Fake news watch: Get the juice on Saddam glorification

Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. (AFP)
Updated 05 February 2019
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Fake news watch: Get the juice on Saddam glorification

  • Iraq’s supreme judicial council has denied issuing a decision to criminalize the glorification of the late president Saddam Hussein
  • A viral video purporting to show a Qur’an student being beaten by his teacher at a mosque in Dubai was reported to be fake news

1 Glorifying Saddam is not a crime
Iraq’s supreme judicial council has denied issuing a decision to criminalize the glorification of the late president Saddam Hussein.
It followed the arrest of a poet who wrote some verse praising the days of the late president.
The incident prompted Iraqis on social media to circulate news reports claiming that glorifying the deceased leader had become a crime.
The judiciary council swiftly denied the claim.

2 Rumors of a boy beaten at Dubai mosque refuted
A viral video purporting to show a Qur’an student being beaten by his teacher at a mosque in Dubai was reported to be fake news according to a report in Khaleej Times.
The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department issued a statement regarding a video that went viral on social media, the Dubai-based newspaper said.
“We refute the rumors on social media about the so-called incident where a Qur’an student was beaten by his teacher at a mosque in Dubai,” the department said in a statement.

3 Napkins in juice a soggy tale
Jordan’s Food and Drug Administration has denied video footage circulated on social media claiming that napkin fragments were found in a local juice maker’s factory. The administration said in a statement after examining the viral video’s content that it was “unreasonable” that large-sized napkins or towels found their way through a system that had filters.


Egyptian host Ramez Galal under heat following a lawsuit for his Ramadan prank show

Updated 24 February 2026
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Egyptian host Ramez Galal under heat following a lawsuit for his Ramadan prank show

DUBAI: Egyptian actor and host Ramez Galal is under fire following a lawsuit by Egyptian actress Asmaa Galal after her appearance on his Ramadan prank show “Ramez Level the Monster.”

Ramez, known for his prank programs, returned to the screen this year for the latest edition of his show, but Asmaa took legal action against him once the episode was aired, claiming that his commentary constituted mockery and bullying.

She claims Ramez opened the episode segment by making disparaging remarks about her appearance, criticizing her choice of tight leggings, commenting on her body, and questioning whether her features were natural.

According to a statement from her lawyers’ office, the actress agreed to appear on the show on the understanding that it followed the usual prank format, without being informed of any added voice-overs or edited commentary in post-production.

However, the episode included phrases and remarks that the statement said amounted to personal insults and bodily mockery, with no relevance to the prank itself.

Her legal team emphasized that while satire and entertainment are protected forms of expression, they do not justify defamation or personal humiliation, particularly when targeting someone’s dignity or physical appearance.

The statement also noted that she initially chose to remain silent out of respect for Ramadan, but ultimately decided to respond, stressing that personal dignity remains a red line regardless of the entertainment context.

The episode has caused a significant backlash, with the National Council for Women in Egypt rejecting the treatment of women in such shows, affirming that personal dignity is a “red line.”

Ramez’s show has attracted controversy for years with accusations of torture, alleged harassment and physical contact.