On April 10 2019 the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) captured the first image of a black hole in history, making worldwide headlines: This is what a black hole looks like. A world-spanning network of telescopes called the Event Horizon Telescope zoomed
Snopes→ Millions Live in Parts of California Threatened by Wildfires
Cal Fire is making new fire hazard maps that will incorporate regional wind patterns and other climate factors.
Snopes→ Mom of 3-Year-Old Model in China Sorry Over Apparent Beating
The mother of a Chinese child model has apologized after videos of her appearing to beat her daughter appeared online, sparking outrage and debate about the country’s highly competitive child modelling industry.
Snopes→ Scientists Who Found New Human Species Plan More Diggings
The discovery raised new questions about the evolution of humans.
Snopes→ Suspect Arrested in ‘Suspicious’ Fires at Black Churches
Investigators were still combing the scene at Mount Pleasant and warning onlookers away a week after the fire.
Snopes→ Pelosi Says She Asked Trump to Meet with Her
It was the first phone call between the two since the testy days of the government shutdown earlier this year, and it seemed productive.
PolitiFact→ John Hickenlooper – Hickenlooper expanded Medicaid, created state-run marketplace to insure nearly all Coloradans
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Hickenlooper expanded Medicaid, created state-run marketplace to insure nearly all Coloradans Former two-term Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is a rare breed in the 2020 presidential race — he’s run
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Numbers, April 2019 Update
Summary Since President Donald Trump took office: Attempted unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border soared to the highest levels in over a decade. The trade deficit rose by more than $100 billion — 23.5 percent. The economy added 5.1 mi
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Study Did NOT Find Men With Beards or Long Hair Have Smaller Testicles
Did a study find men growing beards or long hair have smaller testicles? No, that's not true: several tabloid newspapers misinterpreted the results of a joint study by the University of Western Australia and the University of Zurich about the
Washington Post→ ‘Some people did something’: Rep. Omar’s remarks in context
The remarks of the freshman member of Congress during an address to a Muslim rights organization spawned controversy, but they were just a snippet of a 20-minute speech.
Snopes→ The Latest: Treasury to Miss Deadline for Trump Tax Returns
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal that Treasury respects congressional oversight but needs more time to review the "unprecedented" request.
Snopes→ AP Source: Feds Questioned 2 Trump Aides during Cohen Probe
Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty last summer to coordinating payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels in the weeks before the presidential election.
Snopes→ Barr Says ‘I Think Spying Did Occur’ on Trump Campaign
His remarks give a boost to Trump and his supporters who insist his 2016 campaign was unfairly targeted by the FBI.
FactCheck.org→ More Family Separation Spin
Last year, the Trump administration announced a “zero tolerance” border policy that resulted in children being separated from their parents who were detained for entering the U.S. illegally. Yet President Donald Trump recently claimed that “P
Snopes→ Man Buys $8 Million Island, Then Steals from Kmart
A man who had just bought an $8 million island off of Key West was arrested for participating in what police described as a scheme to steal $300 in household items from Kmart.
PolitiFact→ Pete Buttigieg – Did South Bend unemployment fall by half under Mayor Pete Buttigieg?
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Did South Bend unemployment fall by half under Mayor Pete Buttigieg? Unlike the various senators, House members and governors running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Pete Buttigieg doesn&r
Snopes→ Charles Van Doren, Figure in Game Show Scandals, Dies at 93
The dashing young academic's meteoric rise and fall as a corrupt game show contestant in the 1950s inspired the movie “Quiz Show.”
Snopes→ Trump Says Only 1 Person Is in Charge of Immigration: Him
The comments came a day after Trump said he was not looking to revive the much-criticized practice of separating migrant children from their families at the southern border, as he has privately threatened.
Truth or Fiction?→ Jordan Peele, Tim Burton, Woody Allen, Ridley Scott, and Racism in Casting
On March 31 2019, a Facebook user shared a screenshot (archived here) of a different Facebook post which dissected the purported race-related casting decisions made by Jordan Peele, Tim Burton, Woody Allen, and Ridley Scott: The original post seen
FactCheck.org→ Anti-America Image From Iran, Not Michigan
Quick Take A popular meme wrongly claims that a photo showing protesters advocating the demise of the U.S. was taken in Michigan. The image is from a 2013 rally in Iran. Full Story Facebook users have spread a meme that falsely presents an anti-Ameri
Snopes→ Is This a Japanese Giant Emperor Moth?
