NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week
FactCheck.org→ Video: Durbin’s ‘History’ of Distortions
In this week’s fact-checking video, CNN’s Jake Tapper examines efforts by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue to discredit Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin’s account of President Trump using profanity to disparage African countries at an i
Snopes→ Did Marine Corps Leaders Warn Marines to Stop Eating Tide Pods?
News of the nonexistent warning from the Marine Corps' top brass originated on a satirical blog.
Snopes→ 13-Year-Old Charged with Murder in Boy’s Crossbow Killing
A 13-year-old Oklahoma boy accused of fatally shooting his 10-year-old friend with a crossbow in anger has been charged with first-degree murder.
Snopes→ Is ‘Bluetooth’ Technology Named After a Viking King?
The name of the wireless technology standard apparently originated during a Toronto pub crawl one dark and stormy night.
Snopes→ Man Punches Self in Face to Avoid Sobriety Test
Police in Maine have accused a man of punching himself in the face three times to avoid a sobriety test.
PolitiFact→ Everything you need to know about a government shutdown
A government shutdown appears closer to reality now than at any time since 2013. President Donald Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate and House and the congressional Democratic minority are fighting over how to extend spending for federal operation
Snopes→ House Blocks Democrat from Seeking to Impeach Trump
Democratic congressman Al Green of Texas had offered articles of impeachment based on comments by President Donald Trump.
Snopes→ Good Dog, Bad Dog? Delta Wants to Know Before You Board
The airline will require owners of service and support animals to provide more information before their pet can fly in the passenger cabin.
Snopes→ Ex-Employee: Michael Douglas Fondled Himself in Front of Her
A woman who worked for Douglas in the late 1980s says he fondled himself in front of her, an allegation the actor has vigorously denied.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Numbers
Summary Now that President Donald Trump has been in office for one day shy of a full year, it’s time to take a look at how well his boasts — and his critics’ complaints — stack up against hard data. Here we offer key measures
Snopes→ California DA Says Couple’s Abuse of 12 Kids Became Torture
Prosecutors laid out horrifying details of the allegations but didn't offer any theories about the motivation for what they called an escalating climate of brutality that began in Texas.
Snopes→ Did Macaulay Culkin Say Satanic Hollywood Executives Wear Shoes Made From Dead Children?
Fake news sites reported that the former child star says Hollywood is run by Satanic pedophiles who ritually murdering children.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Numbers: The Quiz
The post Trump’s Numbers: The Quiz appeared first on FactCheck.org.
Washington Post→ Trump misfires with claim that military would ‘shut down’ during government shutdown
“A government shutdown will be devastating to our military . . . something the Dems care very little about!” — President Trump, in a tweet, Jan. 18 “If for any reason it shuts down, the worst thing is what happens to our military. W
Snopes→ Ex-Trump Aide Sebastian Gorka Was Subject of Arrest Warrant at White House
Hungarian police have an outstanding arrest warrant for Sebastian Gorka, issued in September 2016 for unspecified weapons or ammunitions charges.
ABC News→ AP FACT CHECK: Shutdown wouldn’t halt military
AP FACT CHECK: In a government shutdown, the military would continue to operate normally, despite Trump's worry about it taking a hit
Snopes→ Did a ‘Direct Energy Weapon’ Strike Michigan?
A series of images purportedly showing a strike on a Michigan garage actually show a combination of a meteor, a fire, and a cold-weather phenomenon.
Snopes→ Will Health and Human Services Allow Doctors Refuse to Treat LGBTQ Patients?
The department cited a judge's December 2016 ruling that does not extend patient protections to cover gender identity.
Snopes→ Prosecutor: Parents Chained Children for Months at a Time
A California couple tortured a dozen of their children for years, starving them to the point that their growth was stunted, chaining them to their beds for months at a time and forbidding them from showering more than once a year or using the toilet.
Truth or Fiction?→ Thieves Cloning Auto Door Lock Codes, Breaking Into Cars-Truth!
