News Punch

Does a viral video authentically capture a teen girl punching holes in the tailgate of her father's pickup truck because he took away her phone? No, that's not true: The clip of the young woman is a re-titled excerpt of a video that was posted four days earlier as part of a TikTok user's campaign to build audience. It's one…

Did the rapper Jelly Roll release a new song called "Angels Don't Pack Their Bags", as a tribute to the victims of devastating flooding in parts of Texas, in July 2025? No, that's not true: We found no trace of any new song, of any name, on Jelly Roll's official website or social media accounts. A widely-shared blog post contained…

Did a legitimate news report reveal the Kamala Harris presidential campaign was making an illegal $200,000 payment for travel expenses to music mogul Beyoncé for appearing at a campaign rally in 2024? No, that's not true: A satire site created that story to trick conservatives into sharing it as real. Campaign finance documents on file show no such payment to…

Did wrestler Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, threaten to "punch" Elon Musk on X in March 2025, if the tech billionaire "doesn't leave America alone"? No, that's not true: A review of Johnson's posts doesn't confirm he ever published what was attributed to him. The claim originated from an obscure clickbait website whose disclaimer said that it "assumes…

Did the United States send three aircraft carriers to Iran on March 17, 2025? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the U.S. Navy told Lead Stories that, as of March 18, 2025, there was just one U.S. military ship of this class deployed in the region. As of this writing, the U.S. Department of Defense issued no public statements…

Did South Korea issue a warning about mRNA vaccines, saying "6 billion people now have VAIDS" as a viral article claimed? No, that's not true: VAIDS is not a real condition and the story making originated on a notoriously unreliable website that did not cite any source to back up the claim in the headline. The only study cited in…

Does a story claiming Bill Gates was "Caught Pumping Deadly Bird Flu Jabs Into America's Food Supply" in its headline actually describe Bill Gates doing that? No, that's not true: There is no mention of any food supply in the U.S. being injected with bird flu vaccines in the entire body of the story, which was published on a site…

Does U.S. law allow for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be extradited to Russia? No, that's not true: A notoriously unreliable website that published a story about Putin supposedly demanding such an extradition did not offer any named sources or specifics regarding alleged charges. Lawyers who specialize in extradition told Lead Stories that there's no legal basis to send an American…

Did South African trauma surgeon Dr. Vicky Jennings die after "suffering a sudden heart attack" related to COVID-19 vaccination, as implied by social media posts? No, that's not true: Jennings' colleague and head of department told Lead Stories that he can "unequivocally confirm that her death was in no way related to vaccination." A medico-legal autopsy required by law in…

Did world leaders sign a treaty proposed by the World Economic Forum that requires government approval for someone to live past a certain age? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that suggests the Forum has made any such proposal. Instead, the organization has offered ideas on how countries can help their aging populations stay healthy and productive. The…