CLAIM: Video shows Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand reprimanding CM Yogi Adityanath for Maha Kumbh stampede.

FACT CHECK: The video is part of an interview Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand gave to a Gujarati news channel where he criticised the Kumbh mismanagement and questioned Uttar Pradesh government’s efficiency.

A video of Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth in Uttarakhand, has surfaced with false claims that it shows him reprimanding Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, for the stampede in Kumbh. 

BOOM found that the video shows Shankaracharya interacting with a Gujarati news outlet Jamawat on a video call and not Yogi Adityanath.

In the viral video, Shankaracharya can be heard saying in Hindi, “You had said I have made all the arrangements, so where did your arrangements go, your Kumbh also is similar to the previous Kumbh (melas). Your Kumbh should have been special, you were saying I have made all the arrangements. You were saying that 40 crores are going to come and I have made arrangement for 100 crores…when only 40 crores are coming in an arrangement meant for 100 crores, then why are your arrangements failing?” 

The video has been shared by Tripura Pradesh Youth Congress with the caption, “To Yogi Adityanath on video call Shankaracharya ji reprimanded.”

Click here to see post and here to see archive.

Fact Check 

BOOM first ran keyword searches for news articles related to the video call interaction between Shankaracharya and Yogi, but did not find any credible reports.

The video has an ‘Exclusive Chauchak Media’ watermark on it and a logo at the end of the clip. We then found the video on the YouTube channel of Chauchak Media. 

The video was uploaded on February 5, 2025 with the description, “Shankaracharya was seen scolding on video call, made Yogi Adityanath realise the mistake.” It however did not clarify whether Shankaracharya was speaking to Yogi Adityanath.

Viral Video Is A Part Of An Interview 

We also found that several users pointed out that the video is part of an interview with a news outlet. Taking a hint, we ran a keyword search for recent interviews given by Shankaracharya and found a 13-minute long video on a Gujarati news channel called ‘Jamawat’. Shankaracharya can be seen making the same remarks as seen in the viral video when asked about stampedes happening in Kumbh gatherings. 

At the 6:07 timestamp, Shankaracharya criticises the administration and the chaos in Maha Kumbh this year.

Confirmation From The Media Channel 

Journalist Devanshi Joshi from Jamawat took the interview and it premiered on YouTube on February 3. Jamawat team told BOOM,, “This conversation is part of our interview. We had interviewed Shankaracharya on phone. It is being shared in the wrong context.” 

Journalist Devanshi Joshi, who interviewed Shankaracharya, also refuted the viral claim on X. She wrote, “During the recording of my interview, someone present there must have recorded it and used it to spread fake news.”

This story was originally published by BOOM, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective

Shortly after his swearing-in as the United States President, Donald Trump signed an Executive Order cancelling the provision of ‘citizenship by birth’. Soon after, several social media users claimed that the executive order specifically targeted Indians, and “children born to Indian couples will not be eligible for automatic USA’s citizenship”. However, an investigation by the PTI Fact Check Desk found the posts to be misleading. The executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US is intended for immigrants, irrespective of the country, and not Indians in particular.

Trump signed an executive order curbing multiple immigration laws, including birthright citizenship that provides automatic American citizenship to anyone born in the country, which stands contrary to the 14th amendment of the US Constitution. The executive order signed by Trump states that a child born in the country will only be granted US citizenship if at least one parent is a US citizen, a green card holder or a member of the US military.

Within hours of him signing the executive order to end birthright citizenship for children whose parents lack legal status, he was sued by immigrant and civil rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union.

Claim

An X (formerly Twitter) user on January 21 shared a post, claiming that children born to Indian couples in the United States will not be eligible for automatic American citizenship.

The caption of the post, which has garnered 629k views so far, read: “Children born to Indian couples will not be eligible for automatic USA’s citizenship. Donald Trump. NRIs should come back to India in protest & contribute in Amritkaal.”

Here is the link and archive link to the post and below is a screenshot of the same. 

