Protests over Gaza conflict disrupt US universities ahead of commencements 🎓
Protests over Gaza conflict disrupt US universities ahead of commencements 🎓
Also: TikTok's fate, the secret to living longer, and Caitlin Clark's GPA
Across the United States, college campuses are experiencing significant disruptions due to protest encampments related to the war in Gaza. These encampments have led to clashes, numerous arrests, and the cancellation of significant events like commencement ceremonies.
Columbia University has become a focal point of activism, with its campus turning into a battleground of conflicting views. The university president, Minouche Shafik, faced criticism after over 100 arrests were made during large-scale protests, exacerbating the debate around free speech and campus safety. Columbia announced classes will be hybrid until the end of the semester, while a university rabbi told Jewish students to stay home for their own safety. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who visited Columbia, linked the protests to Hamas in a controversial statement, intensifying the discourse around antisemitism and the criticism of Israel's policies.
The University of Southern California canceled its main stage commencement ceremony on Thursday following its decision to prevent valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking at the event, due to her vocal pro-Palestinian views. This decision came amid heightened security concerns, with USC citing "substantial risks relating to security and disruption" as the reason for their action. The cancellation sparked protests on campus, with students and various groups voicing their opposition and claiming the decision was influenced by anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiments.
The turmoil wasn't confined to these universities alone. Across the country, from the University of Michigan, to Emerson College in Boston, to Emory University in Atlanta, student protests have led to a substantial police presence and numerous arrests.
These events take place amid a broader national trend of increasing antisemitism, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League, with Jewish students on campuses across the country expressing concerns about their safety. These protests often focus on the U.S. military aid to Israel and the broader geopolitical alignments of their institutions.
The turmoil represents a crucial moment for academic institutions as they navigate the complex interplay of upholding free speech while ensuring safety and order on their campuses. The intense emotions and political divisiveness sparked by the Gaza conflict have not only disrupted academic schedules but also prompted a broader reflection on the role of universities in political and social debates.
As the academic year concludes, universities like Columbia are tasked with conducting commencement ceremonies amid these ongoing tensions, highlighting the persistent challenges they face in managing campus dynamics and student activism.
How antiwar student protests are spreading across U.S. universities
THROWBACK: How Americans felt about campus protests against the Vietnam War (Washington Post)
Congress tightens screws on ByteDance to sell TikTok 📱
This week, Congress passed legislation requiring ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest the app to a U.S.-approved buyer or face a potential ban. U.S. officials have expressed concerns that TikTok, allegedly influenced by the Chinese Communist Party, poses a national security threat by potentially allowing access to American users' data and spreading disinformation.
The new law, signed by President Biden, is part of a broader $95 billion foreign aid package that includes support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. It grants ByteDance a nine-month period to secure an American buyer for TikTok. If a sale isn't finalized, the app would face a shutdown, but not immediately; the ban could take years to implement due to anticipated legal challenges from ByteDance. The company is expected to argue in court this fall that the ban is unconstitutional and to assert that it has taken significant steps to safeguard the data of American users.
The case is likely to progress from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, potentially delaying any ban for another year. Notably, some high-profile figures, including former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, have shown interest in acquiring the platform.
This legislative move underscores the ongoing scrutiny and complex legal challenges facing foreign-owned apps operating in the U.S. tech ecosystem.
DIG DEEPER: These are the countries where TikTok is already banned (AP)
🗞️ In other news
⚖️ Trump’s critical day in multiple courts
Donald Trump’s hush money trial isn’t even the biggest court drama facing the former President on Thursday. The Supreme Court also heard his claim of absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. (CNN)
🏛️ Do state abortion laws conflict with federal health care laws? The Supreme Court appears skeptical
Conservative Supreme Court justices are raising questions Wednesday about state abortion bans taking effect after their sweeping ruling overturning Roe v. Wade violate federal healthcare law. (AP)
⚖️ Harvey Weinstein rape conviction overturned
The New York Court of Appeals decided in a 4-3 vote to overturn the disgraced Hollywood producer’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crime charges. The court found that the judge in the trial had allowed prosecutors to call witnesses who said he assaulted them, but the accusations weren’t part of the charges. The decision is a stunning reversal in #MeToo era case. (Variety)
✈️ New airline rules will make it easier to get refunds for canceled flights. Here's what to know.
