Tag Archive for: #FactsMatter

Fact-check: No, “Gammora” does not cure HIV/AIDS. It’s not a licenced medication

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No, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. It can, however, be managed using antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the patient’s body.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

A Facebook page claiming to offer a new, approved, and tested final cure for HIV/AIDS – “Gammora” in Juba, South Sudan, is unproven.

On June 30, 2023,  Dr Shamir Care shared a poster with a text that partially reads: “GET a Kit today and regain your negative status back… Our new approved and tested final cure for HIV/AIDS...”  

The sponsored poster claims the service is available in Juba and directs interested people to talk to their team through a WhatsApp number linked to the post.

Screenshot of the poster as it appears on Facebook.

The post’s author then responds to enquiries about testimonies and physical location by asking them to reach out to the number provided, which raises suspicion.

The author can be seen replying to Facebook comments.

Other social media users, such as  Peter Garang Ngor Ayok, warned people about the advert in a published Facebook post. “The social media advert about HIV/AIDS cure circulating is malicious and meant to scam the people of South Sudan,” reads part of his post.

Investigation:

When contacted by 211 Check via WhatsApp, Dr Shamir Care responded that they offer tablets and injections in cash on a delivery basis. They do not have a physical location.

‘’You can buy tablets at 300$ It depends on which one you can afford, and all cures completely without the virus returning to your body… The brand name is Gammora, and it is available in Juba (sic).’’

A previous article in September 2022 by 211 Check established that Gammora does not cure HIV/AIDS.

Dr Leju Benjamin Modi, HIV Testing Services (HTS) Optimisation Advisor in the PEPFAR-supported HIV Care and Treatment Program in South Sudan at the Ministry of Health, said in a WhatsApp message, “As a medic and based on available data, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS yet. South Sudan’s Ministry of Health has not approved the sale of such a cure in the country” when asked to comment.

In January last year, the South Sudan Drugs and Food Control Authority (DFA) said it would start clamping down on unauthorised individuals involved in the importation of drugs. Secretary General for the authority Mawien Atem Mawien said after a public outcry that some medicines were ineffective, advising people to get malaria treatment from certified health facilities.

211 Check also contacted Dr Thomas Taban, a medical practitioner at Juba Teaching Hospital who dismissed claims of an HIV cure. “The people claiming to be curing HIV are scammers,” said Taban in response to 211 Check.

The World Health Organization(WHO) says there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. It is, however, treated with antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the body.

“Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but allows a person’s immune system to get stronger,’’ reads WHO. 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim of Gammora as a cure for HIV/AIDS unproven. There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, although there have been advancements in the search for a cure. HIV/AIDS can only be managed through ART, a lifelong treatment that suppresses the replication of HIV in the body. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.    

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

South Sudan S.4 Results 2023: A Comprehensive Analysis of Performance by Gender, States, and Schools

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South Sudan’s S4 2023 results reveal Central Equatoria State’s dominance in top-performing schools and the highest number of students, with notable success in the science category.

Writer: Stephen Topua

Brace yourself for an enlightening journey as we delve into a comprehensive analysis of gender-based achievements, state-level triumphs, and the schools that paved the way for success in the 2022/23 South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) examinations results.

This data story highlights the students’ performances in the recently released South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE), also known as Senior Four (S.4) results. We look at the performance by gender, state and school.

The data used in the making of this data story is available here.

Feb 24, 2023, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction of the Republic of South Sudan released a press statement on the upcoming Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) examinations for March 2023. Thirty-five thousand four hundred fifty-nine (35,459) students were registered to participate in the exams in three hundred ninety-eight (398) schools across the states and administrative regions. 

However, the total number of students who sat for the S4 results in 2023 was 28,916, with Central Equatoria State accounting for 13,901 students or 48% of the total student population. 

Abyei and Pubor Administrative Region accounted for 255 and 38 students, respectively or a mere 1.01% of the total student population. This is highlighted in the chart below. 

Results by State

South Sudan has ten (10) states and three (03) Administrative areas, and we analyse the results based on these parts. The results are highlighted below. We display the performance index of each State. Central Equatoria had the highest performance index of 74.8%, while Pibor Administrative Area, which also had the least number of students, had the lowest performance index of 59.7%. Unity State, Ruweng Administrative Area, IDP Juba and UNS are not represented in this data. 

