{"id":282967,"date":"2024-12-23T12:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T12:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=282967"},"modified":"2024-12-19T04:54:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T04:54:09","slug":"scandal-deepens-around-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/12\/scandal-deepens-around-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"Scandal Deepens around CNN\u2019s Clarissa Ward Staging Syria Prison Scene"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cnn-hoax-syria-prison-clarissa-ward.webp\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-282968\" src=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cnn-hoax-syria-prison-clarissa-ward.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cnn-hoax-syria-prison-clarissa-ward.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cnn-hoax-syria-prison-clarissa-ward-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cnn-hoax-syria-prison-clarissa-ward-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Footage showing <\/em>CNN<em>\u2019s regime change-crazed correspondent supposedly freeing a forgotten prisoner from a Syrian jail has been exposed a scandalous fraud, yet the network continues to re-air it, while defending its correspondent.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><em>16 Dec 2024 <\/em>&#8211; \u201cIn nearly twenty years as a journalist, this was one of the most extraordinary moments I have witnessed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s how veteran CNN journalist Clarissa Ward <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/clarissaward\/status\/1866987136429531591\" >described<\/a> her foray into a Syrian prison on December 12, where she promptly claimed to have rescued a forgotten inmate after three months in jail. But there was just one problem with the \u201cextraordinary moment\u201d: a review of a dramatic story depicted by CNN reveals a number of glaring inconsistencies, the greatest of which is that the man stands accused of being an impostor.<\/p>\n<p>After countless social media users shredded CNN\u2019s story, a fact-checking organization with ties to the US government has exposed the prisoner seemingly liberated in Ward\u2019s theatrical performance turns out to have been a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/verify-sy.com\/en\/details\/10562\/Did-CNN-Fabricate-the-Story-of--Freeing-a-Prisoner-from-a-Secret-Jail--\" >low level Syrian intelligence official<\/a> jailed for corruption and abuse charges.<\/p>\n<p>CNN finally addressed the deepening scandal on December 15, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/cnn-investigating-background-of-prisoner-may-have-given-false-identity\/\" >declaring that it would investigate<\/a> the subject of Ward\u2019s piece. However, the network continues to protect the correspondent responsible for the journalistic flim-flam, while rebroadcasting the staged report for its views day after day.<\/p>\n<p>With Ward still stationed in jihadist-held Damascus, it appears that her bosses are refusing to allow any editorial standards or professional ethics get in the way of a successful Western-backed regime change operation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1868291185598419220&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fthegrayzone.com%2F2024%2F12%2F16%2Fscandal-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison%2F&amp;sessionId=a073a26ab775420a6e24aad67e1eaeed7be2cb26&amp;siteScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1868291185598419220\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3><strong>\u201cIt moved! Is there someone there?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In CNN\u2019s original Dec. 11 video report, Ward enters a jail she says was previously operated by Syrian Air Force intelligence, which she claims was \u201cone of many secret prisons across [Damascus]\u201d \u2013 and was \u201cspecifically tasked with surveillance, arrest, and killing of <i>all<\/i> regime critics.\u201d Ward was apparently searching for signs of Austin Tice, an American journalist who the US government claims was being held by the Assad government prior to its fall.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t find any hints of Tice,\u201d Ward insists in a voiceover, \u201cbut [we] come across something extraordinary.\u201d At this point, \u201cthe guard makes us turn the camera off while he shoots the lock off the cell door,\u201d she says. Viewers are not shown their entrance. Afterwards, Ward and her entourage appear a clean but windowless cell, where a blanket lies heaped on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt moved!\u201d Ward exclaims, before asking the blanket, in English: \u201cIs there someone there?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Upon being prodded by her armed rebel guide, a man crawls out from under the blanket, revealing himself to the CNN crew. Eyes widened, he raises his arms. \u201c\u2018I\u2019m a civilian,\u2019 he says, \u2018I\u2019m a civilian,\u2019\u201d Ward translates. \u201cHe tells the fighter he is from the city of Homs and has been in the cell for three months.