Is the October 2021 backlog of cargo ships off Los Angeles' harbors caused by the "California truck ban"? No, that is not true: Multiple organizations in the supply chain have confirmed the long wait times at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are due to a shortage of drivers, a burst of global shipping and other factors. The truck…

Can an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine given to a woman cause changes in the DNA of a baby she is carrying and result in a "mutant baby" born with extra limbs or other deformities? No, that's not true: The mRNA in COVID vaccines does not enter the nucleus of human cells, where the DNA is, and does not alter the DNA…

Can you intentionally transmit HIV without legal consequence in California? No, that's not true: Although the action was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, experts told Lead Stories that it is still punishable by law. The claim appeared in an Instagram post on October 6, 2021. It features a screenshot of a tweet that reads: In California you can…

Did air traffic controllers at the Jacksonville International Airport stage a walkout Friday, October 8, to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates, resulting in all flights in and out of Florida being cancelled? No, that's not true: The National Air Traffic Controllers Association told Lead Stories that "there was weather that affected operations" and it was "a common occurrence." The Federal Aviation…

Are Peter Breggin's claims about COVID-19 vaccine deaths, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and the SARS-CoV-2 virus all correct? No, that's not true: In describing a conspiracy's bid for global dominion, Breggin misstates the clearly labelled contents of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database, falsely claims ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are proven effective against COVID and falsely declares no SARS-CoV virus has been…

Is there an "epidemic of plane crashes linked to [the] COVID-19 jab"? No, that's not true: There's no documentation to back up the statement that there is an "epidemic" of crashes, much less one crash caused by COVID-19 vaccines. A video making the claim relies on a recent California crash, the cause of which has not yet been determined. A…

Was former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sentenced to death by the U.S. military after being found responsible "for the needless deaths of thousands of senior citizens" in New York state? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories that this claim was "a fabrication" and "completely inaccurate." Military tribunals have no jurisdiction over civilians. The story…

Is South Africa's highest court "set to free the continent from the new world order and the central bank" when they issue a decision on a case filed by Ricardo Maarman on September 27, 2021? No, that's not true: This headline prematurely states that a decision is imminent when the court has not even decided whether or not to take…

Did conservative commentator Ben Shapiro tweet that his wife sleeps in her own bedroom in a Columbus Day message? No, that's not true: A tweet allegedly by Shapiro that claimed his daughter "went into my wife's bedroom," is a fake satirical message. The claim appeared in an Instagram post (archived here) on October 14, 2021. It opens: My daughter woke…

Does Congress' infrastructure bill include a 61% death tax on an individual's entire accumulated wealth and estate? No, that's not true: The American Families Plan designed by the Biden administration proposed two tax increases that suggested a death tax of about 61% for only the nation's wealthiest individuals. That measure has not been included in Congress' infrastructure act. The claim…