NEW YORK: As students return to colleges across the United States, administrators are bracing for a resurgence in activism against the war in Gaza, and some schools are adopting rules to limit the kind of protests that swept campuses last spring.
While the summer break provided a respite in student demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war, it also gave both student protesters and higher education officials a chance to regroup and strategize for the fall semester.
The stakes remain high. At Columbia University, President Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday after coming under heavy scrutiny for her handling of the demonstrations at the campus in New York City, where the wave of pro-Palestinian tent encampments began last spring.
Some of the new rules imposed by universities include banning encampments, limiting the duration of demonstrations, allowing protests only in designated spaces and restricting campus access to those with university identification. Critics say some of the measures will curtail free speech.
The American Association of University Professors issued a statement Wednesday condemning “overly restrictive policies” that could discourage free expression. Many of the new policies require protesters to register well in advance and strictly limit the locations where gatherings can be held, as well as setting new limits on the use of amplified sound and signage.
“Our colleges and universities should encourage, not suppress, open and vigorous dialogue and debate even on the most deeply held beliefs,” said the statement, adding that many policies were imposed without faculty input.
The University of Pennsylvania has outlined new “temporary guidelines” for student protests that include bans on encampments, overnight demonstrations, and the use of bullhorns and speakers until after 5 p.m. on class days. Penn also requires that posters and banners be removed within two weeks of going up. The university says it remains committed to freedom of speech and lawful assembly.
At Indiana University, protests after 11 p.m. are forbidden under a new “expressive activities policy” that took effect Aug 1. The policy says “camping” and erecting any type of shelter are prohibited on campus, and signs cannot be displayed on university property without prior approval.
The University of South Florida now requires approval for tents, canopies, banners, signs and amplifiers. The school’s “speech, expression and assembly” rules stipulate that no “activity,” including protests or demonstrations, is allowed after 5 p.m. on weekdays or during weekends and not allowed at all during the last two weeks of a semester.
A draft document obtained over the summer by the student newspaper at Harvard University showed the college was considering prohibitions on overnight camping, chalk messages and unapproved signs.
“I think right now we are seeing a resurgence of repression on campuses that we haven’t seen since the late 1960s,” said Risa Lieberwitz, a Cornell University professor of labor and employment law who serves as general counsel for the AAUP.
Universities say they encourage free speech as long as it doesn’t interfere with learning, and they insist they are simply updating existing rules for demonstrations to protect campus safety.
Tensions have run high on college campuses since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants assaulted southern Israel and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostages.
Many student protesters in the US vow to continue their activism, which has been fueled by Gaza’s rising death toll, which surpassed 40,000 on Thursday, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
About 50 Columbia students still face discipline over last spring’s demonstrations after a mediation process that began earlier in the summer stalled, according to Mahmoud Khalil, a lead negotiator working on behalf of Columbia student protesters. He blamed the impasse on Columbia administrators.
“The university loves to appear that they’re in dialogue with the students. But these are all fake steps meant to assure the donor community and their political class,” said Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.
The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The Ivy League school in upper Manhattan was roiled earlier this year by student demonstrations, culminating in scenes of police officers with zip ties and riot shields storming a building occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Similar protests swept college campuses nationwide, with many leading to violent clashes with police and more than 3,000 arrests. Many of the students who were arrested during police crackdowns have had their charges dismissed, but some are still waiting to learn what prosecutors decide. Many have faced fallout in their academic careers, including suspensions, withheld diplomas and other forms of discipline.
Shafik was among the university leaders who were called for questioning before Congress. She was heavily criticized by Republicans who accused her of not doing enough to combat concerns about antisemitism on the Columbia campus.
She announced her resignation in an emailed letter to the university community just weeks before the start of classes on Sept. 3. The university on Monday began restricting campus access to people with Columbia IDs and registered guests, saying it wanted to curb “potential disruptions” as the new semester draws near.
“This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in the community,” Shafik wrote in her letter. “Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters first set up tent encampments on Columbia’s campus during Shafik’s congressional testimony in mid-April, when she denounced antisemitism but faced criticism for how she responded to faculty and students accused of bias.
The school sent in police to clear the tents the following day, only for the students to return and inspire a wave of similar protests at campuses across the country as students called for schools to cut financial ties with Israel and companies supporting the war.
The campus was mostly quiet this summer, but a conservative news outlet in June published images of what it said were text messages exchanged by administrators while attending a May 31 panel discussion titled “Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future.”
The officials were removed from their posts, with Shafik saying in a July 8 letter to the school community that the messages were unprofessional and “disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.”
Other prominent Ivy League leaders have stepped down in recent months, in large part due to their response to the volatile protests on campus.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December after less than two years on the job. She faced pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.
And in January, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned amid plagiarism accusations and similar criticism over her testimony before Congress.
