Usher

Was the deadly wildfire that began the evening of August 8, 2023, on the Hawaiian island of Maui caused by a "direct energy weapon assault"? No, that's not true: There's no evidence to support that assertion. Instead, natural factors, not a direct energy weapon, are the likely cause of the wildfires. The claim appeared in a post and video on…

Did Nicole Schwab -- daughter of World Economic Forum (WEF) founder Klaus Schwab -- say, "permanent climate lockdowns [are] coming -- whether you like it or not"? No, that's not true: There is no record of Nicole Schwab having said that. An article that falsely reported the quote in July 2023 self-debunks by including a link to an authentic video…

Does a social media video prove that the advent of radio wave and mobile phone technology ushered in flu, COVID and other viral outbreaks from the 1900s on? No, that's not true: The emergence of these viruses is a natural process and not caused by technology itself. In addition, the timeline provided in the social media video doesn't establish cause…

Does a video show President Joe Biden being led into a room by a blind man? No, that's not true: Biden was escorting a blind man into an event in Kansas City, Missouri, allowing the man to hold his arm as they were ushered to their places for a speech by Biden. The claim appeared in a video (archived here)…

Did Pope Francis say that pedophiles have a special place in heaven? No, that's not true: There is no record of Pope Francis saying that, as an article in NewsPunch claims. Other quotes in this article are real quotes from the pope that were taken out of context and their meaning reversed. The article was published by NewsPunch on February…

Did an ominous cloud signal the end of the world? No, that's not true: This shelf cloud was photographed in Anna, Illinois, in 2018 and the world hasn't ended in the years since. The video of a dramatic cloud moving toward the parking lot of a Walmart shopping center was captured by Maranda Marie Benefield in Anna, Illinois, on August…

Did Vice President Kamala Harris call unvaccinated Americans "dirty Trump people" on a phone call with members of the Biden-Harris administration? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Harris ever said this. Such a story, if leaked, would prompt extensive media coverage in reputable outlets, and there has been no such coverage. The source of the claim --…

Does a "Wheel of Fortune" clip depict a puzzle showing "BITC--- I- THE FUTURE" that is solved by a contestant saying "bitcoin is the future"? No, that's not true: The audio and image depicted in this video post have been altered to promote bitcoin via a cryptocurrency parody account The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) on September…

Did a body double for President Joe Biden blow his cover during a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson? No, that's not true: The president does not have a body double. The story was made up by a website known for their wildly farcical stories regarding political figures, which Lead Stories has debunked multiple times. A message on the…

Is the "Lovers and Friends Festival" lineup a fake? No, that's not true: The music festival is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas in May 2022 with the artists listed on the festival's website. The claim of a fake appeared in a July 30, 2021, Facebook post (archived here). It opens: WARNING PLEASE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE!! This is what…