International

Does this viral video show scenes of protest in Istanbul with "tens of thousands" demonstrating against President Erdogan? No, that's not true: The footage dates back to 2024 and is related to a Papal visit to East Timor. It has nothing to do with current events in Turkey. The claim about the video appeared in a a post on X…

Did President Donald Trump order the Keystone pipeline system "to transport ONLY American Oil"? No, that's not true: The claim came from a site with a satire label that explicitly says "nothing on this page is real". Originating in Canada, the Keystone Pipeline System moves unrefined Canadian petroleum, and some from the U.S. to refineries in the United States. The…

Did Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announce the release of something called the "Benghazi Files"? No, that's not true: The "news" about the announcement originated on a website with a clear satire disclaimer. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The article (archived here) that started the rumor was published by "The…

Does a picture show a destroyed star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that was dedicated to actress Gal Gadot? No, that's not true: The image shows the star for President Donald Trump shortly after it was destroyed in 2018. As of this writing, there have been no news reports about Gadot's recently unveiled star being destroyed. An example of…

Did the BBC publish an article about King Charles III being in "critical condition" on March 18, 2025? No, that's not true: Neither live nor archived versions of the BBC website contained that report. Buckingham Palace did not make the purported announcement on that day. The claim was spread on X by a self-described "troll account". The claim appeared in…

Did the United States send three aircraft carriers to Iran on March 17, 2025? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the U.S. Navy told Lead Stories that, as of March 18, 2025, there was just one U.S. military ship of this class deployed in the region. As of this writing, the U.S. Department of Defense issued no public statements…

Did White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argue with a reporter about the history of U.S. relations with France during a March 2025 press briefing? No, that's not true: A transcript posted online and filled with references to World War I and the Louisiana Purchase was fabricated. Authentic video of the press briefing shows that Leavitt briefly answered a question…

Was the X account of Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys suspended after they made comments about Elon Musk and MAGA hats during a concert in Boston on St. Patrick's Day, 2025? No, that's not true: The band's founder Ken Casey said they quit Twitter in 2022 after which their handle was taken over by someone pretending to be the band.…

Did Serbian authorities use a type of sonic weapon against protesters in Belgrade, causing a man to have a heart attack and later die? Here's what we know: The claim that authorities fired an acoustic weapon during a moment of silence at a huge anti-government rally on March 15, 2025, could not be independently verified by Lead Stories. But an…

Does a viral image authentically show European leaders taking off their suit coats in support of Ukraine during a group picture? No, that's not true: The image is likely a screenshot from a video that was digitally edited, possibly using AI. Actual footage of the moment the group picture was taken did not show anyone taking off their suit and…

Did President Trump post on Truth Social that he was going to "annexe Alaska" after Greenland, in order to make it the "53rd State" and did he say "the people of Alaska don't want to be part of a backward nation in Canada?" No, that's not true: Viral screenshots of such a post are fake. Trump's actual Truth Social account…

Did what social media posts described as "leaked Trump audio" from March 11, 2025, authentically capture the president calling Nicola Tesla "a modern-day Isaac Neutron"? No, that's not true: Two AI detectors found evidence that the audio was the product of voice cloning technology. The file originated from a deleted TikTok account and then was boosted by a user on…

Did a video circulating on social media show Russian President Vladimir Putin making a public statement about Russia's terms for a ceasefire in Ukraine in March 2025? No, that's not true: The clip had been online for nine months. It showed Putin's remarks from June 2024. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on March 12,…

Did The Washington Post publish a statement from President Donald Trump threatening sanctions against the government of Philippine President Bongbong Marcos over the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte? No, that's not true: No such report existed on the Washington Post's website at the time this was written and neither Trump nor the White House have made any statement…

Is Nate Vance -- who criticized the Trump administration's reduction of support for Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion -- Vice President JD Vance's cousin? Yes, that's true: Nate Vance is the first cousin of JD Vance. His father, Jim Vance, is the brother of JD Vance's mother, Beverly. Nate Vance detailed the family connection on social media, and online records…

Are Muslim immigrants the reason why there are piles of garbage in the neighborhoods of Birmingham, England? No, that's not true: Refuse workers in Birmingham, England, are "taking all out indefinite strike action" starting on March 11, 2025. They began striking in January over job cuts, and for better pay. The garbage piles up because it is not being hauled…

Does a video clip capture what was happening inside an Air India plane that was forced to return to Chicago on March 5, 2025, due to out-of-order toilets? No, that's not true: The video predates the incident by two months. It started circulating on social media in early January 2025. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on…

Did ICE detain British national Becky Burke on the Canadian border? Yes, that's true: A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, asked by Lead Stories specifically about Burke, confirmed a "British national" was being detained in the United States. The tourist had spent at least 10 days in detention as of March 9, 2025, according to her…

Did French President Macron demand "$150 trillion in interest" for funding US independence, also known as the American Revolution, claiming France's support was a loan? No, that's not true: A viral screenshot with that headline showing an image from Macron's March 5, 2025, speech did not offer any sources to back that up and the speech did not make any…

Does a video show conditions in Durban, South Africa in March 2025? No, that's not true: The video in the post was recorded in the aftermath of protests and unrest in July 2021. The same video was posted on X on July 15, 2021 carrying the same caption with which it was posted on X in March 2025. The claim…