\u201d Ward is shown pacing in the background, hand clasped dramatically to her chest.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe clutches my arm tightly with both hands,\u201d she intones, her voice quivering with emotion. She then asks breathlessly: \u201cDoes anyone have any water?\u201d Someone off-screen produces a bottle, which the man drinks quickly. As he walks outside, he looks up. \u201cMy God, the light,\u201d he says, while staring directly and unflinchingly at the sky. \u201cLeft alone for days without food, water or light, the man was unaware Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime had fallen,\u201d Ward declares gravely.<\/p>\n<p>By her stated estimation, he had been left for dead and deprived of all food and water for at least four days. A 2022 study published in Science <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.abm8668\" >determined<\/a> that \u201cdespite adaptations to minimize dehydration, humans can survive for only ~3 days without consuming water.\u201d The Mezzeh Air Force intelligence prison in question was reportedly <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/theworldtruthe\/status\/1865216078021841347\" >overtaken<\/a> by anti-government militants on Dec. 6, a full five days before the report was published.<\/p>\n<p>Yet rather than immediately seeking medical care for the man after his release, a rebel fighter pulls up a chair, and the CNN crew elects to conduct an interview with the supposed former prisoner. At some point, someone hands him a plate of food, and he collapses into Ward\u2019s arms after taking a bite. \u201cHe can barely lift it to his mouth. But his body can\u2019t handle it,\u201d Ward declares mournfully.<\/p>\n<p>The segment ends as the man, who Ward identifies as \u201cAdil Gharbal,\u201d is guided into an ambulance by men wearing Red Crescent jackets. \u201cIt is the end of a very dark chapter for him and for all of Syria,\u201d Ward concludes.<\/p>\n<p>And perhaps it would be \u2013 if it actually happened. But it now appears the man rescued by CNN\u2019s Clarissa Ward was a corrupt Syrian government official, not an innocent political prisoner.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>US government aligned site exposes CNN\u2019s Syria prison theater<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to a Western-backed fact-checking organization known as Verify, \u201cAdil Gharbal\u201d is <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/verify-sy.com\/en\/details\/10562\/Did-CNN-Fabricate-the-Story-of--Freeing-a-Prisoner-from-a-Secret-Jail--\" >actually<\/a> Salama Mohammad Salama, who they identified as \u201ca first lieutenant in Syrian Air Force Intelligence,\u201d a figure they claim was \u201cnotorious for his activities in Homs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Verify, which describes itself as \u201ca verified signatory of the International Fact-Checker Network (IFCN) and a trusted partner of Facebook in the MENA region since 2019,\u201d writes that \u201cresidents of the Al-Bayyada neighborhood identified him as frequently stationed at a checkpoint in the area\u2019s western entrance, infamous for its abuses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Per Verify, Salama was imprisoned due to his involvement in \u201ctheft [and] extortion,\u201d and \u201chis recent incarceration\u2014lasting less than a month\u2014was due to a dispute over profit-sharing\u201d of \u201cextorted funds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The IFCN\u2019s parent group, the \u201cPoynter Institute,\u201d has <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.poynter.org\/ethics-trust\/2017\/largest-funders-of-the-poynter-institute\/\" >taken<\/a> huge sums from organizations including George Soros\u2019 Open Society Foundation (OSF) and the CIA cutout National Endowment for Democracy. In 2017, Poynter <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/13-million-in-grants-from-omidyar-network-open-society-foundations-will-expand-poynters-international-fact-checking-network-300481553.html\" >took in<\/a> a whopping $1.3 million from OSF and Omidyar Foundation, the main vessel for spending by Democratic Party-aligned billionaire Pierre Omidyar. Given its US-aligned financial ties, Verify has very little incentive to undercut CNN\u2019s regime change narratives.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside hundreds of social media users, Verify has also pointed out that the timeline described by CNN simply defies belief. As geopolitical analyst Arnaud Bertrand <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RnaudBertrand\/status\/1867078852146868714\" >noted<\/a>, \u201cmost humans cannot survive without water for 4-5 days, especially if it\u2019s without food either and in stressful prison conditions. At the very minimum, they would have extremely dry, cracked lips and mouth, severely sunken eyes, a very tight grayish skin and they wouldn\u2019t be able to speak coherently.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The man CNN claims to have liberated shows no signs of long-term incarceration, however, and instead appears well-fed, neat, and relatively clean-shaven. Another popular post drew attention to \u201cthe manicured nails of a man who was in a Syrian dungeon without light for 3 months until CNN rescued him.