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7815 | New York City Council mulls adding e-cigarettes to smoking ban. | The New York City Council on Thursday will vote on a bill that would add electronic cigarettes to the city’s strict smoking ban, in the latest of many anti-tobacco measures signed by outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg. | true | Health News | Bloomberg’s detractors have derided him for trying to impose a “nanny state” in America’s largest city, pointing to his bans on smoking, trans fats and the attempt to limit the sale of large sugary drinks. Public health advocates have applauded those same efforts. Only weeks after New York became the first major city t... |
26697 | “NYC man drops dead in middle of street — suspected coronavirus!” | New York City Police say a man was taken to the hospital after falling and hitting his head. He was in stable condition and it was unrelated to coronavirus, according to police. | false | Facebook Fact-checks, New York, Coronavirus, Bloggers, | "As the death toll from COVID-19 clears 4,000 people globally, a scary blog post claims that a man in New York City collapsed on the street and died because of the disease caused by the coronavirus. ""NYC man drops dead in middle of street — suspected coronavirus!"" the headline says. It shows an image of someone lying... |
25823 | Children are “almost immune from this disease.” | Children represent about 7.3% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S and less than 0.1% of deaths, according to the CDC. Many children were not exposed to the virus as much as adults because schools shut down nationwide in March. Research in other countries that reopened schools shows children can catch COVID-19. | false | Coronavirus, Donald Trump, | "As millions of parents across the United States agonize over whether their children should return to school, President Donald Trump has continued to downplay the chances that children will catch COVID-19. ""This thing is going away, it will go away like things go away. My view is that schools should be open,"" Trump s... |
27490 | A vacationing couple staying in a foul-smelling motel room discovered a body hidden under their bed. | Sightings: Look for this legend in the 1995 film Four Rooms. This legend was also the subject of a July 2014 fake news article. | true | Horrors, Gruesome Discoveries, horrors | In his urban legend book The Baby Train, folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand writes that he first heard the “dead body found under hotel bed” legend in 1991. Every version that came to him mentioned a Las Vegas hotel, but the lack of checkable details led him to believe this was an apocryphal tale. Okay, so we can date the ... |
41664 | The population is projected to grow to 74 million, another 10 million by 2039. | China’s total planned coal-fired power projects now stand at 226.2 gigawatts (GW), the highest in the world and more than twice the amount of new capacity on the books in India, according to data published by environmental groups on Thursday. | mixture | health | The projects approved by China amount to nearly 40% of the world’s total planned coal-fired power plants, according to the Global Coal Exit List database run by German environmental organization Urgewald and 30 other partner organizations. The new China projects would be more than Germany’s existing installed power cap... |
26423 | “Pick up a product. Look at the barcode. If the first 3 numbers are 690 or 691 or 692, the product was made in China.” | A product’s barcode numbers don’t reveal its country of origin. Prefixes for product numbers are assigned to individual manufacturers based on a set of country codes, but the products could be made anywhere. These claims have been around since 2008 and have been debunked several times. | false | China, Small Business, Viral image, | "As American businesses struggle to stay afloat amid shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to buy American-made products have been growing on social media. Also rearing its head online is anti-Asian and anti-Chinese sentiment, directed at the country where the novel coronavirus was first discovered. One vira... |
3389 | Arkansas judge denies students’ appeal to vaccination policy. | A judge has denied two University of Arkansas students’ request to block a public health decree that has barred them from attending classes during a mumps outbreak because they don’t have the proper vaccinations. | true | General News, Arkansas, Public health, Mumps | The Arkansas Department of Health issued the public health directive in a Nov. 22 letter that stated students without at least two doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine either be vaccinated immediately or be barred from classrooms and school activities for at least 26 days. Brothers Shiloh Isaiah and Benjamin And... |
8054 | Raincoats and rubber boots for Pakistani aid workers in coronavirus fight. | Pakistan’s biggest charity, famous for its emergency services for the poor, is kitting staff out in rain coats and rubber boots in the battle against the coronavirus as it can’t get hold of proper personal protective equipment, the organization says. | true | Health News | Pakistan has reported the highest number of coronavirus infections in South Asia, with 1,179 cases and nine deaths, but health experts say there is a lack of public awareness about the virus and the cash-strapped government is ill-prepared to tackle it. The Edhi Foundation has for decades stepped in to help when govern... |
11033 | Cancer History Should Consider MRI: Study | The story says the study indicates benefits of annual MRI testing, but the study looked at just one-time imaging, not annual scans. Does adding MRI to conventional mammography improve survival? This study can’t answer that question. It didn’t include any data to compare MRI to mammography and it didn’t measure survival... | false | Cancer,HealthDay,women's health | Although the story acknowledges that women may need to pay for such imaging out of their own pockets, it does not provide any estimate of the cost… which may run more than $1000 per MRI scan. And since such testing is rarely a one-time event… women who choose to have MRI scans that are not covered by their health care ... |
34286 | In May 2018, Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Christopher Barnett advocated euthanasia for disabled people and those on benefits. | The Republican primary in the Oklahoma gubernatorial election is scheduled for 26 June 2018. Mangum is unlikely to feature among the contenders in a ten-way race which — as of May — was led by Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb, former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, and businessman Kevin Stitt. | unproven | Politics, euthanasia, hacking, oklahoma | A Tulsa-based businessman running for governor of Oklahoma was the center of controversy in May 2018, when posts appeared on his campaign’s Facebook page in which he appeared to call for disabled people in receipt of government benefits to be euthanized or left to “starve and die.” Christopher Barnett, who runs several... |
11129 | Radiation from CT scans may raise cancer risks | "There is no doubt that advances in imaging technology have revolutionized how we diagnose and treat disease. The past two decades have seen dramatic increases in the utilization of high tech imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). The ever expanding list of indications and ... | mixture | "The story does not describe the costs of CT scanning, which are substantial and increasing. Because the story focused on the cancer risk associated with radiation exposure from CT scanning, it would not be necessary for the story to also quantify the benefits of CT scanning. How the story could go about quantifying th... | |
3736 | Health officials: Flu activity widespread in New Mexico. | New Mexico health officials say flu activity already is widespread across the state and they’re recommending vaccinations to prevent spreading the illness. | true | Health, Pneumonia, General News, Flu, New Mexico | The Health Department said Wednesday that different variations of the virus are circulating in different parts of the state. The agency says 21 pneumonia and flu deaths have been reported so far this season. Last season, 237 New Mexicans died of pneumonia and/or influenza. Symptoms may include rapid onset of illness wi... |
5833 | 3 sexually transmitted diseases hit new highs again in US. | U.S. infections from three sexually transmitted diseases have risen for the fifth consecutive year. | true | Health, Sexually transmitted diseases, General News, Syphilis | More than 1.7 million cases of chlamydia (kluh-MID’-ee-uh) were reported last year. The infection rate rose 3% from 2017. It’s the most ever reported in a year, though the trend is mainly attributed to increased testing. About 580,000 gonorrhea (gah-nuh-REE’-uh) cases were reported. That’s the highest number since 1991... |
