On January 6, 2019, the following status update appeared, paraphrasing purported comments made by United States President Donald Trump which described “illegal immigration” as an American problem for “thousands of years”: Th
Snopes→ No Shutdown End in Sight; Trump Says ‘Never Ever Back Down’
Trump said he had dismissed a proposal from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham to reopen the government for several weeks and continue dealing with Democrats over money for the wall.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Saudi Man Did NOT Eat Two Of His Four Wives To Survive 13 Days Stranded In The Desert
Did a Saudi man named Mustafa Ali Hamad eat two of his four wives after getting stranded for 13 days in the desert after a car crash? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a Canadian entertainment website that makes a living by publish
Snopes→ Former Yankees Pitcher Mel Stottlemyre Dead at 77
Mel Stottlemyre, who had a distinguished career as both a pitcher and a pitching coach, died in Seattle after a long battle with bone marrow cancer.
Truth or Fiction?→ Chef Boyardee Bugs Video
On January 6, 2019, a Facebook user shared a video of purported bugs and insect pieces she found in a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli purchased the previous night at a Walmart in Enterprise, Alabama. In the clip, the user dissects a number of raviolis nex
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Raised Dots on a Steering Wheel Braille for Blind Drivers?
In January 2019, the Facebook page “Adult Imaginations” shared an old meme claiming that steering wheels feature raised dots in braille for blind or visually impaired drivers: The image shows raised dots on the center of a steering wheel,
Snopes→ Do Motorists Now Face $999 Fines and 3-Year Suspensions for Using Cellphones While Driving?
A number of recent laws have focused on preventing distracted driving, but the penalties vary from location to location.
Snopes→ Woman Drinking Wine from Pringles Can Banned from Walmart
A woman has been banned from a Walmart after she spent several hours driving an electric shopping cart around the store's parking lot while drinking wine from a Pringles can.
Internet Archive→ President Trump Departure to Farm Bureau Convention : CSPAN2 : January 14, 2019 12:05pm-12:19pm EST
President Trump spoke to reporters about border security, the government shutdown, and news reports about undisclosed details of past meetings with Russia President Putin. The president answered questions before departing for New Orleans where he plann
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photograph of Wedding Bands Removed by Nazis in Concentration Camps?
In December 2017, the Facebook page “Historical Pictures” shared the following image: A caption read: Wedding bands that were removed from Holocaust victims prior to being executed, 1945. Each ring represents a destroyed family. Never forg
Truth or Fiction?→ Can You Now Be Fined $999 for Holding a Phone in Your Car?
On January 7 2019, the following status update appeared on social media and quickly went viral: Caught using cell phone, or holding it while driving- $999 fine and 3 yr suspended license as of Jan.2019! Ouch…be aware folks!! No specific jurisdi
Snopes→ Leave $350 Hats at Home, NY Middle School Administrators Beg
The New York Post reports that administrators at Great Neck North Middle School on Long Island wrote a letter to parents asking them to "try and redirect your middle schooler from wearing these hats to school."
Snopes→ Hugh Grant Seeks Return of Script After Theft from His Car
There were, he added, many weeks' worth of "notes and ideas" in the stolen script.
Snopes→ Judge Blocks Trump Birth Control Coverage Rules in 13 states
The rules would allow more employers to opt out of providing women with no-cost birth control.
Snopes→ 2020 Democratic Primary Set to Intensify
Candidates and potential candidates are hiring staff and traveling to key states all in a mad scramble to gain a leg up in what will be a rollicking Democratic primary.
Climate Feedback→ USA Today story updates readers on trend in monthly global temperatures
SCIENTISTS’ FEEDBACK SUMMARY This article in USA Today notes that April 2018 was the 400th straight month that global temperatures were above the 20th century average, and correctly identifies human activities as the cause of this trend. It a
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Saudi Man NOT Sentenced To 1000 Lashes For Performing Oral Sex On a Camel
Was 26-year old Abdullah al-Rashidi from Jizan in Saudi Arabia sentenced to 1,000 lashes for perfroming oral sex on a camel owned by his boss? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a Canadian entertainment website that makes a living
Climate Feedback→ Washington Post article accurately discusses warm Arctic weather event
SCIENTISTS’ FEEDBACK SUMMARY This article in The Washington Post describes a pattern of unusually warm weather in February 2018, during which the North Pole saw above-freezing air temperatures. The article also places this event in context of
Washington Post→ A guide to understanding the administration’s spin on terrorists at the border
We unpacked the numbers being used by the Trump administration.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: President Trump Did NOT Urge Americans To Boycott Chinese Restaurants
Did President Donald Trump use Twitter to urge Americans to boycott Chinese restaurants as part a trade war with China? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a satirical website. It is not real. The story originated from an article p
Lead Stories→ Old News: Infamous Lion Hunter Slipped And Fell 100 Feet To His Death During Hunt… In 2016!
