Latest news with #LeadStories
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Fact Check: California Highway Crash Caused by Drunk Driver, Not Car Malfunction
A viral video claiming that the car that collided with another vehicle had malfunctioned, but the authorities in California found the driver was intoxicated. A video surfacing on the internet since Thursday, August 14, claimed that an electric Ford malfunctioned midway through the highway in California. In the viral clip, one can see the turbulent car completely losing control and smashing into another vehicle on a highway in the American state, despite the driver sitting inside it. This individual was claimed to have panicked as the car kept moving ahead and scraped alongside the divider before slamming into the other vehicle that came in its way. A popular account on X posted the video and alleged that the driver lost control of the vehicle in a vulnerable moment and started freaking out instead of pulling the brakes. However, in a timely fact check, a report by Lead Stories debunked the story and confirmed that the police found the driver intoxicated and arrested the man responsible for all the havoc caused on the highway. The fact check clarified that the man in the footage had been arrested by the California Highway Patrol for drunk driving and causing damage to the other vehicle. 'Does a viral social media video show a Ford electric car malfunctioning, with its steering locked and accelerator to the floor? No, that's not true: Lead Stories used geolocation techniques to find the scene of the accident and obtain a police report that a malfunction did not cause the wreck. California Highway Patrol said the driver was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants. The person who posted the claim is not the person who witnessed and filmed the crash," said the report. California Police Issues Official Statement Later on, the California Police informed Lead Stories about the crash at that location before releasing an official statement on the matter. Following an investigation, the driver was found under the influence of intoxicants. The police also issued an indirect warning to social media users not to spread video clips without proper context. 'Through our investigation, we determined the vehicle was not operating in autonomous mode and CHP officers arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence, resulting in injuries to another. While we understand public interest in such incidents, video clips may not capture the complete context or investigative process," the Police confirmed. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Int'l Business Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Fake Post of Donald Trump Saying 'I'm Still Your President' Following 'No King' Protests Goes Viral
A falsified screenshot claiming US President Donald Trump thanked 'No Kings' protesters for keeping him in power circulated widely on social media on 15 June, sparking confusion online. The fabricated post, which never appeared on Trump's official Truth Social account, emerged just hours after millions took to the streets across the United States to oppose his leadership and a proposed military parade. Fake Truth Social Screenshot Shared After Mass Protests The doctored image appeared to show Trump thanking protesters from the 14 June 'No Kings' demonstrations, falsely quoting him as saying: 'A HUGE THANK YOU to all the 'No Kings' protestors yesterday!... I AM STILL YOUR PRESIDENT!' Decorated with patriotic emojis and formatted to resemble a Truth Social post, the image quickly went viral on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter). Digital experts, however, quickly called it a fake. A post shared by instagram Fact-Checkers Confirm Post Was Fabricated By 16 June, fact-checking organisation Lead Stories had examined Trump's official Truth Social account and confirmed that no such post had been made. The image was deemed a complete fabrication, with no record of the message in his feed. Analysts noted that the image was inconsistent with the typical formatting of Truth Social posts and lacked metadata or timestamps associated with verified content. Millions Join 'No Kings' Protests Across the US The viral hoax followed a massive wave of coordinated protests under the banner 'No Kings', held on 14 June—Trump's 79th birthday. Demonstrators criticised plans for a £35.5 million ($45 million) military parade in Washington D.C., which they viewed as a symbol of authoritarianism. The event was intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the US Army. According to organisers, protests took place in over 2,000 communities nationwide, with a combined turnout of approximately five million people. Major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle and Houston saw massive turnouts. In Austin, Texas, nearly 20,000 protesters camped outside the State Capitol. Despite rainy weather, Manhattan saw tens of thousands march in theatrical costumes chanting: 'This is what democracy looks like.' In California's Bay Area, an estimated 100,000 protesters condemned both the military parade and ongoing ICE raids. Smaller demonstrations were held in cities like Hartford and New Haven in Connecticut. Isolated Violence and Police Response While the majority of rallies remained peaceful, tensions flared in some areas. In Los Angeles and Portland, protests near ICE facilities led to clashes with law enforcement. Police deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades, actions criticised by civil rights groups as excessive. In Salt Lake City, a shooting near one of the protest sites left one person dead and two injured. Authorities later confirmed the incident was unrelated to the demonstrations, but the proximity rattled participants and prompted heightened security measures. Trump Responds with Tough Rhetoric In the wake of the protests, Trump took to Truth Social to criticise the demonstrations, calling for stronger ICE enforcement in protest-heavy cities and accusing local leaders of failing to maintain order. His comments were condemned by rights organisations, who warned that such rhetoric risked further polarising public sentiment. Viral Hoax Overshadowed by Real Message Although the fake post garnered significant attention online, fact-checkers were quick to quash the misinformation. Still, the real message of the nationwide protests resonated far louder. What began as a coordinated day of demonstrations evolved into a national moment of reckoning. Protesters called for the protection of democratic values, civil liberties and accountability from political leaders. While the long-term political impact remains to be seen, the message from the streets was clear: the American public is watching, and silence is no longer an option. Originally published on IBTimes UK