5431 | Olivia Newton-John diagnosed with cancer for 3rd time. | Olivia Newton-John says she has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time in three decades. | true | Cancer, Olivia Newton-John, Medical marijuana, Entertainment, North America, California, Celebrities | The four-time Grammy winner, who will turn 70 on Sept. 26, told Australian news program “Sunday Night” doctors found a tumor in her lower back in 2017. Newton-John says she’s “treating it naturally and doing really well.” The “Grease” star says for pain, she is taking cannabis oil, made from marijuana her husband grows... |
4609 | University of Alabama team look at untreated sewage issue. | How much untreated sewage gets dumped in Alabama’s Black Belt? | true | Health, Public health, Alabama, University of Alabama, Wastewater | That’s the question a team of students and professors at the University of Alabama is trying to determine. In many parts of the Black Belt, homeowners are resorting to “straight pipe” systems to dispose of wastewater and sewage, rather than sewers or septic tanks because of a type of thick, clay soil and widespread pov... |
10730 | MS Patients May Soon Bypass Painful Injections | The online story (we listened to the radio version as well) did some nice things that other stories didn’t do – including providing a direct link to an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine – when many news organizations surprisingly fail to refer to accompanying editorials when they do appear. This story wa... | true | "No cost was discussed. Benefits were described but only in relative terms. Half of what? A third of what? We wish absolute data were provided. Potential harms were listed but not quantified. How often do they occur? The radio piece didn’t give much information on how the studies were done – and therefore, not much on... | |
10769 | Vitamin D might be factor in longer life | "This was an interesting update on the importance of vitamin D in human health, highlighting a recent meta-analysis on the topic. The reporter did a particularly nice job of including expert comments in the piece. It would have been stronger with a brief comment on potential harms of excess vitamin D intake, and with t... | true | "There was no estimate of the costs associated with obtaining the amounts of vitamin D mentioned in the story. The story did an adequate job quantifying the benefits found in the meta-analysis: ""Over an average of nearly six years, those who took vitamin D had a 7 percent lower risk of death from all causes than thos... | |
738 | Exclusive: While battling opioid crisis, U.S. government weighed using fentanyl for executions. | The U.S. Department of Justice examined using fentanyl in lethal injections as it prepared last year to resume executing condemned prisoners, a then untested use of the powerful, addictive opioid that has helped fuel a national crisis of overdose deaths. | true | Health News | The department revealed it had contemplated using the drug in a court filing last month, which has not been previously reported. In the end, it decided against adopting the drug for executions. Attorney General William Barr announced in July his department instead would use pentobarbital, a barbiturate, when it resumes... |
42129 | "Christine Blasey Ford ""Sent Feinstein Same Letter Last Year"" About Gorsuch" | Q: Did Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, make similar allegations against Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch?A: No. There’s no evidence for that rumor, which has been spread on conservative websites. | false | Supreme Court confirmation, | Q: Did Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, make similar allegations against Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch? A: No. There’s no evidence for that rumor, which has been spread on conservative websites. There is no evidence to substantiate an online rumor that Christine Blasey Ford, who... |
14078 | "Florida has ""issued more than 3 million conceal carry permits in the past 30 years. Only 168 have been revoked." | "Trump said Florida has ""issued more than 3 million conceal carry permits in the past 30 years. Only 168 have been revoked."" Trump cited the number of permits issued since 1987 but exaggerated how few had been revoked. Florida revoked 10,841 permits, including 168 for misuse of a firearm. We don’t know the full pictu... | mixture | Florida, Guns, Donald Trump, | "Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton continued their battle over gun rights following his recent endorsement by the National Rifle Association. Trump told the NRA that Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment (she doesn’t) while Clinton said that Trump wants to allow guns in schools (he has promised to get rid of gun... |
29216 | "Robert De Niro linked to a ""prostitution ring that used children." | "What's true: In early 1998, de Niro was questioned in a large-scale French investigation of ""procuring"" prostitution after his name was mentioned by a woman questioned separately in the case. What's false: De Niro was not otherwise involved with the case or any other like it in 1998 or at any other time; the case ce... | false | Junk News, child sexual abuse, robert de niro, sex trafficking | On 11 June 2018 a social media rumor spread that suggested actor Robert De Niro had been involved in a child sex trafficking ring: Robert De Niro was a client of an international prostitution ring that hired underage children for wealthy, high-profile clients. Given the crackdown on sex slave rings here in the states, ... |
13812 | "On gift taking, ""Bob McDonnell took a fraction of what (Tim) Kaine took." | U.S. regulators have halted a trial of Novartis’s Zolgensma treatment after an animal study raised safety concerns, the company said on Wednesday, in a setback for the drugmaker’s plan to expand its use to older patients. | false | Ethics, Virginia, Donald Trump, | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s partial hold on the so-called STRONG trial impacts patients aged up to five with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who were to receive a higher dose of the gene therapy via a spinal infusion. The hold was issued after Novartis told health authorities about the animal study’s findings... |
37637 | 62-year-old doctor Liang Wudong died while helping treat patients for coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan. | Chinese Media Walks Back Reports Linking Doctor’s Death to Coronavirus | unproven | Fact Checks, Viral Content | A January 2020 story about a 62-year-old doctor who reputedly died “at the front lines” of fighting a coronavirus outbreak in China was walked back by state media within the country after the report spread internationally.Both the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and the People’s Daily initially reported that Dr.... |
10742 | Industry Giants Push Obesity Surgery | This is an interesting and informative piece about the utility and the marketing of gastric banding, a type of weight loss surgery. It covered the marketing of this medical device in great detail. Consumers reading this piece would have a much better sense of the recent history of gastric banding and the strong direct-... | true | The story provided several estimates for the cost of gastric banding; it also discussed insurance coverage, i.e. that the procedure was not always covered by insurance. While the story mentioned weight loss, health improvement, and longer life, it failed to provide quantitative estimates for these. The story provided q... | |
31806 | A study has determined that Nutella brand spread includes a known carcinogen among its ingredients. | A more accurate headline summarizing the EFSA report would have been something like: “The thermally altered byproduct of a chemical component of palm oil that is sometimes produced when it is processed in a way that Nutella claims they avoid may potentially be a carcinogen to infants and some adults who consume it in o... | false | Medical, cancer, carcinogens, not actually a study | In January 2017, numerous news outlets reported on a scientific opinion from May 2016 written by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Scientific opinions are peer-reviewed studies that provide guidance to regulatory agencies but do not dictate or create any regulations on their own. The report (bearing the catchy... |
