Proof Engine Verification: Local Cepheid-variable measurements of the Hubble constant exceed 72 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹ while the 2018 Planck CMB inference yields a value below 68 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹.

Verdict: PROVED (with unverified citations) - The SH0ES Cepheid-calibrated distance ladder yields H₀ = 73.04 ± 1.04 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹ (Riess et al. 2022), which exceeds 72 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹. - The Planck 2018 CMB inference under base-ΛCDM yields H₀ = 67.4 ± 0.5 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹, which is below 68 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹. - The gap between the two measurements is 5.64 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹, corresponding to the well-documented "Hubble tension" at >5σ significance. - Both values are independently confirmed by cross-check sources (arXiv + IOPscience for SH0ES; ar