62% of income received by farmers in Northern Ireland comes from the European Union.

Introduction 01The European Union (EU) pays direct subsidies to farmers as part of Pillar I1 of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A key aim of these direct payments is to support farmers’ income. However, the CAP has come under increasing criticism for not doing enough to limit the negative effect that certain farming practices have on the environment and climate2. [...] 38Additionally, as mentioned in paragraphs 4 and 26, many holdings are exempt from the greening requirements but still receive the green payment. According to the data Member States reported to the Commission, in 2015, 76 % of EU farms, covering 27 % of all EU farmland were not subject to any greening obligations at all (see Figure 4). These figures include farmers who do not claim their land under CAP direct payments48. Among green payment recipients, a total of 65 %, farming around 16 % of the EU farmland declared for direct payments, were fully exempt from all greening obligations.


The Red Cross is refusing blood donations from anyone who has received a vaccination for COVID.

The Red Cross is following FDA blood donation eligibility guidance for those who receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Deferral times for donations may vary depending on which brand of vaccine you received. If you’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll need to provide the manufacturer name when you come to donate. In most cases, there is no deferral time for individuals who received a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they are symptom-free and feeling well at the time of donation. If you have further eligibility questions, please call 1-800-RED CROSS. Regardless, of the type of vaccine an individual receives, all donors must be symptom-free and feeling well at the time of donation. If an individual is experiencing any symptoms from the COVID-19 vaccine, the Red Cross asks that they postpone their donation until they are feeling better. [...] The Red Cross is committed to the safety of donors, staff, and volunteers. We only collect blood from donors who are healthy and symptom-free. No matter which COVID-19 vaccine you receive, please do not present to donate unless you are symptom-free and feeling well. Mild side effects can occur after the administration of vaccines of any type, although they usually disappear within a few days. If you experience any side effects, please wait to donate until you are feeling well.


There is a greater chance of dying in a bus collision than by COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Risk of flu or road accident higher than COVID-19 for schoolchildren, says deputy CMO [...] The risks of catching flu or being involved in a road accident are "higher" than contracting coronavirus for schoolchildren, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.


Northern Ireland Government contingency plans for COVID-19 include turning Dundonald Ice Bowl into a morgue to store bodies temporarily. A common extension is that the SSE (Odyssey) Arena has also been earmarked as a contingency morgue.

The claim is not accurate. The Department of Justice confirms that there are no plans to use either Dundonald Ice Bowl or the SSE Arena. The Justice Minister has stated that buildings on the Kinnegar site outside Holywood will be used as the Northern Ireland Temporary Resting Place if required. [...] "Sadly fences are going up around Dundonald Ice Bowl as the ice rink will be used as a morgue. Im [sic] not scare mongering and this is not fake news in preparation for the worst. The odyssey is doing the same as Dundonald." [...] "I also read that the SSE & Dundonald Ice Bowl are being prepped as temp morgues because the real ones won’t cope."


There are 1.2 billion fewer carrier bags distributed in Northern Ireland since the introduction of the carrier bag levy in 2012.

Statistics published today show that 199 million fewer carrier bags are in circulation in Northern Ireland today than when the levy was introduced in April 2013. Miss McIlveen said: "It is encouraging that so many carrier bags have been taken out of circulation since the introduction of the levy. The people of Northern Ireland have embraced the reuse and recycling of shopping bags. This significantly reduces the amount of both plastic and paper going to landfill. [...] Carrier Bag Levy Team,


There are 40,000 third-level students in northwest Ireland, with 7,000 graduates annually ready for employment.

Available data shows 9,370 third-level students in northwest Ireland, with approximately 3,300 graduates a year in the region. The Ireland Northwest Trade & Investment mission may have included figures for Ulster University Coleraine, which is outside the geography covered by the partnership. Even so, the claim is a large overestimation. On 12 November 2019, Derry City and Strabane Council published a promotional video, in which it claimed that "Ireland Northwest" contained "40,000 third level students" with "7,000 graduates annually ready for employment". [...] Derry City and Strabane District Council published a promotional video on 12 November 2019, with the aim of attracting investment into the Ireland Northwest region. The video claimed that "Ireland Northwest" had 40,000 students in third-level education, with 7,000 graduates ready for employment annually.


21% of people in Northern Ireland are living with a long-term health problem or disability.

This claim is accurate. Dr Michael Wardlow accurately presented the percentage of Northern Ireland residents who are affected by an illness or disability which affects their daily tasks. These rates are in line with the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), and while prevalence in Northern Ireland is slightly above the overall average, when all regional fluctuations are taken into account it is not an outlier.


There are approximately 100 lorries per day crossing the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and cross-border trade represents 0.5% of UK-EU trade.

This claim is inaccurate. There are 5,900 lorry (heavy goods vehicle) crossings daily. Cross-border trade represents 0.97% of UK-EU trade; alternative figures may be due to different measurement practices between countries. On 30 January 2019, UKIP leader Gerard Batten made three related claims in a tweet regarding the Ireland-Northern Ireland border. (The tweet — screenshot image below — was promptly deleted.) Firstly, he claimed that 100 lorries cross the border daily. Secondly, that trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland accounts for 0.5% of the total UK trade with EU countries. And lastly, Batten claimed that Guinness accounts for half of the total trade ("trips") across the border. [...] The tweet made three inter-related claims about Northern Ireland-Ireland trade. TheJournal.ie showed that the claim that there were 100 daily lorry crossings was a large underestimation in comparison with published data (5,900 lorries), while Diageo declared an estimated 35 daily crossings for its beer products (including Guinness).


The Court of Justice of the European Union is the supreme court for all Northern Ireland Protocol issues.

The Court of Justice of the European Union 11.1.1 In this Practice Direction - - unless otherwise stated, an Article referred to by number means the Article so numbered of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, as given effect by sections 7A and 7C of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018; [...] 11.1.2 Under Article 158, the European Court has jurisdiction to give preliminary rulings on questions concerning the interpretation of Part Two of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement (on Citizens' Rights) and, where such a question is raised before the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court may, if it considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment, request the European Court to give such a ruling. [...] 11.1.4 Under Article 12(4), the European Court has jurisdiction to give preliminary rulings on questions concerning the provisions of EU law made applicable by the second subparagraph of Article 12(2), Article 5, and Articles 7-10 of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol and, where such a question is raised before the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court will request the European Court to give a ruling thereon unless:


Three-quarters of non-voters in Northern Ireland are pro-Union.

More than three quarters of the half a million people who do not vote in elections in Northern Ireland support the Union, a major academic survey has found. [...] In a report setting out the findings, the lead author of the research project, Professor Jon Tonge from the University of Liverpool, said: "In terms of a border poll, election results may be a less accurate a guide to the desire for reunification especially when it is considered that 76.9% of non-voters who stated a preference are pro-Union. [...] As well as non-voters, a critical group in deciding the outcome of any border poll will be Alliance voters. The survey found that 58.8% of Alliance voters support the Union and 25.6% want Irish unity.


UK passports are produced by non-UK companies.

The new (blue) UK passport is produced by Thales Group (headquartered in France). However, passports will be personalised with the holder’s details in the UK. In a Facebook posting, it was claimed that several elements of the production of UK passports are done by non-UK companies. The image also claims that a company based in Durham, England, was unsuccessful in a tender for an element of this work and is facing bankruptcy. The posting shows an image of a blue-covered UK passport, with the following description: "Made by a Franco-Dutch company in Poland using Italian software to print Spanish ink on to Finnish paper in a tender that beat the company in Durham which is now facing bankruptcy." [...] The UK Government put the contract for the manufacture of UK passports out to tender under existing laws at the time. The contract was awarded to a Franco-Dutch firm that is now part of the Thales Group, based in France.


There were 84 children adopted in Northern Ireland in 2018.

EJ Havlin’s claim referred to the number of adoptions from care; in total, 91 children were adopted in Northern Ireland in 2017-18, which is a low number compared to other years. For 2013-17, Northern Ireland had a lower adoption rate than the rest of the UK, but was similar to that of Ireland. [...] EJ Havlin from Adoption UK made the comment that the numbers of children that have come through the adoption process "are very small" in Northern Ireland. She said: "last year there were 84 children who were adopted" (43:57). The Department of Health (DoH) registers the number of children who are adopted from care in Northern Ireland. Data for the year ending 31 March 2018 confirms Havlin’s claim: 84 children who have been looked after by an authority were adopted.


Northern Ireland has the lowest disposable income in the UK.

NI Has UK's Lowest Disposable Income [...] As the UK's worst performing region, it means the average family in NI has only £127 per week at its disposal once all taxes, essential items and bills have been paid. [...] The average Northern Irish household had a disposable income of £100 per week in the first quarter of 2023, a drop of 21.2% when compared to the same period last year, according to the latest Asda Income Tracker. This is the seventh consecutive quarter that NI has recorded the largest year-on-year decline in income of any region across the UK.


There are only DUP members (who are/were members of a Northern Ireland political party) in the House of Lords

John Alderdice (Lord Alderdice of Knock; Liberal Democrat): previous leader of Alliance Party; Ken Maginnis (Lord Maginnis of Drumblass; Independent Ulster Unionist): previous MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (UUP); John Taylor (Lord Kilclooney of Armagh; Crossbench): previous MP for Strangford (UUP); David Trimble (Lord Trimble of Lisnagarvey; Conservative): previous leader of UUP; and Margaret Ritchie (Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick; Non-affiliated): previous leader of SDLP.


