Latest news with #USDeclarationofIndependence
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid standoff with US government, a brief history of Harvard University
A US federal judge on Friday (May 23) barred the Donald Trump administration from revoking Harvard University's ability to enrol international students a day after the policy was brought in. Harvard University, one of the world's most prestigious educational institutions, has been at the crosshairs of the administration since Trump took office in January. The latest development is the most serious escalation in the c0nflict yet. Foreign students have made up more than a quarter of the university's strength for the past three years, and the order could have significant repercussions. Here' a brief history of how Harvard, a university often described as 'older than the United States', came to be. On October 28, 1636, Harvard, the first college in the American colonies, was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, almost a century-and-a-half before the the US Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Originally called the New College, its mission was to train the clergy, much like many colleges in the renowned universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in England. According to its official website, Harvard received its now famous name on March 13, 1639. The university was named after the 'renowned benefactor seated in 'lies.'' This refers to a black statue on the campus, supposedly representing one John Harvard, a Puritan minister, with an engraving that says 'founder'. However, this statue in all likelihood does not depict this man. And although he is often associated with the founding of the university, John Harvard was not really its founder nor did he study there (he studied at Cambridge). He was, however, its first major benefactor, who donated half of his estate and his library, which consisted of over 400 books. The real founder of Harvard University was not an individual, but the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which took a vote to set up the institution. The city of Cambridge was then called 'Newetowne'. In 1642, the first Harvard Commencement was held, with nine graduates. The Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper at Harvard University, recorded in 1893 that the term for prestigious East Coast US colleges stems from a practice related to the actual Ivy plant. On one customary day in June before the graduation, known as Class Day, students would plant the ivy, in one of the several rituals commemorating the day. The term 'Ivy League' now refers to eight prestigious East Coast universities, including Yale, Princeton, and Columbia.
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Who Wants to Be A Millionaire fans in disbelief at what contestant did before they'd even won anything
Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? viewers were left scratching their heads after a player made a 'ridiculous' decision during Sunday's episode of the ITV gameshow. Who Wants to Be A Millionaire fans were left frustrated after a contestant's "ridiculous" mistake cost her £32,000 on Sunday's episode. In the latest episode of the popular ITV quiz show, Amy Helliwell was the first participant to take the hot seat and was on the verge of making it to the final question. The tourism officer had set her safety net at £32,000 and shared with host Jeremy Clarkson what she planned to do with the potential winnings, reports Edinburgh Live. "I'd cry for a bit, just in a dark room or something. And then, my car is a hand-me-down from my sister, as all of my things are probably. But I'd love to start my own business," Amy said. "In this economy, it's quite hard to do that, so this would be quite helpful towards it." She further explained: "I want to start a café, an Italian-style deli with ice cream and gelato. I love making that kind of stuff." After correctly answering a question about the US Declaration of Independence, Amy moved on to the £125,000 question. However, when asked about the longest living species of tree, Amy, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, confessed that horticulture wasn't her strong suit, admitting she "kills" a lot of plants. Despite her uncertainty, she decided to "take a chance" and chose oak as her final answer. "I think I might as well just go for it, there's no point in not doing it, right? I'm going to go for oak, final answer," Amy stated. "You are unbelievably brave, but sadly wrong," Jeremy responded, crushing her hopes. He continued: "Oh I am sorry Amy, I just love your attitude, though. And you are leaving here with £32,000, which is pretty good. I wish you all the very, very best with your new car and your café." However, audiences watching the episode were far from impressed with Amy's daring strategy as numerous viewers rushed to X - previously known as Twitter - to share their disappointment. Airing their frustration, viewer posted: "Can't believe she just did that. Basically gave up £32,000 on a guess." Another added: "What a silly thing to do." A different stunned fan of the show commented: "Can't believe she didn't take the £64,000". Someone else agreed, posting: "One risk too many. Ridiculous guess when you don't know it." However, not everyone was offended by Amy's choice as also on social media, one viewer offered some perspective to Amy's decision, saying: "Wild take, but I think gambling at £64,000 with a guaranteed £32,000 wasn't terrible, especially if she'd had her eye on £32,000 to start with. Gambling at £128,000, however, would have been WILD." Who Wants To Be A Millionaire continues on Sunday at 8pm on ITV.
