Did the Kellogg Company announce that Pop, one of the cartoon mascots for the company's Rice Krispies cereal, was rebranded as a transgender character? No, that's not true: A Kellogg spokesperson confirmed with Lead Stories that the claim is false. Also, a supposed screenshot of a CNN article that reported on the change does not show a real CNN article.…

Do omega-3 capsules harm the human body by corroding it via a chemical reaction? No, that's not true: The National Institutes of Health does not describe stomach erosion as a possible side effect after consuming omega-3 pills and an expert called the claim "tenuous." The claim appeared in a Facebook post on May 22, 2022, with the caption "Pay Attention!"…

Was actor Alec Baldwin arrested, convicted and then sentenced to death by the U.S. military? No, no part of the claim is true: Baldwin was seen in a New York City park with his children a day before the story making the death-sentence claim was published. The claim was published by Real Raw News, a site known for writing false…

Was Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack hanged by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay on May 16, 2022? No, that's not true: The claim is the latest in a series of falsehoods about Vilsack published by Real Raw News, a website known for its self-proclaimed "humor, parody, and satire." The claim appeared in an article (archived here) titled "Military Hangs…

Was there a CNN news report on April 22, 2022, about a new program that could earn Americans up to $50,000? No, that's not true: Instead, a video that claimed that such a financial program has "been all over the news lately" used stock footage posing as a CNN news report to advertise a business. The claim appeared in a…

Are governments waging biological war via monkeypox? No, that's not true: There's zero evidence monkeypox virus, the virus that causes monkeypox, is being used by governments to cause disease. Monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) by RED PILL USA 17 on May 22, 2022. The post includes a short…

Is it true that "not one real video has surfaced" from the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict? No, that's not true: There is an abundance of footage showing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The claim appeared in a Facebook post on May 20, 2022. The post, which contained several claims and featured images of figures from the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)…

Did the Canadian sniper known by the pseudonym Wali claim that a fraudulent scheme was organized in Ukraine to steal U.S. military aid? No, that's not true: In a conversation with a journalist from the Canadian edition of La Presse, which the authors of the claim refer to, Wali does not say a word about theft. The number of virtually…

Did the government ask scientists to find another use for fluoride, which had been used to make nuclear weapons, pesticides and herbicides, because 'there was too much of it"? Did someone "decide" that it would strengthen teeth -- and then fluoride was added to toothpaste, mouthwash and eventually the water supply? No, that's not true: This is not the history…

Is President Joe Biden "set to sell America's sovereignty to globalists" at the World Health Organization (WHO)? No, that's not true: Proposed U.S. amendments to WHO rules are aimed at strengthening the organization's ability to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies. The amendments do not suggest that the United States, nor any country, cede its sovereignty. WHO has…

Did the Canadian government publish data suggesting those triple-vaccinated against COVID-19 develop vaccine-associated enhanced disease (VAED) or antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and have higher COVID case rates than others? No, that's not true: The data does not show COVID vaccines make people worse. Instead, people who have had them are better protected from severe illness, hospitalization and death. COVID vaccines boost…

Does a video posted on social media show a man reacting to a news interview about gays in the military that says they're "too precious to risk in combat"? No, that's not true: The original piece was produced more than a decade ago by The Onion, a satirical news website that began publishing online in 1996. The video showing a…

Did this content creator prove there are microscopic insects in our food and drinks? No, that's not true: Entomologist Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann told Lead Stories that this video is "garbage click bait." Another entomologist, Brian Federici, said there is a possibility of seeing "small arthropods" in unprocessed foods, but they are typically killed once the food is processed. The claim appeared…

Did the "biggest drop in the DOW Stock Market Ever" occur during the Biden administration? No, that's not true: A professor of finance at Ivey Business School said the worst day for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was October 19, 1987. A finance professor at the School of Management at the University at Buffalo told Lead Stories, "the recent…

Are high U.S. gas prices in 2022 related to closed pipelines? No, that's not true: The high gas prices in 2022 are mostly attributed to the price of crude oil, along with global economics and world affairs. There is no evidence that closed pipelines have dramatically affected gas prices in 2022. Although President Joe Biden blocked the rest of the…

Did Republican turnout for the Pennsylvania primary on May 17, 2022, increase by some 500,000 votes over 2018? Yes, that's true: Election returns on the Pennsylvania Department of State's website through May 19, 2022, show an even bigger increase than that, topping 600,000 additional GOP ballots compared to 2018, depending on the race. More ballots for Democrats were cast, too,…

Did Ukrainian soldiers turn back a Russian incursion with paintball guns? Did Reuters represent a photo of soldiers training with paintball gear as an actual military conflict? No, that's not true: The photo originally included in a May 16, 2022, article was captioned to reflect that it showed a training simulation in Sumy, Ukraine, on April 15, 2022. This caption…

Did witnesses capture footage of a UFO over the Pentagon in December 2018? No, that's not true: A spokesperson at the Pentagon described the claim by telling Lead Stories, "This appears to be a hoax. There were no reports of unusual activity at the Pentagon for the date claimed in the alleged sighting." An artist who was credited with creating…

Are students in Wilkes County, North Carolina, identifying themselves as cat or "furries" and asking for litter boxes in school classrooms? No, that's not true: The public information officer for Wilkes County Schools in North Carolina told Lead Stories they have received no such requests from students. The claim appeared in a Facebook post by the page Wilkes Weather and…

Did conservative commentator Candace Owens quote a tweet made by Fox News about ivermectin's hidden cost -- that many are suffering long-term bowel and urinary incontinence? No, that's not true: Both of the tweets shown in the screenshot -- the one spoofing Fox News and the response spoofing Candace Owens -- are fake. The right border of the fake Fox…