Europe

Did a mural painted by Banksy on a wall at London's Royal Courts of Justice depict a judge striking a protester lying on the ground and holding an English flag? No, that's not true: The original Banksy wall art featured a protester holding a white placard that appeared to be splashed with blood. The version spreading on social media showing…

Did a video capture an exchange in which a "Queer for Palestine" supporter wanted to join a rally in Amsterdam but was told by other participants that "We are Muslims and you disgust us"? No, that's not true: A viral post reused a 2021 recording documenting a Dutch-language exchange that did not contain such a phrase. At the time, news…

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…

Does a real photo show the political and climate activist Greta Thunberg wearing a revealing keyhole T-shirt along with her signature frog hat? No, that's not true: The photo of Greta Thunberg has been digitally edited. The shirt Thunberg actually wore when she was photographed in Barcelona, Spain, is a crop top which does not have a cutout below the…

Does a viral video really show a Russian Su-27 jet intercepting a NATO F-15 trying to get closer to a Tu22m3 bomber over Ukraine? No, that's not true: The footage which was widely copied to other social networks carried the watermark of a TikTok channel that publishes aviation videos. The caption under that video claimed it was created in the…

Is an image of British Union Jack flags crowding the Mall in London during a popular uprising of patriots in late August, 2025, authentic? No, that's not true: The image shared widely across social platforms is an odd digital representation of the Mall, which runs a half mile from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square. This image shows the Arc de…

Did local Belgian politician Saliha Raiss say "Anyone who doesn't accept veiled women, anyone who doesn't accept Islam in Belgium, can leave" or that "Belgians should leave Belgium"? No, that's not true: A video clip from a municipal council meeting in Molenbeek, a part of Brussels in Belgium, was misrepresented by social media posts. She was talking about people who…

Did the UK enact mandatory ID checks at supermarket entrances before people can shop for "basic essentials like bread or milk", starting September 12, 2025? No, that's not true: A UK government spokesperson told Lead Stories that the rumor is "completely false". No credible media organizations reported what social media posts labeled "breaking news". The claim appeared in a video…

Did Finland test "the world's first engine-less superconducting maglev cargo pipeline, capable of moving cargo at over 500 km/h using no engines, wheels or tracks", as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: As of August 28, 2025, no media organizations reported on the purported test in Oulu, Finland. The organization that was described as having developed the…

Is there any evidence for a story being spread online about "Olena K.", a Ukrainian anti-corruption official who supposedly defected to Europe and revealed real-estate corruption involving President Zelenskyy worth $1.2 billion ? No, that's not true: The story did not contain any verifiable details or documents and no media reported on the supposed events. The London Telegraph, the website…

Did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy react to his August 2025 meeting at the White House by suggesting that Donald Trump rejects a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, believing it would hurt his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize? No, that's not true: Official government webpages of the Ukrainian president don't contain such a statement. Lead Stories could not find…

Is a video of Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni describing President Trump being a "mix of sweat and flatulence" and "a giant moving biogas pit" authentic? No, that's not true: The video includes a disclaimer that reads "Creator labeled as AI-generated" on the TikTok channel where it originated. It has been widely shared on social media platforms by other accounts…

Does a viral image authentically show soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and his fiancee Georgina Rodriguez married and at their wedding? No, that's not true: The image contained glitches and discrepancies typical of AI generated images and at least one detection tool found evidence of deepfake content. The couple announced their engagement via social media on August 11, 2025 and have…

Does a viral image authentically show several European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen sitting on chairs in a White House corridor? No, that's not true: The image did not appear on any news sites. It contained glitches and discrepancies typical of AI generated images and at least one detection tool found signs of deepfake content. One…

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%…

Does a viral image show "Israeli Major General Shitan Shaul" under arrest on charges related to war crimes in Rafah? No, that's not true: The 2022 photo predates the most recent round of escalation in the region that began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The image was originally published online to illustrate news reports about a…

Does a recently resurfaced old video show Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un refusing to drink after making a toast? No, that's not true: The original video from the 2019 North Korea-Russia summit shows the world leaders toasting each other and those beside them, and then both taking a sip of their drink. The edited version of this video appeared…

Did Pope Leo XIV issue an important prayer for all Americans on July 25, 2025? No, that's not true: A video originating on TikTok features an AI generated likeness of Pope Leo XIV speaking. The voiceover includes a prayer which does not match recently published public messages from the Pope. The fabricated video first appeared on TikTok account named @prayerswithpopeleo…

Did a widely-shared video show people cheering for U.S. President Donald Trump in Scotland in July 2025? No, that's not true: The clip predated the visit by nine years. In reality, the footage showed concert goers. The claim appeared in a video (archived here and here) published on TikTok on July 26, 2025, under the caption: Scottish crowds give Trump…

Did Kyle Langford, a Republican candidate for governor of California, post a photo of himself in front of the Auschwitz-Stammlager Nazi concentration camp, along with the description "My 0% Unemployment Plan"? Yes, that's true: Screenshots of the X post were authentic. In response to criticism for the post, Langford insisted "I wasn't joking, I think it is exactly what is…