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1867237941761781782&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fthegrayzone.com%2F2024%2F12%2F16%2Fscandal-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison%2F&amp;sessionId=a073a26ab775420a6e24aad67e1eaeed7be2cb26&amp;siteScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1867237941761781782\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Anti-imperialist commentators weren\u2019t the only ones to push back on CNN\u2019s gratuitous propaganda. One <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ScharoMaroof\/status\/1867020219958407591\" >Kurdish activist wrote<\/a> that the incident \u201craises some serious serious questions about journalistic integrity\u201d because \u201cthe air force intelligence prison was entered by the Syrian rebels and all cells [were already] opened\u201d two days before CNN showed up. \u201cThe prison has been liberated for days now; several Syrian reporters were there already \u2013 families have come to look for the remains of their family members \u2013 prisons were searched by search teams [sent] by the Turkish government; yet somehow all of them ignored this 1 prison cell? \u2013 with exactly 1 prisoner inside despite this being a prison cell for multiple prisoners?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The same activist pointed out that even journalists affiliated with Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, the US-designated terrorist group which largely oversaw the overthrow of the Syrian government, were <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ScharoMaroof\/status\/1867020219958407591\/\" >mocking<\/a> CNN\u2019s coverage in a post on Telegram: \u201cif it wasn\u2019t a play to achieve a scoop for CNN and laugh at the West\u2019s stupidity, it is more likely that one of the detainees has no place to go and prefers to stay in prison and sleep there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Others, who claim to have been jailed by the former Syrian government also questioned the report, with one <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hassan_akkad\/status\/1867224069508059593?s=46&amp;t=zjVNBGPosKEP-yud7GT12g\" >commenting<\/a>: \u201cI was detained twice in Syria. I think this is staged. CNN should investigate. Happy to be proven wrong.\u201d Another suggested the video piece did a disservice to those who had <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jomana_hasan90\/status\/1867170055802548435?s=46&amp;t=zjVNBGPosKEP-yud7GT12g\" >actually been jailed<\/a>: \u201cCNN journalist Clarissa Ward fabricated a scene showing a prisoner inside Syria\u2019s notoriously brutal prisons. This is demeaning and exploitative to Syrian detainees. As a former Syrian detainee, I call for boycotting her and exposing her actions.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Ward\u2019s history of shameless regime change cheerleading, collaboration with AQ figures<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s certainly not the first time Ward has been accused of fabricating a story and staging a scene to boost her ratings. While covering Israel\u2019s post-October 7 assault on Gaza, Ward earned widespread mockery when she fell to the ground and took cover from a Hamas rocket attack, when, in fact, no munitions were falling anywhere in her vicinity.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks later, Ward\u2019s lopsided coverage of the Israeli genocide in Gaza provoked a viral confrontation by Egyptian journalist Rahma Zein, who <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MaxBlumenthal\/status\/1715414772357750925\" >lambasted the CNN correspondent <\/a>in a viral video: \u201cCover this! Say the truth! We understand\u2026 You\u2019re just a puppet, you\u2019re just a mouthpiece,\u201d she proclaimed, but in many ways, \u201cyou represent your government.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re watching an occupation\u201d and it\u2019s \u201cthe result of your silence,\u201d Zein concluded.<\/p>\n<p>Ward\u2019s presence in Damascus, where jihadist militias have taken control while Israeli forces seize Syrian territory without a fight, represents the culmination of over a decade of propagandizing for regime change.<\/p>\n<p>Back in 2012, Ward claimed to have \u201csort of slipped off into an alleyway in the [Damascus] old city, put a headscarf on, and went and lived with some activists for a week.\u201d She returned with a de facto commercial for the Free Syrian Army, the Contra-style militia created with CIA arms and support.