Fake News Watch: Oiling cogs of rumor mill with talk of social media monitoring

Updated 12 March 2019
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Fake News Watch: Oiling cogs of rumor mill with talk of social media monitoring

  • A weekly roundup of bogus reports and phony facts in the mainstream and social media

 Egypt denies snooping claims

The Egyptian Communications Ministry has denied that a new draft law aimed at targeting rumors would mean that the government will monitor the conversations of social media users. 

A post on the Egyptian Cabinet’s official Facebook account denied rumors being circulated on social platforms claiming that the government will be going through peoples’ chats. 

Local media reported that the Parliament is working to introduce a draft law aimed at imposing heavy penalties on people spreading rumors, which it says destabilize the Egyptian state.

 

Pressing for facts on ‘dupe’ olive oil 

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said it has not received any information regarding the alleged
selling of “dupe” olive oil in the country’s markets. 

A report by Emarat Al-Youm newspaper said a ministry official has denied claims that fake olive oil is being sold in the country. 

Director of the Food Security Department at the ministry,
Majid Al-Harbawi, was quoted by the newspaper urging residents to communicate with authorities to verify the authenticity of the information prior to circulation.


Hezbollah says Israeli strike killed Al-Manar TV presenter in southern Lebanon

Updated 27 January 2026
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Hezbollah says Israeli strike killed Al-Manar TV presenter in southern Lebanon

  • The ​Israeli ‌military said later on Monday that Al-Din was a Hezbollah militant who recently worked to rehabilitate the group’s artillery capabilities in southern Lebanon

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Monday that an Israeli strike ​in the country’s south killed TV presenter Ali Nour Al-Din, who worked for the group’s affiliated Al-Manar television station.
The group said the killing portends “the danger of ‌Israel’s extended escalations (in Lebanon) ‌to include ‌the ⁠media community.”
The ​Israeli ‌military said later on Monday that Al-Din was a Hezbollah militant who recently worked to rehabilitate the group’s artillery capabilities in southern Lebanon.
Israel and ⁠Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered ‌ceasefire in 2024 to end ‍more than ‍a year of fighting ‍between Israel and Hezbollah, which culminated in Israeli strikes that severely weakened the Iran-backed militant group. Since ​then, the sides have traded accusations over ceasefire violations.
Lebanon ⁠has faced growing pressure from the US and Israel to disarm Hezbollah. The group’s leaders fear that Israel could dramatically escalate strikes across the battered country, aiming to push the Lebanese government for quicker action to confiscate Hezbollah’s arsenal.