Health

Is it public knowledge that author J.K. Rowling has cancer? No, that's not true: There have been no official announcements or evidence-based reporting that Rowling has cancer. The viral rumor on social media appears to have started with a sarcastic joke made at the author's expense. An example of the baseless claim about Rowling's health can be seen in a…

Did Chris Hayes publicly announce he is stepping down or pausing hosting his show "All In" due to his wife's health? No, that's not true: No credible news organizations reported that. Viral posts on social media tied the purported decision to the supposed cancer diagnosis of the TV host's spouse, allegedly also publicly discussed by the couple, but Lead Stories…

Was the person who shot Charlie Kirk identified as "Samden Hindenburg", a pagan fundamentalist refugee from Ukraine? No, that's not true: A viral post recycled the meme in circulation since 2015 that casts the comedian Sam Hyde as an attacker after mass shootings in the U.S. or abroad. No credible media organization reported that anyone named "Samden Hindenburg" was connected…

Did Bill Gates use his turn speaking at a White House dinner to apologize for things such as: Windows, viruses, vaccines, sterilizing people, and trying to block out the sun -- finishing by asking for a pardon over "all the Epstein shit"? No, that's not true: This video was published by a parody account and bears their watermark in the…

Did a "first population-wide peer-reviewed study" confirm that COVID-19 vaccines cause "turbo cancers"? No, that's not true: The study referred to its results as preliminary. The corresponding author told Lead Stories that more research is needed to confirm the findings about cancer among those vaccinated against COVID-19. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) published on The Gateway Pundit…

Were roads around Walter Reed National Military Medical Center closed on September 2, 2025 as claimed by viral online rumors related to speculation about President Trump's health? No, that's not true: The Montgomery County Department of Police told Lead Stories in an emailed statement they were "not aware of any road closures in the area at this time". Google Maps…

Did the White House suddenly suspend President Trump's official schedule on August 27, 28, and 29, sparking speculation that "something extremely serious may have happened" to Trump? No, that's not true: Speculation about Trump's health was viral on social platforms on Friday, August 27, with false claims that Trump's schedule was canceled without explanation, but those rumors were false. Lead…

Did a grocery store cashier refuse to serve a customer wearing a red Trump hat and Trump shirt because she disagreed with his politics? No, that's not true: This video is a staged skit produced by Network Media, a YouTube channel and company which helps digital creators to monetize their content. The grocery store skit is posted with credit to…

Will the earth experience "colder weather than ever before" during the "aphelion phenomenon" in August, 2025, as its elliptical orbit takes it to its most distant-from-the-Sun position of the year, as multiple social media posts claim? No, that's not true: Earth's distance from the Sun changes daily and at aphelion, the Earth's distance from the Sun is only about 3%…

Did North Carolina pass a law allowing foreign doctors to practice medicine in that state without taking a U.S. qualification exam? No, that's not true: The legislation, which was signed into law by North Carolina's governor on July 1, 2025, addresses a severe shortage of primary physicians at the state's rural hospitals by giving non-U.S.-trained doctors "new licensure pathways," according…