1811 | Alzheimer's documentary 'Alive Inside' pushes for music therapy. | Michael Rossato-Bennett initially thought it was the worst job he had ever taken. | true | Health News | The filmmaker was flabbergasted when he entered a nursing home on a commission to film a few clips for a website. “I walked into these hallways with hundreds of residents in wheelchairs just sitting on the side of the hallway, and I had felt like I’d entered into Dante’s ‘Inferno,’” he said. That visit, though, eventua... |
13334 | "National Republican Congressional Committee Says Colorado congressional candidate Morgan Carroll ""voted to allow welfare recipients to use your tax dollars at ATMs at strip clubs and pot dispensaries." | "NRCC says, ""Carroll voted to allow welfare recipients to use your tax dollars at ATMs at strip clubs and pot dispensaries."" There's slightly more to this than the NRCC lets on: Carroll voted, unsuccessfully, to allow welfare recipients to continue withdrawing money from ATMs at strip clubs and pot dispensaries. Carr... | true | Colorado, Welfare, Marijuana, National Republican Congressional Committee, | "A Republican group has launched a racy ad saying Colorado state Sen. Morgan Carroll, a Democratic congressional candidate, voted to allow welfare recipients to use public benefit cards at ATMs in strip clubs and marijuana dispensaries. The National Republican Congressional Committee’s ad shows how down and dirty the r... |
7819 | Treadmill classes mix it up with workhorse of the gym. | For many outdoor runners the idea of pounding a treadmill means trading daylight for drudgery but as the air chills, fitness experts say treadmill classes can hone efficiency and form and add a dash of glamour to indoor running. | true | Health News | “There’s a little snobbery about running on a treadmill,” said David Siik, a track and field sprinter turned treadmill class fitness instructor at Equinox, the upscale chain of fitness centers. “Most racers are a little ashamed of running indoors.” Siik, who is now based in Los Angeles, turned reluctantly to treadmill... |
17672 | "Alison Lundergan Grimes Says Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has ""blocked the Senate over 400 times." | "In her ad, Grimes said that McConnell has ""blocked the Senate over 400 times."" If you look at cases of permanent blockage -- which you can do by counting failed cloture votes -- then Grimes’ number significantly exaggerates the scale of McConnell’s obstructionism. But her 400 figure sounds much more reasonable if on... | mixture | National, Alison Lundergan Grimes, | "Is Mitch McConnell the ""guardian of gridlock""? One of the marquee races in the 2014 midterm elections is McConnell’s bid to win a sixth term representing Kentucky. And one of the issues likely to get significant attention in the campaign is whether McConnell, as the Senate’s minority leader, has unduly obstructed th... |
29813 | Immigrants who illegally crossed into the U.S. at the Mexico border are the cause of measles outbreaks in 2019 in the U.S. | Claims that measles outbreaks in the U.S. are caused by Southern-border immigration are therefore wholly unsupported by factual evidence or hard data. To claim otherwise, one must ignore the actual data that links these measles outbreaks to specific unvaccinated Americans traveling abroad in measles-prone regions. For ... | false | Politics | In early 2019, the United States suffered its worst series of measles outbreaks since 1994. Between 1 January 2019 and 26 April 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 704 individual cases of measles had been confirmed in 22 states. “This is the greatest number of cases reported in the ... |
8337 | Investors await data on coronavirus drugs as market rally builds. | Clinical data on potential treatments for the new coronavirus could help sustain a market bounce that has buoyed stocks after last month’s plunge, as investors look for signs that authorities may be able to stabilize the pandemic. | true | Health News | "Highly anticipated data for a Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) experimental antiviral drug are expected later this month. Analysts are also awaiting results in the near-term for products already approved for other conditions from companies such as Roche Holding (ROG.S) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN.O). While experts... |
28644 | Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was confronted by a shareholder over the company’s support for same-sex marriage. | What's true: Howard Schultz affirmed the company’s support for same-sex marriage at a shareholder meeting. What's false: Howard Schultz did not say opponents of same-sex marriage were not allowed to be Starbucks stockholders or were not desired as Starbucks customers. | mixture | Politics, howard schultz, starbucks | Starbucks, the ubiquitous behemoth of a coffee chain, was one of several prominent Washington-area companies (including Microsoft, Nike, and Amazon) who in early 2012 supported a state measure to legalize same-sex marriage, stating that: Starbucks is proud to join other leading Northwest employers in support of Washing... |
31972 | "Mattel is introducing ""Public Assistance Barbie"" for the holidays." | Although the “satirical” nature of “Public Assistance Barbie” was perhaps obvious to some, many social media users shared the years-old article without realizing the claim had been entirely fabricated. | false | Junk News, america reloaded, barbie, empire news | On 26 November 2016, the Facebook page “America Reloaded” shared an article that appeared to report that Mattel was introducing a “Public Assistance Barbie” doll, just in time for holiday shopping: “Since 1959 Barbie dolls have been through major changes to reflect the times we live in. Today with over 40% of Americans... |
8149 | South Korean churchgoers scuffle with police as virus curbs on gatherings kick in. | Members of a South Korean church scuffled with police on Sunday, media reported, as government restrictions on religious services and other gatherings due to the spread of the coronavirus took effect. | true | Health News | Authorities have urged South Koreans to stay home and maintain social distancing, as imported cases and new outbreaks around small clusters continued to emerge while an overall tally in new infections has been declining. Restrictions on high-risk events such as religious, sports and entertainment gatherings took effect... |
15542 | America has already taken in one-fourth of Mexico's entire population. | "Coulter said that America has taken in one-quarter of the entire population of Mexico. Coulter based this on a study that counted all people of Mexican origin in the United States. But Coulter ignored that 65 percent of those were born in America and about a third came from families in which both parents were born in ... | false | Immigration, PunditFact, Ann Coulter, | "Ann Coulter’s new book Adios America argues that immigration is undermining the country, and she was delighted to give a full-throated defense of her stance in an interview with Univision and Fusion TV journalist Jorge Ramos. The two agreed on virtually nothing, including the most basic statistics. Ramos opened the se... |
3682 | Delaware health officials report season’s first 2 flu deaths. | A 65-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman have been identified as the first two flu deaths in Delaware for the 2019-2020 season, health officials said. | true | Health, General News, Delaware, Flu, Dover | The Division of Public Health said on its webpage on Tuesday that both victims lived in Sussex County and had underlying health conditions. The woman was infected with influenza A, while the man had the influenza B strain., according to health officials. As of Dec. 28, there have been 1,083 laboratory-confirmed cases o... |
7190 | Vermont House members introduce universal health care bill. | Forty-eight members of the Vermont House of Representatives have introduced a bill that would pave the way for publicly-financed health care for all state residents beginning in 2023. | true | Vermont, Universal health care | Progressive Rep. Brian Cina says the bill picks up from a previous universal health care bill. The Times Argus reports the bill brings together various stakeholders, asking them to come up with an operational plan and funding mechanics for universal health care by January 2020. The plan would only be implemented if it ... |
21521 | Public-employee unions spent $30 million in Wisconsin unsuccessfully trying to flip the state Senate to Democratic control. | Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus says public-employee unions spent $30 million on Wisconsin Senate recall races | false | Campaign Finance, Elections, State Budget, Wisconsin, Reince Priebus, | "In a round of interviews following the Wisconsin Senate recall elections, the Republican Party’s national chairman framed the results as a clear victory for Gov. Scott Walker. Republicans lost two seats but retained Senate control, despite a major -- and expensive -- effort from Democrats and their supporters. RNC Cha... |
17307 | "We are seeing dramatic rate cuts"" to Medicare that will affect seniors’ ability to keep their doctor, hospital and prevention services." | """We are seeing dramatic rate cuts,"" to Medicare that will have a ""devastating impact"" on seniors’ ability to get their doctor, their hospital and prevention services, Scott tells seniors in an online campaign ad. Scott omits that the recently announced rate cuts were for Medicare Advantage plans, a subset of Medic... | false | Medicare, Florida, Rick Scott, | "Seniors (particularly voters), listen up: Medicare cuts have arrived -- and the way Gov. Rick Scott tells it, they’re going to lead to some sickening results. In an online ad created by Scott’s campaign, he speaks in a testimonial style to the ""wonderful seniors in our state"" who depend on Medicare. Scott, and his l... |
11160 | Device improves heart’s pumping efficiency | This story reports on a randomized controlled trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that cardiac resynchronization therapy is useful for preventing heart failure events in people with mild symptoms. However, the piece profiles only one satisfied study participant, instead of presenting a m... | false | This story did not include any discussion of costs. This story states that cardiac resynchronization therapy resulted in a 41% lower risk of heart failure-related events; however, also presenting the results in terms of absolute risk reduction would have been helpful. The story does not discuss any of the potential har... | |
9998 | Bone Proteins Costly In Surgery, Study Says | This story about spinal fusion surgeries that use bone-growth proteins [BMPs] pursues an important cost angle more aggressively than some other stories we saw on this same study. But it missed an important point: The current study does not have the power to resolve the long-standing question about whether the higher ... | false | "The story fails spectacularly with the issue of costs. First, it’s not clear why the story focuses primarily on the 11- to 41-percent higher in-hospital costs of BMP–the study’s findings on prevalence and complication rates are at least as significant. Yet despite the story’s focus on costs, the story lacks basic repo... | |
35345 | "A letter was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1920 while the author was quarantined in France during the ""Spanish influenza"" pandemic." | At this time, it seems very poignant to avoid all public spaces. Even the bars, as I told Hemingway, but to that he punched me in the stomach, to which I asked if he had washed his hands. He hadn’t. He is much the denier, that one. Why, he considers the virus to be just influenza. I’m curious of his sources. | false | Humor, COVID-19 | In March 2020, amid the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic, social media users shared a letter believed to have been written by F. Scott Fitzgerald while he was quarantining in the south of France as a result of the 1918 influenza pandemic. The letter began as follows: This Side of Paradise: A Letter from F. Scott F... |
10040 | To have and have not: A better way to screen for lung cancer | "This story reports on the results of a study on using CT scans to screen for lung cancer screening published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study appears to indicate that all people at ""high risk"" (current or former smokers) could benefit from screening. But unfortunately, because of the limitations of... | false | "The story does not mention the cost of the scan, an important piece of information for the consumer given that insurance is unlikely to cover it. While the story provides some quantification of benefits from screening, it also exaggerates these benefits in qualitative terms. The story claims that the study is a ""shin... | |
3628 | Rabies-carrying bats raising alarm in southwest Utah. | Health officials are raising alarm after receiving several reports of people interacting with rabies-carrying bats in southwest Utah. | true | Animals, Rabies, Health, General News, Utah, Bats, St. George | The Southwest Utah Public Health Department said in a Tuesday news release that most of the cases have occurred in residential neighborhoods. Individuals exposed to the deadly virus have been given preventative vaccinations. Rabies can spread to people from the saliva of infected animals including bats, foxes, raccoons... |
23073 | "Vows to keep Georgia's race for governor ""civil"" and focused on the ""positive." | "Candidates claims to run ""civil"" campaign veer off track" | false | Georgia, Message Machine 2010, Roy Barnes and Nathan Deal, | "Well, everybody seemed to be on the same page when it all started. The 3-month-old race between former Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat, and former Congressman Nathan Deal, a Republican, to determine who will become Georgia's next governor was to be a civil affair, hard-focused on the key issues. Or, so said both campaigns... |
7138 | Doctors prepare for deep dive into Las Vegas shooter’s brain. | Scientists are preparing to do a microscopic study of the Las Vegas gunman’s brain, but whatever they find, if anything, likely won’t be what led him to kill 58 people in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, experts said. | true | Shootings, Las Vegas mass shooting, International News, Stanford University, North America, Health, Forensics, Science, Stephen Paddock, Las Vegas, U.S. News | Stephen Paddock’s brain is being sent to Stanford University for a months-long examination after a visual inspection during an autopsy found no abnormalities, Las Vegas authorities said. Doctors will perform multiple forensic analyses, including an exam of the 64-year-old’s brain tissue to find any possible neurologica... |
7443 | Safety measures to govern Legislature’s return to capital. | The Illinois General Assembly will return to Springfield for three days next week to take up a spring session workload long delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. | true | Legislature, Michael Madigan, Health, General News, Virus Outbreak, Public health, Springfield, Illinois | The extraordinary safety measures that will govern the May 20-22 session were delineated in a letter Wednesday from Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan to the House minority leader. Legislators will have to pledge to follow Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines to prevent the spread of the highly contagi... |
35514 | An illustration from a 1962 Italian magazine shows an imagined scene from the year 2022. | What's true: An article from a 1962 edition of the Domenica del Corriere newspaper envisions drivers in futuristic, dome-enclosed, single-person vehicles. What's false: We haven't found any information documenting that this article was specifically envisaged as presenting a scene from the year 2022. | mixture | Fauxtography | In May 2020, social media users circulated an illustration said to be from a 1962 magazine, envisioning what life would look like in 2022, 60 years in the future. The graphic struck many viewers as being an eerie premonition of the social distancing restrictions and other measures necessitated by the COVID-19 coronavir... |
38830 | The Black Dot Campaign allows victims of domestic abuse to draw a small black dot on their hand to silently ask for help. | Black Dot Campaign Strives to Help Victims of Domestic Abuse | mixture | Internet | There’s a genuine effort underway to make the Black Dot Campaign a widespread solution to victims of domestic abuse, but that hasn’t happened yet. An unidentified British woman who was once the victim of domestic abuse started the Black Dot Campaign on Facebook, and it quickly racked up nearly 50,000 “likes” from suppo... |
5942 | Incumbent congressmen face GOP challengers on Election Day. | Rhode Island’s two representatives in the U.S. House say they’re asking voters for another term so they can continue to fight for the state. | true | Rhode Island, Health, Violence, Elections, Providence, David Cicilline, Prescription drugs, Gun violence, James Langevin | Democratic Reps. James Langevin and David Cicilline said they feel they have unfinished business in Washington, whether that’s making health care and prescription drugs more affordable, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure or trying to reduce gun violence. Langevin faces Republican Salvatore Caiozzo on Tuesday, and C... |