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fact Check: AOC rumor falsely claims she is a multimillionaire
Claim: Evidence exists showing New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a multimillionaire. Rating: A long-held rumor claims New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became a multimillionaire since being elected to Congress in fall 2018. For example, on April 16, 2025, X user @SallyMayweather posted (archived) a meme reading, "AOC going from broke bartender to a net worth of $29 million in less than 6 years. On a $174k salary. Tells you everything you need to know." The post had received more than 163,000 views, as of this writing. (@SallyMayweather/X) Other people spread the same rumor in the past, posting similar things on Facebook, Truth Social and X. However, according to Ocasio-Cortez's financial disclosures published by the U.S. House of Representatives, this rumor was false. Ocasio-Cortez's press office has refuted it, as well. The X user, @SallyMayweather, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the untrue post. As Reuters previously reported in August 2022, Ocasio-Cortez's financial disclosures showed that she was far from being a millionaire, much less a multimillionaire. (Her campaign website also mentioned this same article.) A review of Ocasio-Cortez's financial disclosures filed in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 located some data displayed in ranges rather than exact dollar figures. According to the most recent disclosure from 2024, Ocasio-Cortez showed she had somewhere between $1,001 and $15,000 in three different bank accounts. The total for these three accounts landed somewhere between $3,003 and $45,000. She also recorded between $1,001 and $15,000 in additional funds in a fourth account for a 401(k) plan. Further, she noted in the disclosure her ongoing student loan payments, with an "amount of liability" landing somewhere between $15,001 and $50,000. In other words, just in terms of cash, Ocasio-Cortez was at least $940,000 short of being a millionaire, with the maximum possible amount of the four accounts totaling $60,000 — and that's before factoring in her student loan debt. In 2023, Snopes presented the Reuters article and her latest financial disclosures to Ocasio-Cortez's press office, asking if it had any further comment or resources. At the time, the office replied, "Nothing to add." For further reading, a previous fact check debunked a false rumor about Ocasio-Cortez supposedly owning one of the world's most expensive houses. Clarke, Kaiyah. "Fact Check: AOC Does NOT Have A $29 Million Net Worth | Lead Stories." Lead Stories, 8 Nov. 2022, "Fact Check: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Does NOT Have a Net Worth of $29 Million." "Fact Check-Financial Disclosures Do Not Show Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is a Millionaire." Reuters, March 11, 2021, "Fact Check-No Evidence Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has a Net Worth of $29 Million." Reuters, Aug. 9, 2022, "Financial Disclosure Reports." Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, Putterman, Samantha. "No, Netflix Did Not Pay Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez $10 Million for Documentary." PolitiFact, Feb. 15, 2019,
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Melania Trump didn't sue 'The View' for $900M over host Sunny Hostin's comments
Claim: First lady Melania Trump filed and won a $900 million lawsuit against daytime talk show "The View." Rating: A rumor spread online in early 2025 that U.S. first lady Melania Trump sued daytime talk show "The View" and won $900 million. Some posts making the claim specified that the alleged lawsuit was based on comments the show's co-host Sunny Hostin made about Trump's marriage to U.S. President Donald Trump. The claim originated as a video on YouTube posted on Feb. 1. A three-part video of the same footage later appeared on TikTok, where it received more than 3.8 million views collectively. However, Melania Trump did not sue Hostin. The claims that she did were fictional, designed to gain views and spur reactions online. The fictional video spread to other accounts on YouTube and X in slightly altered forms, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. Many users in the comments appeared to believe the claim, while others expressed skepticism. One YouTube video voice-over claimed: "Sunny Hostin, in her usual smug, self-righteous style, decided to psychoanalyze Melania on live television. She claimed, without a shred of evidence, that Melania hated her husband, Donald Trump, and only stayed with him for financial gain." Hostin has made headlines for real comments she made about the Trumps' marriage on "The View." For example, in an October 2024 episode in which the hosts discussed Melania Trump's stance on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Hostin said, referring to the first couple, "I think she hates him." A Google search for the terms "Melania Trump," "lawsuit," and "The View" only turned up results regarding the false claim. No credible news