Top Performing Schools

Of the best-performing schools, except one (01) – (Laselie Boys from Lakes) are from Central Equatoria State. Among the top 10, Juba Dioceseaen was the best in the country, with an index of 85.8, with 134 candidates. Among the top 10, Darling Wisdom Academy had the highest number of students, with a total of 330, while Covenant Progress had the least number of students, with a total of 17. 

The average number of students among the top 10 schools is 115, with an average index of 84.867. this is illustrated in detail in the graph below

Top Performing Students

How was the performance of the students? We analyse that below.

In this section, we study several parameters:

Number of students in top 10 positions

A total of twenty (20) students shared the top ten (10) positions, a total of twelve (12) gents and eight (08) ladies. All but one student was from the science section. The best student was from Western Bahr el Ghazal, while eighteen (18) were from Central Equatoria. Lakes was the other state with a representative in the second position. 

A total of eight (08) schools were represented, with Brilliant Academy Secondary School having the highest number of students, a total of nine (09) out of twenty (20), or a whopping 45% of all students in the top 10 positions. This is represented below. 

Performance of female students 

Fourteen (14) students shared the top ten (10) female student positions, all from Central Equatoria State. Only seven (07) schools have students on this list. Darling Wisdom Academy and Brilliant Academy each have four (04) students on this list, while four (04) schools have one (01) student each.  This is illustrated in the chart below. 

Conclusion:

One of the findings from this data story is that Central Equatoria State (CES) has the highest number of schools, and the top-performing schools are also from Central Equatoria State (CES). 

The science category also produced the highest number of top-performing students, both in general and among female students. Many students were also sharing the top positions, indicating good performance among the top students.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fact-check: Is it necessary to cut any drug before taking it as stated?

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No, this is an old issue and hoax.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A WhatsApp claim widely forwarded to users that warned people to cut any drug before swallowing it is a hoax.

The claim appeared to be a screenshot of a Facebook post by Nana Daudi taken in March 2018.

“Pls [please] cut any drug before taking it and pls [please] share to save a life,” reads the text accompanying the tablet image with thin iron metal.

Screenshot of the claim 

Google’s reverse image search of the claim returned that it was posted in October 2015 on a Facebook page with an Arabic name which Google translated to be a Pharmacist drug store accompanied with a claim saying “might be beneficial for anaemia because of iron deficiency”.

And also returned that the image was featured in a blog written by Ankur Choudhang published on a Pharmaguideline website about regulatory requirements for market complaints.

A Yandex reverse image search engine returned that many people with claims in multiple languages used a similar image on various Twitter handles.

A Twitter user named Derrick Cristopher 2015 tweeted the exact image attached with a Swahili statement advising people to break the tablet before swallowing to ensure it is safe.

“When you want to swallow any pill, you are advised to break it first to make sure that the pill inside is safe. The one you see in the middle of the panadol is a wire. Let’s be careful my brothers,” reads a translated Swahili statement using Google Translate.

Another Twitter user Alfredo Tweeted the image accompanied by a written Russian text in November 2015, claiming the drug to be paracetamol made in Israel.

“Warning! Now produced and sold in pharmacies, paracetamol made in Israel. Which contains iron stranded wire. Which leads to death. We kindly ask you to break the tablet before use to make sure it is empty. Send it to all you dear people,” reads a Google translated Russian text in English.

Alfredo’s tweeted image claim

TC Nurgul Gunus Gol Twitter handle tweeted in December 2015 the same image which claimed the tablet to be Bristol from Israel and said it was available in pharmacies.

“Warning, currently in pharmacies, Bristol from Israel has the pill inside. The pill contains a poisonous metal wire. May cause death. Please break the pill before drinking it and make sure there is no wire inside. Send this message to everyone dear to you,” reads part of the Google-translated text.

Hamdamuzbproo, a Twitter user, shared the tablet image on his handle, claiming to be Paracetamol made in Israel, adding it is produced and sold in pharmacies.

“Warning!. Now they produce and sell in pharmacies Paracetamol made in Israel, which contains a poisonous metal wire that leads to death. We kindly ask everyone to break the tablet before use to make sure it is empty. Share this news with all your loved ones,” reads the Google translated text below the tablet image. 

Findings

211 Check found that the claim also circulated as chain messages on social media in Indonesia, where its country’s Drug and Food Control  (Badan POM) regulatory body stated clarification in September 2016.

