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The Cube is a team of specialist social media journalists who find, verify and debunk the biggest stories in real-time. They are o... More

The Cube is a team of specialist social media journalists who find, verify and debunk the biggest stories in real-time. They are on a mission to make sense of what is going on and explain why it matters to you.

The Cube

Candace Owens says Macrons ordered her killing, but there's no proof

Amid a defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens for claiming that the French First Lady is a man, the far-right commentator is now alleging that the Macrons want her dead.

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The Cube

Fact-checking Europe's 'drone problem': Why are airports closing?

Airports in Europe are seeing a sharp rise in drone-related disruptions, analysis by The Cube shows. What are these drones interrupting passengers, and who's behind them?

The Cube

Which European countries draft women, and why Germany doesn't

Germany is planning to bring back a form of military service — but only men are required to sign up. Amid misinformation about the measure online, here's why and how unusual Germany's revived military service is.

The Cube

Fact check: Is Germany really rushing its naturalisation process?

Narratives online have abounded since the summer about how easy it is to naturalise as a German citizen. The Cube unpacks some of these claims.

The Cube

Fact check: Did Brazil chop down 100,000 trees for COP30?

As European leaders take part in COP30, claims that the controversial Avenida Liberdade — a four-lane 13km highway which cuts across the Amazon — was constructed specifically for the climate summit have spread online.

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The Cube

No, Portugal is not banning all Islamic practices

Viral claims online appear to over-extend a recently approved law that will ban face veils in public in Portugal.

The Cube

No, Brussels didn't just criminalise cash

Viral claims about the EU's new Anti-Money laundering package have claimed that cash in Europe will soon be "contraband." Here's what the new €10,000 cap really means.

The Cube

Fact check: Would Zohran Mamdani's policies be 'normal' in Europe?

Far-left or mainstream, a utopic vision or normal; where would incoming New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani’s platform sit if it were transported to Europe?

The Cube

How the internet went wild for fake news about the Louvre heist

From sharing pictures of supposed detectives to snaps of suspects purportedly tied to the Louvre heist case, false claims about the case have gone wild across the internet.

The Cube

Fact check: Has Marine Le Pen's appeal been denied?

The far-right leader has vowed to exhaust all legal avenues to overturn her five-year ban from public office. Where does she stand in efforts to appeal her sentence?

The Cube

Viral video of crying Ukrainian soldier sent to front lines is fake

Videos of a crying Ukrainian "conscript" have flooded European social media networks, particularly in Germany and Hungary, this week. The clip, however, appears to be created with help from Sora, OpenAI's new tool.

The Cube

Is France going to link its digital ID to your social media accounts?

Misleading narratives about digital IDs are commonplace online, as various European countries and the EU itself gear up to introduce them to the public.

The Cube

Can Italy's plan for the world's longest bridge survive court clash?

Italy's government has vowed to go ahead with the government's plan to build a €13.5 billion bridge across the Strait of Messina despite Italy's Court of Auditors shooting down the plan. Can it be bypassed?

The Cube

Russian propagandists spread sham stories with journalists' identities

As part of a trend that is becoming an increasing headache for the media, pro-Russian actors are spreading propaganda through fake news outlets and by impersonating real journalists.

The Cube

No, picture of heavily guarded German Christmas market isn't real

Misinformation about the festive season has already begun, particularly regarding the alleged closure of German Christmas markets.

The Cube

Did Trump invite the AfD's Alice Weidel to the White House? Not really

Social media is awash with claims that Donald Trump invited Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel to Washington. He didn’t, but a Republican congresswoman did.

The Cube

Is Belgium too small a country to use its new fighter jets?

French media have been mocking Belgium for buying fighter jets that it will be unable to use for training exercises due to its airspace being too small, but this has always been taken into account, according to Belgian authorities.

The Cube

Fact check: Can you rely on AI chatbots for voting advice?

The Dutch Data Protection Authority has issued a firm warning that users should not use chatbots to decide who to vote for as the country gears up for a snap general election. But what are the risks, and what can potential voters use instead?

The Cube

AI video circulates showing Western leaders making shock revelations

The video was produced by RT and provides a disclaimer about its true nature towards the end.

The Cube

Fact check: How much do immigrants cost the Netherlands?

As in many European election campaigns, the cost of immigration has been a hot topic ahead of the Dutch vote, with many inflated figures being thrown about in the media and online.

The Cube

How did prisoners film Sarkozy's cell, despite phone ban in prisons?

Footage of Nicolas Sarkozy being taunted by fellow inmates inside Paris' prison de la Santé has gone viral on social media, sparking a public controversy and a debate about prisoners' access to mobile phones.

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The Cube

French left-wing politician accused of concealing luxury watch on TV

Argentina's radical right-wing President Javier Milei has fuelled online claims alleging that Louis Boyard, a politician from the far-left France Unbowed party, removed his luxury watch before a TV interview. However, these claims are misleading.

