment. For residents of Ukraine, a former part of…

France 24

'No one is coming to help us': The international students trapped near the Russian border

Hundreds of international students, most from India or the African continent, have been trapped in the Ukrainian university town of Sumy, located about 50 kilometres from the Russian border, since the war there began. The students told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that they have been trapped in their dorms…

France 24

'Please help Ukraine': Fake livestreams on TikTok show telltale signs of a scam

While TikTok has been an important platform to document the Russian invasion in Ukraine, there has also been plenty of false information shared on the video app. The FRANCE 24 Observers team looked into some posts that used out-of-context or doctored videos as a pretext to ask for donations to…

France 24

Ukraine residents recount Russian attacks: ‘We realised we had nowhere to go’

In the early morning hours of Thursday, February 24, Russian troops launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any countries who dared to interfere would face “consequences you have never seen”. Videos shared on social networks showed heavy missile attacks as well as Russian…

France 24

A rare look inside a Colombian coca farm and cocaine lab, via TikTok

Hundreds of videos posted on TikTok by young Colombians document cocaine being produced in the South American country, from the fields where coca grows to the labs where the leaves are transformed into the drug. Colombia is the largest global producer of both coca and cocaine. One of these TikTokers…

France 24

Meet the TikToker using humour to break down stereotypes of Africa

"How do you have internet when you live in huts?" "Do you have clean water?" African TikTokers deal with these questions and stereotypes every day in the comments on their videos. In order to fight back against these cliches, many of them have decided to respond with humour. Our Observer,…

France 24

US raid targets IS group leader in Syria: Atmeh resident recounts helicopter attack

The early morning hours of February 3, American special forces carried out a helicopter attack in the northeastern Syrian town of Atmeh. Islamic State (IS) group leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi died during the attack. At least 13 people died in the strikes, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, including…

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