Renters and owner-occupiers may have to pay their rates in full, while landlords can get a 10% allowance off their own rates bills. Since 1996, the private rental sector has grown significantly – from negligible size to around 13% of homes today, a similar proportion to the Housing Executive and all housing associations combined.

Landlords who pay rates bills by a set deadline receive a 10% allowance off their total bill. Owner-occupiers and renters who are responsible for paying rates can also receive a reduction in their bill, albeit this discount (4%) is lower than the help for landlords. [...] Mr Gosling suggests that "while tenants and owner occupiers may" pay full rates, landlords can get a 10% rebate provided they settle their bills in time. Landlords are entitled to a 10% allowance on their rates bill, provided they pay before a given deadline.. If they miss the deadline, landlords must pay the full amount.


Only the Irish language is banned in courts in Northern Ireland.

O Muilleoir wants to end 279-year-old ban on Irish in courts in Northern Ireland Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir has called for the overturning of a centuries-old ban on the use of the Irish language in the courts. A British penal law enacted in 1737 that requires court proceedings to be in English remains in force in Northern Ireland.


82% of the public are now wearing face masks [or coverings] on Translink buses and trains in Northern Ireland.

On 30 July 2020, surveys were conducted on 38 separate train services (across the Portadown, Bangor, Larne, Londonderry and Portrush lines); with a full passenger count taken by the on-board conductor along with the number of customers wearing a face covering; Between 30 and 31 July 2020, similar surveys were conducted on 361 Ulsterbus services, 424 Metro services and an unstated number of Glider services in Belfast; the number of passengers embarking and alighting was recorded at Translink bus stations along with a count of the number of passengers not wearing a face covering; some services were surveyed mid-route; An earlier response from the Translink freedom of information team explained that 30-31 July surveys on rail and bus services “found the number using face coverings was over 80%, showing an increasing trend”; and Translink informed FactCheckNI that the evidence for “an increasing trend” came from two previous surveys.


The DOJ and NIO joint fund an £8 million a year Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime that funds engagement directly with paramilitary organisations, such as the UVF, UFF, RHC, and UDA.

Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality, and Organised Crime Action Plan


Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, said that the party delivered “an extra billion pounds” for Northern Ireland.

The agreement stated that votes related to any other matters in the Commons will be agreed on a case-by-case basis, overseen by a coordination committee made up of both parties. The DUP secured an extra £1 billion of funding for Northern Ireland, with the money focused on health, infrastructure and education budgets.[67] Following the announcement of the agreement, the Government stated that this additional funding would not result in increased budgets in Scotland or Wales, as the money will not be subject to the Barnett formula.[71] The deal also saw the Conservatives drop their 2017 manifesto commitments to pension and winter fuel allowance changes. [...] References [edit]- ^ Maidment, Jack (26 June 2017). "DUP agrees £1bn deal with Conservatives to prop up Theresa May's minority Government". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017. [...] - ^ "DUP-Tory deal secures extra spending in Northern Ireland". BBC News. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.


MLAs were paid “nearly £2.2 million” in salaries up to 3rd September 2017.

Progressive Politics NI claimed that MLAs were paid "nearly £2.2 million" in salaries up to 3rd September 2017. Is this accurate? [...] FactCheckNI asked PPNI to explain how it calculated its estimate of "nearly £2.2 million"; it replied that it was based on MLAs earning a salary of £48,000 p.a. For the period of 13/3/2017-13/9/2017 (6 months), this equates to £2,160,000 (£4,000/month X 6 months X 90 MLAs). [...] This claim is broadly accurate: for the first six months of the new Assembly term, elected MLAs (and 3 non-returned office holders) received an estimated £2,333,188 in salaries (greater than claimed "nearly" £2.2 million). MLAs who signed the roll of membership at the Northern Ireland Assembly are receiving an annual salary of £49,500, regardless of whether the Assembly sits for business or not. (Eligible office holders are receiving a higher salary rate.)


Almost half of criminals released from prison in Northern Ireland went on to re-offend within 12 months of being freed.

NI: More than half of NI prisoners released in 2012/13 went on to re-offend Almost half of prisoners released from custody in Northern Ireland in 2012/13 went on to re-offend, according to new figures published by Justice Minister David Ford. Responding to a written question in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Ford said 1,624 prisoners were released from custody during 2012/13 and a total of 760 (46.8 per cent) went on to re-offend.


According to polling, most people planning to cast a first preference vote for the UUP in May’s Assembly election will switch their vote to nationalists before they provide a transfer to other unionist parties.

Only 7% of UUP voters plan to switch to a nationalist party first, according to the survey. While 31% say their first move will be to Alliance, that isn’t a nationalist party. 42% intend to first transfer to another unionist party: DUP, TUV or the NI Conservatives


The DUP at no point has ever agreed to establish an Irish Language Act with the UK government, with the Irish government, with Sinn Féin or anybody else.

With regard to the issues put to the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party by the Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, what is the policy of the Ulster Unionists on sitting down with Sinn Fein, which, according to the Prime Minister, is inextricably linked with Provisional IRA, while the Provisional IRA declares that it will retain all its weaponry? All the Members of this Assembly want Mr Trimble to answer that key question — particularly members of his own party. If he shares the views of the Prime Minister can he give an unequivocal assurance to all those within the broader Unionist family that he will not sit down in government with members of a party that is inextricably linked with a listed terrorist organisation which intends to retain all its weaponry? [...] I want to make a point for Mr Dodds's information. The Irish language has been used by Sinn Fein members for years - 15 years in Belfast City Council and other councils - and it will continue to be used by them. [...] We in the Democratic Unionist Party are in this House not because we are afraid of anything or anybody but because we were elected in substantial numbers by the people of Northern Ireland. We made it clear that we would never negotiate with IRA/Sinn Fein, and we have not gone back on our pledge. But we have always said in councils and elsewhere that we would never run away from any elected body, that we would confront those who want to take us down a united-Ireland route.


No one in Mid Ulster speaks Irish as their first language.

The Mid Ulster District Council launched an Irish language version of the council’s recycling guide on 13 March 2019. The guide is published in nine languages. DUP councillor Clement Cuthbertson told the News Letter on 15 March it "is actually producing unnecessary waste", saying "no one in Mid Ulster speaks Irish as their first language". [...] The Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS) provides information of the Northern Ireland census on local geographical areas. The 2011 census is the first census that asked about the main language people are using. It reveals that 440 people living in the local government district (LGD) of Mid Ulster spoke Irish (Gaelic) as their main language, representing 0.3% of the Mid Ulster population above three years old (132,025) (source: Main Language: KS207NI). That is a higher percentage than the Northern Ireland average of 0.23%. [...] In 2011, 440 people in Mid Ulster spoke Irish as their main language; 0.3% of the Mid Ulster population is not "no one".


The NI Executive’s commitment to provide financial support for new football, GAA and rugby stadiums involved an equal split between sports.

- Following the collapse of plans to build a single national stadium on the site of the former Maze/Long Kesh prison, the NI Executive agreed to support redevelopment of stadiums for football, GAA and rugby, individually. [...] The story of efforts to develop stadiums for football, GAA and rugby starts with the decision, made in 2006 under Direct Rule, to construct a single stadium at the site of the former Maze/Long Kesh prison. [...] In that sense, Mr Bryson is inaccurate. The initial agreement was not an equal split. The GAA was always set to receive more money for its tentpole stadium than the IFA was for its.


Only 3 out of 12 regions are net contributors to the UK Treasury.

This claim is accurate. Data from the ONS showed that only three regions of the UK – London, the southeast and the east of England – ran a fiscal surplus in the 2017-18 financial year, the latest year for which figures are available.


Central arts funding per capita in Northern Ireland is £4.72 per year, compared with £22.50 per person, per year in Ireland.

At the time of the claim, those figures were correct. However, planned budget cuts for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland have since been reduced – and exchange rates have also changed. Arts funding in Ireland is now closer to four times higher than in NI, rather than five. It’s worth noting that the Arts Council of Ireland has a slightly wider funding remit than the equivalent body here.


In 2015, nearly 1% of employees were not paid minimum wage.

Less than half (45%) of the 2.6 million hourly workers who were at or below the federal minimum in 2015 were ages 16 to 24. An additional 23.3% are ages 25 to 34, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; both shares have stayed more or less constant over the past decade. That 2.6 million represents less than 2% of all wage and salary workers. (See more about the demographics of minimum-wage workers.) [...] The restaurant/food service industry is the single biggest employer of near-minimum-wage workers. Our analysis also found that 3.75 million people making near-minimum wages (about 18% of the total) worked in that industry. Among near-minimum workers aged 30 and younger, about 2.5 million (or nearly a quarter of all near-minimum workers in that age bracket) work in restaurants or other food-service industries. But because many of those workers presumably are tipped, their actual gross pay may be above $10.10 an hour. (Federal law, as well as wage laws in many states, allows tipped employees to be paid less as long as "tip credits" bring their pay up to at least the applicable minimum.)


Over 95% of people living in south Belfast own their own home.

This claim is inaccurate. The 2011 Census shows that the Belfast South constituency recorded 56.1% of homes being owned outright or owned with a mortgage or loan.


The SDLP manifesto for the 2022 Assembly election claims: “The £20 Universal Credit cut marked the largest overnight welfare cut since World War II.”