Toys and figurines are confused for real animals at surprising rate.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Free Birth Control in Colorado Drop Unplanned Pregnancies by 40 Percent?
On March 31 2019, a Facebook user shared a meme (archived here) about the purported effects of “free birth control” in the state of Colorado: Across an image of mountain scenery, the meme (watermarked by The Other 98%) read: COLORADO HA
Snopes→ Was Mr. Rogers Bisexual?
Remarks the late children's television show host reportedly made in casual conversation with a friend prompted the posthumous celebration of Mr. Rogers as a 'bisexual icon.'
FactCheck.org→ Pompeo Wrong on Assad Control in Syria
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrongly stated that Syrian President “Bashar al-Assad controls a small fraction of Syria.” Middle East experts tell us that Assad controls a majority of Syria’s land and population. Pompeo made his remarks
Snopes→ Scientists Reveal First Image Ever Made of a Black Hole
"Science fiction has become science fact."
Snopes→ Deputies Respond to Home Invasion, Find Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A house sitter called 911, saying someone was inside the bathroom.
Snopes→ Democrats Prepare Border Bills, Say Trump Enflamed Problem
One bill is expected to increase federal resources at border entry points for processing refugees, counseling children and treating people needing medical care.
Snopes→ Barr to Testify Before the Senate as Mueller’s Report Looms
The hearing is about his department's budget, but senators are expected to be more interested in the nearly 400-page report that has yet to be released.
Snopes→ Twitter Removes Trump Video for Use of ‘Dark Knight’ Score
Warner Bros. said use of the score from the Batman movie starring Christian Bale was "unauthorized."
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Costco NOT Giving Free $150 Coupon Per family to Celebrate 50th Anniversary
Is Costco giving out free $150 coupons to families to celebrate its 50th Anniversary? No, that's not true: a scam website is luring visitors by promising Costco coupons in exchange for completing surveys but the whole thing is a scam designed
Washington Post→ Trump digs in on false claim that he stopped Obama’s family separation policy
We're running out of Pinocchios for this claim.
Snopes→ Trump Tweets Video from Supporters Predicting 2020 Win
It contains clips of pivotal trends and moments during Trump's presidency.
Snopes→ Did Celine Dion Launch a ‘Luciferian’ Children’s Clothing Line?
Changing gender norms do not mean that demonic forces are afoot.
Snopes→ Woman Lived to 99 with Organs Except Heart on Wrong Side
It was only a year after she died, in 2017, that students and their teacher at a medical school discovered that all her internal organs except for her heart were in the wrong place.
Snopes→ Is Brad Pitt Playing Bob Marley in an Upcoming Biopic?
"We get to see the handsome star’s range as a mellow Rastafarian ..."
Snopes→ Was Malia Obama Indicted for Food Stamp Fraud?
"Obama has trained the youth of America to be so dependent on the government that even his own daughter thought she was entitled to free stuff."
Snopes→ Did Republican Texas Legislators Advance a Bill That Would ‘Allow Doctors to Refuse to Treat LGBT People’?
Texas Senate Bill 17 provoked debate and attracted nationwide attention in the spring of 2019.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Sen. Dianne Feinstein Say It’s Unfair That Smaller States Count as Much as California Because of the Electoral College?
On April 4 2019, this meme was posted to a Facebook group (archived here) with a purported quote by Sen. Dianne Feinstein about California and the United States’ electoral college. Text across a photograph of the California Democrat with a sup
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Zambian Nurse Did NOT Swap Close To 5,000 Babies In 12 Years At Maternity Ward
Did a dying nurse confess that she swapped close to 5,000 babies while working in the maternity ward at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia between 1982 and 1995? No, that's not true: The Zambian agency that licenses and super
NPR→ FACT CHECK: Trump Wrongly States Obama Administration Had Child Separation Policy
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, President Trump restated an earlier falsehood in which he blamed the Obama administration for a policy the Trump administration in fact started.(Image credit: Evan Vucci)