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Facts Matter: No evidence of 'leaked' recording of Biden, Zelenskyy

President Joe Biden took an unannounced trip to Ukraine last week and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to offer his support to the country in its conflict with Russia. It has been a year since Russia invaded Ukraine.

There was plenty of coverage and video of Biden's visit, but an Instagram user claimed to have found more.

A Feb. 21 post read, "BREAKING: Journalists on Instagram, @2024Update, just LEAKED an audio recording of Biden and Zelenskyy talking in private. You won't believe what was said! FOLLOW @2024Update to see before it gets censored and deleted!"

But there is no evidence that such an audio recording exists, according to PolitiFact. There is nothing in news reports or other sources to support this claim.

The Instagram account @2024Update is private. A request by PolitiFact to follow the account had not been granted as of this writing.

This is similar to claims in the past that also appeared to have "leaked" content, PolitiFact said.

Posts that purportedly had leaked messages from former President Barack and the 911 call by Paul Pelosi just sent the user to another Instagram account, which in turn sent the user to a different account. The "leaked" information was never found.

Video not from Ohio train crash

A train carrying hazardous chemicals, earlier this month, derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, causing a fire and a threat to residents and local wildlife. Social media has been filled with many images and videos of the incident.

A video first posted on TikTok shows a large, dark purple cloud hanging over a neighborhood.

"It is said that this is the actual video taken after the train carrying toxic chemicals in Ohio was exploded," read a post that included the video.

But this actual video has nothing to do with the recent Ohio train crash, according to USA Today. The clip was taken in Portland, Oregon, and was uploaded to TikTok in November 2022 with the caption, "That one time stranger things clouds rolled in Oregon."

A meteorologist told the Associated Press the cloud could have been a group of altostratus clouds.

"In Oregon, we get altostratus cloud bands just like this fairly regularly," said Larry O'Neill, associate professor and director of Oregon Climate Services at Oregon State University.

"Near sunrise or sunset, they can look dramatic from the lighting even though they are completely innocuous clouds."

Huge flock is normal

A video posted online showing hundreds of birds coming together in a residential neighborhood has gotten some social media users alarmed.

"In Mexico, birds have started to congregate in the streets. The main theory behind this is that the birds sense an environmental crisis is coming," read a recent tweet.

But the birds' behavior is normal and doesn't predict a coming disaster, according to the Associated Press.

"(It) is neither too surprising nor scary," Yale University ornithologist and evolutionary biologist Richard Prum told the AP.

The video, which was filmed in a residential area of Queretaro, Mexico, shows small blackbirds gathering in a huge flock for safety against predators.

"Any individual is protected from risk of predation by staying with its flock mates," Prum said. "I would bet that these birds have a large evening roost nearby - perhaps a city park or grove of trees - where they spend the night. This may be a portion of the flock gathering together before they reach or fly to the roost."

Mickey's job is safe

Recent social media posts claim Mickey Mouse will soon be replaced as the mascot of Walt Disney by Figment, a purple dragon known as a mascot at EPCOT park at Walt Disney World.

"In 2024, Figment will take over as the official Disney mascot from Mickey Mouse," read a Feb. 18 Facebook post. "The decision to remove Mickey Mouse as Disney's official mascot was motivated primarily by legal concerns. Mickey Mouse's copyright protection is set to expire in January 2024."

But that claim is false, according to Reuters.

The story originated on the satirical website Mouse Trap News. The site's "about us" page claims it is "the world's best satire site. We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff."

The first Disney movie with Mickey Mouse, "Steamboat Willie," will enter the public domain in 2024, but later versions of Mickey will still be protected.

• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.

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