SATURDAY EDITION

Snopes Debunker

Yes, Some LA Fire Hydrants Ran Out of Water. That's Not the Whole Story, Though

On Jan. 8, as residents in the Los Angeles area fled destructive wildfires, claims circulated that fire hydrants had run out of water. Popular claims that there was "no water in the fire hydrants" abounded on social media and were also picked up by local and national news sources like the Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press.

Los Angeles officials addressed the claim during news conferences on Jan. 8. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO Janisse Quiñones told reporters that 20% of fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades area lost water supply due to "tremendous" pressure on the system during firefighting efforts for the Palisades fire. Fire hydrants do not generally have the capacity to be used in large-scale firefighting, officials also said. Snopes reporter Laerke Christensen reports.

What We Know About 'True' Events That Inspired 'Squid Game' on Netflix

An online rumor claims the show was based on a true story of hostages held in a South Korean bunker in 1986.

A Complete Guide to Trump's Cabinet Appointees

Who's in charge come January, and what do they stand for?

Meta Axed Policy That Prohibits Comparing Women to 'Household Objects.' Here's What Else Changed

The tech giant implemented major updates to its hateful-conduct policies on Jan. 7 — the same day it ended its U.S. fact-checking program.

Are HMPV Cases on the Rise in China? Here's What We Know

Chinese officials said a rise in HMPV cases was nothing out of the ordinary during the winter season.

Staff Pick

Snopes CEO's Take on Meta Cutting Ties with Fact-Checkers

The social platform announced sweeping changes in early January.