US colleges revise rules on free speech in hopes of containing anti-war demonstrations
https://arab.news/w3zwk
US colleges revise rules on free speech in hopes of containing anti-war demonstrations
- American Association of University Professors condemn “overly restrictive policies” that could discourage free expression
- Many student protesters in the US vow to continue their activism, which has been fueled by Gaza’s rising death toll
Russia hails ‘record’ Arctic shipping as sanctions pivot trade to Asia
- Competition over Arctic resources has heated up as a warming climate opens up previously iced sea lanes
MURMANSK: Russia on Thursday hailed “record” cargo volumes through its Northern Sea Route, which cuts travel time between Europe and Asia, as Arctic ice melts and helps Moscow redirect trade hit by sanctions over Ukraine.
Before launching his Ukraine offensive, President Vladimir Putin had promoted the Arctic route as a strategic priority, with Russia developing a fleet of eight nuclear icebreaker ships.
“Last year ended with a record, with around 38 million tons,” of cargo shipped via the route, said Alexey Likhachev, director of Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom, which operates the icebreakers.
Putin was due to address the issue later on Thursday at a forum on Arctic development in the northern Russian port city of Murmansk.
Competition over Arctic resources has heated up as a warming climate opens up previously iced sea lanes.
And US President Donald Trump’s campaign to annex Greenland has also intensified the geopolitical and security dimensions of the tussle for influence in the region.
Moscow has invested heavily in the Northern Sea Route, which can cut travel time for cargo ships by 15 days compared to sailing via the Suez Canal.
Climate change has meant Russia’s nuclear icebreakers can pass along its entire northern coast, though at times with difficulty.
Vladimir Panov, a special representative for Arctic development at Rosatom said Moscow has seen “shippers in summer and autumn redirect their cargoes” via the route to Asia.
“In the last two years, for the first time we have switched to year-round operation of icebreakers,” he said at the forum on Wednesday.
Russia has also clashed with the West over its ambitions for Arctic development.
Foreign ministry official Vladislav Maslennikov on Wednesday accused the West of having a “provocative” Arctic policy.
“Under the guise of protecting the environment and combating climate change, we are witnessing ongoing attempts at de facto unfair competition,” he said.
Despite increasing volumes of cargo transported, Moscow has faced a series of logistical issues on the route.
In 2018 Putin had set a target of 80 million tons a year in annual cargo by 2024.
Washington told EU to brace for more tariffs before any talks, envoys say
- The Commission has tried to launch negotiations to avert additional tariffs
- Washington’s message was that no negotiations would happen until further US tariffs are imposed, the envoys said
BRUSSELS: Washington has told the European Union it should not expect any trade negotiations before the United States has imposed more tariffs on the bloc next week, EU diplomats said on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, plans an additional 25 percent duty on car imports and intends to announce reciprocal tariffs next Wednesday aimed at the countries he says are responsible for the bulk of the US goods trade deficit.
European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met US counterparts in Washington this week and EU envoys said Commission officials briefed them on the visit late on Wednesday.
The Commission has tried to launch negotiations to avert additional tariffs, but Washington’s message was that no negotiations would happen until further US tariffs are imposed, the envoys said.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the reciprocal tariffs might be as high as 25 percent, but the level was still not certain.
“It’s just a guess,” one of the sources said.
Washington has five sectors it wants to boost domestically: autos, pharmaceuticals, timber, semiconductors and metals.
In Europe, Washington has been closely eying competition in autos and pharmaceuticals. US President Donald Trump said on Monday he will announce tariffs on automobiles, aluminum and pharmaceuticals in the very near future.
The European Commission has proposed counter-measures on up to $28 billion of US imports as a response to Trump’s metals tariffs. These are likely to be imposed in mid-April. One diplomat said the Commission would present its final counter-measures on April 4.
The Commission said on Thursday it was preparing its response to the new car import duties, but did not provide any timing.
“But I can assure you that it will be timely, that it will be robust, that it will be well calibrated and that it will achieve the intended impact,” a spokesperson said.
From urchins to green caviar, seafood feasts dominate iftars in Philippines’ far south
- Eating seafood is related to traditional lifestyles, which the older generation tries to uphold during Ramadan
- Unlike other provinces in Bangsamoro, Tawi-Tawi chooses shellfish over sweets during the fasting month
MANILA: In Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost and predominantly Muslim province of the Philippines, culinary traditions are deeply embedded in the coastal region’s marine-based economy. During Ramadan, they are on full display as iftars turn into hearty feasts of the freshest and most diverse seafood.
Located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Tawi-Tawi, consists of a group of islands in the Sulu Archipelago, near the maritime borders of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Unlike other provinces in the region, where sweets and meat dishes dominate the iftar table, Tawi-Tawi sets itself apart with shellfish, sea urchins, crabs, algae and sea grapes — edible seaweed that looks like tiny green grapes and is sometimes called “green caviar” or “sea caviar.”