“In connection with the rise of chain messages on social media and short message applications with the title “be careful there is thin iron in the drug”, we can provide [that] every drug product circulating in Indonesia must obtain a distribution permit from the POM Agency so that the safety, efficacy and quality of the drug can be guaranteed, with one of the requirements being the application of GMP (Good Medicine Production Method). The application of GMP by the pharmaceutical industry includes quality control and quality assurance, which are a series of processes before, during and after the production process to guarantee quality according to standards, including preventing unwanted contamination of physical, chemical or biological contaminants,” reads part of the text written in the Indonesian Language as Google translated English version issued by Indonesian Drug and Food Control body.

However, the drug and food regulatory body could not determine the identity of the tablet with iron metal inside it.

“Every drug distribution follows CDOB (Good Drug Distribution Method) to meet the approved provisions to the patient/community consistently. As a protection for the public, the POM Agency will continue to supervise the possibility of circulating products that do not meet the requirements. The identity of the tablet containing metal circulating on social media is unclear, so the BPOM cannot follow up on it,” it added.

And according to Kominfo, an Indonesian-based website reported in 2019 that Ustadz Yusuf Mansur wrote the claim, but he did not write anything regarding the claim.

Conclusion:

211 Check can not ascertain the identity of the drug containing iron metal, whether panadol or paracetamol, making it hard to find its manufacturer. But the claim is an old one being recycled again on social media platforms.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter 

Fact-check: Did Kenyan President William Ruto say his life is under threat?

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No, the video title is misleading, and the claim is unproven.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A video posted on Facebook by Chinny’s World TV claims that President William Ruto’s life is under threat. This is unproven.

The video is accompanied by text that reads: “My l!fê is under Thrêãt because I said the truth, Kenya President William Ruto Cr!ês out (sic).”

Screenshot of the Facebook video clip accompanying the claim

According to the video narration, the threat to Ruto’s life came after he spoke about the need to abandon dependence on the U.S. dollar for trade transactions among African nations. 

The video also claimed that Ruto later clarified that he was not against the U.S. dollar but emphasised that transactions should be made in local currencies to ease trade in Africa. At the same time, goods bought from the U.S. can be settled in U.S. dollars.

As such, the video claimed that the United States did not find Ruto’s address favourable and ‘is looking for all means to bring him down.’

The video also alleged that one of Ruto’s close friends said Ruto ‘needs more protection.’

211 Check Analysis:

The video does not feature Ruto’s voice or a clip saying his life was under threat, as claimed by the title. There is no available evidence to suggest the U.S. wants to bring down Ruto’s regime, and the claim did not explain how the U.S. wants to bring down Ruto’s government.

Conclusion:

Ruto has not made any explicit, publicly available statements claiming that the media or other sources threaten his life since becoming president. There is also no public record of a comment alleged to have been made by one of President William Ruto’s close friends that he needs ‘more protection.’

Therefore, Chinny’s World TV claim that Kenyan President William Ruto claimed his life was under threat is unproven.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter 

Fact-check: Are these images all from South Sudan?

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No, one of the images shows a village in the Tharparkar Desert in Pakistan. 

Writer: Nancy Caesar

An image shared on Facebook by 64 tribes Media claiming to show a part of South Sudan is false. The image was published alongside five other images, and the text accompanying them reads: “Blessed Country.”

The image in question shows a rural settlement, while the rest of the images are supposedly of different regions of South Sudan, whose flag appears on one of the photos. 

Screenshots of the images from the 64 Tribes page.
Screenshots of the images from the 64 Tribes page.

Other pages that used the same picture with the same caption include Voice of Africa, African Hub, and  Great Africa.

To determine the authenticity of the claim, 211 Check carried out an investigation. 

Investigation:

211 Check carried out a Reverse Image Search on the pictures, and the results showed that the image, which shows a rural setting, was taken from a village in the Tharparkar desert. 

While the image has been shared online several times, such as here and here,  it is attributed to Emmanuel Guddu, who shared the same picture on 23 May 2021, with an accompanying tweet that reads:

“Yes this our Pakistan. This my shot also went viral and many people cropped and removed my watermark and mentioned that this is Thar of India. So here is full and actual shot which I took in a village near Islamkot in Tharparkar Desert of Sindh Pakistan (sic).”

