Page 2 - Us Universities

Indian-American groups urge Rutgers Univ to ban separatist Kashmiri flag

Prominent Indian-American community organisations have urged the Chancellor of Rutgers University in New Jersey not to allow the display of a separatist Kashmiri flag on its campus, asserting it would send a wrong message amidst the current chaos at leading US educational institutions against Israel's war in Gaza. Leading universities across the US are witnessing protests against Israeli military action in Gaza. The conflict was triggered by unprecedented attacks against Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive against the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. On Friday, a group representing protesting students said that eight of its 10 demands were met by the Rutgers University administration. Point nine of the demands said: Display of the flags of occupied peoples including but limited to Palestine, Kurds, and Kashmiris in all areas displaying international flags across the Rutgers .

US colleges strike deals with pro-palestinian protestors to end protests

Anti-war demonstrations ceased this week at a small number of US universities after school leaders struck deals with pro-Palestinian protesters, fending off possible disruptions of final exams and graduation ceremonies. The agreements at schools including Brown, Northwestern and Rutgers stand out amidst the chaotic scenes and 2,400-plus arrests on 46 campuses nationwide since April 17. Tent encampments and building takeovers have disrupted classes at some schools, including Columbia and UCLA. Deals included commitments by universities to review their investments in Israel or hear calls to stop doing business with the longtime US ally. Many protester demands have zeroed in on links to the Israeli military as the war grinds on in Gaza. The agreements to even discuss divestment mark a major shift on an issue that has been controversial for years, with opponents of a long-running campaign to boycott Israel saying it veers into antisemitism. But while the colleges have made concessions .

US univs take steps to prevent protest disruptions of graduation ceremonies

With student protests over the Israel-Hamas war disrupting campuses nationwide, several major universities are intent on ensuring that commencement ceremonies joyous milestones for graduates, their families and friends go off without a hitch this weekend. It won't be easy. Colleges are hiring extra security, screening attendees at venues and emphasising that significant disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters won't be tolerated. At the same time, they're pledging to honour free-speech rights by designating protest zones. Milestone is a perfect word, said Ken Burdick of Tampa, Florida, describing his daughter's graduation Saturday at the University of Michigan. He hopes the big day goes untarnished. People can exercise their First Amendment rights without disrupting or creating fear, Burdick said of protesters. Here's how some schools are planning to balance things: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN More than 8,000 graduates and 63,000 spectators are expected for Saturday's festivities

2,100 arrested in pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses: Report

At least 200 people were arrested at UCLA Thursday, bringing the nationwide total of arrests to more than 2,000 at dozens of college campuses since police cleared an encampment at Columbia University in mid-April, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Demonstrations and arrests have occurred in almost every corner of the nation. But in the last 24 hours, they've drawn the most attention at the University of California, Los Angeles, where chaotic scenes played out early Thursday as officers in riot gear surged against a crowd of demonstrators. The nationwide campus demonstrations began at Columbia on April 17 to protest Israel's offensive in Gaza, following Hamas' deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7. Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Health Ministry there.

India premier destination for global clinical trials, says Harvard scholar

India has emerged as a premier destination for conducting global clinical trials, an Indian bureaucrat who is also a Harvard scholar has said, asserting that the pharma industry must recognise the country's intrinsic value as a primary location rather than relegating it to a secondary backup role. Speaking at a recent Bio-Pharma summit in Boston, Dr Mrinalini Darswal, an Indian diplomat who is currently a PhD scholar at Harvard University, said that India "boasts a robust infrastructure, a cadre of seasoned investigators, and cost-effectiveness, collectively rendering it an appealing choice for such endeavours. The present aspirational India under the strong and transformative leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a premier destination for conducting global clinical trials, having streamlined its regulatory framework and elevated its compliance standards to align with international good clinical practices, Darswal said. This starkly contrasts larger economies

In online world, a new generation of protesters chooses anonymity

On campuses from New England to Southern California, students leading one of the largest protest movements in decades have increasingly strapped on face masks

Joe Biden keeps quiet as Gaza protesters, police clash on college campuses

President Joe Biden is staying mum about student protests and police crackdowns as Republicans try to turn campus unrest over the war in Gaza into a campaign cudgel against Democrats. Tension at colleges and universities has been building for days as some demonstrators refuse to remove encampments and administrators turn to law enforcement to clear them by force, leading to clashes that have seized attention from politicians and the media. But Biden's last public comment came more than a week ago, when he condemned antisemitic protests and those who don't understand what's going on with the Palestinians. The White House, which has been peppered with questions by reporters, has gone only slightly further than the president. On Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden is monitoring the situation closely", and she said some demonstrations had stepped over a line that separated free speech from unlawful behaviour. Forcibly taking over a building," such as what happened

UCLA draws flak for failure to act to stop attack on pro-Palestinian camps

Administrators and campus police at UCLA faced intense criticism Wednesday for failing to act quickly to stop an attack on a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus by counter-demonstrators who threw traffic cones and chairs, released pepper spray and tore down barriers. Some pro-Palestinian demonstrators fought back, and skirmishes continued for hours before outside law enforcement agencies were called to intervene. No one was arrested, and at least 15 protesters suffered injuries in the confrontation, part of a recent spate of escalating violence that's occurring on some college campuses nationally over the Israel-Hamas war. The community needs to feel the police are protecting them, not enabling others to harm them, Rebecca Husaini, chief of staff for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said in a news conference on the Los Angeles campus later Wednesday, where some Muslim students detailed the overnight events. The call for more police intervention at UCLA stood in stark contrast to

Judge warns Donald Trump of jail time if ex-Prez violates gag order

Donald Trump on Wednesday will use a one-day break from his hush money trial to rally voters in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan, a day after he was held in contempt of court and threatened with jail time for violating a gag order. His remarks will be closely watched after he received a USD 9,000 fine for making public statements about people connected to the case. In imposing the fine for posts on Trump's Truth Social account and campaign website, Judge Juan M. Merchan said that if Trump continued to violate his orders, he will impose an incarceratory punishment. The former president is trying to achieve a balancing act unprecedented in American history by running for a second term as the presumptive Republican nominee while also fighting felony charges in New York. Trump frequently goes after Merchan, prosecutors and potential witnesses at his rallies and on social media, attack lines that play well with his supporters but that have potentially put him in legal ...

Protesters reach a deal with Northwestern University, draws criticism

For five days, Northwestern University's Deering Meadow rang with the shouts of student protesters and supporters joining demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses nationwide. But Tuesday morning the grassy meadow on Northwestern's suburban Chicago campus was silent after student organizers and the school announced an agreement late Monday to curb protest activity in return for a new advisory committee on university investments and other commitments. On campus Tuesday, two unoccupied tents remained, surrounded by abandoned folding chairs, cases of bottled water and other supplies. Some who are protesting the war in Gaza condemned the agreement as a failure to stick to the original demands of student organizers. Some supporters of Israel said the deal represented "cowardly" capitulation to protesters. The harsh response and escalated protests elsewhere Tuesday suggest that the agreement at Northwestern is unlikely to spur similar deals, even if it quickly stal

Troubled by police actions against protesters at US universities: UN

The UN's top human rights official has voiced concern over heavy-handed steps taken to disperse and dismantle pro-Palestinian protests across university campuses in the US, just hours before the New York Police Department arrested and cleared protesters at the prestigious Columbia University. Hundreds of police officers swept into Columbia University on Tuesday night to end the pro-Palestinian occupation of an administration building and sweep away a protest encampment, acting after the school's president said there was no other way to ensure safety and restore order on campus. The police cleared 30 to 40 people from inside Columbia University's Hamilton Hall late Tuesday after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the administration building in New York earlier in the day. Freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental to society particularly when there is sharp disagreement on major issues, as there are about the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian ...