One must question why Sinn Fein has become so popular in comparison to the likes of the less hard-line Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP). The SDLP was formerly the biggest Nationalist party in Northern Ireland but have consistently lost votes in recent years. In their 2022 manifesto, the SDLP promised to help tackle cost of living, reduce waiting lists for healthcare and invest in pre-school childcare. The SDLP does mention some issues which are extremely relevant to Gen-Z voters, however the party has struggled due to its position on matters such as abortion which it offers a conscience vote on, allowing MLAs to vote based off their own opinions rather than by what the party believes, this creates issues for many liberal voters, which younger voters tend to be due to a lack of firm position creating disconnect between voters and the party itself. According to the BBC (2023), a lot of younger people care more about socialist issues than simply just the border which are issues Sinn Fein can be seen as attempting to resolve alongside the border issue rather than focusing on one or the other which can arguably be seen in the case of the SDLP. The SDLP has also regularly been seen as a party for ‘Catholic middle-class middle-aged men’ (DeSouza, 2023) which does not help it to gain votes amongst younger voters. [...] Social Democratic Labour Party (2022). 2022 Manifesto. cain.ulster.ac.uk. Available at: https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/sdlp/sdlp_2022-04-27_nia-man.pdf.


If 45 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly vote to revoke the Northern Ireland Protocol, then the Protocol goes.

Under the terms of Article 18, the Northern Ireland Assembly has the power (after 31 December 2024) to decide whether to terminate or continue the protocol arrangements. "The Withdrawal Agreement doesn't state how Northern Ireland should give consent [to continue] – it is for the UK to determine how that decision is made" but the UK Government has already declared that the decision will be made by a simple majority of Assembly members.[10] In the event that consent is not given, the arrangements would cease to apply two years thereafter. The Joint Committee would make alternative proposals to the UK and EU to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. If consent is given, then the question may be put again after a further four years.[10] At the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, parties favouring continuance of the protocol won 53 of the 90 seats.[11] Nevertheless, Northern Ireland's Unionist parties objected strongly to the protocol: protesting against it, the Democratic Unionist Party obstructed its operation and, until early February 2024, prevented the Northern Ireland Assembly from assembling.[12]


Two decades ago, around 26,000 people were waiting for social housing. Now that figure is over 45,000

Data released in November, for last year's June to September quarter, revealed 43,074 Queenslanders were on the waitlist for social housing – a rise of 1,600 since the quarter prior. [...] "We know there's around 100,000 households that are eligible in Queensland for social housing and who are in need of social housing," Ms McVeigh said. [...] "The most disturbing statistic that's come out with this increase in the number on the social housing waitlist, is that it's an increase in families … Queenslanders have had enough and now it's families that are suffering," Mr Mander said.


Northern Ireland purchases from Great Britain are four times more valuable than those from Ireland.

The value of NI exports to Ireland more than doubled year-on-year from €137m to €296m (£117m to £255m). [...] The total value of GB exports to Ireland were down by €2bn (£1.7bn) or 39% to €3.3bn (£2.8bn) year-on-year in the January to April period. [...] Official figures showing trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain are only published on an annual basis, so it may be 2022 before there is solid data on how Brexit and the Irish Sea border has had an impact on those relationships.


Food bank in Enniskillen now feeding 1 in 5 people in the town.

We are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by the Trussell Trust. Find out how to get emergency food and other support. Make a food donation or find out about volunteering. [...] We don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry. That’s why we provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to us in crisis. We are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. [...] This foodbank is run in partnership with local churches, facilitated by The Lakes Vineyard Church. Registered charity number NIC102556 | Registered in Northern Ireland


Ireland’s two wealthiest people are worth more financially than the poorest 50% of the population.

The bottom 10% of Irish households have a net wealth of less than €600, compared to the richest 10% whose wealth exceeds €788,400.


To provide free GP care in the Republic of Ireland, which already exists in NI as it is part of the UK, would cost the Dublin Exchequer an extra £880 million

Over half (57.6%) of the population in Ireland are not currently eligible for free GP access.


By 29 September last year, at least 47 people in NI had died from “vaccine injury”.

"[We] know, according to MHRA that 47 people in NI died from vaccine injury up to 29th sept 22 this may be under reported as suggested by MHRA" [...] "As of 29 September 2022, 47 reports from Northern Ireland of possible reactions relating to the COVID-19 vaccines had been submitted to us where there was a fatal outcome." [...] In the first six months of the vaccination programme (to June 2021), one death was recorded in Northern Ireland with the vaccine as an underlying cause.


The provision of full-time (equivalent) maternity pay in the UK is among the lowest in Europe.

9 This is an alternative to the full rate equivalent used by the OECD (2012). Across countries there is substantial variation in the duration and generosity of maternity leave and so, in order to make policies comparable across countries, the OECD calculates the duration of the full-time equivalent of the leave period if paid at 100% of an employee’s last earnings. This is the Full Rate Equivalent (FRE). The average duration of FRE in the OECD is 12.8 weeks. While mothers across Scandinavia enjoy almost 40 weeks of FRE maternity leave, in the US mothers are not entitled to any paid leave.


There is a greater chance of a motorcyclist aged 67 in Northern Ireland dying in a motorcycle collision than being affected by COVID-19.

Motorcyclists represent a significant percentage of road traffic victims worldwide and have a greater risk of injury-related death than car occupants [1, 2]. Despite the burden of injuries associated with motorcycle incidents, few comprehensive studies have been conducted to examine the outcome of these patients according to age and site of injuries. Identifying high-risk injury patterns and common clusters of ages may allow for targeted interventions leading to improved care [3, 4]. [...] Motorcyclists represent a quarter of road deaths in the world and a consistent part of all traffic victims. The number of motorcyclists suffering from road trauma is growing due to the rapid global expansion of the motorcycle market. The use of motorcycles is expanding also in older ages for enhanced mobility in heavy-traffic urban areas. Some evidences suggest that age is generally an important predictor of mortality related to traumatic events [16, 17]. Our data demonstrate that older patients had an increased mortality for severe injuries. Head, chest, abdominal, and pelvic injuries were all independent predictors of death; severe head injuries occurred more frequently in younger patients, while chest injuries were more common in older patients.


40% of Unionists are happy about a potential trade border in the Irish Sea.

Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ireland and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney criticised May's plan to allow the DUP a veto on a backstop agreement. Speaking on RTE's Marian Finucane show Saturday, he said: "We cannot allow one party in Northern Ireland to veto any proposals." Although assuring that there was "no question of a border down the Irish Sea", Coveney said that "there are practical realities of trade" need to be considered and that a proposal needs to "protect the concerns of both unionists and nationalists, neither of whom want a border re-emerging on the island of Ireland". [...] The DUP are looking to safeguard their union with Britain. European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier proposed a sea border between Ireland and the UK, which was hailed unacceptable by Foster. Hitting out at Barnier for suggesting a border along the Irish Sea, Foster said that the proposal was "an all-Ireland regulatory scenario" and added that she didn't "think he does understand the wider unionist culture of Northern Ireland".


[The] average tenure of a PSNI Chief Constable is about the same as those in England and Wales

Salary scales in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have yet to be announced for 2022. However, in recent years they have tended to follow the England and Wales pay points, given the scope of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) includes both. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume for now the same 2022 position as England and Wales officers. [...] Officers in PSNI are yet to learn what their updated pay bandings will be for 2022 to 2023. The latest information available, as at September 2021, is shown above. These salaries are very similar to those set for England and Wales forces that year, so expect the coming year to also be similar. Information will be updated on my site when available. [...] At the Constable level therefore, joining the police still represents an attractive career choice for young people where salary is concerned, particularly when looking to the longer-term prospects. For example, the £23.6k England and Wales starting salary rising to the £43.0k in 7 years represents an 83% increase, ending up 11k more than the national average salary while remaining at the ‘bottom rung’ of the promotion ladder. It can go far beyond this in ‘real’ salaries entering an individual’s bank account, for example with market supplements in some forces (e.g. Met, PSNI), specialist role enhancements, overtime, and of course, promotion.


Northern Ireland has the highest levels of child poverty in the UK.

The evidence indicates that, compared with other parts of the UK, Northern Ireland’s rate of child poverty is quite low. Poverty has no standard definition or agreed measurement, comparisons of poverty should bear this in mind. However, official UK statistics along with analyses by major campaign groups indicate that child poverty in Northern Ireland is relatively low. By one common definition, NI has the lowest child poverty rates of any UK region.


The next electoral canvass in Northern Ireland must be completed before 2023, ten years after the 2013 canvass.

Electoral register canvass to begin A canvass for personal details for the new electoral register ahead of the next European elections in Northern Ireland will begin on Saturday, it was revealed. [...] A new register is published each year by the electoral office for Northern Ireland. Each eligible person has to complete an individual form and give details of their name, address, date of birth and national insurance number.


The Guardian claimed that journalism charity Full Fact is “the only UK member of” Facebook’s fact-checking programme.

FactCheckNI is another UK member of Facebook’s third party fact checking programme. The Guardian promptly corrected its article. [...] The article subheader and first paragraph states that Full Fact is the only UK member of the Facebook programme: [...] We contacted The Guardian to ask for this mistake to be corrected, and the online article text was amended, with the addendum: "This article was amended on 30 July 2019. Full Fact were the first UK member of Facebook’s fact-checking programme, but is not the only such member as an earlier version said." FactCheckNI is grateful for The Guardian’s prompt attention and action.