Did veterinarian/hunter Luciano Ponzetto slip and fall 100 feet during a hunt and did he die from his injuries? Yes, he did... in 2016. But the "news" of his death recently went viral again after an activist site reposted it without giving a
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Undocumented Immigrants Send $56 Billion in ‘Pure Cash’ to Their Home Countries Last Year?
Against the backdrop of a long-running federal shutdown, purportedly over border wall funding, a Facebook user shared the following meme in January 2019: It read: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SENT $56 BILLION IN PURE CASH TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES LAST YEAR ALONE
Snopes→ Does a Muslim Community Patrol in New York City Enforce ‘Sharia Law’?
Certain websites regurgitated a familiar complaint upon the debut of a new patrol group in Brooklyn.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Chelsea Clinton Did NOT Go On Drunken Rampage That Landed Her Behind Bars
Did Chelsea Clinton go on a drunken rampage that landed her behind bars? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to educate gullible Trump supporters and Republicans about the need to actually click
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Trump Will NOT End the Shutdown Monday Morning AND Get the Wall
Will President Donald Trump end the government shutdown on Monday morning through a set of executive orders? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to educate gullible Trump supporters and Republica
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Venezuela Did NOT Declare War On Republic of Paraguay
Did Venezuela just declare war on Paraguay? No, that's not true: some joker uploaded an article making that claim to a prank website that allows anyone to create a realistic-looking news article, but it is not real. The story originated from
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Man Did NOT Admit Using Condom Filled With Frozen Poo To Kill Wife
Did a 48-year-old man named Paul Houston (or somebody else) from Chowan County in North Carolina (or some other location) kill his wife using a condom filled with frozen poo? No, that's not true: a fake news site disguised as a local news outl
Lead Stories→ Old News: Suspected Drug Smugglers Got Stuck Trying to Drive Over U.S.-Mexico Border Fence… in 2012
Did suspected drug smugglers use ramps to attempt to scale President Trump's border wall or fence in Yuma, Arizona? Yes they kind of did... in 2012, right during the middle of the Obama administration. The story recently went viral again proba
Snopes→ Was Nancy Pelosi Removed from a Children’s Cancer Benefit for Being Drunk?
A troll is a person who posts inflammatory content with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses.
Snopes→ Illinois Refuses Permit for Concert to Be Hosted by R. Kelly
Illinois officials say a concert in Springfield that was to be hosted by R. Kelly cannot take place in the wake of new sexual misconduct allegations against the R&B star.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Illinois Boy Was NOT Unable To Unlock His iPhone X Because Of A Pimple
Did an unnamed Illinois teenager get a pimple on his face causing his iPhone to not recognize him anymore so he could no longer unlock it? No, that's not true: the story was made up by the English version of a Spanish satire website, it is no
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Vet Who Organized GoFundMe For Trump Border Wall Buys New Ferrari And Mansion In Mexico Is Gonna Build The Wall Himself
The story originated from an article published on January 12, 2019 titled "Vet Who Organized GoFundMe For Trump Border Wall Buys New Ferrari And Mansion In Mexico Is Gonna Build The Wall Himself" (archived here) which opened: All the
Snopes→ TV Station Backs Off Accusation That CNN Played Politics
An executive at a San Diego television station that accused CNN of rejecting an appearance by one of its reporters for political reasons conceded he didn't really know why the network turned him down.
Snopes→ Is DC Comics Publishing a Series Depicting Jesus Christ?
Conservative media outlets began reporting on "Second Coming" months after its release was first announced.
Snopes→ Did the Company That Makes Marlboros Announce They Intend to Stop Producing Cigarettes?
Philip Morris International sells the iconic brand outside the United States, and has for years expressed a plan to end production of cigarettes altogether.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Former Price Is Right Host Bob Barker NOT Dead at Age 95
Did former Price Is Right host Bob Barker die aged 95 after splitting his head due to a fall? No, that's not true: a brand new fake news site is simply recycling an old death hoax while updating just the age The story originated from an articl
Snopes→ Was Mike Pence Kicked Out of Iceland?
You can't get kicked out of a place you haven't been.
Snopes→ What’s the Deal With Those “Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts from Deep Space”?
Despite what you may have read on the internet, several explanations are more likely than aliens.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Trump Did NOT Strip Obama of Secret Service Protection For Remainder of Shutdown
Did President Trump strip away the Secret Service protection of the Obama family for the remainder of the government shutdown? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to educate gullible Trump suppor
Snopes→ Democratic Hawaii Rep. Gabbard Running for President in 2020
The 37-year-old Iraq War veteran is the first Hindu elected to Congress.