outlets have reported that such a lawsuit exists. Asked about the claim, a spokesperson for "The View" told fact-checking site Lead Stories via email: "This is not true." While some of the accounts that shared the video included disclaimers in the video description clarifying that the content shared may not be true, others did not, despite the claim being misinformation. The clips used in the original Feb. 1 YouTube video were real footage that the video's creator edited and arranged to appear as evidence of the false claim. For example, the part of the video in which Melania Trump says "you need to defend yourself all the time" came from a 2016 interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Some elements of certain posts, such as the editing, voice-over and description of a Feb. 2 YouTube video, suggested the content may have been at least partially generated using artificial intelligence software. The video included a watermark crediting AI editing and voice-over software CapCut. The description of that video also contained inconsistencies that a human writer was unlikely to make. For example, it claimed Melania Trump sued for both $900 million and $100 million and contained the hashtag "#MelGibson" although there was no mention of the actor in the video. Melania Trump did win around $2.9 million in a 2017 settlement with the Daily Mail, which had falsely claimed she "provided services beyond simply modeling" before marrying Trump. However, there was no evidence that she filed a lawsuit against "The View." For this reason, we rate this claim false. Fact Check: Melania Trump Did NOT Win A $900M Defamation Lawsuit Against 'The View' | Lead Stories. 3 Feb. 2025, 'Melania Trump Wins Damages from Daily Mail Publisher'. AP News, 12 Apr. 2017, '"The View": Sunny Hostin Thinks Melania Trump "Hates" Donald and "Wants to Take Him Out" With New Abortion Rights Video'. Yahoo Entertainment, 3 Oct. 2024, - YouTube. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025. - YouTube. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fact Check: No, Melania Trump did not win lawsuit against 'The View' for $900M
Claim: First lady Melania Trump filed and won a $900 million lawsuit against daytime talk show "The View." Rating: In February 2025, a rumor that first lady Melania Trump won $900 million in a lawsuit against daytime talk show "The View," and specifically co-host Sunny Hostin, circulated online. The alleged reason for the lawsuit was comments Hostin made regarding Melania Trump's marriage to U.S. President Donald Trump. The claim originated as a video on YouTube posted on Feb. 1, 2025. That video received more than 278,000 views as of this writing. A three-part video of the same footage then appeared on TikTok, where it received more than 3.8 million views collectively. However, Melania Trump did not file a lawsuit against Hostin. The claims that she did were fictional, designed to gain views and spur reactions online. The fictional video spread to other accounts on YouTube and X in slightly altered forms, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. Many users in the comments appeared to believe the claim, while others expressed skepticism. One YouTube video voice-over claimed: "Sunny Hostin, in her usual smug, self-righteous style, decided to psychoanalyze Melania on live television. She claimed, without a shred of evidence, that Melania hated her husband, Donald Trump, and only stayed with him for financial gain." Hostin has made headlines for real comments she made about the Trumps' marriage on "The View." For example, in an October 2024 episode in which the hosts discussed Melania Trump's stance on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Hostin said, referring to the first couple, "I think she hates him." A Google search for the terms "Melania Trump," "lawsuit," and "The View" only turned up results regarding the false claim. No credible news outlets have reported that such a lawsuit exists. Asked about the claim, a spokesperson for "The View" told fact-checking site Lead Stories via email: "This is not true." While some of the accounts that shared the video included disclaimers in the video description clarifying that the content shared may not be true, others did not, despite the claim being misinformation. The clips used in the original Feb. 1 YouTube video were real footage that the video's creator edited and arranged to appear as evidence of the false claim. For example, the part of the video in which Melania Trump says "you need to defend yourself all the time" came from a 2016 interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Some elements of certain posts, such as the editing, voice-over and description of a Feb. 2 YouTube video, suggested the content may have been at least partially generated using artificial intelligence (AI) software. The video included a watermark crediting AI editing and voiceover software CapCut. The description of that video also contained inconsistencies that a human writer was unlikely to make. For example, it claimed Melania Trump sued for both $900 million and $100 million and contained the hashtag "#MelGibson" although there was no mention of the actor in the video. Melania Trump did win around $2.9 million in a 2017 settlement with the Daily Mail, which had falsely claimed she "provided services beyond simply modeling" before marrying Trump. However, there was no evidence that she filed a lawsuit against "The View." For this reason, we rate this claim false. Fact Check: Melania Trump Did NOT Win A $900M Defamation Lawsuit Against 'The View' | Lead Stories. 3 Feb. 2025, 'Melania Trump Wins Damages from Daily Mail Publisher'. AP News, 12 Apr. 2017, '"The View": Sunny Hostin Thinks Melania Trump "Hates" Donald and "Wants to Take Him Out" With New Abortion Rights Video'. Yahoo Entertainment, 3 Oct. 2024, - YouTube. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025. - YouTube. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025