Screenshot of  Emmanuel Guddu’s tweet.

Further investigation revealed that the Tharparkar Desert is an arid region that forms a natural boundary between Pakistan and India. On the Indian side, it is referred to as the Thar Desert, or the Great Indian Desert, and takes up about 85% of the desert’s coverage while 15% falls on Pakistan’s side.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that most of the pictures were taken in South Sudan, but one is from a village in the Tharparkar Desert.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details on our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter. 

Fact-check: Does this photo show a man who added HIV- infected blood to Pepsi products?

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No, the image under investigation was first published nearly ten years ago, depicting the extradition of a terrorism suspect from Sudan to Nigeria. However, the claim fails to specify the location or time of the incident referenced in the post.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

An image circulating on WhatsApp claiming that people should avoid consuming any products from the Pepsi Company for a few weeks due to an alleged incident where a worker supposedly added his HIV-infected blood to the beverages firm products is FALSE.

The image shows a man in handcuffs being escorted by police and is accompanied by a message stating that Sky News reported the incident.

A screenshot from the WhatsApp group describes the above situation. 

Investigation:

According to a Google Lens Search of the image, the photo was shared after the arrest of the alleged Nyanya bombing mastermind, Aminu Ogwuche.

Further investigation by 211 Check confirmed that the photo depicts Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, who was arrested in Sudan and later extradited to Nigeria after the Nyanya bomb attack in Nigeria’s Federal Capital. According to the Nigerian site Premium Times, Ogwuche was handed over to the Nigerian police on 15 July 2014.

In another related finding, Vishvas News conducted a fact-check on 15 July 2020. It debunked a claim stating that the man in the photo contaminated Cadbury products with his alleged HIV-positive blood.

However, it’s important to note that according to the Centre for Food Safety and the World Health Organization, HIV cannot be transmitted through water or food because the virus does not survive long outside the human body. Additionally, if food contains a small amount of HIV-infected blood or semen, the virus is destroyed when exposed to air, heat from cooking, and stomach acids.

Elsewhere, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has indicated that the only case where food infected with HIV blood could potentially affect people is if a mother or caregiver who is HIV positive chooses to give pre-chewed food from their mouth to an infant.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the claim that a man put his HIV-infected blood in Pepsi products is false and misleading. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter 

Debunking the Mosquito Coil Lung Disease Myth in South Sudan and Ghana (2016)

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There is no clear evidence that long-term exposure to mosquito coil smoke increases the risk of more severe health impacts such as lung cancer, but extended exposure to mosquito coils in enclosed areas should be avoided.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A message claiming that mosquito coils are the common cause of lung cancer in South Sudan and Ghana, making the rounds in WhatsApp groups and private chats, is not supported by substantial evidence.

The message quotes a Medical Journal published in 2016 by Hogarth et al.—Malar, which says that mosquito coil smoke is a potential source of indoor infections and other diseases but did not mention lung cancer. The message, which has pictures of the Zenden brand of Mosquito coil, primarily talks about the dangers of the coil and how it is the leading cause of lung diseases in South Sudan and Ghana.

“Mosquito coils, commonly used as residential insecticides in South Sudan and other African Countries such as Ghana, were the major cause of Lung disease…,” partly reads the message.

The viral message further claims other studies done in Asia show that the insecticide has different chemicals, including chloromethyl, which, the article says, is a highly potent lung carcinogen that can be produced by thermolytic degradation. The content, however, does not have an author or a clear origin.

A screenshot of the circulating message on WhatsApp 

What do we know?

The author quotes the study in his or her article  Malaria  Journal by Jonathan Hogarth, published on February 4, 2016, in Ghana, under the heading Application of Mosquito Repellents, Coils, and Associating Health Issues in Ghana. The report was the final work of research to determine the effectiveness of mosquito coils and repellents and their associated impact. 

The research found that the insecticides were ineffective and posed a health danger but did not explicitly state that it is the cause of lung cancer in South Sudan and Ghana.

A report published by the National Library of Medicine in 2015 by JIE Zhang and others titled Mosquito coil exposure associated with small cell lung cancer: A report of three cases. A research report carried out in Asia on cancer patients was carried out on a few individuals who previously worked with a mosquito coil-producing company. The information admits insecticides have chloromethyl, a highly potent lung carcinogen. However, the report says the significance of exposure is uncertain.

