Russia

Is a story about a former foster child named Lily Tran getting into Stanford and being called on stage to speak alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth real? No, that's not true: The image and the text used to tell the story were generated by artificial intelligence tools, according to AI detectors. There are several versions of the story circulating on…

Did the U.S. Navy admit that the Earth is flat in "their defense magazine", by claiming that a Navy laser weapon can shoot down cruise missiles from 100 miles away? No, that's not true on several counts: The Navy said no such thing. A short video clip circulating on social media has sensationalized points made by Pastor Dean Odle during…

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…

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 screenshot show a real post by California Governor Gavin Newsom's Press Office asking Russia to release the Epstein files if they "are listening"? No, that's not true: The satirical post which also mentions "Big Balls" appears to be a Truth Social post and the account that supposedly published it does not exist there. The message also didn't…

Did U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi successfully sue American basketball player Brittney Griner, preventing the athlete from participating in the Olympic Games? No, none of that is true: No credible media organization ever reported that, as of August 19, 2025. When Lead Stories checked specialized legal resources, those searches showed no confirmation that such a lawsuit ever existed. The claim…

Did a Russian visitor named Ivan Stepanov rescue a tranquilized bear that was drowning in Lake Tahoe? No, that's not true: The dramatic story shared on social media is ripped off from the real-life heroics of Florida wildlife biologist Adam Warwick, who pulled a tranquilized bear from the water in a Florida harbor in 2008. The photos used in a…

Has the woman photographed wearing a pink hijab posing next to a swastika been identified as Linda Sarsour, senior advisor of the Zohran for NYC campaign? No, that's not true on two counts. Linda Sarsour is not the senior advisor of the NYC mayoral campaign of Zohran Mamdani -- the "senior campaign advisor" is Zara Rahim. The photo of the…

Did a California aquarium collapse, killing 50 people, as was claimed in a viral Instagram reel? No, that's not true: A disaster of that magnitude and novelty would have been a worldwide news story and there is no record of such an event in news publications in or out of California. The Instagram account that posted the video consists of…