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Fact Check: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Was NOT Killed In Kyiv On January 3, 2024 | Lead Stories

Was Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin killed by Russian cruise missiles in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 3, 2024? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer confirmed to Lead Stories that this claim is false. On January 1, 2024, Austin was hospitalized in Washington, D.C., due to complications from surgery and remained there as of January 10, 2024. Also, this claim is from a website that regularly publishes fabricated content often mistaken for real news.

This Is a Real Photo Of Putin Speaking with Other Leaders at an Enormous Table | Snopes.com

Claim: A photo authentically shows Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking with regional leaders at an enormous but sparsely populated table.
Rating: True

[...] Putin's public appearances often involve abnormally long or large tables, which has been a consistent source of speculation and mockery since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Fact Check: Image of NYT headline on ‘low’ civilian casualties in Ukraine is fake | Reuters

The New York Times did not publish a headline saying Western military experts were bewildered by low civilian casualties in Ukraine. The headline in the circulating screenshot has been altered from an authentic article published by the outlet in late December on Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.

Dig deeper with these advanced verification tools

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. This guide will show you some more advanced verification techniques that can help you dig a bit deeper into the origins of a post or a page.

How to verify a photo online and fight the spread of misinformation

You just received a photo on WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter. The image makes you angry, sad or joyful, and the caption encourages you to share it as widely as possible. You're a little cautious, however, because the story seems too good to be true. You are right to be careful. Here are a few tips for verifying images and tracing a photo’s origin on your own.