A jury convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, delivering a swift verdict in a plot that was broken up by the FBI.
Snopes→ No, Magic Johnson Didn’t Donate Blood to the Red Cross
A popular tweet said that Johnson "donated some of his blood to the Red Cross to help underprivileged communities help fight COVID-19."
Snopes→ Prince William, Kate Relocate from London to Windsor Cottage
William and Kate will move from Kensington Palace in west London to Adelaide Cottage, about a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle.
Full Fact→ The EU has not set lower gas price cap than the UK
A post claiming that the EU has set a gas price cap far lower than that of the UK is not based in fact.
Snopes→ Has Fox News Never Won a Pulitzer, Emmy, Peabody, or Edward R. Murrow Award?
The conservative news outlet has only been nominated once for any of the awards.
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – Claim that Congress members exempted themselves from IRS audits started as satire
“Congress just voted to exempt themselves from IRS auditing of their personal finances.”
Snopes→ New Space Telescope Shows Jupiter’s Auroras, Tiny Moons
The world’s newest and biggest space telescope is showing Jupiter as never before, auroras and all.
Poynter→ Articles about health problems unrelated to COVID-19 vaccines
Six news articles being shared on social media feature a scary suggestion: that the health problems they mention were caused by COVID-19 vaccines. “Don’t worry, it’s all just a big […] The post Articles about health problems unrelated t
Snopes→ Former Twitter Security Chief Files Whistleblower Complaints
A former head of security at Twitter is alleging that the company misled regulators about its cybersecurity defenses and its problems with fake accounts.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, this video doesn’t show a Google Street View of Antarctica with a tree-lined landscape
Video claims Google Street View shows Antarctica with green vegetation and brick buildings.
Snopes→ Statue Honors Once-Enslaved Woman Who Won Freedom in Court
The story of an enslaved woman who went to court to win her freedom more than 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation had been pushed to the fringes of history.
Snopes→ Brad Pitt’s ‘Make It Right Foundation’ Reaches $20.5 Million Settlement With Hurricane Katrina Survivors
Six homeowners sued the apparently defunct charity over the faulty construction of housing it built for them.
Poynter→ Are hotter Florida summers forcing all-female sea turtle hatchlings?
Some social media users are claiming that rising temperatures are affecting the ratio of male to female sea turtles in Florida. A post on Twitter claims that every sea turtle […] The post Are hotter Florida summers forcing all-female sea turtle h
Snopes→ The Moon Is About to Get Crowded. How Will Humans Manage Its Resources?
Michelle L.D. Hanlon, a professor of air and space law, considers the question.
Snopes→ Heads of Hungary Weather Service Fired After Wrong Forecast
The two top officials of Hungary's meteorological service were fired after an inaccurate rain forecast prompted the postponement of a fireworks display on the country's most important national holiday.
Logically→ Rife machine’s electromagnetic therapy can cure cancer
According to medical research, Rife machine is not found to be effective in getting rid of cancer cells. Patients have been advised to not use it.
Snopes→ Trump Seeks Special Master to Review Mar-A-Lago Documents
The request was included in a federal lawsuit that takes broad aim at the FBI investigation into the discovery of classified records at Mar-a-Lago.
Health Feedback→ Unvaccinated people are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 in San Diego county; vaccines don’t cause COVID-19, contrary to claim by Shaun Frederikson
REVIEW Large clinical trials conducted in several countries, as well as post-marketing surveillance showed that COVID-19 vaccines were effective at protecting against severe forms of the disease and that their benefits outweigh their possible risks.
Logically→ Planes cannot fly over the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, because of magnetic attraction.
Planes flying over the holy Kaaba are prohibited for religious reasons. There is no scientific evidence that magnetic attraction exists in Mecca.
Health Feedback→ Scientific evidence shows COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of pregnancy complications and isn’t associated with any safety issues; Pfizer’s clinical trial doesn’t show otherwise
REVIEW On 12 August 2022, the website Daily Clout published an article claiming that “44 percent of pregnant women participating in Pfizer’s mRNA COVID vaccine trial suffered miscarriages.” The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologis
Washington Post→ Assessing Ron Klain’s viral claim about Biden’s achievements
The White House chief of staff's bold claim includes some double-counting and funny numbers.