Police clear 30-40 protesters from Columbia University's Hamiltion Hall

Police cleared 30 to 40 people from inside Columbia University's Hamilton Hall late Tuesday after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the administration building in New York earlier in the day. NYPD officers acted after the school's president said there was no other way to ensure safety and restore order on campus and sought help from the department. The occupied building had expanded the demonstrators' reach from an encampment elsewhere on the Ivy League school's grounds. Law enforcement will be there through May 17, the end of the university's commencement events. Columbia's protests began earlier this month and kicked off demonstrations that now span from California to Massachusetts. As May commencement ceremonies near, administrators face added pressure to clear protesters. Hundreds of police officers swept into Columbia University on Tuesday night to end the pro-Palestinian occupation of an administration building and sweep away a protest encampment, acting after the school's

Columbia University vows to expel protestors as demonstrations rise in US

Columbia University vowed to expel protesters who occupied a building on the New York college's grounds Tuesday as universities nationwide grapple with intensifying campus demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war. More than 1,000 protesters have been arrested on campuses in states including Texas, Utah, Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico, Connecticut and New Jersey in recent days, some after violent clashes with police in riot gear. The White House condemned the standoffs at Columbia and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, where protesters had occupied two buildings until officers with batons intervened overnight and arrested 25 people. Officials estimated the northern California campus' total damage to be upwards of USD 1 million. President Joe Biden believes students occupying an academic building is absolutely the wrong approach, and not an example of peaceful protest, said National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. New York City Mayor Eric Adams clai

Columbia University students occupy building as campus protests continue

The New York Police Department is on standby near Columbia's campus, with officers ready to respond if called upon by university officials

Student protest against Gaza war: What is happening in colleges across US

Officials are trying to resolve the protests as the academic year winds down, but students have dug in at several high-profile universities

Columbia Univ suspending Israel-Hamas war protesters for not removing camps

Colleges around the US implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday as police arrested more demonstrators at the University of Texas and Columbia University said it was beginning to suspend students who defied an ultimatum to disband the encampment there. Dozens of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear, confronted protesters who returned to the University of Texas at Austin on Monday. They quickly arrested six demonstrators and took others into custody one by one. Officers used pepper spray after a group of protesters blocked the path of a police van carrying demonstrators who were arrested. The crowd backed away but continued to block the exit from campus. Officers then used two flash bang explosives to clear a path so the van could leave. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott reposted on social media video of troopers arriving on the 50,000-student campus. No encampments will be allowed," Abbott said. Last week, hundred

Student protests erupt at US campuses as Israel's war in Gaza continues

Pro-Israel groups allege Jewish students faced anti-Semitism, prompting Palestine supporters to deny claim

Israel-Hamas war: Columbia cancels classes, cops arrest Yale protesters

Columbia University cancelled in-person classes on Monday and police arrested several dozen protesters at Yale University as tensions on college campuses across the country continues to grow over the war in the Middle East. The moves at the two Ivy League schools came hours hours before the Jewish holiday of Passover was set to begin Monday evening. Police officers arrested about 45 protesters at Yale in Connecticut and charged them with misdemeanour trespassing, said Officer Christian Bruckhart, a spokesperson for New Haven police. All were being released on promises to appear in court, he said. Last week, police arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia in New York who had set up an encampment on the campus. Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a note addressed to the school community Monday that she was deeply saddened by what was happening on the campus. To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that

Harvard applications drop for second year in a row after turmoil on campus

Harvard admitted 1,937 students for the class, or 3.6 per cent of applicants, and they're comprised of about 53% women and 47% men

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacts with Harvard University students

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacted with Harvard University students from across the world on Friday and asserted that he is determined to ensure that every Indian student gets the exposure and opportunity needed to become global ambassadors. "Had a wonderful and engaging chat with a diverse community of Harvard students from across the world. "The students were curious about a wide range of topics -- about India, the rise of authoritarianism and challenges to democratic politics, geopolitical challenges posed by China, and new technology such as AI," Gandhi said on X after the meeting. The interaction with the visiting students of the Harvard University took place in Delhi on Friday. The former Congress chief also shared pictures of his interaction with the students on X. "I explained my views, especially on democratic production model, the power of listening, and India's philosophical and spiritual traditions," he said. "Listening to these bright, confident minds made me mo