The news

Fact checks about topical content and debate in UK news

20 May 2025

No evidence Pope Leo XIV said being called woke is the gospel

A quote attributed to the new Pope is circulating widely online, but we could find no evidence he actually said this.

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Pope Leo XIV speaking into a microphone
16 May 2025

Fake CNN graphic comparing India and Pakistan’s conflict statistics circulates online

CNN says the image is fabricated.

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The outside of the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, US with the CNN logo displayed.
16 May 2025

Image showing new Pope with rappers is altered

The picture is actually a composite, in which an image of the new Pope has been added to a photograph from 2020.

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Pope Leo XIV on the balcony above St Peter’s Square.
2 May 2025

Video of several large Palestinian flags is not from Pope’s funeral

The footage dates back to December 2023.

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30 April 2025

Clip does not show Zelenskyy performing comedy routine for Putin

Two unrelated clips have been edited together to make it appear as if the Russian president was laughing in the audience.

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30 April 2025

German news outlet did not report Russian spies had US defence secretary’s phone number

A claim that German intelligence arrested two Russian spies who had Pete Hegseth’s private number was attributed to Der Spiegel, but the publication confirmed it did not publish such a story.

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30 April 2025

Is Labour right to claim Reform UK would ‘scrap the NHS’?

In the run-up to the local elections, Labour is warning Reform UK would make people pay to use the health service—a claim the party’s strongly denied. Full Fact looks at the evidence.

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29 April 2025

Facebook posts appear to overstate payments for parliamentarians

Generally MPs are paid salaries and members of the House of Lords are entitled to attendance allowances, but none of them receive both.

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28 April 2025

Video of Cristiano Ronaldo showing support for Palestinians is a deepfake

Mr Ronaldo does not reference Palestinians in the original footage.

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25 April 2025

Video of Pope’s ‘final public address’ is actually from 2023

Misleading claims that a clip of Pope Francis speaking about the conflict in Gaza is from his final speech before his death on 21 April have been circulating on social media.

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