4 min read

Your hourly fact checks

All English Fact Checks

False: Politico did not report that 20 million Ukrainians would die to win war Politico did not publish an article saying the deaths of 20 million Ukrainians were needed to win Russia’s war on the country, as suggested in a misleading image shared widely online. The Politico logo can be seen across the upper-third of a supposed screenshot with a headline th (Source: Reuters)

False: The Guardian did not publish op-ed criticising British ex-politician's award The Guardian newspaper did not publish an opinion column that suggested an award won by British broadcaster and former politician Nigel Farage was because of Russian money, as is claimed in a fabricated screenshot circulating online. The image shows the headline of a fictitious c (Source: Reuters)

Average mortgage pay...: Average mortgage payments will be going up by £2,900 this year. "Average mortgage payments will be going up by a crippling £2,900 this year, so where does the Chancellor think families will get the money to pay the Tory mortgage penalty?" Rachel Reeves MP, 20 June 2023 . In Parliament last week , shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed that " (Source: Full Fact)

False: A powdered milk product increases breast size. Filipino doctors say consuming milk does not enhance the size of one's breasts, contradicting false claims shared on Facebook to promote a brand of powdered milk. A plastic surgeon and a gynaecologist separately told AFP that only surgical procedures effectively enhance breast size. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: JVP cooperative acquired an apparel factory that shut down in Sri Lanka Facebook posts in Sri Lanka falsely say a cooperative controlled by a political opposition party acquired a factory from a major conglomerate in the island nation to save it from closure. But spokespersons for the cooperative and the People's Liberation Front (JVP) opposition party told AFP the claim is a fabrication. Apparel manufacturer Hirdaramani announced it had shut down its operations at the factory on May 22. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: Indonesia's ruling party PDI-P announces Ahok as VP candidate A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times after it circulated in June 2023 with a false claim that the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has officially nominated former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama -- also known as Ahok -- as the party's vice-presidential candidate for the country's election in 2024. While the PDI-P has named Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential candidate in the election, as of June 30, 2023, the party has not named his running mate. A senior PDI-P politician and Ahok's camp have also told AFP the claim is false. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

Misleading: Australian research shows garlic kills Covid Social media posts -- including one from a former Australian lawmaker -- misleadingly claim a study commissioned by a garlic producer has shown the popular spice works better against Covid-19 than vaccines. But the institute that conducted the study has clarified its findings "do not show medical treatment application" for garlic as the research had only been done in a laboratory. In contrast, vaccines have passed stringent human clinical trials and remain "most effective" in reducing severe coronavirus illness and deaths, scientists say. (Source: Agence France-Presse - AFP)

False: When Boris Johnson was admitted with Covid-19 all staff at St Thomas' Hospital were required to sign the Official Secrets Act. Two doctors who disagreed with his diagnosis refused, and were sent home 'on leave', and one said they did not believe he had Covid-19. A number of posts on social media are sharing claims taken from a satirical blog post about former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's time in hospital with Covid-19 as if they were true . The posts say: "Dorset Eye are reporting that when the PM was admitted to hospital, all staff we (Source: Full Fact)

Correct: "[There were] fewer election petitions filed [in 2022]; 124 petitions compared to 303 in 2017." Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

Incorrect: "A huge number of Kenyans, about 10 million, had … been blacklisted by the credit reference bureaus …" Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

Mostly Correct: "... 83% or 15.3 million jobs are in the informal sector." Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

Mostly Correct: "Only 3.1 million jobs are in the formal sector, representing 17%." Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

Unproven: "... Safaricom alone has enrolled at least two million new subscribers into their financial ecosystem courtesy of the Hustler Fund." Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

Mostly Correct: "Seven million Kenyans live in slums." Ruto is right that there were significantly fewer election petitions filed after the 2022 elections than in 2017, but a governance expert told us it wasn't easy to discern the reasons for this. The president was also mostly right about the split between the number of jobs in the  (Source: Africa Check)

False: Image circulating on social media shows a damaged Caribbean Airlines aircraft, not a plane landed in Homa Bay, Kenya IN SHORT: Since Kenya's Renegade Air launched a new route to Homa Bay in the west of the country, rumours have flown on social media about the airline's fleet. But this photo shows a damaged plane on Tobago in the Caribbean, far away from Kenya. "Aircraft misses runway at Kabunde (Source: Africa Check)

All German Fact Checks

Frei Erfunden: Coca-Cola verschenke einen Minikühlschrank und weitere Preise an Personen, die die Anzahl der Enten auf einem Bild richtig zählen. Auf Facebook ist diese Masche immer wieder zu beobachten: Nutzerinnen und Nutzer werden mit Gewinnen gelockt, wenn sie unter einem Bild kommentieren. Diese Art von Gewinnspiel stellte sich schon häufiger als Fake heraus. Betroffen waren Marken wieEdeka,ActionundFanta./n/nDiesmal  (Source: Correctiv)