“Mosquito coils, commonly used as residential insecticides in Asia, contain different concentrations of octachlorodipropyl ether (S-2) as a synergist or an active ingredient. As bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) is an extremely potent lung carcinogen that can be produced by the thermolytic degradation of S-2, contact with mosquito coils is likely to expose individuals to a certain level of BCME and therefore increase the risk of lung cancer. However, the significance of exposure is uncertain as clinical and epidemiological studies concerning mosquito coil users and workers are lacking….” 

The report concludes that contact with mosquito coils will likely expose individuals to a level of S-2 that may increase the risk of SCLC but does not concretely say mosquito coils cause cancer. 

What is lung cancer disease?

Penn Medicine defines lung cancer disease as any lung problem that prevents the lungs from working properly. World Health Organisation says The significant risk factors for chronic respiratory diseases include tobacco smoke and other indoor air pollution, allergens, household chemicals, and outdoor pollution. Some leading causes of lung diseases are explained here.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that mosquito coil is the leading cause of lung diseases unproven. Though the insecticide has some chloromethyl content, the World Health Organisation says tobacco is the leading cause of lung diseases.

In the face of this uncertainty, the essential lesson should be to avoid extended exposure to mosquito coils, particularly in enclosed areas, The Conversation says.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details on our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Viral WhatsApp message about 2023 recruitment at Total Energies is false

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The messages on WhatsApp are scams embedded with malicious links intended to steal people’s helpful information. 

Writer: Jibi Moses

A message is making rounds on WhatsApp claiming Total Energies, one of the world’s leading petroleum business companies, is recruiting. This is false.

“GOOD NEWS!  TotalEnergies Oil and Gas company is recruiting both Skilled and Unskilled Labour with good Salary Payment. It is no longer news. APPLY NOW,” the message reads partially.

On clicking the job advertisement link, it looks too good to be true because it highly emphasizes that the company offers both skilled and unskilled labour. The application is too easy to fill out, and when one is done filling in his details, you are requested to share the link in five WhatsApp groups or over fifteen individuals to get the job.

A screenshot of the job advertisement on opening the link.

What have we found out?

211 Check investigated the advertisement by examining the link attached to the message. Results from one of the vendors on VirusTotal, an online tool used to detect malware and other suspicious wares, show that the connection is embedded with a Malicious URL. These are links created to promote scams or fraudulent activity. They are persuasive, intending to gain sensitive and personal information. Clicking on such links can lead to various consequences, from having your data stolen to being the victim of a cyberattack.

Total Energies is a French multinational integrated energy and petroleum company founded in 1924 and is one of the seven supermajor oil companies. Is Headquartered in  Courbevoie, France. With Subsidiaries of  TotalEnergies, Total Espana SA, SunPower, and MORE currently under the leadership of Patrick Pouyanné as the CEO, He assumed that position on 22 October 2014. 

The company was founded on March 28 March 1924, by  Ernest Mercier. As of 2020, it employs up to  105,476 people with a straightforward means of calling for applications through the Career section on their websites.

We ran the two links on Whois, an online tool that analyses websites and showed that the two links are entirely different. The Total Energies website was first registered in France in 2014 and updated in 2023. Meanwhile, the other link was first recorded in 2023 the United States in America. Earlier this year, a similar advert made rounds on the internet particularly WhatsApp and 211 Check, found it false.

A Screenshot of the Whois details of the Total Energies website as shown by whois.com

A screenshot of the malicious link is shown on whois.com.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that the advert in WhatsApp groups and private chats claiming to be from Total Energies is false. These are scams embedded with Malicious links intended to steal people’s helpful information. We advise the public to be cautious when interacting with such social media posts and verify the authenticity of any claims before acting on them.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details on our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: No, this circular was not issued by WHO

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The messages about habits that hurt the brain have not come from the World Health Organisation. The WHO has nothing to do with these false messages being spread in its name.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A Circular purportedly from the World Health Organization is making rounds on WhatsApp with what they say are the seven causes of brain stroke.

The document begins with an invitingly enticing message written in bold letters as, “Please read this msg carefully and forward it to everyone for knowledge.”