The Cube

Trump shares fake video of Meloni flouting EU trade rules

Trade outside the EU is an exclusive responsibility of the bloc, while the Italian government has denied pursuing bilateral trade talks with the US.

The Cube

Fact-checking claims that no female hostages made it out of Gaza

Commentators on social media have purported that "not a single woman" survived captivity following the release of the last remaining hostages kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October 2023. These claims are misleading.

The Cube

Did pro-Russian supporters fly a Putin hot air balloon in Berlin?

Social media users claim that the alleged stunt was to show support for Russia rather than Ukraine.

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The Cube

Did teenagers wreak havoc in France's National Assembly?

A group of teenagers wearing tracksuits can be seen running around France's National Assembly, walking all over its benches and lighting cigarettes. The internet may be talking about them, but these videos are not real.

The Cube

Fact check: No, European Parliament didn't silence Polish MEP

A video circulating on social media has prompted questions over how European Parliament procedure works, and how long MEPs are allowed to speak when they interject.

The Cube

Are product barcodes that begin with '729' made in Israel?

In a bid to encourage a boycott against Israeli goods, online users, including French MEP Manon Aubry, have relayed a claim alleging that barcodes beginning with the digits "729" are produced in Israel – but this is not entirely accurate.

The Cube

Will Ukrainian citizens soon be represented in the Polish parliament?

A series of online articles appears to have been taken out of context, sparking outrage among some Polish politicians that Ukrainians will be given "their own representation" in the Sejm.

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EuroVerify

Misleading claims about EU COVID vaccine approval persist online

The approval of COVID-19 vaccines may have been fast-tracked, but these medicines were still subject to rigorous checks carried out by regulatory authorities.

EuroVerify

Did Carlos Alcaraz dedicate a tribute to Charlie Kirk?

A series of viral posts are falsely claiming that Carlos Alcaraz dedicate an empty seat, a speech, and a hefty donation to Charlie Kirk and his family. This is why these claims are either false or extremely unlikely.

EuroVerify

No, Hamburg has not banned music lessons because they're 'haram'

Not only is it untrue that the city of Hamburg has banned music lessons, but most Muslims have embedded music in their culture, religion and daily lives.

EuroVerify

No, France is not sending its toxic waste to Moldova

False allegations that France is planning to send its toxic waste to Moldova have spread across social media, EuroVerify debunks.

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EuroVerify

Did the Irish government block people from running for president?

Claims are circulating online that the Irish government has the power to stop people they disagree with from running for the country's highest office, as Ireland prepares for its presidential election in late October.

EuroVerify

Was Spain's amnesty law condemned by 16 countries and the EU?

Viral posts and media coverage claimed that 16 European countries had taken a stand criticising Spain's amnesty law. Others said the European Commission even labelled it a "democratic anomaly." Is this true?

EuroVerify

Fact-checking Donald Trump's Europe claims in UN speech

Trump's speech contained claims relating to immigration in Europe, the climate crisis and Russia's war in Ukraine.

EuroVerify

Polish rally video resurfaces as fake French protest footage

The video has previously been shared with other misleading captions related to an alleged 'anti-migrant' march in Warsaw.

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EuroVerify

Report misrepresented to claim Poles blame Kyiv for drone incursion

New Polish research says prevalence of social media comments linking Ukraine to drone incursion is the result of a coordinated disinformation operation, and is not indicative of public sentiment.

EuroVerify

Fact-check: Has the Netherlands banned Antifa?

Calls to ban Antifa have emerged in Europe following the killing of Charlie Kirk. No links between Kirk's suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, and any other left-wing groups have been made to date.

EuroVerify

Fact check: Which country is the safest in Europe?

European countries are often touted as some of the safest in the world, and various rankings indeed consistently place them at the top of the list.

EuroVerify

Russian fact-checking website peddles propaganda narratives

The Global Fact-Checking Network's website may look credible, but it is in fact backed by Russia's state news agency TASS.

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EuroVerify

Did Pedro Sánchez incite pro-Palestine protesters to stop La Vuelta?

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing criticism from opposition leaders who accuse him of inciting the pro-Palestinian protests that disrupted and ultimately cancelled the final stage of La Vuelta a España cycling race.

EuroVerify

Fact check: Do Romanian judges work the most in Europe?

Although more civil cases pass through Romanian civil courts than the European average, this doesn't apply to all areas of law.

EuroVerify

Russian propaganda fuels disinformation about Poland drone incursion

At least 19 drones entered Polish airspace earlier this month. While NATO has not yet determined whether the incursion was intentional, a raft of online disinformation has since emerged.

EuroVerify

Unrelated and AI-generated images used to claim UK protests spreading

While several anti-immigration rallies organised by radical right-wing parties have been staged across Europe in recent months, online videos and images are being misleadingly used to distort the scale of the current protest movement.

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