Snopes.com - "Rogue" U.S. vet team's Operation "Pineapple Express," pro-LGBT+ chalk art, a misattributed American history quote, and pet abduction in the U.K.

​ SATURDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker 4 September 2021 Tonight: "Rogue" U.S. vet team's Operation "Pineapple Express," pro-LGBT+ chalk art, a misattributed American history quote, and pet abduction in the U.K. ​ Did a ‘Rogue’ Team of US Vets Rescue Afghans Behind Biden’s Back in Operation ‘Pineapple Express’? In mid-August 2021, the Taliban took over most major cities in Afghanistan, including Kabul, resulting in a mass evacuation effort of Afghan citizens, including those who had worked in some capacity with the U.S. government and military.  As uniformed members of the U.S. military held back at Kabul airport with strict instructions to not move beyond the perimeter to help people, an informal group of volunteers led by American veterans of the war coordinated an operation to evacuate their allies, consisting of Afghan elite-forces members and their families. Nur Ibrahim reports. Read More URGENT: Save Our Snopes Dear Debunker readers, Four years ago, we launched a GoFundMe campaign to fight off legal threats, SLAPP lawsuits, and a takeover attempt by hostile shareholders. Many of you stood up and helped, and we cannot tell you how much we appreciate it. We thought we’d have good news to share with you by now, but that is unfortunately not the case. Although every major court ruling has been in our favor so far, the point of these lawsuits has been — always — to bleed Snopes dry. Now, on the verge of trial, the years of constant legal battles have your favorite fact-checkers in need of rescue. That’s why we’re launching one more campaign to Save Our Snopes. Will you help us? Contribute Fact Checks and Original Reporting Did BYU Repeatedly Wash Away Pro-LGBT+ Chalk Art on Campus? Messages of love and support for LGBT+ BYU students appeared on or near campus in August 2021 in protest against remarks made by Jeffrey Holland, a leading figure in the Mormon church. Read Story. Who Said ‘For True Patriots To Be Silent, Is Dangerous’? Rep. Lauren Boebert attributed this quote to President John Adams, but it was actually said by Founding Father Samuel Adams. Read Story. Did UK Government Announce Plans to Criminalize Pet Abduction? Animal rights groups have long lobbied for a change to legislation across the U.K. to acknowledge the sentience of animals. Read Story. View Latest Fact Checks Entertainment Rumors, legends, and lore about Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and its many stars. Read More News NHL Reaches Agreement to Send Players to Olympics in Beijing The NHL is set to return to the Olympics in Beijing this winter after reaching an agreement with international officials, though the league and players have the opportunity to withdraw if pandemic circumstances warrant. Read More 20 Years After 9/11: ‘We Will Live with the Scars’ Forever Across the country, it was 10:03 a.m. and United Flight 93 had just crashed into a Pennsylvania field. Read More Half-Shredded Banksy Could Fetch over $5 Million at Auction Auctioneer Sotheby’s said Friday that “Love is in the Bin” will be offered at a sale in London on Oct. 14. Read More

View Latest News Staff Pick ​ Did Four AI Robots Kill 29 Scientists in Japan? The claim came from a UFOlogist -- and, yes, it does sound like something from a movie. Read More