Investigation

The Desk conducted a keyword search on Google and found that several other users had shared the same claim. Two such posts can be viewed here and here, and their archived versions can be found here and here, respectively.

In the next part of investigation, the Desk reviewed the executive order signed by President Donald Trump regarding the end of birthright citizenship.

“Among the categories of individuals born in the United States and not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States: (1) when that person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth, or (2) when that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth,” the order read.

Here is the link to the document and below is a screenshot of the same.

The document also mentioned: “Subsection (a) of this section shall apply only to persons who are born within the United States after 30 days from the date of this order.”

Below is a screenshot highlighting the same.

On further conducting another set of customised keyword search of Google for relevant media reports, the Desk came across a report by CBS News, dated January 20, whose headline read: “Trump signs flurry of executive actions and memos on Day 1” 

A section of the report mentioned: “Trump also moved to dismantle the longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment, signing an order to federal agencies to deny birthright citizenship to children of parents who are unauthorized immigrants or temporary visa holders. The U.S. government has long interpreted the 14th Amendment of the Constitution as granting a right of citizenship for those born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.” 

Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same. 

Another report by The Indian Express dated January 22, whose headline read: “Trump signs executive order to end US birthright citizenship. Can he do it?” This report discussed the number of immigrants and children who could be impacted by the order.

“According to 2024 data by the Pew Research Center, the US foreign-born population reached a record 47.8 million in 2023, an increase of 1.6 million from the previous year. This is the largest annual increase in more than 20 years, since 2000. In 2022, Mexico was the top country of birth for immigrants who arrived in the last year, with about 150,000 people. India (about 145,000) and China (about 90,000) were the next largest sources of immigrants. Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil and Canada each had about 50,000 to 60,000 new immigrant arrivals,” read a section of the report.

Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same.

Subsequently, the Desk concluded that the executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US was meant for illegal immigrants, and not Indians in particular.

CLAIM: Children born to Indian couples in the United States will not be eligible for automatic American citizenship.

FACT: The executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US could impact many immigrants, not just Indians.

CONCLUSION: Several social media users claimed that the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump to end the provision of ‘citizenship by birth’ specifically targeted Indians. In its investigation, the Desk found that the executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US could impact many immigrants, and not just Indians.

FEEDBACK: You can contact PTI Fact Check on WhatsApp Number +91-8130503759 and share any claim or social media post you think is essential to fact-check and want us to verify.

(This story was originally published by PTI, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective) 

Shortly after his swearing-in as the United States President, Donald Trump signed an Executive Order cancelling the provision of ‘citizenship by birth’. Soon after, several social media users claimed that the executive order specifically targeted Indians, and “children born to Indian couples will not be eligible for automatic USA’s citizenship”. However, an investigation by the PTI Fact Check Desk found the posts to be misleading. The executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US is intended for immigrants, irrespective of the country, and not Indians in particular.

Trump signed an executive order curbing multiple immigration laws, including birthright citizenship that provides automatic American citizenship to anyone born in the country, which stands contrary to the 14th amendment of the US Constitution. The executive order signed by Trump states that a child born in the country will only be granted US citizenship if at least one parent is a US citizen, a green card holder or a member of the US military.

Within hours of him signing the executive order to end birthright citizenship for children whose parents lack legal status, he was sued by immigrant and civil rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union.

Claim

An X (formerly Twitter) user on January 21 shared a post, claiming that children born to Indian couples in the United States will not be eligible for automatic American citizenship.

The caption of the post, which has garnered 629k views so far, read: “Children born to Indian couples will not be eligible for automatic USA’s citizenship. Donald Trump. NRIs should come back to India in protest & contribute in Amritkaal.”

Here is the link and archive link to the post and below is a screenshot of the same. 

Investigation

The Desk conducted a keyword search on Google and found that several other users had shared the same claim. Two such posts can be viewed here and here, and their archived versions can be found here and here, respectively.

In the next part of investigation, the Desk reviewed the executive order signed by President Donald Trump regarding the end of birthright citizenship.

“Among the categories of individuals born in the United States and not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States: (1) when that person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth, or (2) when that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth,” the order read.

Here is the link to the document and below is a screenshot of the same.

The document also mentioned: “Subsection (a) of this section shall apply only to persons who are born within the United States after 30 days from the date of this order.”

Below is a screenshot highlighting the same.

On further conducting another set of customised keyword search of Google for relevant media reports, the Desk came across a report by CBS News, dated January 20, whose headline read: “Trump signs flurry of executive actions and memos on Day 1” 

A section of the report mentioned: “Trump also moved to dismantle the longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment, signing an order to federal agencies to deny birthright citizenship to children of parents who are unauthorized immigrants or temporary visa holders. The U.S. government has long interpreted the 14th Amendment of the Constitution as granting a right of citizenship for those born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.” 

Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same. 

Another report by The Indian Express dated January 22, whose headline read: “Trump signs executive order to end US birthright citizenship. Can he do it?” This report discussed the number of immigrants and children who could be impacted by the order.

“According to 2024 data by the Pew Research Center, the US foreign-born population reached a record 47.8 million in 2023, an increase of 1.6 million from the previous year. This is the largest annual increase in more than 20 years, since 2000. In 2022, Mexico was the top country of birth for immigrants who arrived in the last year, with about 150,000 people. India (about 145,000) and China (about 90,000) were the next largest sources of immigrants. Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil and Canada each had about 50,000 to 60,000 new immigrant arrivals,” read a section of the report.

Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same.

Subsequently, the Desk concluded that the executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US was meant for illegal immigrants, and not Indians in particular.

CLAIM: Children born to Indian couples in the United States will not be eligible for automatic American citizenship.

FACT: The executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US could impact many immigrants, not just Indians.

CONCLUSION: Several social media users claimed that the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump to end the provision of ‘citizenship by birth’ specifically targeted Indians. In its investigation, the Desk found that the executive order to end birthright citizenship in the US could impact many immigrants, and not just Indians.

FEEDBACK: You can contact PTI Fact Check on WhatsApp Number +91-8130503759 and share any claim or social media post you think is essential to fact-check and want us to verify.

(This story was originally published by PTI, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective) 

Claim: A video shows Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav participating in a ritual bath at the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025.

Fact: The claim is false. The video is from October 2022, shot during the immersion of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ashes in Haridwar.

Recently, discussions have emerged about comments made by SP MP Dimple Yadav about the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and the attendance of non-Sanatanis. The All-India Akhara Parishad expressed displeasure over her remarks, emphasising the importance of understanding the sentiments of Sanatan Dharma followers. Mahant Ravindra Puri stated that as someone from Uttarakhand, Dimple Yadav should be more attuned to these sensitivities.

Amid this backdrop, a video has gone viral allegedly showing Dimple Yadav taking a dip in the Ganges during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

An X user shared the 18-second clip of Dimple Yadav engaging in the ritual and wrote in Hindi, “Do you all know that Akhilesh’s wife has also taken a dip in the Maha Kumbh?”

A similar claim can be found here. 

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The video is not from the Maha Kumbh Mela.

A reverse image search of keyframes from the video led us to a YouTube video published by The HFF News on October 22, 2022, titled ‘Mulayam in the lap of Ganga: Akhilesh immersed the ashes with moist eyes | Dimple Yadav | Akhilesh Yadav.’

In this extended footage, Akhilesh Yadav can be seen taking a dip in the Ganges and between the timestamps of 3:18 and 4:09 minutes, visuals matching the viral clip of Dimple Yadav can be seen. The description of the video indicated that it is about the immersion of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ashes in Haridwar.

Further, we found another video published by News18 Debate and Interview YouTube channel on October 17, 2022, titled ‘Mulayam Singh Asthi Visarjan: Whole family including Akhilesh and Dimple took a dip in Ganga.’

Comparing the visuals from this video with the viral clip revealed a close resemblance, confirming that the footage is from the 2022 event.

Additionally, a report by Garhwal Post dated October 19, 2022, detailed the immersion ceremony, noting the presence of Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav and other family members during the rituals in Haridwar.

We also checked Dimple Yadav’s recent activities through her social media accounts. There were no posts or updates on her X or Instagram accounts suggesting her presence at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

Therefore, the viral claim that Dimple Yadav took a holy dip at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela is false. The video is from October 2022 and shows the immersion ceremony of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ashes in Haridwar.

Claim Review: The video shows SP MP Dimple Yadav participating in a ritual bath at the ensuing Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025.

Claimed By: X users

Claim Reviewed By: NewsMeter

Claim Source: X

Claim Fact Check: False

Fact: The claim is false. The video is from October 2022, shot during the immersion of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ashes in Haridwar.

(This story was originally published by NewsMeter, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

President Donald Trump blocked a $50 million foreign aid programme intended for condoms in Gaza, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. During her first official briefing, Leavitt argued that Trump’s decision to pause foreign aid had prevented a “preposterous waste of taxpayer money.” But the claim quickly came under fire, with experts, former officials, and aid organisations doubting its accuracy.

Fact Check:

Leavitt offered no proof to substantiate her claim that $50 million had been earmarked for condoms in Gaza. When asked for evidence, White House officials redirected inquiries to State Department statements, which did not corroborate her claim. These statements, while they mentioned blocking certain aid programmes, did not mention a specific $50 million plan for condoms.

A recent federal report reveals that, under the Biden administration, USAID did not provide any funds for condoms in the Middle East in the fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. The report said that the only contraceptive funding in the region was a small order of injectables and contraceptive pills sent to Jordan, amounting to roughly $46,000.

This also casts doubts on the $50 million figure, especially considering that the global total for male and female condoms provided by USAID in 2023 was about $8.2 million, primarily for African countries.

A former senior Biden official dismissed the claim as a fabrication, calling it “a lie” and accusing the White House of spreading false information.

Despite claims from the White House, experts familiar with US aid in Gaza have found no trace of a planned $50 million expenditure for condoms. Steve Fake of Anera, a nonprofit involved in US-funded health initiatives in Gaza, confirmed that their programmes do not include condom distribution.

This controversy comes amid the White House’s reversal of its decision to freeze federal funding, which had caused confusion, legal challenges, and panic, particularly regarding healthcare programs for low-income Americans. The freeze, which had the potential to halt trillions of dollars in government aid, was initially defended by Karoline Leavitt as part of Trump’s efforts to curb what he called “wasteful” spending.

Hyderabad:

Actor Saif Ali Khan was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital after being attacked with a knife by an intruder at his home. The Mumbai Police apprehended the attacker in Thane city on Sunday. They identified him as 30-year-old Bangladeshi resident Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad. He was later presented before a metropolitan magistrate’s court that same afternoon.

Amid these developments, a photo of Saif Ali Khan with bruises on his face including a black eye has gone viral with the claim that it shows the extent of the actor’s injuries in the attack.

The viral image was shared by a Threads user with the caption, “Saif Ali Khan stabbed: 30 minutes in the dead of night, Rs 1 crore demand, the attack and the escape.”

Similar claims were shared on platforms X and Instagram.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The image was Saif Ali Khan’s makeup for his movie Laal Kaptaan in 2019.

A reverse image search of the viral photo led to an X post from October 8, 2019, with the caption, “Behind the scene photos of Saif Ali Khan from Laal Kaptaan.” The post stated that the image showed the actor’s makeup for his role in the film.

Behind the scene photos of Saif Ali Khan from Laal Kaptaan https://t.co/W6ehUYLNo2 pic.twitter.com/moanEUfDQ6

— Saif Ali Khan Online (@SaifOnline) October 8, 2019

Further keyword search led to a report by The Times of India, dated October 8, 2019, titled ‘Mangled and bleeding: Here’s how Saif Ali Khan looked after an intense scene in Laal Kaptaan.’

The report confirmed that the photo was from the 2019 movie where Saif portrayed a Naga Sadhu.

The image, showing his bruised face and an injured eye, was a hot topic of discussion at the time. Many have drawn comparisons between Saif’s dreadlocked, bearded appearance in the movie and Johnny Depp’s iconic look from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise.

Other media outlets, including Amar Ujala and Jagran, also reported on Saif Ali Khan’s appearance in Laal Kaptaan, praising the makeup design and detailing how it contributed to his fierce portrayal in the movie.

According to a Reuters report, Saif Ali Khan sustained stab wounds to his spine, neck and hand, as confirmed by the doctors.

The report quoted Dr Nitin Dange, one of the surgeons, who said, “He suffered a significant injury to the thoracic spinal cord caused by a knife lodged in his spine. Surgery was carried out to remove the knife and repair the leaking spinal fluid.” The report did not mention any injuries to Saif Ali Khan’s face.

Additionally, we found that the visuals from the movie Laal Kaptaan featured a similar appearance in some scenes.

Therefore, the claim that the viral image shows Saif Ali Khan’s injuries following a real-life attack is false. The image shows Saif Ali Khan’s makeup for his film Laal Kaptaan in 2019.

(This story was originally published by NewsMeter, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

A post (here, here, and here) going viral on social media platforms, claims that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has changed the guidelines for filling out cheques. The post reads: “According to the new guidelines, cheques written in black ink will no longer be accepted from 01 January 2025, and cheques must be written in blue or green ink to be considered valid. The RBI has taken this step to prevent tampering and alteration of cheques.” The post further alleges that this information was sourced from a report published in The Times of India on 14 January 2025.

The archived version of this post can be found here. 

Claim: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the guidelines for filling out cheques, prohibiting the use of black ink. Cheques must now be written exclusively in blue or green ink.

Fact: No, the RBI has not issued any such guidelines prohibiting the use of black ink for writing cheques. According to information available on the RBI website, the RBI has not prescribed any specific ink colours for writing cheques. The Government of India’s official fact-checking unit, PIB Fact Check, also clarified that viral post if fake and that the RBI has not issued any such guidelines. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.

We conducted a relevant keyword search to verify the viral claim’s veracity. However, we did not find any credible reports indicating that the RBI has prohibited the use of black ink for filling out cheques. If the RBI had indeed issued such guidelines, it would have garnered significant media attention and been widely reported by numerous media outlets.

During our search, we also found no report from The Times of India supporting the viral claim. We then visited The Times of India website and reviewed its 14 January 2025 news edition, as mentioned in the claim. However, no such report was found there either (here).

We then visited the RBI website and reviewed its press releases, circulars, and publications. However, we did not find any information about any such guidelines.

Next, we conducted a keyword search on the RBI website, which led us to a report (archived link) published on 31 October 2022 titled ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ on the Cheque Truncation System. In this report, it is mentioned that: “The RBI has not prescribed specific ink colours to be used for writing cheques.” However, one should not use different coloured inks to fill out a cheque, as this may render the cheque invalid.

Responding to viral posts, on 17 January 2025, the Government of India’s official fact-checking unit, PIB Fact Check, clarified (archived link) on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has not issued any new rules prohibiting the use of black ink on cheques. It also stated that the RBI has not prescribed specific ink colours for writing cheques.

It is being claimed in social media posts that @RBI has issued new rules prohibiting the use of black ink on cheques.#PIBFactCheck

This claim is #FAKE

Reserve Bank of India has not prescribed specific ink colors to be used for writing cheques

https://t.co/KTZIk0dawz pic.twitter.com/vbL3LbBtFs

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) January 17, 2025

To sum it up, the RBI has not issued any guidelines specifying the ink colours to be used for filling out cheques.

(This story was originally published by Factly, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective) 

Paris:

Internet giant Meta’s fact-checking programme aims to counter false information on its social platforms — Facebook, Instagram and Threads — with the help of media organisations, including AFP.

Here is a guide to how it works, following Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement on January 6 that he was halting the programme in the United States.

Who does fact-checking?

Meta has since 2016 tasked journalists with assessing false information on its platforms under its “third-party fact-checking” programme — which currently has 80 media organisations working on it.