Over 40,000 people in Northern Ireland are on the Housing Executive waiting list - with 30,000 of them in ‘housing stress’ - yet only around 2,000 social or affordable homes are built each year.

The Ulster Unionist Party manifesto for the 2022 Assembly Election says: “Unfortunately, over 40,000 people in Northern Ireland are on the NI Housing Executive (NIHE) waiting list of whom 30,000 are in ‘housing stress’.


There was a rock fall on the Antrim coast road on 9 August 2017.

Coast road’s rock falls are blamed on blasting... in 1842 [...] The crude blasting techniques used when the Antrim Coast Road was constructed in 1842 are combining with natural weathering processes to fracture the limestones and basalts along the clifftops of the iconic route, causing "ravelling and rock falls", Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy has said, Mr Murphy was commenting on a spate of rock falls that have dogged the Antrim Coast Road in recent months.


About 2% of pregnancy terminations take place between 20 and 24 weeks.

Clinical guidelines. Cervical preparation for surgical abortion from 20 to 24 weeks' gestation - PMID: 18342657 - DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2008.01.004 Clinical guidelines. Cervical preparation for surgical abortion from 20 to 24 weeks' gestation Although less than 2% of abortions in the United States occur after 20 weeks, procedures performed at more advanced gestations are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Adequate cervical preparation before dilation and evacuation (D&E) at 20 or more weeks' gestation reduces procedural risk. However, few clinical trials have included sufficient information on best practices for cervical preparation in this gestational age range. For procedures at 20 or more weeks' gestation, at least 1 day of cervical preparation is recommended. Evidence is less clear that the procedure is faster or safer with the use of either serial dilation over more than 1 day or adjuvant misoprostol. Osmotic dilators are preferable to misoprostol, but there are insufficient data to support either laminaria or Dilapan as the preferred dilator. Fewer Dilapan are needed to gain the same amount of dilation as laminaria. The Society of Family Planning recommends preoperative cervical preparation before D&E between 20 and 24 weeks. Further studies are needed to clarify the best means to prepare the cervix to minimize abortion complications and improve outcome in this gestational age range.


CLAIM: There have been just 113 COVID-19 deaths in all in Northern Ireland.

The first case of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland was diagnosed in a woman on 27 February 2020. [...] By contrast, in the week ending 18 December, there were a total of 1,649 Covid-19-related deaths recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (Nisra). [...] At the end of May, Nisra revealed that nursing home residents had accounted for more than half of Covid-19-related deaths in Northern Ireland.


A third of young people from Northern Ireland who go to university travel outside Northern Ireland, mainly to the North West of England and Scotland, and only a third of those who graduate return back home.

The claim that “a third of young people from Northern Ireland who go to university travel outside Northern Ireland” is closer to a quarter.


The murder rate in Belfast was sixth highest in a list of cities in Europe (according to 2010 data).

6. Belfast, Northern Ireland (3.3 homicides per 100,000 people) Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. In 2010, Belfast reported a homicide rate of 3.3, which was calculated from nine murders, given Belfast's relatively small population of around 286,000. This crime rate, however, is part of a trend that shows a decreasing rate of homicide in Northern Ireland. During "the Troubles" of the 1970s and 80s, the crime rate in Northern Ireland was closer to 31 per 100,000, which is similar to the homicide rate that could be found in Colombia or South Africa during the early 2010s.


The last man to attack the US Capitol, prior to the events on 6 January 2021, was a British Army Major General from Northern Ireland, in 1814.

On 24 August 1814, British troops under the command of Major-General Robert Ross captured the city of Washington and set fire to its public buildings, including the Capitol building and the White House. The events happened during the war of 1812, fought between British and American forces at sea and on land in America and Canada. America had declared war on Great Britain on 27 June 1812, citing four key reasons: trade restrictions and blockades imposed during the Napoleonic Wars, the impressment into the Royal Navy of British seamen serving on American ships, British defence of the Native American tribes against American expansion and territorial claims into part of modern day Canada that had not been sufficiently addressed following the American Wars of Independence and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 (FO 93/8/2). [...] On 18 July 1814 Lord Bathurst, the British Foreign Secretary, sent the following orders to Major-General Robert Ross: [...] On 30 August 1814, Major-General Robert Ross, on board HMS Tonnant, in the Patuxent river, wrote to the Earl of Bathurst, the British Foreign Secretary, announcing the capture of Washington ‘My Lord, I have the honour to communicate to your Lordship that on the night of the 24 instant, after defeating the army of the United States on that day, the troops under my command entered and took possession of the city of Washington.


Vegans cannot take COVID-19 vaccines because they contain animal products.

It has never been more important for us to talk about the definition of veganism in the context of medications, including vaccines. The definition of veganism recognises that it is not always possible or practicable for vegans to avoid participating in animal use, which is particularly relevant to medical situations. In the case of Covid-19, vaccination is playing a fundamental role in tackling the pandemic and saving lives. As there is currently a legal requirement that all vaccines are tested on animals, at this point in time it is impossible to have a vaccine that has been created without animal use. [...] However, the Vegan Society encourages vegans to look after their health and that of others in order to continue to be effective advocates for veganism and other animals. It is the responsibility of each individual to make an informed decision about vaccines, bearing in mind the definition of veganism, with support from their local healthcare team. Our friends at the Vegetarian Society have summarised the government and manufacturer information on the Covid -19 vaccination into some key points.


77% of working mothers endure some kind of discrimination.

This claim is inaccurate. It is correct for mothers in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) but the statistic stated on BBC Radio Ulster does not apply to women in Northern Ireland.


Northern Ireland is one of the least expensive places in the UK for childcare.

A survey from pensions firm Penfold suggests that the average daily rate for childcare in NI is lower than most of the UK The company stated that Northern Ireland is therefore one of the cheapest regions without taking into account other factors England, Scotland and Wales have significant government-funded childcare options that aren’t available here – and local wages are also relatively low


Children who take a COVID-19 vaccine 52 times more likely to suffer an early death.

Data does not support this claim. Deaths of children after vaccination are too rare to inform reliable estimates. A temporary increase is possible because children with significant pre-existing health problems received vaccines before their peers. A website claimed that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine "increases children’s risk of death by 5100% according to the Office for National Statistics". [...] Younger children already dealing with significant health problems, and thus already at greater risk of an early death, were prioritised for vaccination and were therefore over-represented in this sample, when compared with the general population.


A British Army veteran who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles is 54 times more likely than a Republican or Loyalist paramilitary to be prosecuted for alleged offences pre-dating the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

Edward Burke’s new book examines the story of British army soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. [...] More than 40 years on, many of those who served with the British army are angry about, or fear the possibility of prosecution for actions taken on the streets and fields in Northern Ireland when they were young men. Pressed by some right-wing Conservative MPs and the DUP, the British government is considering whether to impose a statute of limitation on the prosecution of soldiers for crimes allegedly committed during service there.


Business rates on Main Street in Larne are the same as Regent Street in London.

Business rates are charged on all commercial buildings in the same way as council tax is charged for a home. However, the rates are calculated through the value and rent of the properties in 2008.


Northern Ireland has the highest number of children in care since the introduction of the Children Order in 1995.

Looked After Children - At 31 March 2019, 3,281 children were in care in Northern Ireland. This was the highest number recorded since the introduction of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 - The majority of children in care in Northern Ireland had been looked after for less than three years, with just under a tenth looked after for ten years or longer - Four fifths of the children in care were in foster care placements (79%), 11% placed with parents, 6% in residential care and 4% in other placements. This was similar to previous years - During 2018/19 there were 884 admissions to care and 677 discharges [...] Day Care - At 31 March 2019 there were 4,079 individuals/facilities registered as day care provision for children aged 12 and under in Northern Ireland. This was a 5% decrease on the previous year - Similar to the previous year, child-minders made up the largest number of day care providers followed by, in descending order, day nurseries, playgroups, out of school clubs and other organisations - At 31 March 2019 there were 60,501 registered places for day care in Northern Ireland representing a decrease of 3% on the previous year [...] 2. This Bulletin is the eighth annual reporting of ‘Children’s Social Care Statistics for NI’ which replaced the ‘Children Order Statistical Tables for NI’ and ‘Children Order Statistical Trends for NI’.


Additional months of validity on UK passports issued before the UK left the EU are no longer valid.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, British passport holders will be considered third country nationals by countries within the Schengen area after 29 March 2019. [...] Since 2001, some adult British passports were issued with a validity longer than 10 years. If you renewed your passport before it expired, you were allowed to have the time left on your old passport added to your new passport. The maximum validity period possible was 10 years and 9 months. This means you can’t use the expiry date to check if your adult passport will be valid under the new rules. Since the beginning of September 2018, extra validity was no longer added to passports. The maximum validity for an adult UK passport is now 10 years, and 5 years for a child passport. We have made this change to follow recommendations set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and to provide clarity about passport validity in the future.


One in five school staff in Northern Ireland are assaulted at least once a week.

The survey data was misinterpreted by ICTU. 1 in 10 of those surveyed experience physical abuse at least once weekly.


Translink spoke about their hope that the Glider would reduce journey times on public transport by 25%.

New 'Glider' buses on display in Belfast - Published [...] "The Glider service will encourage more people to use public transport which in turn helps ease congestion and improve air quality," she said. [...] Translink hope the new network will see a reduction in public transport journey times by 25%.


