Violent attacks: UK PM Rishi Sunak announces ban on American Bully dogs, says breed ‘dangerous’
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday made an announcement regarding the ban on American XL Bully dogs in the United Kingdom. In a video shared on social media, PM Sunak expressed concerns about the breed, labeling them as "dangerous."
He revealed that the government plans to outlaw this breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act, with new legislation expected to be in place by the end of the year.
"It’s clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities. I’ve ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe," stated Rishi Sunak in his video message.
In the video, PM Sunak highlighted the need for this ban in response to recent attacks involving American XL Bully dogs within the community. He emphasized that this issue extends beyond isolated incidents of poorly trained dogs and constitutes a recurring pattern of behavior that must be addressed.
Since its posting, the video has rapidly gained traction, amassing over 1.2 million views. While some individuals criticized the Prime Minister's decision, others expressed support for the breed. Many argued that the responsibility for these incidents lies with the owners rather than the breed itself.
At present, the United Kingdom already has restrictions on four specific dog breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act: Japanese Tosas, Fila Brasileiros, Dogo Argentinos, and pit bull terriers. Ownership of these banned breeds can result in penalties, including a prison sentence of up to six months and an unlimited fine.
It’s clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) September 15, 2023
I’ve ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe. pic.twitter.com/Qlxwme2UPQ
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Fact check: Viral ‘Santa drone show’ near Burj Khalifa was fake; Elon Musk also shared video
Dubai: A viral video claiming to show a giant Santa Claus created by thousands of drones near the Burj Khalifa during Christmas celebrations has been debunked as fake. The clarification was reported by Khaleej Times, which confirmed that the clip was created using visual effects and did not depict a real event in Dubai.
The short video, which amassed more than 36 million views across social media platforms, showed what appeared to be a massive Santa figure waving beside the Burj Khalifa. The clip was widely shared with captions suggesting it reflected Dubai’s inclusive and multicultural celebrations. Even Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, shared the video with a heart emoji, further amplifying its reach and lending it unintended credibility.
According to Khaleej Times, the video was originally created in 2023 by UAE-based VFX artist Fawez Zayati. Zayati later clarified on Instagram that the footage was entirely fabricated using visual effects. “I created this video two years ago; it’s fake,” he said, adding humorously that he could create a similar VFX clip featuring Musk if asked.
The video was designed to appear authentic, seemingly filmed from the Souk Al Bahar area near Dubai Mall, with pedestrians visible in the frame. This realism contributed to widespread confusion, despite the creator having initially disclosed that it was a VFX project. Due to backlash and concerns about misinformation, Zayati eventually removed the video and urged users to verify content before sharing it.
Khaleej Times noted that the episode highlights the growing challenge of misinformation in the digital age, particularly as advances in visual effects and artificial intelligence make it easier to create highly realistic but misleading content. The report also pointed to concerns raised by experts following decisions by major tech platforms, including Meta and X, to scale back professional fact-checking teams and rely more heavily on user-driven systems such as Community Notes.
