Daily Briefing: What's happening at Harvard University?
In an unprecedented move bound to have sweeping implications, the Donald Trump administration has revoked the rights of Harvard University, a prestigious and sought-after Ivy League college in Massachusetts, to enrol international students. Existing such students, meanwhile, have been asked to transfer or lose their legal status. The move will impact over a quarter of Harvard's student body and dent a significant revenue source for the University.
Quick recap: In recent weeks, Harvard has resisted the changes the Trump administration demanded in its admission process, curriculum, and hiring practices. Consequently, the administration blocked the multibillion-dollar federal funding for Harvard. The nation's oldest and wealthiest school has sued the administration over its moves. The Harvard President has also invited alumni and donors to support the University financially and politically.
Zoom in: In the latest letter rescinding the University's 'Student and Exchange Visitor Program' certificate, the Trump administration accused it of perpetuating antisemitism, 'pro-Hamas sympathies', and 'racist' diversity, equity and inclusion policies. It has given the University 72 hours to turn over records of international students, including any video or audio of their protest activity in the past five years.
Zoom out: The move comes as part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown against international students on college campuses. Critics have accused the administration of tainting academia with fear amid arrests of international students, especially those who have expressed solidarity with Palestine. Earlier this year, Columbia University succumbed to the changes demanded by the Trump administration to secure its federal funding.
Would you rather go out and watch a movie at the theatre or stick to the comfort of your home? We asked two experts for their thoughts on this week's Dis/Agree column.
Ashish Saksena, COO (Cinemas) at BookMyShow, advocates for a 'collective' emotional experience, such as shared tension or laughter, to add to the viewing experience. He argues that cinema halls 'remain indispensable barometers of a film's success.'
Meanwhile, filmmaker Sahir Raza says that OTT platforms and cinema halls can co-exist if there is room for experimentation.
Red lines: The Supreme Court Thursday weighed in heavily on the Enforcement Directorate, saying it was 'crossing all limits' and 'violating the federal structure' in pursuing a money-laundering case against the state government-run liquor retailer Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). It has stayed further proceedings in the ongoing probe.
Addendum: What is the ED's case against TASMAC? Read here.
Next in line: The death of CPI (Maoist) chief Basavaraju in an encounter dealt a massive blow to the Maoist rank and file. The security establishment's focus has shifted to the de facto military chief of CPI (M), Madvi Hidma. The elusive commander has played a key role in all major Maoist attacks in the last decade.
Green light: The government has given its nod to clear 937 hectares of the forest in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district to make way for Lloyd Metals and Energy Limited's iron ore beneficiation plant. Significantly, the Maoist insurgency has halted several such projects in the district.
Out of the woods: Gujarat has recorded a 32 per cent jump in its lion population since 2020. It now has 891 Asiatic lions. The Chief Minister credited the state government's consistent and dedicated efforts for the achievement. However, concerns remain. As forest spaces shrink, lions have limited territory to spread into. My colleague Jay Mazoomdar explains what more the government could do to continue the success story.
I spy: A YouTuber from Haryana's Hisar has been making waves—not for her work, but because of the allegations of espionage against her. Jyoti Malhotra, whose vlog, 'Travel with Jo', has over 3.7 lakh subscribers, has come under fire for sharing 'sensitive information' with an official of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Her family and neighbours knew little about her work despite her raging success. Abhimanyu Hazarika profiles the travel vlogger.
Neeraj Ghaywan's sophomore directorial venture, Homebound, premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it's competing in the Un Certain Regard segment. Film critic Shubhra Gupta, who was present for the screening, called it 'a timely, trenchant testament to our times.' Homebound is yet to be released publicly, but the New York Times essay it's based on can be found online. The film drew inspiration from Basharat Peer's riveting account of a friendship between a Muslim and a Dalit in the backdrop of the stringent pandemic lockdown that would alter their lives forever.
Don't miss today's episode of the '3 Things' podcast, where we give you a complete guide on what your health checkup should include, regardless of age, sex, or lifestyle.
That's all for today, folks! Happy weekend-ing,
Sonal Gupta
Sonal Gupta is a senior sub-editor on the news desk. She runs The Indian Express's weekly climate newsletter, Icebreaker. Apart from this, her interests range from politics and world affairs to art and culture and AI. She also curates the Morning Expresso, a daily briefing of top stories of the day, which won gold in the 'best newsletter' category at the WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2023.
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