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15711\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15711\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15711\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?resize=620%2C350&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?w=620&amp;ssl=1 620w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?resize=150%2C85&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"350\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" data-attachment-id=\"15711\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2019\/10\/16\/us-backed-crazy-militias-turkeys-invasion-syria\/freesyrianarmy2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?fit=620%2C350&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"620,350\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"FSA\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;CNN\u2019s Clarissa Ward, then of CBS, with the FSA in 2011&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thegrayzone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/freesyrianarmy2.jpg?fit=620%2C350&amp;ssl=1\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15711\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">CNN\u2019s Clarissa Ward, then of CBS, with the FSA in 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2017, Ward was granted special entry to Idlib, the Al Qaeda carveout in Northwestern Syria protected by the Turkish military. To gain access to jihadist leaders, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2017\/07\/06\/cnn-al-qaeda-propagandist-bilal-abdul-kareem-syria\/\" >Ward hired Bilal Abdul Kareem<\/a>, an American who joined the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda in 2012 and subsequently served as its top English language propagandist, as her fixer. When Ward won a Peabody Award for her report inside Idlib, Kareem took to Twitter to complain that CNN \u201cbarely mentioned my name! I\u2019m telling you, somehow CNN must have forgotten that I was the one that filmed it, I guess they forgot that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ward appeared soon <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MaxBlumenthal\/status\/883459192107003904\" >after at the UN Security Council<\/a> as a guest of the United States delegation. There, she described \u201cthe Islamist factions\u201d in the Idlib province as \u201cheroes on the ground\u201d who have \u201cfilled the void\u201d in the war to overthrow the Syrian government.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019, when The Grayzone\u2019s Max Blumenthal posted a Twitter thread containing non-staged photos and videos documenting his visit to Damascus, including his interviews with Syrians who had been wounded or tortured by Western-backed opposition forces, Ward flew into a petulant frenzy, claiming she was \u201cgetting palpitations\u201d that graduated to \u201cspasms of rage,\u201d even wondering if Blumenthal\u2019s critical reporting was driven by drug addiction.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-2\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1170997893626519552&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fthegrayzone.com%2F2024%2F12%2F16%2Fscandal-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison%2F&amp;sessionId=a073a26ab775420a6e24aad67e1eaeed7be2cb26&amp;siteScreenName=TheGrayzoneNews&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1170997893626519552\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Sober or not, when Ward participated in a clearly staged prisoner rescue \u2013 what she called \u201cone of the most extraordinary moments\u201d in her media career \u2013 she was clearly drunk on her own entitlement and obsession with advancing the priorities of the US regime change machine. And though her network appears to be protecting her, it seems the morning after has finally arrived.<\/p>\n<p>____________________________________________<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wyatt-Reed.jpg\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-282969 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wyatt-Reed-e1734583688822.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"80\" height=\"70\" \/><\/a>Wyatt Reed is the managing editor of <\/em>The Grayzone<em>. As an international correspondent, he has covered stories in over a dozen countries.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2024\/12\/16\/scandal-cnns-clarissa-ward-staging-syria-prison\/\" >Go to Original &#8211; thegrayzone.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>16 Dec 2024 &#8211; Footage showing CNN\u2019s regime change-crazed correspondent supposedly freeing a forgotten prisoner from a Syrian jail has been exposed a scandalous fraud, yet the network continues to re-air it, while defending its correspondent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":282968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[867,3194,2314,1138,1748,1113,2881,2571,413,1365],"class_list":["post-282967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media","tag-anglo-america","tag-cnn","tag-corporate-media","tag-fake-news","tag-fake-report","tag-hoax","tag-journalistic-ethics","tag-official-lies-and-narratives","tag-syria","tag-war-journalism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282967"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":282971,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282967\/revisions\/282971"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/282968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}