Thieves Cloning Car Remote Codes, Breaking Into Cars-Truth! Summary of eRumor: Thieves are using wireless devices to clone auto door lock codes transmitted by wireless key fobs, allowing them to break into cars. The Truth: Rumors about thieves cloning
FactCheck.org→ Trump Tweets Faulty Black Approval Claim
President Donald Trump’s approval ratings among African Americans have declined, not “doubled,” as the president claimed in a recent tweet. The source of Trump’s boast appears to be a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey
Snopes→ Did Katy Perry Say Praying to Satan Should Be On Your Bucket List?
A disreputable web site with a penchant for inventing celebrity quotes said the singer had called Satan worship "a real trip."
Snopes→ Lawyer: OJ Simpson Is Golfing a Lot, Staying in Las Vegas
Simpson enjoys living in Las Vegas, and isn't planning to move to Florida like he told state parole officials before he was released in October from Nevada state prison.
FactCheck.org→ Durbin’s ‘History’ of Misrepresentations
Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue sought to discredit Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin’s account of President Trump using profanity to disparage African countries at an immigration meeting in the Oval Office, saying Durbin has a “h
Snopes→ Did Ronald Reagan Have Alzheimer’s Disease While in Office?
It has long been rumored that President Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's Disease years before it was diagnosed in 1994, five years after he left office.
Snopes→ Did Melania Trump Copy Michelle Obama’s MLK Day Message?
Rumors holding that Melania Trump plagiarized her Martin Luther King Day tweet from former First Lady Michelle Obama were not rooted in reality.
Snopes→ Parents of 13 Children Charged with Years of Torture, Abuse
Prosecutors filed 12 counts of torture, seven counts of dependent adult abuse, six counts of child abuse and 12 counts of false imprisonment against the couple.
Snopes→ Are New Army ‘Holistic Medics’ Treating Gunshot Wounds with Crystals and Essential Oils?
U.S. Army medics will not be treating battlefield injuries with homeopathic dilutions and prayer beads.
Snopes→ Headless Chickens Found in Connecticut Courtroom
Judicial marshals and maintenance staff investigating a putrid smell made the grisly discovery.
Snopes→ Paper Cup Allegedly Used by Elvis Presley Up for Auction
Bids for the now-yellowed paper cup have surpassed $1,280 on eBay.
ABC News→ AP FACT CHECK: Trump says USA itself at risk of closing.
AP FACT CHECK: Trump worries what happens "if the country shuts down"
Snopes→ Why Greece, Macedonia Fight Over Nation’s Name
Greece and neighboring Macedonia have been at loggerheads for more than a quarter-century over an issue at the heart of the newer nation's existence and identity: its name.
Snopes→ Did a Congresswoman Tweet that Trump Wanted War with ‘North Japan’?
A fake tweet-generator was used to create the appearance that Sheila Jackson Lee had authored a tweet riddled with historical inaccuracies.
Snopes→ Did a Man Get Diarrhea on a Roller Coaster and Splash 14 People?
Reports of a tourist's unfortunate bout of stomach upset on a Spanish roller coaster are fake news.
PolitiFact→ Fact-checking Donald Trump's 'results' from his fake news awards
As part of his much-hyped "fake news awards," President Donald Trump offered 10 pieces of news he said the media was ignoring. "While the media spent 90 percent of the time focused on negative coverage or fake news, the President ha
Snopes→ Did an Engineer Contract an STD After Having Sex with a Sex Robot?
Reports that a Chinese engineer contracted an STD after having sexual intercourse with a sex robot prototype are fake news.
PolitiFact→ Fact-checking Donald Trump's fake news awards
The list of "fake news" winners released by President Donald Trump and the Republican Party on Thursday is mainly a tally of reported mistakes about the president and his administration. Many of the offending journalists and organizations had
Snopes→ Vistaprint: Pamphlets Meant for Other Customer
A printing company accused of sending discriminatory pamphlets to a gay couple who ordered wedding programs says it has learned the pamphlets were intended to be printed for another customer.
Internet Archive→ President Trump Remarks at Pentagon : CSPAN : January 18, 2018 11:48am-11:54am EST
Before a meeting with military leaders at the Pentagon, President Trump briefly spoke to reporters on the budget negotiations, saying a potential government shutdown would have the most negative impact on the country's military....This item belongs to: