Latest news with #Medium
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' But Harvard did not publish the report in question. Moreover, these claims misrepresent data from the report that was intended to address an entirely unrelated topic. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse, a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. The author of the Medium post did not respond to a request for comment. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet, for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then,' said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that,' he said. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here:
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' But Harvard did not publish the report in question. Moreover, these claims misrepresent data from the report that was intended to address an entirely unrelated topic. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse , a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. The author of the Medium post did not respond to a request for comment. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet , for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then,' said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that,' he said. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse, a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet, for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then," said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that," he said.
Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Salam Stockholm!
Matein Khalid My generation were teenagers in the late 1970's and thus passionate fans of Sweden since Abba dominated the Top of the Pops (God, how I hated the ghastly Dancing Queen since every girl in high school thought this syrupy pop tune was written specifically for her!) and Björn Borg dominated Centre Court at Wimbledon as the Men's Champion until the trophy was wrested from him in 1981 in a five set marathon by the awful but brilliant American John McEnroe. As I grew older, I learnt to love Sweden's amazing social tolerance and cosmopolitan culture, its democratic values, welfare state, its beautiful lakes, ancient cities and effervescent young women whom I met in my fave Hellenic beach resorts like Ayia Napa in Cyprus and Mykonos in the Greek Aegean. However, in 2025, I have a special reason to love Sweden and it is definitely not the ugly furniture of Ikea my Gen-Z twins adore. The Swedish kroner has been the best anti-dollar FX hedge of 2025 and is up an incredible 17% in the last 6-months. As I expect the Trump Buckeroo to fall 20% before the Big Guy leaves the White house, I hope my Swedish kroner stash rises another 20% and offsets the already exorbitant cost of a Scandi holiday. Since I prefer the Med to the Baltics at any time of the year, why not revert back to the 1980's watering holes in the Cyclades and meet nice Swedish people in the Scandinavian love shack rather than actually flying to Stockholm Gothenburg or Malmö. ADVERTISEMENT Sweden is also one of the world's most successful case studies in innovation and entrepreneurial capitalism, the reason Nasdaq's Old World hub is in Stockholm. This $900 billion economy is one of my favourite countries to invest for the next 5-years as long as Putin does not invade Estonia and try to usurp King Charles XII's role as the supreme war lord of the North with a blockade of the Baltics. After all, Putin is from St. Petersburg, a port founded by Tsar Pyotr Alexievich to fight the Swedish empire, the superpower of the North in the first decade of the 18th century. This IT/green tech/export colossus is a goldmine for investors who love corruption free economies dedicated to innovation and talent, a natural for any refugee from Planet Dollar like moi! Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
As Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding kicks off, a look back at their romance
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are tying the knot, and it might just be the biggest wedding of the year. The techpreneur and socialite's upcoming Italian nuptials have turned the internet (and the city of Venice) upside down as photos and reports emerge of lavish celebrations and a who's who of A-listers arriving via boat. The Amazon founder is among the world's richest men, and Sánchez, his romantic second act, is an ex-journalist who has lent a quasi-feminist spin to his oft-critiqued business ventures. Their romance has captured the world's attention, and its opulence will be on full display this month as a slew of celebrity guests arrive to watch the power couple say "I do." Here's a look back at their relationship timeline. January 2019: Rumors of a romance swirl Bezos and Sánchez were first reportedly linked in 2019, around the same time both parties announced splits from their previous partners. Bezos and his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, with whom he shares four children, split officially that same year. Sánchez was already in the process of divorcing her husband, Patrick Whitesell, with whom she shares two children. February 2019: Bezos accuses National Enquirer of blackmail In a post to the blogging website Medium in February 2019, Bezos accused the National Enquirer of blackmailing him with intimate text messages and photos he and Sánchez exchanged, several of which, the outlet claimed, showed him still with his wedding ring on. "Of course I don't want personal photos published, but I also won't participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favors, political attacks, and corruption," Bezos wrote in the post. 2019: Vacations, Wimbledon, more Throughout 2019, the couple were spotted out and about, vacationing together and attending sporting events. The first year of their romance was marked by a slow ramp-up of public appearances, contrasted heavily with their current, more saturated presence in the public eye. 2020: A trip to India In 2020, the pair jetted off to India for a trip to the Taj Mahal and several public engagements. 2021: Sánchez watches Bezos work For one of the world's leading businessmen, public appearances are often varied and high-powered. As their romance heated up, Sánchez became a familiar figure on his arm not just during personal outings, but during business ventures as well. In 2021, the former TV journalist accompanied her partner to business meetings with world leaders, a speech at his space company Blue Origin, and a charitable gala. 2022: Movie premieres, commencements, oh my! Sánchez and Bezos stayed on the party circuit in 2022, attending various movie premieres, including one for "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," a spinoff released on streaming under Amazon Prime, the entertainment subsidiary of Bezos' e-commerce giant Amazon. They also shared a laugh at a commencement ceremony for MIT graduates. 2023: A multi-million dollar engagement Bezos popped the question to Sánchez on his yacht during a trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. He hid a box containing a $2.5 million pink engagement ring under her pillow, Sánchez shared with Vogue, telling the outlet: "When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit." January 2025: Inauguration Day Bezos, who has shared a fraught relationship with Donald Trump over the years, attended the 47th president's second inauguration this year, along with a bevy of other tech leaders in an apparent attempt to cozy up to the executive. Sánchez was by his side in an all-white getup. Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos' fiancée, wears white to Trump inauguration: See the photo April 2025: A trip to space In April, Sánchez took a flight alongside other celebrities and scientists in a much-critiqued, all-female mission aboard a Blue Origin capsule. Bezos greeted her upon landing, and the two embraced. June 2025: Wedding bells ring As the summer heats up, Bezos and Sánchez are set to shut down a large portion of Venice, a major tourist destination, for their wedding festivities. This week, celebrity guests began arriving for the nuptials and protestors took to the city to voice dissatisfaction with the billionaire's growing wealth and opulent display. Contributing: Saman Shafiq