9059 | Type 2 diabetes is not for life | The news release focuses on a Lancet article describing the first-year results of an ongoing two-year study aimed at determining how effective diet-based weight loss can be at achieving remission of type 2 diabetes in adults. The release notes that 45.6 percent of patients who took part in the weight loss program achie... | false | low calorie diet,Newcastle University,Type 2 diabetes | This is a tough one. Presumably, any patient with type 2 diabetes could adopt a healthier diet to help themselves lose weight — in which case, costs would not be applicable here. However, this particular study involved a carefully crafted diet that changed over time in order to facilitate early weight loss and then hel... |
527 | Samoa measles toll hits 42 as nations dispatch medical teams, supplies. | More nations were flying medical staff and supplies to Samoa on Friday to battle a measles outbreak that prompted the Pacific island nation to declare a state of emergency this month, as the death toll rose to 42, most of them children younger than four. | true | Health News | A significant drop in immunisation over the last few years has made Samoa highly vulnerable to outbreaks of the disease, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) saying vaccine coverage is just about 31% there. Schools have been shut and a mass vaccination effort launched in the nation of just 200,000 located south of ... |
26755 | “The blood test for coronavirus costs $3,200.” | The CDC isn’t charging for coronavirus testing but patients could be stuck with associated costs, such as a trip to the emergency room. In Florida, a man who worried he was infected initially faced a $3,270 bill even though he never received a coronavirus test. The man was charged for other costs incurred when he went ... | false | Florida, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "Fears about the novel coronavirus are starting to dovetail with concerns about costs. ""The blood test for coronavirus costs $3,200,"" says a Feb. 27 Facebook post. ""Trump’s White House already said I won’t be able to afford the vaccine. If I can’t afford the test and I can’t afford the treatment, am I just supposed ... |
29031 | Michigan has passed a law exempting emergency medical personnel from treating gay people. | What's true: The Michigan House of Representatives has passed a religious freedom bill that might potentially allow emergency medical personnel to exercise religious objections to treating gay patients. What's false: The state of Michigan has enacted a bill that specifically provides emergency medical personnel with a ... | mixture | Politics Sexuality | On 4 December 2014, the Michigan House of Representatives passed HB 5958, also known as the “Religious Freedom and Restoration Act (or RFRA). That bill (which has not yet become law, as it still needs to be passed by the Michigan Senate and signed by the governor) seeks to “limit governmental action that substantially ... |
10124 | Antibiotic eases common stomach pain, studies find | AP included cost information, and this is a significant factor that should not have been ignored by other stories. At the same time, the lack of independent experts was a flaw. This is underscored by an unrepresentative anecdote from a glowing patient success story, even though the study itself showed that the vast maj... | true | Associated Press | Hooray! Unlike the WebMD story, this story includes cost information. “The price for IBS treatment hasn’t been determined, he said. But the price listed at Drugstore.com suggests it’s not cheap, with a two-week supply of the dosage used in the study costing $910, or about $21 a pill.” By providing the price and actuall... |
10029 | Shades of gray: Debate continues over diagnostic scans for lung cancer | The idea of lung cancer screening is certainly appealing. Lung cancer is common and deadly, very often found too late for treatment to be effective. So what if you could find it early? Unfortunately the results of studies on CT screening haven’t supported this fully and the largest and most rigorous study to date is st... | true | The story accurately represents the cost of the scans, which are often not covered by insurance. The story could have mentioned that once a scan finds something suspicious, biopsies and/or follow-up scans are needed at regular intervals, driving up the costs. These additional scans are typically covered by insurance. T... | |
2977 | Stomach illness outbreak at Yosemite prompts major clean-up. | Federal health officials are inspecting Yosemite National Park’s food service areas after at least a dozen people have fallen ill with stomach issues. | true | Health, General News, Parks, National parks, Travel, Food services, U.S. News, Public health | The National Park Service and the U.S. Public Health Service told the San Francisco Chronicle they launched an investigation after employees and visitors reported the problems this month. Federal officials said they haven’t identified the illness or the origin of the outbreak. Park officials said those who had gotten s... |
10617 | Study links finger length to prostate cancer risk | This story fails on many levels: failing to make even one comment on the limitations of observational studies; failing to comment on the limitations of this particular study method (a questionnaire and self-assessment); allowing a researcher to claim that this approach “could be used as a simple test for prostate canc... | false | Cancer,Reuters Health | Not appiicable. The numbers given were absolutely useless – “men whose index finger is longer than their ring finger were one-third less likely to develop the disease than men with the opposite pattern of finger lengths.” There are countless questions about what this means, but the story didn’t answer them. And, of co... |
14425 | Requiring photo ID would keep about 200,000 Missourians from voting. | "Our ruling While requiring a photo ID could be expensive and might affect or inconvenience between 220,000 and 400,000 Missourians, it wouldn’t necessarily keep them from voting. While requiring a photo ID could be expensive and might affect or inconvenience between 220,000 and 400,000 Missourians, it wouldn’t necessa... | mixture | Elections, Legal Issues, Missouri, Kip Kendrick, | "What documents should voters have to show to make it to the polls? The question continues to spark debate in state legislatures across the country, with new voter ID legislation coming to the forefront in a number of states. The Missouri legislature is discussing measures that would narrow the acceptable forms of vote... |
21919 | It’s just crazy that the government will ... make it illegal to use the old [incandescent] bulbs. | Head of R.I. public policy group says federal law bans use of incandescent bulbs | false | Environment, Rhode Island, Energy, Mike Stenhouse, | "You’ve heard the jokes before -- how many so-and-so’s does it take to screw in a light bulb? While light bulbs are remarkably simple to use, new energy efficiency mandates have complicated matters. And that has some people riled up. Appearing as a guest on WHJJ-AM’s ""Helen Glover Show,"" Mike Stenhouse, executive dir... |
4498 | Queuing for eternity: Fossils show lining up is primal urge. | Ever felt like you’ve been queuing forever? | true | Lyon, Fossils, General News, France, Science, Europe | Scientists say fossils found in Morocco suggest the practice of forming orderly lines may date back 480 million years and could have had evolutionary advantages. Their study, published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports, describes groups of blind trilobites — known as Ampyx — all facing in the same direction, a... |
31699 | "During the Watergate scandal, President Nixon blamed all of the controversy on the illegality of the actions of leaker ""Deep Throat." | We found no statements that resembled the quote attributed to Nixon in the meme. Although President Nixon described leaks as a threat to national security, for the most part he directly addressed allegations against his administration and did not claim “leakers” were to blame for the controversies. | false | Politics, donald trump, richard nixon, watergate | In February 2017 a meme began circulating that attributed a quote about leaks and Watergate to President Richard Nixon: As is often the case with similar memes, the quote began popping up with frequency on Facebook in seeming response to current events. One version appeared in a comment thread on California Lt. Govern... |
1618 | Spooked by sugar, Americans search for healthier Halloween treats. | The so-called war on sugar has a new battleground: Halloween. | true | Health News | Some Americans are so spooked about the harmful effects of sugar they are finding healthier ways to indulge during the holiday, without disappointing children by handing out apples. Sugary chocolates still dominate Halloween candy handed out and provide an annual sales treat for companies like Hershey Co, privately hel... |