The Department of Transportation Introduced new regulations to enhance consumer protections against airlines imposing high fees for checked bags and flight changes. One of the regulations mandates airlines to display the total travel cost upfront, before passengers finalize their ticket purchases, while another requires airlines to issue prompt cash refunds for flights that are either canceled or significantly altered. (NPR)
🌎 Around the world
🇮🇷 Iranian women violently dragged from streets by police amid hijab crackdown
Video evidence shows multiple arrests after regime launched new draconian campaign against women and girls. (The Guardian)
🇮🇱 Why the U.S. is investigating an ultra-Orthodox Israeli army battalion
The U.S. is expected to sanction the Netzah Yehuda Battalion under the "Leahy Laws," which prohibit providing funds to assist military individuals or foreign security forces implicated in gross violations of human rights. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday he had made "determinations" linked to accusations of human rights violations by Israel. (CBS News)
🗳️ Politics
📉 Biden has lost significant ground with young men, according to new poll
The Harvard IOP spring youth poll found Biden still leads Trump amongst young voters, but there’s a 27-point gender gap. President Biden's lead among young men is six points, while among young women his lead is 33 points. (The Up and Up)
⚕️Health and wellness
👩⚕️ Life Hack: See a female doctor to live longer
A study in the journal of Annals of Internal Medicine found patients with female doctors have lower mortality rates and remission rates than patients treated by male doctors. The mortality rate of female patients with female doctors was 8.15% versus 8.35% of those with male doctors. The mortality rate of male patients with a female doctor was 10.15% versus 10.23% of those with a male doctor. (NY Post)
📱 “Have an abortion with me” - Talking abortion on TikTok
As abortion access varies state-by-state, some social media users look to TikTok users like Sunni for answers about the procedure. (NYT)
💰 Money
💸 Some Gen Z interns at Big Tech and consulting giants are already earning six-figure salaries, Glassdoor data shows
The $23 billion gaming giant Roblox is paying fresh-faced interns over $10,000 a month. (Fortune)
👩💻 Technology
👨🦱 The Meta-morphosis of Mark Zuckerberg
The robotic nerd depicted in “The Social Network” has turned into the kinder, more accessible face of Silicon Valley. What’s going on? (NYT)
🎓 College Corner
🧑🎓 Kids scrap Ivy League prospects and head south
Amid a recent wave of protests and arrests at elite universities, many students are opting to move south after high school graduation. Many factors — including warm weather, college sports and less progressive politics impact their decisions. Ivy Leagues like Harvard are seeing dips in their application numbers. (Free Press)
⭐ Gen Z in the Spotlight
📰 Students at NYC public schools demand more access to journalism
Many students at the NYC Youth Journalism Coalition gathered at New York City Hall to demand access to student journalism opportunities at New York City’s public schools. Right now, the opportunities tend to be limited to whiter and more affluent schools. (Gothamist)
♟️ This Indian teenager could become the youngest chess champion in history
Gukesh Dommaraju did not go into the Candidates tournament as a favorite. But the 17-year-old from Chennai, India, has earned his right to play for the chess world title against current title holder, Ding Liren. In fact, he is the youngest chess challenger ever. (ZME Science)
🎤 Pop Culture
👸🏼 Taylor Swift’s biggest economic impact isn’t just herself, but her fans’ spending power
Swifties are not only driving Taylor’s stardom, but also economies across the globe. Her fanbase spans over half of the U.S. adult population. “Swiftynomics” is the trend that shows how millennials have come to claim ownership and independence over their financial lives. (TIME)
💚 Billie Eilish opens up about mental health struggles
The 22-year-old singer reflected on her lifelong battle with depression, telling Rolling Stone, “I've never been a happy person.'” (USA Today)
👟 Sports
⚖️ DOJ reaches $138 million settlement to resolve sexual abuse claims against Larry Nassar
The settlement arose from a delayed F.B.I. investigation of allegations against USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar for sexually assault against hundreds of women and girls. This will likely be the end of the years-long quest for justice. (NewsNation)
🤾♀️ NCAA faces increasing pressure to clarify stance on transgender athletes
A small college association’s recent decision to ban all trans women from women’s sports has led to increased pressure on the NCAA to speak on the role of transgender athletes in college sports. A queer-sports advocacy group sent letters urging the NCAA President to continue allowing transgender athletes to compete. (Washington Post)
⛹️♀️ Caitlin Clark: A star on and off the court
The superstar student athlete had a GPA of 3.64 during her time at Iowa. Clark, who majored in marketing, surprised nobody with her high academic achievements. (Spun)
📡 On the radar
🏛️ The most consequential case in decades concerning people experiencing homelessness
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this week for a case that will decide whether it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment to fine, ticket, or jail someone for sleeping outside on public property if they have nowhere else to go. If the Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, communities could more easily clear out homeless peoples’ tent encampments, even without alternate housing or shelter. (VOX)
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