A screenshot of the false circular

Investigations

211Check ran a Reverse Image Search to investigate whether it was from the World Health Organization. The results show that the same claim has been circulating for a long time, and many fact-checking organisations have previously worked on it. Facts Crecendo and Vishvas News are some of the organisations, and they found that WHO did not issue this and that these seven habits don’t cause brain stroke, though they can be dangerous to our health if overdone, according to health experts.

“While the seven habits mentioned in the viral post do not directly lead to brain damage, however, it can cause serious health complications when done in excess”.

What is Brain Stroke?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks the blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or death.

There are mainly two types of stroke, Ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Most strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when blood clots or other particles block the blood vessels in the brain.

On the 29th of October 2016, a report was published by Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh on the WHO South-East Asia website explaining clearly the causes and effects of brain stroke, which he emphasises much as alcohol consumption and over-smoking.

 “People who smoke should quit, and those who drink heavily should cease. These factors alone significantly multiply the likelihood of stroke.”

Fatty deposits called plaque can also cause blockages by building up in the blood vessels. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures (breaks open). The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them. Also here are some definitions of brain stroke from population health institutions, NHS- UK, Mayo Clinic, NHI, Cleveland and UCLA Health. 

Blood clots and blood leaks in the brain due to vessel ruptures are the main causes of brain stroke. Johns Hopkins Medicine is a medical institution in the US whose mission is to improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. Clearly explains the causes, risks factors,  symptoms, Preventive measures and treatment of Brain Stroke.

NHS also explains the causes of brain stroke in this Article and breaks them down as smoking, high blood pressure (hypertension), obesity, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and excessive alcohol intake; it further goes ahead and explains the Things that increase the risk of high blood pressure include: being overweight, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, smoking, a lack of exercise, stress.

These factors, mainly collaborating, are the leading causes of stroke.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that the circular in WhatsApp groups, claiming to be creating awareness by spotting the causes of brain stroke, is false and does not originate from WHO.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details about our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Did Gumbo Sherikat Juba witness the demolition of these houses?

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These pictures were from Nigeria, Benue state, where the Authorities destroyed two houses of a notorious kidnapper who used them to keep the kidnapped people.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A Facebook page South Sudan News Agency, posted pictures of an excavator demolishing a house. The page boasts 20 thousand likes and 27 thousand followers and describes itself as a Media/ news company managed in Wau and Juba.

 The tabloid says, “An angry man in Gumbo Sherikat demolished a house that he built for his girlfriend’s parents after they rejected his marriage proposal.”

The post attracted over 100 reactions, 50 comments, and 33 shares in one day. However, Other media in East and West Africa have also posted the same pictures with the same false storyline in Kenya (Kenya Today), Nigeria (Naira land forum) and Uganda (Princess Tina).

A screenshot of the image of the building being demolished as posted on Facebook

Investigations:

Comments and posts from the other three countries prompted 211 Check to investigate. 

A Reverse Image Search on the picture shows the pictures were first used on 28 June 2021 in Nigeria. We also discovered the photos were for two separate houses. The Sun, an online Nigerian Outlet, ran the story with the heading “Police demolish two houses used as kidnap den in Benue ”. The piece by Rose Ejembi, written on the 28th of June 2021, has two pictures of the destroyed houses and another snapshot of the owners taken in handcuffs.

“Two houses belonging to a wanted suspected kidnapper and armed robber known as Aondofa Cephas Chekele (alias Azonto) were demolished Monday by the Benue State government”. 

Abdulazeez Badaru Jikamshi, on the 29th of June 2021, posted the same pictures on a Facebook page called Inside Kaduna with two photos of one of the demolished houses. 

“SECURITY NEWS: Benue State govt demolish two houses allegedly belonging to a notorious kidnapper and armed robber Aondofa Cephas Chekele aka Azonto. The state government said this serves as a warning to Criminals that government will no longer tolerate criminal activities in d state. #SecureNorth #SecureNigeria”  as it appears on his post.

Other sources that wrote about the story are here: Ripples Nigeria, Donkes News Lab, and Benue Chronicles News Online, ANN, among many Nigerian News outlets.

A screenshot of one of the pictures used by the Sun shows the police and the kidnapper.
A screenshot of the images of the houses used by the Sun.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the pictures of an excavator demolishing a house claiming to be from Gumbo Shirikat are false. These pictures were from Nigeria, Benue state, where the Authorities destroyed two homes of a notorious kidnapper who used them to keep the kidnapped people.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details about our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter.