The Los Angeles wildfires were planned in preparation for the 2028 Olympics.
PolitiFact→ More Perfect Union – Does a billionaire couple own almost all the water in California? Here’s why that’s False.
“One billionaire couple owns almost all the water in California."
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, photo doesn’t show Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Los Angeles house in flames
“P Diddy’s California mansion has been completely consumed by fire.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Absence of British Prime Minister From Presidential Inauguration Invitees Is NOT Unusual
Is it unusual that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was not invited to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration? No, that's missing context: A social media post's assertion that usually the British prime minister "would be the first na
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Federal Government Assistance To LA Fire Victims Is NOT Limited To $770
Did President Joe Biden announce in a White House briefing that the Los Angeles fire survivors would receive a one-time payment of $770 as their only form of government assistance? No, that's not true: FEMA reviews each disaster assistanc
The Dispatch→ Yes, TikTok Could Shutter Its U.S. Operations on January 19
The site’s Chinese parent company has said it will do so unless the Supreme Court strikes down a law requiring divestment.
PolitiFact→ What to know about the LA fire department’s budget and whether Mayor Karen Bass cut funding
LA Mayor Karen Bass proposed a $23 million budget cut to the fire department before signing off on a $17 million decrease. More salary money was added to the budget later, but fire officials say the department has been underfunded for years.
The Dispatch→ No, the Panama Canal Did Not Double Its Transit Fees for U.S. Warships
Claims circulating on social media are false.
The Dispatch→ Is Gavin Newsom the Nephew of Nancy Pelosi?
No, although the two were once distantly related through marriage.
PolitiFact→ Did Joe Biden keep these 99 promises? We reviewed his presidential record
PolitiFact tracked 99 of President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign promises. Our analysis shows he kept 33, but struggled to achieve loftier goals amid a divided government.
PolitiFact→ Live: Fact-checking claims on Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings
The U.S. Senate will hold hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, with the aim of confirming their positions directly after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
The Dispatch→ SCOTUS Weighs TikTok’s Fate
The popular streaming app’s U.S. foothold may be nearing an end.
The Dispatch→ Trump Sentencing at the Supreme Court: Live at GWU
Live at George Washington University.
The Dispatch→ RFK Jr.’s Confirmation May Be Bumpy—or It May Not
The former Democrat has faced surprisingly little opposition from Republicans and advocates concerned about his beliefs.
The Dispatch→ The Case for Greenlandic Independence
The island holds strategic and economic value for the United States, but annexation isn’t necessary.
The Dispatch→ Can Trump’s No-Drama Transition Last Past His Inauguration?
A more intentional president-elect with trusted advisers has made for a smoother transition than in 2016.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Ukrainian Govt Did NOT Say ‘Eight Mansions Owned By Ukrainian Military Officials’ Burned In Los Angeles Wildfires As Of January 13, 2025
Did the Ukrainian government state that "eight mansions owned by Ukrainian military officials" were "burned down in wildfires in Los Angeles" in January 2025? No, that's not true: A video that made this assertion contained the logo of Uni
FactCheck.org→ Oregon Fire Trucks Fighting L.A. Blazes Didn’t Require ‘Emissions Testing’
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Quick Take Oregon has sent hundreds of firefighters, 75 fire engines and other equipment to help battle the blazes in Southern California. But social media posts falsely claim Or
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – Video shows family, not looters, retrieving items from their wildfire-damaged California home
Video shows people in Los Angeles looting from homes during wildfires.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – This photo doesn’t show a home that survived the Los Angeles wildfires. It was taken in Hawaii.
A photo shows a Christian’s home that “miraculously survived Los Angeles wildfire.”
The Dispatch→ Catching the Car
Rifts open on the right as Trump prepares to take office.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Photo Shows Bernie Sanders In ‘Deport Elon Musk’ Shirt — Grok AI Image
Does an authentic image show Sen. Bernie Sanders wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Deport Elon Musk"? No, that's not true: This is not a genuine photograph. The picture bears a small "Grok" watermark in the lower right-hand corner, a label i
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Photo Does NOT Show Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Home Destroyed By LA Fires In January 2025 — It Was An Ohio Mansion From 2014
Does a photo authentically show rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs' home being destroyed by the January 2025 Los Angeles fires? No, that's not true: This is not Combs' house. Rather, the photo shows an Ohio mansion that burned down in 2014, predat
The Dispatch→ Viral Claims About Vaccine Side Effects Are Misleading
An old filing from Pfizer is being misrepresented.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Post’s Video Clips Do NOT Show Real Footage Of LA Fires
Do various video clips in a social media post show authentic footage of the Los Angeles County wildfires burning in January 2025? No, that's not true: These clips show evidence of being generated by artificial intelligence. We could not l
PolitiFact→ Threads posts – No, this still isn’t proof former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya
Image shows former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: California Did NOT Delay Oregon Firetrucks For Emissions Testing
Did California delay firetrucks sent by Oregon due to concerns over emissions standards? No, that's not true. A spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told Lead Stories, "No emissions or SMOG testing wa
Full Fact→ Plane crash video not linked to fires in LA
The footage actually shows a plane that crashed in Chile in January 2024.
The Dispatch→ Equipment Donations to Ukraine Did Not Hinder L.A. Firefighting Efforts
The surplus gear that the LAFD sent had already been replaced by newer equipment.
Full Fact→ Has the OECD said the UK is on track to become the ‘fastest growing economy in Europe’?
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy claimed the OECD is “confident” this is the case, but it actually projects several European countries will have higher growth than the UK in 2025 and 2026.
The Dispatch→ Foreign Distractions
Trump’s stated designs on Greenland and Panama aren’t about strategic locations or trade.
The Dispatch→ Fires Continue to Rage in Los Angeles
For Californians, finger-pointing by public officials adds ‘insult to injury’ amid the ongoing disaster.
The Dispatch→ Trump’s White House Prepares to Exert Its Strength on a GOP Congress
Expect a concentrated focus on the 2026 midterms—and beyond.
The Dispatch→ An Idol of Autonomy
How the push for medical aid in dying distorts our understanding of life.
The Dispatch→ How Early Christians Became a Family
Plus: What will happen to Syria’s religious minorities?
The Dispatch→ Can I Call You Brother? Sister?
How language shapes relationships in Christianity.
The Dispatch→ Will the World Protect Syria’s Religious Minorities?
The new regime in Damascus brings questions and opportunities.
The Dispatch→ Our Best Stuff on January 6, Global Unrest, and the ATF
Plus, wildfires devastate Los Angeles.
The Dispatch→ Deadly Demosclerosis
Remnant-brandt and The Dispatch Masters
The Dispatch→ Useless at Best, Murderous at Worst
Adam Kirsch’s ‘On Settler Colonialism’ captures the futility of the anti-Israel ideology—but undersells its danger.