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Did White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt make a request on X for opinions about whether the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should investigate "a mysterious shell company" tied to "three Democratic senators" that received $622 million, or $500 million, in Ukraine war contracts? No, that's not true: The poll was posted by a self-described satire account. Lead Stories…

The conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor is set to start on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. It is a centuries-old ceremony entrenched in secrecy and powerful rituals, which strikes the world's imagination. This year, 135 cardinals from 71 countries across the five continents (of which Pope Francis has appointed 108, and 12 come from countries that never had a cardinal…

Did Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney write "Western society is morally rotten ... corrupted by capitalism" in "Values", his 2021 book? No, that's not true: a book reviewer characterized Carney's views that way in an opinion article published by The National Post. Then, a social media post incorrectly attributed to Carney phrases that were actually the reviewer's. The quotes have…

Did Pope Francis' dog "refuse to leave his grave"? No, that's not true: None of the variations of the internet rumor support that by links to credible news reports or authentic footage or photographs from the papal funeral, which was covered in detail by multiple journalistic organizations. There is no evidence that the late pontiff kept any pets during his…

Did the federal government pay Barack and Michelle Obama $30 million over the course of the Biden administration, from 2021 to 2025? No, that's not true: That claim originated in an April 2025 post by a Facebook account that labels its content as satirical in nature. We found no corroboration whatsoever for the claim. The story appeared in the form…

Is a man named Samuel Hyde the suspected shooter at the shooting at Florida State University on April 17, 2025? No, that's not true: Comedian Sam Hyde is often named as the perpetrator by internet trolls whenever a mass-casualty incident happens. It is a bizarre in-joke that has been going on for years, often using variations of his name to…

Did Congressional Democrats hold an inaugural meeting of something they described as a "shadow government" in the United States in April 2025? No, that's not true: On April 7, Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jamie Raskin led Democratic members of the Senate and House Judiciary committees in a meeting held without the involvement of members of the other party --…

Did Representative Jasmine Crockett "conveniently overlook" social security checks going to her dead grandmother for 13 years and did this come out during a DOGE audit? No, that's not true: A meme making that claim originated on a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content…

Did Elon Musk say in a post on X that DOGE had uncovered "tens of millions of dollars spent on golf by a single government official"? No, that's not true: What appeared to be screenshots of a March 16, 2025, post by Musk to that effect were in fact digital fabrications. The fake post appeared to be a satirical allusion…

It's that day of the year again! April Fools' Day is upon us. We're keeping a running list of the online jokes we spot this year. Seen one we missed? Email [email protected] and let us know! Flightradar24 Airplane tracking website Flightradar24 revived the supersonic Concorde aircraft and made one fly from London to New York, currently being tracked by over…