Are some black metal fences put up in San Francisco in November 2023 aimed at preventing people from breaking into buildings and stealing? No, that's not true: These fences were a component of security measures for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, from November 11 to November 17, 2023, and were limited to specific city zones. The claim appeared in…

Are Romanian citizens no longer able to use services such as Western Union or MoneyGram to receive money in cash? No, that's not true: Both services are still active in Romania and are even expanding their operations. The claim originated in a video originally published on November 16, 2023 on TikTok by @breakingnews1479. It's no longer available, but the archive…

Did international researchers and doctors gather at a Bucharest, Romania, summit on November 18 and November 19, 2023, to reveal the magnitude of an alleged COVID-19 genocide through mass vaccination with an experimental serum? No, that's not true: The International Crisis Summit (ICS) IV included known conspiracy theorists from the U.S., Canada and other parts of the world, and was…

Are the new fiscal measures that entered into force in Romania on November 1, 2023 synonymous with the disappearance of cash and with banks accumulating more wealth than ever before in the history of humankind? No, that's not true: The measures specifically focus on cash transactions for business payments and invoices; they do not seek to ban people from having…

Este adevărat că aurora boreală roșie, care a fost observată în România și alte țări europene pe 5 noiembrie 2023, a fost rezultatul unui experiment HAARP desfășurat în Alaska? Nu, nu este adevărat. Aurora boreală din 5 noiembrie 2023 a fost cauzată de erupții solare, iar HAARP nu are capacitatea de a genera astfel de fenomene. Afirmația a provenit din…

Are 5G communications antennas part of a so-called Great Reset agenda plan to control electric cars and robots? No, that's not true: certain robotics companies and electric car manufacturers are considering 5G as a way to power machines, automate operating systems and extend battery life. But the Great Reset agenda is a debunked conspiracy theory and the communications system known…

Are the Israeli hostages captured by Hamas and held in Gaza fake? No, that's not true: Testimonials of released hostages and family members of hostages have been published. Furthermore, videos of Hamas fighters kidnapping people filled the internet after the October 7, 2023 attack of Hamas on Israel. The claim originated from a video (archived here) on TikTok by user…

Este adevărat că modificările recente aduse Legii pentru întărirea disciplinei financiare din România interzic împrumuturile în numerar sau donațiile care depășesc 5.000 de lei între prieteni sau persoane fizice? Nu, nu este adevărat: aceste modificări vizau în special supravegherea tranzacțiilor comerciale, cu scopul de a diminua frauda fiscală. În orice caz, modificările au fost în cele din urmă anulate, iar…

A adoptat Guvernul o lege care limitează drepturile românilor de a-și folosi liber proprietatea privată? Nu, nu este adevărat: Guvernul României a propus o lege de urbanism care ar scurta timpul de obținere a avizelor și autorizațiilor pentru întreținerea și construcția spațiilor exterioare, inclusiv a celor care sunt în proprietate privată, și ar dereglementa părți din procesul de obținere a…

Este adevărat că jurnalista Cristina Cileacu de la postul de televiziune Digi24 a mimat că se afla în mijlocul unui atac în timp ce documenta conflictul Hamas-Israel în octombrie 2023, pentru a manipula publicul? Nu, nu este adevărat: o înregistrare video cu evenimentul dovedește că o sirenă s-a declanșat în timpul filmărilor, iar jurnalista a urmat protocolul întinzându-se pe pământ.…

Is the Romanian state led by a group of Jewish politicians who are driving the country to bankruptcy by borrowing more foreign money than ever? No, that's not true: The three men cited in a video on TikTok are not publicly known to be Jewish and don't play a role in how much money Romania borrows from abroad. The claim…

Are two Israeli teenagers, who recounted their experience of the Hamas attack on their kibbutz, paid actors? No, that's not true: Israeli-American teen Rotem Mathias is shown recounting the Hamas attack that left his parents dead while his sister, standing beside him, is trying to hold back tears, not laughing. The two were interviewed by ABC News for a report…

Was the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the absence of an official document, making the declaration illegal? No, that's not true: WHO is the sole authority empowered to declare a pandemic, and the justification for this declaration did not solely rely on press briefings by Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Other supporting documents were also considered.…

Este adevărat că autoritățile din România pulverizează virusul Covid-19 sau un agent de război biologic în orașe în timpul nopții? Nu, nu e adevărat: un videoclip care pretinde că arată vehicule pulverizând substanțe pentru a îmbolnăvi oamenii face parte dintr-o operațiune planificată de dezinsecție a Primăriei Timișoara. Vehiculul pulverizează soluții de combatere a țânțarilor și a altor dăunători. Videoclipuri ulterioare…

Does a video in which a crowd of people can be seen lying on a field in sleeping bags show Palestinian civilians at the Gaza-Egypt border, in the context of evacuations related to the Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023? No, that's not true: The same video was posted on social media in August 2023, thus predating the ongoing conflict. Its…

Has the Romanian government announced a policy where Romanian citizens living abroad risk having remittances exceeding 2,000 euros confiscated if they fail to provide the required documentation? No, that's not true: Romania has treaties with many countries to avoid double taxation. Although a draft law was proposed for public discussion in 2018 to monitor remittances as a measure against money…

Does a video that purports to show Israeli soldiers refusing to fight against Hamas prove that the media is manipulating people about the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict? No, that's not true: The video, dated September 2023, allegedly shows riots at an Israeli military base during a training course, over the Israeli government's judicial overhaul plan. This predates the Hamas attacks by…

Did the Afghan Taliban ask Arab states for free passage to reach Israel and fight alongside Hamas against Israeli forces? No, that's not true: The head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, told a group of journalists that the news was inaccurate. The claim originated from a video (archived here) on TikTok by user @alfaomeganews on…

Did a Romanian doctor and member of a far-right party reveal data showing that mRNA vaccines are dangerous and contain foreign DNA, meaning they should be banned? No, that's not true: Lead Stories has consistently debunked similar theories, while the vaccines have proven to be safe and effective. The claim originated from a video (archived here) published on TikTok by…

Are the protests in Warsaw, Poland aimed at the World Economic Forum (WEF) government secretly running the country? No, that's not true: the protests were organized by the opposition party to rally support against the leading conservative Law and Justice (PiS) Party and to build momentum for the upcoming Polish elections. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published…