In the United States, for example, Meta has 10 media partners for the programme, including AFP, USA Today and specialist fact-check sites Lead Stories and PolitiFact.

The partners are certified by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), set up in 2015 by the Poynter Institute, a US-based non-profit media training and advocacy group.

To be certified by the IFCN, media organisations must meet its standards of editorial quality, neutrality and independence.

Zuckerberg said he will replace the fact-checks with user-generated “community notes” similar to those used on rival platform X, formerly Twitter, owned by Elon Musk.

What do fact-checkers do?

AFP publishes fact-check articles in 26 languages, aimed at readers of posts published in those tongues.

The articles explain why claims are misleading and provide correct information for readers.

To start their articles, AFP’s 150 fact-checkers identify claims that are misleading, potentially dangerous and circulating widely on the platforms.

They verify facts, not opinions or beliefs.

They do so by assembling concrete evidence that is transparently sourced and cross-checked.

They explain the steps of their investigation and publish weblinks to their sources where possible.

The media organisation that produces a fact-check article publishes it on their own website.

In the case of AFP fact checks published in English, this site is factcheck.afp.com.

How does Meta use fact-checks?

To apply a fact-check to a claim circulating online, the media organisation enters the web address of its article into an interface provided by Meta.

This interface associates the article with the social media post containing the false or misleading information.

This causes the misleading post to become less widely viewed on the social platform and a rating such as “false” or “misleading” to appear alongside the post.

The post is not removed from the platform — instead, a link to the fact-checking article appears under the post, directing readers to the verified information.

Users who have shared the misleading post receive a notification providing them with a link to the fact-check article.

If the author of the post corrects it, the rating is removed and the restriction on how many users see the post is lifted.

When are fact-check articles paid for?

Meta pays the media organisations for publishing the articles that are linked to the misleading posts.

The media organisations may write articles on any subject they choose — even concerning misinformation that is not circulating on Meta’s platforms.

But Meta only pays them for the articles that are linked to specific posts on its platforms.

Meta does not apply ratings or attach fact-checks to posts by political figures.

This does not prevent the media organisations from publishing articles about such posts — as AFP regularly does. But they do not receive payment from Meta for those articles.

Fact-checkers are not to be confused with Meta’s content moderators.

Moderators remove posts that break a platform’s rules, for example ones that feature pornography or racist content, or incite terrorism or violence.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

What’s the claim?

Following a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Tibet near the Nepal border on January 7, 2025, a video has gone viral on social media showing a road with large cracks running through it. Several users claimed the video depicts destruction caused by the recent earthquake in Nepal’s Lobuche. One such post on X garnered over 50,000 views and more than 160 reposts at the time of writing. Archived versions of similar posts are available here and here.

The video has also gained wide traction on Facebook, with similar claims suggesting it was captured in Nepal after the January 7 earthquake. Archived versions of such posts are accessible here, here, and here.

 Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

According to a report by The Washington Post, the earthquake near the China-Nepal border claimed at least 125 lives and injured 188 others. The quake struck Tingri County, located on the high Tibetan plateau near Nepal’s border.

However, the now-viral video is not related to this recent earthquake. It dates back to 2015, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal near Kathmandu, causing nearly 6,000 deaths, injuring thousands, and resulting in massive infrastructural losses.

What we found

Logically Facts conducted a reverse image search and identified a similar video in an article published by The Guardian on April 25, 2015. The article detailed the catastrophic effects of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015. It was among the most powerful earthquakes to hit the region in 80 years.

The viral video and footage from The Guardian share striking similarities. At the 0:27 timestamp of The Guardian’s video, individuals can be seen standing near a cracked road, matching the scene shown at the 0:25 mark of the viral clip.

 Comparison showing the scenes in the viral clip and The Guardian clip. (Source: X/ The Guardian)

The viral video also features a Telegraph logo, indicating its origin. A keyword search led to the same clip uploaded on YouTube by The Telegraph (archived here) on April 25, 2015. The video description reads, “Footage shows large cracks opening up in a Kathmandu road, caused by a powerful earthquake that left at least 1,130 dead, according to local police.”