Projections from the Department of Infrastructure indicate that 38% of all properties in Northern Ireland will be at risk of flooding by 2080.

Some UK coastal communities will have to move inland because of climate change. That was the opening message of James Bevan, chief executive of the UK’s Environment Agency (EA), at the Flood and Coast Conference on 7 June 2022. A week later, on 15 June, a study revealed that rising sea levels put 120,000 to 160,000 UK properties at risk of flooding in the next 20 to 50 years. Even if global warming is limited to 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, sea levels will rise. According to the 2018 UK Climate Change Projections by the EA, the average sea level could increase by more than a metre by 2100 and extreme weather events will increase. As a result, total annual damages to residential buildings from flooding (including from groundwater and rivers) in the UK could rise to £1.2bn by the 2080s in a worst-case scenario, of which £280m could be from coastal flooding alone. [...] "Climate change will only bring more extreme weather and this road map will spur on the timely action required to manage flood and coastal risk, help reduce the costly impacts and manage the risks to people’s homes and businesses across the country," said Floods Minister Rebecca Pow in a press release.


Northern Ireland is one of the most “locked-down” places in the world.

By 19 March, the first coronavirus-related death in Northern Ireland was confirmed. [...] Northern Ireland was the first of the four UK administrations to roll out a contact-tracing programme, as part of its plans to tackle coronavirus. [...] On 26 December, Northern Ireland went into a six-week lockdown, with a plan to review it after four weeks.


Derry/Londonderry is the only city of its prominence in the UK that does not have its own higher education institution, according to Lord Adonis.

When Lord Adonis recently took his one-man anti-Brexit campaign tour to Derry/Londonderry last summer he soon adopted the cause of a very different and far more long- standing campaign – the case for the city to have its own university. [...] Whilst Lord Adonis might split opinion in the HE world – he is certainly not popular among Vice-Chancellors that is for sure – I feel he may be right in asserting that Derry hosting its own university is an idea whose time has come or, as some would argue, an idea 50 years overdue its fruition. [...] That report caused uproar in the city by recommending not only that the new university, today known as Ulster University, be founded in Coleraine but that Derry’s only existing HE provision, at the then century-old Magee University College, should be wound down. As a concession in the face of protest Government ultimately rejected the Magee recommendation but brought the institution under the dominion of the new university as a ‘constituent college’ and to this day it remains a campus of Ulster University.


Dungiven has some of the worst nitrogen dioxide (NO2) readings in Western Europe

- UK air standards call for average annual NO2 readings to be under 40 micrograms per cubic metre - Dungiven breached this average several times in the 2010s - European Environment Agency reports indicate that around 10% of sites breach this limit – meaning Dungiven isn’t unique but still has some of the worst NO2 readings in Western Europe [...] However, the EEA does publish annual reports on European Air Quality. These do not typically include readings for individual sites but do contain useful information. Note that Dungiven’s annual average NO2 readings were 46 µg/m3 in 2017 and 51 µg/m3 in 2018. [...] Asking whether Dungiven is one of the worst places in Western Europe for nitrogen dioxide pollution obviously requires comparing its NO2 readings to other places in Europe.


In Belfast, the digital sector employs 26 per cent of the workforce.

Belfast’s digital innovation strengths - Belfast identified as one of the world’s top 10 Digital Economies of the Future (the only UK city other than London). [...] - In 2019, 26 per cent of all job openings in Belfast were in digital technology - the highest in UK. [...] Collaborative partners - Telecoms and cloud industry - Belfast creative digital sector - Belfast Region City Deal - Future Screens NI - Belfast Stories - Digital Catapult UK


The United Kingdom has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe.

The United Kingdom continues to have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operations and Development [...] Teenage pregnancy refers to pregnancy in women usually within the ages of 13-19, which may be intended or unintended. It remains a major public health concern worldwide. The World Health Organization has estimated that every year approximately 16 million females aged 15-19 and around one million girls aged less than 15 give birth. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second cause of death in 15-19 year old females globally. Furthermore, every year around three million girls undergo unsafe abortions. This review examines key issues related to the care of teenage mothers. [...] The United Kingdom continues to have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy among …


The cost of social division to the public purse in NI ranges between £400m and £830m every year.

This estimate of costs comes from a major paper published by Ulster University. That 2016 report clearly outlines how it arrived at the £400m-£830m range of costs, including important points about its methodology. While it remains the most recent calculation of the cost to public services of NI’s divided society, the passage of time needs to be taken into account.


On average, three women are killed by men every week, while one in four women has been a victim of rape or sexual assault at some point.

"Currently, there are at least two to three women per week who are killed by their ex-partners or current partners." [...] Just under half of all women killed were killed by their partners or ex-partners, according to the latest official statistics for England and Wales in 2015/16 (44%). These numbers seem sadly stable over time. Between the start of 2009 and end of 2015, the Femicide Census found 598 women in England and Wales who were killed by men who were their current or former partners—an average of 85 women per year.


60% of people in Northern Ireland are against the backstop.

This claim is inaccurate. 35% of all those polled in a LucidTalk poll responded that they would oppose some sort of special status for Northern Ireland; 60% of Unionists polled were opposed to one option of special status, because “it would be bad for the NI economy”.


77% of young people in the UK don’t want Brexit.

But we also found that just as many young people were disinterested in the Brexit referendum and its aftermath. These young people often had little interest in politics, a low level of qualifications, or were more focused on more immediate challenges in their lives, such as trying to find work, homes, or deal with health problems. [...] Most young people we spoke to thought Brexit was unlikely to affect their short-term and long-term aspirations. Many already had a clear plan about what they would like their career and life to look like, and they were largely optimistic that Brexit would not prevent them from achieving these goals. [...] Although the young people we spoke to held a wide range of views about Brexit, we heard a palpable sense of resignation that nothing could be done to change the result. While there was a youth surge in voting at the 2017 general election, a general sense of powerlessness to reverse the course of Brexit may end up reinforcing the disengagement of young people that has troubled British politics since the early 1990s.


Northern Ireland has the highest rate of femicide in Western Europe

Northern Ireland has the second highest rate (0.53) of female intentional homicide victims by intimate partner, per 100,000 inhabitants, in Western Europe, as defined by WEOG (given the lack of definition of “Western Europe”) and the regions covered by the data published by Eurostat.


Only the Green Party supported a proposal to establish an environmental protection agency (EPA), as part of the review of public administration (local government) in Northern Ireland.

During the Review of Public Administration (June 2002-March 2006), three political parties — Alliance, Green Party, and the SDLP — pledged support for an independent environmental protection agency. In the subsequent Review of Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland (February 2006-May 2007), Sinn Fein and the Ulster Unionist Party also expressed support. On 25 January 2020, published in the Irish News, Newton Emerson stated: "All Stormont parties except the Greens rejected an EPA when it was proposed a decade ago under the last major review of public administration." This claim may be related to a similar claim made in the Green Party manifesto for the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2003: "(None of the political parties in the current Assembly has called for an independent Environmental Protection Agency for Northern Ireland as part of the reform of public administration)." [...] During the Review of Public Administration (June 2002-March 2006), three political parties — Alliance, Green Party, and the SDLP — pledged support for an independent environmental protection agency in their manifestos for the 2003 elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Subsequently, during the Review of Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland (February 2006-May 2007), five political parties — Alliance, Green Party, SDLP, Sinn Féin, and the UUP — are known to have supported an independent EPA in Northern Ireland.


Prime Minister Modi has initiated a grievance portal (CPGRAMS) upon assuming office for the first time

Any Grievance sent by email will not be attended to / entertained. Please lodge your grievance on this portal. Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is an online platform available to the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery. It is a single portal connected to all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and States. Every Ministry and States have role-based access to this system. CPGRAMS is also accessible to the citizens through standalone mobile application downloadable through Google Play store and mobile application integrated with UMANG. The status of the grievance filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked with the unique registration ID provided at the time of registration of the complainant. CPGRAMS also provides appeal facility to the citizens if they are not satisfied with the resolution by the Grievance Officer. After closure of grievance if the complainant is not satisfied with the resolution, he/she can provide feedback. If the rating is ‘Poor’ the option to file an appeal is enabled. The status of the Appeal can also be tracked by the petitioner with the grievance registration number.


Under the new criminal laws electronic messages can be used as evidence in court.

Introduction to using digital evidence in court cases: In today's digital age, the use of electronic communication has become increasingly prevalent. From social media platforms to instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, people are constantly communicating and sharing information through various digital channels. As a result, the courts have had to adapt to this new form of evidence and determine its admissibility in legal proceedings. Digital evidence refers to any type of information or data that is stored or transmitted electronically and can be used as proof in a court case. This includes text messages, emails, social media posts, GPS location data, and more. Such evidence can play a crucial role in legal cases as it provides concrete proof of conversations or actions that may have taken place. The use of digital evidence has become particularly relevant in criminal cases where it can help establish timelines, corroborate witness statements, and even provide alibis. In civil cases, it can be used to prove agreements between parties or document instances of harassment or discrimination. However, the admissibility of digital evidence in court cases is not always straightforward.


In Britain, the country which ruled India for 200 years, Modi was the head of the meeting which was attended by the heads of 53 countries.

