Category Narratives

Twitter post: This is a lie. In the actual video he posted, the head of FEMA says the Individual And Households Program can give up to $41,000.

This is a lie. In the actual video he posted, the head of FEMA says the Individual And Households Program can give up to $41,000. Ryan Knight is counting on people just reading his bullshit and not watching the video that contradicts his lie.
Read MoreTwitter post: This is a lie. In the actual video he posted, the head of FEMA says the Individual And Households Program can give up to $41,000.

Joe Biden’s Aid to Hawaii vs Ukraine Aid Compared: What We Know

Some Republicans and conservative commentators questioned President Joe Biden's priorities after the government announced a further $200 million of security assistance for Kyiv as it battles Russia's invasion, on the same day that people affected by the fires in Hawaii were offered $700 a household. This is not the totality of the federal aid that will go to Maui, however. Although some figures have been released, the disaster recovery effort is in its early stages and further disbursements are expected in the days and weeks to come.
Read MoreJoe Biden’s Aid to Hawaii vs Ukraine Aid Compared: What We Know

No, Elijah Wood did not urge Volodymyr Zelensky to seek treatment for alleged addictions

A video has been circulating online that allegedly shows "Lord of the Rings" actor Elijah Wood giving the Ukrainian president advice on how to tackle his alleged drug and alcohol addictions. He can be seen recording himself and talking to a so-called "Vladimir". However, the video has been heavily edited and his agent has confirmed it was not published by the actor.
Read MoreNo, Elijah Wood did not urge Volodymyr Zelensky to seek treatment for alleged addictions
Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?

Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?

Apart from the fact that the video has been bizarrely edited, it does not mention Zelensky, only someone named Vladimir, and is attributed to an Instagram account with no web presence. Elijah Wood does not have a public Instagram account and the video being shared of him online, allegedly asking Zelensky to seek treatment, is the only recording available. The video appears to have been spread as a Russian propaganda effort and to promote a dubious documentary that falsely credits Tom Cruise as its star. Although Newsweek is yet to hear from Wood's representatives for comment, we are confident that the video and claims surrounding it are, respectively, inauthentic and false.
Read MoreDid Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?

The war in Ukraine is real and ongoing, despite nonsense social media posts

That's because it trafficks in misinformation about the war that we've encountered before. Previous posts have falsely claimed that various photos are evidence the war is fake, that video clips prove it's staged, that it's scripted. None of that was accurate, and neither is the claim that there's no war in Ukraine. It defies more than a year of news coverage from reporters with media outlets from around the world giving dispatches from Ukraine, describing the front lines, the lives of civilians and more. We rate this post Pants on Fire!
Read MoreThe war in Ukraine is real and ongoing, despite nonsense social media posts
This is the ‘America First’ case for supporting Ukraine

This is the ‘America First’ case for supporting Ukraine

The lesson of the 20th century is that putting “America First” requires us to project strength and deter our enemies from launching wars of aggression — so that U.S. troops to don’t have to fight and die in another global conflagration. The invasion in Ukraine was a failure of deterrence. Only by helping Ukraine win can we prevent further deterrence failures. If we help Ukraine prevail, we can rewrite the narrative of U.S. weakness; restore deterrence with China; strike a blow against the Sino-Russian alliance; decimate the Russian threat to Europe; increase burden-sharing with our allies; improve our military preparedness for other adversaries; stop a global nuclear arms race; dissuade other nuclear states from launching wars of aggression; and make World War III less likely. The “America First” conclusion: Helping Ukraine is a supreme national interest.
Read MoreThis is the ‘America First’ case for supporting Ukraine

No, Defense Department didn’t award COVID-19 contract in Ukraine before virus emerged

This claim is inaccurate. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a U.S. Defense Department arm that works to deter attacks and emerging threats, in November 2019 awarded a contract for non-COVID-19 training support in Ukraine, the agency said. An agency spokesperson said the contract's description was modified in 2020, months after the virus emerged, to focus on COVID-19 research. The Defense Department typically modifies contracts over time to address emerging needs. The Defense Department did not pay for COVID-19 research in Ukraine before the virus emerged. We rate this claim False.
Read MoreNo, Defense Department didn’t award COVID-19 contract in Ukraine before virus emerged

Is This Real Footage of Ukrainians Burning Russian-Affiliated Orthodox Church?

Miscaptioned. Context: The video being shared was posted on YouTube around 10 years ago and is reportedly of a church being burned in Russia.
Read MoreIs This Real Footage of Ukrainians Burning Russian-Affiliated Orthodox Church?