17382 | Social Security was advocated … in the 1930s as a way of getting people to quit working, because they thought we were confined to a permanent scarcity of jobs in this country. | "Will said, ""Social Security was advocated … in the 1930s as a way of getting people to quit working, because they thought we were confined to a permanent scarcity of jobs in this country."" The idea that old-age pensions would transition older Americans out of the labor market and usher in younger, unemployed workers... | false | Economy, History, Poverty, Social Security, Workers, PunditFact, George Will, | "The issue of Americans’ choices about whether to work attracted wide attention last week when the Congressional Budget Office released a report predicting that President Barack Obama’s health care law would lead to people deciding to work less. The CBO projection was spun -- largely incorrectly, in our estimation -- i... |
2422 | Broccoli not burgers: Cancer patients favor healthier foods. | Hold the beer, burgers and French fries. Bring on the water, farm-fresh produce, chicken, pasta and hearty soups. | true | Health News | That’s the advice to care givers from a consortium of nutritional researchers following a two-year survey of what U.S. cancer patients prefer to eat and drink. The study released on Tuesday by the Cancer Nutrition Consortium aims to improve the lives of cancer patients by helping them get the meals they want while comb... |
10635 | Studies don’t end prostate cancer test controversy | This is a tough assignment for a health journalist: To report in a single news story results of two big, important prostate cancer screening studies that must be considered together yet for many reasons shouldn’t be compared. Add in the fact that these are interim results from ongoing studies on a topic that’s inherent... | true | "While these studies examined prostate cancer mortality rates and treatment outcomes, monetary costs are an important part of the larger conversation about the value of screening. There are significant financial costs associated with population-wide screenings, along with the follow-up diagnostic procedures and treatme... | |
7062 | ‘Shouting into the void’: Miscarriages color mom-to-be’s art. | Artist Ashley MacLure’s world is filled with fairies, young girls riding giant moths — and anguished, bleeding women. | true | Milford, Health, Visual arts, North America, Pregnancy loss, U.S. News | A grimacing young woman rendered in black and white is curled in a fetal position, splashes of crimson staining her bottom. Here she is again, leaning against a bloodied wall, her abdomen nothing but a large oval hole. There’s a self-portrait in charcoal pencil — a close-up of a face pinched by sorrow. In her artist’s ... |
9356 | A flu drug — shown to reduce the duration of symptoms — could upend treatment in U.S. | This story’s headline makes a bold statement: “A flu drug—shown to reduce duration of symptoms—could upend treatment in U.S.” The next two paragraphs ramp up the excitement regarding the FDA’s announcement that it has granted priority review to a new single-dose flu drug that is “unlike anything else on the market.” Th... | true | influenza | The story makes clear the “big unknown” remains the price and “how much people are willing to spend to cut a day or so off of a bout of flu.” The story reports that Genentech, the drug’s manufacturer, said it’s too early to comment on the drug’s U.S. price. The story also notes that in Japan, where the drug was invente... |
9329 | VITAMIN D: SUPPLEMENT LINKED TO WEIGHT LOSS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE CHILDREN | Newsweek covers the results of a preliminary study that suggest a weekly dose of vitamin D might help children with obesity. While the story provides important context to the issue, identifies some caveats, and includes the voice of an outside expert, some key details weren’t included. The study did not appear to contr... | false | childhood obesity,Vitamin D | The cost of Vitamin D is not mentioned, but the cost is so low we’ll rate this N/A. (The study says about 100 of the 200 participants were given 50,000 IU of the vitamin per week, which works out to about 20 cents per month.) We’re told kids who took vitamin D “had a significantly lower BMI” and “lower body fat, as wel... |
3777 | 4th death in Mississippi prisons; judge says other prison OK. | Another Mississippi inmate has died at the hands of a fellow inmate, bringing the death toll to four in disturbances over the past week in the state prison system. The violence comes even as a federal judge has rejected claims that conditions in one Mississippi prison are unconstitutionally harsh. | true | Mississippi, Prisons, Health, General News, U.S. News | Sunflower County Corner Heather Burton told The Associated Press a 32-year-old male prisoner died before noon Thursday at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. Burton said the inmate, whom she declined to identify pending notification of relatives, had multiple stab wounds. Sunflower County Sheriff James Hayw... |
8153 | Tooth fairy in quarantine? Argentina makes exemption in coronavirus lockdown. | In Argentina’s nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, one magical being has been handed a presidential exemption: the tooth fairy. | true | Health News | President Alberto Fernandez earlier this week ordered all but essential workers to stay home and off the streets. But he was forced to amend the list of exceptions after receiving a message from the mother of a 7-year old boy who had recently lost his first tooth. “Dear @alferdez, I need to ask if the tooth fairy is am... |
28513 | Former Alabama judge Roy Moore authored a chapter in a 2011 textbook arguing that women should not hold political office | What's true: Former Alabama judge Roy Moore contributed to a study course which argued that women should not hold political office. What's false: Roy Moore did not author the chapter that made that argument. | mixture | Politics Politicians, roy moore, study guide, textbook | As Roy Moore continued to deny allegations that he pursued a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old when he was 32, the web site Think Progress uncovered another interesting detail about the former Alabama judge’s past: According to the web site, Moore co-authored the 2011 textbook Law and Government: An Introductory Stud... |
37881 | Ultraviolet light (UV) can be injected into a person's body to help them fend off COVID-19. | Can Ultraviolet Light Be Injected Into the Body to Fight COVID-19? | false | Disinformation, Fact Checks | As attention swirled around “sarcastic” remarks concerning the use of household disinfectants to treat COVID-19, some social media users attempted to gin up more support for United States President Donald Trump by fixating on another theory he shared during a heavily-criticized appearance on April 23 2020.During the pr... |
35301 | The U.S. economic downturn due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 was forcing the United States Postal Service to close. | "What's true: A decline in mail deliveries — a leading source of revenue for the agency — due to business shutdowns during the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic is hurting USPS. The leader of the Postal Service said it could ""run out of cash"" by the end of September 2020. What's undetermined: It is unclear how, o... | mixture | Politics, COVID-19 | In April 2020, during an unprecedented interruption to the U.S. economy due to social-distancing restrictions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease, the United States Postal Service (USPS) remained in operation. Canvassing city streets and rural roads with packages of prescriptions, food, and bills, th... |
31403 | An unflattering photograph shows President Trump playing a round of golf. | There are hundreds of photographs of Trump golfing online, which naturally means that doctored pictures spring up in their wake, such as this one, or the image purportedly showing Trump with a brown stain down the back of his pants. | false | Fauxtography, donald trump, fauxtography, john daly | In May 2017, an image purportedly showing an unflattering view of Donald Trump as he was swinging a golf club circulated on social media, along with a slew of comments about the President’s physique and health: The image was further legitimized by a story published by The New Yorker, in which a juicy little detail — t... |
6910 | UK changes course, allows epileptic boy to use cannabis oil. | The British government changed course Saturday in a case concerning cannabis oil, saying an epileptic boy can be treated with it after his mother said he needed it to survive severe seizures. | true | Legal Marijuana, Medical marijuana, Health, International News, London, Sajid Javid, Europe | Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he has agreed to urgently issue a license to allow Billy Caldwell, a 12-year-old from Northern Ireland, to be treated with the oil. He said his decision was based on advice from senior doctors who say that Caldwell, who was hospitalized overnight in London, faces a medical emergency. Jav... |