Most of these are typically enjoyed with rice or siyanglag, which is a savory, slightly sweet side dish made from roasted grated cassava mixed with grated coconut.
“That’s the most common iftar here in Tawi-Tawi,” said Laila Aripin, a resident of Bongao, the province’s capital.
“The abundance of seafood during Ramadan is very unique here in Tawi-Tawi compared to other Bangsamoro provinces. Usually, for iftar, we usually boil it or eat raw. Shellfish are just boiled, and we dip them in vinegar or any preferred sauce.”
Sea urchins are the main staple and one of the cheapest, with a portion costing about 35 US cents. Served fresh, they are known as teheh-teheh and are usually accompanied by siyanglag.
Another favorite urchin dish is okoh-okoh, where they are cooked in coconut water with seasoned rice inside.
“Sea urchins are twice as cheap during Ramadan. If you visit the market these days, you’ll find sea urchins and many other harvests from the sea. Some families also serve lobster, especially those who can afford it, particularly in eastern Tawi-Tawi where people cultivate lobsters,” Kin Usman, from the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, told Arab News.
“It’s really a seafood feast during Ramadan.”
The availability of sea products in the market is also linked to the supply from the Badjao, an indigenous, predominantly Muslim ethnic group known for their expertise in fishing — a central aspect of their traditional livelihoods. According to Usman, during Ramadan, more people want to purchase from them, as a gesture of community self-help.
“You’ll often see our Badjao brothers and sisters selling (seafood), which is why people like us, who are fasting, tend to buy more,” he said. “The supply is truly abundant.”
But the preference for seafood is also related to traditional ways of living, which the older generation tries to revive during Ramadan, a period that is always more reflective.
“When they fast, they tend to look for their original ways of living. They prefer the original foods, their staple foods. Seafood and sea urchins were their staple foods back then,” Usman said.
“Eventually, it was passed down, and it became a norm that during Ramadan there is always seafood on the table.”
Israel arms sales protest interrupts UK trade minister event
- One protester accused the government of being complicit in genocide
- Responding to the protest, Reynolds said Britain had suspended arms exports to Israel
LONDON: British business and trade minister Jonathan Reynolds was on Thursday interrupted by two protesters opposing arms sales to Israel who stormed the stage as he was about to speak at a think-tank event on trade.
“They have not stopped the trade in F-35s,” one individual shouted, referring to F-35 fighter jets. One protester accused the government of being complicit in genocide.
Responding to the protest, Reynolds said Britain had suspended arms exports to Israel.
“We haven’t suspended F-35s because they’re integral to our national security and particularly the defense of Ukraine,” he said.
US drops bounties on top Afghan Taliban officials
- Taliban leaders remain on Washington’s list of ‘specially designated global terrorists’ but the bounty price has been scrapped
- Sirajuddin Haqqani had long been one of Washington’s most important targets, with a $10 million bounty on his head
KABUL: The United States has removed multimillion-dollar bounties on leaders of Afghanistan’s feared Haqqani militant network, including the current Taliban interior minister, the State Department and the Taliban government said.
The Haqqani network was responsible for some of the deadliest attacks during the decades-long war in Afghanistan.
The men remain on Washington’s list of “specially designated global terrorists” but the bounty price has been scrapped.
Taliban interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said that Washington had “canceled rewards” for Sirajuddin Haqqani – who also heads the Haqqani network – as well as other key leaders, Abdul Aziz Haqqani and Yahya Haqqani.
Sirajuddin Haqqani had long been one of Washington’s most important targets, with a $10 million bounty on his head.
The US State Department said that “the three persons named remain designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), and the Haqqani Network remains designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a SDGT.”
But while the wanted page remains active, the bounty on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) website has been removed.
“It is the policy of the United States to consistently review and refine Rewards for Justice reward offers,” a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The bounty cancelation came days after the first visit by US officials to Afghanistan since President Donald Trump returned to office, and the announcement afterwards of the release of a US citizen by Taliban authorities.
US-based Afghan political analyst Abdul Wahed Faqiri said that the bounty removal is likely “largely symbolic” but a way for the United States to “give credit to Sirajuddin Haqqani,” seen as an emerging more moderate “alternative.”
Media reports talk of increasing tensions between the “pragmatic” Haqqani figures and a more hardline circle around Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who vie for influence within the government.
Despite the US bounty and international travel bans, Sirajuddin Haqqani has traveled outside Afghanistan multiple times since the Taliban government swept back to power in 2021.
The government in Kabul is not recognized by any country and has expressed hopes for “a new chapter” with Trump’s administration.
Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban during his first term in office, that paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and their return to power.
