The Record · weekly wrap-up
The Week in Grades
Oct 19–25, 2026 · 49 reports fact-checked
Every week Clad wraps up what its fact-checks found: the best- and worst-graded coverage, the claims most disputed by the evidence, and the stories that were covered heavily from one side. This is the same review the Sunday newsletter carries — kept here for the record.
Free account · no card
See grades free with an account.
Letter grades, lean scores, charts, midterms tools, and Reader Reactions unlock the moment you sign up. No card required.
- Grades on every report
- Lean scores & charts
- Quiz · midterms ballot · newsletter
Already have an account? Sign in.
Most disputed claims
Losing about one language a week; half the world's languages lost in 100 years
Common claim traces to illustrative 2000 projection by David Crystal; recent studies (Cambridge Prisms, SIL) find 4-9 per year or one every 6-13 weeks, with ~40-44% endangered. Read the full report →
CBS ratings have collapsed because of Weiss, but owners don't care as it's about narrative control
Newsweek and Nielsen data show modest 3% decline in Evening News viewers with some quarterly gains and demo fluctuations; 60 Minutes had episode-specific dips but no wholesale collapse reported. Read the full report →
Nick Shirley has done an amazing job exposing fraud as a very young guy who got it very early
Shirley's 2025 Minnesota videos went viral, prompted federal attention and some guilty pleas, but state inspections and reporting (NYT, NPR, Star Tribune) found limited evidence for many of his specific empty-center claims. Read the full report →
The US gave Ukraine $350 billion and got nothing back except a big chunk of land, rare earth, and grief
US appropriations for Ukraine response total ~$175-195B per SIGAR, CRS, and Kiel Institute; minerals deal creates joint fund with revenue sharing but no direct land transfer or full repayment. Read the full report →
Russians are losing territory on the battlefield and can only lob missiles at civilians
ISW reports Russia made net territorial gains in 2026 (~144 sq km Jan-Sep) though slowed; Ukraine has clawed back some areas in Donbas counteroffensives, but claim of outright losses is overstated. Read the full report →