Logically→ 3 Indian wrestlers who won medals in the 2022 Commonwealth Games had participated in the farmers’ protest.
The photo is from a ceremony held by farmer groups in September 2021 to felicitate Tokyo Olympics medal winners. It is not from the farmers' protest.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Loire River Did NOT ‘Run Dry’ — Photo Shows A Dry Branch Of The Loire But Not The Main Channel
Did the Loire River, the longest in France, run dry for the first time in at least 2,000 years due to an unprecedented drought in southwestern Europe? No, that's not true: The Loire River did not run dry, nor did it fall to a record low f
Snopes→ Is This a List of ‘Banned Books in Florida Schools and Libraries’?
The list was shared on social media without its original context.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dominion Did NOT Lose Its Lawsuits Against Rudy Giuliani And Sidney Powell — It’s A Recycled Claim
Did Dominion Voting Systems lose its lawsuits against Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and personal attorney for Donald Trump; and Sidney Powell, another Trump attorney? No, that's not true: In an August 22, 2022, email from Domi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Reflection In Astronaut’s Visor From Apollo 17 Moon Landing Does NOT Prove It Was Hoax
Does a reflection in an astronaut's helmet visor from the Apollo 17 moon landing prove that it was a hoax? No, that's not true: The reflection seen in astronaut Gene Cernan's helmet visor shows astronaut Harrison Schmidt standing in front
Snopes→ Is Disney World Lowering the Drinking Age to 18?
A rumor said that Disney World was "battling the Florida government in court" to get a drinking age exemption for anyone age 18 or older.
Snopes→ Was an LIV Golf Trophy Designed to Resemble the Twin Towers?
"The LIV Golf Invitational is a breakaway series made possible by the largesse of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund," NBC News reported.
Snopes→ Does Viral Video Show Arkansas Officers Severely Beating a White Man?
The three now-suspended officers were captured punching the back of Randall Worcester’s head.
Truth or Fiction?→ Twitter Wrongfully Flags Stories on COVID-19 Research as ‘Misleading’
Social platform Twitter has started to flag articles about COVID-19 as “potentially misleading,” despite the articles being based on actual research and legitimate reporting, with no explanation. One such article, posted by the Internation
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Social media hoax promises cash allowance for health care
“Free health allowance is available at no cost.”
Snopes→ What Does the Queen Like with Tea? Jam Sandwiches Every Day
Queen Elizabeth II has eaten jam sandwiches every day since she was a toddler, according to her former private chef.
Truth or Fiction?→ Kansas Abortion Recount Affirms Will of the Voters
On August 22 2022, a post to Reddit’s r/politics (and r/all) said that a Kansas abortion referendum recount reaffirmed the initial tally — indicating that voters in Kansas continue to overwhelmingly favor legal access to abortion in the sta
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Foot Tablets Will NOT Make A Person Lose Weight
Is it true that soaking your feet in cold water with this weight loss tablet will help a person lose weight as soon as the first night? No, that's not true: A registered dietician nutritionist (RDN) told Lead Stories there is not a "magic
Snopes→ Metal-Detecting Stranger Retrieves Woman’s Ring Lost in Sea
A woman's diamond wedding ring is back on her finger after a man with a metal detector found it at the bottom of the ocean.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Prove Ukrainians Are Staging Russian Attacks
Does a TikTok video prove that Ukrainians are staging Russian attacks? No, that's not true: The video is behind-the-scenes footage of a Ukrainian film that is described by its Facebook page as depicting "the heroic actions of the resident
Snopes→ New Research Examines How People Conform to Their Pets’ Stereotypical Traits
You know the stereotypes — dog owners take more risks, cat owners are more cautious.
Snopes→ Hawaii Seeks End to Strife over Astronomy on Sacred Mountain
For more than 50 years, telescopes and the needs of astronomers have dominated the summit of Mauna Kea.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Pulling Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps’ Origin
On August 19 2022, a Facebook page shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming that the origin of the popular American English phrase “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” was the exact opposite of its modern usage: In the screenshot, the f
PolitiFact→ In New York, uneven progress on increasing voter access
In NY, a mixed record on voting rights