​ WEDNESDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker 23 December 2020 Is the Wheel of Fortune ‘Clam Digger’ Video Real? ​ On Dec. 17, 2020, TikTok user @mostlyh2o reposted an old game show video that purported to show a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” making an unfortunate letter choice. How did it really happen? Snopes' Jordan Liles has more. Read More Announcing: Our First-Ever Snopes Awards There’s no way around it: 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year. But despite this, people from all over the world have come together to fight misinformation. On Dec. 30, 2020, we’re celebrating these "Lamplighters" who have done work to inspire, inform, or otherwise light the path towards truth with our first-ever Snopes Awards. Learn more or nominate someone here:   Read More Fact Checks Did Second COVID-19 Stimulus Include Foreign Aid? A misleading meme about the second coronavirus stimulus bill sparked internet outrage. ✅❌​ Mixture   Did Antarctica Report Its First COVID-19 Cases in December 2020? The southern continent fended off the novel coronavirus for nearly a year. ✅ True   Did an Ex-Police Dog Bark at a Dead Body in a Tree? An online advertisement and 40-page story about an "ex-cop dog" that barked at a tree was highly misleading. ❌​ False   Is the 1950s ‘Thalidomide Tragedy’ Indicative of COVID-19 Vaccine Risks? The therapeutic was commonly prescribed as a treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women, ultimately leading to congenital deformities in thousands of newborns. ✅❌​ Mixture   Did David Muir ‘Reveal His Partner’ and Pose Shirtless? An online advertisement featured a shirtless picture of ABC News anchor David Muir and claimed he "revealed his partner." ❌​ False View Latest Fact Checks Snopes is a Team Effort Our team of reporters and editors can't do what we do without your support. A contribution to Snopes today keeps us strong in 2021. $5 $20 $50 $100 $200 $250 View more options News WH Virus Coordinator Deborah Birx Says She Will Retire Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, said she plans to retire, but is willing to first help President-elect Joe Biden's team with its coronavirus response as needed. Read More   Can Employers Make COVID-19 Vaccination Mandatory? Experts say employers can require employees to take safety measures, including vaccination. Read More   Brandy Vaughan Died of Natural Causes, Say Police Brandy Vaughan, the founder of the anti-vaccination group Learn the Risk, died at age 45 in December 2020. Read More   US Deaths in 2020 Top 3 Million, By Far Most Ever Counted This is the deadliest year in U.S. history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic. Read More   Newsom Taps California Election Chief Padilla for US Senate The historic pick sends a Latino to the Senate for the first time in the California's history. Read More

View Latest News Staff Pick ​ Did Brazil’s President Bolsonaro Imply COVID-19 Vaccine Turns People Into Crocodiles?   He also said he would not get vaccinated while launching a mass inoculation program in Brazil. Read More