Edinburgh Live
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV Who Wants to Be A Millionaire fans in disbelief as player makes 'silly' mistake
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Who Wants to Be A Millionaire viewers were left exasperated after a contestant's "ridiculous" error cost her £32,000 on Sunday (May 4). During tonight's episode of the hit ITV gameshow, Amy Helliwell was the first player to take part in the quiz, and was close to making it all the way to the end. The tourism officer from Stroud had set her safety net at £32,000, and shared with host Jeremy Clarkson her plans for the potential winnings. "I'd cry for a bit, just in a dark room or something. And then, my car is a hand-me-down from my sister, as all of my things are probably. But I'd love to start my own business," Amy revealed. "In this economy, it's quite hard to do that, so this would be quite helpful towards it." She further elaborated: "I want to start a café, an Italian-style deli with ice cream and gelato. I love making that kind of stuff," reports Devon Live. After correctly answering a question about the US Declaration of Independence, Amy progressed to the £125,000 question. However, when asked about the longest living species of tree, she confessed that horticulture wasn't her strong suit, admitting she "kills" a lot of plants. Despite her uncertainty, she decided to "take a chance" and chose oak as her final answer. "I think I might as well just go for it, there's no point in not doing it, right? I'm going to go for oak, final answer," Amy declared. "You are unbelievably brave, but sadly wrong," Jeremy then responded, dashing her hopes. "Oh I am sorry Amy, I just love your attitude, though. And you are leaving here with £32,000, which is pretty good. I wish you all the very, very best with your new car and your café." Yet, viewers of the show were less than thrilled with Amy's bold approach, with many flocking to X (formerly Twitter) to express their dismay. "Can't believe she just did that. Basically gave up £32,000 on a guess," commented one viewer, while another remarked: "What a silly thing to do." Another individual was surprised, stating: "Can't believe she didn't take the 64k," and yet another echoed the sentiment: "One risk too many. Ridiculous guess when you don't know it." On the other hand, a different viewer rationalised Amy's decision by suggesting: "Wild take, but I think gambling at £64k with a guaranteed £32k wasn't terrible, especially if she'd had her eye on £32k to start with. Gambling at £128k, however, would have been WILD." Who Wants to Be A Millionaire is available to stream on ITVX
19-03-2025
- Politics
US federal judge suspends Trump ban on transgender people in military
A US federal judge on Tuesday suspended the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing the principle of equality and dealing a blow—if only temporary—to the US president's agenda. Referencing the US Declaration of Independence, which states that all humans are 'created equal,' Judge Ana C. Reyes suspended President Donald Trump's late January order that excluded transgender people from the armed forces. That suspension, however, will be put on pause until March 21 to give the government time to file an emergency stay at a higher court, according to Reyes' decision. The order will nonetheless come as a blow to Trump's administration, which has made it a priority to strip protections for minorities since he took office. Trump's January 27 executive order stated that 'expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.' Since taking office, he has also declared that the US government will only recognize two sexes—male and female—that 'are not changeable.' The number of transgender people in the US military is estimated at about 15,000 out of around two million. Reyes' order used unusually strong language in parts to criticize the order banning transgender Americans from serving in the military. 'The Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext,' the judge wrote. 'Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact.' The judge said Trump 'could have crafted a policy that balances the Nation's need for a prepared military and Americans' right to equal protection. They still can. The Military Ban, however, is not that policy.' In February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo preventing transgender people from joining the military and halting gender transition treatment for others who are already in uniform. The Pentagon has also said it would begin removing transgender troops from the military unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis, according to a February memo. The US military lifted a ban on transgender troops in 2016, during Democrat Barack Obama's second term as president—but policies have seesawed under his successors Trump, Joe Biden, and now Trump again. Transgender issues have roiled US politics in recent years, as states controlled by Democrats and Republicans have moved in opposite directions on policies ranging from medical treatment to what books on the topic are allowed in public or school libraries. Tuesday's order was in a case brought by a group of transgender people, either in the military or wishing to become so, to challenge Trump's latest executive order.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US federal judge suspends ban on transgender people in military
A US federal judge on Tuesday suspended the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing the principle of equality and dealing a blow -- if only temporary -- to the US president's agenda. Referencing the US Declaration of Independence, which states that all humans are "created equal," Judge Ana C. Reyes suspended President Donald Trump's late January order that excluded transgender people from the armed forces. That suspension, however, will be put on pause until March 21 to give the government time to file an emergency stay at a higher court, according to Reyes' decision. The order will nonetheless come as a blow to Trump's administration, which has made it a priority to strip protections for minorities since he took office. Trump's January 27 executive order stated that "expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service." Since taking office, he has also declared that the US government will only recognize two sexes -- male and female -- that "are not changeable." The number of transgender people in the US military is estimated at about 15,000 out of around two million. Reyes's order used unusually strong language in parts to criticize the order banning transgender Americans from serving in the military. "The Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext," the judge wrote. "Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact." The judge said Trump "could have crafted a policy that balances the Nation's need for a prepared military and Americans' right to equal protection. They still can. The Military Ban, however, is not that policy." In February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo preventing transgender people from joining the military and halting gender transition treatment for others who are already in uniform. The Pentagon has also said it would begin removing transgender troops from the military unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis, according to a February memo. The US military lifted a ban on transgender troops in 2016, during Democrat Barack Obama's second term as president -- but policies have seesawed under his successors Trump, Joe Biden and now Trump again. Transgender issues have roiled US politics in recent years, as states controlled by Democrats and Republicans have moved in opposite directions on policies ranging from medical treatment to what books on the topic are allowed in public or school libraries. Tuesday's order was in a case brought by a group of transgender people, either in the military or wishing to become so, to challenge Trump's latest executive order. sst/aha/md