After two centuries of imperial rule, the proximate cause of India’s independence was the economic damage Britain suffered after World War II — a war, it should be remembered, in which 2.5 million Indians also fought. When the time came to pack up and return home, Britain tasked a London barrister named Sir Cyril Radcliffe with drawing the lines on the map that would partition the colony into two dominions, India and Pakistan, and settle the fate of hundreds of millions of people. Radcliffe, who had never been to India before, showed little interest in the people living there, and was given just 40 days to complete his work. In a poem titled "Partition," W. H. Auden memorialized the image of an unprepared lawyer amputating an entire subcontinent:


Black money (undisclosed foreign income and assets) and imposition of tax Act 2015 enacted.

In 2015, the Parliament enacted the Black Money (undisclosed foreign income and assets) Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 (‘the BMA’) to curb the menace of black money by providing stringent provisions for tax, penalty and prosecution levy. The enactment of the BMA provided for a separate taxation mechanism for undisclosed asset located outside India and undisclosed foreign income in addition to the existing provisions contained in the Income Tax Act, 1961 ("IT Act"). The provisions of BMA were made applicable to persons who were tax residents of India when undisclosed foreign income was earned or an undisclosed asset outside India was acquired. In essence, if an Indian resident failed to pay tax on such foreign income or the source of acquisition of the undisclosed asset, the BMA would be triggered. Upon its enactment, the BMAopeneda compliance window of three months from July 2015 to September 2015 for disclosure of assets located outside India and payment of tax of 30% and 100% of the tax as penalty. The persons who made disclosure were granted immunity from criminal prosecution.


Government has provided for integrated development and management of fisheries with an outlay of Rs. 3000 crores.

Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries (Blue Revolution) is the name of an integrated / umbrella scheme covering all existing schemes related to fisheries. This scheme was approved by Union Cabinet in December 2015 and the total outlay is of Rs. 3000 Crore for five years. [...] - National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and all its activities - Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture - Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations - Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector - Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector - Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions. [...] The scheme with its multi-dimensional activities, focuses mainly on increasing production and productivity from aquaculture and fisheries resources, both inland and marine. The scheme is intended to utilise most of the unutilised fisheries resources keeping in view the overall sustainability, bio-security and environmental concerns.


The ancient rock carvings show modern-day technologies like computers, Astronaut suits and bicycles, etc. which suggests that our ancestors are more technologically advanced than us

The carvings of the bicycle and astronaut are done recently after their inventions are made. The man sitting at a computer is not a carving, but an artwork made in 2006. Similarly, symbols in some other carvings have not yet been deciphered, and some of the associations with modern symbols like Wi-Fi, rockets and transformers, etc, could be due to visual similarities rather than actual representation as there is not enough evidence to support them. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.


1.38 In an uncertain global economic and financial environment, India remains an attractive investment destination. During 2023-24, net inflows of foreign portfolio investments (FPI) to India, both debt and equity, recorded a sharp turnaround, reaching its second-highest level ever at US$ 44.6 billion (BoP basis). During the current fiscal year so far (up to June 12, 2024), FPI flows were negative at (-) US$ 3.9 billion. External commercial borrowings (ECB) flows (net of principal repayments and intercompany borrowings) turned positive in 2023-24 from net outflows in the previous year. Also, both rupee-denominated and foreign currency denominated non-resident deposit schemes recorded inflows throughout 2023-24. Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows moderated, partly due to a rise in repatriations from India (Table 1.1). [...] An analysis for the period January 2010 – March 2024 suggests that net FPI inflows to Indian equities have remained lower during months of high geopolitical uncertainty, as measured by the geopolitical risk (GPR) index (Caldara and Iacoviello, 2022) than during other months (Table 2). In fact, the distribution of FPI flows during high and low geopolitical risk periods exhibits a fat left tail, indicating a higher likelihood of outflows from Indian equity markets (Chart 1).


This song is an anthem created by the New Zealand government

New Zealand’s National Anthems: Full Lyrics of Māori, English Versions, History [...] God Defend New Zealand, Maori Aotearoa, one of the two national anthems of New Zealand (the other being God Save the Queen, national anthem of the United Kingdom). Thomas Bracken, who also offered a reward of £10 for the finest musical setting of his lyrics, wrote the anthem in the early 1870s. The winning tune was written by composer John J. Woods, and the resulting hymn had its debut performance in 1876. God Save the Queen had long been the official anthem of New Zealand, but in 1940 the government designated God Save New Zealand to be the national hymn or unofficial song and bought the copyright to the hymn. However, God Defend New Zealand was officially recognized as the country's second national anthem alongside God Save the Queen in 1977.


3000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras for cheaper medicines resulting in savings of around 50%.

The second claim is about setting up of ~3000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) for cheaper medicines resulting in savings of around 50%. According to the official government website, ‘Jan Aushadhi’ project was launched by Government of India in the year 2008 for providing quality medicines at affordable prices for all. The campaign was undertaken through sale of generic medicines through exclusive outlets namely ‘Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendra’ in various districts of the country. To have an accelerated growth of the campaign, a new business plan was released in August 2013 (during the UPA government) with an ambitious target of opening 3000 such stores by the end of 2016-17 with a planned budget of Rs.148.82 crores. The plan also contained few changes in the scheme. The scheme could not take off as expected during the UPA government. [...] Fact: Jan Aushadhi was launched by Government of India in the year 2008. 3771 ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras’ opened in 34 States/Union Territories of the country during the current government. Hence, the first part of the claim is TRUE while the second part about savings remains UNVERIFIED. It has to be noted that this scheme was first launched by the UPA.


Income eligibility has been raised from 2 lakh rupees to 2.5 lakh rupees for the pre-metric scholarship for SC students.

One of the infographics uploaded by the government on the 48-months website makes certain claims about scholarships to students from the SC and OBC communities. This article is a fact check of the claims.


Apart from American officials and politicians, the official White House Twitter account follows only Indian Prime Minister Modi, the Indian President, and an Indian Embassy official

Currently, the official White House Twitter account does not follow any Indian official. Nevertheless, it did briefly follow PM Modi and other Indian officials during Trump’s 2020 visit to India to facilitate the retweeting of their messages in support of the trip. The account’s following list changes in response to events and diplomatic engagements. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.


Government is giving an allowance of Rs 3,000 per month to unemployed youth under the Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana

Modi govt giving monthly allowance of Rs 3,500 to unemployed individuals under Pradhan Mantri Berojgar Bhatta Yojana –Know truth behind viral post [...] - Government is giving Rs 3,500 monthly allowance? [...] New Delhi: A viral post has been circulating in the social media stating that the central government is giving monthly allowance of Rs 3,500 to unemployed individuals under Pradhan Mantri Berojgar Bhatta Yojana.


Since independence, we had 75 operational airports, UDAN added 25 airports just since December 2016.

The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), a government-backed initiative to improve infrastructure and connectivity in India, especially in remote and underserved regions, completes six years. It is a vital component of India's National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision. [...] - UDAN 1.0: 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports) [...] From Mundra (Gujarat) to Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh to Hubli in Karnataka, RCS-UDAN is connecting 30 States/ UTs across the length and breadth of the country. A total of 75 airports have been operationalized under UDAN. Eight airports have been operationalized in the Northeast region. Many airports that were operationalized under UDAN such as Darbhanga, Hubli, Kannur, Mysuru, etc. have become sustainable with many non-RCS commercial flights operating from these airports.


More than 3000 stores of affordable medicines with PM bharatiya janaushadi kendras.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to deliver affordable medicines to the public through the rebranded and relaunched Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is struggling to live up to its promise, with frequent product recalls and stock shortages hurting the availability of medicines and people’s faith in them. Launched by the UPA as the JanAushadhiYojana in November 2008, the scheme aims to ensure "availability of quality medicines at affordable prices to all" by selling cheaper generic medicines at more than 3,000 outlets across the country. [...] The number of Jan Aushadhi outlets has jumped manifold under the NDA government, crossing the target of 3,000 stores. However, critics say, the Modi government has gone too fast in expanding the number of outlets while failing to invest in quality control, back-end operations, supply chain management and human resources.


Rs. 2000 crore for agri-market infrastructure fund set up.

"The budget has been prepared with proper care," he said while pointing out the scheme to convert 22,000 Rural Haats into Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) and government's plan to strengthen physical infrastructure using MGNREGA and other Government schemes. These GrAMs will be exempted from regulations of Agriculture Product Marketing Committees (APMC) and will provide farmers facility to make a direct sale to consumers and bulk purchasers. An Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund which would be set up with a corpus of Rs 2000 crore for developing and upgrading agricultural marketing infrastructure in the 22,000 Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) is a welcome one, he added. [...] The farmers' leader, however, welcomed Rs 10,000 crore corpus for Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FAIDF) and an Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF).


More than 19 crore people have been insured against life and accident risk or ensured pension.

There are 23 private sector Life Insurance companies in India. They are: [...] According to section 6 of Insurance Act 1938, no insurer carrying on the business of life insurance in India or after the commencement of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, shall be registered unless he has a paid-up equity capital of rupees one hundred crores. [...] The information is available in Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Registration of Indian Insurance Companies) (Seventh Amendment) Regulations, 2016 which can be viewed at the following section in the Authority's website .


Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) established.

