Did Shanekka Renee Johnson, who said in a video that she was paid $5 on "Skid Row" to vote for Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor, actually vote for Bass? No, that's not true: Information obtained from the Los Angeles County Registrar's office confirmed that Shanekka Renee Johnson, age 39, could not cast a vote for Bass since she is…
Does a video from June 2026 show a fire lit by rioters in Belfast, Northern Ireland after a knife attack incident involving a refugee from Sudan? No, that's not true: The video predates the June 8, 2026, knife attack in Belfast. Video of the individuals setting fire to a home was originally published on X almost a year ago, on…
Is a mugshot real showing a Texas woman arrested for disguising herself as a man to win an "All-Male BBQ Competition"? No, that's not true: The post originated on a self-described satire site. The original post was labeled satire and comedy. There were no news reports of a woman winning a barbecue contest disguised as a man and getting arrested.…
Does a photo show a man from Gaza buried in concrete by Israeli soldiers? No, that's not true: Social media posts using this same picture first claimed in May 2026 it was linked to a murder in Brazil by a criminal gang. Lead Stories found no credible news reports or other reliable evidence confirming that Israeli soldiers did this to…
Does a real video show Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson publicly declining the invitation to attend the UFC White House event? No, that's not true: An AI-generated cloned voice has been dubbed over pre-existing video clips of Johnson. One clip -- which appears to show his mouth moving in sync with the audio -- is based on footage from an unrelated…
Was the person injured in what news media described as an attempted beheading in Belfast as young as 15 years old? No, that's not true: The authorities said the victim was a man in his 40s. He was in the hospital in serious condition but alive as of June 9, 2026. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and…
Is Spanish soccer star Lamine Yamal possibly missing the World Cup in the United States because of a Palestinian protest and visa issues? No, that's not true: There is no evidence supporting the claim that Yamal would miss the World Cup. As of June 7, 2026, he was already with the Spanish national team at its home base in Chattanooga,…
Do real videos show actor James Franco making "2319" references? Yes, that's true, but it is complicated: It is not clear what Franco is referring to in the series of videos that first appeared in early June 2026. Lead Stories was able to identify the background of several shots in the videos and it appears they were from an upcoming…
Is there an image of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stage at the White House, featuring a real banner that reads, in part, "Welcome to Costco"? No, that's not true: Although the UFC stage is real, the image contains an AI-generated banner. The fake banner is a reference to a satirical comedy film. The claim appeared in a post published…
Did meal delivery company HelloFresh write on social media during Pride Month that it offers high-fiber recipes for those "who are... prepping"? Yes, that's true: Such a post indeed appeared on one of its social media accounts. The post said that it was an "official statement." The story appeared in a post (archived here) published on X by @hazelappleyard on…
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