Although the video depicts earthquake damage in Nepal, it is from 2015, not the recent event.

The verdict

A video of the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal has been falsely linked to the recent earthquake at the Tibet-Nepal border recorded on January 7, 2025.

(This story was originally published by Logically Facts, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

Palm Beach, Florida:

US President-elect Donald Trump said Facebook-parent Meta’s abrupt policy shift on content moderation, including ending fact-checking in the United States, was “probably” motivated by his threats against CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump expressed satisfaction with Meta’s move, and when asked if he believed it was a response to his threats against Zuckerberg, responded: “Probably, yeah.”

Social media giant Meta on Tuesday slashed its content moderation policies, including ending its US fact-checking program on Facebook and Instagram, in a major shift that conforms with the priorities of incoming president Donald Trump.

“We’re going to get rid of fact-checkers (that) have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created, especially in the US,” Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post.

Instead, Meta platforms including Facebook and Instagram, “would use community notes similar to X (formerly Twitter), starting in the US,” he added.

Meta’s surprise announcement echoed long-standing complaints made by Trump’s Republican Party and X owner Elon Musk about fact-checking, which many conservatives see as censorship.

They argue that fact-checking programs disproportionately target right-wing voices, which has led to proposed laws in states like Florida and Texas to limit content moderation.

“This is cool,” Musk posted on his X platform after the announcement.

Zuckerberg, in a nod to Trump’s victory, said that “recent elections feel like a cultural tipping point towards, once again, prioritizing speech” over moderation.

The shift came as the 40-year-old tycoon has been making efforts to reconcile with Trump since his election in November, including donating one million dollars to his inauguration fund.

Trump has been a harsh critic of Meta and Zuckerberg for years, accusing the company of bias against him and threatening to retaliate against the tech billionaire once back in office.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump when asked if he believed the move was a response to his threats against Zuckerberg, responded: “Probably, yeah.”

The Republican was kicked off Facebook following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters, though the company restored his account in early 2023.

ENDING ‘FACEBOOK JAIL’

Zuckerberg, like several other tech leaders, has met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida ahead of his January 20 inauguration.

Meta has made moves in recent days that are likely to please Trump’s team, such as appointing former Republican official Joel Kaplan to head up public affairs at the company.

He takes over from Nick Clegg, a former British deputy prime minister.

Zuckerberg also named Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) head Dana White, a close ally of Trump, to the Meta board.

Kaplan, in a statement Tuesday, insisted the company’s approach to content moderation had “gone too far.”

“Too much harmless content gets censored, too many people find themselves wrongly locked up in ‘Facebook jail,'” he said.

As part of the overhaul, Meta said it will relocate its trust and safety teams from liberal California to more conservative Texas.

“That will help us build trust to do this work in places where there is less concern about the bias of our teams,” Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg also took a shot at the European Union “that has an ever increasing number of laws institutionalizing censorship and making it difficult to build anything innovative there.”

The remark referred to new laws in Europe that require Meta and other major platforms to maintain content moderation standards or risk hefty fines.

Zuckerberg said that Meta would “work with President Trump to push back against foreign governments going after American companies to censor more.”

Additionally, Meta announced it would reverse its 2021 policy of reducing political content across its platforms.

COMMUNITY NOTES

News agency AFP currently works in 26 languages with Facebook’s fact-checking program, in which Facebook pays to use fact-checks from around 80 organizations globally on its platform, WhatsApp and Instagram.

In that program, content rated “false” is downgraded in news feeds so fewer people will see it and if someone tries to share that post, they are presented with an article explaining why it is misleading.

Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter) allows users to collaboratively add context to posts in a system that aims to distill reliable information through consensus rather than top-down moderation.

Meta’s move into fact-checking came in the wake of Trump’s shock election in 2016, which critics said was enabled by rampant disinformation on Facebook and interference by foreign actors, including Russia, on the platform.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)