5207 | Montana judge halts temporary flavored vaping ban. | A temporary ban on the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes due to take effect next week in Montana has been blocked for now by a judge. | true | Health, Lawsuits, Montana, Vaping, General News, Tobacco industry regulation, Steve Bullock | Ravalli County District Judge Jennifer Lint signed a temporary restraining order Friday that prohibits Gov. Steve Bullock and state health officials from enforcing emergency rules on flavored vaping products. They were set to take effect Tuesday. Lint was acting in response to a lawsuit filed Thursday by three vape sho... |
25959 | “No other country” is having a “second wave” of COVID-19 “because they are not trying to unseat a President in November.” | Some say the United States is in a second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, but many experts believe it is still in the first. The United States is not alone in seeing a resurgence of coronavirus infections. | false | Elections, Public Health, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "A proud supporter of President Donald Trump sees a political conspiracy behind the recent resurgence in coronavirus cases in the United States. She claimed on Facebook: ""The reason no other Country on Earth is having a ‘second wave’ is because they are not trying to unseat a President in November."" The woman include... |
40121 | The Latin American “kissing bug” has infected people in the U.S. with Chagas disease, which is also called “the silent killer.” | Kissing Bug Spreading “Silent Killer” Disease. | true | Medical | It’s true that triatomine bugs, which are often called “kissing bugs,” have been linked to Chagas disease in the United States. Researchers with the American Society of Topical Medicine and Hygiene estimated that there were about 300,000 cases of Chagas disease in the U.S. by early November 2014. The potentia... |
2098 | Men taking drugs for sex function risk sex diseases. | Men who took erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra were more likely to become infected with sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. | true | Health News | This infection rate was higher even in the year before the men got their prescriptions filled, which suggests the risky behavior came first, the researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study shows that even middle-aged men need advice about spreading and catching STDs, especially AIDS, which is dea... |
6903 | Arizona facility temporarily closing after 4th dolphin death. | After the death of a fourth dolphin, a Phoenix-area aquatic facility announced Tuesday that it will temporarily close for a reevaluation by an outside panel of experts. | true | Arizona, Animals, Phoenix, Science, Travel, Dolphins | Officials with Dolphinaris Arizona said the voluntary closure will start Friday and there isn’t an immediate timetable for reopening. They said in a statement that an investigative panel that includes veterinarians, pathologists, water quality experts and animal behavior specialists will assess all aspects of the facil... |
31354 | A photograph shows a man holding a 3-foot grasshopper. | The image showing a man holding a three-foot long grasshopper is not real. This picture was created as a prank in the 1930s and continues to fool viewers today. | false | Fauxtography, giant grasshopper, grasshopper | For several years, a black-and-white photograph purporting to show a man holding an enormous grasshopper has been widely shared on social media: Moreover, if the image were real, the grasshopper would cast a shadow on the man’s pants and on the ground, in the same direction as the man’s shadow. An uncropped version o... |
14392 | This unit is the only one in the state that strives to implement the principles of Mother-Friendly care as outlined by the national Coalition for Improving Maternity Services Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative. | ": Bibeau said Memorial Hospital’s birthing center is the only Rhode Island center that strives to accomplish the goals set out by the ""Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative"" from the national Coalition for Improving Maternity Services Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative. Bibeau said Memorial Hospital’s birthing ce... | false | Rhode Island, Health Care, Coalition To Save Memorial Hospital Birthing Center, | "When Care New England announced its plan to eliminate some of Memorial Hospital’s services, including the obstetrics unit, it ignited an emotional debate about birthing in Rhode Island. The Health Department heard hours of testimony from mothers and nurses rallying around Memorial Hospital. But few voices have been st... |
7947 | Italian with coronavirus in Nigeria was not isolated for almost 48 hours. | An Italian man who has been confirmed as Nigeria’s first coronavirus case after arriving from Milan was in the country for almost two full days, traveling through Lagos and visiting another state before being isolated. | true | Health News | The case is the first in sub-Saharan Africa. Authorities fear the virus could spread quickly in a region where health systems are already overburdened with cases of malaria, measles, Ebola and other infectious diseases. Lagos, with 20 million people, is the biggest city in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. The W... |
16803 | "Cranston's 2014-2015 ""budget funds 100 percent of the local police and fire pension and other retiree benefit costs." | "Cranston Mayor Allan Fung said, ""Our budget funds 100 percent of the local police and fire pension and other retiree benefit costs."" The city is making the minimum required payments for retirement benefits through the state-run MERS system and to pay down this year's share of the bill for the huge long-term liabilit... | true | Rhode Island, Economy, Income, Labor, Pensions, Unions, Workers, Taxes, Allan Fung, | "It wasn't that long ago that Cranston was facing an overwhelming bill for retirees and potential retirees, a crisis that prompted Mayor Allan Fung to seek concessions from the city's police and fire unions. The city was in trouble because, for years, its elected officials failed to invest enough money to cover the ret... |
11519 | Easing the Pain: New Hope for Migraine Sufferers | This television news story discusses drug treatments for the relief of migraines, namely, a drug called Trexima, which is a combination of naproxen sodium and sumatriptan. While the pill is being promoted as a “newer treatment”, there is absolutely nothing new about these drugs. Sumatriptan is a drug that is effective ... | false | No information provided on the cost of treatment, either new combination drug or other methods of delivery for migraine relief. NSAIDs are OTC and would likely be less expensive alone than in combination with a prescription. The story gave no quantitative evidence from trials on Trexima or other migraine medication del... | |
8842 | Combo pill cuts blood pressure and heart risks. | Lotrel, a pill combining two blood pressure drugs in one, was so effective at preventing heart attacks and other problems in a clinical trial that the study was stopped early, and its findings may change the way hypertension is treated, U.S. researchers said on Monday. | true | Health News | A doctor checks a patient's blood pressure in a file photo. Lotrel, a pill combining two blood pressure drugs in one, was so effective at preventing heart attacks and other problems in a clinical trial that the study was stopped early, and its findings may change the way hypertension is treated, U.S. researchers said o... |
5168 | Polanski asks court to restore his film academy membership. | Roman Polanski asked a judge Friday to restore his membership in the organization that bestows the Academy Awards nearly a year after he was expelled from it for sexual misconduct. | true | Academy Awards, AP Top News, Roman Polanski, Harvey Weinstein, Entertainment, Movies, North America, Bill Cosby, Science, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | Lawyers for the 85-year-old fugitive director petitioned Los Angeles Superior Court to compel the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to make him a member in good standing again. In May, the academy made the rare move of expelling Polanski and Bill Cosby, months after ending the membership of disgraced movie mo... |