Setting up of India Sign Language Research and Training Centre 22 Sep, 2015 The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the setting up of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The ISLRTC will be under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It shall be located initially at the Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi. [...] 2 thoughts on "Setting up of India Sign Language Research and Training Centre"


Hyderabad Police warned the public against contamination of cool drinks with the Ebola virus

A set of images is circulating on social media with the claim that Hyderabad police has issued a warning to not drink cold drinks like Fanta, Pepsi, Coke, etc in the upcoming days as they are contaminated with the Ebola virus. "Please forward to your friends. Instructions have been issued to all of India on behalf of the Hyderabad police. In the coming few days, please do not drink cold drinks like Maaza, Fanta, 7 Up, Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, etc. A worker in one of these companies has mixed blood infected with a dangerous virus called Ebola," the message reads.


The Winter Session of Parliament postponed in 2011 during UPA rule

Though not a washout as compared to last year, the winter session of parliament (Nov 22-Dec 29) proved to be an embarrassment for the United Progressive Alliance government in more ways than one.

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Starting with the fiasco over decision to allow foreign equity in multi-brand retail, stalled by ally Trinamool Congress, the charge of "running away" in parliament Dec 29 from vote on the contentious Lokpal bill, coupled with the failure to get constitutional status for the anti-graft ombudsman in the Lok Sabha Dec 27, the session had many moments of discomfiture for the government.

The idea of constitutional status to Lokpal was floated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. When a bill to amend the constitution for that purpose was put to vote in the Lok Sabha, around a dozen Congress members were not present in the house.

Earlier, the FDI decision, pulled out of their hats by the UPA managers, did deflect the opposition's attention from demanding voting on debates over black money and price rise issues, but it united the house against the Congress.


Congress Party is celebrating after China blocked India’s bid to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist in the UN Security Council.

United Nations: In a major jolt to peace and counter-terrorism operations in the Indian sub-continent, China on Wednesday blocked India's bid to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed terror chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist' for the fourth time. China put a technical hold on a proposal in the UN Security Council to ban him just before the close of the deadline, news agency PTI reported. [...] The Congress party pounced on the opportunity and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "failing at diplomatic levels". "A sad day in the global fight against terrorism. China blocking Masood Azhar's designation as global terrorist reaffirms Chinese position of being an inseparable ally of terrorism’s breeding ground-Pakistan. Sadly, Modiji's foreign policy has been a series of diplomatic disasters," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. [...] China blocks India's bid to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist' for the fourth time at the UNSC.


JANSIO Threanic Triple-Spin Ring would help in substantial weight loss

Jansio Ring is a a triple fidget ring that claims to reduces panic attacks makes your nerves calm. It is made with premium titanium and embed with natural selenite stone, which effectively release powerful mineral elements to your body. Jansio Threanic Triple Fidget Ring is using a new-technology, a Japanese medical device. This ring is entirely magnetized by 55mT at 10-mm pitches in the Alternating North-South Polarity Orientation. This allows TitaniumION force from the whole neck loop to spread its effects across a wide surface, leading to an increase and improved blood circulation, improves metabolism, and enhance masculine energy. [...] - JANSIO Threanic Triple-Spin Ring is gentle on all skin-types. It does not bend or break easily and can be worn for a long years of use without tarnishing. The beads can be moved and spin smoothly for a perfect relief. [...] Pros Of Jansio Ring - It is easy to use - Suitable for both male and female - It claims to help in weigh loss - It is eco friendly - It does not contain any chemical


ongress President Rahul Gandhi and his party leaders Shatrughan Sinha, Navjot Singh Sidhu and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee are in the same pic with Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan and its Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa

The original photo of the picture posted can be seen in the article of the news agency ‘ARY NEWS’. The photo is from the meeting of Pakistan Army Chief with its PM Imran Khan to discuss their country’s security-related matters. No Indian political leader can be seen in the original pic. So, the claim made in the post is FALSE.


More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies identified under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan

The first claim is that the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was ‘launched to ensure good health of mother and child’. [...] The fourth claim is that "More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies identified’. One of the critical components of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan is identification and follow-up of high risk pregnancies. Since its inception in 2016, Over 7 lakh women with high risk conditions have been identified.


mages showing the technological upgrades in the Indian Railways before and after the BJP government in the country

Both the pictures shared in the post were taken in 2020 during the BJP government in the country. The first picture shows railway staff cleaning a platform at the Howrah Junction railway station after the nearly seven-week lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020. The other photo shows the staff cleaning a platform of Asansol railway station, as part of the ‘Swachhta Saptah’ in August 2020. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.


20 new super specialty AIIMS – like hospitals being set up

In what can be called a major boost to the healthcare infrastructure and health education in the country, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a plan to set up 20 super-speciality All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and also to upgrade of 73 medical colleges. [...] "Under this (PMSSY), we are going to set up 20 AIIMS in the country, six have already been established, and would upgrade 73 medical colleges. This is a historic decision," he added. [...] Highlighting other benefits of the PMSSY, Nadda said that each new AIIMS will add 100 UG (MBBS) and 60 B.Sc (Nursing) seats, 15-20 Super Specialty Departments and around 750 hospital beds.


The payment of wages (amendment) act 2017 is empowering workers

The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Act, 2017 has been passed on 15th Feb, 2017, with retrospective effect (w.e.f. 28th day of December, 2016.) by repealing Payment of Wages (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 was passed on 28th December, 2016, which contains same provisions which are given in this amendment act, 2017. Please find the copy of Payment of Wages (Amendment) Act, 2017 enclosed herewith. [...] In the recent change in Payment of Wages act was that, wages shall be paid either thru cheque or crediting into employee bank according by the employer. However as mentioned by few friends that wages has been revised to 18000/- per month. Is there any gazette notification please share.


A British nationalist and student of politics who covers the Indian elections, Mr. Brandon Davies claimed on Twitter that upon his analysis of 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 elections, he could say that he had never seen a PM Candidate as stupid as Rahul Gandhi.

Prime Minister candidate: Manmohan Singh (Indian National Congress (INC)) [...] - ^ "Indian election statistics astonish British MPs". samaylive.com. 4 June 2009. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2009. [...] - ^ "India party declares PM candidate". BBC News. 11 December 2007. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2009.


Ratan Tata: “In a country, if Prime Minister’s popularity increases due to the death of 65 soldiers, then nobody can save that country from getting destroyed”

God save this country. [...] Ravin 6 hours ago [...] Get rid of them to save the country.


Kuki tribes living in Manipur came from the Burma (Myanmar) as refugees and were later granted ST (Scheduled Tribe) quota in India in 1968

The Kukis are an ethnic group including multiple tribes originally inhabiting the North-Eastern states of India such as Manipur, Mizoram and Assam; parts of Burma (now Myanmar), and Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh. While Kuki is not a term coined by the ethnic group itself, the tribes associated with it came to be generically called Kuki under colonial rule. In Manipur, the various Kuki tribes, living mainly in the hills, currently make up 30% of the total 28.5 lakh population of the State. While Churachandpur is their main stronghold, they also have a sizable population in Chandel, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and Senapati districts. The rest of the population of Manipur is made up mainly of two other ethnic groups — the Meiteis or non-tribal, Vaishnavite Hindus who live in the valley region of Manipur, and the Naga tribes, historically at loggerheads with the Kukis, also living in the hilly areas of the State. Of the 60 seats in the Manipur Assembly, 40 are held by Meiteis and the rest 20 seats are held by Kukis and Nagas. Both the BJP and Congress are fielding Kuki and Naga candidates this time.


India’s longest road tunnel, the Chenani – Nashri tunnel in Jammu is constructed

The BJP government published an infographic on the 48-months portal that makes three claims about the tunnels and bridges in India constructed during the 48 months of the government. This article is a fact check of these claims.


‘Hindus have the highest fertility rate in World’

All religious groups in India have shown major declines in fertility rates, a study from Pew Research Center has found. [...] Muslims still have the highest fertility rate (2.6 children per woman in 2015) among the major religious groups, followed by Hindus (2.1). Jains have the lowest fertility rate at 1.2. The study says the general pattern is largely the same as it was in 1992, when Muslims had the highest fertility rate (4.4), followed by Hindus (3.3).


A recent judgement by an Indian Court allows both the wife and girlfriend to live in the same house

The post has been circulating since 2013, and it refers to a specific case that was resolved during a Lok Adalat proceeding in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh. The case involved a man, his wife, and his live-in partner. The Lok Adalat judge resolved the dispute by ordering the man to spend alternate fortnights with his wife and partner, who continued to live together under the same roof. However, it’s important to note that Lok Adalat decisions are case-specific and do not establish binding legal precedents. Hence the claim mad in the post is MISLEADING.


Subramanian Swamy stating that Adani did not acquire the 74% shares of Mumbai Airport from the Indian government, but instead purchased them from multiple foreign partners who Congress sold in 2006

A social media post featuring an image of former BJP MP Dr. Subramanian Swamy claims that he made a statement regarding Adani’s Mumbai Airport acquisition. The post alleges that Swamy said, "The truth is that Adani did not buy these 74% shares from the Indian government but bought 74% from multiple foreign partners which Congress had sold in 2006!". Let’s verify the claim made in the post. [...] Fact: These statements were not made by Dr Subramanian Swamy. In fact, Swami accused Adani of not repaying the loans and using nepotism to obtain stake in Mumbai Airport. Also, Adani Group has 74% stake in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, post the stake purchase transaction, with 50.5% being bought from GVK Group and 23.5% Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), and Bidvest Group. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. [...] Coming to Adani’s Mumbai Airport acquisition, as per the media reports, Adani Group has a 74% stake in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, post the stake purchase transaction, with 50.5% being bought from GVK Group and 23.5% from minority partners including Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), and Bidvest Group.


