48 h. ago Black women's hair products are in the safety spotlight. Here's what to know

Black women around the world spend hours at a time getting synthetic braids but are wondering if the convenience and fashion benefits are outweighed by potential health hazards

Politics

55 h. ago Don’t just blame Trump – Democrats paved the way for this campus crackdown | Musa al

Both parties are responsible for the mess facing Columbia and other institutions. It’s time for their leaders to take a standDonald Trump trying to cow higher education institutions into submission using the power of the purse. The administration has withheld $400m in federal funds from Columbia University and has vowed to remove even more if its demands are not met.Columbia has an endowment of $14.8bn and an annual operating budget of $6.6bn. The cuts amount to roughly 6% of its annual budget – a non-trivial share. In order to keep it, Columbia was instructed to adopt a number of illiberal measures: it must put its Middle East, South Asia and Africa Studies department into academic receivership; change its admissions policies to reduce admits of people from those regions and admit more Jewish students;and grant campus police more power to surveil, detain and remove people from campus without following the usual due process. It must accept permanently heightened restrictions on camp...

Politics

66 h. ago Judge rules Columbia protester can’t be detained as she fights deportation

White House blocked from deporting Yunseo Chung, green card holder and student who sued Trump administrationA federal judge in Manhattan blocked immigration officials from detaining Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student and legal permanent resident the Trump administration is trying to deport for taking part in Gaza solidarity protests.The 21-year-old green card holder, who has lived in the US since she was seven years old, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, arguing the government is “attempting to use immigration enforcement as a bludgeon to suppress speech that they dislike”. Continue reading...

Events

69 h. ago Professors sue Trump administration over Columbia University overhaul

Legal challenge reflects concerns over pressure on US academic freedom

Politics

3 d. ago US academic groups sue White House over planned deportations of pro

Trump administration is accused of inciting ‘climate of repression’ and stifling free speech on campuses, including Columbia UniversityUS academic groups have sued the Trump administration in an effort to block the deportation of foreign students and scholars who have been targeted for voicing pro-Palestinian views and criticism of Israel.The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Middle East Studies Association (Mesa) filed a lawsuit at a US federal court in Boston on Tuesday accusing the administration of fomenting “a climate of repression” on campuses and stifling constitutionally guaranteed free speech rights. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Columbia student protester who came to the US as a kid sues to stop deportation order

Another Columbia University student says that the Trump administration has targeted her for deportation over her pro-Palestinian views, accusing immigration officials of employing the same tactics used on Mahmoud Khalil and other college activists

Events

8 d. ago Trump has turbocharged the attacks on free speech at US universities. I have seen it first

For speaking up for Palestine, I have been targeted – and have seen colleagues and students face arrest and sanctions Sandy Tolan is a professor at the University of Southern California in Los AngelesThe Trump administration’s attempted deportation of the Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent legal resident of the US, is sparking outrage and nationwide protests. But as shocking as his arrest may have seemed to the world, it was sadly unsurprising to those of us on the frontlines of the war at home over Gaza. Here in the US, a building fury of anti-Palestinian hatred, especially since the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, is giving Donald Trump cover to cleanse the country of “undesirables” and undermine free speech and academic freedom.“If you love Hamas so much why not pack up and move to south Gaza,” an infuriated reader wrote to me last spring, after the LA Times published my opinion article criticising my own university, the University of Southern Californ...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration demands Columbia overhaul academic courses in extraordinary ultimatum

The Trump administration has delivered an extraordinary ultimatum to Columbia University, threatening to permanently end federal funding to the school unless it cedes control of an international studies department and implements sweeping changes to other policies

Politics

2 w. ago Columbia graduate detained by Ice was respected British government employee

Mahmoud Khalil described by former colleague at UK office for Syria as well liked and extensively vettedA detained Columbia University graduate threatened with deportation after the Trump administration claimed he poses a risk to US foreign policy is a former employee of the British government who was extensively vetted before working at the embassy in Beirut.Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate from a Columbia University master’s programme, was arrested at home on 9 March as he returned with his wife from a dinner to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Federal court hearing set in Columbia student's detainment over pro

A Manhattan federal court hearing is scheduled Wednesday in a suit challenging the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student that the Trump Administration is trying to deport over his visible role in pro-Palestinian protests at the New York City university last year

Events

2 w. ago Columbia University ‘refusing to help’ identify people for arrest – White House

Trump administration has axed $400m in federal funding to Columbia and detained student activist Mahmoud KhalilThe Trump administration said on Tuesday that Columbia University was “refusing to help” the Department of Homeland Security identify people for arrest on campus, after immigration authorities detained a prominent Palestinian activist and recent Columbia graduate over the weekend.The Trump White House’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on Tuesday the administration had given the university names of multiple individuals it accused of “pro-Hamas activity”, reiterating the administration’s intention to deport activists associated with pro-Palestinian protests. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago US colleges warned of ‘enforcement actions’ over antisemitism allegations

Warning comes after cancellation of $400m in funding to Columbia and detention of student activist Mahmoud KhalilThe US education department’s civil rights office issued warnings on Monday to 60 colleges and universities indicating that they may face “enforcement actions” for allegations of antisemitic harassment as well as discrimination on their campuses.The warnings came just days after Donald Trump’s second presidential administration canceled $400m in funding to Columbia University and arrested a prominent Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, who was a recent Columbia graduate and helped lead pro-Palestinian protests at the university last year. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Harvard hits pause on hiring after Trump slashes funding at fellow Ivy League school Columbia

The Trump administration pulled $400 million in grants and contracts from Columbia University last week over its demonstrations in defense of Gaza

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration withdraws $400 million in contracts and grants to Columbia University: Live updates

‘For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus,’ Education Secretary Linda McMahon says

Economics

2 w. ago Trump administration cancels $400m in funds to Columbia University

Government alleges university failed to protect Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests on campusThe Donald Trump administration announced on Friday that it had canceled $400m in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University in New York because of what it alleges as the college’s repeated failure to protect students from antisemitic harassment.The announcement comes after Columbia set up a new disciplinary committee and initiated its own investigations into students critical of Israel and its war on Gaza after Hamas’ own attack on Israel. That move by the university has alarmed advocates of free speech. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration cancels $400m in grants and contracts to Columbia University over ‘harassment of Jewish students’ – live

The New York university has been a target of the Trump administration after it became a major encampment for students protesting the war in GazaCanadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has scrambled to convince Donald Trump to lift tariffs on his country, which together with Mexico and China is one of the US’s largest trading partners.That effort included a phone call between the two leaders on Wednesday, which appears to have had some effect – on Thursday, Trump exempted Canada from some of the tariffs he had imposed, along with Mexico.Trudeau responded Tuesday by placing tariffs on the US, and he questioned whether further negotiations would make any difference, accusing Trump of acting in “bad faith.” The two leaders eventually spoke Wednesday morning, an exchange Trump said ended in a “somewhat” friendly manner. A person familiar with the matter said the call grew heated and included profanity. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration cancels $400M in grants and contracts with Columbia University

The Trump administration says it’s pulling $400 million from Columbia University

Politics

3 w. ago Trump threatens to pull federal funds for US schools allowing ‘illegal protests’

US president also claims he will imprison ‘agitators’ a day after administration called for review at Columbia UniversityDonald Trump threatened on Tuesday to halt all federal funding for any college or school that allows “illegal protests” and vowed to imprison “agitators”.“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” the US president wrote on Truth Social. Continue reading...

Events