7534 | Questions complicate efforts to contain new virus from China. | Reports one day suggest the respiratory outbreak in China might be slowing, the next brings word of thousands more cases. Even the experts have whiplash in trying to determine if the epidemic is getting worse, or if a backlog of the sick is finally getting counted. | true | AP Top News, Epidemics, General News, MERS, Flu, International News, China, Virus Outbreak, Asia Pacific, U.S. News, Health, United States | Continuing questions about the new virus are complicating health authorities’ efforts to curtail its spread around the world. And the United States is taking the first steps to check that cases masquerading as the flu won’t be missed, another safeguard on top of travel restrictions and quarantines. Here’s what you shou... |
16493 | "Charlie Crist Says Rick Scott ""thinks employers should be able to deny women coverage for birth control." | "Crist’s ad states that Scott ""thinks employers should be able to deny women coverage for birth control."" We struggled to find statements Scott made about employers and birth control. His spokesman didn't give us a denial when asked. We found a couple of statements which show he is against the federal government dict... | true | Abortion, Health Care, Government Regulation, Supreme Court, Women, Florida, Charlie Crist, | "Charlie Crist’s most recent TV attack labels Republican Gov. Rick Scott as ""extreme"" on women’s issues. A few days after he snagged the endorsement of Planned Parenthood PAC, Crist issued an ad showing a series of women attacking Scott’s record on abortion, birth control and equal pay for women. One of the claims in... |
14249 | She is the only candidate who has stood by our community and immigration reform from the beginning. | "Hillary Clinton has long supported the immigrant community: from law school to the Senate to the Cabinet, and she's built a strong record of what her ad calls ""immigration reform."" She may well have been at it ""from the beginning,"" but to say she is the ""only"" candidate supporting ""immigration reform"" over a c... | false | Immigration, Rhode Island, Hillary Clinton, | "In a new radio ad in Spanish, Hillary Clinton's campaign champions her work on immigration reform and says she's been ""standing with Latino families in Rhode Island and across the country for her entire career."" ""In Rhode Island, we come from all over. Our diversity is our strength,"" the campaign says in the ad. T... |
9753 | Better communication can help couples affected by Alzheimer’s | This story reports on a study about an important topic — how caregiver spouses of Alzheimer’s patients work at maintaining communications in their marriages despite the effects of the disease. The story nicely summarizes the researchers’ conclusions and suggests several potentially useful approaches caregivers can use ... | false | Alzheimer's,Boston Globe | Costs are not discussed. In fairness, the use of the strategies revealed by this study really costs nothing, but there has to be some educational component to train caregiver spouses in their use, and such instruction would carry some cost. The story could have given us some idea of what might be entailed. The headline... |
5129 | Ariz. AG: Marijuana money can be used for addiction services. | Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich says the legal door is open for the Legislature to use money from state’s medical marijuana program to pay for services to help people addicted to drugs. | true | Legislature, Arizona, Medical marijuana, Sylvia Allen, Drug addiction | Arizona voters approved a 2010 law creating the medical marijuana program and Brnovich says providing funding for drug addiction services from medical marijuana program money is legal if the legislative action satisfies conditions required under the Arizona Constitution’s provision protecting voter-approved laws. An op... |
26455 | “During the flu pandemic of 1918, some cities lifted social distancing measures too fast, too soon, and created a second wave of pandemic.” | Protesters called on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to relax Michigan’s social distancing requirements. Whitmer said she will base decisions on how to reopen Michigan on facts and science. A 2007 study found that amid the 1918 flu pandemic, many cities experienced second waves after ending social distancing. | true | States, Coronavirus, Gretchen Whitmer, | "Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders prompted conservatives to organize protests, but Whitmer said she will base decisions on how and when to relax Michigan’s social distancing guidelines on facts and science. At a press conference April 15, Whitmer said that the protests where people gathered without masks in ... |
21664 | Our government has spent $2.6 million to teach Chinese prostitutes how to drink responsibly. | Founder of Tea Party Nation claims U.S. government has spent $2.6 million to teach Chinese prostitutes how to drink responsibly | mixture | National, Federal Budget, Judson Phillips, | "America has a spending crisis, not a debt crisis, Judson Phillips, founder and chief executive of Tea Party Nation, argued in an opinion piece published by the Washington Post on July 27, 2011. He called the federal government bloated and lambasted legislators for funding too many wasteful programs. And then he offere... |
4636 | VA will provide in-home care for vet with Gehrig’s disease. | The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has reached an agreement to continue in-home health care for an Oregon veteran with Lou Gehrig’s disease, it was announced Friday. | true | Health, Lou Gehrigs disease, Lawsuits, Oregon, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Michael Williamson, Veterans, Veterans affairs, Springfield | Michael Williamson of Springfield sued the federal agency on Jan. 23 in U.S. District Court in Eugene after a VA contract company notified him that his home health care of nearly 20 years would soon end because it couldn’t find caregivers for his round-the-clock assistance. Officials at the Roseburg VA Health Care Syst... |
31835 | "Canadian immigrants with ""two wives"" receive a host of government benefits upon their their arrival." | The agency also noted that — according to preliminary findings — 53 percent of privately-sponsored adult refugees living outside of Quebec by 1 March 2016 had already found employment. IRCC said the employment rate for adult refugees taking part in government assistance programs outside of the same province was around ... | false | Politics Immigration, canada, immigration, migrants | In January 2017, an image macro circulated via Facebook taking aim at Muslim refugees in Canada by misstating the nature of several benefits available to them. The misleading nature of the macro begins with suggestion that a smiling gentleman depicted in the image actually entered Canada with “two wives and six childre... |
16667 | Mitt Romney did not run his campaign on the basis of arguing his experience in the business world was a reason to vote for him. | Insurers and pension funds managing $2.3 trillion pledged on Monday to shift their portfolios away from carbon-heavy industries in the hope of triggering snowballing climate commitments from other big investors. | false | Elections, Negative Campaigning, Wisconsin, Scott Walker, | German insurer Allianz, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), and Swedish pension fund Alecta were among the founders of the new “Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance” launched at a United Nations climate summit. “Mitigating climate change is the challenge of our lifetime. Politics, business and societ... |
23817 | Fifty-three percent of teens in Central Falls are getting pregnant. | Linc Chafee says 53 percent of teenagers in Central Falls are getting pregnant | false | Rhode Island, Children, Economy, Education, Families, Health Care, Women, Lincoln Chafee, | "During a May 4 forum that included six gubernatorial candidates, independent Lincoln Chafee was asked by Vanessa Volz, of R.I. National Organization for Women, about the high rate of teen sexual activity, the social and economic costs of teen pregnancy, and whether he would support a bill requiring age-appropriate and... |
11263 | In Europe it’s fish oil after heart attacks, but not in U.S. | This story did not go far enough to present information on all sides of the fish oil debate; instead, it focused on the availability of one prescription product. Embedded within this story are some concepts that are very important to understanding medical recommendations and health claims. The story states that “The fa... | false | This story did not discuss the costs of any of the means to increase dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake. The overall focus of this story is that because fish oil is more often prescribed in Europe than in the United States, that the disease is better treated there than here. The study cited to support the contention tha... |
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