Checkers

An old video showing a Russian drone attack is circulating online with false claims that it depicts a Houthi strike on Saudi Arabia. Fact-checkers have confirmed the footage predates the conflict and has no connection to the Houthis or Saudi Arabia. The misleading clip is the latest example of unrelated combat footage being recirculated to support false claims about Middle East tensions.

Payment schedules are dominating conversation in Brazil, with the INSS releasing its October calendar for retirees and pensioners and the government confirming an early 13th-salary payment for workers in 2026. The topic intersects with news that Defence and Education ministries face budget containment measures, while fact-checkers flag misleading posts comparing pension and Bolsa Família adjustments across different periods.

George Russell and Max Verstappen crossed the line at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix separated by just 0.196 seconds, the tightest finish in Formula 1 in 24 years, dating back to 2002. Motorsport fans are reacting to the remarkably close sprint to the checkered flag between the two drivers.

Truecaller has launched a new tool called Scam Checker, designed to help users detect fraud attempts. The feature lets users check links, phone numbers and suspicious messages for signs of scams such as phishing. The tool is being discussed in connection with both iOS and Android versions of the app.

A claim circulating asks whether US Representative Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin voted five times against ending the war with Iran. Wisconsin Watch, Civic Media and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel have all run fact-checks of the question. No verified result on the claim's accuracy is included here.

Savers are checking when National Savings and Investments holds its monthly Premium Bonds prize draws and how to use the NS&I prize checker. Premium Bonds remain one of Britain's most popular savings products, with millions of holders following each draw for tax-free prizes ranging from £25 to £1 million.

Officials or fact-checkers are seeking to verify claims that over 250,000 non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada, and that roughly 278,000 non-citizens are registered for federal elections. The claims include a cited figure of 118,003, with the accuracy of the numbers still unconfirmed as scrutiny continues.

Homeowners in England are being urged to check whether their properties are at risk of flooding, with campaigns warning that around a third of people do not realise the danger their homes face. Roughly two million people in the UK are believed to be unaware they live in areas at risk, prompting calls for residents to use official flood risk checkers as wetter autumn and winter weather approaches.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is the subject of a new fact check examining claims that she ignored election laws and lost election-related lawsuits. The fact check, published by Bridge Michigan, tests the accuracy of those assertions against court records and legal rulings. The review comes amid ongoing scrutiny of election administration in Michigan and continued political disputes over how the state's elections have been run.

Flydubai is facing questions about the nationalities of the pilots involved in an emergency landing, with claims circulating that the crew were Russian or Ukrainian. Fact-checkers investigated the nationality claims, and no confirmed evidence has been provided to substantiate them. The airline has not commented publicly on the crew's backgrounds.

A widely shared claim that Israeli Foreign Ministry official Ivgeni Zarubinski called for pagers to be activated in Ireland is false. Zarubinski is a satirist, not a government official, and fact checkers have debunked the mischaracterisation as misinformation.

The Philadelphia 76ers are being scrutinized as one of the boldest roster experiments in NBA history, bringing together big personalities with shared, checkered pasts, including LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey under coach Daryl Brown-era leadership. Commentators say the coming season will reveal whether the mix of star talent and complicated histories produces championship chemistry or combusts.