The types of disabilities have been increased from the existing 7 to 21.

Addressing a Press Conference on the occasion of "International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3rd December)" Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment has said that in the "Rights of Persons With Disabilities (RPWD) Bill, the Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept and the types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to... Addressing a Press Conference on the occasion of "International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3rd December)" Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment has said that in the "Rights of Persons With Disabilities (RPWD) Bill, the Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept and the types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. [...] iii. The types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. The 21 disabilities are given below:- - Blindness - Low-vision - Leprosy Cured persons - Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)


The Rs.500 note with green security thread closer to Mahatma Gandhi picture is a fake note

Both the variants of Rs. 500 notes shown in the image are acceptable. RBI Spokesperson clarified that the variation in the notes is due to defect in printing and people can freely accept both variants. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.


WikiLeaks has published the 1st list of black money holders in Swiss banks.

INDIA/SWIZERLAND-- Black money trail: 2nd list of Indian Swiss accounts to be shared [...] TNN | Sep 14, 2011, 11.11AM IST http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Black-money-trail-2nd-list-of-Indian-Swiss-accounts-to-be-shared/articleshow/9977871.cms NEW DELHI: A second list containing names of Indians, who have stashed black money in Swiss banks, will be shared by the Germans, Times Now reported.


By subjecting water to immense pressure and directing it through a minuscule nozzle, it can effectively cut through the hardest materials, including rocks, metals, bulletproof glass, and even diamonds

high-pressure phenomena, changes in physical, chemical, and structural characteristics that matter undergoes when subjected to high pressure. Pressure thus serves as a versatile tool in materials research, and it is especially important in the investigation of the rocks and minerals that form the deep interior of the Earth and other planets.


Speech and language disability and specific learning disability have been added for the first time.

- Developmental Language Disorder and Specific Learning Disorder - Co-occurrence of DLD and Specific Learning Disorder - Overlaps between DLD and Specific Learning Disorder - Key Differences between DLD and Specific Learning Disorder - Educational Identification, Labels, Exceptionalities, Disabilities - Specific Learning Disorder and Specific Learning Disability - Educational Categories for DLD and Specific Learning Disorder [...] Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. [IDEA, Section 300.8]


3.8 crore poor women provided with free LPG connections, target raised to 8 crore.

The meetings are aimed at creating awareness among women on the benefits of cooking with LPG in place of the conventional firewood. Kerala has achieved 99.89 per cent LPG penetration and leads the country in use of LPG for domestic cooking. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the government has given 3.8 crore LPG connections to the underprivileged sections of society. The target is to provide 5 crore connections by March 2019. Another 3 crore LPG connections are being given under the Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat scheme. "We have identified 32,000 beneficiaries under the Ujjwala Yojana and provided household gas connections to 29,000 applicants so far. Nationwide, we have provided LPG connections to 83 per cent of the population and the government is planning to provide LPG connection to 99 per cent of families by 2020," he said. [...] Under the Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat scheme, the IOC has identified 15 villages in Kerala for giving LPG connections to rural women. These 15 villages are located in the districts of Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki and Pathanamthitta. IOC general Manager (LPG) A Ravi also participated in the press meet.


A Congress MLA misbehaved with the police when he was stopped by the police while chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans as part of a Rahul Gandhi’s program in Madhya Pradesh

A video has been widely shared on social media platforms with the claim that the condition of police personnel who stopped a Karnataka Congress leader from raising the Pakistan Zindabad slogan was worsened adding: if Congress‘ reign comes, there will be an outcry in the entire country. [...] A user named Indian at Heart shared this video on X (Twitter), captioning: "The condition of the police personnel who stopped a Congress leader from Karnataka from raising Pakistan Zindabad slogan was worsened* *These people started threatening to kill the poor man* *Just think, if Congress comes into the country or state even by mistake, then there will be an outcry in the entire country". [...] DFRAC’s Fact-Check proves that the viral video claiming condition of police personnel who stopped a Karnataka Congress leader from raising the Pakistan Zindabad slogan worsened, is completely misleading as the viral video is linked with the case of former Congress MLA Asif Khan abusing and manhandling a police officer in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar in the month of November 2022.


Cristiano Ronaldo said that he loves Islam more than anything

A Facebook user shared this post and wrote, "This woman from Saudi Arabia asked a question to Cristiano Ronaldo... Who do you love the most? Cristiano Ronaldo said that I love Islam the most. " A Twitter user shared this post and wrote, "This Muslim woman from Saudi Arabia asked a question to Cristiano Ronaldo. #Ronaldo who do you love the most," Cristiano Ronaldo .said I love #Islam. #Alhamdulillah" [...] Cristiano Ronaldo, in an interview, confessed that he loves Islam the most.


Nirav Modi stated before the London court that he didn’t leave India but was threatened by the leaders of a political party to escape and run away from the country.

The men are thought to have left India before the alleged fraud was discovered. Modi denies the allega- tions and has sought polit- ical asylum in the U.K. In a letter to Punjab Na- tional Bank last year, Modi said he owed the institu- tion about 50 billion rupees ($775 million). The $1.8 bil- lion ﬁgure cited by the bank resulted in a media frenzy that pressured authorities to quickly search and seize assets from two of his com- panies, Firestar Interna- tional and Firestar Diamond International, Modi said. The son of a diamond merchant, Modi built an in- ternational jewellery empire that stretched from India to New York and Hong Kong. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra became the face of his eponymous brand and Hollywood actress Naomi Watts appeared with Modi at the opening of his ﬁrst U.S. boutique in 2015. As recently as 2017, Forbes magazine estimated Modi’s wealth at $1.8 billion. But his empire began to crumble after the fraud alle- gations, and he was removed from the publication’s bil- lionaires list in 2018. Last year, the interna- tional police organisation Interpol issued a "red no- tice" seeking Modi’s ar- rest worldwide.


Rahul Gandhi: “Surgical strikes and Air strikes happened during UPA government but we didn’t disclose to anyone, not even to Army and Airforce”.

A post is being shared by many users on Facebook claiming Rahul Gandhi has commented that UPA government also conducted Surgical strikes and Air strikes but didn’t disclose to anyone, not even to Army and Airforce. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post [...] Rahul Gandhi said in a public interaction meeting during the Rajasthan Assembly Elections that the UPA government also conducted Surgical strikes but did not disclose the information to the public. But, he did not say that the UPA government conducted strikes not even disclosing it to Army and Airforce. Finally, Rahul Gandhi’s statement which was twisted by a parody account is being shared on Facebook as his statement and there isn’t any truth in these posts.


More people have travelled in airplanes than in AC trains for the first time

One of the infographics on the government’s 48-month portal makes certain claims about the expansion of the aviation sector in the past 4 years under the NDA government . Here is a fact check of these claims.


30,000 rupees is provided towards tuition fee and 20,000 as contingency allowance.

Saksham Scholarship Scheme for economically weaker differently abled students to pursue technical education Saksham Scholarship Scheme was launched in 2014-15, with the objective of encouraging economically weaker differently abled students to pursue technical education at Diploma and Degree levels. Scholarship amount of Rs. 30,000 is provided towards tuition fee reimbursement and Rs. 20000 as contingency allowance. Under the scheme, 1000 scholarships per annum are available. Number of application received from eligible candidates under the scheme every year, remained low despite wide publicity. Year-wise details of applications received are given in the table below: A committee of experts was set up, to suggest measures for improving the performance of the scheme. The committee recommended that a provision be made under the scheme to support differently abled student for purchase of Aids and Assistive Devices, in cases where tuition fee was either exempted or less than Rs.30,000/-


Cost of the Evian brand’s water bottle seen at the family gathering of Tejashwi Yadav is ₹2900 per liter

Evian Water is widely considered the creme de la creme of bottled water. Hailing from a small town called Evian-Les-Bains, the prestige of the light blue-capped Evian bottle has outgrown its humble home. [...] Pricing certainly goes beyond popularity, however, Evian relies heavily on its respect amongst those in Hollywood and recording studios to maintain its image as the bottled water of the stars. [...] As mentioned earlier, Evian compares favorably with most other bottled brands when it comes to the price point. In fact, one of its direct competitors in the market - Fiji Water - costs nearly twice as much for a 12-pack of one-liter bottles.


2017-18 is the is the best ever year of safety record for the railways and less than 100 accidents were recorded in that year.

According to official figures, railways has maintained the best safety record in 2017-2018 fiscal in over five decades. Across the railway network, 73 accidents were reported as of March 30, compared to 104 in the previous fiscal. This has been the lowest in 57 years. A senior official of the ministry said, "The main reason behind the improvement is track renewal, the railways carried out renewal of 4,405 km of old rails in 2017-2018. This is the highest ever progress of rail renewal and exceeds the target of 4,400 km kept for the year." [...] – Derailments have come down from 78 in 2016-2017 to 54 in 2017-2018. Accidents at level crossings stood at 13 in 2017-2018 in comparison to 30 in the previous year.


Former Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar along with his wife met Narendra Modi to show his support for BJP in the General Elections-2019.

Mumbai: Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with his wife Anjali Tendulkar Mumbai: Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with his wife Anjali Tendulkar pose for photos during the Special Screening Of the upcoming Film 'Ghoomer', in Mumbai on August 20, 2023. (Photo: IANS/Sanjay Tiwari)