Your weekly fact-check
#Politics
Mostly-True: Texas bill passed to give a Republican appointee the power to single-handedly cancel election results in the largest Democratic county
The Texas Senate voted in favor of SB 1993, which says the secretary of state will call for a new election if a county runs out of ballots at 2% of voting sites. The bill says it applies only to counties with a population of at least 2.7 million people, which means it applies only to Harris County. (Source: PolitiFact)
Missing Context: The Republican-led House of Representatives is giving itself a pay raise even as it proposes slashing federal spending for military veterans.
The House is enacting new regulations that were approved during last year’s Democrat-controlled session, The new legislation does not actually increase their base salary, but allows them to be reimbursed for certain expenses. (Source: Associated Press - AP News)
True: Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling three times when Donald Trump was president, with no preconditions.
The debt ceiling was raised by legislation three times during the Trump administration without preconditions. However, in 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives led by Republicans passed a bill raising the debt ceiling with a precondition of deep spending cuts. (Source: Snopes)
#Health
False: German judges in court cases did not rule on whether measles virus exists
In a court case between 2013 and 2016 in Germany involving the measles virus, judges settled a civil dispute but did not rule on the existence of the virus itself. The court specifically stated that the case was not about the virus' existence and that it was a strictly legal decision. (Source: Reuters)
Mostly False: Drinking cold water in hot environment causes stroke
Drinking cold water in hot environments doesn't cause strokes, but it may cause discomfort. The body has natural mechanisms to protect against temperature changes, but it's best to rest before consuming anything too cold. (Source: Thip Media)
Unproven: People with diabetes should not eat fish without scales
“There is no health recommendation against eating fish – with or without scales – for people with diabetes,” said health experts convened by non-profit organization Meedan. (Source: Vera Files)
#Other
Misleading: Solar, wind power drive up electricity prices
No clear relationship exists between the two and new technologies like batteries are becoming increasingly cheap. Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Union show that even in countries with high shares of solar and wind, electricity prices can be relatively low. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)
False: A motorcycle made of 22 Carat Gold was gifted to Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia
This motorcycle belongs to a person named Faisal Abu Sara, who hails from Saudi Arabia. According to him, this motorcycle, which is named ‘The Storm’, has original Gold plating on it but is not completely made with metal Gold. There are no news reports to prove this was gifted to Cristiano Ronaldo. (Source: Factly)
Misleading: A high pressure waterjet can effectively cut through the hardest materials, including rocks, metals, bulletproof glass, and even diamonds
While pure waterjet cutting can be used to cut softer materials, abrasive waterjet cutting is required to cut through harder substances such as metals and ceramics. This is because abrasive particles like garnet or aluminium oxide are added to the high-pressure water stream, which increases the cutting force and allows for effective cutting of hard materials. (Source: Factly)
Street Theater: Members of the Queen's Guard in the United Kingdom did retaliate against tourists who taunted and harassed them until they finally lashed out.
This claim is false. The video compilation was put together for social media channels by actors staging a prank and social experiment. The group's YouTube channel and Facebook page reveal that their pranks are deliberately provocative and controversial. (Source: Lead Stories)
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