Tag Archives: Mohammed Zubair – AltNews – CoFounder

Local Muslims and NDRF Rescue 29 Tamil Nadu Pilgrims from Flooded Causeway in Bhavnagar

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Kolyak Village (Bhavnagar ), GUJARAT :

29 passengers including 27 pilgrims were rescued from a bus at flooded Kolyak village, in Bhavnagar. Photo Credit: PTI via Vartha Bharati

Bhavnagar, Gujarat:

In a remarkable display of community spirit and collaboration, 29 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu were rescued from a stranded bus on a flooded causeway here after an overnight operation that lasted over eight hours. The pilgrims were on their way to Somnath after visiting the Nishkalank Mahadev temple when their bus became trapped due to rising water levels, reports the Vartha Bharati.

The successful rescue operation was a coordinated effort between local Muslims and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Rescuers first reached the bus using a mini-truck, breaking the rear window to assist the 27 pilgrims onboard. However, the mini-truck also became stranded during the rescue. In response, a larger truck was arranged, enabling the safe transfer of all 29 individuals, including the rescuers, to safety.

Despite the significant involvement of local Muslims in this rescue effort, mainstream media coverage has largely overlooked their contributions. Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News and a prominent fact-checker, highlighted this disparity on social media, noting that while mainstream outlets focus on negative narratives, positive stories of unity and assistance often remain unreported.

The collective effort of the community and NDRF underscores the importance of solidarity in times of crisis, showcasing the power of cooperation in overcoming challenges faced by those in need.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Focus> Social Service / by Radiance News Bureau / September 28th, 2024

Tamil Nadu Govt Honours Fact-Checker Mohammed Zubair With Communal Harmony Award

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Bengaluru, KARNATAKA:

TN chief minister M.K. Stalin with Mohammed Zubair at the awarding ceremony. Photo: Video screengrab.

The government noted that his “work helps prevent the occurrence of violence in society likely to be caused by fake news.” 

New Delhi: 

Fact-checker and journalist Mohammed Zubair is the recipient of the 2024 Kottai Ameer Communal Harmony Award given by the Tamil Nadu government.

The citation notes that Zubair has been “rendering various services to promote communal harmony.”

It observes that in creating the website Alt News – which he co-founded with Pratik Sinha – Zubair has set up an instrument to analyse the “veracity of the news coming out on social media,” giving primacy to real news.

The government noted that his “work helps prevent the occurrence of violence in society likely to be caused by fake news.”

The citation especially says that in March 2023, when there was a rapid spread on social media of the disinformation that migrant workers were being attacked in Tamil Nadu, Alt News‘s verification of the authenticity of the video was instrumental in proving that the footage was not from Tamil Nadu at all.

It “stopped the spread of rumours against Tamil Nadu and acted to prevent violence caused by caste, religion, race and language in Tamil Nadu,” the government said.

In 2022, Zubair was arrested by the Delhi police for a 2018 tweet in which he shared a screenshot from a 1983 Hindi movie. Six cases were slapped on him during the period of his incarceration until the Supreme Court gave him bail.

Zubair is often attacked online by Hindutva commentators for fact-checking viral claims and disinformation.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Media> Government / by The Wire Staff / January 26th, 2024

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 | AltNews cofounders Pratik Sinha, Mohammed Zubair among favourites

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Bengaluru, KARNATAKA / INDIA :

File picture of AltNews co-founders Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha after Zubair’s release from police custody in July 2021. The duo are among the favourites to win the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize | Photo Credit: Twitter/@free_thinker

AltNews journalists Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair and Indian author Harsh Mander were included in an unofficial shortlist of favourites for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, ahead of the announcement of the winner on October 7

Cofounders of fact checking website AltNews Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair and Indian author Harsh Mander are among the favourites to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, according to unofficial shortlists released ahead of the announcement on Friday.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 7 in Oslo, Norway. Ahead of the announcement, predictions are being made about who and which organisations are the favourites and top-runners to win one of the most prestigious global honours.

TIME magazine, in a report, compiled a list of “some of the favourites to win, based on nominations that were made public via Norwegian lawmakers, predictions from bookmakers, and picks from the Peace Research Institute Oslo.”

The list includes journalists Mr. Sinha and Mr. Zubair, who “have relentlessly been battling misinformation in India.” The Time report said that the duo has “methodologically debunked rumors and fake news circulating on social media and called out hate speech.

Mr. Zubair was arrested by Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through his tweets.

The TIME article notes that Mr. Zubair’s arrest was condemned by journalists around the world who “argued it was retribution for his fact-checking work.”

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy among favourites

The TIME list of favourites also includes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the U. N. Refugee Agency, Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the World Health Organization, Russia’s jailed opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunburg.

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) director Henrik Urdal also released his annual shortlist of probable Peace laureates. His list includes Mander, and the campaign he launched in 2017 ‘Karwan-e-Mohabbat’. Mr. Urdal also names Mr. Sinha and Mr. Zubair as “other worthy candidates for a prize focused on combating religious extremism and intolerance” in India.

“Religious extremism helps justify discrimination and violence, and stokes tensions between groups that can result in armed conflict.

Making a significant contribution to fighting religious extremism and promoting interreligious dialogue is therefore a compelling rationale for being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. A worthy recipient of such a prize is Harsh Mander, along with the campaign he launched in 2017, Karwan-e-Mohabbat (“Caravan of Love”),” according to Urdal’s shortlist.

“Mander is an important voice for religious tolerance and dialogue, and his campaign an important rallying point for those who oppose interreligious conflict and violence.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by PTI / New York – October 06th, 2022