A bomb shelter where people sought refuge before being killed during the October 7 attacks. Reuters
A bomb shelter where people sought refuge before being killed during the October 7 attacks. Reuters
A bomb shelter where people sought refuge before being killed during the October 7 attacks. Reuters
A bomb shelter where people sought refuge before being killed during the October 7 attacks. Reuters

Journalism professors urge New York Times to re-examine accuracy of October 7 report


Adla Massoud
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More than 50 tenured journalism professors and scholars from leading US universities have called for a comprehensive external review of The New York Times' investigative front-page story on sexual violence perpetrated during the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The professors, hailing from institutions including New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern and the University of Texas, urged the newspaper to commission a group of journalism experts to conduct a thorough and full independent review of the reporting, editorial procedures and overall publication process for the story, and to release a report of findings.

The lengthy investigative story "‘Screams Without Words’: Sexual Violence on Oct 7”, which was published in December under the byline of international correspondent Jeffrey Gettleman and two freelancers, detailed how Hamas used sexual assault during the attacks.

Shortly after the story was published, questions arose about its accuracy.

Family members of one of the women killed in the attack, who was prominently featured in the report, challenged the claim that she had been raped.

Discrepancies in the testimony provided by a witness cited in the article drew further scrutiny.

The decision to send the letter came after persistent criticism from external observers and growing dissatisfaction within the Times' own ranks about the credibility of the story.

The letter, obtained by The National, was sent on Monday to Times publisher AG Sulzberger, executive editor Joe Kahn and international editor Philip Pan.

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Signatories include Mohamad Bazzi from New York University, Andrew Butters from University of Texas at Austin, AJ Christian from Northwestern University, Larry Gross from University of Southern California and Sarah J Jackson from the University of Pennsylvania, among others.

Shahan Mufti, a professor at the University of Richmond, told The National that the intent behind the letter was to prompt the publication to “eventually concede that there are problems with the story and retract it or at least correct it”.

“But for some reason the Times is digging its heels deeper and deeper even as the story continues to disintegrate,” he said.

“The stakes are just so high with this particular story because of what it was about and the time at which it was published.

“As we point out in the letter, when the International Court of Justice is talking about plausible genocide and UN agencies are warning of man-made famine, then it’s all the more important that any errors with previous reporting are recognised and corrected quickly.”

The letter conceded that it is an “impossible task” to produce “perfectly accurate drafts of history in real time”.

The letter stated that if an independent review clears the publication of serious wrongdoing, it will benefit not only the Times but journalism as a whole.

It added that, if the investigation uncovers significant errors or negligence, the publication would not be able to “reverse the damage done to Palestine and to Palestinians, but ... could still reverse some of the damage it has done to itself with its silence”.

Either way, the letter concluded, an immediate review “is the only responsible and credible thing to do”.

“Whether we like it or not, for better or worse, the Times often sets the bar for journalistic standards in America,” Mr Mufti said.

“If the Times starts lowering ethical standards, you can be sure that others will, too.”

Titanium Escrow profile

Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue  
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Premier League results

Saturday

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 1

Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1

Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 0

Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 3

Manchester United 3 Southampton 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 0

West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 0

Sunday

Watford 2 Leicester City 1

Fulham 1 Chelsea 2

Everton 0 Liverpool 0

Key developments

All times UTC 4

Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a  month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

 

RESULTS
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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

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Transmission: 6-speed auto

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

UAE v Zimbabwe A

Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs

Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Updated: April 29, 2024, 5:14 PM`